Last Day Before Holiday Break

Students will complete their Evil Emperor's packet and finish watching the "Colosseum: A Gladiator's Life" video.  We will finish Ancient Rome and prepare the Ancient Greece and Rome Test after break.  I will be gone the first week after break.  

Happy Holidays!

Wednesday and Thursday - Evil Emperors and Colosseum video

Wednesday - Students worked as a whole group to read articles about women, children and evil emperors of Ancient Rome.  Some classes will finish this assignment on Friday.  This Evil Emperors assignment will be an important resources to their assignment packet.  

Thursday - Students checked their Ancient Rome map quizzes and went over the correct answers.  Students watched and analyzed a video about the Colosseum and Gladiators.  They were looking for benefits of being a gladiator, types of gladiators and why life as a gladiator was better than life as a slave.  We will finish the video tomorrow in class.  

Rome, Sweet Rome and Extension Games

QOD - Ancient Rome had tons of roads, what land areas were they able to travel to?

Ex: Britain, Egypt, Greece

After QOD, students will watch a three minute video about Hannibal (General of Carthage) and his elephants.  Students will have time to complete their Rome, Sweet Rome assignment due Thursday.  If students finish early they will have the opportunity to take part in interactive games related to Gladiators, Rome Mystery Investigation and trivia about Rome.

Ancient Rome Roads and Rome, Sweet Rome

QOD: Students identified four Greek legacies through images.


Students watched a three minute video on Ancient Roman roads.  This is another example of a Roman legacy.  Students examined a comic strip related to Ancient Rome.  Students are required to answer fill-in-the-blank questions related to the comic.  This assignment is due on Thursday at the beginning of class.  

Ancient Rome Map Quiz

Students used their maps to take a quiz over Ancient Rome Geography.

After the quiz students read the story of the Trojan War as a class.

Review Ancient Rome Maps and Study Game

QOD - What bodies of water surround the Italian Peninsula?


Students that completed their maps were able to stay in the classroom and review the maps.  Once we were finished review and checking the maps students returned to the classroom to participate in a study game.  The Ancient Rome map quiz will be tomorrow.  These are the key concepts for the map quiz, boundaries of the Roman Empire, Tiber river, location of Mt. Vesuvius, Byzantium, location of Italy, cities located in Africa and modern names for land areas ex: Gaul = France

Geography of Ancient Rome - Helpful Video

Finish Maps of Rome and Check Government Quiz

Today, students had twenty minutes to work on their maps, so they will be ready to review tomorrow. It is essential that students have a quality resource to use for the quiz. At this point, we will take the map quiz on Friday.  We also checked the government quiz and went over the data. 

Ancient Rome Map

QOD - List anything you know about Rome.

Today, students will identify cities, bodies of water, mountains and the Roman Empire.  This assignment will be due on Thursday.  Students will need it to review for the map quiz Friday. The following map will help with bodies of water, some rivers and mountains.

Map of Rome

Greek Governments Quiz

No QOD

Students will take the government quiz today in class.  On the back of the quiz, they will explain the similarities between Athenian Democracy and U.S. government.  This will provide feedback to see how students understand the current concepts.  We also discussed why the U.S. is not a true democracy through a newspaper article.  

Tuesday - Students will begin a map of Rome to identify bodies of water, cities, mountains and Rome civilization.

Friday - Map of Rome quiz

Battle of Marathon

NWe began class with a review of the four types of governments in Ancient Greece.  The goal was to prepare students for the quiz on Monday.  I am adding a study sheet to the blog to help students practice.
Next, students analyzed a video about the Battle of Marathon to write a paragraph using the RACE strategy.  The question was, "How did Athens win the Battle of Marathon?"  The paragraph was due at the end of class.

Governments Study Sheet

Government Chart and Greek Legacies

QOD - List the legacies of Ancient Greece.


Students review their government chart to understand Monarchy, Tyranny, Oligarchy, and Democracy.  This is a resource they will need for a government quiz on Monday.  Next, students completed filling out there Greek Legacies discussion.

Ancient Greek legacies and government

Today, students discussed and identied legacies of Ancient Greece. The students willed need to know these legacies for the test and future experiences. After the discussion we finished the government chart. The chart is due tomorrow.

