Reaching Out to Africa

What a wonderful spirit week! While I didn’t always recognize you in your outfits or painted blue and white faces, it was evident that MHS has school spirit! Congratulations to the football team for providing us with an exciting game.

Africa Travels

This week with the help of technology we traveled to the second largest continent, Africa. Your projects clearly illustrated the numerous challenges, opportunities and successes of the different countries we
visited. I hope you have developed a deeper understanding and appreciation of the people of this continent.

Your projects were impressive. You chose good photos to help tell the
story. Your use of note cards resulted in smooth, confident presentations. Some of you are natural presenters, standing tall and speaking clearly and at an understandable pace. All of these skills
will serve you well when it comes time for your Capstone presentation and in your future calling, whatever that may be.

Finally, your reflections and self-evaluations gave you the opportunity
to think about the steps of the project and how you could improve. So often we get so busy that we forget to pause and reflect about a process that helps us advance in every field of endeavor. Using your reflection, the rubric and my notes, you will receive a final individual grade for the project.

Things to keep in mind as you prepare future presentations:
1. Make sure you understand all the terms you use...copying information onto a note card without understanding the content is dangerous...I was very pleased when one student used the term “emerging market” and then immediately defined it for us...great job!

2. You should be able to identify every illustration you use and say why you selected it; the illustrations are supposed to help tell the story...not distract attention from the point you are trying to make...if you are talking about tourism, an appropriate photo of a place of beauty or interest would support your point; if you use the flag of
the country, know what the colors and symbols represent.

3. Not all answers are found on the web...some groups struggled with the opportunity slide (the potential future of the country) and the success slide...these focus questions required you to think
about the material you had read, analyze the different sources and then
synthesize the information into a coherent prediction or assessment. It can be hard but it is a skill you need to practice.

4. Your source slide should list all the resources you used for the project. You will look at some sources and decide not to use them and those do not have to go on the list. The source slide is not a laundry list but a concise listing of the sources you found useful. When you do your Capstone, you will be asked to do an annotated bibliography which will require you to explain how each source helped you with your project.
Students often list Google or Bing as a source...they are not sources
but search engines. The sites to which your search leads you are the sources. Your source list also required a newspaper or magazine from the country.

Accountable Talk
This week we had our first accountable talk activity. Using two readings from our UpFront magazine (“Armed and Underage” and “Africa’s Rising Stars”) you had the opportunity to read, take notes, and process the information using our 3-2-1 strategy prior to conducting the discussion. Accountable talk gives students the ability to direct the conversation. It is your time to explore your ideas and ask
others what they think about issues in the readings. You earned credit for your notes, contributions and reflections. If you struggled with this activity, we will have other opportunities. Get in the swing of things...contribute...ask a question...make a connection. All
ideas are welcome. A special blue ribbon goes to Period A which did an
outstanding job…citing the text, making connections to current events,
projects, and outside readings. Great job!

Famine
After reading in our text about famine, we watched Nicolas Kristof’s video on “Hidden Hunger” and the “60 Minutes” piece on plumpy’nut,
a high calorie nutrition packed supplement for children. We will continue to look at Kristof’s ideas for fighting poverty as we start our study of South West Asia. This award winning journalist thinks
differently about how to solve big problems. Instead of spending millions of dollars on grand projects, Kristof is a supporter of micro-financing. He believes small loans directly to individuals will have a bigger impact on the quality of life. If you want to read more about micro-financing I have given you a link to the Kiva website. We will also watch a slide show based on “Half the Sky,” a recent book Kristof and his wife co-authored. Two years ago one of our own MHS students did
an independent study on micro-financing and helped a Mongolian woman buy a goat.

War Dance
Next week we will be watching “War Dance,” an inspirational and true story of a group of high school students from Uganda who participated in the country’s annual song and dance competition after undergoing horrifying experiences as captives of the terroristic Lord’s Resistance Army. The LRA was again in the news recently when the President deployed U.S. Special Forces to assist the
government of Uganda in eliminating this longstanding threat to the region. The film is a powerful reminder that hope and healing are possible even in the face of some of the worst atrocities
imaginable.

