great work!

I was very impressed with the quality of the group discussions over the last two days.  So, it's on with the Christmas party!  How can you help with the festivities and earn some extra credit at the same time?  Easy!  Just bring some food to class - enough to share with everybody - and I'll give you a few points.  Bring an authentic Indian dish or treat - korma, chai, cardamom cookies -  and I'll give you even more points.  Hopefully, many of you will participate, and we will have ourselves a merry little Christmas party.  If you need to refrigerate or store anything, find me in the TV Studio before school or during advisory.

See you tomorrow!

India Project guidelines

The ultimate purpose of this project is to help us gain a greater understanding of India.  We just watched a movie showing certain aspects of life in Mumbai.  We have researched India at sites like the CIA Factbook.  You read a number of New York Times news stories describing modern life in India.  All these sources, plus whatever you researched on your own, should give us a pretty comprehensive look at life in this amazing country.

Now, it's time to put it all together.  Did you comprehend the readings?  What did you learn about India from watching Slumdog Millionaire? What did you discover in your research?  How do all the facts tie together?

This project should tell me what you have learned.

50% of your grade will be based on the material contained in your presentation.  You should be able to organize what you learned about India using the format of your choice (PowerPoint, Prezi, essay, etc.).  You should be able to answer questions about our studies of India.  The more you tie everything together - the poverty, the growth, the opportunities, the religious conflicts, the corruption, the employment situation, the arts and entertainment, the economy - the better it will be.

50% of your grade will come from your participation in our discussions.  You are expected to take part, to ask questions, to dispute points, to offer evidence that agrees (or disagrees) with what someone else says.  The best way to get zero points on this part of the assignment is to not say anything at all during the group discussion.  I am serious about this.  Everyone is expected to fully participate in the group discussion.

There is not an organization in the world that does not use discussion as part of their format.  Britain's Parliament, the board members at Apple, the faculty at John Carroll, the Indian National Congress, all hold open discussions and debates to reach a consensus.  That is our intention with this discussion.  We intend to reach a consensus and understanding about modern-day India.  The better your participation, the better your grade, and the better the class will be.

The presentation must be submitted to me before the beginning of class Wednesday, December 15.  One person may submit the group's project, either by posting it on their website or emailing it to me at rschick@johncarroll.org.  It is essential that the names of all members of the group be included with the project.  I spent way too much time trying to hunt down this information on your last project.  Therefore, if you do not include member names, 10% will be deducted from the grade of all members in the group.  

This, like everything we do in class, is research-based work.  You must cite your sources.  This can be done within the project itself (at the end of a paragraph, as part of the PPt slide, within the Prezi, etc.).  Wikipedia is not to be used as a primary source.

Rubric?  I got your rubric, right here.

This is all we will do in class on Wednesday and Thursday.  If it goes well, we should all be rewarded for our hard work on Friday.  If it doesn't go well, Friday will involve some in-class writing.  It's up to you!   जय हो !  (Jai ho!)

film vs. reality

That was one of the best birthdays ever, thanks to you!  The cards, the candy, the singing... and who doesn't like cupcakes?  All day long, I felt like I'd won a game show.  You guys are incredible! 

I got a lot of great feedback from you about Slumdog Millionaire.  It won the Academy Award for Best Film in 2008, and seven other Oscars as well.  Part of the reason was because the film made you feel like you were really in Mumbai, and you could experience what is was like to live in a shantytown.

Or could you?

Was the film accurate?  Did it give a true and complete look at modern life in Mumbai?

We're going to gather some evidence and find out.  Here are some news articles and videos that should give us a more complete picture of India.

• Building Modern India - who builds such a fast-growing country?  (Think of the conversation between Jamal and Malik in the skyscraper.)

• You know how many people live in India.  What happens when huge numbers of people hit the cities looking for these jobs?  Read New Arrivals Strain India’s Cities to Breaking Point to find out.

• So you're lucky enough to be working on a big construction project now.  Where - and how - do you live?  India's Poor Struggle for Shelter has some answers.

• What if you don't want to be a laborer?  India's College Exam Season shows what teenagers are doing - and it's not trying to get on a game show.

• Lastly, where do you live if you are the richest man in India?  Check out Soaring Above India's Poverty, a  27-Story Home.

Oh yeah: champion brickworker here.

back to our show

In class today, we watched more of Millionaire.  Tonight's HW, as usual, blog on today's class.

Rather than giving you a new writing assignment, I want you to revise an old one.  Go back to the essay you wrote at the start of this week.  Refine it.  Proofread it.  Revise it.  Clarify it.  Treat it like it's going to be graded like the 20-point assignment it is.  Repost it by the end of the day tomorrow (that's 11:59 PM, Thursday, December 9).  Show me your best writing.

