January Master Class

Master Class

Go to this link HERE and click on the introductory note link. 
Skim the introductory note just so you have an idea what these stories are, and where they come from. 

Now, what I'd like you to do is go through some of these stories and pick one to present in class.
Let me know what you pick so that we don't overlap!

Also if you notice, the stories are in old English style which is great because it'll probably expand our vocabulary! :D  So just for fun, I want you to keep track of how many words you don't know for sure. 

That's it!  If we happen to have time, maybe I'll pull out a movie we could watch.  There's Sinbad, and Aladdin of course.  I'm sure there's more.  Any suggestions?

Happy reading!!

Journeyman

I'm so excited to be the student mentor for history! We are going to have a great time learning more about our family history.

Watch this video about Tigger’s family tree. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLPnAas_EpE

Study/Learn

I thought it would be really fun to find out how everyone in Vanguard is related, so I created a group on Relative Finder. Open this web page: https://www.relativefinder.org/#/main and sign in through FamilySearch. Once you’ve done that, click Join Groups and look up Vanguard. There is another Vanguard group, but ours has a different description. Ours just says that we are a homeschool group. The password to join is WeAreTheVanguard. That will connect you so you can see how everyone is related. Remember, no one can see how they are related to you until you join the group, so you should join as soon as you can.

Know/Understand

Read 1 Nephi 5:14-16. Do you think that family history was important to Lehi? Why? Journal about it, and come ready to discuss it in class.

OPTIONAL: This is a fun little story. It’s pretty short, so go ahead and read it if you can, but it isn’t necessary.  https://familysearch.org/blog/en/relative-finder-big-family-cousins/?repeat=w3tc

Apply/Share

Once you have an account, Relative Finder lets you see famous people you are related to. For example, I’m related to Isaac Newton. He is my 1st cousin 11 times removed. Find someone famous or important you are related to, and come prepared to tell us 3 fun or inspiring facts about them. If you choose fun, make it fun. It can be a story, their shoe size, what you think their dating profile would look like if they had one, or anything you find interesting.

India & the Middle East!

Apprentice

Study/learn

Read: The Story of the World vol. 1 chapters 30,31,34,35-42.
           The Story of the World vol. 2 chapters 4,5,6,7,12.

It's kind of tedious to skip chapters, but if this helps just read the chapters about Rome, India, and Islam.  The other chapters about Christianity, and China will come later.  Just go as far as chapter 12 in volume 2 and you'll have gone far enough.


Put these on note cards:

Caligula
Pax Romana
Cato
Charlamagne
Julius Caesar- I came, I Saw, I Conquered
Oedipus
Attila the Hun
Carthage
Genghiskhan
Hammurabi
Hannibal
Ottoman Empire
Persian Empire


Now that you have an overview of what was going on in the world we're going to study up on India.

Watch these videos on India:

Part one

Part two

Part three





The Middle East is also apart of what we're studying this month, and I have found out that most of what we're learning for that region is about Islam.  So here is a history video about Islam.

Here

Come prepared to discuss what you learned in The Story of the World, and what this video teaches.  There are some differences that I want to note when we're in class.










Present:

A Bible or a Book of Mormon story with the time frame, so that we can put it in our timeline.  Just so that we have a good overview of what's going on in the world at this time.   Make sure you bring pictures or something to make it a fun/interesting presentation.  Everyone falls asleep when we don't really prepare, and this should be pretty easy since we already know the stories.


Also let me know what you're presenting and I'll put it on the blog so that we don't overlap. Thanks!!


Know/Understand

Now I want you to get out your timelines!  This is where the real fun begins!  Take your timeline and tape it on a wall.  Take your note cards (ALL NOTE CARDS) and label them on your timeline if you can.  If you have time, make your timeline awesome by color coding it, or adding pictures!  Anything to make it yours and help you remember better.




Become/Serve

Now that you've read and studied make sure to discuss with your parents about what you learned.  And also write in your journal about what you've learned and how it's changed your perception of how things are in the world.


Now time for a game!!!

At class we're going to play a timeline game so come prepared to play.  I'll have a prize ready for the team that wins so make sure you've got your timeline buried in your brain! :D  Also make sure to bring them to class.  Or if you'd rather not take it off your wall, take a picture of it and send it to me and I'll show the class!  I'm excited to see what you've done with them!

