December HISTORY CLUB UPDATES!!

Time is flying and History Club members have been quite busy! Here are a few things to note:


1) History Club continues to stay busy with activities at the Depot. Between the musical, sports schedules and church--it has been difficult to arrange a steady time. A few members are currently working on creating a Virtual Tour for the Depot. We are hoping to partake in more activities after winter break.


2) Our next HC meeting is THIS FRIDAY (December 2nd) at 8 am. Students will discuss newsletter details----the theme for the December Newsletter is Winter Holidays and WWII. Look for the Newsletter at the beginning of January!


3) DC Updates: We've received our preliminary itinerary!!!! Unfortunately due to the earthquake earlier this year, we are still unable to go up into the Washington Memorial. Still, our days are full with anything and everything you could ever want to do in DC. We currently have 20 people attending the trip. Exciting! We will be doing a candy fundraiser as well as a Presidents Day Dance and other activities to help raise money for students attending the trip. 


4) History Day participants should begin their topic selection and secondary source research. We will be (hopefully!) going on a research field trip within the first two weeks of December at UMD. This is a free research trip (thanks to the MN History Center) and a great opportunity to work with library staff and a larger selection of sources!


5) The first newsletter is FINALLY complete! Have your student bring you a copy!

Updates!

The History Club WILL BE meeting this Friday, NOVEMBER 4TH as Miss Jackson was gone last Friday. On the agenda: DC Fundraising, Newsletter Updates, Depot excursions. **If you have not finished your newsletter contribution, you need to email it to the HC email (mlhistoryclub@gmail.com) ASAP!




LAST DAY TO REGISTER FOR DC IS TODAY, OCTOBER 31ST!!!!!!

History Club Goes to the Depot!

Bears, Buggies and Books, Oh MY! 

Last night the History Club had the opportunity to receive a private tour of the Depot and Annex. Natalie and Curt were the most gracious hosts and proved to be excellent tour guides. It was a very exciting night as we discussed plans for a regular meeting night for students to work on real historical projects around the museum and area! 

Check out the loads of pictures below!

Ladies outside the Depot

History Club members with Moose Lake Area Historical Society Staff!

I don't think they'd like to use this calculator in math!

How many people get to sit in a real buggy?!

HISTORY CLUB UPDATES!!

A few important updates:


1) There will be a quick History Club meeting this Friday (10/7) to check in with newsletter happenings, field trip to the Depot and Marketplace bagging opportunity. Our regular meetings resume next Friday (10/14).


2) On Monday, October 10 at 6:30pm the History Club will be going to the Depot!! We will get a tour and talk about opportunities to participate and contribute in/to local history! You don't want to miss it!! (Please get dropped off at 6:30 at the Depot in Moose Lake. We will let you know of a pick-up time. 


3) A MN History Center representative will be at school Friday morning during second period to discuss the History Day project!! All those interested in participating in the research competition should head to Miss J's room at the start of 2nd hour. 


4) DC TRIP: The LAST DAY TO REGISTER WILL BE MONDAY, OCTOBER 31ST!!!!! If you would like to attend, please register today ($99). There will be a Marketplace bagging opportunity on Sunday, October 16th. There is a sign-up sheet in Miss J's room for shifts. It will be split up just like last time to allow everyone an equal opportunity to work. If there isn't enough, people may take on extra shifts. We also need ADULT supervision for each shift. Please let us know if you are able to help!!


Shifts are:  10-Noon, Noon-2, 2-4, 4-6. Everyone should wear Rebel gear and remember the rules!

MEETING FRIDAY 9/23

There will be a History Club Meeting this Friday (9/23) at 8:00AM. Please be on time! We will be discussing newsletter topics, assigned a newsletter department, History Day and our trip to the Depot. You don't want to miss it!




A few notes on last week's meeting:


1) Meetings will be held twice a month (usually the second and fourth Friday)
2) Attendance will be mandatory. If you have three unexcused absences throughout the year, you will not be able to be in History Club. 
3) Students WILL be able to letter in History Club this year! There are three avenues to lettering:
        A. Complete a History Day project.
        B. Participate and Contribute to a minimum of FOUR newsletters.
        C. Participate and Contribute to at least TWO newsletters and THREE
            outside events.
4) Washington DC Trip---students may still sign up.
5) HC Field Trips. The History Club will be taking more field trips this year. It may require fundraising. 


