Not that many people are checking in with this one . . .
but we are now here.
Social studies remains 1 part World History, 1 part US History and 98 parts Geography!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
World History Tourney of Champs - Round 1 Results
Round 1 Results
Buddha over Confucius - A battle of 4's, Four Noble Truths win over the Si Shu (Four Books)
Alexander the Great over Genghis Khan - In an offensive showdown, Alexander remains undefeated
Charlemagne over William the Conqueror - The "Father of Europe" advances easily.
Pope John XXIII over Pope Urban II - Urban's hopes of meeting the leader of Islam are dashed
Elizabeth I over Bad King John - No stranger to defeat, King John loses yet again
Marco Polo over Ibn Battuta - Ibn covered some 73k miles. In basketball, traveling is a bad thing though.
The Prophet Muhammad over Julius Caesar - "Et tu Muhammad?"
Vasco da Gama over Zheng He - Says Vasco, "I don't even know who He is."
Johannes Gutenberg over Bill Gates - Gates couldn't handle Gutenberg's full court Press.
Christopher Columbus over Ferdinand Magellan - Having a holiday doesn't hurt it seems
Hernan Cortes over Pizarro - DYK?: Pizarro was second cousin once removed to Hernán Cortés!
Leonardo da Vinci over Michelangelo - Da Vinci is "the most diversely talented person ever to have lived."
Martin Luther over John Calvin - Luter takes advantage of Gutenberg's press, puts up 95.
Galileo over Copernicus - "The big yellow one is the Sun!" is all Copernicus can say afterwards.
Gandhi over Akbar the Great - Gandhi, snubbed by the Nobel Committee 5 times, peacefully advances.
Peter the Great over Louis XIV - "The Bronze Horseman" gallops past "The Sun King" to round 2.
Albert Einstein over Isaac Newton - Smooth move Einstein!
John Locke over Montesquieu - Marx and Hobbes watch with disdain from the bleachers
Rousseau over Robespierre - Being enlightened, neither was looking forward to a 2nd round matchup with Jesus.
Jesus of Nazareth over The Apostle Paul - Jesus, only profile to get more than 90% of vote in Round 1.
Abraham Lincoln over George Washington - Face time on the dollar bill doesn't help George. upset.
Beethoven over Mozart - Mozart walks away as the pep band plays the canon "Leck mich im Arsch".
Florence Nightingale over Mary Wollstonecraft - DYK?: Wollstonecraft's daughter wrote Frankenstein.
Hitler over Napoleon - Napoleon tries to win one-handed, comes up short.
Fidel Castro over Simon Bolivar - DYK?: Castro is among the world's richest people (est net worth $900 million).
Karl Marx over Lenin - Groucho, Richard, Skid, and the entire check group rooted loudly from the stands.
Charles Darwin over Sigmund Freud - Says Freud, "I just couldn't get in his head."
Louis Pasteur over Marie Curie - In celebration, a carton of milk is dumped on him.
Thomas Edison over Alexander Graham Bell - Edison tuants, "Here's a quarter, call someone who cares."
Henry Ford over Orville and Wilbur Wright - In a close one, Ford wins by a car length.
Joseph Stalin over Mao Zedong - The battle of the Red Armies.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. over Nelson Mandela - Home court advantage propels MLK to next round.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
The Big Dance, World History Style
Who said preparing for the end of year exam can't be fun?
1. Download your Bracket!
2. Discuss with your class.
3. Vote
1. Download your Bracket!
2. Discuss with your class.
3. Vote
Monday, December 17, 2007
Famous People of the Middle Ages
Famous People of the Middle Ages
We cover the biggies, all 94 of 'em.
The fall of the Roman Empire: from Julius Caesar to Attila the Hun. Islam in the Middle Ages: from Muhammad to Ibn Battuta. Africa in the Middle Ages: from Sundiata to Mansa Musa. China in the Middle Ages: from the Han dynasty to the Mongols. Medieval Japan: including Prince Shotoku and Lady Murasaki. Medieval Europe: everybody from Charlemagne and William the Conqueror to Eleanor of Aquitaine. [see sample pages]
We cover the biggies, all 94 of 'em.
