Image source: The New Yorker
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OUR TWO WALKING PARTIES (B/D BLOCKS AND F/H BLOCKS):
Social Studies Updates
19 OctPeer editing with a focus on capitalization (Photo by Rob Martin)
Photo by Rob Martin
Photo by Rob Martin
Photo by Rob Martin
Photo by Rob Martin
Peer editing (Photo by Rob Martin)
We have had a busy two weeks leading up to our Week Without Walls trip on Monday. You are in the process of finishing your Egypt or Mesopotamia Inquiry Project (G.R.A.P.E.S. Historical Themes), and most of you have also finished your latest Out of Eden Learn activity, Footstep #2, Creating a Neighborhood Map. I have shared some photos here of some of our work, and will share some more here on the class blog and my Twitter handle (@DigitalNomadRob – #G6SSAISC). Out of Eden Learn has already seen some of your maps and has shared them as well. Great job!
You will be given class time tomorrow and Friday to work on your project. Please finish them over the weekend, if you do not finish tomorrow. When we return from Week Without Walls on Tuesday, November 1 (No school on Monday, Oct. 31), we will only have four days left in trimester 1. Our goals for the rest of the trimester are:
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To make sure everyone has finished their summative (final) project.
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To make sure you have finished Footstep #2 (Out of Eden Learn) and posted it on their site.
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Written comments on other posts from our OOEL walking party – Part 3 of Out of Eden Learn, Footstep #2.
When these things are done, you will need to write a reflection and add both #1 and #2 above to your e-portfolio (More on this later!). Keep up the good work!
Mesopotamia vs. Egypt
23 Sep
This is a great video that features a comparison between Mesopotamia and Egypt.
A Busy Week!
11 Sep
Students –
We learned about Paul Salopek’s Out of Eden Walk last week. Next, you will join our walking party for Out of Eden Learn and start your first footstep. Here are the towns or cities who will be in our walking party:
OUR TWO WALKING PARTIES (B/D BLOCKS AND F/H BLOCKS):
Location: from the U.S.A. Atlanta, Georgia; Houston, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; Danville, California; Marblehead, Massachusetts; Oak Hill, Florida; Portland, Oregon; Oxnard, California; Hockessin, Deleware. From other countries: Accra, Ghana
Here are two photos of students learning about Paul Salopek and his journey.
Photo by Rob Martin
Photo by Rob Martin
Finally, students shared their Egypt and Mesopotamia mind maps in a gallery walk and we worked on developing skills in giving feedback and learning what is helpful (good) vs. Not so helpful or detailed feedback (Mmmmm….not so good). We will continue to work on this throughout the year because one thing you will be doing a lot of on Out of Eden Learn is giving feedback and asking questions to other students in our walking party.
Helpful, detailed feedback on the right vs. Not so-detailed feedback. We will continue to work on this skill. (Photo by Rob Martin)
Gallery Walk for our Mind Maps
Gallery Walk
Geography and Scarcity in Mesopotamia and Egypt
22 Aug
This video playlist features short videos on the geography of Mesopotamia and Egypt. In class you will be conducting research to answer the question: How did geography and scarcity influence the rise of civilization in Mesopotamia and Egypt? After watching a video, share something you learned.
Ancient Egypt Videos – Best of the Best
18 May
Here is a selection of video documentaries we made for our Egypt project. There were many excellent ones, and I believe we all developed new skills in developing an inquiry or question to research, learning how to stay organized when doing research, writing a script or storyboard, and making a video. The videos in this playlist were among the best ones I watched. Good work everyone!
Pyramids around the World
27 AprMexico
Sudan, Africa
Sudan, Africa
Guatemala, Central America
Pyramids are not only in Egypt! Check out some of the pyramids in these photos and take a look at some of the articles here. Also, watch the playlist of video clips below. If you have any good links, videos, or photos, please send them to Mr. Martin. Thanks!
Ancient Pyramids around the World (Smithsonian Magazine)
The World’s 15 Most Amazing Pyramids (Weather.com)
World Pyramids
Pyramids (British Museum) – try the challenge activity!
4,600 Year old Pyramid Discovered Read all about it!
Writing our Documentary Scripts
19 AprResearch is complete! We are now working on writing our scripts for our video documentary project. We are storyboarding our stories, finding images that support our stories, and planning for the next stage…creating our videos! This project will be due on Wednesday, April 27 (B/D) and Thursday, April 28 (G/H).
A Cartoon for Monday
18 AprImage source: Bizarro by Dan Piraro
Image source: Bizarro by Dan Piraro
Image source: The New Yorker
Ancient Egypt Project – Research Tools!
11 Apr
Students,
In addition to finding information about your topic in the library books we have in class, I would like you to use one (or both!) of the following sites:
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World Book Online – You have been provided the password! Click on the link here, or you can also find it under ‘Classroom Resources.’
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Web Path Express (no link) – This is connected to our CIC/Library website. Rather than use the library ‘catalog’ to find books, you can find great websites, according to your reading level. Click websites, filter by grade, and get results….you will find good websites for your topic! The link for the library catalog is the first one under ‘Class Resources,’ at the bottom of my blog, or on Moodle (CIC).
The Pyramids Few Tourists Have Seen (BBC)
9 AprImage source: Vivien Cumming (BBC)
Unlike Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza, most of Meroe‘s pyramids are slightly smaller, with steeper sides, narrower bases and adjoining offering temples. Check out the images and information from this article to find out where you can see these pyramids…not in Egypt!
Egypt – Gift of the Nile
1 Apr
We learned about Mesopotamia in the first trimester. This is a nice video that compares the two civilizations. Watch it!
