Monthly Archives: October 2019

Altamira

“One of the finest painted caves, and also one of the first to be discovered (in 1879). The site is south of Santander, in northeast Spain, and is famous for its polychrome animals [40], which include deer, bison, and wild boar painted in red, black, and a range or earth colors. Most of the art in the caves was produced by Magdalenian peoples.”

Excerpted from: Bray, Warwick, and David Trump. The Penguin Dictionary of Archaeology. New York: Penguin, 1984.

Aggregate (n)

OK, after a long weekend, here is a context clues worksheet on aggregate used as a noun. It seems to me that somewhere along the way I wanted to write one of these for aggregate as a verb as well. So be on the lookout for that, I suppose.

If you find typos in this document, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

Aztecs

“Aztecs: A Nahuatl-speaking tribe of Indians who dominated much of Mexico at the time of the Spanish conquest (1519-1521) under Hernan Cortez. In the 12th century, the Aztecs moved into the valley of Anahuac from the northwest and gradually subdued neighboring tribes, turning them into tribute-paying vassals. The “emperor” of the Aztecs was chosen by a supreme council, which represented the twenty clans that comprised the Aztec tribe.”

Excerpted from: Murphy, Bruce, ed. Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia, Fourth Edition. New York: Harper Collins, 1996.

The Weekly Text, October 11, 2019, Hispanic Heritage Month 2019 Week IV: A Reading and Comprehension Worksheet on Eva Peron

Ok, in the ongoing observation of Hispanic History Month 2019 at Mark’s Text Terminal, here is a reading on Eva Peron and its accompanying vocabulary-building and comprehension worksheet. If you have students interested in the musical theater, this might be high interest material for them, given that Eva Peron’s life constitutes the source material for Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s musical Evita.

If you find typos in these documents, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

Delmira Agustini

Delmira Agustini: (1886-1914) Uruguayan poet. Together with Gabriela Mistral, Juana de Ibarbourou, Alfonsina Storni, and Dulce Maria Loynaz, Agustini is one of the key voices in the rich tradition of Spanish American poetry by women. Influenced by Ruben Dario’s Modernismo, her poetry is marked by sensuality and eroticism. Agustini published three collections of poetry: El libro blanco (1907); Cantos de la manana (1910); and Los calices vacios (1913). At the time of her death, she was working on Los astros del abismo (1954). Agustini’s biography has drawn almost as much attention as her writing. She was raised in cultivated and conventional surroundings in Montevideo, but was murdered by her estranged husband less than a year after their marriage.

Excerpted from: Murphy, Bruce, ed. Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia, Fourth Edition. New York: Harper Collins, 1996.

Cultural Literacy: Conquistadores

Here is a Cultural Literacy worksheet on conquistadores in Mark’s Text Terminal’s ongoing observation of Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs annually between September 15 and October 15.

If you find typos in this document, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

Ten Days that Shook the World by John Reed

Ten Days that Shook the World: A book (1919) by the US journalist John Reed (1887-1920), an eyewitness account of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in 1917. Reed, who came from a wealthy background, was one of the leading radical figures in the USA, became a friend of Lenin and helped to found the US Communist Party. Accused of treason in the USA, he fled to Soviet Russia, where he died of typhus. After his death the US Communist Party established many John Reed’ clubs for writers and artists in US cities. His life is the subject of the film Reds (1981), directed by and starring Warren Beatty.”

Excerpted from: Crofton, Ian, ed. Brewer’s Curious Titles. London: Cassell, 2002.

Aficionado (n)

Moving right along this morning, as a Mozart piano concerto (Malcolm Bilson at the fortepiano–exquisite) plays in the background, here is a context clues worksheet on the noun aficionado.

In context? “The proprietor of Mark’s Text Terminal is an aficionado of Mozart’s piano concerti.”

If you find typos in this document, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

Term of Art: Critical Thinking

critical thinking: The trained ability to think clearly and dispassionately. Critical thinking is logical thinking based on sound evidence, involving the ability to gather and and analyze information and solve problems; it is the opposite of biased, sloppy thinking. A critical thinker can accurately and fairly explain a point of view that he or she does not agree with. Critical thinking requires close attention to facts, evidence, knowledge, and how knowledge is used, particularly in situations in which the facts are in conflict or the evidence permits more than one interpretation. This kind of reasoning is especially relevant for democratic life. Critics of the term think that educators have turned it into an empty cliche, since there is a tendency to refer to any sort of thinking as critical thinking.”

Excerpted from: Ravitch, Diane. EdSpeak: A Glossary of Education Terms, Phrases, Buzzwords, and Jargon. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2007.

Cultural Literacy: Whiskey Rebellion

Here is a Cultural Literacy worksheet on the Whiskey Rebellion for you United States history teachers.

If you find typos in this document, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.