My Favorite Holiday Essays 2008

Coming in February: Country Reports

 

SS 4.2 Ancient India Review: "Are You Smarter..."

India4_2AreYouSmarter

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Education

Review Game for the first 4 Weeks of School

Jeopardy Week 4 - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: Jeopardy Week 4

SS Chapter 1 Study Guide

SS Chapter 1 Study Guide Name: ______________ A B C

Bottom of Form

Brainstorm for an essay on the following topics:

1. Why was the Agricultural Revolution such an important historical event?

2. Discuss some of the important firsts developed in Mesopotamia and why Mesopotamia is often referred to as the “Cradle of Civilization”

Welcome to Room 20 Music Video

This is a quick preview of some of the neat projects we have planned for you this year as we integrate technology, art and media into the Language Arts and Social Studies curriculum.

Meet Mr. Curry

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

GATE Activity (Open to others as well)

Students who are ahead of where they need to be can choose an activity they enjoy and make a 30 second video, using up to 15 images. See the sample below, made by 49er fan, Mr. Curry.

To start, ask Mr. Curry to sign up for a free Animoto account for the class that students in your section can work collaboratively on individual projects. Later in the year, when all students make 30 second commercials for the "AdBiz" project, you will know how to show the rest of the class!.

From Vinci Park Elem to Piedmont Middle on Google Earth

See it at this Screencast link

What is the Constitution?

Summer2008010nATIONALcONSTcENTER, originally uploaded by rdcurry.

The US Constitution is a living document which established our form of government in the United States.

During the school year, we will study how various ancient civilizations established sets of laws and established government.

It is important that you also know about our system of government, so we will also learn about our system of government this year, with an emphasis on the Presidency.

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Campaign '08

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

Get Involved in Election 2008

Read about the issues concerning our country and encourage those in your family eligable to vote to do so.

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

Mr. Curry's Ben Franklin Workshop

What do teachers do during the summer? Well, some teachers, such as mr. Curry, take classes.
Mr. Curry attended a federally funded workshop at Villanova University near Philadelphia from July 6-11. The topic and focus of the workshop was "Ben Franklin and the Invention of America".
Above is a group photo of the workshop group in front of Independence Hall. Can you locate Mr. Curry?

We also saw the Liberty Bell and the locations where Benjamin Franklin and the other founding fathers gathered to help form our country.


Video of Independence Hall

Senator Obama Addresses Teacher Convention

One of the highlights of my trip to Washington, DC, was the opportunity to listen to a live speech by Senator Obama. Senator McCain declined the opportunity to speak, so that is why this only shows Obama.

The White House and Ancient Art

The following video was filmed on July 2nd in Washington, DC.

Day #1 June 30, 2008 -- Mr. Curry Tours Washington, DC

Celebrate Independence Day -- The DC Weblog Begins

Celebrate our freedom as Americans as we near the celebration of Independence Day on July 4th.

Mr. Curry will be in Washington, D.C. and in Philadelphia for a national education convention and a history workshop on Benjamin Franklin (I HAVE TO even read an autobiography).

Stay tuned for video weblog updates.

Student Work Slide Show on Flickr

View it here

Student Projects Piedmont Middle Room 20

 
 
 
 

A trip to DC

Mr. Curry will soon be leaving to Washington, DC and then Philadelphia.

Check this blog between June 30 - July 12th.

6th grade Orientation Video: Welcome to Piedmont

View Our Welcome to 6th Grade Video, created by my GATE Video Tech after school Enrichment class.

Piedmont Air Hockey

Play a cool customized Piedmont Lancers version of Air Hockey. Just be sure to NOT click on the many ads.

Video Imbed Test

The Last Week at School

Monday
June 9
HR-6-1-2-3-4-5
❑ LA-->Story Mapping of "ET"

❑ SS -->Oral Presentations


Tuesday
June 10
HR-5-6-1-2-3-4
❑ LA --> Story Mapping of "ET"
❑ SS --> Essay: What I learned in Social Studies in 6th grade
Wednesday
June 11
4-5-6-1-2-3

1 PM Dismissal
❑ LA: Essay: My favorite story in Language Arts this year
❑ SS: Film
Thursday
June 12
3-4-5-6-1-2

1PM Dismissal
❑ LA: Film
❑ SS: Film
Friday
June 6
2-3-4-5-6-1

11AM
Dismissal
Saying Goodbye
(Party is possible if the class earns it and contributes)
Farewell!

