Half Time

This week we wrapped up our second quarter by turning in your status of assignment sheets and taking your folders home so you can use your past work to prepare for the midterm exam.  Both CWI and World History classes have the study guide and the guides have also been posted on the blog (see last week for CWI and special posting for World).  If you review your past work, use the study guide to help focus your efforts and of course read over the weekly listing on the blog you should be in great shape for the exam.  Extra help is available before or after school.

CWI/Current Events

Your current event on East Asia was due this week.  Many of you did a great job summarizing and commenting on a wide variety of events from this region.  The good news is that many of you are exceeding the standard on this assignment.  The discouraging news is that only about 65 percent are handing in the work.  You have one week to do the assignment so time should not be a factor. Computer problems seem to be a major problem…that is why you have a week to do the assignment…learn to get over these obstacles…find a different computer…print at the MHS library or the public library…maybe cut the article out of the paper…don’t be late, don’t ask to print…be ready on time!

The Most Influential Thinker

To better understand the people of China, you must know about Confucius.  In an introduction to “The Analects,” Henry Rosemont described Confucius as the most influential thinker in the world as more people follow his teachings than any other belief system. Our reading on this belief system stressed the importance of relationships, education, hierarchy and order. So much of what we value as Americans, particularly individual liberties, does not factor into the Confucian way of thinking and acting. Your fill in the blank activity will be a useful review sheet as you prepare for the midterm.

We also watched a video clip on how students in Florida are studying Confucian thinking and Mandarin as they prepare for jobs in China.  Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island, runs a similar program.

Accountable Talk

This week you also had the opportunity to talk with your fellow students about the rise of China and how China will play a role in your future.  We used three readings: “China Cheerleaders” (posted on last week’s blog), “Go East Young Man,” a NYT piece about a college graduate who left the US for employment in China, and “ChinaRises, and Checkmates” by Nicolas Kristof. Many of you did a fine job citing the text and entering into a dynamic conversation.  Some of you did not come prepared so the time dragged and there were many empty spaces.  I know you like to talk…I know you like your fellow students….what a perfect opportunity to earn credit by sharing your ideas.

Ai Wei Wei

Our last video for the unit was a portion of a documentary about the most famous person in China, Ai Wei Wei, an artist and a dissident. He is the artist who designed the famous bird’s nest stadium for the Olympics and is noted for his installations.  He takes seemingly innocent objects (such as children’s backpacks) and uses them to make provocative political statements.  He has been jailed numerous times and his art studio has been destroyed but Wei Wei is tenacious about speaking out on behalf of the common man of China.

I feel fortunate to have seen some of his art work in Tokyo while it was on display in the Mori Museum.

World History

Congratulations to all who completed the first portfolio task on the Industrial Revolution.  Many of you did a great job and will be able to put the task into your graduation portfolio.  Some of you nearly met the standard so we will work on making improvements.

We went over the midterm exam.  You know what types of questions you will have and you have an advance copy of the essays with the opportunity to prepare key information on one file card to use during the exam.  You can also earn extra credit by turning in your study guide the day of the exam.

Martin Luther King

This weekend we enjoy an extra day as we pause to celebrate the contributions Martin Luther King made to this country.  His peaceful campaign for civil rights is a reminder that when many people act together, they can bring revolutionary change without using violent methods, even when their opponents are more than ready to use violence against them.  Next semester we will spend more time looking at the Civil Rights Movement and King’s contributions.

President Obama’s Inauguration

The President will be sworn in for his second term on Monday, January 21.  He will take the oath of office a few minutes before noon.  All channels will be covering this event so take a few minutes and tune it in.  While I will not be attending this time, I did attend his first inauguration and it is an event I will never forget.

 

Special Posting for World History

Everyone received a study guide but just in case, click on the link for another copy.

Malala

This week we started with a look at Pakistan and why Vice President Biden has described this country “as the most dangerous county in the world.”  We read an article from Newsweek which outlined the reasons why Pakistan is the perfect place for terrorists and an article by Fareed Zakaria on why our current US policy towards Pakistan is flawed.  We then looked at a clip from CNN on Malala, the young Pakistani girl who spoke up against the Taliban and paid a heavy price.  We also watched the TEDvideo on how the Taliban recruits suicide bombers.  Many people confuse al-Qaida and the Taliban so we did a comparison of these two groups (sorry power point would not upload to blog). Al-Qaida is found all over the world while the Taliban is focused on Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan is a country with many young people who have little hope and see that life on this earth is full of tragedy. Many poor families turn their sons over to the Taliban thinking that the boys will be cared for and educated while in fact they are brain washed and turn into potential suicide bombers.  After taking notes and viewing the videos you had the opportunity to respond to questions about Pakistan.

