What do you want for Christmas?

Mrs. Barry Ringing the Bells at Wal-Mart for the Salvation Army

AHHHHH!  The holidays.  I enjoy so many family traditions.  Our tree is up, the lights a glow, our nativity scenes are in their special places, the cards are ready to mail, and the shopping will likely be complete in the nick of time!
Over the past week  my students have asked me what I want for Christmas from my family and friends.   I have been tempted to ask my family for one of the following:

"World Peace"
"Students and Children that behave"
" A toddler that throws NO tantrums"
"A vacation"
"8 gallons of coffee for my lack of sleep"
"a workout membership to start getting this almost 40-year-old in shape!"

I've kept my whimsical ideas to myself and told my family none of the above. However, the other day I got an amazing idea.  Our family tries to keep the the "Reason for the Season" in mind, and not focus on the materialism.  Our kids get a few presents, but we also donate something each year for each child and that is one of their presents.  Over the years, our kids(including Brady-we started him young) have helped us pick the recipients.  Their choices have ranged from the Michael J. Fox foundation, Make-a-Wish, Children's Miracle Network, Susan G. Komen, Operation Christmas Child, and the list goes on.

So back to my idea:  What if I did something similar at school? Instead of focusing on getting,  what if I encouraged my students to do something for someone else?  My students love to make cards or posters to hang in my room!  So why don't they make them for others, and mail to a local hospital or a military unit?  I started the ball rolling my ringing the bells for the Salvation Army. 

As a social studies teacher my job just isn't to teach about far off lands and governments... it is to teach my students to CARE about SOMETHING or SOMEONE enough to make a difference.  So this is it.  They have a chance to show others what I already know:  how awesome and capable and kind they truly are for 12 and 13 year olds.

Yes, world peace would be a fabulous thing... but it isn't likely.  A vacation would be great for one week, but it will only last a week.  A totally tantrum free toddler sounds amazing, but I think it is more likely to happen in a fiction novel!!:-)  An act of kindness given this holiday season, could last a lifetime for so many people.  In the words of Ghandi:  "Be the change, you want the world to see."  So it is with great anticipation that I launch my campaign.  My Mod 5 came up with some cool acronyms to name our campaign.  We finally settled on:  "S.O.K.D. - SHOW OTHERS KINDNESS DAILY!! I LOVE IT!"  We'll be taking photos of all the things we do for others and posting them in our room and on our blog.  STAY TUNED AND I HOPE YOU GET SOKD!


Friday, December 16th, 2011- Making Cards for soldiers and veterans  recovering in Iowa and Minnesota hospitals. 

Rome Wasn't Built in a Day

  We thought the Rome unit really taught us to appreciate the past because times were very different back then. From reading about Roman culture, to doing the pizza box project, it was fun and very educational at the same time.  There was no dull moment while studying the ways of the ancient Romans.  After this unit we discovered a new found respect for ancient Roman architecture.  We also found that the Romans contributed a great deal of things to our modern civilization.  Once again we found that civilization such as the mighty Romans was not built in a day and that there would be many ups and downs along the way.  We look forward to learning about the Middle Ages next!

                                                         By,

                                     Baylor Fish and Luke Fejfar
 

It's All Greek to Me!

The past three weeks the students of Room 707 have been Hanging in the Land of Greece.
My students have found that living in the year 2011 might have some perks.  In Ancient Sparta, boys were sent to military training from ages 7 to 30! YIKES, so asking them to take out the trash or clean their room should be much easier for you now!  Tell them they could be living in Ancient Sparta!
In Ancient Athens girls were essentially slaves to educate children and take care of households, some of them marrying as young as 15.  These little facts provided some interesting debates in our classroom.

Students also found many of the greatest influences the Greeks had on our Nation:  Democracy, Literature, Philosophy, Architecture.

Below you will find some AMAZING projects they created to showcase the three types of architecture the Greeks designed:  Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian.  There are also replicas of the Parthenon, and some Greek Vases!  ENJOY!

Ionic, Doric, and Corinthian Pillars designed by Ryan Murphy and Josh Strauss!

Maddie Genskow-model of the Parthenon!

Tucker Bixby- Parthenon!

Jon Larson-Parthenon(Great use of materials!)

Greek Vase by Madeline Evans

Greek Vase designed by Madelyn Russ

How Long Can a Revolution Last?

I don't get the opportunity to watch a ton of television and I consider myself fortunate and probably better because of it.  I have a four year old who loves Disney Channel and Nick Jr, and a husband who loves football, so it is rare that I get to settle down with the remote!

I prefer Grey's Anatomy and 60 minutes.  I encourage my students to watch 60 minutes frequently.  If you had a chance to watch on Sunday, October 9th, 2011, then you probably saw the clip I have linked below.  If you didn't, please take a peek and talk about it with your kids.  We have covered Ancient Egypt and the Revolution of 2011 in class.