The fall of the Roman Empire: from Julius Caesar to Attila the Hun. Islam in the Middle Ages: from Muhammad to Ibn Battuta. Africa in the Middle Ages: from Sundiata to Mansa Musa. China in the Middle Ages: from the Han dynasty to the Mongols. Medieval Japan: including Prince Shotoku and Lady Murasaki. Medieval Europe: everybody from Charlemagne and William the Conqueror to Eleanor of Aquitaine. [see sample pages]
The Middle Ages China
The Middle Ages - China
While we're on the subject of China and the Middle Ages, take a look at the product developed for teaching it all . . .
Everything you ever wanted to know about Medieval China!
Overview of topics covered: The spread of Buddhism, The Golden Age of China, The impact of Confucianism, Overland trade and maritime expeditions, Chinese inventions – and their impact on Europe, Rise of the imperial state and the scholar-official class
The Test - 338 questions
[view toolbook]
While we're on the subject of China and the Middle Ages, take a look at the product developed for teaching it all . . .
Everything you ever wanted to know about Medieval China!
Overview of topics covered: The spread of Buddhism, The Golden Age of China, The impact of Confucianism, Overland trade and maritime expeditions, Chinese inventions – and their impact on Europe, Rise of the imperial state and the scholar-official class
The Test - 338 questions
[view toolbook]
Gifts and the Chinese Inventors
It’s holiday time and our minds turn to gift-giving. Every civilization has bestowed gifts on the world, but medieval China was downright magnificent. Thanks to trade along the Silk Road, four crucial inventions shaped medieval Europe and the Americas.
The Han dynasty invented paper.
Without this, medieval monks in Europe could never have copied their manuscripts.
The Sui dynasty invented gunpowder, which could blast a hole in a castle.
So gunpowder eventually caused the collapse of feudalism.
The Tang dynasty invented wood-block printing.
Without this, Europe would never have experienced the Renaissance & Reformation.
The Ming dynasty invented the magnetic compass.
Without this, Europe would never have experienced the Age of Exploration.
And Columbus would never have landed in the Americas!
Are you teaching the Middle Ages?
FREE lesson “The great Chinese inventors!”.
The Han dynasty invented paper.
Without this, medieval monks in Europe could never have copied their manuscripts.
The Sui dynasty invented gunpowder, which could blast a hole in a castle.
So gunpowder eventually caused the collapse of feudalism.
The Tang dynasty invented wood-block printing.
Without this, Europe would never have experienced the Renaissance & Reformation.
The Ming dynasty invented the magnetic compass.
Without this, Europe would never have experienced the Age of Exploration.
And Columbus would never have landed in the Americas!
Are you teaching the Middle Ages?
FREE lesson “The great Chinese inventors!”.
Chinese Inventions
Four Chinese inventions changed the history of Europe!
If you've ever read a book, flown a kite, ooohed and aaahed at a fireworks display, or eaten spaghetti, you've experienced just a few of China’s amazing inventions.
Just imagine how the Italian merchant Marco Polo felt when he visited China in 1271, and discovered that the Chinese were far more technologically advanced than anywhere in Western Europe.
Discover for yourself how four Chinese inventions changed the history of Europe . . . and the Americas.
Free lesson “The Four Great Inventions of China!”
If you've ever read a book, flown a kite, ooohed and aaahed at a fireworks display, or eaten spaghetti, you've experienced just a few of China’s amazing inventions.
Just imagine how the Italian merchant Marco Polo felt when he visited China in 1271, and discovered that the Chinese were far more technologically advanced than anywhere in Western Europe.
Discover for yourself how four Chinese inventions changed the history of Europe . . . and the Americas.
Free lesson “The Four Great Inventions of China!”
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Beta Testers Needed
Want to be part of our test team?
We are looking for some schools as beta testers for our new products and product structure. Essentially its a way to get your school a free 6 months of Performance Education Unlimited in return for helping us know how to improve our product line and get the word out to other teachers/schools.
If you have used many of our products in the past, please send an email to gshirey@performance-education.com and detail what products you have used and why you think your school would be a good testing ground. Be brief, I know you're busy!
Hurry - there are only 10 slots available and they will be gone in no time.
