A Day to Give Thanks

In between football games, parades, and eating turkey, I hope all of us took a moment to remember why we commemorate this day and give thanks to those who suffered through many hardships to establish a place in the New World where freedom and tolerance could flourish. We should also remember those who were living here before the arrival of Europeans and who greeted the newcomers in peace and helped them survive. A special thank you must also be given to our 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.

CWI

We finished our study of South West Asia by designing a profile of Afghanistan using our text and Goode’s Atlas. Using the atlas gave you the opportunity to see the wealth of statistical data available for countries around the world. Using the calorie map you quickly saw that a large percentage of the population has a very poor diet. Working with a partner you designed a profile of the country using multiple sources. We are now ready to watch “Afghan Star,” a winning documentary that tells the story of how democracy is being taught to people who do not have a tradition of voting. Using an “American Idol” format, viewers vote for the person they think has the most talent – not the person who happens to come from their family or area of the country. The show also celebrates Afghan culture, something that has been suppressed when the country was dominated by the Taliban. Keep in mind our power point comparing Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

Editorial Cartoons

Many of you did a great job finding a cartoon about the region and providing an analysis. Those who followed the task sheet and rubric earned high marks. Some students did not read the rubric carefully and forgot to attach the analysis sheet or did not write the two paragraphs. You will be given the opportunity to revise. Make sure you use this chance to improve your grade as well as practice the skills needed to analyze a cartoon. It wouldn’t surprise me if there were cartoons on the mid-term exam (hint, hint). If you are not going to revise, please let me know and return the cartoon so you can earn some credit.

Final Assessment

So we have now completed our study of this region and as announced last week we are ready for a final assessment. Your final assessment will be an in-class, on-demand writing assignment. You will be allowed to use your map for the assignment. The best way to prepare is to review your worksheets and activities. You can also use your text to review the region and its challenges. Your assignment will require you to integrate your knowledge of the history and geography of the region with your understanding of current events there. It is an open ended question so you will have some flexibility in how you decide to respond but you will be evaluated on the accuracy of your information. The final assessment will be given once we complete watching the movie.

Our next area of study will be South East Asia, which includes Pakistan and India.

Portfolio Task

We will start preparing for our task on Monday. You will be given a task sheet, prompt, and rubric. You will have several days to collect three current events on one topic. Your topic must be preapproved so you can start thinking now about a possible topic. You will be given time to analyze and summarize the articles and you will have two days in the computer lab to write and upload the task. You have been doing current events since September and should be experts at this now. The task should be viewed as a jumbo current event using three articles to analyze an international problem.

Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences

Thank you to the many families who came by last week. Taking the time to reflect on the successes and the challenges of the first quarter gives us the opportunity to adjust our teaching and learning so we can be even more successful in the second quarter. If you were unable to book a time slot (they do fill up quickly), please contact me via email and we can set up a time to meet. I am available every morning starting at 6:45 am and most afternoons except Wednesday, when we have faculty meetings.

Cans, Challenges and Congratulations

Congratulations to our Thespians who put on a most enjoyable and inspiring play: “Twelve Angry Jurors.” This play offers many lessons about keeping an open mind and not rushing to judgment, especially when people’s lives are at stake. Great job!

And congratulations to ST for being selected student of the week by the Newport Daily News. A well-deserved write up!

Cans and Challenges

This upcoming shortened week is our last opportunity to help with the MHS canned food drive. Please take a moment and bring in a can of soup, a box of pasta, or any other non- perishable food item that you can share with families who are struggling during these difficult economic times. One can does make a difference.

And speaking of making a difference, in the anonymous survey this week, I learned that 95% of you are on Facebook and about 20% know about the $100 Challenge…so how about using your Facebook contacts to urge everyone to participate? To date, six students have made a donation and voted on what they would like the money to go towards: soccer balls, mosquito nets, bees/chickens or a donation to the music program in Uganda documented in “War Dance.” All donations will be matched up to $100 dollars so we have the potential of sending $200 dollars to an organization that will assist many of the people we saw in our study of Africa. So get onto Facebook and make the announcement…it’s a challenge…let’s rise to the occasion!

