ancient Rome in our rear-view mirror

After you post a brief commentary on today's test, you can take the rest of the weekend off.

I recommend coming out to the Country Fair and Music Festival right here at JC! Hear some music, run in a 5K race, visit me at the dunk tank (and try your luck if you need some EC) from 3 to 4 Saturday - or just hang with friends. Hope to see you there!

Don't forget, our friends Henry and Jay could use your vote every day until May 7. http://memelabs.com/pbs/?play=14277 Thanks!

test tomorrow on ancient Rome

Tomorrow is a two-hour early dismissal bell, so the test will not take long. It will be an objective test taken on Scantron, so come ready to go, pencil in hand.

A few students have asked me to review the fall of Rome. A brief summary can be found here and in the links to the left.

Feast your eyes on this! The magazine Section 01 worked on is finished! Click here to see YOUR magazine! Be sure to select fullscreen, then click through the pages to see your work. Not only is it more material to help you study for tomorrow's test, it's also just a great read on ancient Rome.

And YOU wrote it!

test review continues

You folks are doing a nice job presenting your magazine articles. It looks like many of you are taking excellent notes, which will help prepare you for Friday's objective test.

A mini-guide to our magazine (test review) can be found here.

wrapping up Rome

Starting today, and for the next few days, we will spend class time reviewing for Friday's test on Rome. The material we will use to review will be your magazine articles.

Friday's test will be objective, and it will cover everything from Remus and Romulus all the way up to the fall of Rome.

Magazine assignment update

Yesterday I posted instructions for the Magazine assignment. Please let me know - by email or by commenting on this post - if you have any questions.

In your blog post for today, please remind me what your topic is for this assignment.

Feel free to continue to support our friends Henry and Jay. http://memelabs.com/pbs/?play=14277 They thank you very much.

Have a great weekend!

instructions for section 05

I will not be in class today, as I will be attending Quill and Scroll induction ceremonies.

You should watch the last three sections of the BBC video on the fall of Rome.

With the remaining time, work in groups on your magazine project. Full instructions are on yesterday's posting.

Please work well and be productive. The assignment is due Tuesday, so it is your last chance to work together and get feedback from your friends.

Thanks!

magazine

So now that everybody is working on the magazine assignment, here are the guidelines.

• use Microsoft Publisher
• start with Blank Page Sizes, then choose Letter (Portrait) 8.5 X 11"
• your finished article will be one full page, including images
• all writing must be original
• give yourself a byline (Diocletian's Savage Rule by Chris Jones)
• use at least two sources (no Wikipedia)
• cite your sources in their own text box
• only use images found in Wikimedia Commons
• save, save, save your work
• when you're completely finished, choose Publish as PDF or XPS, then Save as Type: PDF
• after you've published, attach it to an email, and send it to me at rschick@johncarroll.org
• email must be received by me before 8AM, Tuesday, April 27
  

Please see me with any questions. See me or email me if you were absent and did not get a topic.

Also...

Many thanks for supporting Henry and Jay in the PBS Video Contest. Two days ago they were in fifth place, over 25o votes behind. Now they're in third, only 23 votes behind! You can vote once a day, every day, up to and including this Sunday, right here:

http://memelabs.com/pbs/?play=14277

Rome - The Magazine

Section 01 and 05 watched and took notes on parts 2 and 3 of the BBC video on the fall of Rome.

Reminder: if you miss class for any reason - sports, illness, doctor's appointments, ANYthing - it is YOUR responsibility to view the material on your own. The links are available on YouTube and are linked to the left.

Section 03 broke up into groups and began choosing topics for their magazine articles on ancient Rome. You will write your articles in Microsoft Publisher. If you want to get started tonight and tomorrow, that would be a good idea. Let me know if you have any questions.

Many thanks to those of you who voted for Henry and Jay's PBS video. You are really helping out!

voting for Henry & Jay

Two JC alums have entered a video contest for PBS. Please vote for Henry and Jay at the link below.

http://memelabs.com/pbs/?play=14277

You can vote once a day, every day, up to and including Sunday. Thanks!

Rome continues to fall...

Sections 01 and 05 are starting the video series on the Fall of Rome, while Section 03 has just finished.

Please post your class notes to your blog.

the fall of Rome

Section 03 gets off to a great start this week as we discuss how NASCAR resembles the chariot races in the Circus Maximus, and prove that most of our class would have felt right at home in ancient Rome.

Homework: post your notes from class, and watch (and post notes on) Part 3 of The Fall of Rome (linked to the left).

Start to consider whether the US is following in the same unfortunate steps as ancient Rome.

Live Feed of an Eagle's Nest

So it's not exactly Western Civ. But it's still cool. Just something to enjoy on your day off.

Video chat rooms at Ustream

weekend assignment

Today in class most of us finished watching the story of Constantine. If you didn't get to see the last part, the link is at the left. If you missed any of this series, go back and watch over the weekend.

Your written assignment is to look at the situation before Constantine came along, when Diocletian was in charge. There are links posted about the Diocletian Persecution and the Circus Maximus. By researching these, and posting a couple hundred words, you should have an excellent idea of how Christians were treated (or MIStreated) under Diocletian, and how amazingly revolutionary the Edict of Milan really was.

Please have this posted before 8AM Monday (4/19).

Have a great weekend!

Constantine Time

Constantine has been busy.

First, a meteorite OR a vision OR an apparition of Christ OR words and a cross in the sky (seen at right) OR a dream appears to him. Then, he defeats Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 (pictured at left). The empire is divided in two, with Licinius ruling the east and Constantine the west. His half-sister Constantia marries Licinius in the city of Milan in 313. While they are there, Lincinius and Constantine sign the famously important Edict of Milan, which proclaims tolerance of all religions (especially Constantine's new favorite, Christianity) throughout the Roman Empires. This marked the official end of some very nasty persecution of Christians.

Busy times for Constantine.

Constantine and the PPt/Prezi

Section 03 explored the phenomenon of Constantine's conversion.

Sections 01 and 05 reviewed the test on Greece, and began watching the BBC video on Constantine.

All sections: your assignment on Julius Caesar is due tomorrow.

The assignment: Combine your class notes with the notes I have supplied, and make a Prezi or a PowerPoint on the life of Julius Caesar. It's worth 20 points. My notes can be found at the left (click The Life and Times of Julius Caesar), and the Prezi website can be found at Prezi.com .

Back from Break

Section 03 reviewed the test on Greece that we took before we went on break.

After a little Roman review, we also began studying Constantine by watching the BBC video. The link can be found to the left.

We also laughed.

It's good to be back!