This week we are learning about Egypt’s geography and how the Nile River, the longest river in the world, supported its civilization’s development and growth. Rich farmland (the ‘black land’) provided plenty of food for Egyptians. The river also became a trading highway. We played the Explanation Game, a Visible Thinking routine in class this week and generated questions, wonderings, and possible explanations for the images that showed life in ancient Egypt. Below are some photos and a playlist featuring short videos that support what we are learning in class and what you are reading.
Welcome back! New Unit – Egypt!
28 MarStudents – We hope you had a nice, restful, and fun vacation, whether you stayed in Chennai or traveled. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow and starting our new unit this week, Egypt. We will also start footstep #2 for Out of Eden Learn. There are 10 weeks left in the school year and the time will go quickly. Show your best effort and finish the year on a strong note! Here are a couple of more funny cartoons I recently discovered on a funny website named Wrong Hands.
Secrets of Egypt’s Lost Queen – Hatshepsut
25 MarSecrets of Egypt’s Lost Queen (Discovery Channel) was one of the most popular (if not most!) documentaries or videos we showed last year. We are adding it here to the class blog, so you can watch it if you are interested. While it’s optional, we think it’s really good; you will enjoy it if you like mysteries or detective-like programs.
Another Egyptian Tomb Discovered
11 Mar
Image source: Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities
CAIRO, EGYPT—Another 18th Dynasty tomb has been discovered by archaeologists from the American Research Center in Egypt at Al-Qurna in Luxor. Paintings on the walls of this New Kingdom (1550-1070 B.C.) tomb “are records of daily life practices that prevailed in that era,” according to a statement made by Antiquities Minister Mamdouh al-Damaty. Click HERE to learn more. As we’ve told you in class, these types of tombs, as well as other ancient artifacts are still being discovered.
Ramses the Great and Moving Abu Simbel
10 Mar
Abu Simbel (Image source: http://blog.generalmills.com/wp-content/uploads/Rameses-1966-chemicals.jpg)
The statue of Ramses the Great at the Great Temple of Abu Simbel is reassembled after having been moved in 1967 to save it from being flooded. (image source: sv:Forskning & Framsteg 1967 issue 3, page 16)
Construction of the Abu Simbel temple complex started in approximately 1264 BC and lasted for about 20 years, until 1244 BC. Known as the “Temple of Ramesses, beloved by Amun it was one of six rock temples erected in Nubia during the long reign of Ramesses II. Ramses built the Temple at Abu Simbel in Egypt to intimidate his enemies and seat himself amongst the gods. The complex was relocated in its entirety in 1968, on an artificial hill made from a domed structure, high above the Aswan High Dam reservoir. The relocation of the temples was necessary to avoid their being submerged during the creation of Lake Nasser, the massive artificial water reservoir formed after the building of the Aswan High Dam on the Nile River.
National Geographic – “Moving Abu Simbel” (3 minute video) – very good!
History Channel – Ramses’ Temple at Abu Simbel (3 minute video) – excellent and there are other Egypt- related videos on the same link.
Ramses the Great
8 Mar
Statue of Ramses the Great (Image source BBC.UK)
Here is a playlist of different video clips about Ramses II, also known as Ramses the Great. One of the greatest pharaohs of Egypt of the New Kingdom, he ruled for 66 years and brought stability to ancient Egypt, after his battles with the Hittites.
Egypt Fun Stuff – Songs, Horrible Histories, and Crash Course with John Green
19 Feb
Turn history into pop song satires with History Teachers, Horrible Histories, and enjoy Crash Course with John Green.
Pyramids Around the World
9 Feb
Pyramids are not only in Egypt! Check out some of the pyramids in these photos and take a look at some of the articles here. Also, watch the playlist of video clips below. If you have any good links, videos, or photos, please send them to Mr. Martin. Thanks!
Ancient Pyramids around the World (Smithsonian Magazine)
The World’s 15 Most Amazing Pyramids (Weather.com)
World Pyramids
Pyramids (British Museum) – try the challenge activity!
Image
All about Mummies
4 FebWatch this playlist we have created – All about Mummies – to learn more about mummification. Each video is short, but they are all good and provide interesting facts and details about mummies. Take a look at the British Museum’s link of Ancient Egypt and their link on mummification.
Image credit: History.com
Here is a great infographic on mummies from History.com.
Whodunnit – King Tut’s mask is damaged
30 Jan
Tut. Tut. It has been revealed that workers at Cairo’s Egyptian Museum accidentally knocked the braided beard off the burial mask of King Tutankhamen, and the hasty glue job to repair the famous relic may have caused even more damage. Museum officials, however, are confident the mask can be properly repaired. Here is another story from National Public Radio (NPR).
A January 23, 2015, photo shows the botched repair to the mask. (Credit: MOHAMED EL-SHAHED/AFP/Getty Images)
Egypt – Gift of the Nile
14 JanWe began our new unit on ancient Egypt on Monday. This is an excellent unit which we are sure you will enjoy. Over the next few weeks, we will learn about geography, life in ancient Egypt, the pyramids, different kingdoms, the legacy of ancient Egypt and much, much more. This playlist gives you an introduction to Egypt and a glimpse into its past and present. All of the videos are brief, but excellent.
What are you interested in learning about in this unit?
New Unit: Egypt
14 JanWelcome back and to a new unit in Social Studies – Egypt! We have recently completed our unit on Mesopotamia (ancient Middle East). Check out this really cool history video comparing the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt. This video comes from the Utah System of Higher Education and Dr. Nancy Ross. Enjoy!
How Egyptians Moved Massive Pyramid Stones
3 May
Drawing of a wall painting from the tomb of Djehutihotep, a semi-feudal ruler of an Ancient Egyptian province, 1880 BC. A person standing at the front of the sled is pouring water onto the sand.
Linking to Thinking 
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