Egypt Assessment #1

Today, students took the first assessment regarding Egypt. The second one will be given a few weeks after we come back from the break. Although students appeared to do well, I have not had the time to grade them as of yet.

I spent the last hour going through work that was turned in late and I entered grades for everything that I have into the gradebook. There will be a list of thirty-two students who owe me work posted in my classroom tomorrow along with the assignments they owe. Any assignments not turned in prior to the 'fun activity' will be done in my classroom. That means that students will have to sit out the activity to do their work. Any work (except for special circumstances approved by me before the end of the day tomorrow) will not be accepted.

See you tomorrow!

Extra Credit (Re-Posted) and Quiz (New)

Extra Credit
I am willing to give extra credit points to students who give a presentation on any of the following pre-approved topics (presentations should be between 3-6 minutes) and must be done before the end of the unit.

Places: Lake Nasser, Aswan Dam, Cairo, Alexandria

People: Gamal Abdel Nasser, Muhammed Hosni Mubarak, Mohammed Anwar El-Sadat, Zahi Hawass

If you plan on doing a presentation, bring in an article or biography (which can be printed from the internet) that you read about the topic. Important points should be highlighted and you should have some notes written down. Questions?

Quiz
Vocabulary--
01. Nubia:
02. Delta:
03. Cataract:
04. Silt
05. Nile (River):
06. Pharaoh:
07. Dynasty:
08. Absolute Power:
09. Regent:
Question--
01. Describe the geography of the Nile River Valley and explain how the Nile River has impacted the region.

Upcoming Week

Here we go...

We have three days of school this week and this is what I have planned:

Monday: I have a lot of graded assignments (which I entered in the gradebook earlier today) to return to my students. I want to take some time to review them and discuss the grades with each of my classes. Since we will have a quiz on Tuesday, I want to make sure everyone is well prepared. Although I didn't announce the date in advance, I did tell my classes we would have a quiz before the long break.

Tuesday: We will spend time taking a quiz, which will have one essay question and a few vocabulary terms to define.

Wednesday: We will have short periods on Wednesday. I will be collecting vocabulary sheets 2.2 and 2.3 by the end of the period. I will grade those over the long break and we will review all of the terms when we come back. Students can also use the time to complete their maps of the southern portion of Africa. We will review that when we come back as well and the quiz will be approximately one week after we come back.

If you are able, check your grades online. Make sure you have everything turned in to me, because there are a lot of students who have assignments missing. Once we leave for break, everything will be closed and zeros will be entered. Don't let that happen!!

What Am I Missing?

As you all know, I have 'missed' the last two days of school due to a conference that I am attending. I will be out again tomorrow, but it would make me really happy if you guys posted something that you learned or did while I have been gone...

So, tell me something (in a comment) and let me know what I have been missing!

See you on Monday...

Map Quiz

Well, you have proven me right...

If you study, and work hard, you will do a great job on any map test you take; furthermore, if you don't study, and you don't work hard, you will not do well on a map test. Being in 7th grade means growing academically, being responsible for yourself, and taking the initiative to go after what you want to achieve.

I still have a little more grading to do, but your grades should be entered soon. I expect that you will all be good for Mr. Weiss while I am out; and keep your practical jokes (at my expense) to a minimum. Remember, I am ultimately responsible for your grades... :)

See you next week!!!

Africa Map Prep

Today we spent time practicing for our map quiz which will be given tomorrow. I hope that ALL students brought their maps home so that they can study. There will be fifteen countries on the quiz and students will be expected to be able to identify them with the use of a word bank.

If you would like a blank map, you can print it from my teacher's page located on the Muhlenberg School District Website. Furthermore, you can access the link to a map game to help you prepare on that site as well.

Students will be given class time tomorrow to complete their vocabulary worksheet (3.2) once they have completed the quiz...

Best of luck!

Group Work Session

I took the first few minutes of class today to talk about the map of Egypt that students worked on in class on Wednesday. There was some confusion about the first Nile cataract, Aswan, and Lake Nasser which I think I was able to clear up. Many students turned the map in to me before leaving but others were given until class tomorrow (Friday) to turn it in.

Tomorrow we will take some time to practice the map of Africa in preparation for our quiz on Tuesday of next week. We will also begin the second vocabulary sheet for this unit.

I am willing to give extra credit points to students who give a presentation on any of the following pre-approved topics (presentations should be between 3-6 minutes) and must be done before the end of the unit.

Places:
Lake Nasser
Aswan Dam
Cairo
Alexandria

People:
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Muhammed Hosni Mubarak
Mohammed Anwar El-Sadat
Zahi Hawass

If you plan on doing a presentation, bring in an article or biography (which can be printed from the internet) that you read about the topic. Important points should be highlighted and you should have some notes written down. Questions?

Map of Egypt/Notebook Check

In class today, I took the time to conduct a notebook check. While I met with each student individually, students were working on coloring and labeling a map of Egypt independently. They used the maps in their text to get the information needed. There are a few notebooks that I will check tomorrow before entering the grades. Students will have a little time to work on their maps tomorrow and I will collect them on Friday at the latest.

I will prepare progress reports for all students who have less than an 70% in social studies which will be mailed home by the district.

The Importance of Traditions

In periods 1, 2, and 3, we discussed the importance of traditions in society. We talked about the ancient Egyptian farmers and the ways in which they prepared the land for farming. We also discussed some of the traditions that we practice here in America and the ways in which they are (or are not) important. For the last few minutes of class, I projected the new map (northern Africa) and students were given time to either complete their maps or check their locations.

Periods 6, 7, and 8 were a little bit different. We began by discussing the reading from Friday; in particular, we discussed the importance of the Nile River to the civilization and the ways in which communities developed in ancient Egypt. See my post from yesterday for more details.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) will be spent working independantly on a map assignment while I conduct a notebook check. The criteria is listed below...

QOD (beginning with 10/29/2010): You should have at least 10/16 for full credit.
BDA Notes: You should have the BDA from 12/3/2010.
Maps: You should have the four maps from the year, which are: World Map (Continents), Fertile Crescent Map (colored/labeled), Middle East Map, Africa Map.
Handouts/Notes: You should have three vocabulary sheets, which are: 2.3, 2.4, and 3.1.