While there is no homework for the weekend, make sure you are watching the news. Our next unit on South West Asia will study an area that has been the main focus of international coverage since September 11, 2001. The region has gained added attention as the Arab Spring overthrew dictatorial governments in Tunisia, Egypt and, most recently, Libya. It has spread from North Africa into Yemen, Syria and Bahrain, and it could eventually affect Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Current Events Quiz
We had our first current events quiz this week and you were able to use your notes to answer the questions the class wrote. Now let me see...take good notes....keep my notes organized....write the questions for the quiz....use the notes for the quiz...could this be a trick or treat....no ....it is an opportunity to earn lots of points! We will start a new set of current events at the start of our next unit on South West Asia.

Halloween
As part of our study of Africa, we mentioned different organizations that help the people. On the display at the front of the class I have catalogs from Save the Children and Heifer International, two organizations that directly assist many African countries. One of the more
popular groups that assist children in Africa is UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund. Many children in the US trick or treat for UNICEF, collecting coins instead of candy to help young people in Africa.

Have a fun and safe evening...extra
credit for those dressing up as historical figures or elected officials!

Monday Assembly for Juniors

As you may know, all Juniors will be meeting during periods A and B on Monday so our classes will have to compensate for the lost time. We will update our folders and take the time to figure your grades as of October 31. We only have a few days left in our quarter.

If you are absent

If you are out of class, please check your syllabus for work and make arrangements to see me before or after school. You have five days to make up any missed work…don’t wait till the last minute.

Extra Credit

Email me using your MHS account by start of school on Monday with the correct answer and earn extra credit:

“Mother of Exiles” is another name for this statue that just celebrated her 125th birthday. Provide the name most commonly used and the
source of the alternative name “Mother of Exiles.”

A Violent End

A Violent End

This was a week that will go into the history books as the Libyan
dictator for the past 42 years, General Omar Gadhafi was killed. We started our week with a power point presentation by Ms. MacRoberts which highlighted the actions in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. You
could see that these countries have a significant number of young people who are unemployed and the frustrations and lack of hope finally spilled into the streets. Tunisia was the first country to expel its leader, followed by Egypt and now Libya. Meanwhile, demonstrations continue in Syria and Yemen.

Our current events on Friday (and one class on Monday) focused on Africa and many of you selected an article on the brutal end to Gadhafi.

We also watched the MSNBC story on the ancient city of
Timbuktu. Western Africa was a rich region and home to wealthy and powerful kingdoms. Cities traded in slaves, gold and salt. Today, these cities have fallen into disrepair but there is a new interest in preserving the culture, especially the thousands of documents that were part of the Timbuktu library. While many African countries have fallen on hard times, we must never forget their rich history.

We also met William Kamkwamba, “the boy who harnessed the wind.” William tells his own story as the young son of a poor farmer. His family
was hard hit by a drought, and because of the lack of money he was forced to drop out of school. But he would not be defeated. By reading a book on electricity from his local library (which had just two shelves of books), he was able to put together a wind mill out of scrap pieces of PVC pipe and old bicycle parts. He soon was generating enough electricity for his home, the farm, and recharging people’s cell phones. William uses proceeds from an award he received to conduct workshops in his home village in Malawi to teach other young people the useful skills he has learned. His is an inspiring story. For more on William, you can find his book at the Middletown Public Library or go to his blog, http://williamkamkwamba.typepad.com/.

Economic Worksheet

Some classes have completed this worksheet while others have
it for homework. You had some class time so hopefully it should not take long to complete. This chapter will help you think through the history of economic problems experienced by many countries in Africa and what
steps countries are taking to improve their economic opportunities. Think infrastructure…no business wants to locate in a place without a strong infrastructure. We have linked the need for good infrastructure to our own state as efforts are underway to link rail service with the airport, improve Quonset Point port, upgrade our roads and bridges, and implement education reform that will result in a competitive labor
force. When all of these conditions are positive, companies will locate and invest in your state or country.

We also read brief excerpts from Bloomberg’s Business Week
and an article by Nicolas Kristof that spoke of the investments India and China are making in Africa. Many African countries are now growing at 6-8% a year and will reap big rewards for those countries and companies willing to take a risk. So while our text may speak of the numerous challenges confronting Africa, we must not lose sight of the potential of this continent.

Africa Group Project

Your country project is due on Wednesday October 26 and it must be emailed to me, using an MHS account, by 7am. Please put your class period and name of your project in the subject line. I will put
the projects in one folder so we can use our class time for presentations.

Take the time to read over the rubric one more time. Make sure you practice the presentation. Make sure to have your note cards (not loose
leaf paper) to help guide your comments. And be confident…you and your group are the resident experts on your country!
I look forward to a great day of presentations.

