the final dings

I have finished grading the objective portion of your semester exams.  Here are the people who received As, and the DINGs you so richly deserve.

Chris Cerra - DING!
Gabi Spilker - DING!
Luke Strappelli - DING!

Josh Andrychowski - DING!

Ariana Contis - DING!

Dimitra Contis - DING!

Steve Lutche - DING!

Delaney Samons - DING!

Pierce Sanders - DING!

Kyle Wedemeyer - DING!

Chesca Basilio - DING! DING!  (That's right - a perfect score!)

Jess Bauer - DING!

Kendall Boone - DING!

Megan Cleary - DING!

Veronica Ewing - DING!

Zaire Johnson - DING!

Dylan Karr - DING!

Karson Langrehr - DING!

Jeremiah Rosser - DING!
Caitlyn Trent - DING!
Evan Tridone - DING!
Rory van der Steur - DING!
Alex Yuan - DING!

Still working on essays.  Thanks for your patience.

Good luck tomorrow.  Refer to yesterday's Shia post as necessary.

and now, a few words from Shia LaBeouf

Exams have begun.

In case you were wondering whether it's worthwhile to put in the extra effort, to really study for your tests, to truly give it your best shot...

Listen to Shia.

last day of 4Q... plus an update on the exam

Monday is the last day of regular classes for the year. In Monday's class, Section 3 and Section 6 will go over their test on Rome, then review for the semester exam. Section 4 does not meet on Monday. If anyone from Section 4 wants a copy of the Rome test for studying purposes, stop by my room or flag me down in the hall.

You do not have to write a blog about Monday's class.

On Wednesday, June 6, all sections take the objective (Scantron) portion of the semester exam. In order to make the test more representative, it has been expanded to 150 questions, broken down as follows:

Questions 1-25: Guns, Germs, and Steel
26-58: Prehistory, Mesopotamia, Egypt
59-108: ancient Greece
109-150: ancient Rome

Finally, if you want your project back, please come and get it out of the TV Studio after school Monday. After Monday, it will be disposed of.

See me if you have any questions.  Good luck this week!

tick, tock, tick, tock...

End of the year is fast approaching.  Here's hoping for a strong finish in Social Studies!

Thursday, May 28

• Section 3 takes the essay portion of the semester exam
• Section 4 takes the essay portion of the semester exam
• Section 6 does not meet

Friday, May 29

• no school!

Monday, June 1

• Section 3 reviews for exam
• Section 4 does not meet
• Section 6 reviews for exam 

Wednesday, June 3

• all sections take objective (Scantron) portion of semester exam

crunch time

Wednesday, May 27 (tomorrow)

• Section 3 takes the unit test on Rome
• Section 4 reviews for the semester exam
• Section 6 takes the essay portion of the semester exam

Thursday, May 28

• Section 3 takes the essay portion of the semester exam
• Section 4 takes the essay portion of the semester exam
• Section 6 does not meet

Friday, May 29

• no school!

Monday, June 1

• Section 3 reviews for exam
• Section 4 does not meet
• Section 6 reviews for exam 

Wednesday, June 3

• all sections take objective (Scantron) portion of semester exam

Finish strong, people!

the test, test, test, test on Rome, Rome, Rome, Rome

The test on Rome is ready for you.  Are you ready?

Sections 4 and 6 are due to take the unit test on Rome tomorrow.  Section 3 will take theirs on Wednesday.  There are 40 questions, all multiple choice.  To prepare, study my PowerPoint, listen to the song a few times, and review your notes.

Semester Exam schedule; exam essay questions

Here is your schedule for semester exams:

• Tuesday, June 2
• Math
• World Language
• Wednesday, June 3
• Religion
• Social Studies (10am - 11:30am)
• Thursday, June 4
• English 
• Science

Section 3 takes my test in Room 315 with Ms. Ferry proctoring.

Section 4 takes my test in Room 318 with me proctoring.

Section 6 takes my test in Room 223 with Mr. Fabriziani proctoring.

Reminder:  You will only take the objective (Scantron) portion of the exam on June 3.  The essay portion of the exam will be given in class on Wednesday, May 27 for Section 6, and on Thursday, May 28 to Sections 3 and 4.

In the essay portion of the exam, you will be asked to write on three of the following subjects: 

• A.  Consider Jared Diamond's theory of "geographic luck," and describe how it applies to the civilizations of ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, and ancient Rome.
• B.  Detail the development of culture, entertainment, and the arts from ancient Greece and Rome.
• C.  Compare the social hierarchy of Ancient Egypt with that of ancient Rome.  Among other things, you may wish to describe the differences between middle class life in these two societies.
• D.  Compare and contrast the government of ancient Rome with the government of the United States in the year 2015.
• E.  Give a thoughtful analysis of the following statement:  "The unexamined life is not worth living."  You may wish to compare it to the experiences of your freshman year at John Carroll.  (Note: if you use the phrase "live life to the fullest" in your answer, you will receive a zero.  That is not what Socrates was about.  Do some research into the actual philosophy of Socrates, or choose another essay to write.)

slight change in the schedule

We are due to wrap up the Roman project presentations tomorrow, but you won't be taking the unit test on Rome until next Tuesday (or Wednesday for Section 3).  This will give us a chance to review the old material, and squeeze in a little new material, on Friday.