Importance of the Nile and Nile Communities

Some of the main points we discussed in class today had to do with the importance of the Nile River to Egypt and the development of civilization in and around the Nile River Valley. Some of the points that came up were:

Importance of the Nile-
1. Source of Water...
2. Rich soil (silt) located on the bottom of the river and along the banks...
3. Religious importance (we will discuss this later)...
4. Source of Food (fish, marine birds, etc.)...
5. Building materials (mud bricks-for shelter)...
6. Transportation (Travel-water taxi)/Trade (goods from Nubia)...

Communities-
1. Most communities developed in and around the Nile Delta...
2. Civilizations benefitted from geographic proximity to both the Nile, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and the Desert (which served as protection from foreign invaders).
3. Were largely based on farming (in Egypt) and hunting (in Nubia where there was not as much fertile land)...
4. Trade was also an important part of life (trade with Nubia to the south, Mesopotamian civilizations via the Red Sea, and even Europe via the Mediterranean Sea)...

Students were also given a political map of the northern African countires on which they will be quizzed next week (Tuesday); notebook check will be tomorrow or Wednesday!

BDA: Egypt and the Nile

We spent some time in class today reading from the text. Students should have learned about the geography of Egypt and the Nile as well as some of the communities that flourished in the region. We have talked about how important the Nile River is to the people who live in Egypt. Some have even said that, "Egypt is a gift of the Nile." Without the Nile, there would be no civilization in that part of the world.

Earlier, we learned about the Fertile Crescent and how the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers were important to the people in Mesopotamia. A common theme is developing: People generally need a 'water source' to survive. A water source, such as the Nile, provides people with all of the following: food, water, transportation, a means for trade, fertile soil for growing crops, and can provide a civilization with a natural boundary. Can any of you think of something besides a water source that is important to civilization? Post your thoughts...

The newest set of key terms are: Nubia, Nile, Silt, Cataract, and Delta. If you have any questions about those terms, feel free to post them here...

The Geography of Egypt!

In class today, we took some time to look at Egypt on Google Earth. Students were able to see some of the geographic features which make it unique including the deserts to the east and west of the lush Nile River Valley. It is obvious how important the Nile River is to the region and that is exactly what the first essential question of the unit is all about. Feel free to log on to the wiki and comment on that question as well as the first five vocabulary words.

Tomorrow we will read a bit about the geography of the region from our text and extend the discussion a little further. If you have any questions about Egypt, the Nile, or the Middle East (in general) feel free to post a question on here or ask me in class.

Have a good night!

Back on track...

Finally, we are all on the same page!

All students should have the vocabulary sheet (3.1) completed by the start of class tomorrow. I will be collecting the worksheet tomorrow after reviewing the vocabulary terms.

Today, we began to discuss what we can learn about ancient Egypt from artwork which was left behind. We were able to infer that fish was a big part of their diet, they lived in a hot climate, and were hard workers by looking at a painting. We will continue to look at Egypt from many perspectives as we move on. We will also spend some more time looking at artifacts from Egypt (currency, clothing, games, photographs, etc.).

Remember to check the wiki from time to time. The new vocabulary terms are all posted there as are all of the essential questions for the unit.

Back from the Break!

It seems like forever since the last time I blogged...

In class today we began to talk about Egypt. This is the third unit of the year and I hope to be able to complete it before we have our long break at the end of December. If not, there will be some sort of assessment before our week+ off.

Class periods 1, 2, 3, and 6 have now all been grouped for the unit and are ready to go. Group assignments are posed on the classroom wiki. All assessments from the last unit were returned and we had a discussion about them. Students also received their first vocabulary sheet (3.1) of the unit and had some time to get it started. There may be a little time for that tomorrow, but I want us to begin discussing the terms as well.

I was pulled from my period seven class for a meeting so I did not have the chance to do the same thing that period. Period 7 students had time to work on the new vocabulary sheets independently while others finished the assessments from last week. The same was done for period 8.

Tomorrow we will begin talking about the geography of Egypt along with the new vocabulary!

Group Assessment #2

Today we spent the period taking a group assessment. Results will be posted sometime over the Thanksgiving break.

Review Day

Today we took time to review the vocabulary from the unit and practiced answering essential questions. Tomorrow, students will take the unit two group assessment in class. All students should have spent some time preparing for the assessment.

An online, interactive, study guide can be found at:

http://www.mrwinandsclass.wikispaces.com

Get a good night sleep and I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow!

Alphabet, Writing, and Trade

In class today, we began by comparing the Sumerian system of writing (cuneiform) with the Phoenician alphabet. We discussed the pros and cons of both systems of writing and compared each to our own written language.

We then reviewed the definitions of all of the vocabulary terms from section three and four of the text. I collected those vocabulary sheets, as well, which students had plenty of time to complete in class/study hall.

Finally, we discussed the Hammurabi Code, the importance of writing in Mesopotamia, and the sea power of the Phoenicians. For more information, refer to the Fertile Crescent study guide on the wiki.

Reminder: We will have the group assessment on unit two in class on Tuesday of next week. The study guide is online and should be reviewed. There will be class time devoted to review on Monday.

Update and Review

Due to a family emergency, I missed all of my classes on Wednesday. I took the beginning of class today to refocus on the conclusion of this unit. We also reviewed/updated proper procedures for using the classroom wiki.

Tomorrow, we will have a large group review of the key terms and essential questions as posted on the class wiki. All students, except those not permitted by their parents, should have already joined the wiki and began to post to the study guide.

Please take a look at the Fertile Crescent page of the wiki at the following address:
http://www.mrwinandsclass.wikispaces.com

Feel free to post any questions that you have here...

Map Quiz

Students were quizzed on their knowledge of the geography of the modern Middle East today in class. With one week to prepare, I think it is safe to say that all students were given enough time to learn the locations of the places I assigned.

It appears that most students either earned an A or an F. This is not uncommon. The bottom line is that students either choose to study (and do well) or choose not to study (and fail). All hope is not lost! I will have something in store for those who messed up which I will discuss in class tomorrow. Better yet, there will be many more quizzes just like this where you can prove yourself.

Students have also been given two vocabulary sheets to complete (2.3 & 2.4). I hope that these are complete (or nearly complete) by the start of class tomorrow. We will spend tomorrow discussing the vocabulary and Friday discussing some key concepts. Monday of next week will be dedicated to reviewing unit two and Tuesday we will have the unit two assessment. Students should be logging on to my wiki page to work on the study guide.

