presenting the population pyramid

Sections 4 and 6 participated in a preparatory presentation on population pyramids.  Perhaps imperfect, perhaps predictable, pop pyramids possess power to predict political policy.

Friday's class / MONDAY'S WORK

I hope you enjoyed searching out information in the CIA World Factbook.  Hopefully all of you are able to better navigate your way around the site.  Your blog for today's class can include some of the interesting facts your classmates presented, as well as any conclusions you may have reached.

MONDAY'S CLASS:

Since I will not be in class Monday, I would like Sections 3 and 6 to learn some introductory material regarding Population Pyramids.

A great place to start is this video.  TED talks are very informative, and this one gives a great explanation of Population Pyramids.  Slip on your earbuds and check it out.

The World Life Expectancy organization used data from the World Heath Organization, the World Bank, UNESCO, and the CIA (some truly legit sources) to put together some interactive Population Pyramids.  Go here to see what the pyramids look like for any country on earth, from 1950 to 2050.

After you watch / listen / peruse the pyramids, check your comprehension by answering these questions:

1. According to the Population Reference Bureau's "2013 World Population Data Sheet", 271 are born every minute, and 106 die every minute. That's a global net population increase of 165 per minute. This lesson was published on May 5th. What's the estimated global population increase exactly one week later (May 12th)?  A: over 10 million       B: 20,739      C: 1155    D: 1,663,200    
2. As a country slows in population growth, its pyramid shape will  A: become wider at the base and narrower at the top         B: be inverted          C: become more rectangular            D: bulge in the middle
3. What does a Population Pyramid NOT give you information about?    A: birth rates         B: actual number of people        C: life expectancy         D: death rates
4. Which continent would have the most fast-growth pyramids?   A: Africa         B:  Asia          C: North America         D: South America

Finally... curious about what the population of the world is right now?  Or how many people have been born so far today?  How many people have died so far today?  Or what the world's population was on the day you were born?  It's all right here.

hold on to those tests!

Today I returned your Unit One tests, and we reviewed them in class.  You will want to refer to your copy again in December, to help you prepare for your semester exam.  That's why we spent the whole class going over it - so you are sure you learned the material, and so you can review the questions before the Big Test.

Looking forward to meeting 

many of your parents tonight 

at Mini-Mod night!

terms and concepts

Make sure you transcribe your notes from today's class, and enter them in tonight's blog.  Explore the CIA Factbook and post updates to my PowerPoint, plus facts you found interesting, to your blog.

You do not have school tomorrow; therefore, you do not need to post to your blog tomorrow.

These are some terms and concepts that we will need to be familiar with as we study Population and Migration.  We'll be going over this in class, but feel free to ask lots of questions if any of this is unclear.

• life expectancy
• crude birth rate (CBR)
• crude death rate (CDR)
• developing nations
• developed nations
• rate of natural increase (RNI)
• net migration rate (NMR)
• immigration
• emigration
• push forces
• pull forces
• total fertility rate (TFR)

Population, Migration, and the CIA World Factbook

Your blog for tonight should contain:

• a transcription of the notes you took in class,
• at least a couple 2014 corrections to the 2013 facts in my PowerPoint, and
• a few facts that you found interesting while exploring the CIA World Factbook.

Please note that both my PowerPoint and the CIA Factbook are linked in the Essential Links sidebar of this blog.

Also, please send some positive vibes our way around 1:00 tomorrow, while we are competing on It's Academic on TV.  

Thanks, and have a great weekend!

the test on Unit One is in your rear-view mirror

Here's hoping everyone did well on today's test.  If you missed class and were unable to take this test today, you will be expected to take it tomorrow, or the next time your section meets for class.

Expect these tests to be graded by next Monday, September 22.  This should give me ample time to grade the 240+ short essays you wrote as part of the test.

If you checked the upcoming schedule, you see that our next unit is Population and Migration.  Be sure to bring your computers to class tomorrow, fully charged and ready to research!

substitutes today, test tomorrow

Sections 4 and 6, you will have substitute teachers today while I am attending a workshop.  In class, you should spend the time studying for tomorrow's test.  I recommend the use of Quizlet.  Quizlet is a piece of educational software that is used by many high-achieving students at John Carroll, and around the world.  You can use Quizlet (found at quizlet.com) to create flashcards, write your own tests, and use other study tools.  Sign up for Quizlet using Google, and spend this class period getting prepared for tomorrow's test on A Message to Garcia, ancient Greece, Did You Know? 3.0, and globalization. You may work with someone else in the class, but only if you work quietly, only if you are studying for Human Geo, and only if your sub says it's okay.

