The basic structure of Vietnamese education is similar to American education: pre-primary, primary, intermediate, secondary, and higher education.
As a poor country, Vietnam's public schools are dramatically under funded. The average public school teacher receives about sixty to one hundred United States dollars a month.
Sadly, the dropout rate increases after fifth grade. School is expensive--the government is not able to provide mucch money for students' supplies, and parents have to provide funds for their childrens' education.
Despite the drawbacks in Vietnam's public school system, Vietnam's average literacy rate is over ninety percent.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Activity for Tuesday-Weds.
Activity
Now that you have chosen an expert to investigate, it’s time to get started. Answer the following questions during the course of your investigation.
1. Where did you discover your expert?
2. What is your experts name?
3. What distinguishes your expert from other experts on your topic?
4. When did your expert first become interested in your topic?
5. Why did your expert first become interested in your topic?
6. How did your expert become an expert?
7. Describe a process that your expert uses to gain more information on your topic.
8. Has your experts published any published any books on your topic or appeared in any other media presentations on your topic?
9. How has your expert influenced your understanding of your topic?
When you have answered these questions, write a blog entry based on your answers. You can add other information, and be sure to include any thoughts or feelings you have that relate to each question. So, for example, if you answered question #6 with something like, “Delia Solquis attended school for eighteen years to become an expert in photography!”, in your blog entry you should include your answer to question #6 and then add your own thoughts on it, such as, “I already feel like I’ve been in school for ever, and I’ve only been here for six years. No wonder Delia’s blog sounds so smart.”
When you are finished writing your blog entry, use your self editing checklist and publish.
A Note on My Imaginary Country's Slang
This note on Voledadian slang is provided by your correspondent in Voledads, Adora Svitak.
While Voledads prefers to consider itself elite, the "bumpkins" of society do use a certain amount of slang. Because of Voledads' elitist standards for proper Dadish (the language of Voledads, similar to British English in pronunciation and American English in spelling, but with some added words and convoluted spellings), you will not find these words in dictionaries. Some examples include:
Pigseye (peeg-saay): Pigseye means a fire. In the countryside, peat (also known as peeg or pig) is the main fuel for fires, and seye is a superstitious term used to describe a warm tingling as though by magic. As one farmer described, "fire is like magic when it warms yer bones after a day in the field," perhaps giving rise to the slang phrase pigseye.
Arcking (Arrr-king): Heavy coughing, most likely from the sound of severe coughing.
Rolt: Brought. Probably some form of the word "rolled."
Backnocker: A beggar. Those begging for food often came to the back doors of restaurants and other establishments to get leftover food scraps, and thus the word "Backnocker." Backnocker can also be used to describe a freeloader or a shiftless person.
Nodder: A sycophant, toady, minion--a person who agrees with everything their master, etc., says. Nodder originated as a propaganda term in anti-government groups, which led the oligarchy to censor its appearance in books. It remains, however, a pop term for the teenage generation, and "nodder" is forever memorialized in the pantheon of high school insults.
Three Narratives From My Imaginary Country, excerpted in "A History of Voledads," the most widely-read schoolbook in Voledads.
Three Narratives from Voledads
Svitak, Adora
Before you Read:
An excerpt from Me: or, a True Tale of Voledads’ Little Princess, by Maisie Clayton (Stage and Screen, pg. 144)
Key Terms
Retain
Roaad’s Point
Bustling
Pageant
Flannels
Chenille
Debutante
Sanitarium
Formidable
Faux
Reticule
It was a cold morning when I was born, the midwife said, and indeed the first thing I remembered in my life was a cold sort of chill, if I could remember much; for I was probably only three years when I began retaining information conveniently.
We were common folk. My father owned a small parcel of land ten miles from Roaad’s Point. Every month our father and my two older brothers would go to Roaad’s Point and barter things at market: sheep, pigs, goats, and geese, jugs of the creamy milk of Bellatine the cow, and my mother’s fine woolen garments. My mother was the best dressmaker about. If us girls—my elder sister Therese and my two little sisters Louise and Lora—were good and did all that our mother bid us, we could come along as well in our father’s rattling wagon, bundled up tightly in our veils and flannels for the cold part of the year.
The market was a bustling place full of novelties that we country girls found the most amazing. I remember that upon seeing a printing press, I, for a great length, begged my father to buy me one. He, of course, had better things to do than listen to my silly pleas, and so disposed of me conveniently by bringing me to the market pageant. It was at the market pageant that I first saw the greatest inspirations in my acting career.
I was dazzled by the damsels in distress, blinded by knights in shining armor, and drunken with the rum of rasping pirates. At the time ladies on the stage were considered “fast.” This meant, as far as I knew, that we girls were supposed to keep a good distance away from them and not get any bad ideas. But rather than avoid them and hurry away like my prudent sisters, I stayed and watched respectfully as my idol, the olive-skinned, black-haired Mia Gardenioff, swept off the stage in her signature yellow chenille. It would be long before I got my chenille. But then again, it would be long before I would get on the stage.