Thanks,
George Shirey
Performance Education
EMAIL to gshirey@performance-education.com
We are looking for some schools as beta testers for our new products and product structure. Essentially its a way to get your school a free 6 months of Performance Education Unlimited in return for helping us know how to improve our product line and get the word out to other teachers/schools.
If you have used many of our products in the past, please send an email to gshirey@performance-education.com and detail what products you have used and why you think your school would be a good testing ground. Be brief, I know you're busy!
Hurry - there are only 10 slots available and they will be gone in no time.
Thanks,
George Shirey
Performance Education
EMAIL to gshirey@performance-education.com
Free Lesson Plans - A Medieval Christmas
A Medieval Christmas!
Many of the holiday customs we observe today originated in medieval Europe. So bake that gingerbread and pour hot cider into a punch bowl! Dress up as mummers, sing carols, and dance the jig! Extroverts will love the memory game, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
(Introverts would rather play chess.)
Too much religion for you, amigo?
Well, it can’t be helped.
The Middle Ages was the “Age of Faith.”
Unless your students grasp that, they’ll never understand the Reformation. Much less the Age of Reason.
Besides . . . All of the terms in this lesson appear on standardized tests. So if anybody gives you a hard time, make ‘em “eat humble pie.”
Are you teaching the Middle Ages?
FREE lesson “A Medieval Christmas!”.
Many of the holiday customs we observe today originated in medieval Europe. So bake that gingerbread and pour hot cider into a punch bowl! Dress up as mummers, sing carols, and dance the jig! Extroverts will love the memory game, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
(Introverts would rather play chess.)
Too much religion for you, amigo?
Well, it can’t be helped.
The Middle Ages was the “Age of Faith.”
Unless your students grasp that, they’ll never understand the Reformation. Much less the Age of Reason.
Besides . . . All of the terms in this lesson appear on standardized tests. So if anybody gives you a hard time, make ‘em “eat humble pie.”
Are you teaching the Middle Ages?
FREE lesson “A Medieval Christmas!”.
Free Lesson Plan - Medieval Missionaries
Medieval missionaries:
How did they convert the barbarians of Europe?
It’s not easy to convert a barbarian.
If he’s a Viking, you’re messing with Yulefest, his favorite winter holiday.
And Thor, his mighty god of thunder.
How St. Patrick converted Ireland.
How St. Augustine converted England.
How Charlemagne converted France & Germany.
Are you teaching the Middle Ages?
Free lesson “Medieval missionaries”
How did they convert the barbarians of Europe?
It’s not easy to convert a barbarian.
If he’s a Viking, you’re messing with Yulefest, his favorite winter holiday.
And Thor, his mighty god of thunder.
How St. Patrick converted Ireland.
How St. Augustine converted England.
How Charlemagne converted France & Germany.
Are you teaching the Middle Ages?
Free lesson “Medieval missionaries”
Teach Better by Becoming a Great Storyteller
Become a GREAT storyteller.
It can lead to success on the standardized test.
Years ago, long before I started teaching history, I overheard two seniors talking. The year before, they had taken the 11th grade U.S. history state test. Now they were discussing their high scores.
“Excuse me,” I said, curious as heck. “Why do you suppose your scores were so high?”
“Mr. Smith!” they said, smiling.
“Fine,” I said. “But what did Mr. Smith DO?”
“He tells stories!” they said, smiling.
It’s as simple as that. Mr. Smith was a great storyteller. His stories wrapped everything up: people and events, terms and concepts, causes and effects.
Are you teaching the Civil War?
Take a look at our FREE lesson on Lincoln.
Free Lesson Reminder: “Pakistan: On the brink?” It has nuclear weapons. It has Osama bin Laden. And President Musharraf’s government is STILL in chaos.
This free lesson is more relevant than ever!
It can lead to success on the standardized test.
Years ago, long before I started teaching history, I overheard two seniors talking. The year before, they had taken the 11th grade U.S. history state test. Now they were discussing their high scores.
“Excuse me,” I said, curious as heck. “Why do you suppose your scores were so high?”
“Mr. Smith!” they said, smiling.
“Fine,” I said. “But what did Mr. Smith DO?”