More Millionaire tomorrow!

Tuesday in class

Today, Section 01 got the same assignment that the other sections got yesterday.  Here it is:


Write an essay that summarizes what you have learned so far in this unit on India.  Pick a few of the following, and describe in detail how they tie together:

• the large population of India
• India's poverty
• life in the slums of Mumbai
• India's film industry, including Bollywood
• India's problems with human trafficking
• does our movie portray life in India accurately

This essay should be 3 to 5 paragraphs long, and around 500 words.  Post it to your blog when you are done.


Many of you finished in class.  I give full credit to you, and to the awesome Indian music that we played.

Monday, 12/6 - class assignment

I'm not feeling well today, so you will have a substitute.  Here is your assignment to work on in class.

Write an essay that summarizes what you have learned so far in this unit on India.  Pick a few of the following, and describe in detail how they tie together:

• the large population of India
• India's poverty
• life in the slums of Mumbai
• India's film industry, including Bollywood
• India's problems with human trafficking
• does our movie portray life in India accurately

This essay should be 3 to 5 paragraphs long, and around 500 words.  Post it to your blog when you are done.

Thank you, and I hope to see you next class.

studying India

In our studies of India, we are learning that life in the slums of Mumbai can be very difficult.  When Jamal, Salim, and Latika are taken in by Maman, it becomes apparent that he is not their rescuer, but a gangster who is out to exploit them and the other kids.
  
This is an unfortunate reality in parts of India.  


Your assignment this weekend is to write a paragraph of at least 250 words describing the problems India faces with human trafficking, child exploitation, and forced labor.  An excellent place to start is the CIA Factbook > India > Transnational Issues > Trafficking in persons.  Find info for your article from at least one other source, but make sure it is a legit source, such as India's Department of Labour, or UNICEF, or respected news sources such as The Guardian, the New York Times, or even the Times of India.  Post your article to your blog.


As you write, perhaps you would like to listen to some Indian music:





Or maybe you can imagine buying a nice chai tea from a chai wallah in Hyderabad, a city of 4 million people 10 hours inland from Mumbai.  Hyderabad is one of 43 cities in India with over a million people.

tonight's research questions

• Compare the motion picture industry in India and the United States.
• What are the names of the three main characters (the "three musketeers") in Slumdog Millionaire?
• What is a “chai wallah”?
• Tell us five things we must know about the Taj Mahal. Include a fantastic photo.

showtime

Section 01 has begun watching our film.  All sections should have good answers for the following questions:

1. What is Kaun Banega Crorepati?
2. List five essential facts about Bombay (Mumbai).
3. What is Dharavi?
4. What is a shantytown?  How many people live in shantytowns worldwide?
5. Who is Amitabh Bachchan, and what does he have to do with Slumdog Millionaire?
6. What is Bollywood?
7. How much is 250,000 rupees (or any amount of rupees) in American dollars? (Hint: find a currency converter.)

It appears that we are having trouble accessing blogs - both yours and mine - here at school.  This should not be a problem at your homes.  You should still be doing your homework and posting it to your blog.  A minor technological glitch does not relieve you of your responsibilities, neither here nor in the "real world."  Deal with it.

show time

Sections 04 and 05 started watching our movie today, and we answered a few questions about Mumbai, and shantytowns, and Dharavi, and the immortal Amitabh Bachchan.  Section 01 begins tomorrow.

back to the grind

Well, our big fat four-day weekend is basically over.  I hope you all had a good time with your turkeys and your families.

Just a reminder - if you weren't in class Wednesday, check my blog to see what we did in class that day, and be sure to make up the work.

BTW, have you noticed that just since last Tuesday, when we topped 6.9 billion people, that over 1,300,000 more people have joined us here on planet Earth?  I'm starting to feel a little crowded...

classwork for today

Go to this link to find ten questions about India you will answer in class today.  Whatever you don't get done in class today, will be due before our next class.  This is worth ten points.  Post the answers to your blog.

Plus, one important reminder:  if you haven't posted the link to your coffee project on you blog, please do that right away.  I would like to look at them over the break, so I will need the link.  Thanks!

Have a great Thanksgiving break!

new unit

The unit on India begins today (or tomorrow for section 01).  We began with a discussion of just how huge India's population really is.  We will continue that discussion during our short day on Wednesday.

Don't forget the EC offer I made last month.

project presentation day

Today in class we presented our projects on coffee, economics and Latin America.

In two of the classes, we were unable to finish presenting in time.  Those sections will finish up next Monday (Section 04) and Tuesday (Section 01).

Everyone in ALL sections needs to send me their project.  The easiest way would be to post the Google Doc link to your blog.  If you need to email me instead, do that.

Thanks for taking care of that, and I hope you have a fantastic weekend!

