Winter Break and European Map Quiz

As of this posting, all daily grades are in the grade book, and I have dropped the lowest daily grade.

I will get the Europe map quiz grades in before I leave on Friday.  IF you do/did not take it before we left, please be in my room at 8:00, Wednesday, January 3 to make it up.  Otherwise it will stay a zero for the 9 Week Grade.

I will get Rain Forest grades in as soon as I can starting Friday.

Your only assignment over the break is to come back to me safely in January!  :)

Brazilian Rain Forest Conference Reflection Questions

1. How did you FEEL during the conference? Why?  How did you feel at the END of the conference? Why?

2. Why is there so much conflict in and about the Brazilian Rain Forest?

3.  How would you propose to solve the problems in the Brazilian Rain Forest?

4. Thinking about your banner and other preparations for the conference, what would you do differently and the same?


Turn in tomorrow (12/7):

On top: The rubric with your reflection questions answered thoroughly and thoughtfully in complete sentences (questions above).

If you need an extra sheet of paper to answer the questions, please put it directly behind the rubric sheet.

Behind that, put the sheet where you individually answered the proposals - please put it proposal side up.

On bottom, put the first draft of the introduction that you individually wrote - it should have a green flower stamp on it.  If you don't have the stamp, still turn it in!

European Map Quiz 12/15

Physiographic features that may appear on the quiz:

• Aegean, Baltic, Black, Caspian, Mediterranean, North, and/or Norwegian Seas
• Alps and/or Ural Mountains
• Danube, Rhine, Seine, and/or Volga Rivers
• The English Channel and/or the Strait of Gibraltar

Countries that may appear on the quiz:  England, Russia, France, Poland, Germany,    Sweden, Spain, Turkey, Italy, Greece, Ukraine, and/or Czech Republic

Capitals that may appear on the quiz:  London, Berlin, Moscow, Rome, Athens,  and/or Madrid

Rain Forest Conference

We will hold the conference Monday and Tuesday, 12/4&5.


Grade Breakdown (Major Grade)

20 points - Individual: Your personal responses to the proposals on 5G are thorough, specific and reflect the interests of your group.

10 points - Group: Group Banner has a large, clear name of interest group, catchy and appropriate slogan, visual symbol

15 points - Individual: First draft of your group introduction* for the conference

25 points - Group: participation in the conference: each group presents a united voice that represents the interests and goals of their particular group; discussions are respectful and backed up with logical reasons and legitimate facts. Each member of the group participates in the discussion.

30 points - Individual: Specific, thoughtful reflection on the conference and your learning



*Introduction should include:

• which interest group you represent
• who you think is to blame for the conflict in the rain-forest
• how you think the rain-forest should be used
• what the elements (slogan, symbol) of your banner represent

Wrapping up the First Semester!

Reminders:

• We do not have final exams this semester because of Harvey.
• We do have classes and learning going on until the 15th.
• The 15th is a 12:30 dismissal day.  We are having the Europe map quiz that day.
• If you don't plan to be here on the 15th, you need to take the map quiz before you leave so I can finalize your 2nd Nine Weeks grade.
• We will continue our Europe Cultural Region Unit when we return in January, but you do not have any work to do for Social Studies over the break!  :)

Major Dates:
12/4-5 - Rain Forest Conference - major grade
12/15 - European Map Quiz  (12:30 dismissal)
12/15-1/2 Student Holiday!
1/3 - Students return for the 3rd Nine Weeks

Noodle Tools Directions

Noodle Tools!

1. Go to the SBISD Library Resources Page (IRMS)

2. Click on Databases

3. Scroll down to SECONDARY (middle school and high school are secondary)

4. Click on Noodle Tools

• IF you created an account in 5^th grade, you can still use that log in.
• IF you have never used, create a new account.  
• DO NOT use the G Suite option – our system is closed and does not interact with open Google Docs. 
• When it asks for part of your phone number this is just for helping you recover forgotten passwords.  You can use your own or your folk’s number.

Once you get signed in...

