The Space Race and Conspiracy Theories

The U.S. and Russia have had an interesting history. Both countries looked for ways to "one up" the other and declare themselves to be the leader in new advancements. While they didn't fight in an actual war against each other, they did spend years battling each other in other ways. We refer to this battle as the Cold War. During the Cold War, Russia fought hard to beat the U.S. in everything. Many times they did. They were able to send a satellite to space before us which began the Space Race. Of course we couldn't have that, so we retaliated by sending men to the moon.

Of course there are those who think the lunar landing was fake. Perhaps we never really landed on the moon but just staged it. Many people believed this conspiracy theory to be true. In the end, we won the Space Race and really did land on the moon.

Life in Russia compared to the United States was very different. We were pursuing the "American Dream" with our nice houses, hearty meals, and plentiful clothes, while the Russians were living in tiny apartments, had very little clothing, and meals were meager. Which place sounds nicer to live in?

Russia does have beautiful buildings and majestic scenery, but the people were oppressed and micromanaged in every aspect of their lives. The secret police were closely monitoring them, they had no access to standard television or radio, and they were told where and when they could attend religious ceremonies. It was not freedom.

This next week you will be reading about Asia. Learning about different countries and their customs is interesting, so absorb as much as you can. You are on the home stretch! Only 4 more Units to go!

*Next week we will be playing a review game, so make to read the Unit well. You have been warned!

Homework:
1. Read Unit 26
2. Research one country in Asia and describe their food, daily activities, religion, traditions, and climate. It does not have to be a paragraph. You can just give an outline of your findings. Feel free to bring any props or food from the country you choose.
3. Begin thinking about your end of the year project. if you don't have a topic chosen yet, start thinking about what appeals to you. If you have a great topic you want to research, let me know. I want this to be a fun project, so pick something you are excited to learn about. I will have the guidelines for the project next week.

The World At War

The world saw two major world wars that took the lives of millions of people. We first endured the Great War, also known as WWI, and then twenty years later witnessed World War II. These wars brought great devastation with them. In WWI, more then twenty nations were involved and many lives were lost. At first the U.S. remained neutral in the war, but after a series of events, President Wilson declared war against Germany. In less then a year after we joined the war, Germany signed the armistice that ended the war. Germany was forced to admit guilt for causing the war and pay reparations to the allies. This humiliating defeat created bitterness in Germany which helped lead the next war.
When WWII broke out, we once again stayed out of it. However, when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor it was game on! We entered WWII on December 7, 1941. During this war, Hitler established the horrific camps we call concentration camps. These death camps took the lives of millions of Jews. As we saw in class today, the living conditions were abominable, the food and water meager, and the weather brutal.

Camps were spread throughout Germany and Poland. People would arrive on trains packed like sardines to an unknown location. Typically, they were separated from their families right away. Men were sent in one direction and women and children in another direction. Often these people were sent to gas chambers to die, or selected men and women were kept alive to work.

They lived in fear daily and rarely survived more then three months. They usually died from starvation, disease, weather, or fatigue. Sometimes they were executed for no reason at all or when they became useless to the camp.

World War II was certainly a dark time in our world. During this time, Winston Churchill was a leading figure for Britain. He was an eloquent speaker, a thoughtful writer, and a brilliant politician. He served fifty years in Parliament and was the Prime Minister twice.

His picture reminds me of the wizard from "The Wizard of Oz"! Anyone else think that?


This week you will be reading about The Cold War. The U.S. and the Soviet Union have had an interesting history together. If you ever have the chance to read Animal Farm by George Orwell, it has an interesting take on Communism. You are starting Unit 25, which means that you only have 5 units left! Does anyone else feel like this year has gone by quickly?

Homework: 
1. Read Unit 25
2. No other homework. You're welcome!

Who Is The Man?

" The meaning of peace is the absence of opposition to socialism."- Karl Marx
Would you desire to live in a socialist society? Imagine everything is equal and fair, no one is a winner or loser, and everyone gets the same amount of "stuff". Would life be better? Karl Marx thought so. Although Marx was brought up in a Lutheran home, he was opposed to God and all God represented. He believed man was the center of the universe and created his own power. Many people followed his teachings and agreed with his ideas. There are socialist still active today.