The good news is that those of you going to Ocean City for your three four day weekend will no longer be racked with guilt at not being able to take the test with your classmates.

More good news:  the essay portion of your semester exam will be given next Thursday in class (or next Wednesday for Section 6).  Be sure to watch my blog to learn what the actual questions will be ahead of time.  You will still take the objective (Scantron) portion of the semester exam on Wednesday, June 3.

Check in with me in class if you have any questions.

project progress

I really like where these projects are going.  Hard work is paying off.

Here is a little dance music to reward you for all your effort:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrdTcp_yVzQ&feature=youtu.be

project schedule

I have updated the schedule for next week's projects.  Check it out here to see what day you will give your presentation, and if you are going first, second, or third that day.

50% penalty if you are not ready to go at your assigned time.

In class tomorrow I will be happy to answer any questions.

grading criteria for project on Rome

I have posted helpful info for you regarding your project on Rome.

Here is a description of the objectives, instructions, and grading criteria.  This is also in my Links sidebar.

And here is the actual rubric for the oral presentation of your project.  This is also linked under Linkage.

See me with questions, either in or out of class.

Tiberius' friend Octavius explains his theory of the concentration of wealth.

This seemed to be a great time to be a rich aristocrat.  But was it a good time to be a member of the Roman middle class?

(a gift for Section 4) http://share.gifyoutube.com/Kk7z0d.gif

revolution

The death mask of Big Daddy Gracchus

So now you get the picture

All the rich are getting richer

And they’re livin’ on the latifundia

Farmers can’t cope

They’re low on hope

They moved to Rome, Rome, Rome, Rome...

I can hear the brothers Gracchus

Sayin, “Rich, please don’t attack us,

“We got a feeling that the senators will whack us!”

They hit the floor

Next thing you know

It’s civil war, war, war...


The video only concentrated on one of the two Gracchus brothers, and the Roman Republic is too often described as a democracy.  Otherwise, this is a pretty accurate depiction of the events that saw Rome transition from a Republic to an Empire.  I hope you're enjoying it!

in class work for today

Sorry I won't be with you in class today.  You will use class time to work on your Ancient Rome projects.  The subs all know I expect you to work seriously and quietly, since the due date for the project is coming up soon.  It is likely that this will be the last class period where you can work on this project.  You also have this weekend, next week, and the following weekend, before presentations begin on Monday, May 18.

Make good use of the time, and I will see you all next Monday. Thanks!

a break from the Big PowerPoint is coming

This PPt is just filled with information, and I know you are excited at the prospect of viewing even more slides and hearing all my words of wisdom.  But there is a great video series done by the BBC all about ancient Rome.  We will watch some of that in class to take a break from my lectures.  The video is also linked on this blog.

roamin' with the Romans

Our studies of Rome continue, the Big PowerPoint of Rome expands, and we compare Rome with the USA.  

Today we considered post-monarchy Roman government, and the Punic Wars.

more Rome

Three different experiences for my three sections today.  One group got to compare life in Ancient Rome with life in America in the 1920s.  One section caught up with the others and heard about the harrowing, horrible behavior of Tarquin the Proud and his nasty wife Tullia.  And the third class worked on Ancient Roman projects.

Have a good weekend, and we'll see you next week!

projects - coming soon!

Today I gathered information from you regarding your projects.  You can find that info by clicking here.  Please let me know if you don't see your name, if you a listed in the wrong group, or if I don't the right information about your project.

See you tomorrow!

project guidelines

Some of you have already gotten off to a good start with your projects, but many of you seem unsure about where to begin.  Here are some suggestions for you to consider.  Some of them are ideas I heard you discuss in class; some are actual projects that students turned in to me in previous years; some are concepts that just sound interesting to me.  

Also, this is a reminder that you have three weeks to complete your project.  Class presentations will begin on Monday, May 18.  You will be expected to turn in a one-page (or longer if necessary) paper describing and explaining your project - how you did it, what it means, how it relates to life in ancient Rome, etc.).  I will post a rubric soon for this 200-point project.