5. Look for the GREEN button that says +New Project and click on it

6. Title it whatever your holiday is.

7. Select MLA and JUNIOR for style and level.

8. At the top of the next page to pop up, select SOURCES from the buttons.

9. Click on the GREEN +create new citation  button 

• (Do this each time you use a new source – so one entry for each web page or book or map or whatever you use.)
• Follow the instructions for entering the information for each source you used.  
• After you have entered all your sources, You can download it and print it.  Again, do not export to Google Docs because our system is not linked to this.

Tips:

• Put ALL your sources on the same project – don’t keep creating a new project for each source – just a new source/entry.
• You put in as much information as you have – leave anything you don’t have blank.
• Always use the most recent date you can find.

Latin America Unit Test Review

Latin America Unit Test Review

Maps: The exact same things I told you might be on the MAP QUIZ, may be on the test. 

Indigenous People and Colonization: study pages 20-23, 27, and 30 in your ISN.  (This includes the booklet in the pocket.)

Panama Canal: study pages 28-29 in your ISN along with the political cartoon packet.

Cuba: study page 32 in your ISN and the review sheet (only two questions on this). 

Demographics: Be familiar with the terms on page 26 in your ISN and ready to look for trends and infer information from demographic information you are given on the test (we did some of these on page 27 in your ISN).

Monday we will do a practice map for review.  Tuesday, you will get a review/practice sheet for the other sections of the text. The test is Friday. J  Then, a nice, long week break with no homework or assignments or tests to study for! 

GT Social Studies Extra Credit Opportunity

GT Social Studies Extra Credit Opportunity for the Second Nine Weeks

On Halloween, Mrs. Connor introduced you to several fall “remembrance of the dead” holidays from around the world.  For extra credit this nine weeks, you may do a mini-research project on a winter holiday.  The final product will be displayed for the classes to read.  You may add up to 10 points on your lowest quiz or mini-project grade with successful completion of this extra credit.  It is due by B.O.C. on November 28. I do not take late extra credit.  You may turn it in early.

You may do this electronically or by hand, but all of the following needs to be on ONE SIDE of a normal size (8 ½ x 11) piece of printer paper:

·         Name of the holiday

·         2-3 pictures that represent the holiday (these may be photographs, hand-drawn, electronically drawn, whatever, but be sure to give credit to the artist or photographer

·         A small map projection with key and a title showing where in the world this holiday is traditionally celebrated

·         An original, brief explanation of the holiday: who celebrates it, why they celebrate it, how they celebrate it, super-important facts/tidbits

On the BACK of the paper OR on a separate sheet of paper – create a Works Consulted* page.  This is how you will document all the sources you used to create the holiday information sheet.  You will use MLA format.  I suggest you use the district-provided Noodle Tools for easy formatting.  There are other sites out there that will help you cite your sources, but they are generally not as good and/or free to you, but you may use any resources you have access to.

Only one person per period may do the same winter holiday.  I will do this on a first-request, first-approved basis.  Please send to me via email (Jennifer.connor@SpringBranchISD.com) your TOP 3 requests.  Make sure your first and last name and period are in the body of the email.  I will reply to your email with your approved topic. I will follow the time stamps of the emails.  You MAY request to do a holiday that is not on this list – in fact, that would be great so that I can expand the list!  Please send me the name of the holiday, so I can look it up before I approve it.

Boxing Day

Christmas

Dongzhi Festival

Eid Al Adha, the Festival of the Sacrifice

Hanukkah

Kwanzaa

Lunar New Year

Maha Shivaratri

Mardi Gras

Mauna Agyaras

St. Lucia Day

Three Kings Day

Tu Bishvat/Tu B'Shevat

Western New Year

Winter Solstice

Rubric

______(1) title of holiday is correct, capitalized and easy to read

______(1) pictures reflect the spirit of the holiday

______(2) map has a title and key and clearly shows where the holiday is celebrated in the world

______(4) paragraph is original – not taken from another source – you consulted SEVERAL sources                   to read about the holiday then summarized the information into your own words

______(2) all non-original pictures are cited, each source you read about the holiday is cited in MLA                   format – you may get points for the other sections if the Works Consulted page is not in                       the correct format, BUT you cannot get any points at all if it is missing altogether.  *

* please see the Noodle Tools Instructions post for detailed directions. :)

Colonization reading in the textbook

Colonization: For each of these pages/chunks, START where you left off with the Indigenous people and end at the bottom of the last page listed unless otherwise noted. 

