Day 32: Inca Social Structure (3/30/11)

Aim: The historians of 2016 will create a social pyramid accurately depicting the Incan social structure.

Task 1: Submit your homework here. If you already submitted it last night, you do not have to submit it again.

Task 2 Quick Question: Imagine if you were there. You are an Inca nobel. One day, you travel with the king and the army take over new lands for the empire. There is a bloody battle, and you win a major victory. You want to make sure that later generations know about this important event, but you language has no written form. How will you pass your knowledge of history?

Task 3: On your own this time, make a copy of this document and break the facts up into the different categories that they belong in.

Task 4: After going through Mr. Sanders' presentation on the social structure of the Inca Empire, create a new slide in your social structures presentation for the Incas.

Task 5: Look at my portfolio check document here. If you see a zero in a box next to your name, I couldn't find that posted on your portfolio. If you see a N in your boxes, you need to e-mail the link to your blog so I can check it out. If you add a missing assignment to your portfolio make sure you complete the missing work form.

Homework: Read about family life in the Inca empire and complete the questions for the reading here.

Day 31: Rise of the Incas (3/29/11)

Aim: The historians of 2016 will be able to describe when and where the Inca empire existed and create a comic strip accurately depicting how the empire began.

Task 1: Submit your homework here. If you completed your homework online, you do not have to submit your homework a second time.

Task 2 Quick Question: Hernando Cortez destroyed the Aztec empire, in part because he cut off the water supply to the city. Last night you looked at the Inca capital of Machu Picchu, do you think that the conquistadors (Spanish) were able to defeat the Inca's as easily as they conquered the Aztecs?

Task 3: Track the presentation on the introduction to the Inca Empire. Make sure you write down three or more key steps that led to the creation of the Inca empire and its rise to power. You can take these notes in Google Notes, Scratchpad, or on paper.

Task 4: Open this great comic strip creator and make an account. You will need to go to your e-mail and verify your account. Once your account has been created, make a 3-5 scene comic strip describing the rise of the Inca empire. If you would like to create this storyboard in Google docs, you may.

Task 5: Post the comic strip to you history portfolio. If you can't figure out how to post it, share it with me so I can see it.

Homework: The students will read Chapter 26.3 and complete the corresponding workbook page.

Day 30: "Cortes the Killer" (3/28/11)

Aim: The historians of 2016 will be able to articulate modern perceptions of Hernando Cortes.

Task 1: Submit your homework here. If you already submitted your homework online, you do not have to resubmit it.

Task 2 Quick Question: Before we dig into the details of Cortez’ conquest of the Aztecs do you believe he is viewed as a hero, villain, or both? Why?

Task 3: Track the video of Hernando Cortes and his arrival at Tenochitlan. If you want to watch it later, you can see it here.

Task 4: Open the lyrics to the two songs we are going to analyze and wait for directions.

Task 5 discussion question: Based on Hernando Cortez' actions in the Aztec empire, should he be remembered as a hero or a villain and why?

Homework: Analyze this picture of Machu Picchu and complete the questions here.

Day 29: Testing Your Teammates Knowledge of the Aztecs (3/24/11)

Aim: The historians of 2016 will create a five question quiz on the Aztec empire and have four or more of their teammates take the quiz.

Task 1: Submit your homework. If you completed it online last night you do not need to submit it again.

Task 2 Quick Question: Could the Aztecs have prevented the collapse of the empire? Why or why not? If so, what could they have done to prevent it?

Task 3: Open up your document where we sorted 42 facts about the Aztec empire. Track your document and/or Mr. Sanders while we discuss some of the more difficult facts to sort.

Task 4: Create a five question quiz about the Aztec empire that your teammates can take. Use google forms to create the quiz and post it to your portfolio so that your teammates can come and take it. If you need to see how to create and post your quiz, click here.

Task 5: Make sure the following items are posted to your portfolio:
1) Map of Mesoamerica
2) Map of Tenochtitlan
3) Social Pyramids (structures) of the medieval world
4) Blog post about Aztec Sacrafice & American Prison Labor
5) Blog post about Aztec City Design & Los Angeles
6) Five question quiz for your teammates (step 4 from today's lesson)

Homework: Complete a new current event for Monday. Remember, you must write it in the form of a script that a newscaster could read on TV. The best stories will make it into next week's episode of KSN. You story should be one long paragraph or two short paragraphs in length.

Day 28: The Arrival of Cortez & City Redesign (3/23/11)

AIM: The historians of 2016 will apply their knowledge of the faults of Tenochtitlan’s city design to suggest changes to the city design of Los Angeles.

Task 1: Submit your homework. If you completed the homework on the computer last night, you do not need to submit it again.

Task 2 Quick Question: If you were there… You live in a village in southeast Mexico that is ruled by the powerful Aztec empire. Each year your village must send many baskets of corn to the emperor. You have to dig gold for him too. One day some strangers arrive by sea. They tell you that you want them to overthrow the emperor. They ask for your help. What would you do?

Task 3: Track Mr. Sanders as he goes through the causes of the fall of the Aztec empire. Please have the presentation open on your computer.

Task 4: Create a new post in your history portfolio where in paragraph one you summarize why the Aztec empire fell and problems with the design of Tenochtitlan and in the second paragraph you write your opinion on the city design of Los Angeles and if there is something city designers could change in order to improve the city.

Task 5: Chapter 24 Quiz

Homework: Read about family life and markets in Tenochtitlan and fill out complete the workbook page.

Day 27: Aztec Religion and Human Sacrifice (3/22/11)

Aim: The historians of 2016 will make connections between the Aztec use of slaves in human sacrifice and prison labor in America.

Task 1: Submit your homework (if you did it last night you've already completed it).

Task 2 Quick Question: Do you believe that the United States should use prison labor more often?

Task 3: Track the video (please do not open the video while we are watching it in class) and Mr. Sanders he talks about religion and role of human sacrifice. I strongly encourage you to watch the documentary on your on time!

Task 4: Write and opinion blog post on the issue of prison labor and relate it back to the role of slaves and prisoners of war in Aztec human sacrifice. Track Mr. Sanders and he discusses this topic and goes over directions.

Task 5: Read and comment on three of your teammates blog posts.

Homework: Read chapter 25 section 3 and 5 and complete the corresponding workbook page.

Day 26: Aztec Family and Marriage Practices (3/21/11)

Aim: The historians of 2016 will compare and contrast the marriage and family practices of the Aztecs with those they are familiar with.

Task 1: Submit your homework.

Task 2 Quick Question: If you had to be a member of Aztec society, which social class would you like to belong to?Why? If you do not explain why, Google Moderator will probably say your idea is similar to one already posted and will not let you submit it.

Task 3: Track Mr. Sanders as he goes through his presentation on Daily Life in the Aztec empire. Make sure you have the presentation open and saved to your documents.

Task 4: Use Google Draw or Presentation to create a double-bubble map comparing and contrasting the family and marriage practices of the Aztecs with culture you are familiar with.

Task 5: Make sure you have your projects from last week posted to your history portfolio.

Homework: Analyze The Great Market of Tenochtitlan by Diego Rivera and complete the homework here.