Goodbye, Old Blog

I have decided to start a fresh, new blog for the next school year. If you want to see what we are doing in SY 2008-2009 click here.

Have a Great Summer & High School Experience!

I wish you all the best! Stop back by CMM or send an email and let me
know how you are doing in high school.

Lost Textbooks

If you lost your textbook the fee is $49.95. I turned in report card
holds today.

Point Sheets Do Not Have to Be Signed

Please ignore the note at the bottom of the point sheets about signing
and returning the sheets. I am not taking new grades this week. The
only changes might come through make-up work required by policy or
participation points. I am closing the opportunity to submit the extra-
credit historical marker photo bonus after Tuesday.

Last Point Sheet

The last point sheet for the year went home today. Your final grade
could change from that on the sheet because of lost participation
points or make-up work (if the make-up is required by CPSB policy).

Monday

Be prepared to present your Alternative History Projects on Monday. Any Pick-a-Projects scheduled for Monday will be presented on Monday.

Textbook Return Reminder

Anyone failing to return a textbook loses five participation points PER DAY. Please return your books!

Pick-a-Projects Due Monday

The Pick-a-Projects should be ready for presentation by Monday. If your project requires you to know the day in advance please see me by Friday to schedule your presentation.

Change of Plans

Because of a technical problem we will view the Marshal Zhukov video today and take a quiz on the video on Wednesday.

End of the School Year Information

We have a number of tasks to accomplish before we end the school year:

• Return your textbook on 07 May 2008. I will deduct five participation points per day that your textbook is late.
• Return all library books by 12 May 2008.
• Locker clean out will be 13 May 2008.
• THE DEADLINE FOR MAKE UP TESTS OR WORK IS 16 MAY 2008 -- NO EXCEPTIONS.
• All items left in lost and found will be given to Goodwill at the end of the year. Any items left in my classroom go to the lost and found on 07 May 2008.
• Comply with the dress code. I will write tickets through the last day of school.
• Final locker clean out is 20 May 2008.
• No backpacks after 20 May 2008.
• Eighth Grade Celebration is 21 May 2008.
• All cleared report cards will be mailed; those held for money owed will not be mailed.
• No one may leave the classroom without escort on 22 May 2008.

Return your Textbook on Wednesday, 07 May 2008

Please return your textbook to me on Wednesday, 07 May 2008. Any textbooks not returned will result in a hold on your report card. I will subtract five participation point per day that your textbook is late!

Google Docs

Google offers a free set of "office" programs. You may use these to create presentations, documents, and spreadsheets. You have to sign up for a gmail account, but that is free. Still, please get parental permission to create the account. See:
http://docs.google.com/

Problems Replying to Email from AOL Users

A couple of you on AOL emailed me today. When I replied I got a "permanent fatal errors" response from AOL after my first reply went through. I will post my reply to you here in the hope that you will see it.

If you are doing the "analyze a computer program" project use the PowerPoint Rubric and be sure to explain how your simulation demonstrates the reality it seeks to portray as a game.

If you cannot open a PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) at home you may email me your file as-is and I will try to translate it into something you can use. You might also give OpenOffice a try. See:
http://www.openoffice.org/

If you have another non-AOL email account try to email me from that account.

The Prime Meridian

A Model of the H1 Sea Clock

The Quest for Longitude

Alternative History Project Presentations

We will begin alternative history project presentations on Monday, 05 May 2008.

ALL STUDENTS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO PRESENT ON MONDAY. AFTER VOLUNTEERS HAVE PRESENTED I WILL RANDOMLY SELECT GROUPS TO PRESENT, GROUPS NOT READY TO PRESENT WILL RECEIVE A ZERO ON THE ASSIGNMENTS.

This information was conveyed in class; I repeat it here as a reminder.

Military History Unit

On Monday we begin the Military History Unit.

Links on the leaders we will study in the Military History Unit may be found here:
http://del.icio.us/LouisianaStudies/militaryhistory

Make Up Tests on Friday Mornings During Stallion Roundup

I give make-up tests on Friday morning during (not before) Stallion Roundup. If you have missed a test or quiz please see me on Thursday for a hall pass. The deadline for makeup tests (or any makeup work, including projects) is Friday, 16 May 2008. Of course, you do have one dropped test per grading period ("nine-weeks") so if you miss the deadline you will drop one missed test or quiz.

Help with the Alternative History PowerPoint Presentation

Look in the iDisk under 8th Grade folder for the example presentation. Note that the bulk of your presentation should be in 2008 in your world -- spend SEVERAL slides on your alternative present. I posted both PowerPoint and Acrobat versions. The presentation is the same I showed in class this week sans the pictures.

You may also download these from my site:
http://www.paulblankenship.com/AlternativeHistoryProjectPresentationExampleB.pdf
http://www.paulblankenship.com/AlternativeHistoryProjectPresentationExampleB.ppt