Cockroach Brains May Hold New Antibiotics?
Would you knowingly take antibiotics that originated from a cockroach's brain?
Two-paragraph response, please. Leave your response in the comments section of THIS post.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Rape Viewed as Major Problem Across Sub-Saharan Africa
Rape Viewed as Major Problem Across Sub-Saharan Africa
1. Read the above article
2. Complete the Analyzing Nonfiction or Informational Text Handout
3. Leave a one-paragraph comment about the article (post's comment section)
Consider the following questions as you read:
1. Are instances of rape higher in poorer countries, continents, regions, and/or cities?
2. What two types of immediate complications or problems are caused by rape?
3. Can you identify other problems caused by rape?
4. Can you trust the statistics discussed in the article?
Choose one quote to post with your journal comment, but be sure to quote it appropriately.
1. Read the above article
2. Complete the Analyzing Nonfiction or Informational Text Handout
3. Leave a one-paragraph comment about the article (post's comment section)
Consider the following questions as you read:
1. Are instances of rape higher in poorer countries, continents, regions, and/or cities?
2. What two types of immediate complications or problems are caused by rape?
3. Can you identify other problems caused by rape?
4. Can you trust the statistics discussed in the article?
Choose one quote to post with your journal comment, but be sure to quote it appropriately.
"College Freshmen Are Unprepared ..." - Newspaper Article
College Freshmen Are Unprepared in Skills Needed to Succeed in Their Studies
1. Read the above newspaper article.
2. Write a fake letter to the writer(s).
In your letter, you will directly respond to specific information discussed in the article. Do agree or disagree with the writer's presentation of the facts? What is your personal opinion on this issue? Identify the cause/effect discussed in the article as you present your side to the writer(s). Is this a trustworthy source or website? Since you will refer directly to information contained in the article, please be sure to use quotations and proper attribution on any - on ALL! - words you borrow, even when paraphrasing information.
If you are unsure how to correctly provide attribution, you may borrow my MLA handbook. Or, if you prefer, use the links on this blog to find a helpful MLA website.
Your letter should be one page, written in formal language, proofread/edited, and constructed with the proper formal letter format. For help on organization, content, and format, please visit Business Letter Format.org. You should find two examples of formal letters on the previously mentioned website.
Remember: If you want someone to read what you write, you must give that person a reason to invest his or her time in what you have to say. Professionalism matters and, after all, you are a professional student!
1. Read the above newspaper article.
2. Write a fake letter to the writer(s).
In your letter, you will directly respond to specific information discussed in the article. Do agree or disagree with the writer's presentation of the facts? What is your personal opinion on this issue? Identify the cause/effect discussed in the article as you present your side to the writer(s). Is this a trustworthy source or website? Since you will refer directly to information contained in the article, please be sure to use quotations and proper attribution on any - on ALL! - words you borrow, even when paraphrasing information.
If you are unsure how to correctly provide attribution, you may borrow my MLA handbook. Or, if you prefer, use the links on this blog to find a helpful MLA website.
Your letter should be one page, written in formal language, proofread/edited, and constructed with the proper formal letter format. For help on organization, content, and format, please visit Business Letter Format.org. You should find two examples of formal letters on the previously mentioned website.
Remember: If you want someone to read what you write, you must give that person a reason to invest his or her time in what you have to say. Professionalism matters and, after all, you are a professional student!
Costliest School in US - Informational Text
Costliest School in United States - USA Today
1. Read the above informational text
2. Complete the Analyzing Informational Text Handout (uploaded/attached on Moodle)
3. Leave comments about the article (blog's comments section)
4. Answer the following questions in your journal response:
Analyze: Do you believe new buildings, technology, and extra spending will improve students's education, specifically student performance? Explain your answer. Put simply: Is lack of educational funds the primary problem in education?
Connecting to the Text: How do you relate to the information presented in the article? Explain your answer and use evidence to support your claims.
Critical Thinking: Explain how you would improve education. You've been in school for many years; you do have experience with what works and what doesn't. What would you change if given the opportunity? Explain your answer.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Photos: Africa's Disappearing Dragonflies, Fish, and Wildflowers
View the following pictures. Write a two-paragraph description of what you see. Be sure to use flowery (excuse the pun!) language - that is, plenty of descriptive words (adjectives, of course!). And if you are feeling extremely ambitious, you may write a short story that includes these images. Proofread and edit your paragraphs BEFORE you post your journal response.
