Shaping Your Future – for the Near and Long Term

Congratulations for all of your hard work this week. A record number of students handed in a study guide and therefore were successful on the mid-term. Job well done!

We are at the half way point in the school year. This is a perfect time to pause and reflect on your track record and plan for the second half of the year. For those of you who are meeting standard — keep up the good work. For those of you who have been struggling, let’s put together a corrective action plan: a more serious approach to your studies, doing the homework, staying after for extra help, and making up missed work after being out. It is your choice!

State of the Union Address

While we were focused on mid term exams, President Obama delivered his first State of the Union Address on January 27. We had the opportunity to review some of the photos of the event and a short clip from the news. While many of the topics covered by the address seem very distant to you, keep in mind that the decisions made in Washington impact you and your families. If you need federal loans to attend college, if you want to borrow money to buy a car, if you are planning on joining the military in hopes of them helping you with college costs, then you should be interested in the decision making process in DC. In addition, if you have family members receiving Social Security or who are struggling with unemployment or a member who has retired from the military, all of these support programs are controlled by Congress. So keep an eye on the action in DC as these decisions impact your life.

Haiti Fund Raisers

Our GSA and Leo Clubs are continuing with their fund raising efforts for Haiti. Make sure to take the time to help out these organizations who are doing their part to help the people of Haiti. The Newport Daily News had a great front page article on Gaudet and their successful fund raiser that netted over $4,000!

CWI

This week we started a new unit on the Great Depression. Our focus second semester will emphasize Modern America in a Global World. We will be looking at the Depression of the 1930’s and comparing it to the worldwide recession of today. We started with an UpFront reading, focus questions and an effort to collect new vocabulary words. This unit gives us the opportunity to talk about money. You have to be smart about money and know how it can work for you or how it can lead to big problems. As young adults who will be out on your own in a few short years, learning the importance of budgeting, saving, investing, and credit is essential. You don’t want to be someone who starts off their adult life with all consuming debt.

In addition to the reading, you have your first current event due on February 3. The event must be about business or economics. It can be a national or international story. Keep in mind that most newspapers and web sites have a business section. In addition to the regular current event information, you should be looking for new vocabulary words.

Finally, take the time to speak with family members about their experiences with economic slow downs. You may have a family member who can tell you stories about the Great Depression or someone who lived through the economic slow downs of the early 1970’s. You can even talk about how your family may be coping with today’s recession. Have you reduced spending by cutting back on Friday pizza nights...maybe renting DVDs instead of going to the movies...carpooling instead of everyone driving in different directions...the list goes on and on.

World History

We are starting our second semester with the study of Imperialism. You have a worksheet with guided reading questions and we will be using that sheet to collect information from different sources to get a complete picture of why countries became imperialistic. What were the motives of the European countries as they moved into Africa and Asia?

We will also continue practicing reading primary source materials. We will look at those people who supported imperialism and those that opposed this move towards dominating other countries. This will prepare us for our second task which will be an on demand essay .

Dramatic Events at Home and Overseas

This has been a full week for all of us as we finish portfolio tasks, prepare for mid term exams and try to absorb all that is happening in the world.

This week we saw a massive mobilization of global forces to aid the people of Haiti. On Friday night, actor George Clooney organized a who’s who list of stars to perform and man phones to generate much needed funds. Singers Beyoncé, Madonna and Sting performed, while director Steven Spielberg, actress Julia Roberts and others answered phone calls offering donations. It was quite an event! Keep in mind we have our own MHS fund raisers: 50/50 raffle sponsored by the Leo Club and Hearts for Haiti lollipops sponsored by the GSA.

On the national scene, our neighbor to the north, Massachusetts, surprised many by voting in Scott Brown, a Republican, to fill the seat of former Senator Ted Kennedy. Massachusetts, like Rhode Island, is often viewed as solidly Democratic, but this election showed again that in times of fear and uncertainty, public opinion can shift dramatically. Because Senator Brown will provide Republicans their 41st vote in the Senate, they will now be able to use the filibuster to block any legislation they oppose. This will have a major impact on what the Obama administration can accomplish.

