Cocoa and the Mayans

Play the movie above, more information kind be found here

1. How did the cocoa taste that the Mayans enjoyed? Can you blog another food item that is served in very different ways, or very different food habits?

2. Besides being consumed, give another use for cocoa beans by the Aztecs and Mayans.

3. How did the Spaniards change the taste of how cocoa is consumed?

4.What security precaution(s) did the Spaniards use to keep their production secrets safe?

5. In which century did people start eating the chocolate as well as drinking it? (hint, think Cocoa Press)

6. Find out why some people thought the world was going to end on  Dec 12, 2012

Ancient Egypt Project

Below is a partial list of possible projects that you may pick. Blog your project choice below. Whatever project you do pick, the project has to be shared with the class because it will be part of our group learning about Egypt.

Start exploring the links I have given you. Come up with a project and record 15 relative facts and the sources for those facts. Due dates and rubric will be discussed later this week. Below are some project suggestions.


Society
▪ How was Ancient Egyptian society organized?
▪ What was the place of the Pharaoh, priests, scribes, craftsmen and peasant?
▪ What laws did they live by?

Daily Life
▪ How did Ancient Egyptians dress?
▪ What tools did artists, craftsmen and farmers use in their work?
▪ What did Ancient Egyptians eat?
▪ How did they farm their land?
▪ What games and toys did Ancient Egyptians have?
▪ What sort of entertainment did rich people enjoy?
▪ How did the Ancient Egyptians travel on land and on water?
▪ What was the market place like?


History
▪ When did people begin to live in Ancient Egypt?
▪ Pick a famous Pharaoh for your project. There were quite a few of them.
▪ How did the two Kingdoms arise and when did they come together?
▪ Major conflicts and relations Egypt had, such as with Greece and Rome.

Communication
▪ When did Ancient Egyptians begin to use hieroglyphics?
▪ What was the role of papyrus?
▪ What was the Rosetta stone and why was it important?
▪ Inform us about the Ancient Library of Alexandria
▪ Explain those Ancient Egyptian artworks

Religion
▪ Which were the major gods and goddesses in Ancient Egypt, and their roles?
▪ How did Ancient Egyptians worship their gods?
▪ What was the role of Priests in Ancient Egyptian society?
▪ Why did Ancient Egyptians mummify their dead?
▪ Why were the pyramids built?
▪ What did Ancient Egyptians believe about life after death?

The Nile
▪ What was so important about the Nile (transportation, farming)?
▪ Ship technology

Geography
▪ Who did the neighbours of Ancient Egypt and who did they trade with and fight with?
▪ How did their location help them to thrive (protection, growing food, transportation?


Structures

▪ How were the common buildings constructed?
▪ How were the temples constructed?
▪ How and why was the sphinx made?
▪ How were the pyramids made?
▪ What was learned from King Tutankhamun's Tomb
▪ What are the connections between Manitoba's Legislature and Ancient Egypt? (what about those 2 Sphinxes and all those Fibonacci Numbers?)

Just how big is that Pyramid?

The Great Pyramid of Giza was built some 45000 years ago, is one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World and only one still standing,  and for nearly 4,000 years was the tallest building in the World.  How big is our school compared to this fabled structure? One way to measure size is by measuring the volume. If you treat the school like a rectangle, then Height X Width X Length gives us the volume of Bruce Middle School. No climbing the school to find the height!!! The size of the Great Pyramid of Giza can be found from this Link.  How does the volume of Bruce school compare to the volume of the Great Pyramid of Giza? Remember to show your work!

Egyptian Gods

You are stuck in a museum. Go to this link to get the vital information about Egyptian Gods you will need for survival, then click on the challenge tab. Show the teacher that you have survived. The game won't play on a IOS device. 

Finding out more about Pyramids

Find out about pyramids  from this link and/or from the teacher supplied links above. Read the story, take the challenge.  Now create a test. 

1. Have a question on why the pyramids were built, this would be important. 

2. Have at least 2 questions on how the pyramids were built. 

3. Think of another question

4. Finally, have a question about the complex that surrounds the Khufu's Pyramid, which is something that archeologists have been finding more about in recent years. 

Blog the questions and the answers below. We will be using this information in further classes. 

Citizenship and WE Day

Democratic Citizenship is one of the four stated outcomes for Social Study students in Manitoba, K-12. For WE day, the school is looking to take people who are committed to being good citizens. In class we will be making presentations about what it means to be a good citizen, why we should be good citizens, and how we plan on being good citizens. From the curriculum, Democratic Citizenship is broken down into the following 4 categories.

Canadian Citizenship 

• Being aware of the issues and doing something to improve  the local lives of people. Examples could be working at a shelter, helping an elderly neighbour, sticking up for somebody's rights.

Citizenship in the Global Context

• Being knowledgeable and concerned about International issues that affect people and doing something to improve the lives of people in other parts of the world. Examples could be providing funds to dig a well in Africa, only buying fair trade chocolate, signing a petition supporting equal rights for women around the world. 

Environmental Citizenship

• Being engaged in efforts to protect our environment because you know how important our Earth is. Examples could be reducing your intake of red meat, choosing to use other means of transit than a personal car, using cloth bags. 

Be Creative and make a Submission showing how you are knowledgeable, concerned, and active in improving the World at a Local and International level. 

Rubric, taken from WE Day, out of 15

Using Work Time Effectively

Always remains on task, showing exemplary adherence to boundaries and rules.

Consistently remains on task, showing respect to boundaries and rules.

Sometimes on task, showing inconsistent observance of boundaries and rules.

Sometimes on task, showing limited observance of boundaries and rules.

Not on task, showing no observance of boundaries and rules.

Knowledge Of Topic

Demonstrates thorough knowledge and understanding of concepts.

Demonstrates considerable knowledge and understanding of concepts.

Demonstrates some knowledge and understanding of concepts.

Demonstrates limited knowledge and understanding of concepts.

Demonstrates no knowledge and understanding of concepts.

Communicating Effectively

Expresses and organizes ideas and information with a high degree of effectiveness.

Expresses and organizes ideas and information with considerable effectiveness.

Expresses and organizes ideas and information with some effectiveness.

Expresses and organizes ideas and information with limited effectiveness.

Expresses and organizes ideas and information with no effectiveness.

Showbie code to hand in to Mr. Harland to mark NYQ6J

Showbie code for to hand in to School to go on WE Day NY8CV

Friday's Class

Join the edmodo group, the code is above. Take the test that awaits you in Edmodo (you are welcome). Make sure that your group has completed the assignments from the previous days. Be prepared  to present your tools on Monday to boost your marks. Being prepared will mean having your tool sheet that I handed back to you (Jessica, I picked yours up off the table, you are welcome). Please browse the blog posting below and make a thoughtful posting. What we study about ancient Egypt will be tailored on the feedback you give me.

New Technologies

New to us, but old to early people, are the everyday tools and skills used to survive. 

With the power of writing, Hammurabi gave Mesopotamia a set of rules to live by, with clear consequences for breaking those rules. This helped make everyone accountable, a clear set of rules for all to live by. 

Here is a list of those rules put forth by Hammurabi 

Browse through the list. Blog the answers below

1. If Mariah's locker was robbed and we don't catch the robber, then what do we have to do?

2. How much would Joshua have to be paid for working in the fields for a whole year?

3. The concept of money also began in Mesopotamia. Explain how the concept of money makes it easier to buy a onion rings at A&W and then a slurpee at 7-11.