With CRCT testing now concluded the MYP Humanities classes will resume normal schedule (at least until ITBS testing begins).
7th Grade:
Students in 7th Grade will begin a new Unit on East Asia. This unit will cover the following countries: North and South Korea, China, Mongolia, Taiwan and Japan. This is an exciting unit covering a over 1/4 of the world's population. The unit will begin by exploring the physical geography of the region including major landforms and bodies of water, followed by culture and history.
6th Grade:
Students in 6th Grade will be reviewing the now completed unit on the cultures and history of Europe. We will be reviewing this week before the next unit test, after which time we will be exploring the nations of Australia and Oceania. The unit test on Europe will cover history going back to Ancient Greece to the present and a comprehensive review is planned which students will be expected to complete over the next couple days.
5th Grade:
5th Grade students are exploring early 20th century America and will be reviewing the period from the Progressive era to WWII over the next several days
Monday, April 27, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
CRCT
This week and Monday of next week we will be testing since many classes will not meet there will be some extended periods in which humanities materials will not be covered. We will resume a normal schedule on April 28
Friday, April 3, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
CRCT Review
Each student has been given a CRCT review packet to cover material that they should be familiar with for CRCT test after spring break. Students in all grades should pay especially close to materials which we have not arrived at.
7th Grade: East Asia
6th Grade: Australia and Oceania
5th Grade: Mid-Late 20th Century America
These are subjects which will be covering in the coming weeks, but may be featured on the CRCT , which is why it is especially important that these areas are reviewed in your packet over the break. We will review the entire packet and more after the break, but students should take the initiative and work on their packets during this brief respite from classes
7th Grade: East Asia
6th Grade: Australia and Oceania
5th Grade: Mid-Late 20th Century America
These are subjects which will be covering in the coming weeks, but may be featured on the CRCT , which is why it is especially important that these areas are reviewed in your packet over the break. We will review the entire packet and more after the break, but students should take the initiative and work on their packets during this brief respite from classes
Monday, March 30, 2009
5th Grade Great Plains Test
Review of Unit on Great Plains for end of week test....students should complete and review in preparation for this test
7th Grade: Middle East Test
7th Grade Students will have a test on Thursday and will be completing a review activity early in the week, a copy of that review sheet is below. students should have completed by Thursday.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
7th Graders: Current Events and Cultures
7th Graders are studying cultures and current events in the Middle East. Those students (7th grade boys) who did not have current events on Friday, should make sure they bring them in next week.
7th grade girls will be working on current events as well in the coming week.
7th grade girls will be working on current events as well in the coming week.
6th Grade: The Middle Ages
Sixth Graders recently completed a study of Ancient Greece and Rome and will be tackling the subject of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance in the coming days. They too will be having a quiz in the coming days over Ancient Rome (and the Middle Ages).
A make up quiz on Ancient Greece was completed on Thursday, and lets up 6th graders take away from the experience that when given a second chance to prepare, they make sure to review and prepare.
A make up quiz on Ancient Greece was completed on Thursday, and lets up 6th graders take away from the experience that when given a second chance to prepare, they make sure to review and prepare.
5th Grade:
The Fifth Graders will be wrapping up our studies on the 19th and moving into the 20th century.
5th grade students recently completed a quiz on western expansion and can look forward to another in the next few days covering Exodusters and exodus of former salves to the great plains, as well as teh economic concept of supply and demand, cattles drives and on going conflicts with native americans on the great plains.
All fifth grade students should have a set of review material sfor this purpose.
5th grade students recently completed a quiz on western expansion and can look forward to another in the next few days covering Exodusters and exodus of former salves to the great plains, as well as teh economic concept of supply and demand, cattles drives and on going conflicts with native americans on the great plains.
All fifth grade students should have a set of review material sfor this purpose.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
6th Grade: Ancient Greece and Rome
6th Graders are studying Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece this week and will then began studying later European History.
Below is an excerpt of the reading on Ancient Greece:
ANCIENT GREECE
Ancient Greece wasn't one large empire but a collection of smaller city-states. The term the Greeks used was polis, which meant "city-state." A polis was bigger than a city but smaller than a state. They were scattered throughout the Mediterranean area. Some were seaports; others were more inland. Some of the more famous city-states were Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Delphi, and Thebes.
The people living in these city-states were all Greek, coming from a common heritage. But the people of each city-state did different things and had different beliefs.
