Welcome back team! I am very disappointed that I will not be seeing you all until Thursday 🙁

Please remember our conversation at the end of class last Friday… I am relying on about 70% of you, the “invisible majority”, to keep each other accountable. Don’t try to be invisible when there is a problem. If you see someone being rude, off-task, or uncooperative, please don’t turn a blind eye. That person’s obnoxious behavior is undoubtedly irritating to more than just you, so step up and respectfully call out their disrespect.

For the next three days there will be a guest teacher and I expect the same respect and productivity from all of you; behave as if I were in the classroom. In fact, just behave like the kind, intelligent, respectful humans you already are. My absence should not change who you are and how you behave.

2/24 Quick Write:

We are starting our India unit this week! In order to get an accurate visual of this next civilization, plus to review the civilizations we have already discussed, you will be working on two maps today.

Map #1 is a World Map (or a partial world map).

You will LABEL and COLOR various information including:

• Important rivers we have already discussed (plus a few new ones) –> use purple!
• Oceans and seas –> use blue!
• The four civilizations we’re becoming familiar with –> use red!
• Other countries of your choosing –> use orange!

The other map you will COLOR and LABEL is a geographical map of India and some surrounding countries.

On this map you will record the bodies of water, mountains, deserts and surrounding countries. Make sure to read the directions, color and label correctly, and be accurate and detailed.

You are KEEPING ALL OF YOUR WORK for the next three days and turning it all in together on Wednesday. Keep these maps somewhere safe so you can turn them in on Wednesday.

Hi team! Happy break 🙂

As a reminder, the deadline for turning in DIA permission slips has been extended into next week. Please get those slips signed if you haven’t done so already.

If someone in your family can chaperone, please be sure they also fill in the second sheet of the permission slip, and attach a picture of their drivers license.

Permission slips will be turned into the red bin next to my desk.

Hope you all are having a safe and fun break!!

Happy Valentines Day, happy Friday, and happy almost break!

We have shortened classes today so be sure to come to class prepared and use your time very wisely. You are doing your summative CER today!

2/14 Quick Write: no new one!

• Make sure your NAME is on top
• There should be FOUR completed quick writes
• Place QWs in the middle of the table
• Have your Source Packet, CER outline and rough draft in front of you

After we turn in our Quick Writes, you will log into Google Classroom and write your critique of the Freer Sackler Gallery. You may use your Source Packet, your graphic organizer, your rough draft, and any other notes you took during this Investigation. You have approximately 40 minutes to type up a clear claim, relevant evidence, and a persuasive explanation of the evidence. Use your time well!

I know doing a summative assignment right before a break is difficult. It’s hard to focus when all we want to do is sleep in and relax! However, doing this CER now if far better than trying to remember everything after a week of being off.

Please be safe this break. Take care of yourself… get sleep, drink lots of water, and eat more than just hot cheetos! I will miss seeing your faces, and I look forward to hearing your stories when we get back! Cheers 🙂

Oh hi! Permission slips for the DIA are due tomorrow… get those turned in!

2/13 Quick Write:

Today will be spent drafting your critique and getting feedback from each other. Final draft you will write in class tomorrow, so use your time wisely!!

When you are organizing your claim, evidence and reasoning, here are some useful sentence stems you can use!

Tomorrow we are writing up our final draft, so be sure you have a solid outline of what you will type tomorrow. Have a great day!

Welcome!

2/12 Quick Write:

We will be examining the Freer Sackler Gallery’s argument for which Silk Road sources should be included in their exhibit.

We will create an anchor chart of the various problems we see.

Then we will select our claim today. This claim is what you will argue in your CER, due Friday. Remember… summative points!

Remember, permission slips for the DIA field trip our due on Friday!

Hi team! Two reminders:

1. It is Target Tuesday, so go right to first period
2. Turn in your DIA permission slips to me by this Friday! If your guardian can chaperone, please make sure that back of the permission slip is filled in, and a copy of the drivers licence is included.

2/11 Quick Write:

We are completing our annotations on the last source, the Khotanese-Sanskrit Phrasebook. See slides below.

After this, we will consider what the three sources have in common, how they are different, and if they’re reliable for learning about the Silk Road.

To do this, we are going to “Weigh the Evidence.” Essentially, I will ask you questions about the sources, and you will categorize the sources accordingly. In this way we can see how the sources interact with each other.

After this, we will review the assignment of this Investigation.

As we look at the assignment, start to compile a list of things you could critique, or argue against.

Have a productive and smooth Tuesday!

One more week before a little time off! Hopefully you are all refreshed and ready to wrap up Investigation #3!

Housekeeping (parents, please read):

We have a field trip to the Detroit Institute of Art on March 10th! This is a FREE and MANDATORY trip. Today I will pass out permission slips and we will need parents to chaperone.

PARENTS: If you can chaperone, please fill out the back of the permission slip, and attached a photocopy of your drivers license.

STUDENTS: Turn in permission slips TO ME by this Friday, 2/14.

Yall… they have mummies at the DIA… this is going to be very cool!

2/10 Quick Write:

Today we are going to try to get through the last two sources on the Silk Road. On Friday we started our annotations of Source #3; Receipts from a Pawn Shop. See attached slides below.

After we discuss whether these receipts are reliable or not, we will start (and perhaps finish!) our last source, a Khotanese-Sanskrit Phrasebook. Phrasebooks are used when people travel to places where they do not know the language. For example, if I were to travel to Mexico, I might use a English-Spanish phrasebook full of useful or common sayings to help me communicate.

Source #4 is from a phrasebook which used two languages: Sanskrit and Khotanese. More information about these languages can be found in the headnote and attribution. See Source 4 slides below.

With any luck, we can wrap up these sources today and tomorrow and move on to organizing our critique!

And remember, I need your DIA permission slips by this Friday! Cheers 🙂

Alright, let’s get through today so we can relax and recuperate this weekend!

2/7 Quick Write:

We are finishing out annotations of Source 2 (Marco Polo) and working on Source 3 (receipts from a pawn shop).

Find the slides for Source #3 below.

Have a SAFE, WARM, and fun weekend!

Alright, let’s take on this snowy Thursday!

2/6 Quick Write:

Today we are wrapping up our background info on the Silk Road, and reacquainting ourselves with the Bookmark tool.

Then we will annotate “Source #2” together… we are skipping Source #1! Source 2 is all about the adventures of Marco Polo… no, we’re not going to play the game!

Below you will find the slides that will guide our annotations.

Have a great day… stay warm!

Hi team. I learned some cool stuff during my observations yesterday, and I am excited to take on Investigation #3 with you all!

2/5 Quick Write:

Today we are officially introducing the Silk Road. We have mentioned the Silk Road many times in class, and yesterday’s assignment with the sub was to read about the Silk Road. Now we are looking at the various ways historians have collected evidence about what the Silk Road was like.

This introduction of the Silk Road is in preparation to begin our 3rd Investigation. This week we will read through historical sources, trying to tackle the question: What source is the most reliable for learning about the Silk Road?

Today’s slides are attached below, as is the Student Packet we are working on all this week and next.

KEEP THIS PACKET SAFE! This will be a summative assignment.

Have a great day!