“He tells stories!” they said, smiling.
It’s as simple as that. Mr. Smith was a great storyteller. His stories wrapped everything up: people and events, terms and concepts, causes and effects.
Are you teaching the Civil War?
Take a look at our FREE lesson on Lincoln.
Free Lesson Reminder: “Pakistan: On the brink?” It has nuclear weapons. It has Osama bin Laden. And President Musharraf’s government is STILL in chaos.
This free lesson is more relevant than ever!
Free Lesson Plans>>Pills from Puerto Rico
Are your pills made in Puerto Rico?
You betcha. Thanks to Operation Bootstrap, Puerto Rico manufactures 90% of the pills sold in the U.S. (Operation Bootstrap, by the way, just happens to appear on nearly every standardized test.)
So take a look at our brand-new lesson about Operation Bootstrap, the pharmaceutical industry, and Barceloneta, the town that Viagra built.
Using Puerto Rico as your model, teaching economic terms (GDP, per capita income, literacy rate) will be a breeze, a tropical breeze.
Are you teaching Puerto Rico? The Caribbean?
Then take a look at our FREE lesson:
“Are your pills made in Puerto Rico?”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From World Regions - The Caribbean (BZ-4712)
Available at a special introduction price of $24.95, it provides a bazillion lessons on the geography, history, culture, and economics of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, the Dominican Republican, Jamaica and the Bahamas.
You betcha. Thanks to Operation Bootstrap, Puerto Rico manufactures 90% of the pills sold in the U.S. (Operation Bootstrap, by the way, just happens to appear on nearly every standardized test.)
So take a look at our brand-new lesson about Operation Bootstrap, the pharmaceutical industry, and Barceloneta, the town that Viagra built.
Using Puerto Rico as your model, teaching economic terms (GDP, per capita income, literacy rate) will be a breeze, a tropical breeze.
Are you teaching Puerto Rico? The Caribbean?
Then take a look at our FREE lesson:
“Are your pills made in Puerto Rico?”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From World Regions - The Caribbean (BZ-4712)
Available at a special introduction price of $24.95, it provides a bazillion lessons on the geography, history, culture, and economics of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, the Dominican Republican, Jamaica and the Bahamas.
Free Lesson Plan - Ibn Battuta
In 1325, Ibn Battuta was 21 years old and living in Tangiers, Morocco. That year, he went on the hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca.
He traveled for 30 years, visiting 44 countries, and covering 75,000 miles. The only medieval traveler to visit every country of the Islamic empire, he kept a diary that chronicled his run-ins with princes and pirates.
Robbed, bribed, kidnapped, and nearly drowned, Ibn Battuta made maps that were the most accurate of his day.
(p.s. Ibn Battuta lived at the same time as Marco Polo.)
Are you teaching medieval history?
Islam in the Middle Ages?
Take a look at our FREE lesson on Ibn Battuta.
(from Famous People in the Middle Ages)
He traveled for 30 years, visiting 44 countries, and covering 75,000 miles. The only medieval traveler to visit every country of the Islamic empire, he kept a diary that chronicled his run-ins with princes and pirates.
Robbed, bribed, kidnapped, and nearly drowned, Ibn Battuta made maps that were the most accurate of his day.
(p.s. Ibn Battuta lived at the same time as Marco Polo.)
Are you teaching medieval history?
Islam in the Middle Ages?
Take a look at our FREE lesson on Ibn Battuta.
(from Famous People in the Middle Ages)
Free Lesson Plan - World Regions - Canada
Is it snowing in Canada?
You betcha. Using webcams, you can see for yourself. A humorous look at Canada’s climate. (“Canada has four seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction.”) How to read a climate chart. How winter shapes the Canadian culture. How the Canadians have invented winter sports. If you lived in Canada, how would your life change?
Are you teaching Canada? Climate?
How climate shapes culture?
Free lesson “Is it snowing in Canada?”
You betcha. Using webcams, you can see for yourself. A humorous look at Canada’s climate. (“Canada has four seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction.”) How to read a climate chart. How winter shapes the Canadian culture. How the Canadians have invented winter sports. If you lived in Canada, how would your life change?
Are you teaching Canada? Climate?
