Monday, September 14, 2009

WH 2: Grading

Grading:


Quarter Grades


60% = Tests & Papers


The format may include a variety of question types such as multiple choice & free response questions. You must be able to apply the information from lecture notes, visual materials, and assignments (reading & written). Class materials should be reviewed on a nightly basis. Tests will be announced and posted in advance of the test date.


Papers will be assigned periodically and they will count as test grades.


25% = Assignments (class work & homework)


You will be required to complete readings and answer content related questions, define terms, solve problems, write papers, perform projects, and participate in class. It is your responsibility to keep up with the work load in this class and to ensure that all assignments are completed and submitted on the assigned due date. Assignments will be posted by their due dates.


All assignments that are collected and graded will be checked for complete, fully detailed, and accurate answers.


Reading Assignments: you will be assigned reading to cover in preparation for discussion of the material in class. You must complete the reading by the assigned due date. You should be prepared for a quiz on the terms and reading material at any time; the quiz may or may not be announced.


Reading Questions & Terms: To complete these assignments, you must use the information from the reading to answer the questions and define the terms to post on the Shanawiki page.


Class Activities: we will cover activities, simulations, and other work during the school year. At the conclusion of these activities, or in-class lessons, you may be required to complete review questions or answer questions. If you are absent on a simulation day, you will be expected to make up the simulation in order to earn a grade for the follow up assignment; failure to make up the assignment will result in a zero.

Format for typed assignments (or emailed)

Heading:

Include your name, period, title of the assignment, WH 2, and due date

15% = Quizzes (announced & unannounced)

Quizzes will check your comprehension of smaller portions of class content. The format will vary. Questions will require you to demonstrate comprehension of class notes, facts from video presentations, class simulations or lesson plans, reading and written assignments. Some questions will make you apply the material learned and use the facts to solve problems. They can be announced or unannounced.

Semester Grade

40% of each quarter grade and 20% of the semester exam grade

Final Year Grade

Average of the first and second semester grades.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

WH 2: 15 September 2009

Prayer


Current Events


"Congressional Democrats Consider Parting With Obama on Afghanistan;" Obama has already committed 21,000 more troops to Afghanistan and he considering an escalation of 4,000 more troops. Some organizations are asking Americans to "Rethink Afghanistan."




Review:


You should be acquainted with our Shanawiki page:
(http://shanawiki.wikispaces.com/) and know how to anonymously post.


I reviewed the textbook situation and HW; and, Grading:


Quarter Grades


60% = Tests & Papers


25% = Assignments (class work & homework)


15% = Quizzes (announced & unannounced)


Semester Grade


40% of each quarter grade and 20% of the semester exam grade


Final Year Grade


Average of the first and second semester grades.


Lecture:


Section 1 The Scientific Revolution


Lecture material on The Scientific Revolution.


What information did you find for the HW questions on Adam Smith, Galen, or other historical figures in Chapter 10?


I made some references and I have "show and tell" material.


LibraryThing:
Galen


Works on Adam Smith:


Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations, Penguin edition.


Smith, An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (Harvard Classics)


Economics Explained: Everything You Need to Know About How the Economy, Robert L. Heilbroner


Descartes:


Discourse on Method and Related Writings (Penguin Classics), Rene Descartes


Who can summarize the iTunes podcast about "Adam Smith on the British North American Colonies," by Thayer Watkins of San Jose State University


Next, we will consider: WH 2: "Changing Views of the Universe" (After the Scientific Revolution).
HW


1. Why was Copernicus’s theory seen as radical?
2. Define contradict.
3. What basic biographical details can you find out about revolutionary thinkers Bacon and Descartes?

AP Economics: 14 September 2009

Prayer


Current events: US tyre duties spark clash between China and the U.S. as Obama decided to impose a new duty of 35% on Chinese tyre imports in addition to the existing 4% tariff.


Obama is attempting an economic measure known as protectionism. The idea is to protect domestic production against foreign products. According to the Foundation for Teaching Economics, they state:


Despite resultant harm to consumers and other users of protected products that outweighs benefits to protected industries, these trade barriers remain politically viable because of stronger incentives for political action by concentrated interest groups than by individual citizens.


In this instance, Obama is appealing to a political base of his, the concentrated support of labor unions.


A recent related article describes "The Five Financial Shockwaves to Expect When China’s Yuan Swaps Places with the U.S. Dollar."


Review:


Grading:


Quarter Grades


60% = Tests & Papers


The format, multiple choice & free response questions, will be similar to the AP Macroeconomics exam you will take in May. You must be able to apply the information from lecture notes, visual materials, and assignments (reading & written). Class materials should be reviewed on a nightly basis. Tests will be announced and posted in advance of the test date.


Papers will be assigned periodically and they will count as test grades. Each quarter you will submit an Article Analysis Report; it will count as a test grade.

25% = Assignments (class work & homework)

Since this course is modeled after a college course, you will be required to complete readings and answer content related questions, define terms, solve problems, write papers, perform projects, and participate in class simulation exercises. It is your responsibility to keep up with the work load in this class and to ensure that all assignments are completed and submitted on the assigned due date. Assignments will be posted by their due dates.

All assignments that are collected and graded will be checked for complete, fully detailed, and accurate answers.

Reading Assignments: you will be assigned reading to cover in preparation for discussion of the material in class. You must complete the reading by the assigned due date. You should be prepared for a quiz on the terms and reading material at any time; the quiz may or may not be announced.

Reading Questions & Terms: To complete these assignments, you must use the information from the reading to answer the questions and define the terms to post on the AP Economics Shanawiki page.

