The 7th graders have done an excellent job this week preparing for their History Exhibitions. Miss Rupke has been assisting them with their research and I have been very impressed with their diligence and their determination. Watching them all work so hard on the computers makes me realize how much they have grown as students this past year. Please talk to them about what they have been researching and what they have been learning. I understand talking with students about their work outside of school can be tedious (for both the parent and the student) but I believe that when parents talk to the students about their work at home it really helps them be more engaged with their assignments.
Having said that, also ask them about what they have been learning in Social Studies. As we near the end of our unit on World War II, I realize we have gone over a huge amount information. I think it would be a shame if all they got out of this unit is some interesting facts. I want them to be able to answer complex questions using the information they have been taught. This will be the basis for their assessment for this unit. So instead of asking them to memorize dates and key figures, I will ask them questions such as these:
Why was the war in the Pacific so brutal?
Was the dropping of the atomic bomb by the US justified? Why or why not?
If you were President Truman, how would you have ended the war? What if you were Emperor Hirohito?
How do you think the outcome of World War II has influenced our lives today?
Why was it so important for Japan to agree to an unconditional surrender?
Should the United States have involved themselves with World War II? Why or why not?
How did technology play a huge role in World War II?
When is it okay for civilians to be attacked in war or is it never okay?
One reason we learn history is so that we can learn from our mistakes. What lesson do you think we have learned from studying Word War II?