Photos: Africa's Disappearing Dragonflies, Fish, and Wildflowers
Photos: Africa's Disappearing Dragonflies, Fish, and Wildflowers
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Informational Text 2 - Music Review (Tupac Shakur)
CRITIC'S CHOICE/Pop CD's/New York Times
Shakur's Reflective Finale
By NEIL STRAUSS November 11, 1996
Musicians may have clause after clause in their contracts guaranteeing them artistic control over their recordings. But once they are dead, there's no telling what a record company can do to their legacies. After Marvin Gaye was shot dead by his father in 1984, his record label, Columbia, put out two substandard albums of unreleased material that Mr. Gaye might never have allowed to reach his fans' ears. After Kurt Cobain of Nirvana committed suicide in 1994, his record label, Geffen, waited eight months and then released ''MTV Unplugged in New York,'' a moving acoustic performance that served as a beautiful epitaph for the singer and guitarist.
Tupac Shakur's ''Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory'' (Death Row/Interscope), released last week, less than two months after Mr. Shakur died of gunshot wounds, straddles the border between a rush job and a fitting final artistic testament. Recorded under the pseudonym Makaveli, ''The Don Killuminati'' is reminiscent of Mr. Shakur's 1994 side project, a band and an album named Thug Life. On that album, Mr. Shakur narrowed his scope (as well as his more sophisticated production and arrangements) in favor of unrepentant lyrics about coping with the wild, mean streets by being even wilder and meaner.
''The Don Killuminati'' opens with a fake newscast (like other skits on the album, so poorly done that it sounds as if either Mr. Shakur left it incomplete or it was added as an afterthought). It announces that because of the release of Mr. Shakur's new album, other artists are trying to change the street dates of their albums so as not to be overshadowed by the competition. And this may be partly true: the release of Snoop Doggy Dogg's second album, ''Tha Doggfather,'' also on Death Row, was postponed until tomorrow.
A series of gunshots (a recurring theme on the album) follows the newscast as Mr. Shakur introduces his alter ego, Makaveli, a ''nightmare'' that's ''sicker than'' a ''Nazi,'' endowed with ''lyrics like the holy Koran'' and bent on fulfilling a mission to kill rivals like the Notorious B.I.G. (here referred to as the Notorious P.I.G.) who are involved with the New York label Bad Boy Entertainment. It's a creepy beginning, since, among the many theories surrounding Mr. Shakur's unsolved murder is one linking it to the feud between Death Row and Bad Boy. From there, the album moves up and down, stringing together hardcore raps and silky rhythm-and-blues songs of varying quality.
Like ''Tha Doggfather,'' ''The Don Killuminati'' suffers from Dr. Dre's exodus from Death Row. Dr. Dre was responsible for the masterly production on both Mr. Shakur's previous album and Snoop Doggy Dogg's debut. At times, songs seem almost sparse and unfinished; elsewhere, the sounds of screeching cars, chanting Buddhist monks, gunfire and backup singers get to be too much, too brittle and too poorly arranged. But for every lackluster song like ''Toss It Up'' (a forced slow jam with an ill-advised insult about Dr. Dre's sexuality), there is a standout like ''Hail Mary,'' a slow, ominous, stuttering rap slightly indebted to Bone, Thugs-n-Harmony.
On past albums, Mr. Shakur's best material was never really hardcore gangsta rap but wistful, reflective post-gangsta raps like ''Dear Mama,'' which apologized, and ''I Ain't Mad at Cha,'' which forgave. On this album, the equivalent is ''Krazy,'' a slow, deep, minor-key rap in which Mr. Shakur kicks back and reflects on the lessons learned from the past year, promising to stop drinking, and musing, ''I came a long way, but still, I got so far to go.''
It would be easy to look for lyrics on this album predicting and foreshadowing Mr. Shakur's murder. But this could be accomplished just as effortlessly on any Shakur album. His lyrics were always endowed with the knowledge that the next day could be his last just as easily as it could be his best. Overall, however, as Mr. Shakur's last stand, ''The Don Killuminati'' fares a lot more poorly than his previous album, ''All Eyez on Me,'' does. This one was clearly meant as filler, a way to burn off creative energy, put down his rivals at Bad Boy Entertainment and tide fans over until the next album.