Government Graphic Organizer

QOD - Create a list of religions of the world.
Hinduism
Buddhism
Mormon
Islam
Christianity
Shinto
Taoism
Lutheranism
Baptist
Catholic
etc...

Student will examine four articles to fill out a graphic organizer on governments of Ancient Greece.  The students will look at Monarchy, Oligarchy, Tyranny and Democracy.  Students will decide what are the pros and cons for the people in each government.  This assignment will be due on Thursday.  

Seven Characteristics of Mesopotamia and Egypt

Today, students will finish reviewing the characteristics of a civilization for Mesopotamia and Egypt.  We are also looking at Ancient Greece characteristics and checking the Ancient Greece interactive assignment.  

QOD: Compare and Contrast - Sparta and Athens

Life in Athens/Sparta and "Cyberbulling" movie

All students have to complete the articles "Life in Athens" and "Life in Sparta".  Mods 1, 3 and 6 will complete it in class, Mods 4 and 5 will complete the articles for homework due after break.  Mod 1 and 6 watched two videos on Spartan life.  Mods 4 and 5 are going to the high school to watch the "Cyberbulling" movie.  

Have a great Thanksgiving break!

Test Check and Seven Characteristics of a Civilization review

QOD: List reasons why humans fight wars.

1. Land
2. Resources
3. Religious beliefs
4. Nationalism, etc.

Today, students reviewed their tests and scores.  We split into groups to review the seven characteristics of a civilization for Mesopotamia and Egypt.  Any students that do not finish their test will not be able to attend the video screening at the high school tomorrow.  

Ancient Greece Interactive

Today, students will complete and check their Ancient Greece maps.  After completing their maps students will use the computers to explore Ancient Greece through an interactive website.  Ancient Greece Interactive will be due on Monday.  Don't forget to review the vocabulary from this week.  

Ancient Greece Map

Most classes worked on finishing their Ancient Greece maps.  The maps contain bodies of water, cities, and island that were important to the civilization.  This assignment will be due on Monday.  

Major places to remember
Athens
Sparta
Mt. Olympus 
Delphi
Troy
Mediterranean Sea
Aegean Sea
Ionian Sea

QOD - List as many types of government as you can.
Autocracy
Anarchy
Democracy
Communism
Monarchy
Tyranny
Dictatorship
Oligarchy
Aristocracy

Vocabulary and Map

Today, students in mods 1-4 worked on half of the vocabulary packet as a whole class discussion.  Those mods will finish the vocabulary tomorrow and work on their maps in class.  Mods 5 and 6 finished their vocabulary today and will spend most of the class period tomorrow on their maps.  The maps will be due on Friday.  

Vocabulary list:
Legacy
Democracy
Tyranny
Oligarchy
Monarchy
Jury
Polis
Doric
Ionic
Corinthian
Acropolic
Phalanx
Philosophy
Olympics
Pentathlon
Marathon
Epic
Comedy
Tragedy
Monotheism
Polytheism

Ancient Greece map and Vocabulary

Today, mods 1-3 worked on a map with the substitute teacher. The map assignment will be due on Thursday.  Mods 5 and 6 studied important vocabulary of Ancient Greece with me.

I am currently in the process of getting all students to take the test. All finished test are now in the PowerSchool. Packet grades will be added soon.

Test day - Ancient Egypt

Students will use their study packets to take the test.  Students that do not finish in class will make a plan for finishing the test either before, after school or iExcel.  

I will be gone during the morning from 8-11 tomorrow.  Students will work on a map to learn about Ancient Greece.  

11-13 and 11-14 Egypt Past and Present + Study Packet

Yesterday, I was out of the classroom for the entire day.  Students worked with the substitute to study Ancient Egypt compared to modern Egypt.  Students needed to complete a T-chart comparing and contrasting the two Egypts.  

Today, students will put together their packets and review for the test.  The test is this coming Monday, November 17.  

All-seeing eye and gods/goddesses

No QOD/WOD

Today, students learned about the history and symbolism of the All-Seeing Eye.  Students filled out a graphic organizer to understand how the symbol relates to Ancient Egypt.  Students will also have time to finish their gods/goddesses assignment.  This assignment is due on Friday.  

