HAPPY HOLIDAY!

Warm holiday wishes from the World Geography teachers here at EHMIS!! Enjoy the break and we will see you in 2011!!!

Video fo the Week - December 20th

Saw this on Tosh.O. Love this video.....funny kid!

How to Write a Check

A lot of you had a difficult time writing a check today during our Naturalization Process. Here is a website that gives you one way to fill out a check. The nice thing about this site is that it gives you visual images to go with each description. Did you do it correctly??

http://banking.about.com/od/checkingaccounts/ig/How-to-Write-a-Check/1write_a_check_step2.htm

Video of the Week - December 13th

Tis the season for basketball! Enjoy this NASTY facial that happened the other night. Get off the tracks when the train is coming through!!

Extra Credit - December

The extra credit for December is due this Friday, December 17th! It must be turned in on a 3x5 notecard with your name on it. Each question is worth 2 points for a possible grand total of 10 extra points that will go towards your Western Europe Project!!! Here are the questions:

1. The Dangrek Range is located south of the Khorat Plateau on the border of Cambodia and what country to the north?

2. Rouen is an industrial and agricultural hub for commerce going to and from Paris along what river?

3. The snow-capped peaks of the Jungfrau and the Eiger are found in which European country?

4. The Donets Basin, a coal-producing region, is shared by Ukraine and what other country?

5. Boa Vista, Sal, and Fogo are three of the many islands and islets that make up what country in the Atlantic Ocean?

Good Luck!!

Video of the Week - December 5th

It isn't nice to laugh at someone who gets hurt....BUT.............

Student Work

I got tagged by Nikki! I can still Dougie better than him though!

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Additional email address...

Here is my school GMAIL account address:

matthew_lawhead@southwesternsd.org

This is another option to send your projects in. I will put your PowerPoint projects into the Sharable Drive if you send it to me, but you must print out both Excel Sheets and the Map and HAND THEM TO ME.

Thanks.

How to email projects....

Some folks have been asking me about emailing projects. My school email is listed below:

matthew_lawhead@swsd.k12.pa.us

Hopefully it gets through the filters. If not, you MUST bring in your project via a thumbdrive or email it to your school Gmail account and save it to our Sharable Drive.

Thanks.

Nice Job Students!

The 29th Combat Aviation Brigade sent a HUGE "Thank You" to the Team 3 and Team 4 World Geography students who sent holiday cards to the soldiers serving in Afghanistan. The students in Mr. Sgrignoli and Mr. Lawhead's class made holiday cards at the end of our Southwest Asia Unit. They sent us a few wristbands, a plaque (picture to follow), and a commemorative coin. Just goes to show what that doing a nice deed does pay off. Thanks again for all the hard work and great cards you made for our brave soldiers!

Video of the Week - November 30th

A great scene with a man who will be missed! Old school comedy from the movie "Airplane."

Saddle Up!

Lot of work to do this week!!! Saddle up and get ready to work. Projects are due TUESDAY. You MUST work at home to finish this project.

November Extra Credit

Reminder...your November extra credit is due tomorrow - FRIDAY - December 3.

Thanks and sure hope you take advantage.

Happy Thanksgiving

Hey gang! Just wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving and I hope that you enjoy the short time off. I'm quite thankful for getting to know each of you this year and look forward to seeing each of you continue to grow as a student and person. Take some time to thank your parents for everything they do today.

See you in a few days.

Mr. Lawhead

Video of the Week - November 22nd

Another classic! Allen Iverson baby! Old school! PRACTICE?!?!?!?!?!

November Extra Credit

Here is the extra credit assignment for November. Each correct answer is worth two points. Put your answers on a 3x5 notecard and turn it in to me. Here are the questions:

1 - Which state that borders both Wisconsin and Nebraska is one of the leading producers of wind energy in the U.S.?

2 - Millions of Christmas trees are grown in the state where Willamette National Forest is located. Name this state.

3 - Fort Drum is important to the economy of Watertown, a city located east of Lake Ontario in what state?

4 - The Port of Beaumont, on of the busiest ports in the country, is located on the Neches River in which state?

5 - What state produces the most honey? It's also home to Lake Sakakawea, located upstream from Bismark.

Good luck!

SW Asia Test

***IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT***

Your SW Asia Test might not happen! We may decide to do an act of kindness instead. If the exam does take place, it will be an open note style test. That means you would be able to use any notes, worksheets, or anything out of your composition book that you've completed during this unit of study.

Enjoy! Any questions, see me on Monday.

I Guess Bikers Are Cool!

I saw this tonight. Awesome! Unbelievable moves on a bike. DO NOT TRY!

How to Deal With Stress

Beast Mode is On!

My brochacho Nick went full on BEAST MODE today getting 40 shots in his arm today!!! 40!!! Here is one arm. Kudos to you, Nick.

Exploring Southwest Asia PowerPoints

Your FINISHED powerpoint projects will be due by the midpoint of Monday's class. We will then work on presentation skills for the remainder of the Monday.