Assignments:
1. Paraphrase the following quotes in your own words:
"His lyrics were always endowed with the knowledge that the next day could be his last just as easily as it could be his best."
"On past albums, Mr. Shakur's best material was never really hardcore gangsta rap but wistful, reflective post-gangsta raps like ''Dear Mama,'' which apologized, and ''I Ain't Mad at Cha,'' which forgave."
2. What information was shared in this CD review? What is the writer's argument (his opinion) about the album? What supporting details does he use to prove his point? (A minimum of two-typed paragraphs in a Word document)
3. Write a music review (Word document) of your favorite album. Your review should be five paragraphs (4-6 sentences in each paragraph), include supporting details, and be written with correct punctuation and grammar. You will write two versions: a rough draft and a final draft. After you've written your rough draft, please email a copy to me. You will ask another student to help you proofread and edit your music review; then, you will correct any mistakes, complete your final draft, and email it to me.
Guidelines for Music Review:
1. Double-spaced pages
2. Complete sentences
3. Correct grammar and punctuation
4. Five paragraphs (4-6 sentences in each paragraph)
5. Introduction paragraph (introduce your topic and what you will review), body paragraphs, and concluding paragraph
6. Third-person point of view
7. Supporting details
8. Identifty and discuss your album's theme(s)
9. Quote lyrics, if you include any in your review
10. Ensure you use correct MLA style
Shakur's Reflective Finale
By NEIL STRAUSS November 11, 1996
Musicians may have clause after clause in their contracts guaranteeing them artistic control over their recordings. But once they are dead, there's no telling what a record company can do to their legacies. After Marvin Gaye was shot dead by his father in 1984, his record label, Columbia, put out two substandard albums of unreleased material that Mr. Gaye might never have allowed to reach his fans' ears. After Kurt Cobain of Nirvana committed suicide in 1994, his record label, Geffen, waited eight months and then released ''MTV Unplugged in New York,'' a moving acoustic performance that served as a beautiful epitaph for the singer and guitarist.
Tupac Shakur's ''Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory'' (Death Row/Interscope), released last week, less than two months after Mr. Shakur died of gunshot wounds, straddles the border between a rush job and a fitting final artistic testament. Recorded under the pseudonym Makaveli, ''The Don Killuminati'' is reminiscent of Mr. Shakur's 1994 side project, a band and an album named Thug Life. On that album, Mr. Shakur narrowed his scope (as well as his more sophisticated production and arrangements) in favor of unrepentant lyrics about coping with the wild, mean streets by being even wilder and meaner.
''The Don Killuminati'' opens with a fake newscast (like other skits on the album, so poorly done that it sounds as if either Mr. Shakur left it incomplete or it was added as an afterthought). It announces that because of the release of Mr. Shakur's new album, other artists are trying to change the street dates of their albums so as not to be overshadowed by the competition. And this may be partly true: the release of Snoop Doggy Dogg's second album, ''Tha Doggfather,'' also on Death Row, was postponed until tomorrow.
A series of gunshots (a recurring theme on the album) follows the newscast as Mr. Shakur introduces his alter ego, Makaveli, a ''nightmare'' that's ''sicker than'' a ''Nazi,'' endowed with ''lyrics like the holy Koran'' and bent on fulfilling a mission to kill rivals like the Notorious B.I.G. (here referred to as the Notorious P.I.G.) who are involved with the New York label Bad Boy Entertainment. It's a creepy beginning, since, among the many theories surrounding Mr. Shakur's unsolved murder is one linking it to the feud between Death Row and Bad Boy. From there, the album moves up and down, stringing together hardcore raps and silky rhythm-and-blues songs of varying quality.
Like ''Tha Doggfather,'' ''The Don Killuminati'' suffers from Dr. Dre's exodus from Death Row. Dr. Dre was responsible for the masterly production on both Mr. Shakur's previous album and Snoop Doggy Dogg's debut. At times, songs seem almost sparse and unfinished; elsewhere, the sounds of screeching cars, chanting Buddhist monks, gunfire and backup singers get to be too much, too brittle and too poorly arranged. But for every lackluster song like ''Toss It Up'' (a forced slow jam with an ill-advised insult about Dr. Dre's sexuality), there is a standout like ''Hail Mary,'' a slow, ominous, stuttering rap slightly indebted to Bone, Thugs-n-Harmony.
