Who's (not?) running for president in 2008?

Students:
Choose two Democratic and two Republican presidential candidates for the November 2008 election and write them down on your worksheet along with some additional information. Choose candidates that you're interested in and be prepared to share your findings with the class and to journal about them next class.


Democratic Party Candidates
1. Barack Obama
2. Bill Richardson
3. Christopher Dodd
4. Dennis Kucinich
5. Hillary Clinton
6. Joe Biden
7. John Edwards
8. Mike Gravel

Republican Party Candidates
1. Rudy Giuliani
2. Mike Huckabee
3. Duncan Hunter
4. Alan Keyes
5. John McCain
6. Ron Paul
7. Mitt Romney
8. Tom Tancredo
9. Fred Thompson

The War on PBS

I wrote about Ken Burns' PBS documentaryThe War just before it was broadcast back in July. I was a little weary about the documentary being a little unbalanced, which proved to be unfounded.

I wasn't able to watch it when it was broadcast originally but I recorded it and my wife and I were able to watch the whole 14 hour (give or take) series this Thanksgiving weekend. I have to be honest here and confess even though I've been given a copy of Burns' landmark documentary about the Civil War I haven't watched it. I did enjoy his documentary on Jazz and I think I did catch a few episodes of his baseball documentary.

I knew that The War would be good but I wasn't prepared for how amazing it was. Using very low-tech presentation tools, Burn's Tour-de-Force lets the people who lived the war tell their stories. I really felt a depth of understanding that I haven't in other documentaries. Its coverage of mainstream American's, Japanese American's, and African-American's experience during WWII works so well because Burn's doesn't try to overreach himself and tell every single story. He instead focusing on four American towns and the wars impact there.

It's highly recommended and we'll be watching parts of it in class.

World War I letters--as a blog

After reading up on WWI at Wikipedia and trying to sort out every county involved and who was on which side (Italy’s role is particularly complex), I came across this blog. It’s told from the point of view of Englishman Harry Lamin’s actual letters as a soldier during the war.

Here’s one of his letters:

37/74 M Coy 15 Hut
10th Training Reserves
Rugeley Staffs

February 7th 1917

Dear Kate
I was very pleased to receive your letter. The weather here is very cold and we don’t get much fire. We have been vaccinated this week well last Monday but we have to do all drills just the same. Ethel says Annie’s cold is much better. I can’t get a shut of mine but I am lucky to keep as well as I do. We have four blankets a piece and a bag of straw about 6in. from the floor on three planks to lie on. There are 29 in our hut and there only suppose to have twenty. I think it will be another five or six weeks before I get a pass I am ready for one anytime. Ethel says Connie and Willie are alright he will soon be a year old now and have two letters from Jack he seems to be getting all right. We don’t get too much to eat, bread and jam dripping we have to do the cleaning in turns but the cooking is done at the cookhouse. I have not got any fatter yet I don’t suppose I shall do

Will write soon

With Love

from Harry

What a fascinating idea! I haven’t read much of it yet, but it’s got me thinking about some ideas to do for our upcoming world wars project.

Check it out by clicking here. His full diary is posted at the companion site, which you can link to from the main page (on the left-hand side).

Chapter 24 WWI: "The Great War"

We're finishing up the Great Depression this week and jumping back to WWI. Eventually will cover WWII and compare the two.
Starting on Friday, 11/16, we'll be working on the Ch 24 Crossword. If you need to finish it or check your answers, you can go to www.classzone.com to find it or just click here.

WebQuest V: Helping out

If you have time (that's if--don't do this one first. You should start with WebQuest I. Page down!) check out our loans at Kiva.org. You'll also have a chance to give a dollar on Thursday to the Cradle adoption agency for Red Ribbon Week.
Click on the links to check them out.

WebQuest IV: The Golden Age of Radio

Google "1920s radio" or "1930s radio" and see what sites come up. Share ones that you think are good with your neighbors, the class, and me.

Next, find out about these radio people that we will hear from on Friday:

• Baby Snooks
  
• Lucille Ball (before TV)
• Abbott & Costello (what's there most famous routine?)
• James Cagney
  
• Groucho Marx (pictured above)
• Mae West
  

WebQuest III: Classzone.com

Go to your textbook's website at www.classzone.com and check out Ch 26 items.
Can you find the. . .

1. crossword?
2. quiz?
3. chapter links?

Ask another student or me if you need help.

WebQuest II: 1920s & 1930s Fashion

20s & 30s Day is just around the corner: Friday, October 26th. You’ve read the handout; now check out some era fashions on the web.

You can use the search terms that we came up with in class. If you find good sites you can post them for us in comment section or let me know in class.

A good site that I found was Fashion Era



These sites are also good as well:
(The first two are actually pages of links to lots of sites. Especially check out the “Chicago Exhibition” listed under history on the 20s site.)
http://www.wtps.org/WTHS/imc/Teacher_Assignment/social_studies/mcfadden%20the%2020s.htm

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~1930s/Print/printindex.html

There's also some fun cultural items here:
http://www.crazyfads.com/20s.htm

This activity is from last year so if there are any broken links or new ones that I should use, let me know.

WebQuest I: Website Rundown: Real or fake?

Click on these links and take a minute or two to check out these websites. Be prepared to report back to the class if you think that they’re real or a hoax and why.

Boilerplate

Fun Phone

GolfCross

The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus

20s & 30s Day will be Friday, 10/26

I'm looking forward to a great day of music, activities, learning, and fun.
Since we'll be dressing up, check out my post from last year here to see some examples of fashion to assist you in dressing up.

How to dress up for ’20s &’30s Day…

First, look around the house and/or ask some willing family or friends to let you look in their closets. You’ll be surprised what you might find. A loose fitting dress (for the girls) or a plain suit (for the boys) can work by simply accessorizing!

Here are some suggestions for accessories to make a simple outfit look like the ’20s or ’30s:

WOMEN

· Feather boa

· Headband (worn around the forehead with a feather or covered in sequins)

· Long pearl necklaces

· Cloche or “bowl” hat

· An aviator hat and/or leather jacket (the Amelia Earhart look)

MEN

· Floppy cap

· Fedora

· Newsboy cap

· Suspenders

· Bow tie

· Aviator hat and/or leather jacket (the Charles Lindbergh look)

To buy or rent accessories or whole outfits check out these shops. Call first to check hours.

Ø Fantasy Headquarters (costumes)

4065 N. Milwaukee Ave. (at Irving Park and Cicero) in Chicago

773-777-0222

Ø Salvation Army Thrift Store (second-hand clothes)

6536 Roosevelt Road in Oak Park

848-1181

Ø Margie’s II (second-hand vintage clothes)

2208 N. Mannheim Rd. in Melrose Park

847-451-9836 (call first; hours vary)

Ø Fashions Anew (second-hand clothes for women)

183 S. Oak Park Ave. in Oak Park

848-0120

There are numerous other locations in the city of Chicago; check the yellow pages, Chicago newspapers, or online for other options.