Project presentations tomorrow!

Today you freshmen have your retreat.  I hope you all get your souls recharged, and come out of retreat ready to take on the world!


Tomorrow you will begin presenting your projects to the rest of the class in small groups.  I am not the only one who will be grading your presentations.  You will be assessing each other.  Click here to see the form you will be using to evaluate each other.


If you need to tweak your project one last time to make sure you meet all these standards, tonight is your last chance.  Any questions, just email me.

update on projects

Here is another reminder to let you know that since school has been cancelled for tomorrow, the projects are now due on Thursday. Nov. 18.  We will begin sharing the projects with each other right at the beginning of class, so be ready.
Tomorrow, keep in mind the members of Mrs. Moeser's family, as well as all her friends and former students, who will be celebrating her life.  Please make sure your parents, especially those who may have known Mrs. Moeser, know the details of the funeral service in case they wish to attend.  Details can be found here.

Mr. Barker's tribute can be found here, and the John Carroll Campus Ministry page on Facebook has many personal remembrances.

an extra day for the projects

Since school has been cancelled for Wednesday, the projects are now due on Thursday. Nov. 18.  We will begin sharing the projects with each other right at the beginning of class, so be ready.

Also, please take a moment to pray for Mrs. Moeser, and her family and friends in the John Carroll community and beyond.

If you want to learn a little more about this wonderful woman, whom, sadly, most of you never got a chance to know, click here for a nice tribute written by Mr. Barker.

You may also want to visit the John Carroll Campus Ministry page on Facebook.

great work today

Today in class we worked and worked hard on our coffee projects.  I'll repeat what I said in class - you should put some time in on this project over the weekend.  I realize you are not very familiar with a lot of the concepts and material in this assignment, but you're doing a great job, and I think you are going to learn quite a bit about Latin America, global trade, economics, and even coffee.

One more important thing.  You heard on this morning's announcements about Billy Decker's sister being in a car accident.  Please keep our friend Billy and his family, especially his sister Morgan, in your thoughts and prayers this weekend.

Thanks for being so incredible.  And everyone involved in Peter Pan - break a leg!  See you next week.

Group Assignment

Today in class I introduced our next project.  We are going to research many aspects of coffee growing in Latin America (and around the world!).  The assignment is listed under Hot Links, and it can also be found here.

There are two parts in this assignment. Everyone is required to do Part One.  Part Two involves individual topics, which you chose in class today.  You will become such experts on your topic, that you will be able to give a highly informative presentation to the other members of the class next Wednesday, November 17.

I recommend using Google Docs for your project, so you will be able to collaborate at night and over the weekend.  You will get some class time to work on this, but there is no way you will be able to do a good job on this without doing a lot of research outside of class.

This is a research project, so you are expected to cite your sources every step of the way.  A Works Cited is not necessary, but in-text citations are required.

John Dau update

The John Dau Foundation responded to the email I sent them a couple weeks ago.  I can give you details in class today.  If you are interested in friending the Foundation on Facebook, the link is
http://www.facebook.com/johndaufoundation.

beginning the research

Tonight for homework, take the terms we discussed  and the questions you came up with, and find websites that will help you define these terms and answer your questions.  Make sure you find legitimate websites (no Wikipedia!).  Find at least five websites and post them on your blog.  Due tomorrow before the beginning of class.

new unit

Now that all three sections have seen the video, here is your assignment, as stated in class.

Based on the video, find five terms that need to be defined if we are to discuss this topic intelligently.  Examples we came with in class included fair trade coffee and certified organic coffee.

Also, come up with five questions that you need to ask in order to understand this topic.  Examples: What are the biggest coffee exporting countries?  How does coffee get from the field to the breakfast table?

The link to the video is found under Hot Links to the right.  Don't forget to view part two of the video, too.

Another reminder: tomorrow is make up day for those who missed the last quiz.

movie quiz

I have posted the grades for the God Grew Tired of Us quiz.  We will review these in class as soon as the last people have taken the quiz.

The following people still need to take the quiz: Mark M in Section 01, and Brad P and Gus L in Section 04.  You make take the quiz on Monday or Tuesday if you are ready, but you must make it up no later than this Wednesday.  I suggest you look over your notes, or check with one of your classmates if you missed part of the movie.  If you like, stop by the TV Studio after school either Monday or Tuesday, and you can watch all or part of the film.  You may also find useful information here and here.

Congratulations - mission accomplished!

Today we finished our magazine articles, and submitted them for e-publication.

Those of you who didn't get them to me will hear from me by email this weekend.

Relax, have a good weekend, and we'll get back to work next week.

the e-magazine deadline approaches

Section 01 seemed to make a lot of progress on their Migration magazine project today.

