A process

I have heard some frustration coming from some people newly associated with 21C and I hope that they stick with it. Last year was overwhelming to an extent, but this year I am doing better with it all, I am having fun, and most importantly I think that the students are benefitting. For example, each year I give my juniors a reading about the 7 Ancient Wonders of the World. (That list was created during the Hellenistic era - in between the Greeks and the Romans.) This year before I gave them the "official" list I asked them to brainstorm what they thought might be considered the "Wonders of the World." I was very pleasantly surprised at the diversity of opinion! I created a PPT show full of pictures of the students' wonders and we looked at that in class via the LCD. (I think that next year I will have the students email pictures to me so that they get to choose the ways in which to view their wonders.) Then we looked at the many different "official" lists of world wonders via the LCD. Last night I also found a website at which people can vote for a new list of world wonders so I will probably share that with my students. I suppose what I am saying is that in the past, that was a very dry reading that did not spark much discussion. But because I approached the topic a bit differently, got the students involved and thinking, and used technology, the topic was better discussed and understood. (After all, who is to say that the first Ford Mustang was any less a wonder than hanging gardens?)

See the student list and "official lists" on my website http://arapahoe.littletonpublicschools.net/goto/Ms_Crosby/ - click on Western Civ I and then Unit II.
Vote for a new list of the 7 Wonders of the World at http://www.new7wonders.com/ (The 7 winners will be revealed on 7/7/07)