History, January 2011 and Historical Investigation

Happy New Year! We'll be back in school shortly. 

2IBA - I've now posted the schedule and grading system for the next six months.  YOU MUST KEEP UP WITH THE READING.  We'll have two days of review and assessment to see where you are and where you're going (and more importantly, where you want to be). More debates, more review and a Jeopardy championship.

3IBA - EVERYONE must have an outline for IA by this week.  We're moving out of the review period and into new material. YOU MUST KEEP UP WITH THE READING.

I will begin to push all of you to truly start thinking critically about sourcing and what you're actually writing.  I've finished grading your exams and papers and frankly, most of you are not answering the question and doing analysis, just reciting facts (and some of those facts are inaccurate).

Skills for Historical Analysis Through Critical Reading

Primary Sources

1. Determine and summarize the central/main ideas of the primary source.

2. Analyze the source

-SOAPStone How to use SOAPStone Analysis Method

3. Create generalizations and inferences about the primary source and/or about the historical event based on implicit and explicit information.

-Accuracy, relevance & bias

-Determine credibility

4. Cite evidence from the primary source and your own historical knowledge to support your generalizations and inferences.

5. Compare and contrast this primary source with other points of view.

Secondary Sources

1. Determine and summarize the central/main ideas of the secondary source.

2. Analyze the source

-SOAPStone Analysis Method

-Historical Fact vs. Historical Interpretation

-Reliability of sources & evidence used to support the author’s claims

3. Create generalizations and inferences about the secondary source and/or about the historical event based on implicit and explicit information.

-Accuracy, relevance & bias

-Determine credibility

4. Cite evidence from the secondary source and your own historical knowledge to support your generalizations and inferences.

5. Compare and contrast this secondary source with other points of view.

Final week before exams...Friday cheer

Everything is on schedule.

2IBA - papers/presentations due on Thursday
3IBA- business as usual (IA question must be solid and at least two primary sources by Thursday)

Friday - 2IBA - There is regularly scheduled class BUT as 1/3 of the class is leaving for exams, we'll watch the History of Christmas (non-Christian, historical viewpoint of Christmas).  You are greatly encouraged to bring food, but I'll bring enough cocoa, bagels and cream cheese for everyone.  ANY of the 2's (not just history students) are invited to come and join in but if you have an exam, you must be sitting in the exam room by 9 AM sharp.

Debate: Dec. 2, Motion: That war is a necessary evil.

Affirmative:
Sara
Celina (debating)
Adrian
Jens
Deborah
Mahamed
Monika

Negative:
Fredrikke (debating)
Jakob
Hedda
Said
Justinas (debating)
Thea (debating)

Due this week

2IBA

Your outline for your papers is due on Thursday. Your official paper with a brief presentation of your research is now due on Dec. 13 (for all). We have Dec. 16 as a ''cushion'' if we fall behind. Your history exam is Dec. 20.

DO NOT NARRATE (give a re-telling of facts). CRITICAL ANALYSIS means you think and prove WHY something happened. This is a jump in thinking but you MUST do this. The faster you get this the faster you'll be happy.

Topic questions (if I don't have yours or it's slightly changed, email me)
Said: How unified was Italy at the start of WWI?
Deborah: To what extent did Russian imperialism cause the Russo-Japanese War?
Justinas: What side was Lithuania on World War I and why?
Monika: How did the 1905 Russian Revolution affect Lithuanian independence?
Jakob: In what way did WWI influence and change Germany's domestic political situation?
Adrian: How did the conclusion of WWI influence the re-creation of Poland?
Mahamed: How did German colonial expansion in Africa influence German entry in WWI?
Jens: Why did Gavrillo Princip assasinate Archduke Ferdinand of Austria?
Thea: In what way and why was Louis XVI to blame for the French Revolution?
Hedda: Why were Nikolai I and Louis XVI not fits to be rulers?
Sara: How did religion affect Napoleon's ambitions?
Celina: Why was Bloody Sunday one of the short term causes of the 1905 Russiand Revolution?
Fredrikke: Why was Germany, and specifically Article 231 of the Versailles Treaty,  solely blamed for WWI?


Your outline (due Thursday) must follow this pattern:
Thesis: (your research question)

A Introduction
     1.
          a.
          b.
     2.
          a.
          b.

B Support (reasons)
     1.
          a.
          b.
     2.
          a.
          b.
     3.
          a.
          b.

C Conclusion (restatement)

Bibliography (with a minimum of two primary sources)

3IBA

HL Paper due this week (one week early but then it's out of the way...45 minute timed exercise)

Thursday, November 25

FIRST OFF, EVERYONE WISH ANNE HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Then, each of you produce a fully-cooked 6-8 kilo turkey, with mashed potatoes, vegetables and several pies as an offering for better grades.

Anne will check on you and collect papers at 9:30 (or you can hold them until Monday). Don't stress her out and do your work.

2IBA - We are still on schedule and dates/assignments have moved around but remember, we're still on schedule. I'll return your papers next week. Keep up with the reading.

(First hour - ONE HOUR ONLY) Timed Paper I - Europe 1870-1991 Page 184-185. Handwritten and timed!
Topic: Unrestricted submarine warfare (questions a and b).

(Last 1/2 hour) By Monday, November 29, EVERYONE must have a thesis question for December paper. ANY topic under the covered area: French Revolution, Congress of Vienna, Italian Unification and German Unification, 1905 Russian Revolution, World War I

Use this time to create your question AND research possible sourcing (everyone must have at least two primary possible sources by Monday as well). FOCUS and narrow your topic (this is only a two-page paper).

3IBA - No, you don't get off so lucky. Class is switched with Anne's TOK. HOWEVER, you might want to get a jump on paper 3, *HL only, due December 3. We're on schedule and your papers will be returned next week.

Choose from either topic, timed, handwritten. DUE DECEMBER 3!

Analyze the long term and short term causes of the 1917 February/March Russian Revolution.

OR

Analyze the reasons for the Nationalist victory in the Spanish Civil War.

Monday, November 22

3IBA World War I (last review this week of WWI)

Find World War I Review PowerPoint under AP EUROPEAN HISTORY for WWI (lengthy) CHOOSE leader to lead the class through the PowerPoint (SL and HL)

WWI review Go through each test.

2IBA

First, read The Red Barron, The Red Barron

Then, watch "The Red Baron" (Mahamed has the video)

Socratic seminar (not more then 15 minutes) - compare similarities and inaccuracies between the two sources.

Finally, review (individual or partner)...

WWI review site You can easily do part I

With a partner, complete the tasks: Outbreak

and

Technology

and

Trench warfare

Time left? Keep going on the reading...

Upcoming Dates

We're in the home stretch before holiday break. Don't lose focus. There are still several important dates and activities coming up...please be aware of them.

2IBA

Keep up with the reading! The mid-year exam is coming, as well as a major paper and presentation due before Christmas. Your gift to me is doing it on time and correctly. Happy Holidays to me!

3IBA

We'll continue our review marathon. NOTE: YOUR IA outline is due the day back from holiday break in January. No exceptions! Our goal is to finish IA a month early (rough draft by end of January) so any problems can be worked out in February before the due date and we can avoid the joys of weekend work (like EE). DO NOT PROCRASTINATE. History is the first IA and we are going to do it correctly, on-time, and without drama. There is a halfway and notes/annotated bibliography check as well.