Practice Problems: All practice problems will be completed on the worksheets or loose leaf paper in blue or black ink; write out all formulas, show all work, and properly label all graphs. No graph paper or computer generated graphs will be accepted; draw all graphs on loose leaf paper.

Class Simulations: we will complete some class simulations during the school year. At the conclusion of these activities, or in-class lessons, you may be required to complete review questions or answer questions. If you are absent on a simulation day, you will be expected to make up the simulation in order to earn a grade for the follow up assignment; failure to make up the assignment will result in a zero.

Format for typed assignments (or emailed)

Heading:

Include your name, period, title of the assignment, AP Macro, and due date

15% = Quizzes (announced & unannounced)

Quizzes will check your comprehension of smaller portions of class content. The format will vary. Questions will require you to demonstrate comprehension of class notes, facts from video presentations, class simulations or lesson plans, reading and written assignments. Some questions will make you apply the material learned and use the facts to solve problems. They can be announced or unannounced.

Semester Grade

40% of each quarter grade and 20% of the semester exam grade

Final Year Grade

Average of the first and second semester grades.


Email procedure:


Email the introduction directly to me at: gmsmith@shanahan.org; never post personal information online. Never use any other email other than the shanahan.org address.


Who got a chance to view the "Broken Window Fallacy?"


Discussion: What is your reaction?


In-class new material: "The Story of Money," and, "The Story of Inflation" (hand-outs).


If not covered in class review the following material.


Material on scarcity is available online, e.g., on scarcity:


http://www.fte.org/teachers/programs/rightstart/curriculum/scarcityandopportunitycost.html


HW


1. Post the definitions (first come, first serve) on the back of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's hand-outs "The Story of Money," and, answer the five (5) questions on "The Story of Inflation" on "The Story of Money and Inflation" Shanawiki page.


The five questions for "Inflation" are:
a. How is inflation defined?
b. What causes inflation?
c. What are the effects of inflation on individuals and the economy?
d. How is inflation measured?
e. How can inflation be prevented?


Anyone can add to the definitions, add to the materials already listed, or ask questions as well.


2. From the material on scarcity, at:


http://www.fte.org/teachers/programs/rightstart/curriculum/scarcityandopportunitycost.html


print out and bring to class your own copy of "Identifying Needs," "Identifying Needs – Again," and "ADAM and EVE: In the beginning there was a production possibility frontier."


We will be answering questions such as:

What could you be doing instead of being here for this session? (List your alternatives)


What is your opportunity cost for being here for the next hour?


How do economists use the concept of opportunity cost to explain a person making a mistake?


What is the Opportunity Cost for a high school student to study one hour for Economics?

WH 2: 14 September 2009

Prayer


Current events


At least 1.5 million and perhaps as many as 2 million people marched on Washington, D.C. on Saturday. To put the number in historical perspective, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "March on Washington" was estimated at 250,000 people.




Review:


To use the Shanawiki page:
(http://shanawiki.wikispaces.com/) effectively, you need to know how to anonymously post.


You post using a random three-digit number. For example, a student in first period, who sits in the first row, in the first seat, is #111. A student in the 7th Period, who sits in the seventh row, in the seventh seat, is #777. Each student then can determine their unique, anonymous, randomly assigned three-digit number. The number order is period first, row second, and then, your seat within the row.

N.B.: you should never post any personal information online, there should be nothing online that really identifies your actual name, address, or any other personal information. The randomly assigned three-digit number keeps you anonymous online.


Other housekeeping matters are to update the textbook situation and HW.


Grading:


Quarter Grades


60% = Tests & Papers


The format may include a variety of question types such as multiple choice & free response questions. You must be able to apply the information from lecture notes, visual materials, and assignments (reading & written). Class materials should be reviewed on a nightly basis. Tests will be announced and posted in advance of the test date.


Papers will be assigned periodically and they will count as test grades.


25% = Assignments (class work & homework)


You will be required to complete readings and answer content related questions, define terms, solve problems, write papers, perform projects, and participate in class. It is your responsibility to keep up with the work load in this class and to ensure that all assignments are completed and submitted on the assigned due date. Assignments will be posted by their due dates.


All assignments that are collected and graded will be checked for complete, fully detailed, and accurate answers.


Reading Assignments: you will be assigned reading to cover in preparation for discussion of the material in class. You must complete the reading by the assigned due date. You should be prepared for a quiz on the terms and reading material at any time; the quiz may or may not be announced.


Reading Questions & Terms: To complete these assignments, you must use the information from the reading to answer the questions and define the terms to post on the Shanawiki page.


Class Activities: we will cover activities, simulations, and other work during the school year. At the conclusion of these activities, or in-class lessons, you may be required to complete review questions or answer questions. If you are absent on a simulation day, you will be expected to make up the simulation in order to earn a grade for the follow up assignment; failure to make up the assignment will result in a zero.

Format for typed assignments (or emailed)

Heading:

Include your name, period, title of the assignment, WH 2, and due date

15% = Quizzes (announced & unannounced)

Quizzes will check your comprehension of smaller portions of class content. The format will vary. Questions will require you to demonstrate comprehension of class notes, facts from video presentations, class simulations or lesson plans, reading and written assignments. Some questions will make you apply the material learned and use the facts to solve problems. They can be announced or unannounced.

Semester Grade

40% of each quarter grade and 20% of the semester exam grade

Final Year Grade

Average of the first and second semester grades.


