Friday, 12/10/2010 Homework: Exam Review Questions

Complete the following questions for homework on the same sheet of paper that you completed the previous questions. The assignment must be on your desk at the start of Monday's class period.

14. What is the cultural legacy of the Roman Empire?
15. How did the Roman Empire spread Christianity? Why are so many Americans Christian?
16. What was the Black Death? Where did it originate? How did it come to Europe? How was it transmitted? Imagine the modern world. What would be the fastest way for something like the Black Death to travel?
17. Who was Charlemagne? Why is he important?
18. What is nationalism? How did this concept alter Europe's political makeup?
19. Name and describe each of the three levels of society. Then, give an example of each from the topics studied in Quarter 2.

20. What is a nation-state? How did nation-states affect Europe?

21. Who was Adolf Hitler? Why was he important?
22. Compare and contrast the British and Roman Empires.

Thursday, 12/9/2010 Homework: Exam Review Questions

Complete the following questions on loose leaf paper for homework. The assignment is due on your desk at the start of tomorrow's class. You may use your textbook and notes to find the answers.

1.  Name the peninsulas containing the following countries:
1. Italy
2. Spain
3. Sweden
2. Describe the relative location of: the Pyrenees, the Alps, and the Apennines.
3. Explain why southern Europe is dominated by mountain chains while northern Europe is mostly plains.
4. Assess the ways in which Europe’s physical geography aided its development as a center for world trade.
5. Define “mistral” and “sirocco” winds.
6. Describe the impact of the North Atlantic Drift on weather patterns in Northern Europe.
7. Which two major rivers served as Europe’s highways?
8. Define polis. Then, explain how this form of political unit defined Greek life.
9. Define democracy. Which Greek polis is famous for practicing democracy?
10. Where is Greece located? How did the physical geography of this location affect the lives of its people?
11. Compare and contrast ancient Athens and Sparta.
12. Describe the borders of the Roman Empire.
13. What brought about the end of the Roman Empire?

 

Thursday, 12/9/2010: Exam Review Topics

Topics for Quarter 2 Exam

50 pts. multiple choice, 100 pts. written

Review the following information in preparation for your Quarter 2 exam covering Europe and Russia. I will post review questions after this post.

• Ch. 12-17
• Europe + Russia
• Map of Europe – countries and physical features
• Landforms of Europe and Russia
• Climate of Europe and Russia + causes
• Greece (Athens + Sparta + polis)
• Rome, how it became powerful, and how it ended
• Levels of society – folk, feudal, modern
• Spread of Christianity, spread of bubonic plague
• Trade routes
• Charlemagne, Napoleon + Hitler
• Causes of conflict in Eastern Europe (specifically, re: Russia and WWI)
• Why Russia became powerful, expanded
• Importance of Siberia + St. Petersburg
• Effects of Communism (Marx), Democracy
• Command Economy vs. Free Market Economy
• Difference between a political and economic system

Communism in Chicago

Imagine the following scenario, then complete the assignment below.

The Chicago government favors the rich and takes advantage of the poor. You, a poor worker, are upset, and turn to communism to solve your problems.

On a sheet of loose leaf paper, describe the steps you will take to create the perfect, MARXIST, communist society in Chicago. You should include at least 6 steps. Be creative! Make it a story. You will share this with the class.

The assignment is worth a total of ten points. Turn it in to the bin at the start of tomorrow's class.

HINT: Use your notes on Karl Marx. You may not actually like or agree with what you have to do to follow his guidance.

Tuesday, 11/30/10 Homework Question

Here are the video questions from today's class. These were to be completed on loose leaf paper and were worth a total of 10 points:

1. What advantages did Russians experience under a command economy?
2. What advantages did Russians experience under a free market economy?
3. What characteristics of a market economy create differences between rich and poor?
4. Will conditions for the poor get better or worse as people get used to the market economy? Explain.

You can find the video at this location if you need to review it:

http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/watch/player.html?pkg=301_russia&seg=1&mod=0

Then, complete the following on the same sheet of loose leaf. Based on the information from the video, reading and class discussion, write a paragraph responding to the following question:

Why would the new, democratic Russian government want rich people to stay out of politics?

