Friday, January 27, 2017

January 27, 2017

Classwork: We started the class with the Constitution Game.

We also did a brief running game to illustrate the efficiency of the messengers of the Incan Empire.

Students were able to work independently on their stations after finishing Station 1 and Station 2.

Homework:

Discuss the importance of the Preamble of the Constitution.  Be able to explain the vocab words to your parents.  Also be able to describe the importance of SURPLUS and what it does to a society.

January 26, 2017

Classwork: We started the Inca Civilization.  We read pages 218-221 and answered the Comprehension Questions.  Important discussion points included were
  • the idea of having surplus to create an empire
  • how strict the Incan rulers were
  • the huge size of the Incan Empire
  • the incredible adaptations of cutting into a mountain to create terraces
Vocab:
  1. emperor
  2. terrace
  3. irrigation
  4. Cuzco
  5. Machu Picchu
Homework:

Describe at least 3 things you learned from today's reading. 

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

January 25, 2017

Classwork: Today we started the Inca Civilization Unit.  Discussion centered on:
  • Location of Inca Empire: Western coast of South America
  • Geography: Andes Mountains, desert areas, coastal lowlands
  • Scale: 2500 miles long
  • Population: 12 million people
  • Notable achievements: United Empire.  Started off as smaller disunited tribes, eventually combined into one super empire by 1450.  Built extensive roads and bridges, could deliver messages within two weeks from one side of the empire to another.
  • Origin Myth: Inti, the Sun God, sent Manco Capac and Mama Occlo to Earth.  They put a Golden Rod in the Earth and from that rod sprang the capital CUZCO.
Vocab terms:
  1. emperor
  2. irrigation
  3. terrace
  4. Cuzco
  5. Machu Picchu
Homework:  Discuss one of the achievements with your parents

January 24, 2017

Classwork: We finished up on the Mayan Collapse paragraphs and finished the Mayan Trade Networks.

Homework: FINISH both papers and have them turned in on Google Classroom.

January 23, 2017

Classwork: We started three possible theories as to why the Mayan Civilization collapsed.  Students started mini essay on the three theories and formed a paragraph using a graphic organizer.

Homework:  What makes the difference between a sound logical thesis as to why the Mayan's collapse and an illogical thesis?

January 20, 2017

Classwork: More Mayan Station work

Homework: Finish any Mayan station on Google Classroom.  Discuss some of the activities with your parents.

January 19, 2017

Classwork: We continued with Maya Stations.  Stations included powerpoints, artifact study, Mayan language, number system, reading comprehension questions.

Homework: Fee free to finish any unfinished Mayan stations

Wednesday Jan. 18th, 2017

Classwork: Building off discussion of guidelines of Non Violent Civil Disobedience, we had a discussion about the possibility that if any of the guidelines are not followed, the whole effect of bringing about change would fail.  For example, if people protested with violence, people would not feel compassion, love, or kindness towards the oppressed.  We focused more on the role of the media though.  If the media, newspapers, T.V. or radio does not accurately bear witness to the movement, there would be no kindness, compassion, or love expressed by the controlling party.  This was our intro to understanding bias in media outlets and the danger of not having news expressed accurately.  We went over 10 ways of determining a fake website with this link:

http://www.easybib.com/guides/10-ways-to-spot-a-fake-news-article/

We connected all this with our earlier studies of the cafeteria fight and the Battle of Little Bighorn.

Homework:  Discussion question: Why is important to check your sources for anything?  Why is it important to have a primary source?  Why do you need multiple sources and understand the background context to situations?

January 17th

Classwork:  Discussion of Martin Luther King Jr's impact.  Brief outline of how Non Violent Civil Disobedience works:
  1. Kindness, love, compassion at the heart of the message, ideas taken from Gandhi and New Testament theology
  2. Protest Non Violently, sometimes intentionally break the law (sit ins, marching, blocking traffic or entrance ways, etc.)
  3. Get arrested, beat up, sometimes killed, cause a ruckus, get people to talk, discuss, notice what is happening
  4. Have newspapers, media, T.V. radio, broadcast on what is happening
  5. Have belief that people's higher self will come forward when they see the injustice happening and enact change
Homework: Discuss with parents this philosophy.  Do you think you could realistically protest in this manner?  Why or why not?