Lecture:


Section 1 The Scientific Revolution
Sixteenth-century Europeans began to question the scientific assumptions of the ancient authorities and to develop new theories about the universe. Nicholas Copernicus, Johannes Kepler, and Galileo Galilei revolutionized astronomy. Copernicus claimed that the sun, not the earth, was at the center of the universe—an idea considered heresy by the Catholic Church. Equally revolutionary were Isaac Newton's explanations of gravity and the movement of the planets. There were breakthroughs in medicine and chemistry, and numerous women contributed to the body of scientific research. The new view of the universe affected Western philosophy. The Frenchman Rene Descartes, the first rationalist, declared that matter could be independently investigated by reason. Francis Bacon, an English philosopher, developed the scientific method—a system for collecting and analyzing evidence.


Lecture material on (Pearson 13.5) The Scientific Revolution.


HW

1. In the textbook (but as I stated, everyone does not have a text, thus, we will-also cover this material in class for everyone), answer p. 299 #6-9.


2. Research on LibraryThing and report the bibliographical information or any material you can find on Adam Smith, Galen, or other historical figures in Chapter 10.


Extra work: Cf. On iTunes, you can download "Adam Smith on the British North American Colonies," by Thayer Watkins of San Jose State University, and summarize his lecture in a two-minute presentation.

AP Economics: The Circular Flow of Money

Friday, September 11, 2009

WH 2: Clarify the Textbook Situation and HW

At this point, everyone does not have a physical, hard copy textbook since we are awaiting books.

In the meantime, we are beginning with The Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment, where at least a Chapter Overview is available online.

The Overview states:

Chapter 10: Revolution and Enlightenment, 1550–1800

The The Scientific Revolution gave rise to a intellectual movement—the Enlightenment. Enlightenment thought provided the philosophical foundations for the American Revolution. Britain lost its colonies in North America to the newly formed United States, while Spain and Portugal held onto their profitable Latin American colonies.

Section 1 The Scientific Revolution
Sixteenth-century Europeans began to question the scientific assumptions of the ancient authorities and to develop new theories about the universe. Nicholas Copernicus, Johannes Kepler, and Galileo Galilei revolutionized astronomy. Copernicus claimed that the sun, not the earth, was at the center of the universe—an idea considered heresy by the Catholic Church. Equally revolutionary were Isaac Newton's explanations of gravity and the movement of the planets. There were breakthroughs in medicine and chemistry, and numerous women contributed to the body of scientific research. The new view of the universe affected Western philosophy. The Frenchman Rene Descartes, the first rationalist, declared that matter could be independently investigated by reason. Francis Bacon, an English philosopher, developed the scientific method—a system for collecting and analyzing evidence.

Section 2 The Enlightenment
The The Scientific Revolution gave rise to the Enlightenment, an eighteenth-century movement that stressed the role of philosophy and reason in improving society. Enlightenment intellectuals, known as philosophes, were chiefly social reformers from the nobility and the middle class. They often met in the salons of the upper classes to discuss the ideas of such giants as Montesquieu, Voltaire, and Diderot. In the economic sphere, Adam Smith put forth the doctrine of laissez-faire economics. The later Enlightenment produced social thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau and an early advocate of women's rights, Mary Wollstonecraft. Salon gatherings, along with the growth of book and magazine publishing, helped spread Enlightenment ideas among a broad audience. Most Europeans were still Christians. However, the desire for a more spiritual experience inspired new religious movements, such as the Methodism of John Wesley.

Section 3 The Impact of the Enlightenment
The Enlightenment influenced both art and politics. The baroque and neoclassical styles of art endured, while a more delicate style, called rococo, emerged. The works of Bach, Handel, Haydn, and Mozart represented one of the greatest periods in European music. Novels attracted a middle-class audience. The Enlightenment interested the absolutist rulers of Europe. However, only one, Joseph II of Austria, attempted far-reaching reforms based on Enlightenment ideas; they were largely a failure. The reforms of Catherine the Great of Russia and Frederick the Great of Prussia were far more limited. Territorial disputes in Europe and in the colonial empires of Britain and France produced the War of Austrian Succession, followed by the Seven Years' War. In the end, France lost India and most of North America, and Britain emerged as the world's greatest colonial power.

Section 4 Colonial Empires and the American Revolution
In the sixteenth century, Portugal came to control Brazil, while Spain established an empire in the Western Hemisphere that included parts of North America and most of Latin America. Portugal and Spain held onto their Latin American colonies for over 300 years. During that time, they profited richly by exporting Latin American gold, silver, and other natural resources and farm products. Spanish and Portuguese officials and Christian missionaries played important roles in Latin American societies. In North America, British control over its colonies began to unravel over issues of taxation. Multiple crises led the Americans to declare their independence in 1776 and to fight Britain until its defeat in 1783. The Articles of Confederation that formed the United States were soon replaced with a Constitution, which created a stronger central government. The Bill of Rights added important freedoms derived from the natural rights expressed by the philosophes.


Since not everyone has a text, in class I have material to cover in a Lecture (Pearson 13.5) for everyone on The Scientific Revolution.

All students will have equal access in class to this material while we await textbooks.

If you do not have a physical textbook yet (see #1 and #5 below) there is absolutely no penalty for not doing this part of the HW. You will not be held accountable for this part.

As a group though, we can collaborate and assist one another. If you do happen to have a textbook, please feel free to answer #5 for others at our class wiki page.

There are Self-Check Quizzes (see #2 below) and some students may be able to answer these questions since, depending on the World History 1 class you took, you may have already covered this material. Take the Quiz as a diagnostic evaluation, with no penalty for wrong answers, and see how well you do.

HW

1. Read Chapter 10 Section 1 The Scientific Revolution

2. Do the Self-Check Quizzes as we get to them at the site below. For HW: Read Chapter 10: Revolution and Enlightenment, 1550-1800; then, answer the Quiz for this Section:

http://www.glencoe.com/qe/qe34mt.php?&st=899&pt=3&bk=27

Email your Quiz work to me.

