Guns, Timber, and Diamonds

The class finished watching the video on the illegal arms trade they began yesterday. Using this worksheet, they answered a series of questions from the video. They used the same worksheet to answer questions about the diamond and timber trade in West Africa and the connection between these resources and different conflicts. Below are the websites needed to complete the worksheet:

Diamonds - http://www.americanradioworks.org/features/diamonds/sierraleone1.html

Sierra Leone - http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/sierraleone/thestory.html

Timber - http://www.alertnet.org/thefacts/reliefresources/271945

HOMEWORK:

Read the article on timber and finish the worksheet - DUE Monday 11/1

Arms Trade Simulation: Making a Killing

Students participated in an arms trade simulation. They were assigned a group with a list of objectives. They made deals with the other groups in attempts to meet their objectives. Following the simulation, they watched a short film about the arms trafficking and Sierra Leone. The video can be watched below:

Emmanuel Jal and Uganda

Agenda:

1. Turn in posters
2. Peer check for Checkpoint #3
3. Watched a speech given by child soldier Emmanuel Jal (above)
4. Read a brief history of Uganda and made a timeline.

UCRC Posters

Students had time in class to work on the final drafts of their UCRC posters.

HOMEWORK:

UCRC Poster Final Draft - DUE Tomorrow

Checkpoint #3 - DUE Tomorrow

Child Soldiers and the UCRC

Students read the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Students contrasted the articles of the UCRC with the realities of child soldiers. The also listened to the song War Child by Sudanese, former child soldier, Emmanuel Jal.

HOMEWORK:

Rough Draft of UCRC/Child Solider Posters - DUE Monday 10/25

Child Soldiers

For block day, students completed the activities on Congolese Independence. I have the related handouts available in my class. After, students watched several slideshows about child soldiers and resource-related conflicts in Central Africa (i.e. The LRA in Uganda). Students also began learning about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Below are the links to the slideshows the students viewed:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/11/15/world/africa/20081115-congo/index.html?scp=3&sq=congo&st=cse

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/02/23/world/20090223CONGO_index.html?scp=5&sq=congo&st=cse

http://www.amnestyusa.org/children/child-soldiers/photo-exhibit/page.do?id=1181009

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/04/10/world/africa/1247467554547/on-the-hunt-for-joseph-kony.html?scp=9&sq=uganda&st=cse

Quiz

Students took the quiz over on the Southern Africa map, Vocab, and MWH 11.2. After, they began reading an article about the past century of history in the Congo.

10/12-14

Wednesday/Thursday 10/13-14

• All academy students watched the Invisible Children documentary during the PSAT testing on Wednesday.
• Students wrote press reports and letters from their roles in Monday's Hyde Park Corner simulation.
• Students began preparing for a simulation of the British Parliament debating foreign policy action regarding the Congo Free State. Some students will be presenting in groups, others will be "undecided members of Parliament.
  

HOMEWORK:

MWH 11.2 - Use your Modern World History Textbook to complete this assignment. DUE - 10/13-14

QUIZ FRIDAY! - Southern Africa Map, Vocabulary, MWH 11.2

Tuesday 10/12

• Writing with Bias Essays returned
• Students watched a video (below) about the Invisible Children organization, who will be presenting at a Cleveland assembly on November 4th.
• Students wrote down vocabulary terms: Colonialism, Ling Leopold II, Congo Free State, Force Publique, Social Darwinism, Scientific Racism, Berlin Conference

HOMEWORK:

MWH 11.2 - Use your Modern World History Textbook to complete this assignment. DUE - 10/13-14

QUIZ FRIDAY! - Southern Africa Map, Vocabulary, MWH 11.2

Hyde Park Corner

Students participated in a simulated discussion, taking place in London in 1904. The topic of the discussion dealt with whether or not the British government should get involved in pressuring King Leopold of Belgium to change his practices in the Congo Free State. Students were split into reporters and participants.

HOMEWORK:

Map Quiz - Southern Africa - Friday 10/14

Congo Free State

Today students discussed the reading from the book King Leopold's Ghost. After, the class read an article about the formation and operation King Leopold's Congo Free State. As a group, we discussed and answered these questions.

Also - Many students did poorly on the map quiz. Be sure to setup a time to retake it if you need to!

HOMEWORK:

Finish questions from the Congo Free State article. DUE Monday 10/11

Map Quiz and King Leopold Questions

Agenda:

• Map Quiz - Northern Africa. If students want to retake the test they can during tutorial tomorrow.
• King Leopold's Ghost reading questions. Students used their highlighted articles from the last lesson.

There will be an honors meeting tomorrow from 9:30-9:45 in Mr. Graham's room

HOMEWORK:

King Leopold's Ghost Reading Questions - DUE 10/6-7

King Leopold's Ghost

Today students read a passage from the book King Leopold's Ghost. Students highlighted sections of text and then "responded" to the highlighting. Students were asked to write down their thoughts about their thinking.

Click here for an online map quiz of Africa to help you study for tomorrow's quiz.

HOMEWORK:

Checkpoint #2 Self-check - DUE Tomorrow 10/5

Africa Map QUIZ - Northern Section Tomorrow

Pre-Colonial Congo

Students looked a a series of proverbs from the Congo. From these proverbs, students made observations of the values and lifestyles of the pre-colonial tribes. Student also began comparing maps of Africa from 1884 and 1914.