We are now beginning our Global Issues Unit.   Within this unit you will be challenged to help solve the major problems facing the world today. 

For more information on the Global Issues Project check out the following website: http://www.earcos.org/gin2009/global20.html

 “Students can be encouraged to think systemically about real issues while also taking action to improve the human condition. This approach involves collaboration rather than competition, where students assume leadership of their own programme. Their network should promote both face-to-face conferences and on-going communication via the latest technologies.” http://www.earcos.org/gin2008/gin2.html

Theme 3:  Global Issues Enduring Understandings

Everything we do has an impact on ourselves and our environment

Systems within an environment are interdependent

 Systems can create inequities

The past and present affect our future

Human needs depend on available resources

 SAS Pudong is focusing on the following global issues:

• Poverty
• Education for all
• Global infectious diseases
• Digital Divide
• Natural disaster prevention and mitigation
• International labor and migration rules

Read the following poem by a former Global Issues student:

The Silhouette of the World

by Kyle
You wake up from your soft cozy bed
To the shower your mother said
The hot water flows endlessly soothing every need
Getting dressed quickly to breakfast you proceed
Chocolate puffs clink and clank into your bowl
Your hunger you cannot control

The T.V. flickers to life, awakening from his deep rest
You flip through the channels clearly unimpressed
Bored and tired, perched upon your chair, crunching away at your cereal
Listening to the news you hear of disturbing material
A child lies cold and alone in the darkest of the night
With no one to tuck him in and hold him tight

He shivers in fear, praying for a better day
But only to be met by reality and thrown away
He fends for himself, fearing each day his last
With possibly a dollar or less to get past
This image stuck in your mind, feeling nauseous inside
You feel like your worlds have just collided

The school bus honks its horn outside, beckoning you in
All a while the images are still within
You try to forget them but you know that you can’t, you won’t
Why do I live a life like this when others don’t?
How are they different from me?
We are the same, doesn’t everyone agree?

The playful laughter of schoolchildren on the playground bringing you back to reality
The bell rings, proceeding to your first class feeling scarred mentally
You stare out the window knowing somewhere in the world a child fights to survive
Why does this culture die and the other thrive?
The teacher asks what’s wrong
You ask her a very simple question-why doesn’t this world get along?

Why is it that we have to worry about grades while others worry about food?
Our conditions were good, theirs crude
You ask her what can one person possibly hope to do?
Not to try and change the world at one but in small portions to pursue
The new class project being issues in the world
Your initiative of how to solve these issues unfurled

Poverty is the issue you choose
Resting until this issue is solved you refuse
Another news report stirs your mind
A family of 9 in a house so confined
There shoved into the house like books in a bag
The gravity of the situation pushing down on them till their shoulders sag

Their faces solemn and crying out for hope
With all of them to share half a bar of soap
The children working until their backs bend like that of a river
Walking miles on end while the weight makes their legs quiver
Each one knowing there is no time for fun
You know that your journey has just begun

So I ask of you my dear reader
Will you stand up and become a leader?
Or will you go back home and return to a normal living?
I hope that now you realize the world is very unforgiving
Be grateful for all the great things you get
Because the problems of this world hide in your silhouette

Vocabulary for Unit
global-issues-unit-vocabulary-for-students-2008.doc

Remember to review your vocabulary words for this Thursday.  You will need to be able to define or identify the following words.

Vocab Quiz Words

alliteration

amid

bog

character

discontent

ethnicity

heritage

mere

mire

nationality

noblest

prevail

quatrain

repetition

trample

Review your goals from the first quarter and complete the reflection below on it.

goal-reflection-form.doc

Now that we are beginning the third quarter it is time to begin to write a new goal.   Use the sheet below to fill out your newAdvisory goal.

advisory-smart-goal-form-blank.doc

We will continue to work on our narrative essays and digtital stories.  For Thursday in class you will need a TYPED, PRINTED and SAVED ON A USB copy of your narrative essay.  Also make sure to have all your photos needed to continue with your digital story.

You should be filling out your planning sheet everyday!

heritage-project-planning-sheet.doc

For tomorrow make sure that you have completed

1.  Your interview - this needs to be typed, printed out and have a copy on a USB.

2.  All your photos and documents for your digital story (bring in hard copies or on a USB).

3.  Your story board.   See direction below for the story board.  A copy of the story board sheet is attached.

story-board.jpg

We are starting the digital iMovies in class tomorrow so you will need your story board for that.  Basically what you need to do is look at all the pictures you have and figure out the order they will go in.

Write a description of the photo in the square on top.  If you are going to have a quote with that picture write out the quotes.  (This means you need to have chosen your quotes by now too).  Then underneath write out what you are going to say for that picture.  It might be helpful to lay out all the photos and quotes and take a big picture look.  Then write up what you want to say for each section (family, environment, nationality, and ethnicity) and divide it up among the photos and write it on the story board.

Look at the link below on how to save your documents to the portal.  You need to have your family tree, character profile, essays and digital story on your portal.

http://portal.saschina.org/video/media/1737/Humanities_-_Blog/

Dear Parents,

This week students began their heritage project, the final piece in the Journeys Unit.  Within the project students study their backgrounds, explore what has shaped who they are, create a family tree, a character profile, write a narrative and expository essay and construct a digital story. 