If there are problems, please let me know.

Video of the Week - November 12th

I laugh every time I watch this, but also cringe at the same time. Enjoy.

Can you??????

If I gave you a blank map of the Southwest Asia region, could you label each country, capital, and all the physical landmarks?

If not, good luck on your quiz Tuesday!

Class News for the Week November 8th

BIG week for all of you! Your Southwest Asia project is what most of the week will be spent on. Get ready to research Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday are when we will be putting the projects together. Our goal will be to have the project finished by Friday.

You will also have two map quizzes this week - STUDY!

Any questions, let me know.

Video of the Week - November 1st

I love this video. I remember it from a few years ago and laugh everytime I see it. Enjoy.

Period 2 Wins!

In the final standings for the October 50 States Test, 2nd Period had the best overall average AND best increase from the September test. The final averages out of 50 were:

Period 2 - 41.59 / 50
Period 4 - 38.28 / 50
Period 8 - 41.54 / 50

The increase from the September tests were:

Period 2: + 6.03
Period 4: + 2.07
Period 8: - 0.42

Great job to all the students in 2nd period. The November test will be coming soon and our goal is for each class to have a CLASS AVERAGE above 40/50. Continue to study.

End of the First Marking Period!!!!!!

It is here! Now! Today! The end of the first marking period is upon us! If there are any missing homework assignments, missing papers, makeup tests or quizzes that need attending to, please get your butt in gear and come and see me. This is the last chance because on Sunday I must put final marking period grades in. Take care of your business!

MCM Finisher!

Well I finished! I ran it in 5:24 which isn't super fast but is faster than I did last year. Here is a picture of me at mile 19 when I stopped to get some food, stretch, and talk to my family who was down to cheer me on.

Mr. Lawhead the "runner"

My bib number is 8024. The website for the race is www.marinecorpsmarathon.com

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Marine Corps Marathon

So I won't be in Monday because I'm running a marathon on Sunday. I hope to have a link up for anyone who wants to see if I finished.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

Video of the Week - October 25th

I love Terry Tate. Choo Choo!

Students Rock!

My students are awesome!!!

October EC - Part I

October Extra Credit - Part I is due this week. It MUST be turned in by this Friday to get any points. If you need to see the questions again, scroll down a bit and look on the left side of the screen where the past posts are listed.

Payback is a dish best served cold...

My room was left entirely too messy this afternoon. Congratulations 8th period on your new cleaning jobs for the rest of the semester!

What In the World

Interesting few minutes about China and censorship. Sometimes we forget how good we have it. Freedom of speech baby!!

Class News for the Week October 25th

Video of the Week - October 18th

One of my favorite movies and movie scenes. I might try doing this from now on when you guys and girls can't stop talking! Enjoy.

World Map Success!!

The 600 piece behometh puzzle is complete! Thanks to our dedicated group of kids that worked on this from the middle of September on. You rock!

October Extra Credit - Part I

Here are the extra credit questions for October - the first few anyhow. As usual, put your answers on a 3x5 notecard and turn into me to get credit. Each question is worth one point of extra credit...that means you could earn up to five total.

1. One can visit the Tiger's Nest Buddhist monastery in which landlocked Asian country known as the "kingdom in the clouds?"

2. Victoria Falls, located along the Zambezi River is shared by Zambia and what neighboring country?

3. Name the only overseas department of France in South America.

4. The taka is the unit of currency for what country that was formerly East Pakistan?

5. What country in the Americas is second to the United States in meat production?

Class News for the Week October 18th

Hey gang. No Voki of me this week...well, maybe later this week. This week we are going to focus on the CULTURE and ECONOMY of Canada. There will be two map quizzes, a few homework assignments, and maybe a unit exam towards the end of the week. Expect a notebook check at some point this week as well.

Any questions, let me know.

Is Your Notebook Organized?

Is it? IS IT?

Might want to think about putting papers in order and making sure those papers are IN the three rings of your three ring binder. We will be cleaning out our notebooks soon.

My Favorite Hockey Game

In honor of starting the CULTURE concept of Canada, I decided to put the video highlights of the only NHL hockey game that I've ever been to. It was a fantastic night with my best friend, Ed. Enjoy!

Video of the Week - October 11th

I've always enjoyed this video. Triathlons are beast...we should all try one some day!

Class News for the Week October 11th

Video of the Week - October 4th

This is one of my favorite short clips. Just imagine the name "Mr. Lawhead" instead of Bob Kelso. Have a great LOOONG weekend and make good decisions.

October 50 States Test!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Your October 50 States Test will take place either next Thursday/Friday OR the following week. Please make sure that you are reviewing your past 50 states exam or you are working with the online quiz to the left side of the screen. If you have questions, please let me know.

Good Luck. Let's raise that overall average!!!