October History

Ancient Greece and Rome!

Apprentice

This week we're studying Greece and Rome.  This is the time of history when things start getting more and more interesting, because archeologists have more records and evidence of what happened!

What to study

Read the Story of the World chapters 20-29. 

Read this article about Paul in the New Testament.  It's interesting to think that we're reading New Testament times.  That the Savior and those that followed him lived during this period of time.  

Put these words on notecards:

Romulus & Remus

Punic Wars

Roman Empire

Rubicon

Fall of Rome

Holy Roman Empire

Caesar

Constantine the Great

Constantanople

Know/understand

We all know that the Story of the World is a broad overview of our history, so now I'd like you to look up one of these topics and study some more on the subject.  If you happen to pick a subject that would use a map, make sure to look one up and label it.  A good place to print your own map is here.

Email/text me what you pick so that we don't overlap.  I'll make sure to update the blog. :)

The Greece alphabet- Anthony

The stories of Homer - Isa

The Olympics- Afton

Cyrus the Great

The Spartans - Mack

The Athenians - Tara

The war between Greece and Persia - Jayson

The Peloponnesian War

Alexander the Great - Annie

The rise of Romec- Kylee, Caleb

The Roman Gods - Amanda

The Roman builders - Jessica

Gladiators- Jaykob

The Punic Wars - Paige

Also, make a list of what similarities we have today that the Greeks and Romans had back then.  You'll be surprised how much history effects us, and how we still use some of the same things, and images they used.  

Why study history?  Because it effects us more than we think! :D

What kinds of things do we want to keep that helps our society?  What kinds of things that's in society that hurts us?  Those are thought provoking questions.  Brainstorm it with your parents and then record in your commonplace book what you came up with.  

Apply/share

Now here's the fun part!  Come to History class ready to present a 3 minute presentation on what you learned.  Make sure you have maps/pictures to show us.  Pictures ALWAYS make a presentation better.

I'm excited to see/hear what you come up with!!

Journeyman

Study/learn

Now that we've learned how to look up our ancestors, and we've started our own personal history and journaling, we're going to branch out.  

We're going to start our own genealogy binder.   So get an old binder that's not in use, or get a new one and label it so you know that it's your family history binder.

We're going to start with our parents.  Print, if you can, a childhood picture of your parents.  If they haven't gotten this already written down, ask your parents these questions:

What's your mother's full name?

What's your father's full name?

Name your aunts and uncles and their years of birth.  Make sure to separate them into your mother's side of the family and your fathers side.

What were your mother's date/place and circumstance of birth?

What were your father's date/place and circumstance of birth?

Make a list of what their favorite things were as a child.  (like favorite: tv show, movie, toy, scripture story, food, best friend(s), drink, candy, holiday.) 

Have each parent tell a favorite childhood memory.

Remember to type all of this information up and print it off and put it in your binder.

Know/understand

Since we've started this family history journey, (and history in general) how has your perspective changed since starting?  Journal about it, and come prepared to have a discussion in class.

Apply/share

In class we want you to tell us one of their stories! Pick a favorite and come and share it!  :D

Master

Study/learn

Read: Famous Men of Greece, and Famous Men of Rome by John H. Haaren and A.B. Poland.
As you're reading these books, if you happen to come across something that you already know, you are free to skip or skim over it.


Know/understand

Now that you're done reading about Greece and Rome, mark on your timelines these dates:

When Greece started
The rise of Rome
The fall of Rome
And at least 5 significant dates in between.



Apply/share

Come to class ready to tell us what you liked most about both these Empires.

Ancient Egypt!

APPRENTICE

I'm the map, I'm the map, I'm the map, I'm the map, I'M THE MAP!! (Where does that come from? Ha ha!)

During your reading (with your parent), look up some maps of what you're studying and get familiar with each country or kingdom.  There's a million to choose from. And for those of you that have the activity book, you can look up the maps for each chapter.

We're going to be doing some map work and timeline stuff at Vanguard.

Read chapters 10-19 in The Story of the World Vol. 1.