Possible ideas for projects:

• construct the Coliseum (or the Circus Maximus, or the Roman Forum, or Roman Aqueducts, or any other famous Roman landmark)
• you can use wood, or styrofoam, or clay, or cardboard, or the material of your choice
• recreate a piece of Roman sculpture
• clay is an excellent choice for sculpture, and Mr. Gaudreau can give you expert help if you need it - including advice on how to sculpt genuine Roman pottery or sculpture, plus help with painting, glazing, and baking your piece in a kiln -  he even has a Clay Club every Friday after school, which is pretty fun
• shoot video of key historical events
• the assassination of Julius Caesar
• the trial of Jesus Christ
• tape a newscast of historical events (the ones that might be too hard to re-create)
• the burning of Rome under Nero
• major battles
• the crimes of Tarquin the Proud's son
• the Punic Wars
• conduct interviews with historical figures
• Julius Caesar
• any of the other emperors
• Caesar Augustus
• Livy, Tacitus, Pliny (historians)
• write a song or a rap about Rome or key Roman historical events
• hey, if I can do it, you can too!
• cook some authentic Roman food
• be sure to make it historically accurate - don't just whip up some spaghetti
• describe who would have eaten this dish (rich patricians?  or plebeians?)
• shoot a commercial for ancient Rome
• "Come visit ancient Rome!  It's the perfect vacation site!  Here's why!"
• make some Roman weapons (but safely)
• describe what it was like to be a soldier (or a general) in the Roman Legion
• write a diary
• describe everyday life for a patrician's wife, or for a common plebeian
• compare the decline of the Roman Empire with the (possible) decline of America as a superpower
• discuss whether the US is making some of the same mistakes that ancient Rome did
• construct a 3D (topographical) map
• you can make a map of Rome, or the Italian peninsula, or the whole Mediterranean world
• analyze Roman construction methods
• you're a Roman engineer - describe how these incredible buildings were actually built (materials, work force, funding, methods)
• be the Director of Event Scheduling for the Coliseum
• what goes into the gladiator fights
• Christians (prisoners, slaves, foreigners, POWs) vs. wild animals
• naval battle re-creations
• chariot races
• build a catapult or a trebuchet
• scale model, of course, but the type that the ancient Romans would have used

See me or email me with any questions, or to get approval for your project.  DO NOT do anything risky or dangerous if you decide to do a battle scene.  DO NOT bring a "weapon" to school that would violate JC's rules.  If I see things on video that violate these rules, you will receive a failing grade on the project, and Mr. Ireton and your parents will be notified.

Have fun, do good work, but use your head! 

classroom visitor

Chi Cago wanted to thank you for letting him visit your class.  I want to thank you for putting up with my lunacy.  (Hey, if you can't have a little fun learning about history, what's the point?)

I've posted the lyrics to "Rome" in my Links section, as well as a "video" of the song.  (It's not really a video - just one picture - but at least you can hear the song there.)

I guarantee you will get a better grade on the Rome test if you spend a little time with Chi Cago's masterpiece.  Hopefully you'll be studying with a smile on your face.

Peace out

the inevitablity of empire

Rome was destined for greatness, if only because of their geographically advantageous location.  After all, how do you beat being in the middle of the peninsula that's in the middle of the Mediterranean, which is the center of the world?

"What more can I do?"

If you enjoyed today's speaker, but you didn't have a chance to write down his contact info, here is his Facebook page -  www.facebook.com/JohnOLearyRisingAbove?fref=ts - his Twitter name - @risingabovejohn - and his phone number - 314-202-5373.

In class we went over tests and papers.  See you all tomorrow!

..and, we're back!

Today, and tomorrow, Greek tests and papers are being returned and discussed.  Why do we review the tests?  You may see some of these questions again on the semester exam.
Speaking of the semester exams, here is this year's schedule:

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

8 AM – Math

10 AM – World Language

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

8 AM – Religion

10 AM – Social Studies

Thursday, June 4, 2015

8 AM – English

10 AM - Science

gonna miss you guys...

We're leaving tonight, off to visit our girl!  As you can imagine, I'm pretty excited.

Here is a gentle reminder of what you are going to do for the three class days that I will be gone.

• Work on your group paper.  There are lots of details about this assignment, including the essay and the rubric that are linked, on my previous blog posts.  You are expected to hand me a paper copy of this assignment at the start of class on April 1.  Make sure more than one of you has a printed copy so you aren't unprepared.  The paper is worth 100 points, so it's worth putting serious effort into it.
• Study for the test you will take on April 1.  Focus on my Google Sides presentation, the video I have linked, and the notes you took during your presentations.    The test is going to be 50 Scantron questions, and it's worth 100 points, so be ready.
• Watch the Greeks: Crucible of Civilization video.  It can be found in my Linkages sidebar.  Essential viewing if you want to do well on the test.  If you watch the movie in class, remember your earbuds or headphones so you don't disturb the others.

