World Religions on the Honors exam? Yes.

A sharp-eyed student pointed out that the Study Guide didn’t include World Religions, but since we spent a fair amount of time on that topic, and its PowerPoint is listed on this blog, it would be a shame to not include 10-12 World Religion questions on tomorrow’s Honors Exam.

an early Christmas gift

As I announced in class, you will be allowed to use an index card during your essay exam on Friday.

This generous offer comes with the following guidelines:

• the index card may be no larger than 4" X 6"
• you may only put bullet points or other short notes on the card
• you are NOT allowed to have full sentences or paragraphs on your card
• you may write on both sides of the card
• you need to show me your card at the start of Friday's class to be sure you are in compliance

Violations of these guidelines will result in academic penalties and disciplinary action. But I have faith that you will use your index card wisely, as a tool to help you write a better essay.

essay pre-writing

I am very impressed with how both Honors sections got right to work today, organizing and researching their essays during class time. I am confident that you will be in great shape when it is time to compose your essays for real during Friday's class.

It's been mentioned in class several times, but it bears repeating: if you are not in class this Friday to take the essay portion of your exam, you will have to make it up during Exam Week. It will be your responsibility to arrange this with Mr. Hollin, our Assistant Principal of Academics. I sincerely hope that everyone will be in class on Friday as scheduled.

transitioning from the quiz to the semester exam

Now that we have the quiz behind us, we turn our attention to the semester exam.

Step One: click on my Semester Exam Study Guide, and check out the three options you have for the essay portion of the exam. Then, CHOOSE WHICH ESSAY you plan to write. This will prepare you for the coming week of class. Each section will spend two class periods prepping their essay, before actually writing their essay in class this Friday.

Monday's quiz

Pro tip: here are three concrete steps you can take to ace the 50-point quiz on the Demographic Transition.

1. take a close look at the worksheet you highlighted in class
2. review the three videos we discussed in class
3. re-examine the drawing you did in class of the Demographic Transition model

It's that simple. All of the questions on the quiz come from the model, the videos, and the handout. It's the best way to finish the month strong, and head into Exam Week on a high note.

for visual learners

This look at the Demographic Transition model should be helpful as you prepare for Monday's quiz.

classwork for Wed Dec 4

I will not be in class today. Here is the 10-point assignment you will do while I am out.
​
​I have posted three videos on the Demographic Transition, both here and on my blog. Watch all three videos, and write down three things you learned from each one (for a total of nine). Finally, pick the video you think was most helpful to you, and explain why you chose that one.
​
​​Khan Academy video
​
​​video from Kim Smith, Ph.D.
​
​​Why Populations Grow
​
​This assignment is worth 10 points, and it must be posted to your blog before midnight tonight, so what you don't finish in class is homework. Late penalties apply. Be productive, no game playing in class, and be nice to your sub. I hope to see you soon.

news you can use

Here is a link to the first iteration of the Semester Exam Study Guide.

Updates will be forthcoming, and announced in class.

five major religions, one fifty-point quiz

Monday's classes have come and gone, and everyone (except for three students) have taken the quiz on Five Major Religions. Results will be posted today, so you will know how you did pretty quickly. The only other grade that will be posted until December is this week's blog grades, so make sure you write those blogs! I will see two sections tomorrow, then it's time to take a brief break to spend time with our families. 

Thanksgiving break approaches!

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is just around the corner, meaning that Christmas can't be far behind. Today the SuperHumanGeo section took their 50-point Five Major Religions quiz. Next Monday both Honors sections will take theirs. See my blog of two days ago for more details on class activities heading into the break.

And enjoy your weekend!

the near future

Here is a more detailed look at the few days we have left before Thanksgiving break:


SUPERHUMANGEO

• WEDNESDAY: first part of World Religions SlideShow (World Religions I)
• THURSDAY: second part of World Religions SlideShow (World Religions II)
• FRIDAY: 50-point quiz on World Religions
• MONDAY: class does not meet
• TUESDAY: return World Religion quizzes and Population tests
• WEDNESDAY 11/27 to SUNDAY 12/1: THANKSGIVING BREAK

