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January 31, 2007
Wednesday, January 31st: Reenacting the Revolution
Today we will reenact the Russian Revolution. We will begin with a little bit of preparation time. You will meet in three groups and I will meet with each group to make sure that everyone is as prepared as possible to play their role. Remember, you are graded not only on your written work, but also on what you say during the revolution.
Homework:
Complete the two readings about communism. They are difficult, but I want to expose you to some of these ideas before we talk about them in class. Be prepared for a short reading quiz on these two readings for tomorrow.
Posted by kmurr at 9:16 AM | Comments (0)
January 29, 2007
Monday, January 29th: Test Preparation
Hi. I am out sick today. You will have today to prepare for TOMORROW'S exam. We have covered everything that will be on the test, so I see no reason to postpone it. We will do the Russian Revolution simulation on Wednesday. Here is what you should be working on today.
1. Preparing your notes for the identification section of the test...Remember that for each identification, you can have ten words worth of notes.
2. Preparing your outlines...You can have 150 words for each question. You must prepare for BOTH questions.
3. Please print out the Russian Revolution assignment and have that ready to turn in tomorrow before the test.
Mr. Vergin will have extra copies of the test sheet if you need it. I will try to check email throughout the day.
Thanks!
Ms. Murr
Posted by kmurr at 8:56 AM | Comments (0)
January 26, 2007
Friday, January 26th: The Fall of the Romanovs
Factors in the Fall of the Romanovs
Last night you read about some of the events that led to the fall of the Romanovs. Use the reading to make a list of all of the different factors that brought down the tsars. Be as specific as possible. We will share your lists after about five minutes. Eventually, you will want to download these notes and take a look at them.
Remaking the Revolution
On Monday, we will be recreating the Russian Revolution. Rather than playing yourselves, you will be playing an assigned part. Some of you will be supporting one of two options. Others of you will be undecided Russians who are questioning which option they are going to support. Right now, I will hand out the parts and give you some time to meet with me and to prepare.
Homework
Complete your Russian Revolution preparations. I would spend about 45 minutes on your preparation.
Continue studying for Tuesday’s exam. Remember, you can use a lot of notes on this test, so work to take advantage of that.
Posted by kmurr at 7:01 AM | Comments (0)
January 25, 2007
Thursday, January 25th: The Greats
The Greats
We will look at two more czars from Russian history. Download this note guide to organize your ideas.
Women in Politics
We are going to discuss the role of women in modern politics. We will think about some of the things that we learned about Catherine the Great as we complete this discussion.
Homework
Begin preparing for next week's test. Remember, you can now answer both of the essay questions.
Read the packet about peasant life in Russia. We will be discussing this tomorrow.
Posted by kmurr at 9:25 AM | Comments (0)
January 24, 2007
Wednesday, January 24th: The "Greats" In Russian History
First Russia Unit Test
We will go over the information for the first unit test on Russia. This test has a different format from previous tests, so pay close attention to my explanations.
Russia and Democracy
You had to complete a reading about democracy in Russia. We will be discussing this reading and a few other interesting statistics that I found. Be prepared to comment as I will not be afraid to call on students who are not raising their hands.
The Greats
We will look at two more czars from Russian history. Download this note guide to organize your ideas.
Homework
Begin preparing for next week's test. If you didn't read the article about women in politics last night, do so for tonight.
Posted by kmurr at 9:12 AM | Comments (0)
January 23, 2007
Tuesday, January 23: The Ivans
State of the Union Address
President Bush will be giving his State of the Union address tonight. I will give you a few ideas of things to look for and you can talk about what you want to hear.
Invasion
We will finish our discussion of the Mongol invasion and domination of Russia. This shouldn’t take more than about 15 minutes.
Two Ivans and the Time of Troubles
We are going to take a few notes about some of the earliest Russian czars. Download this note guide for help. I have some interesting stories for you and you will spend as much time listening as you will typing. Keep in mind the current state of Russia as you take these notes.
Democracy in Russia
You had to complete a reading about democracy in Russia. We will be discussing this reading and a few other interesting statistics that I found. Be prepared to comment as I will not be afraid to call on students who are not raising their hands.
Homework
You have another article to read tonight. This article doesn’t actually deal with Russia. Instead it examines whether or not the United States is ready for a female president. The article is very biased. Feel free to criticize its conclusions. We will be discussing this article in class tomorrow.
Posted by kmurr at 9:07 AM | Comments (0)
January 22, 2007
Monday, January 22: Invasion
Cities Quiz
Any last minute questions? If not, good luck!
Kievan Rus
We will finish up our notes about Kievan Rus. This shouldn’t take long at all.
Reading Quiz
We will take our reading quiz now. It will take about five minutes.
Genghis Khan
We will use a video clip to begin our analysis of Genghis Khan and the Mongols. As you watch the clip, think about your impressions of the Mongols. How would you describe them? What is society’s view of the Mongols? Why would society have this impression?
Notes on the Mongol Invasion
We will focus on the impacts of the Mongol invasion. Download this note guide to help you organize your thoughts.