Any questions? Speak to your executive committee: Lauren, Ellie and Maddie!

Informational Washington, DC Parent MEETING

If you didn't have an opportunity to attend last year's spring informational meeting, or you are interested in going to Washington, DC with the History Club please attend this meeting!


When: Monday, September 19th at 6:30pm
Where: HS LMC (Library)

A new year means a new HISTORY CLUB!

Welcome to the 2011-2012 school year! Please use this blog for the most recent up-to-date information regarding the History Club. 


What is the History Club?


While I maintain this blog and advise members on the History Club's activities, I can not take credit for starting the club. Originally started by last year's seventh graders, it is a club that will meet twice a month for a variety of activities. 


What are some of History Club's activities?


The Rebel Historical Tribune (a monthly newsletter put out by the HC), History Day Competition, Washington, DC trip, and (hopefully) a variety of field trips to name a few of the HC's activities.


Who can be in the History Club?


Anyone! Since the HC is officially a club, members must be consistent in coming to meetings and participating in various activities. Students can even letter in the HC!


When are meetings?


Meetings will be held on Fridays, twice a month. While Miss J will try to schedule them on the second and last Friday of the month--this may change. Check the HC Bulletin board for updates and official dates/times.


When is the first HC meeting?


FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 AT 8 AM IN ROOM 104 (MISS J'S ROOM) 
**Mandatory and necessary for those interested in HC to attend. 


Questions?


Contact Miss Jackson in room 104 or rjackson@mooselake.k12.mn.us

VOLLEYBALL CAMP!

Sorry for the delay in information but it has been a busy, busy, busy summer! For those History Club members that can attend we will be having a volleyball camp for grades 1-7 TODAY (August 8), Tuesday and Wednesday. Here are the details:


What: To help with a volleyball camp. No skills necessary--there are a lot of jobs to help make the camp run smoothly!
When: 8/8-8/10....Camp times: 10-Noon. Please show up at 9:50!
Where: Moose Lake Gym

Why: To play some volleyball and raise money for DC!!

Bored Already?

Bored already? Wish you were back in school? Don't worry! Here are some summertime fixes to keep you busy during the (hopefully) sunny months of July and August.

Interested in LEGOS?

See a monumental and detailed model of the Minnesota State Capitol made entirely of LEGO® bricks. Built by LEGO® ambassador Roy Cook, the six-foot-long, four-foot-wide and three-foot-high model is made of more than 75,000 bricks and took more than 150 hours to build. Free guided tours of the State Capitol building are available on the hour daily during regular hours.

Where: State Capitol, St. Paul MN
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday
Go, it's FREE!

Like Exhibits?

Visit the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul! Each Tuesday night from 5 pm to 8 pm, the History Center offers free admission to the museum exhibits like "Minnesota's Greatest Generation", "Weather Permitting", "Grainland" and more!



Visit the Depot in Duluth for great exhibits like "18-The Civil War Exhibit" or the "J.C. Ryan History Room"!

When: Summer Hours: Monday-Sunday 9:30am-6pm

Cost: Children 3-13: $6
         Adults 13 and over: $12

Can't ride your bike to the Cities or Duluth? No worries! Visit the exhibits at the Moose Lake Depot!

"Housed in the former Soo Line Depot, the Moose Lake Depot contains exhibits about the history of the area railroads and tells the story of the huge 1918 fire. The fire burned 250,000 acres, took more than 450 lives and devastated the Moose Lake-Kettle River area."

When: Summer Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-4pm and Sundays Noon-3pm

Visit: mooselakeareahistory.com for more details!

Like to Read?

Try these books!

"The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian" by Sherman Alexie. Budding cartoonist Junior leaves his troubled school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white farm town school where the only other Native American is the school mascot.

"Nothing But The Truth: A Documentary Novel" by Avi. Ninth grader Philip Malloy is suspended for humming the National Anthem during homeroom. When the story hits the national news, the results of telling nothing but the truth unfold in surprising and thought-provoking ways.

