New Unit: Thinking Geographically

         Today we started a new unit along with completing worksheets and taking notes.


Key Questions:


- How do geographers describe where things are?
- Why is each point on earth unique?
- Why are different places smaller?
- Why are some actions unsustainable?

Agenda: map usage

Introduction

- Regions are a highly contested yet important concept in the study of human geography and can be studied as they relate to space, place, and location. Regions allow us to generalize about a common characteristic so we can better group them.

- A formal region is an area with a high level of consistency in a certain cultural or physical attribute. Formal regions are uniform or homogeneous areas where everyone in that region shares common attributes or traits like language, climate, and political system.
 

    We also worked on two worksheets where we had to list the regions of the world and the first worksheet was much easier than the second in my opinion. I just had a little bit of trouble on where regions are near Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. But I completed it and hopefully got all the answers right.

Test

     Today we had a test and it wasn't really hard at all. I think I got a good grade on it except I might have gotten a few points off for spelling some vocabulary wrong. I expected it to be extremely hard but I studied enough and felt really good after I took it. I just have to review more information before a test next time if the teacher tells us we are having one the day before. The only questions that were a little hard were two of the essay questions because I really didn't know how to fill the space. It was hard making a situation up when we would meet and discuss it because I don't know anything that happened in 399 Bc besides Socrates. I also hope I won't get a lot of credit off for misspelling vocabulary words. Besides that, everything else was really easy and I hopefully aced it!!

Test Reviewing

Test Tomorrow!


     For my test tomorrow I have to review all the notes we took in our composition book. I will definitely make sure everything on "A Message to Garcia", Socrates, and all the vocabulary words are glued into my head. Tonight I will study my notes, blogs, and some of the information I didn't write down from the PowerPoint slides. I hope the test isn't as hard as I believe it will be and I hopefully get a good grade on the test. :))

Socrates Notes

The Controversy

- Athens was a great city which attracted brilliant thinkers.
- Visitors shared knowledge: astronomy, medicine, meteorology, literature, philosophy, and all things scientific
- Back then people thought the sun was a God


The Trial

- Charged with two crimes:
1. Corruption of Athen's youth
2. Impiety (not believing in the Gods of the state)


How Did That Work for Ya?

- A jury of 500 male citizens found him guilty (279-221?)
- Sentenced to death by drinking poison hemlock
- He had the opportunity to escape but refused, proving his loyalty to Athenian democracy


"You Idiot!"

- An idiot in Athenian democracy was someone who was characterized by self-centeredness and concerned almost exclusively with private- as opposed to public- affairs

- In Athenian democracy, idiots were born and citizens were made through education

Excellence Notes Cont.

Excellence Notes Cont.



In-Class Mini-Research Work

1. agora- a public open space used for assemblies and markets. (Center of athletics artistic, spiritual, political center of city state. Especially Athens)

2. polis- a city state in ancient Greece, especially as considered in its ideal form for philosophical purpose. (Ruled by own citizens)

3. 508 B.C.- Democracy was introduced in Athens by Cleisthenes. (establishes a constitution)- a huge contribution
- the first time in recorded history a people had revolted against their rulers! Ever!!

4. Socrates- was a successful Greek philosopher credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy. (died in 399 BC "from suicide")
- as a young man he worked as a strong stonemason
- he fought - heroically - in the Peloponnesian War
- met with young students in workshops outside the agora

5. The Death of Socrates is an oil on canvas painted by French painter Jacques-Louis David in 1787.

6. The Socratic method is a form of cooperative argumentative dialogue between individuals, based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and to draw out ideas and underlying presumptions.

Notes on Excellence

Excellence Notes: A Message to Garcia



The Publication

- An inspirational essay in 1899 by Elbert Hubbard
- Printed as a book and pamphlet because of popularity
- Sold over 40 million copies
- Translated in 37 different languages


The Phenomenon

- Made into a movie twice (once in 1916 and the second time in 1936)
- A popular slang expression: "take a message to Garcia"


The Backstory

- Setting: the Spanish-American War
- Garcia: A revolutionary seeking Cuban independence from Spain
- Rowan: An Army officer (West Point, class of 1881)
- Mckinley: President William Mckinley, 25th president assassinated six months into his second term (1897-1901)


The Odd Vocabulary

- perihelion: the point when a planet (like Mars) is closest to the son, and therefore is at its brightest.
- slipshod: careless, lackadaisical, slapdash, remiss
- imbecility: incapability, feebleness, stupidity
- stenographer: a person who takes in shorthand
- missive: a letter, especially a long or official one


The Message

"The world bestows its big prizes, both in money and honors, but for one thing. And that is Initiative."
- initiative: doing the right thing without being told.

ARETÉ

- excellence of any kind
- moral virtue
- fulfillment of purpose or function
- but mostly.... the act of living up to one's full potential
- involves all the abilities and potentialities available to humans

A Message to Garcia Interpretation

         The story talks about how some people complain about what they're asked to do when other people will just do the job with no questions at all. The author is very strict about why there are few people who will just do the job like Rowan and so many people who will be the assistant. If Rowan was like the assistant who asked all the questions and complained, it would've taken longer to get Garcia the message and the President needed to secure Garcia's co-operation immediately. The world would be a whole new and different place if there were more people like Rowan. But I don't fully agree with what Hubbard is saying. If people don't ask questions about their task then how are they supposed to know exactly what to do and have it be done the way their boss likes. How are they supposed to know where to go or what time to be back without questioning? I agree with Hubbard when he said that people shouldn't complain about orders because they are getting paid to take orders and accomplish them, otherwise you are getting paid for complaining and should therefore be fired. Elbert Hubbard might have some anger issues but he has a really good point. People need to start realizing that they are lucky to be alive and that they should be putting hard work into their job everyday is they want to succeed and have a wonderful life.

Five point action plan:

-One of my plans to be more successful in high school is to start memorizing information every night that might be on a quiz or test in the future. I will take an hour or two to go over what we learned in class just be ready whenever the tests or quizzes.

-My second plan is to be completely organized so that I know where everything is and I won't be rushing in class to look for my homework or assignments.

-Another plan I will start doing is going to bed at a certain time every night so I get enough sleep for class the next day and I won't be dozing off in class because I might miss important information.

-For my fourth plan I will eat a healthy breakfast in the morning to help my brain and to be more active in class. A healthy breakfast will give me more energy for the day.

-My fifth and final plan is to start having a more pleasing attitude to show teachers that I am ready to learn and I really care about what I do everyday in their class.