Assignments, Writing and Class Discussion

Hello Class!

First, let me compliment you for an excellent class today. It is amazing that you all can listen, read and speak so eloquently in a second language. I feel lucky to have such engaged and smart students.

Second, I have posted today's Prezi presentation to the right under Classroom Presentations. You can see what exactly I was talking about at your own pace.

Lastly, I am putting reading and writing assignments on:

So you can find it on the university site or my blog. 

Have a great weekend!

HOMEWORK REMINDER: 

Essay Outline: Was Columbus a Hero or Villain?

Reading: Early Colonies(class handout) OR Colonial Settlement (online) that deals with the 1500s and 1600s in America. 

Perspectives

Hello History Class!

Thanks again for another wonderful class with thoughtful conversation and your undivided attention. I hope that my lecture was informative and interesting. Remember, on Friday, I will ask you to speak more than I did on Tuesday. We will discuss our thoughts on the readings we have done so far and talk about our thoughts on Columbus and the New World.

As you know, on the right side of my blog you can see several links for you. Here you can see readings, my presentations, other websites I think are good and a spot called "Misc. History Assignments." I will put .pdfs here that we might use in class. Now you can see a .pdf about your thoughts on Columbus. You can use this to help you prepare for class on Friday. We will discuss this question and start writing an essay about our personal thoughts on the question.

One thing I want you to think about as we look at America's early history is to try to see how it plays out from all perspectives. What were the Indians thinking and feeling at this time? Why did they respond to the Europeans as they did? Also, what were the Europeans thinking and feeling at this time? Why did they respond to the New World and its Natives as they did? It is important to think about historical events from all perspectives: the one who writes about it and the one who lived through it but may not have had the opportunity to write about it.

Please let me know if you have any questions. I will try to post here when there is relevant information for you about class!

ECI- Google Drive

Dear ECI classes! 

You should have received an e-mail from me that looks like this: 

When you click on it you see this: 

When you click on your name and student number (in blue) it will take you to your file. Here is where you will write you assignments from now on. 

Your first assignment. 10 sentences with so, and, but will be written in Writing Assignment #1. 

If you haven't received an e-mail from me inviting you to edit this document. Send me your

Name

Student Number

Class Number

at mrwhitteacher@gmail.com

Like I said, having a @gmail.com account will make this easier, but I can send you your document to other e-mail accounts if necessary.

Today we will start unit 1 in Listening and Speaking about Fashion Trends!

See you today!

Hello ECG!

Hello to my ECG classes! It was very nice to meet you on Tuesday at 12 and 3, Wednesday at 4:30 and Thursday at 3:00. (Class codes: 1578, 1727, 1455, 2609) I will see you again next week at the same time as before.

Three things to remember.

1. Get books. 

They look like this.

2. Connect on Facebook

Though it is not required, please consider connecting with me on Facebook. I post new blogs and important reminders there. It is also easy to contact me there.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004190116080&fref=ts&ref=br_tf

3. Be prepared

Lastly, always be prepared for my class. Be prepared to speak in English, study hard and have fun. I enjoy having a free classroom, but I also expect my students to show respect for their co-students and their teacher. That means trying your best in every class and every activity. Sleeping, being on your phone, showing up without your book is absolutely unacceptable.

We can work hard and play hard and have fun doing it! See you later!

Columbus Arrives

Hello History Students!

I was very impressed with your contributions to class today! Great job! Let's continue having good discussions during our lecture time.

Remember to read Columbus's letter about the New World. That will be our starting point on Tuesday.

Also check this out!

We can learn a lot from art if we take a moment to analyze it. Look at this famous painting of Christopher Columbus arriving in the New World. What can we learn from it?

American neoclassicist painter John Vanderlyn (1775–1852) was commissioned by Congress in June 1836 to paint the Landing of Columbus for the Capitol Rotunda.

Think about these questions.

What does this painting tell you about the arrival of Columbus? Look at the details. What are the men holding? How are they standing? What are they looking at? What do you see in the background and foreground?

It is a painting done almost 350 years after Columbus landed in the New World, but it does say a lot about the period and how people in the 1830s might have remembered Columbus.

Take a look. What do you see?

For more information follow this link!

Hello ECI!

Hello to my ECI classes! It was very nice to meet you on Wednesday at 1:30PM and 3:00PM. I will see you again today(Friday) at the same time.

Three things to remember.

1. Get books. 

They look like this.

2. Get GMAIL

Though it is not required, please consider getting a gmail account to make our writing assignments run smoothly. You are children of the internet and computer age. I will not accept the excuse that you cannot figure it out! It is possible to exchange papers using your non-gmail account, but having a gmail account will make it much easier for you. Here is a brief explanation of Google Drive. I will explain more in class.

3. Be prepared

Lastly, always be prepared for my class. Be prepared to speak in English, study hard and have fun. I enjoy having a free classroom, but I also expect my students to show respect for their co-students and their teacher. That means trying your best in every class and every activity. Sleeping, being on your phone, showing up without your book is absolutely unacceptable.

We can work hard and play hard and have fun doing it! See you later!

North American History: Day 1

Hello class! Welcome to Spring 2015!

We are focusing on American history from the beginning until the late 1800s. There are many things to cover during that time period. We must do our best in order to cover the most important events and themes,

Please come to class having done the reading I assigned in the previous class and be ready to discuss it, ask questions about it, and think about it.

You can access our online readings with links to the right of this blog.

For Friday read "America Before Columbus and the Problem Of History," from Richard Middleton and Anne Lombard, Colonial America: A History to 1763.

There are lots of resources online that can help you understand the material we are covering. Please feel free to do your own search. We will use my reading assignments as a reference point.

I will also post my presentations on the right side of the blog for your convenience.

See you Friday!