Federal Forms

Impact Aid forms were distributed and are due in the Main
Office by Wednesday October 27. Those forms can bring in additional federal aid to our District so it is very important to have them filled out and returned as soon as possible. We all want to do what we can to make our District efficient and this is one way you can help out.

Happy Birthday to two faithful readers: BABM and LEM

Preparation Pays!

This week we continued our journey through Africa. You had two days to work in the computer labs with your partners on your power point project. Learning to work successfully with a group is a great skill to have asyou get ready to enter the work force or go on to further professional
development. Using your MHS email accounts and Acrobat (optional) allowed you to collaborate beyond the school building and regular class hours. As with any technology we have to be prepared for glitches. Your room management plan clearly stated that MHS email accounts had to be up and running by October 1. Many students were ready on time and that made the project start smoothly. Some of the paper work got tied up in the office but again with enough advance warning most of you were ready. You will need an MHS account for another project in the future so please be sure to make any necessary arrangements now.

A few last minute hints:
1. Read the rubric and then reread it; it is a very clear list of what you will need to do to have a project that meets standard.

2. Use visuals; limit writing on the slides; you may put all of your words on note cards that will be handed in.

3. Practice your presentation; be confident, be comfortable; you are the expert on the country.

4. Focus on the 3 main questions: what are the
challenges, opportunities and successes of your country?

If you can think of any other questions, please post a comment and I will get back to you. Good luck…all projects are due by 7am on October 26. You must email me the project, using an MHS account, and put the name of the country and class period in the message line. All of the projects will be put into a folder. Presentation day, October 26, will go smoothly when all of the projects are located in the same folder.

Maps

Some classes have finished both the physical and political maps
of Africa. High quiz grades were earned by students who took the time to draw a clear and well labeled map. Some classes are finishing up the physical map and your syllabus states that a quiz will follow. Make sure to follow the rubric to earn all of your points.

National Geographic Reading

Most classes had the opportunity to read an excerpt from National
Geographic on Africa and the impact of geography on its development. As we read, we took the time to pull out one or two main ideas per paragraph. Keep in mind a paragraph contains at least
one main idea and after reading you should be able to select the key idea. Keep your notes short…don’t write long sentences…look for the nuggets of information. Effective note taking skills are a necessity for your future years of work or school.

Admiral Christenson

On Friday Admiral Christenson, President of the Naval War
College, spoke to you about the mission of the College and its unique role in fostering cooperation and understanding with navies from around the world. Over 60 foreign countries send their top officers to Newport to learn side by side with our military leaders. Working closely together over the year provides a unique bond and has served this country and the world as we work towards better communication and cooperation.
Over the year, we will have international officers visit us
during the advisory period. You will be notified in advance and receive a permission slip to attend the mandatory in school field trip. It is an exciting opportunity to learn more about the world.

If You Are Out

As you can see, we have very full class days. When you are absent it is your responsibility to come before or after school to sit down with me and go over the work and assignments. It is not always possible
to spend the time with you during class as we are continually working on the assignments on the syllabus. I would also urge you to check the blog every weekend.

Recognizing Achievement

Just as we started our study of Africa, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to three women for their work in promoting women’s rights and their use of nonviolent protest to end conflict. Two of the women were from the West African state of Liberia. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Leymah Gbowee were honored for their roles in stabilizing a country that had been mired in civil war for fourteen years. Against powerful warlords who had terrorized the people, these women organized demonstrations that ultimately led to the election of President Sirleaf, who became Africa’s first female president. While the country is still reeling from the loss of over 250,000 lives, destruction of its infrastructure and disruption of its economy, it has been at peace since 2003 and rebuilding has begun.

Tawakkul Karman of Yemen was also honored for her role as a human rights activist and a supporter of anti-government protests. She is 32 years old, a mother of three, and has been described as a “modern” Arab woman who has stopped wearing the full facial veil. She has shown that Islamic women can and do support human rights and freedom for all people.

The statement issued by the Nobel Committee included a strong message that women must be seen as an integral part of seeking peace and stability in the world: “We cannot achieve democracy and lasting peace in the world unless women obtain the same opportunities as men to influence development at all levels of society.”

