Good Bye 2012

 

No links, no reminders, no updates on current events…just a fond farewell to 2012 and a positive approach to 2013.

 

A Time to Say Thank you

 

There are many who help make this blog an interesting, useful and helpful source of information for students and parents. I want to thank BABM, KLM, and MLM who give me the student’s point of view on the entries. They are especially good at pointing out the need for a consistent positive message no matter what the challenges are. They also provide technology support when I have goofed up an entry or inserted the wrong size picture. I also want to thank LEM who has been my faithful editor. His insistence on word choice and good grammar have made me a better writer. He has also been a constant source of encouragement when some weekend mornings I consider not writing an entry... “What, no blog?! Say it’s not true!” Finally, thank you to my faithful readers both near and far. While this is the last posting for the year, stay tuned for a special New Year’s kickoff!

 

 

Rights, Responsibilities and Opportunities

The French Revolution

 

The Syrian Revolution

 

 

Although we completed our study of South West Asia with our final assessment this week, it is hard to close our eyes to Syria with major developments happening every day.  Yesterday President Obama signed the order to transfer 400 soldiers from Afghanistan to Turkey along with scud missiles to help Turkey defend its borders.  The US also joined an international coalition that recognized the Syrian opposition group as the official representatives of the Syrian people.  And Russia, one of Syria’s staunchest allies, signaled that Moscow believes the end of the Assad era is coming.  It is especially interesting to see the role young people have played in this uprising.  We watched the Frontline video that told the story of the teenage boys who triggered the uprising by writing graffiti calling for freedom and democracy, and yesterday we watched a CNN clip of a 17 year old risking his life to try to save a woman caught in sniper fire.  You are never too young to make a difference.

Task

You had your second day in the library this week to work on your task.  The task must be uploaded to TieNet next week and a hard copy along with the rubric and articles handed in to me.  To give you an example of quality writing that focuses on identifying an international issue and possible solutions, we read the NYT editorial on factory safety in South Asia. 

Map and Notes

You were given time in class to complete your map of South Asia and you have a one page reading on the troubles in India along with a vocab sheet.  Your quiz next week will be on the map and the notes.  As usual, you will be able to use your maps and notes for the quiz.  Be prepared.

Current Event

Your current event on South Asia is due December 20. 

International Officers

Our NWC officers from India and Australia will be here on December 21.  Ask a quality question and you can earn extra credit!

World History

This week we continued to practice our APPARTS document analysis sheet by looking at the Declaration of the Rights of Man.  The document analysis sheet requires you to think deeply about the documents.  While it may be easy to simply name the author of a document, you have to go deeper by telling us about the background of the author and his or her point of view.  You must also be able to write about the time and place a document appeared.  What happened before it was written that influenced its content?  What issues was the author addressing?

You also had a great lesson from Ms. Averill on how to write an effective thesis statement.  We will be working on effective paragraphs all year and this step in writing a strong thesis statement will serve you well.  We then practiced this skill by using a cartoon to write about the causes of the French Revolution.

The two tasks you will be doing will focus on the APPARTS skill as well as the paragraph writing skill.  We will be practicing multiple times so you should be well prepared for the culminating event.

Current Event

Your current event on Syria was due Friday.  You had over a week’s notice so there should be no excuse for not handing in the assignment.  Yes, we all have technology issues and problems, but if you do your assignment ahead of time you will be able to find an alternative method of completing it.  Don’t wait till the last minute and then find out your printer doesn’t work or you are out of paper or ink.

Napoleon: Hero or Tyrant?

We concluded our study of the French Revolution with the rise and fall of Napoleon.  Our power points took us through the steps Napoleon followed from being a successful young military officer (he was only 16 when commissioned a second lieutenant!) to crowning himself emperor.

Our quiz on Friday focused on our study of Napoleon and you were able to use your notes.  Keep in mind that when the mid-term comes you will not be able to use notes. To prepare for class you should  take the time to review notes from the previous day  so you will be prepared.

Your homework this weekend is to complete the map of Europe after the Congress of Vienna.  Next week we will reenact the Congress and then start our new unit on the Industrial Revolution, the subject of your first portfolio task.

A time for sober reflection and some personal comments

Today, December 15, we celebrate Bill of Rights Day.  This is a time to consider and appreciate the rights guaranteed to us thanks to the sacrifices of previous generations.  Our study of the Syrian and French Revolutions  reminds us of the passion with which people have sought to create societies that respect the freedom and dignity of all people.

Unfortunately, yesterday’s tragic events in Newtown, Connecticut, are a horrific reminder that rights entail responsibilities. Many Americans cherish the right to bear arms as provided in the Second Amendment.  But freedom from fear should also be a basic right, and in recent years the Second Amendment has been so broadened in its application that the deadliest of weapons are now available to virtually anyone, regardless of their mental stability or intentions.  As a result, mass shootings occur more and more frequently, and this year they have become an almost weekly occurrence.

