Dromedary and Bactrian are the two types of camels, right?
Which is which?
Name the regions of their habitat.
Which one produces material used in coats? Which one's hide is used in sandal-making?
Monday, September 17, 2007
Historic Arabia: the Yemeni dagger called a jambiya
Jambiya (Arabic script جمبية or جنبية) is the Arabic term for dagger, but it is generally used to describe a specific type of dagger with a short curved blade that is worn on a belt. Although the jambiya is of Arab origin, it is mostly associated with people of Yemeni descent. Men typically above the age of 14 wear it as an accessory to their clothing. It is said that a Yemeni man is incomplete without his jambiya, says Wikipedia.
See more here.
See more here.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Salaam: Week of Sept 17 - 21
"Salaam aleikum!" is the Arabic greeting heard throughout the Muslim lands. It means "Peace be with you." Your response is "Aleikum salaam," or, "And peace be with you."
Review of Ramadan and the 5 Pillars of Islam.
Mon.
Guidance on the reading comprehension issues and answers to quizzes 2 and 3.
Map of SW Asia. We will practice sketching the map 3 days and have a quiz on Thursday.
1. Saudi Arabia
2. Yemen
3. Red Sea
4. Egypt
5. Mediterranean
6. Oman
7. Persian Gulf
8. Arabian Sea
9. Iran
10. Iraq
11. Kuwait
12. Bahrain
13. Qatar
14. Mecca
15. Cairo
Tues.
Review of Meadows Museum of Art field trip. Btw, student behavior in the museum was excellent.
Additional background on the museum, especially the odyssey of painter Jean Despujols.
Essay of description - Meadows Museum as a resource center. Teacher guidance.
Wed.
To be shown this week in short segments between activities. Video from the LPB Cyberchannel:
Religions of the World: Islam.
Thur.
Hand-sketched map of SW Asia.
Spelling counts.
20 pts. total.
Fri.
Mecca: the Great Mosque.
No penalty, but remaining Photostory / Mid East projects must be presented to the class this week. It's OK if the project is not perfect. It must show growth in using technology, as in recording a soundtrack as well as having visuals.
Review of Ramadan and the 5 Pillars of Islam.
Mon.
Guidance on the reading comprehension issues and answers to quizzes 2 and 3.
Map of SW Asia. We will practice sketching the map 3 days and have a quiz on Thursday.
1. Saudi Arabia
2. Yemen
3. Red Sea
4. Egypt
5. Mediterranean
6. Oman
7. Persian Gulf
8. Arabian Sea
9. Iran
10. Iraq
11. Kuwait
12. Bahrain
13. Qatar
14. Mecca
15. Cairo
Tues.
Review of Meadows Museum of Art field trip. Btw, student behavior in the museum was excellent.
Additional background on the museum, especially the odyssey of painter Jean Despujols.
Essay of description - Meadows Museum as a resource center. Teacher guidance.
Wed.
To be shown this week in short segments between activities. Video from the LPB Cyberchannel:
Religions of the World: Islam.
Thur.
Hand-sketched map of SW Asia.
Spelling counts.
20 pts. total.
Fri.
Mecca: the Great Mosque.
No penalty, but remaining Photostory / Mid East projects must be presented to the class this week. It's OK if the project is not perfect. It must show growth in using technology, as in recording a soundtrack as well as having visuals.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Meadows Museum: City of Hope post-Katrina exhibit
From a Dept of Defense web site in regards search and rescue actions by militiamen: "Once finished, they put an "X" on the building to show it has been searched. On the top of the bright orange symbol they put the date, to the right they indicate the unit that did the search, to the left they indicate what hazards they found, and at the bottom they put the number of victims they found."
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Fumatori di Shishà / smoking the water pipe, or shisha
Traditional relaxation for adults of the Middle East, or Southwest Asia, is a cup of chai (tea) and a smoke on the shisha. The pipe, aka the hookah, is an ancient instrument which passes the smoke through water and long air chambers before it arrives at your mouth, throat and lungs.
Smoking a shisha is often done with friends amidst convival conversation. It is often smoked after a meal, especially at a restaurant.
The custom of smoking the shisha in a tea shop or coffee bar is one that is becoming popular near US college campuses.
Additional vocabulary -
affluence - wealth
benevolent - fair and generous
economic engine - something that makes jobs and wealth, such as a center of education.
petrolia - a coined term meaning region of oil.
date palm - the date is a fruit indigenous to the Mid East.
star and crescent moon - symbol of Islam
star of David - symbol of Judaism
Marco Polo - European explorer who used the Silk Road to make his way to China and back to Italy.
Local institutions that could become stronger as economic engines -
LSUS
La Tech (Spt campus)
Centenary College
Bossier parish Community College (BPCC)
Northwestern State Univ (School of Nursing, Spt campus)
Southern Univ Shreveport
Smoking a shisha is often done with friends amidst convival conversation. It is often smoked after a meal, especially at a restaurant.
The custom of smoking the shisha in a tea shop or coffee bar is one that is becoming popular near US college campuses.
Additional vocabulary -
affluence - wealth
benevolent - fair and generous
economic engine - something that makes jobs and wealth, such as a center of education.
petrolia - a coined term meaning region of oil.
date palm - the date is a fruit indigenous to the Mid East.
star and crescent moon - symbol of Islam
star of David - symbol of Judaism
Marco Polo - European explorer who used the Silk Road to make his way to China and back to Italy.
Local institutions that could become stronger as economic engines -
LSUS
La Tech (Spt campus)
Centenary College
Bossier parish Community College (BPCC)
Northwestern State Univ (School of Nursing, Spt campus)
Southern Univ Shreveport
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Remembering Sept 11, 2001: most of my students were age 8
Lesson 1 in an ongoing unit on Manhattan:
Manhattan is an island of some 24 miles length.
On the west: the Hudson River and New Jersey.
On the north: across the Harlem River, the borough called the Bronx.
On the NE: it's not far to the state line with Connecticut.
On the east: the East River and Long Island.
On Long Island: the boroughs known as Brooklyn and Queens.
On the south: NY harbor and the borough of Staten Island.
On the south and east: the Atlantic.
The World Trade Center was on the southern tip of Manhattan. It was part of the Wall St Financial District.
The 9-11 attack, executed by 19 terrorists, resulted in some 3000 deaths. Wikipedia points out that some 16,000 people in the WTC escaped death by their evacuation.
At the time, the chief Al Qaeda training camps were in Afghanistan. The Taliban government, an extremist Muslim faction, allowed Al Qaeda to operate in Afghanistan.
Manhattan is an island of some 24 miles length.
On the west: the Hudson River and New Jersey.
On the north: across the Harlem River, the borough called the Bronx.
On the NE: it's not far to the state line with Connecticut.
On the east: the East River and Long Island.
On Long Island: the boroughs known as Brooklyn and Queens.
On the south: NY harbor and the borough of Staten Island.
On the south and east: the Atlantic.
The World Trade Center was on the southern tip of Manhattan. It was part of the Wall St Financial District.
The 9-11 attack, executed by 19 terrorists, resulted in some 3000 deaths. Wikipedia points out that some 16,000 people in the WTC escaped death by their evacuation.
At the time, the chief Al Qaeda training camps were in Afghanistan. The Taliban government, an extremist Muslim faction, allowed Al Qaeda to operate in Afghanistan.
Progresss reports in geography class to be sent home Th, Sept 13
Progress reports are going home this week in all classes. Mine will be issued a bit later than others. Geography reports will go out for each student on Th, Sept 13.
For more on the week, please see below. Merci!
For more on the week, please see below. Merci!
Monday, September 10, 2007
Week of Sept 10: PhotoStory/MidEast projects due Tuesday, field trip to Meadows Museum of Art on Friday
Week of Sept 10 - 14:
Mon. -
Last day of work in the library. Complete recording of scripts in PhotoStory/MidEast project.
Tues. -
Presentation of brief PhotoStory projects.
Total: 25 pts.
late penalty: 3 pts per day.
Standards -
- Typed script.
- Clarity and audibility of speech.
- Grammar and construction in proper English.
- Brevity of script.
- Appropriateness of images, in both number (approx 25) and quality (adequate resolution).
- General adherence to guide sheet.
Tues.
- additional presentations.
Wed.
- 5 Pillars of Islam project.
Thurs.
- Open notes quiz on Islam (World Book).
Fri.
- Field trip to Meadows Museum of Art, Centenary College.
- The principal reason to visit Meadows is to show students how to use the museum as an educational resource.
- We will see photos and art from New Orleans and the Katrina experience. It relates to our first unit on the Miss R, coastal erosion and storms.
- We will also see a variety of of fine art: portraits, paintings of Vietnam and Indochina, paintings by famed Louisiana artist Clyde Connell and others.
Parents may meet us at Meadows (869-5169) and enjoy the experience. I will send home a permission form on Tues.
Friday
Mon. -
Last day of work in the library. Complete recording of scripts in PhotoStory/MidEast project.
Tues. -
Presentation of brief PhotoStory projects.
Total: 25 pts.
late penalty: 3 pts per day.
Standards -
- Typed script.
- Clarity and audibility of speech.
- Grammar and construction in proper English.
- Brevity of script.
- Appropriateness of images, in both number (approx 25) and quality (adequate resolution).
- General adherence to guide sheet.
Tues.
- additional presentations.
Wed.
- 5 Pillars of Islam project.
Thurs.
- Open notes quiz on Islam (World Book).
Fri.
- Field trip to Meadows Museum of Art, Centenary College.
- The principal reason to visit Meadows is to show students how to use the museum as an educational resource.
- We will see photos and art from New Orleans and the Katrina experience. It relates to our first unit on the Miss R, coastal erosion and storms.
- We will also see a variety of of fine art: portraits, paintings of Vietnam and Indochina, paintings by famed Louisiana artist Clyde Connell and others.
Parents may meet us at Meadows (869-5169) and enjoy the experience. I will send home a permission form on Tues.
Friday
Friday, September 07, 2007
Back to school night Th, Sept 13, 6 pm to 7:45 pm
The frst thing to know about Back to School Night at CMHS is that the campus is mobbed with students and parents. If you'd like a parking space that's reasonably close to the school, it would not be an exaggeration to say "Arrive an hour in advance." There will be plenty of people with which to chat. You can come and hang out in E 205 if you like.
You will pick up your student's schedule in the homeroom class. Your key is knowing the name of the homeroom teacher.
Freshman parents will be expected to see the opening in the PAC.
The evening starts with a brief PTSA business meet, 6 to 6:15 pm. There will be numerous student guides on campus to make sure you get to the right rooms apace. There you will listen to the teacher for 10 mins. You'll have about 5 mins between classes. Yes, it will be crowded.
6:20 1st period (homeroom)
6:35 2nd
6:50 3rd
7:05 4th
7:20 5th
7:35 - 7:45 6th
We hope you will join the PTSA at $5, $10 or more. The money goes directly to class needs. There will also be a Freshman Parents table. Make a contribution or simply sign up for more info.
This is not a night for individual conferences. We will be happy to schedule parent-teacher conferences by phone. Please call Mrs. Fortenberry at 221-2501 to make an appointment. And we are available by phone or email at all times.
