Upcoming Test: 11/02/2011

On Wednesday of next week (11/02/2011) students in periods 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, and 8 will be given a test regarding the content of Unit 1 (Prehistory).  An interactive study guide can be found on my wiki and should be accessed in preperation for the test.  Please contact me immediately if you have any questions or concerns. 

What is social studies...

First, I need to apologize for not updating last night.  With all of the rain, flooding, leaking, and other problems that occurred, blogging just wasn't on my mind.

Yesterday, we discussed procedures including starting class, the QOD (Question of the Day), and various other instructional practices used in my class. 

Today, we began to explore the world of social studies.  We determined what the five themes of social studies are:  History, Geography, Political Science, Economics, and Behavioral Sciences.  In small groups, we began to define and explain those very important aspects.  Tomorrow we will continue to work on making our social studies webs and discussing these topics.

Is anyone watching President Obama's address?  What do you think?

So...

...who will be first to post on my blog?

In class today, we discussed several important topics.  First, we discussed what materials are needed for class (something to write with and a notebook/binder).  We also discussed class rules, important course topics, and the use of technology pertaining to this social studies class.  Please check out my teacher page for more information and remember to sign up for the wiki if you are permitted.  Remember to discuss the use of technology with your parents!

Any questions?  If you have one, post it here!

Welcome!

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome my newest group of students!  Our first week is now behind us and it is time that we start moving on toward the meat of this course.  I hope that you are willing to take the time to participate in both in the 'real' classroom and the virtual.  You will want to sign up for this blog, as well as my wiki, within this week so that you can get started.

Our major question for discussion will be:  What is social studies?  Feel free to leave your comment or respond to the comment of one of your classmates...

On to Rome...

Today students were given their first vocabulary sheet regarding Rome.  I will be giving more tomorrow.  The goal of this week will be to complete the sheets and review the new terms.  Once we are back from Spring Break, we will being our projects.  All groups will be required to complete the Roman Play Project as well as a Presentation.  We will discuss this more in the coming days.

Expanding Empire

We began class today by looking at a map which depicted the spread of the 'Greek' Empire under the direction of Alexander the Great.  The route he and his troops traveled took them through many different types of terrain and exposed them to different climates. 

Next, we focused on the final essential question:  How did the Greek culture spread and who was directly responsible for it?  The short answer is Alexander the Great and he did so by conquering other civilizations.  Now, you will have to expand on that!

Chapter 7, Section 3

Today in class, students read Chapter 7, Section 3, in their small learning groups and answered four reading check questions.  I have collected those questions and will enter them as a graded assignment.  Tomorrow we will discuss the section, review the questions, and begin to focus on the final essential question. 

I'm Back...

I am sorry that I have not been updating for the last few days.  My family and I are packing to move closer to the Muhlenberg area and it has been hectic!  I also had some late nights last week with my graduate class and giving a presentation to the school board.

My goal for this upcoming week is as follows:  Monday - focus on the final essential question and BDA; Tuesday - finish up discussing the essential question and BDA; Wednesday - review period in preparation for assessment; Thursday - assessment in class; Friday - Introduction to Rome. 

We will discuss this plan in class tomorrow!  Enjoy your Sunday night...

Loose Ends

Today we finished up what we didn't get completed in class yesterday.  By now, every student has watched the 'wife swap' video of the Spartans and Athenians.  We also were able to discuss the section via the three reading check questions. 

Yes, I am watching the Phillies and Mets right now!

Mixing it Up

Today and tomorrow will be a bit mixed up.  We are working to finish discussing the two essential questions.  I am thinking that we may be ready for an assessment on Friday of this week (or maybe early next week).  Check back for more details tomorrow!

Athenians v. Spartans

On Wednesday an Thursday of this week, we worked on comparing the Athenians and Spartans.  Here is what we came up with as a class:

Can you think of any others? 

In class on Friday, students had their final opportunity to give their extra credit presentations.  Honestly, I was surprised at how few students did them.  We spent the remaining time discussing current events such as:  1.  Recent events in Libya, 2.  Energy policy in the United States, and 3.  The long term effects of the Tsunami in Japan.  Feel free to post any questions about those topics here as well!

