Thursday, May 1, 2014

Thursday

  1. Let's look at two problem/solution essays. 
  2. Two sample papers:

    What do you know about fishing? Any problems other than the "catching?"
  3. http://www.sportsmansguide.com/Outdoors/Subject/SubjectRead.aspx?sid=0&aid=150701&type=A

Are deer a problem?
     
     
     
    1. Exam tips
    Be sure you have read the article "Hot Enough for You" by Jerry Adler. A working link appears on Tuesday's blog post. Let's talk about the article.
     
    For the exam, you need to be ready with the following:
    1. A personal story about summer in Phoenix or information from a personal interview with someone else. Both may be included if you wish.
    2. A news story related to the local heat.
    3. A chart of graph showing local statistics.
    4. Links to the information you already have on global warming. Relate Phoenix to the overall picture. Consider:
    "Saving the Songs of the Sea"
    An Inconvenient Truth
    You must reference "Hot Enough for You" by Jerry Adler
    etc.
    5.Information from the presentations - yours or information from others. 
    6. A quotation from a quotation site or from an expert source. Use this to capture out attention or to wrap it up.
    For the exam, you will be writing a problem/solution essay. Include items from the above list.
     
    Tips for writing problem/solution essays:
    http://umhs.eduhsd.k12.ca.us/owl/problem-solution.pdf (copy/paste the URL) 
    http://grammar.about.com/od/pq/g/Problem-Solution.htm
    Handout: Graphic Organizer for the Problem/Solution Essay - you must bring the completed form to the exam.
    The completed essay must be 3-5 pages in MLA format. The Works Cited page does NOT count as one of the 3-5 pages. It is in addition to and appears on a separate page.
     
    Exam Information: 
    Thursday, May 8, 2014, at 8:00 AM-9:45 AM in our regular room. You MUST physically attend. this is a college rule. 
    You will have the time to complete your essay. Have as much finished as you wish when you enter the room. Once you have submitted the exam, you are free to leave. You do, however, have the entire exam period to work.
    The essay will be submitted electronically and on paper - no exceptions!
     

     
     

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Class Work

This was the homework: Read or listen to the news over the weekend. Make a list of the top 10 stories. 
Pick your top three. Create a mind-map for each or created a bulleted brainstorm list.



Post in CANVAS  ( 10 points for the top 10 list/5 points for each mind map or bulleted list = 25 pts.)

Here are some sample mind maps.
https://www.google.com/images?q=mindmaps&rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-us&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1&hl=en&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ei=JSZZU-qpLYisyAG1woCACg&ved=0CDYQsAQ







 Today!
  1. We will finish the presentations. When we finish, submit your hand-written notes.
  1. Between now and Thursday, get organized. 
  2. Complete a K/W/L chart first. (Paper copy provided. Have it completed for Thursday.)
  3.  For research, you will need:
  • A famous quotation
  • Information from 2 reliable sources. These may be from the Internet.
  • A quotation from at least one person-on-the-street, friend, or family member. This may be a face-to-face, phone, or e-mail conversation. Use the appropriate MLA citation.
  • A chart or graph
  • A news story that is no older than 5 years.
  • Media or literary link (poem, story, book, television show, YouTube, music, etc.)
  • Personal example (brief - from your life or from the life of someone you personally know.)
  • Art selection
  • 6. You must have an accurate Works Cited page.
  • 7. The final document needs to be 3-5 pages in length with an additional Works Cited page. MLA formatting is required. 



 Read this article before Thursday. Think about how the heat in the Phoenix area impacts you.
Make a Top 5 list of the most interesting information from the article. (Exam prep)
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/reality-hotter-world-already-here-180951172/?no-ist

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Class Work


Slides:
1 Title Page to include your name , date and  title of your presentation
2-3 defining and/or describing the problem. Prove that a problem exists.
2-3 sharing the causes of the problem.
2-3 explaining the effects of the problem
2-3 giving solutions and calling us to action!
1 Works Cited page.


Remember that an effective PowerPoint presentation should follow these guidelines.
Create three slides for your presentation.

Have two students "proof" your work using the chart like the one below. You need to have two or three sides finished!