Steve Jobs: Innovator and a Symbol of Excellence

This week also marked the loss of a man who has touched all our lives with his numerous inventions, from Mac computers to I-pods, I-tunes and I-phones. Steve Jobs had the uncanny ability to envision products with broad appeal ahead of other innovators and bring them to market before his competitors. In addition to producing unique ideas, he demanded excellence of his people and products. He never settled…he never said “good enough”…he constantly sought perfection. May he always be a reminder that excellence and big dreams can come true.

Testing and schedule disruptions

We have struggled this week with NECAP testing and shorter class periods. I wish you the best as you tackle the testing that is required in your Junior year. If you have been absent any time this past week, you will be rescheduled for your tests and you will have to make arrangements to make up your class work. Time is available any afternoon except Wednesdays but keep in mind you have five days to make up missed work due to an excused absence.

Global diversity

This week we discussed the different types of governments around the world. Knowing how a country governs itself will give you insight into its relationship with the rest of the world. In addition, we talked about how the size, location and shape of a country affect its ability to trade and protect itself. Think about the disadvantages a landlocked country may have as opposed to a country with ample sea ports.

We also tackled a difficult chapter on economic geography. The text was loaded with new vocabulary words to help describe economic systems, activities and how to measure economic output. These vocabulary words will be useful when you analyze current events and begin to study different regions.

We had a quiz as we ended these segments. The questions have been a mixture of identification based on the vocabulary and an open ended question which allows you to apply the information you have learned. Full credit will be earned for responses that are well thought out and respond to all parts of the question.

Admiral Christenson visiting

Rear Admiral John N. Christenson, President of the Naval War College, will be our guest speaker on October 14 during the Advisory period. This is a unique opportunity to hear about the role the Naval War College plays and the significance of the international students who come to Newport to study alongside our own officers. Over the course of the year, we will have a series of international speakers during our Advisory period. Last year we hosted ten international officers from around the world, and many students said it was the highlight of the year. You have been given a permission slip that must be shown to your advisory teacher. The slips will be collected as you enter Room 212. If you do not have an advisory period, please return the permission slip with your name and a notation that you do not have advisory.

Africa

We started our unit with a power point presentation that used stunning photography and dramatic music. By listening to the music and watching the photos you were introduced to the beauty and variety of people and landscapes on this continent.

While we can make some generalizations about the continent it will be more useful to look at the regions of Africa. Your text has a map that shows the different regions. Many of the classes received the map assignment so make sure you use both the political map and the region map to draw your own map. You will have a quiz on the political map and you will be able to use your map to answer the questions. A good map should mean a good quiz grade.

As part of our study of this continent, you have begun a group power point project on a country. Prior to starting our group work, we went over some planning tips to make the project go smoothly. We spent Friday in the library…if you were absent, you need to email your group so you know what you have been assigned. Make sure you continue to work on the research portion of this assignment at home so your limited class time can be used making group decisions and building the slides. Some groups have designated one person to build the slides while others are using Acrobat. Many elements of this project will help you with your Capstone project.

Current Events

By now you should be earning high grades on your current event assignments. We will continue having this assignment for the remainder of the year so early mastery of the elements of a good summary and a paragraph on comments and connections will earn you lots of points. Some students are struggling with finding an international article. Most newspapers and web sites categorize articles as international or national, so use that as your guide. We are looking for major stories from countries outside the US. You need to use your own words for a 5-7 sentence summary of the article and a second paragraph of connections and comments. The article must be attached to your written work. The last current event assignment had to be based on religion or international economy. Our next assignment will be about Africa.

Revisions

Being allowed and encouraged to revise gives you another chance to show your understanding of the assignment. You can revise the work if requested, and bring it up to standard. If you decide you are not going to revise, please indicate that on the assignment and return it so you can get some credit

Interterm reports

Our interterm reports are ready. Many of you have well organized portfolios with an up to date status of assignment sheet. You will be pleased that all your work is in one location as it will give you a head start for studying for the midterm exam. As announced for the past 2 weeks, if you did not have a folder with an update sheet, you are below standard. A final check of folders will be done on October 11. Take the time to organize your work and keep the folder in the bin so you can earn all of your credit. If you are below standard, you still have four weeks to bring up your grade. What is your plan?

Email

Is your MHS account ready to go? You can check your account by going to the Middletown High School web page...use your password...go to mail...type in your name and then check “Charlie Checker” to see if becomes highlighted...if yes...you are ready.
You should have a school email account to do the Africa project.

