Webquests/Extensions for March:

Image from:http://ibytemedia.com/?s=st.+patrick%27s+day

Did you know that Ireland is called the Emerald Island because of its green fertile lands? Did you know that the Celtic knot is a very famous symbol of Ireland? Other well know symbols of Ireland include the harp, leprechauns and shamrocks.Can you pronounce the name of this village in Ireland?(Muckanaghederdauhaulia) Learn more about Ireland with my fun and informative web quest on Ireland includes 12 questions and lots of extension activities.
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/St-Patricks-Day-Ireland-Webquest-and-Activities

Image is from: stillpix@nara.gov

Women’s History month is celebrated each March. It was President Jimmy Carter who was the first president to established the week of March 8 as National Women’s History Week back in 1980. In 1986, this was made into Women History Month.This year’s theme(2013)is Women Inspiring Innovation Through Imagination: Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics There are many women who have made contributions which have shaped our world.This is a fun and informative webquest to learn about a few of these fascinating women
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Womens-History-Month-Webquest

These resources are from upper elementary/middle school level. Hope you find them of value!

Holiday Webquests for February 

I really think you will find these webquests of interest to use with your students(4-9th grade)!

Abe Lincoln's Birthday was (2/12).President Abraham Lincoln was president through the four years of the Civil War(1861-1865). He had promised in his election campaign that if elected, he'd end slavery. What you may not know is that President Lincoln started our national Thanksgiving holiday. He issued a proclamation saying that the last Thursday of each year would be a national Thanksgiving Day holiday. And, you may not know that Abraham Lincoln didn't like the name Abe and that even his wife called him by the name Lincoln.
"And in the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years ". Ask your students what they think this quote means.

Try this FREE fun and informative webquest on Lincoln:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Happy-Birthday-Abe-Lincolnweb-quest

With Valentine's Day tomorrow, I think you'll find this webquest of interest. Did you know that marshmallows date back to 2000 BC?Did you know that King Tut's Tomb contained licorice or that people have been chewing "gum" for thousands of years?Did you know that 16 billion jelly beans are produced just for Easter time or that there is a National Cotton Candy Day in the USA?(it's November 7th). Learn about the history of different candies with this fun and informative webquest. I also have included several additional resources.  This resource is only $1.50.
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Valentines-Day-Candy-Webquest

I think webquests are a fun and informative learning tool. I have many which you can find at my TpT Store. Check them out:  http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Gail-Hennessey

Gail

BLACK HISTORY MONTH WEBQUEST/RESOURCES

by 

Gail Skroback Hennessey

http://www.gailhennessey.com

Try my Martin Luther King Webquest: Free:http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Martin-Luther-King-Webquest

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up

like a raisin in the sun?

Langston Hughes (1902-1967) 

    "Harlem" (1951)

The idea to foster contributions of African Americans began with Dr. Carter G. Woodson who first organized  a two week period of time in February which he called “Negro History Week. The time...1926.  In 1976, the month of February as a time to highlight the contributions of African Americas.  Dr. Woodson’s motto,“It is never too late to Learn”. 

Can you name some famous African Americans who contributed to our country in arts,music, civil rights, sports, literature, politics,science and technology? Perhaps, you know the names of Martin Luther King, Jr, Harriet Tubman, George Washington Carver, Frederick Douglas, and  Sojourner Truth. Do you know who Charles Drew was?  BB King? Rosa Parks?  There are so very many African Americans that have made contributions to our world. Try this webquest  and learn about a few of these important people. Use the resources listed below to learn even more...