"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: a Fable" by John  Boyne. Bored and lonely after his family moves from Berlin to a place called "Out-With" in 1942, Bruno, the son of a Nazi officer, befriends a boy in striped pajamas who lives behind a wire fence. The story of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is very difficult to describe. Usually we give some clues about the book ont he jkacket, but in this case we think that would spoil the reading of the book. We thiink it is important that you start to read without knowing what it is about. If you do start to read this book, you wll go on a journey with a nine-year-old boy called Bruno. (Though this isn't a book for nine-year-olds) And sooner or later you will arrive with Bruno at a fence. Fences like this exist all over the world. We hope you never have to encounter such a fence.

"Revolution is Not a Dinner Party: A Novel" by Ying Compestine. Ling, the daughter of two doctors, struggles to make sense of the Cultural Revolution, which empties stores of food, homes of anything deemed bourgeois, and people of laughter.

"The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963: a Novel" by Christopher Paul Curtis. Two young boys travel with their parents to Birmingham, Alabama in the middle of the tumultuous civil rights movement.  Violence and racism are everywhere, but the family does a great job of protecting itself until an unspeakable event impacts all of them. 

"Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis. Bud, a motherless boy living in Flint, Michigan, during the Great Depression, escapes a bad foster home and sets out in search of the man he believes to be his father--the renowned bandleader, H.E. Calloway of Grand Rapids.

"Crossing the Wire" by Will Hobbs. Fifteen-year-old Victor Flores journeys north in a desperate attempt to cross the Arizona border and find work in the United States to support his family in central Mexico.

"Kimchi and Calamari" by Rose Kent. Adopted from Korea by Italian parents, fourteen-year-old Joseph Calderaro begins to make important self-discoveries about race and family after his social studies teacher assigns an essay on cultural heritage and tracing the past.

"Blood Secret" by Kathryn Lasky. Fourteen-year-old Jerry Luna, mute since her mother's disappearance, is sent to her great-great aunt Constanza's house, where she discovers a trunk that draws her into the world of her ancestors during the Spanish Inquisition.

"The Art of Keeping Cool" by Janet Taylor Lisle. In 1942, Robert and his cousin Elliot uncover long-hidden family secrets while staying in their grandparents' Rhode Island town, where they also become involved with a German artist who is suspected of being a spy.

 

Hope you're having a great summer!

Success!

Our first fundraising opportunity held at Marketplace last Saturday was a success. Our group of students managed to make nearly $610 in one day! Bravo and thanks to everyone who helped and supported the Moose Lake History Club!

Maddie, Ellie and Lauren before the bagging adventure!

                                  

Washington, DC Trip Updates

Wow----we have 13 students attending the trip so far!! I'm so excited to be able to travel and experience DC with this group of kids. It's going to be awesome! A couple reminders:
1. Although the reduced rate sign-up deadline has passed, you can still sign up for the trip at anytime! Register online to worldstrides.org (TRIP ID #67305) or by phone: 800-468-5899.
2. Fundraisers--we will be doing our first bagging at Marketplace this Saturday. See chart below for shift details. We will also be doing a volleyball camp (all proceeds will go to trip!) August 8-10 and all students should help! Keep checking the blog for updates as Miss J won't be back to the area until August.
3. All money earned at fundraisers will be put into an account and Miss J will apply it to individual accounts with WorldStrides. The money earned will be dispersed evenly among those who worked!
3. If you have any questions, please please please email me!

Have a great summer!

MARKETPLACE---THIS SATURDAY!!!

Summer vacation is upon us which means it's time to....FUNDRAISE! Here is the schedule for bagging this Saturday, June 18. Please make sure you are on time for your shift and that you abide by the rules listed on an earlier post (no sandals, short-shorts, gathering in groups, etc.) Remember, MISS J WILL NOT BE THERE. If there is an emergency in which you must contact her....please call 507-647-5799.

