Be HAPPY!!! :)

http://www.youtube.com/user/TEDtalksDirector#p/search/0/LTO_dZUvbJA

Hi loves,

I am sorry I could not say goodbye to any of you...Know that I am thinking about you and miss you all dearly. Know that just because I am not in the classroom or in the building with you, does not mean that you cannot contact me if you ever need anything. Be good to Eli and show him what rockstars you all are! Also, know that I am totally fine...the ONLY hard part of this situation is not seeing your smiling faces every day...but everything will be fine.

All my love,

Elika

elika.dadsetan@gmail.com

It's SUCH a vicious cycle...

Does this look familiar to any of you?? ;)

Vocabulary Words #4 (Honors Option)

Although small in stature, and fairly weak-looking, David, the mechanical "enginerd," actually presented a formidable challenge to the champion...

Here is the list you have all been waiting so patiently for...

1. intrepid - adj.
2. trepidation - n.
3. despondent - adj.
4. decorum - n.
5. aspire - v.
6. vacillate - v.
7. desultory - adj.
8. fallacy - n.
9. formidable - adj.
10. heritage - n.
11. guru - n.

Wait, you said there were ten?! There are. The eleventh is a chance at extra credit…for now (and don't you ever even think you can ask for it again) ;). It has been a while since our last vocabulary set, so just remember, it’s your job to give it your own twist. Use whatever image you think will help you remember the definitions. However, don't just stop with images (with their corresponding sentences/explanations) and definitions of terms - you want to practice these words as often as possible...otherwise, you will forget them!! You’ve got to make the word your own, with your own particular understanding of it. Adopt it into your vernacular as your own peculiar stepchild. You’ll never use the word in quite the same manner that I would, so it’s best you carve out a unique niche for it in the microcosm of your mind. :)

Have fun!

Friday, February 19, 2010

Period 3/5:

Congrats!! You have completed your first COP!!! Mexico is very grateful for your attendance and hopefully there have been some resolutions accepted! ;)

As you wind down today, I want you to watch a cute clip that will hopefully make you think a bit about what are doing to this world. Feel free to have a discussion regarding this clip after you are finished waching.

Once you watch it, please go to the “project reflection” link and fill it out before the end of class! I would like you to not have laptops out while watching the clips so you can focus and then discuss. Only grab laptops (and sign-out/in) once you are finished with all of that.
____________________________________

Story of Stuff The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. This will be a great transition from looking at climate change and how it impacts various societies...to how we, as people and governments, misuse many types of resources!


COP16 -

Period 1

On Friday, as you prepare for the COP16 in Mexico, I want you to listen to this NPR clip regarding the challenges ahead for climate negotiators now that the top United Nations climate negotiator resigned following his failure to secure a comprehensive treaty at the Copenhagen climate summit in December.

Then, take twenty (20) minutes to watch this fun little clip...

While you are listening to this clip and watching the video clip, take time to prepare for your presentations. You will only have three minutes to state your declaration and give a few quick reasons why it needs to happen. Then, after every country states their declarations, you will get into your country's groupings to discuss what you will accept/deny/tweak from the various resolutions. After this, you will have a chance to "debate"/argue to convince what you think is best. Let's see if we come up with any new accords!!!

You guys will all be great! You've done your research, and you know more than you realize about your country!

Proud of how hard you've been working!

elika :)

Info for Climate Change Project

Everything is on my DP!

Good luck!







Here's also a link to an interesting Ted Talk by Bill Gates!

We could ALL use this reminder...

Keep this in mind the next time you are about to repeat a rumor:

In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates was widely lauded for his wisdom.

One day an acquaintance ran up to him excitedly and said, "Socrates, do you
know what I just heard about Diogenes?"

"Wait a moment," Socrates replied, "Before you tell me I'd like you to pass
a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."
'Triple filter?" asked the acquaintance.

"That's right," Socrates continued, "Before you talk to me about Diogenes
let's take a moment to filter what you're going to say. The first filter is
Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is
true?"

"No," the man said, "Actually I just heard about it."

"All right," said Socrates, "So you don't really know if it's true or not..
Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are
about to tell me about Diogenes something good?"

"No, on the contrary..."