Good thing, because we publish at the end of class this Friday.

three-day weekend! (for you...)

Today in class we will be taking a quiz on God Grew Tired of Us.  It's worth 50 points, and it will be your first grade of the second quarter.

The Migration magazine assignment is due next Friday (11/5) at the end of class.  While we will devote some class time to this 100-point project, I highly recommend you work together over the three-day weekend.  In order to do a good job, you will need to spend a significant amount of time researching your topic, writing your article, editing your work, and composing your Microsoft Publisher pages.  It is possible to do very, very well on this assignment - it is also possible to bomb it by not preparing enough.  The choice is yours.

Finally, today is the last day of the first quarter.  I will be entering your grades this weekend.

publishing our magazine

Today we worked on our magazine on Migration.  Work on this project will be completed by the end of next week.  I definitely recommend you do some work at home, and especially over the weekend, on this 100-point assignment.

Just to make sure you have this covered, here are a few of the definitions we went over in class:

• in-migration: people moving into one place from another place within a nation
• out-migration: people moving out of one place to another place within a nation
• net internal migration: the numerical difference between in-migration and out-migration
• movers from abroad: people coming into a nation from another country or part of the world
• net migration: the difference between net internal migration and movers from abroad
• internally displaced person (IDP):  someone who is forced to flee their home but who, unlike a refugee, remains within their country's borders.

magazine project underway!

To wrap up our unit on Migration, we will be publishing an online magazine.  This issue will cover God Grew Tired of Us, plus culture, migration, modern Sudanese history, twentieth century African history, and social activism.  Our magazine will include articles on many of the following:

• British colonization and African independence
• Sudanese civil war
• the incredible journey of the Lost Boys
• the Dinka tribe
• cultural identity, cultural differences, culture shock, cultural assimilation
• working to effect social change
• current efforts at southern Sudanese independence
• by the numbers - statistics on world migration

Your article should include good writing, links to informative sites, descriptive images, useful maps, embedded videos, etc.  We will be using Issuu which you can check out tonight if you are interested.  More details will be coming in class.

This assignment will be worth 100 points.

There will also be a quiz on God Grew Tired of Us this Friday, 10/29.

breaking news on Sudan

It's in the New York Times.

And the BBC.

And Reuters Africa.

And the Economist.

And at AllAfrica.com.

Check any number of World Newspapers.  Chances are they are covering the situation in Sudan.

It's that big.

more God Grew Tired of Us

Special note to Section 04:

I will not be in class with you today, so I need you to rise to the occasion.

I would like Joe Otenasek and Kelly Stifler to lead the class.

Start off with the prayer.

Then, for the first mod of class, Joe and Kelly will moderate the class discussion.  Instruct the class to go to their blogs, and for five to ten minutes each, go over the three parts of your weekend homework:

• summarize the part of the movie you watched last Friday
• describe the Sudanese civil war that caused Daniel, Panther, and John Bul to flee their homeland
• define the terms I listed, and how they relate to the "lost boys"

For the last mod of class, resume watching the movie where we left off.

The homework assignment will be to blog about the class discussion, plus what you watched in class.

Your substitute will give me a full report on how you all handle yourselves in class.  I expect lots of participation and intelligent discussion.  Show me what you're made of.


Update:   I got an excellent report from 04's sub.  Thanks for coming through.

Homework for 04 and 05 is to discuss what you watched in class today, plus to comment on the class discussion.  See you Wednesday.

continuing with God Grew Tired of Us

Define the following terms.  Good sources for definitions would include Wikipedia and WordIQ.  

• in-migration
• out-migration
• forced migration
• net internal migration 
• movers from abroad
• internally displaced person (IDP)

Second, summarize briefly the civil war in Sudan.  Tell me where you found your information, and remember, Wikipedia is not a primary source.

Last, briefly summarize what you watched in class today.

Have a great weekend!

Lost Boys of Sudan

For homework tonight, post answers to the following questions:

• Why did the Lost Boys have to run away from their homes?
• Why couldn’t they stay in Ethiopia?
• What was life like in the refugee camp?

Also, find a map of Sudan.  Mark the routes the Lost Boys took on their migration journey from Sudan to the United States.  Note how long (in miles) their journey was.  Then, mark a route covering just as many miles on a local map, starting in Bel Air.
Here is a map of the Lost Boys' journey.

test review

Today we reviewed the Population test we took last week.  As always, it is recommended that you keep your corrected test for later reference.

More on Migration tomorrow - promise!

mapping the past

Good to hear how much you enjoyed learning some of your family history.  It's pretty amazing to look at our sections' maps and see how far our relatives came, just to end up here in Maryland.

More on migration the next time we meet.

What could be clearer?

The due date for this Migration assignment is Monday morning at 8:00 for all sections.

