Extreme Sports

Today you are going to learn about some extreme sports and prepare a short presentation about one for the rest of the class.

1. Open the ESPN Action Sports website in another window.

2. At the top of the page you will see a list of the following categories of extreme sports. Choose an unfamiliar sport to learn about.

Skateboarding
Snowboarding
Surfing
Freeskiing
BMX
FMX
Blogs
X Games
Surfline

2. After you go to your sport page, you will see a list of "headlines" on the right side of the page. Choose one headline story to read about. Below the headlines, you will also see some interviews. You can read an interview if that is more interesting to you.

3. Take notes about the story so that you can explain it to the class. Remember to include an introduction and a conclusion.

4. Make a list of new vocabulary from the story or interview that you read. We will write these words on the board and explain them to the class.

5. Make your presentation.

Alternative Marriage Practices

In this activity, you will research an alternative marriage practice.

1. Choose one of the topics from the list, or think of your own. Next to each topic is a link to an internet resource that you can use in your research.

civil unions (Sample link)
dowry (Sample link)
mail-order & internet brides (Sample link)
matchmaking (Sample link)
polygamy (Sample link)
serial monogamy (Sample link)

2. Research the topic on the Internet. Take notes. Use the questions below to guide your research:

What is / are ________________________?
In what cultures might you find___________________________?
Would _____________________________ be legal in your culture? Why or why not?
What do you think about______________________________? Why do you feel this way?

3. Organize your information into a short presentation to share with the rest of the class. Remember to use some of the transitional phrases we talked about in Unit 8 on page 146-147.

Astrology webquest

Today you are going to learn about Astrology.

1. Discuss the following questions in groups or as a class.

What do you know about fortune telling?
What kinds of traditional fortune telling exist in your country and culture?
Do you believe that people can predict the future?

2. Your teacher will assign you a group, each group will research about a topic in astrology and report back to the class.

Group A: Read about the history of astrology here and answer the following questions: When did astrology begin? Where did it begin? When did astrology become popular among everyday people? Why?

Group B: Read about some of the mythology behind astrology here and andwer the following questions: Pick three different signs and describe the mythology behind them.

3. Now, go here and learn more about your sun sign. For example, I am a Gemini. Read a little bit about your sun sign and answer the following questions: What is your sign's element? What is your sign's quality? What is your sign's ruling planet and what are the astrological qualities of this planet? Do you think the description of your astrological sign is accurate? Why or why not?

Internet research: Laughter therapy (Summit II Unit 8)

Task: Use one or more of the websites listed to research what laughter therapy is and how it works.

Respond using information from the websites.

What is laughter therapy?

What are three benefits of laughing?

“A hearty laugh can make you feel much better.” Do you agree or disagree? Explain your answer.

http://www.teehee.com/Reasons.html
http://www.indiadiets.com/Alternative%20Healing/Laughter.htm
http://www.holistic-online.com/Humor_Therapy/humor_therapy_benefits.htm
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/101/106422.htm

You can also search for your own information. Try using these keywords in your search:
Laughter therapy Humor Laughter

Describe an artist, actress/actor, singer/musician, movie, play, or book

1. Choose an artist, actress/actor, singer/musician, movie, play, or book that you really love. You are going to do some research about your choice and write a brief descriptive essay.

2. Brainstorm some research questions. For example, if I chose the movie Fight Club, these are some questions I can ask:

• What is the plot of the movie? (Plot=story)


• Did the plot make sense or was it confusing?


• What were the visuals like? Did it have good special effects?


• What were the characters like in the film?


• What was the acting like?


• What is my favorite part about the film?


• Who is my favorite character from that film?


• What, specifically, make me like this film so much?


• What kinds of values or ideas about life does this film suggest?


• Was there anything I didn't like about this film?

These are all just general questions. I probably would not use all of them as research questions, but at least I have several to choose from. Now, you brainstorm some questions about your topic. Write them down.


3. Now choose the three most interesting research questions to think about. These are the three questions from my brainstorm that I would probably choose:

• Who is my favorite character from that film?


• What, specifically, make me like this film so much?


• What kinds of values or ideas about life does this film suggest?

4. Now, use these questions to do some further research about your topic. Make sure that you take notes. You will use these notes to make a brief presentation about your topic.


