Tuesday March 31: Test Day

Today we took the unit test on Japan. Students were allowed to use note cards on the test if they had made them in preparation for the test. I also collected Japan Packet 2. See grid below for assignments in that packet.

Next Unit: The Middle Ages : Europe

1.	Daily Appetizers
2.	Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire
3.	Chapter 8, Lesson 3 Samurai and Shoguns
4.	Japan Memoirs: PBS Grid Questions
5.	Japanese Caste Position Triangle
6.	Geography Practice: Korean Peninsula
7.	Chinese Ideas Simile (collected separately)

Monday, March 30

Today we played jeopardy in preparation for tomorrows test. Students should have study guides. Making flash cards to study with counts as extra credit on the test. The packet will also be due tomorrow. 

March 25 and March 26

March 25: I spoke about the caste system in feudal Japan and students worked on either a map activity about North and South Korea, or worked on a webquest on the previously mentioned caste system.

March 26: Students finished whichever assignment they had not finished on Wednesday. We practiced a map that reflected what will be on next week's test. The test by the way has been postponed until next Tuesdsay.

The current packet (due next Tuesday looks like this):

1.	Daily Appetizers
2.	Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire
3.	Chapter 8, Lesson 3 Samurai and Shoguns
4.	Japan Memoirs: PBS Grid Questions
5.	Japanese Caste Position Triangle
6.	Geography Practice: Korean Peninsula

Tuesday, March 24

Today the classes viewed a "trailer" for the fictional film about Prince Shotoku. We then watched a dvd segment about social classes in Japan in the 1700s. Students did have homework tonight. It was titled:  Chapter 8, Lesson 3. Samurai and Shoguns, pp. 267 - 269.  Some students have not turned in their powerpoint for the 10 day trip to Japan. It is now their responsibility to come in OUTSIDE OF CLASS to finish and/or turn it in. Test Monday, study guide forthcoming. 

Monday, March 23

Today I collected the first packet of work from the Japan unit and expected students to turn in their itinerary of their fictional trip to Japan. I'm thinking that the Japan test will be next Monday. 

March 19 and 20

Students have been working on planning a 10 trip to Japan. They are creating powerpoints of the trip they plan. It's a 10 day trip with 2 stops a day. 10 of the stops they select need to be associated with Japanese history, and 4 of them should be what I called "natural wonders"... Mts., lakes etc. I've suggested they may want to do some homework on this so  they can turn in the powerpoints Monday. I'd suggest lonelyplanet.com as a good place to start. Packets will be due on Monday, I did not collect them today. I can't post a list from home (where I'm typing this), but they should have 8 assignments and a grid of their own to help them organize. 

Have a good weekend, early out on Monday. 

March 18

Today we watched a short video segment about "bushido," the warrior code of the samurai.  I read a japanese story about the 47 Ronin to further describe bushido, and then students read a supplement with handouts about samurai. Packets will be due on Friday. 

March 16 and 17

Students worked on their real poster for an imaginary movie about Prince Shotoku of Japan. Both the written and visual elements of this project should be turned in by now. Packets will be due on Friday... I'll post a list tomorrow. 

March 10, 11, 12, and 13

March 10 and 11: Students began producing a hollywood film poster for a fictional film about Prince Shotoku of Japan who was instrumental in early Japanese  history. Prince Shotoku introduced Confucian and Buddhist ideas to Japan as well as helped to craft the early Japanese constitution. 

March 12: I was absent. Students worked on a map and a reading guide.

March 13: I was absent. Students viewed 2 dvd segments about the Samurai of Japan. There were questions for the film segment titled "He Cuts His Belly." After that, the students watched a portion of  "The Last Samurai." They were instructed to list how the segment illustrated the beliefs and culture of the samurai. 

Monday, March 9

I returned the tests to each class, as well as the third packet of work from the China unit. I assigned a reading guide titled "Chapter 8, Lesson 1 pp. 251-253." Most students finished it in class. Our study of the medieval world will now shift a little further east as we begin a unit on Japan. 

March 3, 4, 5 and 6

March 3: I lectured briefly about Kublai Khan's opening of China to the west and the Mongol Ascendancy. I also previewed Friday's test by going over some of the multiple choice questions that students would be seeing. 

March 4: Period 1 took the 7th grade writing exam, and all classes were shorter. In period 2 students used the time to catch up on incomplete work. Many of them came in late due to the writing exam. Periods 4 and 5 read and summarized pages from the text about the Ming Dynasty, and we watched a dvd about the fleet of Zheng He. 

March 5: Students in periods 2, 4, and 5 worked on a chapter 7 review assignment titled "China Builds an Empire, Chapter 7 review." Students in period 1 did the assignment from March 4. 

March 6: China Unit Test was administered. I collected the 3rd packet of work from the unit on China... check powergrade to see if  your student turned it in.  I've graded periods 1,2 and 4 already. Period 5 packets, and tests from all periods should be in by Monday after-school. 

Feb. 27 and March 2

Friday: Students had time to finish the map that illustrates the Mongol Empire, as well as time to finish the reading guide about the Mongols. I introduced a new assignment about Genghis Khan titled "Genghis Khan: Online" as well.

Monday: Students had time to finish "Genghis Khan: Online." I passed out the study guide for Friday's test as well (see below).

China: Unit Test Study Guide

Friday’s test will be a combination of multiple choice and short answer questions. There will also be a map.

Terms/People to know (study these using note cards… I’ll give extra credit points if you show me note-cards on Friday)

Kublai Khan Genghis Khan The Mongols

Tang Dynasty Khanates Confucius

Song Dynasty Zheng He Marco Polo

Mongol Ascendancy Temujin Scholar-officials

Han Dynasty Great Canal Ming Dynasty

Places to know on the map:

Silk Road Grand Canal Great Wall Gobi Desert

Himalaya Mts. China India Mongolia

N. Korea S. Korea Russia Beijing

Short answer questions to prepare for:

1. Explain the cycle of Chinese dynasties.

2. How did Kublai Khan “open” China to the West? (use .ppt fill-ins assignment to study)

3. Explain the great innovations and achievements of the Ancient Chinese (use the grid to study).

4. Explain how changes in trade, agriculture, and commerce led to prosperity during the Tang and Song dynasties. (use .ppt fill-ins assignment to study)

5. How did the ideas of Confucius shape, or influence, the Chinese government?

Packets will also be due on Friday. Check powergrade to see if you have any zeroes next to assignments that have been corrected and entered into powergrade. If you do, find them and turn them in!