Pioneers, the infringement upon Native American land, U.S. attempts to placate Native Americans, railroads
Lesson Outline
Took in-class quiz on the reading from yesterday. It asked questions about where major pioneer vs. Native American battles took place, what buffalo were used for by both sides, why the Native Americans were nomads, what the Dawes Act attempted and failed to do...... Then, I asked Sophia to think of a couple pressing questions she has about the material, that can't be answered by just the textbook's reading. Based on this, we created an essay prompt and did 15 minutes of research together on the computer. Her question was: Did any Native Americans welcome the cultural take-over by settlers? How did they respond to the U.S government's land treaties?
Assignment
1 page typed essay due Friday
Session Minutes
60
Minutes Student Attended
60
Lesson Comments
Sophia came prepared and had studied the material for today. She brainstormed great questions for the essay. As we researched together, I had to help her narrow her focus and explain that history has an infinite number of questions that lead to other questions. We don't have to (and cant!!!) answer every single one in order to write an essay. As long as we show a solid degree of understanding and curiosity about problems, we are likely to do well. I suggested narrowing the paper by targeting one single tribe in one single reservation.
We continued discussing *The Inner Ring*. We discussed her progress on her three-paragraph essay. She feels that she lacks organization. We are talking through basic points of organization and the fact that writing is a process.
Session Minutes
45
Minutes Student Attended
45
Lesson Comments
Sophia is never content to let anything get by her. Faced with Lewis' sometimes roundabout style, it is clear that Sophia labors to understand the flow of the address. Her hard thinking and synthesizing will prove fruitful. We discussed the challenge of clear writing and the need for time editing our own writing.
Sophia has numerious questions dealing with business. I encouraged her to keep asking questions,e.g. contracts,interest rates,mortages,corporations,etc.
Discussion: new poses and goals; Yoga Practice: watched video of reverse crucifix pose; upper arm, leg and back stretches. We also went over yoga pose handouts.
Assignment
bring in yoga folder
Session Minutes
75
Minutes Student Attended
55
Lesson Comments
Sophia was very sore from other activities, so we concentrated on leg and back stretches today.
Venturing into the Wild West, and the expansion of RailRoads
Lesson Outline
We alternated reading aloud from the textbook about early pioneers, Plains Indians, introduction of horses, the Gold Rush, and Railroads. I then gave Sophia 5 minutes to outline the section in 5 sentences or less, as practice for shorthand and picking out the main concepts.
Assignment
Finish reading the section, and prepare for in-class comprehension quiz
Session Minutes
45
Minutes Student Attended
45
Lesson Comments
Great class. Sophia does ask wonderful questions about many different concepts: Why did people do certain things and not others? Why did an event take place at a certain time and not another? I do try to focus us though on the readings as much as possible, as it is more productive to begin answering these provocative questions when we have historical details on which to ground them. Her questions will play a central role in the homework, which will involve doing outside research and consolidating into short essays.
