Vikings Ships Have Invaded Our Class!

 Viking Ships invaded our class today! Wow! I can't even express how impressed I was by the creativity of these ships. You all blew me away!

We all voted and declared 2 winners for the best Viking ship, but truly every ship was awesome!

Here is one of the winners-ship by Alexis

Here is the other winner created by the Steele Twins

We had so many awesome ships today!

What a wonderful time playing a Christmas trivia game, eating food, and opening gifts! You were all so thoughtful!

You are now officially on Christmas Break!!! Hooray! I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and enjoy the break from school work. You do need to read Unit 15, but no other homework is assigned for the break. Once we get back from break, we will be heading into my favorite part of history! I am so excited! Since this book is very incomplete in my opinion, there will be additional things to read and research, but I promise I won't go nuts! So enjoy this break before we are back to work.

The Fall of Rome

"The Holy Roman Empire is neither Holy, nor Roman, nor an Empire."-Voltaire

The Roman empire was defeated for many reasons. They were in financial ruins from previous battles and an expensive army, they were attacked repeatedly, and they had division between the east and west to name a few. The barbarians and other invaders could not be stopped by the Romans as they descended upon the land. While the Romans had a large military, it came at the cost of the citizens. Taxes were high to sustain such an army and people could not afford to pay. Instead they died of starvation or had to sell their loved ones into slavery. The plague became a problem too. People were dying at the rate of 5,000 per day. That left very few to join the military. Rome was doomed. Other countries started attacking them and the rest is history.

What can we learn from the Romans? Does history repeat itself?


This last week before the Christmas break you will be learning about the Vikings. They were known as invaders, predators, and barbarians. The Vikings are often portrayed merely as one-dimensional warriors whose achievements include little more than plundering and raiding. But is that really the whole story? You will soon find out. You will also re-create a Viking ship. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Homework:
1. Read Unit 14
2. Study for test on Units 10-14
3. Build or make your Viking ship (we will be judging it next week)
4. Don't forget your secret pal gift!

*next week we will have a little party so if there is a special food you want to bring, please do so. We will play a game too, so bring your game face! Feel free to dress festive too. Hats, ugly Christmas sweaters, whatever you can think of. I might have a prize for the most festive outfit too. 

Shall We Meet at the Bathhouse?

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do." Imagine you want to spend a lovely afternoon with a friend or work associate. You create a plan to meet and chat about life events or stressful situations over a cup of coffee or tea. Oh wait! That won't work. You are in Rome, so the bathhouse it is! The bathhouse was the happening place to be in Rome for socializing or making business contacts. You could spend a whole afternoon utilizing the gym, eating form the garden, or bathing in the three different pools. Then you would retire home for your evening meal clean and refreshed and smelling like lavender from an afternoon spent with friends.

If you were poor and  lived in the run down "flats", life would look a little different. You would bath in the less then desirable bathhouses and come home to a small, poorly maintained building hoping that someone would not be discarding their waste out the window as you walked by. If you had the unfortunate luck to live in the 5th or 6th floor, you would walk many flights of rickety stairs to arrive at your one room apartment. The aroma of decaying food and feces would fill the air as you stepped over the discarded trash from the rooms. There would be no running water to wash your hands or clean your food, and a trip to the toilet meant a bucket that would be dumped out the window when you finished.

Life in Rome was very different then what we are accustomed to now. While we still pursue entertainment as vigorously as the Romans did, we don't look to gladiator games to quench our thirst for blood. Instead we look to movies and games that depict much of the same thing. We don't discard of our toilet waste out the windows or kill our children for being disfigured or the wrong sex. Would you have enjoyed living in ancient Rome?

This week you will continue to read about Rome and the tragedies that await them. It is about to get brutal! Also, don't forget to keep working on your Viking Ship. You only have 2 weeks!

Homework:
1. Read Unit 13
2. Research 2 denominations that are different from your own. Write about their customs and traditions. If you attend a non-denominational church, you can research pretty much any denomination. The catholic, lutheran, presbyterian, or episcopal churches are great ones to research.
3. For extra credit memories the Apostles Creed.
4. Work on Viking Ship.