Thank you in advance for being so responsible, and for being nice to my subs.  I'll be back on Wednesday, April 1, the last day of school before we go on break!  Woo-hoo!

Vaarwel, mijn vrienden!  

Kasteel Well, where Martha has been living and taking classes this semester.

the thrills continue

One of the highlights of Section 4's class 
was hearing Alex and Arthur 
give a terrific presentation on 
Ancient Greek Art and Architecture.  

One of the highlights of Section 6's class was hearing various theories 
about my imaginary wife.

help on your paper

Your 1000-word group paper is due in a week and a half.  You can find an essay that has guidelines regarding formatting, Works Cited lists, parenthetical citations, spelling, and more, listed under Linkage.  I wrote the essay in the exact format that your paper should be written in.  I provided this guide to students a few years ago, in response to an assignment I gave back then.  In the essay, I am describing the 500-word essay, and illustrating what 500 words looks like when properly formatted.  Keep that in mind when writing your 1000-word essay.  We'll briefly discuss this essay in class before I leave.  Feel free to ask questions if anything in my essay is unclear.

the evolution of ancient Greek governments

Today's class lecture focused on how Greek government evolved from an aristocracy, to a tyranny, eventually becoming (tah-dah!) a democracy.   Check my Google Slides presentation for more details.

Reminder - be ready to give your 5 minute presentation on Friday.  That's assuming we are actually in school Friday.  The weather forecast (1-3 inches of snow in Bel Air; 3-5 inches in my neck of the woods) has me starting to wonder if there is another Cyber Day in our future.  Brace yourself!

today's classes

Please enjoy this bucket full of puppies.

Section 4 started off by having their opportunity to work on their Google Slides projects.  A reminder to all: the rubrics for the Slides and for the paper are posted on this blog.

Section 6 will celebrate Kelsey's birthday, Pierce's birthday, and St. Patrick's Day.  Sadly, I can't be there because we have our Academic Team playoffs today at Loyola.  I'll supply napkins for any PB&J sammiches you guys come up with.  While you eat, you can check out / take notes on the next few slides on my (Ancient) Greece is the Word presentation, or you can work quietly on your Google Slides project.  Please be nice to your sub, and maybe even offer him a sandwich!     

Thank you, and I'll see you all tomorrow!

final opportunity

Today is the last day that Sections 3 and 6 will be given class time to work on their Google Slides project.  Everyone will present in class Friday, March 20.  You should be ready to give a 5-7 minute presentation.

It's been interesting to watch how you work in class.  Many of you get right to it, and use the time to get things done.  Other people spend most of the time goofing off.  For example, there are a lot of interesting stories I overheard regarding last week's basketball games.  Not the best use of your time if you are presenting later this week.  But it's your grade, isn't it?

You will have class time to work on your 1000-word paper on March 26, 27, 30, and 31. The paper is due April 1.

how you will be graded on your project and paper

Here is the rubric for the Google Slides project.  It would be a good idea to look it over to make sure you are covering all the bases as you work on your project.  It will also be posted under Linkage if you want to refer to it later.  Everyone presents in class on Friday - be ready!

Here is the rubric for your paper, to be handed in on April 1.  It too will be posted under Linkage.  Read it and be informed.

you're welcome

Today's class was devoted to working on the upcoming projects, catching up on pop quizzes, and updating grades.

I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with how hard you all worked on your Slides, and i'm looking forward to seeing your presentations next Friday.

Have a great weekend!

Project assignments

Hoplites and Triremes - Warfare on Land and Sea
(Section 4 - Zaire, Jayla, Karson)
(Section 6 - Kelsey, Dimitra, Ariana, Delaney)

Athens, Sparta, and the Peloponnesian War
(3 - James, Colin, Jack)
(4 - Caitlyn, Trish, Rosemary)
(6 - Jude, Stevie, Pierce)

Art and Architecture in Ancient Greece
(3 - Katie, Sydney, Sophia)
(4 - Alex, Arthur)
(6 - Kyle, Jake, Avery)

Homer the Storyteller - His Life and Writings
(3 - Gabi, Gabby, Megan)

(4 - Steven, Paj, Evan)

(6 - Meredith, Kacey, Alayna)

Pericles and the Golden Age of Greece
(3 - Luke, Tucker, Immanuel)
(4 - Rory, Ellee, Kendall)
(6 - Adam, Adam, Josh)

Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle - Three Great Philosophers
(3 - Chris, Suky, Christina)
(4 - Chesca, Jessica, Alyssa)

Aristocracy, Tyranny, and Democracy  
(3 - Reece, Nate, Skylar)
(4 - Jeremiah, Dylan, Parker)
(6 - Pierce, Luke, Ryan)

Gods and Goddesses - The Role of Mythology in Ancient Greece
(3 -  Nicole, Sammi, Callie)
(4 - Veronica, Megan, Adam)

a closer look at the Ancient Greece unit

Here's how this unit will unfold as we continue to study ancient Greece.

