War Horse

Agenda 12/14:

1. I assigned an informal research topic on WWI to the students to be completed over the break.
2. Students finished watching the film War Horse
3. Students listened to a podcast about at truce between soldiers fighting on the Western Front during WWI [clip starts around 54:30 minutes into the show - below]

HOMEWORK:
WWI Research Topics - DUE Thursday 1/3/13

WWI Technologies, War Horse

12/10:
On Monday, students read information packets about nine different technological advancements debuted in WWI. Students took notes in their logbooks and wrote a poem mentioning at least three of the technologies.

12/12:
On Wednesday, students began watching the film, War Horse.

War Horse:
 

Causes of WWI

Today students took and map quiz over Northern Europe. After they began taking notes about the causes of WWI. I used the powerpoint below in the lecture. Students were also given an excerpt from the novel All Quiet on the Western Front and checkpoint #3 to complete by Monday 12/10.

HOMEWORK:
All Quiet on the Western Front excerpt - Answer in logbook - DUE Monday 12/10
Checkpoint #3 - DUE Monday 12/10

Cause of WWI:

WWI: Background

Agenda 12/4:

1. Students finished their Africa action letters and mini-posters.
2. Students were introduced to the history World War I. Students viewed a series of film clips, images, and music. They took notes on this piece of paper, recoding their thoughts through words and drawings. The visual materials are below.

Causes of WWI:

Over There
Metallica, One
War Horse
Paths to Glory

Interview about the human costs of WWI

Africa: Taking Action

Agenda 11/30:

1. Africa Quiz
2. Students continued working on mini-posters illustrating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
3. Students watched short clips about the International Criminal Court (Clip 1, Clip 2) and about the use of conflict minerals in electronic devices. Students watched a short film about conflict minerals. Students took notes and began writing letters to politicians or businesses urging them to take action to; 1) Join the ICC or; 2) Take measures to make sure their products do not contain conflict minerals.

HOMEWORK:
Finish UCRC mini-posters - DUE Tuesday 12/4

Conflict Minerals:

UN Rights of the Child

Agenda:

1. Students turned in Europe maps and setup up their logbooks for the 2nd quarter.
2. Students watched a clip of the documentary, Ghosts of Rwanda [below], to learn how different individuals recalled the genocide. [start clip at around 2:00:28]
3. Students were introduced to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Students assessed the United States' and world's performance in protecting these rights.

HOMEWORK:
Africa Quiz - Friday 11/30 - Study your 1st quarter logbook.

Ghosts of Rwanda:
UDHR:

Africa Project Exhibition and Presentations

Today students were in the library giving informal presentations of their Africa Projects. After, they gave formal presentations in class. Students should have turned in their RAFT assignments, posters, and essays.

HOMEWORK:
Europe Maps - Political AND Physical

Africa Projects: Research

On Monday and today, students were in the library and computer labs researching their Africa projects. Students need to come to school on Monday November 26th, with all components of the project completed.

HOMEWORK:
Africa Projects - ALL PARTS DUE - Monday November 26th!!!!

Hotel Rwanda

Students finished watching the film Hotel Rwanda. After watching, students began writing a reflection about the film.

HOMEWORK:
Hotel Rwanda Reflection - DUE Tuesday 11/13

Hotel Rwanda

Today students reviewed their notes from the Rwanda Scavenger Hunt and began watching the movie Hotel Rwanda.

HOMEWORK:
Rwanda Timeline - Make a timeline with 10+ events from Rwanda's history - DUE Wed. 11/7

Kadiatu Sesay - Guest Speaker

Yesterday, students heard from Cleveland exhchange student Kadiatu Sesay. Kadiatu talked about her native Sierra Leone. Students asked questions and learned about culture and society in Sierra Leone as well as the Civil War.

Students also began studying the Rwandan Genocide, participating in a scavenger hunt of important people and groups involved in the 1994 event.

