Bradshaw's Social Studies Central

11th Annual Veterans Day Assembly 11-11-11

2011-11-02T13:43:00.000-07:00

The 11th Annual Veterans Day Assembly will be presented at Kingman High School, Friday, Nov. 11, 2011, at 9:30 a.m. All area veterans and community members are invited to celebrate Veterans Day with a 'Bob Hope U.S.O. show.' Veterans will be personally recognized for their contribution to our Nation and be treated to a luncheon sponsored by AJ Tire and Repair. Veterans should report at 9:10 a.m. The American Legion Riders will be there to honor the veterans with a flag line as they enter the gymnasium. We are hoping to make this the largest Veterans Day Assembly ever. Come out and show your support. After all, we are the 'Home of the Free Because of the Brave'!!!!!!!!!!!

Just a few pictures from last year's assembly!!


One of the several banners we lost in the Jeri's Kitchen fire.

Kingman County Museum Gets a New Look

2011-10-18T14:39:00.000-07:00

Volunteer explains exhibits at Museum

Cattle Drive in front of Museum

Kingman High School American History students traveled to the Kingman County Museum Oct. 18 to experience the newly revamped exhibits. Most of the same artifacts are still there; they have just been reorganized and moved to different locations. Students viewed the music room, the Sadie room (dedicated to the women who almost single-handedly saved the old city building which now houses the museum), the firehouse room, and the upstairs areas. The museum had just received the new elevator the day before that will be installed soon to help make the museum more assessable to everyone. All of the renovations and work are funded by or done by volunteers.

The purpose of our field trip was to view first hand many of the artifacts from the post Civil War era to the turn-of-the-century era that we have been studying. Many students found the dentist office and the equipment very interesting. Several students mentioned the exhibit of stuffed animals, the camera display, and the firehouse room to be among their most favorite. Since last year the museum has begun to display a specific theme every three or four months. This will be the last month for the display of cowboy and wild west memorabilia in honor of Kansas' 150 Anniversary and the cattle drive Kingman hosted in September.

We have a great resource in the Kingman County Museum. I hope everyone continues to support it and the efforts of the volunteers who spend hours and hours trying to make it a jewel in our small community.

Eagle moved upstairs for better display.

Students view Western Cowboy Display

Awesome horse!!!!!!!!

Hum-mm. What is it?


Students view Cessna Display

Carlene poses by Spivey post office window

Prohibition slot machine anyone?????

Mital checks out Clyde Cessna book

Jordan points out great-grandma's quilt square

Posing with the creepy nurse

Eight legged calf is always a favorite.

Students look up to view covered wagon / Barbed wire in back

Allen checking it all out

Students look at old farm equipment

Hello! Hello!

Deb loves the doll display

Julian don't touch!!!

KHS American History Students Experience Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty

2011-10-07T08:22:00.000-07:00

Friday, September 23, the Kingman High School American History Class stepped back in time when the class visited Medicine Lodge, Kansas, for what may be the last production of the Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty Pageant. Students began the day by taking in the parade in the downtown area. Many of the participants and props for the pageant made their way down Medicine Lodge's Main Street while KHS students looked on. After the parade students enjoyed lunch from the several choices offered from the street vendors. A big favorite was the homemade ice cream and roasted ears of corn.

As the time approached for the pageant, we made our way east of town to the pageant grounds. Students were treated to a production that took them back to the Civil War, the Indian Wars, the Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty, the days of the cattle drive and more.

I had never been to the pageant in the 21 plus years I have been in Kingman. I thought it was very interesting and was amazed at the numerous volunteers it took to put on such a large production. I think it is wonderful that such a small town can draw the crowds of people to reenact this time period. The high school students had just completed the study of the wild west and the Indian Wars the week before and I hope this helped to put what they learned in context and show them that it still relates to them personally in this celebration of their pioneer heritage.

KHS students watch the parade!

View of the crowd from the top.

Drew and Darrian wait for the show to start.

KHS students with Governor Brownback

A few students got an unexpected honor when they ran into Governor Brownback and got their picture taken with him.