SS Open Book Test for Chapter 10

Quiz Name: SS Ch 10 Final
Type: Multiple Choice (

1. Religion which started in the Roman province of Palestine and eventually grew to be the main religion of the Roman empire.

Circle Answer
Christianity
Buddhism
Hinduism

2. After the Empire was split, it included Greeks, Egyptians, Turks, Syrians and Jews among others.


Circle Answer
Western Empire
Germanic Tribes
Byzantine Empire

3. Language of the Roman Empire, it eventually developed into languages of European countries such as Spanish, Portugese, Italian, French and Romanian.


Circle Answer
Latin
German
Arabic

4. The largest amphitheater in Rome which could hold up to 60,000 spectators.


Circle Answer
Colosseum
Wembley Stadium
Circus Maximus


5. Pictures made up of small pieces of glass or stone, they were found in great number in Byzantine churches and art.


Circle Answer
mosaics
statues
abstract


6.A strong Emperor of the Byzantine Empire.


Circle Answer
Justinian
Marcus Aurelius
Barakus Obama

7. Open public space in the center of Rome which served as a marketplace. One built by Trajen was like a modern mall.


Circle Answer
Forum
Agora
Berryessa Flea Market

8. The Romans were able to construct so many great buildings as they were the first to develop


Circle Answer
concrete
adobe
terra cotta


9. The first Christian Roman emperor, he allowed religious tolerance and he moved the capital from Rome to Byzantium, later renamed Constantinople.


Circle Answer
Constantine
Diocletian
Pius


10. The emperors who stayed in power by paying the army well


Circle Answer
Severans
Good Emperors
Byzantine

11. How did Roman statues differ from Greek statues?


Circle Answer
They showed realistic features and flaws, such a wrinkles
They always showed people clothed
They made the statues out of concrete instead of marble

12. The Greek born physician to 5 Roman Emperors, Galan, stressed the importance of understanding the importance of


Circle Answer
studying body structures
praying to the gods for healing
studying astronomy

13. Life in Ancient Rome was


Circle Answer
crowded and unsafe for all people
comfortable for all people
crowded and unsafe for the poor but comfortable for the wealthy


14. In the AD 200's, the Romans began putting less gold into the coins.

As a result, many people began to--


Circle Answer
riot
collect coins
barter items, goods, and services instead of using the coins

15. BOTH Diocletian and Constantine introduced reforms which


Circle Answer
regulated where men worked
persecuted and killed Christians
permitted Christian to freely practice their religion

16. Most historians agree that the Fall of the Roman Empire happened --


Circle Answer
when Odoacer took control
when Augustus defeated Marc Antony
When Constantine moved the capital from Rome

17. The Empress Theodora, wife of Emperor Justinian, made possible


Circle Answer
granting women more rights
covers on all statues
lavish celebrations in the Emperor's palace


18. Constantinople became a successful capital city because


Circle Answer
its secure location at a crossroads of trade
its high taxes allowed for great public works
its location on the Nile River


19. Because of the trade with Asia, which became a major Byzantine industry


Circle Answer
silk weaving
weapon making
won ton wrapping


20. Most Byzantine women were


Circle Answer
dependent upon their husbands for support
slaves
well educated professionals

Questions for "The Dog of Pompeii"

Name: ________________ Class:___ #:____

Literary Response for The Dog of Pompeii / Pompeii (Pages 430-445)

1. Tito was very dependent upon Bimbo because Tito was ______________ and _______________.

2. The volcano gives a sign before it erupts. That sign was it ______________________________. Some people

explained the sign as ________________________________________________.

3. During the eruption, Bimbo takes Tito to the ___ ____.

4. At the end, Bimbo ______ as he tried to go to the _____________ to get _________ for Tito.

5. The scientists were surprised to find a dog buried in the ruins as they assumed that an unchained

dog would have ________________.

6. At the end of the story, the setting changes from the first century to the twentieth century as

archaeologists answer the mystery of why Bimbo ___ _________________.

7, The director of the archaeological team wondered why the dog had chosen such a moment to get a raisin

cake in its mouth. The reason why is that Bimbo was __________________________________________.

8. How does the setting of The Dog of Pompeii affect the plot of the story? ____________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________.

9. From reading the historical fiction of The Dog of Pompeii, I have learned the following things about life in the ancient

Roman city of Pompeii: _____________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________.

10. Does this story seem like it had realistic characters(credible) or did it have unlikely (incredible) characters.

I think this story was _____________because __________________________________________________________.

