Advancing Democracy

Your group will come up with a comprehensive plan to increase democratic participation in the United States.  Areas you must address are:

Low voter turnout in minority groups
Low voter registration by eligible voters
Increased attempts to suppress the minorty vote
Lack of political education in the electorate
Increased influence of a wealthy elite at the expense of the majority

You can present your plan on Monday in any format you wish.  This will be the final project grade of the semester.

The following are helpful links:

http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/publications/p20/2008/tables.html

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/historyonline/con_voting.cfm

http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/thepoliticalsystem/a/whynotvote.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter_suppression

Final Exam Study Sites

Use the following sites as study guides for the final exam:

http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/unintro/unintro.asp

http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/mdgs/index.asp

Options Sign Up

Using the comments section below, give your group members and their roles for your option.

Global Warming

Your assignment is to find two articles on the internet that deal with the issue of global warming. When you are reading articles pay special attention to the source of the article as well as the information being presented. Where does it come from? Is it reliable? Do not just pick the first two articles you come across, but dig to find what could be considered reliable. After you have selected your articles provide the following information about them and post it as a comment to this blog:

Paste a link to the article

What is the source of this article? Who and where is it coming from?

What is the article arguing?

What information is the article providing?

What is one notable quote?

Finally, which side of the debate do you see as more convincing? Why?

Clean Water and Environment Sustainability

Your group is now responsible to research some real solutions to the problem discussed in class yesterday. Each group should create a prezi presentation that highlights a possible solution for the African village without clean water. Keep in mind that most solutions may have both pros and cons. Don't be afraid to acknowldge these issues in your presentation.

These presentation are due in class on Tuesday April 10.

Below is a copy of the situation your are trying to fix:

You and your group are part of the World Health Organization and are tasked with helping a small African village accomplish millennium development goal 6: combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases as well as goal 7: ensuring environmental sustainability. Read through the situation that the village finds itself in and brainstorm four possible solutions to their problems.

There is a small village in Africa who is struggling to get clean drinking water. Near their village there is a small body of water that is easily accessible, but the water is not safe. There is a coal mine near the water and waste from the mining operation has contaminated the water. There has been an outbreak of cholera among the villagers because they have been drinking from this water source. Efforts to dig new wells has been unsuccessful because the groundwater is also contaminated. The villagers rely on this mine for a large majority of their employment and income. There is a clean water source five miles away, but that water is controlled by the neighboring village. There have been issues with villagers traveling and taking from this water source.

Kiva Info

Loans that change lives







Hi Aaron Blais,



We'd like to give you a repayment update on the loans you've made through Kiva.



A total of $6.08 has been repaid over the past month! As of March 28, 2012, you now have $8.08 in Kiva Credit in your account. You can re-lend to another borrower, withdraw to your PayPal account or donate these funds to help cover Kiva's operating expenses. (The minimum lending amount is $25, but you can easily add new funds to existing Kiva Credit to complete a loan purchase.)



Below is the repayment update on your Kiva Portfolio



Norce Group (#383760)



Country: Philippines

Activity: General Store



You Loaned: $25.00

Newly Repaid: $4.00

Total Repaid So Far: $6.00 (24.00% of your loan)

Repayment Status: Paying back on time





Aloys (#392773)



Country: Rwanda

Activity: Home Products Sales



You Loaned: $25.00

Newly Repaid: $2.08

Total Repaid So Far: $2.08 (8.32% of your loan)

Repayment Status: Paying back on time







More about your loans: Portfolio
Estimated Repayments
Updates on your loans



Best Wishes,

Kiva Staff

AIDS in America Project

How do we communicate to our community about the danger of AIDS? Is one pathway better than the others? We will create different prototypes (mock ups) that will relay a message about AIDS. As you are creating your prototype, ask yourself these questions:




Who is my target audience?

• The young?

• People already infected?

• Those in high risk groups?

• Those that do high risk behavior?

