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Eighth Grade Ancient Civilizations - Mr. White

Week of 1/30-2/3 Homework In Class Time
Monday Work on Thesis Outline due Friday, Feb. 3rd and read the background essay for the Alexander the Great DBQ. We took a reading quiz over pp. 314-319 and then went over the background for Alexander the Great's conquests and the reading. We also covered questions #47-50 on the review sheet.
Tuesday Work on Thesis Outline. We did the Hook exercise for the Alexander the Great DBQ. We finished covering the background information on Alexander and went over questions 51-56 on the review sheet. Students were introduced to the idea of the debate on "How Great was Alexander the Great?"
Wednesday Work on Thesis Outline. We split into two teams (one pro Alexander the Great group and one con group). Students worked in their groups to analyze and complete the questions over Documents A-C. Each student will be held accountable for completing the questions.
Thursday Work on Thesis Outline due tomorrow and be ready for the debate on Alexander the Great. Student groups finished up any document work from yesterday and then analyzed and completed the questions for Documents D-F. They then coordinated their efforts to prepare for the debate tomorrow over "How Great was Alexander the Great?"
Friday Read pp. 321-327 on the Legacy of Rome. Begin preparation for test next Wednesday, Feb. 8th. We debated "How Great was Alexander the Great?" after 20 minutes of prep time. Students turned in their completed DBQ packets (Hook exercise and Documents A-F).


Week of 1/23-1/27 Homework In Class Time
Monday Work on the thesis project research cards that will be checked tomorow. We did a reenactment of the Battle of Marathon.
Tuesday Read pp. 303-310 in TCI book on the Golden Age of Athens. Students turned in their research cards. We then debriefed the simulation from Monday and went over the Persian Wars and finished review sheet questions #22-25.
Wednesday Work on the thesis project. The thesis statement and essay map are due on Friday. We finished up going over the Persian Wars (questions 25-26) and then started discussing the Golden Age of Athens. We saw Acropolis slides and went over Greek architecture and drama (partially).
Thursday Work on the thesis statement and essay map that are due tomorrow. We viewed slides of Ephesus. We then continued our discussion on Greek drama and then briefly covered religion and philosophy. We finished questions up through #41.
Friday Read and take notes pp. 314-319 in TCI book. We watched the video The Ancient Games and then debriefed by going over the Olympic review sheet questions (#42-46). We also looked at a couple slides from Ephesus to show an example of a Greek colony and Corinthian columns.


Week of 1/16-1/20 Homework In Class Time
Monday Work on Thesis and finish p. 188 in Interactive Notebook if you are not finished from Thursday. No School
Tuesday Read pp. 283-284, 289-292 in TCI book. The students ripped out pp. 184-188 in the Interactive Notebook and handed them in. We watched video clips on Spartan life and began our comparison of life in the city-states of Athens and Sparta.
Wednesday Work on Thesis Project We continued our comparison of Athens and Sparta. We finished the video clips from The Rise and Fall of Sparta. We discussed the government, economics, arts, and social classes of Athens.
Thursday Work on Thesis Project -- Research cards check on Tuesday, Jan. 24th. We wrapped up our discussion of Athens and Sparta. We then did a Viewpoint Activity in groups (primary source analysis) over Athens versus Sparta.
Friday Read pp. 295-297 (TCI book) on the introduction to the Persian Wars and the Battle of Marathon and bring in lacrosse/hockey gear and plastic saucer/tobaggan sleds to class on Monday for a battle reenactment. We went over the viewpoint activity and discussed which city-state they would have wanted to live in in ancient times. We then discussed the factors causing the Persian Wars. The students also got a chance to begin their reading.


Week of 1/9-1/13 Homework In Class Time
Monday Read pp. 47-56 on Heinrich Schliemann (packet). We went over the mythological reason for the Trojan War and discussed the Iliad and the Odyssey.
Tuesday Work on thesis project (research cards check on Jan. 24th). We went over the Schliemann material and looked at slides of his discoveries at Mycenae.
Wednesday Read pp. 277-281 and do pp. 184-185 in the Interactive Notebook. We did an experiential activity to illustrate the four types of government typical in Ancient Greece.
Thursday Complete p. 188 as a wrap-up reflection on the four types of Ancient Greek government. We did pp. 186-187 in the Interactive Notebook and went over them.
Friday Professional Day -- No School Professional Day -- No School


Week of 1/2-1/6 Homework In Class Time
Monday No School No School
Tuesday Read pp. 268-269 in TCI Book Geography Bee Class Competitions
Wednesday Read and take notes pp. 270-275 We went over the thesis project.
Thursday Read pp. 32-38 (packet on the Myceneans) We took an open note reading quiz over pp. 270-275. We then went over the reading and wrapped up the thesis discussion from yesterday.
Friday Read pp. 39-45 on Homer/Work on thesis project. We went over the Mycenean packet and started reading the Homer packet as a class and began discussing it and completing the review sheet (through question #9).