SATURDAY, JUNE 18

10am-12pm 
Adult: Lisa Riihiluoma
Students: Maddie Geil
                Ellie Riihiluoma
                Leah Westmoreland
               
12pm-2pm
Adult: Conrad Ross
Students: Lauren Ross
                Maddie Ross
                Brynn Johnson?
                Tayler Smith

2pm-4pm
Adult: Tom Paull
Students: Payton Gresczyk
                Jessica Paull
                Ryan Wilson
                Maddi Milczark?
                Merissa Stevens

4pm-6pm
Adult: Linda Ripley

Students: Brandon Ripley
               Brady W
               Merissa Stevens
                              



 

School's Ending....Tear.

Well, we've just wrapped our first year of History Club and it was fantastic. I still can't believe the types of kids we have at Moose Lake--they are incredible!! A few reminders as we go into the summer:


1) Miss J won't be around June or July. You can still reach me by email!!
2) You can still register for the trip even if you didn't make the 5/31 deadline (it's only $37 more dollars)---and remember, take advantage of the FLAG Scholarship if you are able to. 
3) Fundraising opportunities:


          A. Marketplace-----June 18th. We still need people to sign up!! I will try to also sign up for
          a date in July and August as well (if people are up to it!) I'll be around in August so I 
          should be able to be there. 

B. Volleyball Camp---August 8-10. Any student who would like to help is able to. Profits will be split.

C. Car Wash?? There has been an idea to do a car wash so we’re in the process of figuring out details.

D. Next School Year—We will be looking to do a few big fundraisers to help give us that big push towards DC. If you have any ideas or are willing to help out---please contact me!

Have a Great Summer and plllllease don't be afraid to contact me with any questions! 

rjackson@mooselake.k12.mn.us or beckiejjackson@gmail.com

Marketplace JUNE 18th!!!!!

I have arranged for our group to do bagging at Marketplace on Saturday, JUNE 18th from 10 am-6 pm. We will be doing shifts of four kids (one supervisor) for two hours. I will have a sign up in my room. The money earned will be split amongst the students that work. Here are a few rules from Marketplace:

1. Adult supervision at all times

2. Appropriate dress code (THEY ARE STRICT ABOUT THIS!!!) 

        NO open-toed shoes (sandals, etc.)

            -short shorts

            -low cut shirts, etc.

3. Appropriate behavior and language. NO huddling in groups, or blocking exit door.

4. NO food or drinks allowed

5. NO children under the age of 13 (if the sixth graders would like to participate, their parents could help supervise)

6. Please greet and thank our customers for the donation you receive, our customers are not required to donate. 

Our students should wear Rebel gear and tennis shoes. Don't worry if you are unable to make this fundraising opportunities, we will have others. Please only sign up if you KNOW YOU ARE ABLE TO BE THERE. We want people we can depend on! Let Miss J know if you have questions.

DC Parent Letter--May 2011

***This was the letter that went out in email and home with kids last week.

Dear Parents,

Thank you for attending the meeting on Thursday, May 5th about the Washington, D.C. trip. I wanted to briefly go over a few items and remind you about some of the scholarship and fundraising options that we covered at the meeting.

First, remember that this trip is offered to Moose Lake History Club members. While this initial trip will be to Washington, D.C., my hopes are to be able to take groups to other locations on a rotating schedule of every two years. That hopefully allows families and students enough time to fundraise and save! Because your child must be in history club, it’s very important that they attend regular history club meetings. Our last (and most important one!) of this year will be this Friday, May 20th at 8 am. We will be electing officers, discussing important club matter and having a celebration breakfast! If you are able to, please send some goodies with your child to share. We will resume regular meetings next school year. 

To break up this information more clearly, I'll divide the next two sections into scholarship/payment details and fundraising.

Scholarship/Payment Details

First, after May 31st the price goes up $37. Second, when you register you will need to pay a $99 non-refundable deposit. Third, the monthly payment plans are around $130. Fourth, it is not fully refundable if you are unable to go on the trip. I misunderstood that detail. You must purchase a "trip insurance" to be able to have that peace of mind if something happens later in the year. Otherwise, you will only receive a percentage of your money back. You may register for the trip up until March 2012. So, don't worry if you need some time to think! 