Guest Blogger - (Cameron)

For our Question of the Day, we talked about slavery in Greece. After that we worked in our groups and read about Sparta. We continued our characteristic maps of the Athenians and Spartans. Tomorrow, we will have the beginning of class to finish them. Remember that you must have at least ten facts for each city-state. For the rest of the period, we will go over the chart and make a class list. This will be a great study guide for the assessment!
-Cameron (:

Sparta and Athens

The first essential question that we will focus on involves comparing/contrasting the Spartans and Athenians.  Today we began to record the characteristics of the Athenians in our notebooks and tomorrow we will do the same for the Spartans.  By the end of the week, I hope that we are able to take those two lists and write a solid essay which answers the essential question.  We will also be discussing slavery in ancient Greece tomorrow.

Vocabulary Review

I know that today was a tough day for all of us; tomorrow will be better!  We took a breather today and some of us spent a lot of time reflecting on the past.  It is okay to have days like this once in awhile, but tomorrow is a new day and we need to move on.

Today we tried our best to finish up reviewing the vocabulary from sections 7.1 and 7.2, and I checked those sheets and gave credit to those who had them completed.  That will be the last grade for the third marking period.  Tomorrow we will begin to take a look at the text and read some parts of it in class.  We will also begin to explore the two essential questions.

My plan for the fourth quarter is to spend half of the time discussing ancient Rome and the rest of the time discussing Europe in the Middle Ages.  I will also fit in a mini-unit on Islam.

Have a good night, get some sleep tonight, and I will see you all tomorrow!

Weekend Discussion Question

Who was Geraldine Ferraro and why was she an important American figure?

Gender Roles

Today we discussed the interesting topic of gender roles in society. 

As we read, it was apparent that there were distinctly different roles for men and women in ancient Athens.  The men, had much more freedom and opportunities.  They were able to go to the Agora and spend time socializing with their friends, engaging in discussions regarding politics and philosophy, and even had some time to sit back and relax.

Meanwhile, the woman's place was in the home.  Basically, the women were responsible for doing anything and everything pertaining to the upkeep of the house, nurturing of the children, and were not permitted to venture out in public alone in most cases.  They were seen as vulnerable and it was thought that they needed to be protected.

Do we have gender roles in the American society today?  If so, can you describe them?  How have they changed over time?

Feel free to post any questions or comments that you may have!

Living in Ancient Greece

In some ways, life in ancient Greece wasn't too much different from life in the United States today.  Caution:  I am over-simplifing things by making that statement!  That being said, there were a lot of differences. 

In this part of the unit we will look at ancient Greece through the eyes of the Athenians and the Spartans.  People from each of these city-states had different priorities.  Those priorities will become a focus for us as we learn about their cultures.  Furthermore, we will look at the ways in which said Greek culture(s) spread around the world as well as the people who helped to make that happen.

Tomorrow we will resume reviewing the vocabulary terms from sections one and two and discuss the way in which we will move through the chapter.

Presentations Day 2

Today we continued with our presentations; tomorrow will be the LAST day.  Students who do not have their presentations complete by the end of class tomorrow will earn a zero for the presentation part of the grade (unless there are specific exceptions made).

Presentations

Today was the first day of presentations.  We will continue tomorrow and see how many we can fit in.  Make sure that you have everything submitted so that we can wrap these up.

See you in class tomorrow...

Disappointment...

Unfortunately, I have to deal with the fact that 69 of you did not submit your social studies projects on time.  I guess I will spend Monday having you call your parents one-by-one.  What did you do with all of the class time I gave you?  Do you care if you fail?  Think about that for a little...  Post your thoughts. 

Reminder

Remember, your projects are due on Friday by 11:59 PM!  Please, please, please do not plagiarize!  To date, seven people have turned in their projects and one of them has already been caught.  Trust me, it is not hard for me to determine who has done it and I can easily prove it.  A zero on this assignment will guarantee that you will fail the marking period, and I don't want to see that happen.  Let me know if you have any questions! 

