These resources are recommended by the Eckstein Library for online research:
Note: you may search with Google, but do not search Google images for primary sources.
Spelling Homework begins March 5
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Your child will be bringing home a collection of spelling words weekly that have been introduced in class. Each night of the week your child is expected to do a different activity to ensure that these words and the spelling principles they represent are mastered. These activities have been molded and practiced in school, so your child can show you how to do them.
This first week, students will be practicing the procedures in class with very simple words. It is important to focus on the procedures this week rather than the spellings, which is why the practice words are less demanding. You do not need to participate this first week unless you simply want to pre-practice with your child. Students will receive their first “real” spelling list next week on March 12th.
Monday: Remind your child to sort the words into categories like the ones we did in school. Your child should read each word aloud during this activity. Ask your child to explain to you why the words are sorted in a particular way⎯what does the sort reveal about spelling in general? Ask your child to sort them a second time as fast as possible. Have students write the sort on notebook paper, and parents or guardians should initial the grading form.
Tuesday: Do a blind or no peeking sort with your student. Lay down a word from each category as a header and then read the rest of the words aloud. Your child must indicate where the word goes without seeing it. Lay it down and let your student move it to the appropriate category if he or she is wrong. Repeat this activity if your child makes more than one error. After completing the activity, have students write the sort on notebook paper, and parents or guardians should initial the grading form.
Wednesday: Assist your child in doing a say/see spell, in which students spell the words aloud as they finger spell the words in the air. Afterwards, parents or guardians should initial the grade form.
Thursday: Do a writing sort to prepare for the Friday test. As you call out the words in a random order, your child should write them in categories on notebook paper. Call out words your student misspells a second, or even a third time. Parents or guardians should initial the grade sheet.
More detailed directions are available in the spelling schedule (pdf).
Friday during class: Students will turn in their signature sheet.
If you see this presenting a difficultly in any way, it is perfectly ok for your child to seek help from another adult.
Thank you for your support. Together we can help your child make valuable progress!
Sincerely,
Sixth Grade Humanities Teachers
Character Short Story – Adult Edits
In Language Arts, we began our study of characters through our Realistic Fiction “Just-Right” texts. Students started studying character development through their text and then we began to create our own characters. We have focused on learning how to develop strong characters by showing what their character “thinks, says or does.” Another focus has been on our effective use of sensory details to help characters and stories come to life and create a movie in the mind of their readers. Tonight, students brought home a draft of their drafts with instructions on how an adult editor can support their writing. These edited drafts are due in class on Thursday (the beginning of class.) We will have a publishing party to review our final drafts on Friday, January 13.
Africa Map example
Here is an additional map that may help you with your coloring. Notice that the key is not filled in, so use the satellite map to help you.
Africa Map
We have begun creating a map of the physical features of Africa.
Handouts
- Map Directions - directions and the list of features that need to be included on the map.
- Challenge Task - optional list of additional features that can be included on the map. This would make the map worth 40 total points.
- Map Blank – blank map for labeling and coloring.
Coloring the Map
The map should be colored to show water, desert, savanna, rain forest, and “land” (areas that do not seem to fall into one of the other categories). To help students with the coloring, I’ve labeled the satellite photo below with the major climate zones. For more helpful information, read the Wikipedia article about the geography of Africa.
Satellite image of Africa showing desert, savanna, and rainforest. Click image to enlarge.
Mr. Miller on Child Care Leave until Mid-February
Mr. Miller will be on child care leave from January 3 through mid-February. During this time, his substitute teacher will be Corey Hamren, who will co-teach with Emily Falls. This letter was handed out today with contact information. Also, during Mr. Miller’s absence, there will be very few updates to this blog.
Environmental Factors in Mesopotamia Challenge Task
After finishing Fertile Crescent Stele Project, students may work on this challenge task. For this assignment, students will first read and take notes pages 66 – 67 in History Alive! about the geographic factors of water, topography and vegetation. Next, they will watch a short video titled Mesopotamia: from Nomads to Farmers, which is available on our classroom iPods. Finally, students will write 1-2 paragraphs that answer these questions:
- How did the environmental factors of water, topography and vegetation influence the settlement of Mesopotamia?
- What innovations and inventions did the Sumerians develop to survive in
Mesopotamia?
We will accept this assignment anytime this week. By attempting the challenge task, students will earn “above standard” credit for their effort grade. By completing the challenge task, they may earn up to 10 points toward their academic grade.
Click here to download the Environmental Factors in Mesopotamia Challenge Task
Civilizations in the Fertile Crescent Study Guide
This week’s quiz will include vocabulary related to the first civilizations and empires of the Fertile Crescent and how historians measure time.