I always make it clear when one section has a different due date than another.  This was not the case with this assignment.

Here's how it was worded in the original posting:  Both parts of this assignment are due no later than Monday morning, October 18.  You must post before 8:00 am.  Penalties will apply for lateness.  Each part of the assignment is worth 50 points, for a total of 100 points.

This assignment was posted early TUESDAY morning, and pointed out in class on Tuesday.  This means you had over five days to work on it.

I've read a number of your migration stories, and many of them are fantastic.  I hope you learned a lot about where you've been, and where you might be going.

a treat for your day off

This video doesn't really have that much to do with Human Geography.  

I suppose it required international cooperation.  

You could say it's an example of technological innovation.  

But mostly it's just a really cool video 

I thought you might all enjoy.  

Feel free to leave a comment if you like.

(And don't forget about your migration project...!)

Your own personal migration

Here is your assignment for the "break."

Part One:  I want you to imagine your future.

In less than eight years you will have completed both high school and college.  You will have decisions to make about what you will do for a living and where you will live.  Think about two places you would like to move - anywhere in the world - after graduation from college.  Write out the reasons why you would like to move there.  Discuss why you chose these locations.  Consider pull forces and push forces.  What would be the downside of moving?  What would be the advantages?  You should write at least 300 words, and post this to your blog.

Part Two:  I want you to investigate your past.

America is an incredibly diverse land.  Our nation is made up from people from all over the world.  Check with your parents, grandparents, and other family members, and discover when your family first arrived from another country.  Describe where your parents were born, where your grandparents were born, and keep working backwards until you find ancestors who were born someplace other than the United States (or, just go back as far as you are able).  Ask questions of your relatives - find out about where they may have migrated, both from outside the US or within the country.  Write at least 300 words on your findings, and post this to your blog.

Both parts of this assignment are due no later than Monday morning, October 18.  You must post before 8:00 am.  Penalties will apply for lateness.  Each part of the assignment is worth 50 points, for a total of 100 points.

short project for the "break"

As I'm sure you are aware, this is a very short week.  Classes on Monday and Tuesday only. The PSATs on Wednesday (with a one-hour late bell AND early dismissal).  No classes on Thursday or Friday - essentially, a four day weekend.

Frankly, I'm concerned that your teenage brains will atrophy due to this extended period with no intellectual stimulation.  So I am going to give you a fun little (graded) project to do over the "break".  The details will be listed on this blog after school on Tuesday.  I just wanted you all to be aware that it is coming.

quiz on population

Sections 04 and 05 have a quiz on population Monday.  Section 01 takes their quiz Tuesday.

What's on this quiz?  All the terms we have been studying (see my Learn! These! Terms! blog post from October 6).  Know the math that you need to compute these terms.  You don't need to know the demographic transition model.

The quiz is worth 50 points.  Matching, fill in the blank, short answer.  Email me with questions. 

How to take a screenshot

In class we talked about a kind of milestone coming for the population of the world: 6.9 billion people.  Sometime next month we will hit that number, and if you can grab a screenshot of our population clock at that moment, I will try to make it worth your while - with a big apple, some extra credit, or something else cool.  The video below shows you how to grab a screenshot.

How To Take a Screenshot on Howcast

The result will look something like this:

Population Pyramids

The complex yet important population pyramids were the focus of today's class.

Tomorrow we tackle the demographic transition.  If you want to read up on it to be ready for tomorrow's class, there is a link to the right that should be helpful.

Learn! These! Terms!

THESE are the terms and concepts you will need to learn and know for our Population unit.

life expectancy

birthrate  

death rate

RNI (rate of natural increase)

TFR (total fertility rate) 

net migration rate 

population pyramid

You may have noticed the new links I have posted on population pyramids and demographic transition.   Please get familiar with them, too.

test review

Today was the 01 section's turn to review their last test.  Smart students will keep this review in a safe place, as these questions have a funny way of turning up later - on semester exams, for example.

review of the last test

So, what did Sections 04 and 05 learn today?

• Mr. Schick's tests can be kind of hard
• details are useful in any essay
• a Muslim religious leader is called an imam
• it wasn't Colby's birthday, but it sure felt like it for awhile

Don't forget to post to your blog today, 04 and 05!

population terms

If you didn't finish up in class, your weekend homework is to complete the wiki-definitions and CIA Factbook statistics.  The assignment is described in yesterday's blog post entitled "population studies: defining our terms ."

Have a great weekend!

monsoonapalooza

So, Tropical Storm Nicole chased us out of school today.  The 04 Section got class in, and they did the population work you see two posts below.  05 will do that work tomorrow, while 01 takes the test that half the class missed yesterday.

Don't forget - tomorrow is Picture Day, so everybody come in looking fantastic.

