Egypt

Well, it's about time to head back to school.  I hope that everyone had a nice break!  To get things started off, I thought I would share with you my latest creation...



Using Prezi, I created something that I hope to use as I teach about Egypt.  When we come back on Thursday, if we aren't snowed out that is, we will begin our exciting journey.

Students, who are in my honors classes, have a literature assignment due.  We will discuss your reading of "Judaism" and use our Cornell notes to guide our discussion.  If you didn't turn it in on the last day of school, make sure you have it with you on Thursday!

See you all soon!

Anti-Semitism and Judaism

Last week, we continued debates in my honors sections; period two has completed all of their rounds, but period eight has one more to go.  All in all, they were all well done.  I found that the students have really come to understand the format.  In this round, we added POI (points of information) in to the equation.  I look forward to introducing new debate topics in the new year.  If there are any suggestions, please comment on this post.  Note, the next round of debates should have to do with Egypt (past or present) or current events.

With the exception of period eight, all students have taken the open-notes quiz on the Fertile Crescent Empires.  Most students scored very well.  Period eight will be given the test the day after the last debate takes place - most likely, the quiz will be on Tuesday.

All grades are up-to-date and can be viewed online.

This week we will be discussing anti-Semitism and Judaism.  This will be the first of the three major monotheistic religions we will study.  The emphasis will be placed on the Israelites and Phoenicians of ancient Canaan.  If time permits, we may spend a little time talking about the time between 1935 - 1945.  I always like to include this part of history, despite the fact that it seems out of place, to help the students understand how the people of this part of the world have been a big part of the history of humankind.

Reminder:  All students should be bringing their textbooks to class with them each day.  There are no longer textbooks available in my classroom as they have all been assigned.

 

Looking at the Israelites

Last week my classes each worked on different assignments.  It was kind of hectic, but I think that all of my students got what they needed.  By this point, all general classes should be able to describe the empires we have studied:  Babylonians, Assyrians, New Babylonians, and Persians.

I am planning a quiz/test for this upcoming week.  It will be given on Wednesday to period one; however, periods three, four, and six will take it on Tuesday.  Students in my period one class will be working on a type three writing assignment on Monday - the other classes have already completed the assignment.

Students will be permitted to use their note sheets for the quiz/test.  Their note sheets are two-sided.  On the front, they have Cornell notes regarding the empires (students took those notes while reading).  On the reverse, they should have copied information while we matched features on the SMART board as a class. Students MUST have their notes with them in order to use them on the test/quiz - that sounds like it should go without saying.

Textbooks were assigned to all students this week.  There are two reasons I decided to assign them:  1. Students were making a mess with them in my classroom - leaving them on the floor, etc., and, 2.  Some students have been asking to check them out to complete work unfinished in class.  Either way, I expect that students carry them to and from class each day.

This week, we will begin to study the Israelites and Anti-Semitism.  This will help form the foundation for what they will encounter in English class (if they have Mr. Bezler).  We will also discuss the function of propaganda which will be further explored in their reading classes (if they have Mrs. Post).

Honors classes will continue debating this week.  So far, we have had one round of debates (Friday) which went very well.  All four of the groups debated the effectiveness of the Patriot Act and did a fantastic job of either affirming or opposing the proposition.

Honors classes have been assigned Cornell notes for homework - they are due upon the completion of the debates.  At that time, they will also be given a test/quiz on the empires.

Back to School... and the Fertile Crescent

I hope that you all enjoyed the extended weekend; I know that I did.  I had a lot of fun with my loved ones and I assume that you all did as well.  Hmm... Are you ready for a type one writing prompt?

Giving thanks...

Giving thanks is important, but not just one day a year.  From the perspective of a:

Geographer - Give thanks for the Earth (and the processes that shape it)!
Historian - Give thanks for the many great people who came before us and for their contributions to humanity - those that have been recorded, anyway.
Economist - Give thanks for Black Friday!  Seriously, though, give thanks for all that we have both tangible and intangible.
Political Scientist - Give thanks for the laws that protect us; keeping us safe from the dangers of the world is very important.
Behavioral Scientist - Give thanks for our cultures.  Always remember that we are not all the same - that is a good thing!

As we get back to the classroom, we will have some time to review the major civilizations of the Fertile Crescent.  At some point, there will be a test (I'm guessing the week of the 9th).  Then it will be on to Egypt!

All of the students in my honors sections should have been preparing for the upcoming debates.  Don't wait until the last minute to prepare!  If you need help, ask to see me during POWER period and I will help you find your way.

See you on Tuesday!

The Babylonians and Assyrians - Model Essay

Students in my period six class were given the following type three writing prompt:  There were many similarities between the Babylonians and Assyrians.  They were to include at least three examples and the following were the focus correction areas:  1. End Punctuation, 2. Capitalization, and 3. Organization (their essays should have had three distinct parts).  Below, you will find a model essay which students will read in class.