A Quick How To - Error Analysis

You test contains a section towards the end called Error Analysis. What this requires you to do is fairly simple. You must:

1 - Identify the incorrect statements in the letter

2 - Highlight the incorrect statement (Mr. Sgrignoli's class) or CIRCLE the incorrect statement (Mr. Lawhead's class)

3 - Correct the incorrect statement on the back of the sheet

Yep, it is that easy! There are 19 mistakes in the letter but you only need to identify 10. Good luck!

Wear PINK on Friday

Mr. Sgrignoli had a discussion with his students about the power of an idea...and how quickly it can move with technology and communication. We are trying to tie in Breast Cancer Awareness month and are asking everyone to wear pink on Friday. It's for a great cause, and with everyone wearing pink we can see how an idea can move from a classroom and change an entire school. Thanks!

WEAR PINK!!

Class News for the Week October 4th

Video of the Week - September 27

This is a short video but well worth it! I hope you all enjoy. Have a great weekend.

AK and Snydie on the move!

The world map is almost there!!! Our two magical ladies are doing a heck of a job. A finished picture will be coming soon. Thanks a ton ladies.

September Extra Credit - Part II

Here is one last chance to get extra credit for the month of September. As before, answers must be turned in on a 3x5 notecard. This time, correct answers will be worth one (1) point each - do the math....that is a possible grand total of five (5) extra credit points. Here are the questions:

1 - Located south of the state capital of Merida, the Maya ruins at Ruta Puuc can be found on what Mexican peninsula?

2 - Along with Croatia, what northernmost former Yugoslav republic declared independence in 1991?

3 - Nickel has been mined for more than a century near the city of Sudbury, located in which Canadian province?

4 - The Tell Atlas Range is partially located in which country that is second largest by area in Africa?

5 - From 1899 to 1961, Kuwait was a protectorate of which European country?

Answers are due by this coming Wednesday!!!

Crane Making Time!!

So a few of you wanted to see how to make these cranes. Well, I am HORRIBLE at it so I thought I'd find a professional. Follow the steps below and you should have a good crane to turn in for extra credit!

Japan and the Koreas Map Test

We will have a short (5-10 question) quiz on the map you completed on Monday. It should look VERY similar to this one! Everything is fair game.

Class News for the Week of September 27th

We are already in our final week of September!! Can you believe it?! Anyhow, this week we will begin our study of Japan, North Korea, and South Korea. We will watch many videos on YouTube throughout the week to give us a better understanding of the region and their culture. Be ready to try a few new activities as well - origami might just become a hobby!

Be ready for a map quiz sometime this week - probably Thursday or Friday. Last, I have to put Midterm Grades in by Sunday, so start making sure all of your ducks are in order.

Any questions, click on the "comments" link below or come and see me in room 215. Peace out!

B-I-N-G-O!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A picture of our first Human Bingo of the year. It was for Japan and the Koreas. Hope you enjoyed and learn a bit more about this region. Should be an interesting journey.

Video of the Week - September 20

An oldie but a goodie. Might have to let it buffer a bit. Classic example of not caring what others think!
Napoleon Dynamite Dance Scene

AK on the Move!

It looks like AK finally has the outline done on the world map. She is trucking along despite the puzzle being knocked over today! Very impressive. This will look super cool when she is finished.

Class News for Week of September 20

Welcome back gang! This week we will finish our short unit on Culture. After we finish some note taking, we will be doing a project called the Wall of Culture and an activity called the Culture Walk. Be prepared for your first graded 50 States exam on either Wednesday or Thursday. Last, we hope to begin our first unit on a region of the world - Japan and the Koreas.

If you have any questions, please click on the comment link below and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

2010 Undaunted

Another example of why South Western students rock! This is a video created and edited by a South Western graduate about our 2010 Football season. Awesome stuff!

Constitution Day Link

Here is a link to the Channel One website that I mentioned during my COLT period this morning. As it is Constitution Day, try taking a few of their short online quizzes that will test your knowledge of the most important document in our nation's history.

http://www.channelone.com/news/specials/constitution/


Good Luck

Video of the Week - September 13

This is a new feature that I am going to try and stick with. I will post a "video of the week" that is either really funny or just makes me smile. This one....well...I absolutely LOVE it. It might be my new favorite of all time!!! Hope you enjoy it!

Awareness Test

Here is the Awareness Test we watched in class yesterday. Remember, keep your mind open when learning about other cultures!

September Extra Credit

Hey gang. Each month you will be given an opportunity to get extra credit. In order to get this very helpful extra credit though, you need to be a good student and check the class blog. Each question is worth two extra credit points for a grand possible total of ten. Answers MUST be turned in on a 3x5 notecard...no exceptions. Here are the questions:

1. Finnmark, punctuated by fjords and inhabited by reindeer herders, is the northernmost county of what country?

2. Roraima, a state with a shoreline on the Rio Negro, is located along the Equator in what country?

3. What is the capital and principal city for the state of Western Australia?

4. In the 1960s, Rwanda and Burundi gained their independence from which European country?

5. The Pilcomayo River forms part of the border between Paraguay and what country?

What is Fracking?

http://cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2010/09/13/griffin.gas.danger.cnn

Watch this video. Good example of Human Environment Interaction!!