Race for the Cure

This weekend I will be joining thousands of people participating in the Susan B. Komen Race for the Cure.  If your family would like to support us in our efforts to find a cure for breast cancer, please visit my donations page (found here).

There's no extra credit being offered - just the satisfaction of helping with a great cause. 

Thank you for your support!

population studies: defining our terms

Define these terms, AND place a link to each term in your blog.  Wikipedia is actually a great source for this.  Then look up (in the CIA Factbook) each of the countries listed, and list the rank and actual figure.

• life expectancy (Japan, France, Kenya, Cuba, United States, Afghanistan) 
• crude birthrate  (Japan, Kenya, Ethiopia, United States,Germany)
• crude death rate  (Afghanistan, Kenya, United States, Japan, Mexico)
• RNI (rate of natural increase)
• TFR (total fertility rate)  (Niger, Afghanistan, Japan, United States, Germany)
• net migration rate  (Mexico, United States, United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Uganda) 
• population pyramid

If you don't finish it in class, finish it for homework.  When you're done, post it to your blog.  (After yesterday's test, I'm sure you see the value of having this on your blog!)

test today

"Lord, today we have a test,
Help us, please, to do our best..."

Don't forget to blog tonight, if only to tell me how you thought you did on the test.

If you weren't in class today for sports, sickness, or whatever, you have to contact me to arrange your makeup test.

it's true - test tomorrow

The mighty 01 section reviewed for tomorrow's test - you know, the 100-point test that covers our discussions of 9/11, the Middle East, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, plus our definitions.


Tomorrow.


Be ready.

test Wednesday

Reminder:  100-point test on Wednesday, covering our discussions of 9/11, the Middle East, and the three religions, plus our definitions.

help me grade your 9/11 paper

Some of you did not give me permission to read your paper when you published your GoogleDoc.  Here's what you need to do to correct this.

• Open your 9/11 paper
• click Share
• click Change under Permissions
• choose Public on the web  
• click Save

It would help me out if you sent me a quick email at rschick@johncarroll.org telling me you made the change.  Thank you very much!

Prezi presentations help us prep for the test

Nice job on your Prezis Friday.  Prezis, like anything else, take some getting used to, but many of you did fantastic work with yours.  You'll get even better at it as you do more of them.

We will have our first test of the quarter on Wednesday, September 29.  The format will be short answer, multiple choice, and fill in the blank.  This test will not be entered before the mid-quarter report.  You're responsible for what we have covered in class:

• the events and effects of the September 11 attacks
• the definitions you were assigned to look up
• the five nations in the Middle East we featured
• the three religions we covered

We will review this material in class next week.  You can prepare by reviewing your notes and going over my earlier blog entries.

finishing the Prezis

Brilliant work today, as you completed work on your Prezis.

Reminder: Make sure everybody in your group has the web address for your Prezi.  Each person should then copy the address into their own blog.  Better yet: embed it into your blog.

Also, if you want to add more to your Prezi, or if you just want to proofread, you can still edit.  The web address won't change.  You can even invite the others in your group to edit.  Go to Edit Prezi, click Meeting, and choose Invite to Edit.

Tomorrow - we present.

update on today's classwork

I think we got a lot done in class today.  Tonight, you should make it a point to communicate with the other people in your group.  Email, text, phone, Skype, whatever it takes.  Make sure your Prezi person is getting good at Prezi.  Make sure everyone else is researching - finding good sites with reliable information about Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.  Make sure you reach out to the people that weren't in class today, and get them up to speed.  Everyone should walk into class tomorrow ready to go.

using Prezi

Today in class we are going to use Prezi to study and compare three major religions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.

Prezi can be found here.

You have a machine in front of you that gives you access to the collected knowledge of recorded human history.

Now get busy.

(I did a simple Google search of "religions of the world."  I found a LOT of sites.  Here is an example of a source that might not be reliable.  This is more like it.)

2009 - terrorist incidents worldwide

We (especially the amazing 05 section) have been discussing the use of terrorism in class.  This is certainly an important topic, as well as an emotional one.  Here is some information to put into perspective how often these attacks occur in America and around the world.

Number of terrorist incidents, 2009

The above map tracks the number of attacks just last year (2009).

This Wikipedia entry list of terrorist attacks
 can be organized by country, city, date,
and estimated number of fatalities.  

more on the Middle East

Interesting discussions and controversial proposals in class today, as we continue studying Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Israel, and Saudi Arabia.

Earth & Chrome

I believe you guys have Google Earth already loaded on your computers.  If not, take a couple minutes this weekend and download it, and keep the icon handy so you can get to it easily.  It is a valuable resource, and a fun site to play with.  Find your house!  Then fly to the pyramids!  Navigate over to the Eiffel Tower!  Check out the terrain in Afghanistan!

