Do Walls Work?

The big domestic issue this past week centered on two court cases argued in front of the Supreme Court dealing with Gay Rights.  While numerous legal technicalities are involved, it was an opportunity for the judges to hear arguments as to why or why not Gay people should have the right to marry.  Many civil rights groups have argued that this is THE civil rights issue of the decade.  The judges have heard the arguments on both sides and are expected to make a decision in June.  The Court has the option of a very narrow ruling on the “standing” of the plaintiffs, that is, whether the aggrieved people even have the right to have their case heard by the Supreme Court. By listening closely to the judges’ questions, many observers inferred that the judges may not be ready to rule on the legality of same sex marriage.  But some commentators also point out that it may make little difference in the long run; even if the justices decline to rule on the constitutionality of laws affecting gay marriage, public opinion has already shifted to the point where legislators are likely to adopt more liberal laws out of political necessity.  Indeed, the Rhode Island state legislature may be on the point of doing just that.

On the international scene, the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, has placed the military on high alert and told his country to be ready to go to war with the United States.  While some may see this as “saber rattling,” it can be a very dangerous situation as this untested, 28-year-old leader tries to strengthen his authority by rallying his people against external “enemies.”  A single miscalculation by either side could trigger a chain of events that could quickly mushroom out of control – “mushroom” being an appropriate word to use, since North Korea is now presumed to have at least a few nuclear weapons.

Modern America

This week we continued our study of the Cold War by taking notes as we watched the video “The Seven Phases of the Cold War.”  While the reference to a “cold” war suggests no direct fighting between the USSR and the United States, there were two major conflicts during this period: the Korean War and the Vietnam War.  You had the opportunity to use your graphic organizer to help understand the views of the US as compared to the views of the Soviets.  You also were able to work with a partner comparing Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech and Stalin’s response.  Finally we looked at a video of “The Wall” that showed what life was like for the people of Berlin after the wall was built.  Do walls work?  Can you keep people separated, especially when one group really wants to be joined with those on the opposite side?  Yet walls are still used, as seen in Israel and Jerusalem as well as our border with Mexico.

End of 3^rd quarter

The end of the quarter is rapidly approaching.  By Monday you should have your task loaded on TieNet and past work should be handed in. 

World History

This week we continued to look at World War I and the new technology that caused massive loss of life.  We looked at how the airplane, U boats, machine guns and poison gas changed the rhythm of war.  We also read about life in the trenches, and you had an assignment to write about that life…your feet constantly water logged…fighting off rats and lice…and long periods of boredom.   

For homework you had a worksheet that needed to be completed.  If you brought your book to class you should have made a good start on the assignment.  Bringing your text to class is a sign of being prepared.  Your freshman year is almost over and by now you should know what you need to have for class to be ready to learn.

Congratulations JD!

We are all so proud of you…great job…an article for the scrap book!

Conflict or Resolution?

This week we witnessed President Obama’s efforts to act as a peace broker for long simmering disputes between the Israelis and Palestinians, Israel and Turkey, and Syria and its neighbors.  Every president over the past 30 years has tried to varying degrees to help find a peaceful solution to the complex problem of dividing disputed territory between Israelis and Palestinians.  Obama reached out to the young leaders of Israel and urged them to understand the Palestinian perspective as they worked toward a resolution.  Just as the young people in the US in 2008 brought Obama into office, the President is urging young Israelis to take a more active role in insisting on peace in their homeland.  Our own local history figured in the President’s visit.  One of the gifts he gave Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was a fragment from the Washington Room of Newport’s Touro Synagogue, commemorating our first President’s letter to the synagogue affirming that freedom of religion is a natural right.

The President also spent time with King Abdullah of Jordan, the first Arab leader to call for Syria’s President Assad to step down.  Jordan has accepted thousands of Syrian refugees and born the heavy burden of providing for their basic needs.  President Obama announced he would be asking Congress for an additional $200 million to help Jordan care for over 460,000 refugees.

In the final hours of his visit, the President mediated between Turkey and Israel to help resolve a 3-year dispute.  Prime Minister Netanyahu apologized to Turkish President Erdogan for the deaths of Turkish citizens at the hands of Israeli commandos in 2010.  The deaths resulted when the commandos intercepted civilian ships attempting to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza, a territory governed by the militant Palestinian group Hamas.  Countries, like individuals, can sometimes resolve long simmering disputes with the encouragement of a neutral third party.

And finally, I hope you are monitoring your stocks.  Despite minor declines, the markets have generally held their gains over the past few weeks as the economy continues to improve and investors who have been waiting on the sidelines begin getting back in. One stock many of you picked, Nike, has experienced a dramatic increase.  Check it out and keep in mind that the MHS Economics course will help you better understand how to invest.  Think about signing up for this half year course.