This question is worth 5 points. The assignment is 15 points total.

Extra, Extra! PSM Students Take Over Europe!

Early in November, PSM's 9th grade World Geography students created their own nation-states and took over the continent of Europe. You can see period 8's map to the left.










In period 2, Alexia, Kira, Keiana, Helen and Simone

coordinated their plans for world domination. 

To the left, the citizens of Nayr-Retnim, a new global superpower, speak in their complicated egaugnal... or what most of us would call "language."

In all classes, the fighting over Greece and Italy was fast and furious, as the picture to the right shows.

In-class Assignment for Periods 1 and 8

Hello students,

Here are the three questions from the board today. The assignment is worth a total of 5 points. Answer the questions on the same sheet of loose leaf you used for the arrival activity.

1. How hot can the weather get in Siberia? How cold? Describe how a person might deal with these temperature extremes.
2. Describe how the Siberian environment affects construction in the area.
3. How did Russia's winter impact Napoleon and his army?

Siberia: Russia's Frontier

Hello class,

Today we will take a look at Siberia, the region which dominates the Asian portion of Russia. Rich in natural beauty, resources, and history, Siberia casts a great and sometimes foreboding shadow over Russia's national consciousness. As Russia's frontier, Siberia has many historical parallels with the western United States. We will learn more about this important region by examining a site created by the U.S. Library of Congress (LOC).

At the Meeting of Frontiers Web site, you can learn more about how Siberia's physical geography shaped the region's development. Information on this site is written in both Russian and English -- Russian students might be doing exactly the same thing you are doing right now!

Directions
Start at the Meeting of Frontiers Web site.

Take notes as you read through the site. All of the information on the sites you look at today is eligible for tomorrow's quiz. You may not begin answering the questions below until I announce that it is time to start answering them.

• Click on America, Russia, and the Meeting of Frontiers.
• Click on Development. Read this page, and then click on and read Agriculture in Siberia.
• Return to the main screen and click on Exploration. Read this page, and then click on The Russian Discovery of Siberia and Mapping of Siberia. Read this page and look at the maps.
• Return to the main screen and click on National Identity. Read this page, and then click on and read Tourism.

When I have announced that you may begin, use the information you gathered to answer the following questions on loose leaf paper. You must answer in complete sentences. This is a 20 point assignment, due at the end of the period.

1. What natural resource first drew Russians to Siberia? What role did the same natural resource have in the development of the western United States? (4 points)
2. How did Russian farmers adapt their agricultural methods to the Siberian climate? What impact did Russian farmers have on Siberian agriculture? (4 points)
3. Why did governments throughout western Europe commission new maps of Siberia in the mid-1500s? (4 points)
4. Following World War II, why did Siberia become a popular tourist destination? (4 points)
5. In the 1800s major gold deposits were discovered in the western United States and Siberia. On a separate sheet of paper, create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the gold rushes on the two frontiers. (4 points)

Destination: Russia!

Hello class,

Today we have two objectives: to discover a little introductory information about our next geographic destination -- Russia -- and to become familiar with a couple of important websites for geographers.

Providence St. Mel is looking to add a new destination for SOAL participants -- St. Petersburg, Russia. As the local experts in geography, it is up to you to figure out the trip details.

The potential trip would take place from June 10-15, 2011.

In order to help plan trips for students, you must use your knowledge of geography, in addition to the websites below, to find out information about this exciting new destination.

In order to plan properly, you'll need to use the websites below:

• Lonely Planet's Russia site (tourist guidebook)
• The US State Department travel site for Russia (official U.S. site for travelers)
• North Virginia Community College's site on the local physical geography
• NY Times Article: 36 Hours in St. Petersburg
• The Universal Currency Converter (converts one currency to the equal value in another)

Use the sites to answer the questions below on loose leaf paper. Note: you will probably have to look through the sites in order to find the questions. There will not, for example, be an exact link which says: "This is what Americans need to have to enter Russia." Look around the sites. Find the one with the BEST, most complete information.

