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mainer

(12,555 posts)

29. "shit," "fucking soulless" and "mindless" just wasn't what came to my mind when I saw these words

Wed Jul 31, 2013, 11:02 AM

Jul 2013

Ancient history need not be soulless or mindless. These are guidelines for subjects and vocabulary to be introduced to six- and seven- year-olds. It's the teacher's challenge to make it fascinating. These words aren't dry and soulless. These words are astonishingly rich -- ziggurat? Pyramid? Sphinx? I can just hear seven year olds going home and chanting "Ziggurat, Ziggurat, Ziggurat" for fun. Why would we think this would stop our kids from developing a love of language? These words bring so much texture and wonder to many children.

Maybe I'm just a little more open-minded to the power of knowledge.

My kids would have LOVED a unit on how to make a mummy. In fact, when I was a cub scout leader, we mummified a fish, and talked about why the Egyptians did it to their loved ones. The boys were enthralled.

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Holy Mesopotamia Batman: First Grade Common Core Social Studies vocabulary [View all] HiPointDem Jul 2013 OP

I assume 1st Grade is 6 year olds. dipsydoodle Jul 2013 #1

I was 7 in first grade. Neoma Jul 2013 #121

think i was four. loli phabay Jul 2013 #125

buchans prestor john or scott's tales of my grandfather were mine i think loli phabay Jul 2013 #123

My SIL is 9 years old. This is what she does for FUN -- Nuclear Unicorn Aug 2013 #191

holy (wholly) ridiculous is what I think. insane. pukeworthy. cali Jul 2013 #2

Well, I am qualified, LWolf Jul 2013 #144

kick because I HATE this so much cali Jul 2013 #3

"How to crush any incipient love of learning" = the objective... HiPointDem Jul 2013 #5

so gobsmacked by this I have to kick it- again. cali Jul 2013 #4

kids will be tested on this stuff to grade their teachers erodriguez Jul 2013 #6

+1 HiPointDem Jul 2013 #7

That's NCLB in a nutshell. longship Jul 2013 #8

NCLBOT MindPilot Jul 2013 #30

Not just NCLB. LWolf Jul 2013 #146

Nice Orrex Jul 2013 #23

Beyond the fact it seems too advanced mainer Jul 2013 #9

i have no objection to them being taught either. however, i wouldn't teach mesopotamia as HiPointDem Jul 2013 #10

But if you want to teach in chronological order, Mesopotamia must be taught mainer Jul 2013 #11

first of all what's so important about teaching history in choronological order to cali Jul 2013 #14

kids need a global perspective mainer Jul 2013 #24

first they need to learn how to read so that they can gain a global perspective cali Jul 2013 #44

I agree. I learned how to read back in the Late Cretaceous matthews Jul 2013 #63

I absolutely love your post cali Jul 2013 #71

Thank you. Sometimes I think it's hard for people to understand how matthews Jul 2013 #91

I have a brother who hates to read cali Jul 2013 #94

Puff redwitch Jul 2013 #79

I believe you're right. Puff. nt matthews Jul 2013 #84

+1 octoberlib Jul 2013 #42

why do you think you need to teach civilizations in chronological order? that would mean they HiPointDem Jul 2013 #16

"Explain the significance of the Code of Hammurab" cali Jul 2013 #18

i'd bet the 'expected answer' is 'first laws in the world' or something simple like that. still HiPointDem Jul 2013 #19

yep. meaningless. I hate these people and what this shit does to kids cali Jul 2013 #20

These goals enlightenment Jul 2013 #58

wow. so much better. I wish you'd post about this as an op cali Jul 2013 #80

interesting. i see similarities. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #83

Gotta embed some authoritarianism into their little minds right from the git-go MindPilot Jul 2013 #28

History is not generally taught "in order." LWolf Jul 2013 #154

is it remotely appropriate to 5 and 7 year old children? Fuck NO cali Jul 2013 #12

So fuck no to teaching kids about mummies and ancient history? mainer Jul 2013 #25

You appear to need some remedial reading comprehension instruction cali Jul 2013 #27

"shit," "fucking soulless" and "mindless" just wasn't what came to my mind when I saw these words mainer Jul 2013 #29

oh for pity's sake, of course ancient history needn't be soulless cali Jul 2013 #32

