Pop Quiz

Over the weekend, I gave my students a handout on New Deal Agencies and 15 questions to answer about the  agencies listed. At the start of class today (in each of my classes), I asked if there were any questions whatsoever on the homework. If anything needed clarifying, or anything else along those lines. Then all the students (who did their homework) passed it in.
Next I asked everyone to clear their desks and I gave them a pop quiz - 10 questions as they appeared on the homework. So far, the class average for all of my classes has been about 4/10.


well done kids.

more solutions:

• write screenplay to Titanic
• write screenplay to Annie Hall
• write a letter to Salvador Dali asking for money for a personal art studio (lie)
• get a roommate, and convince them the bill is higher to get a profit
• entertaining children at birthday parties because the industry is probably virtually nothing
• invent something revolutionary - like the slap-chop

Scenario

In order to learn about the Great Depression. I created scenarios for the students to get a sort of "in their shoes" type experience. After doing a few different scenario activities in class, I gave them one more to do for homework.

The Scenario:
You live by yourself in an apartment in New York City in 1930. Last month you couldn’t pay the electric bill, so you’ve been struggling to get by without power for the past few weeks. The heating bill is due soon and you only have $2.30 for the bill that costs $10.50. You’re nervous about what will happen if you don’t pay the bill because it’s now the beginning of winter and it’s only going to get colder over the next few weeks/months. What are you going to do in order to pay the bill? You have no family to turn to, no car to leave with, you just got laid off from your job, and you’re running out of options. What is the best and most feasible/realistic solution to your predicament?

The Solution:

• Let your heat shut off to save money
• build an illegal firepit in your apartment (solves lighting issue)
• go to charities for blankets (you'll use them to cover your doors and windows so the smoke doesn't escape)
• need food money? lonely? - find a dashing young man and ask him to live a life of crime with you robbing banks and mugging apple sellers. You'll also be famous and people will come up with some catching crime team name for you and post it in the paper (or get a dog if the dashing young man rejects you)

Another Solution:

• First I would think back to the high school that I attended. I would contact the man who had the best way with the ladies. I would have him give me lessons; almost like we were in the movie "Hitch" and I was Kevin James and he was Will Smith. I would have him help me char a rich, beautiful woman, such as Eva Mendez, and she would marry me. We would move into a handsome, heat-filled home, have a myriad of children, and live happily ever after. I don't think there is any other solution more reasonable than this one.

overheard in the cafeteria

As a girl is petting a guy's head. "I wish every guy's hair was this soft. It's just so soft? How do you get it so soft? It's the perfect texture, with a rich color, and great consistency. It's just so soft. I wish every guy's hair was like this."

Then she curtsied and said "goodbye" in a horrible British accent.



What is wrong with these kids?

how to: fail a midterm

How do you fail your US History midterm? Easy. Don't answer half of the multiple choice questions.

I love when kids don't read directions! Kidding, I'm actually pretty upset with this kid know because he was doing generally well on the test and he was on track to get a B+, but when you don't answer 5 short answer questions, it really messes with the whole "passing" thing.

seriously.

vocab!

Midterms started today, and I used a test generator for part of my test. All the questions are on point, but the test generator uses some vocabulary words. So over the course of the hour and a half test period, I've had many students ask questions about what words mean. I guess this is just a running total, for future reference for myself - also, I assume this list will be added to as the week goes on.

• upheld
• malice (x2)
• statutes
• bipartisan (x2)
• reactionary
• curtailed (x5)
• typifies
• regression
• diplomacy
• subjugation (x6)
• amnesty
• high ground
• civil liberties
• inferior (x2)
• reparations
• abolitionists

Found it!

Over the weekend, I decided know is as good a time as ever to start to try to understand and tackle student loans. Since signing up for them about five years ago, I haven't paid attention (or money) at all. I'm still a full-time student until June, and payments wouldn't start until November/December so I'm good there.

But when I checked over the weekend. I found out I owed $18,000 less than I thought it did. Awesome right? Sadly no. I found all the money I owed this morning, so everything is now back to normal.



yay.