3. On a first come, first serve basis, accurately define the Terms, People, and Places for Chapter 10 Section 1 The Scientific Revolution at our class wiki page:
http://shanawiki.wikispaces.com/

If you can add more information than you see posted please free to add to the discussion. Comments and questions on the material can be posted on the wiki page.

You post using a random three-digit number. For example, a student in first period, who sits in the first seat, in the first row, is #111. A student in the 7th Period, who sits in the seventh row, in the seventh seat, is #777. Each student then can determine their unique, anonymous, randomly assigned three-digit number.

N.B.: you should never post any personal information online, there should be nothing online that really identifies your actual name, address, or any other personal information. The randomly assigned three-digit number keeps you anonymous online.

4. Enter your email address on the blog spot page for updates as soon as there is a new post.

5. In the textbook, answer p. 299 #1-5.

6. Fill out the:
"Student Introduction" at:
http://gmicksmithsocialstudies.blogspot.com/2009/09/student-introduction.html

N.B.: This assignment should be emailed directly to me at gmsmith@shanahan.com; you should never post any personal information online.

WH 2: 11 September 2009

Review: class policies, textbooks, grading, syllabus, homework, Quadrant D,
Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment, contact info, web site resources,textbook site, LibraryThing, and GradeConnect.

Chapter 10: Revolution and Enlightenment, 1550–1800

The Scientific Revolution gave rise to a intellectual movement—the Enlightenment. Enlightenment thought provided the philosophical foundations for the American Revolution. Britain lost its colonies in North America to the newly formed United States, while Spain and Portugal held onto their profitable Latin American colonies.

Section 1 The Scientific Revolution
Sixteenth-century Europeans began to question the scientific assumptions of the ancient authorities and to develop new theories about the universe. Nicholas Copernicus, Johannes Kepler, and Galileo Galilei revolutionized astronomy. Copernicus claimed that the sun, not the earth, was at the center of the universe—an idea considered heresy by the Catholic Church. Equally revolutionary were Isaac Newton's explanations of gravity and the movement of the planets. There were breakthroughs in medicine and chemistry, and numerous women contributed to the body of scientific research. The new view of the universe affected Western philosophy. The Frenchman Rene Descartes, the first rationalist, declared that matter could be independently investigated by reason. Francis Bacon, an English philosopher, developed the scientific method—a system for collecting and analyzing evidence.

Section 2 The Enlightenment
The Scientific Revolution gave rise to the Enlightenment, an eighteenth-century movement that stressed the role of philosophy and reason in improving society. Enlightenment intellectuals, known as philosophes, were chiefly social reformers from the nobility and the middle class. They often met in the salons of the upper classes to discuss the ideas of such giants as Montesquieu, Voltaire, and Diderot. In the economic sphere, Adam Smith put forth the doctrine of laissez-faire economics. The later Enlightenment produced social thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau and an early advocate of women's rights, Mary Wollstonecraft. Salon gatherings, along with the growth of book and magazine publishing, helped spread Enlightenment ideas among a broad audience. Most Europeans were still Christians. However, the desire for a more spiritual experience inspired new religious movements, such as the Methodism of John Wesley.

Section 3 The Impact of the Enlightenment

The Enlightenment influenced both art and politics. The baroque and neoclassical styles of art endured, while a more delicate style, called rococo, emerged. The works of Bach, Handel, Haydn, and Mozart represented one of the greatest periods in European music. Novels attracted a middle-class audience. The Enlightenment interested the absolutist rulers of Europe. However, only one, Joseph II of Austria, attempted far-reaching reforms based on Enlightenment ideas; they were largely a failure. The reforms of Catherine the Great of Russia and Frederick the Great of Prussia were far more limited. Territorial disputes in Europe and in the colonial empires of Britain and France produced the War of Austrian Succession, followed by the Seven Years' War. In the end, France lost India and most of North America, and Britain emerged as the world's greatest colonial power.

Section 4 Colonial Empires and the American Revolution
In the sixteenth century, Portugal came to control Brazil, while Spain established an empire in the Western Hemisphere that included parts of North America and most of Latin America. Portugal and Spain held onto their Latin American colonies for over 300 years. During that time, they profited richly by exporting Latin American gold, silver, and other natural resources and farm products. Spanish and Portuguese officials and Christian missionaries played important roles in Latin American societies. In North America, British control over its colonies began to unravel over issues of taxation. Multiple crises led the Americans to declare their independence in 1776 and to fight Britain until its defeat in 1783. The Articles of Confederation that formed the United States were soon replaced with a Constitution, which created a stronger central government. The Bill of Rights added important freedoms derived from the natural rights expressed by the philosophes.

Lecture (Pearson 13.5) The Scientific Revolution:
http://www.pearsonsuccessnet.com/snpapp/iText/BrowseITEXTServlet?eventType=openIEXT&ISBNUrl=%2FiText%2Fproducts%2F0-13-133374-7%2Findex.html&ISBN=0-13-133374-7&ITEXTOID=0-13-133374-7&DisplayTitle=World+History+%C2%A92007%2C+Survey+Edition&TitleInFrame=Y&isbnUrlIsJavascript=false

HW
This is just to get us going but by Monday you should be finished with the following 6 items.

1. Read Chapter 10 Section 1 The Scientific Revolution

2. Do the Self-Check Quizzes as we get to them at the site below. For HW: Read Chapter 10: Revolution and Enlightenment, 1550-1800; then, answer the Quiz for this Section:

http://www.glencoe.com/qe/qe34mt.php?&st=899&pt=3&bk=27

Email your Quiz work to me.

