In-Class Mini DBQ - 2/23/16

DOCUMENT-BASED QUESTION 

This question is based on the accompanying documents. The question is designed to test your ability to work with historical documents. Some of the documents have been edited for the purposes of the question. As you analyze the documents, take into account the source of each document and any point of view that may be presented in the documents.

Historical Context:

Historians who have evaluated presidential leadership have generally agreed that George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin D. Roosevelt were great presidents because each successfully addressed a critical challenge faced by the nation during his administration.

Task:

Using information from the documents and your knowledge of United States history, answer the questions that follow each document in Part A. Your answers to the questions will help you write the Part B essay, in which you will be asked to:

• Describe a challenge that faced the nation during George Washington's administration
• Explain an action taken by President Washington to address this challenge
• Discuss the impact of this action on the United States


Document 1: 
Author: Thomas P. Slaughter
Title: The Whiskey Rebellion: Frontier Epilogue to the American Revolution

At daybreak on July 16, 1794, about fifty men armed with rifles and clubs marched to the house of John Neville, regional supervisor for collection of the federal excise tax in western Pennsylvania. They demanded that Neville resign his position and turn over to them all records associated with collection of the tax on domestically distilled spirits. He refused. Shots were fired. In the ensuing battle five of the attackers fell wounded. One of them later died. Neville and his slaves, who together had defended the premises from secure positions inside the house, suffered no casualties. The mob dispersed. . . .

The Whiskey Rebellion, as it is traditionally known and studied, had begun. Before it was over, some 7000 western Pennsylvanians advanced against the town of Pittsburgh, threatened its residents, feigned [pretended] an attack on Fort Pitt and the federal arsenal there, banished seven members of the community, and destroyed the property of several others. Violence spread to western Maryland, where a Hagerstown crowd joined in, raised liberty poles, and began a march on the arsenal at Frederick. At about the same time, sympathetic “friends of liberty” arose in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and back-country regions of Virginia and Kentucky. Reports reached the federal government in Philadelphia that the western country was ablaze and that rebels were negotiating with representatives of Great Britain and Spain, two of the nation’s most formidable European competitors, for aid in a frontier-wide separatist movement. In response, President Washington nationalized 12,950 militiamen from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia—an army approximating in size the Continental force that followed him during the Revolution—and personally led the “Watermelon Army”* west to shatter the insurgency [rebellion]. . . .

1.  According to Thomas P. Slaughter, what was one problem that resulted from the collection of the federal excise tax in western Pennsylvania?

Document 2
Author: Alexander Hamilton (this is a letter from Hamilton to Major General Henry Lee, dated October 20, 1794).
Title: The Works of Alexander Hamilton, Volume VI,

To Major-General Lee Sir:—I have it in special instruction from the President [George Washington] of the United States, now at this place, to convey to you the following instructions for the general direction of your conduct in the command of the militia army, with which you are charged.

The objects [reasons] for which the militia have been called forth are:

1st. To suppress (put down) the combinations [groups] which exist in some of the western counties in Pennsylvania, in opposition to the laws laying duties upon spirits distilled within the United States, and upon stills.

2nd. To cause the laws to be executed.

These objects are to be effected (carried out) in two ways:

1. By military force.

2. By judiciary process and other civil proceedings.

The objects (goals) of the military force are twofold:

1. To overcome any armed opposition which may exist.

2. To countenance [approve] and support the civil officers in the means of executing the laws….

Your obedient servant,
Alexander Hamilton

2a: According to Alexander Hamilton, what action is President George Washington ordering in response to the Whiskey Rebellion?

2b: According to Alexander Hamilton, what is one reason President Washington gave this order?

Document 3: 
Author: Richard Kohn
Title: “The Washington Administration’s Decision to Crush the Whiskey Rebellion," The Journal of American History, December 1972 (this is a magazine article).

. . . The [whiskey] rebellion has long been interpreted as a milestone in the creation of federal authority, and in most respects that is its chief significance. Certainly to the Federalists, who had long been striving for a strong national government, it was a major test: the new government successfully crushed organized and violent resistance to the laws. As Hamilton put it, the rebellion “will do us a great deal of good and add to the solidity [stability] of every thing in this country.”. .

3: According to Richard H. Kohn, what was the significance of the Whiskey Rebellion? 