Comparing Laws...

Today we took a look at some of the laws laid out by Hammurabi and compared those to laws that are on the books today. We came to the conclusion that the laws under the Hammurabi Code were much more harsh than the laws today.

That leads me to the following discussion questions: Is it better to have harsh laws and stiff penalties for crimes or give second chances? What is the purpose of prison? Is it for rehabilitation or is it for punishment? Feel free to post your thoughts.

Reminder: Tomorrow we will have our Middle East map quiz. These quizzes will be done individually. You will have to identify 15 of the 30 locations that you were given and I will pick which locations. Make sure that you are prepared. There is no excuse for failure! There are only three people excused from the quiz: Cameron R., MacK G., and Michaela W.! Great job!

Assignment!!!!!

I haven't given you one all year...

What I would like you to do is sign up for my wiki. The first thing that you have to do is go to the following website and make a user name and password: Wikispaces

At the top of the page, on the right, you will see some text that says sign in here... You should click on that and then (if you are not already a member) click on the blue text that says, "Join Wikispaces Now." It will ask you for a user name, a password, and an email address. You have to complete all of those fields and you DO NOT have to select the create a wiki box.

Wikispaces will send you an email with a link to confirm. One you do that, you can request membership to my Wiki. There will be a place where you can search wikispaces at the top of the page. If you put the following, mrwinandsclass, in that box you will be able to click on my wiki and request membership. We will be talking about this in class tomorrow!

Thanks!

Veteran's Day

We took a break, today, from world history to talk a little bit about the present. We started by discussing the following questions: What is Veteran's Day? Why do we celebrate it? It was great to hear what my students thought about the holiday. Most had a good idea of what it was all about, but there were a few who were not that sure.

Most thought it was a day to celebrate, pay tribute to, be grateful for, honor, or remember those who fought for our country in the past or are fighting for our country presently.

It was also made clear that someone didn't need to FIGHT in a battle or war to be considered a veteran. Anyone who served in the armed forces is considered a veteran regardless of their presence on a battlefield. It is their service that we are thankful for, and there are many ways in which men and women in the military serve this country.

We ended the class by sharing about the people that we care about and their service to our country. Almost every student that walked through my door today had a family member or knew someone personally who is or was a member of the armed forces.

If you have any final thoughts, feel free to post them as comments here...

King Nebuchadnezzar II

We began class today with a discussion about King Nebuchadnezzar II. Students should know that he ruled during the New Babylonian Empire and rebuilt the city of Babylon after the Assyrians destroyed it. He is famous for creating the hanging gardens of Babylon...

Feel free to research the hanging gardens of Babylon and post a link to a good website as a comment to this post. If you feel confident, you can bring it up in class tomorrow.

We also spend a little more time working on our maps of the Modern Middle East. All students should have completed their maps before leaving class today. You can get additional copies of the map from the MAPS! tab of my teacher's page and play the game that I linked on my page.

Remember, there will be a map quiz on Tuesday of next week!

Can you beat my time of 1:06.98? I challenge you all!

Sorting Out the Fertile Crescent Empires...

Using the Smart Board, students had to sort out a variety of 'traits' regarding the four empires that we have been studying. Hopefully, this showed the students that they need to study in order to be prepared for the next assessment; at the same time, it served as a review. All students should have a completed graphic organizer by this point which describes them in depth.

Students were also provided with another map. Students will be quizzed on the countries of the modern Middle East on Tuesday of next week. Most periods were given some class time to begin identifying the countries. We will be reviewing the map, in class, later this week. Please note that additional copies of the map can be downloaded from the Maps! tab of my teacher's page. There are also some interactive games there which can be used for studying.

My second period class had more time to work on their maps than the others due to some technical difficulties. I will make sure that you all get the chance to try out the empire sorting in class tomorrow!

So far, I only had one person post a description of a wiki. Is there anyone else out there who has a thought?

The Strengths of the Assyrian Empire

Today we began by talking about the strengths of the Assyrian Empire.

1. They were great warriors...
2. They invented tools for battle like armor and the battering ram...
3. They focused on learning and gathered information in a large library...
4. They also focused on offense as their best method of defense...

We will continue to talk about the Fertile Crescent Empires in the coming days. I think we will be finishing this unit right before the Thanksgiving break. By the end of the week I want to talk about using my classroom wiki for creating a study guide for the test. You can expect that on Thursday or Friday of this week!

What is a wiki? If you think you know, you can post a comment here.

Have a great night, and I will see you tomorrow...

End of Marking Period One

Congratulations! You have made it through the first quarter as a middle school student. I can honestly say that this is quarter flew by faster than any other before.

Overall, there were a lot of very high grades in my social studies classes. Unfortunately, not everyone was successful this quarter. It is important to know that we have a long way to go this year, and none of you can be counted out. I hope you are all ready to work hard, as the second quarter will probably go by faster than the first!

While students worked in groups today, I took some time to go over grades with a few students who were on the borderline between one grade and the next as well as those who still owed me some assignments. I did not get a chance to meet with every student, but I think that I have addressed all of those who were in need. I will be finalizing my grades this weekend and the book is now closed for most students.

On Monday, we will continue to discuss the Fertile Crescent Empires. Please bring your graphic organizers and be ready to finish them in class on Monday. Have a great weekend!

Mesopotamian Empires

There are three Mesopotamian Empires that we will be studying in class over the next few days. They are: Babylonia (broken down into the Old and the New), Assyria, and Persia. Today students were provided with a graphic organizer that they will use to sort information about the empires. Although they are working in small groups, each student is required to take notes for themselves. Tomorrow they will be given class time to finish reading and compiling notes. If time permits, we will begin to discuss the empires.

Students, please feel free to post comments and/or questions...

Great Sentences

Today we continued to focus on the new vocabulary. Here are a few sample sentences that my classes came up with for the words:

1. The United Kingdom’s empire stretched from Africa to UK and Western Canada.
2. The people of Babylon, the capital of the Babylonian Empire, had great wealth and lived luxurious lives.
3. Caravans could travel to colder climates once they discovered how to use fire. As the caravan of camels traveled, they stopped at an oasis.
4. The bazaar we visited carried all types of goods including: food, cloth, pottery, and other household materials.
5. The Persian Empire practiced a religion called Zoroastrianism and were monotheistic (worshipped only one god).