When I became a young debutante I received a green chenille with matching chiffon about the waist—but enough of the clothes, for my coming-out was more important. I was said to be the “belle of the ball,” but can I tell you! Eighteen-year-old girls are more apt to think themselves scrawny, ungainly, and hopelessly ugly. As such an eighteen-year-old, I was very much surprised when I overheard a remark about my being a good candidate for a role in the new play, Bella Sanitarium. It was said to be quite a comedy, but one of the understudies had broken a leg—in the literal sense, that is—and the original player of the role had backed out citing religious reasons.
Sanitarium was touring through Tiola, and as it happened, my formidable Aunt Aurelia wanted me to visit her in Tiola, I wanted to go abroad like the rest of my “set,” and it was our family’s tradition for the girls to finish at the Mount Bauxite Women’s College in Tiola. The director of Sanitarium contacted me by letter later in the year, inviting me to sign on to the playacting set. I agreed at once, packed my belongings and schoolbooks in my worn little faux-leather satchel, tucked my tickets for the Mount Bauxite train and the Elvern-to-Tiola steamboat into my reticule, and set off. --------------------
An excerpt from the 1919 Labor Reports:
Being the eleventh boy in a poor family that got to make money somehow doesn’t do much for your education except physical. All of us got to work when we can, what we can, and how we can. In our fashion we mined coal and my sisters did what they could to help our ma with the washing and sewing for the rich folks. My ma, she washed so hard that her hands got reddish like. None of us kids knew what rightly to do about it, cause we were just kids.
My ma was from a high sorts of family at first, and got proper schooling, and taught us how to write and add sums when she could if she wasn’t too busy with the washing. Her da was a merchant but lost his ships at sea, and so his rank doesn’t have much influence on us now. My brothers worked in the mine with our da and the youngsters got our water and tools and food.
Being a coal miner requires exercise. At the end of the day our knees are all sore from going down the tunnel, stop and go. Our shoulders and arms are sore from hacking away at the coal, our necks are sore from craning them to try to see above our heads (there be some nasty accidents in the mines from above), and our feet are sore from being pinched in our boots. We can’t afford to buy new ones so our toes stick out and, well, too bad if anything falls on them. Our whole bodies are sore from pulling up the carts of coal. The mine owners wouldn’t buy a mouse to pull those things. They harness us to the carts with yokes like oxen, whip us like we’re horses, and say they’re going to throw us out if we complain about pulling the cart in the dark when the rain is dripping and you’re really supposed to have a rest. Does a miner really ever have a rest? I don’t think that the number of rests I’ve gotten would be enough time to say “Mine’s crashing in!” That’s quite fast. I know from the number of times I’ve heard the unfortunate man shout it over from the tunnel twenty feet over. The mine owners don’t honestly care. They cover up and threaten to make mincemeat of us if we tell the constable that a tunnel crashed in and that they didn’t open their fat purses to pay for some men to go and find the poor soul. Oh well, we get our pay and that’s enough to feed the girls at home. That’s some comfort, even though my blisters are hurting like anything. What I would really like right now would be some toffee, but all I’m getting is bitter coffee with coal shavings in it. Fact that I made a rhyme—toffee and coffee, that is—doesn’t do much to lift my spirits, cause I’ll be working overtime.------------------
My name is Sylvius Junius Jacquelle van Bartholemeo-Nottlewood [Note to the reader: Nottlewood was Sylvius’s wife’s father’s surname, van Bartholemeo her mother’s. Junius was Sylvius’s father’s surname, and thus the most prominent, while Jacquelle was his mother’s surname. Voledadian monarchial names were very complicated, if not excessively so], and I am the fifth Sylvius Junius of Junius House, in Voledads. My life has been an uneventful fusion of fame, diet, and drink. I am particularly fond of the cognac of my mother’s countrymen, the Carmellans.
This day in 1520 I came upon a strange desire to record some of the happenings these years, as I know that even young kings so fair-of-face as me may be cut down by a stray arrow or sickened by plagues or killed in battle. Therefore I wish to leave some imprint on the world beyond my laws, which could be overturned as easily by the next king, oligarchy, or whatever the easily impressionable people of Voledads fancy for themselves, as a feather could be blown away.
I was born noonday in the month of August. The astrologists had predicted a girl and thus it was that, my mother having great faith in astrology, I was not found to be a boy until I was brought to christening and my voluminous silken robes were unwrapped. It is inauspicious to look at a baby before he or she is fully wrapped, and so it was only at my naming, when I was doused in holy Trinansitic water, that the court discovered my gender. Or a story something along these lines.
