Monday, Dec. 2, 2013
Miss B previewed the following:
New add-on to the grading policy in Miss B's class-
Employability skill of timeliness from the State of Iowa Core standards.
Timeliness will now be graded as added points to every homework assignment. Full points for on-time work. One point will be deducted each day assignment is late. Timeliness points will not be more than 10% of the associated assignment points. Students may still receive full points for an assignment, but might not achieve full points for timeliness. Timeliness points are separated to provide a clear indication and message to students regarding whether their work is completed and submitted on time.
Maya Civilization Inspiration map final section completed and checked. This assignment was due today, See Tuesday, Nov 26. Additional time was (reluctantly) provided to complete it in class. No more class time will be provided.
New add-on to the grading policy in Miss B's class-
Employability skill of timeliness from the State of Iowa Core standards.
Timeliness will now be graded as added points to every homework assignment. Full points for on-time work. One point will be deducted each day assignment is late. Timeliness points will not be more than 10% of the associated assignment points. Students may still receive full points for an assignment, but might not achieve full points for timeliness. Timeliness points are separated to provide a clear indication and message to students regarding whether their work is completed and submitted on time.
Maya Civilization Inspiration map final section completed and checked. This assignment was due today, See Tuesday, Nov 26. Additional time was (reluctantly) provided to complete it in class. No more class time will be provided.
Tuesday, Dec 3, 2013
Students prepared for Task 2 of their Maya Artifact Project.
- Installed Google dictionary to aid with definitions and pronunciations of unfamiliar words that students might encounter in their reading on web pages.
- Enabled Google Docs offline. Google Docs offline allows users to access and revise &edit a Google Doc while offline. Revisions will upload once internet connection is reestablished. You must be on Google Chrome!
- Reviewed how to use text to speech feature in the various browsers to aid in reading web pages.
- Definitions recorded and in their Time Traveler's Terms (also available in the Time Traveler's terms on this web site located under, "Library") Students: copy and paste the terms below into your Time Traveler's Terms Google doc. Include the dotted line and place under the section labeled: Ancient Americans: The Maya Perspective Quest General Terms ------------------------------------------------------
- archaeology: the study of human history and prehistory through the excavation of sites and the analysis of artifacts and other physical remains.
artifact: an object made by a human being, typically an item of cultural or historical interest.
prehistory: is the span of time before recorded history.
recorded history: sometimes referred to as written history, is a concept describing the availability of a written record or some other form of documented communication. For instance, it is believed that the only “written” language of the Inca empire is a system of different knots tied in ropes attached to a longer cord. This system is called quipu or khipu. The ropes also have different colors, which may have encoded information. - Finally, have someone in your group place these words in your Maya Artifact Project Google doc under Task 2. Label it: Vocabulary
Wed/Thurs, Dec.4, 2013
Review vocab words from yesterday.
Watch the following videos -
Before watching the second video, look up Caracol on the Google Earth Maya overlay to locate it. How large does this site appear to be?
As you watch the archaeology videos, list the things an archaeologist does. All team members need to take turns recording our findings onto the Maya Artifact & Codex Project Google doc when Miss B pauses the video. Put your name next your answers.
Watch the following videos -
Before watching the second video, look up Caracol on the Google Earth Maya overlay to locate it. How large does this site appear to be?
As you watch the archaeology videos, list the things an archaeologist does. All team members need to take turns recording our findings onto the Maya Artifact & Codex Project Google doc when Miss B pauses the video. Put your name next your answers.
What is Archaeology? by Shmoop. You can also view the video above on YouTube
Maya Archaeology in Caracol, Belize. You can also view the video above on YouTube
Friday, Dec. 6, 2013
Practice Artifact Analysis with hypotheses
How much can we learn from one little artifact?
analysis is the process of breaking a complex topic into smaller parts to gain a better understanding of it.
hypothesis is a supposition/guess or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation.
Students were given an "unknown" artifact to analyze. The object was a penny, but students had to imagine they had never seen the object before.
The original lesson plan for this activity can be found HERE
On their Maya Artifact Project Google doc, teams recorded their observations. Miss B followed up with a series of questions to help students look more closely, consider more and to be specific and accurate in their recordings. On Monday, students will answer a series of questions which require them to hypothesize some meaning from their observations. See below for one team's work thus far.
How much can we learn from one little artifact?
analysis is the process of breaking a complex topic into smaller parts to gain a better understanding of it.
hypothesis is a supposition/guess or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation.
Students were given an "unknown" artifact to analyze. The object was a penny, but students had to imagine they had never seen the object before.
The original lesson plan for this activity can be found HERE
On their Maya Artifact Project Google doc, teams recorded their observations. Miss B followed up with a series of questions to help students look more closely, consider more and to be specific and accurate in their recordings. On Monday, students will answer a series of questions which require them to hypothesize some meaning from their observations. See below for one team's work thus far.