You will pick up your student's schedule in the homeroom class. Your key is knowing the name of the homeroom teacher.
Freshman parents will be expected to see the opening in the PAC.
The evening starts with a brief PTSA business meet, 6 to 6:15 pm. There will be numerous student guides on campus to make sure you get to the right rooms apace. There you will listen to the teacher for 10 mins. You'll have about 5 mins between classes. Yes, it will be crowded.
6:20 1st period (homeroom)
6:35 2nd
6:50 3rd
7:05 4th
7:20 5th
7:35 - 7:45 6th
We hope you will join the PTSA at $5, $10 or more. The money goes directly to class needs. There will also be a Freshman Parents table. Make a contribution or simply sign up for more info.
This is not a night for individual conferences. We will be happy to schedule parent-teacher conferences by phone. Please call Mrs. Fortenberry at 221-2501 to make an appointment. And we are available by phone or email at all times.
Islam quiz 1
Islam quiz 1
Write the best answer on an answer sheet, following the usual name-in-upper-right format. Write both the letter and phrase of the answer. Bring it to me when you're done!
1. On a timeline, would you choose to place Christianity or Islam in the earlier spot? a) Christianity b) Islam
2. To Christians there is a familiar name in the origins of Islam: a) Gabriel b) Mecca c) Allah d) Medina.
3. The word Islam means a) a person who follows the teachings of Muhammad b) in effect, God c) surrender or submission d) the holy book.
4. There are many Muslims across the world in this era. Their population is estimated at a) over 1 billion b) over 2 billion c) larger than that of Christianity d) smaller than that of Christianity.
5. Mecca is a city in a) Yemen b) Saudi Arabia c) Iraq
d) it is its own nation.
6. Indonesia, India, Pakistan: a) more Muslims live in these nations than in the Middle east b) fewer Muslims live in this region than in the Middle East.
7. The first prophet of Islam: a) Moses b) Abraham
c) Jesus of Nazareth d) Adam.
8. The symbol of Islam: a) Yin / yang b) Star of Muhammad c) Sword and Arabic script d) crescent and star.
9. In several ways Islam is deeply connected to Christianity. T / F
10. The teachings of the Qur’ an are the product of
a) revelation b) the New Testament c) discovery in an isolated cave d) ancient Arabic law.
Write the best answer on an answer sheet, following the usual name-in-upper-right format. Write both the letter and phrase of the answer. Bring it to me when you're done!
1. On a timeline, would you choose to place Christianity or Islam in the earlier spot? a) Christianity b) Islam
2. To Christians there is a familiar name in the origins of Islam: a) Gabriel b) Mecca c) Allah d) Medina.
3. The word Islam means a) a person who follows the teachings of Muhammad b) in effect, God c) surrender or submission d) the holy book.
4. There are many Muslims across the world in this era. Their population is estimated at a) over 1 billion b) over 2 billion c) larger than that of Christianity d) smaller than that of Christianity.
5. Mecca is a city in a) Yemen b) Saudi Arabia c) Iraq
d) it is its own nation.
6. Indonesia, India, Pakistan: a) more Muslims live in these nations than in the Middle east b) fewer Muslims live in this region than in the Middle East.
7. The first prophet of Islam: a) Moses b) Abraham
c) Jesus of Nazareth d) Adam.
8. The symbol of Islam: a) Yin / yang b) Star of Muhammad c) Sword and Arabic script d) crescent and star.
9. In several ways Islam is deeply connected to Christianity. T / F
10. The teachings of the Qur’ an are the product of
a) revelation b) the New Testament c) discovery in an isolated cave d) ancient Arabic law.
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Friday night Back-to-school dance begins at 6 pm; buy tickets at school during lunch
At the moment my best source, Symphony Moore, says that the dance particulars include
- 6 to 9 pm
- Buy tickets - in advance only - outside cafeteria during lunch.
- $3 single / $5 couple
CMHS policy is that bringing guests is fine. We know you will bring students whose behavior will not be a problem.
Chaperones welcome for part or all of the dance. Come and meet teachers and other parents while you watch the dancers.
- 6 to 9 pm
- Buy tickets - in advance only - outside cafeteria during lunch.
- $3 single / $5 couple
CMHS policy is that bringing guests is fine. We know you will bring students whose behavior will not be a problem.
Chaperones welcome for part or all of the dance. Come and meet teachers and other parents while you watch the dancers.
Week of Sept 4 - 7 / Mult-choice quiz Thurs on Islam, part 1
The SW Asia / PhotStory project being oursued in the library each day will culminate Friday, Sept 7, with presentation of the completed packages. Students are working with the help of the teacher and librarians. But the project is an independent one. Each student has their own topic and work station.
Thursday we will take a brief quiz, changed to 12 multiple-choice questions. It will be on the first part of the web site notes on Islam as well as the map of SW Asia. It is an open notes quiz.
Thursday we will take a brief quiz, changed to 12 multiple-choice questions. It will be on the first part of the web site notes on Islam as well as the map of SW Asia. It is an open notes quiz.
Monday, September 03, 2007
How to reach World Book from home: www.louisianaschools.net/worldbook
For a useful site, please see: http://www.louisianaschools.net/worldbook/
Email me at trudeau@earthlink.net if you don't have the login id (such as, "Louisiana") and password (such as "highschool").
Email me at trudeau@earthlink.net if you don't have the login id (such as, "Louisiana") and password (such as "highschool").
Measuring trends: cells and landlines
From September 2006 to April 2007, the percentage of Americans in cellphone-only households for the first time overtook the percentage in landline-only households, according to Mediamark Research, a firm that has been tracking such data since the mid-1980s.
The milestone is a natural consequence of two trends: a glacially slow decline since 2000 in the percentage of households with landlines, and a steep rise in the number of households with cellphones. Mediamark said 84.5 percent of households now have landlines, and 86.2 percent have at least one cellphone. The data was collected through in-home surveys at roughly 13,000 homes across the country.
Andy Arthur, the study’s author and an analyst with Mediamark, said the number of households with landlines would probably continue to decrease. “But there’s an older group,” he added, “that will never give up landlines, and will never accept the new technology.”
The milestone is a natural consequence of two trends: a glacially slow decline since 2000 in the percentage of households with landlines, and a steep rise in the number of households with cellphones. Mediamark said 84.5 percent of households now have landlines, and 86.2 percent have at least one cellphone. The data was collected through in-home surveys at roughly 13,000 homes across the country.
Andy Arthur, the study’s author and an analyst with Mediamark, said the number of households with landlines would probably continue to decrease. “But there’s an older group,” he added, “that will never give up landlines, and will never accept the new technology.”
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Islam: material for multiple-choice, open notes, reading comprehension test on Thursday; 15 questions
An American reporter discovered, a year ago, that top US officials did not know the differences between Sunnis and Shi'a Muslims. Such basic knowledge is essential to understanding the dynamics and politics of SW Asia. We will begin our basic understanding of this pervasive religion with an article from World Book.
Sample reading comprehension questions for this material will be posted Tuesday in getting you ready for a quiz on Thursday.
Islam / worldbookonline.com
The symbol of Islam is a crescent and a star
Islam, «ihs LAHM or ihz LAHM», is the name given to the religion preached by the Prophet Muhammad in the A.D. 600's. Islam is an Arabic word that means surrender or submission. God is called Allah (in Arabic, pronounced ah LAH), which means The God. A person who submits to Allah and follows the teachings of Islam is called a Muslim.
Muhammad was born about A.D. 570 in the Arabian city of Mecca. Muslims believe that in about 610, he began to receive revelations from Allah that were transmitted by the angel Gabriel. These revelations took place in the cities of Mecca and Medina over about a 22-year period.
They were assembled in a book called the Qur'an «ku RAHN or ku RAN», sometimes spelled Koran. The Qur'an is the holy book of the Muslims, who believe it contains God's actual words. The Qur'an and the Sunnah «SOON uh», the example of the words and practices of Muhammad, make up the foundation of Islamic law.
Islam is the world's second largest religion behind Christianity. Over 1.3 billion people follow Islam. Today, Muslims live in every country in the world.
Although Islam began in Arabia, more than half of the world's Muslims live in South and Southeast Asia. The countries with the largest Muslim populations are Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. About one-fourth of all Muslims live in the Middle East. They make up the majority of the population in the European country of Albania and nearly half the population in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Muslims rank as the second largest religious group in Belgium, France, and Germany. Several million Muslims live in the United States.
The central concept of Islam is tawhid «taw HEED», the oneness of God. For Muslims, there is one God who is the lord of the universe. People owe worship and obedience to God before any other thing. God is one, the creator, the all-knowing. In relations with humanity, God is the lawgiver, judge, and restorer of life after death.
Prophets. According to the Qur'an, God has provided guidance for human beings in the teachings of prophets, who have appeared in many nations throughout history.
In Islam, prophets do not foretell the future. Instead, God selects the prophets to urge people to worship God alone and to teach them to live according to God's commandments. The Qur'an mentions 25 prophets by name. According to tradition, God chose thousands of prophets beginning with Adam, the first prophet in Islam, and ending with Muhammad, the final prophet. The Qur'an teaches that the Prophet Abraham was the first monotheist (believer in one God).
The most important type of prophet in Islam is the rasul «rah SOOL», which means messenger. A rasul is a person to whom God has revealed a book for the guidance of humanity. The messengers of God in Islam include Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus, and Muhammad.
Muslims believe that children are born without sin and that all people can lead themselves to salvation once God has shown them the way. Believers in Islam achieve salvation by following the revealed books of God's messengers. Muslims believe in heaven and hell, where people go after death based on their actions during life.
The Sunnah of Muhammad. In Islam, Muhammad is the final messenger of God, sent to confirm the authentic teachings of previous prophets. God also sent him to correct the alterations that followers of previous religions had introduced into God's original teachings. For Muslims, Muhammad's mission includes all humanity and is not limited to a specific region, group, or community. Therefore, his life serves as a model for all men and women. The example of Muhammad's sayings and acts, the Sunnah, is presented in written collections called the Hadith «hah DEETH».
Muslims do not consider Islam to be a new religion. They believe its teachings contain the same message given to all prophets and messengers since the creation of Adam. Because they confirm all of these teachings as a whole, they do not like to be called Muhammadans.
The Five Pillars of Islam. Every action performed in obedience to God is considered an act of worship in Islam. Most devout Muslims take care in their daily lives to respect their parents and elders, to be kind to animals and human beings, and to do their daily tasks to the best of their ability. The formal acts of worship called the Five Pillars of Islam provide the framework for all aspects of a Muslim's life. The pillars consist of (1) shahadah, (2) prayer, (3) almsgiving, (4) fasting, and (5) pilgrimage.
Shahadah is the first pillar and is considered the basis of all other pillars of the faith. Shahadah «shuh HAHD uh» is an Arabic word that means an act of bearing witness. It consists of two statements: "I bear witness that there is no God but Allah," and "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." The first statement declares that there is only one God and that God alone is worthy of worship. The second statement says that Muhammad is God's messenger. For Muslims, the second statement also includes a declaration of belief in Muhammad's interpretation of Islam, as expressed in the Sunnah.