Video for Tomorrow's DBQ

Hello, All:

Here is a video to help you with tomorrow's DBQ.  Please watch it.  It would be a very good idea to TAKE NOTES on the video.  

Today's Classwork 2/22/16

CLICK HERE for the Worksheet 

Please complete this assignment by the end of the period.

Here is the slideshow to help you.
Thank you.

February Break Exam

MULTIPLE CHOICE 

Thematic Essay

DBQ Essay

You are responsible for completing all parts of the exam.

Complete the multiple choice on LOOSELEAF paper.

1st Semester Review - Notes

In case you've missed any of the notes from class, here they are!!!

Super-Helpful Review Videos:  Do I have to watch every one of these, Mr. T?  They're optional.  It's your option to be successful.

The House of Burgesses Explained
"Common Sense" Explained

An Idiot's Guide to the Declaration of Independence

Shays's Rebellion Explained
The Articles of Confederation Explained
US Federalism For Dummies: American Government Review 
The Federalist Papers Explained
Checks and Balances for Dummies

The Preamble to the Constitution 
The Constitutional Convention of 1787 
The Great Compromise Explained
The Connecticut Compromise and the Power of Small States
The Three-Fifths Compromise Explained:
The Electoral College 
Constitutional Flexibility 
The Elastic Clause Explained

HW Week of 2/8/16:

TUESDAY NIGHT:

1. CLICK HERE
2. Read pp. 68-76 
3. Complete the "Key Terms" and "Reading Focus" Questions on p. 68. 

HW Week of 2/1/16

Wednesday Night:

Using the TEST CORRECTION SHEET to help you, complete your test corrections from yesterday's quiz .

If you didn't finish the review worksheet (#1) in class, please finish for HW 

HW Assignments Week of 1/25/16

Hello, Everyone:

Although we are not meeting for class next week, due to the regents exams, please do not be mistaken that this is a week off from school; this is not a vacation.

Let me repeat that...THIS IS NOT A WEEK OFF FROM SCHOOL; THIS IS NOT A VACATION. 

That being said, I am certain, and moreover, I expect, that you'll take some time to enjoy yourself this week. However, there is much work to be done before we finish this course. Therefore, you will have some assignments to complete this week.  The work you've been given represents the in-class assignments, as well as homework we'd complete in regular week of school.

Here are your assignments:

1.  TAKE NOTES ON THE FOLLOWING PRESENTATION:

2.  Watch the following Crash Course Videos

3.  CLICK HERE for the Regents Week 2016 Folder

4.  Complete the following: 

• Video Worksheets 
• Guided Reading Worksheets and Chapter Readings 
• George Washington DBQ 

DUE DATE for all assignments:  Wednesday February 3, 2016 

HERE IS A LINK TO THE GRADING RUBRIC FOR YOUR ASSIGNMENT.  Please print out the rubric, and attach it to your work.  

USH Midterm 2016

Hello.

CLICK HERE for the link to the AUGUST 2010 Regents Exam.  

Please scroll down to page TEN of the Regents.  You will be working on the DBQ.

You are responsible for answering all of the short answer questions, as well as the completion of the essay.  For the essay, you will..

DISCUSS THE POSITIVE, and/or NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF GEOGRAPHY ON THE DEVELOPMENT of THE UNITED STATES. 

In other words, explain, in detail, how geography either hurt, or helped the growth of the US.  

Remember...

1. Answer all of the scaffolding questions.
2. Include at least FIVE document references in your essay.
3. Discuss at least TWO negative, and/or positive effects of geography
4. Your essay must have an introduction, and a conclusion.

GOOD LUCK!

Political Parties DBQ

CLICK HERE for the DBQ 

HW Week of 1/18/16

TUESDAY NIGHT:
1.  Read and Review Chapter 6 Section 1, "Washington Heads the New Government"  
2.  Complete the READING STUDY GUIDE 

HW Week of 1/4/16

Hello, US History Students:

Here are your HW assignments for the week of 1/4/16

MONDAY NIGHT: Complete your Supreme Court Mini-Project.

