Sumerian Myths
Sumerian civilization originated in what is now southern Iraq, just upriver from the mouths of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. "Civilization" in this context means a settled town or city-dwelling people who possess a stable agricultural technology (including domesticated animals) and have developed a hierarchical system of social classes (peasants, laborers, slaves, craftsmen [smiths, masons, carpenters, potters, etc.], farmers, fishermen, merchants, doctors, architects, priests and temple attendants, bureaucrats, scribes, advisers, priest-kings). Since the climate of southern Iraq is hot and dry, agriculture requires an extensive irrigation system of canals and dikes. Map of Mesopotamian Archeological Sites (Oriental Institute, University of Chicago) Sumerian cities were close agglomerations of one or two story mud brick dwellings. The Sumerian CreationOnly one account of the Sumerian creation has survived, but it is a suggestive one. The Creation of Humans Questions:1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Geography of Mesopotamia
The Geography of Mesopotamia, encompassing its ethnology and history, centred around the two great rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates. While the southern is flat and marshy; the near approach of the two rivers to one another, at a spot where the undulating plateau of the north sinks suddenly into the Babylonian alluvium, tends to separate them still more completely. In the earliest recorded times, the northern portion was included in Mesopotamia; it was marked off as Assyria after the rise of the Assyrian monarchy. Apart from Assur, the original capital, the chief cities of the country, Nineveh, Calah and Arbela, were all on the east bank of the Tigris. The reason was its abundant supply of water, whereas the great Mesopotamian plain on the western side had to depend on streams flowing into the Euphrates. Defining Mesopotamia[edit] Mesopotamia literally means "(Land) between rivers" in ancient Greek. Upper Mesopotamia[edit] Lower Mesopotamia[edit] Perennial irrigation[edit] See also[edit]
There Were Giants Upon the Earth
The following is excerpted from There Were Giants Upon the Earth: Gods, Demigods, and Human Ancestry: The Evidence of Alien DNA, available from Bear and Company. If you would like to learn more about this book or buy a copy, please do so here. Introduction And It Came to Pass And it came to pass, When men began to multiply on the face of the Earth and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair, and they took them wives of all which they chose. There were giants upon the Earth in those days and also thereafter too, When the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men and they bare children to them- the same Mighty Men of old, Men of Renown. The reader, if familiar with the King James English version of the Bible, will recognize these verses in chapter 6 of Genesis as the preamble to the story of the Deluge, the Great Flood in which Noah, huddled in an ark, was saved to repopulate the Earth. The schoolboy was I. Sumer: Where Civilization Began
Top 10 Characteristics Of Effective Vocabulary Instruction
by Kimberly Tyson, Ph. D. of learningunlimitedllc.com We know that there is a strong relationship between vocabulary and reading comprehension. Systematic vocabulary instruction is an integral part of a K-12 comprehensive literacy framework for instruction. I consider it a privilege to have supported many teachers, coaches, & administrators in building a community that values word learning across classrooms and content areas. Common characteristics of effective vocabulary instruction have been documented in numerous professional journals and books. Effective vocabulary instruction across grade levels and content areas is key. As part of 12 Days: 12 Tools I have shared 4 templates and tools for vocabulary. Tool 1: Top Tips for Words WallsTool 2: Concept CirclesTool 5: Marzano’s 6-Step Vocabulary ProcessTool 7: Alphaboxes Graphic Organizer Top 10 Characteristics of Effective Vocabulary Instruction You can put this infographic to use tomorrow; several immediate uses come to mind. 1. 2. 3. 4.
Babylonian World Mythology
Literacy in Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects: Scaffolding Levels of Text Complexity (With Discipline-based Texts)
Today’s standards in Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects require that students comprehend and analyze complex texts and write arguments or informational papers focused on discipline-specific texts. This one-hour on demand web seminar describes strategies piloted among teams of interdisciplinary teachers, grades 6-12, who implemented reading strategies for complex texts, including primary sources, and facilitated students in conducting research to answer a question, citing evidence to make their claims. Glimpse a few activities that motivated teachers to use geoscience texts that moved from simple graphics (such as a representation of fracking fluids) to a highly scientific article on methane contamination. Discuss the role of a content specialist (geoscientist) in providing context for the readings, understanding the organizational patterns of writing for science, and approaching writing inductively. Expected Outcomes:
Five Strategies to Infuse Common Core State Standards with Social Studies Instruction
Posted by Herff Jones | Nystrom on Friday, June 28, 2013 · 3 Comments The Common Core State Standards are here. According to the Common Core website, there are only five states that have not yet adopted the new standards. So, what exactly, makes the Common Core standards so compelling? Well, the English Language Arts standards are organized around a series of “shifts” in thinking about pedagogy that attempt to increase the complexity of student understanding. Consider the following ideas: Shift 1: Balancing Informational Text and Literature Shift 2: Building Knowledge in the Disciplines Shift 3: Staircase of Complexity Shift 4: Text Based Answers Shift 5: Writing from Sources Shift 6: Academic Vocabulary These shifts have direct implications for the social studies classroom. Strategy 2: Spend Time Helping Students Grapple with Text Another tenet behind the English Language Arts standards is the idea that students need multiple opportunities to struggle with text. See? References
Global Connections . Religion
The Islamic tradition recognizes many of the Jewish and Christian prophets, including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (although he is not considered to be the son of God). Many non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Muhammad is the equivalent of Jesus in the Islamic tradition; in fact, it is the Quran that stands in the same central position in Islam as Jesus does in Christianity. Muhammad himself is not divine, but a prophet chosen by God to deliver his message and an example of piety to emulate. Jews and Christians are specifically protected in the Quran as Peoples of the Book, reinforcing their spiritual connection to Islam by virtue of having been given revelations from God. The Islamic legal tradition has upheld the rights of Jews and Christians to maintain their beliefs and practices within their communities in Islamic lands, and this policy of tolerance has generally been upheld. Back to top Related sites Christians in the Middle East: ? Related maps