What is a Prime Minister?

According to Merriem-Webster Dictionary, a Prime Minister is:  1.  The chief minister of a ruler or state. 2.The official head of a cabinet or ministry; especially, the chief executive of a parliamentary government.

In Greece, today, they have a parliamentary government with a Prime Minister; his name is George Papandreou. The Prime Minister serves a different role from that of the President of Greece, whose name is Karolos Papoulias.  While the President is the head of state, the Prime Minister is the head of government.

One thing that I think is interesting about Greece is that although it is a democracy it can function like a dictatorship. 

For more information, check out the following link which has a ton of information!


http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3395.htm

Back on track...sort of!

Well, we put the ancient Greece project behind us and today we began to think about chapter seven.  Today I handed out the two vocabulary sheets (7.1 and 7.2) and students had some time to work on those sheets today.  Unfortunately, I won't see many of my classes over the next few days because of PSSAs; therefore, my goal is to be able to discuss the terms on the sheet on Friday of this week.  There will be two essential questions and then it is off to Rome! 

Make sure you remember to bring your calculators to your homeroom for the next few day and get a good night sleep!

Also, don't forget that your raps/poems/songs are due electronically by Friday at the latest!

Annie

Last night, I was pleased to attend Muhlenberg Middle School's rendition of Annie.  I have to admit, Annie is NOT my favorite show (by far); but, the cast and crew made it an awesome experience.  I was happy to see my students singing and dancing on stage and having a great time doing it!  I am also very proud of the dedication that it took to put the show together.  There are so many valuable lessons that students can learn by performing in the arts which simply cannot be taught in the classroom.  I look forward to many more shows in the future and watching those students who performed last night blossom into even better actors in the future.  Keep up the good work MMS, your hard work is appreciated!

Mr. W

Final Work Day!

Today was the final day that students will be given the opportunity to spend class time working on their Greek character sketch assignments.  Every student should have researched, brainstormed, written a rough draft, and had peers review their work in class this week.  The final copy of the assignment is due electronically by Friday, March 18, 2011 at 11:59 PM.

There are three ways that this assignment can be submitted:  1.  Upload on my Wiki, 2.  Email, 3.  Flash Drive.  I suggest that all students submit their final copies by Thursday at the latest; if they wait until Friday, and they are not sure how to do it, they will not have the opportunity to ask me for assistance in school. 

Please make sure that you proof-read thouroughly and upload the assignment timely.  If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask by posting a comment or asking me in person early next week.

Have a great weekend!

BrAiNsToRm

Due today:  Brainstorm!  By the end of class today, all students should have showed me their note cards with 20-25 details about the person they have been researching.  Tomorrow, they will have time to work on a rough draft and spend some time reviewing each others work.  It is my goal that they will have their rough drafts complete by the end of this week.  I am contemplating giving students one week from Friday to turn in an electronic copy of their final product (I will post my final decision later this week).  With PSSA testing next week, I am not sure how often we will meet as a class.  Nevertheless, students should be able to get their final copies in to me by the end of the week (next week).  Please let me know if you run into any problems or need any help!

Greek Mythology Raps/Poems/Songs (Guest Blogger - Brad K.)

Today in Class we worked on our Greek Mythology projects. We started, and some of us finished, our Brainstorming and came up with around 25 facts about our gods/goddesses or monsters. Starting tomorrow we will start writing our projects using the 25 facts we have on our notecards. Some quick ideas to help... Use characteristics of your God/Goddess or Monster in whatever you are going to do for your prohect and maybe interpert where he lives/where he came from/and what he does in your project. If you have any more suggestions (Most likely MacK and Cam will) post them as comments for others to read them to make their projects better.

Caption: Thesues Kills The Minotaur by slicing his head off with his sword.

Great Job Brad!  Thanks for being my guest blogger!

Presentation Topics

In class today, students were able to pick topics for their research projects on people from ancient Greece.  They were able to pick from gods/goddesses, philosophers, scientists, mathematicians, political figures, writers, and even mythical creatures. 

