This Week--December 10-14

This week will be strictly devoted to Science class.  Please bring your science notebook for every class this week.  We are now deep into our unit studying soil and we should finish before the holiday break.  I will pass back all the work form Humanities, including the exams.

The week before break I hope to start a new unit in Humanities and we may work a little on History Fair.

Please finish your boards as we will have short presentations this week and get ready for the Science Fair on Thursday!

Mr. Parsons

My Summer Travels...

This post is probably a little late, but we often talk about geography in class and about my second love behind teaching, baseball. I was fortunate this summer that I was only taking once class and was able to sneak in some traveling between my summer school schedule.  Chicago is also great as we have two Major League Baseball teams and Milwaukee is also only a 90 mile drive.  I had a goal to visit 10 different cities and see 10 different baseball stadiums.  I enjoyed traveling throughout the country.  Here are pictures from 10 different stadiums.  We enjoy playing review baseball in class prior to exams.  Now you know why!

Wrigley Field--Chicago, IL Opening Day

Miller Park--Milwaukee, WI

Comerica Park--Detroit, MI

PNC Park--Pittsburgh, PA

Great American Ballpark--Cincinnati, OH

(I caught a homerun ball here!)

US Cellular Field--Chicago, IL

Target Field--Minneapolis, MN

Petco Park--San Diego, CA

Angels Stadium--Anaheim, CA

AT&T Park--San Francisco, CA

S.T.E.M. Class

Since many of you are new to the Peirce Middle Years Programme, I wanted to get you up to speed with the S.T.E.M. class.  The purpose of the class is to challenge students and continue to develop their critical thinking and problem solving skills.  The class will run from 6th-8th grade and be part of the quarterly wheel classes.

Currently the 6th graders are working on basic building skills.  They are focusing on how structures are built and why tall building are not only magnificent in height, but also really strong.  They have built strong chains out of paper, paper towers, and towers using straws.  They are currently working on creating a tall tower made of drinking straws, paper clips, and tape with the idea that it will hold a tennis ball for 2 minutes.

Egypt Review Guide

I.  Vocabulary terms: hieroglyphics, papyrus, delta, deity, pyramid, tribute, savanna, dynasty, cataract, mummy, pharaoh, embalming, incense

II. Multiple choice: length of Nile, Nubia, know about iron ore, the Great Pyramid

III. Analysis: Analyze a chart and answer the questions that follow-comparing Egypt to Mesopotamia

IV. Short Response: Answer 3 of the following questions.

Describe how Egyptians are like humans today?  What traits do they have as members of organized civilizations?  Please be very specific with your details.

Explain why the pyramids were important to the ancient Egyptians.  Please provide specific details about what led to the creation of the pyramids.  What did they do to the bodies?  What was inside of the tombs?  How did the creation of the pyramids lead to advances in math and science?

Describe and explain the differences between the rule of Ramses II and Hatshepsut.  Provide evidence to support your idea.  Was there anything unusual or strange about the leaders?

Explain why the need for more land led to the growth of the Egypt and eventually led to its decline and disappearance?  What factors would lead civilizations to fail?  How was the rise of Kush partly responsible for this demise?

V. Geography:  Label the following on a map-Nile River, Nile River Valley, Red Sea, Upper Egypt, Kush.  Pick 5 of the 10 and label these-Giza, Memphis, Theebz, Napata, Meroe, Nile Delta, Arabian Peninsula, Great Pyramid, First or Second Cataract.

This Week-December 3-8

Please note Wednesday is a half day of school for students.  They will dismiss at 11:30

Please continue to turn in forms and payment for the Indiana Dunes field trip in January

Science Fair is December 13, 2012.  Please refer to the orange sheet that went home Friday in regards to how the fair will be conducted this year.

Science Fair boards are delivered and students should have them in their possession.

The written projects look fantastic.  You all did some fabulous work and I am proud of your dedication.  Let this carry over to all of your classes.

On Friday, we will have a speaker for Global Studies class in the gym to end the day.  We will discuss questions this week in class.

Humanities

• Collect comparison questions on Egypt: Past and Present
• We will engage in Review Baseball for questions on exam
• Exam will be on Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Science

• We will work on Science Fair boards in class on Wednesday, December 5, 2012
• On Thursday and Friday we will start a new lab comparing composition of soil

As always, please post comments if you have questions or need some help.  That is what I am here for, to make sure you are successful. 

Mr. Parsons

Humanities Questions

These questions were due today for homework.  Here they are for your review:

Short Response Questions

1.  How does the current situation in Egypt compare or relate to the Egyptians of the past?  Compare the past events to the current situation in Egypt.

2.   What are some ways in which the Egyptian Republic of today mirrors the ways of the Ancient Egyptians?