Children's Literature and Xmas Party!

Our next unit is about children's literature so please think of your favorite story or book when you were a child and tell us what it is in the comments. In the next class we will tell each other about them.
Also, we will have our xmas party! I'm bringing cake, a trivia game, music and a "joke present". You guys bring a wrapped joke present and anything else you'd like.
See you soon!

Rough Draft and Peer Review

We are going to peer review the rough draft of our papers in the next lesson. Please tell us your topic in the comments, do your research, write your rough draft (1-2 pages plus at least two references) and bring it to class on December 9th.
If you have any questions, be sure to email me!

The last of the plague...

Next class is the last day we will have to talk about disease... I hope!
We will start with Quiz #4 over the words on pg 141. Then we will finish the listening from last class. Finally, we will look at and discuss some famous quotes coming from Camus' book The Plague.
In the comments, please tell us what vaccinations you've had.

More infectious disease!

Great job with Gaigosai everybody! But now it's back to reality and back to disease!! On the left is a picture of a doctor during the time of the Bubonic plague in Europe. They thought the heavy clothes and mask filled with burning herbs would protect them from getting infected.

We've got a quiz next class on these words: SARS, AIDS, Bubonic plague, rabies, bronchitis, malaria, Avian flu, tetanus, chicken pox and hepatitis B. There will be 5 minutes at the beginning of class to review the vocabulary with your teammates.

Infectious Disease

Our next topic is going to be about infectious disease! Hooray!! Sounds like fun, right? To get ready for the next class, please choose you favorite disease from below, look it up in Wikipedia and be prepared to tell us a little about it. In the comments please tell us which disease you chose so we can all get different ones (I'll do the disease no one chooses).
1. HIV
2. Tuberculosis
3. Chicken pox
4. Small pox
5. Whooping cough
6. Bronchitis
7. SARS
8. West Nile virus
9. Malaria
10. Measles
11. Tetanus
12. Meningitis
13. Hepatitis B
14. Bubonic plague
15. Rabies

Homework for November 4th

Next class we will have a vocab quiz then the rest of the time will be devoted to discussion. This week, research a little about one of the following questions so you will have something to talk about!
1. How did a recent innovation come about?
2. Predict how a future innovation will come about.
3. Think of some specific ways to create social conditions for sharing ideas.
4. Find some examples of open societies where ideas can be exchanged freely.

I forgot to put the homework on the blog!!!! Sorry guys.... I promise I won't forget next time.

Where Ideas Come From

Steven Johnson is an American science writer. He made a short video summarizing his new book "Where Good Ideas Come From."

Watch the video HERE and answer one of the following questions in the comments.

1. What's the difference between a "breakthrough idea" and a "hunch"?

2. Who invented the Internet and how long did it take him to get the idea?

3. Why did so many ideas come from coffee houses and salons?

4. What kinds of things is the Internet doing to our brains?

5. What is the great driver of technological and scientific innovation?

6. What does this mean: "Chance favors the connected mind"?

Innovation

For the next few weeks we will be talking about innovation. Read the quotes below, choose ONE and write your impression in the comments.

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"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower" - Steve Jobs

"Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity, not as a threat"

"I believe in being an innovator" - Walt Disney

"If you're not failing every now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative" - Woody Allen

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Rough Drafts

Next class please bring your rough draft to class so we can do peer review!
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If you need help with finding a topic, look HERE for a list of art movements or HERE for art history. Remember, you can choose and artist, an art movement, a musician, a kind of music, an architect, an architectural movement, a fashion designer or kind of fashion, etc... Any kind of creative person or movement is great!
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Email me if you need any help!
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Cubism is Crazy!

Watch this short video about the history of cubism HERE. In the comments, please tell us what you thought was interesting!

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Also, are you thinking about your topic for the last report??????????

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More art!

Look at the list of art movements HERE. Have a look around and tell us something interesting you find in the comments.

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Art and Defining Cubism

Our next unit's topic is about art - focusing on cubism. Please look at these examples of different kinds of art and tell us which ones you think require a lot of skill and which ones do not require any skill to make. Which ones seem original? Which ones seem like fashion?

Picasso

Bronzino

Warhol

Monet

Khaisman

Taxali

Bansky

Barr

McPherson

Ishida

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p.s. I had a GREAT time last night with you guys! And CONGRATULATIONS Nippon!!!!!

Rough Draft of Second Report

This report will attempt to persuade the readers to agree with your opinion about the law preventing people from living in or near forests. First, look at your opinion, reasons and methods of persuasion on pg. 67. Each reason will be one paragraph. Second, do the research to find facts, statistics and/or quotations you might need to support your opinion. Third, write your "rough draft" including an introduction, conclusion and references. Look at pg. 71 to see if you have all the features of an effective essay. The essay on pg. 50-51 is a good example of a persuasive essay.

Write me if you have any questions!

Forest Fires Part II

Read these two opinions about building houses in wildfire areas then tell us your reaction in the comments.

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"People should never be allowed to build in places that are in danger of wildfires. Too many people die, including firefighters. The taxpayers have to pay for a large firefighting department. When the houses are destroyed, the insurance companies have to pay. Why build there when you know it will be destroyed eventually? After the fires here last year, the police, fire department, scientists and survivors all recommended the government to discourage people from rebuilding homes in the area."

Kay S., Melbourne

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"If you say we can't build in the forests, then next it will be that you can't build near the beach because of tsunamis... or in Oklahoma because of tornados... or maybe everyone will have to leave Japan because of the earthquakes! Don't be silly, be smart. There are many ways to prevent disaster through forest management and fire prevention."

Mel G., Strath Lake

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Forest Fires

Some fires were more than 100 meters high

Next week we will start a new unit about forest fires. One of the worst was in February 2009 when 400 fires broke out in the forests surrounding Melbourne, Australia. Five towns were destroyed, 2000 houses burned down and 173 people died with more than 400 people injured. The fires left more than 7500 homeless.

This fire started a debate about whether people should build houses in or near forests.

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The fires moved at 140km an hour. People in cars could not escape.

Please answer ONE of the questions in the comments.

1. Are there ever forest fires in Japan? Have you heard of a disaster like this?

2. If you have been to Australia, did you go to a place that was in danger of fires?

3. Do you think people should not build their houses in or near forests? Why?

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No Homework!!

Most of our class will not be here next week, so there is no homework. We won't do a regular lesson so I will think of something fun to do!

See you!!!
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Referencing your sources

Homework for May 13th

You guys did a great job today!

This week please research your topic and bring the information to class. First try researching on the Internet, then try the school library, your city library and city hall. You also might be able to use interviews and/or surveys to get information.

In the comments, please tell me what topic you chose for our reports.

See you!
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Presentation Topic Ideas

Next class we will choose our presentation topics. Here are some example ideas for you:

Crime rates in your hometown
Your ideas for making a safer city
A Japanese city planner
Jane Jacobs
Ebenezer Howard
Le Corbusier
Daniel Burnham
CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design)
Survey: Do TUFS students feel safe where they live?
The design of your hometown

These are examples, you can use one or change it or make your own topic.
In the comments please tell me of 2 topics that you might want to do your presentation about.

Have a great Golden Week!

First Blog Post

Please tell me about the partner you met during our first class.

Go to "comments" below. Type your information (don't forget your name!). In the "comment as" section, you can choose "Anonymous". Finally, click on "Post comment".

Send me an email if you have problems.

See you next week!

Matt
mattsclass@gmail.com