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.