International Events ....And In The Rest of The World

Although our focus has been on local issues and national economic news lately, the rest of the world continues experience economic trouble and political wrangling. This week you will post about a issue from the international stage.


Read UPFRONT magazine’s …And In The Rest of the World from pages 10 – 13. Choose one of the ten issues to learn about in more detail. Find at least three additional resources and bookmark them in diigo. Share them with the group and highlight.


Create a blog post detailing the situation with hyperlinks to the names of people and places described.

Topic Selected:
Blog Post
Title _____ 1 pt
Summarizes Information

Describes History _____ 3 pts
Updates Most Recent Information _____ 4 pts
States How this Affects Americans _____ 3 pts
Provides Opinion/Reaction to Events _____ 5 pts

Research
Resource 1 _____ 3 pts
Resource 2 _____ 4 pts
Resource 3 _____ 5 pts

Diigo Skills
All resources Bookmarked in diigo _____ 3 pts
All resources Highlighted in diigo _____ 3 pts
All resources Shared to group _____ 3 pts

Hyperlinks
All resources hyperlinked from blog post _____ 3 pts
Provides hyperlinks to information explaining people and places _____ 3pts

The Rising Debt - Ten Trillion and Counting

As President Obama and his economic team have been travelling the country and made the news and even the talkshow circuit; they are wrestling with big choices with tremendous consequences for the future. Watch this PBS Frontline presentation Ten Trillion and Counting describing the current state of the federal deficit, and the future debt we all face.

As you watch the presentation, write your thoughts about the history of debt and the decisions to be made. Write a blog post stating your opinion, and your feelings about the future debt we all will carry.

Headlines Assignment and Scoring Guide

Headlines Assignment
Select an article from a major news source. Bookmark, highlight, and annotate it using diigo. Share the article to the group. Write a blog post summarizing the article and your thoughts and reaction to it. Create a hyperlink within your blog post going to the original article. Be sure to give it a title on your blog.

• Article from major news source _____ 5 pts
  Title:
  Source:
  
• Diigo
  Bookmarked _____ 3 pts
  Highlighted _____ 2 pts
  Shared to group _____ 1 pt
  
• Blog Post
  includes summary of article _____ 3 pts
  includes thoughtful reaction _____ 3 pts
  hyperlink to original article _____ 3 pts
  
• Total 20 Pts ______

What Should Be On Everyone's Blog

What Should Be on Everyone’s Blog

After doing grades this week, it is clear that not everyone is keeping up with the assignments on their blogs. Perhaps this is due to some of the computer difficulties this week, perhaps because the assignments are not listed.

So to be clear, at this point each blog should have the following.
1. State of the Union My Thoughts – a reflection on President Obama’s speech and the Republican response. (2/26)
2. The Erie Insights Problem Statement – the post of your problem/issue (2/25)
3. Headline – choose a story from a major news source. Bookmark and highlight it using diigo and share it to the group. Write a blog post summarizing the article and your thoughts and reaction to it. (3/6)
4. The Erie Insights Possible Solutions – list possible ways to solve your problem (3/8)
5. Headline – choose a story from a major news source. Bookmark and highlight it using diigo and share it to the group. Write a blog post summarizing the article and your thoughts and reaction to it. (3/11)
6. The Erie Insights Recommended Solution – state the solution to the problem you recommend and state your reasons for it. (3/11)
7. Headline – choose a story from a major news source. Bookmark and highlight it using diigo and share it to the group. Write a blog post summarizing the article and your thoughts and reaction to it. (3/12)

Please check your blog, and be mindful of the list above. Additionally, You must comment on the Headlines blogs of at least three other people. You will then post a link to your three comments in the comments section of this post.

Blogs are an excellent way to communicate and complete assignments. I don’t anyone to miss the opportunity. Hopefully with computer problems behind us we can move forward in our understanding of current events and law.

Lesson Plan for March 5th

Good Morning Class!! Unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to be there with you today. My hope is to be in class tomorrow….

First, I want to thank Jeremy Gindy and Carole Kossbiel for hosting the discussion this week. I’d like each of these students to give a summary of the class feelings regarding their topics. I believe Pat Fourspring and Darren Smith are ready to lead a discussion this week. Visit their blog and respond by the end of class on Tuesday, March 10th.

Today, your task is to post your “Erie Insights – Possible Solutions” to your blog. Your post should include hyperlinks to articles and resources you have bookmarked and highlighted in diigo. This should be posted to your blog by the end of this class.

Tomorrow, you have a post due for an article you identify in the headlines. You need to bookmark and highlight your source to diigo, then write a post for your blog. In the post include a brief summary of the story, and state why you chose the article. Include a hyperlink in this as well.

Finally, Step 3: Recommending a Solution
Now that you have found three possible solutions, suggest the one you think is best. Include in your reasons for recommending this course of action. Who will your solution effect? What would change if your solution would be implemented? This will be the subject of the final blog post for the “Erie Insights Project”.

Remember to follow class procedures, and be respectful. Have a terrific day, and I hope to see you tomorrow.