On past albums, Mr. Shakur's best material was never really hardcore gangsta rap but wistful, reflective post-gangsta raps like ''Dear Mama,'' which apologized, and ''I Ain't Mad at Cha,'' which forgave. On this album, the equivalent is ''Krazy,'' a slow, deep, minor-key rap in which Mr. Shakur kicks back and reflects on the lessons learned from the past year, promising to stop drinking, and musing, ''I came a long way, but still, I got so far to go.''
It would be easy to look for lyrics on this album predicting and foreshadowing Mr. Shakur's murder. But this could be accomplished just as effortlessly on any Shakur album. His lyrics were always endowed with the knowledge that the next day could be his last just as easily as it could be his best. Overall, however, as Mr. Shakur's last stand, ''The Don Killuminati'' fares a lot more poorly than his previous album, ''All Eyez on Me,'' does. This one was clearly meant as filler, a way to burn off creative energy, put down his rivals at Bad Boy Entertainment and tide fans over until the next album.
Assignments:
1. Paraphrase the following quotes in your own words:
"His lyrics were always endowed with the knowledge that the next day could be his last just as easily as it could be his best."
"On past albums, Mr. Shakur's best material was never really hardcore gangsta rap but wistful, reflective post-gangsta raps like ''Dear Mama,'' which apologized, and ''I Ain't Mad at Cha,'' which forgave."
2. What information was shared in this CD review? What is the writer's argument (his opinion) about the album? What supporting details does he use to prove his point? (A minimum of two-typed paragraphs in a Word document)
3. Write a music review (Word document) of your favorite album. Your review should be five paragraphs (4-6 sentences in each paragraph), include supporting details, and be written with correct punctuation and grammar. You will write two versions: a rough draft and a final draft. After you've written your rough draft, please email a copy to me. You will ask another student to help you proofread and edit your music review; then, you will correct any mistakes, complete your final draft, and email it to me.
Guidelines for Music Review:
1. Double-spaced pages
2. Complete sentences
3. Correct grammar and punctuation
4. Five paragraphs (4-6 sentences in each paragraph)
5. Introduction paragraph (introduce your topic and what you will review), body paragraphs, and concluding paragraph
6. Third-person point of view
7. Supporting details
8. Identifty and discuss your album's theme(s)
9. Quote lyrics, if you include any in your review
10. Ensure you use correct MLA style
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Informational Text 1 - Newspaper Article
State tries to access federal education funds held up by rule
August 28, 2010
By KAREL HOLLOWAY / The Dallas Morning News
State and federal education officials met in Washington on Friday but did not come to an agreement over $830 million in extra school funds Texas stands to receive.
"While today's meeting did not produce an immediate solution, we will continue to work with the Department of Education and others to determine the best path forward to try to access these funds for Texas schools," Education Commissioner Robert Scott said in a statement.
Scott and the governor's senior adviser Mike Morrissey met with U.S. Department of Education Deputy Secretary Tony Miller and are working on a way to allow Texas to get the money despite conditions placed on the grant.
Those conditions are at the center of a dispute between Republican Gov. Rick Perry and a leading congressional Democrat from Texas, Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Austin. Both are running for re-election.
Congress approved a bill earlier this month that provides $10 billion in aid to help prevent the loss of 160,000 education jobs nationwide. Texas' share of that is about $830 million.
The state has until Sept. 9 to apply for the funds.
But Doggett included a special provision in the federal legislation, requiring Perry to assure that Texas will keep education funding at the current percentage of state appropriations through 2013.
Scott said that provision "makes it virtually impossible for the U.S. Department of Education to grant a waiver."
Doggett said he included that provision because Texas in the past has used federal stimulus money in place of state funding, rather than using it to boost overall education funding.
Perry's office has argued that such an assurance would violate the Texas Constitution. He doesn't control the budget and cannot bind a future Legislature, he has said.
"You don't need a room full of attorneys to scour the Texas Constitution looking for excuses to deprive our local schools of these needed dollars," Doggett said in an e-mail.
While school districts have already approved their budgets, educators said the funds would be helpful.
