Mesopotamia: The Civilization of Sumer (Day 2)

The Civilization of Sumer: Vocabulary Study  Today we are going to be studying the key vocabulary related to the 'Civilization of Sumer,' using the document The Civilization of Sumer - Cognitive Content Dictionary located in your Social Studies Google Classroom. We will be using an excerpt from our Social Studies textbook to help us understand the lesson's key words and concepts.

Video: "Mesopotamia: Crash Course World History"  Watch below as John Green and the Crash Course team explain the big ideas related to the civilization in Mesopotamia.   

Homework  Complete your Civilization of Sumer - Cognitive Content Dictionary, which is due Friday, September 25.  

Mesopotamia: The Civilization of Sumer

The Civilization of Sumer: Guided Reading  Today we will continue to learn about the early Mesopotamian civilization of Sumer. You will read an excerpt from your Social Studies workbook entitled The Civilization of Sumer - Reading, which you can find in your Social Studies Google Classroom. You will also record key information from the selection, using the document Facts About Sumerian Society, is also located in your Social Studies Google Classroom. Read the selection in small groups or individually and record important questions and answers on the document as you go.  

Homework  Complete the Facts About Sumerian Society assignment, which is due Friday, September 25.

The Week in Rap and an Ancient Discovery

Exploration team members navigate the narrow chutes leading to the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star cave in South Africa where fossil elements belonging to H. naledi, a new species of human relative, were discovered.

Flocabulary: The Week in Rap  Many important news events took place this around the world this week. Let's review some of them with our friends at Flocabulary.

Newsela: Scientists Find Fossils of Early Relative of Humans  One of the news events referred to in "The Week in Rap" video by Flocabulary was the recent discovery of new fossils that appear to be of an early human ancestor. Go to your Social Studies Google Classroom and find the link to the article. Let's read it together and then take the quiz. 

Academic Study Hall  In school or college, a study period or "study hall" is a period in which a student may undertake self-directed learning activities, rather than having lessons being taught by a teacher (Source: Wikipedia). Today, if time permits, you have the opportunity to use this period to further your academic success in the best way you see fit. I would strongly suggest using part of this time to completing some of the Social Studies or Language Arts assignments from the past week which were due today, or the assignments, including the EdPuzzle activity, which are due next week.

Mesopotamia with EdPuzzle

Getting Started with EdPuzzle  It's time to sign-up for an exciting online interactive video program:  EDpuzzle. Once you get there, click on "I'm a new student." Then click 'Sign up with Google'. Next, you will be asked to "Add a class." Copy and paste your class code. 4th period students your code is e31VvR. 6th period your code is dwKXVz. Once enrolled, please wait for the rest of your classmates. 

EdPuzzle Video: "Mesopotamia: From Nomads to Farmers"  Today you will be watching a video and answering a series of questions about Mesopotamia. The video will stop periodically and you'll be required to answer a question before being allowed to continue. To be successful, you must pay close attention to the content of the video. If you have your own headphones, please use them. Otherwise, you must listen to your video as quietly as possible.  You can watch the video and answer the questions at your own pace. If you don't finish in class today, please finish for homework outside of class. This assignment will count towards your assessment grade. 

Homework  (1.) Complete the Mesopotamia EdPUzzle activity. Deadline: Friday, September, 26. (2.) Complete and 'turn in' assignments, which are due tomorrow, September 18, which include: Civilization Concept Map, The Fertile Crescent - Cognitive Content Dictionary, and The Fertile Crescent: Main Ideas and Details.

Mesopotamia: The Fertile Crescent (Day 2)

Warm-Up Video  Let's get familiar with today's content by watching the brief video below.  

The Fertile Crescent: Main Idea and Details  Our central task as we read today about Mesopotamia's "Fertile Crescent" is to identify the main ideas and details of key paragraphs and passages from our text. To better understand how to identify main ideas, check our the graphic below.  

The supporting details, on the other hand, serve to support, strengthen, and elaborate upon the main idea.  

In your Social Studies Google Classroom, you will find the document The Fertile Crescent: Main Idea and Supporting Details. With the members of your team, read each passage or paragraph and work to identify the main idea and supporting details. 

Homework  Complete the assignment The Fertile Crescent: Main Idea and Supporting Details, which is due and must be 'turned in' by Friday, September 18.     

Mesopotamia: The Fertile Crescent

Introductory Video: Discover Mesopotamia with Bugs Bunny  Let Bugs Bunny take you on a one minute introductory tour of Mesopotamia, the world's very first civilization, in the video below.  

The Fertile Crescent: Vocabulary Study  Today we are going to be studying the key vocabulary related to the geography of Mesopotamia, also known as the 'The Fertile Crescent,' using the assignment The Fertile Crescent - Cognitive Content Dictionary located in your Social Studies Google Classroom. We will be using an excerpt from our Social Studies textbook, which can also be found in your Social Studies Google Classroom (and which you can also find here), to help us understand the lesson's key words and concepts.

Homework  Complete the assignment Fertile Crescent - Cognitive Content Dictionary, which is due on Friday, September 18. 

What Is a Civilization?

Concept Map: Civilization  The world's first cities began as farming villages. As early cities grew in size and power, some of them gave rise to civilizations. But what exactly is a civilization? Considering that we are studying 'Ancient Civilizations' this year, understanding the answer to that question is essential. 

To help us make better sense of what a civilization is, we are going to make a Civilization Concept Map today. You can find a document of the same name in your Social Studies Google Classroom.

Using the Concept Map (and the textbook excerpts below), we will first examine the characteristics or features of a civilization. Next, we will come up with a list of non-examples: examples that do not fit the criteria for a civilization. Then, we will decide on examples that do seem to embody our understanding of what a civilization is. Finally, we will decide on a definition for the concept  of civilization. Additionally, we will add images throughout our concept map to help us better understand the concept. (This assignment is due Friday, September 18.)     
    

 

Review Video  Now that we have a better sense of what a civilization is, let's review what makes a civilization a civilization by watching the short informative video below. How is your civilization concept map both similar and different to the information put forth in the video?