The Western Wall and Christian Celebrities

The Western Wall, also known as The Wailing Wall, is at the root of the Jewish nation. It is the only surviving remnant of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. The epicenter of this temple is Mount Moriah. It was here that Abram bound Isaac as a sacrifice to God, and it is here that Jacob dreamed of the ladder which ascended to heaven. This wall is an eternal symbol to the Jews that they will never be destroyed as God promised. Even though Jerusalem has been destroyed and rebuilt nine times, the Western Wall still stands as an intact symbol.

The Wailing Wall is an important place to many people. It is a place where they come to pray, place notes in the wall, and gaze upon a piece of history. Celebrity is also something people tend to place value on. When Jesus walked the earth, He did not look to be a celebrity. He was here to do the work of His Father, not to be viewed as a celebrity. His celebrity really didn't occur until after his death though. These days celebrity is something that some people seek out, others gain due to talent, or achieve by mere accident. Is being a celebrity something people should seek to achieve? Depending on who you ask, the answers will vary. According to Mark Driscoll it is a problem if your nation does not have a good, young Bible teacher that is well known. Do you agree or disagree? Is there the a temptation to idolize and even worship a well known pastor or worship leader? Is it possible that they seek glory for themselves, or do they truly hope to bring glory to God? These are all interesting questions to ponder. Do we seek to elevate people or God?

Congratulations! You have made it to the Thanksgiving break! You now have 2 weeks off from history after you read Unit 12:) Enjoy it!
I hope you are enjoying the socratic method for discussing history and other ideas. It is a wonderful method for discussing thoughts, ideas, and opinions. As you become more comfortable with it, I hope that some of you will join in more. There are no bad ideas in the circle. It is a safe place to throw thoughts out there and get feedback. Through discussion we often refine our thoughts and form more defined opinions. In the second semester, I will be assigning more articles or excerpts from books for you to read and analyze. I want you to get used to making notes, critiquing written works, and developing thoughts to discuss. Hopefully today's exercise gave you a feel for that.

Don't forget to start thinking about your Viking project. Gather ideas and make a plan. Waiting until the last minute is not a good idea, so start planning now! Here are a few ideas:

Lego Viking ship

Cardboard Viking ship

Cake Viking Ship

You can be as creative as you want. You have until December 11th, but don't wait to get started in the planning.

Homework:
1. Read Unit 12
2. Start planning Viking Ship Project
3. Email me with the answers to the questions I sent you for the gift exchange

Have a great Thanksgiving!

The Death of a Dictator

     Before Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 B.C., he was considered a "celebrity". He had fame, power, riches, and loyal friends. Well, he thought he had loyal friends. Those so called friends were the very people who would spill the "tea" about him and conspire to assassinate him. Perhaps he was bad at picking friends? As Caesar lay dying in the Theatre of Pompey from 23 stab wounds, his friends were plotting their next move. What would the media say about such an event if this were taking place in current times? Hmm..... I think I have a good idea. Thank you to the teams who entertained us with a skit showing how the news media might have handled the situation.

We have so many talented actresses in class!

We also had 2 teams build Roman structures. I am impressed with what they built in a short period of time!

All made from energy drink cans!

Well done class! Today was a very creative and fun class! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Homework:
1. Read Unit 12
2. Research at least 5 Jewish customs or traditions. Include when and where they take place, what food is served, how long it lasts, and why it is celebrated.

Have a great week!

A Circle of Strong Minds

     "Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people."-Socrates
The socratic method of learning was presented by Socrates as a way to encourage people to discuss ideas rather then just facts or other people. He had a strong desire to see people learn to dialogue with each other rather then argue and debate. Through discussion he felt that people could learn from each other and refine their own ideas. It involved asking questions, seeking clarification of things not understood, listening to other ideas, and contributing to the dialogue in a respectful manner. Today you had the opportunity to participate in a socratic circle. Most of you were very excited by the idea and fully embraced the challenge. The discussion was purposeful and insightful, and I was truly impressed by how well you all did. I really like addressing each other formally too! We might have to work on eye contact a little though:) So from here on out, we will be a socratic history class.

