Back to the Basics

What is geography?
  We began class today with a graffiti chart - organizing our thoughts about geography and pinpointing a consensus definition.
  Then we explored our textbooks by completing a Textbook Scavenger worksheet during class. These do need to be turned in for daily credit.
  We took our first notes today along with a powerpoint about the basic ideas and tools of geography. We described the Five Themes of Geography (location, place, region, movement, human-environment interaction) and explored location today.
  We ended class by playing Famous Amos - an activity in which you have to guess what location you are in by asking questions to find your relative location.
* Please bring a grapefruit for an activity we will do on Friday!

Welcome to World Geography!

  Welcome back students! I trust you enjoyed your long weekend and are ready for a new semester!
  Today in World Geography we began class with a notecard and a question - If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? We used this to start a class discussion and we will come back to these later - so stay tuned!
  We went over the syllabus today and you need to have a parent fill out the info sheet so you can return it for class tomorrow. We went through introductions and there is a "contract" on the bottom of the parent letter that also needs to be signed and returned for class tomorrow.
  After a little icebreaker activity, we took a pre-test to gauge our geography skills. We reviewed this in class,   but I will also look at these to gain a consensus for our class geography aptitude.
  Today we also got our textbooks! Please make sure to write your name in ink in the front cover. We will use these often during class, so come prepared!
  I'm excited about this new semester and the road ahead of us! Please feel free to email me or come by my room if you ever have any questions or issues.

World Geography Final

  Our final will be over the material we learned about Europe, Russia, Africa, Asia, and the Asia map.
  Exams will be today and tomorrow during normal class schedule. Study guides and unused hall passes must be turned in after final exam for redemption.
  All textbooks must be turned in to my room by Friday.

Good Luck & Hope you have a great rest of the year!

Preparing for the Final

  Looking back to last week, in my absence on Thursday and Friday, we read an article in class about the latest tsunami in Japan and wrote a response about how the people interacted with their environment as a result of that natural disaster. Then we completed a guided reading handout about Issues in East Asia. On Friday, a study guide for the final was given out to be completed.
  Today, we briefly reviewed key issues in Asia with a worksheet about Quality of Life and we went over the Issues in East Asia handout together in class.
  Useful resources to use while studying for the final were explained and we spend the majority of class completing our study guide and going over any questions.
  The map quiz over Asia had to be post-poned for various reasons. Therefore, it will now be included as a part of your final.
  *The final consists of material covered about Europe, Russia, Africa, Asia & the Asia map.

Religions of Asia

  We began class by examining map of the religions throughout Asia for our bellwork.
  Then we took notes along with a presentation about four major religions found in Asia. We read a primary source document about Siddhartha Gautama and completed a writing response about the Eightfold Path. To learn about Islam and Judaism we divided up the class to gather research and discuss.
  Tomorrow we will learn about Current Issues in East Asia! Be studying for your Asia map quiz on Friday!

Welcome back from break!

   I trust you all had a great holiday season! Today we started our unit on Asia! We began by completing a map together in class with 20 significant countries in Asia. Our map quiz will be on Friday, January 6 - so be studying!
   We took notes along with a presentation on the regions of Asia and their significant physical features. We examined an article in class together about the social geography of China. Then we watched part of a film regarding their One Child Policy. After the film, we wrote a response in the "writing" section of our daily log.
   Tomorrow we will look at the various religions and cultures of Asia!

...almost Christmas!

  Today we took our map assessment on African countries!
  After all quizzes were turned in, our groups presented their African region. Groups were graded according to the rubric (required information, poster, & presentation). Everyone had 2 days in class to work on this mini-project. Overall, the presentations were well put together and met the expectations given!
  When presentations were finished, an opportunity to complete a "replacement assignment" was given. The handout was a quick research worksheet called Christmas Around the World. The optional assignment should have been turned in before class ended; however, it will still be accepted on Tuesday when we return from break.

*All missing assignments and make up work need to be turned in as soon as possible. 

Looking Ahead....
After Christmas, we will spend a little time on Asia and then begin preparations for the final. The final will be a comprehensive assessment over our last four units: Europe, Russia, Africa, & Asia.

Examining African Countries

After our bellwork we defined 5 key terms on our daily logs. In class, we completed a handout on the landscapes and resources found in Africa. Then we took notes along with a presentation about Africa's climate, plantlife, and environmental concerns.

To discover the details of Africa's sub-regions we will be working on group projects in class. We spent the rest of class today researching essential information. You and your group will become experts on an assigned region of Africa. You will research geographical information and create a poster to present in class. Please follow the distributed rubric to succeed in this assignment. We will work on assignments in class tomorrow and present on Friday after  our Africa map quiz.

moving along to... Africa!

  We began class by creating a list of what we thought we already knew about Africa. We discussed what we will be covering for the remainder of our week. In class, we completed a map skills practice handout about the average temperature zones in Africa. Then we labeled a political map of Africa. Make sure you know all countries for our map quiz on Friday!

  We continued learning about Africa's unique environment through a film by National Geographic, Africa's Lost Eden. We took notes while watching and completed class by writing a summary of how the people of Mozambique have interacted with their environment.

* All Russian Ruler assignments must be turned in for credit.
* Ch. 16 Guided Quiz must be turned in by the end of today for credit.