Columbus Day Weekend

We have a long weekend as we celebrate Columbus Day on Monday. This holiday has come under criticism in recent years as historians note Columbus did not really “discover” new lands, which were already inhabited with advanced civilizations, but instead reported their existence to Europeans previously unaware of them. He and those who followed him have also come under harsh criticism for their treatment of the indigenous people, many of whom did not survive the coming of the Europeans. These criticisms raise the question of why we should be honoring this man. At the same time, many use this holiday to honor all great explorers no matter when or where they went as they established links between peoples who previously had not known of one another, thereby laying the foundations for today’s global community.

Extra Credit:

What Africans have won the Nobel Peace Prize? Email me a correct response using your MHS email account and earn extra credit!

Elements of Understanding

This week we focused on the elements of culture and how understanding the attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge of other countries will aid us in understanding their point of view or perspective on world issues. All countries do not believe the same things and as our value assignment illustrated, even within a country different people espouse different values.

One of the major components of culture is religion. You had a graphic organizer that helped you select key information from our text. Our class discussion gave you the opportunity to think about three major religions of the world, Christianity, Judaism and Islam, and you quickly saw the overlapping nature of these religions, which all started in South West Asia. By understanding the histories of these religions, you will better understand the conflicts that arise today, both between these religions and within each of them. In addition to the graphic organizer you also did a world religion map. Seeing how different religions are distributed across the continents gives us additional information on how religion contributes to culture and enables us to better understand the world. We also answered the questions posed by the UpFront IQ Test that was based on the Pew Research survey done in the US last year. The survey found that most Americans don’t have basic information about the major religions of the world. When people are ignorant of one another’s beliefs, misunderstandings and conflicts can arise more quickly. Finally, you had your announced quiz on religion. Many of you earned high marks but some struggled and now have the option to revise. If you are given the option to revise, make all the corrections and return your revised quiz for additional credit. If you decide not to revise, please write on the paper that you will not be revising and return it to me so I can give you some credit.

Political and Economic Geography

You have two worksheets to help you learn the material in your text on political and economic geography. Our section on political geography focuses on the different types of government throughout the world and how the size and shape of a country can affect its role in world affairs. We had a discussion of how the size and shape of a country can influence its history. A good example is the US as we have only two neighboring countries, a vast amount of land with many natural resources, and access to large rivers and two oceans, promoting trade and transportation. Countries that have threatening neighbors to defend against, or who are landlocked or have limited natural resources, will have different challenges. Next week we will look at different types of economies, the role of infrastructure in promoting a healthy economy, and different methods of measuring wealth within a country. Keep in mind we will be having a quiz on these two sections.

Current Events

Your current event, due Monday or Tuesday (depending on your class period) must have a connection to religion OR the economy. Keep in mind that this must be an international issue. Your rubric clearly lists all that you must do to meet standard. This will be your third graded current event so you should be earning high marks. Please take the time to read my comments on your assignment so you can improve.

Coming Attractions

We are finishing up our first unit and will start our study of Africa by focusing on the challenges, opportunities and successes of this diverse continent. You will be doing a power point project with a group on an assigned country that will give you the chance to direct your learning, practice working in a group, and gain experience in making a presentation. This is an especially good assignment for those who have not yet completed their Capstone. Much of what you will be doing for the Africa project will align with your Capstone project.

Our schedules will also be affected by NECAP testing, which starts October 5.

October 1 Email

We have talked in class about the need for a school email, and as part of your room management plan you must have a Middletown school email account by October 1. We will be using these accounts when we do group projects and our first group project is fast approaching. If you need the permission forms, you may see Mrs. Gill, Mr. Fontaine or ask in the Main Office.

Staying Organized

This week we updated our class folders. You have a status of assignment sheet and a list of all the assignments to date. All of your graded work must be in the folder. You are responsible for keeping track of your work. Your folder is checked from time to time. All folders must be up to date by inter-term week in order to meet standard.

Makeup work or extra help

Please keep in mind that I am available before school from 6:45 to 7:15 and again after school (except Wednesday) for makeup work or extra help. If you are absent excused, you have 5 days to make up the assignment. Don’t delay…make up missed work as soon as possible.

Cash Prizes

Now that I have your attention…would you like to earn a cash prize by writing an essay on what it means to be an American? The Bill of Rights Institute is sponsoring an essay contest for high school students. I have given you the link for further details. If you are interested in participating, let me know and I will be happy to help out.