Each chapter talks about a different kingdom or country.  What similarities are there between them?  What are the differences?  What things did you like about these countries, and what did you not like? Are we seeing the same things happening today as they did back then?
Discuss these questions with your parents and then write your answers down in your commonplace book.

Click here for an article about what the prophets say about our history and what we need to learn from studying it.


I also want to clarify what your commonplace book is.  Remember it's a journal of sorts so don't treat it like another school notebook where you just write your answers down.  Think about what you would tell your future self or other people you might think would read it.  When you write your answers down in it, make sure you write the date, and what you're studying from so that later when you look through it, you'll know how you came by the notes you put in it.  Believe me, when you look back on it years from now you'll surprise yourself at what you've learned over the years.  And you'll appreciate the work that you put into your book! Your posterity will thank you too!


Get your Cultural Literacy book out, and put these words on notecards:

Cleopatra
Pharaohs
Tutankhamen
Alexander the Great
Athens
Trojan War
Augustus Caesar
Brutus

I realize that some of these words don't go with what we've read so far, but I decided it would be better to give you an even amount of words to study over the year, than to give you a ton of words for just one week.


Bring your colored pencils or crayons to class this week!  We're using them for our timelines, and our maps. :)








JOURNEYMAN

This week I want you to look at this website here.
To get you started, look at the part that says: What resources are available?  Click on the picture under See My Family Tree.  Watch the videos, and set up your own account.
Look at the whole website and learn as much as you can.  We're going to have a family history specialist come and help us with anything that we need, so make sure you come with questions!

We want to be able to work on more than just getting our accounts started, so your goal this week is to really start working on your ancestors.  Have your parents help you! I think this is something that you'll enjoy together.  I'm excited to see what you come up with, and I'm sure our specialist will be excited to help with more than just setting up accounts! :D

If you have a laptop that you could bring that would be great!  Just email me and let me know if you can.  I also have a couple I could bring if we don't have enough.

This is going to be exciting to see!!




MASTER

For master this week we're reading The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt.  This was a fun and interesting book to read.
In your commonplace book I want you to write down 10 interesting facts about Egypt in your book.

Do we have similarities with these facts in our world today?  What are they?

There are a lot of interesting pictures of artifacts and monuments in this book, so let's make our own picture/mural of our Vanguard to put on the wall!

Bring all cool artsy things that you'd want to put onto our Vanguard mural!  And while we're making it we'll discuss the book!

I'm excited to see what we come up with so come with ideas! :D

Woo!!  We're back!  

September History.

The Beginning.

Apprentice

Read this article:  https://www.lds.org/ensign/1978/09/why-study-history?lang=eng

In your commonplace book, write down these questions:

Why study history?

Why is it so important?

How does learning history affect us?

Do you think all history is true?

After you’ve written down your questions, I want you to ask your mom those same questions and see what she says.  Or while you’re writing down your answers you can discuss each question with your mom, and then write what you decide.

Read: The Story of the World Vol. 1 Ancient Times  chapters 1-9.

Look up these terms in your Cultural Literacy Book and write them on flash cards:

Hunting & Gathering Society

Nomadism

Bronze Age

Iron Age

Middle Ages

Stone Age

Come prepared to have a discussion.  We’re going to be talking about what we read in the Story of the World and labeling our maps.

Here're a couple of fun videos for you to watch!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZFF8EuaGjM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E2CNZIlVIg

Journeyman

Watch this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojeIoHmBADs

Family history! Yeah!

I read somewhere that the best place to start your family history is to start with yourself, so this month for Journeyman we’re going to gather all our information. 

First things first!  Get a journal if you don’t have one, and if you want to do a journal on a computer, than make sure you have a back up of all your work.   (I do both!) 

Next is gather your information and record it into your journal.  (Ex. Birthdate, place, time, parents names.  Dates that matter like baptism date, blessing date.)

And now here’s your big assignment.  If your parents haven’t already done this, I want you to record the day of your birth.  So have your mom and/or dad dictate to you what your birthday was like. 

Come prepared to show us what your birthday was like!  Yes!  This is going to be fun!!

Here’re some ideas for you, but remember you can do whatever sparks your mind:

Draw a picture of your birthday.

Write a poem of your birthday.

Make a collage with your birth pictures.