Today: pop quiz.  (BTW... Average score: 84%.  20 of you - out of 55 - got 100%.  Nice!)

From now through March 19, we cover more material on Greece.

On March 20, you will present your group Google Slides (PowerPoint) in class.  This is a 100 point assignment.  I'll get grading criteria posted this weekend.

March 26, 27, 30 and 31, I will not be in class with you.  You will have the option of working on your group term paper in class, or watching the video I will have posted for you on my blog.  This video will be very helpful to you as you prepare for the unit exam.  If you watch the video in class, bring earbuds or headphones.  If you don't watch it in class, definitely watch it on your own.

April 1, you will take the 100-point unit exam on ancient Greece.  You will also turn in a hard copy of your group 1000-word paper.  This paper will be worth 100 or 200 points.  You can give me feedback on how much it will count, plus I will have a rubric available this weekend.

April 2, our 11-day Easter vacation begins!  April 13, we begin ancient Rome.

If you have questions or input, ask me in class, send me an email, or stop by the TV Studio.

Homer pays a visit

The Odyssey is a timeless story that has been entertaining listeners for thousands of years.  Today Homer's words had quite an impact on Section 4.  And Section 6 finally answered that eternal question:  Are you crying?

life in the early days of Greece

In order to understand the ancient Greeks, you have to understand what influenced their culture.  Their geography - a mountainous peninsula - sent them to the sea, and kept them from being united in their Greek-ness.  They lacked arable land, but the grapes, grain, and olives they were fortunate enough to grow were in demand with trading partners.  The Myceneans ruled, but gave way to "sea peoples" and Dorians.  More to come...!

Yes... another Cyber Day

We did a little shoveling yesterday...

Can you imagine if these were all snow days? We'd be going to school until the Fourth of July. Cyber Days rock.

Today's Cyber Day assignment is for all three sections.

There are three great philosophers from ancient Greece: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.  Pick one of these men, post a picture of him on your blog, and tell me all about him in a well-written paragraph. Suggested details might include his approach to philosophy, when he lived, what writings he is known for, what he may have done for a living (besides philosophizing), and why he is still important today.

This 20-point assignment must be posted to your blog by midnight tonight.  This will, of course, count as your Friday blog.  This means that once you post this blog, you will have the weekend off.

Thanks for all the hard work, and I will see you Monday!

Cyber Day IV

A Cyber Day today?  Gosh!  Who saw this coming?  (Um... I did.)

As we discussed yesterday, your Cyber Day assignment is to discover the wonder and splendor of ancient Greek architecture.  Find three terrific examples of ancient Greek buildings, post pictures of them, and write a short paragraph about each one.  Feel free to mention details like when and where they were built, what style they were built in, what materials were used to build them, what architectural details were included, and why the Greeks built these particular structures.

I have included some good sites for you to use.  However, you are required to write in your own words.  You all received the guidelines from Mr. Powell about doing your own work on Cyber Day assignments.  This means you don't copy other people's work, and you don't cut and paste from websites.  Read, learn, then tell me what you learned.

Some good sources (although you are free to use others):

• Ancient History 
• Ancient Greece
• Metropolitan Museum of Art
• History World
• Famous Historic Buildings

Post this assignment to your blog today, before midnight.  It's worth 20 points.  Late penalties will apply.  Write well, with a lot of detail, and you will receive a good grade.  Do a crummy job, receive a crummy grade.

We shall see how much snow falls, and how it impacts school tomorrow.  All three sections should be prepared to check my blog tomorrow if we have another Cyber Day.

Have a great day, and I'll see you... eventually!

March is coming in like a lion

Weather disruptions seem to be the name of the game this semester.  And with a weather forecast like this, it's easy to see us having another Cyber Day tomorrow.

So, if the Weather Service is on target, Sections 3 and 4 should be ready for their Cyber assignment tomorrow morning.  And, if we really get clobbered with some major accumulation, all three sections should keep their eyes on this blog Friday.

Have fun shoveling!

Greece - at the middle of the earth

A full day of school.  Ya don't see that every day...

Section and 4 and Section 6 were introduced to Greece today. 

The focus was on geography,
and how Greece's culture was shaped by its mountainous terrain,

its position on the water, and its location on the Mediterranean Sea.

A Google Earth's-eye view of Greece

ANOTHER Cyber Day

Since only Sections 3 and 6 meet today, they are the only ones REQUIRED to do this Cyber Day assignment.  Section 4, feel free to check it out and get a jump on things.

