This year's project

Mike and Alice
I am looking forward to this year's project.
Mike

QUIA update

It looks like everyone has done a great job on their updates this summer. I have spent the month of August trying to straighten out our QUIA account. Here is the scoop:

The CCSD library media budget normally funds our QUIA subscription, which expires on September 1, 2007. Due to some administrative errors, the software budget for the library media department was left out of this year's district budget. Unfortunately the distict has not renewed the subscription to QUIA because of this error. I don't have time to fool around with them, so I am renewing a subscription for our team. It will cost $40. I'll write it off my taxes.

Straightening out this mess has used up my 4 hours for August. At any rate, I'll get our work submitted when they ask for it.

On a better note, we have had a beautiful summer here in Alaska. We took a great backpacking trip to Denali State Park. AND we now have electricity in our cabin. I had the electric line extended to our property and installed the electric myself (with the help of Aliy Zirkle's husband Allen Moore, who showed me what to do). It's great to have electricity here.

Talk to you late, Mike Frerichs

Hi Mike and Mike,
I hope you both are having a great summer. Congratulations on your successful baseball season Mike P!!!
I have continued working on our Social Studies terms this week. I have also found some great web quests that were created by other schools in NYS and they look pretty good. I think they our kids would enjoy them. I have spent approximately 4 hours this week working on our project.
Enjoy the rest of your summers!! Talk to you soon.
Alice

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

Mike F and Alice
Oh if you are wondering that's Industrial Revolution! I am still hurting after we scored 4 runs in the top of the ninth to come from behind in the American Legion section 9 championship in Newburgh to give up 4 runs in the bottom of the ninth and lose 8 to 7 to the two time Shrub Oak champs last night. It's the first time ever this organization has even made it to the playoffs nevermind the finals and we really had a great run. Second place is an amazing accomplishment I guess.
Mike P

Erie Canal and Indutrial Revolution

Mike F and Alice.
I spent over 5 hours in July focusing on the history of New York including the Industrial Revolution and the building of the Erie Canal just as we had discussed. The first week in August I will use all of my research to create a variety of quizzes and activities the students can complete in the fall. I hope you are both having a good summer and I will talk to you soon.
Mike P

Hi Guys!
I have updated the powerpoint with new DBQ terms. I also linked some of the slides to some new sites that I found. I spent about 4 to 4 1/2 hours this week working on it.
I hope you both are having a nice summer.

Alice

Status of our project

Alice and Mike,
I'm certain you re aware of the changes on the District web page. I no longer have direct access to make the updates for our project.

Fortunately, I was able to post some of your work before the changeover, namely
Erie Canal PowerPoint
Erie Canal Quiz
DBQ Terms PowerPoint

We will still be able to post work to QUIA.

Denise Farro the new district webmaster has been wonderful. She has worked very hard to get my library page up and running. You can locate our project page off the library page --> parent drive.

Please check in when you get a chance and let me know if you are having any difficulty. As of today I have logged in 3.5 hours making the needed corrections. Remember we need to account for 4 hours in July and 4 hours in August.

Talk to you later. Mike

Mike the comprehensive list of key terms and vocabulary is a focus of mine.

Test

This a test!!

Setting up for the 2007 Project

Mike P. and Alice,

I'm setting up the project for the 2007 update. Please take the time to check in on the blog. There are a couple of changes you should be aware of. Hopefully the snow will have melted off the outhouse before I get to Alaska this summer.

1. Blogger.com has now united with Google, so you should confirm that you password and username still exist.


2. Clarkstown School District is about to use a new program and service for all district web pages. I have an oral commitment from Mi Jung that the old pages (including our project page) will not be disturbed and we will still have access to them throughout the summer. Mi Jung, however, will be leaving as head of tech services on July 1, and I have no guarantee that the new head of technology will maintain the same commitment.


3. As a result of #2, we must be prepared to complete the project on QUIA if we need to.


4. You should save the address of this blog and the QUIA page in case we do not have access to the school server.


5. If you have another email other that the school email, we should exchange that, in the event that school email is down.

Please post something to this blog as a test. Thanks, Mike Frerichs

2006 Summer Project CCSD

Mike and Alice
Thanks for submitting the final project to Eileen. I reviewed the completed work and know that all using it will benefit tremendously. I ran into a number of SS teachers in the district and thanked us for all we provide for students to use. A request is to keep our work coming. Wait until they see this project.
Although the project is submitted, I would like to take an early assessment of the students so we can create specific Quia quizzes for points of weakness. I am continuing work creating test specific questions. Most questions are completed but having a bit of trouble with quia. We can update it at the end of August or when school begins. Heading to Colonial Williamsburg for a few days and will gather lots of brochures and info to share with all.
Mike P2006 Summer Project CCSD

Project submitted today

Mike P. and Alice,
I will submit our web page to Eileen via email today. I'll try to cc both of you. In the meantime we need to account for hours during the month of August. Just make a note on the blog of what you did.