Prayer. Muslims are required to pray five times a day—just before dawn, at midday, in midafternoon, just after sunset, and at night. Prayer, called salat «suh LAHT», is the most important demonstration of a Muslim's devotion to God. Muslims believe that prayer reinforces belief in Islam because it reduces the likelihood of disobeying God by committing sins. A prayer's timing is determined by the movement of the sun. A crier called a muezzin «moo EHZ ihn» makes the call to prayer. If the prayer is performed in a mosque (masjid in Arabic, meaning house of worship), the muezzin traditionally calls worshipers from a tower called a minaret. Before making their prayers, Muslims must wash their hands, their face, parts of their arms and head, and their feet in a ritual manner.
Part 2, geography class Trudeau:
The physical movements of the salat symbolize the believers' submission to God. When praying, Muslims stand facing the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Raising their hands to their ears, they say in Arabic "God is greatest." They then recite the opening passage of the Qur'an, known as the Fatihah «FAH tee hah», followed by another verse from the Qur'an. After reciting these verses, they again say "God is greatest" and bow from the waist, praising God. After returning to an upright position, they say "God is greatest" a third time and fall to their knees, touching the floor with their foreheads. In this facedown position, they again praise God. After sitting back on their heels and asking God for forgiveness, worshipers kneel with their faces down one more time and then stand, saying "God is greatest" before each new position.
Each cycle of the prayer is called a raka «RAHK uh», which means bowing in Arabic. One cycle includes the first Qur'an recitation, the bow, kneeling face down twice, sitting, and standing up. After the final cycle, worshipers offer a peace greeting. Depending on the time of day, the salat may have two to four cycles. On Fridays, Muslims gather at midday to pray as a group. Before the prayer, a religious leader called an imam «ih MAHM» recites two short sermons. Typically, men pray at the front of the group and women pray in a separate section behind or beside them.
Almsgiving is required as a way of assisting the poor. The Arabic term for almsgiving is zakat, which means purification. Muslims "purify" their wealth by giving a certain percentage of it to the needy and recognizing that all things ultimately belong to God. Zakat is paid once a year, in the form of a tax. Most zakat donations go to mosques, Islamic centers, or welfare organizations. Some Muslims supplement zakat with a voluntary form of giving called sadaqah «SAH dah kah», which means sincere gift in Arabic.
Fasting. Every Muslim must fast in the month of Ramadan «ram uh DAHN or rahm uh DAHN», the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. The Islamic calendar is lunar, so each month follows the phases of the moon and lasts 29 or 30 days. As a result, Ramadan falls at different seasons of the year. Muslims believe that the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to Muhammad during Ramadan about A.D. 610.
The Qur'an instructs Muslims to fast from dawn to sunset during Ramadan. While fasting, Muslims do not eat any food, drink any beverages, smoke, or engage in sexual relations during daylight hours. At night, they may eat, drink, and resume other normal activities. Muslims fast to practice spiritual reflection, self-restraint, concern for others, and obedience to God. Alms are normally given to the poor at the end of the fast. Because fasting can be physically demanding, some people are excused. Those excused include the sick, injured, elderly, and pregnant or nursing women. They are supposed to provide food for the poor, or if able, fast at a later time instead. See Ramadan.
Pilgrimage. The Qur'an commands Muslims to make a hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca at least once in their lifetime if they are physically and financially able to make the journey. The hajj takes place over the first several days of the 12th month of the Islamic calendar.
The rites of the hajj commemorate the trials and sacrifices of the Prophet Abraham, his wife Hagar, and their son the Prophet Ishmael. Muslims believe that Abraham and Ishmael built the Kaaba «KAH buh» as the first house of worship to God. The Kaaba is an empty cube-shaped building in the center of the Great Mosque in Mecca.
The first requirement of the hajj is that men wear two pieces of unsewn white cloth, called the ihram, which means garment of consecration. Women must wear a long white gown and headscarf. While wearing these garments, a pilgrim may not kill any animal or insect, remove any hair from his or her body, or engage in any sexual act. The second requirement is that pilgrims walk around the Kaaba seven times in a counterclockwise direction.
Most pilgrims perform three additional rites, though they are not official parts of the hajj. While walking, many pilgrims attempt to kiss or touch the Black Stone, which Abraham and Ishmael placed in one corner of the Kaaba. Pilgrims may also run seven times along a corridor of the Great Mosque to commemorate Hagar's search for water for her infant son, Ishmael. Finally, pilgrims may take water from a well called Zamzam on the grounds of the Great Mosque.
The third part of the hajj involves standing at Arafat, a plain outside Mecca, on the ninth day of the pilgrimage month. During the afternoon prayer, pilgrims listen to an imam deliver a sermon from the heights of Mount Arafat at the edge of the plain. This act commemorates the final pilgrimage of Muhammad, who delivered his farewell sermon from this site.
To finish the pilgrimage, Muslims next spend the night at Muzdalifah, an encampment near a place called Mina, on the way back to Mecca. The next day, they throw stones at the three pillars where, according to tradition, Ishmael drove away Satan's temptations. Many pilgrims also sacrifice an animal, usually a sheep or goat, at Mina. This action commemorates Abraham's vow to sacrifice his son. The hajj pilgrimage is completed after each pilgrim returns to Mecca and walks around the Kaaba seven more times. See Hajj.
Holidays and celebrations. All Muslims celebrate two major holidays, `Id al-Fitr (the Feast of Fast-Breaking) and `Id al-Ad-ha (the Feast of the Sacrifice). `Id al-Fitr is held on the day following Ramadan and marks the end of the monthlong fast. The feast is a joyous occasion in which families gather for a rich meal and children receive sweets. `Id al-Ad-ha is held on the 10th day of Dhul-Hijja, the month of the hajj. On this day, many Muslims sacrifice an animal, such as a goat or sheep. A small portion of the meat is prepared for family and friends, and the rest is given to the poor.
In some countries, Muslims celebrate the birthday of Muhammad on the 12th day of the third Islamic month. Muslims spend the day praying, reading the Qur'an, and reciting poems and stories written in honor of the Prophet. See Id al-Ad-ha; Id al-Fitr.
Muslims celebrate their New Year at the beginning of the first month of the Islamic calendar. On the 10th day of the month, members of the Shi`ah division hold a celebration called Ashura that marks the massacre in 680 of Husayn ibn Ali, a grandson of Muhammad. Muslims from Iran, Afghanistan, and central Asian countries follow an ancient solar calendar along with the Islamic lunar calendar. They often celebrate another New Year called Nawruz «naw ROOZ» on the first day of spring.
Islam's social structure
The Shari`ah. Islam has two sources of authority. The first is the word of God given in the Qur'an. The second is the Sunnah, the body of traditions that preserves the words and conduct of Muhammad. Muslim scholars use these sources to understand the principles of the Shari`ah «shah REE ah», also spelled Shari`a, an Arabic word that means the way that leads to God. It refers to the divinely revealed and inspired Islamic law that plays a central role in the lives of Muslims throughout the world. Scholars recognize four main sources for interpreting the Shari`ah and applying it to daily life. They are (1) the Qur'an, (2) the Sunnah, (3) extending the reasoning of previous laws to new situations, and (4) the views of Muslim scholars and jurists.
In theory, all Islamic law is divine in origin. In practice, however, most sources of Muslim law are found in the Sunnah rather than the Qur'an, particularly in the part of the Hadith that reflects Muhammad's interpretation of the Qur'an's rulings. The practice of deriving present-day laws from the sources of the Shari`ah is called fiqh «fihk». There are several schools of fiqh, each named after the founder of a method of interpretation. Although most Muslims agree about the major points of Islam, differences do exist, based on the opinions of the different schools of fiqh. See Shari`ah.
Ethics and morals. Actions in Islamic law are judged on five values: (1) obligatory (required), (2) recommended, (3) neutral, (4) disapproved, and (5) forbidden. Most religious duties, such as the Five Pillars, are obligatory. Anyone who fails to perform them may be punished by God or the Islamic state. For example, in many Muslim countries, refusal to fast during Ramadan may result in fines or imprisonment. In some Muslim countries, special organizations ensure that people make their five daily prayers at the proper time and follow accepted standards of dress and behavior.
Most actions in Islamic law are not obligatory. People who fail to perform acts that are recommended or neutral are seldom punished. Most acts that are clearly forbidden are mentioned in the Qur'an. They include adultery, gambling, cheating, consuming pork or alcoholic beverages, and lending money at interest. The Qur'an details severe punishments for such crimes as murder, theft, and adultery. Crimes are punished harshly because they violate not only the rights of the victim, but also the commands of God. The Qur'an seeks to lessen the severity of these punishments, however, by urging Muslims to practice mercy and not yield to revenge.
Islamic virtues. Islam teaches respect for parents, protection for orphans and widows, and charity to the poor. It also teaches the virtues of faith in God, kindness, honesty, hard work, honor, courage, cleanliness, and generosity. Heads of families must treat household members kindly and fairly. A wife has rights against her husband and may sue for divorce in cases of physical abuse, lack of financial support, or the inability to produce a child. Islam also teaches that a person must not refuse requests for help, even if they seem unnecessary.
Divisions of Islam. There are three historic divisions in Islam. The great majority of Muslims belong to the Sunni «SOON ee» division. Sunni Muslims call themselves by this name because they claim to follow the Sunnah of Muhammad. They follow a traditional and widely held interpretation of Islam.
Most of the conservative Muslims that Westerners call fundamentalists are Sunnis. Like fundamentalists of other religions, these Muslims follow a strict approach to religion. They reject modern and popular interpretations of Islamic law, which they view as too permissive. They insist instead on precise adherence to the Qur'an and Hadith, as they interpret those writings. Many Muslims dislike the name fundamentalists, however. See Sunnis.
The next largest division is the Shi`ah «SHEE ah», whose members are called Shiites. Shiite Muslims honor Ali ibn Abi Talib, a cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad, and Ali's descendants, whom they believe should be the leaders of the Muslim community. Shi`ah comes from the Arabic phrase shi`at Ali, meaning supporters of Ali.
The largest group of Shiites are the Imami «ee MAHM ee» Shi`ah. They are also known as the Ithna Ashari, or Twelvers. They see authority as residing in 12 imams, starting with Ali, who was born in about 600. The 12th and last imam, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan (also called Muhammad al-Mahdi), was born in about 868. They believe this last imam is still alive, in a miraculous state of concealment from human view. He will return at the end of time to restore justice on earth. A small group of Shiites, known as the Isma`ili «ihs may EE lee» Shi`ah, broke away from the Imamis in the 700's. One group of Isma`ilis, known as the Nizaris, still follow an imam called Aga Khan IV, who lives in France. See Shiites.
Today, the Kharijites make up the smallest division of Islam. Their name is based on an Arabic word that means secessionists. They received this name because they were former followers of Ali who broke away in 657. Kharijites are strict Muslims whose beliefs are based on precise adherence to the teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah as their community interprets them. They are most noteworthy for their belief in equality under God. In the first centuries of their existence, they elected their leaders and proclaimed that the best Muslim should lead his fellow believers, even if he was a slave. In some Kharijite communities in Algeria, female scholars and religious leaders serve the needs of women while male scholars and religious leaders serve the needs of men.
Sample reading comprehension questions for this material will be posted Tuesday in getting you ready for a quiz on Thursday.
