Monday, January 26, 2009

Homework for today

Folks:

Tonight's homework:

Advanced: Read 512-521 and complete 277-278 in the workbook.

Comp/Core: Read 512-519.

Enjoy!

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Essay Questions

I, like some of you, had tech issues yesterday, then a family gathering, so please forgive me. But here they are, as promised.

Essay Questions

1. How did Japan’s geography affect its culture?

2. Describe the role of women in Japan during the Middle Ages.

3. Why did shogunates rule Japan for hundreds of years?

4. Describe two of the art forms that the Japanese developed during the Middle Ages.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Obama-Lincoln

Perhaps it is appropriate that on this day, when we see the first American of African ancestry sworn in as President of the United States, that we take the opportunity to look at the Second Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln. As Lincoln wrote the nation was nearing the end of a horrible civil war, and the nation needed healing, as some argue it does today. Your assignment is to read Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address below, and answer the question that follows. DUE THURSDAY!!!


Fellow Countrymen:

At this second appearing to take the oath of the Presidential office there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first. Then a statement somewhat in detail of a course to be pursued seemed fitting and proper. Now, at the expiration of four years, during which public declarations have been constantly called forth on every point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs the attention and engrosses the energies of the nation, little that is new could be presented. The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly depends, is as well known to the public as to myself, and it is, I trust, reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all. With high hope for the future, no prediction in regard to it is ventured.
On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it, all sought to avert it. While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war—seeking to dissolve the Union and divide effects by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish. And the war came.
One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war. To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war, while the Government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes. 'Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh.' If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him? Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said 'the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether'.
With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan – to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.

Answer the following question, as a blog response, in open-ended format.

What does each man (Lincoln and Obama) ask of the average american in the solving of the nation's problems? DUE THURSDAY!!!

Friday, January 16, 2009

Two Weekends in a Row!

Folks, again this week, you have homework on the weekend. Write, on the back of your original, a revised open-ended reponse to the Mt. Fuji question. Be sure to include your original when you hand your revised copy in on Tuesday.

Enjoy the long weekend!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

More Open Ended Questions!

Tonight's homework is to read the handout you received today, the one about Mt. Fuji. Mrs. Kazdan will be in class tomorrow working with us on open ended question responses. We are both expecting that this piece will be read before you come to class tomorrow.

Enjoy!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Tonight's Assignment

Tonight you should finish reading Section 3 of Chapter 14 and answer the last question on the handout you received in class today.

Enjoy!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Better late than never?

I am sorry this post is going up late, but tonight's homework is as follows:

Periods 1 and 2 are to complete the timeline handout.

Period 5 has the night off.

Period 6 and 7 are to define the terms on pages 269 and 270(clan) in the workbook.

See you tomorrow!

Monday, January 12, 2009

Tonight's Homework

Tonight you are to read the remainder of chapter 14 section 2, and answer question # 6 on page 497.

Friday, January 09, 2009

Homework on the Weekend

It's not often that you are assigned homework on the weekend, but due to the weather causing havoc with our schedule, is a necessity today.

Therefore, depending on the group you are in, you will read a given selection in the text and perform a "text rendering."

Identify the most important SENTENCE, PHRASE, and WORD in the selection and write those things down.

Enjoy!

Go Giants!

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Snow Day!

Hurray for a snow day!

However, don't forget that there was homework assigned; read 491-493 "Nara Japan." Be prepared to discuss the differences between the manner in which civil servants were selected in China and the way they were selected in Japan during the Nara Period.

Enjoy, and we'll see you tomorrow!

Monday, January 05, 2009

Homework, Period 6!

Tonight only period 6 needs to get some work done. Period 6 should complete their handouts on Chapter 14 section 1.