Step two of the project will include compiling some information on the figures that they chose and creating a 'brainstorm' card.  Tomorrow will be a work session, so students should come prepared with any documents that they found on their own.  I do have plenty of information in my classroom as well as two computers which they may use as needed.

Have a great night; I will see you all tomorrow!

Ancient Greece Project

Today I introduced the ancient Greece project that we will begin working on this Monday.  Students will be expected to research a person (or diety) from ancient Greece and complete a creative writing assignment.  Students will be encouraged to create a song, rap, or poem pertaining to their 'character' and present their final product to the class.  What I would really like to do is create a book of 'projects' for each class that I teach and perhaps have a 'best of' book' printed and bound to be on display at our district learning fair.  It is going to be very important that students keep pace during this long term assignment.

Feel free to post any comments or questions...

For more information, visit my wiki and click on the Greece Project tab or click on the link below:

http://mrwinandsclass.wikispaces.com/Ancient+Greece+Project

Guest Blogger (MacK)

Today in class we spent time on writing an essay. The students were asked to write about a conflict in the epics, Iliad and Odyssey. The kids had to describe one conflict that included the characters involved. The students then had to explain how the conflict was resolved. Tomorrow in class we will congratulate MacK on how well she posted for me this evening. She made it look professional. I hope you have a great night.

Thanks, MacK, for filling in for me.  Anyone who wants to be a guest blogger should talk to me in class and I will arrange it.  It worked out well tonight because I am only getting home now and it is 10:24!  Thanks again...

Isn't Paris a Girls Name?

Wow!  I can't believe we were able to finish reading the epics today...  Be ready for tomorrow; you will have time to write your essays in class and hopefully you will do well.  It should be an easy grade for all of you so come ready to write...

If you  have any questions about the conflicts we read about, be prepared to ask me at the beginning of class.  Once you get started, I will not be answering any questions about the story. 

Thank you, and have a great night!

Are you there MacK?

An Epic Story

Today we began reading an age-appropriate summary of Iliad and Odyssey.  It will take us two or three class periods to finish reading it at which time students will write an essay about conflict.  I introduced the concept of conflict as a problem that arises between two or more people or groups of people.  A conflict can also arise between a person and himself/herself.

Conflict is something that has happened throughout history and have characterized change throughout time.  Conflicts ranging from wars to simple disputes have shaped history and therefore it is a central theme of my class.

Unit One Assessment

Today students took the unit one assessment in their small learning groups.  Although I have not yet finished grading them, it seems that many groups did well.  Others, however, did quite poorly.  I will be giving them back on Monday in class. 

We will spend Monday and Tuesday of next week talking about the Trojan War and the rest of the week we will spend working on a character sketch project.  More details will follow next week...

Greece Assessment #1 Tomorrow/Essential Question #4

All students were given a study guide which can also be found on my wiki.  See the graphic below to help with essential question number four!  Let me know if there are any questions...

Map Quiz

In class today, students took a map quiz which included some of the countries of Europe.  They were given their map approximately ten days ago and reminded to study several times.  Some did, and some did not.  When they were finished with the quiz, they were given an additional copy of the map along with a list with more countries to study.  The next quiz will be given in a week from tomorrow.

There is a group assessment on Friday of this week and all students are encouraged to participate in the online wiki study guide.  

Please post any questions or comments pertaining to that assessment here and be prepared to spend class tomorrow reviewing in your groups!

Socrates and the Arts (Class 02/22/2011)

We began today by taking a closer look at Socrates.  I showed a short video (about five minutes in length) which featured modern-day philosophers talking about Socrates as well as clips simulating the Socratic Method.  The main idea was for students to understand the way that philosophers see the world as well as appropriate ways to question authority or norms.  If anyone has a question about this topic, please post so we can discuss.

Second, students spent some time reading about architecture and drama.  These topics, along with philosophy, relate to the fourth essential question of this unit:  What events and discoveries led to, and defined, the Golden Age of Greece?

We will spend some time on Thursday discussing our answers to that question!  Group one assessment will be given on Friday of this week!

