Thursday, April 30, 2015

G block: 5/4-5/8

Wednesday 5/6 is your economies of North and South test.  Here are the study questions.  Format is the usual (multiple choice and free response).

Links to America, the Story of US:  Division:   Here are the links to part 1 and part 2 (we saw most of part 2 in class, up until the last 5 minutes or so) and part three (the relevant part ends around 3:30, when they start talking about westward migration to Kansas)

Preliminary thesis and outline due Friday 5/8.  The outline should be at least one page typed.  The thesis does not need to be a three-part thesis (it's actually better if it's not), but needs to be developed beyond stating that your topic reflected growing sectionalism.


Monday, April 27, 2015

G block: upcoming due dates

"Presearch" notes due Thursday 4/30.  Use the sources you included on your works cited page; you may also choose to consult other sources that you will note cite in you final paper (i.e. less academic sources).  I will return your works cited pages tomorrow.

Next week:  sectionalism test (Wednesday 5/6, most likely, but not earlier) and preliminary thesis and outline due Friday (5/8).

Sunday, April 19, 2015

A block: Homework due 4/27 (Monday after break)

-Research paper preliminary thesis will be due. Please type this and print it out. 
  • I will be sharing the paper assignment and rubric with each of you this weekend. Take time to carefully read through this before forming a thesis. If you have any question or concerns about your topic or forming a thesis statement, please e-mail me over break! 


-Complete transcendentalist art, comics, poems, songs. Due at the start of class on Monday - be prepared to present these to the class 

Thursday, April 16, 2015

G block research assignment information

Here is the research paper assignment, rubric (which contains information not explicitly in the assignment description, so be sure to read it) and sign-up.

The works cited page is due Monday 4/27 after break.  The second step, your page of notes, is due Thursday 4/30.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

A Block: In class Chromebook assignment - 4/15



  1. Navigate through each stage of the site, reading slideshows, personal accounts, and other blurbs about slavery/escaping slavery.

  1. Answer the handout questions as you go along

  1. Respond to the following writing prompt:

Write a  personal narrative as if you are an ex-slave who escaped on the Underground Railroad. You may write a letter or journal entry in the voice of a runaway slave that reached the North. Based on what you have learned, what was life like as a slave? What was your job? how and why did you escape? What hardships did you face while trying to escape? What was life like after reaching freedom?

This should be typed and be between 1-2 pages in length. - Due 4/17


Monday, April 13, 2015

A Block: HW for week of 4/13

- "Proper Source" assignments from Monday's class will be due on Wednesday 4/15. Please share them with me (ctocco@arlington.k12.ma.us) before class Wednesday. For those of you who need, here is the assignment:

Identify a topic from this unit that you want to learn more about
Research this potential topic.


Have at least 2 outside sources identified:

In a google doc, create a proper MLA citation for each and include a
brief description of what is found in your source


In addition, write a paragraph explaining why these sites are good

sources. What makes up a good source?


- Research paper topics will be due Friday. I will create a shared google doc to post topics. 

research topics due Friday 4/17

G block:  your research topics are due by the start of class on Friday.  Remember that you will need to tie your topic to the growing sectional crisis.  Look back at the notes you have on the alternate text, as well as the Brinkley chapters we skipped over for ideas.  I will post a Google doc shortly, and you can begin signing up!