Trying New Things

2011-09-07T18:07:00.000-07:00

It is always fun to try new things. This year I am in a new classroom, although I have to say it was my old classroom some 18 years ago, and I am teaching a course I have never taught before, Current Events. I have been experimenting with a new timeline website for use in my new Current Events class. Dipity.com allows one to create a timeline of events that incorporates text, graphics, and video. I created an example for students so I could learn how it worked and so they would have something to follow. It has been a lot of fun posting daily updates about my (old) American History class in a fresh, new way. Check it out on the following link and stay posted for student timelines to be posted at a later date.

http://www.dipity.com/tbradshaw/American-History-KHS/

Pictures of the new room

Students Learn about India

2011-05-06T12:44:00.000-07:00

KHS Geography students have been studying about the country of India in the past few weeks. We are fortunate in Kingman to have our own resident expert on the subject working at Kingman Elementary. Mrs. Suganya Balakrishnan, special education teacher at KES, visited my classroom to share her country with a group of students from a variety of classes. She used a PowerPoint she created about her country to cover the basic information about the details of her country and culture. A collection of spices and seeds were also displayed, which represented the ingredients used to season many Indian dishes. Students had an opportunity to ask many great questions at the end of the presentation. We are very fortunate to have such an interesting resource in our community.

Indian Money


Hand Carved Peacock

Adventures in Candy Land

2011-04-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

Candy Land

Every April the frantic efforts to prepare for decorating for prom begins. What people don't realize is that the planning for the event actually started right before Christmas break. Junior class officers narrowed the choices of themes down to four and the junior class voted. The Juniors picked a very fun theme this year, CANDY LAND. Every effort was made to find decorations that were as close to the real game as possible. The dessert at the banquet even reflected the candy theme with an ice cream and candy dessert bar. Good Job Juniors!!!!

Enjoy your walk through CANDY LAND in the following pics!!!!!!!

GingerBread Plum Tree

Peppermint Forest

Gumdrop Pass

Gingerbread House

Lollipop Woods

Snow Flake Lake

Taffy / Fudge Falls

Candy Castle

KHS Students Attend Friends Univ. Psych Fair

2011-04-04T14:17:00.000-07:00

Thirteen students from the Kingman High School psychology class attended the Friends University Psych Fair, April 4, 2011. Students were welcomed to the campus and given instructions for the day and then turned loose to visit the numerous psychology booths set up around the perimeter of the gym. Friends psychology students hosted the various booths that ranged from learning about memory and personality to the brain and neuroscience. Many of the booths represented several of the concepts learned throughout the year in psych class. One of the student's favorite activities was the human maze in the middle of the gym where students worked in teams to find their way through. One student was completely blindfolded and the other acted as a guide. (See pictures below.)

After a lunch of pizza and pop, drawings for door prizes, and drawings for scholarships, students were able to visit more booths. Most students were able to view The Really, Really Tall Short Term Memory Show put on by two Friends psych students. It included a student produced movie and interactive memory games. Eventually everyone was tired and ready to head for home, but not before several students invested in a cool PSYCHO tee-shirt.

Project Based Learning - Is It the Future?

2011-03-18T14:04:00.000-07:00

Erie High School 2011

        Some say you can't go home again, but I did just that at the end of February to visit my old high school; however, it wasn't really my old high school anymore. It had been moved to a brand new building. I didn't recognize much of anything, not even personnel. After 25 years, only the principal, who was the former football coach from my senior year, and the part-time yearbook sponsor, who was my eighth grade English teacher, remained. A lot of other things have changed as well.

      When I attended Erie High, we took the traditional courses in the traditional format. There were few electives, but we could take college courses our senior year as one of our class periods. We didn't have dual credits, online courses or the variety of extra opportunities students can select in school today. For a while now I had been reading in the Erie Record, the local paper, about the problem-solving class competing in the National Moon Buggy Race and how successful they were. I thought that was very cool and something that would be a great learning experience for students. Erie was also doing some interesting things with career education. Eventually I started to hear about the new Project Based Learning focus that Erie was working toward and wanted to learn more about it. They seemed to be THE school in the state for PBL, especially if one followed the educational circles.

       I was excited to get the opportunity to visit; however, with all things new, there are bumps along the way. Since Erie High's move to the new school this year and with school finance troubles, I think the school has faltered in their vision of PBL. I was a little disappointed in what their PBL had become. After talking to a variety of staff though, I am confident that they will get back on track next year with the shuffling of personnel that will provide them with a variety of teacher advisers.

      In PBL the teacher acts as a facilitator and provides the process for students to complete original projects. Students operate from their own Personalized Learning Plan, developed cooperatively with parents, advisers, and the student themselves. The whole world is the curriculum with state standards guiding the work. Students can gain credits or partial credits in multiple subjects from one project. Projects are done by individuals or in groups. Due dates are negotiable. Performance on the product is assessed by community panels, teacher advisers and mentors. Facilitators (experts in the field) are not just faculty members but can come from anywhere in the world. Erie High also stresses that all projects benefit the community in some way.