Philosophy

What qualities or characteristics define a philosopher?  We started today's class by talking about what makes a philosopher a philosopher and listing some of those factors.  Then we talked about three philosophers in particular:  Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.  Two others came up in our reading:  Democritus and Thales.  Pick one of these philosophers and find some information on the web and post it as a comment.  Feel free to post whatever you want about them along with the website you found it!

Tomorrow we will discuss drama and the arts and apply it to the fourth and final essential question.  On Wednesday we will have a map quiz and Friday will be the first assessment about ancient Greece! 

Ancient Greek Religion, Democracy, and Discussion Question

In class today, we began by discussing some of the qualities that make a democracy function.  We almost all agreed that education is key, because we really want well-informed people to be making the tough decisions.  If we did not educate our people (any citizen of the United States, for instance, is entitled to a free, appropriate, public education), our democracy would be at risk.  This idea led me to post the following discussion question, and I would really like some of your input:  What changes could we make (as a nation) to protect our democratic ideals and help our government function better? 

We also spoke about the third essential questions of this unit, which is:  How was the Greek religion both similar and different from the religion of ancient Egypt?  I suggest that each student begin to create a "T" chart to help them organize their thoughts.  On our assessment, I will be expecting that each group can provide a minimum of three (3) similarities and three (3) differences.  We spoke about many of these in class today and everyone should be able to accomplish this task!

Finally,  It would be wise to begin thinking about the assessment which will take place on Friday of next week.  There will be four essential questions asked and students will be expected to select a few key terms to define from a list of fifteen (possibly 7 or 8).  Students should also be studying for their upcoming map quiz on Europe which will be administered on Wednesday of next week.  It would be a great idea to check out my wiki and begin to review and respond to the terms and questions.

Have a great weekend!

Pericles

Who was Pericles and why was he an important figure in ancient Greek history?

Pericles was a topic of discussion in our class today.  Students should be able to describe him by this point.  Tomorrow, we will continue our exploration of the Golden Age of Athens.  We will talk about some of the most important philosophers, scientists, and mathematicians.

Remember, you may present your extra credit projects ANY DAY.  Please take advantage of the opportunity!

Last, I want to thank the student who made my day today.  It is great to feel appreciated and I am proud to teach all of you! 

6.2 Vocabulary Review

Today we spent much of the period reviewing the vocabulary of chapter 6.2.  If there are any questions regarding those words, feel free to post on the blog and I will try to help you.  I will be collecting the graphic organizer in class tomorrow (02/17).

Be advised that we will be having a map quiz on Wednesday of next week.  All students should be spending ten minutes each night (approximately) reviewing the map and preparing for the quiz. 

Finally, tomorrow we will begin to discuss Pericles and religion in ancient Greece.

Have a good night, and I will see you all tomorrow!

Thucydides and Greek Democracy

Here is a little experiment.  In class today, we discussed an important quote by Thucydides.  Click on the link below to review the quote:

http://www.pearsonsuccessnet.com/ebook/products/0-13-166882-X/wshw_ch006_p0180q.gif

Did it work?  Let me know.  If it didn't work, I will see if I can find a way to reference the online edition of the textbook on the blog.

To sum it up...  Thucydides made it clear that he believed that the city-states of ancient Greece were models of the ideal form of government and that the world would try to copy their concept of democracy.  He believed that their focus on the majority (as opposed to the minority) was the key to forming a 'fair and just' government which also achieved a sense of equality for the poor.  What are your thoughts on this topic?  Please post them here...  

Oh, and what is the difference between majority and minority?  Can someone define it and maybe provide an example to make it clear?

Work Day

Today students were given time to begin working on their newest map (Europe).  Not only that, they were given their next vocabulary sheets (6.2).  While students worked, I took the time to meet with some students individually and discuss their grades. 

Tomorrow, we will begin to discuss some of the new vocabulary and review the map...

The End of an Era in Egypt

As promised, here is a link to a time-line of events which led to to the resignation of President Mubarak in Egypt.  For the first three periods, we discussed this current event and we heard Mubarak's speech in which he vowed to NEVER leave Egypt.  By the time I taught periods 6-8, he had resigned his position.  This was history in action to say the least.  Regardless, feel free to look at the link below and add a comment to ask a question or share a thought...