1. Robert H. Lawrence, Jr., would have been the first African American astronaut but sadly, he died in a training accident in the 1960s. In 1983, Guion Bluford was the first African American to travel into space. Dr. Mae C. Jemison, a surgeon, in 1992, became the first African  American female astronaut. In addition to speaking these three languages__________  ,_____________ and ___________Dr. Jemison appeared on which television show?______________. What did she start in Chicago to spark interest in space among children?___________________Find the answers at this link: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/j/jemison.shtml

2. How did singer Marian Anderson make history?________________Why did First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt resign from the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1939?  Find the answers at this link: http://www.cnn.com/EVENTS/black_history/29days.html

3. During the 1920s, Jazz became very popular. Where did Jazz music originate?_____________What are two words that came from this period of time?___________and _________. Who was the famous jazz musician, nicknamed Pops and Satchmo?_________Which instrument did heplay?_____________Find the answers at this

link:http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/history_of_jazz.htm

4. Another type of music that African Americans developed was called Blues. As the word implies, the words to this type of music were often sad. BB King is often called the King of the Blues. From where did blues music originate?____________What are “blue notes’ also called?___________ FInd the answers at this link: http://music.lovetoknow.com/Where_Did_The_Blues_Originate

Did you know?

• Thomas L. Jennings, is believed to be the first African American to receive a patent for an invention.

• Judy W. Reed patented a hand-operated machine for kneading and rolling dough. She is thought to be the first African-American woman to do so.

• Sarah Boone patented the collapsible ironing board in 1892

More resources you might find helpful:

•http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/barackobama

•http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/first-ladies/michelleobama

•http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/

•http://www.pbs.org/wnet/aaworld/

Want the entire webquest(1-12) and all the trivia and resources?Check out my materials posted here:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Black-History-Month-WebquestResources

Note: Although I have tried to review each link for this webquest, please check the site to see if it is appropriate for your grade level. Also, please monitor that students stay at the link. Should you find something questionable, please let me know. Thanks!

Incentives in the Classroom. Do you use them? If so, Please Share...

Some will say that teachers shouldn't offer incentives in their classroom, I am not one of them. I think just like adults appreciate being recognized for their efforts, it helps to have some type of incentive program in the classroom.

I used "Golden Tickets" which seemed to work well in my classroom. Students received 10 golden tickets for 90 above on quiz/tests), they received 3-5 golden ticket points for class participation ,3-5 points for for helping another student(chapter notebooks, study buddy, etc.).I also awarded golden tickets for Jeopardy winners or other games as well as golden tickets for best cooperation during group work.Students who watched Jeopardy 3 times a week or the evening news 3 times a week could also receive golden ticket points. Every 5 weeks, I also awarded 50 points to the highest average, 35 for the second highest and 25 for the third highest average in my social studies class. I also did the same for those students who showed the most improved average for 5 weeks.Students used the tickets to "buy" candy treats, to "buy" less homework questions, to add points on chapter notebook grades/tests,to purchase a free book,etc.

What kind of incenties do you use in your classroom?

Inauguration Day, Monday, January 21, 2013

The oath  that each President takes on Inauguration Day.“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”United States Constitution, Article II, Section I

The Constitution states that the Presidential Inauguration is to take place on the 20th of January. Sunday is not to be used for this day so President Barack Obama will have a private oath taking on Sunday with the official celebration and ceremony to be done on January 21st. The ceremony takes place on the steps of the US Capital Building with Chief Justice to the Supreme Court, John G. Roberts, Jr., administering the oath of office to President Barack Obama. The Chief Justice will also administer the oath on Sunday, too.The President will use two Bibles for the inaugural ceremony- one once owned by Abraham Lincoln and the other once owed by Martin Luther King.

The theme of the 2013 Inauguration Day is “Faith in America’s Future.


Fun Facts:
In the Inaugural speech by President John F. Kennedy, the President said what would become a famous quote,” And so my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you-ask what you can do for your country.”(1961)
President William J. Clinton was the first president to have his inauguration seen live on the internet.
The longest inauguration speech was done by William Henry Harrison. The speech was 8445 words and given on a very cold day in 1841. Sadly, Harrison caught  pneumonia and died a month after taking office.
President Barack Obama is the first president to be sworn in twice over a two day period. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.  made a mistake in reading the oath of office for which  the President repeated. The second day, he was sworn in again, using the correct words from the oath.
President Jimmy Carter became the first president to walk and not take a limo from the Capitol steps to the White House, after being sworn in as President in 1977.
Thomas Jefferson was the first President to have his inauguration in Washington, DC.
It was so cold on Inauguration Day in 1985(10 below) that Ronald Reagan’s oath was not done on the US. Capitol steps but inside the Capital Rotunda.