Layout
· Photographs, graphic design, and clip-art are useful and enhance the presentation
· Title, author, and course identification are on the first slide
· Works Cited page is the last frame and is in MLA format
Fonts
· Font size is at least 16
· Footless Font is used
· Color is of a deep enough contrast to be easily read
· Font colors are limited to three or four throughout the presentation
Text
· Bulleted points are limited to no more than six per slide
· Six or fewer words per bullet are used
· Headlines are effective
· Spelling is correct
· Punctuation is correct
· End punctuation or no end punctuation is consistent when using bullets
· Upper and lower case is used correctly
· Animation is limited and necessary
· Sound is limited and effective
Content
· A work of art is included
· Point/thesis is clear
· Supporting elements are evident
· Introduction captures the attention of the audience
· Conclusion contains a strong message
· Clear steps for a “call to action” are obvious

Watch, laugh, and learn...
Tips for effective presentations...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENOvAGQ5UlU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whTwjG4ZIJg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXILI9Q1jIw Two minute how not to give a speech - find the errors

1. We begin next Tuesday.
2. You must have your presentation on a jump-drive. E-mailed projects take too long to find. Be ready. Also, your presentation must be submitted in CANVAS. It is possible to pull it up from there.  Do have the jump-drive as well. It is possible for the Internet to fail. Always have Plan B!
3. Your presentation should be no longer than 5 minutes and no shorter than 2 1/2 minutes.
4. If you are absent when it is your turn to present, you may be docked 10 points from the final presentation grade unless you contacted me in advance and made other arrangements.

Questions?

Let's practice. You will be given an object to use for a 45 second presentation. Enter the "stage" and talk to us about the object.
1. Tell us what it is.
2. Show it to us.
3. Tell us a "story" about the object.
4. Look at us.
5. Speak up. We need to hear you.
6. Stand professionally.

******************************************************************************
Now, on to the writing!

Two sample papers:

What do you know about fishing? Any problems other than the "catching?"
  1. http://www.sportsmansguide.com/Outdoors/Subject/SubjectRead.aspx?sid=0&aid=150701&type=A

Are deer a problem?

Homework

Finish your PowerPoint presentation. We will begin sharing on Tuesday. Be sure to sign the presentation sheet. Post in CANVAS and save on a jump-drive. (100 pts.)


Thursday, April 10, 2014

Thursday & Tuesday/April 15



Class Work


This was the  homework:  Locate two articles that explain concrete steps to be taken to solve the problem. List 10 steps. Give the source of each step. Include MLA Works Cited information. You may use an article previously read if clear solutions were given.
 (25 pts.) Return to your like-minded groups. Share your solutions.

Discuss:
1. Ease of implementation
2. Cost of implementation
3. Time issues with implementation
4. Likelihood that folks will actually join in.

 Back to the movie. Take out your questions. Let's see what we can answer up to this point.

We will be watching An Inconvenient Truth to:
  • Look for presentation strategies
  • Learn more about Global Warming
  • Look for evidence of the problem, causes of the problem, and solutions to the problem.
An Inconvenient Truth – Questions

After viewing the documentary, answer the following questions and post your answers in CANVAS. Due, Thursday, April 10, 2014.

1.       Why does the film open and close with serene images of nature: lush green leaves and a gently flowing river on a sunny day, followed by Al Gore’s voice-over about this peaceful place? What is the impact on the viewer?

2.       In this film, Gore narrates a moment in 1989 when his six-year-old son dropped his father’s hand, ran into the street, and was severely injured. How does this personal story relate to Gore’s mission?

3.       Much of the film consists of scientific facts and charts. Think back and answer the following:

·         Why do we have global warming?

·         What is the relationship between carbon dioxide and temperature?

·         How does global warming contribute to an increase in the number and severity of storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, and typhoons?

·         How can global warming cause both violent precipitation as well as droughts?

4.       Explain the significance of each of these references from the film:

·         The findings of core drills

·         The thawing of the permafrost, the splitting of the Ward Hunt ice shelf, and the disappearance of the Larson ice shelf

·         The Arctic ice cap disappearing

·         The image of a canary in a coal mine

·         The image of the frog in the cooking pot

5.       Cite three ecological consequences of global warming in the animal and plant communities.

6.       Gore used quotations from several memorable people.  Explain how they apply to the topic of global warming.

·         Mark Twain: “What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know; it’s what we know that just ain’t so.”

·         Upton Sinclair: “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.” Consider citing specific ways that this statement is illustrated throughout this film.

·         Stephen Pacala and Robert Socolow in Science magazine: “Humanity already possesses the fundamental scientific, technical, and industrial know-how to solve the carbon and climate problems.”

7.       Explain the significance of the film’s title An Inconvenient Truth.

We will discuss these together after the movie. You need to post your answers in CANVAS by Thursday. (35 pts)

 
Now it is time to prepare your own show!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORxFwBR4smE Short how not to do a PowerPoint


Slides:
1 Title Page to include your name , date and  title of your presentation
2-3 defining and/or describing the problem. Prove that a problem exists.
2-3 sharing the causes of the problem.
2-3 explaining the effects of the problem
2-3 giving solutions and calling us to action!
1 Works Cited page.


Remember that an effective PowerPoint presentation should follow these guidelines.
Create three slides for your presentation.

Have two students "proof" your work using the chart like the one below.


