Unit 3 - Geography & Culture Reflection

Listen to ALL of the comments on the VoiceThread.  Describe the impact of geography of on the history, culture and society of Southwest Asia and North Africa.  Be sure to support your answer with specific examples from the activity and our studies.

Africa Regional Study - Part A Reflection

You've examined “Explore the Regions with a Map Tool” at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/africa/explore/index.html and created a chart detailing cultural and geographic characteristics of Sub-Saharan Africa.  Now, write a critical reflection detailing similarities, differences, and trends in Sub-Saharan Africa.   

Be sure your reflection includes a thesis statement, specific details from your research, and evidence of contemplation!

FI - Question #53

To complete question #53 on the "Foundations Investigation," select an article from a PRINT issue of Current History.  Your comment should include the following:

• Cultural Region (Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, or Latin America)
• MLA Citation
• Concise (no more than 5 sentences) summary with a clear thesis statement

FI - Question #52

To complete question #52 on the "Foundations Investigation," select an article from the PRINT issue of History Today.  Your comment should include the following:

• Cultural Region (Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, Middle East, Central Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, or Latin America)
• MLA Citation
• Concise (no more than 5 sentences) summary that includes a clear thesis statement

Important Summer News Stories

We're only half way through the summer but but there have been several major news developments.  I thought it might be useful to identify some of the stories you should be following:

• Afghan presidential elections
• al-Shabab insurgency in East Africa
• Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria
• Civil war in Syria
• Ebola outbreak
• Gaza-Israel conflict
• Indonesia presidential elections
• ISIS in Iraq & Syria
• Japan constitutional changes
• Pacific typhoon
• Turkish presidential elections
• Ukraine conflict (including MH17)
• US Supreme Court decisions
• World Cup

You should also know the leaders of the countries above along with leaders of major international organizations (ex. United Nations & International Monetary Fund) and institutions (ex. US Supreme Court, US Congress, & Catholic Church).

While you are not required to keep a journal/notes on current events, if you bring the journal to class on the first day you will be allowed to use this on the current events quiz.

GGS III - From Food to Guns, Germs, & Steel

After you've read Part III: From Food to Guns, Germs, & Steel, identify one point or issue with which you agree, disagree, or about which you would like to learn more.  Use the SVHS databases or the Internet to find out more.

Your comment to this post should include the author, title, source, link or database title, and a summary of the source.  In your summary, please explain why you choice this particular topic for further exploration.

GGS II - Rise & Spread of Food Production

After you've read Part II: Rise & Spread of Food Production, identify one point or issue with which you agree, disagree, or about which you would like to learn more.  Use the SVHS databases or the Internet to find out more.

Your comment to this post should include the author, title, source, link or database title, and a summary of the source.  In your summary, please explain why you choice this particular topic for further exploration.

GGS I - From Eden to Cajamarca

After you've read Part I: From Eden to Cajamarca, identify one point or issue with which you agree, disagree, or about which you would like to learn more.  Use the SVHS databases or the Internet to find out more.

Your comment to this post should include the author, title, source, link or database title, and a summary of the source.  In your summary, please explain why you choice this particular topic for further exploration.

GGS Discussion Questions

As a critical thinker, you need to develop the ability to both understand and question information.  As you read and answer the comprehension questions on Guns, Germs, & Steel, analyze the arguments presented by and the evidence used by Jared Diamond. You should formulate discussion questions based on the text and post them as comments HERE.

Considerations:

• Good discussion questions should reference a specific point or idea in the text.
• Good discussion questions require critical analysis skills.
• Good discussion questions challenges one to demonstrate factual knowledge and an understanding of the geo-political, socio-historical context of the issue.
• Example: In the epilogue, Diamond states, "The histories of the Fertile Crescent and China also hold a salutary lesson for the modern world: circumstances change, and past primacy is no guarantee of future primacy"(GGS, 417).  Discuss historical and contemporary examples that support or refute this assertion. (NOTE: This question is from the epilogue.  You are only required to read and answer questions about the Prologue and Parts I, II, & III.)

Each student must create UNIQUE discussion questions.  All comments are dated and time stamped - check previous comments to be sure you aren't duplicating someone else's question.

TWIF Flattener #10 - The Steroids

Use one of the current events sources linked at http://svhs-hwc-fall2014.blogspot.com/2014/06/approved-sources-for-twif-current.html to find a recent news article that relates to, supports, or refutes Friedman's assertion that the steroids were  "flatteners."  Your comment should include the title of the news article, a link to the article, and a summary of the article including an explanation of how the article relates to this point.  Don't forget to check your rubric for evaluation criteria!