Read pictures/captions/maps/etc.

Read: ­241-242, 303-306, 334- 336 (You may stop reading at “Independence” on page 336)

For the Latin America Early Civilizations booklet

·    Put a red box around Inca Fact 1 and then RE-Read it.  This is important to Secret of the Andes.

·    Highlight your favorite fact for each of the three cultures.  That means a total of 3.

·    Write two questions you have close to the fact or picture that inspired the questions.  What are still wondering about these people?

·    On the bottom of the front page, make a prediction or a connection about something you read in this booklet. What is something you anticipate learning or seeing based on this.  OR What is something from this reading that reminds you of something else you have seen, learned, read or watched?

If you didn't do the map on the front, use page 362 in the textbook to do it. :)

Latin America Map Quiz 11/1/17

Bodies of Water that may be on the quiz: Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, Amazon River, Rio Grande River.

Landforms that may be on the quiz: Andes Mountains, Sierra Madre Occidental and/or Oriental, Tierra Del Fuego archipelago. Isthmus of Panama.

ALL Latin American COUNTRIES may be on the quiz.

Only the following CAPITALS may be on the quiz: Bogata, Buenos Aries, Brasilia, Caracas, Havana, Lima, Panama City, Mexico City, Quito, Santiago.


I highly recommend you start singing this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAoj0IuVoes

2nd Nine Weeks Big Dates

This is an ongoing list.  Look for periodic additions and updates. :)

10/20 - North America Cultural Unit and Cultural Values Quiz
11/1 - South America Map Quiz
11/13-16 Brazilian Rain Forest Conference
11/17 - Latin America Unit Test

North American Cultural Region Quiz

The quiz will be a 10 question, multiple choice and short answer over the U.S. and Canada as a cultural region.

Please Study:

• Pages 14-16 in your ISN.

• Pages 130-137 and 170-175 in the SS textbook.

There will be two questions about dominant cultural values.  You can't really "study" anything for these two questions, but you can review the DAVs on page 13 in the ISN for examples of cultural values.  These questions will require analysis and inference based on all the reading and viewing and discussion we have done in class this week.


Below is what you should have on page 14 in your ISN:

North American Cultural Region -Physical

Having read pages 130-137 and 170-175 in the textbook about the geography of North American, answer the following questions.

1. How has all the access to waterways helped North American economically?________

_______________________________________________________________________

2. What landform does the Continental Divide run through? ______________________ 

What does it delineate?____________________________________________________

3. What sort of landscape do we live on here in Houston? _________________________

4. Why do the Appalachian Mountains have rounded tops?________________________

5. The Rocky Mountains cross political borders.  Explain. __________________________

________________________________________________________________________

6. The four largest cities in the US (who happen to have the four teams currently competing for the World Series) are (in order, starting with the largest): New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston.  While these cities are far apart, they all owe their success in large part to their location.  Explain why that might be.___________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

7. State is to U.S.A. as __________________ is to Canada.

8.  Where do MOST Canadians live? __________________________________________

9.  Based on what you’ve read and know about Canada, why do you the think the US/Canadian border isn’t “defended”. ________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

What famous lakes do the US and Canada share?________________________________

10. Which three oceans border Canada?_______________________________________ 

MAPS & GLOBES AND CULTURE TEST OVERVIEW

• The test will be on Friday, October 13.  
• You should do well, but on the off chance you earn less than a 70, please come Monday ready to do a retake.  
• Since we didn’t have time to do the extra credit activity we would normally do with this unit, I am putting bonus point questions on the test.
• In addition to what is listed below, re-reading the textbook pages listed for this unit in a previous post may be helpful when doing analysis and bonus questions.