TUESDAY NIGHT:  
CLICK HERE FOR THE DBQ 
CLICK HERE for resources to help you with the essay
1. Finish any remaining DBQ's that you did not finish in class today.
2. Complete the Pre-Writing Worksheet.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT:  Complete the OUTLINE and a FIRST DRAFT

THURSDAY NIGHT: Revise your FIRST DRAFT, and complete a SECOND DRAFT

FRIDAY: Revise your draft

DUE DATE FOR DBQ - 1/12/16

Here are some additional links to help you:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/antebellum/landmark_dred.html - Dred Scott
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/antebellum/landmark_plessy.html - Plessy v. Ferguson
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/rights/landmark_brown.html - Brown v. Board of Ed.

Winter Break EXTRA CREDIT

Here's a gift that will keep on giving!   Giving you more knowledge, and extra credit, that is.

Complete one, or both of the essays below.   Make sure that your essay is neatly handwritten, or computer printed, and you enclose the attached rubric.  

Option #1
Theme: Diversity (Constitutional Rights)

Throughout United States history, Supreme Court decisions have addressed the issue of the constitutional rights of various groups. These decisions have limited or expanded the rights of members of these groups. 

Task: Identify two Supreme Court cases related to the rights of specific groups and for each

• Describe the historical circumstances surrounding the case
• Explain the Supreme Court’s decision in the case
• Discuss how the Supreme Court decision limited or expanded the constitutional rights of members of this group

You may use any Supreme Court case from your study of United States history in which the Supreme Court addressed the issue of the constitutional rights of various groups. Some suggestions you might wish to consider include Worcester v. Georgia (1832), Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857), Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), Korematsu v. United States (1944), Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954), Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States (1964), and Roe v. Wade (1973).

Option #2:
Theme: Change — Constitutional Amendments

When the Founding Fathers wrote the United States Constitution, they included the amendment process. The amendments that have been passed brought political, social, and economic changes to American society.

Task: Select two constitutional amendments that have changed American society and for each
• Describe the historical circumstances that led to the adoption of the amendment
• Discuss the political, social, and/or economic changes the amendment brought to American society

You may use any constitutional amendments that have changed American society. Some suggestions you might wish to consider include the 13th amendment (abolition of slavery, 1865), 17th amendment (direct election of senators, 1913), 18th amendment (Prohibition, 1919), 19th amendment (woman’s suffrage, 1920), 22nd amendment (presidential term limits, 1951), 24th amendment (elimination of the poll tax, 1964), and 26th amendment (suffrage for 18-year-old citizens, 1971).

Winter Break Project 2015

CLICK HERE for a Google Docs Version of this post

Learning Target: After completing an internet based exercise, students will analyze, and evaluate the effects of Landmark Supreme Court Cases

Point Value: 100 points (same as a test)

Background

From its first case in 1803 (Marbury v. Madison), the Supreme Court has become a very powerful force in American life and culture. Of the three branches, the decisions of the Supreme Court, through a process known as Judicial Review, have arguably the most direct impact on the day-to-day lives of the American people. As a result of this project,  you and your classmates will gain a greater understanding of the court’s impact on your life

What do I Have to do?

I.  You will research several important Supreme Court cases.  For each case you must be able to discuss the:

1. Facts and Details: When did it take place? Where? Who was involved? How did it get to the Supreme Court?
2. The Conflict: In other words, why did this case reach the Supreme Court in the first place?  Was there a law, or action of the federal, or state government that was being challenged?  What right, or civil liberty is being challenged?  For example in the case of Tinker v. Des Moines, a students’ right to free expression under the First Amendment was questioned.  
3. The Outcome of the Case: How did the SC rule? Why did they rule this way?
4. The importance of the case: How did the ruling affect the lives of Americans? Did it limit, or expand the civil rights of Americans? Did people have MORE freedom because of the court's decision, or LESS freedom?  Did this case EXPAND, or LIMIT the POWER of the Government?    

