On page 4 of your book there are a number of “Ideas Beyond the Final Exam”. These are some of the ongoing debates in modern economics. Select any one of these issues and research some of the opinions and studies about it. Submit a typed, short but well developed research paper on the issues. Cite your sources properly in the endnotes.
Research any or all of the following topics or notables persons and present your findings. Cite your sources. Must use at least two separate sources.
Rabeinu Yehudah Hachassid.
Expulsions of Jews from France
Napoleon and the Jews
Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch
Chasam Sofer
12th grade Eng.: do the rest of the June 2012 Regents
9th grade Eng. Comp.: compose a haiku
AP Psych.: review notes
11th grade Eng.: do the rest of the June 2012 Regents
9th grade Eng. Lit.: read Chapters 9 and 10/write one paragraph on why Shin lied about the deaths of his mother and brother
12th grade: Read pp. 145-150/ generate a list of literary elements and techniques to test your recall/read the rest of Animal Farm-be sure to ask me any questions.
9th grade Eng. comp.: write 1 paragraph using the same kind of poetic foot for each sentence.
AP Psych.: review notes-final will be on this unit.
11th grade Eng.: see 12th grade hw.
9th grade Eng. Lit.: read Chapters 5-8.
A test from 2011 taken by 12 year old boys vying to join a select group of students at Eton College known as King’s Scholars has recently appeared upon the discussion table of British blogosphere. For those unfamiliar with this legendary British institution: Eton College is a boarding school for boys 13 to 18 founded by King Henry VI back in 1440. The chemist Robert Boyle, the author Alduos Huxley, the economist John Maynard Keynes are just a few of notables that went here. It is one of the best schools in the world.
70 of these students get to be in a separate boarding house reserved for King’s Scholars with scholarships from the original foundation, hence the name. To get the prestigious King’s scholarship, boys take this challenging test that tests not only math and logic but language and culture as well.
The question that has gotten the British blogosphere abuzz is the third part of the first question:
The year is 2040. There have been riots in the streets of London after Britain has run out of petrol because of an oil crisis in the Middle East. Protesters have attacked public buildings. Several policemen have died. Consequently, the Government has deployed the Army to curb the protests. After two days the protests have been stopped but twenty-five protesters have been killed by the Army. You are the Prime Minister. Write the script for a speech to be broadcast to the nation in which you explain why employing the Army against violent protesters was the only option available to you and one which was both necessary and moral.
A bit much isn’t it? Perhaps even surreal? Smells of Machiavelianism? Well, the text that precedes this question is an excerpt from Machiavelli’s The Prince. Also, did I mention that 19 prime ministers (including the current one) of England were / are Etonians? It’s not that I am against teaching boys to think out of their skin, but this just seems (for lack of a better word) too creepy.
The rest the test is quite interesting. Question 2 is quite creative; it asks you to decode a made up language. Question 3 is another open ended question about education based on Nietzsche. And question 4 consists of a bunch of math and logic puzzles, like: If today is Friday, what is the day that follows the day that comes after the day that precedes the day before yesterday?
12th grade: Do June 2009 Regents packet.
9th grade Eng. Comp.: Choose 1 thing, event, or person that has been a constant in your life. Write a mini-autobiography with this thing, event, or person as a major thread in your story.
AP Psych: Make sure you have and understand all notes from the MEMORY unit- your final will be on this unit.
11th grade: Do June 2009 Regents packet and the critical lens essay from the Aug. 2012 packet.
9th grade Eng. Lit.: read Ch. 3 EFC14. Make sure you have and understand all notes so far since your final will be based on this book.
Final Draft of “How ___________ influenced Society?”
Here’s an article that describes some of the influences of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” http://www.aarp.org/entertainment/books/info-07-2010/what_is_good_in_america.html
Remember: an essay is not just a list of facts or ideas. The way you present your thoughts, facts, or ideas is equally, if not more, important. Try to implement some of the literary elements we mentioned in class over the year, such as simile, metaphor, alliteration, hyperbole, etc. Adjectives don’t bite; grab a few and throw them in too.
Project: Choose four out of the 10 charts. Discuss your observations on the relationship between the economic indicators presented in them. Make educated conclusions based on the information you gather from these charts.
Unemployment
http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/UNRATE/
Inflation
http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/CPIAUCSL/
Prime Rate
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_rate
Real GDP
http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/GDPC1/
S & P 500 Index (you may want to look at different sectors)
http://www.standardandpoors.com/indices/sp-500/en/us/?indexId=spusa-500-usduf–p-us-l–
Housing Starts
http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/HOUST/
Money Supply (M2)
http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/M2/
Velocity
http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/M2V/
10 year Treasury Bonds
http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/DGS10/
Labor Participation Rate (i.e. what percent of working age people are participating in employment)
http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/CIVPART?cid=32443
Essay: As part of school curriculum students read literature that was written hundreds of years ago as well as works of contemporary authors. Discuss the differences between old and new literature – style, substance, tone, themes, etc. Why do you think teachers assign classics more often than modern works? Should teachers, in your opinion, assign more of newer novels or “dust off” more of the older works?
Extra Credit: Write an engaging essay on a topic or subject of your choice.
Essay:
Sometimes a work of fiction – a novel, a poem, a movie, or a song – influence change in society. Discuss an example of this, and explain how this effect occurs in society. First draft due Tuesday.