CWI/Modern America

Congratulations to all who passed the World War II task.  Keep in mind that you need to monitor your TieNet account so you can keep track of tasks passed and what you will need for graduation.

This week we completed our study of World War II by constructing timelines with a partner and then sharing out key dates with the class.  In addition to selecting the events, you had to justify why you chose them.  Every day important things are happening that affect the course of the war, but we have to step back as historians and select the most significant.

We also looked at the decision to drop nuclear weapons on Japan.  Some scientists and military leaders thought the bomb was too destructive and out of proportion to what was needed to bring Japan to the peace table.  They argued that Japan was running out of supplies and fighters, the defeat of Germany had brought the Soviet Union into the war against Japan, and it was just a matter of time before Japan would have to surrender.  Other leaders argued that with each passing day we were losing troops and we had to use any weapon we had to end this war.  Some may also have believed a demonstration of the bomb’s destructiveness would deter the Soviet leader, Stalin, from undertaking aggression of his own.  President Truman made the decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.  It killed over 70,000 people.  On my trip to Hiroshima, I learned that many of the casualties were young people from grades 7 through 12 who were building fire trenches in the heart of the city that day.  Three days later, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.  On August 14, as Soviet troops poured into Japanese-occupied Manchuria, Japan’s leaders surrendered and the fighting was over.

Prior to the final assessment you were given a study guide (see special posting) so high grades should have been earned by one and all.  By completing the guide and handing it in you could have earned an additional five points.

Next week we start our unit on the Cold War, a time of high tension between the Western world and the Communist countries led by the Soviet Union.  This period lasts about 50 years until the collapse of the USSR.  While our relations with Russia have thawed, there are still lingering elements of friction.  Because we remain by far the two most heavily armed nuclear powers, and because Russia continues to exercise influence in Syria, Iran and other countries critical to US and world security, it is essential to manage this relationship carefully.

World History

Congratulations to everyone who completed their Imperialism task and uploaded it to TieNet.  TieNet is your portfolio of tasks attempted and completed. At the end of each school year you should take the time to review your portfolio as you will need to show mastery of the tasks in order to graduate.  Each full year course requires at least two tasks so you have ample opportunity to show mastery.  You had a graphic organizer for your Imperialism essay and if you followed the prompts you should have put together an essay that meets standard.

We also started our study of World War I this week.  Sometimes referred to as “The Great War,” this conflict ushered in new forms of combat based on technologies that caused massive casualties.  We viewed a power point on the causes of the war and you had a MANIA worksheet to fill out.  MANIA is a good way to recall the causes of the war: militarism, alliances, nationalism, imperialism and assassination.  You also had your vocab sheet to help you with the key terms and people you need to know for this unit.

Many of you finished writing your news article about the assassination of the Austrian Archduke Ferdinand on Friday, but if you did not hand it in, make sure to complete it for homework.  If you stay focused and use the resources in the classroom you should be able to complete your assignments.  Bringing your text to class is essential if you want to complete your work on time.

Course Selections

Your signed course selection sheets are due on Tuesday March 26.  Once your sheet is signed by your parents/guardians and your teachers, you will be able to input your requests into the computer.  Keep in mind that our schedule is very tight, so to get the courses you want be sure you are prepared on the 26^th.  As they say, “the early bird gets the worm.”

Extra Credit Question

Be the first in your class to email a response using your MHA account:

Should all citizens be required to serve their country (armed services or alternative community service) for 2 years after they have completed high school?

Extra extra credit:  What major local event will occur nine days from today???

 Thank you to all the parents/guardians and students who came by for conferences.

 

Special Posting: WW II Study Guide

If you need a copy of the study guide for the World War II test, please go to this link.

Responsibility Comes in Many Forms

 

Have you been watching your stocks?  The market just had a 10-day up-swing with many stocks hitting all-time highs. This is a perfect time for you to consider signing up for Economics next year as it is a half year course which will make you smarter about money – and the sooner you learn how to make money work for you the better off you will be! 

Modern America

This week we continued looking at World War II and how this war affected women. We viewed a power point that showed life of women before the war.  You had a graphic organizer and working with a partner you could see how the war changed the lives and aspirations of women.  You also had a graphic organizer and two readings focused on how the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have changed the role of women in our armed forces.   You had the opportunity to think more deeply about how these changes affect the role woman may play in the future of our country.  When Senator Hillary Clinton was running for president, one of the major criticisms was her lack of military experience.  Would she be tough enough to make the difficult choice to lead our country into war?  If we have more women in high positions in the military that should become a moot point.  (On the other hand, some people believe if we had more women in positions of leadership, there would be fewer wars altogether.)