We discussed the qualities which make a good sentence and the ways that students can prove mastery of vocabulary.

Do you think that you have a great sentence? Feel free to post a comment with one of your sentences...

Vocabulary 2.2 (Continued...)

House Activity: At the start of the day (on Friday), all students participated in the House Scarecrow Contest. My house created an "Muhl-Athlete" scarecrow featuring a track/cross country uniform. It was really cool to walk around the school and see all of the different scarecrows. What a way to start the day!

We had short periods, for the most part, so most classes were able to use the time to finish up their vocabulary worksheets. We will spend the period discussing them on Monday. We also have to dedicate a few minutes to voting for student council. I did collect maps on Friday, but I am probably not going to have time to enter the grades this weekend. If you still owe me something, I will still accept it on Monday.

For those of you who celebrate Halloween, make sure that you do so safely! I hope you all are enjoying this really nice weekend...

Vocabulary 2.2

We began class today with a discussion about Sumerian city-states. When describing them, there are several different perspectives. Some students chose to write about them from a geographic standpoint, some focused on the physical make-up of the city, and yet others looked at the features that made them city-states. Either way, we all agreed that there are several possible responses.

We also took some time to begin thinking about a new set of vocabulary words:

empire (em pyr) n. many territories and peoples controlled by one government

Babylon (bab uh lahn) n. the capital of Babylonia; a city of great wealth and luxury

caravan (ka ruh van) n. a group of traders traveling together

bazaar (buh zahr) n. a market selling different kinds of goods

battering ram (bat ur ing ram) n. a powerful weapon with a wooden beam mounted on wheels

We will continue talking about these words in class tomorrow, but if you have any questions or comments please comment here.

Fertile Crescent Day 2

Today, students were given time to continue working on their maps of the Fertile Crescent. This was the last time we will be working on the map in class. I will collect the maps tomorrow from those who did not finish today. It is the responsibility of the student to complete the assignment if they were not able to get in finished in class. These maps will likely be the last grade of the first marking period.

Any student who owes me anything should be sure to get it turned in this week! There are still a few students who were absent when we completed the unit one assessment; it is their responsibility to see me for a pass to come to my room for lunch or 9th period to finish it up. There are also several students who were given alternative assignments which will be due on Friday of this week.

There will be NO extra credit given this marking period. I have accepted work late, gave students the opportunity to take retakes of assessments and quizzes, and have reminded them relentlessly. There are two days left to take care of getting caught up. Please post a comment here, send me an email, or see me in person if there are any questions.

Map of the Fertile Crescent (and surroundings)

Students spent the period today labeling and coloring a map of the Fertile Crescent (and the surrounding areas). They should be familiar with many places as well as the surrounding bodies of water. We will spend some more time in class working on the map tomorrow.

While students were working, I took the time to meet with each student individually to review their notebooks. Students are expected to keep a notebook or binder and are evaluated based on a rubric that I shared with them well in advance. I have a few more to evaluate so grades will probably not be entered until sometime tomorrow.

Intro to Sumer

Here are the three important concepts that you should be familiar with:

1. The Geography of Mesopotamia...
2. The Make-Up of Sumerian Cities...
3. The Sumerian Religion...

Mesopotamia is an area located within the Fertile Crescent which is known for its proximity to the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. It has great soil for growing crops and is located near the Persian Gulf which can be used to support commerce (or trade).

Sumer was NOT a city-state; it was a region made up of several city-states. Sumerian city-states had their own governments, armies, gods/goddesses, kings, and were completely independent of each other.

In the center of a Sumerian city-state, you would find a ziggurat. The people were polytheistic and practiced many rituals and customs as a part of their religion.

Any questions?

Remember: I will be checking notebooks in class tomorrow!

Friday's Class

I didn't forget to post! I just had a ton of stuff going on this weekend. Anyway, in class on Friday, we spent some more time finishing up our vocabulary discussion. In most periods we got started with a BDA, but most did not get too far. On Monday, we will wrap that up and have a brief discussion regarding the key concepts of the section. I am thinking that we will do a mapping activity on Tuesday which will give me time to do a quick notebook check.

By then, you should have 4 BDA exercises, 4 vocabulary sheets, 1 map, 1 other handout (regarding the Old, Middle, and New Stone Age), along with a whole lot of QODs. I made it clear at the beginning of the year that you would need to keep an organized notebook with all of your notes and handouts. All maps that I give out should be kept for the duration of the year and all other assignments can be disposed of quarterly (but not until I tell you).

Also, remember that if you did poorly on the section one assessment, you can see me for another assignment which I will average with your grade. That alternate assessment will be due by the end of the day on Friday, October 29, 2010.

Vocabulary Review 2.1

Today we took some time to make sure that everyone understood all of the vocabulary terms. The terms that we are focusing on at this point are: scribe, Fertile Crescent, city-state, myth, and polytheistic. Most of the time today was dedicated to the term city-state. If you need to refresh your memory, feel free to check out the post from last night.

In most of the classes, I collected the vocabulary sheets. There were a few classes that ended abruptly and therefore I didn't have the time needed to collect them. I will collect them tomorrow so that I can enter grades this weekend.

Tomorrow, we will begin our BDA of chapter two section one. If there are any questions about the vocabulary, please post a comment.

GO PHILLIES!

City-States

Today we continued our discussion regarding the Fertile Crescent. We talked about the physical features present in and around Mesopotamia. We also focused on the area surrounding the Fertile Crescent and the reasons why those areas were so hard to live in. Finally, students were given time in class to complete their vocabulary sheets which will be collected at the start of class tomorrow.

It has come to my attention that students are struggling with the concept of a city-state. It really is an unusual concept to grasp and I am not surprised that many are having a hard time understanding the concept. We will talk more about this in class tomorrow, but I will also take some time to try and explain here on the blog.

A city-state is like a very small country, with just one city in it. Basically, it is self-governing and there are no higher levels of government above it (it runs solely on the the local level). There are actually some city-states that exist in the world today: Vatican City, Singapore, and Monaco are all examples. In my opinion, those are the only true city-states. There are arguments which could be made for more, but I don't think that they are true city-states. The closest to a city-state that we have in the United States is Washington D.C., but that is considered a federally-administered city which means that there are aspects of it which fall under the authority of our national government.