Another dramatic event of the week was a sharp drop in our stock market, as unemployment figures increased and the banking industry balked at President Obama’s request for Congress to place restrictions on high-risk investments. The week also saw growing opposition in Congress to extending the term of Ben Bernanke as Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, the organization that sets interest rates and monitors our economy. Critics question whether he did all he could to prevent this economic downturn. Watch these financial developments closely, as they relate to our first unit of study in the second semester, the Great Depression of the 1930s. We will consider how that momentous event compares to what we are experiencing today.

And finally, Google and China may be parting ways. Google went into China knowing that their software would be used in a restrictive and intrusive manner, but the issue came to a head over the past few weeks as the Chinese government was linked to efforts to hack into G mail. Using email messages, the government can now identify dissidents who are pressing for human rights reform. Google has decided it does not want to be part of an effort that punishes people for supporting human rights, and it appears willing to sacrifice its large profits from China by halting operations there.

CWI

Congratulations to all who finished their “It’s My World” task. Over 90% of you submitted your tasks and an overwhelming number met standard. You will be offered one more task during second semester.

We finished our study of China and East Asia by reading “China Cheerleaders” and the Globalist article on education in China. You had guiding questions to help you understand the readings. We also read “Cramming in Korea,” an article about high school students who spend most of their waking hours preparing to take the SAT exam (the same one you take) in hopes of earning high scores that will qualify them for elite American colleges. These students give up much of their free time to focus on getting into a top college. We had a brief discussion about values in a society and asked ourselves what Americans value and whether academic success is at the top of our list.

We also watched excerpts from “Tank Man.” This is a pivotal event in the history of China and the world as we witnessed the bravery of one ordinary citizen who risked his life to defy his oppressive government. It is a great story and I hope you have the interest to go to the link and watch the rest of the video. In addition to the suspense and intrigue, it is a great lesson on the power of photography. The picture of tank man was described as iconic. We will also use photography in our next unit when we look at the Great Depression.

This weekend you should be preparing for the mid term exam. You have your portfolio, a study guide and of course the trusty and ever entertaining blog! The exam is made up of a variety of questions including matching, identification, cartoon analysis and short response. The matching questions are factual while many of the short responses are open ended questions that require you to think, articulate, and support a point of view.

Remember you also have your current event on China that is part of the midterm. In addition to the summary and commentary make sure to include the criteria you used for selecting the article. China has been on the front page of the papers these past few weeks as its people became the most numerous car buyers in the world, its economy seemed poised to replace Japan’s as the second largest, and the controversy with Google unfolded.

Exam Schedule

Monday: G and E periods
Tuesday: F and D periods
Wednesday: C and B periods
Thursday: A period

World History

This week we started our study of Imperialism by looking at four cartoons from that time and developing our own definition. You quickly understood that this period saw developed nations using force to seize territories less developed. The conquering states then dominated their colonies, imposing their own ideas and culture while using the colonies’ labor and natural resources to benefit the “Mother” country. We will continue our study of Imperialism in the second semester.

You have your study guide, portfolio and of course the blog to prepare for the exam. Each of the units we have discussed will be part of the exam and the questions are evenly divided over the units. Your study guide includes a description of the questions. You will have matching, multiple choice, map analysis, timeline interpretation, a 3-2-1 using a primary source, and one short essay. Bring in the completed study guide the day of the exam and earn extra credit.

Congratulations on the completion of your first task. We had 100% turn in for the task. The task will be scored after the midterm and I am optimistic that the scores will be great!

Frosting on the Cake

This week I was pleased to have the opportunity to share with you a few photos from my trip to China. We did a quick tour of Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall and the Olympic Village. I hope these photos whetted your appetite for travel. China is a fast growing and dynamic country that will be in the forefront of world events so you should do all that you can to educate yourself on this country.

Reaching Out

This has been a challenging week to watch the news as we have seen the devastation of Haiti and the cataclysmic suffering of people who live in the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. Relief groups and governments from all over the world are pouring into this island nation in hopes of stabilizing people who are clamoring for food, water, shelter and medical care. It was amazing to watch the expanded newscast this week and to see China’s search and rescue teams on the ground within 36 hours of the quake. Sometimes worldwide tragedies do bring nations closer together and remind us of our common humanity. I hope you will participate in the fund raiser for Haiti that the Leo Club will be sponsoring next week.

Martin Luther King Day

This weekend we pause to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King and his many contributions to the world and especially to our country. Dr. King, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, was the main leader of the civil rights movement during the 1950s and 1960’s. King stressed the use of non-violent protest to change government policies and to change the hearts and minds of its citizens. So this weekend take a moment to remember his contribution to our country and to celebrate our movement towards a more equitable country for all of its citizens.