Sparta, for instance, was a place of great determination. The Spartans believed in a strong army. All Spartan boys were trained to be soldiers. Other Greek city-states often looked to Sparta and its army to keep them safe. Sparta was ruled by the Senate, a group that made laws and kept tyrants in check.
Athens, another large city-state, was the birthplace of democracy, or the idea that each person could have a voice in what laws were passed and who made up the government.
Early in its history, Athens was ruled by tyrants, some of whom worked to create democracy. The Athenians invented the practice of ostracism to deal with tyrants.
Athens was also a place of great culture. Philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle studied and taught in and around Athens. Many of the famous buildings that are only ruins today were in Athens.
Athens was the home of the Greeks' great fleet, which beat back the invading Persians several times during the Persian Wars. Athens also used this fleet to create an empire. Other, smaller city-states grew afraid of Athens' power and sided with Sparta, another large city-state, in the Peloponnesian War, which ended in the defeat of Athens. This war left the Greeks so weak from fighting each other that they were easy targets for a determined conqueror like Alexander the Great, who conquered Greece on his way to ruling most of the known world.
Another famous city-state was Olympia, which had the Olympics, great athletic contests that soldiers and others took part in, even during wars. The Olympics were actually a religious festival dedicated to the great god Zeus. Delphi, another city-state, had the Oracle, a religious temple that answered questions in a vague sort of way.
The Greek religion was based on the worship of nature and many Gods and Goddesses (polytheism). The most powerful and famous of these was Zeus. Other famous gods and goddesses were Apollo, Aphrodite, Athena, Hades, and Poseidon. The Greeks told all kinds of fanciful tales about these gods and goddesses. Many times, they interacted with people. Other times, they did great or terrible things on their own. The Greeks invented comedy and drama and great plays and performances were a regular part of Greek life.
The Greeks also made great discoveries in math and science. Pythagoras invented his famous Theorem. Euclid invented geometry. Eratosthenes calculated how many miles the Earth was around. Aristarchus calculated the distance from Earth to the Moon. Aristotle made a name for himself as a scientist as well.
The Greeks were also the first to write history, chronicling events from wars to everyday life.
Below is an excerpt of the reading on Ancient Greece:
ANCIENT GREECE
Ancient Greece wasn't one large empire but a collection of smaller city-states. The term the Greeks used was polis, which meant "city-state." A polis was bigger than a city but smaller than a state. They were scattered throughout the Mediterranean area. Some were seaports; others were more inland. Some of the more famous city-states were Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Delphi, and Thebes.
The people living in these city-states were all Greek, coming from a common heritage. But the people of each city-state did different things and had different beliefs.
Sparta, for instance, was a place of great determination. The Spartans believed in a strong army. All Spartan boys were trained to be soldiers. Other Greek city-states often looked to Sparta and its army to keep them safe. Sparta was ruled by the Senate, a group that made laws and kept tyrants in check.
Athens, another large city-state, was the birthplace of democracy, or the idea that each person could have a voice in what laws were passed and who made up the government.
Early in its history, Athens was ruled by tyrants, some of whom worked to create democracy. The Athenians invented the practice of ostracism to deal with tyrants.
Athens was also a place of great culture. Philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle studied and taught in and around Athens. Many of the famous buildings that are only ruins today were in Athens.
Athens was the home of the Greeks' great fleet, which beat back the invading Persians several times during the Persian Wars. Athens also used this fleet to create an empire. Other, smaller city-states grew afraid of Athens' power and sided with Sparta, another large city-state, in the Peloponnesian War, which ended in the defeat of Athens. This war left the Greeks so weak from fighting each other that they were easy targets for a determined conqueror like Alexander the Great, who conquered Greece on his way to ruling most of the known world.
Another famous city-state was Olympia, which had the Olympics, great athletic contests that soldiers and others took part in, even during wars. The Olympics were actually a religious festival dedicated to the great god Zeus. Delphi, another city-state, had the Oracle, a religious temple that answered questions in a vague sort of way.
The Greek religion was based on the worship of nature and many Gods and Goddesses (polytheism). The most powerful and famous of these was Zeus. Other famous gods and goddesses were Apollo, Aphrodite, Athena, Hades, and Poseidon. The Greeks told all kinds of fanciful tales about these gods and goddesses. Many times, they interacted with people. Other times, they did great or terrible things on their own. The Greeks invented comedy and drama and great plays and performances were a regular part of Greek life.