Islam / worldbookonline.com
The symbol of Islam is a crescent and a star
Islam, «ihs LAHM or ihz LAHM», is the name given to the religion preached by the Prophet Muhammad in the A.D. 600's. Islam is an Arabic word that means surrender or submission. God is called Allah (in Arabic, pronounced ah LAH), which means The God. A person who submits to Allah and follows the teachings of Islam is called a Muslim.
Muhammad was born about A.D. 570 in the Arabian city of Mecca. Muslims believe that in about 610, he began to receive revelations from Allah that were transmitted by the angel Gabriel. These revelations took place in the cities of Mecca and Medina over about a 22-year period.
They were assembled in a book called the Qur'an «ku RAHN or ku RAN», sometimes spelled Koran. The Qur'an is the holy book of the Muslims, who believe it contains God's actual words. The Qur'an and the Sunnah «SOON uh», the example of the words and practices of Muhammad, make up the foundation of Islamic law.
Islam is the world's second largest religion behind Christianity. Over 1.3 billion people follow Islam. Today, Muslims live in every country in the world.
Although Islam began in Arabia, more than half of the world's Muslims live in South and Southeast Asia. The countries with the largest Muslim populations are Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. About one-fourth of all Muslims live in the Middle East. They make up the majority of the population in the European country of Albania and nearly half the population in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Muslims rank as the second largest religious group in Belgium, France, and Germany. Several million Muslims live in the United States.
The central concept of Islam is tawhid «taw HEED», the oneness of God. For Muslims, there is one God who is the lord of the universe. People owe worship and obedience to God before any other thing. God is one, the creator, the all-knowing. In relations with humanity, God is the lawgiver, judge, and restorer of life after death.
Prophets. According to the Qur'an, God has provided guidance for human beings in the teachings of prophets, who have appeared in many nations throughout history.
In Islam, prophets do not foretell the future. Instead, God selects the prophets to urge people to worship God alone and to teach them to live according to God's commandments. The Qur'an mentions 25 prophets by name. According to tradition, God chose thousands of prophets beginning with Adam, the first prophet in Islam, and ending with Muhammad, the final prophet. The Qur'an teaches that the Prophet Abraham was the first monotheist (believer in one God).
The most important type of prophet in Islam is the rasul «rah SOOL», which means messenger. A rasul is a person to whom God has revealed a book for the guidance of humanity. The messengers of God in Islam include Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus, and Muhammad.
Muslims believe that children are born without sin and that all people can lead themselves to salvation once God has shown them the way. Believers in Islam achieve salvation by following the revealed books of God's messengers. Muslims believe in heaven and hell, where people go after death based on their actions during life.
The Sunnah of Muhammad. In Islam, Muhammad is the final messenger of God, sent to confirm the authentic teachings of previous prophets. God also sent him to correct the alterations that followers of previous religions had introduced into God's original teachings. For Muslims, Muhammad's mission includes all humanity and is not limited to a specific region, group, or community. Therefore, his life serves as a model for all men and women. The example of Muhammad's sayings and acts, the Sunnah, is presented in written collections called the Hadith «hah DEETH».
Muslims do not consider Islam to be a new religion. They believe its teachings contain the same message given to all prophets and messengers since the creation of Adam. Because they confirm all of these teachings as a whole, they do not like to be called Muhammadans.
The Five Pillars of Islam. Every action performed in obedience to God is considered an act of worship in Islam. Most devout Muslims take care in their daily lives to respect their parents and elders, to be kind to animals and human beings, and to do their daily tasks to the best of their ability. The formal acts of worship called the Five Pillars of Islam provide the framework for all aspects of a Muslim's life. The pillars consist of (1) shahadah, (2) prayer, (3) almsgiving, (4) fasting, and (5) pilgrimage.
Shahadah is the first pillar and is considered the basis of all other pillars of the faith. Shahadah «shuh HAHD uh» is an Arabic word that means an act of bearing witness. It consists of two statements: "I bear witness that there is no God but Allah," and "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." The first statement declares that there is only one God and that God alone is worthy of worship. The second statement says that Muhammad is God's messenger. For Muslims, the second statement also includes a declaration of belief in Muhammad's interpretation of Islam, as expressed in the Sunnah.
Prayer. Muslims are required to pray five times a day—just before dawn, at midday, in midafternoon, just after sunset, and at night. Prayer, called salat «suh LAHT», is the most important demonstration of a Muslim's devotion to God. Muslims believe that prayer reinforces belief in Islam because it reduces the likelihood of disobeying God by committing sins. A prayer's timing is determined by the movement of the sun. A crier called a muezzin «moo EHZ ihn» makes the call to prayer. If the prayer is performed in a mosque (masjid in Arabic, meaning house of worship), the muezzin traditionally calls worshipers from a tower called a minaret. Before making their prayers, Muslims must wash their hands, their face, parts of their arms and head, and their feet in a ritual manner.
Part 2, geography class Trudeau:
The physical movements of the salat symbolize the believers' submission to God. When praying, Muslims stand facing the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Raising their hands to their ears, they say in Arabic "God is greatest." They then recite the opening passage of the Qur'an, known as the Fatihah «FAH tee hah», followed by another verse from the Qur'an. After reciting these verses, they again say "God is greatest" and bow from the waist, praising God. After returning to an upright position, they say "God is greatest" a third time and fall to their knees, touching the floor with their foreheads. In this facedown position, they again praise God. After sitting back on their heels and asking God for forgiveness, worshipers kneel with their faces down one more time and then stand, saying "God is greatest" before each new position.
Each cycle of the prayer is called a raka «RAHK uh», which means bowing in Arabic. One cycle includes the first Qur'an recitation, the bow, kneeling face down twice, sitting, and standing up. After the final cycle, worshipers offer a peace greeting. Depending on the time of day, the salat may have two to four cycles. On Fridays, Muslims gather at midday to pray as a group. Before the prayer, a religious leader called an imam «ih MAHM» recites two short sermons. Typically, men pray at the front of the group and women pray in a separate section behind or beside them.
Almsgiving is required as a way of assisting the poor. The Arabic term for almsgiving is zakat, which means purification. Muslims "purify" their wealth by giving a certain percentage of it to the needy and recognizing that all things ultimately belong to God. Zakat is paid once a year, in the form of a tax. Most zakat donations go to mosques, Islamic centers, or welfare organizations. Some Muslims supplement zakat with a voluntary form of giving called sadaqah «SAH dah kah», which means sincere gift in Arabic.
Fasting. Every Muslim must fast in the month of Ramadan «ram uh DAHN or rahm uh DAHN», the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. The Islamic calendar is lunar, so each month follows the phases of the moon and lasts 29 or 30 days. As a result, Ramadan falls at different seasons of the year. Muslims believe that the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to Muhammad during Ramadan about A.D. 610.
The Qur'an instructs Muslims to fast from dawn to sunset during Ramadan. While fasting, Muslims do not eat any food, drink any beverages, smoke, or engage in sexual relations during daylight hours. At night, they may eat, drink, and resume other normal activities. Muslims fast to practice spiritual reflection, self-restraint, concern for others, and obedience to God. Alms are normally given to the poor at the end of the fast. Because fasting can be physically demanding, some people are excused. Those excused include the sick, injured, elderly, and pregnant or nursing women. They are supposed to provide food for the poor, or if able, fast at a later time instead. See Ramadan.
Pilgrimage. The Qur'an commands Muslims to make a hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca at least once in their lifetime if they are physically and financially able to make the journey. The hajj takes place over the first several days of the 12th month of the Islamic calendar.
The rites of the hajj commemorate the trials and sacrifices of the Prophet Abraham, his wife Hagar, and their son the Prophet Ishmael. Muslims believe that Abraham and Ishmael built the Kaaba «KAH buh» as the first house of worship to God. The Kaaba is an empty cube-shaped building in the center of the Great Mosque in Mecca.
The first requirement of the hajj is that men wear two pieces of unsewn white cloth, called the ihram, which means garment of consecration. Women must wear a long white gown and headscarf. While wearing these garments, a pilgrim may not kill any animal or insect, remove any hair from his or her body, or engage in any sexual act. The second requirement is that pilgrims walk around the Kaaba seven times in a counterclockwise direction.
Most pilgrims perform three additional rites, though they are not official parts of the hajj. While walking, many pilgrims attempt to kiss or touch the Black Stone, which Abraham and Ishmael placed in one corner of the Kaaba. Pilgrims may also run seven times along a corridor of the Great Mosque to commemorate Hagar's search for water for her infant son, Ishmael. Finally, pilgrims may take water from a well called Zamzam on the grounds of the Great Mosque.
The third part of the hajj involves standing at Arafat, a plain outside Mecca, on the ninth day of the pilgrimage month. During the afternoon prayer, pilgrims listen to an imam deliver a sermon from the heights of Mount Arafat at the edge of the plain. This act commemorates the final pilgrimage of Muhammad, who delivered his farewell sermon from this site.
To finish the pilgrimage, Muslims next spend the night at Muzdalifah, an encampment near a place called Mina, on the way back to Mecca. The next day, they throw stones at the three pillars where, according to tradition, Ishmael drove away Satan's temptations. Many pilgrims also sacrifice an animal, usually a sheep or goat, at Mina. This action commemorates Abraham's vow to sacrifice his son. The hajj pilgrimage is completed after each pilgrim returns to Mecca and walks around the Kaaba seven more times. See Hajj.
Holidays and celebrations. All Muslims celebrate two major holidays, `Id al-Fitr (the Feast of Fast-Breaking) and `Id al-Ad-ha (the Feast of the Sacrifice). `Id al-Fitr is held on the day following Ramadan and marks the end of the monthlong fast. The feast is a joyous occasion in which families gather for a rich meal and children receive sweets. `Id al-Ad-ha is held on the 10th day of Dhul-Hijja, the month of the hajj. On this day, many Muslims sacrifice an animal, such as a goat or sheep. A small portion of the meat is prepared for family and friends, and the rest is given to the poor.
In some countries, Muslims celebrate the birthday of Muhammad on the 12th day of the third Islamic month. Muslims spend the day praying, reading the Qur'an, and reciting poems and stories written in honor of the Prophet. See Id al-Ad-ha; Id al-Fitr.
Muslims celebrate their New Year at the beginning of the first month of the Islamic calendar. On the 10th day of the month, members of the Shi`ah division hold a celebration called Ashura that marks the massacre in 680 of Husayn ibn Ali, a grandson of Muhammad. Muslims from Iran, Afghanistan, and central Asian countries follow an ancient solar calendar along with the Islamic lunar calendar. They often celebrate another New Year called Nawruz «naw ROOZ» on the first day of spring.
Islam's social structure
The Shari`ah. Islam has two sources of authority. The first is the word of God given in the Qur'an. The second is the Sunnah, the body of traditions that preserves the words and conduct of Muhammad. Muslim scholars use these sources to understand the principles of the Shari`ah «shah REE ah», also spelled Shari`a, an Arabic word that means the way that leads to God. It refers to the divinely revealed and inspired Islamic law that plays a central role in the lives of Muslims throughout the world. Scholars recognize four main sources for interpreting the Shari`ah and applying it to daily life. They are (1) the Qur'an, (2) the Sunnah, (3) extending the reasoning of previous laws to new situations, and (4) the views of Muslim scholars and jurists.