Before the time of my birth, the house of my father, Junius, was at war with the Jacquelles. While typically Voledadian and Carmellan families have feuds between each other, the two houses’ constant social battle ballooned out so alarmingly that both houses were quite weak when the Nottlewoods attacked. The Junius and Jacquelle houses found it necessary to ally themselves through the marriage of my father (a Junius) to my mother (a Jacquelle), and fought against the Nottlewoods. When I reached sixteen years, this fight began to die down, and I was betrothed to the valiant Canerle van Bartholomeo-Nottlewood to end the feud more conveniently. This Canerle, my wife now, is a virago of sorts, and once threw the Minister of Finance out the window by his ear. Thankfully it was the first floor, but the good Minister landed in a thorn bush and needed a great deal of fixing up. There is no one in the kingdom who can tell Canerle what to do. My father, the eminent former king, tried to hint that Canerle’s ways were too forward, but Canerle tossed her hair and rode off to her country estate. Nevertheless, Canerle rallies, disciplines, and fights alongside the soldiers, so she has garnered the title of Lance Majoress (a word of my own making) for herself. Canerle will continue the historical area of this narrative in the event of my death. I hope that she will not turn my noble writings into a smear campaign against me. It seems like something Canerle would do, considering that I just cut her budget for weaponry. --------------
Svitak, Adora
Before you Read:
An excerpt from Me: or, a True Tale of Voledads’ Little Princess, by Maisie Clayton (Stage and Screen, pg. 144)
Key Terms
Retain
Roaad’s Point
Bustling
Pageant
Flannels
Chenille
Debutante
Sanitarium
Formidable
Faux
Reticule
It was a cold morning when I was born, the midwife said, and indeed the first thing I remembered in my life was a cold sort of chill, if I could remember much; for I was probably only three years when I began retaining information conveniently.
We were common folk. My father owned a small parcel of land ten miles from Roaad’s Point. Every month our father and my two older brothers would go to Roaad’s Point and barter things at market: sheep, pigs, goats, and geese, jugs of the creamy milk of Bellatine the cow, and my mother’s fine woolen garments. My mother was the best dressmaker about. If us girls—my elder sister Therese and my two little sisters Louise and Lora—were good and did all that our mother bid us, we could come along as well in our father’s rattling wagon, bundled up tightly in our veils and flannels for the cold part of the year.
The market was a bustling place full of novelties that we country girls found the most amazing. I remember that upon seeing a printing press, I, for a great length, begged my father to buy me one. He, of course, had better things to do than listen to my silly pleas, and so disposed of me conveniently by bringing me to the market pageant. It was at the market pageant that I first saw the greatest inspirations in my acting career.
I was dazzled by the damsels in distress, blinded by knights in shining armor, and drunken with the rum of rasping pirates. At the time ladies on the stage were considered “fast.” This meant, as far as I knew, that we girls were supposed to keep a good distance away from them and not get any bad ideas. But rather than avoid them and hurry away like my prudent sisters, I stayed and watched respectfully as my idol, the olive-skinned, black-haired Mia Gardenioff, swept off the stage in her signature yellow chenille. It would be long before I got my chenille. But then again, it would be long before I would get on the stage.
When I became a young debutante I received a green chenille with matching chiffon about the waist—but enough of the clothes, for my coming-out was more important. I was said to be the “belle of the ball,” but can I tell you! Eighteen-year-old girls are more apt to think themselves scrawny, ungainly, and hopelessly ugly. As such an eighteen-year-old, I was very much surprised when I overheard a remark about my being a good candidate for a role in the new play, Bella Sanitarium. It was said to be quite a comedy, but one of the understudies had broken a leg—in the literal sense, that is—and the original player of the role had backed out citing religious reasons.
Sanitarium was touring through Tiola, and as it happened, my formidable Aunt Aurelia wanted me to visit her in Tiola, I wanted to go abroad like the rest of my “set,” and it was our family’s tradition for the girls to finish at the Mount Bauxite Women’s College in Tiola. The director of Sanitarium contacted me by letter later in the year, inviting me to sign on to the playacting set. I agreed at once, packed my belongings and schoolbooks in my worn little faux-leather satchel, tucked my tickets for the Mount Bauxite train and the Elvern-to-Tiola steamboat into my reticule, and set off. --------------------
An excerpt from the 1919 Labor Reports:
Being the eleventh boy in a poor family that got to make money somehow doesn’t do much for your education except physical. All of us got to work when we can, what we can, and how we can. In our fashion we mined coal and my sisters did what they could to help our ma with the washing and sewing for the rich folks. My ma, she washed so hard that her hands got reddish like. None of us kids knew what rightly to do about it, cause we were just kids.
My ma was from a high sorts of family at first, and got proper schooling, and taught us how to write and add sums when she could if she wasn’t too busy with the washing. Her da was a merchant but lost his ships at sea, and so his rank doesn’t have much influence on us now. My brothers worked in the mine with our da and the youngsters got our water and tools and food.