The Greeks also made great discoveries in math and science. Pythagoras invented his famous Theorem. Euclid invented geometry. Eratosthenes calculated how many miles the Earth was around. Aristarchus calculated the distance from Earth to the Moon. Aristotle made a name for himself as a scientist as well.
The Greeks were also the first to write history, chronicling events from wars to everyday life.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
7th Grade: History of the Middle East
7th Graders recently began explorer the history of Ancient Mesopotamia. All 7th graders have a hand out that should enable them to answer the following questions:
1. Why is ancient Mesopotamia referred to as the cradle of civilization?
2. Who was Hammurabi? And what were his contributions to ancient Mesopotamian history?
3. What modern country is located where Mesopotamia was located?
4. What Sumerian innovations made it possible for their villages to develop into large city-states?
5. What is Cuneiform? Where was it taught? And by whom?
6. What was the importance of the ziggurat? Who were the only people allowed inside these structures?
7. What other important innovations were developed by the people of Ancient Mespotamia?
1. Why is ancient Mesopotamia referred to as the cradle of civilization?
2. Who was Hammurabi? And what were his contributions to ancient Mesopotamian history?
3. What modern country is located where Mesopotamia was located?
4. What Sumerian innovations made it possible for their villages to develop into large city-states?
5. What is Cuneiform? Where was it taught? And by whom?
6. What was the importance of the ziggurat? Who were the only people allowed inside these structures?
7. What other important innovations were developed by the people of Ancient Mespotamia?
Monday, March 9, 2009
5th Grade: Western Expansion
This week and next 5th Grade students are studying America's western expansion in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Vocab:
Exoduster
Benjamin "Pap" Singleton
Sodbuster
Sod House
Key Concepts:
1. What were the difficulties faced by those who settled in the Great Plains?
2. How did the people of the Great Plains adapt to life there?
3. Why did many former slaves migrate to the Great Plains?
Vocab:
Exoduster
Benjamin "Pap" Singleton
Sodbuster
Sod House
Key Concepts:
1. What were the difficulties faced by those who settled in the Great Plains?
2. How did the people of the Great Plains adapt to life there?
3. Why did many former slaves migrate to the Great Plains?
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Informational Speeches
Students in 6th and 7th grade are working on giving informational speeches to the class. This oral assignment will give students an opportunity to conduct individual research on a specific country they have been assigned in Europe (6th Grade) or the Middle East (7th Grade).
These speeches are to explain or describe a concept, event or issue unique to that specific country. The topics can cover history, politics, culture, art, etc, provided it is related to the country in question.
Students will present their speeches in an oral essay type format, including an introduction, body and conclusion. Students must turn in an outline to accompany their speech. This outline will highlight the main points of teh speech but is NOT a text of the speech.
6th Grade will begin their speeches on Friday, Feb 27 continuing through the next week, while 7th grade speeches will begin on March 2.
These speeches are to explain or describe a concept, event or issue unique to that specific country. The topics can cover history, politics, culture, art, etc, provided it is related to the country in question.
Students will present their speeches in an oral essay type format, including an introduction, body and conclusion. Students must turn in an outline to accompany their speech. This outline will highlight the main points of teh speech but is NOT a text of the speech.
6th Grade will begin their speeches on Friday, Feb 27 continuing through the next week, while 7th grade speeches will begin on March 2.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
7th Grade
7th Grade is finalizing its study of the nations of Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria and as such should be able to answer the following questions.
1. What are the major historical similarities between the 3 countries?
2. What are the major ethnic groups found in each country?
3. Describe the vast mineral wealth of each nation?
4. What is Apartheid? Compare this development in South Africa with ethnic and racial differences in the other two countries, how has it differed, how is it similar?
1. What are the major historical similarities between the 3 countries?
2. What are the major ethnic groups found in each country?
3. Describe the vast mineral wealth of each nation?
4. What is Apartheid? Compare this development in South Africa with ethnic and racial differences in the other two countries, how has it differed, how is it similar?
Sunday, January 25, 2009
6th Grade Study Guide
Study Guide for 6th Grade Canada unit is below. 6th Grade students will be tested on Friday.
Students should review this material as we have in class and review the 13 Canadian provinces and territories
5th Grade Study Guide:
This is the study guide for 5th grade students as we close out the civil war and reconstruction.
