Assignment 3

In my Unit on Westernization with bits and pieces of different happenings throughout the years of 1790-1840 prep the kids for a wider understanding of why the Civil War takes place a short time later. The Civil War in my teachers class is a very important part of his history class. Mr. H said that any amount of background information will help the students grasp the entire war. Throughout the Unit my students are subject to independent as well as group work. For instance when we first start out the students get into groups and read together and discuss important facts. I then guide them through notes and what they should know. Then they move on to learning independently working on their chapter packets. To close the unit they get get to do a group verbal test working together bringing a card with the information they think is important to strive for the same goal (70 pts.) After they complete the oral test, they turn in all of their work and if bits and pieces are incomplete, points will be deducted from not only the work but the test as well. Having a verbal test in my class works the best. Most of my students are under a lot of stress as is, so when they receive a test where they have to think and remember things their mind goes blank. I have a wide variety of ways to obtain the information, whether it is reading together, independently, note taking, and a vairety of different worksheet through out the packet it helps a wide range of students to be able to complete the unit to the best of their abilities. When my students did their test today it was fantastic, everyone was laughing and having a good time and some of them not realizing that this was the "big" test. They were blurting out all sorts of information, sometimes not even looking at their little index card. I know my students know the information they just can not seem to take tests. Most were blowin away by how much they really knew. Mr. H was pleased to see how well the students worked independently to ge their information in. As well as how great they worked togther and not putting anyone down during the group oral test. I looked at him and said "I think I hit the Jackpot too bad I just now realized it and I am done next week!" He said it is not that, it is the fact that I have figured it out! For next week I will be breaking the notes down a little more and having the students woring on chapter lesson questions and worksheets to each lesson instead of all the notes for all lessons before moving on to chapter questions/worksheets.
Here are a few examples of work: where the section questions are complete and where they are not. As well as the notes that students were supposed to take. One student writing them all completely and the other not...