In theory, all Islamic law is divine in origin. In practice, however, most sources of Muslim law are found in the Sunnah rather than the Qur'an, particularly in the part of the Hadith that reflects Muhammad's interpretation of the Qur'an's rulings. The practice of deriving present-day laws from the sources of the Shari`ah is called fiqh «fihk». There are several schools of fiqh, each named after the founder of a method of interpretation. Although most Muslims agree about the major points of Islam, differences do exist, based on the opinions of the different schools of fiqh. See Shari`ah.
Ethics and morals. Actions in Islamic law are judged on five values: (1) obligatory (required), (2) recommended, (3) neutral, (4) disapproved, and (5) forbidden. Most religious duties, such as the Five Pillars, are obligatory. Anyone who fails to perform them may be punished by God or the Islamic state. For example, in many Muslim countries, refusal to fast during Ramadan may result in fines or imprisonment. In some Muslim countries, special organizations ensure that people make their five daily prayers at the proper time and follow accepted standards of dress and behavior.
Most actions in Islamic law are not obligatory. People who fail to perform acts that are recommended or neutral are seldom punished. Most acts that are clearly forbidden are mentioned in the Qur'an. They include adultery, gambling, cheating, consuming pork or alcoholic beverages, and lending money at interest. The Qur'an details severe punishments for such crimes as murder, theft, and adultery. Crimes are punished harshly because they violate not only the rights of the victim, but also the commands of God. The Qur'an seeks to lessen the severity of these punishments, however, by urging Muslims to practice mercy and not yield to revenge.
Islamic virtues. Islam teaches respect for parents, protection for orphans and widows, and charity to the poor. It also teaches the virtues of faith in God, kindness, honesty, hard work, honor, courage, cleanliness, and generosity. Heads of families must treat household members kindly and fairly. A wife has rights against her husband and may sue for divorce in cases of physical abuse, lack of financial support, or the inability to produce a child. Islam also teaches that a person must not refuse requests for help, even if they seem unnecessary.
Divisions of Islam. There are three historic divisions in Islam. The great majority of Muslims belong to the Sunni «SOON ee» division. Sunni Muslims call themselves by this name because they claim to follow the Sunnah of Muhammad. They follow a traditional and widely held interpretation of Islam.
Most of the conservative Muslims that Westerners call fundamentalists are Sunnis. Like fundamentalists of other religions, these Muslims follow a strict approach to religion. They reject modern and popular interpretations of Islamic law, which they view as too permissive. They insist instead on precise adherence to the Qur'an and Hadith, as they interpret those writings. Many Muslims dislike the name fundamentalists, however. See Sunnis.
The next largest division is the Shi`ah «SHEE ah», whose members are called Shiites. Shiite Muslims honor Ali ibn Abi Talib, a cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad, and Ali's descendants, whom they believe should be the leaders of the Muslim community. Shi`ah comes from the Arabic phrase shi`at Ali, meaning supporters of Ali.
The largest group of Shiites are the Imami «ee MAHM ee» Shi`ah. They are also known as the Ithna Ashari, or Twelvers. They see authority as residing in 12 imams, starting with Ali, who was born in about 600. The 12th and last imam, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan (also called Muhammad al-Mahdi), was born in about 868. They believe this last imam is still alive, in a miraculous state of concealment from human view. He will return at the end of time to restore justice on earth. A small group of Shiites, known as the Isma`ili «ihs may EE lee» Shi`ah, broke away from the Imamis in the 700's. One group of Isma`ilis, known as the Nizaris, still follow an imam called Aga Khan IV, who lives in France. See Shiites.
Today, the Kharijites make up the smallest division of Islam. Their name is based on an Arabic word that means secessionists. They received this name because they were former followers of Ali who broke away in 657. Kharijites are strict Muslims whose beliefs are based on precise adherence to the teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah as their community interprets them. They are most noteworthy for their belief in equality under God. In the first centuries of their existence, they elected their leaders and proclaimed that the best Muslim should lead his fellow believers, even if he was a slave. In some Kharijite communities in Algeria, female scholars and religious leaders serve the needs of women while male scholars and religious leaders serve the needs of men.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Topics for PhotoStory project as pursued in the library
The nations of what we call the Middle East are the principal topics of the first multi-media project in social studies class.
1. Iran
2. Iraq
3. Saudi Arabia
4. Israel (Palestine)
5. Lebanon
6. Syria
7. Turkey
8. Kuwait
9. Bahrain
10. Qatar
11. United Arab Emirates
12. Oman
13. Yemen
14. Jordan
15. Egypt
16. Holy cities of Mecca & Medina
17. Cairo
18. Baghdad
19. Tehran
20. Silk Road
1. Iran
2. Iraq
3. Saudi Arabia
4. Israel (Palestine)
5. Lebanon
6. Syria
7. Turkey
8. Kuwait
9. Bahrain
10. Qatar
11. United Arab Emirates
12. Oman
13. Yemen
14. Jordan
15. Egypt
16. Holy cities of Mecca & Medina
17. Cairo
18. Baghdad
19. Tehran
20. Silk Road
Topics for geo class presentations on Southwest Asia
Mesopotamia, land between the rivers
Sumeria, man's earliest beginnings
Tigris and Euphrates and Persian Gulf
Arabia, the mysterious peninsula
Mediterranean and Red Sea
Dhow and the Arab traders
Jewels of Persia
Biblical lands of Palestine
Sumeria, man's earliest beginnings
Tigris and Euphrates and Persian Gulf
Arabia, the mysterious peninsula
Mediterranean and Red Sea
Dhow and the Arab traders
Jewels of Persia
Biblical lands of Palestine
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Teach your parent(s) a lesson in the Mississippi valley / independent credit
Now that you've learned the states and about the engineering and the trade of this mondo valley, teach your parent a lesson in the Mississippi material.
Pretend to be Mr T. Make them use the atlas!
For independent credit, write an essay on the teaching experience. Include your parents' reactions and performance as well as how you felt communicating the material.
Pretend to be Mr T. Make them use the atlas!
For independent credit, write an essay on the teaching experience. Include your parents' reactions and performance as well as how you felt communicating the material.
Afghanistan: formerly home to the Taliban and al Qaeda
The mountainous, impoverished nation of Afghanistan remains a problem for the US. We used bombs and soldiers to get rid of the Taliban, the radical Muslim leadership group. The radical terrorist group called al Qaeda used this nation as HQ for training.
Subsequently we have tried to rebuild the nation. We have not been terrifically successful. Today, there are reports that the Taliban are again becoming a factor in Afghan life.
Subsequently we have tried to rebuild the nation. We have not been terrifically successful. Today, there are reports that the Taliban are again becoming a factor in Afghan life.
Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden; which is which?
Saddam and Osama.
Which one was a Saudi? Which one was a general? Which one lived in Afghanistan? Which one has enormous wealth?
Briefly,
Saddam Hussein
- murderous military dictator of Iraq.
- kept the peace between the Sunnis and Shiites in Iraq.
- tried and executed by the Iraqis for mass murder.
- threatened the US by refusing to allow weapons inspections.
- began his conflict with the US and other nations in 1991 by taking over the tiny but oil-rich nation of Kuwait.
Osama bin Laden
- born to wealthy family in Saudi Arabia.
- became a strict, conservative Muslim.
- fought in with the Afghanis against the invading Russians (then the Soviet Union).
- helped build the radical organization called al Qaeda.
- al Qaeda trained anti-Western terrorists in Afghanistan.
- the US believes the 9/11 plan was initiated by Osama.
Which one was a Saudi? Which one was a general? Which one lived in Afghanistan? Which one has enormous wealth?
Briefly,
Saddam Hussein
- murderous military dictator of Iraq.
- kept the peace between the Sunnis and Shiites in Iraq.
- tried and executed by the Iraqis for mass murder.
- threatened the US by refusing to allow weapons inspections.
- began his conflict with the US and other nations in 1991 by taking over the tiny but oil-rich nation of Kuwait.
Osama bin Laden
- born to wealthy family in Saudi Arabia.
- became a strict, conservative Muslim.
- fought in with the Afghanis against the invading Russians (then the Soviet Union).
- helped build the radical organization called al Qaeda.
- al Qaeda trained anti-Western terrorists in Afghanistan.
- the US believes the 9/11 plan was initiated by Osama.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Wheat: basic foodstuff of mankind / domesticated in SW Asia
Today I passed out bits of wheat flat bread, one of mankind's oldest snacks. It was, in effect, Biblical bread.
It is symbolic of our study of the Middle East.
When was wheat domesticated? That means when was it cultivated and harvested as opposed to simply gathered from the wild?
What was it about the domesticatrion of wheat that led to the rise of cities and laws?
It is symbolic of our study of the Middle East.
When was wheat domesticated? That means when was it cultivated and harvested as opposed to simply gathered from the wild?
What was it about the domesticatrion of wheat that led to the rise of cities and laws?
How cajuns differ from New Orleanians - in the stereotypes
While oversimplifications can be tricky, I feel comfortable with stating these as differences between the history of the Cajun and the New Orleanian.
Cajuns went from France to Nova Scotia (Acadia) to Louisiana.
Frenchmen arrived in New Orleans before the Acadians came to La.
There were arguably more Spanish and more African peoples in NO.
Cajun dancing (circle dance) and cooking (boudin) was simple. It was what we call folk art.
NO dancing (quadrille) and cooking (etouffee) were more complex.
Mardi Gras in New Orleans was like that of Paris. The Cajuns celebrated as country people, the courrir de Mardi Gras.
Cajuns went from France to Nova Scotia (Acadia) to Louisiana.
Frenchmen arrived in New Orleans before the Acadians came to La.
There were arguably more Spanish and more African peoples in NO.
Cajun dancing (circle dance) and cooking (boudin) was simple. It was what we call folk art.
NO dancing (quadrille) and cooking (etouffee) were more complex.
Mardi Gras in New Orleans was like that of Paris. The Cajuns celebrated as country people, the courrir de Mardi Gras.
From Canada to the Gulf: the Miss. valley
Among the early European travelers of the Mississippi valley were the French traders known as courieurs de bois, "runners of the wood."
They were living among the indigenous peoples, or the natives. In a word, they lived with the Indians. Many of these French explorer / traders married aborigine, or indigenous, women.
The aboriginal people of North La were the Caddo. Today the remaining Caddo mostly live in Oklahoma.
My French-Canadian family came from the area around Quebec. Some of the Trudeaus went down the St lawrence River and connected with the Miss valley. They found their way to Natchitoches and New Orleans. My particular branch went as far as Massachusetts.
The study of family history? Genealogy.
They were living among the indigenous peoples, or the natives. In a word, they lived with the Indians. Many of these French explorer / traders married aborigine, or indigenous, women.
The aboriginal people of North La were the Caddo. Today the remaining Caddo mostly live in Oklahoma.
My French-Canadian family came from the area around Quebec. Some of the Trudeaus went down the St lawrence River and connected with the Miss valley. They found their way to Natchitoches and New Orleans. My particular branch went as far as Massachusetts.