 Fundraising

I have contacted a few businesses in regards to fundraising. I will be signing our group up for bagging duties at Marketplace for the weekend of JUNE 18th. You must call a month ahead of time to arrange for a date. As I will be out of town in June and July, I will need a parent or two to sign up for supervision. I also called SuperOne in Cloquet and they said bagging is full until the fall but they could offer a giftcard for a spaghetti dinner or other event. I plan on signing up for bagging duties for the fall/winter at SuperOne later this summer. I will also be applying for a field trip grant from Target. It opens at the end of August. Also in August, Vicki Radzak and I will be leading a three-day volleyball camp in which all proceeds will go to the History Club. We will need volunteers (students) of all kinds to help. Finally, I called Walmart and they allow people to hold little fundraisers (bake sales, etc.) outside their building. 

I'm not sure if this is something worth doing or if anyone else has any ideas but it's a start!

Additionally, there are many options for individual travel funding, including the Gift of Education program, Gift of Education E-cards, and the FLAG Scholarship. Students have also had great success requesting trip donations from friends and families through Facebook. You can find detailed information about fundraising ideas and scholarship options at www.worldstrides.org/fundraising. Please, please take advantage of the FLAG Scholarship and any other opportunities. 

 If you’re interested in helping to lead a fundraiser for the group, please respond to this email or contact me at (218) 485-4622 ex. 1104 to get started. Help from a few dedicated parents can really make a big difference! I will also keep you posted on fundraising specifics by sending out detailed emails before the event.

Please let me know if you have any questions about the trip or fundraisers. I look forward to leading a fun and educational program for your child!

All the best,

Beckie Jackson

rjackson@mooselake.k12.mn.us

PS: Don’t forget to register for the trip – it only costs $99! Your Trip ID # is 67305. There are three easy ways to register: online at www.worldstrides.org using the Trip ID # listed above, by calling the WorldStrides Customer Service Team at 1-800-468-5899, or by mail, using the student invitation you received.

Washington, DC Updates

So far we have two students registered for the trip to Washington, DC!! Don't forget to sign up by May 31st to receive a reduced rate. I wanted to clarify a few details I learned of last week. First, after May 31st the price goes up $37. Second, when you register you will need to pay a $99 non-refundable deposit. Third, the monthly payment plans are around $130. Fourth, it is not fully refundable if you are unable to go on the trip. I misunderstood that detail. You must purchase a "trip insurance" to be able to have that peace of mind if something happens later in the year. Otherwise, you will only receive a percentage of your money back. Lastly, check your email for an update on summer fundraising. We have bagging at Marketplace, volleyball camps and other opportunities. Please check the Flagship Scholarship to see if you are eligible. Don't forget your W2!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call or email me! I am really excited to be able to take our amazing kids on this adventure of a lifetime!

History Club's Final Meeting for Spring 2011

All future and current members of the History Club should attend the last meeting of the year. It will feature a yummy breakfast (sign up to bring something in Miss J's classroom!), voting for officers and important details!!!!

8 AM Friday, May 20th!

Extra, Extra, Read All About It!

World War II. The Civil Rights Era. Presidents and their Loves. Family History. What do these topics have in common? They have all been subjects of the History Club's newsletters! For the last newsletter of the year, the HC decided to focus on family history and genealogy. With the amazing help and guidance of Rita (and others), students were able to use ancestry.com to retrieve information on their relatives. It was an exciting project. Beyond completing their family trees, students wrote articles, took polls and did artwork for the special edition newsletter. It should be out this week!!

A few of the HC students with our genealogy expert Rita! We'd also like to thank Vicki Radzak and the Northland Foudation for the genealogy books we received!

State! State! State!

The History Day Project is intense.

So, you can imagine the pure astonishment at the accomplishments of two seventh graders who managed to scrape together a project in a matter of weeks for regional and then two days before the state competition REDO EVERYTHING. Leave it to seventh graders to wait until the last minute!

Sunday morning saw Ava, Ryan, myself, along with their families, journey to Minneapolis for the State History Day Competition held at Coffmann Union, University of Minnesota-TC. We arrived in the midst of hustle and bustle as the union was full of students setting up projects, parents watching students set up projects and officials evaluating those projects. Ava and Ryan were both judged at 11 am. Judging for the exhibit category includes a 5-10 minute conversation with a pair of judges regarding the process of their research. Ava and Ryan felt much less intimidated this time around.