Cyber Day Assignment

Today we begin to study ancient Greece.  Go to the Google Slides titled (Ancient) Greece is the Word.  Take notes and answer questions on the first seven slides.  Post these notes to your blog.  Earn a maximum of 20 points by being thorough and detailed.  Earn far fewer points if you are lazy and do slapdash, minimal work.  Earn zero points if you don't do it.  I leave it to you to get this unit off to a good, strong start.  This assignment is due at midnight tonight.

Thanks, and enjoy your Cyber Day!

and now, a pep talk from Mr. Schick

Okay, it's been a crazy few weeks in West Civ.  Some highlights (and lowlights)...

We missed a ton of classes (Feb 10 - snow, Feb 13 - faculty retreat, Feb 16 - holiday, Feb 17 - Cyber Day, Feb 20 - Cyber Day II, Feb 26 - Cyber Day III), yet we still managed to complete a unit on ancient Egypt.  We tested on that unit yesterday, and here are your class averages.

• Section 3: 72%
• Section 4: 87%
• Section 6: 79%

Section 4 has a well-deserved reputation for being involved, energetic, and engaged in the discussions.  They take notes in the notebooks, and do a good job transferring the notes to their blogs.  Is this why they do so well on tests?  Of course it is.  Section 6 has shown a lot of improvement in the way they conduct themselves in class, which accounts for their grades going up since last semester.  Section 3's class average has dropped considerably, which is certainly due to near constant chatting and whispering - sometimes from one side of the room to the other.  Actually, Section 3 has more than twice as many kids failing right now than in the other two sections put together.  I try to teach the same way in all of my classes.  But I feel genuinely bad for students who are trying to do well, yet have a hard time concentrating because of all the distractions, and seeing their teacher lose his train of thought because of a handful of kids who don't care.

Is everybody in Section 3 failing?  Of course not.  Most of the class is doing their best.  But it's like dropping just a few drops of vinegar into a glass of water - the whole drink ends up tasting nasty.

Ask any kid who transferred into Section 4, and they'll tell you how much more fun class is, how much they are learning, and how their grades have improved.  And the only difference is how those students interact with their teacher.  

It's in your hands.

Rant over.

Side note - it's always interesting to hear how much you hated the Pyramid Challenge, but as I read your blogs, I see your frustration often accompanied by a sense of accomplishment at finally completing it.  Also, please check your grades and note that everyone who completed it received either an A or a B.  I was using the "threat" of a C or a zero to try to motivate you to work hard, and work as a team.  If you think that was too much pressure, keep in mind that I am trying to get you ready for SATs and ACTs (now, that's pressure!)

Next week we move from Egypt to ancient Greece.  Enjoy your weekend!

Cyber Day! (again) - UPDATED

Cyber Day.  Seriously.

As I mentioned in class and/or in yesterday's blog, we will have a test on ancient Egypt tomorrow (Friday).  Your Cyber Day assignment is to write five good questions that you might expect me to put on the test, and post them on your blog.  Do not write True/False questions.  If you write multiple choice questions, include at least four options, and make sure you designate the correct answer (highlight it, put it in bold, etc.).  

This assignment is worth 20 points.  It is due by midnight tonight.  This also counts as today's blog entry.

UPDATE:  This assignment is just for Sections 3 and 4.  Section 6 does not meet on Thursdays; therefore, Section 6 doesn't have to do this assignment. (You can if you think it will help you be ready for tomorrow, but it is not required.)

Yum!

After you are done shoveling or playing in the snow, may I recommend a nice warm treat, like hot chocolate, or maybe some pinto beans.

The Pyramid Challenge, and the upcoming test

From  to  !

If you successfully constructed your digital pyramid, congratulations!

If you did it on your own, without unauthorized assistance, you get even more credit for completing the assignment while retaining your integrity.

The test on Ancient Egypt will be given on Friday.

If you want to be prepared for this test, you should review the material in my Prezi and in my "From Prehistory to Civilization" PowerPoint.  It wouldn't hurt to take the Pyramid Challenge again, either.

Monday's class work

On Monday I will be in Washington, DC with the seniors on their trip to Arlington National Cemetery and the Holocaust Museum.

Sections 3 and 6 will still meet.  Here is your assignment, which you are to post to your blog before the end of class.

Embedded in my Prezi on ancient Egypt are three videos - Pyramid Quest, one on mummification, and John Green's Crash Course.  Watch all of them, stopping to take notes where necessary.  Use headphones if you have them; otherwise listen quietly so others can concentrate.  When you are done, summarize each of the videos, and let me know what you thought of them (were the videos interesting, what did you learn, were they worth your time... I'm especially curious what you think of the John Green video).

Work individually, please.

Post your notes and your comments by the end of class.