Diamonds and Child Soldiers

Agenda 10/30:

1. Students watched a short clip about the role of the diamond trade in Sierra Leone's Civil War. 
2. Students read an article about the use of child soldiers around the world. 
3. Students watched a presentation from a former child soldier, Emmanuel Jal, about his experiences and his lessons of hope for the future.

Sierra Leone

An abandoned former presidential palace in Freetown, Sierra Leone. April 2012.

Agenda 10/26:

1. The class reviewed the reading and questions about Congo 1904 to present. Students then listened to a radio excerpt about the assassination of Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba.
2. Students viewed a series of photos of Sierra Leone taken in April 2012.
3. Students read a brief article about the background of the Sierra Leone conflict. They answered follow-up questions and made a concept map in their logbooks.
4. The class listened to a song by Kanye West which refers to blood diamonds and the conflict in Sierra Leone.

HOMEWORK:
Checkpoint #2 - DUE Tuesday 10/30

Congo - Independence to the Present

Agenda 10/25:

1. Students finished the Responding to Colonialism excercise.
2. Students read two contrasting speeches given on the day of The Congo's independence in 1960. They highlighted parts of the speeches illustrating the past and future of the country.
3. Students began reading an article about Congo from independence to the present day.

King Leopold's Ghost

Agenda 10/22:

1. Students watched the remaining part of the film King Leopold's Ghost.
2. Students began analyzing the options Africans had in facing colonization. [see below]

HOMEWORK:
MWH 11.1: Scramble for Africa - DUE Now

Responding to Colonialism:

Colonialism: Map Analysis

Agenda:

1. Students finished the colonialism simulation by writing about the meeting from the perspective of their groups.
2. I reviewed some of the parallels between the simulation and history.
3. Students compared two maps of Africa, one from 1884 and the other from 1914. The maps illustrated the territory colonized by Europeans.
4. Students began watching part of the film, King Leopold's Ghost. About the Belgian colonization of Congo.

HOMEWORK:

Modern World History Chapter 11, Section 1 - DUE Monday 10/22

Colonialism Simulation

Today students began preparing for a "town hall " meeting in the fictitious African colony of Cobo. Students prepared presentations in one of five groups. Presentations will be tomorrow morning, during the PSAT special schedule.

The Beginnings of European Colonialism

Agenda 10/9:

1. Students completed a graphic organizer comparing the Igbo, Hausa-Fulani, and Yoruba cultures of pre-colonial Nigeria. After they wrote two similarities and two differences in their logbooks.
2. Students read an article, The Coming of the Pink Cheeks, and answered reading questions in their logbooks. The article dealt with an African perspective on the affects of European colonialism on traditional customs and culture.

I will be gone the next B day, 10/11. Here is the agenda:

1. Students read about pre-colonial life in Central Africa and answer a series of questions.
2. Students interpret maps of the colonial period in Africa. 

Pre-Colonial Nigeria

Agenda 10/5:

1. Students discussed colonialism. They thought about what it meant for Africans and the motivations of Europeans.
2. Students used the remainder of the period making informational posters about three pre-colonial tribes in Nigeria: the Igbo, Hausa-Fulani, and Yoruba.

HOMEWORK:
Complete MWH 4.3, it was DUE TODAY! Turn it in ASAP.

Diversity and Uniformity in Africa

Agenda 10/3:

1. Students listened to a recording of a man named Bakari. They took notes using a Venn Diagram on the influences on Bakari's life: indigenous, Western, and Islamic.
2. Students began writing an acrostic poem about African diversity.

HOMEWORK:
Modern World History textbook Chapter 4, Section 3 - Reading and Questions 

Introduction to Bakari:

Diversity and Uniformity in Africa

Agenda 10/1:

1. Students finished reading and answering questions from an expert of King Leopold's Ghost about the first European contacts with Africa.
2. Students defined diversity and uniformity the viewed a series of images from Africa noting elements of society.
3. Students turned in their logbooks at the end of the period.