5. Organize your notes. Make sure that you have an introduction and a conclusion.

Volunteering Web Quest

We've been discussing volunteer work in class. This web activity will help us learn more about volunteer opportunities in the United States and around the world. Remember to write down your answers so that you can present your findings to the rest of the class when we are finished with the activity.

1. Think about the different kinds of volunteering you have done. What was it? Did you enjoy it?

2. Go to www.volunteermatch.org. This website is a search-engine for different kinds of volunteering that you can do in different places.

3. Use the search function to find a place to volunteer. You can search by US city or state, or you can search by the kind of thing you are interested in, for example "environment" or "health."

4. Choose one of the volunteer opportunities from your search and note the following:

• The organization--tell us briefly about what the organization is and what they do.
• The area of focus of the volunteer work (women, environment, education, etc...)
• Description of the volunteer work
• Are there any qualifications that a volunteer needs?
• What is the cost, if any, of the program?

5. Does this volunteer work sound interesting to you? Why or why not?

6. Now go to http://www.volunteerabroad.com/search.cfm. This is a website of volunteer opportunities around the world.

7. Use the search function to find a volunteer opportunity. You can search by region, country, and type of volunteer work. I did a search and found a volunteer opportunity to live with a family in Jordan and teach them English, which sounds interesting to me! Find something you are interested in.

8. Note the following information about the volunteer opportunity:

• The name of the organization and other relevant information about it.
• A description and duration of the volunteer program. What are the responsibilities of volunteers?
• What kinds of qualifications, if any, does a volunteer need?
• Does the program cost anything?
• Any other information you think is relevant.

9. Does this volunteer work sound interesting to you? Why or why not?

New Urbanism

The Town Paper is a website that discusses Traditional Neighbourhood Development, or TND. TNDs are communities built on the principles of New Urbanism, which we have been learning about in Chapter 2 of Northstar Advanced.

Go to the TND Neighbourhoods section of the Town Paper website. You will see a list of links to the websites of different TNDs throughout the country, organized by state. Please pick three of these communities to read about. Come back to class prepared to discuss the following information (note, you may not find all the information, but find as much as you can):

1. The name of the TND and where it is located
2. The founding principles of the TND--for example, is it based around an agricultural community, is it more artistic, is it focused on education...etc. Many websites will have a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section. The FAQ section is a good place to get information.
3. What do the homes look like?
4. How much does it cost to live there?
5. Would you live in the TND? Why or why not?

TV News Report in Idioms

TV News Report in Idioms

With a partner, choose one of the following topics and write a short TV report in the form of a dialogue (4 minutes) for the class.

1. A five day weather forecast including temperatures, conditions, good news and bad about what is happening in the weather. (Suggested website: http://www.weather.com)

2. A “weekend wrap-up” of sports including wins, losses and gossip in at least three different sports. (Suggested website: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/sportscenter/index)

3. Breaking world news regarding at least three different countries, with at least one of your stories being positive. (Suggested website: http://www.bbc.co.uk)

4. Recent local news from San Diego and Oceanside, with at least three different news stories, one of which being positive. (Suggested website: http://www.signonsandiego.com/)

5. Recent US national news, with at least three different stories, one of which being positive. (Suggested website: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/national/index.html )

6. Recent news in style and art, with at least three different stories. (Suggested website: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/style/index.html)


Here is the trick. Each group has to use idioms to tell the story. The idioms have to be used in such a way that helps explain the story and that works in the context. ALSO, since other people in the class will watch the report, each idiom that is stated hast to be re-stated by the other partner in other words to help explain its meaning. You must use at least 5 idioms in your report. You may use idioms that you already know or check the following websites for more ideas.

http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms

http://www.idiomsite.com

Gattaca, Genetic Engineering, and Transhumanism

Gattaca takes on issues related to genetic engineering and “transhumanism.” Before we begin watching the movie, we’ll learn a little bit about genetic engineering and transhumanism. Your teacher will divide you up into several groups, and each group will be responsible for researching and reporting on one aspect of this topic.

1. What is biotechnology (also sometimes called "Genetic Engineering")? Give some examples of how biotechnology is used.

2. What is transhumanism? What are its aims?

3. What technologies are relevant to transhumanism? For example, genetic engineering. Why are transhumanists interested in these technologies?