Things to Study for Maps & Globes:

• -      Be able to find and name the continents, oceans and Mediterranean Sea on a map of the world (SS textbook).
• -      Be able to identify landforms by picture or definition; be able to compare and contrast landforms (ISN pages 4-7).
• -      Be able to answer questions about any of the terms and skills on the Maps and Globes Review and Quiz including: time zones, types of maps, latitude, longitude, TODALSIGS (ISN 4-5, 8, 11-2; practice sheets; ISN inside back cover)

Things to Study for Culture:

• -      Be able to name and explain each element of P.E.R.S.I.A. (ISN inside front cover; practice sheet)
• -    Be familiar with the cultural vocabulary (ISN page 2) and which element(s) of P.E.R.S.I.A. it fits into (practice sheet).
• -      Be able to identify the type of government given a description of who has the power (ISN pages 9-10; practice sheet).

DAVs

Dominant American Values Homework

Cultural values are the behaviors and standards a society expects of its members.  The following is a list of some of the Dominant American Values – beliefs that are widely admired and held in modern American society.  While there will always be exceptions, these are valued by the majority Americans.

1. Achievement and Success – In our competitive society, stress is placed on personal achievement. This is measured in accomplishments, such as economic ones.  Success lays emphasis on rewards.  Success is involved with activity; failure is often assigned to character defects.  Success is often equated with bigness and newness.

2.  Activity and Work – Americans also value busy-ness, speed, bustle, action.  The frontier idea of work for survival is still with us, as is the Puritan ethic of work before play.  Work becomes an end in itself.  A person’s worth is measured by his performance.

3.  Moral Orientation – Americans think in terms of good and bad, right and wrong – not just in practical terms. Early Puritan ideals of working hard, leading and orderly life, having a reputation for integrity and fair dealing, avoiding reckless display, and carrying out one’s purposes still holds weight.

4. Humanitarianism – Much emphasis is placed on disinterested concern, helpfulness, personal kindness, aid and comfort, spontaneous aid in mass disasters, as well as impersonal philanthropy. 

5. Efficiency and Practicality – Germans refer to our “Fordismus” or belief in standardization, mass production, and stream lined industrialism.  We like innovation, modernity, expediency, getting things done.  We value technique and discipline in science. We enjoy it when things work out well.

6. Progress – Americans look forward more than backwards.  We resent the old-fashioned, the outmoded. We seek the best yet through change. Progress is often identified with the Darwinian idea of survival of the fittest and with the free private enterprise system.

7. Material Comfort – Americans enjoy passive gratification – drink this, chew that, take a vacation.  We prefer happy endings in movies.  We enjoy consumption, and heroes before 1920 were more from social, commercial, and cultural worlds of production; but after 1920 the heroes came more from the leisure-time activities of sports and entertainment. Yet, Americans also enjoy culture and “work” at do-it-yourself hobbies and vacations.

8. Equality – Our history has stressed the quality of opportunity, especially economic opportunity.  We feel guilt, shame, or ego deflation when in-equalitarianism appears.  While discrimination exists, there is much lip service to formal rights, legal rights. Equality is not a pure concept, but largely two-sided: social rights and equality of opportunity.

9. Freedom – American also seek freedom from some restraint, having confidence in the individual. Freedom enters into free enterprise, progress, individual choice and equality.  It has not meant the absence of social control.

10.  External Conformity – Americans also believe in adherence to group patterns, especially for success. Economic, political, and social dependence and interdependence call for some conformity.  The thinking is: if all men are equal, each has a right to judge the other and regulate conduct to accepted standards.

11. Individual Personality – We protect our individualism by laws and by the beliefs in one’s own worth.

12. Science – Americans have faith in science and its tools. Science is rational, functional, and active. Science is morally neutral. It adds to our material comfort and progress.

13. Nationalism-Patriotism – Americans feel some sense of loyalty to their country, its national symbols and its history.  Foreigners observe how we value our flag and our national anthem; how we believe that America is the greatest country in the world.

14. Democracy – Americans have grown to accept majority rule, representative institutions, and to reject monarchies and aristocracies.  We accept law, equality and freedom (as long as we have a say in the laws).