HOMEWORK:
Do you need to come in to tutorial and retake a map quiz????

Europeans in Africa

Agenda 9/27:

1. Students took a map quiz on Southern Africa.
2. Students read an excerpt from the book, King Leopold's Ghost. Students then answered a series of questions on the reading.

Guns, Germs, and Steel

Agenda:

1. Students recieved their map quizzes and turned in their physical and political maps.
2. Students watched Guns, Germs, and Steel, [see below] taking notes using this sheet.

HOMEWORK:
Some people need to re-take the Africa map quiz.
QUIZ - Africa Map (southern) - Thursday 9/27

Africa Maps

Students were given time in class to work on coloring and labeling their maps of Africa. Students then took a quiz over the countries of Northern Africa. Students then read an excerpt from Guns, Germs, and Steel comparing and contrasting the Maori and Moriori peoples. To finish, students began watching Guns, Germs, and Steel.

 

HOMEWORK:
Finish Africa Maps - DUE Tuesday 9/24 

Political Spectrum Test and Africa Map

Today students took a political spectrum test to give them an idea of their opinions on political and social issues. Afterwards, students began coloring and labeling political and physical maps of Africa.

HOMEWORK:
Africa Maps - DUE - TUES. 9/24
QUIZ!!! - Africa Map (Northern) - DUE - Fri. 9/21

Here is a link to an online quiz for learning the countries of Africa.

Lessons from 9/11

Today students examined a series of documents offering different explanations for why the United States was attacked on 9/11/01. After the listened to the story of one Muslim-American girl and how the event changed her life (below). To finished students discusses possible lesson to take from the event.

World Trade Center site today.

Remembering 9/11

Agenda:

1. Students discussed their interviews about 9/11.
2. Students finished watching the film 9/11.
3. Students watched the speech given by President Bush following the terrorist attacks (below).

Remembering 9/11

Agenda:

1. Students turned in their classroom materials and set up the assignment logs in their composition books. Each student was given three bathroom passes for use during the quarter.
2. Students reflected on what they know about the events of 9/11/01.
3. Students listened to a variety of stories from people effected on 9/11 and began watching clips from a documentary on the topic.

HOMEWORK:
Remembering 9/11 Interviews - DUE Thursday 9/13
Album Covers - DUE

Introductions

Today I finished going over the syllabus. After, students filled out questionnaires about themselves. I then introduced the students to the class. Students then did a name game and began working on album covers about themselves.

HOMEWORK:
Class Materials (Composition Book, Highlights, Scotch Tape, Colored Pencils) - DUE Tuesday 9/11
Album Covers - DUE Tuesday 9/11

Welcome to Cleveland

Welcome to Cleveland! Check this website for information, agendas, updates, and homework for Mr. Graham's Modern World History class.

The class syllabus can be found here.

That's It!

Thanks for a great year. Come by and say hi next year.

Period 1:

Period 2:

Period 3:

Daughter From Danang

Agenda 6/4:

1. Students performed dialogues from the warmup activity for the film Daughter From Danang.
2. Students watched the film and took notes about cultural differences.

Daughter From Danang:

The Vietnam War

Agenda 5/29:

1. Students continued learning about the Vietnam war. They read an excerpt from a graphic novel based on Howard Zinn's People's History of the United States. 
2. Students analyzed a series of documents from 1964, discussing the extent of US involvement in the early 1960s.
3. Students watched a clip from the film The Fog of War about the US involvement from the perspective of then Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara.

 Fog of War:

Vietnam War Timeline

Agenda 5/25:

1. Students reviewed the Vietnam Tea Party activity.
2. Students were assigned one event from the history of the Vietnam War. They made posters in pairs and created a timeline in their logbooks.

Vietnam Timeline

Vietnam

I'm back from paternity leave and will be here through the rest of the year. Thanks for being flexible!

