Project Workday #3

Project Checklist
1. Finish Paragraph
2. Check with Mr. Hajek
3. Print
4.  Work on creative part of project

Today, students will be checking their paragraphs and printing.  Tomorrow will be the last day to work on the project in class.  Friday students will start learning about Ancient Egypt.  All students will need their completed project ready and in the classroom on Monday.

Project Workday #2

No new learning goals until Thursday

Paragraph tips

1.Do not use “I” or “we” in the introduction or body of the paragraph

2.The introduction sentence should state what you want to prove

3.The body should support the introduction

4.The closing should restate the give your opinion, “I”

5.Stick to the facts no fluff

Today, students will continue to work on their projects.  Most students were typing their paragraphs, so I provided a list of tips to make sure it is a quality research paragraph.  Tomorrow will be a day to start the creative part of their projects.

Project Workday #1

No new learning goals

Project plans - 
1. Students research their topic and answer their research questions
2. Students create a typed paragraph for their project
3. Students work on their creative part

Today, students will use the computers to research and type their paragraphs for their Mesopotamia project due on Oct. 5th. The next unit Egypt will begin on Thursday, Oct. 1st.  Below is the project choices and rubric.  

Final Project For Mesopotamia

No new learning goals

Today, students learned about the Mesopotamia final project and chose which project they will complete. The project will be due on Oct.5. There will be more information to follow.

Mesopotamia Test Day

All five learning goals are on the test:

• I can explain the role the different social classes played in the Mesopotamian civilization.
•  I can recognize the aspects of technology, written language, culture, and art as they relate to Mesopotamia.
•  I can explain the forms of government used in Mesopotamian society.
• I can interpret the impact religion had on daily life in Mesopotamia.
• I can analyze how the geography of the area shaped early development of the Mesopotamian civilization

The test will take the whole class period.  Students will receive an extra credit point for turning in their study guide.  

Last Review Day

Today, students worked with their classmates to complete a scavenger hunt. Some mods were able to participate in a review activity.  Students are filled with knowledge and ready to perform on the test.  All they need now is good night of sleep and a healthy breakfast.

Mesopotamia Test tomorrow

Mesopotamia Review Day and Kahoot

Learning Goals: I will be able to explain the aspects of technology, culture and art as they relate to Mesopotamia.

I will be able to explain the role of the different social classes played in Mesopotamian civilization. 

No QOD

Today, students put together their study packets with their assignments from the Mesopotamia unit.  Students will receive 27 points for a complete packet.  Next, students completed their assessment review handouts to prepare for the test.  Finally, students used a device to play a Kahoot review game (link to game below).

Mespotamia Kahoot

Reminders - Test and Assessment Review - Wednesday

Hammurabi Part 3

Learning Goal: I will be able to describe how technology, culture and arts relate to the Mesopotamian civilization.

QOD - Draw and label an invention or technology from Mesopotamia.

The wheel
Iron tools and weapons
cuneiform
irrigation
Base-60

Today, students discussed how technology and the other seven characteristics of a civilization relate to Mesopotamia.  It is important that students understand that a Ziggurat is connected to Religion and Irrigation is connected to Stable Food Supply.  Next, students analyzed primary documents containing some of Hammurabi's laws.  Students judged whether the laws were fair or not.  This will help prepare students for the essay question about the law code. 

Reminders - Mesopotamia Test and Assessment Review handout (Wednesday, Sept. 23) 

Hammurabi Part 2

Learning Goal - I will be able to explain the role different social classes played in Mesopotamia.

QOD - 
 Draw the class system and describe the roles for each level.

1. King, Priest, Wealthy Land owners
2. Farmers, scribes, skilled workers, merchants
3. Slaves

Today, students went over their Study Guide 217-221 assignment that was due in class.  Students had a great discussion about the class system of Mesopotamia.  Mod 1, 3-4 read an article about Hammurabi and answered questions to show their understanding.  Mods 5/6 had some additional time for reviewing information rather than starting the article.  To keep students focused we tried different yoga poses. 

Reminders - Mesopotamia Test on Sept. 23 and Assessment Review due the same day

Hammurabi Cases Part 1

Learning Goal - I will be able to explain the forms of government in the Mesopotamia civilization. 

No QOD

Today, students started classes by discussing the fairness of school rules. This led into a a discussion on cases from the laws of King Hammurabi.  Students read about three cases and predicted their outcome deciding if they were fair and just.  Finally, students had some time to finish their study guide assignment due tomorrow. 

Reminders - Study Guide -Due tomorrow

Test next Wednesday, Sept 23

Analyzing Laws and Government Learning Goals

Learning Goal: I will be able to explain the form of government in the Mesopotamian civilization.

QOD - What is the form of government in Mesopotamia?

Monarchy (King)

Limited or Absolute?

Absolute!

Today, students will work on the learning goal through a question of the day and a discussion on laws.  Two cases were passed out to students and individually, pairs and whole class we discussed the fairness on each case.  This will lead to an activity related to laws in Mesopotamia.  Tomorrow students will complete their study guide in class. 

Reminder - 
Study Guide due Thursday

Final day for Mesopotamia PPT and Study Guide

Learning Goal - I will be able to interpret the impact of the religion on daily life in Mesopotamia.

