8th Grade Homework

As of Monday, June 8th, there is no new work due.

If you would like to do an OPTIONAL assignment, you may. You can choose a previous assignment and pick another option. For example, you can choose to research another Civil Rights leader (Task #11), or research another military hero (Task # 10). There are other previous assignments you can do this with…the choice is yours.

Many of you have missing work as well. You can use this week to catch up on that. If you have any questions or need some help, let us know.

Task # 11: Important Civil Rights Leaders (Due Friday, June 5th)

During the 1950s and 1960s African-Americans (as well as other minorities) began to protest and mobilize in the hopes of obtaining equality and rights throughout America. Dr. Martin Luther King is the perhaps the most well known Civil Rights leader, but there were many more. Choose one of the following activists and discuss 3-5 of their accomplishments in regards to civil rights.

Martin Luther King: https://www.biography.com/activist/linda-brown

Malcolm X: https://www.biography.com/activist/malcolm-x

Rosa Parks: https://www.biography.com/activist/rosa-parks

Little Rock Nine: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/central-high-school-integration

Linda Brown (Brown vs Board of Education): https://www.biography.com/activist/linda-brown

Thurgood Marshall: https://www.biography.com/activist/thurgood-marshall

Task #10: Research a Military Hero (Due Friday, May 29th)

In honor of Memorial Day, pick one of the following soldiers/regiments and explain why they were a hero using 7-10 facts. This can be done in paragraph form or listed. Your facts should highlight their heroism and military accomplishments. Links are included next to their names, and feel free to do outside research.

Revolutionary War

Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys: revolutionary-war.net/the-green-mountain-boys/

Timothy Murphy: https://www.americanrevolution.org/murphy.php

Civil War

54th Massachusetts (Regiment): https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/the-54th-massachusetts-infantry

Spanish-American War

Teddy Roosevelt (and the Rough Riders): https://www.nps.gov/thrb/learn/historyculture/tr-rr-spanamwar.htm

World War I

Various soldiers, pick one: https://www.history.com/news/6-american-heroes-of-wwi

World War II

Various soldiers, pick one: http://www.worldwar2history.info/Medal-of-Honor/

The Iraq War

Leigh Ann Hester: https://www.militarytimes.com/off-duty/military-culture/2019/06/14/this-sergeant-became-the-first-woman-in-the-us-army-to-earn-a-silver-star-for-combat-valor/

Task #9: Should the United States have used the atomic bomb to end World War II? (Due Friday, May 22)

After defeating Germany, the United States was still at war with Japan in WWII. The Japanese showed no signs of surrender, and the decision was made to use the atomic bomb (nuclear weapons). Not one, but two bombs were dropped on the cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima in August of 1945. Soon after, Japan surrendered and WWII was officially over.

America’s decision to use nuclear weapons to end WWII is still highly debated. There are many reasons supporting both sides. What do you think? Should the U.S. have used the atomic bomb to end WWII? Provide 3 specific reasons in defending your position. Use the online textbook (Ch 27, Lesson 5), the links below and your own resources to answer this question.

https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki

https://www.nps.gov/articles/trumanatomicbomb.htm

https://www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/should-america-have-dropped-atomic-bombs-on-hiroshima-and-nagasaki/

Task #8: Virtual Washington DC/Hershey Park Trip (Due Friday, May 15)

Take a virtual tour of Washington DC and Hershey Park! I provided a few different links for you guys. Certainly not as good as the trip itself, but we are trying to get you there in some capacity! Watch the tours and answer the following questions:

https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video;_ylt=A2KLfR_bBbdexbkARKxXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTB0N2Noc21lBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNwaXZz?p=virtual+tour+of+washington+dc+monuments&fr2=piv-web&fr=tightropetb#id=13&vid=d698f0b6b990dcc3443cb18b5c087467&action=view

https://stories.hersheypa.com/take-a-virtual-ride-on-15-coasters-at-hersheypark/

* What tour site most interested you and why?
* What tour site least interested you and why?
* What ride was the most fun and why?

Task #7: Pearl Harbor (World War II)…Due Friday, May 8th

On December 7th, 1941 Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, and America soon entered WWII. Unlike WWI, the United States would be much more involved and face two major enemies, in two different parts of the world: Germany and Japan. Japan’s attack of Pearl Harbor shocked Americans, and during the next five years our country focused only on one thing: defeat the enemy. Sports were cancelled, food at home was rationed, thousands of men joined the Armed Services and thousands of women went to work in factories. Most of our allies had been conquered, and in many ways it was up to America to save the day.