So you're reacting to "common core curriculum" as being soulless shit mainer Jul 2013 #34

I didn't force feed anything to my kid cali Jul 2013 #37

My kids were taught some of this in 1st grade and they loved it, retained it and understood it. Pisces Jul 2013 #111

That's still the goal here. vaberella Jul 2013 #72

The words are actually not too advanced for the students. vaberella Jul 2013 #68

'ideally'. however, the ideal world is not the real world. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #85

I teach ESL in NYC. It can work. vaberella Jul 2013 #115

you teach high school. public or charter? neighborhood? HiPointDem Jul 2013 #116

Public, Bronx. I work in High-Need neighborhoods vaberella Jul 2013 #126

that's because there *is* a difference between elementary & high school kids, regardless of HiPointDem Jul 2013 #127

Wow...funny. vaberella Jul 2013 #139

your response seems to have nothing to do with my post. HiPointDem Aug 2013 #186

Wow... vaberella Aug 2013 #187

you can call them whatever you like. public schools don't have a board with a Goldman sachs HiPointDem Aug 2013 #198

Standard 6th grade social studies LWolf Jul 2013 #147

I kind of question why they're being taught all this at such an early age in the first place. reformist2 Jul 2013 #13

How about teaching them to read, to count, to add? cali Jul 2013 #15

Exactly. This story has me interested in what the official NY first-grade curriculum looks like! reformist2 Jul 2013 #17

I realize that kids need to be challenged to learn new things, but this seems extremely Arkansas Granny Jul 2013 #21

1st grade is too early for most of this vocabulary LibertyLover Jul 2013 #22

It is not too early. No vocabulary is truthfully too early for a student. n/t vaberella Jul 2013 #73

of course some vocabulary is too early for a student cali Jul 2013 #77

It's not forcefed. vaberella Jul 2013 #118

how about teaching them to read first? or don't you consider that important? cali Jul 2013 #141

I read them. They're not out of order. vaberella Jul 2013 #149

You're a teacher. I expect you to know that most kids don't know how to read cali Jul 2013 #160

Actually kids should be reading by age 6 or 7. vaberella Aug 2013 #184

Are 1st graders studying 6th grade history? LWolf Jul 2013 #26

That is a very thinly veiled religious curriculum MindPilot Jul 2013 #31

This does seem too advanced for first grade. I was in first grade in (ahem) 1957, and I Nay Jul 2013 #33

I don't think you're far off base cali Jul 2013 #39

Oh, very true. In the end, as I said, it's about money -- part of that is getting rid of Nay Jul 2013 #47

my daughter just finished first grade and did modules on aegypt and ancient china loli phabay Jul 2013 #49

At first this threw me. But this isn't too much, if the kids get into it. Robb Jul 2013 #35

I know four-year-olds who can name all the dinosaurs in a picture book. mainer Jul 2013 #38

sometimes it seems that some kids shows are the best educators out there loli phabay Jul 2013 #51

exactly. n/t vaberella Jul 2013 #75

because it's no different from learning the names of all their dogs. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #88

See Dick. See Jane. See Dick and Jane run... away. GreatCaesarsGhost Jul 2013 #36

All children learn at different rates Harmony Blue Jul 2013 #40

To all of the people crowing about 1st grade being too "early" for this stuff. Xithras Jul 2013 #41

I'm not. Now granted I grew up in a house of books cali Jul 2013 #45

Not reading until the first grade? Xithras Jul 2013 #50

I don't know where your wife teaches but most children do not know cali Jul 2013 #62

What is their socio-economic level? roody Jul 2013 #178

Many children are not started early roody Jul 2013 #179

This does not seem to be correct, at least not in Ontario. I have included a link Nay Jul 2013 #46

I can't comment as to the differences between the Canadian provincial educational systems. Xithras Jul 2013 #52

there is no canadian curriculum, so i don't know how you could make such a claim. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #90

See my link. I posted the Ontario curriculum statements as one example of a Canadian- Nay Jul 2013 #102

i was addressing the other poster's implied claim that 'canada' has a national curriculum. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #104