3. On a first come, first serve basis, accurately define the Terms, People, and Places for Chapter 10 Section 1 The Scientific Revolution at our class wiki page:
http://shanawiki.wikispaces.com/

If you can add more information than you see posted please free to add to the discussion. Comments and questions on the material can be posted on the wiki page.

4. Enter your email address on the blog page for blog updates as soon as there is a new post.

5. In the textbook, answer p. 299 #1-5.

6. Fill out the:
"Student Introduction" at:
http://gmicksmithsocialstudies.blogspot.com/2009/09/student-introduction.html

Email address: gmsmith@shanahan.org

N.B.: This assignment should be emailed directly to me at gmsmith@shanahan.org; you should never post any personal information online.

AP Economics: 11 September 2009

Review from yesterday:

Class policies: textbooks, grading, syllabus, HW, email procedure, class participation, contact info, and web site resources:

wiki page:



Enter email address for blog updates as soon as there is a new post.

Fill out (if not already) the:
"Student Introduction" at:
http://gmicksmithsocialstudies.blogspot.com/2009/09/student-introduction.html

Email the introduction directly to me at: gmsmith@shanahan.org; never post personal information online.

Also, you may have heard about the "Broken Window Fallacy:" http://gmicksmithsocialstudies.blogspot.com/2009/08/ap-economics-broken-window-fallacy.html

In-class new material: "The Story of Money."

If not covered in class review the following material by Monday.

There are economic references on games that may be applicable:
Civilization IV incorporates economic theory and discussions for gamers: http://gmicksmithsocialstudies.blogspot.com/2009/08/ap-economics-civilization.html

As we have seen, class content and material is available online, e.g., on scarcity:
http://www.fte.org/teachers/programs/rightstart/curriculum/scarcityandopportunitycost.html

Scarcity will be our first in-class lesson.

Wednesday, September 09, 2009

WH 2 Intro: Housekeeping

Intro and housekeeping matters.

Class policies follow the Student Handbook.

Textbooks:
Textbooks are on hold because of the current budget constraints. Room #212 should have enough (on the back right shelf); #206 does not. We will make do until new books are in; we are awaiting their arrival. In the meantime, I have material online and will supply work that can be done in-class.

Grading:
Grading is a point-based system and assignments are weighted. Essentially, a points system will decide your grade. Every assignment, project, quiz, or test has a point value weighted appropriately.

The Grade syllabus will also be available through GradeConnect. Grading is based on Quizzes, tests, chapter/unit exams, and other participatory work such as projects, presentations, and writing assignments. Quizzes are smaller exams and unannounced; Tests are always scheduled, announced well in advance, and worth more points.

Homework is daily and due the next day barring absence, and with your absence, HW is due the day you return. HW is posted and available online even when you are absent.

Emailed HW might be best since I am not tethered to a specific room and you can send it directly to me. I am connected online most of the time so I generally will be available.

Class participation includes debate, discussion, active building, games, and projects of various sorts, details will be provided as we come to these more detailed assignments.


I am a Quadrant D teacher


We begin with Core or Foundational learning, the teacher performs Modeling; at these two stages, the teacher is more active; then the student engages themselves more in a Stretch or rigorous learning; finally, a student should arrive at Application.

How do I know when Quadrant D is achieved?

Quadrant D has arrived when you can apply yourself to real world, unpredictable situations. In particular, they are characterized by action verbs such as to evaluate, formulate, justify, rate, recommend, infer, prioritize, revise, predict, argue, and conclude.

In short, this is the world we are living in currently. It is an exciting time to be studying history.

We begin with other game-changing periods.


Course material:

We will begin with the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment; we will finish with the contemporary world.

Contact info:
Twitter: gmicksmith@twitter.com
gmsmith@shanahan.com
Shanahan: 610.518.1300 x4281
For AP Economics and World History 2:
http://gmicksmithsocialstudies.blogspot.com/
For World History 2:
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/socialstudies/worldhistory/gwhmt2003/index.php4
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/gmicksmith
GradeConnect

Chapter 10: Revolution and Enlightenment, 1550–1800

The Scientific Revolution gave rise to a intellectual movement—the Enlightenment. Enlightenment thought provided the philosophical foundations for the American Revolution. Britain lost its colonies in North America to the newly formed United States, while Spain and Portugal held onto their profitable Latin American colonies.

Section 1 The Scientific Revolution
Sixteenth-century Europeans began to question the scientific assumptions of the ancient authorities and to develop new theories about the universe. Nicholas Copernicus, Johannes Kepler, and Galileo Galilei revolutionized astronomy. Copernicus claimed that the sun, not the earth, was at the center of the universe—an idea considered heresy by the Catholic Church. Equally revolutionary were Isaac Newton's explanations of gravity and the movement of the planets. There were breakthroughs in medicine and chemistry, and numerous women contributed to the body of scientific research. The new view of the universe affected Western philosophy. The Frenchman Rene Descartes, the first rationalist, declared that matter could be independently investigated by reason. Francis Bacon, an English philosopher, developed the scientific method—a system for collecting and analyzing evidence.

Section 2 The Enlightenment
The Scientific Revolution gave rise to the Enlightenment, an eighteenth-century movement that stressed the role of philosophy and reason in improving society. Enlightenment intellectuals, known as philosophes, were chiefly social reformers from the nobility and the middle class. They often met in the salons of the upper classes to discuss the ideas of such giants as Montesquieu, Voltaire, and Diderot. In the economic sphere, Adam Smith put forth the doctrine of laissez-faire economics. The later Enlightenment produced social thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau and an early advocate of women's rights, Mary Wollstonecraft. Salon gatherings, along with the growth of book and magazine publishing, helped spread Enlightenment ideas among a broad audience. Most Europeans were still Christians. However, the desire for a more spiritual experience inspired new religious movements, such as the Methodism of John Wesley.