Confused yet? Post more questions or anything else at all...

Introduction to the Fertile Crescent

What in the world is a fertile crescent?

We spent part of class today discussing why this area is referred to in this unusual way. We talked about what it means to be a crescent. We looked at some pictures of a 'crescent' moon, as well as a 'crescent' roll. We talked about fertile as meaning able to support life. We looked at the Middle East on Google Earth on the Smart Board which was informative because we could see all of the 'green' in the areas surrounding the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. It was evident that there were many 'pull' factors in that region. We also looked at the Syrian Desert (just to the south of Iraq) and were able to see the barren land not able to support life on its own. Hopefully, everyone now understands why the Fertile Crescent is often referred to as the 'birthplace' of civilization.

Students were also given a new vocabulary sheet (2.1). We spent about ten minutes working on that before the period ended. Tomorrow we will start class right there...

If you have any questions, post them here...

Transition to Unit Two

Now that we have completed unit one, we will begin our study of the Fertile Crescent. The first thing that we needed to do was to select new groups. Groups were assigned randomly (three or four students per group). We will remain in these groups for the duration of this unit.

We also took some time to review the assessment from Friday. There were a few groups who didn't do as well as I would have liked, and it will be up to them to come and talk to me within the next few days regarding improving their grades. Feel free to stop by at lunch or during 9th period study hall.

Start thinking about the phrase 'Fertile Crescent' before class tomorrow...What do you think it means?

Unit One Assessment

Well, I have finished grading all of the assessments which were taken in class on Friday. With the exception of one group during seventh period, I am not surprised at the results. Overall, you guys did a good job! There were a lot of scores 80% and above and very few below 65%.

Here is the breakdown:
Period 1: 100, 100, 91, 85, 85, 63; (Class Average: 87%)
Period 2: 100, 97, 94, 82, 58, 53; (Class Average: 81%)
Period 3: 100, 97, 94, 94, 92, 91, 81, 74; (Class Average: 86%)
Period 6: 100, 97, 97, 94, 75, 75, 67; (Class Average: 86%)
Period 7: 100, 94, 91, 91, 83, 78, 69, 61; (Class Average: 83%)
Period 8: 89, 89, 81, 81, 78; (Class Average: 84%)

Take this time to post your thoughts. What did you think of the assessment? What did you like? What didn't you like? What can we try to do differently next time? If you are thinking it, someone else is probably thinking it too! Speak up and maybe you will help make things better...

Assessment Tomorrow...

Reminder: Everyone should be doing some sort of studying for the assessment being given in class tomorrow. Everyone should have a study guide by this point and know exactly what will be required. I will keep this short tonight--Post any last minute questions!

The Growth of Cities and Civilization Part II

We began class by talking a little bit about geographical 'pull' factors. A pull factor is something that draws people to a particular area. For instance, in ancient civilizations people were drawn to areas that were close to water. One of the early cities we talked about briefly was Ur which was located in modern-day Iraq near the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. A push factor would be something that pushes people away from an area. Examples of that could be harsh climates, rocky soil, or the presence of dangerous wild animals or predators. Any questions?

Students were then given a little bit of time to prepare a short group presentation. Most groups did not finish, therefore the presentations will take place at the start of class tomorrow. The rest of tomorrow's class will be dedicated to reviewing for the Friday's group assessment. I will post the study guide on Thursday.

The Growth of Cities and Civilization

Today students had time to read within their groups and formulate questions to check for understanding. The areas which were focused on were: the growth of cities, the beginning of civilization, and the social class system. By this point, all students should be able to describe these concepts. Select one of these concepts and write a brief description as a comment to this post.

Tomorrow, we will discuss the concepts and move toward our first major assessment (Friday). On Thursday of this week, we will spend the period reviewing all of the key concepts and terms from this unit. I will also post the list here.

Friday's Class

In periods 1, 2, and 3, we were able to discuss the vocabulary terms a bit more and exchange vocabulary sheets to give each other feedback. I really like taking the time to do these types of things because it helps us to see how others view our work.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to hang in for periods 6, 7, and 8. I was a victim of the 'stomach bug' which took over my day and led me to go home early. For that reason, I am keeping this post short. I will make sure I get thinks back on the right track on TUESDAY! Yes, Tuesday...

Enjoy your long weekend...

Population Growth

Today we began by discussing the rapid population growth which occurred between A.D. 1700 and A.D. 2000. A few of the reasons we think the population grew were:

1. Growth of Farming - People had a surplus of food, thus allowing them to have more children; furthermore, they needed a lot of people to work on the farms so having kids provided them with free or cheap labor.
2. Technology - People were able to use more advanced tools and weapons which made their lives easier and helped them to live longer lives.
3. Medicine - Medicine allowed people to fight off disease which caused an increase in the life expectancy.

Feel free to post more if you can think of them, but make sure you explain...

I also collected the last vocabulary assignment and began to discuss the new terms. Tomorrow in class, we will finish discussing the new terms and students will have the opportunity to assess each others work on the last vocabulary sheet.

I am now thinking I will need a little more time to prepare for that first test. Expect a review session on Thursday and the test itself on Friday of next week.

Vocabulary 1.3

We started off today by looking at a graph. The graph depicted the growth of human population throughout time. It was really interesting that the population grew very slowly for most of history and then began to grow very rapidly in recent history. Why do you think that happened? What do you think caused that change? Post your thoughts here...

We also spent a decent amount of time working with five more vocabulary words: Surplus, Social Classes, Civilization, Irrigation, and Artisan. Tomorrow we will continue working with those words by having a peer-review session.

Test Update: It looks like we will be ready to have a review session on Tuesday of next week and follow that up with the test on Wednesday.

Classroom Discussion and the Stone Age

Let me start by saying how happy I was with the discussions which occurred in all of my classes today. I wanted to try some new discussion formats and I was very impressed with what happened today. The topics that we discussed were: Stone Age Culture, Importance of Fire, Hunting-Gathering versus Farming, and the Domestication of Plants and Animals.

In periods 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7 there were discussion leaders who were in charge of keeping the class on task and facilitating the discussion. This worked well! Most students demonstrated their understanding of these key concepts and any weaknesses became evident. This gave me the opportunity to reteach; I was able to spend some more time talking about the domestication of plants which seemed to be the topic most students were confused about today. If there are any more questions, feel free to comment here and I will try my best to answer them.