Students in 5th grade have been reviewing this material all week.
5th Grade boys will be tested on Friday, 5th grade girls will be tested next week.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Nigeria: People Culture and History
7th Grade students are completing their study of Nigeria and need to familkiarize themselves with the People, History and Culture of that country.
Three major Ethnic Groups (70% of population)
Nigeria's natural resources
Nigeria's history of democracy
We will now focus on Kenya and will be comparing and contrasting teh two countries
Three major Ethnic Groups (70% of population)
YorubaCauses for ethnic violence
Igbo
Hausa-Fulani
Nigeria's natural resources
Nigeria's history of democracy
We will now focus on Kenya and will be comparing and contrasting teh two countries
End of Civil War and Reconstruction: 5th Grade
Students in the 5th grade have wrapped up their exploration of the Civil War and are looking at the aftermath including Reconstruction. Sudents will be reviewing vocabulary and a studying and revising a timeline created earlier in teh week in order to focus on the most significant events of the war. Students should be able to explain or briefly describe the following events:
Lincoln Elected
South Carolina secedes
Confederacy Formed
Fort Sumter
Upper South Secedes
Antietam (the bloodiest day)
Gettysburg
Emacipation Proclamation
Capture of Atlanta
March to the Sea
Appomattox Cout House
Lincoln's Assasination
Juneteenth
Lincoln Elected
South Carolina secedes
Confederacy Formed
Fort Sumter
Upper South Secedes
Antietam (the bloodiest day)
Gettysburg
Emacipation Proclamation
Capture of Atlanta
March to the Sea
Appomattox Cout House
Lincoln's Assasination
Juneteenth
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Physical Geography of Canada: 6th Grade
Students in the 6th Grade are currently exploring the physical geography of Canada. Students are currently learning the major bodies of water, climate, natural resources and physical features of Canada.Including the 4 principle types of natural vegetation in North America: Desert Scrub, Tundra, Forests and Grasslands.
Students also need to familiarize themselves with the 13 provinces and territories of Canada, including:
British Columbia, Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Yukon, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Classes resume January 5, 2009
Classes resume January 5, 2009 for students. The new year will bring some changes for MYP students, including a slightly revised schedule (letters have been sent home explaining this schedule).
For Humanities classes the new year brings new areas of student and beginning preparations for the CRCT.
Because organization has been and continues to be a major problem for many MYP level students of ALL grades. To ensure that parents are well aware of all assignments, projects, test, quizzes etc...ALL students will be required to keep track of these assignments in their agendas which I will sign at the end of each class.
Students will also be required to have ALL homework and assignments in their notebooks at all times with their unit checklists. Unit checklists must be signed by parents on a weekly basis, indicating assignments completed and the grade received.
Each grade level will begin working on CRCT preparatory exercises as we begin preparing ourselves for Georgia's Criterion Reference Competency Test (CRCT) later in the spring.
Below you will find links to state provided CRCT study guides based on grade level. Each study guide is comprehensive (including information for all subject areas, including social studies)
5th Grade Study Guide
6th Grade Study Guide
7th Grade Study Guide
For Humanities classes the new year brings new areas of student and beginning preparations for the CRCT.
- 5th Grade: Will be finishing our studies of the Civil War moving into our looking at the aftermath of this conflict for the people of the United States
- 6th Grade: Will begin studying the People, Culture, History and Physical Geography of our neighbor to the North (Canada)
- 7th Grade: Will begin a 3 week unit closing out our study of the Continent of Africa, while focusing on the study of three distinct countries and their History and Culture (Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa)
Because organization has been and continues to be a major problem for many MYP level students of ALL grades. To ensure that parents are well aware of all assignments, projects, test, quizzes etc...ALL students will be required to keep track of these assignments in their agendas which I will sign at the end of each class.
Students will also be required to have ALL homework and assignments in their notebooks at all times with their unit checklists. Unit checklists must be signed by parents on a weekly basis, indicating assignments completed and the grade received.
Each grade level will begin working on CRCT preparatory exercises as we begin preparing ourselves for Georgia's Criterion Reference Competency Test (CRCT) later in the spring.
Below you will find links to state provided CRCT study guides based on grade level. Each study guide is comprehensive (including information for all subject areas, including social studies)
5th Grade Study Guide
6th Grade Study Guide
7th Grade Study Guide
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