History and experience show that for nations as well as individuals, freedom without responsibility results in tragedy and the loss of rights.   Unless our citizens and legislators are willing to put politics aside and pass laws that reestablish a sensible balance between gun rights and the responsible exercise of those rights, there will be more tragedies, and that will put our basic rights at risk. 

From the newsrooms of the world to your desk in 246

 

 

This week our study of Syria, Egypt and Afghanistan mirrored the nightly newscasts.  As the leader of Syria, President Bashar al-Assad, became more desperate to hold on to power, he took actions that indicated he might be preparing to use chemical weapons against his people, as his father did during an earlier revolt.  This would be an act so extreme that even Russia, one of Assad’s closest allies, joined the US in urging Syria not to use such weapons.   

 

We also watched Egyptians continue their protests as the new president, Mohammed Morsi, extended his power in an effort to ensure the country’s new constitution incorporates Muslim law. Many Egyptians want a secular government that would provide for religious liberty, and even some who share Morsi’s religious convictions oppose his authoritarian power grab.

 

And finally, we watched the interview with President Karzai of Afghanistan where he stated that much of the instability and violence in his country is directly related to the American troops and contractors.  This was discouraging news to Americans who have spent over 11 years in this country and lost over 2100 soldiers.

 

Syrian Group Project

 

Our last CWI classes reported out their findings from our Syrian group project.  We looked at the players within the country, the impact of the war on neighboring countries and the role the international community is playing.  After our class discussion you had the opportunity to write about the conflict from your perspective.

 

Afghan Profile

 

Using your text and the Goode’s Atlas, you developed a statistical profile of Afghanistan.  I especially like Goode’s Atlas as the maps give us a great deal of information visually.  Using the atlas you discovered clean water is scarce (only about 22% of the population has it), the country has negligible exports, the people are suffering from malnutrition and only about 30% are literate. You can see why the Taliban, an organization that offers food, clothing, shelter and some degree of hope to young people can be appealing. TED features a video on how the Taliban recruits youngsters to become suicide bombers and next week we will watch a clip as part of our study of Pakistan.

 

Afghan Star

 

We finished watching this documentary that shows life in Afghanistan before, during and after the rule by the Taliban.  The movie allowed you to see firsthand what the country looks like and how the people are trying to restore their culture after years of Taliban censorship.  You also saw how the show “Afghan Star,” modeled after “American Idol,” is teaching people about democracy.  Afghans are encouraged to vote for the best singer, not the one from their region or tribe. We also witnessed one of the female singers who was roundly condemned by viewers for performing a simple dance on stage, a violation of tradition.  Her life was threatened so she sought safety with her family.  The TV show is now in its eighth season and over 11 million people watch it each week.

 

Task

 

This week you received your portfolio task rubric and had time in the library to find articles that you will need to write your reflective essay.  You must select an international issue to analyze.  You must have three current event articles to attach to your reflective essay.  Your topic must be preapproved.   We will go over the rubric again next week.  Writing will take two days in the computer lab.  This is a great opportunity to complete a portfolio task AND receive class credit as this will be your major project for second quarter.  I have not assigned any homework since giving out the task so that you could spend your time finding the articles, reading and summarizing. To meet standard, your reader is going to look for your ability to synthesize and analyze the issue and come up with a solution or recommendation.  You must also include why this issue is important to you and its impact on the world community. Your graphic organizer (optional) helps you think about how you want to organize your essay.

 

We also looked at past essays so you would see examples of precise language that the task rubric requires.  You may also find it useful to talk with family and friends about your topic.  By talking and making connections you can think more deeply about your issue and come up with a possible solution or recommendation.

 

Final Assessment

 

We have completed our class study of South West Asia so it is time for an assessment that will give you the opportunity to write about this region.  You will be able to use your map for the in class writing assignment.  It will be an open ended question so you will have flexibility in how you respond.  We will be looking for accurate information that reflects the nature of this region.

 

Interterms

 

It is time for interterm grades so on Friday we updated the status of assignment sheet.  If you have been absent it is your responsibility to come by before or after school to make up the work.  Do not put it off!

 

World History

 

This week we focused on the causes and course of the French Revolution. We used the History Channel video to help us better visualize the extreme frustration that led the people of France to revolt against their King.  We made a list of causes on the board and we broke the revolution into four phases so you could see how the revolution grew in intensity but ultimately ended with a government that became a constitutional monarchy with a greater voice for the people.  At the same time the role of the Catholic Church was greatly diminished.

 

The three key documents we looked at were the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, and the Constitution of 1791. These notes should be in your notebook.  By listening to the discussion, writing the notes in your notebook and then seeing the action in the movie, you should be able to retrieve this information and apply it during our quizzes and assessment.

Congratulations to all of you who improved on the last quiz.  By using the guide for reading and the section review to prepare for the quiz, you should earn a great score.  The quizzes are based on the key concepts and vocabulary and your text does a good job of telling you in both of these sections what you need to know.  Great job…keep it up!

 

For homework you have a guided reading sheet for chapter 19, section 3, on the Radical Days.  You will be reading about the Reign of Terror (which we saw on the video), which included the beheading of the King and Queen. You also read about Robespierre, a great orator who became a key leader.  He stated “liberty cannot be secured unless criminals (the old regime) lose their heads.”