"So," Socrates continued, "You want to tell me something about Diogenes that
may be bad, even though you're not certain it's true?"

The man shrugged, a little embarrassed. Socrates continued, "You may still
pass the test though, because there is a third filter, the filter of
Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about Diogenes going to be useful to
me?"

"No, not really."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "If what you want to tell me is neither True nor
Good nor even useful, why tell it to me or anyone at all?"
The man was bewildered and ashamed. This is an example of why Socrates was a
great philosopher and held in such high esteem.

It also explains why Socrates never found out that Diogenes was shagging his
wife

Vocabulary Words #3 (Honors Option)

Back to another round of fresh vocabulary words this week. The set has several closely related words, so pay attention to the connections.

This set of photovocabulary words is due next Wednesday (February 24). :)

I’d like you to choose FIVE words to respond to, with explanations AND PICTURES. Bonus if you take any of the pictures yourself. All words need a sentence and picture, though...

About the picture above (by Rene Gagon) I might say the following: There is clearly a blatant parallel to the Creation of Adam by Michelangelo, pictured below.

But there’s something more subtle happening here too; almost a power hand-off between the traditional ‘arts’ (indicated by the paint brush), to the more modern, often marginalized forms of art such as tagging (indicated by the aerosol spray paint).

Your words for the week below:

subtle -

vehement -

zealous -

adverse -

averse -

blatant -

alleged -

aggravate -

discreet -

factoid -

flout -

forte -

disinterested -

Climate change complexities...

Here is our global warming video from this morning...

Teen Age: You Just Don't Understand

Here is an interesting opportunity to submit your creativity!!!

Good luck!

Elika :)

Vocabulary Words #2 (Honors Option)

The above picture was chosen to illustrate the idea of “accord,” one of our vocabulary words this week. A simple definition of accord would be agreement, but what I love about the word is the sense of harmony that comes with it. Indeed, the resolutions of peace following periods of violence and conflict are often called accords (Paris Peace Accords of the Vietnam War, for instance), so the word carries with it that sense of history also. Which is why I chose this picture to illustrate my idea of the word:

In this photo the grenade, at once a symbol of war and conflict, is gutted
and repurposed into something harmless and beautiful. A vase for roses. Someone
sits on either side of the flowers too, suggesting at least a degree of
copacetic negotiation or harmony.

By Tuesday (February 16), please have a suitably well chosen photo-response to at least five of this week’s vocabulary words. You’ll be posting each picture with the vocabulary word it represents and an explanation of why you chose the illustration, as I did above (and using it in a sentence). I’m only requiring five because I want you to take your time, be creative, and find meaningful connections.

If you’re feeling artistic you could, of course, draw any number of the pictures yourself!

Either way, be mindful of the meaning and do your best to capture it.

Without further adieu, here are your words for the week - sans definitions, as always.

1. accord
2. bias
3. incognito
4. deduct
5. paradigm
6. plagiarize
7. objectivity
8. precipitous
9. recapitulate
10. reciprocate
11. empathy

“I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”
~Albert Einstein

Course Evaluation - Week 4

Please fill out this evaluation form in order to give me a better idea of how you are all feeling...

Thank you!

Spontaneous Monologue - Creative Writing #3

Introduction To The Spontaneous Monologue

For the next 15 minutes, write down everything that comes into your head, as fast as you can. Use the first words that come to mind, and do not worry about form, spelling, grammar, or correctness for now. Just try to get down as much of what goes through your head as possible.

There is no right or wrong way to do this. If you block, or if your mind goes blank, write about that until something else comes to mind. The purpose of the exercise is to tap your own mental stream and write down as much of it as you can. Go as fast as you can, and still keep it legible.

Reread the directions, and then immediately begin writing, doing the assignment as fast and as naturally as you can.

The 2010 State of the Union Address

Here is the entire clip from Obama's first State of the Union Address...

Barder and the Flying Turban... [Creative Writing #2]

Assuming the dog in your story is named Barder, and that the orange turban gives him the power of flight…

Your assignment is to respond to the above visual prompt. Write something you’ll be proud to share and display.

