October 10th through 18th

This week we took in the first homework assignment.  I had warned students that this one was on the few NO LATE assignments, so I have graded and recorded students' marks and also put in zeros for those student who failed to do their homework.  I will not take late work on this assignment.

All students have a geography list of countries and landforms for a multiple choice test they will be taking on the 17th or 18th.  Students do not have to write out the country name.  They will be handed a map with numbers and four choices to choose from.  Students were also given a map front and back to help guide them where the countries and landforms/oceans/rivers are.  We do not do a ton of geography in this class: but we do test twice a semester so students have a general idea of where countries are in the world.  HAPPY STUDYING during your FOUR DAY WEEKEND.

However, all students are welcome to read and extra credit novel to gain the points back in the extra credit column.  I am also offering extra credit until October 15th if students want to watch the movie Newsies.

This week we have learned about the Robber Barons, how Andrew Carnegie endowed Salem's own public library, and how many of the Robber Barons made their money by withholding wages and other benefits from their workers. 

Students have discussed how things become obsolete, or how companies change products to keep up with competition.  Students also took a look at the labels in their own clothes and put sticky notes on the map to see where most of the textile manufacturing is now taking place.

We also learned about Vertical and horizontal integration....and took a look at some container ships during storms....over 90% of world trade uses one of the five sizes of containers.  It's now cheaper for companies to buy their raw materials rather than produce them as Carnegie did in the days of the Robber Barons.