Friday… Yes, it’s Friday.

BEHAVIOR NOTE:  Today was all in all a fairly good day, but folks, you STILL need to work on fewer interruptions and distractions.  I will distract myself quite enough without the tapping, calling out, side conversations, etc.  We’re burning daylight, here, and I only have so much time to try to make you smarter.  Let’s quit wasting it!

 

ABSENCE NOTE:   Remember that the first strength and evidence (or the “first reason that middle school is better than elementary school”, and evidence) was due today.  Lateness = 30% off.  So if you weren’t here today, be sure that you have those 2 paragraphs to turn in on Monday.

 

FRIDAY, 2/29: STOPPING POINTS / DUE WORK

AM CORE

History: p. 244: More on the caste system, and how it enabled the Aryans to

dominate the much larger native population of India.  We

especially focused on the fate of the Untouchables, and

students asked many questions I didn’t have answers for.

(Look for links to related websites at the bottom of this post.)

Homework:   Explain your American caste system.  Write at least one

sentence about each group or “caste,” telling why you put

them at the level you did.

English: Practice Book pages 66-67.  Description & dialogue

Homework:    None.

Portfolio: Plans for Strength #2 and Evidence #2.

Homework:    Rough Drafts of the second Strength and

Evidence Paragraphs.  

PM CORE

History: None today.

Homework:  

English: Review and addition to the Unit 3 Organizer.

Test:  ”The Qualities of Friendship,” Selection 9.  

Homework:    None

Portfolio: Plans for Strength #2 and Evidence #2.

Homework:    Rough Drafts of the second Strength and

Evidence Paragraphs.  

 

So that was it for today.  No notes to post today, I will post them on Monday when we get further on in History.  And as promised, here are some links about the Indian caste system.  Also, some historical links about the CA Gold Rush for my AM Core, and a few links to sites about Aesop & his fables.

 

Happy weekend!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gold_Rush

http://www.kidport.com/RefLib/UsaHistory/CalGoldRush/CalGoldRush.htm

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/californiagoldrush.htm

http://www.malakoff.com/gorh.htm 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesop

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesop’s_Fables

http://www.umass.edu/aesop/

http://www.pacificnet.net/~johnr/aesop/ 

 

Caste system in India

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

  (Redirected from Indian caste system)

The Indian caste system describes the social stratification and social restrictions in the Indian subcontinent, in which social classes are defined by thousands of endogamous hereditary groups, often termed as jātis or castes. Within a jāti, there existexogamous groups known as gotras, the lineage or clan of a person, although in a handful of sub-castes like Shakadvipi, endogamy within a gotra is permitted and alternative mechanisms of restricting endogamy are used (e.g. banning endogamy within a surname).

Although generally identified with Hinduism, the caste system was also observed among followers of other religions in the Indian subcontinent, including some groups of Muslims and Christians.^[1] The Indian Constitution has outlawed caste-based discrimination, in keeping with the socialist, secular, democratic principles that founded the nation.^[2]. Caste barriers have mostly broken down in large cities,^[3] though they persist in rural areas of the country. The caste system, in various forms, does continue to play a major role in Indian society and politics.^[4][5]  

There’s a lot more to the Wikipedia article, if you are interested:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_caste_system 

I found another site that had interesting comments about how the caste system is working now, in the 21st century in India:   http://www.lotussculpture.com/bronze_sculpture_caste.htm