Characteristics of Civilization
- stable food supply – having a constant source of food for a city.
- irrigation – the process of supplying water to crops where there is not an adequate source of water.
- plow - a tool for turning over soil to prepare it for planting, usually dragged by oxen.
- social structure – the division of society into levels such as an upper class, middle class and lower class.
- status – a person’s rank or position in society.
- government – the people who run and make decisions for a city or country.
- In Mesopotamia, most city-states were run by a king.
- scribes – officials who were able to write and recorded decisions made by the king.
- empire – a large territory of land ruled by one person.
- religion – the belief in and worship of a god or gods.
- ziggurat – a temple shaped like a short step pyramid. Click here for a photo of a ziggurat at Wikipedia.
- art – works created with skill such as paintings, sculptures and music.
- lyre – a stringed musical instrument similar to a harp. Click here for a photo of the bull lyre on Wikipedia.
- technology – use of tools to make life easier.
- arch – a doorway with a rounded top to support the weight of a building.
- writing – using symbols to represent language.
- cuneiform – written language used in Mesopotamia. Click here for a photo of cuneiform text at Wikipedia.
Understanding Timelines
- B.C. = “Before Christ”, the time before year 1, when Christians believe Jesus was born.
- B.C.E. = “Before the common era”, a non-religious way to refer to the time before year 1. The year 44 B.C.E is the same as the year 44 B.C.
- A.D. = “Anno Domini”, a Latin phrase meaning “the year of the Lord”, which refers to the year that Jesus was born. A.D. does not mean “after death”.
- C.E. = “Common era”, a non-religious way to refer to the time since the first year of the calendar. The year 2011 C.E. is the same as 2011 A.D.
- circa = “around the time of”, a way of estimating when events happened. For example, writing was developed circa 3000 B.C.E.
Fertile Crescent Stele Project
The Victory Stele of Naram Sin.
Students are creating an Akkadian stele to show what they have learned about one of the Fertile Crescent empires. Students will create a picture to show an important person, place, or thing related to their topic, and write a caption to explain the picture. Click here to download the assignment directions. Here are some links to help with online research.
The Akkadian Empire
- Wikipedia
- Sargon (Wikipedia)
- World Book Student (requires SPS login)
- History for Kids
The Babylonian Empire
- Wikipedia
- British Museum
- Word Book Student (requires SPS login)
- Babylon (Mr. Donn’s web site)
- Code of Hammurabi (Wikipedia)
- Hammurabi (Mr. Donn’s web site)
The Assyrian Empire
- Wikipedia
- Assyria (Mr. Donn’s web site)
- Ashurbanipal (Wikipedia)
- Ashurbanipal at World Book Student (requires SPS login)
- British Museum
The Neo-Babylonian Empire (also known as the Chaldean Dynasty)
- Wikipedia
- Nebuchadnezzar II (Wikipedia)
- Nebuchadnezzar II at World Book Student (requires SPS login)
- The Hanging Gardens (Wikipedia)
- The Hanging Gardens (Mr. Donn’s web site)
The Phoenicians
- Wikipedia
- British Museum
- World Book Student (requires SPS login)
- The Phoenician Alphabet (Wikipedia)
The Persian Empire
- Persian Achaemenid Empire (Wikipedia)
- World Book Student (requires SPS login)
The Hittites
- Wikipedia
- World Book Student (requires SPS login)
Update: the Eckstein Library has also posted resources for this project.
Fertile Crescent Map
The Fertile Crescent Map should be colored so it shows the fertile land and other natural features. Click the map to view the ful size image.
We are now making maps of the Fertile Crescent to learn about the geography of the land that is home to the oldest civilizations in human history.
The map is due on Wednesday, November 16, 2011. Here are the files for the assignment:
Resources
- Sample map created by Ms. Falls – Ms. Falls created this map, which is based on the map on page 50 of The World and its People, which shows the natural resources of the Fertile Crescent.
- Google Earth Tour – Mr. Miller created this tour of the Fertile Crescent to show satellite imagery of some of the features of the region.
- Come to room 208 during study hall on Tuesday, November 15.
- Map of Ancient Mesopotamia – this map shows the location of many of the city-states of Mesopotamia.
- British Museum Maps – series of maps about Mesopotamia created by the British Museum showing cities, terrain, natural resources, and more.
- Wikipedia article about Mesopotamia – includes links to Fertile Crescent civilizations and related maps.
Challenge Task
After students finish the map, they are encouraged to do the Dead Sea Challenge Task, which is also due on November 16.