11. By reading the article, Pompeii, I learned the following things similar to the historical fiction account in The Dog of Pompeii:

________________________________________________, ______________________________________ and

____________________________________________________________________________________.

Video Movie for Class Discussion June 10-12

Edge Of America (2003)
Director Chris Eyre's ("Smoke Signals") compelling fact-based drama stars James McDaniel as Kenny Williams, a black English teacher who takes a job at a Native American high school on Utah's Three Nations Reservation. As an outsider in a close-knit community, Williams attempts to fit in by accepting the daunting task of coaching the girls' basketball team. Irene Bedard, Wes Studi and Tim Daly co-star. 106 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital stereo, Spanish Dolby Digital stereo; filmographies; photo gallery.

Students will use the Story Map for Edge of America

The Rise of Rome

CHAPTER 9 Open Book TEST

Column A A. First Punic War B. Augustus C. aqueduct D. Sicily E. Etruscans F. latifundia G. Marc Antony H. First Triumvirate I. plebeians J. praetors

Column B __1. a rich people that greatly influenced the growth of Rome __2. interpreted law and acted as judges __3. large farming estates worked by enslaved people __4. Crassus, Pompey, and Julius Caesar __5. a human-made channel for carrying water long distances __6. an island that is part of Italy __7. artisans, shopkeepers, and owners of small farms __8. Member of the 2nd Triumvirate, he fell in love with Cleopatra and went to war vs. Octavian eventually losing __9. Rome defeated Carthage in 241 B.C. __10. Rome’s first Emperor Octavian, changed his name to this title

Directions: Multiple Choice In the blank at the left, write the letter of

the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

__11. According to a traditional legend, who founded the city of Rome?

A. Helen of Troy C. Aristotle and Plato

B. Romulus and Remus D. Julius Caesar

__12. The Romans were able to take over most of Italy by 267 B.C. because

A. they developed new ways of waging war.

B. their military was harshly disciplined.

C. they built roads between places they conquered.

D. all of the above

__13. What were the three parts of the Roman Republic’s tripartite government?

A. slaves, citizens, and women

B. the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the executive

C. plebeians, patricians, and the army

D. the consuls, the praetors, and the legislative bodies

__14. Why were the political reforms of 287 B.C. important?

A. All male citizens had equal standing.

B. The republic became a democracy.

C. Women earned the right to vote.

D. They allowed a dictator to seize power.

__15. What was the significance of the Twelve Tables?

A. They established for the first time standards of justice still in use today.

B. They established special privileges for the wealthy.

__16. In the Second Punic War, Hannibal crossed the Alps with Elephants as

A. Carthage attacked Rome.

B. Rome invaded Carthage by sea.

__17. Julius Caesar declared himself dictator of Rome for life and also

A. created the Gregorian calendar. C. allowed free elections.

B. created work for jobless people. D. all of the above

__18. What title did Octavian take?

A. King B. Augustus

__19. What was responsible for the Pax Romana?

A. a large army, ample food supply, and improvements in Roman government

B. Hadrian’s Wall

C. a small army, the return of farmland to small farmers, and an end to slavery

D. the Praetorian Guard

__20. Which of the following helped Rome’s trade?

A. the Punic Wars B. Roman currency C. Hadrian’s Wall

Applying Skills: Reading a Map Use the map below to answer the

questions that follow.

__21. What major islands did Rome conquer?

A. Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica

B. Britain and Ireland

__22. Why did Rome not expand farther north by this time?

A. They were defeated by the fierce Mongols.

B. They did not have enough people to expand farther.

C. They focused on controlling trade routes in the Mediterranean Sea.

__23. When did Rome add the territory including Egypt?

A. by 44 B.C. B. after 27 B.C.

Class B Punic Wars

UK Project by Kelvin

What Do Fish Have To Do With Anything Scaffolded Responses Getting Leftovers Back on the Table

1. When Mrs. Markham tells Willie not to look at the homeless man, Willie ____________ _____________________________________________________________.
2. Mrs. Markham refused to give the man money because ______________________________ ______________________________________________________________.
3. According to Willie's teacher, the fish in the dark lost their eyes because _________________ ______________________________________________________________.
4. Willie gives the man _______________________________________________. That item represents _______________________.
   
5. At the end of the story, the homeless man __________________________ because Mrs. Markham _____________________________________.
6. When the man was discussing the right amount of poundcake to serve a person, I think the man was also talking about ________________________________________________________________.
7. I believe that Avi refers to fish four times in this story because they symbolize _________________ ___________________________________________________________________________.
8. The story is titled What Do Fish Have To Do With Anything? The title is a good one because the blind fish in the cave lost ________________________________________________________.
9. My opinion of Mrs. Markham is that she ________________________________________.
10. I think that the theme of this story is ______________________________________________ ________________________________________.

