Gifted Social Studies Weekly Update
Week of 1/6-1/10
Breaking News
NHD FINALISTS
The following students will have the opportunity to represent Hixson Middle School at the National History Day regional competition at the University of Missouri-Saint Louis (UMSL) on Saturday, February 29, 2020.
Papers
Diego Duque de Estrada
Sarah Gowen
Phillip O’Halloran
Individual Documentary
Saroya Williams
Group Documentary
Beckett Mitchell, Ava Lamitola and Claire Hurley
Individual Website
Therese Shuster
Group Websites
Claire Miller, Kameran Bluette, Elena King and Katelyn Turley
Anna de Foy, Kara Pierce and Talia Smith
Individual Performance
Hollye Anne Brinkley
Individual Exhibits
Sarah Staab
Mackenzie Miller
Emma Patneau
AJ Stewart
Lula Thies
Group Exhibits
Abigail Bevan and Tessa Garrison
Julia Fowler, Amelia Kennerly and Jane Ravenhill
Harper Glarner, Abigail Assouad, and Enza Bommarito
Blake Ahrens and Brandon Parikh
Drew Gerst, Jeremy Kavanaugh, and Jack Matteotti
CONGRATULATIONS!!
Classroom Happenings
8th Grade Classes
Students presented their NHD projects and were interviewed by volunteer judges.
SETTLING AMERICA UNIT
Students are examining the history of Christopher Columbus. Is he a hero or a villain?
Should Columbus Day be abolished as a national holiday?
Students are analyzing primary documents to gather evidence to support their claim.
Students are practicing posing questions and ideas to extend their learning and trying to find solutions independently.
7th Grade Classes
Happy New Year!
In class students started thinking about interesting bits of history from their family or community. Their upcoming project will be to create an authentic way to preserve it for that community. (Note: This is a project about their community instead of family because it provides more opportunities for some of us when our family trees have complicated branches that are unknown, embarrassing, or just uncomfortable to talk about.) By Monday students are to have ideas for this project, and they may welcome a little help from you. To understand the tone of the project better, it may help if you think of it as a story instead of a topic,
and a keepsake instead of presentation. Some ideas they’ve talked about are the history of their home or another building in their neighborhood; a grandparent with an interesting career; an ancestor’s immigration journey; a fascinating story from generations ago; or a connection to an interesting historical event or era.
An email with more details will come out over the weekend or early next week. In the meantime, here is a pdf of the project guide to help them (and you) with getting started. Students have already received a copy of this and it is on Google Classroom.
For the next few weeks, we will also focus on current events and some basic principles of government.
Upcoming Due Dates
7th Grade Due Dates
One or more ideas for their Preserving Community History Project
Due Monday, January 13
8th Grade Due Dates
Columbus Day Thesis Statement Due Friday, January 10
Columbus Day Draft Letter Due Monday, January 13
Final Columbus Day Letter Due Thursday, January 16
Other Learning Opportunities
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!
Eighth Grade students will travel to Springfield, Illinois, on Wednesday, April 22, 2020.
GSS Webpage
If you would like to review a past weekly update, please go to our webpage to catch up on the archived updates.
Contact Us
Mrs. Woodard: woodard.alka@wgmail.org