I tried a different approach in period 8. Basically, I divided the class into four groups and each group was to on focus on one of the above-mentioned topics. I gave groups 15 minutes to meet and come up with a 2 minute presentation about their topic. This worked well too.

Heads Up: I am thinking we will be ready for a 'test' sometime next week! Don't worry too much, more details will follow in the coming days.

The Internet and Communication

For those of you reading this and thinking, what in the world is this guy talking about, this is for a graduate class that I am taking...

The question is, how has the internet (and blogging) changed the way teachers communicate with students and parents? Those of you who are regulars here know the answer to that question. Blogs help the teacher reach their audience at all times. For instance, my students check out my blog when they are absent and can see what they missed. Students can post questions on the blog or become engaged in a discussion about all sorts of topics. Parents are able to stay informed as to what their children are learning in class and become more involved in their education. Overall, using a blog as an educational tool has made me a better teacher and provided my students with greater opportunities.

Students: How do you use my blog? How do your parents use it?

What do you guys think? Post your comments...

Catching Up

The Stone Age...

Students should be able to describe the three parts of the Stone Age: Old, Middle, and New. I will collect the 'tables' that they created in class today at the start of class tomorrow for grading. If they did not finish it in class, it is their responsibility to get it done before they see me tomorrow.

We will also begin to discuss the BDA questions from Chapter 1, Section 2, in class tomorrow. There will be only one more section before we have our first test.

All grades for the last map quiz (10/01/10) have been entered in to the computer and will be given back to students in class on Tuesday. Any student who did poorly can see me about arranging a retake.

See you tomorrow!

Discussion Question #3

How do you think your life would be different if you lived in the Stone Age? Give specific details as to how your life would be better or worse. Remember, part of your answer is based on your opinion; thus, there are no right or wrong answers!

Prehistory Preview

Today we took a look at section two of chapter one in our text. We are starting to think more about prehistory. Tomorrow we will begin a more in-depth look at the following topics: 'inventing' fire, the Stone Age, early farming, and the domestication of plants and animals.

Tomorrow we will have a special guest teacher. Mr. Weiss, a good friend of mine and fellow teacher, will be filling in for me as I have the funeral of a family member that I must attend. Mr. Weiss is somewhat of an amateur archaeologist himself and has been credited with finding several interesting Civil War era artifacts. I trust that my students will be well-behaved and treat Mr. Weiss with the respect he deserves.

Since I will not be in class tomorrow, I will be sure to post a discussion question that can be commented on here. Check back after school tomorrow! Have a great weekend and I hope you all have done well on the continents/oceans map quiz...

The Smokin' Gun

House-Today we had a one-hour delay schedule which allowed us time to meet as a house and create a house banner. My house used a variety of artistic images and photographs to decorate our banner. Although we did not have enough time to finish, I am happy with the progress that we made.

In social studies class, we finished discussing the new vocabulary by talking about evidence. Evidence is the 'proof' that scientists (and social scientists) use to make predictions and answer questions about the past. We spoke about the role evidence can play in a trial and compared that to artifacts which help us to understand prehistory. After all, prehistory is the time before written records were kept; without evidence we wouldn't know anything!

Tomorrow we will spend the period completing a BDA Reading Activity in groups. Friday will be the date of our first map quiz. By this point, maps should all be labeled and all students should be able to identify the continents and oceans.

What would you NEED to survive?

Question of the Day: Make a list of 5 to 10 things that you would need to survive. We discussed this topic as a class and determined the following would be most important: food, water, fire, wood or stone for tools/weapons, and shelter. We discussed this topic to set up for learning about the stone age. I want students to understand what is really needed for survival and separate that from needs and wants. It is important to realize that there are many 'things' that we all think we need, but really aren't all that important. If you can think of something else that you NEED, please feel free to post and explain!

Vocabulary: I collected the Chapter 1, Section 2, vocabulary sheets and we discussed the meanings/uses of the following words: hominid, domesticate, nomad, and stone age. We will finish discussing vocabulary words tomorrow and then move on to reading the section. Students should be able to distinguish the three 'parts' of the stone age from one another by the end of the week.

Don't forget to study for the map quiz---FRIDAY!

Vocabulary Work Session

Wow! It was hot in my room today. I want to thank everyone for working hard despite the terrible conditions. Today was primarily used for a group work session. Students were to complete their vocabulary sheet (Chapter 1, Section 2) and identify all of the continents and oceans on their world maps. Students will take a quiz on Friday pertaining to the map. Although there is no homework for my class, students should be studying!

Additional copies of the map may be downloaded from my teacher's page.

Footprints

Were there people on Earth 3.5 million years ago? Today, we looked at a picture of a rock which has been estimated at more than 3 million years old. The coolest thing of all was the footprints. Who made them? How did they last this long? What can we tell about the 'hominid' who made them?

We discussed all of the clues left behind and used the rock as yet another example of how geography and history are related.

I also distributed the second vocab sheet of the year which pertains to chapter one, section two, of the text. The key terms are: hominid, domesticate, nomad, evidence, farming, and Stone Age. Students were given about twenty minutes of class time to work with their groups on both that and their first map. We will pick up there on Monday.

MAP QUIZ NUMBER ONE (CONTINENTS/OCEANS) WILL BE NEXT FRIDAY!!

Geography at Home

The first part of class today was dedicated to making connections between geography and the community. Students were given time to think and write about the ways that geography affects their community. We talked about topics like: climate, migration (movement), language (culture), and even the types of food we eat! I think we all truly were able to recognize the importance of geography on our own lives.

I also distributed the first 'practice' map which will be quizzed toward the end of next week (Thursday or Friday). All students should be able to identify the following continents and bodies of water: North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, Antarctica, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean, and Southern Ocean. I think it is very important that students become geographically literate while studying world history. It will help them be able to make connections and see the importance of events that have shaped the history of the world.

Discussion Question #2

What is more important - 1. the feelings/traditions of people (Native Americans for example), or 2. the science that shapes history?

Answer the question by commenting on the blog and use specific examples. Feel free to discuss the 'Kennewick Man' here, or any other examples that you can think of with regard to the topic. Remember, this is opinion based! There are no right or wrong answers...