4. There are many arguments against transhumanism. Summarize the "Frankenstein" argument and the "Terminator" argument.

US Elections 2008 Web Activity

Go to Smartvoter.org and under “find my ballot” on the right, enter the Oceanside zip code: 92056

Under the “Directory of Contests,” click on the link for “President.”

• How many people are running for President?
• What are the different political parties they represent?
• Are these parties similar or different from the parties in your home country?

How do Obama and McCain differ on the following issues? You can go to the official Obama and McCain websites to get information.

• The economy
• Iraq/Foreign Policy
• Education
• Choose an issue you are interested in.

Questions about the US “Electoral College.” Us this link first to answer them.

• What is the US Electoral College and why was it established?
• How many votes do states get?
• How are electors selected?
• Why do some people criticize the Electoral College?

Define these key voting terms and describe how each one relates to US Elections.

• Balanced Budget
• Constituency
• G.O.P.
• Nominee
• Non-partisan
• Partisan
• Unbiased
• Rhetoric

Define the following US Political Slang:

• Vampire State
• Twinkie
• Panda-hugger
• Boy scout
• Anxious Class
• Mudslinging

US Regional Food Culture

You are going to learn about the regional food cultures of the United States from the Key Ingredients website.

PART ONE

Your teacher will assign one of the following regions for you to research:

• Northeast
• Southeast
• Midwest
• Northwest
• Southwest

As you research this region, answer the following questions:

1. What foods are important to this region?

2. What are the cultural and ethnic influences?

3. Are there any important holidays and festivals associated with this region?

PART TWO

Finally, you are going to research specific regional foods on the What's Cooking America Website. Your teacher will again assign you one specific region to research. You can find links to each specific region below:

• Deep South: Alabama - Florida - Georgia – Mississippi
• Far West: California - Hawaii - Nevada
• Great Lakes: Illinois - Indiana - Michigan - Minnesota - Ohio – Wisconsin
• New England: Connecticut - Maine - Massachusetts - New Hampshire - Rhode Island – Vermont
• Mid-Atlantic: Delaware - Maryland - New Jersey - New York - Pennsylvania - District of Columbia (Washington D.C.)
• Midwest/Plains: Arkansas - Iowa - Kansas - Missouri - Nebraska - North Dakota - Oklahoma - South Dakota
• Pacific Northwest: Alaska - Oregon - Washington - Idaho – Montana
• Southeast: Kentucky - North Carolina - South Carolina - Tennessee - Virginia -West Virginia
• Southwest: Arizona - New Mexico - Texas - Utah\
• South Central: Louisiana

Choose two of the weirdest recipes from your assigned region and take notes on them. Write down:

1. the history of the food, its relationship to cultural and ethnic history, and any holidays it is associated with.

2. When it is typically eaten (i.e. for breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc).

3. Does this food appeal to you? Why or why not?4.

Is this food similar to a food you eat in your home country? If so, tell us about it.

Multiple Intelligence & Careers WebQuest

“The secret of success is making your vocation your vacation.” - Mark Twain

“Find a job you love and you will never have to work.” - Anonymous


INTRODUCTION

People are smart in many ways and your chances of having a successful career and a happy life may have a lot to do with your knowledge of the kind of Intelligence that is strongest in you. Being skilled at recognizing and using your unique talents has its advantages. Your job will be personally fulfilling if you use your innate strengths. Wouldn't you rather do something that is natural and effortless to you?

1. As we discussed in class, There are several different kinds of intelligence. They are listed below for your reference.

Kinesthetic - Body Smart (The book calls this "Physical")
Linguistic - Word Smart
Logical - Number Smart (The book calls this "Mathmatical")
Interpersonal - People Smart
Intrapersonal - Myself Smart
Musical - Music Smart
Visual/Spatial - Picture Smart
Naturalistic - Nature Smart (This category was not included in the book)
Intuitive

2. Now, take the Multiple Intelligences test at the link below.

http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks3/ict/multiple_int/index.htm

3. Now, you will interpret the results of your test.

A. Write down the the results of your intelligence test

B. Was the test accurate?

C. Give us examples to illustrate why it is accurate or why it is not. For example, if you have strong Visual/Spatial intelligence, tell us about a skill you have that uses it.

