Success in American History

Mr. Taft asked his students last year to give you some advice on how to succeed in 8th grade American History. Here's a glimpse of what they had to say:

In order to succeed in 8th grade American History ...

"show up for class prepared!"
"you must keep up on daily assignments and assignments due later with your notebook."
"participate in class and volunteer for things."
"always do your homework and turn it in on time - it helps your grade and helps you learn the information."
"don't wait until the last minute to do study guides!"
"take good notes - don't just copy notes from the board!"
"have fun and let your sense of humor show!"
"do the extra credit assignments - they are there for a reason and really help your grade."
"make your assignments colorful and organized - Mr. Taft likes that."
"listen in class so you don't have to study as much."
"watch the History Channel."
"listen in class - Mr. Taft will make the history come alive!"
"don't get on the wrong side of Mr. Taft - he will bug you for the rest of the year!"
"form your own opinions on all topics, but do keep your mind and ears open to other perspectives."
"keep in mind that the history that you are learning ... shows how far we have come [as a country]".
"don't worry about the exam - if you pay attention in class and study, you will do fine."
"get into what you are learning - it makes things interesting."
"routinely check the Taft site."
"be ready to be immersed in history!"
"enjoy Mr. Taft's power points - there are a lot."
"try to picture yourself in each period of history."
"if you have the opportunity to check something over with Mr. Taft before you turn it in, go for it!"
"remember to reassure Mr. Taft that history is better than science, even if you don't always agree."
"keep an open mind."
"know computers - if your don't, find someone to help you who does."
"pay attention in class - it's fun and you'll learn a  lot of stuff from Mr. Taft that's not in the text."
"do not sit next to the same people every day - you can make awesome friendships with people you never would have imagined."
"make sure you check Mr. Taft's board for instructions."
"be honest - don't cheat - it's not a cool experience for you, your teacher, or the other kid."
"even when you have lots of homework, be glad that you're not learning about rocks!"
"understand that history still effects us today."
"you have to keep your ISN organized and up to date - it will improve your ISN check grade and help you on tests, quizzes, and projects."
"do your best - slacking off occasionally might not seem so bad, but it adds up."
"you must not be negative toward yourself, your group, other groups, or the teacher."
"listen to everything Mr. Taft says - he often hints about answers to questions on quizzes or tests."