Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Important Class Information


Dear Parents and Students:

Please be advised of the following dates. Grades will be posted via Engrade and Progressbook. All current assignments will be applied to the second nine weeks report card. Grades will also be posted on Progressbook during the second nine weeks.

October 28: The End of the 1st Marking Period
October 29:  Student Holiday, Teacher Workday.
Truly Yours,
                  Mr. A

Monday, October 18, 2010

Animaniacs - Nations Of The World

Test 2: Review (Oct. 19-20, 2010)

Students,
       The following links provide valuable information used in class and evaluated in Test 2. Please make sure to study the Landform terms, the types of Natural Habitats, Disasters and culture.Remember the extensive definition of culture given in class and you will do fine on Test 2.


Culture (E.B. Taylor 1890) is an organized system of learned behavior patterns, always made manifest by a group.
    *Making that group distinctive from other groups.
    * It is non-instinctive, but rests on biological base of:
a. colorvision b. bipedal locomotion c. opposable thumb. d. brain capacity
    * Transmitted through language, is cumulative, embraces both artifact and attitude, and is human kind’s chief adaptive mechanism.
Landform Vocabulary
Natural Habitats
Natural Disasters
Hispanic Heritage Facts
Culture 

Friday, October 15, 2010

Hispanic Heritage Month: Extra Credit Celebration

Dear Parents and Students:


Although Hispanic Heritage Month is coming to a close (Sept. 15-Oct. 15), it is important to understand the statement being made by our brothers and sisters in the Latino community. To be aware of the diverse cultures and variety of languages, customs, foods, and people around us can open everyone to new worlds to explore. I would like to thank Guest Speaker Marytza Sanz, from the local Latino Leadership , for visiting and sharing some aspects of Hispanic culture with many of our students.

And for the students, who missed out on our wonderful cultural discourse, I have assigned extra credit for attending the closing of Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010 at the Orlando Fashion Square Mall from 12pm -5pm. The extra credit is optional and student attendance is not mandatory or necessary. For others, go experience Hispanic culture with food, dance, and art. Please take a photo near a cultural exhibit for proof of attendance. As always, make sure you have a parent or guardian with you at all times. I hope to see some of you there!


Signing Out,
                  Mr. A





Monday, October 11, 2010

Google Analytics Setting


Endangered Species

The Endangered Species List: (Due Oct. 18-19)

The modern concept of human-environment interaction leaves little room for wild life and the beauty it supports. Many students had difficulty finding plants and animals from their study region in the Map Study assignment. Please follow the link to a complete listing of endangered species list based on region or Species Profile.
http://www.earthsendangered.com/index_s.asp
Directions:
1. Find your Map Study region in the Species Profile.
2. Select 10 animals that are endangered in that region.
3. Be sure to record each animal's scientific name, local name, and why the animal has been hunted to near extinction.
Plants
1. Click on the following link to access the endangered species plants.
http://www.earthsendangered.com/plant_list_html.asp
2. Record the scientific name for your five different plants.
3. Copy and paste the scientific name into google search.
4. Identify the local name of the plant.

The following link is also a reliable Endangered Species Watch Site:
http://www.worldwildlife.org/home-full.html

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Cornerstone Academy Important Dates

Dear Parents and Students:

Please take note of the following information and dates. And as always, visit the website for important information concerning the World of Social Studies at Cornerstone.- Mr. A
http://www.cornerstonecharter.com/index.html

The Cornerstone Academy Middle and High School (Grades 6-12) Open House is on Tuesday, October 12, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.  Parents, please meet in the Church Sanctuary at 6:30 p.m., for a brief introduction by school administration.  You will follow a school "bell schedule", visiting all classes, in a seven (7) period day.

The Scholastic Book Fair continues this week, through Thursday, October 14.  The Book Fair will be open to all parents and students during Open House.

October 15:  Statewide Professional Day, Student Holiday, Teacher Non Workday.
October 28: The End of the 1st Marking Period
October 29:  Student Holiday, Teacher Workday.
 
Truly Yours,
                  Mr. A


 

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Environmental Topics

                                    Environmental Topics
Following our study on landforms is the unit on natural habitats and natural disasters. The combination of climate, landforms, plants, and animals creates complex habitats that are interdependently based. Habitats like rain forests, deserts, tundras, grasslands, oceans, and even urban environments identify different environments that are linked to basic landforms such as rivers, mountains, and swamps.
We, also briefly studied the Ring of Fire with connections to the natural disasters of earthquakes and volcanoes. However, we have also tracked the coordinates of three hurricanes: Danielle, Earl, & Fiona this year. Thus, our knowledge of types of natural disasters is growing. The link provided will take you to the National Geographic Study on Natural Disasters & Weather.