Enjoy!

Kennewick Man

We watched a really cool video in class today (periods 1, 2, and 3 only). It featured the discovery of the 'Kennewick Man' who has been dated at nearly 9,000 years old. It has changed the viewpoint of many in terms of immigration/migration to the United States. There is a lot of controversy surrounding this and we had a really good discussion. I will post the focus question under a seperate post later today in an attempt to help extend that conversation.

Important Topics Discussed: Archaeology, Anthropolicy, Carbon 14 Dating, Migration, and Tradition.

Have a great rest of the day!

The Relationship between Geography and History

Geography is the study of the Earth's surface and the processes that shape it.

History is the study of the recorded past.

Geography impacts history because the processes that shape the Earth cause changes which are then recorded. Examples could be global warming, natural disasters, the water cycle, or physical changes (such as earthquakes and volcanoes).

I will require the students to write a one paragraph essay about this topic within the next few weeks.

In class, we also talked about the blog some and how the blog could be useful if someone is absent, has a 'burning' question, or wants to review.

Any questions or comments?

Oral Traditions and Chapter 1, Section 1

Today we began by discussing the importance of oral traditions to various different cultures. I wanted the students to see that we (residents of the United States) typically view oral traditions differently than residents of other countries around the world. For instance, countries with low literacy rates, or longer histories than the United States, may place a greater value on oral traditions simply because that is all that they have. We don't often think of ourselves as being a 'young' country, but in the grand scheme of things we are very young. This influences our viewpoints on a lot of things.

We also spent some time reading chapter one, section one, of the text. Students were to preview pages 6 to 9, write three questions in anticipation of the reading, and begin a group discussion about the material. We will pick up there tomorrow!

Discussion Question #1

The question came up in class today: Is it human nature to judge people based on their looks or the clothes that they wear? Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Share your thoughts and comments here... Feel free to share your experiences!

What does human nature mean anyway?

Otzi Discussion/Video

Today we read about Otzi, otherwise known as the Ice Man. We also watched a short 6 or 7 minute video showing his remains and the artifacts found with him. We had an interesting discussion about him based on those remains and listened to some theories about who he was and what he was doing at the time of his death. We were also able to watch the scientists perform an archaeological experiment.

We also spent some time discussing the before, during, and after reading strategy which will be used in this class. We will use this for the first time on Monday. I decided to alter my plans a little bit because I felt it made more sense to talk about the Ice Man first.

Finally, we talked about notebook checks. I will look at students notebooks from time to time (my goal is twice a quarter) and I will focus on the following contents: Questions of the Day, BDA Reading Notes, Maps, and Notes/Handouts. All students should have a notebook/binder in which they keep everything organized by date.

Archeaology

Today we began class by making a list of the 'things' an archaeologist would be interested in examining. Some of the following were answers given in class: bones, bodies, pottery, tools, artwork, textiles, structures (like buildings and houses), and toys. The purpose of archaeology is to learn about people (from the past) based on what they have left behind. To help see how it works, I distributed a few items to the students and we imagined that we were archaeologists and found the items. They were simple items, like: traffic cones, a track baton, pencils, a small stone pyramid, and a tennis ball. It was interesting how we looked at these items and were able to find all kinds of uses and potential purposes. Archaeology involves a lot of guess-work but in some cases it is all that we have to learn about the past. We also took some time to look at some of the bags students brought with for their English bag speeches (those who have Mr. Bezler) and we were able to see what we could learn about individuals based on the items they had with them.

Tomorrow we will begin our first in class reading assignment in groups. Make sure that you have your books!

Community

Today, we talked about the word community as an introduction to class. A community is a a group of people (or a population) who live in the same area and share a common interest. We talked about what makes a community, how communities have changed over time, and we even described our own communities. Although almost everyone had a slightly different definition, in the end they were all the same.

We also discussed the design of the class. There will be vocabulary exercises which I created to help student understand new terms as opposed to memorizing and forgetting after a test. We will also have reading activities which will be done using the BDA reading strategy (before, during, and after reading) and projects along the way.

The words we discussed today were: history, pre-history, and archeologist. All students should understand the meaning of those three words at this point.

First Vocabulary Assignment

Today, students were given their first vocabulary assignment for the year. They were provided a 'table' with three columns and several rows. In the first column the vocabulary terms are listed. The terms are to be defined in the second column and 'applied' in the third. They were permitted to work in small groups today.

Before they were given the assignment, we discussed the meaning of the word 'migration.' All students should have defined that term in their social studies notebooks. We also discussed my rules for working in groups: 1. Be Quiet (students should be speaking in an appropriate tone), 2. Be Respectful (no making fun of anyone or disrespectful language), 3. Be on task (stay focused on the assignment), and Stop and Go (those are the commands that I use to communicate with the class during a group assignment).

Tomorrow, students will be given a little time to complete their vocabulary assignment and then we will begin our vocabulary discussion.

Migration!

The term migration came up in class today. Here is a definition that I found online:

Human migration is physical movement by humans from one area to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups. The movement of populations in modern times has continued under the form of both voluntary migration within one's region, country, or beyond, and involuntary migration (which includes the slave trade, Human traffic in human beings and ethnic cleansing). People who migrate are called migrants or more specifically, emigrants, immigrants, or settlers, depending on historical setting, circumstances and perspective.

What are your comments? Is there anything that you don't agree with in this definition? Are you confused? Give me feedback...

Masters of the Map

Today in class, we began with a MAP MASTER activity (page 5) as our question of the day. Students needed to analyze a map titled: The Migration of Early Humans. We specifically talked about the importance of the map title, map key, and any captions that accompany the map. The title helps you to see what it is you are looking at, the key helps you to determine the meaning of symbols and colors, and the caption gives you a little bit of background.

Quizzes were returned to students today and we discussed the format for our vocabulary assignments.

5 Themes of Social Studies Quiz

Today, students took a five question quiz about the five themes of social studies. Most students finished it in a minute or less. Is that a good sign or a bad sign? Grades will be in the gradebook and returned to students Monday morning.

Before taking the quiz, we talked about my test taking rules and expectations. I expect students to sit quietly with their eyes on their own paper at all times. That is simple enough, and I think everyone understood.