(Section 4, even though your class does not meet today, I am interested in your opinions too.  Feel free to watch, and let me know what you think.)

break it down

This is me after feeding the horses
at 6:30 this morning 

This has been an amazing stretch.  From Feb 13 to Feb 22, you've had two days of school and eight days off. Let's review the past week, and look at next week, on this bitter cold Cyber Day.

• Mon, Feb 16 - Presidents Day - no school
• Tue, Feb 17 - snow day - no school, but a Cyber Day (completing a five-day weekend)
• Wed, Feb 18 - short classes due to Ash Wednesday services
• Thur, Feb 19 - a full day of classes at JC!  Woo-hoo!
• today - Fri, Feb 20 - frigid weather forces another Cyber Day (assignment below)
• Sat-Sun, Feb 21-22 - weekend - no school (of course)
• Mon, Feb 23 - Mr. Schick attending the Senior Trip to Washington DC (details to follow)

Cyber Day assignment

As you already know, all great civilizations have three things in common: specialized workers, large populations, and advanced technology.  The ancient Egyptians certainly had their share of technological breakthroughs, and they are credited with many different inventions which allowed them to advance as a civilization.

Your assignment is to find five different technological developments of the ancient Egyptians, using the sites below.  (Don't use Wikipedia this time around; just use any or all of the five sites I have provided.)  Using complete sentences, and in your own words, describe these inventions/breakthroughs, including why they were important and how they improved life for the Egyptians.  Rank these by importance, starting with the one you feel was most important.

Post this assignment to your blog.  The assignment is worth 20 points.  It must be posted by midnight Saturday night (when all your Friday blogs are due).  Late assignments, missing assignments, assignments that use Wikipedia as a source, assignments that are cut/pasted from the web, and assignments that are not written in complete sentences and written well will receive a zero.

These sites should provide you with plenty of usable material.

Ancient Egyptian Inventions
Egypt's Golden Empire
Ancient Egyptian Medicine
Discovering Egypt
Egyptian Astronomy

It's a CYBER DAY!

Taken at 6:30 this snowy morning

JC declaring today a Cyber Day means that I need to give you an actual assignment.  By doing so, this is no longer a Snow Day that will need to be made up (by shortening Easter Break, or by extending the school year, for example), but a Cyber Day that includes actual academic activity, which does not need to be made up.

So here's the assignment.

Review the Prezi I have posted, 

take notes on its content, 

and post the notes in your blog for today.

Since Sections 4 and 6 were the only ones due to meet today, they are the only ones required to do this assignment.  Section 3 would not have met today, so they are exempt.

Here is the official JC notice about Cyber Day.  And remember, tomorrow (Wednesday, February 18) will be an A Day (Monday schedule).

In the meantime, enjoy this, your fifth day off in a row!

more Egypt, baby!

Today Section 4 will be introduced to the wonder and splendor of the Egypt Prezi.

Sadly, I will not be in class with the mighty Section 3, as I will be preparing the massive Speech meet we are hosting at John Carroll this evening.  Please use the class time to look at the rest of the Prezi, and make notes on it directly in your blog.  Be nice to your sub!

Enjoy your day off tomorrow...and the day after... and the day after... and Monday, too!

from Papua New Guinea to ancient Egypt

Section 4 took their test today, and the grades are being posted.

Sections 3 and 6 got their first look at my Egypt Prezi.  I hope you enjoy it, I hope it is informative, and I hope it doesn't give you motion sickness.  The link to the Prezi is posted on the right.

good call, HCPS

Ice - even a couple hundredths of an inch of ice - is very dangerous to drive in.  HCPS definitely made the right call in cancelling school today.

As Mrs. Strawbridge likes to say, "Stay safe, and stay warm!"

And stay home.  No reason to drive in this unless it's absolutely necessary.

one last test, then Egypt!

Tuesday's schedule:

One hour late bell for you freshmen.

UNLESS we have a two hour late bell due to icy weather:

• ... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM EST TUESDAY...
• * PRECIPITATION TYPE... FREEZING RAIN.
• * ACCUMULATIONS... A COUPLE HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH... WITH ISOLATED AREAS UP TO A TENTH OF AN INCH.
• * TIMING... THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY MORNING.
• * TEMPERATURES... UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S.
• * WINDS... NORTH AROUND 10 MPH.
• * IMPACTS... UNTREATED SURFACES MAY BECOME SLIPPERY AND HAZARDOUS.
• PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
• A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES... AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

If we are in school at all, Sections 3 and 6 will move on to Egypt, while Section 4 will take their test on Guns, Germs, and Steel.

In other words, be ready for anything!

some deets about the next test

The test on Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs, and Steel, and "geographic luck" will be given to Sections 3 and 6 on Monday, and to Section 4 on Tuesday.

You will have the first ten minutes of class to study before the test begins.  There will be 25 multiple choice questions on this Scantron test, so bring a pencil and be ready to go.  You will not be using your blog or written notes on this test.

