PDF Presentation: Africa Powerpoint
PDF Presentation: Capitalism vs. Socialism
PDF Presentation: Intro to Industrial Revolution
PDF Presentation: Imperialism Intro Presentation
PDF: capitalism & marxism worksheet
PDF: Capitlism vs. Socialism master
Doc: Unit 6 Review Sheet
Based on the developments of the last 3 days, Japan’s potential nuclear meltdown seems to be emerging as the most significant challenge facing the country at the moment.
Here are a few links to help you understand how nuclear power works and why the reactors are facing a potential meltdown.
One of the best videos I have found explaining the situation:
Link to Industrial Revolution:
In class over the past 2 days we have been discussing the Industrial Revolution. We have discussed how virtually everything that we see, own, and come in contact with is the direct byproduct of the Industrial Revolution.
We have discussed the question: How did the Industrial Revolution lead to the nuclear crisis that Japan faces at this moment?
Answer (one explanation at least): The Industrial Revolution marked a dramatic shift from agricultural living to the urban, 9 to 5 work, have to earn money to live, must have power to fuel our society that we live in today. Our need for power/electricity to fuel an industrialized country has led to innovations in nuclear power. Ultimately, the risk of nuclear, radioactive contamination, which had been demonstrated by Chernobyl, was seen as worth it in exchange for the steady, non-polluting stream of power that comes from nuclear power plants. For the most (98%) part, nuclear power has been relatively incident free. However, it is natural for us to look at what is happening and ask whether any source of power is worth the potential radiation contamination that faces Japan, and possibly, the West Coast of the US – and likely even more areas than that.
Chernobyl
The news has frequently brought up the term “Chernobyl” in regards to the Japanese Nuclear Meltdown Crisis – and the possible Chernobyl-esque solution. Some have predicted that if left unresolved, the situation in Japan could be even worse than the nuclear catastrophe that occurred in Chernobyl in 1986.
How bad was Chernobyl? Watch this shocking documentary that retells the story and what the USSR had to do at the time to contain the radioactive magma that had already contaminated most of Europe.
There are ten parts to this Chernobyl documentary. At the end of each clip, they give you the link to the next part.
Last updated 3/17/11
In class today we will review the historic tsunami that struck Japan over the weekend. The earthquake that caused the tsunami is one of the most 5 powerful earthquakes in the last 100 years. This tsunami has been one of the best documented – as there are ample video, eyewitness accounts, and news sources that we can use to analyze the challenges that Japan faces.
Focus Question: What is the most significant challenge that Japan faces in the wake of the 3/11/11 tsunami?
What will it take in order for us to be able to answer this question?
First, students need to define what makes a challenge significant. Is it based on difficulty to overcome, damage caused to the country? Develop a definition as a class of what significant means in this context.
Then we will review the background of tsunamis, as well as briefly review Japan’s unique history as the most tsunami prone country in the world.
Background:
CNN Before/After Interactive Slideshow
CNN Nuclear Reactor Explosion Explained
NY Times Status of each nuclear reactor
Excellent animation showing the multitude of aftershocks since the 9.0 earthquake
News Article Jigsaw Activity:
Each student will be assigned a different news article to read and summarize.
Each of these news articles deals with a specific aspect of this tragedy; loss of productivity due to power outages, the possibility of an even more deadly aftershock, possible nuclear meltdown and wide scale radiation, huge financial costs, and a death toll that could top 10,000 – though many reports claim that this number could go up dramatically.
Students will be given one of the articles in expert groups of 2 or 3. They will read their article and summarize the significant challenge that their article represents. Expert groups will be given 4-5 minutes to discuss their article to make sure that they have the same idea and information regarding their challenge.
Expert groups will then be mixed in order that students summarize the main idea of their article to their classmates. While they are summarizing, each student takes notes on the graphic organizer.
Each student is responsible to summarize each challenge, what that challenge means for the Japanese people, and brainstorm what it will take to overcome this challenge. After each student has shared, each mixed group will have a discussion on which challenge they feel is the most significant.
News Articles:
Japanese Tsunami 2011 Worksheet
Homework Due 3/18:
Extension (Worth 20 points): Students will identify a news article that correlates with their selected challenge and leave it in the comments of this post. In your comment, summarize the article and how it relates to the challenge you selected.
Additional videos and resources:
Excellent visualization of the tsunami: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RCPG3HNwHA&feature=related
Truly amazing NY Times graphic/tutorial on the nuclear reactor meltdown: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/12/world/asia/the-explosion-at-the-japanese-reactor.html
Excellent slideshow-timeline from USA Today: http://topics.gannett.com/japan%20earthquake/?template=usatoday
Video of skyscrapers swaying back and forth in Tokyo: http://www.wimp.com/skyscrapersswaying/
Video of the tsunami remnants hitting a canal in Hawaii: http://www.wimp.com/tsunamibackyard/
Video of the ground being torn apart during the earthquake: http://www.dump.com/2011/03/12/crazy-video-of-the-ground-shifting
Video of supermarket during earthquake: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12717701
Economist chart of world’s deadliest earthquakes since 1900: http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/03/earthquakes
BBC Tsunami wave forecast map: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12715415
BBC Interactive map with site-based video clips:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12722187
Possible discussion extension questions:
When you google image search Libya political cartoons, Christina’s is in the top 4!!!