HONORS 101

• WEDNESDAY: World Religions I
• THURSDAY: class does not meet
• FRIDAY: World Religions II
• MONDAY: 50-point quiz on World Religions
• TUESDAY: return World Religion quizzes
• WEDNESDAY 11/27 to SUNDAY 12/1: THANKSGIVING BREAK

HONORS 102

• WEDNESDAY: class does not meet
• THURSDAY: World Religions I
• FRIDAY: World Religions II
• MONDAY: 50-point quiz on World Religions
• TUESDAY: class does not meet (quizzes returned after break)
• WEDNESDAY 11/27 to SUNDAY 12/1: THANKSGIVING BREAK

from Population to a look at some World Religions

Nice work on the Population test! Averages in the high eighties to low nineties, no failures - pretty impressive results overall!

Next up will be a look at five of the major religions in the world today. For those of you who would like to prepare yourselves both for the class lecture and for Friday's quiz, I have posted a helpful PowerPoint here and in the sidebar to the right of this post. The PowerPoint gives some helpful information about Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism.

Thanksgiving vacation is just around the corner, but we will cover this mini-unit before we go on break. Get fired up!

a suggestion for prepping for Monday's test

In addition to my GoogleSlides presentation on Population, I recommend you take another look at the TED-Ed video on Population Pyramids. When we first watched this in class a couple weeks ago,  I think a lot of you found it very dense and hard to follow. But I think if you watch it again, especially after the work you did on your projects, you might be surprised at how much sense it makes now - in other words, at how much you have learned in a short time.

In any case, have a good weekend and be ready for Monday!

nearing the end of our Population unit

The last few classes have seen some terrific presentations, as the Honors' The Solution Project and the Supers' So, What's the Problem? showed me that you can relate your studies to the real world.

It's time to wrap up the unit, as always, with a test, which will be given next Monday, November 18. The test will cover all the terms we have studied, as well as Population Pyramids. Feel free to check out the GoogleSlides on Population to review over the weekend.

And... it was nice to meet up with some of your parents tonight at school. Maybe I'm crazy, but I find Parent/Teacher conferences kind of fun, and I appreciate the opportunity to talk to your folks.

See you in school!

The SuperHumanGeo section will spend the next two class periods working on a group project called So, What's the Problem?

Four groups of students will study four nations that are each facing challenges. Two of the countries are developing countries (Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya) and two are post-industrial nations (Germany and Japan).

Working in groups, you will use the CIA World Factbook to research statistics that help describe the most pressing problems your nation faces. Each student is expected to spend two minutes presenting their findings to the class, and explaining the significance of their data. Organizing your presentation into a PowerPoint is a good idea, but not required.

Each group has a captain (whose name is in italics). Here is how the groups are assigned:

Congo:

• Lauren B, Ethan R, Cici Y, Brady K, Alex S, Ryleigh S

Kenya:

• Hannah S, Logan L, Chris B, Tom C, Banks C

Germany:

• Jay C, Victoria N, Rachel G, Naseem M, Logan M

Japan:

• Drew E, Meghan K, Jeannot B, Matt M, Frank A

Also, I found an interesting definition of "post-industrial" that I thought might be helpful to students in all three sections. Go to ThoughtCo if this interests you and you want to read more.


A post-industrial society is a stage in a society's evolution when the economy shifts from producing and providing goods and products to one that mainly offers services. A manufacturing society is comprised of people working in construction, textiles, mills and production workers whereas, in the service sector, people work as teachers, doctors, lawyers, and retail workers. In a post-industrial society, technology, information, and services are more important than manufacturing actual goods.

Have a great weekend, everybody!

The Solution Project

The Solution Project has begun for the Honors sections. Primarily using the CIA World Factbook, plus other sites of your choosing, students will research a developing nation and a post-industrial nation, each of which comes with their own unique challenges. The task is to come up with a working solution to each country's most pressing problem. Here are the assignments:

Section 102:

Puerto Rico & Italy

• Caroline, Emily, Lizzie, Ramona, Joi

Somalia & Japan

• Lily, Sean, David, Nick, Christo

Cuba & Russia

• Sierra, Chloe, Madison, Meghan, Kenzie

Afghanistan & US

• George, Nora, Austin, Bridget 

Section 101: 

Colombia & Germany

• Sam D, Andrew C, Karlee H, Clare H, Laura H, 

Tanzania & Italy

• Gabby A, Brenna B, Dan G, Giada S

Yemen & Canada

• Reagan M, Charlotte P, Maddie R, Alex R

Viet Nam & Japan

• Izzy C, Aeowynn A, Ashley E, Brant O, Griffin S

in-class Population assignment

SuperHumanGeo and Honors 101: I will not be with you in class today. Here is your 10-point, in-class assignment.

