COVID-19 Online Learning Lessons and Resources

The United Nations, outside of Geneva, Switzerland. Selected because we are in a global struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has shut down schools, forcing a move to online distance learning.

Hi everyone,

First and foremost, I hope that this finds you and your family safe, healthy, and happy. What an incredible time in history we are all living through! As we move to having online curriculum and classes, I will stop using the blog (which was always intended to supplement instruction in the classroom) and move towards using the Google Classrooms that were previously set up, as well as posting announcements through Canvas.

Please continue to check Google Classroom for assignments, activities, and news, according to this schedule:

I will be available via email or comments on Google Classroom almost any time, within hours (most likely, minutes). Please feel free to get in touch for questions or concerns moving forward.

Thanks everyone, and all the best!

- Luke Fritz

The Great Depression, Day 6 - Class Recap

The Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. Tuesday is St. Patrick's Day, which is celebrated (mostly in America) as an Irish holiday. Photos taken in 2015.

Dear class,

It is with sadness and also determination that I now know I will not be seeing you all again until April 1 at the very earliest, due to schools going on an extended Spring Break because of coronavirus concerns. Please take care of yourselves and your families during this time. If you did not finish the Unit Project today in class, please turn it in over the break, as it will be due the first day back.

One more class of work on the Great Depression/Roaring 20s. Hooray! Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 8: I can identify how technological knowledge and innovation shapes a society, place, or region.
Critical Thinking LT 5: I can justify and support arguments or interpretation with appropriate evidence.
Communication LT 1: I can communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Research LT 1: I can effectively conduct and apply research.

Soundtrack: "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd. Selected for today because of Daylight Savings Time (potentially the last ever in Oregon?) making it more light in the evenings now. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 3/13/20:
News Brief - Riley
Presentations?
Unit Project
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog! Finish and submit your Unit Project for the Great Depression/Roaring 20s on Google Classroom by next class. Next news brief: Mr. Fritz.

News Brief: Riley had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: OPB.com - Gov. Brown Orders All Oregon Schools To Close. After discussing the story, we also checked in to see if anyone was up to anything interesting or fun outside of class.

Mr. Fritz was assigned to do the next news brief.

As part of the news brief, we also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):

BBCNews.com - One-minute World News

Presentations?/Unit Project/Work Time: This is final project for the combined Roaring 20s/Great Depression Unit, which is viewable here (it is also assigned on Google Classroom):

Google Drive - Roaring 20s and Great Depression WPA Art Assignment

This project involves a lot of student choice over the physical product, as well as a write up between 850-1000 words.

The rest of the class was quiet work time for this assignment, unless there were students able to do a performing aspect of their artistic piece in class. Please be sure to email me if you have any questions and I will try to get back to you ASAP!

This will be the major assignment on your quarter 3 grade report!

Next class, we will re-evaluate where we are at in the semester and then make a plan for moving on. I will be sure to email out any major updates to you all! Thanks, everyone!

The Great Depression, Day 5 - Class Recap

Saturday is "Pi Day" (3.14...), so here's a picture of one of my favorite pies in Portland: Guava Cheesecake at Pambiche Cuban Restaurant!

Hi everyone,

We continued our work with the unit project in class today for the Roaring 20s and Great Depression! Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 8: I can identify how technological knowledge and innovation shapes a society, place, or region.
Critical Thinking LT 5: I can justify and support arguments or interpretation with appropriate evidence.
Communication LT 1: I can communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Research LT 1: I can effectively conduct and apply research.

Soundtrack: "American Pie" by Don McLean. Selected for today because of it being Pi Day this weekend and because the song has a lot to do with American culture. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 3/11/20:
News Brief - Bopi
Unit Project
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog! Continue working on the unit final project (REVISED DUE DATE: Tuesday, March 17). Know your grade (updated on StudentVUE) and how to improve it, if possible. Next news brief: Riley.

News Brief: Bopi had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: USAToday.com - Dow dives 1,000 points as virus concerns counter hope for fiscal steps. After discussing the story, we also checked in to see if anyone was up to anything interesting or fun outside of class.

Riley was assigned to do the next news brief.

We continued to talk about Coronavirus and the impact on the United States and around the world. Here are two pieces of information that I showed the class:

Twitter.com - Dorsa Amir

Twitter.com - John Burn-Murdoch

As part of the news brief, we also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):

BBCNews.com - One-minute World News

Unit Project/Work Time: I introduced this last week - this is final project for the combined Roaring 20s/Great Depression Unit, which is viewable here (it is also assigned on Google Classroom):

Google Drive - Roaring 20s and Great Depression WPA Art Assignment

This project involves a lot of student choice over the physical product, as well as a write up between 850-1000 words.

The rest of the class was quiet work time for this assignment - the next few classes will follow this same pattern of a bit of new content, then work time, before this assignment is due on Tuesday, March 17 for Period 1 (Note that this is a change from the original date). Please be sure to email me if you have any questions and I will try to get back to you ASAP!