Welcome to Back to School Night at

Indian Woods Middle School

8th Grade Social Studies – American History

Curt White

curtiswhite@smsd.org913- 993-0663

Antietam National Military Park

Mr. Jake Summerlin

Married 2 years to Sophia History degree from Grand Canyon

University - Phoenix, Arizona Attending Avila University and will

graduate in December Enjoys playing golf & the outdoors

My Family

Charley - age 18 Attends SM East Loves Sports Looking at KSU,

CSU, DU, TU, Drake

My Family

Russell – age 21 Attends New Mexico Tech CS major; EE minor 2011 National Merit Scholar Loves Comedy, Computers,

Outerspace, Board Games, and anything Technological

My Family

Juan Ramos – age 20 Attends Washburn Studying Criminal Justice Likes to sketch, workout, meet

new people and learn

My Family

Elise Married 25 Years BS Civil Engineering Loves Fast Cars and

Catfish Noodling

Education

Curt WhiteUndergraduate Work Univ. of Kansas - BA Pers. Admin. ‘89 Colorado State U. – BS Landscape Hort. ’95 UMKC – BS Secondary Education 2000

Graduate Work James Madison Fellow 2004 Georgetown University Summer 2005 UMKC – MA History 2008

Teaching Experience Fifteenth year at Indian Woods

Antietam Battlefield – The Cornfield

Georgetown University – DC Tour

Guest Speaker – Pitbull

Teaching Philosophy

Every student can improve their academic abilities and learn in a meaningful way.

Learning should be an enjoyable experience that makes connections with our daily lives.

Reading, writing, discussion and “investigating” history is an effective way to appreciate and learn from the past.

The study of history, through the construction and evaluation of evidence-based arguments, allows one to effectively contemplate the past, understand the present and shape the future. Students Presenting from Moldova Republic

and Democratic Republic of Georgia

Curriculum

Teach objectives as set by the Shawnee Mission School District and the state of Kansas

Students begin their study pre-Civil War with a goal to reach the Cold War era – includes watershed events, Kansas and Constitutional history

Library of Congress

Advanced Social Studies

Confederate Line at Gettysburg

Modeled after Advanced Placement History Class

Students will be able to explain the past by analyzing primary source documents and write a coherent essay

Skills developed will be close reading, critical thinking and writing organization

The Pre-AP course enhances student awareness of Jr. year expectations Data Based Question (DBQ) Example:

Homework & Online Textbook

Access Web Back Pack on

www.smsd.org Grade reports will be sent

home via Skyward or student every two to three weeks

Parents should check Skyward to confirm grades

Gettysburg National Cemetery