CWI

This week we focused on your portfolio task “It’s My World.” You had two days to gather your news articles and to complete the graphic organizer. Good prep (that is completing the graphic organizer) leads to a good essay! You also had two days in the computer lab to write your reflective essay and to upload it to TieNet. Many of you completed the task on time and handed in your hard copy along with the attachments on Friday. I have already read many of the essays and I am impressed. Your passion about the topic you selected became clear as I read about your reason for selecting the issue and your creative solutions.

If you did not complete the essay you may do so over the weekend as you have access to TieNet from any computer with Internet access. It is your responsibility to upload the essay by Tuesday, January 19th. You must also hand in a hard copy and attachments on Tuesday. If you were absent for any of the prep days, you need to see me for additional time. We are at the end of the quarter and this essay needs to be completed in a timely fashion.

Over the weekend you also have the PBS internet activity to complete on China. You should be watching the news as China has been one of the top stories as its government jousts with Google. Google has had a change of heart and has decided to withdraw from the Chinese market. The company’s decision was made after its site had been hacked into by Chinese government officials. Also, the severe restrictions on websites imposed by China’s government has made it difficult for Google to operate as it does in other countries. While planning a lesson for you on Tiananmen Square, I used both the regular Google and the China version. It was amazing to watch how the China site changed over the course of the week as these decisions by Google were made. More on that later during class.

Next class, you will have time to complete your notes from The World Today and to finish reading China’s Cheerleaders and the news article on education in China. Take the time to compare your experience in school with your fellow Chinese students. How are they preparing themselves for the world of work? What are you doing to prepare yourself for the world of work?

World History

This week we studied nationalism and the unification of Germany and Italy. We also read a short section on the Balkans and the problems they encountered trying to build a sense of nationalism with a diversity of ethnic groups. This section of reading will also give you background so you can better understand the causes of World War I. Your worksheet questions guided you as you read your text. Taking good notes and testing yourself using the section review is a great way to make sure you have selected the key information from the section. On Friday you used your notes to answer questions and those with high marks had great notes. It takes time to do the notes but they help you understand the material.

Your nationalism posters are now hanging up. I have seen improvement in your posters. Keep in mind that the rubric tells you what is expected. You must also keep in mind that when you paraphrase, you still need to give credit to your source. You can’t change one or two words from an article or a source and then portray that as your own material. Also, remember that all sources used for the project must be listed. While the rubric only asked for two or three sources if you used additional sources these need to be included in your citations as well.

We also linked our study of Germany with current events. Some of you brought in articles that highlighted Germany’s exports namely cars such as VW and BMWs. The country has a reputation for building quality cars and machinery. As your text outlined, Germany had many strengths such as natural resources and skilled workers that allowed them to build a strong industrial base. That base is still evident today. One of the most impressive features of Germany that I found as I travelled through the country was its autobahn system. These beautiful highways linked major cities and provided a very efficient method of moving large numbers of cars and trucks. I don’t recall one pothole!

A New Year...A New Unit...A New Task

Our first day back for this new year brought two (!) unexpected fire alarms that sent us out into the wind and snow without the benefit of coats, scarves or hats. For some of us, the experience was a reminder of the conditions our Rhode Island forbears faced when they sought to survive and thrive in this challenging new land – without such everyday comforts as centrally heated homes, indoor plumbing, electric lights and instant communication. Because we take these things for granted, we need to think about what we would do if we were suddenly deprived of them, as sometimes happens during winter ice storms or summer hurricanes. Foresight and preparedness are as important to our own survival as they were to our ancestors, but our lives have become so comfortable compared to theirs that it sometimes takes the shock of the unexpected to remind us of that critical truth.

CWI

We started off the new year with a look at Time Magazine’s retrospect on 2009. News organizations do a great job of gathering and sharing top photos from the year. Take the time to explore some of these special shows...a picture is worth a thousand words. We also listened to the Time Magazine interview with Brian Williams from NBC news. The question, from viewers, focused on the key events in the past decade.

We began our unit on East Asia by drawing a map of the region and reading background material and doing bold to bold notes. Note taking is a skill you need to master. While everyone may have a different method of recording notes, the end result should be the same... making sure you have collected key information and making connections. The bold to bold questions were “easy” to answer if you had good notes.