1. Explain what is required for Americans to enter Russia.
2. What is the absolute location of St. Petersburg? What American city does it share a line of latitude with (HINT: You may have to look outside of the continental US)? You may use the maps in your book to answer this question.
3. Describe any health and safety concerns Americans might encounter in Russia
4. What is the name of the money in Russia? How much is $1.00 worth in Russian currency?
5. If one took $200.00 U.S. dollars to Russia,how much that would that equal in Russian currency?
6. What will the weather be like, on average, during this time of year in St. Petersburg? How do the temperature and precipitation compare to the same time period in Chicago?
7. Who built St. Petersburg? Why did he choose this location specifically?
8. Describe the physical geography around St. Petersburg. Pay particular attention to the nearby waterways and the ways in which they have affected the city. Finally, explain how the region's physical features have proved challenging in the past.
9. Take a look at the sights and sounds of St. Petersburg. What two places should a tourist make sure she visited while in St. Petersburg, Russia? Describe the your choices, then explain why you found them so interesting.
10. Which one of the sights/landmarks in St. Petersburg seemed most interesting to you? Name and describe it.

This assignment is a 10 point homework grade.

HOMEWORK: Read Ch. 15.1 and take Cornell Notes. Due on your desk at the start of tomorrow's class. This is a 10 point homework grade.

BINDER CHECK ON THURSDAY IN CLASS. This is a 30 point homework grade. Check your rubric to see grading procedure. Your notebook should be complete and up-to-date with all Quarter 2 assignments. I have also e-mailed the rubric to you.

Monday, 11/15/10: European Union Homework

Hello class,

For homework, read pp. 326-327 and answer the following questions on loose leaf paper. It is due at the start of tomorrow's class.

1. Why do some people believe that Europe must unite?
2. What was the initial purpose behind unification (for France and Germany, for example)?
3. How could having open borders affect Europe's independent countries?
4. What positives do countries experience by switching to the Euro? Negatives?
5. What does the case of Joerg Haider tell you about the EU's effects on politics?
6. What difficulties might the EU face in the future?
7. Overall, is the EU a good or a bad idea? Explain your response.

This assignment is a 10 point homework grade.

Thursday, 11/11/10: Period 8 Homework

Answer the following question in one paragraph (5-7 sentences) on a sheet of loose leaf paper. It is due in the bin at the start of class, and is worth 5 points. You will need to use the information from pp. 303-304 and p. 290, as well as your notes, to answer the question.

Compare and contrast the British and Roman Empires. Your response should consider the area controlled by each, as well as their main form(s) of transportation. Make sure that you also explain which level of society each empire reached and why. Finally, add any other details you think might be important.

11/3/10 Class Work: Creating a Nation-State

Hello class,

Today we will continue learning about nation-states. In order to apply what you learned in class yesterday, you will create a 1-2 slide PowerPoint presentation to illustrate your nation. In your slide show, you must include the following information:

1. Your nation's name (2 points)
2. Your country's name (2 points)
3. The name of your language and at least two examples of common words in your language (how to say "hello," "goodbye," etc.). (3 points)
4. At least three pictures and descriptive text showing the culture of your people. You might include any of the following (2 points each, 6 points total):
1. Favorite Food
2. Favorite Holiday
3. Favorite Sport
4. Favorite book/movie
5. Favorite music
5. A picture of your national symbol and a text box explaining why you chose this symbol. This could be an animal, plant, etc. that tells us something about the people in your nation (4 points). The U.S. symbol is the bald eagle, symbolizing the strength and majesty of our country.
6. Your national motto. This should be something that tells us a little something about the people in your nation and their lifestyle (3 points). For example, the U.S. motto is E Pluribus Unum: Out of Many, One. It symbolizes the fact that although there are many states and cultures in the U.S., they all form one country.

The assignment is worth 20 points total. You should be able to complete this assignment in today's class period. Save the assignment to the following folder:

Y:\Ramin World Geography\Period _ Nations

Make sure you save in the correct folder for your class period.

Then, print a copy to turn in to me before the end of the class period. Write your names on the back of the page.

Once you've created your slide(s), label and shade in your nation's location on the map of Europe provided. You do not need to follow the real-life national borders. Be aware, however, that if you give your nation too much land, you may come into conflict with other nations.