The study of family history? Genealogy.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Independent writing: watch Nova, PBS, on Tues, Aug 28, on Katrina
Finding the Way Home: Two Years After Katrina by Brenda Ann Kenneally
Originally uploaded by MediaStorm
It is followed at 8 by Surviving the Storm, about the efforts of medical personnel at Ochsner Hospital in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.
Independent, bonus credit: Write an essay comparing what we learned from the John Barry essay, "Pittsburgh cabbie," with what you hear on "Surviving the Storm."
Tuesday: Tiw, or Tyr, the God of War
We're gradually researching the background of the names of the days of the week.
The name comes from Middle English Twisday, from Old English Tiwes dæg, named after the Nordic god Tyr, who was the equivalent of the Roman war god Mars, says wikipedia.
Thus we see a similarity between Tues and Thurs, Thor's Day.
And a contrast with Friday, yes?
The name comes from Middle English Twisday, from Old English Tiwes dæg, named after the Nordic god Tyr, who was the equivalent of the Roman war god Mars, says wikipedia.
Thus we see a similarity between Tues and Thurs, Thor's Day.
And a contrast with Friday, yes?
Martin Luther and Henry VIII: leaders of the Protestant reformation
Is your family associated with a Protestant denomination? Most likely, yes. In North La the average person is Protestant in background.
Protestant is a category of Christian denominations based on the word "protest."
Martin Luther was a German monk, priest, professor, theologian, and church reformer. His teachings inspired the Reformation, and influenced the doctrines and culture of the Lutheran and Protestant traditions, and the course of Western civilization. His protest was against several forms of corruption in the Catholic church.
Henry VIII, the English king who disagreed with the Catholic Church over the issue of divorce, was also a Protestant. Henry established the Church of England, a Christian church like the Catholic church except in the policy on divorce.
Today the principal Protestant groups include:
Methodist
Baptist
Church of God
Lutheran (Martin Luther-based)
Episcopalian
Presbyterian
Protestant is a category of Christian denominations based on the word "protest."
Martin Luther was a German monk, priest, professor, theologian, and church reformer. His teachings inspired the Reformation, and influenced the doctrines and culture of the Lutheran and Protestant traditions, and the course of Western civilization. His protest was against several forms of corruption in the Catholic church.
Henry VIII, the English king who disagreed with the Catholic Church over the issue of divorce, was also a Protestant. Henry established the Church of England, a Christian church like the Catholic church except in the policy on divorce.
Today the principal Protestant groups include:
Methodist
Baptist
Church of God
Lutheran (Martin Luther-based)
Episcopalian
Presbyterian
Monday, August 27, 2007
Independent work: visit Meadows Museum, Centenary College and write about what you learn
Meadows Museum currently has an exhibit of Katrina-related photos and art of New Orleans. It makes a great resource center for geo class.
Go see it, explore the museum and write about it for independent credit.
While you're there, visit the Centenary campus. It is an attractive area and may be part of your future.
* Haynes Exercise center
* The shell, or Greek theater
* Student center
* Crumbly Gardens
Go see it, explore the museum and write about it for independent credit.
While you're there, visit the Centenary campus. It is an attractive area and may be part of your future.
* Haynes Exercise center
* The shell, or Greek theater
* Student center
* Crumbly Gardens
Minneapolis to New Orleans: memorize the map of 10 Mississippi valley states for a quiz Thursday
Last week's test was on reading comprehension and composition. This week the quiz will call upon memorization. Students will pracice this map each day in class. It's worth 20 pts.
* Sketch - by hand - a map of the 10 states that border the Miss R.
* Add the names of 5 major cities (Minneapolis, St Louis, memphis, BR and NO).
* You will get a point for each state (spelling counts) and each city. You will get 5 pts for sketching the states' borders correctly.
In this class we will use the metropolitan population in our demographic notes on cities. In the RMQRWA, the metropolitan number is the one in parentheses.
The metro population of Baton Rouge almost dobled after Katrina, from about 400,000 to 700,000 (correcting my class notes).
Post-Katrina New Orleans has lost about half its population. The city itself was about 400,000, pre-storm. It is perhaps 200,000 today, says wikipedia.org. The Metro area has rebounded to some 1.2 M, down from 1.4 M pre-storm, says the Census Bureau.
Which is the city with the most people on the Miss R?
vocabulary:
proximate (Not approximate)
* Sketch - by hand - a map of the 10 states that border the Miss R.
* Add the names of 5 major cities (Minneapolis, St Louis, memphis, BR and NO).
* You will get a point for each state (spelling counts) and each city. You will get 5 pts for sketching the states' borders correctly.
In this class we will use the metropolitan population in our demographic notes on cities. In the RMQRWA, the metropolitan number is the one in parentheses.
The metro population of Baton Rouge almost dobled after Katrina, from about 400,000 to 700,000 (correcting my class notes).
Post-Katrina New Orleans has lost about half its population. The city itself was about 400,000, pre-storm. It is perhaps 200,000 today, says wikipedia.org. The Metro area has rebounded to some 1.2 M, down from 1.4 M pre-storm, says the Census Bureau.
Which is the city with the most people on the Miss R?
vocabulary:
proximate (Not approximate)
Parents must sign first test papers and return them to Mr. Trudeau
Parents are required to sign and send back to me the first test. This evaluation represents a beginning point in a progression of skill development.
The first test was diagnostic and focused mainly on -
* reading comprehension
* possession and use of of the class notes (an open notes test)
* careful reading
The essay spotlighted -
* reading comprehension
* logic and detail in composition
* grammar and spelling
From these relatively brief tests we can see the challenge ahead. They show each student - and parents - the areas that call for development as well as strengths.
Independent work is an alternate way to build points and show intellectual growth. Independent paper topics will be given on this site each week. They are comaprison essays, each a bit unexpected in its juxtaposition of topics.
The first test was diagnostic and focused mainly on -
* reading comprehension
* possession and use of of the class notes (an open notes test)
* careful reading
The essay spotlighted -
* reading comprehension
* logic and detail in composition
* grammar and spelling
From these relatively brief tests we can see the challenge ahead. They show each student - and parents - the areas that call for development as well as strengths.
Independent work is an alternate way to build points and show intellectual growth. Independent paper topics will be given on this site each week. They are comaprison essays, each a bit unexpected in its juxtaposition of topics.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Symbols for quick feedback on geography class essays
Trudeau's system for marking your essays involves the following shorthand items:
Star: excellent; highest praise.
Check: quite good; competent and point-earning material. Large check, more credit. Small check, less credit.
Wavy line: material not at an acceptable level; look for errors in either grammar and construction or in accuracy of information.
Circle: spelling, agreement or punctuation error.
Size of the mark generally denotes greater or lesser praise or caution.
If the mark is not sufficiently clear to you after reading over the passage, please see me. When possible I will respond during class. Sometimes it will have to be after class. Before and after school are also good times to ask questions of me.
Star: excellent; highest praise.
Check: quite good; competent and point-earning material. Large check, more credit. Small check, less credit.
Wavy line: material not at an acceptable level; look for errors in either grammar and construction or in accuracy of information.
Circle: spelling, agreement or punctuation error.
Size of the mark generally denotes greater or lesser praise or caution.
If the mark is not sufficiently clear to you after reading over the passage, please see me. When possible I will respond during class. Sometimes it will have to be after class. Before and after school are also good times to ask questions of me.
Honor roll on the first essay and test in high school social studies
Honored students in the first evaluation in high school social studies:
1st hour, 18 or better on the multiple choice:
Samni Adegboyega
Morgan Emmons
Tyler Rash
Kaitlyn Stephens
1st hour, 5 out of 5 on the essay:
Samni Adegboyega
Dominique Banks
Codi Cummings
Brian Day
Kacie Dzenowski
Matthew Giglio
Adrienne Palmer
Yusheng Qin
Hannah Shuflin
Kaitlyn Stevens
Monica White
Samantha Wren
2nd hr, mult-choice:
Bitsy Hamiter
Emily McGowan
Alexis Mongold
Chas DeNeal
2nd hr, essay:
Emma Claire Hughes
Brett Kessel
Will Singleton
Jay Theriot
Charlotte Willcox
Chas DeNeal
Daniel McFarland
3rd hr, essay:
Elizabeth Smith
Sarah Nichols
Daniel Jordan
Chris Hudson
Neha Dhawan
Rocio Cortez
Sh'derrica Abner
Shelley Whitaker
Octavis Johnson
Paul O'Young
Katelyn Jaudon
Ernesto Diaz
Ashley Sims
Avalon Holloway
5th hr, mult-choice:
Rebecca Elder
Joseph Reynolds
Karen Ezelle
Emily Palmer
5th hr, essay:
Jonathan Cosme
Lakyn Smith
Mary Ainsworth
Karen Ezelle
Jarret Atkins
Emily Palmer
6th hr, essay:
Lindsey Trombetta
Juliana Burnell
Emma Viskozki
Michael Nguyen
Jinan Halim
Alison Mitchell
The illustration above shows students writing their essays in a school in south central Asia.
1st hour, 18 or better on the multiple choice:
Samni Adegboyega
Morgan Emmons
Tyler Rash
Kaitlyn Stephens
1st hour, 5 out of 5 on the essay:
Samni Adegboyega
Dominique Banks
Codi Cummings
Brian Day
Kacie Dzenowski
Matthew Giglio
Adrienne Palmer
Yusheng Qin
Hannah Shuflin
Kaitlyn Stevens
Monica White
Samantha Wren
2nd hr, mult-choice:
Bitsy Hamiter
Emily McGowan
Alexis Mongold
Chas DeNeal
2nd hr, essay:
Emma Claire Hughes
Brett Kessel
Will Singleton
Jay Theriot
Charlotte Willcox
Chas DeNeal
Daniel McFarland
3rd hr, essay:
Elizabeth Smith
Sarah Nichols
Daniel Jordan
Chris Hudson
Neha Dhawan
Rocio Cortez
Sh'derrica Abner
Shelley Whitaker
Octavis Johnson
Paul O'Young
Katelyn Jaudon
Ernesto Diaz
Ashley Sims
Avalon Holloway
5th hr, mult-choice:
Rebecca Elder
Joseph Reynolds
Karen Ezelle
Emily Palmer
5th hr, essay:
Jonathan Cosme
Lakyn Smith
Mary Ainsworth
Karen Ezelle
Jarret Atkins
Emily Palmer
6th hr, essay:
Lindsey Trombetta
Juliana Burnell
Emma Viskozki
Michael Nguyen
Jinan Halim
Alison Mitchell
The illustration above shows students writing their essays in a school in south central Asia.
Week of Aug 27: intro to Southwest Asia
You know this region as the Middle East. A less ethnocentric term is Southwest Asia.
Ethnocentrism is one of the themes of geo class.
This week -
Mon.
Review of New Orleans, the river and coastal erosion. Hands-on project. Review for hand-sketched map quiz on Thurs.
Tues.
Intro to SW Asia, aka Petrolia.
Importance of the region to the world.
Strengths.
Difficulties.
Wed.
Intro to Islam.
The Five Pillars.
Thurs.
Map quiz on the Mississippi valley: 15 items.
- Quiz will comprise a sketch of the states and a selection of cities that immediately touch upon the Miss R.