Period 8 Directions

Studying Ideas

As you think about studying for the Five Themes quiz this week, here are a few pointers:

1 - Don't study for an extended period of time. Don't sit and stare at our worksheets for two straight hours. Twenty minutes should be plenty of time to review for the Five Themes.

2 - Try to link events to each theme. What activity did we do for each theme. For example, when we reviewed Movement, we went around the classroom trying to find where items originally came from.

3 - Highlight and underline your notes. What are the most important things in your notes? Each theme should be highlighted and definitions are usually important enough to underline.

Just a few pointers. Later on this year we will have online reviews that in the past seemed to help students out. Good luck studying.

The arrival...

Mr. Sgrignoli has done it! The new website was unveiled with much fanfare and pomp around 1:30 on Tuesday. Everyone agreed that is an amazing site of historic proportions. Enjoy the link below!

http://207geography.info/

Class News for the Week of September 5th

Hey gang. This week we will continue and finish our study of the Five Themes of Geography. We will be working on Region, Movement and Human-Environment Interaction and should be able to have our examination on Friday if everything goes well.

If you have any questions please click on the comment link below and I will respond as soon as I can.

Got it!

Finally got a picture of my homeroom from last year! Thanks JF!! Another great group of kids. Hope this year is the same.

Grand Sgrig-Opening

Get ready! It is coming...the NEW and IMPROVED Mr. Sgrignoli website. I know that I am excited and am looking forward to seeing another World Geography site. Are you? Check here for updates...the rumor is that the new site will be up TUESDAY.

Homeroom Picture

HELP!!! Anyone from my homeroom last year - listen up if you are still looking at the website. I know a few of you have a homeroom picture on your cameras from the last day of school. I REALLY, REALLY, REALY would like to have a copy so that I could hang it up.

If you have a pic or know someone who does, please try and get it to me sometime during the first week of school.

Thanks!

Venice - Day 1.5 Recap

We only had another half day at Venice...something we will certainly change the next time we come back. What an amazing city. Anywho, we worked our way through the fish and fruit markets that were in the many little Piazzas and markets and got to the Basilica di San Marco. Unreal! When you think about the size of the church itself and the detail of everything in it, you had to sit down and just shake your head. We were in the Basilica for almost two hours touring, overlooking the Piazza below, and overlooking the Grande Canal. What a moment.

After that, we had to catch a train for our next stop - Florence. Unfortunately, we got lost on the way back to the hotel. WAY LOST! OFF THE MAP LOST!! After thirty minutes of trying to find the right streets and bridges to cross, we made it back in time to get our luggage and get to the train station. We loaded up and got a few zzzzz's in on the two hour train ride and stated preparing for our next adventure.

Ciao.

Venice - Day 1 Recap!!

What an awesome day! Didn't sleep much on the plane and only managed thirty minutes after we got here but wanted to get out and about. We ended up heading to Rialto which was an amazing view of the Grand Canal and all that happens on it. It was pretty neat seeing all the little shops too. Then we headed to buy some train tickets for the next day (lesson learned from last year!) and headed for an island visit. We landed on a small island called Burano which was AMAZING! If I could pick a place to live before I passed away, Burano might be it. So quaint, so simple, so beautiful. Finally we headed to San Marco's Plaza which was jumping. We went to the world famous Harry's Bar and got completely ripped off, but ended up seeing Ozzy walk into the bar just as we were leaving! Unbelievable. After some great night pictures at the Rialto Bridge, we headed back to sleep and get ready for a busy second day!

BUONO SERA!

Off to Italy

So i am sitting in the airport waiting to leave. Boring!! Can't wait to get going. Itinerary includes Venice, Florence, and Rome. Let us on the plane!

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Thanks 7th Graders

Hey gang! Just wanted to say thank you for the wonderful year. Each year it is tough to see another group move on. This was one of my favorite groups and I will miss you dearly. Stop by room 215 next year to say hello and continue making good decisions.

Enjoy the summer.

Mr. Lawhead

I do schoolwork too!

Hey gang! Here is a homework assignment that I did! I even handed it on time!!!!

Enjoy.

http://matthewlawhead.swsd.wikispaces.net/

After you are done!

3 - Facts about the geography

2 - Interesting facts about the people

1 - Thing that makes it unique

AUSTRALIA!!!!!!!!!!

Create Your Own Island Project

Alright gang...last project for the year!! Everything must be turned in by WEDNESDAY. If there will be any problems, you must let me know ASAP. Looking forward to seeing your creations.

May 50 States Test

Your May 50 States Test will take place on Wednesday, May 26.