We also had a graphic organizer on civic responsibility.  Just as we all have rights as American citizens, do we also have certain responsibilities?  During World War II the entire country was mobilized to assist in the war effort…there was a role for one and all.  You looked at several posters and read excerpts on how children, women and men were assisting in the effort by conserving goods for the soldiers, recycling items, and taking on jobs that needed to be done.  You then had the opportunity to design your own poster with a partner on a current problem that needs civic involvement.

You also had an announced quiz this week on events leading up to World War II…if you missed it please come by after school or during advisory to make up the work.  We should be completing our study of the war next week and we will be moving on to the Cold War.

Task

Congratulations on completing your technology task focused on World War II posters.  Students met the standard if they posted their comments and analysis on Voice Thread and if the analysis answered the questions found on the poster analysis sheet.  Look for a special blog post that will have a link to Voice Thread.

World History

This week we focused on imperialism.  You had the opportunity to do another APPARTS document analysis sheet using an excerpt from Rudyard Kipling’s “White Man’s Burden” and an advertisement from the same period for Pears soap.  You also read excerpts from several documents on the reasons why countries became imperialistic.  All of this background will help you write your 5 paragraph essay for your portfolio task.  Use the graphic organizer to help you organize your thoughts…make sure to reference or quote from the documents…and make sure to write effective paragraphs.  We have practiced all of the elements of a good essay.  Now is your chance to pull it all together. You have had one day in the computer lab to start the essay and you will have one more on Monday to complete the essay.  Good luck!

Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences

We have a few openings for conferences, which are scheduled for March 20 from 4 to 7.  Please let us know if you would like to come by and talk about your plans for the rest of the year.  Everyone needs a plan if they want to be successful.

The Best and the Worst

 

Only three short weeks ago, we were using stock prices from 1929 that quickly illustrated why so many people lost money in the crash, and we selected stocks on today’s market to monitor over the next month.  The rise of the market has been the lead story on the news for the past week as records of new highs have been broken. Make sure to check your stock picks to see how you are doing.  While saving money in a bank where it is insured by the US government will keep it safe, the amount of return is minimal.  Investing in the stock market has historically brought much bigger returns in the long run for those willing to ride out temporary ups and downs.  But risky bets aimed at quick rewards often end in catastrophe.

Modern America

This week we looked at the military strategy used by FDR and Churchill to defeat German and Japanese forces. Your worksheet gave you the opportunity to work through our readings and make notes on key information.  We reviewed the worksheet in class so you should have the information you need to prepare for the quiz on Monday or Tuesday. 

We also looked at the Four Freedom posters made famous by Norman Rockwell.  The posters were sold to the American public and ended up raising over $130 million for the war effort.

War can bring out the best and worse in people.  Reading about the internment of Japanese Americans you could see that this was a great injustice.  Even though they were citizens and accused of no crime, the government was concerned that they could aid the enemy and therefore placed them in detention camps.  These people lost all their property and legal rights for the duration of the war.  Despite the obvious violation of civil rights, many young Japanese Americans joined the armed services to prove their loyalty.  It is ironic that the 442^nd Regimental Combat Team, consisting almost entirely of Japanese-American soldiers, won the most medals for bravery of any unit in US history. You had a homework assignment that required you to write a letter to the editor of a newspaper opposing the internment by referencing the civil liberties contained in the Bill of Rights.  By last count, many of you have not turned in that assignment…don’t delay…make sure to finish the writing and turn it in to Ms. Averill.

You also had two days in the computer lab to complete your Voice Thread WW II poster task assignment.  You will earn in class credit for the analysis and comment and this will also be an assignment that can be uploaded to TieNet.  This is counted as a technology and social studies task.  Please hand in a hard copy of your analysis and comment to Ms. Averill.

International Speakers

Thank you to the NWC officers from Norway and Jordan for another informative brief on their countries.  Our next and last session will be April 5 and we will be hosting officers from Japan and Romania.  In order to encourage discussion, we will spend some class time preparing questions in advance.

World History

This week we continued our study of imperialism.  You had a worksheet that you used with your group and then we played jeopardy as a way to review key information.  Make sure to use the worksheet to help review for the quiz on Monday. You need to know the definition of imperialism, the reasons why a country would become imperialistic, and how the two poems we reviewed in class help tell the story of imperialism.  Below you will find a brief outline as to why countries became imperialistic…make sure to prepare for the quiz.

