Green Book assignment due March (if not done in class in April)

Please choose one of the following and write 2-3 pages answering the question. If possible, organize your paper using the "5-paragraph-paper" form. This form can help you organize your thoughts and get them down on paper.

1. Topic: Freedom
Define freedom. Discuss the concept of freedom in terms of the book In Freedom's Cause and apply that theme to your life. Why is freedom important to you and our modern life. Discuss freedom in terms of the gospel plan. Give examples from your life and from the book.

2. Which character/characters from In Freedom's Cause were most inspiring to you. In what way? What did you love about them and how can/could you follow their example. What did you find inspiring and how can you apply that to your life?

3. If one or more of the characters from In Freedom's Cause made a choice that had moral implication, would you have made the same decision? Why? Why not? Did  you agree with the character's choices?

4. What did you learn about the time of history that the book In Freedom's Cause was set in? How did reading this book help you understand the time, place, and people of that time in history? Can you summarize the history that this story is based on?

5. What are some of the themes found in In Freedom's Cause? How important are they? How do they apply to your life? Give examples from the book and from your life.

6. What truths did you find in In Freedom's Cause? Did you make any connections, notice any patterns, or find themes running through the book? Write about them and how you can apply those truths to your life.

Important Dates to Memorize for Middle Ages and Early Renaissance

Here are some dates to start memorizing. We'll have games and pop quizes with Kudos for those who know these dates. This is just the first half covering most of the Dark and Middle Ages. The second half will be posted next month with dates of the Explorers, Eurpoean Renaissance, and American Indians of that time.

Besides just knowing the dates, make sure you know the history and circumstances about the person/event and could talk educatedly about them. If you've been keeping up your timeline, this should be a breeze :) If not, don't despair. You can start right now using the pages of pictures that I gave out at our first class and a history encyclopedia to help you get to know these dates/events/people from history. If something is interesting to you - follow your curiosity to the library or good scholarly sites on the interned and learn more about it. That's really the point anyway!

King Arthur 465-542 AD
Dark Ages 476-1000 AD
Justinian and Theodora around 530 AD
Middle Ages 476-1435 AD
Mohammed 570-632 AD
Byzantine Empire begins 330 AD, collapses 1435
Sui Dynasty 589-618 AD
Fall of Western Roman Empire 476 AD
Augustine of Canterbury died 604 AD
T'ang Dynasty 618-907 AD
Arab-Muslim sweep 633-732 AD
Epic of Beowulf 700 AD
The Feudal System begins 8th c AD
Charlemagne 742-814 AD
Viking Invasions 793-1020 AD
Alfred the Great 849-899 AD
The Maori 900 AD
The Great Zimbabwe 900-1100 AD
Vladimir of Kiev 956-1015 AD
Battle of Hastings 1066 AD
Leif Eriksson 1000 AD
Eleanor of Aquitaine 1122-1204 AD
Robin Hood 12th / 13th c. AD
Richard I - 1157-1199 AD
Samurai Warriors 1192-1868
Genghis Khan 1162-1227
the Crusades 11th, 12, and 13th Centuries AD
Shoguns of Japan 1192-1867
Magna Carta 1215 AD
Roger Bacon 1214-1292
Louis IX 1214-1270 AD
Kublai Khan 1215-1294 AD
The Inca Civilization 1220 AD
The Inquisition 1227-1834 AD
Mongol Invasions 13th century AD
Marco Polo 1254-1324 AD
Robert I (theBruce) 1274-1329 AD
Hundred Years War 1337-1453 AD
The Black Death 14th century AD
Geoffrey Chaucer 1340-1400 AD
Ottoman Empire 14th-20th centuries AD
Ming Dynasty 1368-1644 AD
Joan of Arc 1412-1431 AD
War of the Roses 1455-1487 AD

Colloquium, Presentation, and Resident Expert Assignments for the Rest of the Year

This is the edited, revised edition as of Feb. 22, 2011...

Everyone should look at this list, find themselves, and prepare for when they are LEADING THE COLLOQUIUM, giving a PRESENTATION, and being the RESIDENT EXPERT in our Project Scholar Classics Class. See previous post for how to prepare for giving a presentation and being the resident expert. We covered how to lead a colloquium in our Scholar Skills class last fall. I'll try to post the handout I gave out that day, but until then, if you have questions on how to lead a colloquium send me an email: larayne@comcast.net.

OK, here are the assignments for the rest of the year:
    
                Lead the Colloquium            Presentations            Resident Expert

Feb 25th    In Freedom's Cause -         Kathy, Jennis, Tanner    Myla, Jacob
                 Chandler and Mitch

Mar 25th   Joan of Arc -                     Kirk, Carmen,           Tyler, Carli
                 Karen and Jennis               and Chandler

April 29th  Fire in the Bones -             Myla, Carli,            Mitch, Tanner
                  Kathy                                and Preston              and Carmen

***This is the current, updated list. This is what we'll go by for the rest of the year :) ***

Sister Miller

Project Scholar Classics Class January 28, 2011

• Classic we are discussing: Magna Charta by James Daughterty and the original text of the Magna Charta
• Colloquium Leader: Jacob 
• Please prepare 10 discussion questions and bring 12 copies for the class)
• Resident Experts: Preston and Kirk 
• Prepare a 5-7 minute lecture. Go into depth in your studies about  something you found interesting from the history period we are studying or the classic we are reading. Teach us what you've learned with the goal of inspiring us to study that topic more in depth as well. You can use visual aids or anything you want to help you tell about your topic.
• Presentations: Mitch, Tyler,and Karen
• Prepare a 3-5 presentaion based on your inspiration from what you've learned in the history period we are studying and/ or the classic we are reading. Here we are practicing the scholarly habit of sharing our inspiration and what we've learned through speech, essay, art, music performance, poetry, or visual project. Have fun with this and be creative! 