Also, I highly recommend using Google Chrome as your browser, especially if your computer has been locking up on you.  Just as easy to use as Firefox (but with cooler features), more virus-resistant than (yuk) Explorer.  Download it here.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Identifying countries

When we discuss the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, or rainforests in Brazil, or oil coming from Saudi Arabia or Russia or Venezuela, or nuclear weapons in Pakistan or India, it's important to know where these countries are.  Today's exercise is simple: locate some major countries on the world map, and identify the continent where they can be found.

This class exercise can be found by clicking Identifying Countries: classwork, found under Hot Links.  Follow the directions you see there.  This is a graded assignment which must be completed in class.

exploring our world

The CIA World Factbook)^[2] is a reference resource produced by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with almanac-style information about the countries of the world.  The Factbook is available in the form of a website, which is partially updated every two weeks. It provides a two- to three-page summary of the demographics,geography, communications, government, economy, and military of 266 entities^[3] including U.S.-recognized countries, dependencies, and other areas in the world.

The World Factbook is prepared by the CIA for the use of U.S. government officials, and its style, format, coverage, and content are primarily designed to meet their requirements.^[4] However, it is frequently used as a resource for academic research papers.^[5] As a work of the U.S. government, it is in the public domain.^[6]           (Click here for the entire Wikipedia entry on the CIA World Factbook.)

^{In other words, the CIA Factbook ROCKS.  We explored it in class today, and, although we barely scratched the surface, we found an amazing variety of facts about every country on earth.  We will be using the Factbook A LOT this year, so it is good to be very familiar with how it is laid out.}

paper deadline

It seems like a number of people are having trouble with this assignment.  First, let me clarify the technical expectations for this assignment, and for all papers turned in to me for this class.


The paper is to be completed on Google Documents (GoogleDocs) and submitted through your blog.  Here's how:

GoogleDocs actually saves automatically as you write.  So when your paper is done, you just need to publish it.

In Google Docs, on the right-hand side of the page, under Share, drop down to Publish on the Web.  
Then click Start Publishing, then OK.  
Copy the web address that appears under Document link.  
Paste that address into a new posting on your blog.

Really, it's that simple.

Don't forget to give the paper a title in the title box, or you may soon find yourself with several papers, all titled "Untitled Document".

The new deadline for this assignment to be posted to your blog is 4:00 PM today, Tuesday 9/14/10.  10% will be deducted for every day (or portion of a day) the paper is late.  This deduction begins at 4:01 today.

So, if you are having trouble, I recommend you stop by Room 121 in the Fine Arts wing right after school to get some help.  

two good questions about citations

A student just emailed me a couple questions, asking if they needed to cite a source if they were just paraphrasing from that source, and asking about the Works Cited that appears at the end of the paper.  I answered her question below.  I put the answers in the form of a paragraph that might appear in a research paper about writing research papers!  Here it is:



Paraphrasing is "a restatement of a text or passage giving the meaning in another form" (dictionary.com).  It is perfectly acceptable to do this, because you are still giving credit to the original author.  Even a prestigious university like Purdue University includes information on this process:  "If you are paraphrasing an idea from another work, you only have to make reference to the author and year of publication in your in-text reference, but APA guidelines encourage you to also provide the page number" (Purdue Online Writing Lab).  In this case, we are not concerned with page numbers, since we are dealing with online sources.



Using EasyBib.com, this would be the Works Cited for the two online sources I used in the above paragraph:

"Paraphrase | Define Paraphrase at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Web. 12 Sept. 2010. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/paraphrase>.

"Purdue OWL." Welcome to the Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL). Web. 12 Sept. 2010. <http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/02/>.



I hope you find this helpful!  (Thanks, Elena!)

first big grade of the quarter

Greetings, all.  It's a rainy Sunday afternoon, the Ravens aren't playing today, and I hope by now you have begun work on your paper.  If you have questions, feel free to comment on this post or send me an email.

Reminders of what you should include in this paper:

• good, quality, error-free writing
• an informative summary of the events of 9/11 
• an interview with someone who has vivid recollections of that fateful day
• a thoughtful analysis of the long-term economic impact of the attacks, based on the links I have provided for you, plus any other resources you find
• a Works Cited at the end of your paper, listing the online sources you used (EasyBib.com will help with this)

Don't forget to write the paper on Google Documents, share it by publishing it to the web, and placing that web address in your blog.

Let's see what you've got!

First Paper of the Year

We have begun this school year by discussing globalization, which is the defining concept of our Human Geography course.  This week marks the anniversary of the single event which has had more global impact than anything else in your lives - the September 11 attacks.