Although in class we learned that the Revolution was successful in 18 days, by getting Hosni Mubarak to resign,  8 months later there is still GREAT need for change in Egypt.  This short clip gives them a peek at the struggle for democracy in other places.  I'm sure 8 months after the American Revolution began in 1775, things didn't look so great for our blossoming nation either.  Yet those farmers, and citizens hunkered down in their own battle against the Government.  (8 YEARS LATER) Our nation was born.  Thanks to those revolutionaries, we are blessed with rights, and freedoms today.

For myself and my students it is hard to imagine living under such a regime like the one in Egypt.  If only 60 minutes had been around to interview our Revolutionaries in 1776?  I am inspired by the young individuals in this clip and I hope the Revolutionaries of Egypt do not have to fight for 8 years for their democracy. 

The clip below is about 12 minutes and we had great conversations after watching:

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7384064n&tag=contentBody;storyMediaBox


One of my students wondered, "Maybe if the citizens stop protesting, the Government will be nicer?"  Yet others disagreed and said, "They have to fight harder to get the government to change."  How great that my students know how to debate, discuss, problem solve, share, and  politely "agree to disagree."  I think those 39 men whom signed our Constitution would be proud and I'm sure you are, too!

The Pyramids of 7B!

I posed a question to my 7th graders about two weeks ago:  

"Would you like to earn extra credit by creating a pyramid out of the material of your choice?"

The Pyramids of Giza by Maddie Genskow

Edible 3-layer cake by Amber Yung!  Yum.

Tut's Tomb by Josh Strauss

The excitement and response was electrifying!  I had around 40 students create pyramids of all shapes and sizes.  They used a variety of materials, and many of them worked in pairs.  Some of the pyramids were edible, others used recycled materials, and many of them could be a great vacation home for Barbie!

Students could earn anywhere from 1-10 points.  My rules were that they needed to create the pyramid, not use blocks, or legos, or pre-made toys to build it.  They couldn't just slam some paper together and expecgt to get 10 points. Adding some facts, and information was encouraged.

Kyle Goodell's pyramid of graham crackers.

As I graded these projects this weekend, I was reminded of the movie Field of Dreams and the tagline:  "If you build it, he will come!" I think in this case my tag line would be:  "If you ask them, they WILL build it!"

You think You're old? America's Constitution is 224 Years old on September 17th!

What is Constitution Day?

In 1952 President Truman signed a bill that changed “I Am an American” Day to Citizenship Day and moved it from May to September.  In 1956 it was re-named Constitution Day to coincide with the signing of the Constitution.   In 2005 it was amended as a holiday to celebrate citizenship and to honor the creation and signing of the law.  It was then made into a public law.  In accordance with Public Law 108-477, which requires all schools who receive Federal Funds to hold an educational program for their students.   My 7th grade students are participating in many activities over the next three days to help them learn about and understand our Nation's Constitution.  I am using the following resources:

http://constitutioncenter.org/ncc_progs_Constitution_Day.aspx

http://ratify.constitutioncenter.org/constitution/index_no_flash.php

If you have some time to sit down with your child this week, take a moment to ask them their opinion on our Constitution.  I think you will feel as I have: amazed by their insights, thoughts, and discussions.  Your child will hopefully be able to discuss with you the differences between governments in the Eastern Hemisphere, as well as share their thoughts on how/why our nation has survived for 224 years, despite the good, the bad, and the ugly times.  

As our current Government fights through some tough decisions for our Nation, I am hopeful and inspired by our young citizens.  I hope you are, too!

Where were you when......?

With the 10th Anniversary of 9-11 approaching,  I've had a few friends and colleagues ask me how I plan to explain/teach about this event to a group of students whom were toddlers when it happened.  How do people learn about something they can only imagine?  The authors of the September 11th Education Program would say:  MAKE THIS COME ALIVE FOR STUDENTS.  (As you might expect... Mrs. Barry has plans!)

As a kid, I remember growing up and hearing my parents talk about where they were when they heard important news:
~My grandmother remembers listening to the radio and hearing when Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941.  My father was an infant then.  HE didn't experience WWII, but he was able to connect and learn about it because of his parents' experiences.

~In 1959 my dad was lucky enough to have been at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, the night Buddy Holly played for the last time.  Holly's plane crashed later that night.  Every time he hears "That'll Be the Day"  it takes him back.

~My step-mother remembers exactly where she was when she heard that President Kennedy was shot in 1963.  She was 13 and in middle school.  She always felt our nation was robbed of a really great President.

And I have my own experiences:
~I remember hearing that President Reagan had been shot in 1981.  I was in 3rd grade.
~I remember watching the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster on TV in 1986.  I was in 8th grade.
~I remember watching the wall that separated East and West Germany come down in 1989.  I was a junior in high school.
~I remember hearing the news the Twin Towers had been attacked on September, 11th, 2001. I was teaching 4th grade at Bowman Woods Elementary.  I was already at school and had no access to TV.  My students came in and told me what had happened.  I did not get to see a news broadcast until 4:00 p.m. that day. I was nervous all day.  I was 29 years old.
~I remember hearing that Osama Bin Laden had been killed in May, 2011.  I was up late watching the news.  I was 39 years old.  I felt proud of our nation's armed forces for many years of service and sacrifice.