 

East Asia

 

We then moved on to our last unit of study on East Asia, a region that includes China, the largest (population) nation in the world and one of the fastest growing, Japan, a technology power house and the two Koreas, one prosperous and the other sometimes referred to as the hermit kingdom.  Your map and reading notes were due this week and you were able to use them for the quiz.

 

We then watched a clip from Professor Erickson of the Naval War College on why high school students should study China.  This nation is going to have an enormous influence on you and the 21^st century.  The US has been use to dominating the world scene since the end of World War II but with China’s enormous growth we need to make room for another super power.

 

Using a compare and contrast sheet we did a quick review of how China, India, Japan, Malaysia and Indonesia are alike and how they are different.

 

As part of our study  of China we watched excerpts from a Frontline presentation called “Tank Man.”  This documentary tells the story behind the iconic photo of the young man in Tiananmen Square who stood in front of the army’s tanks in 1989 in an effort to stop the military crackdown on the protestors.  After this massive protest, China’s leaders told the people they would allow greater economic freedoms but would continue to insist on one party rule.  We saw how China can now be described as two different countries: China A is urban, wealthy and fast growing while China B remains rural and impoverished.  Many of the young people in China B are migrating to urban areas to work in factories so they can send home their earnings to be used for the education of the next generation. If you are interested in learning more about this massive migration of people I would recommend you watch “Last Train Home” which tells the story of a husband and wife who moved to the city to work in a mill and left their two children under the care of their grandparents.  It is a heart wrenching story of long hours and much sacrifice that results in the emotional breakup of the family.  In an effort to help families cope with long distance separations, China is building high speed rail lines that will travel at hundreds of miles an hour to help families stay closer.

 

For homework you need to read “China Cheerleaders” and respond to the question as to why the young people of China are so enthusiastic about their country.  Would you want to live in a country that promises unlimited economic opportunities but restricts your civil liberties?

 

Your next current event is due January 16.

 

Mid Term Time

 

Finally, you were given a study guide for the exam.  When reviewing for the exam try to keep the big picture in mind…what are the key concepts and what do I need to know about a region.  You should be familiar with your maps and the countries that we have highlighted during our discussions and current events.

 

World History

 

This week we finished our unit on the Industrial Revolution. We reviewed why a country needs an Agricultural Revolution before it can become industrialized and we reviewed why Britain was the first country to enter into this new time period. But the movement of people from the farm to the factory was not always a positive experience: young people had to work long hours, doing repetitive tasks that could be very dangerous.  Factory owners were looking to maximize profits so long hours of work with low pay were the norm.  These new working conditions led some people to start thinking about a new approach to labor.  We read about Karl Marx and his efforts to have the workers treated equally and we read about the utilitarians who advocated for the greatest happiness for the greatest number of citizens.

 

We concluded this section with a 10 point objective quiz.  Many of you earned high grades but if you struggled it means you need to spend time reviewing your notes and your text.  The most important homework you have is the homework you assign yourself.  Each evening you should ask yourself, what do I need to do this evening to get ready for my classes tomorrow? As a high school student you have many demands on your time and knowing how to manage time and demands will help you be a more successful student and worker.

 

Finally, we went over the APPARTs sheet one more time using an excerpt from the Sadler Commission which was charged with investigating child labor conditions in the 1830s.  This was our last opportunity to practice the document analysis sheet before you take your first task on Monday.  The task will include two documents and you will need to fill out an APPARTs sheet for each one.  It will be the identical APPARTs sheet that we have practiced numerous times. You will need to use your prior knowledge and to recognize different points of view as well as the significance of the document.  Use the prompt questions along the side of the analysis sheet to help you in your thinking.  You will have 2 full class periods to do the sheet.  I have full faith and confidence in your abilities to succeed in this task!

Short But Eventful

While this was a short week, we packed in a review of the key stories of 2012 and made some predictions for 2013.

 As Congress just passed legislation to avoid the fiscal cliff, members had to decide what it means to be “rich” in America.  We did our own survey in class and many of you picked $100,000 as the level of income that marks the difference between the middle class and the wealthy.  Congress decided to use $400,000 as the dividing line, so those families earning less will not pay new income taxes even though they still have to pay the restored Social Security tax which is 2%.  Make sure to check your pay stubs carefully…if you work for minimum wage you should see an increase as RI’s minimum wage increased January 1.  But if you pay into Social Security you will have to pay an additional 2%.  The median income in Middletown is about $64,000.

A Tale of Two Indias

This week we used our guiding questions to help us understand the UpFront reading on India.  This was an especially interesting article as we had just heard from the NWC Indian officer on December 21.  Your last question asks you to compare the India he spoke about with the India we read about.  We then viewed a slide show from the NYT on outsourcing and watched the PBS award winning show “India Rising,” which prompted us to think about the implications of a fast growing middle class in India and China. After viewing the show, you had the opportunity to write about how the growth of the middle class in India and China will affect your future.  In your argument you had to cite evidence to support your thesis.