• Those that have friends/ Family with AIDS?

• Others?



What is my focus?

• AIDS prevention?

• Living with AIDS?

• How to relate to others with AIDS?

• High risk behaviors?

• The science of AIDS?



You will choose one of the following conduits to get your message across. Your group will create a working prototype that answers the above questions. There should be no more than 5 people per group. More than one group can pick the same conduit.

• A television PSA

• A workbook for the classroom

• A graphic novel

• A poster campaign for public spaces

• A musical/ skit presentation to bring to schools



We will have time in the computer lab to work on the prototype on Wednesday.

Due Thursday, April 5th.

Data Collection

Using the website below, check your graphs to see how accurate you were in predicting relationships between social issues.  What correlations can you use between the factors presented?  What might be some outside factors that create outliers?

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/

Digital Photography Project

The 8 UN Millenium Development Goals are an important attempt at making the world a more just, environmentally sound, and safe place to co-exist. Everyone in the world shoul know what these goals are and how they can contribute, even at their local level.  We will create a visual photography display that connects these goals to our community through your interpretation of how these goals can make an impact at the local level.  Your finished projects will be displayed in the school lobby begining the week of April 2nd, so do work that you will be proud to display.

Schedule is as follows:

March 15th:  Begin brainstorming connections between millenium goals and your community

March 22nd: Have your storyboard completed and ready to turn in- how do you want to display you photos? What story do you want to tell?
Possible Examples: collage, graphic novel, timeline. Be creative!

March 29th: Have all photographs taken and developed

April 2nd: Have project completed and ready to turn in

Rubrics will be provided in class.

Study Guide for Exam One

The following topics will be tested on Friday, March 16th.

The 8 Millenium Development Goals
Micro-loans
The Day of Peace Movement
The Map of Africa
Conflict Resolution/ Peacemakers (Study up on the ones in the packet)
NGOs
The Haitian Earthquake

Response to Haiti

We have recently finished watching the film, The Quake and the obvious next question is "What should be done?". Please read the comments from others who have seen the film and evaluate their contributions.  Which comments do you agree with?  Which comments provided new information that you did not know before?  Which comments seem off base?  Below in the comments section, cut and paste a portion of a comment that you think we as a class should discuss, then tell why.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/haiti/talk/

Then, if you finish early, see how well you can prepare for an earthquake at: http://www.stopdisastersgame.org/en/home.html

Conflict Resolution Plan

Using the worksheet on conflict completed in class, choose one conflict that you feel needs to be resolved.  Your mission is to create a clear plan of action that explains the step by step process that would provide an end to the conflict. Your plan must include:

1. A list of the people or groups involved in the conflict and their relationship with eachother
2. A clear description of the conflict
3. An explaniation of the causes of the conflict
4. The desired outcome for each of the persons or groups listed in #1
5. A compromise outcome that all the participants could agree on
6. A step by step plan of action to create compromise outcome
7. A list of resources needed to achieve this goal and an explanation of how you will acquire these resources
8. A description of any obstacles that might hinder the completion of your goal
9. A mechanism that will assess how successful your plan is to achieve your goal

Be prepared to present your plan on Monday, March 5th in class.  Your options are:
Powerpoint
Poster
Video
Prezzi
Glog
Skit
Other (see me first)

Stop Disaster Simulation Friday 2/17

Work at disaster prevention at the http://www.stopdisastersgame.org/en/home.html

Micro-Loan Project

Kiva is an organization that organizes micro-loans to people in need.  We as a class will select 4 people to support in their attempts to make their lives better.  Each group of 5, after discussion and research,  will select one person from the following website to invest in.  The proper amount of research will yield the best candidates.  Team leaders will place in the comments section the name of the person and why he or she was chosen.

http://www.kiva.org/


You have $25 in capital to use towards micro-loans.  Your desire is to have the most impact with this limited amount of money.  Your assignment is to:

1. Find the area of the world where you think this money is:
     a. most needed
     b. will go the furthest
2. Figure out the demographics of those that will receive the loans
     a. Women?
     b. Families?
     c. Children?
3. What type of businesses will you support? Why?