Economic Reasons:

Need for raw materials such as rubber, oil, metals, and timber

Need for new markets; additional places to sell products

Bankers needed places to invest money that had been made during the Industrial Revolution

Countries needed places for increased population to live; some countries in Europe were becoming too crowded

Political and Military Reasons:

Navy needed bases around the world for supplies such as coal and food

Sense of nationalism and competition between European nations; prestige

Concern that other European nations might get there first and gain an advantage

Humanitarian and Religious Reasons:

Concern for the less fortunate; a sense of duty to spread Christianity; a sense of obligation to bring advanced medicine to areas suffering from disease

Social Darwinism:

Belief that the white countries of Europe were superior and had every right to take over the weaker areas of Africa and Asia; a sense of racial superiority

Stormy Times

 

While we are having our first storm-free weekend in a month, another storm is brewing with potentially devastating results, and its name is sequestration.  This tongue-twisting term refers to a way for Congress to force itself into some kind of fiscal responsibility.  By sequestering, you bar agencies from spending a certain percentage of funds already allotted to them.  Each federal department has different directives, but most will have to lay off workers or close certain programs to meet their savings goals.  This unpleasant scenario was passed by Congress as a way of forcing itself to come up with a better system for balancing the federal budget.  It was thought the idea of a sequester would be so unpleasant to both parties it would never go into force.  It didn’t work, and now we will have to see what happens.  Will flights be delayed because of too few air traffic controllers?  Will fewer children get Head Start services?  Will our local naval facilities furlough workers, and if so, how will that impact local businesses?  No one knows exactly what to expect, but eventually all of us could be affected in some way.

Modern America

This week we completed our study of the Depression and the New Deal by doing a comparison of Presidents Hoover and Roosevelt.  These two men took very different approaches to solving the problems brought on by the Depression.  Hoover wanted voluntary action and thought the country would pull out of the slowdown if given time, as in the past.  FDR recognized the severity of the problem and took bold, creative and unprecedented federal action focusing on relief, recovery and reform.  Your charts comparing the Presidents and your presentation gave you the opportunity to think more deeply about what the role of government should be. Make sure you hand in your chart and reflection to Ms. Averill to earn credit for this assignment.

World War II

When war began in Europe in 1939, Americans were reluctant to enter a conflict that seemed far away.  Many shared Charles Lindbergh’s view that the US should stay out of a war that did not directly affect us.  Lindbergh was considered one of America’s greatest heroes, being the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic from New York to Paris.  FDR, on the other hand, felt a strong obligation to help our democratic ally, Great Britain, by “lending and leasing” war materials so Britain could continue to fight Nazi Germany.  To better understand the steps leading up to our entry into WW II, we viewed a power point and you had a guided note worksheet.  Your notes should go into your notebook for future reference. You also had a worksheet on some of the key terms from this time period.

We also watched a video on FDR, the only president ever elected to four terms.  As you watched the video you did a 3-2-1 sheet…what 3 ideas did you learn, what 2 questions do you still have, and what connection can you make to the video.  While making connections can be difficult, it is essential to learn this skill as it makes learning not only more meaningful but also longer lasting.

International Officer Speaker Series

Permission slips will be handed out on Monday for our next two speakers on March 8 during advisory.  We will be hearing from officers from Norway and Jordan.

 World History

This week we continued with our study of imperialism.  This is an especially important concept for you as your next portfolio task will focus on writing an essay on this topic.  To prepare you for the task you read two poems from this period: “The White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling and “TheBrown Man’s Burden” by Henry Labouchère.  These poems helped us better understand how Europeans tried to justify their conquest and division of Africa and other regions of the world, while native inhabitants viewed the Europeans as alien invaders and oppressors.  We then looked at political cartoons from this period, and you had the opportunity to draw your own cartoon and present it to the class.  We saw several clever cartoons on imperialism…great job!

Our last assignment on Friday focused on writing an effective paragraph on imperialism.  Using your notes, you explained what you consider the most important reason European countries became imperialistic.  You had your thesis guide sheet so you knew what words you could use to start your thesis…you knew you had to clearly address the question….you had to supply evidence or examples to support your point of view…and you had to have a concluding sentence that restated your thesis.

Overdue Assignments

Too many students still owe assignments from before our winter break.  Interterms are due next week and you must have these assignments in if you want to meet standard.  Handing in late work is not a good habit.  Employers and colleges do not tolerate being late.

Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences

On Wednesday, March 20, conferences will be held from 4-7.  A letter will be going home with a signup sheet.  If you are struggling, this is a good opportunity to sit down and talk about a corrective action plan.  Everyone wants to be successful and to accomplish this goal you must have a plan. Keep in mind “those who fail to plan, plan to fail.”