      From Erie's informational packet, PBL functions on a continuum. Most of what happens here at Kingman High involves projects as part of the curriculum where all students do the same thing in the same time-frame, and it is graded as part of the unit or class. Some teachers have projects that operate where the students have the ability to frame their own questions, and choose their own topics, but all students have the same time-frame and the project is part of a class unit. At times, project types can be chosen by the student, but the topic must still fit within the unit of study. Today, Kingman High School is only in the beginning stages of the continuum. While some argue that shop classes have always been PBL, true PBL allows for students to gain multiple types of credits and / or partial credits from a variety of areas. For example, one PBL project might yield partial credits in English, science, history, agriculture and music; while at Kingman High a project will get you a partial credit in only one subject. Erie is working at moving toward the last step of the continuum of PBL where projects are authentic and student-directed, and where the teacher is only the adviser, the world is the curriculum, time-frames are negotiable, and the amount and types of credits earned are limitless.

The question to ask then, 'Is this the direction in which we want to move?' I think it is worth looking into as we prepare students for the 21st Century.

To learn more about Erie High School and Project Based Learning visit their website @:
http://www.usd101.com

Moon Buggy Race Display

Posted Online School Paper using Issuu.com

Student Centers for PBL

Different view of PBL Room - Total Open Concept

School Psych visits Psychology Class

2011-02-23T11:30:00.000-08:00

Carolyn Ballinger, USD 331 School Psychologist, Visits KHS Psych Class

Students in Mrs. Bradshaw's psychology class had a visit from the district school psychologist, Carolyn Ballinger, Wednesday. Ms. Ballinger presented information about IQ tests, their purpose, structure and role in public education. Other standardized tests like achievement, personality, and developmental tests were addressed.

Students have been studying psychological tests of all kinds and have been learning the theories behind them. Last week the students took three different assessments to measure their multiple intelligences. They also had a lesson on statistics where students figured the mean, median and mode of their last test scores and figured the standard deviation. (Mrs. Bradshaw got a little help from Mr. Zimmerman on that one.) Later in the week students will complete interest inventories and look at the role of psychology in career planning.

Ballinger shows tiny pieces from an old IQ Test

Students listen intently

Am. History / Geography get a Student Teacher

2011-02-16T18:29:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Vogele - 'The Flapper'

New to the halls of KHS is Brande Vogele, student teacher from Sterling College. Mrs. Vogele has her Bachelor's Degree in History from Kansas State University and is finishing up her teaching requirements through Sterling's online program. She currently resides in Harper with her husband and son. Her teaching responsibilities began in Geography earlier this semester when she took over the class after the first week she arrived. Students have appreciated her fine PowerPoint presentations over the various European countries they have studied.

At the beginning of February, Mrs. Bradshaw turned over all of the American History classes. The four American History classes are currently learning about the Roaring 20's and have been using guided notes and completing many unique activities developed by Mrs. Vogele. She introduced a lesson on the women of the 1920's by coming to school dressed as a 'flapper'. The class also has participated in a group lesson on the Charleston that was very entertaining for all. Although Mrs. Vogele will only be with us for a little while longer, she has definitely made her mark at KHS.

Alex is exited about his grade!!!!!!

KHS American History Students Study WW I

2011-02-16T13:31:00.000-08:00


World War I Simulation Flags

Before Christmas break, American History students at Kingman High School participated in a World War I simulation in which they represented six imaginary countries similar to those found in Europe in 1914. Student groups made flags to represent their countries on the first day and then the second day they went through a variety of negotiations to prevent war. Students enjoyed this opportunity to have a change of pace from typical class work. After the break, students learned about the war and the United States' role in the fighting. They enhanced this knowledge by completing either a poster and oral report about the weapons used in the war or creating the front page of a newspaper featuring a major event from the period.

Psychology Class Builds Brains

2011-02-14T14:36:00.000-08:00

To start the new year, the Kingman High School Psychology class began their study of the brain with the help of Becky Carter, Norwich School Counselor and Psychology teacher. Mrs. Carter visited three days and presented information about the importance of the brain in the study of psychology. She challenged students to make a three dimensional representation of a brain and label its parts. Students came up with many different types of projects, including a real sheep's brain. Some students went with play dough, while others used the iPod Touch 3D app to show the parts of the brain. Some brain's were even edible, as students used cauliflower. Students learned a lot and posed for pictures with their brains.

Class posing with brains.

Bre's brain!!!!


Variety of play dough brains.

Students with iPod Touch 3D apps.

Sheep's Brain. Nice!!!!!!!!!!!