All the Places You've Been

Week number two of middle school kicks off with a mini-unit on Geography. All this week, we will be learning about some basic geographical terms and knowledge that will help throughout the year. Before we can delve into the ancient world, we need some basic map skills. We will be looking at maps from time to time, so it's important we can read them. Also, we will encounter various physical features, so we need to be able to identify those as well. Being that our theme this week is geography, that will also be our theme for this blog post. This week, I want to know about the places you have been. Maybe you have gone on a sweet vacation to the Bahamas? Or traveled around in Europe? I have not been anywhere cool (besides Mt. Rushmore) so I want to hear about your travels. Tell me about all the places you've been to and what you did there. You do not have to share every place you've been to.
TASK: Blog about some of the places you have been to in this world. You can tell me about one place you've been or all of them. (It does not have to be a place in a different country.)

This is your final practice post. After this week, we will move into the Ancient World, in which the blogging will have points for you to gain.

Prezi Map Elements Review

Map Elements on Prezi

Use this Prezi to review the Map Elements you will need to know for Friday.

First Week Experiences

Well, we have made it through our first week of middle school. Good job. I think the week has gone by very fast. I also think that I am a very lucky teacher. Through these five days, I am beginning to see very clearly that I have a bunch of great students. I get the impression that you are all here to learn, to work hard, and to do a good job. After this first week, I am excited to continue the school year and get into some actual learning. Don't get my wrong, we learned stuff this week like how to blog, how to Prezi, how to behave and how things work in my class. I have also taught you a few things about myself. Now, as we move forward, we will begin to learn "stuff" about the Ancient World. Once we get to our ancient civilizations, the good stuff begins. But as I sit here on the Friday of our first week, I am curious. How has the week gone for you? How are you doing? My main concern I have at all times is how the student is doing. I want to make sure I do whatever I can to make this a good, safe place for you. So, with that said, I want to hear from you. Let's practice commenting some more, but this time, it's practicing on your own...(Your task is below)

Tell me about your week by completing the following tasks:

Task #1: How did your first week go overall? (scale of 1-10 could be used here and explanation)

Task #2: Did anything surprise you about your first week of middle school?

Task #3: Are you still having trouble with something at middle school?

Task #4: What is something that is really going well for you at middle school.

I will NOT be posting these comments. I will be the only one that ever reads them, so don't be afraid to share what you are thinking. Again, this is a very safe forum for you to share with me how you are feeling. I am interested!

REMEMBER: sign your comment: (class period number) First Name Last Intitial.

For example, if I were in 3rd period, I would sign: "3 Dan K."

Water for Sixth Grade Welcomes You

Good day, students. I would like to welcome you to Water for Sixth Grade. In life, the most essential element for living is water. In 6th grade social studies, the most essential element is this blog. Throughout the school year, we will be using this website for many, many things. Things you will find on this site: activities, links, homework assignments, review tools, pictures, videos, and much more. This will be your place for everything you need and want for social studies. Why use a blog? Well, blogging is a three-headed monster: First, you must THINK about what you are going to say. Then you must WRITE it out. Then finally, READ what others wrote. THINKING, READING, and WRITING: Three essential skills to be a life-long learner. With this welcome post, we will be practicing how to post a comment. Even though this is my website, we all get to put stuff on it. It is an interactive website. Work hard and do a good job. To practice leaving a comment, see your task below.
Task #1: Tell me who your fifth grade teacher was and ONE thing you remember from 5th grade.
Task #2: Tell me ONE thing about yourself that you want me to know.

When posting a comment, make sure you include "Task #1" before you answer.

In a very short amount of time, you will all become master bloggers.

Prezi the Ancient World

Highlights of the Ancient World on Prezi

Use this "Prezi" of the Ancient World to get a preview of what we will be learning about. This prezi offers you some highlights of some of the things we will study in the ancient world. While you go through this prezi and fill out your "highlights" sheet, think about this: Do you recognize any of these pictures? Do you see anything that you have absolutely no clue what it is? Remember, use the arrow to navigate your way through this presentation. Good Luck!

The Ancient World: A Video Preview

Watch this video for a sneak peek into what we will be learning about this year in Social Studies. It is going to be a wild ride, one that will be an emotional roller coaster for you. Through your journey, you will laugh, learn, cry, and get grossed out. Be prepared to learn people because I am about to teach you about the Ancient World. Buckle up because it's full speed ahead.

Virtual Tour of my Classroom

Welcome to Water for Sixth Grade and Welcome to room 610. This is where you will be traveling through ancient civilizations in a journey like you've never experienced. Before we begin our learning, we need to know how things work in my classroom. In this tour, I have included some important comments about what/where certain things are. On that first day of school, you will be told a lot of stuff, it will get a little overwhelming. So, with that in mind, a video tour, I think, will give you a chance to digest how my classroom operates on your own time when you can watch and concentrate. I look forward to sharing the first day of middle school with you.

Sharpen Your Pencils, People.

Yes, the countdown has begun. Summer is almost over. We are two weeks away from school starting and I think I speak for all when I saw: "Finally!" You have probably gotten really bored lately, sick of playing video games, sick of going to the pool, sick of riding your bike around, and especially sick of not having anything to do. Well, be bored no longer as school will be here in two weeks. (Take a moment for your sigh of relief). When school starts, you will be bored no longer. You will get to see your friends, you will have something to do, and, most of all, you will get to blog again! Don't get me wrong, I love summer, but there's just something really exciting about the start of a school year. Each year, something big seems to happen, the only question is, "what will happen this year?" Maybe that something big will be something great you do? There's no reason why it can't be. If something great is going to happen, it might as well be you, right? Have a good attitude, school is your ticket in life.
See you on August 22nd.

-Mr. Klumper