After you take this test, we will review the first test you took (Prehistory and Mesopotamia).  For some, there will be dinging of the small bell, and great joy in the village.

The following day, will will begin our studies of ancient Egypt.

correction to something I told you in class

I was doing some research for material to put on the Guns, Germs and Steel test, when I discovered that the village we saw - you know, the one where the Canadian archaeologist unearthed the granary - is actually spelled Drah'.  I had spelled it "Draa" in class, but that was incorrect.  It's Drah' and that does include the apostrophe at the end of the word.  

So, be ready for questions about Drah' - and about sago, too.

test next week

"Why you white men have so much cargo,
and we New Guineans have so little?"

Sections 3 and 6 will take a test on Guns, Germs, and Steel on Monday.  Section 4 takes theirs on Tuesday.

I know you have been taking good notes in class, and this will serve you well on the test.  If you missed a day of class, or if you just want to review the video, remember that I have posted a link to the YouTube video on this blog (to the right, under "Linkage"}.

Keep in mind the essence of Jared Diamond's "geographic luck" theory, and think about how it connects to what you already learned about Prehistory and Mesopotamia.

Study hard, and have a great weekend!

Jared's theory

Now that we've finished watching Guns, Germs, and Steel, you might consider how much credence you give Jared Diamond's theory of "geographic luck."  Does it make sense to you as an explanation of why some societies have progressed faster than others?

As you ponder this, keep in mind that we will discuss details as we prepare for the test, to be given Monday (or Tuesday, to Section 4).

I'm starting to think my computer came from Papua New Guinea.  

Thanks for your patience in class today as we continue to study Jared Diamond and Guns, Germs, and Steel.

haves and have-nots

Studying Jared Diamond's theory of "geographic luck" seems like a natural follow-up to our look at Prehistory and Mesopotamia.  Even though the film was shot in the twenty-first century, some of the people of Papua New Guinea seem to still be living a hunter/gatherer lifestyle.

We will watch and take notes on this material in class.  If you miss class for some reason, you are responsible for watching the video on your own.  I have a link posted on the right.

the Big Day

Hooray!  It's Super Bowl Sunday!  The Most Important Day of the year!

Unless you're a Ravens (or Bears) fan and you don't really care that much about who wins today.

In which case, it might be a good day to watch a good movie or hang out with the family or actually play some football with your friends instead of just watching millionaires play football on TV.  Hooray!

more Western Civ - with echoes of Human Geo

Okay, Section 6, you're up!  Your test on Prehistory and Mesopotamia is tomorrow!

When we are all done taking this test, we will move on to the next unit, which we will begin by watching a terrific video called Guns, Germs, and Steel.  Get ready!

First test of the semester... coming up!

Sections 3 and 4, you are testing tomorrow.


Section 6, your turn comes Friday.


My PowerPoint and your class notes should serve you well as you study tonight.

test schedule

Here is your schedule for the next few days.

Section 3

• Tuesday:  no class
• Wednesday: review
• Thursday: test

Section 4

• Tuesday:  Hammurabi's Code
• Wednesday:  review
• Thursday: test

Section 6

• Tuesday:  sub in class
• Wednesday:  review
• no class
• Friday: test

more snow!

I hope you enjoyed the day off!  Way up here in the north country, we still got only three inches or so of the white stuff, but that was still enough to shut down the Harford County school system.

More snow in the forecast for the overnight hours, too.  So what will that bring us tomorrow?  Two-hour late bell?  Pretty likely.  Another day off?  Maybe.  A normal bell?  Could happen.

What will that mean for your WestCiv class, in particular the test?

• If you are in Section 4 or Section 6, and we have school on Tuesday, we will have the test on Wednesday (but Section 3 will test on Thursday).  
• If we don't have class on Tuesday, we will all be able to review on Wednesday, and Sections 3 and 4 will test on Thursday (with Section 6 testing on Friday).

If that's too confusing, look at it this way:  every section will get a day to review, followed by the test the next day we have class.

In any case, stay warm, and be glad you're not a hunter/gatherer living outside!

questions to consider

When and where did human beings first emerge?

Why did the period known as "prehistory" end?

What made the rise of civilization possible?

Name some early technological innovations.

How did hunter/gatherers live?

Who was King Hammurabi, and why was he important?

Define these terms:

• prehistory
• Paleolithic Age
• Neolithic Age
• Agricultural Revolution
• cuneiform
• ziggurat
• Indo-Europeans

Find 'em on a map:

• Mesopotamia
• Fertile Crescent
• Sumer
• Mediterranean Sea
• Asia Minor
• Tigris River
• Euphrates River

If you can answer these questions, you are on your way to acing the first test of the semester, which will be given next Wednesday, January 28.  Be ready!