II.  After completing your research, you will arrange your findings in a table or chart.

III.  The Cases:  

Expansion of Power of The Federal Government:
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

Expansion of Individual Rights:
Brown v. Board of Edcuation (1954)
Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
Engel v. Vitale (1962)
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
Roe v. Wade (1973)

Limiting of Individual Rights:
Dred Scott v. Sanford (1856)
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
Schenck v. United States (1919)
Korematsu v. United States (1944)
Nixon v. United States (1974)

Power of Government:
Wabash Railway v. Illinois (1886)
US v. EC Knight (1895)
Muller v. Oregon (1908)
Schechter Poultry v. US (1935)
Escobedo v. Illinois (1964)  

IV. Resources
Bill of Rights Institute
Mr. Nassivera’s Site - Landmark Cases
HipHughes - “Supreme Court Cases for Dummies”
Hip Hughes - “The Warren Court in Ten Minutes”
HipHughes - “The Dred Scott Decision”
Hip Hughes - “The Exclusionary Rule”
PBS - Landmark Cases
YouTube playlist - “Supreme Court Cases”

Here's a link to the videos on Google.

Here's a link to the Vimeo Playlist for the videos. 

HW 12/22/15

Hello, All:

Please watch the following video.  It will be very helpful for you, as you work your way through the winter break project.  You must take notes on the video.

Supreme Court Cases For Dummies- US History Review from Mike Tesler on Vimeo.

HW 12/17/15

Hello, All:

Here's your HW for Thursday night, 12/17.

1.  Watch, and take notes on the following videos.

Complete the attached worksheet.   You must hand in the notes, as well as the worksheet.

HW Week of 12/7/15

Hello, All:

Here are your HW assignments for the week of 12/7/15.

MONDAY NIGHT: 
If you didn't complete the DBQ's in class, today, please complete them for HW.  Here is a link to the DBQ.  

TUESDAY: 
1. If you didn't finish the Bill of Rights situation worksheet in class, please complete it for HW. Click the link for the assignment 
2. BRING HEADPHONES TO CLASS ON WEDNESDAY!

WEDNESDAY: 
Continue working on the Amendment mini-project we began in class, today.

The Mini-Project is due by the end of the period, FRIDAY!!!

HW Week of 11/30/15

MONDAY NIGHT:
READ Chapter 5 Section 3 of the Textbook.  

Complete the READING STUDY GUIDE 

TUESDAY NIGHT:
Complete the RATIFICATION DBQ!  

Will count as a quiz - If you don't hand it in = 55! 

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: 
Read "The Living Constitution" Pages 154-160
Complete the Reading Study Guide 

THURSDAY NIGHT
Read pp. 160-163 of "The Living Constitution" 
Complete the Reading Study Guide - "The Executive, and Judiciary"

FRIDAY NIGHT
Read p. 166-173 of "The Living Constitution" 
Complete the Reading Study Guide - "The Bill of Rights and the other Amendments" 

Cons. Conv Outline

Hello, All:

Here's a picture of the outline we created in class for the essay.  I also included the Brainstorm Map to help you.  Good Luck! 

HW Week of 11/23

Hello, All:

Here is/are your assignment(s) for the week of 11/23.

Thematic Essay

Thematic Essay: Constitutional Issues

The Constitutional Convention of 1787 adopted several compromises to resolve disagreements over major issues facing the new nation.

Task:
Identify two issues from the Constitutional Convention of 1787 (what were two disagreements that occurred?).

For each issue identified

• Describe the disagreement that arose over the issue at the C.C. (tell us about the disagreement; don’t just say what it was! Who was it between? What was it over?)
• Explain how the issue was resolved through the use of Compromise (Give the details behind the compromises; how did they work? What did each side get?

You may use any issue that was discussed at the CC. . Some
suggestions you might wish to consider include, but are not limited to:
• Representation in Congress
• Slavery
• Taxation

MONDAY NIGHT:
Complete a First Draft 

TUESDAY:
Complete a Second Draft

WEDNESDAY:
Complete your FINAL DRAFT.  DUE MONDAY NOV 30th.  NO EXCEPTIONS.  

***YOU MUST INCLUDE THE THEMATIC ESSAY RUBRIC***

***ANYONE WHO DOES NOT HAND IN THE ESSAY on 11/30, WILL RECEIVE A GRADE OF 55*** 

Critical Period Video Quest

The Worksheet

The Rubric

The Slideshow
 The Videos "Thirteen Little Republics"

liberty2-thirteen little republics (convert-video-online.com) from Mike Tesler on Vimeo.