Homework: Select ONE of the following activities to do and bring to class on ____________:

a. Clip ads from newspapers and magazines (print or online) that represent at least 5 of the D.A.V.s – label with values they represent and explain (in detail) how they represent those values. These must be current advertisements.

b. Watch a domestically produced (made in the USA) children’s cartoon.  Tell the name of the show, the time it aired and the channel it was on or when it was produced and how you accessed it.  Write a one page analysis of the D.A.V.s being transmitted or reinforced in that show (You must identify and discuss at least 5 D.A.V.s.)

c. Watch one local news program. Keep track of how long each story is and what it was about.  Write a one page analysis on how the D.A.V.s are reflected in the program i.e. the order of presentation, the time given to each story, the use of graphics, the use of on-the-spot reporting.  Be sure to tell the time it aired and the channel it was on.  (You must identify and discuss at least 3 D.A.V.s.)

d. Some cultural observers claim that Walt Disney has created our American Dream, our mythology.  Watch any Disney movie or show and write a one page analysis of the D.A.V.s being transmitted or reinforced in that show.  Be sure to tell the name of the movie/show and the year it was produced. (You must identify and discuss at least 5 D.A.V.s.)

e. The faces of heroes and heroines are often found on the covers of popular national magazines.  Read any cover story from a national magazine (like Time, People, Sports Illustrated, Reader’s Digest, Entertainment Weekly, Newsweek) and analyze (at least one page) the hero in terms of the D.A.V.s.  Which values do they seem to have/represent?  How do you know?  Be sure to give the: title of the magazine and article, author or the article, and publication date. (You must identify and discuss at least 4 D.A.V.s.)

Create a Culture - Due 10/10

Create a Culture

This is your chance to create a completely new and unique culture.  You need to work cooperatively with your group to complete this assignment.  FIRST, work together for the group assignment.  Second, complete the individual assignments WHILE consulting with each other.  Third, work cooperatively to assemble the poster, plan and practice your presentation. Last, present your culture with enthusiasm, flair, and hats!

Group Assignment

Decide on a location on the globe for the country where your culture is found.  It must be located where there is no land.  Write up a brief description of the weather and major geographical features.

Create the culture of your country.  Fill out a P.E.R.S.I.A. sheet for your country – be detailed and specific.  Under the S in P.E.R.S.I.A include 2 or 3 dominate cultural values. You must do these two things together before beginning the Individual Assignments.

Individual Assignments

Each individual in your group will complete one of the following individual assignments.  As a group, decide who will be responsible for each assignment.  Consider the strengths and talents of you and your members as you decide who should be responsible for each assignment.  Each group must do numbers 1-3.  Select from the remaining choices based on the number of people in your group. Remember, cooperate.

1. Physical map

     Draw a physical map of your country.  Name and correctly label at least 15 landforms that are illustrated on pages RA36 and RA37 in your social studies book or are on the LANDFORMS sheet in your ISN.  Also include:

·         Lines of latitude and longitude to locate your country on the globe

·         Compass rose

·         Scale

·         The name of surrounding ocean(s) and country or countries

·         Your national capital city

·         Natural points of interest (For instance in Texas I might highlight: beaches, lakes, hiking trails, rivers, forests.)

2. Political map and thematic map (2 maps)

     The political map will show state borders or other governmental borders.  Locate capital city for your country and other major cities.  Include TODAL elements.

     The thematic map should cover any theme, such as roads, waterways, or tourist sites, other than natural resources, that is important to your country.  Include TOAL elements.

3. Symbols of your country

     All group members should decide on the following elements of your country’s culture, but one of your members should create them.  This will definitely require compromise.

·         Flag of your country

·         Traditional hat of your country for each group member

·         National anthem (All group members will sing the anthem in your presentation.)

·         National motto

·         Currency of your country

4. Newspaper or magazine article with map

     Create a newspaper or magazine article that describes natural resources in your country.  Be sure to include the 5W’s and H in the first paragraph of your article (who, what, when, where, how).  Include information on how these resources can be used and how they can aid the economic development of your country.  Draw a thematic map showing the location of the natural resources.

5. Travel brochure

     Create a travel brochure that showcases your country’s highlights for potential tourists from other parts of the world.  Include pictures and illustrations of major holiday and/or religious celebrations, typical dress (including traditional headdress), homes, towns, and cities, recreation, and other cultural aspects of your country.  Be sure to include captions or write-ups for each picture.