Last, we had a simple classroom meeting which gave us the opportunity to share our middle school experiences after the first two weeks of school. We will have classroom meetings regularly this year and this one was for practice. I will update everyone on classroom meetings as the year goes on.

Cave Painting

In class today we looked at a photograph of a cave painting (pages 4 and 5 of the text) and made some inferences. Inferences are like educated guesses that we make, using logic, based on what we know. We were able to see the photograph through the eyes of a geographer, political scientist, behavioral scientist, historian, and even as an economist. This helped us to reinforce the definitions that we made for the new social studies vocabulary. I hope you are all ready for the quiz tomorrow!

It was really nice to meet all of the parents at open house tonight. Even though it is a late night for me, I really appreciating meeting your parents and interacting with them. Even though I was a little bit nervous, everything went well and they all seemed really nice...

Introducing Blogs!

In class today, we had a class discussion about blogs. Some students had an understanding of blogs before class, but all should have understood by the end of class today. A blog is simply an online (web) log of information about a particular topic. On this blog, you will find information pertaining to social studies class. We also talked about the uses of blogs and the main use we discussed was communication. Communication is key to learning and therefore this blog is very important.

We also discussed the definitions we wrote on Tuesday and students were to copy them into their social studies notebooks. There will be a very short quiz on those five terms on Friday of this week!

What is social studies?

In class today, we spent a great deal of time thinking and talking about the components of social studies. I shared that there are five 'themes,' or categories, of social studies. They are: History, Geography, Political Science, Economics, and Behavioral Science. In the form of a group activity, we defined these five terms. I compiled the definitions recorded by all six periods and came up with the following:

History: The study of all recorded events from the past .

Geography: The study of Earth and its processes along with the ways in which people interact with it.

Political Science: The study of the principles and conduct of government and politics.

Economics: The study of trade, money, and building a country’s strength by trade and industry, as well as the distribution and consumption of goods and wealth.

Behavioral Science: The study of people and the way they behave mentally and socially, as well as their interactions with others.

Welcome to a new year at the middle school!

I will be using this blog to communicate with students and parents outside of the traditional classroom. I encourage that questions and comments about the information shared be posted to the blog as a comment. The goals are to include everyone in my classes and create a greater community of learning. I will post regularly throughout the year so check back frequently!

Thanks,
Mr. Winand

Making My Blog Better

Welcome ED 585 students! For a couple months, I attempted to incorporate a blog into my social studies classes. Basically, I posted an open-ended type question each week and allowed students to comment on my post. I think it worked well, but I know it needs to be improved. Please feel free to look back at past weeks and comment to this post with your comments. I really want to make this better. We can also talk about it as part of the discussion on Monday. Thanks for all of your help!

Blog Suspended

I will not require any additional posts to my blog this school year. Anyone who has already posted will receive extra credit.

Ruling an Empire

According to the text, the Romans benefited from not forcing their way of life on conquered people. In your own words, what does that mean? Had they forced their way of life on others, what may have happened? Write a paragraph (about 100) about these topics and post them to the blog.

Geographical Advantages of Rome

In class we discussed the geographical advantages of Rome. Those mentioned in class were: 1. proximity to water, 2. fertile soil, and 3. presence of mountains and hills. In your post, explain why one of those three factors was so important using specific details. For instance, why was proximity to water so important? Then, I want you to list and describe a few (at least two) geographic advantages of where you live. Your post should be around one hundred words.

Ancient Rome Online

Take a look at the website linked in this post (click on the title above). You may select any of the topics listed on the site to write a paragraph of your own. You should write a summary of the section that you have selected, but you MAY NOT COPY from the website or from someone else. Your paragraph should be roughly 100 words long and you must give it a title.

If you do not follow the directions, you will not get credit for your post; remember that this will count toward your grade in the 4th quarter!

Now Mandatory: 4th Quarter

The 4th quarter officially starts on Wednesday of this week. However, the 4th quarter will begin in social studies class on Tuesday. That said, all students will now be required to post on this blog at least twice this marking period. In order for your post to count, you must meet the expectations stated in my post. Don't wait until the last minute and remember that you can get a pass to come to the computer lab (room 100) during 9th period on days 1, 2, and 4 if you would like help or do not have access to the internet at home.

End of Marking Period

I have gone through all of the posts made this marking period and have awarded each student one point for each entry. This added up to as much as three points for certain students! Those that did not post really missed out on scoring some big points. Great job!

Ancient Rome

Now that we have finished the unit on ancient Greece, we are about to begin studying ancient Rome. Preview chapter eight in your textbook and post a list of five things that look interesting to you. There is no minimum or maximum number of words necessary for this post, but you should have a numbered list (1-5) with a complete sentences for each when you post.

Current Events

Use the Reading Eagle, or www.readingeagle.com, to select an article about a current event. Include the title, author, and publication date of the article that you selected along with a 100-200 word summary of the article. Include the reason(s) why you selected the article and describe why you think it is important. Use the format below to post:

Article Title
Author
Publication Date

Paragraph #1: Summary (100-200 Words)

Paragraph #2: Tell us why you selected the article and why you think it is important (100 words or less).

Podcast Commentary: Life in Sparta

I want to thank all of those who are participating on my blog. You can listen to my most recent podcast which summarizes the comments that you all made on my blog by clicking on the title above. Remember, there will be a new assignment posted later this weekend...
Thanks!

Growing up in Sparta...

After reading the section titled "Growing Up in Sparta" in your text (208-209), respond to one of the following questions:

1. How was growing up in ancient Sparta different from growing up in ancient Athens (198-201)? Be sure to use SPECIFIC details to support your answer.

2. How was growing up in ancient Sparta different from growing up in the United States today? Be sure to use specific details to support your answer.

All posts should be between 100 and 200 words.

Great Job!

I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for posting to my blog. Keep in mind that if you want to be awarded full credit, you must meet the criteria listed in the question (especially in terms of length). Make sure that you proof-read before posting; it is also a good idea to type in Notepad or Word first so that you can take advantage of the spellchecker and word counter.

I will post the next discussion question late on Sunday night...

Life in Ancient Greece

What do you think life would be like for YOU in ancient Greece? Be sure to include specific details and make reference to the concepts we have discussed in class. Don't forget to tell me why your life would be as you described. Incorporate current and past vocabulary terms in your post. Each post should be between 100 and 200 words in length.