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Ninja Teachers

American Studies @ Austin High School

Another Week of Awesome

9/16/2018

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E-History Update

​Our big test is Tuesday and Wednesday. Lost of H.E.L.P. is available on BLEND, including points for watching history review videos and points for answering Learning Target questions focused on our key concepts for APUSH.
Grades will be updated frequently this week as more and more writing tasks are scored. Expect to see Essay Skills and SAQ Skills categories go up as students begin to master how to write AP-style essays that meet the requirements of the College Board's rubric.
On Friday, I will be honored as the 2018 History Teacher of the Year for Texas by Gilder Lehrman. I hope some of my current and former students will be able to join me in the PAC as I accept my award.
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Falling into learning

9/11/2018

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Back To School Night

We were excited to meet so many parents on Back to School (BTS) night. If you couldn't attend, check out the syllabi above. Ms. Whipple also has a parent page on her e-History.org website that includes a video introducing her class at https://www.e-history.org/general-info-for-parents.html  
​We highly suggest students AND parents sign up for the Remind APP. Our AGS Junior Year class account is @ninjateach
During BTS night we also shared ways you can support our class. 
  • Make a general donation to our DonorsChoose account, to be used for resources in the classroom. All donated materials and funds are used directly in the classroom to benefit all students.
  • We also love small treats for our class, such as:
    • Plug It In's (cinnamon or Autumn scents preferred!)
    • Sweet treats, such as gumballs for the machine, individual sweets, Halloween/holiday sweets, etc. (for rewarding groups)
    • Novelty toys (for rewarding groups, similar to birthday party favors)

E-History Updates

  • This week we have our first, full timed writing over the different English colonies. Students have practiced writing thesis statements and using specific historical evidence to support their ideas in class, but this will be the first experience writing under AP-Test Conditions. Grades in TEAMS will be adjusted under the "Essay Skills" category (Level 4x) once these essays are scored.
  • Next week will be the first AP-Style Exam. Students will answer 50 stimulus-based multiple choice questions and will answer 1 Short Answer Question (SAQ). We have practiced with the SAQ style of assessment a couple of times in class. Grades in TEAMS will be adjusted under the "SAQ Skills" category (Level 3x) once these SAQs are scored. Up to 20 points extra credit is available for students, which is useful because these test questions are from the College Board and are challenging! In addition, test corrections will be available after the test for students to bring their total test score up to at least a 75, if needed.
  • Our next unit of study will be the American Revolution.

English Updates

OnRamps Update

​OnRamps students are now finishing up their unit over the Colonial Era, which included readings and discussions over a wide range of topics - indentured servitude, the development of slavery, Puritan ideals, and the French & Indian War.  Students especially enjoyed independently researching the details of the Salem witch trials (wait- dogs could be witches?!) and analyzing its complex causes. Next week we will start focusing on the Revolutionary Era.
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    Picture

    Sensei Whipple

    US History Teacher & Technology Wizard

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    Sensei Cooper

    English Teacher & Wordsmith Extraordinaire


    INSTAgram


    remind - AP


    remind - GL


    Parent Volunteers

    Click to View Volunteer Opportunities on SignUp.com
    Sign up to be a Room Parent or Parent Volunteer to support American Studies.

    Academy Websites

    Academy for Classical Studies
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    Support

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    Visit our class link: 
    https://www.donorschoose.org/ehistory
    There are many ways to provide support as we blend English and history classrooms into an American Studies model. We have created a Donorschoose.org wishlist to support this change, which includes group dry erase boards, flexible seating choices, an expanded student library, and many other small items to make the experience more enjoyable and educational. Please consider making a one-time or ongoing contribution.
2019-2020 School Year - Ninja Teachers
  • Ninja News
  • about
    • ACADEMIES >
      • Academy for Classical Studies
      • Academy for Global Studies
      • Academy Points
    • Teachers
  • eHistory Website
  • LEARN
    • Photo Consent Form
    • Learning Strategies >
      • Annotating the Text
      • Effective Study Strategies