8th grade Leadership

This article appeared 2 years ago, but with the Season 7 premiere of 24; it is worth another look.  

Please answer each question below in 3 – 4 sentences each.

1.  Does 24 have such a great effect on young army recruits, that they would ditch their training and go “Jack Bauer” on a detainee?  

2.  Do you think US officials (civilian or military) should resort to torture if it could gather valuable information to protect the USA or US interests abroad?

These articles below are not required to read (and are long) but may interest you.

24 creator Joel Surnow’s interview with the New Yorker

How we killed the most wanted terrorist in Iraq – without torture

Please read this article.

Tell me in 3 – 4 sentences each:

1) What are some good things that will benefit New Jerseyans from this?

2) What could be some bad things that the article does not mention?  You may want to read about landfills here to use examples for this part.

This is due on Tuesday Nov. 4th by 9pm.

Please read this full article in US News and World Report on the increasing use of technology on both sides of cheating in the classroom.  You will notice there are 3 pages; you must click on “next page” at the bottom to keep reading.

Please answer these 2 questions in 4 – 5 sentences each:

1) What is a solution teachers can use to get their students to cheat less?  Use examples from the article.  An honor code?  More communication with parents?  Video monitoring?  The web or other software?  What??

2) Are the pressures to compete – get into the best college, class rank, parents’ wishes, etc. – too much on kids today?  In other words, is the risk of cheating worth it all when considering the danger of poor scores and lack of time in the day?  Think of motivation here.

PS – If you do not want your comments moderated – meaning that you only want me to read them (and not let other students read your comments), please write “PLEASE DO NOT MODERATE” at the bottom of your post.

Class:

Welcome to my blog.  Here we will read and comment on articles relating to our subject matter.  Today’s topic is drinking bottled water vs. tap water.  For your article, I have linked you to another blog.  This is not typical, usually I will link you to an article.  But I want you to get used to a blog.

You will see a writer from the Environmental Defense Fund featured here.  The blue links are something special with blogs, and now many new online publications also feature them.  Click on them and they will take you to another article, blog or video that will give you more information on the topic.  You have the option to click on them, but this is not mandatory.  There is a comment section, and those are other people’s thoughts on the blog entry.

What I would like you to do is read the blog entry, and answer these 2 questions in 4 – 5 sentences each. Due on Tuesday September 30th by 9pm.

 1) What are your feelings on the environmental impact of bottled after after reading the blog by the EDF?

2) Does bottled water offer a convenience and health benefit which the EDF blog entry does not mention?

Related: Environmental Defense Fund main website

Wikipedia description of this group

Few people have served this country like John McCain. He fought in the Vietnam War and was a POW for many years there. He has also served as a US Senator from Arizona for over twenty years. But if he wins the presidential election, he will be the oldest person to ever be elected president and that worries some people (similar claims are being made about one of New Jersey’s senators, Frank Lautenberg , as he seeks re-election at 84).

Question 1) Do you think McCain is too old to be president? Think of people that you know who are his age.

Question 2) Would it affect your decision if he were to get a younger, very capable running mate as his choice for Vice President?

Please answer the questions in 3 – 4 sentences each and number your responses (1 & 2). Due date: Tuesday May 20th by 9pm.

Hillary Clinton has asserted that she has more experience than her Democratic opponent, Barack Obama. Both are junior senators from their respective states, Obama from Illinois, Clinton from New York. But Clinton is alluding to her experience as First Lady of the United States from 1993 – 2001.

Please read this article from the New York Times investigating Mrs. Clinton’s resume as First Lady (don’t forget to click on the “Next Page” link toward the bottom right of the article).

Answer the following question in 4 – 5 sentences:

1) Do you think her role as a First Lady of the United States gives Hillary Clinton more experience as compared to the other candidates (we are talking about Obama AND McCain here). Why or why not?

Post your link in the comments section.

Star Tribune Article

1. What kind of impact might this have on American tutors?

2. Would you use an Indian tutor?

This is the 1st entry we will have previewing a presidential candidate and a major issue surrounding his/ her campaign. This week we look at Barack Obama and his stance on Affirmative Action.

Here is an example of how it can work from Diversity Inc.

Please read this article (remember to click on page 2 near the bottom – to read all of it): Complicated Record on Race. And reflect on these two questions:

1) What are your opinions on Affirmative Action? Is it “leveling the playing field” or giving unfair advantages?

2) How do you think Obama has handled this issue, keeping in mind his unique point of view?

Please answer each question in 3 – 4 sentences.

Due to the sensitivity of this issue, I will NOT moderate your comment for all to see if you don’t want me to. Please just copy and paste or write this at the end of your blog comment:

Please do not moderate my comment.

This blog is due Tues. April 15th by 9pm.

As all of you know, the Olympics will be held in Beijing, the capital of China, this summer.   Many think these games will symbolize China’s rise as the most important country in the 21st century. However, China is facing some problems.

1) Beijing’s air pollution is very questionable at this time.  It is one of the world’s most polluted cities according to a 2007 report from the World Bank. True, you may have read about China saying that it will “make rain,” turn off some coal plants and ban cars from the roads, but the world’s leading marathon runner, who suffers from asthma, isn’t convinced and is skipping this event.

2) China’s record on human rights is also being pressed by celebrities, notably, Mia Farrow.  She even got Steven Spielberg to step down as an artistic advisor for the Olympics because of China’s support for the genocidal regime in Sudan (where it gets a good amount of its oil ).   Its recent crackdown on Tibetan monks has also gotten the media’s attention.   You can even go to Save Darfur and Race for Tibet to see websites critiquing China’s role in these conflicts.

3) Censorship is also a problem, as the BBC World‘s broadcast in China of the marathon runner not competing in that event were “mysteriously” suspended when the station relayed the story.

 But is China being treated unfairly? China blamed the Dali Lama for the violence in Tibet and says the province has always historically been part of China.  China points out that it needs oil from Sudan and since America is involved in Iraq and Afghanistan, then we have no moral right to criticize their involvement with Sudan.

  What do you think?

  A) Is China being treated unfairly by other countries’ media?

B) Do you think the Olympics will go smoothly in Beijing – or do you think there will be more protests and drama?

Please answer each question in 3 – 4 sentences each.  This blog is due on  April 1st by 9pm.