Being a coal miner requires exercise. At the end of the day our knees are all sore from going down the tunnel, stop and go. Our shoulders and arms are sore from hacking away at the coal, our necks are sore from craning them to try to see above our heads (there be some nasty accidents in the mines from above), and our feet are sore from being pinched in our boots. We can’t afford to buy new ones so our toes stick out and, well, too bad if anything falls on them. Our whole bodies are sore from pulling up the carts of coal. The mine owners wouldn’t buy a mouse to pull those things. They harness us to the carts with yokes like oxen, whip us like we’re horses, and say they’re going to throw us out if we complain about pulling the cart in the dark when the rain is dripping and you’re really supposed to have a rest. Does a miner really ever have a rest? I don’t think that the number of rests I’ve gotten would be enough time to say “Mine’s crashing in!” That’s quite fast. I know from the number of times I’ve heard the unfortunate man shout it over from the tunnel twenty feet over. The mine owners don’t honestly care. They cover up and threaten to make mincemeat of us if we tell the constable that a tunnel crashed in and that they didn’t open their fat purses to pay for some men to go and find the poor soul. Oh well, we get our pay and that’s enough to feed the girls at home. That’s some comfort, even though my blisters are hurting like anything. What I would really like right now would be some toffee, but all I’m getting is bitter coffee with coal shavings in it. Fact that I made a rhyme—toffee and coffee, that is—doesn’t do much to lift my spirits, cause I’ll be working overtime.------------------
My name is Sylvius Junius Jacquelle van Bartholemeo-Nottlewood [Note to the reader: Nottlewood was Sylvius’s wife’s father’s surname, van Bartholemeo her mother’s. Junius was Sylvius’s father’s surname, and thus the most prominent, while Jacquelle was his mother’s surname. Voledadian monarchial names were very complicated, if not excessively so], and I am the fifth Sylvius Junius of Junius House, in Voledads. My life has been an uneventful fusion of fame, diet, and drink. I am particularly fond of the cognac of my mother’s countrymen, the Carmellans.
This day in 1520 I came upon a strange desire to record some of the happenings these years, as I know that even young kings so fair-of-face as me may be cut down by a stray arrow or sickened by plagues or killed in battle. Therefore I wish to leave some imprint on the world beyond my laws, which could be overturned as easily by the next king, oligarchy, or whatever the easily impressionable people of Voledads fancy for themselves, as a feather could be blown away.
I was born noonday in the month of August. The astrologists had predicted a girl and thus it was that, my mother having great faith in astrology, I was not found to be a boy until I was brought to christening and my voluminous silken robes were unwrapped. It is inauspicious to look at a baby before he or she is fully wrapped, and so it was only at my naming, when I was doused in holy Trinansitic water, that the court discovered my gender. Or a story something along these lines.
Before the time of my birth, the house of my father, Junius, was at war with the Jacquelles. While typically Voledadian and Carmellan families have feuds between each other, the two houses’ constant social battle ballooned out so alarmingly that both houses were quite weak when the Nottlewoods attacked. The Junius and Jacquelle houses found it necessary to ally themselves through the marriage of my father (a Junius) to my mother (a Jacquelle), and fought against the Nottlewoods. When I reached sixteen years, this fight began to die down, and I was betrothed to the valiant Canerle van Bartholomeo-Nottlewood to end the feud more conveniently. This Canerle, my wife now, is a virago of sorts, and once threw the Minister of Finance out the window by his ear. Thankfully it was the first floor, but the good Minister landed in a thorn bush and needed a great deal of fixing up. There is no one in the kingdom who can tell Canerle what to do. My father, the eminent former king, tried to hint that Canerle’s ways were too forward, but Canerle tossed her hair and rode off to her country estate. Nevertheless, Canerle rallies, disciplines, and fights alongside the soldiers, so she has garnered the title of Lance Majoress (a word of my own making) for herself. Canerle will continue the historical area of this narrative in the event of my death. I hope that she will not turn my noble writings into a smear campaign against me. It seems like something Canerle would do, considering that I just cut her budget for weaponry. --------------
Friday, October 12, 2007
Props
One of my favorite posts lately is
this simple update from Katie's blog. It's not long, but it's neatly written, and I like how Katie ties her topic to her own personal experiences, and a personal memory. That's what blogging is all about.
this simple update from Katie's blog. It's not long, but it's neatly written, and I like how Katie ties her topic to her own personal experiences, and a personal memory. That's what blogging is all about.
Painting the Town Red Redux
We turned up some interesting phrases during yesterday's activity, wherein we created phrases and phrase origins for our imaginary countries. Some of my favorites include: Adrianna's slug hair phrase and the interesting historical origins of Adora's phrase one hobbling crook is better than ninety-two strong monks.