Read the article on Pearl Harbor (link below), and list 10 facts about Japan’s attack. You can number your facts or write them in essay form.

https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor

Task #6: Be a Better Person This Week! (Due Friday, May 1)

During these difficult and frustrating times, it is important that we stay positive and continue to think of others. One way to make yourself feel better is by doing good deeds for other people. By helping and being kind to others, you have no choice but to feel good about yourself! Something that seems insignificant to you can be a very big deal for someone else.

Your assignment this week is to do something kind each day, and to write about it on Friday. On Friday you will share 5 examples (one for each day) of how you were kind/helped someone during the week. How can you help your parents more with chores? Can you be a better big brother/big sister? What can you do for elderly members of the family you may live with?

This assignment sounds easy, but sacrificing your personal time for others is often challenging. Especially when you are a teenager. Your time is often your most valuable asset: Think how much of a big deal it is to you when your older sibling or parent really focuses their time ON YOU. It can make all the difference in the world. It’s about being a team player, understanding that your rights often come secondary to those around you. Here are some things I have been trying to do:

* talking to my mother (who lives in Massachusetts) every day for at least 15 minutes (trust me…this is not easy!!)
* talking on the phone to other family members (especially elderly) who live outside my house and who I would usually not call
* taking the dog out for extra-long walks each day (sounds easy…not when its cold or rainy)
* bringing groceries and supplies to elder/y family members who live far away (don’t want them going out!)
* doing constant chores so my wife doesn’t have to and she can put her feet up and relax more
* doing extra activities with my special needs step-son: we have action figure “battles” everyday…they sometimes last an hour. We hunt for minnows in the creek. Sometimes I am tired and don’t want to do these things every day, but when I see his face light up, it’s always worth it.
* being available to help with the kids homework…even when I’m tired or busy.

I’m sure most of you have been doing these things already- I see many of you sacrifice your own needs for others everyday in school. But maybe this will encourage you to be a little kinder, to sacrifice your needs for others a little more. That’s what makes a positive culture…at home, in school and everywhere else!

Task #5: Fix the Great Depression! (Due Friday, April 24)

It is 1934. You are the most dependable of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s (FDR) aides. The President has come up with a plan to get America out of the Great Depression called the New Deal. It contains many programs that give Americans help they need: jobs, money, insurance, etc. The problem? Congress only has money to fund four of these programs, and it is your job to decide which ones!

Choose four New Deal programs you believe will help America (and Americans) the most, and explain why. Remember, you are the smartest aide, so the President wants you to come up with one NEW IDEA on your own as well.

I recommend reading Chapter 26 (Lessons 1 and 2) as your first step. Specific New Deal programs are mentioned in the chapter as well as in the links below.

Here is an opening paragraph to get you started:

Dear Mr. President (FDR)

I know I am only an aide, but thank you for giving me this great responsibility. I have reviewed many New Deal policies and have picked four that I believe will help America get out of the Great Depression the fastest. Also, I have created my own New Deal program that is brand new and will explain how it will help this great country.

Sources
Chapter 26 (especially Lessons 1 and 2)
https://www.history.com/topics/great-depression/new-deal
https://www.albert.io/blog/ultimate-ap-us-history-new-deal-programs-list/

Requirements
* Share with both Mr. Foley and Mrs. O’Connor
* Evaluate four New Deal programs, explaining how they will help Americans
* One idea of your own to get out of Great Depression
* Organized and Proofread

Task: #4: 1920s Dinner Party (Due Friday, April 17th)

Pick three historical figures from the 1920s who you would like to have dinner with! Explain why you chose these three people, providing three interesting facts about each. Organize your essay into five paragraphs: Introduction, three body paragraphs (a paragraph for each dinner guest) and conclusion. Below is a list of people from the 1920s you can choose from:

– Warren Harding
– Calvin Coolidge
– Al Capone
– Henry Ford
– Susan B. Anthony
– Louie Armstrong
– Charlie Chaplin
– Ernest Hemingway
– Charles Lindbergh
– Babe Ruth
– Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti (do them together)
– John Scopes
– Marcus Garvey
– member of the Ku Klux Klan

Here is a sample introduction you can use to get started, or create your own introduction:

The 1920s were one of the most interesting and influential periods of American history. If I could have dinner with three people from the 1920s they would be ________________________, _________________________ and ______________________. Each of these people impacted our country differently, some positively and others negatively.