13 Year Old Climbs Mt. Everest

http://www.jordanromero.com/weblog/

Check it out! The 13 year old that we talked about in class has started to climb Mt. Everest. If everything goes well and the weather holds up, he should be at the summit in a few days. His blog is listed above.

Teens In the News

http://tweentribune.com/content/girl-nears-end-round-world-sail

How about this 16 year old Australian girl who just sailed around the world! Awesome! She pulls into port Saturday morning in Australia.

jeopardylabs.com/play/enter-title9245

The link above should take you to a jeopary-style review game that we have done before in our classes. Use this along with other materials to prepare for the Canada Exam!

Fall Canada Videos

Some folks were asking for the link to the Fall Canada videos. I think it is listed below:

http://www.youtube.com/user/MrTeacherLAW

Let me know if it doesn't work for you.

Table of Contents Update 05-03-10

The order for the 4th Marking Period so far. Remember, bold items are newer.


1. Japan and Koreas Vocab
2. Japan and Koreas Political Map
3. Japan and Koreas GR1
4. Korea RAFT Essay
5. Canada Vocabulary
6. Canada Political Map
7. Canada Physical Map
8. Prediction/Summary Vocab-O-Gram
9. Canada Summary
10.
11. Canada Critical Thinking
12. Canada Venn Diagram
13. Canada Bingo
14. Canada - Economy Worksheet
15. Come Back to Canada

Table of Contents Update - 4th MP - 4-27-10

Here is your long-awaited 4th Marking Period Table of Contents update. Remember, the papers should be in order similar to this. Make sure they are three-hole punched and in your binder.

1. Japan and Koreas Vocab
2. Japan and Koreas Political Map
3. Japan and Koreas GR1
4. Korea RAFT Essay
5. Canada Vocabulary
6. Canada Political Map
7. Canada Physical Map
8. Prediction/Summary Vocab-O-Gram
9. Canada Summary

May Extra Credit

Here are your extra credit questions for May. Each question is worth two points. Answers must be turned in on a 3x5 notecard. I will be putting ALL extra credit to this point for the 4th Marking Period in the gradebook in about two weeks. Good luck!

1. Bohemia and Moravia are two regions located in which formerly communist country that joined NATO in 1999?

2. Frm 1910 until World War II's end, the Korean Peninsula was controlled by which island country to its east?

3. Buddhism was introduced more than 2,200 years ago to which South Asian island country on the Gulf of Mannar?

4. In 1938, the Anschluss ocurred when German annexed which other German-speaking country?

5. Which country's population does not include a large percentage of Hindus - Cambodia, India, or Nepal?

Japan and Koreas LEQ

Here are the LEQ statements for your exam on Friday. Be ready to answer these in four to five sentences!!

How is U.S. History closely tied to the histories of Japan and Korea?

What are the major cities and physical locations in Japan and the Koreas?

How does Japan's culture differ from ours?

How are North Korea and South Korea different culturally?

April 50 States Test!!!!!!

It is about that time!! Your April 50 States Test will take place next Friday (APRIL 23)!!

APRIL 23

Your goal for this test should be somewhere between 40-50 correct. Use the online resource located on the right side of the screen or come and see me for a few helpful hints. STUDY STUDY STUDY!

Class News for the Week of April 12

This week we will begin our study of Japan and the Koreas. If you still owe me a brochure for your Western Europe unit, please make sure I get it ASAP. I think that you will enjoy this unit - Mr. Sgrignoli and I decided to move it up on our list of regions to study because of how cool it is. Enjoy!!

After the project...

Make a list of everything you know about Japan, North Korea, and South Korea. Include information about the eight factors of culture and about the geography of the country.

DO NOT USE ANY SITES TO HELP YOU!!! This is "before" view of what you know about this region. Use Microsoft Word to do this.

The 13-year old is climbing Mt. Everest!

http://www.jordanromero.com/weblog/

Check out this kid's blog. He is 13 years old and he is attempting to climb Mt. Everest! Yep, MT. EVEREST. Hopefully he will keep us uptodate with this blog and we can follow his progress!

Brochure Project - Governments

Some of you have asked about the governments and what you should list - Prime Minister or President? It all depends on the type of government. When you find a good website that describes your country's government, read up on it a bit and the answer is usally there for you. If you really have problems with this, let me know.

Silence...

My BEAUTIFUL and HEAVEN-SENT voice is a bit scratchy. So, if you have any questions, please send me a question by clicking below and I'll try to answer it by tomorrow.

Hopefully, we will all be blessed with the return of my perfect voice tomorrow.

Table of Contents Update - 04-05-10

Last update before the 4th Marking Period starts. We will clean out our notebooks on Thursday of some of the papers from our 3rd MP. Here is a final update of papers you should have:

37. British Isles Worksheet
38. British Isles Guided Reading 1
39. Guided Reading 2 – France
40. Guided Reading 3 and 4 (Germany/Nordic)
41. Guided Reading 5 – Southern
42. Currency and Exchange Rate
43. Reteaching – Western Europe
44. Take Home Review – W.E

Amazing Teenagers

As part of our closure activities today, we discussed a few unbelievable teenagers around the world who are attempting some incredible feats. Here are links to their personal websites/blogsites. Enjoy!