Oh, sorry, I see that. Yes, I think that other poster has been reading Arne Duncan's crap. nt Nay Jul 2013 #122

the US does not measure near last hfojvt Jul 2013 #48

It really does depend on which numbers you're looking at Xithras Jul 2013 #57

We've started teaching to the lowest common denominator mainer Jul 2013 #60

you were gifted. Most kids aren't you. cali Jul 2013 #65

it definetly in the expectations, the touchy touchy feel good stuff stifles the kids loli phabay Jul 2013 #64

what do you mean by touchy feely? cali Jul 2013 #69

is that why you can't spell definitely? HiPointDem Jul 2013 #97

yeah like spelling really matters on the internet, you know its pretty much the sign of a loser loli phabay Jul 2013 #105

i only spellcheck them when they're ranting about how poorly educated others are. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #106

my education is sufficient for my needs and as i said spelling on the internet who cares loli phabay Jul 2013 #109

you're the one complaining about how poor education based on the results of standardized tests HiPointDem Jul 2013 #114

once again its the internet, totally different different from real life loli phabay Jul 2013 #117

I hate to break this to you but the internet doesn't transform the rules of spelling or cali Jul 2013 #152

lol yeah like there are professional consequences for misspelling a word on DU loli phabay Jul 2013 #158

lol, sweets, but that's not what I said. cali Jul 2013 #163

sloppy works, i just let the fill in crap thing on my kindle mess stuff up loli phabay Jul 2013 #164

you're the one ranting about other people's poor education. i wonder how you would even HiPointDem Aug 2013 #182

lol, as i said on here i do not care about my spelling grammar etc etc loli phabay Aug 2013 #188

it depends on what global test you're looking at, for what year, for what subject. OECD doesn't HiPointDem Jul 2013 #96

That's partially true. LWolf Jul 2013 #162

Lets add one more lesson. Ganja Ninja Jul 2013 #43

Like politics, philosophy, economics and the arts LanternWaste Jul 2013 #55

Homeschooling NewThinkingChance40 Jul 2013 #53

Message auto-removed Name removed Aug 2013 #194

Yes, they test regularly NewThinkingChance40 Aug 2013 #195

Message auto-removed Name removed Aug 2013 #196

Apparently Early World Civilizations (TM) were limited to those practicing the Abrahamic religions?? kestrel91316 Jul 2013 #54

+1 roody Jul 2013 #180

Many first graders do not understand roody Jul 2013 #56

but, but, but people in this thread are telling me they should know how to cali Jul 2013 #74

I think that is because they roody Jul 2013 #87

but shouldn't they know that? that's hardly hidden knowledge cali Jul 2013 #89

Ironic you should say that. roody Jul 2013 #113

First Grade: I remember First Grade. MineralMan Jul 2013 #59

You're from the same era I am, and I went to California public schools mainer Jul 2013 #61

I agree with you. Still, my point is that the very things MineralMan Jul 2013 #76

Hello fellow NYC Teacher. I'm High School and I teach ESL although I was ESL/Global. vaberella Jul 2013 #66

The OP should ring a Bell. But you are a teacher in NYC, what do you know? msanthrope Jul 2013 #140

Yup. Throughout the thread. vaberella Jul 2013 #175

Well, if teachers are going to be evaluated, I think it's best if everyone has a common msanthrope Aug 2013 #193

This is pretty close to what my daughter had in first grade. I don't see why the msanthrope Jul 2013 #67

so your kid could do the following by the end of first grade? cali Jul 2013 #78

She could do most of those things by the end of the first grade, with msanthrope Jul 2013 #82

right. and comes from a family who values learning and has that luxury cali Jul 2013 #86

So we should dumb-down standards for those children? I want to read your theory of msanthrope Jul 2013 #92

no. we should teach them to read and to love reading cali Jul 2013 #95

Interestingly, my kid's teacher was able to teach reading right along side msanthrope Jul 2013 #103

interestingly, your kid goes to an elite private school. cali Jul 2013 #107

Well, she's 10, now. "find out what they're interested in and turn them loose." msanthrope Jul 2013 #133

and you bet wrong. why people make silly assumptions is beyond me. cali Jul 2013 #138

Did you homeschool? Because otherwise, your child went to a school where I have no msanthrope Jul 2013 #142