1) You will search the CIA World Factbook to find five pieces of information that reflect our studies in Population and Migration. Try to stay away from trivial, unimportant factoids, and search out items that are significant and impactful. For each of these facts you will write a brief paragraph describing why you found this fact interesting and how it relates to work we are doing in class. 

2) Then, under the People and Society tab, find the population pyramids for five different countries. Based on the shape of each pyramid, make a prediction about whether that country's population will rise rapidly, rise slowly, or decline. Finally, check your prediction for accuracy using PopulationPyramid.net, or the "Population growth rate" statistic in the CIA World Factbook.  

All work is to be posted to your blog, and if you don't finish the work in class, it becomes tonight's homework, due before midnight tonight. Be productive, be good to your sub, and I hope to see you soon.

poor and sick vs. healthy and wealthy

According to the late, great Hans Rosling, things are looking up.

Professor Rosling gave us a unique visualization of population and income trends over the last 200 years, and he came to an optimistic conclusion. In his words, we have become "an entirely new, converging world," one where "everyone can make it to the healthy, wealthy corner."

Some of today's discussion centered on that assertion, with many of you agreeing that "aid, trade, green technology, and peace" will carry the day, with others noting the continued presence of war and the diminishing success of green technology making the future look less rosy.

In any case, I'm hoping that the concepts we are learning continue to spark thinking about the world you are inheriting from us.

more work with Population Pyramids

Today's sections took a close look at the TED-Ed video on Population Pyramids. I was very impressed during the class discussions how many terms you recognized from our previous lessons. 

New terms you will want to become familiar with include:

• Industrial Revolution
• Demographic Transition
• pre-reproductive ages
• reproductive ages
• post-reproductive ages
• pre-industrial
• industrial
• post-industrial

the end (of the first quarter) is near

The last day of the first quarter is Friday. Basically, all of the grades have been entered in Human Geo, with the exception of this week's and last week's blogs.

So far this week we have reviewed the most recent test (on Population and Settlement/Migration) and begun looking at Population Pyramids. For your convenience, I have posted links (found to the right) to PopulationPyramid.net, and to a great TED-ED presentation on population pyramids. Feel free to check them out at your leisure.

test tomorrow!

Tomorrow's test on Population and Migration is quite ace-able. What do you need to do to be successful on the test?

• Get familiar with navigating the CIA World Factbook. A good strategy might be to re-do the 21 questions from earlier this week and see how quickly you can do them.
• Bring a fully charged computer. You will have 20 minutes to look up 12 questions. That should be enough time, but not if you only have 5% battery life. Be ready!
• Know the terms we have been discussing in class. The Population and Settlement slideshow is posted just to the right of this post. Click it and review it.
• Be ready to do some math, which means you need to know the formulas for calculating Net Migration Rate and Rate of Natural Increase.
• Know the concept behind pull forces and push forces, and be ready to apply that to different nations.

Thorough preparation, as detailed above, will help you succeed on this 100-point test!

working with the CIA today

In class today the Honors sections used the CIA World Factbook to explore our world.

It is hoped that this exercise made you familiar with navigating the Factbook website. There is an amazing variety of information there, but it helps to know where you are looking.

I would also hope that you were able to make some connections between the terms and concepts we have been learning in class and the way things actually are in the real world.

in class exercise with the CIA World Factbook

This exercise is meant to get you familiar with the CIA World Factbook. Answer each question in a complete sentence. For example: "The population of the United States is 329,256,465." Enter the answers in your blog.

ONLY use the CIA World Factbook to answer these questions.

This exercise should be completed for homework if you do not finish in class. It also counts as tonight's blog assignment. Have fun!

1. What is the population of China, and of India? 

2. What is the Total Fertility Rate in Japan?

3. What is the death rate in El Salvador?
4. What percentage of the French identify “none” as their religion? Is this statistic verifiable, and why?
5. What percentage of Mexicans identify themselves as Roman Catholic?
6. What is the GDP - per capita (PPP) in the United States?
7. What is the GDP - per capita (PPP) in Nigeria?
8. What is the GDP - per capita (PPP) in Luxembourg?