Each event show cases a point in time significant to each individual.  Most of the events are tragic, but a few ended well.  We won World War II, Reagan didn't die, the people of Germany tore down the wall, and Bin Laden was captured/killed.

All these events and many other events not mentioned tend to bring people together.  Whether we are part of the same family, religion, race, community, country, etc.  events like these tend to unite people for a common cause.  Whether it be working in a factory in 1942, mourning outside of an airport in 1959 for a music legend,  crying for an astronaut, or a teacher that died too young, or praying for a stranger that died on the 98th floor of building in New York City one unforgettable September morning--WE became united.  How appropriate our founding father's thought to include that word-UNITED in our nation's name! 

My memories/events may be different than yours.  There are so many events to name, how does one choose the most significant?  And, and yes we can learn ABOUT these events and FROM these events even if we weren't there!  The key is providing meaningful connections for our children so they can understand why things are the way they are post 9/11.   For example, why we have new airport regulations, or what an "Orange Alert" is or why when I rode the Staten Island Ferry in 2005 there was an armed soldier riding on the front of the boat....and why it's important to not stereotype or discriminate others....  So what will we be talking about in our classroom this week:  ALL of THIS and MORE!

Here are some great links we will be using in the classroom to learn about the events of 9/11:
http://onlinelearningexchange.com/content/products/remembering911_hs.html
http://www.learnabout9-11.org/
http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/sept_11/090921_First_Minutes_Of_September_11th_Attacks



This September 11th, I hope you find a moment to honor the citizens who perished in 2001, and I encourage you to play "Where were you when...?" with your families.

Debra Barry

What's in a Box?

WHAT'S IN A BOX?

This past week I asked my students to embark on a journey in time to find some artifacts of their grandparents, parents and themselves.  I am not implying parents and grandparents are so old they are artifacts!  Instead I hoped this would be an opportunity for students to make a connection to our studies on Egypt and how the ways of that civilization were preserved and discovered by archeaologists.      The items were carefully placed in an Artifact Box, and gently layered, and packed in paper and tissue.  We secretly distributed the boxes, turned our room into a "Dig Site," and began analyzing and recording the data.  It was great fun to see students using their higher level thinking skills to figure out what box belonged to which classmate.   

teddybears. toys. movies. jewelry. photos. dolls. articles. silverware. watches. dishes. china. tea cups. clothing. art work. music. books. MEMORIES.

Just a few of the treasures we found!

One of many artifacts uncovered in 7B!

All these things shared and shown give us each a peek into the past.  They give us a small glimpse of those who experienced things we will only get to read about in books and on websites.  My grandmother lived to be 92 years old.  She was born in 1915.  I can only imagine how awesome her life was to go from antique cars to man landing on the moon,  to the end of segregation, to the end of the cold war, to the internet to..... you get the picture.   I once asked my grandmother why she kept so many empty bread sacks in her kitchen.  She answered, "I went through the depression.  We kept everything, just in case."  I have no idea what that event was like.  I can only imagine.  That is how it is for many of my students..... they can ONLY imagine. 

Surviving that experience obviously shaped her character and her future choices in life.  I hope this happens for both my children and your children. I hope my students will discover that the key to truly learning from our past generations cannot JUST be found in a box, or a book, or on a website.  The key to truly finding a connection and understanding to our past generations and the communities they lived in, may be in the relationships we cultivate with the people of those time and places.  I'm so glad I had the conversation about the bread sacks with my grandmother, as well as many other conversations.  Had I found a drawer full of bread sacks in her home and never had the chance to ask.... I might not have ever realized the gravity of the depression, and I might have just thought my grandmother to be a pack-rat! This is Social Studies at its best.... making SOCIAL connections, and using that information to impact lives.

I would like to thank Payless Shoes for donating shoe boxes; the Linn-Mar Volunteers for wrapping the shoe boxes; and the parents, grandparents, and extended family members for helping the students of 7B with this project.  Look what an impact we have already made on our community!

 

Welcome to the Big Leagues Mrs. Barry!

After 16 years in Elementary School, I am in the BIG LEAGUES!  I finally got to go to Middle School.  My first two weeks are over and I can say with PURE JOY, " I REALLY LIKE 7TH GRADE!"  The students are so capable.  They have great ideas and a good sense of humor.  This is likely because I am used to a much more elementary mentality, so perhaps your 7th grader isn't quite as funny to you as they are to me!

We have started the year with continents, oceans, maps, and Mesopotamia!  All of this will provide you with loads of stimulating conversation around your dinner table in the evenings.  In fact, one of the most interesting discussions we had in class this week centered around the ruler, Hammurabi, and the many laws he instituted during his rule.  One rule you may be familiar with is, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."  What an interesting discussion students had debating if this would be an effective law for a community today.  Would it keep people on the straight and narrow?  Would it benefit only one class?  Would it create more reckless behaviors?

When it was all said and done it appeared most of my students were thankful to live in our country today and not Ancient Mesopotamia!

Coming soon: What's in a Box?  Archaeology at its Best.