Aladdin

I was not in class today because I was getting ready for Aladdin.

Test

Today in class, I took a test that I missed on Monday because I had an orthodontist appointment.

Cheaters

Yesterday in class, we started out by having an argument about how we could somehow put the outline in our books for the test that we are going to have on Monday.  If people would have kept their mouths shut, they probably could have gotten away with it.  I don’t think anybody in our class would try to do that anyway, but Mr. Schick seems to think so.  I do know what I’m going to do for the next test we get to use our blogs on, but I’m not going to tell other people.  I just figured out that I should be putting notes on my blog instead of just writing about what we did in class.

Student Teacher # 2

Yesterday in class, Taylor taught the class for about the half of the first mod.  She didn't make it as interesting as Ben did the day before.  Taylor only taught the section of the outline on Sparta.  After the first mod, Mr. Schick figured out that we are ahead of all the other classes (because we are the “smart” class).  The whole second mod, we got to do whatever we wanted.  I worked on learning the words to “A Whole New World” for Aladdin because we had rehearsal that afternoon.  It turns out that I was one of the three people that knew all of the words.  I hope Mr. Schick gives us free time today!

Student Teacher

Today in class, Mr. Schick tried to make it so boring.  When we first started going over an outline, he was talking so slowly.  Eventually, when we couldn't take him seriously, he called on Ben to teach the class.  When Ben started teaching, he just read exactly what was on the outline that Mr. Schick put on the screen.  After he read a section, he would give a short explanation without going into any detail.  Soon after that, Mr. Schick had to step in and help out a little bit.  He did give us hits to what questions were going to be on the test at the end of the chapter though.

LO-1 Summary

In the Introduction to chapter 3, the first important word appears.  The word is barbarian.  Barbarian means that they had a distinctive way of life, based on farming and warfare.  In about 2000 B.C., the barbarian peoples started to migrate into Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, and Egypt.  The Greeks were the first people to have ideas, art forms, and types of government that are still used today. 

 In the first heading, under the first paragraph of LO-1, we learn about the earliest Europeans.  By 4000 B.C., farming and village life had spread throughout the continent of Europe.  In 3500 B.C., there were large groups of people that were organized enough to construct megaliths.  Megaliths are massive rough-cut stones used to construct monuments and tombs.  One of these megaliths is called Stonehenge.  Nobody really knows how the megaliths were created.  They were used for religious ceremonies, especially on the summer and winter solstices.  Megalith in Greek means “large boulder.” 

                The second heading in LO is “The Barbarian Way of Life.”  The barbarians that moved into Europe started speaking Indo-European.  This later turned into Latin and Greek, which is where we get most of our words from today.  Many people in Europe were warriors, charioteers, or horsemen.  These people’s lives were centered on strength, courage, comradeship, loyalty, contests, and battle.   When a leading warrior died, his horses, chariot, bronze/iron swards and daggers, and his gold and silver drinking cups were buried with him. 

The barbarians traveled in tribes.  A tribe is a social and political unit consisting of a group of communities held together by common interests, traditions, and real or mythical ties of kinship.  The word barbarian comes from the Greek word, “barbarous,” meaning “non-Greek.”  During the years 2000 B.C. to 1000 A.D., the European barbarians came into contact with the other civilizations. 

                

Minotaur

Today in class, Mr. Schick was taking attendance and he skipped my name.  I’m guessing he heard my voice or something and knew I was there.  Anyway, two groups presented their presentations today.  Carly, Taylor, and John presented first.  In the middle of class John just walked out of the room.  Somebody said he had a guidance counselor appointment, but I don’t think that was true.  After Carly’s group, Matt, Becca, and Olivia presented.  I don’t think they got to finish their presentation so they might finish tomorrow.  I did learn that the Minotaur isn’t real!  I was really sad.  I just remembered I have to finish the LO-1 blog that was due next week!!!

Boring

Okay, so in class today, we worked on our presentations today.  There really isn’t that much to talk about so this blog is going to be short.  For at least half of the class, some people were on Google Earth searching people’s houses.  Meanwhile, the only thing I did was read a page in LO-2.  So, that is what happened in class today! 

Gummy Bears

Today in class, Mr. Schick wasn't in class.  All we did was work on our presentations.  While I was working on mine, Mr. Schick messaged me and told me to “keep up the good work.”  I was so happy!  Right before that Nick’s computer died.  Mr. Schick was also messaging other people and was telling them to “get to work.”  I think, for the first time ever, I might be the person farthest ahead in the class.  I hope Mr. Schick puts the power point from Monday on his blog so I can use it to study.  I am determined not to fail the final exam this semester!

Stonehenge

Today in class, I finally learned what Stonehenge is.  It was made by the barbarians and the stones are placed according to the sun and the moon.  On the solstices, the barbarians performed rituals at Stonehenge.  Nobody knows how Stonehenge was created.  It seems impossible that people that couldn’t read or write could build something so complicated, yet so simple.  Historians are trying to figure out how those people carried the stones, that weighed several tons, and how they managed to arrange them the way they did.  Historians also can’t figure out how they put a huge stone on top of other huge stones.  We also started working on a presentation to show that we understand all of the material from today.  I finally get to work by myself!!!  I don’t really like working in groups because I get distracted very easily and I am usually the person that ends up doing most of the work.

Mummy!!!

Today’s class was not as exciting as yesterday’s.  All we did today was go over the power point and take notes.  I did find out that we have a quiz tomorrow though.  After we finished the power point, we watched a video on mummification.  It showed us the steps for mummifying somebody.  It is kind of like embalming that we do now.  First, they take the organs out of the body.  Normally the heart is left inside.  Then, they cover the body in salt for at least 40 days.  Then, they wrap the body in cloth.  After the first or second layer of cloth, they put a pouch on the chest and finish wrapping the body.  The purpose of mummification is to preserve the body for the afterlife.  Only important people got turned into mummies because Egyptians believed that only important people would need their body in the afterlife. 

Pyramid

Today was probably the best class ever!  All we did was play a game on our computers.  We had to get with a partner and try to build a virtual pyramid.  I had already played the game once in sixth grade and I forgot all of the answers.  Mackenzie and I still ended up finishing first though so we got the full 10 points.  After I was finished, I went upstairs and when I was about to walk down the steps I hear people screaming.  As soon as I walk back into class, I found out where the screaming was coming from.  The class was being so loud!  I hope we can play that game tomorrow!  Can anybody tell me when the test is?

Unicorns

On Friday, I had to leave class early because I had an orthodontist appointment.  We didn't do that much when I was there during first mod.  I remember starting to go through a power point on pyramids and Egyptian Life.  We learned that Egyptians depended on the Nile River for everything.  At the same time every year, the Nile River flooded so the people knew when they shouldn't plant crops.  Just like flooding, the river receded at the same time every year.  The soil around the river bank was very good and allowed the people to grow crops.  Another thing we learned was that the pyramids were built before Jesus was born and they have stayed up this long.  The Egyptians were very smart because they thought of the idea of tricking people.  In the pyramids, they made fake tunnels so people would get lost and they wouldn't be able to find whatever was hidden inside.  Most pyramids were built as graves for dead pharaohs and their families.  Some held treasures like gold or other valuable things.