Agenda 5/22:

1. Work time to organize logbooks and materials.
2. Turn in Political Cartoons and finish Vietnam Background reading questions.
3. Viewed several photos from the Vietnam War. 
4. Brief background lecture on the causes and context of the Vietnam War.
5. Students began a Tea Party about people involved with the Vietnam War.

HOMEWORK:
DUE NOW - China Political Cartoon

Vietnam: Famous Photos

View more PowerPoint from timothyjgraham

Map Quiz: Southeast Asia

Students took a map quiz over Southeast Asia. After, they typed and turned in a draft of their persuasive essay.

Geography of Asia

Agenda 4/9:

1. Students peer-checked logbooks.
2. Students read fact sheets about 14 different Asia nations and labelled and colored a map of the region.
3. Students matched pictures from a powerpoint to the countries they illustrated.

HOMEWORK:
Rough Draft of Persuasive Paper - DUE Wednesday 4/11
MAP QUIZ - Southeast Asia - Wednesday 4/11
Asia Map - DUE Wednesday

Persuasive Essay

Students continued working on their persuasive papers. Students were given a packet of materials to assist in organizing their paper.


HOMEWORK:
Checkpoint #7 - DUE Monday 4/9
Persuasive Essay Rough Draft - DUE Wednesday 4/11

Persuasive Essay

Today students began writing introductions for persuasive essays. Students were given a choice of two prompts to write their essays on:

• In war, is it better to be a civilian or a soldier?
• After war, should leader(s) be put on trial from crimes against civilian?

Before starting, I reviewed the key components of a persuasive essay (below).
Persuasive Essay Warmup

Quiz

Today students took a quiz covering the period from the Russian Revolution to the beginning of the Cold War. After the quiz, students answered the document-based questions on pages 524-525 of their textbooks. I also handed back papers and progress reports.

The Cold War

Students continued learning about the beginning of the Cold War. They finished their maps and timelines, watched a film clip and reviewed major events and vocabulary including: The Cold War, Potsdam Conference. Manhattan Conference, Containment Theory, Rge Truman Doctrine, Iron Curtain, Marshall Plan, Berlin Blockade, Berlin Airlift, NATO/Warsaw Pact, Mao Zedong, Korean War, and proxy war.

HOMEWORK:
QUIZ - Friday - Study everything in your logbook back to the Russian Revolution!

Roots of the Cold War

Agenda 3/19:

1. Students heard a short lecture about the end of WWII, the disintegration of the alliance between the Soviet Union and the United States, and the subsequent Cold War.
2. Students listened to several songs related to the Cold War including, We Didn't Start the Fire, London Calling, and 99 Red Balloons.
3. Students created maps and timelines of major events of the Cold War in Europe.

HOMEWORK:
MWH 17.1 - The Cold War: Superpowers Face Off - DUE Wednesday 3/21

Postwar europe

The Nuremberg Trials

Students discussed the search for justice after WWII. Students ranked possible scenarios for trying war criminals. After discussing, the watched several clips from the film, The Nuremberg Trials. at the end of the period I introduced the students to the International Criminal Court and compared it to the tribunal convened at the end of WWII.

Nuremberg trials

Pyramid of Hate

Agenda 3/13:
Today was my first day back after my paternity leave. I spent the first part of the period catching up with the class about Schindler's List and their study of the Holocaust. I went through the Pyramid of Hate to attempt to explain how regular people could go along with the Holocaust. Students took a survey and responded to a series of questions (powerpoint below).

The Pyramid of Hate

Paternity Leave

Due to the early birth of my new son Martin, I'll be on leave until March 8th. I'll also be taking another month leave in April / May. Nathan Pier, a trusted friend, will be filling in while I'm gone. I will be checking in with him on a daily basis. In the meantime, please email me (tgraham1@pps.net) if you have any questions or concerns.

Keep up the hard work.

Thanks. See you soon.