I thought Adrianna's idea of posting a Czech menu as part of her 'Becoming an Expert' project was pretty cool, so I assigned this homework topic: create a menu for a restaurant in your imaginary country. As preliminary research, students will study the evolution of cuisine in real countries around the world. I'm looking forward to inspecting the results.
I thought Adrianna's idea of posting a Czech menu as part of her 'Becoming an Expert' project was pretty cool, so I assigned this homework topic: create a menu for a restaurant in your imaginary country. As preliminary research, students will study the evolution of cuisine in real countries around the world. I'm looking forward to inspecting the results.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Painting the Town Red- posted by your teacher, Beastie
Have you ever been to the Big Apple? What about the Big Easy? Have you painted the town red lately? Are you in the pink? Are you out of sorts? Are you more fun than a barrel of monkeys? Do you take everything I say with a grain of salt?
Do a lot of phrases we use regularly not make much sense to you when you really think about them? Today, we're going to look at the origins of some common phrases, and then create phrases and accompanying origins for our imaginary countries.
1. check this out
2. Open a blog entry and write a list of phrases that are used in your country, accompanied by theories on their possible origins.
3. Use the phrase a day website for guidance on style and tone.
Do a lot of phrases we use regularly not make much sense to you when you really think about them? Today, we're going to look at the origins of some common phrases, and then create phrases and accompanying origins for our imaginary countries.
1. check this out
2. Open a blog entry and write a list of phrases that are used in your country, accompanied by theories on their possible origins.
3. Use the phrase a day website for guidance on style and tone.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Activity
Now that you are well on your way to becoming an expert on your subject, it’s your job to keep your readers updated.
Activity: Take some time today to read about your subject in one of your books, or via your Google alert feed. Share your information with your readers. To get started, read my example on the following page, then follow the steps below.
First, answer the following questions:
1. What new thing have you learned regarding your topic?
2. Where did you learn it? (if website, include link)
3. What does it make you think of?
4. How does it make you feel?
5. What new questions does it raise?
• Now, open a blog post, title it ‘Update’ and transcribe your answers into your post in complete sentences.
• When you are done writing, use your self-editing checklist and publish.
• If you have time, visit your classmates’ blogs and read their posts.
• If you have any questions about their posts, you can leave them in the comments section.
Activity: Take some time today to read about your subject in one of your books, or via your Google alert feed. Share your information with your readers. To get started, read my example on the following page, then follow the steps below.
First, answer the following questions:
1. What new thing have you learned regarding your topic?
2. Where did you learn it? (if website, include link)
3. What does it make you think of?
4. How does it make you feel?
5. What new questions does it raise?
• Now, open a blog post, title it ‘Update’ and transcribe your answers into your post in complete sentences.
• When you are done writing, use your self-editing checklist and publish.
• If you have time, visit your classmates’ blogs and read their posts.
• If you have any questions about their posts, you can leave them in the comments section.
Friday, October 05, 2007
Update
Our history from a pet's eye view project turned out some pretty cool results. Check out
Katie's beautifully written blog post on her blog, Minakochouko, and read Adora's post below. Nice work. I love the wistful tone of Katie's post, and of course Adora knows that I'm partial to anything that touches upon one of my favorite subjects, the illustrious General Hamilton. Even if it's not particularly flattering....Hem. Hem.
Katie's beautifully written blog post on her blog, Minakochouko, and read Adora's post below. Nice work. I love the wistful tone of Katie's post, and of course Adora knows that I'm partial to anything that touches upon one of my favorite subjects, the illustrious General Hamilton. Even if it's not particularly flattering....Hem. Hem.
A Pet's Eye View of History
A Pet’s Eye View of History
Svitak, Adora
I am the renowned tomcat, Hamilton of Mt. Vernon. I have, since the day of my celebrated birth, been companion to Martha Washington of Mt. Vernon. This being a common 1762 day spent laid upon the carpet with lethargy most uncommon to my namesake, curse him, I have chosen to talk to my lowly readers to pass time.
I live in a great house for humans, with tall windows stretching from the ceiling to the floor and curlicues of ivy wrapping around the Venetian-railed verandah, and balconies with potted plants on the second floor, but nothing for a tomcat like me.
Mrs. Washington is the typical society matron doing all sorts of goodly works and such, and takes great comfort in eating. She is more of a mother than a wife to the eminent Mr. Washington, who is absent most of the time, takes good care of the animals in her care, and usually lies back on the davenport.
They say that Mrs. Washington is a most impressive figure. Perhaps they mean her girth, for else I would say that she is the average president’s wife and do-gooder. Of course, I cannot judge too well, having not seen any other presidents in the fledgling nation, but she is no different from any other women to me.
A curse upon my name and my namesake. Hamilton! How did humans get to name us felines, I daresay? I profess to be an anti-federalist, myself, and have clawed a Federalist Paper on occasion. The simple Mrs. Washington, however, took my destructive intent to be adoring fondling, and christened me Hamilton with great ado. This Hamilton is a hotheaded fop with about as much genius as deserts have floods. Upon arriving to pay a visit to Mrs. Washington, he shooed me out of the way like a common alley-cat and paid less attention to me than a flea! Would that I had a different name.
