Dramatic Events at Home and Overseas

This has been a full week for all of us as we finish portfolio tasks, prepare for mid term exams and try to absorb all that is happening in the world.

This week we saw a massive mobilization of global forces to aid the people of Haiti. On Friday night, actor George Clooney organized a who’s who list of stars to perform and man phones to generate much needed funds. Singers Beyoncé, Madonna and Sting performed, while director Steven Spielberg, actress Julia Roberts and others answered phone calls offering donations. It was quite an event! Keep in mind we have our own MHS fund raisers: 50/50 raffle sponsored by the Leo Club and Hearts for Haiti lollipops sponsored by the GSA.

On the national scene, our neighbor to the north, Massachusetts, surprised many by voting in Scott Brown, a Republican, to fill the seat of former Senator Ted Kennedy. Massachusetts, like Rhode Island, is often viewed as solidly Democratic, but this election showed again that in times of fear and uncertainty, public opinion can shift dramatically. Because Senator Brown will provide Republicans their 41st vote in the Senate, they will now be able to use the filibuster to block any legislation they oppose. This will have a major impact on what the Obama administration can accomplish.

Another dramatic event of the week was a sharp drop in our stock market, as unemployment figures increased and the banking industry balked at President Obama’s request for Congress to place restrictions on high-risk investments. The week also saw growing opposition in Congress to extending the term of Ben Bernanke as Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, the organization that sets interest rates and monitors our economy. Critics question whether he did all he could to prevent this economic downturn. Watch these financial developments closely, as they relate to our first unit of study in the second semester, the Great Depression of the 1930s. We will consider how that momentous event compares to what we are experiencing today.

And finally, Google and China may be parting ways. Google went into China knowing that their software would be used in a restrictive and intrusive manner, but the issue came to a head over the past few weeks as the Chinese government was linked to efforts to hack into G mail. Using email messages, the government can now identify dissidents who are pressing for human rights reform. Google has decided it does not want to be part of an effort that punishes people for supporting human rights, and it appears willing to sacrifice its large profits from China by halting operations there.

CWI

Congratulations to all who finished their “It’s My World” task. Over 90% of you submitted your tasks and an overwhelming number met standard. You will be offered one more task during second semester.

We finished our study of China and East Asia by reading “China Cheerleaders” and the Globalist article on education in China. You had guiding questions to help you understand the readings. We also read “Cramming in Korea,” an article about high school students who spend most of their waking hours preparing to take the SAT exam (the same one you take) in hopes of earning high scores that will qualify them for elite American colleges. These students give up much of their free time to focus on getting into a top college. We had a brief discussion about values in a society and asked ourselves what Americans value and whether academic success is at the top of our list.

We also watched excerpts from “Tank Man.” This is a pivotal event in the history of China and the world as we witnessed the bravery of one ordinary citizen who risked his life to defy his oppressive government. It is a great story and I hope you have the interest to go to the link and watch the rest of the video. In addition to the suspense and intrigue, it is a great lesson on the power of photography. The picture of tank man was described as iconic. We will also use photography in our next unit when we look at the Great Depression.

This weekend you should be preparing for the mid term exam. You have your portfolio, a study guide and of course the trusty and ever entertaining blog! The exam is made up of a variety of questions including matching, identification, cartoon analysis and short response. The matching questions are factual while many of the short responses are open ended questions that require you to think, articulate, and support a point of view.

Remember you also have your current event on China that is part of the midterm. In addition to the summary and commentary make sure to include the criteria you used for selecting the article. China has been on the front page of the papers these past few weeks as its people became the most numerous car buyers in the world, its economy seemed poised to replace Japan’s as the second largest, and the controversy with Google unfolded.

Exam Schedule

Monday: G and E periods
Tuesday: F and D periods
Wednesday: C and B periods
Thursday: A period

World History

This week we started our study of Imperialism by looking at four cartoons from that time and developing our own definition. You quickly understood that this period saw developed nations using force to seize territories less developed. The conquering states then dominated their colonies, imposing their own ideas and culture while using the colonies’ labor and natural resources to benefit the “Mother” country. We will continue our study of Imperialism in the second semester.

You have your study guide, portfolio and of course the blog to prepare for the exam. Each of the units we have discussed will be part of the exam and the questions are evenly divided over the units. Your study guide includes a description of the questions. You will have matching, multiple choice, map analysis, timeline interpretation, a 3-2-1 using a primary source, and one short essay. Bring in the completed study guide the day of the exam and earn extra credit.

Congratulations on the completion of your first task. We had 100% turn in for the task. The task will be scored after the midterm and I am optimistic that the scores will be great!

Frosting on the Cake

This week I was pleased to have the opportunity to share with you a few photos from my trip to China. We did a quick tour of Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall and the Olympic Village. I hope these photos whetted your appetite for travel. China is a fast growing and dynamic country that will be in the forefront of world events so you should do all that you can to educate yourself on this country.