This tutorial was build by an 8th grade student to help you learn how to use Imoive.  It is also on the tutorial page.  View this link for other online help. IMOVIE 

This week students will be completing the IOWA tests during mods 1-6 on Tuesday thru Friday.  Next Monday, students will take the CoGats between mods 1-8.

Below this you will find a short description of the 7th grade project.  Also are the formal downloads for the project and powerpoint 1970's and 1980's Overviews. 

Garth Holman
Senior Picture.
1984-1985, Graduated 1989
Jordan, New York
Jordan-Elbridge Jr. Sr. High School


What was 7th grade like is a project that asks students to be historians.  They are researching, questioning, interviewing and interpreting the data and artifacts.  They should be interviewing someone over 30 years old during this week.  The interview should be completed in the next week and half.   We will begin the presentation work late next week.   They have two essential questions they are working on:  What does an historian do and how do they do it?  How has life changed since your parents were in middle school?  

Get out those year books, report cards and pet rocks.  Have fun with this project and help you children understand how the past impacts them.  They are very excited about this project.  In the end they will digitize your images, stories and "your life" for future generations to view and learn from".  Once again, have fun.   

Below are a few more images from high school.  We looked at these images today and talked about how images are primary resources and tell us about the past.  They got a kick out of "Big hair" and dress.  What will your year book teach them.

Students have been in the lab working on researching events from when their parents were in the 7th grade.  This research helps students understand the methodology of history and allows them to actually do history.  Students have been working well despite some minor technology issues and I am impressed with their curiosity and work ethic.  The rest of the "What was 7th grade like?" project should be amazing if students keep up the great work!!  If our laptops arrive anytime soon then I will change around the remainder of this project to help teach some web 2.0 tools that we will utilize throughout the year.  We were not able to Skype with Beachwood this week, which bummed the students out, and I do apologize.  Life got a little busy for me and Mr. H. and I dropped the ball.  I promise we will have plenty of collaboration opportunities in the future.  I strive to make the student's learning environment above and beyond everybody's expectations; my students (your kids) deserve it.  Great job this week CMS!!!

We learned how to use google earth today.  This tutorial is found the tutorial page for later use as well as below (to view it big screen click here).  It shows the basics of google earth and how to tag places you visit and capture scree shots.  We will use google earth for the next two days.  

This weekend marks the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.  This event directly effected the lives of people in New York City, Shanksville and Washington D.C.  Indirectly, it effected every American citizen.  Our country is a different place since 9/11/01. 
Please visit Story Corps and listen to the living histories of people directly effected by 9/11/01.  Story Corps collects peoples' memories and helps history sustain the fading effect of time.  Share these stories with family and friends.  Talk to your children about the effects of world events not on government and economies, but on everyday people.  Find uncles, aunts, grandparents who may have lived through momentous (happy and sad) events of the recent past and encourage them to talk about their experiences.  The most important history lessons a student can learn is that which comes from loved ones.

See images below from last years final History with Holman, as well as a tutorial of what we did in class today.  Leave a comment if this tutorial was helpful.  

Last week students spent time discussing Fat and Skinny questioning and  two important essential ideas for 7th grade social studies; culture and cultural diffusion.  On Thursday students ripped into magazines and newspapers to create culture walls.  Students used imagery to show elements of their culture. 
As the year progresses, we will look at cultures from around the world and throughout history.  Starting with their own culture, students will soon be studying their parents' culture.  As we start to make connections about cultural diffusion, we will jump back into the ancient world to see where it all started.  I hope everyone enjoys the long weekend.

-Mr. Pennington