     There are 12 guidelines that make the socratic method unique. It is not an opportunity to show off your knowledge or impress us with your facts; it is an opportunity to discuss ideas and learn from each other. It is a way to develop clear articulation, engage with others in a purposeful way, listen with the intent to understand, and offer insights in order to help others. Presently, most people like to debate and argue without the intent to learn. The focus becomes about proving oneself right rather then gaining understanding.

     As we practice discussing each week, keep in mind the ground rules. This will help ensure that everyone has a chance to participate and learn. I know that some of you feel that "school" is a burden forced upon you, but I would like to challenge you to think of it as an opportunity to gain knowledge. Learning allows you to gain the skills in order to be proficient in anything that interests you. Nothing you learn is a waste; it only adds to who you will become. I want you to be a group of people that can discuss ideas, not just events and other people. Don't be gossips; be thinkers! You are practicing who you will become as adults, so become adults who respect others and pursue wisdom and knowledge.


     This week you will be learning about the Romans. They have made their mark on history and you are about discover what that mark looks like.


Homework:
1. Read unit 10
2. Either research a roman structure to build in class next week with your team, OR write a radio script about the assassination of Julius Caesar to perform for the class. The script can be a comedy, set in present time re-telling the event, or be set in Roman times. Costumes are encouraged too!  If you are building a structure to present to the class, you can bring any items you want for building, but I will have tubes, construction paper, glue, tape, and markers. For extra credit, your team can do both.

Have a great week!

Ancient Traditions and Board Games

     Ancient civilizations brought about many wonderful developments. Through Ancient India we saw the invention of the calculated value of "Pi", yoga, Ayurveda (ancient medicine), a brilliant surgeon who was know as the "the first plastic surgeon", a correctly explained solar and lunar eclipse, the zero digit, and the art of navigation. Many of the things we know now came as a result of their contribution to the world.
     Through Ancient China, we were given TCM (traditional Chinese medicine), which includes acupuncture, cupping therapy, herbal medicine, nutrition, exercise, massage therapy, and acupressure. These practices are still used today. Their concept of Yin and Yang influenced our concept of homeostasis in the body. The ancient Chinese had many interesting beliefs concerning their religious practices too. They strongly believed that their deceased ancestors could be summoned for guidance with the help of a priest. Does this sound at all like the "Ouija" board game? Speaking of games, I learned a lot of new ones today. Wow! I had no idea there were so many interesting games out there. Maybe interesting is not the word; perhaps weird is a better word. Why do babysitters die in these stories?
     The ancient Europeans also offered us a look at many things, but the most interesting was their Druids. Druids were members of a class among the ancients Celts. They acted as priests, teachers, and judges. They were known to frequent oak forests and perform sacrifices there. They settled disputes among people, decreed penalties, and resorted to violence when they felt it was needed. Very interesting priests indeed. They studied ancient verse, philosophy, astronomy, the lore of the gods, and spent as much as 20 years in training. Their principal doctrine was that the soul was immortal and passed at death from one person to another.

      We discussed lots of things today, but one of the most interesting was the stories about friendship and honor. As stated by Confucius, "I daily examine myself on three points:- whether, in transacting business for others, I may have been not faithful;-whether, in intercourse with friends, I may have been not sincere;- whether I may not mastered and practiced the instructions of my teacher." These are interesting questions to ask oneself each day. Am I faithful in what I do, do I treat friends with sincerity, and do I practice and master the assignments I am given? Do you do these things? Or do you give your friends ridiculously hard tests to pass in order to gain your friendship? Perhaps they need to make you laugh and cry in one day, or feed you a meal, or save your life. Would a friendship like that work? It at least makes you think about how you treat your friends, right?




Homework:
1. Read Unit 9
2. Study for test next week on Units 5-9