Find more of Jan Von Holleben's photography at http://www.janvonholleben.com/?page_id=4

Vocabulary Words #1 (Honors Option)

repose - a state of peace, a temporary rest in order to regain composure. The image suggests with .html syntax that we ‘end war.’ I’ve never been a fan of bullies on the playground. As there is talk of mobilizing our military towards a new war in Iran I thought it might be nice to take a small break and have some rest before we do. Not that I hope we do. It’s sad that in the brief history of men peace has never been anything but temporary. A brief reprieve from the tensing storm, a quick repose before the coming war.

Vocabulary words will be posted on your blogs: both definition and a sentence. You will also be posting five photo vocabulary words from the list below. Here we go:

flourish -

guerilla -

renegade -

repose -

stereotype -

symbiosis -

tariff -

tempo -

tranquility -

tumult -

tundra -

unanimous -

Due: Tuesday, February 2nd

Resources (Types of Government)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_out/guides/world/united_nations/types_of_government/newsid_2151000/2151570.stm

http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/street/pl38/sect2.htm

Scholarship Info

Try to apply to at least five!! The more you reach out to, the higher your chances are!!

Deadline Scholarship Name

1/29 Sam Walton Community Scholarship www.act.org/walmart/community
2/1 CAC Educational Opportunity www.cacesf.org
2/1 Burger King Scholars Program www.haveityourwayfoundation. org/burger_king_scholars_program.html
2/1 Best Buy Scholarship www.bestbuyinc.com/community_relations/scholarship.htm
2/1 Barbara Jordan Historical Essay Competition www.utexas.edu/world/barbarajordan/
2/15 Dr. Suess' Oh, the Places You'll Go www.ohtheplaces.org
2/16 (earliest deadline) Hispanic Scholarship Fund www.hsf.net/Scholarships (multiple scholarships with various deadlines
2/16 Hispanic College Fund Scholarships scholarships.hispanicfund.org/applications/
2/19 Salute to Education Scholarships salutetoeducation.com/ (No GPA or need requirement!!)
2/20 Vegeterian Resource Group Scholarship www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm
3/15 Jackie Robinson Scholarship www.jackierobinson.org/apply/general-applicants.php
4/1 California Retired Teachers Association (applications available in Tenesha's office)
4/9 Resource Conservation District Scholarship www.rcdsandiego.org


This is only a few that have run across Tenesha's desk, but there are so many more available. Be patient in your search process. A great starting place for you to search is also the San Diego Foundation website. Visit www.sdfoundation.org/scholarships/ for more information.

Creative Writing #1: Writing in Reverse

Pivotal moments of a stranger’s life.

Pictured above is an excerpt from Bill Sullivan’s Turnstile Photography Project. Sullivan took pictures of strangers in New York City the moment they pushed through the turnstiles to ride the subway. The results are surprisingly intriguing - The faces are so expressive; the props and things we carry, revealing. You will be following the preceding link to Bill Sullivan’s project website and choosing a character (or two) to base your story around.

You will be writing a narrative fiction surrounding this pivotal(?) moment of your character(s) day. Is the gentlemen on the left, above, on his way to a bank heist? Is the woman to his right the lifeline for a friend appearing on tonight’s episode of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, and is she fretting because she’s unsure of a question she should know the answer to? Or is thinking too hard about it going to put her on the wrong train, which starts a whole domino of bad (or brilliant) things to happen to her that day?

Whatever story angle you choose, make sure to use facial expressions and props captured in the photo as cues. This story is not to be told in the first person. Although that doesn’t mean you can’t be creative in the telling. You could have an omnipresent narrator who, for one reason or another, has a particular dislike for your protagonist and is continually antagonistic. The story could be told by an eventual son, recalling the cute (or hilarious, or unlikely) story of how his parents met and fell in love.

As an additional challenge you’ll need to post a picture of the character(s) you choose to your blog along with your story. You may need to do this in photoshop. It would be polite to provide a link to Bill Sullivan’s website, since you’ll be posting segments from his photographic work. And, as always, it’s a good idea to lead your post with some introduction. Your readers (from all over the world!) don’t know that your teacher is asking you to write a story. The things you post will seem rather random sans context.

Due Wednesday night.

Spring 2010 Student Info Survey

Please fill out the following survey so I can get to know your needs as students a bit more...

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Thanks for a great first week!

- elika :)

Senior Project Survey

Please complete this survey ASAP! :)