Russia's Rulers & Government

Today we began class with bellwork and a map skills handout. Then we finished our research on significant Russian Rulers. All reports & diagrams should be emailed to me by the end of the day for full credit.

When the research assignments were completed, we started our Ch. 16 Guided Quiz.

Tomorrow we will begin our unit on Africa!

Russia!

Yesterday we began our unit on Russia by using our outlines to take notes on Russia's physical geography. Then we watched a film which showed us how Russians adapt to their climate.

Today we discussed the early history of Russia & began a research assignment on its significant rulers throughout modern history.

finishing Europe unit

What countries comprise the Iberian Peninsula?

Today the day for quizzes! We took a map quiz over the physical & political features of Europe!
Then we used our notes and current section in our textbooks to take a guided quiz.

After quizzes were complete, we finished our worksheets on the European Union from yesterday and turned them in.

Then we introduced our unit on Russia. Please define terms from pg. 345 on your daily log. Read pgs. 344-356 in your textbook and create a brief outline of the section.

types of government and unification in Europe

  We began class with a handout reviewing the regions of Europe. We took notes on several different types of governments found in Europe and throughout the world. Together we examined a primary source from Aristotle describing the thought process behind the creation of democracy. After our notes on government, we spent a few minutes writing in our daily logs to note the advantages/disadvantages of any 3 types of government.
  Then we continued class with a discussion and notes on the European Union. We used a worksheet to effectively gain information about why the EU was created and some issues its had to work through.

*All postcard projects were taken up today. One-time only offer for those who need to turn in late - will accept tomorrow only for late credit.

discovering the sub-regions of Europe

Today we worked in groups to complete an assignment in which we discovered the four diverse regions of Europe. Each group had to find specific essential information, create an infographic based on the research, and present their findings to the class. As each "region" presented we took notes - creating a table of information about each area.
We concluded class with our exit work based off of the map on pg. 317.

*Don't forget that your PostCard Project is due at the beginning of class tomorrow! Be sure to use your rubric in order to get the best grade possible!

*Also, prepare for the map test on Europe on Wednesday!

Interacting with the Environment - Europe

Bellwork: Interpret the bargraph on pg. 281 of your textbook and answer the three questions under the graph.

Before beginning a new section we briefly reviewed yesterday's lesson and upcoming deadlines. Please remember your postcard activity is due on Tuesday and we will have a map quiz on Wednesday (Dec. 7) along with an open-note quiz - so be prepared!

We completed and discussed a map practice handout. Also, a list of possible terms was given for your map quiz.

We took notes along with a powerpoint lesson on specific European countries and the ways in which they have adapted or changed their environments. We also discussed some of the problems that have occurred because of these envrironmental modifications and their possible solutions.

We took a few minutes to complete a Writing prompt in our daily logs. We compared/contrasted the Netherlands and Venice, Italy's adaptations and the consequences.

We spent the rest of class researching and working on our Postcard Activities.

Enjoy your weekend! See you in class on Monday!
-Mrs. Blagg

Europe's Physical Geography

Bellwork: What are five major mountain ranges in Europe?

To prepare for the upcoming map quiz on Europe, we completed a "european flight" worksheet in class.

We used our daily logs to define five key terms and then we took notes along with a powerpoint presentation about the significant physical features throughout Europe. After taking notes, we completed a handout on Climate & Vegetation and turned it in.

Today we also began work on our Postcard Activity. You were assigned a city of Europe to research. You will complete a City information handout to help with completing this assignment. Your postcard will picture a major landmark/landform from your city on the front. This must be drawn. On the back you will write a letter to a friend or family member back home telling of your time in the city. We began research using https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/ . Your complete Postcard Activity is due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, December 6.

World Geography

Today we discussed new classroom expectations and consequences. We briefly reviewed map concepts of Europe and discussed several graphs and statistics about various European countries.

Remember to return your signed expectations contract to Mrs. Blagg as soon as possible.

Hello World Geography Students!

I would like to take this time to introduce myself for I will be teaching you in World Geography indefinitely. As a social studies teacher, my basic aim is to equip my students with a sufficient knowledge of the world around them and the events that have shaped it. You will have the opportunity to learn the characteristics that strongly influence a country both geographically and culturally.

Each student is a unique and complex individual. Therefore, I will use a variety of teaching methods in order to appeal to a variety of students. I do not intend on teaching students to merely memorize places and facts. Rather, I would urge them to become active learners in order to prepare them for a successful future.

I am eager to get to know you and to be a part of Lexington High School. I look forward to a great remainder of this semester!

-Mrs. Blagg

"The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes."

-Marcel Proust

Global 1 - A & B days

   Your Global Studies 1 exam is today or tomorrow. It covers Eurasian Empires, African Societies, & Early American Civilizations. Please be prepared to turn in your textbook & any unused passes after your exam.

   Have a great summer & remember to....study, study, school's your buddy!
   :) Mrs. Blagg

"What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?" -unknown

Freshman Seminar

Your portfolio final should be uploaded onto your site before class (preferably midnight the night before) on Monday, May 23 @ 8:00am. If you completed & uploaded your mastery statement, artifacts, & artifact analysis....then you do not need to be present for the final exam. However, if you do not have all aspects completed & uploaded you must attend the exam time.

Refer to my website for instructions:
https://sites.google.com/site/mrsblaggsfreshmanportfolio/