A National Vision
liberty3-a national vision (convert-video-online.com) from Mike Tesler on Vimeo.
All Is Not Well
liberty4-all is not well (convert-video-online.com) (1) from Mike Tesler on Vimeo.
The Constitutional Convention
liberty5-the constitutional convention (convert-video-online.com) from Mike Tesler on Vimeo.
Behind Closed Doors
liberty6-behind closed doors (convert-video-online.com) from Mike Tesler on Vimeo.
Blueprint for a New Nation
liberty7-a blueprint for a new nation (convert-video-online.com) from Mike Tesler on Vimeo.
The Great Compromise
great compromise (convert-video-online.com) from Mike Tesler on Vimeo.
Not Another Monarchy
liberty8-not another monarchy (convert-video-online.com) from Mike Tesler on Vimeo.
How Do We Protect Our Liberty?
liberty9-how do we protect our new liberty (convert-video-online.com) from Mike Tesler on Vimeo.
Bill of Rights
liberty11-bill of rights (convert-video-online.com) from Mike Tesler on Vimeo.
Slavery
liberty12-the question of slavery (convert-video-online.com) from Mike Tesler on Vimeo.
A New Kind of Power
liberty13-a new kind of power (convert-video-online.com) from Mike Tesler on Vimeo.

HW Week of 11/16/15

MONDAY NIGHT: 

1. TAKE NOTES ON THE LECTURE from CLASS: 

2. WATCH THE VIDEO 

COMPLETE THE WORKSHEET

BRING HEADPHONES TO CLASS WITH YOU ON TUESDAY!!! 

TUESDAY TO THURSDAY:
COMPLETE THE "CRITICAL PERIOD" VIDEO QUEST. 

CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK TO THE WORKSHEET. 

FRIDAY: 
COMPLETE AN OUTLINE, Based on the following essay topic 

Thematic Essay: Constitutional Issues

The Constitutional Convention of 1787 adopted several compromises to resolve disagreements over major issues facing the new nation.

Task:
Identify two issues from the Constitutional Convention of 1787 (what were two disagreements that occurred?).

For each issue identified

• Describe the disagreement that arose over the issue at the C.C. (tell us about the disagreement; don’t just say what it was! Who was it between? What was it over?)
• Explain how the issue was resolved through the use of Compromise (Give the details behind the compromises; how did they work? What did each side get?

You may use any issue that was discussed at the CC. . Some
suggestions you might wish to consider include, but are not limited to:
• Representation in Congress
• Slavery
• Taxation

Videos to help you:

  

AOC QUIZ

CLICK HERE for a link to the quiz. 

Please complete all of your work on looseleaf paper.

When you're done...Please start your HW.  

Please READ Chapter 5, Section 2, "Drafting the Constitution."

Complete the READING STUDY GUIDE 

Review - The Articles of Confederation

CLICK HERE, for Chapter 11 of We The People

Read pp. 94-100.

Answer the questions on p. 102, "Lesson Review"  1-6.  If you do not finish the assignment, you can complete it for HW.  It will help to review for the exam, tomorrow.

Articles of Confederation Assignment

CLICK HERE  for the worksheet.  There are THREE sets of primary source documents.

Complete the exercises for each set of documents, as well as the follow up questions

HW Week of 11/9/15

MONDAY NIGHT: 
Read chapter 5, section 1 of the textbook.  
Complete the Reading Study Guide
Complete the Re-Teaching Activity

TUESDAY NIGHT:
Complete the Articles of Confederation Primary Source Packet 

THURSDAY: 
Review for a quiz FRIDAY on the Articles of Confederation.  Here are two videos that will be very helpfu

FRIDAY: 

Revolutionary War DBQ

CLICK HERE for the link to the DBQ.  

It is suggested that you print out the DBQ, and bring it to class.

HW Week of 10/19/15

Hello, All:

Here are your HW assignments for the week of 10/19/15.

MONDAY NIGHT:
1. Please take notes on slides 4-8 of the presentation below.  

2. Watch the following video: 

3.  Complete the worksheet that accompanies the video.  

TUESDAY NIGHT:
Complete the Chapter 4 Section 1 Reading Study Guide 

Complete the Chapter 4 Section 1 Re-Teaching Activity.  Please note that you are ONLY responsible for the re-teaching activity, on page TWO of the packet.  

WEDNESDAY: 

Please take notes on Slides 10-15 of the Presentation above. 

Complete the Chapter 4 Section 2 Reading Study Guide 

Complete the Chapter 4 Section 2 Reteaching Activity.  The Re-teaching activity is on page TWO of the packet.  