****Please put thought and effort into your work when you are scheduled to be the Resident Expert and to give Presentations. Our class will only be as great as the individual effort you put into it. I want to see you try hard and stretch yourselves. 

Cant wait to see what you come up with!

Sister Miller

Scholar Skills Class Assignment for January 21, 2011

In December we talked about how to organize what you want to say in a paper by using the "5-paragraph (or part) paper" formula. Your assignment for January 21, 2011 is to write a 5 paragraph/part paper on whatever is interesting to you. I want you to practice using this form as a way to organize your thoughts and to help you know how to get what you want to say down on paper. I recognize that this formula is a jumping off place for writers. It is simple. It can be expanded from a 5-paragraph paper to a 5-page paper to a 5-chapter book and on and on.

As a review, here are the points of a 5-paragraph/part paper:

• 1st paragraph: Introductory Paragraph - [Say what you are going to say. Use key words such as "first, second, third, and finally".

• 2nd paragraph/part: Make your first point
• 1st example, quote, illustration
• 2nd example, quote, illustration
• 3rd example, quote, illustration

• 3rd paragraph/ part: Make your 2nd point
• 1st example, quote, illustration
• 2nd example, quote, illustration
• 3rd example, quote, illustration

• 4th paragraph/part: Make your 3rd point
• 1st example, quote, illustration
• 2nd example, quote, illustration
• 3rd example, quote, illustration

• 5th paragraph: Concluding paragraph - [Say what you've said, using the key words "first, second, third, and finally".

Remember, this is a form to follow. If you have a lot to say, each paragraph/part can be more that one paragraph. Each example, quote, or illustration can be its own paragraph, or page, or chapter depending on what you are writing and how much you have to say.

***I can't wait to read your papers! Have fun with this! Only write about something that you care about!

November's Green Book Writing Assignment

•  November's Green Book Writing Assignment. Here are the questions to choose from. Choose one of the following:  
• Note: I didn't hand out green books, so write them up on your own paper (or type them) and staple the pages together. Make sure your name is on it. :)

1. Describe the creative process. Discuss creativity in terms of being a scholar. Why is creativity so important and how can your creativity change the world? What creative projects do you like to do? What is your vision for using your creativity to change the world and to influence for good? Tell about a time when you have taken your knowledge and interest and created something meaningful to share your vision with others. (see President Uchtdorf's talk on creativity). Be specific and give examples.***
2.  Discuss Medieval Islam and the LDS perspective on Islam. How does your knowledge  help you bridge the gap between fearing modern extremist Islamic terrorists and understanding faithful Islamic people. What insights do you have on this subject? Why is understanding the Muslim world important for a future leader?***
3. Discuss the idea that God has sent  light and knowledge to His people throughout the world throughout the ages. Use examples, including Mohammad. Why is that significant and how does that help you have love and tolerance for people of all religions? How can this understanding help you be a better leader and to change the world for the better?***
4. Choose any question or topic from the colloquium on Walking Drum (should be handed out in class on Friday, Nov. 19th) and answer it with examples and discussion. Or, write about a specific theme or subject from Walking Drum that you want to, using examples. Back-up your arguments.

Requirments for Party: History/ Classics Intensives Class

Requirements for Party: History/Classics Intensives Class 

1. Read 12 chapters from The History of the Medieval World by Susan Wise Bauer. If you haven't been reading 12 chapters a month up to this point, choose 12 chapters that look interesting to you. If you have read 12  a month, keep up the great work and read the next 12 chapters as planned. Be prepared to tell which chapters of history you read.
2. Write a 1-2 page summary or notebook page of the most significant/ interesting historical events from the history chapters you read. This page will go right into your timeline notebook. (or into your Scholar Journal if you prefer). Make connections, notice patterns, and find themes and write about them.
3. Choose 5-10  significant dates from world history during that time period and put them on your  timeline 
4. Read Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Pyle, marking up your book with underlining and notes in the margins.
5. Hand in November's Green Book Writing Assignment. Here are the questions to choose from:  
1. Describe the creative process. Discuss creativity in terms of being a scholar. Why is creativity so important and how can your creativity change the world? What creative projects do you like to do? What is your vision for using your creativity to change the world and to influence for good? Tell about a time when you have taken your knowledge and interest and created something meaningful to share your vision with others. (see President Uchtdorf's talk on creativity). Be specific and give examples.***
2.  Discuss Medieval Islam and the LDS perspective on Islam. How does your knowledge  help you bridge the gap between fearing modern extremist Islamic terrorists and understanding faithful Islamic people. What insights do you have on this subject? Why is understanding the Muslim world important for a future leader?***
3. Discuss the idea that God has sent  light and knowledge to His people throughout the world throughout the ages. Use examples, including Mohammad. Why is that significant and how does that help you have love and tolerance for people of all religions? How can this understanding help you be a better leader and to change the world for the better?***
4. Choose any question or topic from the colloquium on Walking Drum (should be handed out in class on Friday, Nov. 19th) and answer it with examples and discussion. Or, write about a specific theme or subject from Walking Drum that you want to, using examples. Back-up your arguments.

***See the articles from earlier post that you were assigned to read to be prepared for our guest speaker on Nov. 19th :)