6. News article

     Write a news article that reports on one of the following events that happened recently in your country.  Remember to include the 5W’s and H (who, what, when, where, how) in the first paragraph of your article.  The rest of the article provides details and additional information about the event.  Possible events are:   religious holiday, political election, major art exhibit, reorganization of the country’s school system, and any other important event to your country

Group Presentation

Arrange the completed assignments above on a poster board.  Add a title (the name of your country) and the names of your group members on the front of the poster.  Present your country by sharing the information on the individual assignments as well as interesting cultural traits you developed in the planning. Don’t forget to include the hats and anthem and other requirements of #3. Your group’s presentation of your country should be about 10 minutes. 

Evaluation

Each person in the group can potentially earn a different grade for this project.  It is a major grade.

_____(20)  worked cooperatively with your group, focused/on-task, respectful, contributed to the general success, daily participation

_____(50)  individual assignment meets all requirements as listed on this sheet, matches other components in the presentation and on the poster, shows depth and thoroughness of thought and planning, legible/neat

_____(30)  poster is neat and coordinated (shows planning); presentation is smooth and logical in order (shows planning); contents of poster and presentation show depth and thoroughness of thought and coordination in your planning; poster and presentation meet all requirements as listed on this sheet.                                    

Textbook Pages for Maps and Globes and Culture Unit

This is a running list of the pages you have been asked to read in the SS Textbook during the Maps and Globes and Culture Unit.  While you will have review sheets to study for the quiz and test, it is always good to review the reading.

From the Maps and Globes Discovery Tour: 18-19, 44-46, 54-55, 73-75

Intro to Culture on 9/18: 96-101

Homework due 9/21: 32-39

Directions for ISN (in case yours is gone)

DECORATING YOUR  ISN

Your ISN (Interactive Student Notebook) is the organizational tool you will use in Social Studies.  Your work and notes will be kept in the notebook, and it should live in my room - unless you need to take it home to work on it or to study for a quiz or test.  It will be checked periodically to make sure all pages are up to date. You will need a

composition book for your ISN.

Your first assignment is to create one collage for the front cover and one for the back cover.  Your ISN will be a reflection of who you are. 

FRONT COVER: 

Make a collage that is all about YOU!  Include photographs of you and your family, your pets, holiday and family celebrations, hobbies, family activities, etc. Make sure your first and last name are CLEARLY written on the front cover.

BACK COVER:  Make a collage about the WORLD.  Include photographs or pictures (post cards or other paper souvenirs could be copied for this) from the Internet of places you have been and/or would like to visit. 

GUIDELINES:

Ø  Every inch of both sides of your ISN should be covered by the picture collage.  Don’t leave more than a sliver of the original cover peeping through.

Ø  Adhere a name tag in the lower right corner of the front cover (I will provide one for you if you wish).  Write the name you have asked me to call you and your last name

Ø  Use wide clear tape or laminating paper to cover and protect front and back covers.

Ø  Remember, all pictures must be classroom appropriate.

Ø  The finished, overall appearance and neatness of your ISN should reflect your very best effort.

Your decorated and laminated ISN is due at the beginning of the class on Wednesday, September 20.  Any ISN that is not completed by this date will receive a late grade (-25 points), which means the highest grade it could receive would be 75.

Please bring the ISN to class each day – no matter where it is in the decorating process.

If you have any questions about the ISN assignment, please speak to me.  I will help you before or after school and/or give you an ACTIVITY PASS to see me during Activity.

Important Dates for September/October

Check back for periodic updates.


Wed., 9/13 - ISN covers due - Please see me if you need help with materials!
Thur., 9/14 - It's Learning quiz over class handout tentatively due
Thur., 9/28 - Back to School Night
Wed., 9/27 - Maps and Globes Quiz
Tue., 10/10 - Create a Culture Project Due
Fri., 10/13 - Maps and Globes and Culture Test  -I am pushing back to Friday to give us more review time. That means if anyone fails (let's hope not) -they will need to retake the test MONDAY. Please check Skyward/Parent Access by 5:00 p.m. on Saturday to check  your grade on the test.  I will give re-takes for grades under 70 - for up to a 70 - in class on Monday.  They will have a chance to go over the original test and ask questions first.

SS Final Exam

Social Studies (Geography and World Cultures) Final Exam

Geography

·         You should be able to identify all the continents and oceans.

