What's so Great about Charles the Great?

Common Core Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7    CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1.B   CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1

Charlemagne:  The King of Hearts

Charles the Great (English)/Charlemagne (French)

The Rule of Charles the Great

1.  What makes a great leader? 

a.  As you view the video, take notes with  "Charles the Great: Notes" in your Social Studies folder.

b.  Read the assigned pages in your book.  Add to your notes. Show corroborated evidence with a  + .

c.  Share your notes verbally with a partner.  Using a different color, add new evidence from your partner.

d.  Complete the "Evaluation of Charlemagne" using a scale of one to five.  Be sure to give reasons and evidence for your rating.

Medieval Europe:  Coat of Arms

Common Core Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.7

The Purpose of a Coat of Arms: Few people in medieval Europe were literate, so they identified themselves, their castles, horses, etc. with family crests.  Instead of written words, the crests used symbols which stood for the family name, values, and even one's position in the family.
If you have a surname of European origin, chances are you have a crest or a coat of arms, also known as a family shield. Here is one of many Rainey family shields found through research.

The images, colors, and patterns on the shield all have symbolic meaning.

Your Family Crest: Research your coat of arms and its meaning. If you cannot find a coat of arms for your surname, try researching another surname from your family, or even your first name.   Prepare one slide about your family shield for a whole class slide-show presentation.  

Period Two Slides
Period Four Slides

Your slide should include an image of the shield, as well as three to four bullet points explaining the symbolism. To find information on symbolism, go here.
Be sure to follow proper etiquette  for collaborating on a shared document.

Welcome to Back to School Night

The Decline of the Empire

What caused the Roman Empire to fall apart?

1. Many internal (inside) and external (outside) factors led to the decline of the Roman Empire.  What were they? Write your prediction in the Google Classroom stream.
2. Practice the Roman Empire Chant as an introduction to the changes that occurred in the Empire.
3. Now read textbook pages 42-43, take notes on the graphic organizer .

Viva la independencia mexicana!

The Flag of the United Mexican States
Estados Unidos Mexicanos

September 16th is a special day for all of us in the Americas as our

neighbor Mexico celebrates  Independence Day, commonly known as el 16 de septiembre.  Enjoy the diverse voices of people from throughout Mexico as they celebrate their beautiful and beloved nation.

Spanish	English Translation
México lindo y querido Si muero lejos de ti Que digan que estoy dormido Y que me traigan aquí	Lovely, beloved Mexico If I die far from you May they say that I'm asleep And may they bring me back here[3

What is Mexican Independence Day, and why is important to the people of the Americas?
Mexico was ruled by Spain for hundreds of years. Sadly, the Mexican people did not have equal rights with their Spanish rulers. Many Mexican people were treated almost like slaves. How did the Mexican people get their independence?
One tradition that takes place in Mexico is known as "el grito."  View a grito from the National Palace in Mexico City.


How did the grito get started? Read about a hero of Mexican Independence, Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. Be prepared to recreate Father Hidalgo's speech, a speech that started a revolution and freed millions of people.

What is Corroborating Evidence? Why is it Important?

As Dr. Hernandez is investigating the food fight, she cannot rely on just one account of what happened. She will interview more than one witness to find corroborating evidence. For example:

Student X Says:  "Teddy threw the first carrot."

Student Y Says:  "I also saw Teddy throw the first carrot."

Now, the evidence against Teddy is corroborated.

Then, Student Z says: "It wasn't Teddy! It was actually Student X who threw the first carrot!"

Now, there is a contradiction.

Historians also look for corroborating evidence when trying to figure out what happened in the past. They never rely on just one piece of evidence. Good historians also pay careful attention to evidence that is contradictory.

1. As you continue with your analysis of primary sources about slavery, you will complete number 4 for two different pieces of evidence: 
This source corroborates with / contradicts source number ____ because...

2.  Now you will read a secondary source of information about slavery in the Roman Empire. As you read, highlight at least one new fact about slavery in each paragraph.

3.  The story of Spartacus was eventually made into a Hollywood film. View the clips from the movie. From what you have researched about slavery in the Roman Empire, do you feel the movie is historically accurate? Please respond in the blog comment box below.