The Natural Disaster Assignment Directions: Due Oct. 10-11
1. Select three natural disaster topics from the National Geographic Natural Disaster Page.
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/?source=NavEnvND
2. In one paragraph for each disaster: a. explain how the disaster is created. b. how the disaster impacts the environment; c. the natural purpose of disaster.
3. Take the National Geographic- Natural Disaster Quiz. Record your score!
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/quiz-natural-disasters/


Landform Habitats Assignment :( Past due 9/30/2010)
1. Select two natural habitats from the National Geographic Habitats Page.
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/?source=NavEnvHab

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

The Table of Contents

Students:

Please be advised that keeping an organized notebook helps improve your grades. Make sure each assignment is in order with an assignment head and title. Signing out, Mr. A!
 
1. Classroom Rules
2. World Pre-Assessment
3. Section 1: Key Term
4. Orange Peel Map/ Hurricane Tracking
5. Zoomer 8/30--9/3
6. Find the Absolute Location/ Find the Degree.
7. World History Quiz I
8. Earth's Physical Geography- Section 2 Terms/questions
9. Geographical Landforms Definitions.
10. Earth's Landforms Foldable
11. Zoomers 9/13-9/17
12. Map Study
13. Zoomers 9/20-9/24
14. Test 1
15

Monday, October 4, 2010

NASA : A Universe to Discover

 
The Official NASA Website http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html

Hispanic Heritage Month

Welcome Students!

Included in this post are links to safe and credible websites about Hispanic Heritage Month. Use the following site to identify five interesting facts about Hispanics in America according to the Census Bureau.


National Hispanic Heritage Month http://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/

Extra Credit: Due Friday, Oct. 8th
1. Poster Collage on Hispanic Heritage Month
2. 25pts for culture- food, music, family, artists, actors.ess, books etc.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Engrade

This is a quick link to the online gradebook, Engrade. Parents and students are to sign in by creating a username and password. Once this is done, please personally see Mr. A for an access number to your account. As always, please practice safe internet browsing. Parents should always supervise students while accessing the internet. Signing out... -Mr. A

www.engrade.com

Syllabus: World History (6th Grade)