Second Quarter

We have started second quarter and we spent time organizing folders. All of your work from first quarter should be saved as it will be invaluable to you when it comes time to study for the midterm. We have already had five assignments for second quarter: map of SW Asia, map quiz, a current event, the life as a refugee worksheet, and the “Over A Barrel” worksheet with an in class writing assignment.

Conflict and Resolution

As you (period G on Friday, A,B and E on 11/21) read about the experiences of teens living in this region you quickly discovered that violence and uncertainty are part of their everyday lives. The teen interviews gave you insights into how the Palestinian people have been stereotyped as terrorists even though most just want to live a peaceful and productive life. Hanan, the young lady who left the region to go to school in the US, described how her daily life was a struggle going through endless check-points and encountering the military everywhere she went. Upon her arrival in the US she was amazed at the ease of travel and the lack of a military presence. At the same time, the Israeli students complained about living in terror even while undertaking simple chores of everyday life. Should they go the movies or mall when they are favorite spots for bombings?

Seeds of Peace is an organization that works with Arab and Israeli teens from this region. Through recreational activities, camping events and education, the organization is trying to teach tolerance and acceptance. By planting the seeds of peace with the young, the organization aims to bring peaceful coexistence to this region. We also talked about how Sesame Street has gone international and is teaching tolerance and acceptance to the very young. We can only hope all these efforts will eventually lead to a nonviolent solution so all people in South West Asia can live in peace and freedom.

We also watched two clips from the BBC web site. The first was an overview of why the Palestinians are seeking recognition from the UN as an independent state, and the second was a helicopter tour of the Israeli settlements on former Palestinian land that are a major stumbling block in the peace process. There are over 300,000 Israelis on former Palestinian land and the Israeli government would have to come up with a plan for the orderly transfer of these settlements to the Palestinians.

Growing Up Saudi

In class you had the opportunity to work with a partner on two articles about growing up in Saudi Arabia, as a young man and as a young woman. After reading and talking with partners, we took our discussion to the accountable talk table. Accountable talk gives you the opportunity to think more deeply about the readings and to hear from your classmates. The Saudi young people live very different lives when compared to our way of life but at the same time we have much in common. They are a very strict and traditional society even though over half of the population is under the age of 25. We heard Robert Lacey, author of “Inside the Kingdom,” state that Saudis “hate” Americans for three main reasons: they see us fighting in Muslim countries, we support Israel, and they consider us a decadent society as illustrated by our clothing and reality television shows. Lacey went on to say that only through education will our countries build a better relationship. This was the same message Admiral Christensen spoke about last month.

Breaking News

We compared the actions in Jordan where King Abdullah is moving his country towards democracy with the actions of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria who has resorted to killing citizens who are protesting and asking for a greater voice in their government. King Abdullah is the first leader in the South West Asia region to call for President Assad to step down. His moving interview with BBC clearly stated that a leader who starts killing his own citizens will not have a good end. I would encourage you to listen to the interview.

Cartoon Assignment

Your editorial cartoon about South West Asia is due on November 22. Your task sheet and rubric clearly outline the expectations. Think of this as a current event analysis using a cartoon as opposed to an article. Please bring a copy of the cartoon and your analysis to class so you can share it with your fellow students.

Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences

On Monday from 5-8 we have our first conferences. If you have signed up for a conference please make sure you attend. These are your grades and you should have the opportunity to review your progress and plans for the future with your parent/guardian.

Extra Credit

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be visiting this Asian country in the next few weeks to show our support for the steps they are taking to become more democratic. This will be the first visit by a US Secretary of State in more than 50 years. Name the country she will be visiting. Email me the correct response (using your MHS account) by Monday at 7:30 am and earn extra credit.

Honoring our Veterans

Today is a day we pause to thank our Veterans. The eleventh day of the eleventh month is set aside to remind us of the signing of the armistice that ended World War I. The loss of life was so great – over 30 million – that countries vowed never to resort to war again. This goal has been broken over and over.

As we read about areas around the world that are wracked by violence today, and recall the sacrifices and suffering of the men and women who have served in our own wars, we must ask what each of us can do to create a future where lives, fortunes and talent are devoted to building a better world for all, not mutual destruction.

$100 Challenge

We started our $100 Challenge last week and already students have begun to participate and cast their ballots. Make sure to read last week’s posting for all the details. This is a great activity that can mean so much to those who have so little.

