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Wednesday, September 22, 2010

PERSIA Writing Assignment

PERSIA writing assignment outline DUE: Thursday, 9/23
PERSIA writing assignment FINAL DRAFT DUE: Tuesday, 9/28

Download the assignment here

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Stamped Assignment #5: Cornell Notes and Muhammad

Please read the assigned reading (it can also be downloaded here), and take Cornell Notes. On Monday you will compare your Cornell Notes with 2 partners. If you need help on Cornell Notes, please check the blog entry below.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Notetaking and Listening Skills - MUST READ FOR WEDNESDAY

I believe that freshman students who struggle in school during their first semester do so for three specific reasons - they lack the proper reading and notetaking skills and also have a hard time being focused, active listeners. This applies to all freshmen, including those in honors classes, and we will spend time throughout our semester together working on these skills.

For all research projects we due in this class you will be required to take notes using the Cornell Notes System (Also sometimes called 2 column notes). In my experience, students who adopt, refine, and perfect the Cornell Notes System are more effective learners and perform higher on tests and quizzes. You will not be required to take reading notes using the Cornell system, but it is highly recommended. The Cornell Notes system is focused as much on taking quality notes during reading or lecture, as it is concerned with working to recall and remember what's in your notes. When used correctly and purposefully you will remember much more information, in less time.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN USING CORNELL NOTES FOR ALL LECTURE AND READING NOTES, I HAVE LOTS OF BLANK SHEETS THAT ARE 8.5X11 OR CAN BE SHRUNK DOWN TO COMPOSITION BOOK SIZE.


An example of Cornell Notes:

Your homework is to read over the attached Cornell Notes Guide and list of Bad Listening Habits. We will use the Cornell Notes System in class on Wednesday, so it is important that you are familiar with how it works. If you need more information you can locate A LOT of resource with a simple Google search of "Cornell Notes".

The two documents that you need to read are linked below as .PDF's:
1) Cornell Notetaking System and how to take lecture notes
2) 10 Bad Listening Habits

*Information from both readings are fair game for the quiz on Friday

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Homework Assignment #2: Why Study History?

In my experience, students very rarely sit down to think about why they are learning a particular subject or topic. With this thought in mind, we talked in class today about why history is a required course throughout your K-12 education. There are a number of different justifications for understanding the "beginning and development" of things, but what I am interested in is why YOU are studying history? What new understandings can you gain from interacting with the past?

Peter Stearns of the American Historical Society has written a very good article which describes a number of reasons why studying history is important, fun, and worthwhile. (The article and questions can also be downloaded here)

I would like you to read and reflect on this article, and consider just why you are studying history, and what you hope to gain from this class.

ASSIGNMENT: Please complete the following assignment on loose leaf paper and place it in your 3-Ring Binder.

1) Write 2-5 summary sentences for each of the bolded reasons that Stearns believes the study of history is important. For each of these summaries, also write a quick 2-5 sentence reaction (do you agree?, disagree?, did Stearns miss a point?, is there something that should be added?, etc…).

2) There are 8 bolded reasons to study history given. Please rank them from most important (1) to least important (8).

3) Write a coherent paragraph which explains why you think it is important to study history (hint: You can use Stearns’ reasons).

DUE: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH