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.