Wednesday, February 27, 2008

A Dream Deferred

A Dream Deferred

by Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode



Describe your interpretation of this poem.
What do you think the author is trying to say?
Provide examples from the poem to help you express your ideas.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Heroes

Heroes have special qualities that people admire. Heroes give us examples of the courage and strength it takes to face difficult situations and challenges in life.

Think of someone who is your personal hero. In a well-developed composition, describe this person and explain two qualities you most admire about him or her.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

5 Wits Field Trip

Describe what you liked and what you didn't like about the Tomb Field trip? Explain something that you learned about Egyptians from the trip?

Friday, February 8, 2008

Cairo and us...

Provide evidence from the text to compare and/or contrast Cairo to where you live?

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Witness to Freedom

Think about your reading from Witness to Freedom...What is Justice and what does it look like?

Monday, February 4, 2008

Responding to Articles

WORLD NEWS
Ancient Tomb Discovered in Egypt
Archaeologists make one of the biggest discoveries since 1922, when King Tut’s tomb was uncovered


Egpytian King


Archaeologists say they've made a huge discovery in Egypt – by accident! A U.S.-based team has uncovered an ancient tomb containing five sarcophagi with mummies. The tomb was found in the Valley of the Kings outside Luxor, Egypt. This is the first tomb uncovered in the area since King Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered in 1922.

A team of archaeologists from the University of Memphis was actually working on the nearby site of a 19th Dynasty pharaoh when it made the discovery. Archaeologists found the remains of the huts of men who had worked on the tomb and a shaft leading to the tomb.

"It was a wonderful thing," said Edwin Brock, of the team that discovered the tomb. "It was just so amazing to find an intact tomb here after all the work that's been done before. This was totally unexpected."

Inside the Ancient Tomb
The tomb was found at the bottom of a 33-foot deep pit. A narrow shaft leads down another 16 feet to the tomb door, which is made of stone blocks. The tomb is thought to be about 3,000 years old. Archaeologists say it dates to the 18th Dynasty. They say it is the most important discovery of its kind in more than eighty years!

Inside the tomb are five sarcophagi with mummies. One sarcophagus has fallen and another is partly open, showing the brown cloth that covers the mummy inside. The sarcophagi have colorful funeral masks.

Researchers say the tomb is relatively bare and undecorated. The tomb’s appearance has led researchers to believe that it does not belong to a pharaoh. They say it was probably built for people connected to the royal family.

"It’s somebody who had the favor of the king because not everybody could come and make their tomb in the Valley of the Kings," said Otto Schaden, who led the U.S. team.

What's Next?
After archaeologists finish clearing debris from the shaft, they can search the tomb for hieroglyphs that identify those buried inside. The goal is to remove the sarcophagi before the weather gets too hot to work in the desert, Schaden said. High temperatures usually begin in May and mark the end of the digging season for archaeologists.


By Jill Egan








Egpytian King
A view inside the newly-discovered tomb.















Egyptian King
Archaeologists are still discovering new things in the tomb, like the artifacts pictured here.















After reading the article, "pull-out" 1 fact, create 2 questions you have about the topic and write a personal response (5-7 sentences) about the topic/article (After reading the article, how do you feel about this topic?).

Friday, February 1, 2008

Flip-Flop Girl

Would you recommend Katherine Patterson to readers your age?

Why?

What will other young-adult readers enjoy about Katherine Patterson's writing?
Make sure you provide evidence!