This week we will view actual television coverage - in real time, as it occurred - of September 11, 2001.  Most of you were in kindergarten that morning - I was right here at John Carroll.  I think there is a real value to seeing how events unfolded that morning, as America and the world watched.

You will be assigned a paper to write on 9/11.  This paper is to be 3-4 pages long, and will cover three aspects of 9/11. 

• What happened on the morning of 9/11?  Approach this like a historian, or a reporter, or a human geographer - answer the essential questions:  Who?  What?  When?  Where? Why?
• What do your family members remember about that day?  You may also include your reaction from watching this video in class, but it is important to interview someone who was old enough in 2001 to realize the importance of these events.
• What was the long term economic effect of the attacks?  I will provide you with some material (introduced in class) that can help you answer this question.

I want you to produce this paper using Google Docs.  You should write 750-1000 words - that would be three to four pages of text.  You are also encouraged to add pictures, charts, or any other images that will enhance your writing.

In addition to the material I will give you, you are encouraged to do a little research into this subject.  Cite your sources.  No Wikipedia or other encyclopedias allowed.

The assignment is due Tuesday, September 14, by 8:00 am.  It is worth 100 points.

definitions

Today, Sections 04 and 05 did not meet.

Section 01 discussed the definitions of terms, with our conversation branching into the reliability of internet sources.  (For the record, Shakespeare did NOT weigh 450 pounds!)  

Don't forget to post a blog entry describing what we did in class today, Section 01!

your first grades

This weekend I will be posting your first grades.  Here's a brief explanation:

• Your first assignment was the Six Word Memoir, worth five points.  
• Each week I will post a grade for your blog entries (called Week 1 blogs, Week 2 blogs, etc.) worth five points.  As I explained in class, you are expected to post every day we have class, by midnight that night.
• The class assignment on definitions and population is more complicated than a six-word bio, so it alone is worth 10 points.  This assignment is due before your next Human Geo class meets.  Be sure to follow all the directions.

These may not seem like a lot of points, but they add up.  Get in the habit of posting regularly and posting well, and two good things will happen.  You will get good grades every single week.  And, you will have great notes you can refer to later.

Questions?  Email me or ask me in class.

Happy Labor Day!

the end of week one

We made it to Friday!  Now it's time to really get up to speed.

I want you to define the following terms:

• geography
• globalization
• population
• immigration
• industrialization
• culture 
• religion

In addition, I want you to do a little research, and list the population of the world, the population of the five largest countries, and identify the five largest religions in the world.

Very important:  you need to cite your sources.  This means you need to tell me where you found your information.  There are a lot of sources out there: the CIA Factbook, dictionary.com, Facts on File, the History Study Center, Wikipedia, Groliers, and many more.  Place the source after each response.

This, of course, is entered into your blog.  What you don't finish in class today is due before your next class. 

housekeeping

We did a lot of technological housekeeping in class today.  If you did not complete any of the following tasks in class today, please do them for homework tonight.

• subscribe to my blog
• set up your own Human Geography blog
• email me the web address of your HG blog (I'm at rschick@johncarroll.org )
• post your Six Word Memoir to your blog
• post your Did You Know? 3.0 assignment to your blog

Any questions or problems, just email me.  Thanks for your patience.  Let's git'r'done!

Your blog, and your future.

Today the 04 and 05 sections met for the second time. We completed the process of creating a blog and posting our first assignment. Today in class, we watched a YouTube video that described the technologically complex world in which we live. Students discussed what it means to live in such a world.

Homework for 04 and 05: In tonight's blog posting, summarize what your group discussed today. Pick two statements from the video, and discuss how they affect you, as an American high school student in the 21st century.

Section 01: you guys met with me for the first time today. You need to do the following:

• subscribe to my blog
• set up your own blog through blogger.com
• send the web address of your blog to me at rschick@johncarroll.org
• do the Six Word Memoir assignment we discussed at the end of class, and make that the first posting on your brand new blog! (You may look at the Six Word Memoir magazine article I have posted to the right, under Hot Links, for inspiration.)
• this assignment is worth 5 points, due by midnight tonight

Do your best, and let me know if you encounter any problems, either by email tonight or in class tomorrow.

Greetings HumGeo students!

Welcome to our site!

This is where we are going to do all our communication about our Human Geography course. I will post what we did in class, links for you to check out, homework assignments, and more.

You will submit your assignments and observations on your blogs.

More on all this in class.

In the meantime, here (as we discussed in class) is your first assignment: The Six-Word Memoir. Set up your Human Geo blog here (be sure to include both your name, and HG or HumGeo or something like that, in your blog title). Then, for your first posting, post your memoir on your blog by midnight Tuesday night. (The magazine article on the Six Word Memoir is on this blog, listed under Hot Links to the right.) This assignment is worth 5 points.

Last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to my blog.