We also did a partner activity where we looked at economic measuring tools and applied them to countries in East Asia. The criteria included how many TVs and cars were owned by families. You quickly discovered that while the US remains ahead of the countries of East Asia, they are rapidly closing the gap and becoming much more developed. That should cause all of us to pause and think about the ramifications of this region surpassing the US in economic and military strength. Recently I read a book review where the author predicts that the coming decade will see a shift from Western influence and domination to Eastern domination. Instead of teaching Western Civilization (World History), we may want to think about offering Asian History. For homework, you had the worksheet “Is China Rich?” This activity gave you excellent background information on the country and you had to assess whether the facts presented, such as population size, represent a strength or a weakness, and whether China poses more of a threat or an opportunity to the United States.

Finally, we started our portfolio task. You will be writing a reflective essay on an international issue. Your essay will be supported with current events articles. You had two days in the library and a graphic organizer. Next week you will have two days in the computer lab to upload your essay to your portfolio. This is an extended task so you are welcome to work on it prior to going to the computer lab. You need to do some time management and decide how much time you need to complete the task by Friday. The task will also be worth 50 points as an in-class assignment.

World History

We started off the new year with our Industrial Revolution interviews. This activity allowed you to work with a partner on one key person during this time period. This activity gives you the opportunity to think about open ended questions which encourage substantive responses. This is a great skill you can use for future assignments as well as when you are interviewed for a job or for college.

We then started our unit on Nationalism. We are going to look at how strong leaders were able to unite the previously divided Germans and Italians into two new nation-states. We also spoke about how a common language and culture help foster a sense of community, and we used the Brothers Grimm Fairly Tales as an example of how the German people came to recognize their common heritage. On Monday we will go to the library and start our campaign poster on one of these key leaders. Over the weekend you need to complete your worksheet on the Strengths of Germany and the Unification of Italy.

We also had the opportunity to hear from Otto von Bismarck in our video clip on German nationalism and discussed his “Iron and Blood” speech.

Your next current event is due on January 13 and it must be about Germany. Can you make any connections between our current reading and events in Germany today?

A Word about Decorum

As you may have heard, the administration and faculty are trying to encourage a greater sense of responsibility and proper behavior. You may notice that class doors are closed after the bell rings and fewer passes are being written. All of this is an effort to have more students spend their time in classes rather than wandering the halls.

Let me remind you that you must get to class on time. If getting to your locker is an issue then you may have to carry all your books for morning classes and only visit your locker at lunch time. If you are late to class you have two days to serve your X period. If you do not serve then your name is put on the detention list. Please make sure to come to class on time and if you are assigned an X period, serve it and move on.

I also need to remind you that if you are absent unexcused, the work for that day cannot be counted. You may be given the work and you may do it but your grade cannot be recorded. These provisions are clearly outlined in your handbook. Parents and guardians are asked to call the school by 8:00 am on a day that you will not be in school.

That said, I will close by noting that I am very proud of the way the majority of you are approaching your work and behaving in class and I am impressed by the progress you have shown since the school year began. I know you will continue the good work!

Happy New Year!

This long winter break hopefully has given everyone the opportunity to rest, relax, and be rejuvenated for the New Year. It is also a natural time to reflect and to make positive changes for an even better 2010. 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. So make sure you see Mrs. O’Donnell or Mrs. Gill to get the paperwork you need to start your school email account.

CWI

Mother Nature gave us a snow day on December 21 so our final assessment on South Asia was delayed. Some of you were absent, so be mindful of the need to make up the assessment within five days. You may stay after school on any day except Tuesday (faculty meetings) to make up the work.

We will start the new year with our map of China and our portfolio task.
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World History

We ended the year with your final assessment on the Industrial Revolution. If you were absent, make sure to arrange for a makeup assessment within five days.

We will start the new year with a unit on nationalism and we will do our Industrial Revolution interviews.

Year in Review

Many papers and magazines print special end of the year editions with photos that tell the key stories of the year. The New York Times has a special slide show that you can view with many award winning photos.

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 2010 but also for the long term. The work habits, skills, and knowledge that 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 that future challenges will be met 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 at hand. You will never regret taking the time to contemplate your future and to plan accordingly.

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 for students. 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.