- Mn, Wi, Io, Il, Mo, Ky, Tn, Ar, Ms, La
- Minneapolis, St Louis, Memphis, Baton Rouge, New Orleans
- scored on accuracy of placement and proportion (I only expect an approximation) and spelling of all items (no abbreviations of major names).
Fri. SW Asia research project.
- Librarians intro resources and software for project.
- Topics assigned.
- Use flashdrives to save material. Or email it to yourself.
- 5-day project.
Ethnocentrism is one of the themes of geo class.
This week -
Mon.
Review of New Orleans, the river and coastal erosion. Hands-on project. Review for hand-sketched map quiz on Thurs.
Tues.
Intro to SW Asia, aka Petrolia.
Importance of the region to the world.
Strengths.
Difficulties.
Wed.
Intro to Islam.
The Five Pillars.
Thurs.
Map quiz on the Mississippi valley: 15 items.
- Quiz will comprise a sketch of the states and a selection of cities that immediately touch upon the Miss R.
- Mn, Wi, Io, Il, Mo, Ky, Tn, Ar, Ms, La
- Minneapolis, St Louis, Memphis, Baton Rouge, New Orleans
- scored on accuracy of placement and proportion (I only expect an approximation) and spelling of all items (no abbreviations of major names).
Fri. SW Asia research project.
- Librarians intro resources and software for project.
- Topics assigned.
- Use flashdrives to save material. Or email it to yourself.
- 5-day project.
Friday, August 24, 2007
An important book, if a quick read: Fahrenheit 451
ray Bradbury's sci-fi novel fahrenheit 451 remains one of the most important books of the era. Please plan to read it.
Norse goddess Freya gives us freyday or fridae or frige doeg
From the Old English, Frige Doeg, and from the Old High German, Fria Tag,we see the roots of Friday.
Do we live in a male-centric society? Does the fact that the median male income in Spt is $31,000 and the female median income is $21,000 offer evidence?
Despite the feminist movement I contend that US society remains old-fashioned and male-dominant.
That's why you rarely celebrate or even hear about the Norse (north) goddess of fertility and love, Freya (Fria).
Do we live in a male-centric society? Does the fact that the median male income in Spt is $31,000 and the female median income is $21,000 offer evidence?
Despite the feminist movement I contend that US society remains old-fashioned and male-dominant.
That's why you rarely celebrate or even hear about the Norse (north) goddess of fertility and love, Freya (Fria).
Map of New Orleans flooding from Hurricane Katrina
Students sketched a map of the Crecent City (crescent bend in the river) that included the following:
- French Quarter / Vieux Carre ("old section")
- Uptown neighborhood / affluence and mansions along St Charles Ave.
- Univeristy section: Tulane, Loyola U, Xavier U.
- Superdome
- Metairie
- Lake Pontchartrain
- Univ of NO
- Industrial canal (ship channel)
- 9th ward
- St Bernard parish
- West Bank area
- Slidel (across L. Pontchartrain)
Times-Picayune slide show.
picayune - something of little value / a penny coin.
- French Quarter / Vieux Carre ("old section")
- Uptown neighborhood / affluence and mansions along St Charles Ave.
- Univeristy section: Tulane, Loyola U, Xavier U.
- Superdome
- Metairie
- Lake Pontchartrain
- Univ of NO
- Industrial canal (ship channel)
- 9th ward
- St Bernard parish
- West Bank area
- Slidel (across L. Pontchartrain)
Times-Picayune slide show.
picayune - something of little value / a penny coin.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Green Day lyrics on the flood and loss of New Orleans
"The Saints Are Coming"
[The Skids Cover]
There is a house in New Orleans, they call the Rising Sun
It's been the ruin of many a poor boy, and God, I know I'm one.
I cried to my daddy on the telephone,
how long now?
Until the clouds unroll and you come home,
the line went.
But the shadows still remain since your descent,
your descent.
I cried to my daddy on the telephone,
how long now?
Until the clouds unroll and you come home,
the line went.
But the shadows still remain since your descent,
your descent.
The saints are coming, the saints are coming.
I say no matter how I try, I realise there's no reply.
The saints are coming, the saints are coming.
I say no matter how I try, I realise there's no reply.
A drowning sorrow floods the deepest grief,
how long now?
Until the weather change condemns belief,
how long now?
When the night watchman lets in the thief
Whats wrong now?
The saints are coming, the saints are coming
I say no matter how I try, I realise there's no reply.
The saints are coming, the saints are coming
I say no matter how I try, I realise there's no reply.
I say no matter how I try, I realise there's no reply.
I say no matter how I try, I realise there's no reply.
Thanks to surferchick70, aka Aouicha, for the lyrics.
[The Skids Cover]
There is a house in New Orleans, they call the Rising Sun
It's been the ruin of many a poor boy, and God, I know I'm one.
I cried to my daddy on the telephone,
how long now?
Until the clouds unroll and you come home,
the line went.
But the shadows still remain since your descent,
your descent.
I cried to my daddy on the telephone,
how long now?
Until the clouds unroll and you come home,
the line went.
But the shadows still remain since your descent,
your descent.
The saints are coming, the saints are coming.
I say no matter how I try, I realise there's no reply.
The saints are coming, the saints are coming.
I say no matter how I try, I realise there's no reply.
A drowning sorrow floods the deepest grief,
how long now?
Until the weather change condemns belief,
how long now?
When the night watchman lets in the thief
Whats wrong now?
The saints are coming, the saints are coming
I say no matter how I try, I realise there's no reply.
The saints are coming, the saints are coming
I say no matter how I try, I realise there's no reply.
I say no matter how I try, I realise there's no reply.
I say no matter how I try, I realise there's no reply.
Thanks to surferchick70, aka Aouicha, for the lyrics.
Memorex Mini Flash Drive at Office Depot for $7, says a student
A 256 mb Memorex flash drive was purchased by one of my students at Office Depot for $7. Great deal.
Test session guidelines for geo class
Test taking is not easy for some first-years because of their general impatience with academic work. To be successful I have observed that students must ...
* Slow down and read questions carefully.
* Go back and check answers.
* When there are several answers that seem to be correct, be able to choose the one that is more directly true.
Classroom guidelines ...
* On open-notes tests, you may use a print-out from the web site, your in-class notes, your atlas, textbook and a dictionary.
* No communication between students during the test.
- no whispering, even if on a non-cheating sort of question.
- no passing of notes or other materials.
* raise your hand when you have a question of any sort. It will be answered by your teacher - in a whisper.
Penalty for ignoring guidelines: phone call to parent; point penalty.
On tests ...
* legibility.
* grammar and spelling.
* use examples in writing essays.
* Slow down and read questions carefully.
* Go back and check answers.
* When there are several answers that seem to be correct, be able to choose the one that is more directly true.
Classroom guidelines ...
* On open-notes tests, you may use a print-out from the web site, your in-class notes, your atlas, textbook and a dictionary.
* No communication between students during the test.
- no whispering, even if on a non-cheating sort of question.
- no passing of notes or other materials.
* raise your hand when you have a question of any sort. It will be answered by your teacher - in a whisper.
Penalty for ignoring guidelines: phone call to parent; point penalty.
On tests ...
* legibility.
* grammar and spelling.
* use examples in writing essays.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Parents are invited to Robert Trudeau's brown bag lunches at CMHS
In order to better serve parents' needs I have several open lunch meetings in the fall for parents who'd like to know more about the geography class, CMHS, college and their children.
The lunch get togethers are on Friday, from 12 to 1 pm. Although an advance email (trudeau@earthlink.net) or call (861-6809 h, 221-2501, w) would be helpful, if you cannot, just drop in.
That's upstairs in the new wing, E 205. Noon to 1 is my planning period and a great time to talk about your child's future.
We'll have one next Fri, too.
The lunch get togethers are on Friday, from 12 to 1 pm. Although an advance email (trudeau@earthlink.net) or call (861-6809 h, 221-2501, w) would be helpful, if you cannot, just drop in.
That's upstairs in the new wing, E 205. Noon to 1 is my planning period and a great time to talk about your child's future.
We'll have one next Fri, too.
Clubs at Magnet: why we have a Leadbelly Society
Leadbelly Society is one of many clubs that met during activity period Wed, Aug 22.
At Magnet I sponsored the Writer's Club for years and years. Then we changed its name to Leadbelly Society and decided to integrate music and writing (and other media).
Today at the first 07-08 meeting I played and sang Leadbelly tunes like "Goodnight, Irene," "Midnight Special" and "Rock Island Line." Huddie Ledbetter, (1888 - 1949) was made famous by the tunes he gave to the world. Also performing were students Brett Havener, Andrew Wood and Brian Day.
More facts about Ledbetter, aka the "father of American Folk music," and "King of the 12-string guitar:"
* spent years in prison for murder and felonious assault.
* "sang his way out of prison" in Tx by a song he wrote for the governor.
* was discovered by folklorist (trained to collect and publish folk songs, art, tales, dance,m etc) Alan Lomax, of the U of Texas and the Library of Congress (Wash, DC).
* Lomax recorded Lead at Angola State Prison.
* Lomax presented the singer to the media in NYC in 1935. Leadbelly became known through records and newsreels.
* Leadbelly lived in NYC and performed in coffeehouses, colleges and schools and at political rallies.
* Buried at Shiloh Baptist Church near Mooringsport. People from all over the world stop at his gravesite to pay respects.
At Magnet I sponsored the Writer's Club for years and years. Then we changed its name to Leadbelly Society and decided to integrate music and writing (and other media).
Today at the first 07-08 meeting I played and sang Leadbelly tunes like "Goodnight, Irene," "Midnight Special" and "Rock Island Line." Huddie Ledbetter, (1888 - 1949) was made famous by the tunes he gave to the world. Also performing were students Brett Havener, Andrew Wood and Brian Day.
More facts about Ledbetter, aka the "father of American Folk music," and "King of the 12-string guitar:"
* spent years in prison for murder and felonious assault.
* "sang his way out of prison" in Tx by a song he wrote for the governor.
* was discovered by folklorist (trained to collect and publish folk songs, art, tales, dance,m etc) Alan Lomax, of the U of Texas and the Library of Congress (Wash, DC).
* Lomax recorded Lead at Angola State Prison.
* Lomax presented the singer to the media in NYC in 1935. Leadbelly became known through records and newsreels.
* Leadbelly lived in NYC and performed in coffeehouses, colleges and schools and at political rallies.
* Buried at Shiloh Baptist Church near Mooringsport. People from all over the world stop at his gravesite to pay respects.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Linkin Park references the flood on their new album
Sarah Nichols pointed out to me that one of the songs on the new Linkin Park album is pointedly about a flood like Katrina in addition to a personal relationship. It's a very listenable tune and now I have a copy of it. I asked her to send me the lyrics:
Linkin Park- The Little Things Give You Away
water grey
through the windows
up the stairs
chilling rain
like an ocean
everywhere
don't want to reach for me do you
i mean nothing to you
the little things give you away
and now there will be no mistaking
the levees are breaking
all you've ever wanted
was someone to truly look up to you
and six feet / under water
i do
hope decays
generations disappear
washed away
as a nation simply stares
dont want to reach for me do you
i mean nothing to you
the little things give you away
and now there will be no mistaking
the levees are breaking
all you've ever wanted
was someone to truly look up to you
and six feet / underwater
i do
all you've ever wanted
was someone to truly look up to you
and six feet / underground
i do...
