This week in my class we are starting a new unit that comes with several vocabulary words that my 7th grade students aren’t used to hearing. Before jumping right in to the content I want to make sure that they have the background knowledge they need to comprehend what we are learning, so we are focusing first on the new vocabulary. Continue reading Visual Vocabulary
Monthly Archives: October 2013
Recognizing Gold
As we continue the year, we have a guest blog post from Mr. Don Gifford, KSDE Social Studies Coordinator. 
As I travel around the state and work with teachers and curriculum I can’t help but wonder how come our kids struggle so much with the content. I encounter great teachers every day with great skills and knowledge. With all of these great teachers how could kids not learn? I mean to me this stuff is exciting and powerful it generates emotions and energy. It fills me with a sense of wonder and responsibility. Continue reading Recognizing Gold
A Good Case of “Civil Disobedience” & KSDE Update
We all teach our kids to obey laws and be good citizens whether it be at our home or in our classroom. Yet, it is important that we also add when it is appropriate to practice civil disobedience. Most good teachers that I know are quick to teach about MLK, Thoreau, and Gandhi and how their actions spurred the course of civic discourse to address rights (and wrongs) of their fellow citizens and their governments. Now, we find ourselves amidst a government shut down that seems to be the result of party politics. I present to you a perfect example of what civil disobedience is. Of which, you can find the article here. Continue reading A Good Case of “Civil Disobedience” & KSDE Update