Friday, April 1

Today in class we watched the following clip while I checked last night's homework, and then started a PowerPoint on the Korean War:

PBS News Hour Clip: Korean Tensions Keep Military on High Alert

PowerPoint: The Korean War

Video Clip provided by the amazing Mike Moen:

North Korea- A Day in the Life

B Period, Homework (all other classes won't get it until Monday):

Reading: Was U.S. intervention in Korea in 1950 justified?

Thursday, March 31

Today in class we finished our discussion of, "Who started the Cold War?" and had a bit of time to start working on tonight's homework assignment.

activate.classzone.com

Activation Code: 3303357-10

Homework: Read Chapter 26-1: The Cold War Heats Up, in the online Americans textbook, and take notes on the "Terms and Names."

Wednesday, March 30

We started class discussions on the topic of, "Who started the Cold War?" Only G Period has homework (since we had long-block): Read Chapter 26-1 in the Americans textbook and take notes on the "Terms and Names."

Tuesday, March 29

Today in class we finished the PowerPoint, discussed the Berlin Blockade and Airlift and I gave you a bit of time to begin the reading that is homework tonight.

• PowerPoint: The Origins of the Cold War
• In-Class Reading: Why did the Soviet Union blockade Berlin?
• Berlin Airlift Video (didn't have time to get to this in class, but feel free to check it out)

Homework: Actively Read-- Origins of the Cold War: Did the Soviet Union Start the Cold War?

-Notes/questions in the margins -Underline/highlight

**We will have a whole-class discussion based on this reading Wednesday in class.**

Monday, March 28

Each class is at a slightly different point, due to MCAS weirdness last week and the course-selection assembly today. Only E period has homework, since we had long block!

• PowerPoint: The Origins of the Cold War
• In-Class Reading: Why did the Soviet Union blockade Berlin?
• Berlin Airlift Video

E Period-- Homework: Actively Read-- Origins of the Cold War: Did the Soviet Union Start the Cold War? -Notes/questions in the margins -Underline/highlight **We will have a whole-class discussion based on this reading Wednesday in class.**

Friday, March 25

We're back to normal life after MCAS week!

• Today in class we talked about the Origins of the Cold War (hint, hint, that there's a link to today's PowerPoint used in class!!)
• I also checked the 26-1 "Assessment" that was assigned Monday. If you were absent, make sure to show this to me ASAP so I can give you credit for you work!

**No homework over this weekend.**

Tuesday, March 22

Due to MCAS, I only saw E period today. We just began watching a documentary, WWII: Behind Closed Doors. I'll provide a link below to all who are interested. It gives some background to the relationship between the Allies during the war, and lays the groundwork for understanding the Cold War.

Here's the Link:

WWII Behind Closed Doors: Episode 2

This brings you to the first section of the film. You can follow the links from there.

Monday, March 21

Today, we started our unit on the Cold War. You had time in class to begin working on the following assignment:

Read Chapter 26, Section 1 (starting on p.808) of the Americans textbook and complete the Assessment section, #1-#5 on p.814. I will be checking for completion on FRIDAY. This will be your only homework (if not completed in class) during MCAS week.

Still need to create an online textbook account?
Go to activate.classzone.com and use the following activation code: 3303357-10. Follow the steps to create a username and password that follow.

A returning customer with a username and password already?
Simply go to classzone.com and sign in!

Friday, March 19

Today in class we finished WWII project presentations, and then had some time to address IB-related questions. No homework for this weekend.

Thursday, March 17

We've been steadily chugging through presentations on last week's WWII research assignment!

By tomorrow, all classes should be finished.

G Period, here is a link to the first segment of American Experience: America and the Holocaust. If all went according to plan, we should have started watching i today in class, but if not today, we will tomorrow. People in other classes--please feel free to watch on your own, it really is fascinating stuff!

Wednesday-Friday, March 9-March 11

Greetings U.S. History II Students! I have an assignment for you:

WWII Research Assignment (hi, I'm a link to the assignment)

Do you need still need to set up a student blog?

Blog Set-Up Instructions

*Make sure to e-mail me the url of your blog so I can give you credit for your work!

Questions? Concerns? E-mail me: croselanderginn@sturgischarterschool.org

In case there's any confusion, I'm going to make a small list of UNACCEPTABLE COMPUTER LAB BEHAVIOR: g-chat, facebook, youtube, anything that might be fun and off task...

Tuesday, March 8

Today in class, we had our WWII In-Class Essay test!! If you were absent, you'll be asked to make-up the test in class during one of the computer lab days this week (Wed, Thurs, and Friday). Please e-mail me with questions and concerns if you have them.

Monday, March 7

In-Class Essay Test TOMORROW!! Please check Friday's post for a link to the prompt and tips for outlining worksheet I gave out in class, as well as some other helpful resources.

Friday, March 4

In-Class:
We used the following documents, Japanese Internment and Military Segregation During WWII to respond to and discuss these questions:

1. Who are the authors of these documents? Who is the authors’ audience(s)?
2. What is the authors’ purpose in the documents? What are the documents’ main ideas
3. What do you think the reasoning was behind the government actions or policies described in these documents? Were these actions or policies justified? What is the proper balance between respect for rights and freedoms and concern for national security during wartime?

Homework: Begin outlining for the IN-CLASS ESSAY test next TUESDAY, March 8

In-Class Essay Prompt and Info Hand-out

As promised, here are links to several major speeches tha may help you define what is meant by "fighting for democracy":

FDR's Arsenal of Democracy Speech

FDR's Four Freedoms Speech

Eisenhower's D-Day Message to the Troops

Thursday, March 3

WWII Homefront, Video Clips:

FDR, The Four Freedoms Speech

OWI Film, Manpower

OWI Film, Wartime Nutrition

Homework (started in class):

Reading, p.772-785 (spans issues of women and minorities during the war, through to the end of war conferences)

Read and Take Notes on the Following: (will be checked tomorrow)

1. The Alien Registration (Smith) Act
2. Internment of Japanese Americans (“An Enemy Race”)
3. The “Double V” Campaign
4. FDR’s Executive Order No. 8802
5. Race Riots of 1943
6. The Bracero Program
7. The “zoot-suit riot”
8. Experience of Women in War Industries
9. Creation of the United Nations
10. The St. Louis
11. The Yalta Conference
12. The Potsdam Conference

B Period got the IN-CLASS ESSAY Prompt and Explanation Hand-Out (hi, I'm a link!)

The in-class essay test will be this coming Tuesday, March 8!!

Wednesday, March 2

In Class:
We had a big-old circle class discussion for the whole period discussing the question of how we should evaluate the U.S. decision to drop the atomic bomb.

Homework:
Reading, "Mobilizing the American Home Front"

Read and take notes on the following:

1.The “Four Freedoms”
2.The Office of War Information (OWI)
3.Why We Fight
4.Office of Price Administration
5.War Production Board and War Manpower Commission
6.Government Incentives in Business
7.University Research and Weapons Development
8.Unions and Wartime Labor Strikes
9.Wartime Changes in Agriculture
10.Growth in the Federal Government