Linkin Park- The Little Things Give You Away
water grey
through the windows
up the stairs
chilling rain
like an ocean
everywhere
don't want to reach for me do you
i mean nothing to you
the little things give you away
and now there will be no mistaking
the levees are breaking
all you've ever wanted
was someone to truly look up to you
and six feet / under water
i do
hope decays
generations disappear
washed away
as a nation simply stares
dont want to reach for me do you
i mean nothing to you
the little things give you away
and now there will be no mistaking
the levees are breaking
all you've ever wanted
was someone to truly look up to you
and six feet / underwater
i do
all you've ever wanted
was someone to truly look up to you
and six feet / underground
i do...
Aug 31 geo classes will begin a week-long research project in the library and need a flash drive
The Middle East / Southwest Asia unit will unfold with studies of nations in the library. Today as I planned the unit with the librarians they reminded me that students should be highly encouraged to use flash drives to save their work each day.
Floppy disks and CD's have proven frustrating, reminded Mrs. Kay Gammill and Mrs. Lorna White.
Neither the size nor brand of the flash drive matter. Old ones work as well as new ones, in my experience. One thing I'd like to request: keep the lanyard attached to the tiny device. It helps prevent accidental loss.
Questions? Ask in class or look it up. Wikipedia has an effective explanation of how the flash drive works.
Floppy disks and CD's have proven frustrating, reminded Mrs. Kay Gammill and Mrs. Lorna White.
Neither the size nor brand of the flash drive matter. Old ones work as well as new ones, in my experience. One thing I'd like to request: keep the lanyard attached to the tiny device. It helps prevent accidental loss.
Questions? Ask in class or look it up. Wikipedia has an effective explanation of how the flash drive works.
What to print out for the quiz Thurs
Scroll back to Aug 13, please.
To get to Aug 13, you may have to go to the left toolbar to find the Archives. Click on Aug, 07. Print out these articles . . .
1) Welcome to Magnet
2) Demographics
3) Just in Time supply
4) Presentations
5) La Coastline Notes (No questions on the Geo class syllabus)
Copies of "Pittsburgh cabbie ..." are available in the classroom.
6) Einstein
7) Red River story
8) Affluent suburbia
9) Notes, Tues, Aug 21.
Bonus credit:
Typed essay on the geography behind "Romeo & Juliet" or "Taming of the Shrew," currently being produced by Centenary College.
To get to Aug 13, you may have to go to the left toolbar to find the Archives. Click on Aug, 07. Print out these articles . . .
1) Welcome to Magnet
2) Demographics
3) Just in Time supply
4) Presentations
5) La Coastline Notes (No questions on the Geo class syllabus)
Copies of "Pittsburgh cabbie ..." are available in the classroom.
6) Einstein
7) Red River story
8) Affluent suburbia
9) Notes, Tues, Aug 21.
Bonus credit:
Typed essay on the geography behind "Romeo & Juliet" or "Taming of the Shrew," currently being produced by Centenary College.
Notes, Tues, Aug 21: the Miss R valley
Name the river associated with . . .
- Kansas City - Missouri R.
- Cincinatti - Ohio R.
- Pittsbugh - Ohio R.
- Tulsa - Arkansas R.
These are among the great tributaries of the Miss valley.
John Barry's point is that numerous US cities benefit from the Miss R. through trade.
Define:
- meandering
- saline
- ox bow lake
- jetty
- levee
- sediment
- Bienvenue en Louisiane
- gazeteer - compilation of locations; like a dictionary of places.
- Kansas City - Missouri R.
- Cincinatti - Ohio R.
- Pittsbugh - Ohio R.
- Tulsa - Arkansas R.
These are among the great tributaries of the Miss valley.
John Barry's point is that numerous US cities benefit from the Miss R. through trade.
Define:
- meandering
- saline
- ox bow lake
- jetty
- levee
- sediment
- Bienvenue en Louisiane
- gazeteer - compilation of locations; like a dictionary of places.
Monday, August 20, 2007
World War II: a multimedia contest for students and teachers from LPB
To accompany the airing of Ken Burns series on World War II, there is a contest for students asking for multi-media projects.
Choose -
Powerpoint
Video
Audio
or combinations thereof.
No more than 3 mins length.
See more at LPB.
Choose -
Powerpoint
Video
Audio
or combinations thereof.
No more than 3 mins length.
See more at LPB.
Affluent suburbia . . .
Most of the students at CMHS come from affluent suburbia, which means well-to-do and not in the downtown area.
If you live downtown, you're an urbanite.
Urban: having to do with cities.
Suburban: a gas-intensive, truck-like commuter vehicle.
If you live downtown, you're an urbanite.
Urban: having to do with cities.
Suburban: a gas-intensive, truck-like commuter vehicle.
Red River Story
Notes upon the background of Louisiana's Red River -
- tributaries in N. Mexico.
- Canyon, TX (Panhandle), the Prairie Dog Red River
- border between TX and OK
- loops thru AR
- does not flow through downtown Natchitoches.
- flows through Alexandria.
- meets the Miss R near the line 31 degree parallel.
1861 - 1865 - US Civil War
mnemonic - memory aid
Ft Humbug on the bluffs at the Va Hospital. Union Army tries to capture Spt in waning months of war. Stopped by the CSA at Battle of Mansfield.
- tributaries in N. Mexico.
- Canyon, TX (Panhandle), the Prairie Dog Red River
- border between TX and OK
- loops thru AR
- does not flow through downtown Natchitoches.
- flows through Alexandria.
- meets the Miss R near the line 31 degree parallel.
1861 - 1865 - US Civil War
mnemonic - memory aid
Ft Humbug on the bluffs at the Va Hospital. Union Army tries to capture Spt in waning months of war. Stopped by the CSA at Battle of Mansfield.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Activities that illustrate Barry's hypothesis in "Pittsbugh cabbie"
1. Map of the Gulf coastal plain showing a triangular area from Cape Girardeau, MO, to Texas and Ala.
Wavelines show former extent of the Gulf.
Shark’s teeth found in Miss. are evidence.
2. Sketch of trees and dirt collapsing into the river channel.
3. Sketch shows concrete panels being used on the river channel sides and bottom to make a canal-like waterway. Label sediment being trapped and not allowed to flow into the river. Label: River deprived of 60% of its former sediment load.
4. Sketch map that shows Tulsa, KC, Minneapolis, Cincinatti and Pittsburgh. Show the rivers that connect to the Miss valley.
Label: 20% of US exports. 60% of grain exports. NO is busiest port.
5. Sketch of the Miss delta at the mouth of the river. Label: jetties ectend 2 miles into Gulf. Sediment is deposited off the continental shelf.
6. Sketch map of La and Miss that shows levees preventing alluvial soil from being distributed across the cotton and soybean fields.
7. Sketch coastal La. showing I-10 and the marshes. Sketch fine lines that penetrate the coast line and go to well heads (a square - in reality it looks like a steel valve with a giant steel valve control wheel atop it.)
Label: 10,000 miles of canals service oil and gas wells. Label: arrows show saltwater going up the canals to cripple the marshland. Label: 2,100 square miles of coastal land and barrier islands have melted into the Gulf of Mexico.
8. Sketch US outline map. Label: The nation as a whole gets nearly all the benefits of engineering the river. Louisiana and some of coastal Mississippi get 100 percent of the costs. Why should a cab driver in Pittsburgh or Tulsa pay to fix Louisiana's coast? Because he gets a stronger economy and lower energy costs from it, and because his benefits created the problem.
9. Map of New Orleans:
* French Quarter (grid)
* Uptown (upriver): Tulane, Loyola, Xavier, Audubon Park.
* Downtown: the Central Business District. Canal St.
* Lakefront: UNO, canals.
* Ship Channel that connects L. Pontchartrain w Miss R.
* Lower 9th ward.
* St Bernard Parish.
* Areas of higher elevation near rim of “bowl.”
Wavelines show former extent of the Gulf.
Shark’s teeth found in Miss. are evidence.
2. Sketch of trees and dirt collapsing into the river channel.
3. Sketch shows concrete panels being used on the river channel sides and bottom to make a canal-like waterway. Label sediment being trapped and not allowed to flow into the river. Label: River deprived of 60% of its former sediment load.
4. Sketch map that shows Tulsa, KC, Minneapolis, Cincinatti and Pittsburgh. Show the rivers that connect to the Miss valley.
Label: 20% of US exports. 60% of grain exports. NO is busiest port.
5. Sketch of the Miss delta at the mouth of the river. Label: jetties ectend 2 miles into Gulf. Sediment is deposited off the continental shelf.
6. Sketch map of La and Miss that shows levees preventing alluvial soil from being distributed across the cotton and soybean fields.
7. Sketch coastal La. showing I-10 and the marshes. Sketch fine lines that penetrate the coast line and go to well heads (a square - in reality it looks like a steel valve with a giant steel valve control wheel atop it.)
Label: 10,000 miles of canals service oil and gas wells. Label: arrows show saltwater going up the canals to cripple the marshland. Label: 2,100 square miles of coastal land and barrier islands have melted into the Gulf of Mexico.
8. Sketch US outline map. Label: The nation as a whole gets nearly all the benefits of engineering the river. Louisiana and some of coastal Mississippi get 100 percent of the costs. Why should a cab driver in Pittsburgh or Tulsa pay to fix Louisiana's coast? Because he gets a stronger economy and lower energy costs from it, and because his benefits created the problem.
9. Map of New Orleans:
* French Quarter (grid)
* Uptown (upriver): Tulane, Loyola, Xavier, Audubon Park.
* Downtown: the Central Business District. Canal St.
* Lakefront: UNO, canals.
* Ship Channel that connects L. Pontchartrain w Miss R.
* Lower 9th ward.
* St Bernard Parish.
* Areas of higher elevation near rim of “bowl.”
Understanding the Mississippi River, New Orleans and coastal land loss; week of Aug 20 - 24
New Orleans, LA--Aerial views of damage caused from Hurricane Katrina the day after the hurricane hit August 30, 2005. Photo by Jocelyn Augustino/FEMA
Originally uploaded by greenmannowar
- understanding geographic landscapes and how they are affected by geological history (ex, the growth and loss of the Gulf coastal plain).
- improving note-taking by
* using key fragments and abbreviations.
* using symbols and sketches in order to better visualize the material.
We will complete a reading of and notes on the
1) John Barry / Washington Post article and
2) begin a reading of the Michael Grunewald / Time magazine article.
Thurs, Aug 20: first quiz. See earlier post.
Fri: hands-on model of the riverine landscape.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Melding a student body from a multitude of middle schools
Most of the 24 middle schools represented in my students:
youree
southfield
st johns
st joseph
keithville
montessori
elm grove
green acres
n desoto
st marks
herndon
calvary
first baptist
turner
linwood
bethune
evangel
broadmoor
christian center montessori
st marks
js clark
home schooled
bickham
youree
southfield
st johns
st joseph
keithville
montessori
elm grove
green acres
n desoto
st marks
herndon
calvary
first baptist
turner
linwood
bethune
evangel
broadmoor
christian center montessori
st marks
js clark
home schooled
bickham
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