QOD - What are the connections between the king and the religion?

Power and authority from the gods
Laws created by the gods
Interprets for the gods
Kings are gods-like

Today, students discussed their activities from the weekend.  After the question of the day, the class finished filling out their packets.  To practice and review the information about Mesopotamia students started a study guide.  Students were able to listen to music while working quietly.  The study guide will be due on Wednesday.

Reminder - 
Study Guide due on Wednesday

Day of Remembrance and Geography Exit Ticket - Friday

Learning Goal - I will be able to interpret the impact of the religion on daily life in Mesopotamia.

NO QOD

Today, students will discuss and watch a video about the event of September 11, 2001.  Students will also share their final barter item from last weeks paper clip activity.  Students will end class by completing a Geography Exit Ticket.  Any students that did not complete their maps will receive an e-mail phone.  

No reminders

Have a great weekend!

Checking Maps and Quizlet

Learning Goal - I will be able to interpret the impact of the religion on daily life in Mesopotamia

QOD - List the roles of a priest in Mesopotamia
- Landowner
- collects offerings
- judge
- scribe
- decorating the offering room
- leader

Today, students added a few more sections to their packets which they will finish next week.  The packet will be an excellent resource to prepare for the test.  Students were given time to complete their map in class.  Anyone who finished early was allowed to study with the quizlet on their device or computer.  The quizlet will help students understand the key terms and ideas.  Tomorrow the class will spend some time in remembrance of 9/11 and complete a graded exit slip.

Reminders - 
Maps are finally due this Friday
Studying Quizlet - quizlet.com/_1i3er4 

New Learning Goal - Mesopotamia PPT

Learning Goal - I will be able to interpret the impact religion had on daily life in Mesopotamia

QOD - What two rivers flood creating fertile land?
Tigris and Euphrates

Extra - Embankments of sediment over thousand of years of flooding = ?

Today, students added their new learning goal to their agendas.  Next, students continued to fill in their packets to create a Mesopotamia resource.  Halfway through students participated in a brain break to refocus.  There was not enough time to work on the maps in class today.  

Last Mesopotamia Map Workday

Learning Goal - I will be able analyze how the geography shaped the development of the Mesopotamian civilization

QOD - Why is the area known as the fertile crescent?

Because crops grow well in that area, due to silt and water from flooding rivers

Today, students took a few steps closer to their learning goal.  They started filling in a packet for a teacher led presentation on Mesopotamia.  The presentation was stopped early so students could take a brain break and work on their maps.  The maps will be due on Thursday at the beginning of class.  Students who finish their maps early will have an extension activity using the computers.

Reminders - 

Mesopotamia Maps due on Thursday

Ancient Mesopotamia Map

Learning Goal - I will be able to analyze how the geography shaped the development of Mesopotamian civilization.

QOD - Who were the most powerful people in Mesopotamia?

Kings

Priests

Today, students competed in an activity to review the characteristics of a civilization.  Students that completed their Scavenger Hunt assignment were able to correct their answers with the class.  Next, students did a handshake brain break to refocus before starting a new ancient map of Mesopotamia.  There will be time to finish the map on Tuesday and it will be due Wednesday.

Reminder - 

Mesopotamia Map due Wednesday

Seven Characteristics of a Civilization

Learning Goal:  I will be able to analyze how the geography shaped development of Mesopotamian culture.

QOD - Why did Mesopotamia build their city-states between the rivers?
- it is a desert landscape
- water source for irrigation
- travel

Today, students started to analyze the geography of Mesopotamia through their QOD.  Next, students brainstormed possible characteristics of a civilization.  Finally, students began a graphic organizer to understand the seven characteristics, which will be an on-going theme this year.  

1. Stable food supply 
2. Social structure 
3. Government 
4. Religion 
5. Culture/Arts 
6. Technology 
7. Writing/Language

Reminder: Students will check their scavenger hunt assignment in class tomorrow (9/4)

Mesopotamia Vocabulary and Scavenger Hunt

Learning Goal: I will be able to analyze how the geography shaped the development of Mesopotamia.

QOD - What was the main building material of Ancient Mesopotamia?

                Mud bricks

Today, students received PBIS signatures for starting their questions of the day without prompting.  Next, students wrote a definition, sentence and image for four new vocabulary terms.  Finally, students were given time to finish their map scavenger hunt.  

Reminders - 

Map Scavenger Hunt due tomorrow (9/3)

Map Scavenger Hunt and Mesopotamia Vocabulary

Learning Goal: I will be able to analyze how the geography shaped the development of Mesopotamian civilization

QOD: List countries of the Middle East.
1. Syria
2. Iraq
3. Iran
4. Sudan
5. Egypt
6. Libya
7. Bahrain
8. Qatar
9. Lebanon
10. Israel
11. Turkey
12. Oman
13. Yemen
14. Saudi Arabia
15. UAE 

Today, students had their first question of the day. Next, students tried a brain break activity to refocus before vocabulary.  The students defined, drew a picture and wrote a sentence for three vocabulary words related to Mesopotamia.  Finally, students worked on a scavenger hunt to understand the geography of the Middle East (present day Mesopotamia).  Students will finish this activity in class tomorrow.

No reminders