Week of 12/5-12/9 Homework In Class Time
Monday Read pp. 121-124 and do ques. 16-20 on review sheet. We went over the period of the Judges (specifically Samson) and then transitioned into Israel's era of kings (Saul, David, and Solomon). We went over questions 12-14 on the review sheet.
Tuesday Read pp. 125-127. Students should also bring their binders for a Notebook Check tomorrow (like the one we did at the end of Term I). We went over David's and Solomon's accomplishments and then looked at the fall of Israel and Judah.
Wednesday Study for the Final  
Thursday Study for the Final  
Friday Study for the Final  


Week of 11/28-12/2 Homework In Class Time
Monday Take a virtual tour of the Valley of the Kings at www.thebanmappingproject.com. Watch the overview video clip and then take a tour of three tombs of your choice. Then write a half page description of your observations concerning your tours and the overview. We finished the New Kingdom notes and went over the corresponding review sheet questions.
Tuesday Make sure you have all the Egypt review sheet completed. We went over some last details about the New Kingdom and discussed slides of Ancient Egypt (Karnak, Valley of the Kings, Tut's exhibit in the Cairo Museum, Hatshepsut's mortuary temple, Kom Ombo, and Abu Simbel).
Wednesday Read pp. 111-119 in TCI textbook. If you use the online version, it is sections 11.1-11.6. We finished the slides on Egypt. Students received the second half of their test review sheet.
Thursday Finish the reading from Wednesday night if you have not finished it already. We went over the early history of the Hebrews.
Friday Study for the final and enjoy time with your family. We finished the early history of the Hebrews.

Week of 11/14-11/18 Homework In Class Time
Monday Read the mummification packet. Egypt 1 Test
Tuesday Review the material on mummification. We went over mummification and questions 1-5 on the review sheet.
Wednesday Middle Kingdom -- Senusret I questions We went over the Journey to the Underworld essay and then discussed the Middle Kingdom notes and questions 6-13 on the review sheet.
Thursday Review the material for the final -- 20 minutes We went over the final part of the Middle Kingdom notes and covered the corresponding review sheet questions (#14-16). We then started the New Kingdom and covered review sheet questions # 17-20. We started watching a documentary on Thutmose III.
Friday None -- Happy Thanksgiving! We finished the documentary on Thutmose III and went over question #21 on the review sheet.


Week of 11/7-11/11 Homework In Class Time
Monday Start studying for the test. We went over the Old Kingdom and answered questions #29-31 and 35-39 on the review sheet. We also covered letter f on #40 and started question #32 (through step two).
Tuesday Study for the test next Monday, November 14th. We had a combined class with all of the 8th grade. We went over questions 32 and 40 (progression of Egyptian burial techniques and major figures associated with pyramid building) as we went over slides in class. Students should come in during a study hall or after school to check their review sheet with my answer key.
Wednesday Study for the test next Monday. Period A saw some background slides on Egypt. Period D had shadowing in the Upper School. Students should come in during a study hall or after school to check their review sheet with my answer key.
Thursday Study for the test next Monday We had service learning in the morning and then had a combined 8th grade class in the afternoon. I finished lose ends on question 40 and covered the construction of the Great Pyramids of Giza (question 33 on the review sheet -- Kodiak Scholar question for the test). Students should come in during a study hall or after school to check their review sheet with my answer key.
Friday Study for the test on Monday, November 14th. We went over question 34 about the Sphinx and finished a few slides. We also reviewed for the test on Monday. Students should come in during a study hall or after school to check their review sheet with my answer key.


Week of 10/31-11/4 Homework In Class Time
Monday None We went over review sheet questions #17-24.
Tuesday Prepare for religion presentation on Thursday. Students worked in class on their religion presentations.
Wednesday Prepare for religion presentation on Thursday. Bring props. We were on a snow delay schedule today. Students prepared for their religion group presentations tomorrow.
Thursday Read the Science and Math packet. Students presented on Egyptian religion and taught their assigned section of the review sheet.
Friday Review information covered in this unit for test in about a week. We wrapped up religion and science and math in terms of the review sheet.


Week of 10/24-10/28 Homework In Class Time
Monday Finish the analysis of document A and document B. We worked on the Nile geography DBQ. Students worked in groups to examine the five documents and answer the analysis questions. We then started our discussion of the question "How did the Nile shape Ancient Egypt?"
Tuesday Make sure to bring binders to class tomorrow for notebook check.

Finish the questions for documents C and D on the NIle DBQ about how the Nile shaped ancient Egypt.		 We went over documents A and B, and then the students worked in groups on document C. We also applied the information from the primary sources to questions on our review sheets.
Wednesday None Snow Day -- No School
Thursday Read Pharaoh/Egyptian Writing packet. We had our notebook check. We then finished going over the Nile DBQ documents and discussed how to set up buckets (categories of evidence), develop a thesis statement, create an outline, and then write an essay based on the evidence.
Friday Read the Egyptian Religion packet. We went over review sheet questions #6,7, and 12-16 in class.