"I cannot persuade myself that a beneficent and omnipotent God would have designedly created parasitic wasps with the express intention of their feeding within the living bodies of Caterpillars."-Charles Darwin 
Would you agree with Charles Darwin? Does God have nothing to do with the intelligent design of creatures? Is is truly just evolution and the survival of the fittest that explains the living world around us? While Darwin originally attended school to become an Anglican pastor, he was quickly persuaded to entertain other beliefs from fellow classmates at the University. He developed friendships with a budding geologist and botanist who directed his attention away from God and to new emerging theories. While on an expedition to document plants and animals, Darwin discovered what he thought was a brilliant idea about evolution. Perhaps God had not created living creatures after all, and it was merely a matter of the fittest surviving and the weakest dying away. Many people still believe these ideas to be truth.

"Religion is an illusion and it derives its strength from the fact that it falls in with our instinctual desires."-Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud had interesting ideas about human behavior. He insisted that humans were egotistical, self-centered, and after their own self interests. Is that a false description of man? Perhaps not. At our core we are sinful and desire our own way, but is that all we are capable of? Freud spent years analyzing the human mind and psychoanalyzing people. He developed theories that were widely accepted by people and considered genius work. He saw religion as being a crutch people would invent in order to bring hope into their lives. To him this was a weakness and illusion. If only we followed our hearts desires, we would be happy. He once said that our only purpose is to be happy and find pleasure. Although he attempted to live that way, he often fell into depression and cocaine use. Hmm.... maybe just living for pleasure won't bring happiness? 

Discussing these interesting men today was fun. They each had unique ideas and opinions that shaped the world and its beliefs. Oh we did learn that a pug's eyeball can just pop right out if you hold it wrong too. Very important discovery!

This week we are reading about World War II. Most of you have studied this before, but it is always good to refresh your memory and discuss the pros and cons of the events. Plus, there is always new things to discover. I challenge you to find out something you did not know before. We will also watch a short video next week about one of the concentration camps.

Homework:
1. Read Unit 24
2. Research the Nazis concentration camps and mark them on a map. You also need to describe the environment of at least 2 camps. Include things like the population of the camp, the living conditions, the location, and interesting facts about it.

Industrial Revolution, Potato Famine, and Parachutes

Did the the 19th century belong to Britain? Were they the leaders in industry and empire? The Britons would say yes! While the U.K. and Northern Ireland are smaller then the state of Michigan, they controlled an empire 40 times the size of their homeland. They were the leaders in economic and military power and influenced the countries around them. Even the Untied States has a cultural heritage that is primarily British.

The Industrial Revolution brought about many changes that we still benefit from today. The development of large machinery, creation of factories, and advances in transportation still affect the world today. Life became easier in some ways with these new inventions, but there were disadvantages too. The factories produced thick, foul smoke that littered the air and sickened the people. People suffered grotesque injuries from factory equipment with no medical help available and worked long hours for little pay. Sometimes progress hurts, right?

During the early 1800s, the Irish Catholics wanted to separate from Britain. They struggled to gain support for their cause. Not everyone was happy being a British citizen. Then a terrible thing happened: the potato famine. This famine led to the deaths of around one million people from starvation. Who would help them? Um....no one! The British government kept silent during this time as people perished. Eventually about two million Irish left for the Untied States with dreams of a new start.

A benefit from the 19th century was transportation. We all love to be transported, right? While walking is certainly more beneficial to our health, it does not get us places very fast. We like to get places, so having more options for doing so was a game changer. You could take a train, bike, car, submarine, balloon, or even a parachute! I think I would stick to the first three options. As much as those last three sound fun, I think I would pass. Plunging to the ground with a "sheet" sounds a little too crazy for me:) It was quite fun to test out today though.

This week we are moving on from the British and learning about Karl Marx, Charles Darwin, and the education system. Things are going to get interesting! We will be talking about fossils next week too, so if you have any, please bring them.

Homework:
1. Read Unit 23
2. Write 2 paragraphs about Darwin's Theory of Evolution and your opinions on it, or write how you would explain the origin of the world, or create a comic strip about the past or current education system. It can be comical as long as it is appropriate. It must include the way the system works and the pros and cons.

When is a Lie Okay?

     During the 19th century, many revolutions were fought and political alliances formed. The French Revolution preceded the Napoleonic Era and introduced a new and courageous leader. Napoleon sought to bring restoration to France and make them a powerhouse. He won many battles, was exiled twice, and finally defeated at the Battle of Waterloo. During this century, a new superpower took center stage-Germany. Germany became a strong political player in the European countries and the race for dominance was on. Small revolutions started popping up in countries as the people wanted more control of their lives. The common folk were no longer satisfied with the meager handouts given by their ruling figures.
     As we discussed in class today, people have long debated the idea of when a lie is okay. Is it okay if it is a "clear lie" ( we re-named "white lie" as to not offend anyone:)? Is a "joking" lie ok? What about a straight out lie in order to avoid consequences? When is a lie acceptable? According to the bible, it is never ok. Do we follow that rule or create our own rule about it? It is something to think about.