Homework
Read the “Russia and Democracy” reading. Follow the directions on the reading to complete the assignment. This assignment will take about 45 minutes. This is your only homework for the evening.
Posted by kmurr at 9:26 AM | Comments (0)
January 19, 2007
Friday, January 19th: Kievan Rus
The Beginning
A couple of days ago, we discussed the “end” of Russian history. Today we will turn to the beginning of Russian history. Just as we did with the colonization of Africa, we will use a set of images to draw conclusions about Kievan Rus, the first “incarnation” of Russia. You will get into a group of two and use a series of images to draw at least 15 conclusions about Kievan Rus. Just as with the colonization activity, you need to make sure that you aren’t just making observations about the pictures. You need to use your observations to draw more general conclusions about Kievan Rus. You will have 15 minutes to draw at least 15 conclusions.
Notes
Download this note guide so that you can organize your thoughts. You may also want to look at the following links. All of them will be used during the lecture.
Map of Kievan Rus
Church of the Transfiguration
Homework
Your Russia cities quiz is on Monday. Don’t forget to study.
Read the short reading about the Mongols for Monday. You will have a short reading comprehension quiz on this reading on Monday. You will be able to use the reading on the quiz.
Posted by kmurr at 9:30 AM | Comments (0)
January 18, 2007
Thursday, January 18th: Early Russian History
Physical Geography Quiz
Good luck!!
Russia Chronology
We will finish the chronology activity from yesterday. Remember, the purpose of this activity is to introduce you to many different topics in Russian history. You don’t need to understand completely all of the topics at the end of the activity.
The Beginning
A couple of days ago, we discussed the “end” of Russian history. Today we will turn to the beginning of Russian history. Download this note guide so that you can organize your thoughts. You may also want to look at the following links. All of them will be used during the lecture.
Map of Kievan Rus
Church of the Transfiguration
Homework
Your countries quiz is tomorrow. Don’t forget to study.
Posted by kmurr at 9:16 AM | Comments (0)
January 17, 2007
Wednesday, January 17th: Russia Chronology
We will complete the Russia chronology activity today. First, seat yourself in order from the oldest event to the most recent event. Then, download the blank chronology sheet. You can use this to take notes while you listen to the presentations. You will find these notes very helpful when you study for tests.
Homework
Your first geography quiz is tomorrow. It will cover the physical geography of Russia. Don’t forget to study!
Posted by kmurr at 9:58 AM | Comments (0)
January 15, 2007
Tuesday, January 16th: An Introduction to Russia
Beginning With the End
Instead of beginning at the "beginning" of Russian history, I think we will begin with the end. We will look at what is going on in Russia today, so that we can keep the present situation in mind as we study the past. You will read an article about Vladimir Putin and his approach to governing. While you read this article, complete the chart that I handed to you. We will discuss this in class.
Homework
You homework for tonight is the Russia Chronology Assignment. You chose an event today in class and tonight you need to research this event. You will present your findings tomorrow in class. Your presentation should be about two minutes long and should contain something visual. Use the questions that you can download here to guide your research. This assignment should take between 30 and 40 minutes.
Here are some websites that might help you.
The Face of Russia
Russia and the Former USSR
You also have some Russia geography quizzes coming up. Your physical geography quiz will be on Thursday. Your countries quiz will be on Friday. Your cities quiz will be on Monday.
Posted by kmurr at 9:18 PM | Comments (0)
January 12, 2007
Conference Evaluation
Please download the conference evaluation and fill it out before the end of the hour. Please print it and hand it in.
Posted by kmurr at 10:09 AM | Comments (0)
January 10, 2007
Final Essay Reminders
Don't forget that your final essay is due tomorrow. The essay must be typed, using the Times New Roman font, 12-point. The essay must be double-spaced and can only be three pages. Margins must be 1 inch by 1 inch.
You must answer ALL PARTS OF the following question:
Explain your personal position on each of the following three issues:
a. The establishment of an independent Palestinian state
b. The future of the old city of Jerusalem
c. The construction of a security barrier around the West Bank
One year from now, will the Middle East be a more or less peaceful region than it is today? Explain your answer.
Let me be clear. You must answer all parts of the above question. I typically recommend that "a" be given its own paragraph, "b" be given its own paragraph, "c" be given its own paragraph and the "one year from now" part be given its own paragraph. You also need an introduction and a conclusion.
I should be able to meet with students during 3rd and 5th block. I will only have a very limited amount of time to review drafts tomorrow evening. You will have time to work during class on Friday. The essays are due by 3:30.
Posted by kmurr at 7:53 PM | Comments (0)
January 4, 2007
Thursday, January 4th: Terrorism - In the Eye of the Beholder?
Arab-Israeli Crisis Quiz
Good Luck!
What is terrorism?
Read about the following events and determine if each of these events represents an act of terrorism. Be sure that you can justify your decision.
1. Revolutionary War - Revolutionaries in the 13 colonies that became the United States used "guerilla" warfare in order to beat the British army. These tactics involved surprise attacks, such as revolutionaries ambushing British soldiers moving from place to place.