Jordan Romero - 13-year old climbing Mt. Everest

http://www.jordanromero.com/


Jessica Watson - 16-year old sailing around the world by herself

http://www.jessicawatson.com.au/about-jessica



Abby Sunderland - 16-year old sailing round the world by herself

http://www.abbysunderland.com/

You asked for it, you got it!

Here is the video from the British Parliament. Government at work in the United Kingdom...

My bad!

The SW Asia tests will be a few more days. Between starting a new unit, baseball starting and my cousin's wedding this past weekend, I haven't been able to sit down and finish grading them. They are about halfway finished as is. My bad!

Class News for the Week of March 29th

Welcome back for another week! This week we continue to discuss Western Europe. We will be learning about the five different regions of Western Europe and ending the week by creating a brochure about a country of your choice. Hope you are ready to do a bit of reading this week!

Table of Contents Update, 03-26-10

Here is the latest update for your Table of Contents. Make sure that you are keeping papers IN the three rings and in some sort of order. Newer worksheets are in ALL CAPS and BOLD.

30. March 50 States Test
31. SW Asia Exam
32. Western Europe Political Map
33. Regional Atlas Activities E and F
34. Western Europe Learning Map
35. Western Europe Physical Map
36. Chunnel Worksheet
37. British Isles Worksheet
38. British Isles Guided Reading 1

A good strategy for keeping worksheets in order is to number the worksheet itself in one of the top corners. That was a suggestion from a student! Please remember that you do not have all the papers listed above. I have a few of them for grading purposes.

End of the week stuff...

Hey gang, sorry that it has been a been quiet on here lately. Just a few things to note.

1. I will do my absolute best to get the SW Asia tests back to you by Monday. Either way, you will have to have the test corrections in to me by Thursday to receive any credit.

2. We should be finished with the five different regions of Western Europe by Friday. Be prepared for a chapter test next week or the week after.

3. Physical Map test for Western Europe early next week.

Any questions, please let me know.

Extra Credit Due Thursday

Anyone who is planning on turning in our last extra credit assignment must do so by THIS THURSDAY. If you are unsure what the assignment is, scroll down an search for it OR look for it on the right hand side of the screen where it list blog posts by month.

Good Luck!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

A few pictures from my trip to Ireland. Can't wait to go back!

March EXTRA CREDIT

Here are the five extra credit questions for March. Please put the answers on a 3x5 notecard and turn the answers in by next Friday, March 26. Each correct answer is worth two (2) extra credit points for a possibility of ten (10) points. Good Luck!

1. Which condition is necessary to create fog - air saturation or proximity to mountains?

2. Which is more important in the formation of sand dunes - wind or vegetation?

3. A salt flat forms when a water basin is subjected to which process - evaporation or coastal flooding?

4. A sea stack can form from which process - sea arch collapse or diverging plates?

5. Which process is directly involved in the formation of metamorphic rocks - weathering or pressure?

Class News for the Week of March 15th

This week we finish our work on SW Asia. Our projects will be due at the end of class on Monday and we will present both Tuesday and Wednesday. THE EXAM WILL BE THURSDAY. If everything goes perfect, we should be starting our unit on Western Europe on Friday.

In preparing for our exam, be sure to review both maps, vocab, our graphic organizers on religion and the countries, and the learning map. This test is a doozy....don't put off studying!

Table of Contents Update 03-11-10

Here is the latest update for your Table of Contents. Make sure that you are keeping papers IN the three rings and in some sort of order. Newer worksheets are in ALL CAPS and BOLD.

17. SW Asia Learning Map
18. SW Asia Countries Graphic Organizer
19. Religions Graphic Organizer
20. Religions Venn Diagram
21. SW Asia Physical Map
22. Chapter 18 Guided Readings 1 and 3 (SW Asia)
23. SW Asia Project - DIRECTIONS
24. SW Asia Project - RUBRIC
25. Chapter 18 Guided Reading 2 (Israel and Palestine)

A good strategy for keeping worksheets in order is to number the worksheet itself in one of the top corners. That was a suggestion from a student! Please remember that you do not have all the papers listed above. I have a few of them for grading purposes.

Thanks Mrs. Poust!!

A big thanks to Mrs. Poust for coming into room 215 the other day to help us with a difficult topic - Israel and Palestine. Using our Talking To The Text and the post-it-notes, we made this difficult issue a bit easier. Thanks again and hope to see you again.

Class News for the Week of March 8th

Hey gang! Welcome to our first full week in March. We will be working on our projects for SW Asia and finishing the unit by Thursday. That means be ready for a chapter EXAM by Thursday or Friday. Keep reviewing your maps and information that we have covered before the start of our projects. We will also take our March 50 States test this week - probably on Friday. Any questions, please let me know.