Next week we will take a look at Pakistan, a country that has been described by Vice President Biden as the most dangerous country in the world.  We will do a comparison of Al Qaida and the Taliban and look at how the Taliban terrorizes girls and recruits young boys to be suicide bombers.

International Officers

Thank you to all who came to hear the officers from Germany and Bangladesh. The officers make every effort to share with you key information about their countries in an interesting and engaging way.  We are very fortunate to have them visit our school.

World History

This week we continue to practice writing effective thesis statements.  You can do this any time…select a topic, then form an opinion on the topic and support it with three arguments. 

We continued our study of the Industrial Revolution by taking notes on the power point presentation.  You will find that if you read information, write down the information, then talk about the information, you will be better able to recall the information.  Once you have recalled the facts, you will then be able to apply the information for an assessment.  Think midterm exams!

We also started our play on “Farm or Factory?” This in-class play will give you two different sides of the story on what life was like during the Industrial Revolution. This will help you better understand point of view, which will be essential for the task on the Industrial revolution.  You will be doing a document analysis and POV is one of the questions asked about the document.

For homework you need to read Chapter 20 section 3 and answer questions 3, 4, 5, and 6 on page 520.  Many of you have not been doing your homework and you are going to find that it will have a negative impact on your grade.  Homework is an opportunity for you to build your knowledge and skills as well as earn credit.

Happy New Year

This long winter break has given everyone the opportunity to rest, relax, and be rejuvenated for the New Year. It is also a natural time to reflect and make positive changes for an even better 2013. While we are confronted with many challenges, we also have many opportunities.  Let’s decide to use each day in the most positive way possible.

 

MHS E-mail Accounts

 

In today’s work world, most employees have email accounts. Yes...I know you have an email account with Yahoo or Hotmail but those are personal accounts that you use with friends and family. As a student you need a business email and that is where the MHS email account comes into play. Efforts are underway for all MHS students to have an email account. The school will be using email to make announcements and to keep in touch with you on a variety of topics. I have begun using MHS email to students for individual announcements so make sure you check your account from time to time.

 

CWI

 

We will finish our unit on South Asia and begin a new unit on East Asia next week. We focus on the rise of India and China and how their fast growth could affect the US.

 

Year in Review

 

Many papers and magazines print special end of the year editions with photos that tell the key stories of the year.  To get us back in the swing of thinking big, we will start off the New Year with what you think have been the top 10 stories of 2012.  Many news organizations run these end of year lists and even our own Newport Daily News has a list of the top 10 local and state stories…so get on your thinking caps and be ready to name what you think are the top ten national and international stories for 2012…which ones will make the history books?

 

The Year Ahead

 

After reviewing the top stories of 2012, we will put on our forecaster’s hats and discuss what might become the top stories of 2013.  Some will be continuations of trends already in the news, but others will come as surprises.  Sometimes regions or countries that have seen little change for many years suddenly turn revolutionary, as we saw in many Arab countries over the past two years and in the Soviet Union a generation ago.  Sometimes new products appear or we discover new ways to use existing technology.  Where might we see unexpected changes in the year ahead?

 

International Speakers

 

On Friday, January 4 we will be hearing from two more international officers from the Naval War College. Please make every effort to attend as you will have a question on the midterm that will require you to integrate what we are learning from our speakers into your response.  AP science students are excused from this question due to conflicts in their schedule.

 

World History

 

We started our unit on the Industrial Revolution and focused on why an agricultural revolution is necessary before an industrial revolution.  Until the early 1700’s most people were engaged in farming in an effort to feed their families.  Once agricultural production increased and fewer workers were needed, excess workers made their way to the city to find work in factories.  When you return we will look at the reasons the Industrial Revolution started in Great Britain and how this change in production affected people’s lives both positively and negatively.  All of this background is getting you ready to do your first portfolio task using a primary source from the period to analyze different perspectives on the Industrial Revolution. 

 

A New Year…A Time for Resolutions

 

The beginning of a new year is a great time to pause and think about your goals and aspirations, not only for the year 2013 but also for the longer term. The work habits, skills and knowledge you are gathering in high school will be the foundation for your future success. If you learn to set goals, establish work plans and practice good study and living habits now, you can be assured of meeting future challenges with success. I have never encountered a person who wished they had studied less, read fewer books, gotten lower grades, or ignored their friends and community. So take the time at the start of this fresh and exciting year to write down two or three goals for the year. Keep them handy, consult them often and strive to complete your tasks. You will never regret taking the time to contemplate your future and plan accordingly.