We’ve already had multiple visitors to our site based on this turning up in google image search!
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/03/04/libya.conflict/index.html?hpt=T1
http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0304/libya.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4TOT1pNXPs
On a lighter note….
We had a 1/2 day so we drew political cartoons on the Libyan Revolution. Overall I was very impressed. I included a PDF with some stand-out cartoons.
Student Libya Political Cartoons
In our last class we discussed the Libyan revolution, Gadaffi, and some of the factors that will influence whether this revolution will succeed. Today we are analyzing current events in order to predict whether the Libyan revolution will be successful.
Assignment: You are a CIA analyst stationed at the N. Africa desk. You have been asked to write a 1 paragraph report on whether you think the Libyan democratic revolution will succeed and why? Your station chief wants this delivered by tomorrow.
What do you already know about Libya that you can use to predict what will happen in Libya?
What else do you need to know in order to accurately predict what will happen in Libya?
You will use the following graphic organizer to help make our predictions: Libyan Revolution Prediction Worksheet
In addition, here are the articles that each group reviewed:
Here are a few more articles with some really interesting insights:
Answer questions 3 and 4 on the worksheet for homework. You will have the opportunity to conduct additional research to answer the 1-2 questions that you identify for #4.
Click here to access the presentation and all of the political cartoons we used in class:
CORRECTION; Despite news reports this afternoon that Mubarak had intentions of stepping down, he still seems to be clinging to power.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/10/us-egypt-idUSTRE70O3UW20110210
Respond to these questions in the comment section:
In class we’ve had some great discussions on the Egyptian revolution and how it so clearly represents Enlightenment themes and ideas.
Here are some links for you to learn more about Egypt:
Here is an episode of a PBS show Rick Steves Europe where he goes to Egypt. I like how he addresses Egypt’s unique history: http://www.hulu.com/watch/106471/rick-steves-europe-egypt
Here is a clip showing how a spirit of responsibility and positivity has taken hold in Cairo: http://www.wimp.com/egyptianprotests/
Here is a link to the timeline that we reviewed in class: http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/03/egypt.protests.timeline/index.html
And, if you’re up for it, here is a great special by Democracy Now on the Egyptian protests: http://www.democracynow.org/2011/2/5/uprising_in_egypt_a_two_hour
More to come….
Your Assignment (Due Monday) :
You will take on the personality of an enlightenment thinker and create a rap/poem/song from their perspective
Your rap/poem/song must meet the following criteria:
Here are some resources to help you:
People of the Enlightenment Worksheet
Enlightenment Water/River Graphic
Textbook Chapter on The Enlightenment
Also, here is a link to help you find rhyming words: http://www.rhymezone.com/
Lastly, here is my rap/poem I created for Beccaria to model what I expect:
Hello, how are you , my name is Beccaria
I come from a boot-shaped peninsula called Italia
The criminal justice system these days just ain’t right
They torture and abuse suspects under the cover of night
All the criminals say: Beccaria Beccaria, can’t you see
Crappy criminal justice systems always picking on me
They make convicts wait forever for a trial
And while they wait they punish them in an arbitrary and cruel style.
The trial should be fair, with fair-minded judge
That don’t give harsh verdicts because they hold a grudge
People should be judged according to the rules of nature
Look at the evidence and apply the scientific method to measure
Whether a person is actually guilty or innocent of a crime,
We don’t want innocent people on an MSNBC documentary about people serving hard time,
Punishments for crimes need to be fair
But governments these days just don’t seem to care
I explained this all in my book crime and punishments
That criminal justice systems don’t make any sense
Because of me, your US Bill of Rights guarantees
That police can’t torture inmates as they please
If you get arrested for stealing a loaf of bread
You don’t have to fear that they’ll cut off your head
I deserve some credit for all of the ideas that I’ve given
Because of me your society is a better place to live in
Peace
In class we used the text to complete this worksheet working in jigsaw groups. The most important part of this worksheet is the box under each category “Significance to Today”. To fill in this section, consider the following question: What can we do, or what specific technology do we have as a result of the achievements in this category?
After you have finished the sheet, you will review your answers to the “Significance to Today” and identify the category that you consider to be the most important or significant. Write an essay justifying your choice citing specific achievements from the Scientific Revolution, and how the technology these achievements have created have benefitted us today.
Click on the links below to download the graphic organizer and text you will need to complete it:
Scientific Revolution Graphic Organizer
Scientific Revolution Textbook Reading
Blank Europe Map (right click to download)
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