here's a little help

I have posted a Google Presentation that doubles as a Study Guide for tomorrow's test on Culture and Religion.  Here is the link, plus the link can be found in my Links That Don't Stink sidebar.

Be ready for tomorrow's 100-point test, and get off on the right foot for the second quarter!

past quiz and future test

Today was a good day.  All three of my sections met, so I got to see ALL of you, even Arri, who continues to wheel around the halls on his way to recovery.  We reviewed the last quiz, and heard a few dings.  Keep in mind that the last quiz will feature prominently on the next test, which will be on Friday.

That's right, the next test is on Friday.  November 1.

It will cover cultural geography (from the last quiz), with additional emphasis on the religions that YOU are covering with your PowerPoints.

PS  I was asked in class today about Yugoslavia breaking up into several countries.  From one nation - Yugoslavia - there are now seven countries:  Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.  This was the result of some nasty civil wars in 1991- 1993, and voting referendums in 2006.  Very messy and very confusing.

YOUR take on the five major religions

Sections 1 and 7 join section 3 in researching Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Judaism.  Tomorrow, all sections will present their findings to the class.  Consider that any of the material presented in class is potential material for the next test, so be prepared to take great notes on your fellow students' presentations.  And, obviously, be prepared to GIVE a top-notch presentation, so as to give your fellow students the best chance at success.

end of the first lap

I like to look at the school year as a mile race.  Each academic quarter represents one lap around the track.  As of today, we've completed our first lap.  Congratulations!

The quiz you took today has been graded, the grades have been posted.  I will enter blog grades and class participation grades on Sunday morning.  Don't forget to enter your blog for today's class before midnight Saturday night.  And, as a bonus to those of you who actually take the time to read my blog, if you make this phrase - "One lap down, three to go" - the title of this blog, I will give you ten bonus points.  The blog must be posted on time, and must contain that exact phrase as the title for you to receive extra credit.

Have a great weekend, and I will see you next quarter!

Cultural Geography - and the end of the First Quarter

End of the First Quarter.

Here is my dilemma.  Many of you want me to give you a test on Cultural Geography before the end of the quarter, so you have the opportunity to raise your grade.  But I don't think I can do justice to the topic of Culture by racing through it that quickly.  So here is my compromise.

We will take a 50-point quiz on Friday on the PowerPoint material we have covered in class.  I will also include a 50-point Class Participation grade.  Both these grades will be entered (along with your blog grades) in the first quarter.  Next week, we will continue to cover language, religion, and ethnic heritage, giving it the attention it deserves.  When we are done, we will take a 100-point unit test, like we always do.

Get it?  Got it?  Good.

back to "normal"

Spirit Week is over, and things are returning to normal.  Our studies of Cultural Geography continue with an active discussion (section 1) or a lecture (section 7) of "the shared experience, traits, and activities of a group of people who have a common heritage."   We'll focus on language, religion, and ethnic heritage as we explore the cultural landscape.

classwork for Friday

What an unusual week!  No school Monday.  A Monday schedule on Tuesday.  PSAT testing and no classes on Wednesday.  Only Section 3 meeting on Thursday.  And now THIS for Friday:

I would like you to take a test in class that WILL NOT count toward your grade, but will still be part of the learning process.  The AP test for Human Geography is a challenging measure of what we have studied, and will be studying.  It is a 75-question Scantron style test, so please bring a pencil to class to fill in the bubbles.  Do your best, even if it requires a lot of educated guessing.  We'll take it again closer to the end of the semester, compare the two scores, and see how much we have learned.

Thank you for participating!

Let's do some good!

In class we discussed Kiva, a non-profit organization that helps provide microloans to individuals who live in developing countries, like the ones we have been studying in class.  Obviously, I think this is a good idea, for a number of reasons.

• The John Carroll mission statement challenges us to be "men and women of moral integrity," asking us to "serve responsibly in shaping a more just and compassionate global society."
• The purpose of Kiva is to provide individuals the opportunity to help themselves.  You would not be giving away $25, but lending $25 to entrepreneurs who will use it to jumpstart their small business.
• Kiva has been given the highest rating (four stars) by Charity Navigator, an independent corporation that evaluates charities in the United States.
• The repayment rate for Kiva loans is an astonishing 99.03%. 

One of my goals in teaching you guys about Human Geography is to provide real-world applications of what we learn.  It's one thing to learn how important infrastructure is to developing countries; it really brings it home to see how a small loan can help Edson the maize farmer in Zambia, or Hadija the mobile phone reseller in Tanzania.  I'm not the only one who thinks microloans are a great idea - the economist who started it all, Muhammad Yunus, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006!

The video below gives an overview of how Kiva works.



Because you, my students, are not yet adults, you will need your parents' help to actually make a loan, and they will need a credit card or a PayPal account.  A description of how the whole process works can be found here.

I invite your parents to contact me at rschick@johncarroll.org if they have any questions at all.

It's easy to see that I am a big fan of microloans in general, and of Kiva in particular.  But please don't feel that I am pressuring you into supporting this cause.  There is no penalty if you choose not to participate, and I am offering no academic extra credit if you do participate. (Although I am promising a pizza party to the class with the highest participation after one month!)  If there is anything about this program you or your parents are not comfortable with, I understand.  But if you like the idea, jump in!

wrapping up the Population and Migration unit

Congratulations on taking the quiz on the film.  Now we conclude our unit with an exploration of population pyramids.  Friday we will take one more quiz - covering these pyramids, plus the other terms we have discussed (see my September 23 blog for a list of these terms).

Quiz tomorrow!

All sections have viewed the film, so all sections are ready to take the quiz tomorrow.  It will be fill-in-the-blank, it will be 20 questions long, and the test will be worth 60 points.  Remember that the entire movie is online, with the link included on this blog.

Also, some of you expressed some enthusiasm over the KIVA concept.  I welcome you to look it over and tell me if you want to get involved.  I also encourage you to show the website (listed in my Links sidebar) to your parents and get their input.  The concept of microloans, which encourage self-sufficiency and help to build up the infrastructure of developing nations, is interesting, and worth a look.  Thanks!

quiz on Tuesday

It sounds like you guys have been enjoying God Grew Tired of Us.   I also hope you have been taking good notes, and copying them into your blogs.  All sections will take a 60-point quiz on the movie this Tuesday (October 8).  Keep in mind that if you missed some of the movie, or if you just want to review parts of it, the link to the entire film is right here in my Links sidebar.

John Bul Dau: Dinka man

Section 3 was the only class to meet today, so they got to see more of God Grew Tired of Us.

As for Section 7: nice try, but it looks like you just missed the 4000th Like.

more Lost Boys

The Lost Boys head to America, and note the differences in how Christmas is celebrated.

(I've never given a Facebook-related assignment before, but I guess there's a first time for everything. Section 7, you know what I'm talking about.)

The Lost Boys (and a lost nation)

Section 7 has raced ahead a bit, following the Lost Boys to America.  Sections 1 and 3 are still waiting for them to get on the plane.

Side note: In my humble opinion,it is unacceptable that the US government should shut down because of political differences.  Whatever side of the political spectrum you are on, you have the right (Socrates would say you have the obligation) to tell Congress what you think.  Go to congressmerge.com to do just that.  And  please tell your friends and family to do the same.

Thank you.