Section 3 The Impact of the Enlightenment
The Enlightenment influenced both art and politics. The baroque and neoclassical styles of art endured, while a more delicate style, called rococo, emerged. The works of Bach, Handel, Haydn, and Mozart represented one of the greatest periods in European music. Novels attracted a middle-class audience. The Enlightenment interested the absolutist rulers of Europe. However, only one, Joseph II of Austria, attempted far-reaching reforms based on Enlightenment ideas; they were largely a failure. The reforms of Catherine the Great of Russia and Frederick the Great of Prussia were far more limited. Territorial disputes in Europe and in the colonial empires of Britain and France produced the War of Austrian Succession, followed by the Seven Years' War. In the end, France lost India and most of North America, and Britain emerged as the world's greatest colonial power.

Section 4 Colonial Empires and the American Revolution
In the sixteenth century, Portugal came to control Brazil, while Spain established an empire in the Western Hemisphere that included parts of North America and most of Latin America. Portugal and Spain held onto their Latin American colonies for over 300 years. During that time, they profited richly by exporting Latin American gold, silver, and other natural resources and farm products. Spanish and Portuguese officials and Christian missionaries played important roles in Latin American societies. In North America, British control over its colonies began to unravel over issues of taxation. Multiple crises led the Americans to declare their independence in 1776 and to fight Britain until its defeat in 1783. The Articles of Confederation that formed the United States were soon replaced with a Constitution, which created a stronger central government. The Bill of Rights added important freedoms derived from the natural rights expressed by the philosophes.

Lecture (Pearson 13.5) The Scientific Revolution:
http://www.pearsonsuccessnet.com/snpapp/iText/BrowseITEXTServlet?eventType=openIEXT&ISBNUrl=%2FiText%2Fproducts%2F0-13-133374-7%2Findex.html&ISBN=0-13-133374-7&ITEXTOID=0-13-133374-7&DisplayTitle=World+History+%C2%A92007%2C+Survey+Edition&TitleInFrame=Y&isbnUrlIsJavascript=false

HW
This is just to get us going but by Monday you should be finished with the following 6 items.

1. Read Chapter 10 Section 1 The Scientific Revolution

2. Do the Self-Check Quizzes as we get to them at the site below. For HW: Read Chapter 10: Revolution and Enlightenment, 1550-1800; then, answer the Quiz for this Section:

http://www.glencoe.com/qe/qe34mt.php?&st=899&pt=3&bk=27

Email your Quiz work to me.

3. On a first come, first serve basis, accurately define the Terms, People, and Places for Chapter 10 Section 1 The Scientific Revolution at:
http://shanawiki.wikispaces.com/

If you can add more information than you see posted please free to add to the discussion. Comments and questions on the material can be posted on the wiki page.

4. Enter your email address on the blog page for blog updates as soon as there is a new post.

5. In the textbook, answer p. 299 #1-5.

6. Fill out the:
"Student Introduction" at:
http://gmicksmithsocialstudies.blogspot.com/2009/09/student-introduction.html

Email this response to me privately at gmsmith@shanahan.org; never post any personal information online.

Student Introduction: email privately to me

Name:

Grade:

Course:

Period:

Email:

Parent/s Name/s:

Parent/s email:

Related courses taken: AP Micro, World History 1, or, World History 1 Honors, etc.:

How many of your high school teachers have used the Internet most of the time or often?


In what subject? Social Studies, Math, Science, etc.


How many of your high school teachers have used wiki pages?


How many of your high school teachers have used podcasts?


What are your Career/College plans? What colleges do you plan to apply to? What major or interest do you have?


What do you want to learn in this course?





What other interest, fun fact, or memorable factoid should I know about you?

Email your response directly to me at gmsmith@shanahan.org; never post any personal information online.

AP Economics: Intro Housekeeping

Intro and housekeeping matters.

Class policies follow the Student Handbook.

Textbooks:
Textbooks you should already have. I will not be covering earlier topics such as the Math for Economics or Micro; however, I have an abundance of materials since taking the AP Economics course at Rutgers during the summer. I can make these materials available. We have plenty of material to cover in this course on Macroeconomics. I have material online and will supply work that can be done in-class.

Grading:
Grading is a point-based system and assignments are weighted. Essentially, a points system will decide your grade. Every assignment, project, quiz, or test has a point value weighted appropriately.

The Grade syllabus will also be available through GradeConnect. Grading is based on Quizzes, tests, chapter/unit exams, and other participatory work such as in-class work, and group work. Quizzes are smaller exams and unannounced; Tests are always scheduled, announced well in advance, and worth more points.

Homework is daily and due the next day barring absence, and with your absence, HW is due the day you return. HW is posted and available online even when you are absent.

Emailed HW might be best since I am not tethered to a specific room and you can send it directly to me. I am connected online most of the time so I generally will be available.

Class participation includes working with a partner or in a small group, discussion, games, and projects of various sorts applying what we are learning, details will be provided as we come to these more detailed assignments.

