Name: ______Do Now

August 19, 2005 History - ____

Do Now #5

Directions: Read the descriptions of two different history classrooms. When you are finished with each, answer the questions below.

Classroom #1

Mr. X teaches a fantastic group of middle school students. This year they are studying Africa and Asia. The year begins with Mr. X telling his students about what life was like for people living in ancient China. His students read about many aspects of Chinese civilization from a beautifully illustrated textbook.

After three weeks, Mr. X’s class begins their study of Africa’s countries. Each student is assigned a research project on a different African country. The students spend the next two weeks doing research on the countries they have chosen and then present to the class.


Classroom #2:

Ms. Y teaches another fantastic group of middle school students. This year they too are studying Africa and Asia. However, Ms. Y wants her students to answer the question, “How do different groups of people learn the difference between right and wrong?” So, her students study the religions, beliefs, and stories of countries in both Africa and Asia.

After three weeks, Ms. Y’s class begins a new unit as well. However, in Ms. Y’s class students are expected to know what different “battles for freedom” in many African and Asian countries have in common. Her students must be able to explain what makes a “battle for freedom” successful and what difficulties many freedom fighters face.

(Be sure to write in complete sentences when you answer each question.)

1. Is classroom #1 an ordinary history class or an extraordinary history class?

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2. Is classroom #2 an ordinary history class or an extraordinary history class?

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3. Will Mr. X or Ms. Y empower the class? Why? ______

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4. Will Mr. X’s class or Ms. Y’s class help students solve problems in the future? _____

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5. In which class would we probably find empowering memories? Why? ______


Name: ______Homework

August 19, 2005 History - ____

Weekend Letter #1

Directions: Pick one of the following prompts, and write a letter to Mr. Lindy this weekend. Be neat, and use intelligent, seventh grade vocabulary. Use all of the lines!

1.) Who will win the 2006 Superbowl? Or who will make it to the NCAA Final

4 this March? Be sure to explain the strengths that your team has, which

teams it will beat easily, and what—if anything—will be challenging for your

team.

2.) If you had to convince a new student to enroll at GCP, what would you tell

her/him? What are the aspects of this school that make it appealing to a new

student? What would get that student excited? Why should that student not

be scared?

3.) Who is the best musician being played on the radio today? What makes

her/his music better than anyone else’s? Why should people listen to this

artist’s music?

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