Teams are as follows:


Team One Leader: Heather 
Omar
Francis
Ashley
Marilia


Team Two Leader: Stephan
Hanz-Lee
Shanise
Cindy
Rachael


Team Three Leader: Raishon
Jordan
De-Chelle
Debbie
Brandon


Team Four Leader: Chisom
John
Anna
Emily
Aliyah


Please post your choice in the comments section below.  Loans will go out on Friday, Feb. 17 so have the money turned in and the paperwork complete by then.

On Wednesday, each group will do a Prezzi Presentation on:

1. Who their money is going to
2. Why they chose that person or group
3. What they hope to accomplish withy the loan
4. What their strategy is to get people to invest in that project

Peer evaluation worksheets are due on Friday.

Tuesday, January 30, 2012

1. Use peer edit worksheet to give tips to classmates on presentations.

2. Finish presentation.

3. Be sure to post url.

4. If finished, go to http://www.freerice.com/#/english-vocabulary/1504 to help end world hunger.

Monday 1/30 Prezi Project

1. Finish the Prezi powerpoint presentation (say THAT 5 times fast!)
2. Using the rubric provided, you will self-grade your presentation and make any adjustments needed to improve your presentation
3. You will post the URL for your prezi powerpoint in the comments section below the original post from Friday.  To do this, you will have to set up a blogger account if you do not already have one.  Go to blogger.com, hit sign up, and follow the instructions.  Your display name is first initial, last name.  For example, my display name is ablais.  You do not have to create a blog now, just have an account.
4. If finished all of the above. you can work on saving lives on the following site: http://www.stopdisastersgame.org/en/home.html

Exploring Model United Nations Friday 1/27

Using the links below, fill out the worksheet provided to learn about the Millennium Goals of the UN.

http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/

http://prezi.com/

You will post the URL of the prezi presentation in the comments section below by Wednesday, February 1st.  This is a solo project and represents the first project grade of the year. 

Model UN Syllabus

Overview


This semester course is designed to examine the history, structure and purpose of the United Nations. The course has three objectives:

1.to introduce students to the basics of the United Nations,

2.to help students develop an analytical perspective toward the successes and failures of global diplomacy, and

3.to introduce students to the manner in which the United Nations attempts to achieve its mission around the world.

Units

Part One: The Basics

1.General overview- The History of the UN

2.The Structure of the UN

Part Two: The Role of the United Nations

1.Peacekeeping and Security

2.Human Rights and Humanitarian Assistance

3.Social and Economic Development

4.International Cooperation

Part Three: The UN and the US

1.The United States Participation in the UN

2.Case Studies

3.Public Perception of the UN





Grading Criteria:

Papers, Projects - 50 %

Quizzes/Tests - 10/15%

Homework/Class work - 10 %

Participation 15 %

















Class Expectations:

· School rules apply within the classroom. This applies to such things as food and drink, cell phones, dress code, and cheating. If there are any questions about the policies of the school, please consult the student handbook or see me.

· Make up work due to absences are due the day of return unless otherwise noted by me. You are responsible for collecting any assignments that were handed out during your absence upon your return to school.

· Students missing a test due to an excused absence must make up the test after school on the day they return to school. Make-up exams may be in essay format and may be more challenging than the original exam. Students missing tests due to an unexcused absence may be ineligible to make up the exam.

· Late work will be given up to 50% credit if turned in the next class period after it is due. Any assignments turned in after this period will be graded but not given credit.

· Hall passes are for emergencies only. Please use the restroom before or after class. Visits to other teachers, guidance, the cafeteria, the gym, etc are not allowed during class.

· If there are ever any concerns, suggestions, problems, or need of extra help, I am more than happy to meet with you. I am available after school on Mondays and Wednesdays, or any other time by appointment