9. What percentage of the United States’ population are Internet users?

10. What is the number of airports in Russia, and in the United States?

11. How many people in the world do not have electricity?

12. What is the Infant Mortality Rate in Canada, Cuba, and the United States? 
13. What is the literacy rate - total, for men, and for women - in Afghanistan?
14. What three countries have the highest life expectancy?
15. What three countries have the lowest life expectancy?
16. What nation has the sixteenth highest Net Migration Rate?
17. What is the unemployment rate in Vietnam, South Korea, the United States, India and Kenya?
18. Military Expenditures are listed by the percentage of each nation's GDP spent on defense.

What percentage is spent by Germany, China, and the United States?

19. What three countries produce the most crude oil, and how much do they produce?

20. What three countries import the most crude oil, and how much do they import?

21. What percentage of the world’s people speak Spanish? Chinese? English?

test coming soon

An important announcement for all of you (at least the ones who read my blog...):

We will test on Population and Settlement (Migration) next Friday, October 25.

The test will cover our discussions of birth and death rates, RNI, immigration and emigration, mortality rates, and the other terms posted on my blog of October 17.  The test will also include use of the CIA World Factbook, which we will cover in class next week. So if you want to get a jump on that part of the test, I recommend going to the CIA World Factbook and getting familiar with the site, especially the People and Society section.

important terms and concepts

Want to know what important terms will be on the next test? Here's a few!

Crude Death Rate     Total Fertility Rate      Crude Birth Rate 

Unemployment Rate Net Migration Rate Population Growth Rate

Infant Mortality Rate    Maternal Mortality Rate   Rate of Natural Increase

Life Expectancy     GDP Per Capita     Population Pyramid

Life Expectancy

After a big three-day weekend, the two Honors sections met today. The topic of the discussion was Life Expectancy, the average number of years to be lived by a group of people born in the same year. The "born in the same year" part is important, as we spent some class time comparing Americans born in the late 1950s (me) with those born in 2004 or 2005 (all of you). Factors that are contributing to a longer life expectancy include improvements in medicine (such as the widespread use of vaccines) and a reduction in the consumption of cigarettes. Shorter life expectancies may be attributed to the popularity of processed foods and fast-foods, along with the current use of vaping with a new generation.

Don't forget: no classes tomorrow, since you will be taking your PSAT tests Wednesday morning.

the new unit begins

In studying population and settlement, we will be taking the geographic and map skills we have learned so far, and applying them to real-world situations, problems, and challenges.

Terms you will want to be familiar with include:

• life expectancy
• birth rate
• death rate
• Rate of Natural Increase (RNI)
• infant mortality rate
• immigrant
• emigrant
• Net Migration Rate
• Total Fertility Rate (TFR)
• push forces
• pull forces

And, as always, there will be the Key Issues to consider:

• Where is the world's population distributed?
• Why is global population increasing?
• Why does population growth vary among regions?
• Why do some nations face health threats?

Spirit Week rolls on...

The halls were filled with babies, toddlers, old folks, and everything in between today. There really is nothing like Spirit Week at John Carroll.

There's nothing like reviewing tests in Human Geography, either. Today we went over the map test, covering latitude and longitude coordinates, time zones, and (dramatic pause) absolute and relative locations. That topic got one of the classes pretty fired up, and a terrific discussion ensued. This necessitated an adjustment on my part, resulting in a change to your grade. Tomorrow (Friday) when we are back in school I will adjust your grades in Veracross, giving you credit for two more correct responses. Also tomorrow, I will return and review tests with Honors 102.

After that, it is on to Population and Settlement in earnest. See you soon!

five weeks down, around thirty to go...

Time flies when you're having fun!


Today's class featured a spirited debate in Honors 102 over the advantages and disadvantages of using the current time zone system, versus replacing it with Universal Time. Some eloquently stated arguments were presented on both sides!


SuperHumanGeo had a very brief assessment/review of latitude & longitude & time zones & site & situation, all to prepare for Monday's test on this material. (The Honors sections will test on Tuesday.)