Ancient Egyptians gods and goddesses

We started class by discussing and celebrating Veterans day.  We watched this short video to highlight the history of the holiday. Veterans Day

QOD - What annual event did the Ancient Egyptians rely upon?

Flooding of the Nile

Today, students worked on an activity to learn about the gods/goddesses.  They will match the god to their description and background story.  This assignment will be due on Thursday.  

Ten Greatest Achievements video and Catch-up Day

WOD - Vegan

A vegan (pronounced VEE-gun) is someone who, for various reasons, chooses to avoid using or consuming animal products. While vegetarians choose not to use flesh foods, vegans also avoid dairy and eggs, as well as fur, leather, wool, down, and cosmetics or chemical products tested on animals.

QOD - Why was there so much treasure found in tombs?

- items to use in the afterlife

Today, students that are missing assignments will have class time to get caught up.  Everyone else will watch a video to learn about the technology of Ancient Egypt.  The follow is the schedule of assignments for students that will be gone due to the swimming experience.  

Monday

-          Turn in mummification poster

-          Catch-up day

-          Extension video – Students that have completed their work

Tuesday

-          Egyptian god/goddesses assignment due on Thursday

Wednesday

-   All Seeing Eye video and graphic organizer

-    Put together packet for test

Thursday

-  Two articles to read on Egypt past and present

- Information will be used on the test

sCheck gods/goddesses

-      

Friday

- put together packets

-review

Monday

-          Test over Egypt

Last workday for Mummification poster

Students began class by solving five math problems using Egyptian hieroglyphic  numerals.  Here is a link to the Egyptian numerals.  Students also created their own problems in hieroglyphics to challenge their classmates.  The rest of the class time was used to finish their mummification posters. Posters are due on Monday at the end of the day.  Students that finished early worked on more numeral problems and watched a video about an unknown mummy.  

Mummification Poster

Students began class with a critical thinking puzzle.  Next, we discussed the difference between an A paper and an F paper.  Students had the rest of class time to work on the poster.  There are three steps to the poster and I will send on picture of the assignment and the hieroglyphics.  This assignment will be due on Monday with more work time tomorrow. I plan on having the Egypt test next week.

Social Structure and Mummy Poster

QOD - What are the six levels on the Social Structure?


WOD - United Nations Peacekeeping Force helps countries torn by conflict create the conditions for lasting peace. They are comprised of civilian, police and military personnel. As of 31 July 2013, our workforce in the field consisted of:

•884,160 serving troops and military observers

•13,209 police personnel;

•513,032 international civilian personnel (30 June 2013);

•11,693 local civilian staff (30 June 2013);

•21,057 UN Volunteers (30 June 2013).

•115 countries contributed military and police personnel.

The UN does not have its own military force; it depends on contributions from Member States.

Students completed and graded their Social Structure worksheet in class.  If it is not finished, it will be due tomorrow.  Students that finished early began working on their mummification poster.  

RACES strategy and Social Structure

QOD - How did King Tut's father change the religion?
A: From polytheistic to monotheistic

WOD: Nikola Tesla - a a Serbian-born and later naturalized American inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, physicist, and futurist best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current electricity supply system.Serbian-born and later naturalized American inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, physicist, and futurist best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current electricity supply system.

Students used the evidence from the video on Friday to write a paragraph with the RACES strategy.  Students will receive a score out of 5 on the paragraph.  When students finished their paragraph, they began working on an activity to learn the Egyptian social structure.  Articles and hand outs are available at this link.

Last Day of Investigation

This was the last day for students to collect evidence from the video.  By Monday, students need to decide how King Tut died and evidence to support their decision.  Students will have 15 minutes to write the paragraph using the RACES strategy.  If students do not have enough evidence, they can re-watch parts of the video (Link here) or do their own research on the internet.  

Happy Halloween!

King Tut's Final Secrets Day 2

Students continued their investigation today.  Students were able to find evidence in the video.  Tomorrow students will begin writing their paragraph to prove their answer to the question, how did King Tut die? Students will turn in their paragraphs before they leave on Friday in most classes.  