Mr. Graham

The Weimar Republic: Germany Between the Wars

Agenda 2/9:

1. Collected Animal Farm posters.
2. Students brainstormed a list of conditions faced by Germany as a result of the Treaty of Versailles.
3. Students watched a short clip about the formation of the Weimar Republic (below).
4. I explained four different political parties competing for power during the 1920s in Germany.
5. Students were assigned a section of a reading about the Weimar Republic. After reading their section, they shared what they learned, answering questions.

The Weimar Republic:

Animal Farm

Agenda 2/7:

1. Students finished setting up their logbooks.
2. Students finished reading Animal Farm, taking notes on their character,
3. Students began posters comparing characters from Animal Farm to their historical match.

HOMEWORK:
Animal Farm Posters - DUE Thursday 2/9

Animal Farm

Agenda 1/25:

1. Students reviewed a timeline of events surrounding the Russian Revolution.
2. Students reviewed key vocabulary about the Russian Revolution [below].
3. Students began reading Animal Farm,taking notes on one of the characters and thinking about how the story relates to the Russian Revolution.

Russian Revolution Vocabulary

HOMEWORK:

Study for the final!!!

Life in the Soviet Union Under Stalin

Today students continued investigating aspects of society under the dictatorship of Joseph Stalin. After investigating, they wrote a short newspaper article comparing government propaganda to the realities of life for many living in 1930s Soviet Union.

I also played the Soviet national anthem and discussed the period of Stalin's rule known as the Great Terror when many alleged enemies of the government were imprisoned, tortured, "disappeared", or killed.

Students also completed a peer check and turned in their logbooks.

HOMEWORK:
Modern World History 14.2 - Totalitarianism and Stalin - DUE Wednesday 1/25
AFTERSCHOOL TUTORIAL THIS WEDNESDAY IN GRAHAM'S ROOM

End of the Romanovs and Life Under Jospeh Stalin

Agenda 1/17:

1. Finished watching film clips about the Russian Revolution. Students took notes using this worksheet.
2. I discussed Joseph Stalin's rise to power and his reforms as leader of the Soviet Union (above).
3. Students read an article, taking notes about life in one of Stalin's industrial towns. 

The Russian Revolution

Students continued learning about the Russian Revolution. I finished the lecture I'd started on Tuesday and students watched a series of film clips reviewing the major events and people of the revolution.

The Russian Revolution

Agenda 1/10:

1. Rock, Papers, Scissors game to illustrate a capitalist economy.
2. Students compared the game to Karl Marx's explanation of capitalism and the rise of communism.
3. Students watched a clip from the animated film Anastasia, looking for historical inaccuracies and identifying protagonists and antagonists.
4. Students took notes about Russia and the rule of Tsar Nicholas II prior to the Revolution of 1917. (see below)

Rock, Paper, Scissors, Communism

HOMEWORK: 
Worksheet - MWH 13.4 and 14.1 - DUE Thursday 1/12

The Treaty of Versailles

Agenda 1/6:

1. Students reviewed the 14 points, making sure to write them in their own words in their logbooks.
2. Students watched a short clip about the context to the Paris Peace Conference.
3. Students looked at excerpts from the Treaty of Versailles and discussed ways in which they might have effected Germany.
4. Students looked at maps of German territorial losses as a result of the Treaty, answering a series of follow-up questions.
5. Students began creating rough drafts of Metaphorical Drawings depicting some aspect of WWI.

HOMEWORK:

HONORS MEETING - Wednesday 1/11, 8:45am in Graham's room

WWI Metaphorical Drawing - Final Draft DUE Tuesday 1/10

Vocabulary and The 14 Points

Agenda 1/4:

1. Students added vocabulary to their logbooks (Industrial Revolution, Capitalism, Kaiser Wilhem II, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Trench Warfare, Chemical Weapons, Allies & Central Powers, 11/11/18 Armistice).
2. Students brainstormed lists of rules for keeping lasting peace between nations.
3. Students worked on translating the Woodrow Wilson's 14 Points into simpler language.