Have a great weekend, and we will see you next week for Spirit Week!

more student-authored test questions

Our SuperHumanGeo class met today, and spent class time submitting possible test questions for next Monday's test, covering everything from site and situation to latitude and longitude and time zones. They also got their map quizzes back, with lots of smiles to go around (nice work!).

Honors 101 reviewed their contributions to the next test. Then we performed a timed assessment to get even more prepared for the real thing next Monday.

Honors 102 did not meet today, but I am posting the Speech and Communication Rubric in the Links for Learning sidebar for your review as you prepare for Friday's class debate.

student-led test building, and preparing for a time zone debate

Two sections met today, engaging in somewhat different activities.

Honors 101 submitted possible test questions for the next assessment, covering everything from site and situation to latitude and longitude and time zones.

Honors 102, fresh off Tuesday's salty discussion about abolishing time zones, began to research the two sides of this debate: should the world continue to use the time zone system, or has the time come to get rid of this complicated fiasco and switch to "Universal Time"?

quizzes and time zones

Overall, all three sections did well on today's map quiz. Results were posted on Veracross right after school (in record time, I might add) in case you want to see how you did. The test was taken AFTER grades were downloaded at 8:30 this morning, so they did not impact the MQRs.

As I post this blog, it's 9:30 pm in Harford County, and 2:30 am Wednesday in Greenwich, England. Time for all of us to get some sleep!

quiz tomorrow

As we discussed in class, all three sections will take a map quiz on Tuesday. You will be identifying countries on a map of North and Central America, and on a map of South America. The maps are the same as the ones we worked on in class last week.  A quiz on paper is different than a test online, so be prepared!

Also, I gave some incorrect information in the SuperHumanGeo class today: the grade for this quiz will NOT be included on the MQR (MidQuarter Report). All your grades will be downloaded at 8:30am Tuesday morning, and obviously that will NOT include this quiz. Sorry for any confusion.

grids

Today's PPt presentation covers terms and concepts that include:

• absolute location
• relative location
• parallels
• meridians
• latitude
• longitude
• equator
• Prime Meridian
• and more!

Also, be prepared for a series of quizzes - and a test - that will come next week. More info on that in class. Spending a little time studying this weekend will pay dividends in the near future!

mapping, site, and situation

In class today we took a more detailed look at how geographers describe where things are located (our key question).

Honors 101 and 102 studied site which is the physical character of a place. You should look at my blog posting from yesterday to see what you should focus on in your blog.

SuperHumanGeo moved on from site to situation, which is the location of a place relative to other places. Your blog tonight should pertain to our coverage of situation (see my blog from yesterday for details on situation).

Site and Situation

Read the following material on Site and Situation, and take thorough notes in your blog. Think about what characteristics make your own home a unique site, and include your thoughts in your blog. What you don't complete in class is tonight's homework.


Site 
Site is the physical character of a place. Important site characteristics include climate, water sources, topography, soil, vegetation, latitude, and elevation. The combination of physical features gives each place a distinctive character. Site factors have always been essential in selecting locations for settlements, although people have disagreed on the attributes of a good site, depending on cultural values. Some have preferred a hilltop site for easy defense from attack. Others located settlements near convenient river-crossing points to facilitate communication with people in other places. Humans have the ability to modify the characteristics of a site. The southern portion of New York City’s Manhattan Island is twice as large today as it was in 1626, when Peter Minuit bought the island from its native inhabitants for the equivalent of $23.75 worth of Dutch gold and silver coins. Manhattan’s additional land area was created by filling in portions of the East River and the Hudson River. In the eighteenth century, landfills were created by sinking old ships and dumping refuse on top of them. More recently, New York City permitted construction of Battery Park City, a 57-hectare (142-acre) site designed to house more than 20,000 residents and 30,000 office workers. The central areas of Boston and Tokyo have also been expanded through centuries of land filling in nearby bays, substantially changing these sites. 