Getting Leftovers Back on the Table

1. David's plan which he presented to the school board was to _________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________.
2. David faced two major problems in puting his plan into effect. The first problem was ____________ ________________________________________________________________________.
3. When the First Lady gave him the medal, David asked her __________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________.
4. Making Assertions

Citation #1 ______________________ ______________________		Citation #2 _____________________ _____________________
	Assertion #1 _______________________ _______________________

Citation #1 ______________________ ______________________

Citation #2 _____________________ _____________________

Assertion #2: ____________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

SS 9.1 The Rise of Rome

Language Arts 6 Name: __________________________

Reading Selection: John Henry Pages 404-409

#1 Sequence of events: Record at least 5 major events of this story

1. When John Henry was 3 days old, _________________________________

2. When he grew up, John Henry told the captain he’d rather _______________ ____________________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________________

4. ______________________________________________________________

5. ______________________________________________________________

6. ______________________________________________________________

#2 Eventually, I think that _______________________, won the race. The lines of the poem which support that conclusion are ____________________________________.

#3 John Henry showed that even as a baby he was a superhero by ___________________ ____________________________________________________________

#4 Polly Ann, John Henry’s wife, shows that she was a superhero as well by _________ ______________________________________________________________________.

#5 John Henry’s name is kept alive by __________________________________ ______________________________________________________________.

#6 The refrain used throughout the entire poem were the lines:

_________________________________________________

In each stanza, lines ___ and __ (numbers) are repeated, though the latter line adds “Lord, lord”

#7 I think that the tone of this poem is ____________. I think that because __________ ___________________________________________________________________

Assignments for May 12-16

After Finishing Written Country Report...

Start working on the display board or presentation for your country project. Here is an outstanding example from 2006.

.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.

..........

My Country Report

The Country of

_______________________

A Research Report by _____________

May 2002

Introduction

<Perhaps have a country slogan here>

The People Who are the people

The People of the Country

Change the information in this section so that it is about your country.

<This report template is complete with Styles for a Table of Contents and an Index. From the Insert menu, choose Reference, then Index and Tables. Click on the tab you would like. Be sure to choose the Custom Format.

Create a graph for your country’s ethnic groups by going to:

http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/graphing/index.asp

Enter the ethnic group data into the website and then make the graph.

XE indicates an index entry field. The index field collects index entries specified by XE. To insert an index entry field, select the text to be indexed, and choose Reference, Index and Tables from the Insert menu. Click on the Index tab to receive the Index dialog box.>

Geography How the land affects Life

The Land

The country of _______ has…

To create your own version of this template, choose File New General Templates and select this template. Be sure to indicate "template" as the document type in the bottom right corner.

1. Insert your company information in the name and your address in the frame in the upper right corner of the cover page.

2. Choose File Save As. At the bottom of the menu, choose Document Template in the Save File as Type: box. Save the file under a new name to protect the original, or use the same name to replace the existing version.

To create a document, choose File New General Templates and choose the template you just created. Assuming you followed the steps above, your company information should appear in place.

Get links to maps and other resources at: http://abcteach.com/directory/researchreports/maps/countries/

How to Delete Graphics

To delete a graphic, click on each object (in Print Layout View) to select, and press Delete. To delete the Return Address frame, click on the text to reveal the bounding border of the frame. Click on the border, and press Delete.

To lighten or darken the gray shaded areas, first select Headers and Footers from the View menu. Select Show/Hide Document Text and then click on the graphic to select the frame. This will open up the Picture toolbar menu. Experiment with the options to achieve the best shade for your printer. Once you are happy with the changes you have made, close the picture toolbar.

How to Create a Footnote

To create a footnote, choose Reference, Footnote from the Insert menu and click ok.

How to Force a Page Break

In general, the best way to force a page break is to first insert a blank paragraph, and choose Break from the Insert menu. In the dialog box, click the Page Break button, and then OK.

Natural Resources

The country of __________ has many natural resources. The most important resources are…

Economy How people make a living

The most important industries of __________ are _________________, ____________ and _________________. Continue to give details

How to Modify a Table

To modify an existing table, such as the table below, position your cursor in any cell. To modify the table, access the Table menu to select the desired action and/or result.