Contact info:
Twitter: gmicksmith@twitter.com
gmsmith@shanahan.com
Shanahan: 610.518.1300 x4281
For AP Economics and World History 2:
http://gmicksmithsocialstudies.blogspot.com/
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/gmicksmith
GradeConnect

HW
1. On a first come, first serve basis, accurately define the terms in the first intro section: scarcity. Post definitions, any discussion points, and content questions on our wiki page:

The defined terms, and any subsequent discussion or comments should be collected on:
http://shanawiki.wikispaces.com/

2. Enter email for blog updates as soon as there is a new post.

3. Fill out the:
"Student Introduction" at:
http://gmicksmithsocialstudies.blogspot.com/2009/09/student-introduction.html

Email answers privately to me at gmsmith@shanahan.org; never post any personal information online.

Now that we have some HW to get us off the ground we can examine some online material that we can employ. I will tie in the textbook material to our in-class and online resources.

On the blogger site there are numerous clips and lesson plans that we will refer to in class, e.g., "Every Graph You Need to Know."

Also, you may have heard about the "Broken Window Fallacy:" http://gmicksmithsocialstudies.blogspot.com/2009/08/ap-economics-broken-window-fallacy.html

There are economic references on games that may be applicable:
Civilization IV incorporates economic theory and discussions for gamers: http://gmicksmithsocialstudies.blogspot.com/2009/08/ap-economics-civilization.html

As we have seen, class content and material is available online, e.g., on scarcity:
http://www.fte.org/teachers/programs/rightstart/curriculum/scarcityandopportunitycost.html

Brief Biography

Brief Biography


Dr. Smith earned his PhD in History at the University of California, Los Angeles. He was also awarded a Masters degree in History from UCLA, and he obtained a second Masters in Theology. Smith was a Johannes Quasten Scholar in Patristics at The Catholic University of America and he holds a Distance Learning Administrator’s Certificate from Texas A&M University and the Center for Distance Learning Research. He has published over 120, mostly peer-reviewed publications, in history, technology and education, and computing. Dr. Smith has been President of the American Association for History and Computing. As a tenured teacher Smith has also taught Economics and American Government at Cardinal O'Hara, World History at Northeast Catholic and Cardinal Dougherty, and the Liberal Arts at Hahnemann University. Smith is a certified College Board instructor in AP Government, this past summer he attended the College Board sponsored AP Economics Summer Institute class. Dr. Smith is a widower, a full-time single parent to the best daughter ever born who is a Junior at another local high school; and, he is a voice actor: www.voicecoaches.com.

Email: gmsmith@shanahan.org

WH 2: Chapter 10 Section 1 The Scientific Revolution


In What Went Wrong?, Bernard Lewis writes of the key role of the Middle East in the rise of science in the Middle Ages, before things went wrong:

And then, approximately from the end of the Middle Ages, there was a dramatic change. In Europe, the scientific movement advanced enormously in the era of the Renaissance, the Discoveries, the technological revolution, and the vast changes, both intellectual and material, that preceded, accompanied, and followed them. In the Muslim world, independent inquiry virtually came to an end, and science was for the most part reduced to the veneration of a corpus of approved knowledge. There were some practical innovations — thus, for example, incubators were invented in Egypt, vaccination against smallpox in Turkey. These were, however, not seen as belonging to the realm of science, but as practical devices, and we know of them primarily from Western travelers.

[. . .]

Another example of the widening gap may be seen in the fate of the great observatory built in Galata, in Istanbul, in 1577. This was due to the initiative of Taqi al-Din (ca. 1526-1585), a major figure in Muslim scientific history and the author of several books on astronomy, optics, and mechanical clocks. Born in Syria or Egypt (the sources differ), he studied in Cairo, and after a career as jurist and theologian he went to Istanbul, where in 1571 he was appointed munejjim-bash, astronomer (and astrologer) in chief to the Sultan Selim II. A few years later her persuaded the Sultan Murad III to allow him to build an observatory, comparable in its technical equipment and its specialist personnel with that of his celebrated contemporary, the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe. But there the comparison ends. Tycho Brahe's observatory and the work accomplished in it opened the way to a vast new development of astronomical science. Taqi al-Din's observatory was razed to the ground by a squad of Janissaries, by order of the sultan, on the recommendation of Chief Mufti. This observatory had many predecessors in the lands of Islam; it had no successors until the age of modernization.

The relationship between Christendom and Islam in the sciences was now reversed. Those who had been disciples now became teachers; those who had been masters became pupils, often reluctant and resentful pupils. They were willing enough to accept the products of infidel science in warfare and medicine, where they could make the difference between victory and defeat, between life and death. But the underlying philosophy and the sociopolitical context of these scientific achievements proved more difficult to accept or even recognize.

The Scientific Revolution
Objectives

* Explain how new discoveries in astronomy changed the way people viewed the universe.
* Understand the new scientific method and how it developed.
* Analyze the contributions that Newton and other scientists made to the Scientific Revolution.

Terms, People, and Places

Nicolaus Copernicus

heliocentric

Tycho Brahe

Johannes Kepler

Galileo

Francis Bacon

René Descartes

scientific method

hypothesis

Robert Boyle

Isaac Newton

gravity

calculus

The definitions of these Terms, People, and Places can be posted on our Shanawiki, Chapter 10 Section 1 The Scientific Revolution page at: http://shanawiki.wikispaces.com/Chapter+10+Section+1+The+Scientific+Revolution

Audio

In 1609, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei heard of a new Dutch invention, the telescope. It was designed to help people see distant enemy ships. Galileo was interested for another reason—he wondered what would happen if he trained a telescope on the night sky. So he built his own telescope for this purpose. When he pointed it at the sky, he was amazed. The new telescope allowed him to see mountains on the moon, fiery spots on the sun, and four moons circling the planet Jupiter. “I did discover many particulars in Heaven that had been unseen and unheard of until this our age,” he later wrote.

Learn

Focus Question

How did discoveries in science lead to a new way of thinking for Europeans?