Click Here for Time-Line Courtesy of CNN

Next, I wanted to post this graphic and ask any of you (or all of you) to try to describe it in the form of a comment...  Again, feel free to post any questions as well. 

Have a great weekend and I will see you all on Monday!  Who knows what will be going on in Egypt by then...

And that is how democracy impacted the world...

In the short class that we had today, we spent much of the period talking about the ways in which democracy has impacted the world...

How practical is democracy?  Can we get 100 people together?  A thousand?  A million?  A billion?  That would not be an easy feat, nor would it be something that we could do on a regular basis...

The truth is that the democracy of ancient Greece has INSPIRED many other groups of people to seek a style of government where they have a voice.  In the case of the United States, it is a Republic.  A republic is NOT the same as a democracy, but it does have democratic principals.  In a republic, the masses elect representatives who govern (and are supposed to act in their best interest of the people).  Although there are flaws in the systems in place around the world, many of the ideas that we cherish come from the ancient Greeks!

Any questions?

Note:  Tomorrow we will begin to look at a modern political map of the countries of Europe.  All students will have time to work on the map AND ask questions in class tomorrow.  There will be a quiz in a week!

Essential Question #2 (Ancient Greece)

How and why was democracy developed in Greece?  How did democracy change the world?

To help answer this essential questions (with two parts), students were presented with the following PowerPoint slide.  Please review the slide and post any questions that you have regarding the process by which ancient Greece adopted democracy and the reasons why they chose to do so...

Famous Greek Americans (E.C.)

Are you interested in earning some extra points in social studies class this marking period?  If so, you are in luck!  All you have to do is pick a famous Greek American from Wikipedia's List of Greek Americans, do a little bit of research, and present your information to the class.  You may read what you find on Wikipedia, but remember that it is wise to look at other sources too!

Here is what I am looking for:
1)  Who are you talking about?  Perhaps you want to have a picture to show the class...
2)  Why are they famous?  How are they important?
3)  What accomplishments have they made?
4)   If you can find out, how did they go about immigrating to the United States?  If they are not a first-generation Greek-Americans, how did their family immigrate to the United States and when?
5)  Provide any other details that you think are important or interesting!

Better yet (added 02/10/2011) - Can you tell me how being Greek has influenced their lives?  For example, Greek stories, traditions, mythology, philosophy, etc...

Make a poster, make a PowerPoint, or do whatever it takes to make your presentation interesting (3-5 minutes would be the ideal length)!  Please turn in a copy of whatever articles that you use (or obtain information from) to create your presentation.  Feel free to highlight and/or write notes on the articles themselves.  If you have any questions, feel free to post them or ask me in class.

Good Luck!

and then there was DEMOCRACY

Today students were expected to finish their BDA assignment and begin to answer the newest essential question.  Be sure that it is complete and ready for me to review at the start of class. 

Tomorrow we will spend the majority of the period discussing democracy.  Begin to think about the ways in which democracy has impacted the world.  Have those changes been good?  Bad?  What do you think? 

Note:  Maps of Europe are coming soon!  Maybe even tomorrow!

Democracy, Greece, and the World

New essential question:  How and why was democracy developed in Greece?  How did democracy change the world?

Students should be in the process of answering the above-mentioned essential question.  The first part of the question could be answered based on a reading assignment that we began today.  The second part of the question will be answered after we have a class discussion in the coming days...

Can you define the word citizen?  Feel free to post a definition (in your own words) which will hopefully lead to some discussion!

Notes:  I have decided to break this unit into two parts.  Instead of one large assessment at the end of the unit, there will be two smaller assessments.  Between the first and second parts, we will begin to work on a project involving people from ancient Greece.  Finally, keep checking for information regarding another extra credit assignment (for the third quarter).