Due today - Egypt: Gift of the Nile

King Tut's Final Secrets

Students will spend two days watching a video to assist them in investigating the death of Tutankhamen.  I put the link to the video below if anyone needs to watch it.  After watching the video students will write a paragraph to answer the question, how did King Tut die?  Students will use the RACES strategy to write the paragraph.

1. Restate the question
Ex:  I think King Tut was killed by...

2. Answer the questions
Ex: I think King Tut was killed by...because...

3. Cite evidence to support the answer
Ex: The video showed...

4. Explain/Expand
- How does it all fit together?

5. Sum it up
Ex: Closing statement


King Tut's Final Secrets

How the Egyptians built the pyramids?

QOD - How did the Egyptians build the pyramids?

Students used the RACES strategy, which comes from Reading class.  The strategy helps students organize their information to answer a question fully.  Students viewed a short video to help answer the question.  Next, we had a discussion on the article "Curse and Coincidence".  It focuses on the curse of Tutankhamen.  

Homework: "The Gift of the Nile" - article on the back of the "Curse and Coincidence". There are seven questions to answer from the reading.  

JIgsaw Teaching

QOD - What are the four important rivers of the Fertile Crescent?  What ways did people use the rivers?

WOD - Rosetta Stone - The Rosetta Stone was written in all three scripts so that the priests, government officials and rulers of Egypt could read what it said. (hieroglyphic, demotic and Greek)

The Rosetta Stone was carved in 196 B.C..

The Rosetta Stone was found in 1799.

The Rosetta Stone was found by French soldiers who were rebuilding a fort in Egypt.

The Rosetta Stone was found in a small village in the Delta called Rosetta (Rashid).

Students taught each other the different parts of the study guide.  Students retain 90% of what they teach.  Friday, they collected the information in class.  

Ancient Egypt Jigsaw Reading

QOD- How has modern technology improved our knowledge of the ancient Egyptians?

Students split the reading into three parts and will come together Monday to teach each other.  We all checked the Internet activity in class.  

Ancient Egypt in Images

QOD - How has technology improved our knowledge of Ancient Egypt?

- great student responses (x-ray, Lidar, sonar, communication, and chemical analysis)

Today, we watched a 7:30 minute video of images from Ancient Egypt. Student had to identify images and draw conclusions in a word web. We ended class by working on finishing the maps. 

Extension - solve a story problem about the volume of a square pyramid.

Ancient Egypt Map

Lateral Thinking Puzzles
1. Four people try to get underneath one small umbrella, but nobody gets wet. How is this possible? 

2. If the day after the day before yesterday was Tuesday, and the day before the day after tomorrow is Thursday, what day is today?

Today, students will complete their internet activity in class.  When they finish the activity, students will work on a map of Ancient Egypt in relation to Mesopotamia.

Picture of worksheet and map  

Egyptian Internet Activity

WOD - Quarantine -  A period of time during which a vehicle, person, or material suspected of carrying a contagious disease is detained at a port of entry under enforced isolation to prevent disease from entering a country.

QOD - What were the ancient Egyptian gods associated with?

Animal ex: cats, cows, falcon, jackal

Students were able to work on an internet activity to learn about Egypt.  We will finish the assignment in class tomorrow and we will begin on a map of the area.  

Egypt Internet activity

Today, we started learning about Egypt. Students worked on a internet activity to learn about hieroglyphics, mummies, after-life and the religion. It will be due Wednesday after work time on Tuesday.  

Project Gallery

Student that completed their projects on time were able to participate in the project gallery.  Students display their work on the desk for their classmates to analyze.  Students will receive positive feedback and ideas for ways to change the project and make it better.  Most students were responsible with their work, however some students need to use their time more efficiently in the future.  Here are some of the projects:

Final Workday

This is the last day to work on projects. We started class with a Egypt pretest that is not graded. 

Questions

1. Did Egyptians wear make up?

2. What is a vizier?

3. What did King Tut die from?

4. Egyptian form of writing?

5. Which direction does the Nike flow?

6. What body of water does the Nile flow in to?

7. Head of the Egyptian government?

8. Egypt is located in what country?

9. Main religion of Egypt?

10.  Monotheistic or polytheistic?

Project Workday

Students will work Monday and Tuesday in Social Studies to finish their project.