Ms. Alexander's World of Knowledge

About me

Welcome to my blog! I started teaching in 2000 at Durham Middle School. I made the move across the highway to help open Barber in 2005. Currently, I teach 7th grade World Studies, serve as the 7A Team Leader and Social Studies Coordinator. I earned a Bachelor's Degree in Middle Grades Education with concentrations in Social Studies and Language Arts. In December 2005, I earned a Master's Degree in Adolescent Education with a focus on Social Studies. My husband and I welcomed our first child Gavin in March 2006. When I am not on "Mom" or "Teacher" duty, I enjoy reading, shopping, and hanging out with family and friends. I am looking forward to another great year with Team 7A.

Friday the 13th...OH MY!

Students worked on diner menu components today. The appetizer, one entree and one side dish is due at the beginning of class on Monday. The entire project is due Tuesday. 

Here is the document Download FreedomDefinitions for the dessert assignment, which is optional (but worth 25 points).

Have a nice weekend. 

November 12, 2009

Students finished filling in key information on the government matrix.

Students started work on the diner menu project. Students are NOT creating a diner menu, but are selecting assignments from the menu.

Download GovtDiner

Download DinerGovtRubric

November 11, 2009

Warm up-What rights are you guaranteed because of our Veteran's service to our country?

Today we discussed the difference between a democracy and republic. We started the first part of a Tale of 2 Tyrants, and then judged whether or not Iran qualified as a republic under the rule of Ayotollah Khomeini. 

There is no homework. Our first project for this nine weeks will start tomorrow.

November 10, 2009

Students read 2 articles to determine characteristics of Iran, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. Students used the articles to complete the government matrix. 

Download Matrix govt

Download L24 (Coach) - ME Govts

November 6 and 9, 2009

Quiz from Friday...It was open notes, so if you were out you need to come and pick a quiz up. 

Monday

Today, students handed in warm ups including a government review.

Students finished the Venn diagram over presidential and parliamentary democracies. Students also had to illustrate how the branches and leader is chosen for each democracy.

Students also started the matrix over Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. 

Download Parliamentaryandpresidentialdemocracyshort

November 5, 2009

Students participated in a choral reading of a poem to review government powers and citizen distribution. 

Unitary is one unit;

central government’s supreme

Confederate states do have power

 but they also are a team

Federal is with shared powers

Each one in charge of different things

Autocracy-- is ruled by one

Oligarchy-- is ruled by some

Democracy-- everyone

Students also participated in the game Who has???I have...

Students will read a short passage on the differences and similarities between a presidential and parliamentary democracy.  Then the students will complete a Venn Diagram.  

November 4, 2009

Students took notes over citizen participation and the government distribution of power.

 Students then had to apply the knowledge with the simile and faces of government assignment. Download Simile govt

November 2, 2009

Students were assessed for prior knowledge on how governments distribute power and how citizen's are able to participate.

Depending on the results of the assessment, students then completed notes or a creative vocabulary activity with these six words. 

October 30, 2009

Retesting today for scores > 90. 

1st and 2nd period scores are looking great! I am so proud of you!!!

Students worked on the government vocabulary choice activity. Students complete one of the following strategies for the six government terms. These terms are included in 6th grade standards. Only students transferring from other states may not know these terms.

Government terms review-Download Types_of_government_notes

Download Creative Vocabulary

Download Concept map

Download Acronym PS

Download Visual Vocabulary

Download T-Notes

This assignment is due Wednesday. The following terms must be included: autocracy, oligarchy, democracy, unitary, confederation, and federal. 

Food Drive Begins November 4th

Download Food Drive