Right On!

Philosopher John Locke argued that people have natural born rights. Rights that every human being on the planet should have. He further went on to state that government's job is to uphold and protect these rights. The English colonists living in America were beginning to think their rights were being violated. Eventually, they would choose to revolt in favor of a government that would protect these rights.

Questions to Consider:

What exactly do you feel are our natural born rights? What rights should everyone have no matter what? Do you think our government today upholds and protects these rights? Why or why not?

Our Little Region is Just Growing Like a Weed!

We have been learning about the growth and development of the three colonial regions: New England, Middle, and Southern. Each experienced growth in different ways. Some were through cash crops, others through shipping and trade. Some regions grew because of immigration, others because of climate.

Question to Consider:

The Heartland Region which includes Nebraska has steadily grown since the mid 1800's. What reasons have attributed to the growth of the Heartland?

It's a Risky Business, but Somebody's Gotta do it!

A little over 400 years ago The English established their first settlement in Jamestown. Jamestown experienced many difficulties before finally becoming successful. They were faced with starvation, disease, exposure to harsh climates, and conflicts with themselves and Native Americans.

Establishing a colony can be pretty risky. Not only is there a risk of the unknown, but it is a financial risk as well. Currently people are looking ahead and wondering what the future might hold for us. There might be a time when we colonize other planets. This leads us to our topic of discussion.


Questions To Consider:
If we were to begin colonizing space, what problems might we encounter? Would we have any similar difficulties as the Jamestown colonists?

Welcome Hurricanes!

Welcome everyone to an exciting new school year! This blog is designed for you to think about what we are learning in class in a more current setting. That way you can understand how some of this "old" stuff relates to you. You will receive one point of extra credit when you respond to a post. Only I can start a new post. Feel free to keep the thread going with debate and discussion. I only ask that you be respectful and courteous. Remember not to expect to see your comment right away because I have to approve it first. Also, don't forget to use your screen name. Have a great school year!

Civil War Test

Tough test tomorrow so ask me anything you need to. I'll try and answer every 15 minutes or so. Good luck tomorrow!

Civil War

Currently we're learning about the Civil War. Wars are constantly being fought all over the planet, every day, throughout time. There are all kinds of wars including major wars, minor wars, wars about religion, and wars with each other. It is often said that civil wars are the worst of them all.

Questions to Consider:

How might a civil war be worse than other wars? How would you rebuild a country torn apart by war?

Todays Youth: Future of America?

Usually the I keep this blog strictly history and class related, but something has been weighing on my mind for quite some time which I would like some feedback. I'll spare you the "back in my day" speeches, but I've seen some alarming trends in the last ten years as a teacher. I used to think the lack of respect for authority was increasing, but now I truly believe that kids today don't see what is wrong with the way they talk to and treat adults. Over the last 3 years, there has been a jump in missing assignments, tardies, insubordination, profanity, bullying, and harassment. However, in the same time teachers have worked harder than ever to engage students and make connections only to have their spirits crushed by a 14 year old kid. Teachers are trying to relate, incorporating technology in their lessons, trying to get away from lectures, using the Internet as a resource, but this blog being the perfect example clearly these strategies are not working.

Questions to Consider:

What is your opinion of today's youth? What is your opinion of teacher's today? With the understanding that there has to be guidelines and expectations, what should teachers/schools do to better relate to students? In your opinion was is the best overall way to educate and reach kids today?