Write a paper of what your day was like and share it.

Play, sing or bring music that was played around the date of your birthday.

Bring something that your parents saved from your birthday to show.

The sky is the limit on what you can think up! You’re free to use whatever amazing talents you have!! J

Master

Read: The Jaguar Prophecy by Phyllis Gunderson

This book is a fun read, and it really gets you thinking. 

Look up Matt. 24 and read the whole chapter.  Also make sure you read the JST parts of it. 

Read this:   https://www.lds.org/ensign/1981/12/i-have-a-question?lang=eng

Through whatever medium that you like to use, present your feelings on the prophecies that we’ve read, and what that means for you, and your own future.

Here’re some ideas:

Draw/paint/sculpt some (any kind of art) kind of art that represents what you feel.

Write a paper and present it to the class.

Write a song, or find a song to play that conveys the feelings you have.

Draw a cartoon.  It could be a political statement, satire, or a comic.

Write a speech to give to the class.  There are generally 4 different types of speech, look them up to help you decide. 

Those ideas are just the start!  Do what you feel strikes your interests. I'm excited to see what you guys come up with!! 

Here's a fascinating video about the stars, and the star of Bethlehem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO7Dz0uOMjM

 It's an hour long so you'll need to take an evening with your parents, but believe me you'll be glad you watched it!!   J

2000s

 Apprentice

Complete all of the following:

1. Read A History of Us, volume 10, chapters 46-52

2. Write the definitions to the following terms from the Dictionary of Cultural Literacy on note cards:

• preemptive strike
• PLO

3. On your fold-out timeline in your history binder, look up the dates and label the important political events for the 2000s, including: World Trade Center attack, War on Terror, South East Asia Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and Hussein executed.

CONTEST: See if you can find important events for your timeline in other areas like science, entertainment, sports, etc. We will vote on the best or most unique one found! There will be a prize :)

4. Create a notebook page or two for your History binder on the events from the 2000s. Be creative and artistic. Include a summary of the chapters you read and include any applicable pictures and maps. Write a paragraph or two about your conclusions about these events. What do you think about them? Also, print or draw some pictures and write short bios on the following people: George W. Bush, Colin Powell, Osama bin Laden, and Yasir Arafat. (These are also found in The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy.) 

Journeyman

Pretend that it is Sept. 11, 2001 and you just watched the World Trade Center topple on live television. Create a piece of art or poetry responding to the event. Think about how it affected people all over the world. 

Master

1. Read Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef

1990s

Find some saggy pants or overalls and come on 

down for 90s day!

Apprentice

Complete all of the following:

1. Read A History of Us, volume 10, chapters 43-45

2. Write the definitions to the following terms from the Dictionary of Cultural Literacy on note cards:

• Y2K
• genocide

3. On your fold-out timeline in your history binder, look up the dates and label the important political events for the 1990s, including: Germany reunited, Hubble telescope launched, Mandela freed, Collapse of Soviet Union, Desert Storm, Apartheid repealed, Bosnian genocide, end of Cold War, L.A. riots, Rwandan genocide, Clinton impeached, Columbine High School shootings.

CONTEST: See if you can find important events for your timeline in other areas like science, entertainment, sports, etc. We will vote on the best or most unique one found! There will be a prize :)

4. Create a notebook page or two for your History binder on the events from the 1980s. Be creative and artistic. Include a summary of the chapters you read and include any applicable pictures and maps. Write a paragraph or two about your conclusions about these events. What do you think about them? Also, print or draw some pictures and write short bios on the following people: Nelson Mandela, Sadaam Hussein, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Muammar Qaddafi, and Bill Clinton. (These are also found in The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy.) 

Journeyman

1. The history book talked a lot about how crime became a real problem in the 90s, which led to debates about gun control, metal detectors in schools, etc. When I was in fourth grade, the school made a rule that you couldn't have a group of more than four students together on the playground because it was considered "gang activity." In our area it's hard to imagine this being a problem, but in inner cities it has become a real concern. Recently, mass shootings in public places have flared opinions around this issue as well. Research both sides of the issue of gun control. Form your argument. What do you think the answer is? Come to class ready to share. 