     I loved the flags you all turned in today! Wow! I am so impressed!

This is just incredible! 8 knitted flags that look amazing!

The artwork is incredible!

     I love looking through assignments like these. It is truly amazing! I hope you learned a lot too:)


This next week you will be reading about Britain and their  many successes and  failures during the 19th century. You will also learn about the history of Britain's relationship with Ireland. Next week in class we will be having a contest between the teams, so you might want to research how to use a parachute. I think Jake is already ready for this contest.

Homework:
1. Read Unit 22
2. No other homework. You're welcome:)

Breaking News!

     The broadcasts today were amazing! The teams did a fantastic job reporting the important information, such as, dates, location, and facts. I was really impressed. You all brought humor to your broadcasts as well. That was fun! I hope you learned something too!

Team two started us off with a report on The American Revolution.

Great job Team Two! Excellent information and participation. There was also a bit of sword fighting. Who can resist a sword? Luckily Elizabeth wasn't hurt too badly:)

Team three reported on the Battle of Culloden. They really got into their props!

      Yes, that is a "kilt"! Very funny!

And the "Jakeobite" died. He fought a hard battle, but the British won:(

Team one finished the broadcast off with the French Revolution.

They had very nice background music playing too.

Great information and lots of laughs!

We clearly have a lot of good actors in our class. You did a great job stating facts while making us laugh. The "behind" the scenes was pretty funny too.


Homework:
1. Read Unit 21
2. Draw or print flag from 8 different countries. Explain the meaning behind each flag, why they chose the symbol and colors, and any other important information about he country. You will get extra points for your team if you hand draw the flags.
3. Come up with an idea of a western art piece you want to re-create next week. We will be doing this in class, but it will be helpful if you have an idea of what you want to create. You can choose mosaic or an art piece. This will be a "blind" challenge. (what T.V. show is that from?) Extra points if you know the answer!

Have a great week!

The Scientific Revolution and the Truth of Emotions

     As the Scientific Revolution unfolded, man's understanding of the world changed. During this time, people began to feel that the church was not the only authority in life and that science could explain things better. Philosophers of that time believed that they were living in a time of unprecedented knowledge and discovery. They were enthusiastic about promoting these discoveries and becoming "lovers of wisdom". Most of the scientists were believers in God and did not work to undermine the church, but there were some who used their new knowledge to stand against the church. Religion became viewed as an opinion rather then truth. How is this different then today?
    As we discussed in class, some believe that emotions are the only "truth" they can rely on. How many people feel that way? If there is no real "truth" then do we only have our emotions to rely on? To go further, if there is no God, then what is our purpose here? Galileo felt that his purpose was to educate people about the universe. He published books and gave lectures on his findings, but he always gave credit to God for being so kind as to reveal his hidden treasures. However, the Catholic clergy did not agree with his teachings. He was ordered to stop teaching and his books were banned before he was finally placed on house arrest, where he completed his final days. It wasn't until 1992 that the Vatican admitted the mistake made in prohibiting his teachings and returned a verdict of not guilty. It only took 359 years!

   

     This week we are moving into the Age of Revolution. You will be examining the changes that took place in Europe, France, and America. These revolutions changed their countries forever. Your teams have the exciting task of presenting a broadcast next week on one of the revolutions. Team one will be presenting the French Revolution, Team two will be presenting the American Revolution, and Team three will be presenting the Battle of Culloden. The Battle of Culloden is not covered in the book, ahem, so you will need to research that battle. I feel that it should have been included since it completely changed the Scottish way of life and their position in Britain, and it preceded the French and American Revolution. Many of the Scots were banished to the American colonies after Culloden and fought in the American Revolution. It is an important part of history.

Homework:
1. Read Unit 20
2. Research your teams revolution. Be prepared to give a broadcast with the dates, locations ( maps are good), people, and outcomes of the revolution. You may choose to pick one important event from the battle to focus on, but we need the background information about the battle. I expect each team member to participate in the broadcast, so no one is sitting this one out! Feel free to bring props, costumes, or anything else you want to make your broadcast stand out. You can interview "eye witnesses", act out events, demonstrate "live" on the scene footage, etc... Be creative! Make sure to communicate with your team this week and have  plan.