·         You should be able to identify, locate and use the elements of TODALSIGS on a map.

·         You should be able to find a specific location given latitude and longitude.

·         You should be able to identify the Equator, the Prime Meridian and each hemisphere.

·         You should be able to figure out time changes between Pacific, Mountain, Central and/or Eastern time zones.

·         You should be able to identify the following countries we have studied “in snap shot” this year”: Canada, USA, Mexico, Cuba, Panama, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, England, Greece, Italy, Germany, Spain, France, Russian Federation, Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Jordan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Madagascar, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa,  China, Japan, Taiwan, North Korea, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand

·         You should be able to name and identify the three longest rivers and where they are.

·         You should be able to explain why and how physical features are often used as political boarders.

·         You should be able to identify these deserts: Maudlandia, Sahara, Kalahari, Gobi, Arabian

·         You should be able to identify these mountain ranges: Andes, Rocky, Transantarctic, Great Dividing Range, Himalayas, Pyrenees

·         You should be able to identify any of the landforms on page 9 of your ISN.

Culture

·         You should be able to identify the elements of PERSIA and evaluate examples to determine which element(s) they represent.

·         You should be able to identify types of and examples of governments as given on page 33 of your ISN.

·         You should be able to analyze demographic information to make inferences and generalizations about elements of PERSIA and culture.

·         You should be able to identify the major beliefs of the world’s top 5 religions and analyze the effect they have had on cultural regions.

·         You should understand the meaning of and be able to give examples of the following terms: colonization, coup d’etat, apartheid, genocide, migration, desertification, ecotourism (will finish this list ASAP - want to make sure I don't miss anything, but not add more than necessary)

LA Final Exam

The LA final will have FOUR (4) big “parts” or sets of skills and knowledge.  However, just like in class, these will be woven together and applied to  multiple texts.  For instance, there will not be a "literary analysis section".  There will be literary analysis questions asked about several different texts on the test. 

The review sheets are to make sure you practice the skills and knowledge that will be on the test. The questions will be application of the skills and knowledge we have acquired and refined this year. For instance, I won't ask, "What is bandwagon?"  I will ask you to identify an example of bandwagon or why the author used bandwagon for this particular target audience.

If it's on a VIP, it might be on the Final Exam.

Writing and Grammar        

Text Structures and Text Features      

Non-Fiction Analysis        

Literary Analysis

Asia Unit Test - 5/22

Review Part One will go home Thursday.  Part Two will be done Friday in class.

Map/Geography - potentially on the test – either to locate on the map or to identify with information.

Cities:  Beijing, Hong Kong, Islamabad, New Delhi, Pyongyang, Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo, Jakarta

Countries (region): Bangladesh, Burma(Myanmar), Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Region of Tibet

Physical Features:  Ganges Plain, North China Plain, Himalayas, Altai Mountains, Mt. Everest, K-2, Gobi Desert, Great Indian Desert, Ganges River, Yangtze River, Huang He River, Khyber Pass,  Sea of Japan (East Sea), South China Sea, Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea

May Grammar Book Work

Page 101 - Exercise 1, 1-5; Exercise 2, 1-5
Page 102 - Exercise 1, 1-6; Exercise 2, All
Page 103 - Exercise 1, 1-5; Exercise 2, All
Page 105 - Exercise 1, 1-6; Exercise 2, All
Page 125 - Exercise 1, 1-3; Exercise 2, all

Page 127, Exercise 1, 1-5; Exercise 2, all

Page 129 – Exercise 1, 1-5

Page 131 – Exercise 1, All

Page 133 - Exercise 1, All

Page 104- Exercise 1, 1-10; Writing Application (just do 2 of each)

Page 129- Exercise 2, 1-6

Page 131- Exercise 2, All

End of Year Dates and Exam Info

I'm creating a new post to get us through the end of the year since the other was back in March and harder to fine.  The end is near!