THURSDAY:
Complete the section quizzes on sections 1 and 2 

Section 1 

Section 2

FRIDAY:
Watch 

READ: "We The People" Ch. 7. 

Complete the "Lesson Review" Questions on p. 68

Tonight's HW: FIW DBQ

Hello, All:

HW for tonight...

Please finish the French and Indian War DBQ.  When finished please complete the DBQ worksheet.

Here is a link to the DBQ 

Here is a link to the scaffolding questions

Here is a link to the worksheet.   Remember, a THESIS is an educated guess, an inference, based on your knowledge of a topic.

DUE MONDAY!!!

WEBQUEST - THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR

This is an IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENT.  You will be using a variety of internet sources to identify, and evaluate the causes, major events, and effects of the French and Indian War.

This assignment is due BEOP 10/7/15 (WEDNESDAY).

You may choose to print a copy of the file, or answer the questions on looseleaf paper.  You must answer all questions in complete sentences.  You do not have to copy the questions.

Here is a link to the file.

HW Week of 10/5/15

Hello, USH'ers:

Here are your HW assignments for the week of 10/5/15.  Please note that we will be collecting all of the assignments for the week this FRIDAY 10/9/15.

***IF EVERYONE HANDS IN THEIR HW ASSIGNMENTS ON FRIDAY, WE WILL NOT HAVE WEEKEND HW!!!*** 

MONDAY NIGHT:

1. Take notes on the following lecture.  This is the lecture that we completed in class today. 

2. WATCH THE FOLLOWING VIDEOS: 

The French and Indian War for Dummies 

The Albany Plan of Union 

Based on your notes 

3. Answer the following questions..

1. What were the causes of the conflict between France, and Britain, for control of North America? 
2. How did the British Victory in the Seven Years' War, become one of the causes of the American Revolution? 
3. Analyze the meaning of the following quote: "A torch lighted in the forests of America set all Europe in conflagration (flame).

TUESDAY: 

Review Chapter 3 Section 4 in your textbook.  

Complete the Reading Study Guide 

WEDNESDAY: 

Complete the Guided Reading, and Re-Teaching Exercise

THURSDAY: 

Complete the Section Quiz 

PREPARE TO HAND IN ALL OF YOUR HW ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE WEEK, FRIDAY. 
INCLUDE THE ATTACHED RUBRIC.  

FRIDAY:
???? 

CHAPTER 2 LECTURE NOTES

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT!

HW Assignments Week of 9/28/15

Hello, USH'ers:

Here's your HW for the week of 9/28/15.

MONDAY NIGHT:

Complete the WORKSHEET enclosed in the following link. 

TUESDAY:
1.  Review Chapter 2, Section 3 of your Textbook. 

CLICK HERE for a folder containing your HW assignments for this week. 

2. In the "Tuesday Night" folder, please complete the "Reading Study Guide," and "ReTeaching" exercise.  

WEDNESDAY: 

1. Review Chapter 2-4 of your Textbook. 

2. Complete the Chapter 2-4 "Reading Study Guide" 

Thursday:
1. Complete the Chapter 2-4 Reteaching Activity. 

Friday: 

1.  If you did not complete Friday's assignment in class, please click here to finish. 

Watch

Complete the following worksheet. 

Summer Assignment Exam

CLICK HERE

HW Assignments Week of 9/9/15

Welcome to RUSH (Regents US History/Government) 2015-2016!

I will be using this blog to post your assignments. Generally, I will post your assignments for the coming week on SUNDAY NIGHT.   It's up to you to decide how to budget your time.  You can complete your assignments day-to-day, or you can go ahead.  Many of my students like to finish their assignments early, so they have less to do over the week.

Week of 9/9/15.
1.  Download, and print the classroom contract.  CLICK HERE for the contract. 
2.  READ and REVIEW the contract with a parent, or guardian.  Check off the appropriate spaces on the contract.  You and your parents must also SIGN the contract.
3.  OBTAIN all of the necessary supplies for this class, including the classroom supplies.  Your supplies are:

• 1 Looseleaf Binder with Looseleaf Paper
• Notebooks are NOT acceptable for use in this class 
• 1 Assignment Book or Planner
• 5 Subject Dividers for your looseleaf book
• 1 Folder 
• 1-2 pens 

4.  OBTAIN the classroom supplies for this class.  Your classroom supplies are: 

• ONE package of LOOSELEAF paper 
• TWO Packages of Pens (Blue or Black Ink) 
• One package of Markers

PLEASE HAVE ALL SUPPLIES IN BY NO LATER THAN 9/16! 