Agricultural Products

Crop/Livestock	Current Share	Share in 3 Yrs.
Corn	50%	30%
Hogs	25%	35%
Soy	15%	22%
Other	10%	12%

Table: Projected Growth of Competitors.

How To Edit Table Text

Table text can be edited and formatted like regular text. Simply select text and type to replace, or apply different formats as needed using the various formatting menus.

You can search for additional help on the Help menu.

Places of Interest

What to see and what to do

The most famous landmarks of the country

History

Pre-history

Write about what archaeologists have learned about early peoples of the country.

Early History (to 1500)

Who were the first known civilizations in the country?

Did they build up a colony? If so, what type? Were there wars fought over the land?

Colonial Era

Was the country a colony? What countries controlled it? Was it a colonial power? If so, what countries did it rule?

Modern Era (1900-Today)

What has happened to the nation in the past 200+ years

Major Events

What are some of the major events in the country’s history?

Government

Form of Government (Democracy, Democratic Monarchy, One party Communist Government, etc.)

The current government of…

1. Head of State
2. Head of government
3. Legislative Body/ies:
4. Judicial (Courts and Justice)
5. Role of the Military
6. Sufferage: Who gets to vote and at what age? Who can be elected?

Conclusion What I have learned

Bibliography

Books

Cohen, Daniel. America's Favorite Country. New

York: Doubleday, 1985.

Smith, Elizabeth, and David Wright. The Iowa I Remember.

Chicago: Macmillan, 1995.

Encyclopedia

Eiselen, Malcolm R. "Iowa." The World Book

Encyclopedia. 1999.

"Iowa." Compton's Encyclopedia. 1998.

Encyclopedia and other publications on CD-ROM:

Cashman, Katharine V. "Iowa." World Book Multimedia

Encyclopedia. 1999 ed. CD-ROM. Chicago: World Book

Inc., 1999.

"Iowa." Encarta 2001. CD-ROM. Seattle: Microsoft Corporation, 2001

World Wide Web

WriteLine, LLC. "Iowa." Postcards From Across America. 2 May 2002

<http://postcardsfrom.com/t1/990927.html>.

Winter, Mark. "Nitrogen." WebElements. 9 July 1999 <http://www.shef.

ac.uk/chemistry/web-elements/N/key.html>.

Social Studies Review 8.4

View Review at: SS 8.4 Review

SS 8.4 Test Review

1.	The mathematics of points, lines and surfaces.
2.	The mathematics of spheres and cylinders.
3.	The philosophy that happiness comes from reason and duty, not from emotions.
4.	The philosophy that happiness is the goal of life.
5.	Someone who studies the stars, planets and other heavenly bodies.
6.	The city which was the center of culture, including theater.
7.	Eratosthenes used his knowledge of geometry and astronomy to accurately calculate the earth's __________________.
8.	He was the most famous Greek mathematician.
9.	She is known as being the first woman mathematician whose writings have survived.
10.	Among his developments and inventions were the lever, catapult, value of Pi, the compound pulley and solid geometry.

SS Chapter 8 Study Guide

http://sjteach.org/ssCh8Review.html

8.3 Social Studies

Quiz Name:	SS 8.2 Greek Philosophy and History
Type:	Multiple Choice (random answer order)
Instructions:

1. He believed that all relationships in the world could be expressed in numbers A- Plato B- Aristotle C- Pythagoras

2. The ”father of history” who wrote about the Persian Wars A- Herodotus B- Mr. Curry C- Aristotle

3. The author of The Republic, he was a student of Socrates and the teacher of Aristotle. A- Plato B- Thucydides C- Pythagoras

4. A group of philosophers who traveled from place to place teaching believed students should use their time to improve themselves and they also taught there was no absolute right or wrong. A- Sophists B- Helots C- Historians

5. Teaching method that asks students pointed questions. A- Cooperative Learning B- Socratic Method C- Service Learning

6. In the Republic, Plato described his ideal ____________ A- wife B- government C- hamburger

7. The __________ taught how to win arguments and make political speeches. A- Sophists B- Academy C- Lyceum

8. Aristotle taught the _________ ______, which said that a person should do nothing in excess. A- Golden Rule B- Golden Mean C- Golden Touch

9. Aristotle’s principle of ____________ is still used by scientists today. A- Relativity B- Observation C- Gravity

10. Thucydides, who fought in the Peloponnesian War and later wrote the history of it, is considered to be the greatest ____________of the ancient world. A- historian B - philosopher C -soldier