Colonial Project Blog Post Assignment

For THURSDAY, choose ONE of the online newspapers created by Mr. Nekrosius's project groups and spend fifteen minutes browsing through the various pages (you can find links to the two newspapers here). When have finished reading the newspaper, create a post that contains three things you learned from your reading and one question you have for the authors.

OR

You can choose to write a post on one of the documentaries on Anne Hutchinson produced by Ms. Doyle's project groups. To do so, first view one of the two documentaries, and then write a post containing three things you learned and one question you have for the producers. You can view the documentaries on Ms. Doyle's blog.

Remember:

You should include ONLY your first name and your class period (NO LAST NAMES) at the end of your blog post. All of Ms. Jacobs' students should post their responses on the Colonial projects on THIS blog to receive credit.

Also, remember to be positive and detailed in your responses!

Colonial Projects: Colonial Museum

As part of a three-week unit on the Puritans, all 7th grade humanities students were involved in one of three Puritan projects. For the Colonial Museum project, students researched various topics about colonial life and explored different examples of online museum exhibits. Students then created and presented their own museum exhibits to their peers.

8-9 Conflict Group

8-9 Daily Life Group

8-9 Religion Group

8-9 Women Group

8-9 Transportation Group

3-4 Conflict Group

3-4 Architecture Group

3-4 Harvard Group

3-4 Women Group

3-4 Daily Life: An example of a pillory used to punish children during Colonial times.

3-4 Daily Life Group

Letters to Santa Project

This year my advisory (in addition to Ms. Moy's, Ms. Storm's, Ms. Doyle's, and Mr. Nekrosius's advisories) participated in the annual Chicago Sun-Times "Letters to Santa" Project. As part of this project, students from low-income Chicago neighborhoods write letters to Santa with their Christmas requests. The Chicago Sun-Times then gives the letters to interested families and students who buy items on the lists. The gifts are later delivered to the students in time for the holidays. You can request more information about the program and request a letter at cstelves@suntimes.com.

Students in my advisory received letters from students who were mostly in the first and third grades. Items on the Christmas lists ranged from Power Rangers toys to Hannah Montana dolls to mittens and school supplies. All students in the advisory participated, and some sponsored more than one student. Some students even opted to write letters as "santa's elves" to the students they sponsored.

Though we encountered some wrapping challenges (how does one wrap a four-square ball?), overall this project was a positive experience and worked to remind all of us about the message of peace and joy during the holiday season.