Master

1. Read Left to Tell* by Immaculee Ilibagiza

* Disclaimer: This book is comparable to The Hiding Place in that it tells the story of finding God in the darkest of trials. I think it is an important book for us in our day, and I hope all of you will read it. However, it is sprinkled with some grisly details of the Rwandan genocide. If you have a difficult time dealing with those things, then you may want to consider skipping this book or having a loved one edit out the more violent parts for you. Do remember though, that this is history. It is a first-hand eye-witness account of what happened, this is not made up. Much of history that we end up reading about has been edited for us already and we merely gloss over impersonal events, dates, and facts. History takes on a new meaning entirely when we read about its effects on living, breathing human beings. If it happened there, it can happen here, and that's why I think we should know.

1980s

Yikes. That's all I have to say. Time to bring out those acid-washed pegged jeans, leg warmers and BIG hair! Come looking your 80s best for our Vanguard Battle of the Bands!!

Apprentice

Complete all of the following:

1. Read A History of Us, volume 10, chapters 38-42

2. Study a map of the Persian Gulf area and print for your notebook page.

3. Write the definitions to the following terms from the Dictionary of Cultural Literacy on note cards:

• AIDS
• Tiananmen Square
• Iran-Contra Affair

4. On your fold-out timeline in your history binder, look up the dates and label the important political events for the 1980s, including: the John Lennon's assassination, Mt. St. Helen's erupts, Soviets shoot down Korean airliner, U.S. embassy is bombed in Beruit, Hijacking of TWA flight 847, Titanic found, Challenger explodes, Chernobyl, Mir Space Station launched, Berlin Wall falls, Valdez oil spill, Tiananmen Square massacre, world wide web invented, and Persian Gulf War.

CONTEST: See if you can find important events for your timeline in other areas like science, entertainment, sports, etc. We will vote on the best or most unique one found! There will be a prize :)

5. Create a notebook page or two for your History binder on the events from the 1980s. Be creative and artistic. Include a summary of the chapters you read and include any applicable pictures and maps. Write a paragraph or two about your conclusions about these events. What do you think about them? Also, print or draw some pictures and write short bios on the following people: Indira Gandhi, Mikhail Gorbachev, George H. Bush, Sandra Day O'Connor, Sally Ride, and Ronald Reagan. (These are also found in The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy.) 

Journeyman

1. Read Texas vs. Johnson decision
There is a lot going on right now in the news regarding disrespecting the flag. Find a current article on this issue and tell us your opinion. 

2. So, for our 80's party in Journeyman on the 18th, we are going to start off with a bang. The 1980s brought the birth of the music video (MTV) and we are going to celebrate by making some of our own :) Really...You're assignment is to make a music video. You can either do it solo, or get a group of other Vanguardians to be in your band and do it with you. You don't have to sing or play the song, just lip sync. Make sure to use awesome costumes and eighties visual effects :) Do a good job. This is a battle of the bands, and the winner (according to the judges) will have their wildest dreams come true. (As long as their wildest dreams consist of a candy bar or something similar). So, here are the song choices: 

Let me know what song you would like to do, and I'll put it on the blog.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun--Cyndi Lauper (HARRISON SISTERS)

Beat It--Michael Jackson (LUKE CLOWARD, MEGAN HALLEY, CALEB RICHARDS)

Every Breathe You Take--The Police (SUMMER HALLEY & AFTON CLOWARD)

Eye of the Tiger--Survivor (PORTER SEGO)

Jump--Van Halen (ADRIANNA PULLEY)

Total Eclipse of the Heart--Bonnie Tyler

Endless Love--Diana Ross/Lionel Richie

So Emotional--Whitney Houston

Paradise City--Guns 'n' Roses

You Better Love Somebody--Rick Springfield

The Final Countdown--Europe (HANNAH COLBY, SAMANTHA HUNT, MACK FONTANO)

With or Without You--U2
Holding out for a Hero--Bonnie Tyler (MORFORD SISTERS)

IMPORTANT: Save your final video as either a .mov (Quicktime file), .avi, or a .wmv file, and bring it with you to class on a usb thumb drive. If you need to borrow a thumb drive, please let Brother Halley know next Thursday. Thanks guys! I hope you have super fun with this :) 

Master

Read Red Scarf Girl by Ji-Li Jiang