September 19, 2007

Today we had a little writing activity.  I showed a picture that the class hadn’t seen and they had to write out two columns.  One column was brainstorming the 5 ways we look at art.  In the other column, they had to write an essay about the picture.

Afterwards, we talked more about Mesopotamian Art.  We finished the Assyrians and almost finished the Neo-Babylonians and Persians.  Next time, we will finish this up and start Egypt.  Tests were handed back today.  If you haven’t taken the test, please get with me.  I would like to do it either after school on Thursday or Friday.

September 17, 2007

Today we started the chapter on Mesopotamia.  We started talking about specific works of art.  Art of Jericho, Catal Huyuk, Sumer, Akkad, and Babylon were discussed.  The power point for this is on the website.

*Hint for next time:  We’ll have a little quiz next time on some of the art we saw so be ready.  Review your notes.  An extra credit question will be “What is the name of the Babylonian emperor that defeated the Assyrians?”  So look that one up and you’ll get it right on the quiz.

September 13, 2007

Today we took the first test.  It took most of the period.  We almost have it completely corrected.  Your review sheets were also due today as an assignment.  Next time we are starting Mesopotamia.  If you didn’t take the test, please talk to me so we can arrange a time for you to do that.

September 11, 2007

Today we were going to take a test, but I didn’t tell you that, so we spent the time reviewing instead. The review sheet is on my website under the Basics page. It is an assignment that is due next time. Next time, THURSDAY, is THE TEST! It won’t be bad. Just know the principles and elements. Know the 5 ways we look at art because you will have to do that for two or three different pieces of art. Also, review your Prehistoric Art notes.

After reviewing, we introduced the Mesopotamia unit. We went over the Unit Concepts and some background information. That worksheep is also now on the website.

September 7, 2007

Today was a really fun day. We decided to make our own cave art. Rather than using caves, we used cardboard boxes. We took straws, sucked up some tempera paint, and then blew it out all over our hands to make a negative imprint. We also used sponges and our hands to draw animals and other cave art. It was a blast!

How to Use this Blog

This blog website is a tool to help students keep caught up with what we are doing in class.  I will try to consistently update what we do each day, what assignments are due, and what things are coming up.

Simply click on whichever class you are in and you should see at the top of the list the most recently class period that we have had.  Just scroll down to see what you might have missed by not being in class.

What I have learned in ten years from where you are now.

I was checking out a cool website, youthvoices, and I noticed a post written by Nichole.  These are my comments, as if written to Nichole.

Nichole, although I don’t know you well, I feel like I learned a lot about you from your post.  This is a quality of a good writer, to be able to let us glimpse into your life and make a personal connection.  I could definitely feel that you are feeling sad and lonely.  As you put it that you life is “screwed up” that you feel “less of yourself” and “invisible.”  Your voice is strong, Nichole.  If you’re anything like me, sometimes when I’m feeling down I just have to let those feelings out.  Once they’re on paper or on a blog, you feel better because you’ve let those feelings go.  Plus, when you do blogging you can make new friends that will relate to you and give you advice to help you feel better.

Even though I’m a teacher, I’m only 26.  I know a lot of those same emotions of you.  Right now, I think that I’m the only person in my class that hasn’t been married.  Isn’t it frustrating how much boys can affect how we feel about ourselves?  Even though we know we shouldn’t let them make us feel bad about ourselves, the emotions are there and they hurt anyway.  I’ve had some boyfriends, but for me right now, most of my emotions aren’t about someone mistreating me, it’s just that there isn’t that “someone” at all.  I get very lonely at times.

The best piece of advice I can give you, however, is about your sentence, “The majority of my life I wonder what is missing.”  You recognize that this is wrong, and it’s making you unhappy.  Nichole, any time that you focus your attention on what is missing or what you don’t have, you’ll be unhappy.  If I went around depressed all the time because I DON’T have a boyfriend, life would be unhappy for me too.  In fact, some potential “soul mate” might not even want to be around me because I would be depressed all the time.  You have to make the conscious choice to find what is going well and what you do have in your life.  I don’t have a boyfriend, but I do have great friends and family.  I don’t have kids, but I’ve been able to travel the world and get my degree.  By focusing on the positive, I stay happy, even when people don’t treat me right or I’m feeling lonely.

Get to know Anna Davis

Hi. Let me introduce myself. I grew up in American Fork, and I graduated from American Fork High School then Southern Utah University.  This is my second year teaching Unified Studies and US History, first year teaching Art History.  I live in Orem.  I like camping, hiking, backpacking, pretty much everything outdoors.  I work at Timpanogos Cave in the summers as a Park Ranger.  In my spare time, I like to do art and read.

Cool History Website

I found this cool history website called hsionline. HSI stands for history scene investigation, kind of like TV’s Crime Scene Investigation. Check it out.

Welcome to Davispace

The purpose of this blog is for my students to be able to communicate with each other and have a forum to post their writing. I think that this will help the kids get to know each other and give them a world-wide forum where they can publish their writing and get responses. I hope you like it.