Dec. 15 and 16

Students are continuing work on "The Island" project. Today we focused on the artistic element of Culture, and yesterday students created a "way of life" for the people who vanished from "the island." The final project will be due on Friday.

Monday, Dec. 14

Today students worked on the Social Studies portion of "The Island" project. Specifically they created the customs of the people who lived on the island long ago. See earlier posts for project description. THERE WILL BE NO LATE WORK ACCEPTED FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT, IT IS DUE NO LATER THAN FRIDAY.

Dec. 8, 9, 10 and 11

Tuesday: Students worked on an assignment about the Niger river. They had to imagine they were an object floating down the Niger River and explain what they would see, and what country they would be in at six specific spots on the river.

Wednesday: I had a substitute. Students finished the Wonders of Africa dvd and did the reteaching activity from Chapter 5, lesson 3.

Thursday: I collected the second West African packet (see assignments below). Students were given class time to finish any work that was incomplete.

1. Daily Appetizers
2. African Folk Tale Blues
3. The Blues Fill-ins
4. American Roots Music: The Delta Blues
5. Wonders of the African World 1
6. Growth of Ghana’s Empire pp. 159-161
7. Geography Practice: Empire of Ghana
8. The Niger River
9. Wonders of the African World 2
10. Wonders of the African World 3
11. Re-teaching, Activity Chapter 5, lesson 3

Friday: We began work on the Social Science portion of "The Island" integrated project that students will be working on in Science and Language Arts next week. See directions below:

The Island: Social Studies Element


Next week each of you will complete a section of your Island that is based on the elements of culture that we have studied in class. Remember, for our purposes, culture is defined as the customs, the way of life, the art and the beliefs of a large group or society. A way to remember each aspect (or part) of culture is to remember the acronym C.L.A.B.

The Scenario. As you know, you’ve been stranded on an island with others. On the island that you’ve created there is EVIDENCE that a large group or society lived there long ago. They have long since vanished, but have left artifacts or evidence, of their culture on the island. The social studies portion of your diary will explain what you find on the island that provides clues about the culture of those people.
It will consist of 11things.

1. A title page that includes an illustration and a name for the past people.
2. A page that describes the customs of the past people
3. A page that includes illustrations about the customs of the past people
4. A page that describes the way of life of the past people
5. A page that includes illustrations about the way of life of the past people
6. A page that describes the art of the past people
7. A page that includes illustrations of the art of the past people
8. A page that describes the beliefs of the past people
9. A page that includes illustrations about the beliefs of the past people
10. A map of the physical features and vegetation zones of the island
11. A map that shows the evidence of the past group of people


You will complete each section on handouts that I provide for you and then glue them into your diary with the exception of the maps, which may be drawn in the book itself. However, you may also draw the maps on loose paper and then glue them into your diary if you prefer.

You will need to imagine, and then explain, TWO examples for each category. Consider the weather, vegetation zones, physical features and other elements of the island that would dictate how a group of people would have lived there. For example, because the island has the same vegetation zones as Africa it would be logical that the people there would dress for warm weather and not wear warm furs all the time. You may want to consider the cultures of Africa, or island peoples as you begin to create the culture that existed on the island long ago.

BE CREATIVE! Remember, however, that you will have to draw and explain in writing the examples you find (the evidence) on the island. Don’t create elements that will be impossible to draw, or difficult to explain in writing. You will have class time in Social Studies as well as Language Arts to complete this assignment, but some work might need to be done at home.

Dec. 4 and Dec. 7

Dec. 4: Students completed their African folk tale/blues lyric assignment and turned it in. They watched a short video about the Niger River and answered questions. There were 2 assignments to complete over the weekend (Numbers 6 and 7 from the list below).

Dec. 7: I checked the homework for completion. We talked about the Niger River and I sang a song about it. Students began assignment #8. It is not homework however. The current packet of work will be due on Thursday. Here is a list of the assignments so far:

1 Daily Appetizers
2 African Folk Tale Blues
3 The Blues: Fill-ins
4 American Roots Music: The Delta Blues
5 Wonders of African World: I
6 Growth of Ghana’s Empire pp. 159-161
7 Geography Practice: Empire of Ghana
8 The Niger River

December 1 and 2

December 1: I discussed the connection between African griots and the blues. Students filled out a notes page as I discussed different aspects/elements of the blues. Students also continued working on re-writing an African folktale in the traditional AAB rhyming pattern of the blues.

December 2: Students wrote a short summary about what they know about the blues, and continued working on the folk tale/blues assignment.