Because this project asks students to interview a family member to complete their family tree and write their personal narrative, it is very important that parents are able to devote sometime to answer questions about family history.  In addition, students are asked to compile photos of their family, ethnicity, nationality and environment for a digital story.  Parental help in getting these pictures together would be very helpful as well.   Finally it is imperative that students have some access to Word and a computer in order to be able to complete their work.  If access to a computer at home is difficult, students are able to attend HOT (homework opportunity time) with Ms. Brown and Mr. Small on Monday or Tuesday, as well as use the computer lab during lunch or breaks.  Students are given class time to work on completing assignments as well. 

We thank you for your cooperation and support on this project.  If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

 

Susannah Muench

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8Or_J5ndMY&feature=related

Activity One: Partner Conversation

Purpose:  To explore the idea that more than talking is involved in successful communication.

Communicate (talk) to your partner in the following positions:

1.  Back to back

2.  Side to side (do not turn your head)

3.  Face to face

What felt best, why?

Activity Two:  One/Two Way Drawing

Purpose:  To explore one-way vs. two way conversations

1.  Each person needs to draw a simple design in secret.  Do not share with your partner

2.  Now come back to your partner and sit back to back

3.  The first person need to give directions to the other about what to draw without telling their partner what it is.  For example draw a straight line about 5 cm down from the top of the paper that is 10 cm long.

4.  The first person CAN NOT ask for any clarification (can not ask questions).  You have 5 minutes for this.

5.  Share the drawing.

6.  Now switch roles but this time the person drawing can ask questions.

Which communication was most successful?  Why

Today we begin our Heritage Project, the culminating (final) piece in our Journeys Unit.  During the course of this project we will explore how to conduct an interview, memoir writing and how our surroundings (family, ethnicity, nationality, environments) have shaped us.  We will consider the question, “Who Am I?” in relation to our family background, our language, culture and personal experiences.  At the end of the unit you will create a digital story that will represent both your heritage and your journey to Shanghai.  This project is all part of your personal growth and the journey to come. 

 Empowered

Adaptable

Globally-Minded

Literate

Ethical

Skilled Inquirer

Source:  http://www.greyroots.com/media/GR%20Images/victoria_family_tree_1901.jpg

Task This Week:  By Friday you will need to have completed

• family tree
• character profile
• compiling (putting together) family, environment, heritage and ethnicity photo

Task Next Week:

Monday

• interview

Wed

• expository essay

 The Family Tree

Introduction: In order to begin investigating your heritage you will create a family tree.  As you will learn in science in your genetics unit, the traits you have are inherited from your family. The purpose of this activity is to collect as much data about your family as you possibly can in order to begin looking at what specific traits you have inherited from previous generations. This project is also going to be a valuable tool that you will use in you Humanities class, as you begin to study your personal heritage.

Procedure: Research family history and create a color document that details 2-3 generations of family information. Your Family should use a symbol and color key to organize information about specific traits, (i.e. eye color). We understand that you might not be able to find all of the information, so do the best you can at collecting all of the information below.

For each member in your family tree include:

1. Name
2. Place of birth (do not put date of birth)
3. Countries lived
4. Know genetic traits
   1. eye color
   2. hair
   3. height
5. Special talents (music, arts, physical, etc.)

Sample Family Tree

See Mr. Chambers post on his journey in discovering his family's heritage and the amazing family tree he created!

http://teachers.saschina.org/jchambers/2008/11/23/heritage-my-family-tree/

jc%20family%20tree1.pdf

Now remember  your family tree needs to include the information above so see Dr. Brown's family tree for an example of what yours will look like.

brown-family-tree.ppt

Go to the following site, use the template below or create your own for your family tree:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/TC101079701033.aspx?CategoryID=CT101443491033&av=ZPP000

family-tree-template.docx

my-family-tree-blank-template.doc

Character Profile

Sample Character Profile

microsoft-word-character-profile-me.pdf
Use this template to create your own character profile!

draft-character-profile.doc

Interview Questions

Upload the questions below for your interview, make sure to type up your answers and print them out for Monday.

interview-questions.doc

Expository Essay

heritageexpositoryrubric.doc

Sample Expository Essay

expository-writing.pdf

Personal Narrative

personalnarrativerubric.doc

Check out Mr. Gilli's Sample Personal Narrative

mr-gillis-narrative.doc

Vocabulary for Heritage Unit

character

Look up the definition here, which one is the correct version for this unit.

dismount

discontent

quatrain

heritage

ethnicity

nationality

mere

bog

trample

mire

amid

noblest

prevails

alliteration

repetition

Poetry and Quotes

Wang Wei wrote At Parting, a poem we will be studying for its depiction of a journey of a physical trip and a journey of self.  For more information about Wang Wei click on the link below

Source:  http://www.poetrymagic.co.uk/poets/wang.html

Questions:

Have you ever been discontented with life?

How can discontent have a negative impact?

How can discontent have a positive impact?

Charles Austin Beard 

I am convinced that the world is not a mere bog in which men and women trample themselves and die. Something magnificent is taking place here amidst the cruelties and tragedies, and the supreme challenge to intelligence is that of making the noblest and best in our curious heritage prevail.

What is Beard trying to say?

How does this quote connect with our theme of journeys?  Does it portray a journey?

Listen to the following song by U2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWdG8NoFXY0

What is the connection between the song and the quote above?  How does this connect with the idea of heritage?

Are we all "one?"

Do you agree with Beard that we need to keep the best of our heritage despite the problems of the world?

Digital Story

heritage-digital-story-rubric.docx

story-board.jpg

storyboard2.pdf

Check out the 8th grade Humanities teacher digital story for an example of what you should do.

http://portal.saschina.org/video/media/1746/Heritage_Project_Digital_Story_Sample/