Hellenistic Culture

Here's a bunch of information about the Hellenistic culture... videos, pictures, some short blurbs to read...

http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Hellenistic_civilization.aspx

360 Degree View of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece

I've found a cool website with 360 degree views of the Acropolis in Athens.

Most of this stuff was knocked down during the Persian invasions, and was later rebuilt. The Parthenon is dedicated to the goddess Athena Parthenos. The design of the building, built entirely of marble.

The dimensions of the Parthenon are 225 feet in length, 100 feet in width, and the columns of the outer colonnade are 34 feet high. (a paper towel role is 11 inches?) How can we calculate the other dimensions of the Pathenon to scale using this information? Oh... Algebra... imagine that! Talk to Ms. Davis, she should be able to help us.

Here's the link to the 360 degree views.

http://dkv.columbia.edu/vmc/acropolis/#1_1

Modern Day Singapore - and Hammurabi's Code

Hammurabi's Code of laws are very strict, and the punishment usually is appropriate for the crime. (If you steal something, your hand is cut off.) He had very strict laws because it would keep his people in line. Nobody wants to commit even a small crime because the penalty is so great. Modern day Singapore has a similar philosophy. So I challenged some of you to find some of the laws that Singapore enforced and many of you came back with some great info... here are the highlights:

• Failure to flush a public toilet after use could attract hefty fines
• shoplifting and theft are considered SERIOUS offenses... in the US, they're not.
• the sale of GUM is prohibited
• bungee jumping is illegal
• if you are convicted of littering 3 times, you will have to clean the streets on sundays, and wear a sign that says "I'm a litterer" (We are still determining the truth of this claim.)
• serious crimes like weapons offenses could attract the death penalty
• smoking is ILLEGAL in public places - Entering Singapore with cigarettes is considered an offense.

It is no wonder that Singapore is one of the countries with the lowest incident of crime in the world.

Thank you to all of the students who contributed to this information... I'd love to hear your comments on the situation...

What is your culture?

Scour the internet to find a picture - and tell us how it is "Your Culture"

Cave Paintings

Here are the links to help you explore the cave paintings... Follow the directions below. Let me know if you have any questions.

Assignment 1:

Go to: http://www.historylink101.com/lessons/art_history_lessons/cave_art1.htm
Questions to Consider. (Answer the following on a separate sheet of paper.)
Facts:

1) What type of materials did early man use to paint on the walls of caves?
2) What colors were used the most in their cave art?
3) In what part of the world is most cave art found??

Explore:
4) Which was your favorite painting? Why?

5) Why do you think early man chose the subjects (i.e. the objects of the paintings) they did for their painting/drawings?

6) How realistic or abstract are the paintings of early man? What could this tell us about them?

Assignment 2:
Then go to: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/stoneage/toolkit.html and click on the image on the left side to launch the interactive tool kit.

Click on each tool to try and identify its use or purpose.

How well did you do?
Leave your comments on the blog below. (Don't use last names - first names and initial will do)

Get a better understanding of the MIgration of Early Man

Take a look at this map.
Use the arrows in the upper right to scroll forward.

In the comment field below, tell me what stands out to you?

http://www.classzone.com/webquest/MC_interactives/AC_01_migration/AC_02_047_migration.html

Pres. Obama challenges U.S. Students to do their Best

President Barack Obama addressed the nation's youth today. He encouraged them to think about personal responsibility, persistence and goal setting. After watching/reading/listening to the speech, what is your reaction?

For homework, answer two of the following bullet points:

• What resonated with you from President Obama's speech? What lines or phrases will you remember?
• Who is President Obama addressing? How do you know? Describe his audience.
• Is President Obama inspiring you to do anything? Is he challenging you to do anything?
• What do you believe are the challenges of your generation? How can you be a part of addressing these challenges?
  

If you'd rather read the speech, here it is: http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/