International Speaker Series

Please note the dates for our speaker series in your agenda. This is an exciting event as we hear about a wide variety of countries from some of their top military officials. You will be given a permission slip the week of the event to give to your advisory teacher.

Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences

Our conference time is scheduled for November 21. Letters will be going home announcing the details for the conferences. This is a time when all of us can sit down and review what you have accomplished first quarter and make plans for the next quarter. Maintaining the portfolio will allow you to show your parents or guardians the type and quality of work you have been engaged in. If you have struggled this quarter, this is the time to put a corrective action plan in place. Do you need to be more prepared for class, do you need to reread some assignments, do you need to follow the current event rubric more closely to earn all your points, and do you need to make up work you may have missed?

Absences

If you have been absent, make sure you take the time to stay after school to find out what lessons and assignments you missed so you can stay current with your work. You have five days to make up missed work. You may also use Advisory time to come by 246 to make up work if you have asked in advance for a pass. It is your responsibility to make arrangements for missed work. According to the handbook, if you are absent unexcused, you may get the assignments but no grade will be earned for the work.

South West Asia

This week we started our unit on South West Asia, beginning with the map and map quiz. You were given a syllabus so you know what to expect for this unit. Maps are especially important for this region as you see how Israel was carved out of an area inhabited by Palestinians. You need to look at the complicated borders to see how division is further complicated by multiple sections of land inhabited by both Palestinians and Israelis. You can also see how Afghanistan’s opportunities are limited by it being land-locked. And you can see the importance of the Suez Canal as a short cut from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea.

We also read an update on the Arab Spring in our UpFront magazine and a personal account of life in Yemen from Newsweek. These readings give you the background you need to understand why people revolt and the different options for ending the uprisings. While reading about the thousands of young people putting their lives at risk marching in Syria or Yemen you should ask yourself whether you would be willing to take to the streets. What values and issues are so important to you that you would march?

On Friday we spent time on a human rights web site gathering information about refugees from South West Asia. Then we watched the presentation “Beyond the Fire” to hear from teens who are war refugees. You also needed to use your text to gather information on the Palestinian refugees. This assignment gave you the information to better understand life as a refugee and to see that this region of the world has produced a high number of displaced people due to conflict.

We also had our first set of current events for the new quarter. Doing your current events assignment is good practice for the portfolio task we will be doing in early December. The task is based on your ability to summarize and analyze a series of current events. At this point, you should be earning high scores for this assignment. You usually have about one week for the assignment and you have a rubric. Excuses for not doing the assignment include “I forgot” (it is written on the board for the week, and don’t you read the blog?) or “My computer is broken, my printer is out of ink, I have no paper” (you do not need a computer to do this assignment...you can hand-write the summary and you can cut the article out of the paper or photocopy it). Students who do the current events are usually the students who earn the highest grades for the quarter.

Also a caution when using the computer for current events…you can’t google “South West Asia current events” as the computer recognizes countries outside of our study region. You must look at the map in the text and take a current event from one of those countries.

Are you watching the evening news or going on line to stream the latest broadcast? It is an efficient way to stay up to date and to build your background knowledge for our class discussions. Be in the know...

Less than a year to go

Our presidential race for 2012 is starting to heat up. The republican candidates continue to hold debates so voters have a clear choice during the primary season. President Obama has begun his campaigning by outlining the choices voters will have next fall. If you will be eighteen you get to vote so be prepared. If this is your last presidential race as an observer, take note how the process works and start thinking about the type of candidate you will support in the future.

The $100 Challenge

This week we finished our study of Africa by reading about famine, and watching the clips from the New York Times (see last week’s blog).
We all need to ask ourselves if this is a crisis we should be more involved with. Should we be urging our government to do more? Should we sponsor an organization that helps feed the people of Africa, or could we purchase fair trade coffee or beads for life in an effort to help people become self-sufficient? One of the groups I am especially interested
in is Heifer International. I have put their catalogue on the board if you are interested in seeing how a small amount of money can help purchase a pig, goat or sheep to help a family become self-sufficient. Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times is an advocate of micro financing, which lends small amounts of money, mainly to women, to help them start a cottage industry. Take a look at “A Powerful Truth” to see how
this program works. And closer to home, why not participate in the $100
Challenge??? (See below.)

