NEXUS: "History is yours to make. It is not owned or written by someone else for you to learn. History is not just the story you read; it is the one you write. . ."

Daylight Savings Time, March 13, 2016

Change isn't easy. . .

http://marshallramsey.com
/?p=10335

So how's everybody doing after losing that (oh so precious) hour of sleep on Sunday? I must say, the ol' rise and shine isn't exactly working for me right now. Fiddling with people's sleep schedule has proved to be not such a good idea in lots of ways. For example, it takes a bit of adjusting before productivity regains momentum (which costs businesses $434 million annually!) and groggy drivers make the morning commute a bit more of a challenge.

For those of you who aren't morning people to begin with, I feel your pain!

So, why engage in this peculiar ritual in March and November? Read on to see what many people believe is the reason for the bi-yearly switch-a-roo.

Myth #1: Daylight Savings Time was established to help the farmers.

Well, no. Truth be told, it's just the opposite. In fact, farmers lobbied hard against it because it left them with an hour less time each day to get their crops to market. They actually blocked Daylight Savings Time until 1966 when President Johnson managed to sign it into law.

http://happysimpleton.com/2009/11/02/rooster-set/

Myth #2: It helps us to conserve energy.

Nope. In fact, it's just the opposite here, too. A study made in 2008 found that it actually hikes air conditioning bills on those warm summer days and increases our gasoline usage. (Hey, if it's still light out, why not get in the car and go somewhere?) Also, since mornings are darker, people turn on more lights.

So much for this theory, huh?

Myth #3: We have Benjamin Franklin to thank for Daylight Savings Time.

Oh, he might have toyed with the idea when he was in France in 1784, suggesting that rising earlier was a great way to get more done (obviously a morning person. . .), but it was actually a guy by the name of William Willet, a British builder, who proposed the idea of "British Summer Time" in 1905. No surprise that the farmers opposed it here, too. It became a law after Willet died in 1915.

Myth #4: There's no changing it now.
Never say never. In 2007 the government extended it by a month thanks to the lobbying efforts of businesses who profit from longer evenings (recreational facilities, golf courses, outdoor water parks, etc.). On the flip side, schools/parents don't want their kids waiting for the bus in the dark on those cold winter mornings . .

Interesting to note: Arizona and Hawaii don't change clocks twice a year like the rest of us.

Information from Sagon, Candy. "4 Myths About Daylight Saving Time." AARP, 07 Mar. 2014. Web. 10 Mar. 2016.

Something to consider. . .

SOCIAL STUDIES

"History is yours to make. It is not owned or written by someone else for you to learn. History is not just the story you read, but the story you write. . ."

Monday: Three ways to approach the same information:

1. "The Rise of Democracy" -- Read it HERE.

2. Forms of Government Prezi (Another Great Overview!)

3. Watch these (very short) videos that also explain. . .

Now you should be sufficiently brilliant to complete THIS worksheet! Please turn in!

Tuesday: Jigsaw activity -- Four forms of ancient Greek government: monarchy, oligarchy, tyranny, and democracy.

Divide into 4 groups. Each group should create a chart addressing the following aspects of one form of ancient Greek government to share with the class. Then. . .

Create and perform brief role-play demonstrating this form of government.

Copy all information on graphic organizer creating a symbol for each form of government.

Chart should include:

The name of the form of government
The definition
The etymology
Information about how this form of government worked in ancient Greece
Why this form of government declined in ancient Greece
What do we know about this form of government in today’s world?

Wednesday: Simulation of Athenian democracy.

Democracy--A Short Introduction

Check this out! When done, create a Venn Diagram that shows the similarities and differences of Athenian Democracy and Democracy in the United States.

LessonPaths!

Thursday & Friday: Go HERE to learn about the development of government in ancient Greece. What a FUN read! Don't forget to go through it all, though--there's an assignment at the end!