Svitak, Adora
I am the renowned tomcat, Hamilton of Mt. Vernon. I have, since the day of my celebrated birth, been companion to Martha Washington of Mt. Vernon. This being a common 1762 day spent laid upon the carpet with lethargy most uncommon to my namesake, curse him, I have chosen to talk to my lowly readers to pass time.
I live in a great house for humans, with tall windows stretching from the ceiling to the floor and curlicues of ivy wrapping around the Venetian-railed verandah, and balconies with potted plants on the second floor, but nothing for a tomcat like me.
Mrs. Washington is the typical society matron doing all sorts of goodly works and such, and takes great comfort in eating. She is more of a mother than a wife to the eminent Mr. Washington, who is absent most of the time, takes good care of the animals in her care, and usually lies back on the davenport.
They say that Mrs. Washington is a most impressive figure. Perhaps they mean her girth, for else I would say that she is the average president’s wife and do-gooder. Of course, I cannot judge too well, having not seen any other presidents in the fledgling nation, but she is no different from any other women to me.
A curse upon my name and my namesake. Hamilton! How did humans get to name us felines, I daresay? I profess to be an anti-federalist, myself, and have clawed a Federalist Paper on occasion. The simple Mrs. Washington, however, took my destructive intent to be adoring fondling, and christened me Hamilton with great ado. This Hamilton is a hotheaded fop with about as much genius as deserts have floods. Upon arriving to pay a visit to Mrs. Washington, he shooed me out of the way like a common alley-cat and paid less attention to me than a flea! Would that I had a different name.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
"Forms of Government" from The Phrontistery
Duarchy government by two people
Hagiarchy government by saints/holy persons
Plutocracy government by the wealthy
DUARCHY
In 1438, members of the ruling oligarchy in Voledads were assassinated in a popular attempt to get a king or queen back on the throne. The Voledadian people got more than they bargained for—the two grandchildren of the last king assumed power and ruled on a dual throne. The Grand Duke Dananan and his sister, the Grand Duchess Georgietta, appeared together at all social events. Instead of saying “I and my royal sister/brother” when talking to people, the duarchy introduced “we” as the formal term to encompass two people. “We” took hold, however, and spread to documents and speech internationally.
HAGIARCHY
In 1482, not long after the reign of the Grand Duke Dananan and the Grand Duchess Georgietta, a hagiarchy came to rule Voledads. Duke Dananan and his sister had always been deeply devout throughout their lives, and so it was no surprise that Archbishops were always named Regents in their absence. As it happened, Georgietta died unexpectedly after a fall on the stairs, and Dananan, so overcome with grief, retreated to his country estate and left the country to the Archbishop of Elvern. After Dananan’s death by smallpox, the Archbishop took control, more firmly tying church and state together than ever before. The Archbishop, known as “The Pursuer,” persecuted atheists, agnostics, and non-Trinansitic (the main religion at the time) people in Voledads.
PLUTOCRACY
The start of Voledads’ industrial revolution began in 1899 at the turn of the century. Around this time large monopolies were the norm in Voledads, and the oligarchy was soon infiltrated by big business owners of all kinds. While ruling under the banner of “freedom and free enterprise,” the plutocracy also introduced many self-beneficial laws, including the controversial “Yarn-threader’s Law,” which decreed that those involved in threading in factories could not hold employers responsible for factory-retained injuries. On the plus side, however, the plutocracy introduced a higher standard of education; because of the near inexistence of private schools in Voledads, business owners wanted their children to get the best education possible in public schools. The plutocracy also beautified Voledads’ public buildings with marble floors, potted plants, etc., with money from their own business investments.
Hagiarchy government by saints/holy persons
Plutocracy government by the wealthy
DUARCHY
In 1438, members of the ruling oligarchy in Voledads were assassinated in a popular attempt to get a king or queen back on the throne. The Voledadian people got more than they bargained for—the two grandchildren of the last king assumed power and ruled on a dual throne. The Grand Duke Dananan and his sister, the Grand Duchess Georgietta, appeared together at all social events. Instead of saying “I and my royal sister/brother” when talking to people, the duarchy introduced “we” as the formal term to encompass two people. “We” took hold, however, and spread to documents and speech internationally.
HAGIARCHY
In 1482, not long after the reign of the Grand Duke Dananan and the Grand Duchess Georgietta, a hagiarchy came to rule Voledads. Duke Dananan and his sister had always been deeply devout throughout their lives, and so it was no surprise that Archbishops were always named Regents in their absence. As it happened, Georgietta died unexpectedly after a fall on the stairs, and Dananan, so overcome with grief, retreated to his country estate and left the country to the Archbishop of Elvern. After Dananan’s death by smallpox, the Archbishop took control, more firmly tying church and state together than ever before. The Archbishop, known as “The Pursuer,” persecuted atheists, agnostics, and non-Trinansitic (the main religion at the time) people in Voledads.
