12.17.10 - The End of World War II & The Cold War

Click here to access the End of World War II & The Cold War activity.

12.16.10 - World War I and World War II

First, click here to access today's reading.

As that is opening, Click here to access today's activity.

11.29.10 - Veternan's Day

Click here to access the Veteran's Day activity.

When you are done with the Veteran's Day activity

Place the State Game

State License Plates Game

For you paranormal activity types, Hidden Spirits Game

Man v. Wild Game (A Survival Game)

If you like Antique Roadshow, here is a game about pricing antiques

The Deadliest Catch

Surviving Disasters Quiz

Play with data: Gapminder

Play with data: Google Public Data Explorer

4.29.10 - For my substitute - Day Two

Click here to access the "To Do" list for periods 1 and 3.

Click here to access the "To Do" list for period 4.

4.28.10 - For my substitute

Click here to access the "To Do" powerpoint presentation for today.

3.25.10 - Google Public Data Explorer

Welcome to your 132nd day!

"My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was much less competition."
-Indira Gandhi

TO DO
1. Google recently released a new product called the "Public Data Explorer." It is a website the has moving graphs, which makes it possible to study pieces of data over time. The links to the different graphs are located in the instructions and the section header gives you the name of the graph you need to access. Click here to access the questions for today's lesson.

2. After you are done with the graph, you can either complete the extra credit activity (the link is at the top right of this page) or play the Social Studies game (the links are located in the 3.10.10 lesson-scroll down to find the links).

4.25.12 - Native Americans Today

Welcome to your 122nd day!

"Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings."
-Salvador Dali

TO DO
1. Today I would like to focus on three different ideas:

-Native American Reservations
-The Future of Native American Traditions
-Native American Stereotypes

Click here to access the questions for today's lesson. The link for each article is located in the instructions, so you will have to scroll back and forth to get to the links.

2. Once you finish the questions, History.com has some great Social Studies games:

-Place the States: In this game you have to put the states in the right spot. Play on the beginner level and tell Mr. Boyk your score. Winner gets a prize!!!
-State the Plate: In this game you have to match the state name to the license plate.
-Citizenship Quiz: This THC game tests your skills using questions from the U.S. Citizenship Test.

3.9.10 - The Aztec World

Welcome to your 121st day of school!

"Give a man a fish and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you'll feed him for a lifetime."
-Chinese Proverb

TO DO

1. Let's learn a little more about the Aztec Empire by studying their culture. The Field Museum of Chicago has a fantastic site detailing the various aspects of Aztec culture, so we are going to use that resource to expand our knowledge. Click here to access the instructions/questions for today's lesson.

-REMEMBER: Pay close attention to the instructions, you'll be doing a lot of clicking today!

2. If you have any time left after you get done exploring, I've found some websites that give some "professional" viewpoints on the 2012 phenomenon (since so many of you have had questions about it). As I've said, there is no way to predict the future, but some people put a lot of weight behind the theory. Having said that, there are also many people who do not believe it at all. Either way, enjoy.

NASA - 2012: The Beginning of the End or Why the World Won't End
ABC News - Will the World End in 2012?
NASA - The Great 2012 Doomsday Scare
USA TODAY - Does Maya Calendar Predict 2012 Apocalypse?
National Public Radio - Mayan Calendar Spurs End of the World Debate

2.4.10 - Diseases of the Developing World

Even though we have highlighted influenza, the plague, smallpox, and AIDS there are still many other diseases that have a huge impact on our society. Today's activity focuses on some of these diseases.

Before you access the website, please remember to read the directions. If you read the directions, the activity will become exponentially easier. Click here to access Diseases of the Developing World.

2.2.10 - A.I.D.S. in Africa Reading

"Talk does not cook rice."
-Chinese Proverb

TO DO
1. Complete the A.I.D.S. in Africa Reading

-Click here to access the questions for the A.I.D.S. in Africa reading.