Learn more interesting facts about Presidential Inaugurations:
http://www.inaugural.senate.gov/about/facts-and-firsts

Extension Activities:
If you were President,what are three issues that you would work to solve in your term?

Write a poem about the job of a President.

Make 5 questions from the information provided and exchange with another student to answer.

Learn more about the Capitol Building. http://kids.clerk.house.gov/grade-school/lesson.html?intID=33 and http://www.washingtondckids.com/washingtondckids_historicsites/capitol_building.htm

Find out different monuments that can be found in Washington, DC, that have been built for a President of the United States. (For example: Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial). Draw a picture of the memorial and write 4 facts learned about the memorial. http://writelarge.com/content/presidential-monuments-and-memorials-washington-dc

Learn about the White House with this fun/informative webquest: http://www.gailhennessey.com/index.shtml?wh2.html




In the News...What's in a Name?(learn about the country of Iceland)

In the News: What's in a Name?
Did you know that in Iceland, there is a list of approved names to be given for all girl and boy babies? The Personal Names Register lists 1,853 accepted female names and 1,712 male names.All babies' names must stick to this list. Names that start with letters of the Icelandic alphabet can only be used. For example, names that start with the letter C can not be used as the letter C it is not part of the Icelandic 32 letter alphabet. Names must also follow the rules of Icelandic grammar.This is how it has been done for hundreds and hundreds of years and no one has questioned this practice...until now.

A 15 year old girl named Blaer Eidsdottir(her first name means "light breeze" in Icelandic) wants to keep her given name.  Because it wasn't an approved name for a girl, she has been registered as Stulka(meaning "girl")on official papers.  Blaer has decided to sue the government of Iceland for the ability to legally be called Blaer.Her mom supports her daughters actions.What do you think?

Extensions:

It is the custom of Iceland to have a list of approved names.  It is a custom in China and Japan to bow to greet one another. It is a custom to stick out your tongue as a sign of respect in Tibet. What is a custom?  Brainstorm additional customs of the world.   Draw/color an illustration of a world custom.

What are some unusual names you may have heard? Should people be able to give "any" name to a baby? Why, why not?

Pretend you are Blaer. What would you say to the court as to why you should be allowed to have the name Blaer.  Pretend you on on the court. What might you say as to why Blaer should not be allowed to use the name Blaer.


Gail and a Friend in Iceland

Reykjavik, the capital city of the country of Iceland.

Learn more about Iceland at this link:
http://gailhennessey.com/index.shtml?iceland.html
Gail Hennessey

Importance of decorating your classroom

I truly believe that a classroom should be an inviting place. Yes, we have lots and lots of responsibilities placed upon, and it seems more and more each year but  I think "bare" walls are not something you should have in your classroom.So, especially for new teachers....I say decorate your room, even if you teach high school!!! It's your home away from home, make it inviting with lots for students to see about what you will be teaching, current events,inspirational quotes, pictures of places in the world,hanging works of students, having personal things(in my case-bears, sunflowers and almost anything purple, my 6th grade report card and picture, etc).

I found this decorating tip to be very helpful to me and wanted to share: During study hall the last week of school with testing done, and less assignments for the students to work on, I often asked if anyone wished to cut out "fresh" letters for next year's bulletin boards. Students helped me take down all my boards.After the room was bare, and can remember a major echo in the room, it didn't stay that way for long. I would begin decorating my room for the fall. Then, students offered to cover the boards with newspaper so the construction paper didn't fade over the summer. When I came down the end of August to set up my room, I just removed the paper and could move to other tasks needing to be done for the first day of school. At first, I used to get a confused look from staff but eventually, I found many other teachers using this "pre" readiness idea.
Gail
http:www.gailhennessey.com

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