Weekly Schedule January 7th – January 11th

This is our schedule for the week ending January 11th, 2007. It is important to remember that these schedules are not etched in stone. Our firm belief in adjusting our curriculum to meet the needs of students sometimes causes slight changes. It is important to note that ample time is given in class to complete most assignments. There are occasional projects, spanning a week or more, that will require students to work outside of class. There will be no more than one of these per month. If you have any questions, please contact me at extension 38.

1st Year Social Studies (Period 1 & 3) – This week we will begin studying the Revolutionary War and the Declaration of Independence.

Monday: We will be studying the Declaration of Independence. Our discussion will explain not only the basic principles and concepts set forth in the Declaration of Independence, but we will also explore the valiant American leaders, their ideas, and the historical events that spurred them to declare independence from England in 1776. There will be a short quiz.

Tuesday: We will continue our study of the Declaration of Independence.

Wednesday: We will begin our study of the Revolutionary War. The war for American independence began almost by accident, when a single, unidentified shot rang out at Lexington. We will examine the decade of conflict that sparked rebellion, as well as the Continental Congress’ decision to hire a physically imposing Virginia aristocrat to lead its army. Students will also be assigned a project covering one of several Revolutionary War battles.

Thursday: In response to the Declaration of Independence, the British sent the largest force of soldiers, sailors, and warships ever assembled to America to crush the rebellion. The British also hired Hessian soldiers from Germany to help fight the colonists. As we continue our study of the Revolution, students will understand why George Washington made “Victory or Death” his password for crossing the Delaware as the Americans are pushed to the brink. We will also be examining the way the revolution sometimes split families by examining the relationship between Benjamin Franklin and his son William.

2nd Year Social Studies (Period 2 & 4) – We will be studying Ancient Egypt.

Monday: We will study Ramses the Great. This man clearly was concerned with posterity: he built more monuments and fathered more children during his reign than any other pharaoh. We will view some of Ramses' legacies, including the massive figures at Abu Simbel that inspired Mount Rushmore. Then examine a key battle Ramses may have lost — the one with Moses and the God of the Israelites. Judge for yourself how well archaeological evidence supports the events described in Exodus.

Tuesday: We will look further into the correlations between the archaeological accounts and the Bible’s of the Exodus of the Israelites.

Wednesday: He had weaker PR than Tut and company, but lesser-known Sneferu gets the credit for making Egypt an international power. He and his sons built the pyramids, the region's most lasting legacy. Join him as he presides over Egypt's artistic and architectural heyday, then fast-forward to crawl through a surviving pyramid's labyrinthine burial chambers.

Thursday: We will continue our study of Sneferu.

Health –

Friday: We will be viewing “Trust Me: Learning to Be Responsible.” Using scenarios typical of middle school experience, each followed by a series of thought-provoking discussion questions, demonstrates that behaving responsibly is an essential key to growing up.