"We've got everything paid for," said Mark Youngs, deputy superintendent in Keller. "It just means we'd take less out of the fund balance."
Many area districts approved budgets expecting to take money from the fund balance, or district savings account, to cover expenses.
The Dallas school district could gain between $26 million and $52 million, depending on how the money is distributed. But spokesman Jon Dahlander said the district won't discuss spending the money until it is actually allocated.
Jackie Lain, director of governmental affairs for the Texas Association of School Boards, which has strongly lobbied for the allocation, said her organization just hopes Perry's representatives will continue to look for a way to bring the money to Texas.
"The bottom line is districts desperately need this money," Lain said, "and we hope that the governor and department will continue to work together."
__________________________________________________________________________________
Assignments - Word Document (email to me)
1. Identify the following informational text elements:
3. Use your inferencing skills to predict what might happen if Texas does not receive federal money for education spending. Explain your prediction by referencing specific portions of the article. This response should be 4-6 sentences.
4. In the comments section, answer this hypothetical question: If you were a government official, what would you do to ensure public education was adaquately funded? Be specific in 4-6 complete sentences.
August 28, 2010
By KAREL HOLLOWAY / The Dallas Morning News
State and federal education officials met in Washington on Friday but did not come to an agreement over $830 million in extra school funds Texas stands to receive.
"While today's meeting did not produce an immediate solution, we will continue to work with the Department of Education and others to determine the best path forward to try to access these funds for Texas schools," Education Commissioner Robert Scott said in a statement.
Scott and the governor's senior adviser Mike Morrissey met with U.S. Department of Education Deputy Secretary Tony Miller and are working on a way to allow Texas to get the money despite conditions placed on the grant.
Those conditions are at the center of a dispute between Republican Gov. Rick Perry and a leading congressional Democrat from Texas, Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Austin. Both are running for re-election.
Congress approved a bill earlier this month that provides $10 billion in aid to help prevent the loss of 160,000 education jobs nationwide. Texas' share of that is about $830 million.
The state has until Sept. 9 to apply for the funds.
But Doggett included a special provision in the federal legislation, requiring Perry to assure that Texas will keep education funding at the current percentage of state appropriations through 2013.
Scott said that provision "makes it virtually impossible for the U.S. Department of Education to grant a waiver."
Doggett said he included that provision because Texas in the past has used federal stimulus money in place of state funding, rather than using it to boost overall education funding.
Perry's office has argued that such an assurance would violate the Texas Constitution. He doesn't control the budget and cannot bind a future Legislature, he has said.
"You don't need a room full of attorneys to scour the Texas Constitution looking for excuses to deprive our local schools of these needed dollars," Doggett said in an e-mail.
While school districts have already approved their budgets, educators said the funds would be helpful.
"We've got everything paid for," said Mark Youngs, deputy superintendent in Keller. "It just means we'd take less out of the fund balance."
Many area districts approved budgets expecting to take money from the fund balance, or district savings account, to cover expenses.
The Dallas school district could gain between $26 million and $52 million, depending on how the money is distributed. But spokesman Jon Dahlander said the district won't discuss spending the money until it is actually allocated.
Jackie Lain, director of governmental affairs for the Texas Association of School Boards, which has strongly lobbied for the allocation, said her organization just hopes Perry's representatives will continue to look for a way to bring the money to Texas.
"The bottom line is districts desperately need this money," Lain said, "and we hope that the governor and department will continue to work together."
__________________________________________________________________________________
Assignments - Word Document (email to me)
1. Identify the following informational text elements:
- Audience - Intended/Unintended readers (men, women, children, races, ages, etc.)
- Author's Purpose - The intent of the author/writer
- Major Ideas - Key points the author wants readers to understand or know
- Supporting Details - Information used to support and clarify major ideas
- Aids - Pictures, graphs, illustrations, photographs, charts, and/or timelines
- Vocabulary - Words within the text that unlock the text's full meaning
3. Use your inferencing skills to predict what might happen if Texas does not receive federal money for education spending. Explain your prediction by referencing specific portions of the article. This response should be 4-6 sentences.
4. In the comments section, answer this hypothetical question: If you were a government official, what would you do to ensure public education was adaquately funded? Be specific in 4-6 complete sentences.
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