PLUTOCRACY
The start of Voledads’ industrial revolution began in 1899 at the turn of the century. Around this time large monopolies were the norm in Voledads, and the oligarchy was soon infiltrated by big business owners of all kinds. While ruling under the banner of “freedom and free enterprise,” the plutocracy also introduced many self-beneficial laws, including the controversial “Yarn-threader’s Law,” which decreed that those involved in threading in factories could not hold employers responsible for factory-retained injuries. On the plus side, however, the plutocracy introduced a higher standard of education; because of the near inexistence of private schools in Voledads, business owners wanted their children to get the best education possible in public schools. The plutocracy also beautified Voledads’ public buildings with marble floors, potted plants, etc., with money from their own business investments.
Nice work-posted by Beastie
I really enjoyed reading the posts from yesterday's assignment, in which we created a profile for one of the founders of our imaginary countries. Adrianna's names were especially good (I will never forget Gorgoslav), Katie's profile was very creative and carefully written (good job on the spelling and punctuation!), and I thought
Pestito Adora's death sequence was quite hilarious. Nice insights into van Sprawitz's college years as well, Pestito.
Pestito Adora's death sequence was quite hilarious. Nice insights into van Sprawitz's college years as well, Pestito.
Vocabulary
Choose four words from this list to use in sentences. Be prepared to define your words for the class.
beastiocracy
Visit this site and choose three forms of government. Write a creative paragraph describing each of your chosen forms of government.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Time Capsule Constitution Revised
Time Capsule Update
Svitak, Adora
For our class assigment we are going to be learning about the Constitution. As a preliminary assigment, we're going to be summarizing everything we know about constitutions and our Constitution. I know some of the history behind the Constitution's beginnings from our previous lessons. One impressive guest at the Constitutional Convention was Benjamin Franklin (much weather-beaten at this time). His diplomatic counterpart, John Adams, was away at the time. Amendments to the Constitution have been made over time, to allow things such as voting rights for women and African-Americans. The Constitution continues to be an influential ruling force in the way we act today. "Unconstitutional" is a common news term, meaning that something does not follow the Constitution, and is used especially frequently in political debates. I think (making my best guess, not something that we learned in class) that there are constitutions, or similarly formed documents, in other democratically governed countries but not all countries of the world. I would guess that our Constitution is modeled after British documents stating laws, since most of our founding fathers came from Britain, but I can't name a specific British document. Admittedly, I know little about the Constitution. This gives us all the more reason to launch ahead with our Constitution project.
Svitak, Adora
For our class assigment we are going to be learning about the Constitution. As a preliminary assigment, we're going to be summarizing everything we know about constitutions and our Constitution. I know some of the history behind the Constitution's beginnings from our previous lessons. One impressive guest at the Constitutional Convention was Benjamin Franklin (much weather-beaten at this time). His diplomatic counterpart, John Adams, was away at the time. Amendments to the Constitution have been made over time, to allow things such as voting rights for women and African-Americans. The Constitution continues to be an influential ruling force in the way we act today. "Unconstitutional" is a common news term, meaning that something does not follow the Constitution, and is used especially frequently in political debates. I think (making my best guess, not something that we learned in class) that there are constitutions, or similarly formed documents, in other democratically governed countries but not all countries of the world. I would guess that our Constitution is modeled after British documents stating laws, since most of our founding fathers came from Britain, but I can't name a specific British document. Admittedly, I know little about the Constitution. This gives us all the more reason to launch ahead with our Constitution project.
Time Capsule Constitution Revised
Time Capsule Update
Svitak, Adora
For our class assigment we are going to be learning about the Constitution. As a preliminary assigment, we're going to be summarizing everything we know about constitutions and our Constitution. I know some of the history behind the Constitution's beginnings from our previous lessons. One impressive guest at the Constitutional Convention was Benjamin Franklin (much weather-beaten at this time). His diplomatic counterpart, John Adams, was away at the time. Amendments to the Constitution have been made over time, to allow things such as voting rights for women and African-Americans. The Constitution continues to be an influential ruling force in the way we act today. "Unconstitutional" is a common news term, meaning that something does not follow the Constitution, and is used especially frequently in political debates. I think (making my best guess, not something that we learned in class) that there are constitutions, or similarly formed documents, in other democratically governed countries but not all countries of the world. I would guess that our Constitution is modeled after British documents stating laws, since most of our founding fathers came from Britain, but I can't name a specific British document. Admittedly, I know little about the Constitution. This gives us all the more reason to launch ahead with our Constitution project.
