Some notes on the exam...

Hi everyone.  I'm just finishing the last form of the exam, and Ms. Pettigrew and I thought we might give you all some help with studying over the next couple of days. 

First, we're getting to a point where we've covered a lot of content this year, and, as a result, this exam is starting to look a lot like a real AP multiple choice exam.  This exam is of course comprehensive (like all of our exams this year), but, like a real AP exam, there a lot of questions from period 7.  Oddly, period 7 covers the years from 1890 to 1945, which, as I'm sure you're aware, means it takes in both world wars and the Great Depression, along with some other pretty important stuff.  As a result, I would pay some special attention over the next few days to reviewing some of those big themes - Populism, Progressivism, WWI, and the Great Depression, along with everything from this six weeks.

Another thing, not really specific to this exam, but to stimulus-based exams in general, concerns the passages.  I'm sure you've probably noticed, but sometimes there are really long and difficult passages on the exams.  One of the things that may help you when you run into a long and / or difficult passage is to look over the question set FIRST (i.e. before you even read the passage).  This can help you in two ways - first, it can give you a clue as to what the passage is about, and second, you may be able to answer some of the questions without even reading the passage.  If you really get stuck on one particular stimulus, don't panic!  Just do what you can in a few seconds, and if you can't make heads or tails of it, just skip it and move on.  If you've got time at the end, you can come back and try again.

Lastly, like the real AP exam, there are some questions that ask you to reach for connections outside of the time period of the stimulus.  When you run into a question like that, again, don't panic.  Just think about what the rest of the question set is covering, and try to figure out how you might connect to the eras outside of that time period.  In some cases, there will be choices from eras we haven't covered yet in class, but even so, you should have enough general knowledge about US history to consider those choices and make a reasonable answer.

Anyway, both Ms. Pettigrew and I will be around tomorrow if you have any questions or need any help.  Keep studying!

Winterpalooza strikes again!

Well, it's 60 degrees outside, but apparently we're having a snow day tomorrow.  Gotta love Texas winter, right?

Anyway, here's how this impacts class going forward - basically not at all! 

For my B-day students, obviously we'll lose our lecture day, but otherwise, things will remain unchanged.  We'll still have a lecture on Thursday along with our Mystery Doc, and you'll still have your LEQ on Tuesday, Jan. 23.  For all the A-day sections (mine and Ms. Pettigrew's), things will also remain the same.  Still the lecture / Mystery Doc on Wednesday and your LEQ on Friday. 

For those of you who either missed or did not complete the DBQ from last week, we will have the normal social studies makeup room running at lunch on Wednesday in Ms. Aguayo's room (rm. 276), and we will run an additional lunch makeup room on Thursday in Ms. Pettigrew's room (rm. 272).  If you did not do the DBQ last week, you should do it at one of those times.  No further DBQ makeups will permitted after Thursday lunch.

One further thing - if the weather tomorrow is as bad as currently predicted, we may have a delay or cancellation on Wednesday as well.  This seems unlikely, but it could happen.  Please check here or your Blend messages for further updates and possible changes if weather impacts school on Wednesday.

Enjoy your extra day off - I know I will!

- Flowers

C Day and Final Changes

Due to the snow day on Friday LASA will be having a C day on Wednesday December 13th this will impact all APUSH students in the following ways.

B day students your multiple choice portion of the test is now pushed to Wednesday December 13th but you will still write your LEQ on Tuesday December 12th.

A day students your multiple choice portion will still be on Wednesday December 13th and your LEQ will be on your final period (1st period 12/15, 2nd period 12/15, and 3rd 12/18).

The class periods on Wednesday will be 45 minutes so you will need to make sure you get to class promptly.

Outlines and Terms Lists: Lectures 1 - 5

Below you can find all the terms lists and outlines for all five of the lectures from this semester which can be used for review or for completing terms list 4.2 if you have not (must be turned in Monday). 

Lecture 1: 1840s to Civil War

Outline 1            Terms 1

Lecture 2: Reconstruction to Gilded Age Presidents

Outline 2            Terms 2

Lecture 3: America in the Gilded Age

Outline 3            Terms 3

Lecture 4: Imperialism and Progressivism

Outline 4            Terms 4.1                Terms 4.2

Lecture 5: World War I to 1932

Outline 5            Terms 5

Snowpocalypse 2017!!

Hi everyone.  Hope you're staying safe and warm in this massive Austin winter storm. 

A quick update for my B-day students.  I'm going to record the end of the lecture and put it on Blend or Vimeo, so you'll be able to access that at some point tomorrow.  You are still responsible for all of the content in lecture 5 for the semester exam, so you should probably watch this before Tuesday.  We're also going to put the Mystery Document on Blend at some point this weekend, and you'll be responsible for taking that by Wednesday of next week.  You're also still responsible for taking the Blend quiz by Sunday. 

We're also going to post a copy of Terms List 4.2 on the web site at some point tomorrow in case you need to print it.  I'll accept Terms 4.2 for credit until Monday afternoon.

Please email if you have any questions, and enjoy your well-deserved time off.

DBQ & SAQ Makeups

For those who missed the DBQ and/or SAQs yesterday we will be having four make up times between now and Wednesday after break. Remember you need 55 minutes for the DBQ and 30 for the SAQs so if you missed both it will require two lunch make up times. If we need to open more rooms Monday - Wednesday we will.

Friday 11/17 at lunch in 272 (Pettigrew's room)
Monday 11/27 at lunch in 276 (Aguayo's room)
Tuesday 11/28 at lunch in 276 (Aguayo's room)
Wednesday 11/29 at lunch in 276 (Aguayo's room)

Take-home LEQ [Updated with the correct prompt / rubric]

Looks like we uploaded the wrong document in the previous post.  Please use this one instead of the one we posted on Friday.  Sorry for the confusion.

Take-home LEQ Assignment