2. Attack on My Lai - This event took place in 1968 during the Vietnam War. U.S. soldiers were told that enemy soldiers were being harbored in the village of My Lai. U.S. Soldiers attacked the village in response. Many individuals, including women and children, who were not involved directly with the war were killed. More than 350 Vietnamese were killed in a single day. Some were shot as they tried to escape the homes that the American soldiers had set on fire. One American soldier said that he and his fellow soldiers were "going in there to give them a fight for what they had done to [his] buddies."
3. Algerian Independence Movement - The National Liberation Front used guerrilla warfare directed at French civilians living in Algeria in order to convince the French to give Algeria its independence.
4. Hamas Suicide Bombings - Hamas has organized suicide bombings against Israel. Hamas's goal is to replace Israel with a Palestinian state. Hamas uses suicide bombings directed at civilians and military targets to attempt to reach this goal.
5. Saddam Hussein's Methods of Rule - Saddam Hussein used horrifying tactics, including murder and torture, in order to control the people of Iraq.
6. Shock and Awe Campaign - At the beginning of the most recent war in Iraq, the United States staged a massive air raid on Baghdad in order to make the military and political officials in Baghdad fear the U.S. military.
Homework
Continue working on your Middle East Peace Conference Assignment. Your position paper is due next Tuesday.
You will need to write an essay outside of class for your final essay. The essay must be typed, using the Times New Roman font, 12-point. The essay must be double-spaced and can only be three pages. Margins must be 1 inch by 1 inch.
You must answer the following question:
Explain your personal position on each of the following three issues:
a. The establishment of an independent Palestinian state
b. The future of the old city of Jerusalem
c. The construction of a security barrier around the West Bank
One year from now, will the Middle East be a more or less peaceful region than it is today? Explain your answer.
I will be happy to look over drafts and to discuss your ideas with you. The essay must be written outside of class. In other words, you will not write this essay in class. This essay is due on Friday, January 12th at 3:30.
Posted by kmurr at 9:28 AM | Comments (77)
January 3, 2007
Wednesday, January 3rd: Word Day
You will have today to work on your Middle East Peace Conference Assignment. You should be researching your part and starting to answer the questions for the position paper assignment. I pasted the MEPC assignment below so that you have some of the links immediately available to you. Also, don't forget that you have a quiz on all of the Arab-Israeli crisis information tomorrow in class. You will not be able to use notes and you will not have a partner. DON'T FORGET TO STUDY!!
Template for the Position Paper
The Position Paper is the written part of the Middle East Peace Conference assignment. It is not an essay, but it is six paragraph answers to six questions. The questions and directions for this assignment are linked here.
Resources for the Middle East Peace Conference
What follows is a list of resources that you can use to complete your research for this assignment. I would look at all of these resources before the end of the quarter. Some will be more or less helpful depending on your assigned part.
This is an excellent source of information. It has country descriptions, leader descriptions, articles, maps and timelines that EVERY conference participant would find helpful. You might even want to start your research here.
The Online NewsHour Coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
This site has descriptions of past attempts to make peace in the Middle East and descriptions of the key players in the conflict. It doesn’t have as much information as the BBC website, but I think everyone could find this site helpful.
The Online NewsHour Coverage of the Israeli-Hezbollah Clash
This site provides a lot of information about the latest conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The archives section of this site might help each of you determine your character’s position on the latest round of fighting.
The Online NewsHour Coverage of Iran
This site focuses on the current state of Iran. This will, of course, help the Ahmadinejad character in both classes, but it might help other characters determine how to deal with Iran.
The Online NewsHour Coverage of Iraq
This site focuses on the current state of Iraq. This will help the Maliki character, but it might help other characters determine how to deal with Iraq.
The United States State Department Page on the Middle East Peace Process
This site will help the characters from the United States, Russia, Britain and the United Nations (The Quartet), but all characters should look at it. This describes the Quartet’s response to the crisis in the Middle East.
The Guardian’s Special Report Site on the Conflict in the Middle East
This site contains numerous newspaper articles about the latest issues in the Middle East. Look here for very up-to-date information. The Hamas, Hezbollah, Lebanese and Israeli characters may find this site especially helpful.
DON'T FORGET TO USE LEXIS-NEXIS. This is easily the best database available to you when working to find information about your people. You should search in the "news" section when doing your research.
Posted by kmurr at 9:18 AM | Comments (0)
January 2, 2007
Tuesday, January 2nd: MEPC Preparation
Recent Developments in the Arab-Israeli Crisis
We will finish up with the packet and the notes that we were taking before the break. Even in the last couple of weeks, there have been a number of important developments related to the Arab-Israeli crisis.
Work Time
We will be working on your position paper research. Use this time wisely. I will be available to answer questions. Remember, you earn points for staying on task.
Homework
You will have a quiz on Thursday on the Arab-Israeli crisis. It will cover all of the material in the packet and that we discussed today. You will not be able to use a partner or notes.
Your position paper is due one week from today. You need to begin working on this in earnest.
Posted by kmurr at 9:47 AM | Comments (0)