Svitak, Adora
For our class assigment we are going to be learning about the Constitution. As a preliminary assigment, we're going to be summarizing everything we know about constitutions and our Constitution. I know some of the history behind the Constitution's beginnings from our previous lessons. One impressive guest at the Constitutional Convention was Benjamin Franklin (much weather-beaten at this time). His diplomatic counterpart, John Adams, was away at the time. Amendments to the Constitution have been made over time, to allow things such as voting rights for women and African-Americans. The Constitution continues to be an influential ruling force in the way we act today. "Unconstitutional" is a common news term, meaning that something does not follow the Constitution, and is used especially frequently in political debates. I think (making my best guess, not something that we learned in class) that there are constitutions, or similarly formed documents, in other democratically governed countries but not all countries of the world. I would guess that our Constitution is modeled after British documents stating laws, since most of our founding fathers came from Britain, but I can't name a specific British document. Admittedly, I know little about the Constitution. This gives us all the more reason to launch ahead with our Constitution project.
cool blog
I'd like to encourage all Seeds of Learning students to periodically write posts about sites of interest, and new blogs they have discovered. In order to practice what I preach, I'd like to recommend a soviet poster a day. The blogger's choice of a visual topic hooks readers in, making the potentially heavy subject matter seem less dry. While the blogger's writing style is a little clunky at times, it is obvious that he or she knows a lot about the subject matter, and some of his/her observations are very insightful. Plus, the reader gets the opportunity to peruse some really interesting images that aren't readily available in the United States.
Comments on the "Becoming An Expert" Project
As a class assigment, we've all been learning more about topics that we're interested in with the "Becoming An Expert" project. We've been posting blogs about information that we've learned from a variety of mediums like the World Wide Web and nonfiction books. My topic is Chinese history.
So far the Becoming an Expert project has been very interesting. I’ve been able to discover more about not only China but the way that its history influences us today. I’ve also been able to share the information I discover with my readers by publishing updates on my topic to my blog, and I’ve sharpened my research skills in finding info about my topic.
I’ve noticed, however, that having a general topic like China makes it difficult to write my material in a structured or chronologically correct way. I think that suggesting having a specific topic—Ancient China, for instance—would make for more in-depth information on one topic instead of being able to cover only a few things in China’s enormous history.
Overall I am enjoying the Becoming an Expert project a great deal. I believe that kids will like the Becoming an Expert project because you are able to choose a topic that you are interested in and want to know more about, and the variety of resources you can use to gather information. I think that the Becoming an Expert project is easy to utilize, fun to do, and a great learning journey.
So far the Becoming an Expert project has been very interesting. I’ve been able to discover more about not only China but the way that its history influences us today. I’ve also been able to share the information I discover with my readers by publishing updates on my topic to my blog, and I’ve sharpened my research skills in finding info about my topic.
I’ve noticed, however, that having a general topic like China makes it difficult to write my material in a structured or chronologically correct way. I think that suggesting having a specific topic—Ancient China, for instance—would make for more in-depth information on one topic instead of being able to cover only a few things in China’s enormous history.
Overall I am enjoying the Becoming an Expert project a great deal. I believe that kids will like the Becoming an Expert project because you are able to choose a topic that you are interested in and want to know more about, and the variety of resources you can use to gather information. I think that the Becoming an Expert project is easy to utilize, fun to do, and a great learning journey.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Time Capsule: The Constitution
Time Capsule Update
Svitak, Adora
For our class assigment we are going to be learning about the Constitution. As a preliminary assigment, we're going to be summarizing everything we know about constitutions and our Constitution.
I know some of the history behind the Constitution's beginnings from our previous lessons. One impressive guest at the Constitutional Convention was Benjamin Franklin (much weather-beaten at this time). His diplomatic counterpart, John Adams, was away at the time.
Amendments to the Constitution have been made over time, to allow things such as voting rights for women and African-Americans.
The Constitution continues to be an influential ruling force in the way we act today. "Unconstitutional" is a common news term, meaning that something does not follow the Constitution, and is used especially frequently in political debates.
Admittedly, I know little about the Constitution. This gives us all the more reason to launch ahead with our Constitution project.
Svitak, Adora
For our class assigment we are going to be learning about the Constitution. As a preliminary assigment, we're going to be summarizing everything we know about constitutions and our Constitution.
I know some of the history behind the Constitution's beginnings from our previous lessons. One impressive guest at the Constitutional Convention was Benjamin Franklin (much weather-beaten at this time). His diplomatic counterpart, John Adams, was away at the time.
Amendments to the Constitution have been made over time, to allow things such as voting rights for women and African-Americans.
The Constitution continues to be an influential ruling force in the way we act today. "Unconstitutional" is a common news term, meaning that something does not follow the Constitution, and is used especially frequently in political debates.
Admittedly, I know little about the Constitution. This gives us all the more reason to launch ahead with our Constitution project.
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