If you finish this assignment in class today, you may move on to your homework. Answer the following question in one paragraph (5-7 sentences) on a sheet of loose leaf paper. It is due in the bin at the start of class, and is worth 5 points. You will need to use the information from pp. 303-304 and p. 290, as well as your notes, to answer the question.

Compare and contrast the British and Roman Empires. Your response should consider the area controlled by each, as well as their main form(s) of transportation. Make sure that you also explain which level of society each empire reached and why. Finally, add any other details you think might be important.

11/4/2010 Homework: Interview a Voter

Over your long weekend, I'd like you to complete the following assignment on loose leaf paper. Answer each question in complete sentences.

1. Identify a person you know who voted in Tuesday's election. Record his/her name. (3 points)
2. Write 5 questions to ask this person. (5 points) These should NOT be "yes" or "no" questions. You're want to find out actual information. You should ask your chosen voter about things like:
1. the party he/she belongs to, if any
2. who he/she voted for (if he is comfortable telling you) and why
3. what issues he/she is most interested in (ex: health care, the economy, etc.) and why
4. why he/she votes
5. is he/she happy with the results of the election and why
6. make up your own questions, as long as they are topical!
3. Interview your voter using the questions you wrote. Write down EXACTLY what the person says in his/her response to your question. (7 points)
4. Bring the assignment to class on Monday. Keep it on your desk so that you can share your results.

11/3/10 Class Work: Meet Illinois' New Senator

Hello class,

Today we will examine the victors of Illinois' 2010 midterm senate election: Senator Mark Kirk. Complete this assignment on loose leaf paper.

Examine the following sites related to Mark Kirk:

• The NY Times section focusing on Kirk. 
• Kirk's official biography from his site.

Then, answer the questions below:

1. What political party does Mark Kirk belong to?
2. Why is the senate seat Kirk won so well known?
3. What qualifications does Kirk have that made him a good senate candidate?
4. What scandals has the new senator faced?
5. Who did Kirk defeat in the race for senate?
6. On Kirk's site, examine the box labeled "Top Issues for Illinois." These are the things that Mark Kirk thinks are most important for his state. Choose at least one of the issues and read what Kirk says. Then, write down the name of the issue and summarize his beliefs.
7. Read the biography of Kirk's opponent, Alexi Giannoulias, on his site. Based on the information you've read, which candidate impresses you more?
8. Would you have voted for Mark Kirk? Explain your response, giving at least two specific reasons.

11/3/2010 Homework: The Midterm Elections

On Tuesday, November 2, Americans aged 18 and up voted in the Midterm Elections. In Illinois, two major offices were up for grabs: senator and governor. We will talk a little about the election results tomorrow.

For homework tonight, do the following:

Identify these four people:

1. Pat Quinn
2. Bill Brady
3. Alexi Giannoulias
4. Mark Kirk

On a sheet of loose leaf paper, write a sentence about each candidate. In your sentence, identify which position the person ran for, his party, and any background information you find. You may use newspapers, magazines, the Internet, and television news to identify each.

This assignment is worth 10 points, and is due on your desk at the start of tomorrow's class.

Test Review Questions

Here are some review questions for tomorrow's test. Complete them on loose leaf paper for 5 points extra credit. Turn them in to the bin tomorrow before class.

1. What landform served as the center of the Roman Empire? Explain why this landform was important to Roman civilization.
2. Compare and contrast the effects the Alps have on weather in Italy and Germany.
3. Describe the best route for a Viking warrior to take from his homeland to the richest city in Europe.
4. How does a civilization move from a folk society to a feudal society?
5. What is necessary in order for a civilization to reach the modern level of society?
6. Define "Nationalism" and "Nation-State."
7. Explain why the Roman Empire fell.
8. What kind of government did Perikles want Athens to have? Why?

11/1/10 Homework

Answer the following questions on loose leaf. Turn in to the bin at the start of tomorrow’s class (5

points each, 15 points total). 

–What kept Athens, Sparta and Rome from reaching the MODERN level of society?

–Why didn’t Athens or Sparta start empires while Rome did? (HINT: think about the surrounding physical features)

–Why was Constantinople able to become the richest city in Europe?