 

The guillotine that was used so swiftly during the Reign of Terror would ultimately turn on its leaders as people feared more bloodshed and chaos.  The revolution now moves into the third stage of moderation.

 

Extra Credit

 

On December 15, room 246 will be decked out in lights!  What major event will we be celebrating?  Be the first in your class to email me your response using your MHS account to earn extra credit.

 

  

A Troubled Region

Last week we played the roles of Israeli and Palestinian young people as they tried to understand each other’s perspective and their relation to the ancient lands they continue to fight over.  Yesterday, the United Nations voted to upgrade Palestine from “nonmember observer entity” to “nonmember observer state.”  While the vote does not bring immediate tangible gains, it signals that the vast majority of the world’s nations believe the Palestinians deserve a state of their own and want to see the two sides negotiate in good faith.

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 or a youngwoman.  After reading and talking with partners, we had a whole class discussion on life in the Kingdom and the challenges most Americans would have living in this very restricted society.  Saudi young people live very different lives compared to ours, though we still have much in common.  They are a very strict and traditional society even though over half 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 we heard from Captain Yaw of the Naval War College as he kicked off our international speaker series.

Chile and the Netherlands

We had a fascinating tour of Chile and the Netherlands on Friday thanks to officers from the Naval War College.  Their power point presentations pointed out the great beauty of each country and their significant contributions to the world through their culture and strong economies.  I didn’t know Ben and Jerry’s is owned by a Dutch company, Unilever.

Editorial Cartoons

Many of you did a great job finding a cartoon about South West Asia and providing analysis.  Those who followed the task sheet and rubric earned high marks.  Some students did not read the rubric carefully and forgot to write about the different methods cartoonists use to convey their message.  Cartoons can convey complex issues in an amusing manner.  It wouldn’t surprise me if there were cartoons on the mid-term exam (hint, hint). 

Time for a Task

This week you received an overview of your CWI Task “It’s My World” and the prompt.  You also received a form to fill out on the topic you would like to write about.  This form is due December 4.  Your topic must be approved before writing.

Keep in mind that this task is much like doing a jumbo current event…you have one international topic and then three news articles you need to read and summarize for the analysis.  Your reflection must also include a resolution or possible solution to the problem.  You will receive the rubric during the next class. The task is due on December 17.  You must upload it to TieNet and turn in a hard copy along with the three articles.

This weekend you should decide upon an international issue and start locating news articles.

Syrian Civil War

This week we focused on the Syrian Civil War by working in groups and gathering information on the domestic players, the impact of the war on neighboring countries and the reaction of the international community.  This war began in March 2011 when a small group of teenage boys wrote graffiti messages on the side of a building calling for freedom and democracy.  The boys were imitating the actions they had seen on Aljazeera TV stories on the uprisings in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt.  The regime led by Bashir Al Assad cracked down immediately by locating the boys and torturing them.  Some of the boys died as a result.  This led the people to protest in hopes their leader would act with understanding and compassion.  Instead, he began using troops and intimidation.  Small protests grew rapidly, and when the Syrian Army started shooting civilians the crisis turned into a full scale civil war.  Many members of the Syrian Army defected and joined the rebels.  This conflict continues today with over 36,000 dead and hundreds of thousands of refugees flooding into neighboring countries.  The UN and Arab league have proposed peace solutions but the regime has ignored them and continues to use force.  This week the United States seems to be moving in the direction of providing military equipment to the rebels.  Internet service was lost on Thursday and the airport that services Damascus, Syria’s capital, was shut down….all signs that this crisis may be reaching a critical stage.

Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences

Thank you to the many families who came by this week.  Taking the time to reflect on the successes and 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 and most afternoons except Wednesday, when we have faculty meetings. 

World History

This week we started with a retest on the Enlightenment.  When preparing for a book quiz make sure you do the vocabulary and the section review.  The quiz is based on your understanding of the key words and concepts highlighted in the section review.

We went over the characteristics of an effective paragraph.  You have a handout you may use when asked to write a paragraph. An effective paragraph starts with an assertive topic sentence, followed by an analysis of your argument using examples and a conclusion restating your thesis.  We practiced this skill in class and then you had the opportunity to write an independent paragraph on human nature.

We will continue to work on writing effective paragraphs throughout the year.

We also started reading about the French Revolution. We generated a long list of causes of the revolution.  People in France were divided into three estates and the bulk of the people had few rights and paid heavy taxes.  With a deteriorating economy and a bad harvest, many people were starving.  They finally reached the breaking point and stormed the Bastille!  We watched a video clip from the History Channel that made this event come to life.

You have your worksheet to prepare for the quiz and you have a graphic organizer on the Old Régime.

You also have a brief primary source reading on the Declaration of the Rights of Man with questions.  We will go over this during our next class.

Congratulations

A tip of the hat to all members of the MHS Drama Club…great job!

Good Luck

Go MHS Football Team…