Group Projects in Texas History
#WeMadeDioramasThisWeek #HerdingCats #TheRealRealWith7thGrade #CrazyFun
It was another action-packed week in Texas history this week with your kiddos. It has been a flurry of art work, researching a state park in our assigned region, and 3D exhibits of everything from lizards to oil wells.
If you recall, we started learning about the four geographic regions of Texas last week. Here's a cheat sheet on that if you want to dial in to what we're doing.
This week each student, along with their group, created a diorama of an assigned region of Texas. Not gonna lie! It was loud, but we were so proud of our students who were super engaged (and super excited - lol!) and worked really hard TOGETHER on their dioramas. Can't wait to see the final products next week. We will be presenting on Monday and Tuesday. And yes, there will be pictures of dioramas on next week's "Weekly Cattle Drive" post.
Big shout out to all the parents helping Mr. Young wrangle up extra rock tumblers for our 7th grade Texas History lucky rock project. Our goal: eventually every 7th grader will have a polished lucky rock from Texas (This is going to take awhile, but its only September). There is still plenty of time for 7th graders to find a lucky rock (about the size of an OK sign) to bring in for tumblin'.
#FossilDemo #PrehistoricSharkPoo #AdvancedClasses
Yes, you read that correctly: prehistoric shark poo. As in fossilized, as in "coprolite". So in Ms. Oricchio's advanced classes this week we started our small group hands-on history demos this week. We still have a few groups to go, but so far the kids are enjoying examining real Texas fossils, where they were found, what they came from, texture, weight, color, etc. Students sketched fossils, logged their observations, and developed research questions for their composition notebooks. From there, they will research their question and write up a conclusion about their fossil choice. Looking forward to other hands-on history demos this year.
#OurNextUnit #NativeAmericansOfTexas #ComancheNation
Next week we will be starting Unit 1b Native Americans of Texas. Oh. My. Gosh! We can't wait. Mr. Young has been talking to the Comanche Nation and arranging for a couple of traveling artifact boxes that we can share with the kids the week after next. We are so grateful to our Comanche friends who have been so supportive and excited to know that some kids in Pflugerville will be learning more about them - then, and now.
This unit is also going to involve lots of role playing games recreating barter and trade among Texas tribes, council meetings with a talking stick, all leading up to a classroom game we call "Four Corners" (totally made up from the head of Ms. Oricchio) that will be a fun way to apply what we are learning about all the unique characteristics of each Native American culture here in Texas.
#Skyward #WheresTheGrades?
Confession. We are a little behind in inputting grades. It's been crazy busy getting back on track after we were both out with illness. Look for grades to start popping up in Skyward by the beginning of next week.
#TissueBoxDonations #WeLoveYouMan
Holy Moly! Y'all rock! We have the best parents here in 7th grade. Thank you so much for sending in the tissue boxes on behalf of all the runny noses around here. Keep 'em coming. We haven't even hit cold season. But this is a great start to what appears to be a kinda drippy year, if you know what we mean. Lol!
#oops #almostforgot #ThisWeeksAgenda
Monday and Tuesday
Diorama Presentations & "Ketchup" time on makeups and pulling up failing grades
Wednesday
U1b Native Americans of Texas Begins:
Woodlands Tribes - Reading Notes/Native American Chart in Class
Thursday
Coastal Tribes - Reading Notes/Native American Chart in Class
Friday
Pueblo Tribes -Reading Notes/Native American Chart in Class
No tests this week!
Have a great weekend! Thank you for all your support.
Happy Trails,
Ms. Oricchio and Mr. Young
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