In between football games, parades, and eating turkey, I hope all of us took a moment to remember why we commemorate this day and consider how much we owe to those who suffered great hardships to establish a place in the New World where freedom and tolerance could flourish. Along with the early settlers, we must remember those who were living here before them and greeted the newcomers in peace and helped them survive. We must also bear in mind our debt to the Founders, who recognized the worth and value of each individual and sought to design a country where all would have the opportunity to pursue their dreams. We also owe thanks to those of succeeding generations, right up to today, who have struggled and sacrificed to bring the Founders’ vision closer to reality. No matter what hardships or misfortunes we may face, we live in a country that extols freedom and where opportunities abound. It is a heritage we must do all we can to nurture and maintain. Otherwise, we will lose it.
Finishing our study of SW Asia
We are just about at the end of our study of this region. You should have completed the worksheets on growing up in Saudi Arabia and “Over a Barrel.” If you need the articles, I put a link on last week’s blog. We will complete an in class assignment on Afghanistan as we use statistics from our text, a reading, and Good’s atlas to design a profile of the country. I also plan to show you parts of “Afghan Star,” a documentary about a talent show based on “American Idol” that is encouraging the Afghan people to celebrate their culture and learn about democracy through voting for their favorite singer. Final assessment will be an open ended question.
Dangerous situation in Korea
And while we have been reading about the challenges of South West Asia, North and South Korea have entered into a dangerous exchange of artillery shells and threats that have heightened an already tense situation. President Obama restated our commitment to the people of South Korea and backed up his words by sending the USS George Washington, an aircraft carrier, to the region. The President has also called on China to work with North Korea to reduce tensions. Keep watching the news for updates.
Reflection on First Quarter
Your reflection letters were due last week. This is an opportunity for you to think about your progress in CWI and make plans for a successful second quarter. Parents and guardians appreciate hearing your assessment of your progress and plans for the future. And speaking of parents and guardians, we have another round of conferences scheduled for December 1 from 2-4. I have a few openings available if you are looking for a time slot.
Portfolio Task
On Monday you will receive the prompt for our portfolio task. It will be based on current events and the end product will be a reflective essay. This task will require you to read, summarize and analyze a major international event. You need to set aside the time to think about your event and its implications. Recently, Tom Friedman (remember Tom? ...quoted in our “Over the Barrel” reading...NYT columnist...author of “ The World Is Flat”) wrote about the need for young people to disconnect their cell phones and computers and take the time to concentrate, think and reflect on their tasks at hand.
Let’s go down to the Sea
On December 7 (Pearl Harbor Day), Dr. Robert Ballard (of Titanic fame) will be speaking at the Naval War College at 6:30 in Spruance Auditorium. Admiral Wisecup has opened this lecture to high school students. If you are interested in attending you may call 841-1068 or email eveninglecture@usnwc.edu to reserve a spot. Another great opportunity right in your own back yard!
Hard time for the Humanities
Today’s Providence Journal had an interesting lead editorial on the importance of the humanities. While the study of math and science have taken center stage in this age of technology, the editorial points out that “it is within the humanities that students are more apt to develop writing and critical thinking skills - where they will in essence teach themselves to learn.” Yet hard times are leading many schools curtail humanities programs, limiting students’ access to some of the most valuable rewards of a higher education.
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