I spent time reviewing Mike's list of questions, which are just wonderful. I will do a final review of the web page today. All of that accounts for most mf my hours in August; however, I will check in again the first of next week. Talk to you all later, Mike

don't forget

2006 Summer Project CCSD
Mike F and Alice:
I have spent my July hours creating test review questions that incorporate all the topics included. I have looked at a number of old sample tests and sites. In your work, don't forget to include the Industrial Revolution and Immigration. These two topics althoughappear on the tests with limited questioning, are not coverered in depth until after the test. Mike I need info on how to transfer from a word document to the blog.
Thanks,
Mike

Last July work session.

Today I spent my last work session on the project for July. My school email is still not working. I assume it is because the mail box is full. If any of you need to reach me, use mrerich@frontiernet.net.

After we have completed our required wrok hours in August, I will forward the finished web page to Eileen. Hopefully we can finish this by August 14. Talk to you all later, Mike Frerichs

Hello!
Today I worked for 2 hours. I sorted through previous test questions and typed them on Word. Maybe we can add these to the Quia quiz. I also found a really good site you might want to check out.
http://schools.nycenet.edu/Region3/ps184/SOCIALSTUDIESINFO.htm
This site includes wonderful links and great explanations of terms that we see on the DBQ test.
I hope your summers are going well!

Hi guys!
I researched web sites today for us to use for the project. I spent about 1 1/2 hours working. I am going to try and get my hours done this week so handing it in shouldn't be a problem Mike. The sites I was looking at today were sites for parents to use to help them better understand what the DBQ test is. These sites also had links for students to help them study. I am sure we can use it.
Sounds like you are having a greate summer Mike!

http://www.upstatehistory.org/services/DHP/DBQ.html
This site has a great description of what the DBQ test is. It also includes helpful sites for educators, parents, and students.

http://www.nysedregents.org/testing/scostei/socstudies5.html
This site has DBQ sample tests to practice from Nov 2005. It includes actual test booklets and answer booklets from Nov. 2004/2003 and an archive of tests.

http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listdocumentpa.html
This site contains many links to related materials for the DBQ.
This site is meant to provide students with resources to develop the skills needed to effectively respond to DBQs.

http://www.mohonasen.org/grade5/crows/crowdbq.htm
Mike this is a great site with lots of links…..but it is from another school. We might be able to use some of the links though.

Work session

I spent about two hours today working through Mike Pisano's questions and incorporating them into a few QUIA activities. Those are some great questions that you came up with Mike!

I'm still having trouble accessing email through the CCSD web site. My alternate email is mfrerich@frontiernet.net, if anyone needs to reach me.

I probably will not be checking in until the first of August. The second week of August I would like to submit the project to Eileen Mautschke for approval. If yuo can plan your log ins accordingly.

Cathy and I are heading up the Steese Highway to do some backpacking on the Pinnell Mountain Trail Click here to check out where we will be. We were up there a few years ago and hit some bad weather-- didn't really enjoy it that much. We are having just great weather in Alaska now, so we hope to get up there in time to beat the next front that comes through.

We hear you are having a terrible heat wave down there. Hope you guys are staying cool. Talk to you later, Mike Frerichs

Work session

I tried to send some emails to the team today but had difficulty with the CCSD email. I put an hour and a half in today
checking out some useful sites. I came across tow that may be of use on our project:

http://www.csun.edu/~hcedu013/plans.html
Dr. Marty Levine, Professor Emeritus of Secondary Education, California State University, Northridge (CSUN), has gathered lesson plans and resources from the Internet which social studies teachers will find useful. These materials are not specific to York State. The list is very large, but if you take the time to go through it it is useful.

http://www.tc.edu/ncrest/teachers/andrews/curriculum.htm
The Bronx New School rewrote its social studies curriculum to address state standards. There is a lot of useful material on this web site. Of particular interest is a study of "Life in New Amsterdam."

Hi Mike and Mike! I couldn't get a hold of a computer out in Ireland- but I did some research on immigration. I acquired some materials that we might be able to create questions from. I also took some pictures of the old machinery they use to use around the time that most people emigrated to Amercia. Maybe we could upload them and post as document questions.
I hope your research is going well.

First July work session

Today I spent 45 minutes surfing the web for useful sites. I recommend them for our web page:
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listdocumentpa.html
This site contains many links to related materials for the DBQ. This site is meant to provide students with resources to develop the skills needed to effectively respond to DBQs.


http://www.mohonasen.org/grade5/crows/crowdbq.htm
This is a Social Studies Review Page developed by the Mohonasen Central School District, Pinewood Intermediate School. It contains many useful links.