Three Cups of Tea

Three Cups of Tea Kick-off

Thursday, October 8th - ELA
Friday, October 9th - Social Studies



In Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time , Greg Mortenson, and journalist David Oliver Relin, recount the journey that led Mortenson from a failed 1993 attempt to climb Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second highest mountain, to successfully establish schools in some of the most remote regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. By replacing guns with pencils, rhetoric with reading, Mortenson combines his unique background with his intimate knowledge of the third-world to promote peace with books, not bombs, and successfully bring education and hope to remote communities in central Asia. Three Cups of Tea is at once an unforgettable adventure and the inspiring true story of how one man really is changing the world—one school at a time.

Test Make-Ups

Extra Help will be available on Thursday, October 8th for any student who missed last week's exam. This session will begin at 2:30 and end at 3:10. As scheduled, I will also offer morning extra help on Thursday at 7:10.

Civil War Test Correction

Sorry for the change, but our Civil War Exam has been moved from Wednesday, 9/28 to Thursday, 10/1. This will allow for students to attend Thursday morning extra help at 7:10.

Review Sheet Attachment

Tuesday, September 15

8th Grade Curriculum

Attached below is a skeletal look at our 8th grade curriculum. Please don't view as precise, but it may provide a sense as to where we are going and our pacing.

8th Grade Curriculum

Student Responsibilities

Student Responsibilities Packet

Hello Team 8-2!!!

Welcome back. It seems like only yesterday that we were completing our final exams and heading off into summer break. I do hope the summer was a restful time for all of you, allowing you the opportunity to relax in the company of family and friends. The Keegan family had a great summer, with the boys, Leo and Matthew, visiting the Adirondacks, New York City, and the Jersey Shore for the first time.

I look to the '09-'10 school-year with great excitement as we will explore American history from 1865 (the first shots at Fort Sumter) to the modern day and the global war on terror. Embedded in our curriculum is an integrated ELA-Social Studies examination of the book, Three Cups of Tea.The book chronicles the work of Greg Mortensen in building schools in Pakistan and fostering greater respect and rights for women.

Remember the words of Thomas edison:

Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration."

If you are willing to work hard you will find no limit to what you can accomplish. I look forward to helping you reach your goals.

- Mr. Keegan

June 9, 2009

Hello Team 7-2

Today's Announcements

Extra Help will be held on Wednesday and Thursday mornings at 7:10, as well as Wednesday afternoon.

1. Good luck today as you make final preparations for tomorrow's DBQ!
Don't forget, the topic is The Causes of the Civil War.

2. You will be reviewing a brief slide show highlighting some of the positives and negatives of your Westward Expansion DBQ. Please pay close attention!

3. When you are done reviewing the slide show, please either:

Work on your green multiple choice Review Booklet. All practice exams must be completed by next Tuesday!

Study for tomorrow's DBQ. This may include reviewing all of your notes or the textbook pages on the Causes of the Civil War. The old textbooks are just fine for this!

Also, don't forget you may complete the Castle Learning tests all the way up to next Tuesday!!!

Review for the Final Exam

Please note that 6 review tests have been created on Castle Learning (http://www.castlelearning.com). I believe these questions will provide an excellent review for our final exam.

4th Cycle Assignment and Exam Schedule

June 2009
Assignment Schedule


Due Wednesday, May 27th

Using POQ, Complete Document Analysis:

• Painting 420
• Painting 423
• Paintings 425
• Chart 427
• Painting 428

Due Thursday, May 28th

Complete handout, A Delicate Balance

Due Friday, May 29th

Complete Cartoon Packet (Civil War & Reconstruction)
& Handout # 1-22

Due Monday, June 1st

Define each term:

sectionalism, popular sovereignty, secede, fugitive, civil war,
repeal, guerrilla warfare, lawsuit, arsenal, martyr


Due Tuesday, June 2nd

Each item below must be fully described.

1. Missouri Compromise

2. Wilmot Proviso

3. Compromise of 1850 (Explain all five parts)

4. Fugitive Slave Law of 1850

5. Kansas-Nebraska Act

6. Bleeding Kansas (Why was there so much fighting here?)

7. The Dred Scott decision (Describe the importance of this case)

8. John Brown’s Raid


Due Wednesday, June 3rd


Complete each question below to the best of your ability. Use the pages noted below for background information.

Why did the Republican Party come into being in the mid-1850’s? (Text pg 435)

What were Abraham Lincoln’s views on slavery? (Text 435-436)

How did northerners and southerners respond differently to the raid on Harpers Ferry? (Text 438)

How did the South react to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President in 1860?
(Text 439-441)

Why is Fort Sumter such an important part of studying the Civil War? (Text 443)

Due Friday, June 5th

Causes of the Civil War Exam

DBQ Exam

Wednesday, June 10th
Thursday, June 11th
Friday, June 12th

M/C Final Exam

Tuesday, June 16th

Expansion Mapping Project

Click here to view an outline of our Expansion Mapping Project.

Jeopardy - Early Presidents

Review Sheet - Early Presidents Test

Review Sheet - Early Presidents Test

Test Date: Friday, April 24th

Congratulations Team Spirit Champions

$15 Million Dollars - The Inflation Calculator

So it cost Jefferson and Congress $15 million to purchase the Louisiana Territory. Use the inflation calculator to figure out how much that would be today!!!



The Inflation Calculator

Got Milk?

Castle Learning

I am happy to report that another practice exam has been added to Castle Learning. Please log-in and look for the exam, Early Presidents Preview. If you have forgotten, your username is ocean-school id. Your password was your own creation. If you have forgotten your password, please e-mail me at dkeegan@oceanside.k12.ny.us and I will delete your password.

Please note, this exam is a preview designed to assess your background knowledge. Since we have only just begun the unit, I expect that this will be a difficult test. Do not worry!!! It will help me better plan our unit.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Government Jeopardy

Tuesday, March 17th

Hello Team 7-2. I will be out of the building today but I have left behind a very detailed lesson and an important review. I ask that you be respectful toward your substitute teacher and that you work hard preparing for Thursday's exam. Any work that is not completed today will be part of our review tomorrow. Also, I will have extra help on Wednesday afternoon, as well as Wednesday and Thursday mornings.

Mr. Keegan

Castle Learning Review

I am happy to report that a new practice exam has been added to Castle Learning. Please log-in and look for the exam, Government Review. If you have forgotten, your username is ocean-school id. Your password was your own creation. If you have forgotten your password, please e-mail me at dkeegan@oceanside.k12.ny.us and I will delete your password. All students scoring an 75% or above will receive 2 bonus points on Thursday's exam. Good luck!

Monday, March 16, 2009

Hello Team 7-2!!

Just wanted to let everyone know that I am in the building but will not be in each class. I will be in a number of meetings today, which means a substitute teacher will be leading our class. As always, please be respectful and work diligently. Your government exam is Wednesday, and what I have left behind today will be helpful as you continue your preparations.

1. Hello & Welcome

2.Please take 5 minutes to fill in page # 2 of your "Mess to Model"
sheet from Friday.
Section D must complete!

3.Taboo Review with Sections D & E


4. How a Bill Becomes a Law

"I'm Just a Bill"



5. Government Review Packet - Study