 Ava and Ryan with their new boards

The day was quite long as we arrived around 10:15 am and finally left at 7 pm. The long gaps in the schedule allowed us to take in all the other wonderful work students of Minnesota completed. As a teacher, it is truly amazing seeing what these kids came up with! We took a few pictures of different exhibits for motivation for next year. It should be mentioned that there were incredible performances, documentaries, papers and websites as well.

 

      Click to view larger image

Our day ended at Williams Arena with a lengthy awards ceremony. While Ava and Ryan did not advance to nationals (Only 2 out of 88 in their fields did!) they had an incredible day and should be proud of their accomplishments. We're already anticipating next year's project!

Leah and Maddie also participated in History Day completing projects in the website category. Here they are with their awesome certificates of achievement!

Washington, D.C. Parent Meeting!!!

The History Club is going to Washington, D.C. next summer!!!! Prospective trip attendees (and their parents) will need to attend an informational parent meeting NEXT Thursday, May 4th. It will be held in the LMC at 5:30. 

If you are unable to attend, please let Miss J know. 

Ava and Ryan off to State!

Beyond our monthly newsletters, a few students participated in the History Day Competition. As it was the first time Moose Lake has participated in the competition, we found ourselves in uncharted territory. We were able to take a research field trip to UMD at the end of February (completely free thanks to the a grant from MN Historical Center!) which inspired students to delve into heaps of papers, books and research. Four students participated: Leah Westmoreland and Maddie Geil created websites while Ava Szczyrbak and Ryan Wilson created exhibit boards. 


The History Day Competition is a national contest that encourages young people to explore a historical subject related to a theme throughout the school year. Students from grades 6-12 can participate. All of the students worked incredibly hard to research and complete projects related to this year's theme: Debate and Diplomacy: Successes, Failures and Consequences. Next year's theme will be Revolution, Reaction and Reform in History. 


Maddie created a website on Brown v Board of Education. You can view her work at http://83474186.nhd.weebly.com/


Leah also created a website. Her topic was Women's Right to vote. You can view her work at http://38142386.nhd.weebly.com/


The girls managed to complete these projects in a week (Yes, we waited until the last minute!) and deserve loads of credit for giving up their entire weekend to research and write about history! Ava competed in the exhibit board category. She chose the topic Roe v Wade. Ryan also competed in the exhibit board category. He chose to research Zionism. 


Ava and Ryan participated in the History Day Competition at UMD on March 12th. They both received honors and advanced to the state competition which will be held at the University of MN on May 1st!! Only 1,200 out of the 30,000 students who participated in History Day MN advanced to the state competition. If you see Ryan or Ava, wish them luck as we head to Minneapolis on Sunday! Only two projects from each category advance to the national competition held in June in Maryland. 


It is an intense research project that requires many hours outside of school. I can't express how proud I am of each of these students and we are already anticipating and excited for next year's process!

Ryan "The Great Migration: The Successes, Failures and Consequences of Zionism"

Ava "Roe v Wade: The Debate that Continues to Shape America Today"

They did it!

Welcome to History Club!

I know, I know. You're probably sitting at your desk, scratching your head and wondering---what is this History Club business?? Well, the Moose Lake History Club was an organization started by students. Seriously! While at first it was an excuse to get free donuts from Miss J on Friday mornings, it has developed into a club that produces a monthly newsletter, participates in History Day competitions and (will soon) experience history first-hand through different field trips. 


Currently, the group is comprised of around 20 seventh and eighth graders but hopes to expand in the coming years. We are looking for students dedicated to reading, writing and learning about the many topics of history. Now, just because the club WRITES and READS and DISCUSSES different topics in history does not mean every student is a history nerd. The club means somethings different to everyone. Some enjoy writing. Some enjoy the company of the history club members. And yes, some really are history nerds. We welcome kids of all kinds.


Interested? Here are some details:


What: History Club meetings (Discussion of deadlines, topics, History Day competition, trips, etc.)
When: Friday mornings at 8 am
Where: Miss J's room (104)
Why: Because it's FUN! Join us!