World History I Syllabus
Teacher: Mr. Cowan Amaye-Obu   
Department: Social Studies
Course Title: World History I
School Year: 2010-2011
(407) 608-7171
Textbook: World Cultures & Geography McDougal-Littel 2005
Course Description: The goal is for students to gain knowledge and understanding of foundational geography concepts and the basic outline of ancient history. Emphasis will be placed on geographical landforms, current global issues, technology and the historical period from the ancient Egyptians to the ancient Romans.  
Statement on Course Objectives & Sunshine State Standards: Through notebook organization, class assignments, homework, projects, quizzes, and exams students upon completion of this course will be able to:
    * Use latitude and longitude coordinates to understand the relationship between distance,     regions, time-zones, and people. SS.6.G.1.1
    * Analyze the purpose of various maps projections (political, physical, and special) and identify major geographical features such as rivers, estuaries, mountain ranges, and many other natural wonders. SS.6.G.1.2
    * Differentiate between continents, regions, countries, and cities in order to understand the complexities of regions created by civilizations. SS.6.G.2.2
    * Explain how the physical landscape has affected the development of agriculture and industry in the ancient world. SS.6.G.3.1 Special attention will be paid to: family and ethnic relationships in ancient cultures, the ancient world’s ecosystems, the impact of different belief systems in the ancient world, and trace significant migrations and analyze their results. SS.6.G.3.1-4.3
    * Identify the democratic concepts developed in the ancient world and their influence on the American government, SS.6.C.1 while demonstrating civic participation, the role of government and the political process. SS.6.C.2
    * Use timelines to identify chronological order of historical events. SS.6.W.1
    * Discover terms (decades, century, epoch, millennium, BC/BCE, AD/CE) and designation of time periods. SS.6.W.1.2
    * Interpret primary and secondary sources. SS.6.W.1.3
    * Describe the roles of historians and recognize varying historical interpretations             (historiography)
Grading: In order to assure equity in the class, all assignments must be completed by the due date and time. Assignments and other responses will not be accepted if they are more than one day late. For assignments and other responses that are one day late, 20 pts will be deducted.
* Grade Scale: 90-100 A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, 60-69 D, 50-59 F, 1-49 I
* Grade Percentage: Test/Quizzes 35%, Notebook 30%, Classwork 15%, Homework         10%, and Projects 10%
Tests and Quizzes: Test/Quizzes will be given bi-weekly in order to assess student knowledge acquisition levels. Quizzes will be given the second week of each month while tests will take place on the fourth week. Before each examination students will participate in organized informal assessment activities to review material. Absent students must make up their test upon return to school.
Notebook: An organized notebook will include classwork, homework, and test, in chronological order. The notebook will insure students are on task and completing assignments. Notebook reviews will be given tri-weekly.
Classwork: Classwork is given daily and all work must be complete before the end of the period.
Homework: Homework will be assigned two-three day per week and is due at the beginning of each period for grading.
Projects: Special attention will be paid to projects to incorporate real-work experience in the classroom. Selected projects will be on display in the classroom for viewing.
Classroom Rules and Procedures: Students must adhere to the Orange County Code of Conduct and Cornerstone School Rules at all times. The classroom rules and procedures are an extension of the Cornerstone Academy morale and expectations. Upon entering the classroom students are expected to:
    1. Come to class on time.
    2. Come to class prepared.
    3. Raise your hand before you get out of your seat.
    4. Raise your hand before you speak.
    5. Complete all your assignments.
Bathroom Policy: Students are given six class bathroom passes every nine weeks. Students will not be given additional passes due to the access to the bathroom between periods. Therefore, students must use their bathroom passes wisely.
Finally, Cornerstone Academy stands for excellence and I expect every student to perform to the best of their abilities. Additional help will be given at the end of each class for those with special issues. So, let’s get ready for World History! 
                                            World History II Syllabus
                                      

Teacher: Mr. Cowan Amaye-Obu   
Department: Social Studies
Course Title: World History I
School Year: 2010-2011
Contact: CAmaye-obu@CornerstoneCharter.com
(407) 608-7171
Textbook: World Cultures & Geography McDougal-Littel 2009/

Course Description: The goal is for students to gain knowledge and understanding of foundational geography concepts and the basic outline of ancient history. Emphasis will be placed on geographical landforms, current global issues, technology and the historical period from the ancient Egyptians to the ancient Romans.  

Statement on Course Objectives & Sunshine State Standards: Through notebook organization, class assignments, homework, projects, quizzes, and exams students upon completion of this course will be able to:
Geography
Understand how to use maps and other geographical representations, tools, and technology to report information. SS.7.G.1
Understand physical and cultural characteristics of places. SS.7.G.2
Standard 3: Understand the relationships between the Earth's ecosystems and the populations that dwell within them.
Standard 4: Understand the characteristics, distribution, and migration of human populations.
Standard 5: Understand how human actions can impact the environment.
Standard 6: Understand how to apply geography to interpret the past and present and plan for the future.
Economics
Standard 1: Understand the fundamental concepts relevant to the development of a market economy.
Standard 2: Understand the fundamental concepts relevant to the institutions, structure, and functions of a national economy.
Standard 3: Understand the fundamental concepts and interrelationships of the United States economy in the international marketplace.
Civics & Government
Standard 1: Demonstrate an understanding of the origins and purposes of government, law, and the American political system.
Standard 2: Evaluate the roles, rights, and responsibilities of United States citizens, and determine methods of active participation in society, government, and the political system.
Standard 3: Demonstrate an understanding of the principles, functions, and organization of government.
Standard 4: Demonstrate an understanding of contemporary issues in world affairs, and evaluate the role and impact of United States foreign policy.

Introduction to the World of Social Studies

Welcome Students, Parents and Educators:

 Welcome to The World of Social Studies, where students, parents, and Educators can access a variety of information involving Social Studies. I am Mr. A, the creator and administrator of this site. Please, feel free to post your comments, questions, and even ideas on any title or assignment featured on this site. Again, I would like to thank you for visiting The World of Social Studies website. Signing out...


 Mr. A
P.S.  Who is credited with founding Geography? Eratosthenes 276-194 BCE
What is comprehensive definition of Geography? 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography