composition of the exam

If it helps you to know such information, here is the makeup of the semester exam:

• Questions 1 - 28 are on globalization, population, geography and migration
• 29 - 38 are on the events of 9/11
• 39 - 59 are on the Middle East and religion
• 60 - 72 are on population pyramids
• 73 - 83 are on the Lost Boys, Sudan, and God Grew Tired of Us
• 84 - 92 are on India 
• 93 - 99 are on Korea

There are 10 short answer questions on the above topics.

You have to write only one essay, but you have five topics to choose from.

Here's what the questions are worth:

• 50%: the 100 objective questions
• 30%: the 10 short answers
• 20%: your essay

I hope this helps.  Stop by to see me if you have any questions.

I would wish you good luck, but if you have been studying, you won't need luck.  You'll be ready.

freezing drizzle, fo shizzle

Another day, another snow/ice cancellation!  Here's what it means in terms of your exams:

• Wednesday:  Math at 8:00, Foreign Language at 10:30 
• Thursday:  Religion at 8:00, Science at 10:30
• Friday:  English at 8:00, Social Studies (Human Geo!) at 10:30

Lucky you, getting an extra day to prepare and study for your exams!

What if we are on a 2 hour delay?

Good question.

IF Harford County calls for a two-hour late start, we will still have exams.  This is the official word, straight from Mr. Barker.  The first test will begin at 10:00, and the second will begin at 12:30.

Obviously, if we have no school tomorrow, we have no exams tomorrow.  Then we have exams Wed, Thur and Fri, instead of Tue, Wed and Thur.

Ice storms can be unpredictable, so if I were you, I would prepare as if we had classes tomorrow.

But you never know...!

the finish line is near

Today we took the last test of the semester.  A couple absentees still need to take it, then I will post the grades.

Tomorrow we will talk about what will be on the final.  If you don't want to wait for tomorrow, then just look  back at your blog entries, starting from the beginning of the semester.  That will tell the story of what we covered (as will looking back at my posts).

See you tomorrow - for the last day of Human Geography!

How 'bout that!

No school today!

Your homework assignment for today is to get out in the snow and have some fun!  Grab your snowboard, find a sled, make some snow angels, just get outside and enjoy the snow!

See you tomorrow (when we take our test on Korea), and have a blast today!

(photo of my dawgs taken during last year's storm)

Early dismissal. Wait - what?

Section 01 finished the North Korea video, and is all caught up.

All sections will take the test on Korea tomorrow.  If there is no school on Wednesday, we take the test on Thursday.

I think it is unlikely that we will miss school tomorrow - a two-hour late seems more likely to me - so be ready for anything.

This test represents the last graded assignment of the semester.  The only other grade will be the 100-point class participation grade on Friday.

See you tomorrow... probably.

Pshaw.

The mighty 04 and 05 sections met today, and we finished the questions on Korea.  Section 01 will finish tomorrow.  Then everyone will take the test on Korea - covering on Wednesday.  If weather cancels classes, the test will be the very next day.

To review for this test, look over your questions and your notes on the video.  The video has been posted under Hot Links for your convenience.

If you were to ask me if class will be cancelled due to snow on Wednesday, I would say "Pshaw."

We'll see.

our question for President Carter

Today is an historic day for the people of Sudan, whom we studied a couple months ago.  Today they hold a referendum for self-determination - meaning, the people of the southern part of Sudan will vote on whether or not to secede and create a new, independent nation.

The New York Times is allowing its readers to ask questions of former President Jimmy Carter, who is helping to oversee the election.  I sent in questions on our behalf (printed below).  I hope he answers them for us!  A lot of other people also asked questions - over 200 others, as of Sunday morning - but I will let you know if he answers our questions (# 196) directly.

If you go to the question, and recommend it, it might increase our chances of the former President answering it.  Click here to recommend (question # 196).

"Our high school freshman Human Geography class was moved by the plight of the Lost Boys of Sudan after viewing the film God Grew Tired of Us. We would like to know what will become of the refugees and IDPs who were forced to flee their homes and take up residence in refugee camps. Assuming this referendum passes, are there provisions being made to repatriate them to their ancestral lands? What kind of economic opportunities will present themselves in a New Sudan? And will there be sufficient roads, schools, housing, and even drinking water to handle the influx of people?"

A Times article on the referendum can be found here, and the questions for President Carter can be found here.  Stay tuned!

incredible timing!

Sometimes I'm amazed at the way life works.

After talking about the Koreas all week long, THIS news story hits.  About two hours ago.

You really should read this - it's hard to imagine something tieing in more closely with what you guys have been discussing in class.

I'll post it under Hot Links, too.

Have a great weekend, and don't forget to finish up the 22 Qs!

more on Korea

Today we will finish up the video on North Korea.   (This video can be viewed here, and I have also listed the link under Hot Links.  So, if you missed seeing part of the video in class, or if you just want to review, you can do so.)

Our discussion of the 22 questions continues today (if we have time) and through next week.  Therefore, it is important that you finish answering the questions, and post the answers on your blog, over the weekend.  Also, you don't need to put the answers in a PowerPoint or a Prezi - you may just post them on your blog.

I'll be checking.

getting to the core of Korea

Tonight, pick up where you left off - probably question 3 or 4 - and answer up to question #10.  Post these to your blog.

BTW, I loved today's class.  You guys ask good questions.  More on Korea, North and South, tomorrow.


In the meantime, here's a look at an old-fashioned fallout shelter.  Aren't you glad you missed out on this?

"Is the coast clear?"

the home stretch

Section 01 met today, and they did the same thing that Sections 04 and 05 did yesterday: discuss the rest of the semester.  This includes:

• Regular classes this week (Jan 3 - 7)
• Regular classes next week (Jan. 10 - 14)
• no school Monday, Jan. 17 (Martin Luther King Jr. holiday)
• Semester Exams Tue. - Thurs. (Jan 18, 19, 20)
• (Human Geo exam is on Thurs., 1/20)
• no school Friday, Jan. 21, unless an exam day is snowed out
• Second Semester begins Monday, January 24

We will have one more test in Human Geo, covering our studies on Korea, which we began in class today.  For the next six or seven class sessions, we will discuss the questions I have posted in the Links section, and watch a video on North Korea.

And, of course, we will continue to observe the DMZ in our classroom.

review of today's class

Here is a look at the schedule for the rest of the first semester:

• Regular classes this week (Jan 3 - 7)
• Regular classes next week (Jan. 10 - 14)
• no school Monday, Jan. 17 (Martin Luther King Jr. holiday)
• Semester Exams Tue. - Thurs. (Jan 18, 19, 20)
• (Human Geo exam is on Thurs., 1/20)
• no school Friday, Jan. 21, unless an exam day is snowed out
• Second Semester begins Monday, January 24

We will have one more test in Human Geo, covering our studies on Korea, which we began in class today.  For the next six or seven class sessions, we will discuss the questions I have posted in the Links section, and watch a video on North Korea.

And, of course, we will continue to observe the DMZ in our classroom.

welcome back!