Layout
· Photographs, graphic design, and clip-art are useful and enhance the presentation
· Title, author, and course identification are on the first slide
· Works Cited page is the last frame and is in MLA format
Fonts
· Font size is at least 16
· Footless Font is used
· Color is of a deep enough contrast to be easily read
· Font colors are limited to three or four throughout the presentation
Text
· Bulleted points are limited to no more than six per slide
· Six or fewer words per bullet are used
· Headlines are effective
· Spelling is correct
· Punctuation is correct
· End punctuation or no end punctuation is consistent when using bullets
· Upper and lower case is used correctly
· Animation is limited and necessary
· Sound is limited and effective
Content
· A work of art is included
· Point/thesis is clear
· Supporting elements are evident
· Introduction captures the attention of the audience
· Conclusion contains a strong message
· Clear steps for a “call to action” are obvious

Watch, laugh, and learn...
Tips for effective presentations...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENOvAGQ5UlU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whTwjG4ZIJg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXILI9Q1jIw Two minute how not to give a speech - find the errors

1. We begin next Tuesday.
2. You must have your presentation on a jump-drive. E-mailed projects take too long to find. Be ready. Also, your presentation must be submitted in CANVAS. It is possible to pull it up from there.
3. Your presentation should be no longer than 5 minutes and no shorter than 2 1/2 minutes.
4. If you are absent when it is your turn to present, you may be docked 10 points from the final presentation grade unless you contacted me in advance and made other arrangements.

Questions?

Let's practice. You will be given an object to use for a 45second presentation. Enter the "stage" and talk to us about the object.
1. Tell us what it is.
2. Show it to us.
3. Tell us a "story" about the object.
4. Look at us.
5. Speak up. We need to hear you.
6. Stand professionally.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Tuesday, April 8, 2014


For homework, you were to look for evidence that a problem exists. Where did it start? What were the causes of the problem? Rejoin your "Like topics" groups to discuss. How are the causes similar? How do they differ?

1. For homework tonight, look for evidence of the likely results of the problem if nothing is done.

Summarize two articles. Cite the sources. Post in CANVAS by the beginning of class on Thursday. (25 pts. - 10 pts. for each summary/ 5 pts. for the Works Cited )

AND

2. Look for news, articles, advertisements, products, etc. that claim to be helpful to the environment. Create a list. Take pictures if that is easier for you. Note sources. Bring the list to class on Thursday.
For example, I saw this news story about wolves on the local news this morning.

Endangered Wolf Bill: http://archive.azcentral.com/video/#top
Sea World Bill: http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/08/calif-bill-would-end-seaworld-killer-whale-shows/7452695/

Note: There are two sides to every story!


Class Work

These are the things to look for as we watch An Inconvenient Truth. Pay attention, as well, to the techniques used in the presentation such as visuals, graphs, etc.

1. Why does the film open and close with serene images of nature: lush green leaves and a gently flowing river on a sunny day, followed by Al Gore’s voice-over about this peaceful place? What is the impact on the viewer?
2.       In this film, Gore narrates a moment in 1989 when his six-year-old son dropped his father’s hand, ran into the street, and was severely injured. How does this personal story relate to Gore’s mission?


3.       Much of the film consists of scientific facts and charts. Think back and answer the following:


·         Why do we have global warming?


·         What is the relationship between carbon dioxide and temperature?


·         How does global warming contribute to an increase in the number and severity of storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, and typhoons?


·         How can global warming cause both violent precipitation as well as droughts?


4.       Explain the significance of each of these references from the film:


·         The findings of core drills


·         The thawing of the permafrost, the splitting of the Ward Hunt ice shelf, and the disappearance of the Larson ice shelf


·         The Arctic ice cap disappearing


·         The image of a canary in a coal mine


·         The image of the frog in the cooking pot


5.       Cite three ecological consequences of global warming in the animal and plant communities.


6.       Gore used quotations from several memorable people.  Explain how they apply to the topic of global warming.


·         Mark Twain: “What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know; it’s what we know that just ain’t so.”


·         Upton Sinclair: “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.” Consider citing specific ways that this statement is illustrated throughout this film.


·         Stephen Pacala and Robert Socolow in Science magazine: “Humanity already possesses the fundamental scientific, technical, and industrial know-how to solve the carbon and climate problems.”


7.       Explain the significance of the film’s title An Inconvenient Truth.




Thursday, April 3, 2014

This was the homework. Go to the side board and write your name and your selected topic.



 Look for a cause that relates to Mother Nature. There are foundations everywhere!

You could save the:

  • whales
  • polar bears
  • rain forests
  • Chesapeake Bay
  • snakes
  • tree frogs
  • turtles
  • coral reefs
  • etc.
Pick a cause to study.