Requirements:
* share with both Mr. Foley and Mrs. O’Connor
* three facts about each dinner guest
* five paragraphs: Intro, three body paragraphs, conclusion

Sources:
Chapter 25 in online textbook
biography.com (search your dinner guests)

Task #3: 1920’s Slang Story (due Friday, April 10th)

You just did a slang story on WWI, so you should feel comfortable writing a slang story based on 1920s history.

Your slang story’s background is the 1920s (Chapter 25 in online text). I provided major topics from the 1920s below. Although your story will be creative fiction, it will be based on real facts/events. From reading your slang story we should learn about the 1920s. The point of the assignment is for you to get to know the 1920s and have a little fun using 1920s slang words! One of the links below is a list of 1920s slang words.

1920s Topics
– The Teapot Dome Scandal
– Installment Buying (Consumer Economy)
– Prohibition
– The Automobile Industry
– Flappers (Women’s Rights)
– Harlem Renaissance
– The Scopes Trial
– Leisure Culture (Sports, Movie Industry, Literature, etc)
– Any other historical event from the 1920s

Links:

https://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties
http://www.1920-30.com/
http://www.huffenglish.com/gatsby/slang.html
https://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/roaring-twenties-history#section_1
https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video;_ylt=AwrDQ2rKkYxeLycANBT7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTBncGdyMzQ0BHNlYwNzZWFyY2gEdnRpZAM-;_ylc=X1MDOTY3ODEzMDcEX3IDMgRhY3RuA2NsawRjc3JjcHZpZANBNjZackRFd0xqSGE4OXpxVzRfUWVBQkhOamd1TVFBQUFBQnJuaVE5BGZyA3RpZ2h0cm9wZXRiBGZyMgNzYS1ncARncHJpZANnNy5hSGhoMlF0Nk1kVUdpQjdfaUFBBG5fcnNsdAM2MARuX3N1Z2cDMARvcmlnaW4DdmlkZW8uc2VhcmNoLnlhaG9vLmNvbQRwb3MDMARwcXN0cgMEcHFzdHJsAwRxc3RybAMyNgRxdWVyeQN5b3V0dWJlJTIwcm9hcmluZyUyMDE5MjAncwR0X3N0bXADMTU4NjI3MDcyMg–?p=youtube+roaring+1920%27s&ei=UTF-8&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av%2Cm%3Asa&fr=tightropetb#id=3&vid=9596d2df78692a750111e793dbb7a182&action=view
https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video;_ylt=AwrJ7KFQkoxe1skAt7lXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE0MG9ya3MxBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQTA1OTlfMQRzZWMDcGl2cw–?p=history+com+1920s+videos&fr2=piv-web&fr=tightropetb#id=42&vid=ef8d8a06b225abda324198a84f1c0348&action=view

Requirements:
– Share with Mr. Foley and Mrs. O’Connor
– use 12 slang words (bold or highlight)
– include 5 historical references/scenarios (from list above or other references found in textbook or links. This is the foundation of your story)
– this assignment should be 1-2 pages

Here is a starting point for your story, which you can use: …As a reporter for the New York Times during the 1920s, I was sent all over the country to cover a variety of stories. For example, the Flapper movement and Harlem Renaissance was very exciting, in fact it was the bee’s knees. One night I was covering Duke Ellington at a jazz concert and you wouldn’t believe what happened next…

The following assignments are due Friday (April 3rd). You can submit them any time.

Task #1: The End of World War I
1) Explain the details of President Wilson’s plans for post-WWI peace (the Fourteen Points).
2) Why didn’t the United States sign the Treaty of Versailles? (or join the League of Nations) Should they have?
* Ch 24/Lesson 4 in Online Textbook

Requirements:
* Share with with Mr. Foley and Mrs. O’Connor
* make each question a paragraph (two paragraphs)
* proofread before you submit

Task #2: World War I Slang Story
* This was assigned and handed out before we left school*
Write a letter home (you are a soldier) using 12 slang words. Base your letter on your experience at the Battle of the Argonne. Here are links to slang words to use and a brief history of the Battle of the Argonne if you don’t have the materials:

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/58233/21-slang-terms-world-war-i

https://www.britannica.com/event/battles-of-the-Meuse-Argonne

Requirements:
* Share with Mr. Foley and Mrs. O’Connor
* put your 12 slang words in bold or highlighted
* proofread before you submit