Our final activity for our unit on Africa was watching “War Dance” and then comparing and contrasting our lives with Nancy, Rose and Dominic. You quickly recognized that you have much in common with these young people: a love of music and dance, the importance of family, town and heritage. But there are also stark contrasts: they live a life filled with terror and shortages of basics including food, water, and schools. If you are interested in learning more about Nancy, Rose and Dominic, I have provided a link to the web site so you can check on them. It is truly an inspirational story. I want to compliment you on your respectful attitude towards the movie. While it is not easy to read subtitles and
hear much of the dialogue in a foreign language, you paid attention. While I have seen this movie numerous times, I am still moved by certain phrases, especially when Dominic says, as they are driving to the capital, “I am excited to see what peace looks like.”

A special nod to one of your own, ZH, who composed an original song based on “War Dance.” Next week we will take a moment and
listen to this inspirational percussion-based song. Great job ZH!

Africa Power Points

Your reflection sheet and rubric will be returned next week. I hope you saw this assignment as an opportunity not only to learn about Africa but also to practice your group skills and presentation technique. While Capstone is a solo show, it is still useful practice presenting with a group.
Using note cards and practicing your presentation are essential for a
successful Capstone event.

South West Asia

You have the rubric for the South West Asia map which is due on November 8. Keep in mind that you are doing one map that combines physical as well as political features of the region. Many people still refer
to this region as the Middle East, but geographers have renamed it South West Asia in an attempt to sound less Euro-centric. Politically, militarily and economically, this region is of critical importance to our nation and poses some of our greatest challenges. It is likely events there will be affecting you for the rest of your lives, and as responsible citizens you need to be informed.

Your current event from this region is also due on November 8. You are encouraged to look for stories that might appear on the front page of major newspapers. You will be amazed how easy it is to find major news stories on Syria, Yemen, and the continuing conflict between the Israelis
and the Palestinians.

End of the Quarter

We are just about at the end of the quarter. We will continue to update our status of assignment sheets next week. By keeping your folder up to date, you can monitor your grade and keep work organized as
we move closer to mid-term exams.

International Speaker Series

I am pleased to announce that our speakers’ series with international officers from the Naval War College will continue on December 16
with officers from Lithuania and Peru. On January 13 we will hear from Brazil and the United Kingdom, on March 16 India and the Philippines, and on April 13 Argentina. I am continuing to work with the Naval War
College to invite other speakers and will let you know when they are scheduled. Please mark your agenda books for these days. Our speakers are always during the advisory period. A permission slip will
be available the week of the visit and you must present it to your advisory teacher. This is a great opportunity for to learn more
about other countries from some of their top military leaders.

Bank of America Responds

Bank of America recently imposed a $5 monthly fee for people who use debit cards. Many people have begun to use debit cards in an effort to better monitor their expenditures and avoid running up credit card debt.
One customer, 22-year old Molly Katchpole, originally from RI, was appalled at the idea of paying money to get access to her money and her outrage led her to start an on-line petition opposing the fee. The Saturday Newport Daily News had an article about Molly in the Business section on page 5 (I would like to give you a link but the Newport paper charges for the on-line version). In a matter of a few weeks she collected over 300,000 signatures and eventually forced the bank to drop the fee! This is clearly a victory for the little guy and demonstrates the strength of protests and petitions. And speaking of political power…

Student Political Boot Camp at URI

On November 18, URI will be hosting a political boot camp for high school and college students. The three day event is “about empowering youth with the skills to create change.” If you are interested you can go to http://www.ofbyforrhodeisland.org/.

And now for the $100 Challenge!

Many students commented on their power point reflections
and after seeing “War Dance” that they would like to do something for the young people of Africa. With this suggestion in mind, I have come up with the $100 Challenge…for those who would like to participate, we will collect money in each of the CWI classes. For every $1 you donate, you get to vote for one of the possible recipient organizations. And I will match all donations up to $100! You can look through the
catalogues on display in the front of the room and see that we could purchase mosquito nets, soccer balls, honey bees or make a donation to the music program of Patongo. A very small amount of money can make a big difference in the lives of people who survive on so little. Think
about how you would like to be involved and donate to the $100 Challenge!