Archive for January, 2008

Lessons For Writers - Creating Characters

If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!As most writers are daydreamers, use that imagination as a tool for creating your characters. How? Move in with them for a day!
The goal in creating fictional characters is to have your readers see them as [...]

Nietzsche Deciphered - Beer Goggles!

A pair of powerful spectacles has sometimes sufficed to cure a person in love.
FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE
Check out this video on a modern take of this Nietzsche quote!
[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXVK3RteHxc&]
Stumble it!

3 Tanka poems by D.J. Morris

Tanka is a form of poetry of Japanese origin. Generally, it follows a 5-7-5-7-7 syllable per line format. However, there are many variations. For more information, check out www.americantanka.com.
 

Woman’s Work
On my hands and knees
head down, straining like a horse
I heave air and sweat.
When she turns through the crevice,
I gather strength for her [...]

Teaching The Next Generation - Children or Fools?

“The Next Generation – Children or Fools?”

By D.J. Morris
January 2008

I recently read a book on strategies for teaching children how to read. (Mosaic of Thought: Teaching Comprehension in a Reader’s Workshop, Keene and Zimmermann, 1997.) At one point, the author expresses her concern that children, after reading a text, don’t know how [...]

The Secret History Of The Golden Horde - Worldbeater Pt. 2

The bottles shelved behind the bar provided no resistance to the automatic gunfire. Instead, the trendy track lighting colorfully backlit the shower of glass shards and misting liqueurs. Chase covered his head with his arm, anticipating thousands of tiny cuts and the burn of splashing alcohol. He readied his pistol and as soon as the [...]

Oh, The BlogRoll!

After a few months of blogging, I’m finally getting into the social aspect of this “hobby”. This has been the coolest thing so far, but the part that I thought that I would like the least!. Even if I don’t have direct contact with a fellow blogger, or leave a comment, you start [...]

Teaching The World - Setting Up Your Class To Teach Social Studies

IF YOU HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF TEACHING A SOCIAL STUDIES CLASS, YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN YOUR STUDENTS EYES TO THE BEAUTY AND WONDER OF OUR WORLD. WE MUST BE AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS SUBJECT AS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL GLOBALIZATION WILL HAVE AN AFFECT ON OUR LIVES. SO BEFORE [...]

Ancient History Lesson Plan - Ancient Greece - The Influence Of Aristotle In Government

Objective:
Students will be able to identify Aristotle and his ideas about government.
(Lesson is based on information contained in Aristotle’s Politics. Link to excerpt below.)
Excerpt - Aristotle’s Politics
Activator:
Define Philosopher in your notebook and describe how philosophy might affect society.
Teacher Directed Activity:
Describe Aristotle’s beliefs of government.
Student Directed Learning Activity:
Read excerpts from Aristotle’s Politics.
Answer teacher created [...]

Excerpt - Politics By Aristotle

(Excerpt of) Politics
By Aristotle
Written 350 B.C.E
Translated by Benjamin Jowett
Part VI

Having determined these questions, we have next to consider whether there is only one form of government or many, and if many, what they are, and how many, and what are the differences between them.

A constitution is the arrangement of magistracies in a state, [...]

Ancient History Lesson Plan - Compare And Contrast The City-States Of Athens And Sparta

OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to identify the key features of the Athenian and Spartan city-states and describes the differences in the forms of government.

Activator:
Using a K-W-L chart, complete the sections indicating what you know and what you want to know about Ancient Greece.
Teacher Directed Activity:
3. Describe the city-states of Athens and Sparta.
4. Compare [...]