My kid was not homeschooled but he went cali Jul 2013 #148

With the advantages your child had, they would not be able to handle Common Core? msanthrope Jul 2013 #150

I didn't say that, but thank the goddess he wasn't cali Jul 2013 #166

Sounds like my grade 10 History class. Metric System Aug 2013 #183

????????? Good Grief. PUBLIC education? DonRedwood Jul 2013 #70

Some of the words don't fit the narrative of Early World Civilizations Rex Jul 2013 #81

I want them to focus on teaching the kids to read cali Jul 2013 #93

I agree 100% with ya on that. Rex Jul 2013 #131

Remembering my own elementary school education, MineralMan Jul 2013 #98

They also used a different method of teaching when we were both young. Rex Jul 2013 #134

There was standardized testing in elementary school MineralMan Jul 2013 #143

Yes, but teachers were not told by the administration to Rex Jul 2013 #151

Right. They weren't. The testing was used for individual MineralMan Jul 2013 #159

Yes and I am generalizing here to a degree. Rex Jul 2013 #161

It looks like a lot of the vocab comes from a popular woodsprite Jul 2013 #99

If you're making the assumption the standards are too high, I'm going to disagree. Vashta Nerada Jul 2013 #100

yeah, because memorzing information that they have no context for is so much cali Jul 2013 #110

No context? vaberella Jul 2013 #119

no, it's not. cali Jul 2013 #128

Are you a teacher? Vashta Nerada Jul 2013 #157

No, and there are plenty of teachers in this thread saying it's cali Jul 2013 #167

You've wrapped up the dysfunction of our system with that one phrase: LWolf Jul 2013 #170

great post LWolf. That is what I have always tried to teach my son. liberal_at_heart Jul 2013 #172

It's interesting to note that Robert Marzano, LWolf Jul 2013 #173

What's the big deal. Dick and Jane used those words all the time. yellowcanine Jul 2013 #101

My first grader learned these words in an overview of the 3 main religions. This is an introduction Pisces Jul 2013 #108

I think you need to read what the requirements entail cali Jul 2013 #112

You are correct. Because there is no standardized exam on Global until 10th grade. vaberella Jul 2013 #129

There are standardized tests in 5th grade for social studies which include 'global' questions. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #130

Ah yes--I remember my regent's diploma and regent's scholarship. Aiming high is a good thing. nt msanthrope Jul 2013 #135

Of course not. vaberella Jul 2013 #145

some nyc schools don't even have art, but you think they're making sarcophagi & prayer rugs. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #132

That doesn't mean NYC teachers can't take the initiative to bring them into the classroom. vaberella Jul 2013 #153

gee vaberella, when you're following a scripted curriculum and take weeks off the regular HiPointDem Aug 2013 #181

Don't believe what you're reading. What script?! vaberella Aug 2013 #185

i would forget it, there is an ancient persian saying that fits trying to talk to certain posters loli phabay Aug 2013 #189

That is a major problem. Art, Music and PE are critical components of learning. Pisces Jul 2013 #171

Exactly--my kid saw the same concepts in1st and 3rd grades, and will revisit them again. msanthrope Jul 2013 #137

This is sixth grade vocabulary in Florida. Here, they study world history in 1monster Jul 2013 #120

That will change. Florida is signed on to the Common Core State Standards. vaberella Jul 2013 #155

One must learn to walk before training to run a marathon. 1monster Aug 2013 #190

Check out the ELA standards Nevernose Jul 2013 #124

That's nuts. bluedigger Jul 2013 #136

lol, to true computer games open up the context for a lot of stuff loli phabay Jul 2013 #156

I will be putting my son in private school this year. liberal_at_heart Jul 2013 #165

mine will go private when they are teens, though my daughter wants to go to switzerland now loli phabay Jul 2013 #168

in a word? Bravo. And fuck race to the top. cali Jul 2013 #169

Well, my first grader knows most of these words, but she Fawke Em Jul 2013 #174

first grade?... really ...first grade? madrchsod Jul 2013 #176

Very Theist. Is it for a religious school or a real school? nt valerief Jul 2013 #177

Message auto-removed Name removed Aug 2013 #192

Being a daughter of history teachers and (at age 4-6)having gone to UC Berkley classes with parents, haele Aug 2013 #197