  1. Find a web site devoted saving ______________________. Study the web site. 
  2. What did you learn?
  3. What do you believe?
  4. What persuasive techniques were used? (Remember the advertising techniques we studied earlier in the course.)
  5. According to the site, how can you help?
  6. What is the cost in time, resources, and money?
  7. Would you support this cause? Explain.

Post in CANVAS by 8:30 on Thursday, April 3, 2014 - that is TODAY!

Join your assigned group when asked to do so. Discuss the answers to 1-7 above. K/W/L ( Before each person shares, complete the "What do you already know about the topic" column. Then, fill in things you learned from each other. End with a question or two about what you still need to know.

Homework:  Answer the questions asked by your group. If you want to select a new topic, now is the time. Send me a message on CANVAS if you change your mind.

Conduct more research on your topic. Locate proof that the problem exists and find the causes of the problem. Post the summary of your findings in CANVAS along with the sources. (Use EasyBib or the program on WORD. - MLA style, please!) Due, Tuesday, April 8, 2014. 20 pts.


"Saving the Songs of the Sea" activity . . . listen for instructions. 

We will be watching An Inconvenient Truth to:
  • Look for presentation strategies
  • Learn more about Global Warming
  • Look for evidence of the problem, causes of the problem, and solutions to the problem.
An Inconvenient Truth – Questions

After viewing the documentary, answer the following questions and post your answers in CANVAS. Due, Thursday, April 10, 2014.

1.       Why does the film open and close with serene images of nature: lush green leaves and a gently flowing river on a sunny day, followed by Al Gore’s voice-over about this peaceful place? What is the impact on the viewer?

2.       In this film, Gore narrates a moment in 1989 when his six-year-old son dropped his father’s hand, ran into the street, and was severely injured. How does this personal story relate to Gore’s mission?

3.       Much of the film consists of scientific facts and charts. Think back and answer the following:

·         Why do we have global warming?

·         What is the relationship between carbon dioxide and temperature?

·         How does global warming contribute to an increase in the number and severity of storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, and typhoons?

·         How can global warming cause both violent precipitation as well as droughts?

4.       Explain the significance of each of these references from the film:

·         The findings of core drills

·         The thawing of the permafrost, the splitting of the Ward Hunt ice shelf, and the disappearance of the Larson ice shelf

·         The Arctic ice cap disappearing

·         The image of a canary in a coal mine

·         The image of the frog in the cooking pot

5.       Cite three ecological consequences of global warming in the animal and plant communities.

6.       Gore used quotations from several memorable people.  Explain how they apply to the topic of global warming.

·         Mark Twain: “What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know; it’s what we know that just ain’t so.”

·         Upton Sinclair: “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.” Consider citing specific ways that this statement is illustrated throughout this film.

·         Stephen Pacala and Robert Socolow in Science magazine: “Humanity already possesses the fundamental scientific, technical, and industrial know-how to solve the carbon and climate problems.”

7.       Explain the significance of the film’s title An Inconvenient Truth.





 

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Tuesday - April 1, 2014 - No Joke!

1. This was the homework from last Thursday: - What did you discover?

 Locate two articles that relate to "global warming." Is it real? Is there proof? Is is a hoax? Is there proof? 

  • Summarize each article.
  • Include a sentence or two where you share your opinion on the topic.
  • Credit your source in MLA style.
  • Post in CANVAS (20 pts.)


What did you learn? What do you believe at this point in time? What do you know?



2. What is Mother Nature saying to us? What are we telling Mother nature?
  • For this activity, you may work with a partner or two - no more - or you may work alone.
  • You need camera  or excellent sketching ability for this activity. (One per group is fine.)
  • Go outside. Take five pictures of "things" that illustrate a message from Mother Nature to us (humans).
  • Take five pictures of "things" that illustrate a message from us (humans) to Mother Nature.
  • Return to class. Complete the chart. If you are working with a group, only one chart is needed. Be sure that ALL names- first and last- appear on the chart.
Pick one picture from Mother Nature and one picture from humanity. Post those two pictures in CANVAS along with those two captions. You will be sharing with the class. 
Look for the IN CLASS space to post. 

3. "Saving the Songs of the Sea"/Save the Last Word for Me ( in-class activity) Listen for the instructions.

Homework

 Look for a cause that relates to Mother Nature. There are foundations everywhere!
You could save the:
  • whales
  • polar bears
  • rain forests
  • Chesapeake Bay
  • snakes
  • tree frogs
  • turtles
  • coral reefs
  • etc.
Pick a cause to study.
  1. Find a web site devoted saving ______________________. Study the web site. 
  2. What did you learn?
  3. What do you believe?
  4. What persuasive techniques were used? (Remember the advertising techniques we studied earlier in the course.)
  5. According to the site, how can you help?
  6. What is the cost in time, resources, and money?
  7. Would you support this cause? Explain.
Post in CANVAS by 8:30 on Thursday, April 3, 2014