In core, we learned how the discovery of iron changed Ghana which is in West Africa. Ghana was being threatened by nomadic herders and needed protection. That is when they discovered iron. Ghana used the iron to make better spears for battle. Since many spears were made of bone, this was a great advantage for the people of Ghana. Then Ghana started to conquer other villages and neighbors and that was the making of the Ghana Empire.
    What I learned was that iron had a big impact on the people of Ghana. Ghana conquered people to make the Ghana Empire. It reminds me of when I read about the Aztecs.

    In core, we learned that there are different climates in Africa. One that I think would produce more hardships for living is the desert. Temperatures in the desert can climb up to 120 dergrees F. Also, rain is rare because the heat can evaporate the water. There is not much life in the desert, so little food lives there. In Africa, the Sahara is the largest desert in the world.
   I learned that desert climate in Africa presents many hardships. I think that if I was there, I wouldn't make it. I think the climate that is the best to live in is the oasis. Oases have good climate and have water for you to drink.

    In core, we learned how trade helped Islam spread. When caravans came to Islam. they came to trade their goods for things they needed. The reason the caravans came was because Islam was in the middle of an oasis. Oases have cooler temperatures than the rest of the land. Since Islam was in the middle of a desert, more people came to trade in cool weather. I think that the Muslim people told traders about Islam.
    So what I learned was that trade helped Islam spread its religion.

    In core we learned about the Five Pillars of Islam. I think the forth pillar is the hardest for Muslims. The forth pillar is for Muslims not to eat anything for Ramadan which is called fasting. I can imagine not eating for a month, it would be horrible. However, it is for a good reason because Muslims really care about their religion, so they follow the Five Pillars of Islam.
    I learned that Muslims really care about their religion and do this for their religion. They also must go to Kaba at least once in their lifetime.

    In core my class is learning about Islam. There is this one person named Muhammad who changed the Islam religion. One day the rich people stopped helping poor people and Muhammad wanted to do something. One day an angel came down and talked to Muhammad and that angel was God   himself. God told him to tell other people about him, but Muhammad was to was afraid that people wouldn't listen. Two years later he told people about God and some people listened. Others didn't believe him.
    I think Muhammad really cared about the poor people he wanted to help them.

    Today is the 11 anniversary of the worst day of America, 9/11. I know that Osama Bin Laden planned this horrible attack. Terrorists hijacked planes an drove them right into the Twin Towers or World Trade Center. One of the planes drove it into the Pentagon in D.C. A second one drove it into a Pennsylvania field. More than 2,000 people died that day.
    It doesn't affect me, but it must have been a terrible day for those who lost such great people. 11 years later a new World Trade Center was built, but it is called One World Trade Center.

    I am reading the book "Firebirds" Rising. The book is about different kinds of stories. The genre is scientific fiction. At first I really didn't think about picking it to read , but after i read a little bit it seemed interesting. I haven't finished reading it, but its a great book. It has action and after reading I got hooked.
    The book is really about different stories about different situations. One is about a girl talking to a really small girl about how to deal with her parents. Another was about two boys who wouldn't behave in class. It taught me to respect my parents and to behave in class.

    I care about the presidential elections because it could change how America works. I really want Obama to win because he can make America better. I think Mitt Romney could make this country worse because he could make us pay more taxes and he could be paying less taxes. Obama will create more jobs and reduce the unemployment rate to 0%. Who ever gets picked could change how America runs and works.
    Mitt Romney just wants to cut jobs and make America worse. All those campaign commercial can change peoples opinions about who to choose. So people should care about the presidential elections.

    When I woke up, I went to go see my uncle. He had some special news for me. He said i was old enough to join the caravan which meant I was going to travel  by camel to faraway places. So he gave me a choice to join or not and I said yes! So tomorrow I would be traveling to faraway places and I was so excited because I really wanted freedom to travel to faraway places.
    The next day I was packed up and ready to go explore the world. Even though it was going to be a long trip, it's worth it.  

    In history we did a simulation of what it felt like if we were Romans. I was a Huns barbarian. Barbarians raid villages and steal peoples belongings. My part was to raid a village and steal their stuff. Then when we had a big enough army, we had to raid Rome and make the Fall of Rome. I had to get other barbarians from other places to make Rome fall. After that we did make Rome fall and it was really fun.
    I really wanted to be a Emperor because the emperor has all the power. I really didn't want to be a barbarian because in the description it said that it drank the enemy's blood and that was creepy.