10/27/2010 Roman Empire Questions from Class

Here are the homework questions from class today:

1. What type of society does every city start out as?
2. What did Rome start as? What was its main purpose?
3. Was Rome ever a polis? What level of society is this? What did this enable the Romans to do?
4. What did Rome grow into? WHY did it do this (for what purpose)?
5. HOW did it do this?
6. What difficulties might Rome face at this level? How would it overcome them?
7. Did Rome ever reach the most modern level of society? Explain.

Assignment for Tuesday, 10/26/10

Hello class,

Today you will continue working on your postcard project. You should at this point have the following:

1. A topic you will use to relate modern life to life in Ancient Greece or Rome;
2. Notes on an ancient source;
3. Notes on a modern source; and
4. A draft annotated bibliography.

We will do the following in class today:

1. Keep the notes  you took last night on a modern source out on your desk so I can check them. This is a 10 point homework grade.
2. Trade your draft annotated bibliography with a partner. Read your partner's A.B., then check it against the requirements listed on the Purdue OWL site. Mark any places where your partner can improve his/her bibliography and note any elements he/she is missing. Remember -- the annotation should be approximately 5-7 sentences in length. Watch for "padding" sentences (such as "This is what I have found at this site. This site was very interesting."). "Padding" sentences do not count toward the 5-7 sentence total.
3. Get your annotated bibliography back from your partner. Type it in MS Word, including any edits recommended by your partner.
4. Now that you have your notes and your annotated bibliography, you can start writing. Begin typing the text for the back of your postcard from the past in an MS Word document. You are writing as though you are in the past, trying to relate what you are seeing to something that is familiar to your audience (i.e., the Colosseum to Soldier Field, etc.). It should be approximately 200-300 words in length. This is where you will show the relationship between your ancient source and the modern one. Remember -- this is a postcard. Pick a person to write to. It could be a parent, a friend, or even a teacher. Your written component should include:
1. A greeting;
2. An introduction to your chosen topic;
3. The body, where you show the relationship between your ancient and modern sources;
4. A conclusion; and
5. The closing ("Sincerely," "Wish you were here," etc.)

This written component will count for 20 of the 50 points total assigned to this project grade. 

EXTRA CREDIT: If you finish all of the above steps, add a comment to this post which completes the problem below. All of the elements below should be included in the same comment. Remember to include your first and last name. You can earn a maximum of 4 points extra credit. The post must be added by 9:00 p.m. on Tues., 10/26/10.

1. Examine the photo which accompanies this post. Based solely on the information included in the photo, identify the country in which the photo was taken.
2. Check your response by doing a web search for the place shown on the postcard.
3. Give the relative location for the place shown on the postcard.
4. Give the absolute location for the place shown on the postcard.

Assignment for Monday, 10/25/10

Hello class,

Today we'll work on your projects in the lab. You should have identified your topic and located an ancient source over the weekend. Keep your notes for this source on your desk. Remember -- you should  have at least a page of notes on your ancient source.

Today you'll work on locating a modern source. Start with the sources I've listed on the blog. Complete the following on loose leaf:

1. Examine the modern sources listed on this site.
2. Choose one source, then cite it using the format here.
3. Take Cornell Notes on your source -- again, this should be approximately one page (or more). Don't forget to include a summary.
4. 10 point homework grade

If you finish these steps, move on to your homework. You will be creating a rough draft of your two source annotated bibliography. This can be handwritten or typed. For each source:

1. Correctly cite the source in MLA format.
2. Create annotations following the directions here. Your annotations should be at least a paragraph in length, and must include a summary, assessment and reflection. Include those words in your annotation in order to make it clear where they occur. Remember: 1 sentence does not a summary make.
3. 20 point homework grade.

A New Source

Christine Jordan identified another excellent modern source for your project. The following link will take you to the Encyclopedia of Chicago, a site maintained by the Chicago History Museum, the Newberry Library and Northwestern University:

http://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/

Beginning Your Research

This assignment is due on Monday, October 25. It is worth 25 points -- 5 points each question. Complete it on loose leaf paper.

1. Identify your topic based on the list on the Roman or Greek pages on the Facts on File database.
2. State which modern thing you will compare to your ancient topic, or which modern thing you believe has been influenced by your ancient topic.
3. Read the "Overview Essay" on the FOF page on your topic. Take detailed notes... Cornell Notes.
4. Identify a souce for the modern cultural characteristic you will examine -- this can be either an interview or one of the links I listed on the blog.
5. Take detailed notes on your modern sourec, focusing especially on what it tells you about the modern status of your topic.