How climate shapes culture?
Free lesson “Is it snowing in Canada?”
Trying to Catch up on Some Old Free Lesson Plans
Stalin!
As the weather turns cold, our minds turn to Russia, its bitter cold winters, and Stalin, one of the coldest hearts that ever beat.
Thanks to collectivization, famine in the Ukraine, the Great Purge, and the Gulag, Stalin was responsible for the deaths of 20 million of his own people.
A mass murderer, his name is synonymous with totalitarianism. If it weren’t for Hitler, Stalin would have been the worst person of the 20th century.
Are you teaching Stalin? The rise of dictators? Totalitarianism?
Take a look at our FREE lesson on “Stalin’s rise to power”.
(from The Modern World - The Rise of Dictators)
As the weather turns cold, our minds turn to Russia, its bitter cold winters, and Stalin, one of the coldest hearts that ever beat.
Thanks to collectivization, famine in the Ukraine, the Great Purge, and the Gulag, Stalin was responsible for the deaths of 20 million of his own people.
A mass murderer, his name is synonymous with totalitarianism. If it weren’t for Hitler, Stalin would have been the worst person of the 20th century.
Are you teaching Stalin? The rise of dictators? Totalitarianism?
Take a look at our FREE lesson on “Stalin’s rise to power”.
(from The Modern World - The Rise of Dictators)
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
How to teach World History using Hip-Hop
| One day, we were talking to a teacher in upstate New York. Her students were musically inclined... and really into hip-hop. Yeah, yeah, we know. Hip-hop is notorious for its bad language, but not this one! We’ve found one hip-hop video that is OUTSTANDING for teaching genocide, a topic that’s difficult for anybody, much less a young person, to comprehend. Outstanding for several reasons: 1. It begins with the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Not many people know about that – unless you teach World War I. 2. It is an overview of all cases of genocide, 1965 to the present 3. It answers the question that appears on most standardized tests: “What do Armenia, Kosovo, Rwanda, and Darfur have in common?” Answer: They are all examples of genocide. Are you teaching World War I? Want see how we tackle the Armenian Genocide? Then take a look at this FREE lesson! p.s. The hip-hop video is on page 12. |
Monday, October 22, 2007
ESA - Observing the Earth - California's raging wildfires
This Envisat image captures the smoke arising from raging wildfires burning in Los Angeles, California. Nearly a dozen wildfires driven by strong easterly winds ripped across Southern California on Sunday, killing one person and forcing thousands to evacuate their homes.
ESA - Observing the Earth - California's raging wildfires
News on the Geography/History Front
Happy monday morning to you -
Here's a recap of some of the stories of interest from the weekend news. Enjoy:
Humbling to see what History Has Forgotten
globeandmail.com: Time is stealing Robin Hood's famed forest
Military Prowess As Pre-Requisite For Leadership in Ancient Greece.
Mosque Compound Reveals Ancient Treasures
March to Power Spearheaded by Ancient Martyr
Politics Not History is Guiding Present Discussion on Armenian Genocide
Geography teacher helps break world records - Campus News
Special Find: Wow . . . are these games something teachers could capitalize on? The level of detail here is astounding.
A fascinating note - the methodology I use to locate news stories regarding Ancient History and Geography seem to come from about 85% overseas newspapers. Makes you wonder why our papers fail to bring these critical elements into the fold.
Hope you're having a great start to the week,
George
Here's a recap of some of the stories of interest from the weekend news. Enjoy:
Humbling to see what History Has Forgotten
globeandmail.com: Time is stealing Robin Hood's famed forest
Military Prowess As Pre-Requisite For Leadership in Ancient Greece.
Mosque Compound Reveals Ancient Treasures
March to Power Spearheaded by Ancient Martyr
Politics Not History is Guiding Present Discussion on Armenian Genocide
Geography teacher helps break world records - Campus News
Special Find: Wow . . . are these games something teachers could capitalize on? The level of detail here is astounding.
A fascinating note - the methodology I use to locate news stories regarding Ancient History and Geography seem to come from about 85% overseas newspapers. Makes you wonder why our papers fail to bring these critical elements into the fold.
Hope you're having a great start to the week,
George
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