Monday and Tuesday, 5/ 8 and 9 - STAAR testing for 6th grade
Wednesday, May 17 - Mystery Tour Projects Due
Monday, May 22 - Asia Test
Tuesday, May 23 - LAST Membean Quiz (I'm looking for 270 minutes of Membean practice between 3/20 and midnight 5/22;  Do you have your minutes?
Week of May 22-26 - Summer Reading Book Fair - look for list on the MMS Library Web Page

EXAMS
Friday, 5/26 - 8th Period Exam - PM will take the LA Exam
Monday, 5/29 - Memorial Day Holiday
Tuesday, 5/30- 1st Period Exam - AM will take the LA Exam
Wednesday, 5/31 - 2nd Period Exam - AM group will go over graded LA exam and review for SS
                               5th Period Exam - PM will take the SS Exam
Thursday, 6/1 - 7th Period Exam - PM group will go over graded LA and SS exams
                          3rd Period Exam - AM group will take the SS exam

Magical Mystery Tour

Magical Mystery Tour

Plan an expedition to a country anywhere in the world that really interests you.  Your purpose, besides enjoying the trip, is to try to solve a mystery somehow related to the country.  It could be a mysterious legend of a hero that has been passed down from the indigenous people.  It could be a newly-discovered secret passageway in an ancient site or building.  It could be a mysterious event in the country’s past that has never been solved, or it could be a lost treasure that you want to try to find.  Your destination and means of transportation must be real and possible today. 

Your expedition is sponsored by Mrs. Gloria Vandercluesen, a wealthy aristocrat from Rhode Island.  Her only condition is that you compile a pictorial scrapbook to record everything you see and learn in your quest to solve the mystery.  Since Mrs. V will finance your entire expedition, it is important that you communicate with her by letter, email, and postcards, and you will create a scrapbook, either physical or digital, that thoroughly records your expedition. 

Before you go, you must make several decisions  

·         How will you travel to your country? 

·         Where will you stay in your country? City, village, camp?

·         What obstacles do you expect to encounter? What surprises happened?

·         Did you solve the mystery?  If so, was it what you expected?

You are not writing an essay!  Using your best creative skills, incorporate into your scrapbook the following information about your expedition:

• ·         Map(s) of your country, city, and areas where you will be exploring;
• ·         Hotel in the city where you will be staying, currency of the country, method(s) of transportation (If you will outside a city, document that.);
• ·         Travel rules/requirements for your destination (passport, visa, immunizations);
• ·         Pictures, sketches (Each should have a description of what is shown and the names of any people in the picture.);
• ·         Picture post cards with addresses and messages to Mrs. V and others;
• ·         Emails and letters to friends, family, and professional contacts, in which you include information about your expedition;
• ·         Plane, train, boat tickets (and other transportation arrangements);
• ·         Museum tickets;
• ·         Invitations to special events;
• ·         Information on indigenous people of the region (their history, language, cultural information, legends);
• ·         Something completely unexpected that makes your scrapbook different from the others.

Before you begin, you will need to do research on the country and all aspects of the people and their culture, past and present.  Keep a list of every book, magazine, documentary, web site, etc., that you use to gather information, and create a WORKS CONSULTED page that is a required part of your project.  A no-fail site that will help you cite your sources and create your Works Cited page is Noodle Tools that is available on the MMS Library Resources page.    

You will work on your scrapbook in class during times set aside for that purpose.  You may also do some work at home, but most of your work will be done in class and you will be graded on the work you do in class. 

If you choose to create a digital scrapbook, use “Pic Collage.”  The app is available on the class iPads.  If you have used another free scrapbook app, talk to your teacher, and we will see if it can be approved to add to the school iPad. 

Design the cover of your scrapbook to include a title, the date, and your name.  The pages of your scrapbook should be dated, but you do not need a page for every day.  Your trip should begin on Monday, May 1, 2017, and end on Friday, May 12.  That means you have two weeks to solve your mystery! 

Your completed journal or scrapbook is due Wednesday, May 17.

______(5) Cover follows guidelines listed above

______(20) Works Consulted page is complete, correct and follows all MLA format                                              conventions

______(10) All conventions are followed (-2 each error up to 5)

______(15) Travel information (visas, passports, modes of transportation, etc.) in complete

                         and appropriate for real life travel to your destination of choice.

______(40) All the stuff J  (I really want you to have flexibility here.  Make sure you cover

           what’s in the bulleted list and that it reflects accurate information about your destination.

______(10) Voice, Personalization, Unique quality that shows it’s YOURS