5.  Continue working on the SUMMER ASSIGNMENT, if you haven't completed it already.  The Summer Assignment is due on 9/21.  There will be an exam on the information contained in the Summer Assignment on 9/25.

R&R History Lesson - Birth of Hip Hop

 1. Please readHandout 3: New York City Timeline 1960s-1970s, and Handout 4: "The Message" Lyric Excerpts;
2.  Based on the handouts, answer the questions below, in your notebook, and it is due BY THE END OF THE PERIOD!!! 

• Why do you think this song was titled “The Message”? What is its message?
• What are the images in the song that reflect life in the city in the 1970s?  (e.g. broken glass, vermin, etc.)
• Why do you think Hip Hop became so popular with the people in urban communities such as the Bronx?
• How did “The Message” reflect the social and economic conditions of the Bronx in the 1970s? Think about both the equipment that was needed to produce it and the themes reflected in its songs.

R&R History Lesson - GRUNGE

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

What was Grunge and where did it come from?

OVERVIEW

"There's a feeling of burnout in the culture at large. Kids are depressed about the future."

-- Music critic Simon Reynolds, 1992, about Generation X

The pre-Grunge era of the early 1980s was a time of media saturation, but many young people did not see themselves or their concerns accurately reflected in the slick music videos offered by MTV or in other mass media. The resulting alienation and apathy helped pave the way for the emergence of a new sound that became known, simply, as Grunge.

Sometimes called the “Seattle Sound,” Grunge began in the Pacific Northwest in the late 1980s and early 90s. The Grunge generation grew up on Heavy Metal, Punk, and Hardcore, drawing on elements of each to define its sound. The resulting aesthetic combined the droning, distorted guitar tones of Metal, the alienation and anti-authority attitude of Punk, and the edgy, physical stage shows of Hardcore. Like Punk, Grunge was full of anger, but with a dose of angst, self-deprecation, and depression added to the mix. And though the intimacy and spontaneity of live performances often gave it a similar feel to Punk, Grunge was more musically complex. More varied instrumentally, Grunge also accentuated dynamic shifts that evoked the frustrations of youth. Grunge musicians tended to reject the latest fashions and projected a feeling of indifference that was reflected in everything from their lyrics to their disheveled appearance. Adopting a thrift-store look, artists embraced lumberjack-style apparel -- most notably flannel shirts -- while pushing back against the exaggerated masculinity it often implied.

In its early years, Grunge was largely a localized phenomenon, emerging out of the club scene in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle had been deeply affected by the economic recession of the early 1990s, when unemployment was at a high and Starbucks did not yet have the ubiquitous presence it does today. Grunge, with its dour visuals and indifferent lyrics, seemed to encapsulate the grey and depressed mood of the region at the time. As the 90s progressed, the commercial success of groups such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam catapulted the Grunge sound into a national spotlight for which its creators and adherents were largely unprepared.

Today's Lesson:
You will be working to create a  three-paragraph review of early Grunge music. The class will watch several music videos together, and students will be given a set of documents that they will use as source material for their review.

VIDEOS

• Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (1970), example of Heavy Metal
• Black Flag, “Rise Above” (1981), example of Hardcore Punk
• Mudhoney, “Touch Me I’m Sick” (1988)
• Nirvana, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (1991)
• Pearl Jam, “Alive” (1991)

Procedure:
1. Carefully review the following handouts: Handout 1: Document Set; Handout 2: Discussion Questions; Handout 3: Graphic Organizer, and Handout 4: Music Review Template.

2. Use the discussion questions in Handout 2 to help you analyze the documents in Handout 1. As you do so, you should take notes, using the graphic organizer in Handout 3. It is not necessary to fill in every bubble on the graphic organizer; conversely, they should feel free to create additional categories and bubbles. 

