NAME:
Mrs. Rank
SCHOOL:
Noel Grisham Middle School
CLASS:
8th grade U.S. History
SCHOOL PHONE:
512-428-2686
Welcome Back
I am delighted to be teaching U.S. History this year after 4 years teaching
Texas History. I truly enjoy working with middle school students.
Teaching is my third career. After graduating with a degree in Communications
from Michigan State University (Go Spartans!) I worked in advertising in
upstate New York. My second career was focusing on family relocation as our
family became corportate nomads living in New York, Connecticut, Florida,
Pennsylvia and finally Texas. Since arriving in Austin 1998 I have been
involved at Grisham as parent, PTA volunteer, substitute teacher, mentor
Collaborative Teacher Support and then teaching social studies. My husband
Jim is a marketing consultant and adjunct faculty at several area colleges.
We have two daughters. Our oldest graduated from UNT in 2009 with a degree in
geography and currently lives and works in the Austin area. Our youngest
attends Northeastern University in Boston working toward a degree in biology
after earning her IB diploma from Westwood in 2010.
TEKS §113.20. Social Studies, Grade 8, Beginning with School Year 2011-2012.
In Grade 8, students study the history of the United States from the early
colonial period through Reconstruction. The knowledge and skills in
subsection (b) of this section comprise the first part of a two-year
study of U.S. history. The second part, comprising U.S. history from
Reconstruction to the present, is provided in §113.41 of this title (relating
to United States History Studies Since 1877 (One Credit), Beginning with
School Year 2011-2012). The content in Grade 8 builds upon that from Grade 5
but provides more depth and breadth.Historical content focuses on the
political, economic, religious, and social events and issues related to the
colonial and revolutionary eras, the creation and ratification of the U.S.
Constitution, challenges of the early republic, the Age of Jackson, westward
expansion, sectionalism, Civil War, and Reconstruction. Students describe the
physical characteristics of the United States and their impact on population
distribution and settlement patterns in the past and present. Students
analyze the various economic factors that influenced the development of
colonial America and the early years of the republic and identify the origins
of the free enterprise system. Students examine the American beliefs and
principles, including limited government, checks and balances, federalism,
separation of powers, and individual rights, reflected in the U.S.
Constitution and other historical documents. Students evaluate the impact of
Supreme Court cases and major reform movements of the 19th century and
examine the rights and responsibilities of citizens of the United States as
well as the importance of effective leadership in a constitutional
republic. Students evaluate the impact of scientific discoveries and
technological innovations on the development of the United States. Students
use critical-thinking skills, including the identification of bias in
written, oral, and visual material.
Grisham Vision Statement: Learning Together, Thinking Globally
Grisham Middle School Mission Statement:
It is the mission of Grisham Middle School to work collaboratively in order
to create a nurturing learning enironment in which all students are taught
to think critically so that they have the skills to be successful.