Audio

The Renaissance and the Reformation facilitated the breakdown of the medieval worldview. In the mid-1500s, a profound shift in scientific thinking brought about the final break with Europe’s medieval past. Called the Scientific Revolution, this movement pointed toward a future shaped by a new way of thinking about the physical universe. At the heart of the Scientific Revolution was the assumption that mathematical laws governed nature and the universe. The physical world, therefore, could be known, managed, and shaped by people.

Monday, August 17, 2009

AP Economics: Civilization

Civilization and its related games have generated sound discussions of AP Economics issues. For example, here is a thread on Adam Smith's pin factory vs. his invisible hand. Another thread discussed economics in the thread, "A Guide to Civics." And, after having discussed this point in a thread a blogger added to the discussion.

AP Economics: World of Warcraft



YouTube clip is here.

AP Economics: Every Graph You Need To Know

Here are all of the graphs that you need to know for the AP Macroeconomics test.

Featuring the Production Possibilities Curve, Supply & Demand, the Circular Flow Model, Aggregate Expenditures, Aggregate Demand & Aggregate Supply, the Money Market, Investment Demand, the Loanable Funds Market, the Foreign Exchange Market, the Phillips Curve, Laffer Curve, and the Lorenz Curve.




AP Macroeconomics Graphing Review - Part 1




AP Macroeconomics Graphing Review - Part 2




AP Macroeconomics Graphing Review - Part 3


AP Economics: Business Cycle, Unemployment, Inflation, Growth

For the business cycle we will consider "The Road to Emerald City Is Paved with Good Intentions." The "Wizard of Oz," one of America's greatest films, is seen as an allegory about Populism and the issue of "sound money."


"Money" by Pink Floyd




One of the most famous phrases in modern economics is that "inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon." This statement, made by Nobel laureate Milton Friedman, suggests that the principal factor influencing the movement of the price level over time is the growth rate of the money supply.


Cf. Bade and Parkin, Chapters 20, 21, and 22.

AP Economics: Demand, Supply, and Market Equilibrium

Demand and supply may be understood by considering China's current economy.


Use the Amosweb link to define basic terms and phrases such as: purchasing power, factors of production, economic growth, and standard of living.


"China's Rising Economy" is a production of PBS.


The CIA World Factbook on China is a reliable source of information on China, and other nations.


When ready, take an interactive quiz on "China - Where Will They Fit in the World Economy?


Cf. Bade and Parkin, 4.1, 4.2. 4.3.


On LibraryThing there are reference works on China:


Where Does the Money Go?: Your Guided Tour to the Federal Budget Crisis
by Scott Bittle


Why Geography Matters: Three Challenges Facing America: Climate Change,…
by Harm de Blij


Gusher of Lies: The Dangerous Delusions of "Energy Independence"
by Robert Bryce


Understanding China: A Guide to China's Economy, History, and Political…
by John Bryan Starr



Popular culture references:


Brian Eno, 1974, Taking Tiger Mountain, "China My China."




David Bowie, "China Girl"


David Bowie - China Girl EMI UK (P) 2005 The copyright in this audiovisual recording is owned by Jones/Tintoretto Entertainment Company LLC under exclusive license to EMI Records Ltd.


Iggy Pop, "China Girl"




China Dolls, "Oh Oh Oh," perceptive viewers will note that the pop band is actually Thai-Chinese.




China Dolls, "Kow Mai Ruk," (the Dolls try Hip Hop style)




And, when ready for something completely different, try the New York Dolls, "Personality Crisis." There are more in the Iggy Pop school of rock.


And, of course, these Dolls have an Ian Hunter connection: Ian Hunter, "Standin' In My Light."




"Standin' In My Light," Ian Hunter, Live in Oslo, Sweden.

Well I finally found you out
All through your mess of dreams
You won't make it to the night
and you're standing in my light
You know you've been bad for me
You ain't got the weight to hate
But you ain't no pretty sight
And you're standing in my light

Move over cause you're standing in my light
Move over cause you're standing in my light
Move over cause you're standing in my light (yeah)
Move over cause you're standing in my light

Now when your old man beats the drums
Gotta run run run that's dumb
A little less ego A little more fight
Move over cause you're standing in my light

Things go bad and the risks get high
Sweeping dead bodies 'cross an open sky
You took my pictures from your walls
Ain't gonna trade with the pain of the New York Dolls

Move over cause you're standin in my
(Move over cause you're standin in my)
Move over cause you're standin in my
(Move over cause you're standin in my)
Move over cause you're standin in my
(Move over cause you're standin in my)
Move over cause you're standing in my light
Move over cause you're standing in my light
Move over cause you're standing in my light
Move over cause you're standing in my light
Move over cause you're standing in my light
Move over cause you're standing in my light Yeah.......Alright
Move over cause you're standing in my light

I wish you luck on your very last chance
Cause I knew you blew it at the song and dance
you froze my feelings, but thats alright
and you're standing in my light


Lyrics are posted for educational purposes only; copyright remains with the original owner.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

AP Economics: Specialization

Specialization can be understood by examining, "The Economics of Professional Sports: Comparative Advantage and Specialization."



Cf. Bade and Parkin, Chapter 3.5, 34.2.


John Fogerty, "Centerfield" (Live at the Soundstage Studios, Chicago, USA on November 29th, 2007).




Some fish, some gather, some hunt, and some are warriors as societies specialize tasks within society. The Agoras




Agora, Tyre Graphic source: This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 License.


referred to in "River" were the "place of assembly" in ancient Greece.


Ian Hunter, "River Of Tears," from "Man Overboard."