Rock and Roll Lesson 5/19/15 - New Wave Day II

1. View a clip of Jerry Lee Lewis performing "Great Balls of Fire." 
2. Answer the questions below.  

• In what ways does this early Rock and Roll performance prefigure New Wave music?
• In what ways does the fashion, the delivery, and the music itself prefigure New Wave?

3.  View the 1956 clip of Connie Francis performing "Little Blue Wren." Make notes as they watch and listen.  Jerry Lee Lewis's "Great Balls of Fire" came out the following year, in 1957.  

Compare the two clips, and answer...

• How is the instrumentation different in the two songs?
• How is the vocal style different?
• How are the performers' personalities different?
• How could the style of Jerry Lee Lewis' song be considered a reaction to the other song's style?

4.  Based on the two clips, what connection can you make between early Rock and Roll and New Wave music? 

5.  Play the clip of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive." 

6. Based on the clip, make a list of things in the song, "I Will Survive" that are elements which New Wave rebelled against. 

PUNK ROCK ALBUM COVER PROJECT

1. Please read Handout 4: Guidelines for Designing Your Album Cover. 
2. Using construction paper; crayons, markers, or colored pencils; scissors,  old magazines, etc., use he materials, as well as the information in your ocument sets and the understandings gained from them  to create an original album cover for a fictitious Punk Rock band in the 1970s. 
3. Students may use any additional materials they have to complete the assignment.

PUNK ROCK DBQ

Procedure. 

1.  Please click on  Handout 2: Punk Rock Discussion Guide and Handout 3: Punk Rock Document Set.  You will use the documents to  help you answer the questions.   

• Music
  • “Virtuosity” is defined as having great technical skill. For which of the bands in the videos is virtuosity more important?
  • According to the interview with Bono, what was Punk Rock’s attitude toward virtuosity? Does he believe you need to be a virtuoso to make Rock and Roll?
  • Look at the track listings from two different albums. What do you notice about the lengths of the songs? How does the length of the songs on the Clash’s 1977 album reflect what Bono is talking about?
  • Does the music created by the virtuosic artists convey the same message as the music performed by the other groups? How might their messages differ?
• Audience
  • What do you notice about the performers’ interactions with the audience in the two videos? Is the audience involved? What distinguishes the audience from the performers?
  • How would you describe the role of the audience in this picture of Led Zeppelin?
  • How would you describe the role of the performer in this picture of Rick Wakeman?
  • Who do you think was going to the performance? Watch the clip of the "Sex Pistols Discussing the Music Scene" and speculate as to how they might react to such a concert.
• Social Context
  • According to the Graham Parker video, what was the outlook in Britain in the late 1970s? What are some of the specific words Parker uses to describe the general situation?
  • What do you imagine the situation of young people in particular in this period would have been? What words do you think would best describe their outlook on life?
  • Why might young people turn to music to express themselves in this type of situation? If you had been living in this situation, how might you have gone about expressing yourself through music, even if you didn’t have any money or musical training?
  • Do you think a young person living in this situation would have been more likely to attend a Stadium Rock concert or a Punk Rock show? Why? Do you think that one of the performances in the videos best represents the social and political events of the time? If so, which one and why?
  • What do you imagine the music you would have made in this situation would sound like? (Note the words Parker uses to describe two album titles from this period, which include the words “howling” and “anarchy.”)
  • Can Punk Rock be considered a form of protest music? If so, what were the people who created it and listened to it protesting?
  • How might Punk Rock have been empowering to young people in this time and place? Think about the role of the audience, the sound of the music, and the “DIY” attitude of Punk.
• Album Covers
  • How are the two sets of album covers different?
    Elton John (1975) and Meat Loaf (1977)
    The Sex Pistols (1977) and The Clash (1977)
  • Which covers seem to better represent the idea of virtuosity? The idea of “DIY”? Why?
  • What message do you think the Sex Pistols and the Clash were trying to convey with these album covers? (Note: “Bollocks” is British slang with multiple meanings, but is generally taken to mean “nonsense” or “rubbish.”) Did they make them because they couldn’t afford professional artists to design their covers? What other reasons might there be?
  • Which album cover do you find most appealing, and why?
  • Why do you think the Clash decided to use this cover for their 1979 album London Calling? Compare it to this this cover from a 1965 Elvis Presley LP. What message do you think the Clash were trying to convey about their music? About how they saw themselves fitting in to the history of Rock and Roll?