Primary Source Interview

If you are planning to examine a topic such as family life in ancient Rome, you might not want to use a website for your modern source. Instead, you may interview a family member for your source. For the purposes of this assignment, this interview would serve as a primary source. In order to complete a primary source interview, you would have to:

1. Write 5 (or more) questions that require more than a "yes" or "no" answer.
2. Find an interview target and ask them your questions.
3. Type up the responses to turn in with your final postcard.

Sources for the Modern World

One of your required sources for the project is the Facts on File Ancient and Medieval History database. This database will provide you with all of the information you will need to know about Ancient Greece or Rome.

You will also need a source that will let you compare the ancient topic you choose with the same topic in the modern world. To use my example from class, you'd need to look up Soldier Field in order to effectively show how its design was influenced by the design of the Colloseum.

Here are some sources that will help you compare items in Chicago and the United States to Ancient Greece and Rome:

• The City of Chicago website
• The Lonely Planet guide to Chicago. LP is a tour guide company.
• The Chicago Tribune
• The Chicago Sun-Times
• Chicago's Official Tourism site
• Chicago Magazine
• Culture Grams (login: psm, password: psm)

If you have something in mind that is not covered by these sites, let me know and maybe I can help you find a source.

Alternatively, if you plan to compare something like family life in modern Chicago with family life in ancient Rome, you may be able to complete an alternate assignment in place of your second source. See the post labeled "Primary Source Interview" for details.

How to Write an Annotated Bibliography

The OWL site also shows you exactly what you need to do to produce an excellent annotated bibliography. Click on this link to see how.

Citation Information

The Purdue OWL site gives exact information on how to correctly cite sources. For electronic sources, look on the left hand side of the page and find the "MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources" tab. Click on it, and you will see the exact format you need to use.

Postcards from the Ancient World Project

Introduction: Ancient Greece and Rome are looked on as two of the most influential civilizations the world has ever seen. Nearly everywhere you go in the world today you will see, hear, taste or participate in something that first developed in the Mediterranean world. From food to sports, art to architecture, religion to politics, poetry to television dramas, Greece and Rome made the world what it is today.

Objective: In this project, you will:

·         Examine the cultural characteristics of Ancient Greece and Rome

·         Compare these cultural characteristics with the modern world (especially Chicago and the U.S.)

·         Practice visual and written communication methods

Methodology: Each student will take a virtual trip back in time to Ancient Greece or Rome. In order to take this “trip,” we will use the Facts on File Ancient and Medieval History Online database. You can access this database through the PSM LRC website.

Once you’ve reached the database, you’ll find “Learning Centers” on the left hand side of the page. For this project, we will use the links marked “Ancient Greece” and “Ancient Rome.”

You will choose EITHER the Greek or the Roman site, then use your chosen civilization to create a post card from the past. Your post card will compare one specific aspect of Greek or Roman civilization with one specific aspect of modern life in Chicago or the United States. For example, you could focus on agriculture, and explain how Roman farming techniques influence or compare to the farming techniques used in farms in Southern Illinois. Another example project could compare life in the Roman inner city with life in the inner city in Chicago.

Tasks: Each student will:

·         Research a specific aspect of Greek or Roman civilization

·         Compare this ancient information with the same topic in modern life

·         Create a post card (following the example provided) with at least two images on the front and text description on the back. This could be created using a computer program or using the handout provided.

Products:

·         Research Evidence: 2-source annotated bibliographies (one ancient, one modern) (30 point project, see rubric)

·         Synthesis of Evidence: Post card containing images and text which explain the influence of Ancient Greece or Rome on modern life OR compare life in Greece or Rome to modern life (following the example format) (50 point project, see rubric and structure guide)

Important Dates:

·         Project Introduced: 10/21/10

·         Lab Day(s) for Research: 10/22/10

·         Annotated Bibliography RDs: Tues. 10/26/10 (30 points homework, see rubric)

·         Final Project (materials and begin presentations): Friday, 10/29/10