2. Complete the AIDS Statistics for the United States from 1981-2004

-Use the data on the back to complete the bar graph. IMPORTANT: Only graph the nine dates I listed, do not graph each of the twenty-three years.

1.21.10 - Let's see what you know! EUROPE TEST

"Behind every able man, there are always other able men."

To Do List
1. Let's take five minutes in case you have any last minute questions.

2. Take the Europe Test.

-Follow the directions closely (especially for the Europe Map).

1.12.10 - Europe's Wars: World War I & World War II

"The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because is usually goes around wearing overalls and looking like hard work."
-Thomas Edison

Today we're going to focus on World War I and World War II. I'd like you get a better understanding of who was fighting and why they were fighting.

1. There are two activities for today. First, I'd like you and your partner to read about World War I and World War II.

-Read pages 333-338 and answer these questions.
-Pay attention to the pictures and sidebars, some of the answers may be in those sections.

2. The second part of the activity is to see the geographic changes that each of the wars had on Europe.

-You'll need to open up the Europe Before and After World War I and World War II Map and the questions that correspond with the map.
-Then answer the questions in complete sentences.
-If you do not finish during class this will be your homework.

1.8.10 - The Middle Ages

"He who opens a school door, closes a prison"
-Victor Hugo

Happy Friday Everybody!

Today we are going to focus on the Fall of the Roman Empire and the time period called the Middle Ages.

1. Let's start off the day reading about the life during the Middle Ages.

-Click here to see the questions for today's reading.
-I'm asking you to make connections between two topics. In other words, I listed two ideas (like The Fall of the Roman Empire AND Technological Achievements) and I want you to find the connections between them.

2. Let's go back to Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome!

-Remember those pictures and facts we found on Wednesday, what I'd like you to do now is vote for the best fact and best picture.
-Click here to see the presentation with the facts and the pictures.
-Click here to load the voting ballot for you and your partner.

1.6.10 - Ancient Greece & Rome Scavenger Hunt

"The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up."
-Mark Twain

1. We'll spend half of the period in the library working on this activity and the other half in the classroom watching a video about Ancient Rome.

2. Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome are two of the most famous and important empires of all time. Their impact is still felt today (for example: the Capitol building in Washington D.C. is in an Ancient Greek style).

-I want you and your partner to find two things: an interesting fact about either Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome and an interesting picture about either Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. We'll vote for which fact and which picture is the best.
-To find these facts and pictures you can use either Google or Bing. Both of these sites have a image search engine.
-Here are some possible search topics:

ANCIENT GREECE = Ancient Greece Olympics, Ancient Greece Architecture, Ancient Greek Food, Ancient Greece Clothing, Ancient Greece Wars, Ancient Greece Cities, Ancient Greece Government
ANCIENT ROME = Ancient Rome Buildings, Ancient Rome Architecture, Ancient Rome Clothing, Ancient Rome Wars, Ancient Rome Government

-When you find a fact and a picture, copy the web address and send them to by using this form.

1.5.10 - A Land of Varied Resources: The Geography of Europe

"Things turn out the best for people who make the best of the way things turn out."
-John Wooden

1. The Burj Dubai opened up for business last night, becoming the largest building in the world! It is nearly a half a mile tall.



-Fast forward this video 2:10 into the newscast.


2. Let's review last night's homework: Europe Map Questions

-Click here to view the answers.

3. After we review the homework, let's read "A Land of Varied Resources: The Geography of Europe."

-Click here to access the questions.
-We are going to do a "pre-reading" activity so before you start, read the instructions and complete the four questions.
-Then answer the remainder of the questions by reading pages 273-277.

Extra Credit Opportunities

If you're interested in getting some extra credit, visit one of the following news sources:

CNN
BBC
REUTERS

Pick an important article (celebrities and sports are interesting, but not important) and read it.

The last step is to write a three to five sentence summary of your article. Click here to write your summary.