Remember to blog tonight, and good luck tomorrow!

globalization and Americanization

Today's class discussion centered around globalization, and the many ways in which our world is becoming more and more interconnected.  The website I was referring to can be found here, and it is also listed in my links on this page.


Reminders: the test will be given next Wednesday, September 17.  It will cover A Message to Garcia, ancient Greece, Did You Know? 3.0, and globalization.  It will be worth 100 points, since it is a unit test.  Also, I will not be in class next Tuesday, as I will be attending a conference in Philadelphia.  

Don't forget to blog about today's class!

why we observed a moment of silence

Thirteen years later, and the memories

of this sad and terrifying day are still vivid.

You guys aren't old enough to remember September 11, 2001,

but I recommend you talk to family members

and ask them to share their memories

of this fateful day.

In the meantime, Sections 3 and 4 should post about the discussions you had in class today.  Consider such topics as globalization, the fast-moving world we live in, and responsible Internet usage.

a little more of Did You Know? 3.0

All classes met today, so all classes blog about the video we watched in class today.  

If you saw it for the first time today, you are to pick out three of the facts presented, and consider the following:

• What was your initial reaction to what you saw?
• How are these changes manifesting themselves in your personal life?
• How much of a role does technology play in your life?

Post your observations to your blog tonight.  Section 6 can post about the excellent discussion we had in class today.

Since these are issues that really affect your lives, your opinion is definitely welcome in your posts, as well as in your class discussions.  Keep up the good work!

our fast-moving world

This assignment is for Section 6 only, as they are the only section who met today.  

If your class didn't actually meet today, take the day off from blogging.

Did You Know/Shift Happens began as a simple PowerPoint in 2006, describing how incredibly quickly the world is changing.  Since then, the presentation has evolved into the video you saw today, and the pace of change has become even faster. 

As you watch the video, pick out three of the facts presented, and consider the following:

• What was your initial reaction to what you saw?
• How are these changes manifesting themselves in your personal life?
• How much of a role does technology play in your life?

Post your observations to your blog tonight.

(The link to this video can be found in my "Essential Links" sidebar.)

direct democracy in action

Today Section 6 reviewed the definitions, terms, and concepts pertaining to ancient Greek democracy.

Section 3 took it one step further and turned the classroom into an agora, staging a spirited debate.  That's the kind of arête I'm talking about!

Should be interesting to see the blogs you guys come up with tonight!

Socrates rocks

"The unexamined life is not worth living!"

Strong words from a man who talked the talk AND walked the walk.

Tonight's assignment for ALL sections:  really get your notes together about ancient Greece, democracy, Socrates' life and heroic death, and civic responsibility.  Post them no later than tomorrow night.

And have a great weekend!  Hope to see you at the game tonight!

the ancient Greeks, and excellence

Tonight's assignment for Section 4 only:

Define the following terms, as discussed in class.

• agora
• arete
• polis
• the year 508 BC
• Socrates
• the death of Socrates
• the Socratic method
• what the ancient Greeks meant if they called you an idiot

Sections 3 and 6, take your class notes and post them in your blog.

slow but steady progress

A few notes on blogs, excellence, and Elbert Hubbard:

• A very few of you still have work to do with your blogs. If you don't see your name listed to the right, I need the URL of your blog, without delay.
• Every day you should hit "New Post," then post that day's work to your blog.  You don't make a new blog for every new day.
• World's greatest democracy?  The percentage of eligible voters actually voting in the last 5 US Presidential elections:  53%, 55%, 61%, 63%, 59%.  Last election in Peru: 86%.  In Iran: 75%.  Rwanda: 89%.  (Sources: Fairvote.org and IDEA.int)
• Elbert Hubbard's essay was reprinted over 80 million times.
• Hubbard also wrote a booklet called Jesus Was an Anarchist.  
• Hubbard died in a very interesting manner.

Also, you are not required to take the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.  I have just suggested that you or your family make a contribution to fund ALS research.  The Ice Bucket seems like a cool way to get involved.

yep... the challenge

If you decide to take the ALS Challenge, or if you already took it,

post it on your blog!  Or send it to me and I'll post it here!

Or both!  All for a good cause.