Week of 10/17-10/21 Homework In Class Time
Monday Study for Sumer test tomorrow We reviewed for the test.
Tuesday None Sumer Test
Wednesday Read the background essay p. 53 on Egypt for the DBQ packet and do questions 1-5 on p. 55 We did a warm-up on land use and then started reading the background essay as a class.
Thursday

No School --
Conferences

  
Friday No School -- Professional Day No School


Week of 10/10-10/14 Homework In Class Time
Monday Prepare for your civilization presentation. Students presented their civilization projects.
Tuesday Prepare for your civilization presentation and study for test over Sumer on the 18th. Students presented their civilization projects.
Wednesday Read pp. 60-63 Project presentations
Thursday No class -- service learning No class
Friday Study for Test on Tuesday We finished going over the review sheet.

Week of 10/3-10/7 Homework In Class Time
Monday No School -- Professional Day No School
Tuesday Work on the Project -- Presentations begin next Monday, October 10th We went over the flood/creation material and Sumerian religion.
Wednesday Read "The Fall of Sumer" packet We covered Sumerian advancements and started going over Sumerian sociology.
Thursday Work on Project We finished Sumerian sociology and covered the factors contributing to the fall of Sumerian society. We also started looking at the societies that took over the region after their fall.
Friday Work on the Project -- Presentations begin Monday. Numbers 1-5 need to bring in their models and be prepared to present. Papers for all students are due Monday. We continued the Fall of Sumer and got within a few questions of finishing the review sheet.

Week of 9/26-9/30 Homework In Class Time
Monday Finish reading "Land and Goods in Ancient Sumer" if you did not do it over the weekend. We went over "Solving the Mystery of Sumer".
Tuesday Project paper check tomorrow We went over "Land and Goods in Ancient Sumer".
Wednesday Flood/Creation Essay Students had time to write their flood/creation essays in class.
Thursday Finish flood/creation essay if you still need time. No Class
Friday Work on Project We went over the Sumerian religion packet.

Week of 9/19-9/23 Homework In Class Time
Monday Study for Test on Wednesday We prepared for and then had a debate over which lifestyle (farming or hunting and gathering) was superior.
Tuesday Study for Test on Wednesday We went over the review sheet to prepare for the exam.
Wednesday Read "Solving the Mystery of Sumer" to prepare for group work in class tomorrow We took the Stone Age test.
Thursday Work on Project -- Paper check next week on Wednesday, September 28th -- I will just be checking to see that it is done. I will not be grading it at that time. This will be my way of trying to help you not wait until the last minute to do this project.

Also, if there are any props your group needs to bring for their skits/presentations over "Solving the Mystery of Sumer", they should bring them		 We worked in groups to prepare for presentations in class tomorrow over assigned pages of "Solving the Mystery of Sumer".
Friday Read "Land and Goods in Ancient Sumer" (by Tuesday) and work on project We presented over the packet, and then we went over the test in class.

Week of 9/12-9/16 Homework In Class Time
Monday Read "Man's Great Leap Forward" packet and do the four circled questions We did a hunter-gatherer versus agriculture simulation today to understand how agriculture brought about the three conditions necessary for civilization to arise.
Tuesday None We went over the rise of civilization.
Wednesday Work on Project We went over the project sheet in class
Thursday Work on Project and study for test next Tuesday Students worked in groups to find information about the advantages and disadvantages of the hunter-gatherer and agricultural lifestyles. We prepared for the debate on Monday.
Friday Study for test next Wednesday 8th Grade Retreat -- No class

Week of 8/29-9/2 Homework In Class Time
Monday Read pp. 5-7 in book and fill out the reading notes for sections 1-2 and 1-3 in the interactive notebook (p. 6) -- If you do not finish the painting interpretations in class, you need to finish those as well. We recreated Lascaux Cave in France and did wall painting interpretations in our interactive notebooks (pp. 7-9).
Tuesday Read Roman Jar Riddle Mystery article and answer two questions on archeological challenges concerning it We finished a processing activity on interpreting a rock painting from Africa, and then had a class group competition to match various social scientist careers with their job descriptions.
Wednesday Stone Age Stereotype Drawing We went over the first half of the social scientist career sheet.
Thursday You will turn in your Interactice Notebooks tomorrow for a check. Groups 1 and 2 read the first part of the Stone Age packet. Groups 3 and 4 read the second part of the Stone Age packet. We finished the career sheet and then started a note-taking jigsaw activity on a handout over the Stone Age.
Friday New Stone Age Reality Drawing We finished the jigsaw activity and debriefed it.

Online Version of the Text


Week of 8/22-8/26 Homework In Class Time
Monday No School  
Tuesday No School  
Wednesday Getting to Know You Sheet We went over the syllabus and the expectations for the course.
Thursday Come up with a new password for your learntci.com account. Your username is your first initial and last name. You must also get your book covered by tomorrow. Students took the pre-course quiz, and we went over the answers.
Friday Students need to bring a flashlight to class on Monday (preferably a headlamp if they have one -- not necessary to buy one if they don't have one though -- A hand-held light will be fine.) We finished going over the pre-course quiz and then were introduced to challenges of archeology and the role of social scientists in studying the past. We did a preview activity and some group work to prepare us for our activity on Monday.