Manheim 2nd Graders Come to COLT

A big thanks to Mrs. McCullough and her 2nd grade class at Manheim for visiting our COLT period on Wednesday. Because of their positive behavior in February, the 7th grade students had the opportunity to play some board games and old school games with the 2nd graders. I think the 2nd graders won most of these contests!! Thanks again and we hope you can make it up after March.

Table of Contents Update 03-04-10

Here is the latest update for your Table of Contents. Make sure that you are keeping papers IN the three rings and in some sort of order.

14. Chapter 18 Vocabulary
15. SW Asia Political Map
16. War Worksheet
17. SW Asia Learning Map
18. SW Asia Countries Graphic Organizer
19. Religions Graphic Organizer
20. Religions Venn Diagram
21. SW Asia Physical Map
22. Chapter 18 Guided Readings 1 and 3 (SW Asia)

A good strategy for keeping worksheets in order is to number the worksheet itself in one of the top corners. That was a suggestion from a student! Please remember that you do not have all the papers listed above. I have a few of them for grading purposes.

Spampy proves me wrong!

Old Spampy proved me wrong by getting a perfect score on the SW Asia Map Quiz online. I lost the bet and wore my pink shirt with pride! Here is hoping that you all do the same by getting on this site and using the online map quizzes to the right. Good luck!

What to do for a paper cut!

Why do kids need bandaids for a stinkin paper cut? Maybe I went a little bit over-the-top with the size of this bandaid! Got everyone a good laugh though.

Student Work 101!!!

A HUGE thanks to Lydia V. who drew this half-man and half-mustang. What an unbelievable drawing. This will be hanging in my room for as long as I teach. Thanks again!!

Table of Contents Update 2-22-10

Here is the order that your Table of Contents should generally be in:

8. Five Themes Examination
9. Chapter 3 Vocabulary
10. Wheel of Culture/Culture Squares
11. What Culture Looks Like
12. Chapter 3 Study Guide
13. Wall of Culture
14. Chapter 18 Vocabulary

A good strategy for keeping worksheets in order is to number the worksheet itself in one of the top corners. That was a suggestion from a student! Please remember that you do not have all the papers listed above. I have a few of them for grading purposes.

Interesting Article

Interesting article on the TweenTribune website about what countries we "like" and "dislike." Especially interesting considering what unit we are starting with.


http://tweentribune.com/content/americans-canada-dislike-iran

Class News for the week of February 22nd

Hey gang. Get ready for another week packed full of work. We will start the work by finishing our unit on Culture - test is TUESDAY. We are also starting our first major unit on a specific region - Southwest Asia!!! I think you will enjoy this region as long as we keep an open mind and realized that our customs and culture ISN'T THE ONLY ONE!!

As usual, if you have any questions please let me know.

What is school????

Yep, we will have to get back to this school thing sooner or later! When we get back be ready to study Culture. We will also take that 50 States test towards the end of the week. Get ready for a lot of days of school in a row!

Blizzard Mania 2010!!

How crazy is this weather! I know I got at least 18-24 inches at the Casa de Lawhead...and that was ON TOP OF the two and a half feet we had gotten during the weekend!! Anyhow, it looks like we won't be in school until at least Friday. The schedule will get crazy here for a few days so we will just have to adjust and adapt. Enjoy the time off and stay warm.

Class News for the Week of February 8th

Hey gang. Welcome back after a CRAZY snowy weekend. Hopefully everyone is shoveled out and ready for another storm that is supposed to hit us this week!!! Anyways, this week we will study Culture and how important it will be for every country and region that we study. We will begin a project on Thursday and it will be due on Friday. Expect a short quiz on Friday as well.

Hope everyone is ready for a busy week and a hard-working week.

First 50 States Test This Upcoming Week

Table of Contents Update 02-05-10

Here is the order that your Table of Contents should generally be in:
1. Course Outline
2. Behaviors and Expectations
3. Five Themes Notes
4. Region Coloring
5. Movement Worksheet
6. Five Themes Google Earth Tour
7. Five Themes 3-2-1 Exit Slip
8. Five Themes Examination

A good strategy for keeping worksheets in order is to number the worksheet itself in one of the top corners. That was a suggestion from a student! Please remember that you do not have all the papers listed above. I have a few of them for grading purposes.

A new way for us to research!

Google and Diigo were a few words thrown out there today in class. Let me reprint my directions about what I need you to do.

1. CREATE A GOOGLE ACCOUNT
You will need to create a google account if you have not already done so. This account can be closed/deleted at the end of the semester if you choose to. The google account is vital to sign into Diigo. IMPORTANT....if you already have a Yahoo account for email, you will NOT need to create a google account.