Cause and Effect (Friday's Class)

We discussed the cause and effect relationship that geography has on the lives of people who live in a particular place.  Here is the chart we analyzed in class for your review:

We also reviewed all of the key terms from section 6.1 (graphic organizer was due/collected on Friday). 

If you  have any questions, please post!

The Consequences of Geography

Yes, there are CONSEQUENCES of geography.  What do I mean?  Well, what I am trying to say is that geography is the 'cause' of many 'effects,' and that is exactly what we are talking about with regard to ancient Greece.

The goal for today's class was to extend our study of the essential question regarding geography.  Previously, we took a look at the impacts of geography on people (in general); today we looked at geography with regard to the impact that geography has had on two groups of people:  the Minoans, and the Mycenaeans.  In class tomorrow, we will discuss this concept further.

Reminder:  Vocabulary Sheet 6.1 is due TOMORROW and we will have a discussion about those words in class....

The Geography of Greece (Continued)

Today, students spent some time looking at a photograph of the Greek coast and read a short section from their text pertaining to the geography of Greece. Some of the common geographic features which were observed were:

1. Islands/Peninsulas
2. Mountains
3. Proximity to the Sea
4. Limited Farmland (1/5 of the total area)

Students were also introduced to the first essential question of the Greece Unit: How has the geographic setting of Greece impacted the lives of the people who have lived there throughout history?

We will spend some more time talking about these points in class over the next few days and begin to compare some of the various groups of people who shared the land.

Questions/Comments?

Vocabulary Sheet 6.1

Due to the bad weather, I only had the opportunity to see periods 1, 2, 3, and 6. In those classes, I introduced the new cooperative learning groups which I adapted from the last unit to meet the needs of the students. These groups can be reviewed on my wiki.

We began class by taking a look at a map of ancient Greece and discussing the various geographic features and the impact that they had on life there in ancient times. We will continue to discuss the impact of the geography of Greece on the people who lived there throughout history.

Finally, the newest vocabulary sheet (containing 10 key terms) was distributed. Groups had some time to work on this today; all classes will be given additional time to work in the coming days.

Reminder: Maps of Greece are due on Friday. Let's get the third marking period off to a good start by turning them in on time and complete!

The Geography of Greece

Today we spent some time looking at the modern-day country of Greece using Google Earth. I pointed out that it is made up largely of peninsulas and islands. What affect do you think that this had on the people who lived there in ancient times?

Students were also given some time to work on their maps of the region which will be due on Friday of this week. Remember, if you haven't been able to complete this during class time, you should use 9th period or study hall to finish it this week.

Lastly, I will not be accepting any more work for the second marking period. If I didn't have it before I left school today, I will not be able to give you credit as grades are due. Please stop by and see me if you have any questions...

Aegean Map

We started today by discussing students grades at the end of the 2nd marking period. I gave back the last group assessment as well as the second Africa map quiz. Tomorrow (Tuesday) will be the last day to complete the extra credit assignment (presentation).

We also spent some time working on the map of the Aegean Sea region. The map will be due by the end of the week. There MAY be some more class time to work on the map later this week, but that is NOT GUARANTEED!

New Baby!!

First of all, thank you to everyone who has emailed me (or posted) to wish me congratulations. Our new baby girl was born very early on Wednesday morning (1:46 AM). She weighs 7lbs, 12oz., and measures 19in in length. We named her Gabrielle but will call her Gabby. As of right now, I am scheduled to return to school on Monday, so students will be working on geography skills practice in class on Thursday and Friday. My wife is experiencing the side effects of some of the medication they gave her during delivery so it became important that I took some more time off of school to be with her and my family. I look forward to seeing everyone back at school on Monday!

Group Assessment Day

Today students took a group assessment about Egypt. I hope to have them graded and returned by Tuesday of next week.

Next stop, Ancient Greece!

Study!

Today students took a geography quiz on the countries of southern Africa. Although I have not had time to finish grading them yet, the results look mixed. Remember: If you don't study, it will be reflected in your grade. Students should spend 15 minutes a day studying for geography quizzes in the days (maybe a week) leading up to the quiz. Since I do not assign any homework, that should NOT be a problem. Make sure that you use your 9th period and study hall time appropriately and you will see results!

