This week, middle school students are continuing to learn about events of the Early Republic and Jacksonian America. Sixth grade students are learning about Native Americans in the southeast and the Indian Removal Act of 1830. From here, students will continue learning about the institution of slavery in the South and how its growth was connected to the spread of King Cotton and the removal of Native American tribes. Sixth grade students have been interested in how Jackson used the Executive Branch to achieve his goals during his Presidency.
Seventh and eighth grade students just completed fantastic presentations on the Age of Revolutions. Each student chose a different revolution or rebellion and explained to the class how it connected to the larger themes they have studied this semester. The seventh and eighth graders have now moved on to learning about the Market Revolution and inventions in technology, communication, and transportation that transformed America during the Early Republic. Woven into these lessons is the larger question of the government’s role in funding internal improvements – should it be left to private individuals, to the state, or to the federal government?
Six middle school students were selected to receive recognition for their essays on this year’s SMBA Law Day Theme “Free Speech, Free Press, Free Society.” I’m so very proud of their hard work on this project!
High school students are set to wrap up the Gilded Age, The West, and the Spanish-American War before Spring Break. When students return, they will be learning about the Progressive Era and the Great War. There are so many wonderful, powerful primary sources from this time, including incredibly detailed editorial cartoons. The high school class has enjoyed breaking down these images to understand the era. All students have completed their first major project of the semester, and they will be responsible for turning in their second project during the month of March. These research projects have shown great variety and have been interesting to read, as students chose areas of personal interest to them.