2. JOIN MY DIIGO GROUP.
You will need to join the Diigo group for your period. Go to www.diigo.com and click on the "Groups" icon. You will need to search for your group (wgperiod2, wgperiod4, wgperiod8) and then try and join that group. Make sure that you when you sign in, you click on the Google icon or Yahoo icon towards the top.

These two tools will be very helpful in our researching and note-taking this year. If you are having problems, please come and see me before or after class. Thanks.

Abby Sunderland was featured on Channel One today. I think it is pretty cool that someone this young is trying to accomplish something so difficult. Below are her personal blog and official website. Check them out!

http://soloround.blogspot.com/


http://abbysunderland.com/

Have you seen this???

http://tweentribune.com/

The link above is to an online magazine written by kids! It has very short and easy to read articles about current events that everyone should know about. Check it out....you might actually like the news!

Class News for the Week of February 1st

Hey gang. Hope this message finds you ready for a week of hard work. We will be covering and going over the Five Themes of Geography. This is a very important unit in that we will discuss features of the Five Themes in every unit we cover. Be ready for a unit test at the end of the week.

Any questions, let me know.

Table of Contents 01-29-10

Here is the order that your Table of Contents should be in as we start the 3rd Marking Period.

1. Course Outline
2. Behaviors and Expectations
3. Five Themes Notes
4. Region Coloring
5. Movement Worksheet

A good strategy for keeping worksheets in order is to number the worksheet itself in one of the top corners. That was a suggestion from a student!

February Extra Credit

Here is the first opportunity for the new sections to get a few extra credit points. You must answer the questions on a 3x5 notecard and turn it in to me at some point during the next two weeks. Eac question is worth two points for a possible total of ten extra credit points! The questions are:

1. Hunza, a region in the Karakoram Range, is near what country's borders with India, Afghanistan and China?

2. What is the name of the cape that forms the southwestern tip of the island of Great Britain?

3. Which southernmost country of the Lesser Antilles is a major exporter of liquefied natural gas?

4. Electricity from the Snare River powers the capital of Canada's Northwest Territories. Name this city.

5. In spring or summer, guests can rent a historic cabin or visit a Viking museum in the Lofoten Islands in which country?

A few more days...

We have one and a half class periods left:(

We will be doing a few post tests to end our time together. Thanks for working hard the first two marking periods and best of luck in Science.

Love it!!

Apparently, I'm a lot of people's homie!! The shirt is becoming a hit in my WG courses. Love it!

Don't Lose a Bet!!

Had two students wearing this shirt the other day. It should be a lesson...don't bet me about what maps are right and wrong! Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Australia Map Labels

Here are the labels for the political map of Australia in case you didn't finish in class.

POLITICAL MAP
Sydney
Darwin
Perth
Adelaide
Newcastle
Canberra
Brisbane
Indonesia
Tasmania
Australia
New Zealand
Wellington
Auckland
Christchurch

January Extra Credit

This will be your last chance to get extra credit for geography for the 2nd Marking Period. These are the National Geographic questions that come directly from the magazine. As usual, each question is worth 2 points of extra credit and answers must be turned in on a 3x5 notecard.

1. Hunza, a region in the Karakoram Range, is near what country's borders with India, Afghanistan, and China?

2. What is the name of the cape that forms the southwestern tip of the island of Great Britain?

3. Which southernmost country of the Lesser Antilles is a major exporter of liquefied natural gas?

4. Electricity from the Snare River powers the capital of Canada's Northwest Territories. Name this city.

5. In the spring or summer, guests can rent a historic cabin or visit a Viking museum in the Lofoten Islands in which country?

YouTube Channel Link

Here is the address for the YouTube channel that I created to put all of our videos online. It also has a few videos that we watched in class about the unit that we are studying. Hope you enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/MrTeacherLaw

Origami Haiku!!!!

The origami was really hard to do in class. Maybe someone will try to do some figures at home. Anyway, here are a few sample Origami haiku's from your classmates:

Folding small paper,
It is easier than it seems,
Making figurines.


Folding paper cranes,
folding boxes and other stuff,
this doesn't make sense.


I just can't fold it
It's way to hard to fold it.
Can I have some help?


Origami is hard.
I hate folding things into shapes.
Why do we have to?


The red crane is done,
It was hard as crap to do,
Please never again.


Folding hard paper,
I am horrible at it,
So is Cody.


I hate it so much,
I wish it wasn't invented,
I blame it on Japan.


Japanese style,
Origami is paper,
Except it's folded.


Origami crane
It was very hard, too bad
It's origami.

GEOGRAPHY BEE CHAMPION FROM TEAM 4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MUCHO CONGRATSO to Alex Barlow of Team 4. He won the schoolwide Geography Bee today and now has a chance to go to the State level!

Great Job and way to represent!!

Pokemon!!!

Class News for the Week of January 4th

Welcome back gang! We will be starting our unit on Japan and the Koreas the second we have our butts in the seats. Be prepared to start map work and vocabulary on day one. I hope that everyone had a wonderful break and spent some quality time with their families.