Situation

Situation is the location of a place relative to other places. Situation is a valuable way to indicate location, for two reasons— finding an unfamiliar place and understanding its importance. First, situation helps us find an unfamiliar place by comparing its location with a familiar one. We give directions to people by referring to the situation of a place: “It’s down past the courthouse, on Locust Street, after the third traffic light, beside the yellow-brick bank.” We identify important buildings, streets, and other landmarks to direct people to the desired location. Second, situation helps us understand the importance of a location. Many locations are important because they are accessible to other places. For example, because of its situation, Singapore has become a center for the trading and distribution of goods for much of Southeast Asia. Singapore is situated near the Strait of Malacca, which is the major passageway for ships traveling between the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean. Some 50,000 vessels, one fourth of the world’s maritime trade, pass through the strait each year.

Honors 102 worked on their maps of North, Central, and South America in class. Plus they practiced with them on the freerice.com website!

discovering our neighbors here in the Western Hemisphere

Honors 101 section: I will not be in class with you this morning. Here is your in-class assignment:

• Working in pairs, your challenge is to identify all the countries on maps of North America and South America. 
• In order to make your brain learn the locations of these nations - and to make it more fun - you may not use a map while working.
• The more times you try, the better you will get. 
• The goal is to get all the countries identified in less than three minutes with a success rate of 80% or higher. 
• Once you achieve that goal, take screenshots of each map and post them to your blog.
• Posting both screenshots will count as your blog for today!
• Here are the maps: North and Central America Map Quiz Game and South America Map Quiz Game.
• Have fun and do good work!

SuperHumanGeo: You worked on the same assignment in class today. Nice job!

two-dimensional models of our three-dimensional world

This week, we took a look at two different kinds of maps: the Peters Projection and the Mercator.

This was to get you really looking at maps, especially maps which were very familiar to you.

Cartographers (those involved in the art and science of making maps) are very important to us as we study Human Geography.

Next week we will be taking a closer look at maps, with an eye toward answers these Key Questions: How do geographers describe where things are?, and Why is each point on Earth unique? 

I'm looking forward to meeting your parents tonight, I hope you enjoy tomorrow's Freshman Retreat, and I hope we ALL have a great weekend!

Shadows, Maps, and a Toad

Upon my arrival early this morning I discovered a toad had snuck into our classroom. I introduced myself to him and had a very pleasant conversation with our visitor. I found out we had a lot in common; for example, we're both into hip hop. After meeting the Honors 101 section, I sent Jay-T hopping out the window into the grass.

As we start to get shadows visiting our school, remember Jay-T the toad, and be sure to talk to our visitors and get to know them.

As for the work we accomplished today...

• Honors 101 and 102 spent their class time today researching the difference between Peters Projection maps and the traditional Mercator map. Students were allowed to research at will, referring to the wall maps in the classroom, and reviewing the clip we watched in class (which is linked to the right of this post).
• SuperHumanGeo students reviewed the test on excellence.

Mercator VS. Peters

The Superhuman section spent their class time today researching the difference between Peters Projection maps and the traditional Mercator map. Students were allowed to research at will, referring to the wall maps in the classroom, and reviewing the clip we watched in class today (which is linked to the right of this post).

Honors 102 will be watching the West Wing clip for the first time, and getting an initial look at the difference between these two maps.

Also, all sections should be checking their blogs to make sure they are on Eastern Standard time, and correcting their header titles (if necessary).

beginning cartography: the study of maps

Our "unit" on Elbert Hubbard, initiative, the ancient Greeks, Socrates, and excellence in general, is very nearly at an end. All that remains is for the last few students to take the test, and I will return and review them in class.


Next up: studying maps, also known as the science of cartography. No better way to establish a solid foundation in geography.

Why maps? Well, maps build on the premise that reality can be modeled in ways that communicate spatial information effectively.

(And yes, I will translate that premise in class.)

more excellence

Our studies of excellence, especially as demonstrated by the ancient Greeks, continues. Remember, these are the people who invented democracy, who revolutionized philosophy, and set an example for humanity that is worth emulating even today. They weren't perfect, but they got an awful lot right. If we seem to be spending a lot of time on Socrates, well, there are good reasons for that. He is considered a hero of the intellect. He certainly stood up for what he believed in, and refused to recant his beliefs, even when faced with a brutal death. His was a life well-lived, even if the end was not the peaceful conclusion he deserved. I hope it seems obvious why we are spending so much time and effort studying concepts like arete, and people like Socrates, as you begin your high school journey. You are at the perfect age to begin laying down a terrific foundation for the person you will become. After all, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”