Tomorrow is the second (and final) part of the Egypt assessment. Check the wiki if you are not sure what will be on the assessment as all terms have been identified and questions answered!

The Three Kingdoms

Today we discussed the three Egyptian kingdoms (Old, Middle, and New) and how they were so different. Students have already completed a graphic organizer regarding this topic and the lesson today should have clarified the most important points.

The Old Kingdom was very much focused on trading with others (in Nubia and across the Mediterranean Sea) and peace.

The Middle Kingdom was one of great expansion in terms of infrastructure. During this period, a lot of Egypt's wealth was spent on building up the kingdom.

The New Kingdom was determined to build a great military (for protection) as well as dedicated to territorial expansion.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post!

Egyptian Writing and Contributions

Update: Students will be taking the quiz on the southern portion of Africa on Wednesday of this week and the second part of the unit three assessment on Thursday.

After class today, students should be able to describe the similarities between hieroglyphics and the written languages of the fertile crescent (Sumerian Cuneiform and Phoenician alphabet).

Students should also be able to describe several contributions of the ancient Egyptians, including: basic mathematics, geometry, medicine (from plants), medical surgery, and the contemporary calendar with 365 days in a year (as determined by their understanding of astronomy).

Feel free to post any questions or comments and don't forget to add to the wiki!

Egyptian Afterlife

On Thursday, we discussed the importance of the Egyptian afterlife. The afterlife is what the Egyptians thought came after death. They believed that heavenly boats took the spirits of the dead to a place where they could socialize with their friends and family who have previously died as well as eat and drink.

In order to keep the spirits happy, it was important that they spirit was able to return to the 'real world' to enjoy all of the things they loved during their life. For that reason, Egyptians (who had the funds to do so) mummified their bodies after death. The mummification process preserved their bodies so that the spirits could find it when they wanted.

Lost spirits, or spirits of people who did not live a good life, would be banished to the desert to roam in mystery.

Feel free to post any comments or questions and remember to check out class wiki to help develop answers to the essay questions!

Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

To we talked about Egyptian gods and goddesses...

I expected students to take some notes which would help them to answer the essential question pertaining to this topic.

Students should know that the Egyptians were polytheistic and worshiped a variety of gods who were considered principal (gods that they all believed in) or regional. They worshiped them at temples which were built in their honor and gave them gifts such as food, material goods, and prayers. They believed that the gods controlled all of the 'workings of nature' and were basically responsible for everything that happened on Earth.

Feel free to post any questions regarding this topic or bring them up in class.

Remember, your opportunity to earn extra credit for the 2nd marking period will expire at the conclusion of this unit!

Finishing the Egypt Unit

In class today, we talked about ending the Egypt Unit. I think we will be able to accomplish that by the end of next week. There are five 'essential questions' that we need to discuss, and I plan on introducing one each day for the next five days. The format of my class will be as follows: 1. We will begin with the QOD; 2. I will introduce an essential question and give you whatever information that you will need to apply the concept(s); 3. I will take some time to discuss key terms and review the map of the southern portion of Africa; 4. I will provide students with time to work in their groups to complete the assignments given.

Be aware of the following due-dates and assessments:
Vocabulary Sheets 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4 will be collected on January 6th (Thursday)
The Three Egyptian Kingdoms Graphic Organizer will be collected on January 7th (Friday)
There will be a quiz on the countries of the southern portion of Africa on January 11th (Tuesday)
The 2nd Egypt Assessment will probably take place on January 13th or 14th (Thursday/Friday)

Mummification Experiment

Today we concluded the ongoing mummification experiment. Students cleaned off their apples and weighed them using a triple-beam balance in grams. They compared the weights from today with those they recorded before submerging their apples in the solution they made in class. All groups found that their apples weighed less after siting in the solution for more than eleven days.

Students had to add a conclusion to their 'lab reports' as well as calculate the total percentage of weight change. All in all, the experiment was a success.

Tomorrow we will continue the Egypt unit as we move forward toward ancient Greece!

See you tomorrow!