4. Describe the kind of intelligence that is least like you. For reference, here is a description of each kind of intelligence again:

http://www.ldpride.net/learningstyles.MI.htm#Multiple%20Intelligences%20Explained

Internet research: Careers (Summit II Unit 1)

Task: Use one or more of the websites listed to research job descriptions, requirements, and job outlooks for various careers.

Respond using information from the websites.

Choose three careers. Give a job description for each one. Many of you have already chosen your careers. However, choose three that are interesting to you, or related to your career options. Alternatively, you can choose some careers that seem strange or completely different from what you want to do.

What are the requirements for these careers?

What aspect(s) of these careers do you find most interesting? Are you suited to these careers? Explain your answers.

http://careerplanning.about.com/od/occupations/a/career_briefs.htm
http://www.wetfeet.com/Careers---Industries.aspx


You can also search for your own information. Try using these keywords in your search:

[Career name][Career name] description[Career name] planning

This activity is from the Summit II Companion Website.

Guinness Book of World Records Web Activity and Pictionary

I. You are going to learn about some of the stranger world records in the Guinness Book of World Records. Your teacher will assign you one of the following categories:

Human Body
Amazing Feats
Natural World
Science & Technology
Arts & Media
Modern Society
Travel & Transport
Sports & Games

II. Under each category, you will find several subcategories. Choose at least 1 world record from each subcategory. You will choose 10 world records in all. Some of you may need to choose more than 1 from each subcategory.

Your teacher will give you some cards. Use one card for each world record and write the following:

1. On the front of the card, write the name of the record. For example, "The Largest Monkey" or "Tallest Ridable Motorcycle"

2. On the back of the card, write any relevant information about the record. For example, if I were filling in information about "The Largest Monkey," I'd write something like: "Male Mandrill. Lives in West Africa. Average size 25 kg but can be up to 56 kg." etc.

III. After we finish our research, we will use these cards in a Pictionary game. We'll divide up into teams, and the goal will be to draw a picture that helps your team mates guess the world record correctly.

2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing Webquest

This web activity will help you learn about the sports competitions at the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing. In addition, you'll learn about the participating countries and find some information about traveling in Beijing.

This web activity has three parts.

I. Below is a list of Olympic sports. Pick one sport you know very little about and one sport you know something about. For each sport, describe:

1. The origin of the sport.
2. The Olympic history of the sport.
3. Equipment used.
4. Anything else you think is interesting.

Archery
Athletics (this is another name for "track and field")
Badminton
Baseball
Basketball
Beach Volleyball
Boxing
Canoe/Kayak Flatwater
Canoe/Kayak Slalom
Cycling BMX
Cycling Mountain Bike
Cycling Road
Cycling Track

Diving
Equestrian
Fencing
Football
Gymnastics Artistic
Gymnastics Rhythmic
Trampoline
Handball
Hockey
Judo
Modern Pentathlon
Rowing
Sailing

Shooting
Softball
Swimming
Synchronized Swimming
Table Tennis
Taekwondo
Tennis
Triathlon
Volleyball
Water Polo
Weightlifting
Wrestling

II. Go to the Athletes and Teams section of the official Olympic website. On the right side of the page, you will see a box that says "Search NOC." This box allows you to search for atheltes and teams by country. Pick two countries--one country that you know something about and one country that you know almost nothing about. For each country, note anything of general interest.

III. Go to the Beijing section of the Lonely Planet website and read about Beijing. Your teacher will assign you one of the following categories to research.

1. When to go
2. Activities
3. Events (pick two or three months and describe the events)
4. Sights (search by keyword and pick two or three types of sights to describe)
5. Shopping (search by keyword and pick two or three kinds of items to focus your search)
6. Entertainment (pick two or three places to describe)
7. History (focus on modern history, but be sure to read some about ancient history, too)

Food History and Regional Cooking in the United States of America

This web quest is designed to help you learn more about food history and regional cooking in the United States of America.

When you think about food in the USA, what foods do you think of? Many people immediately think of hamburgers. It's true that this is an important food, but there are other foods such as corn on the cob that are also eaten in the United States.

I. Go to the Key Ingredients website to learn about specific historical periods in US food history. Your teacher will assign one of the following periods for you to research.

1500 - Traditions
1600 - Colonization
1700 - A New Country
1800 - Expansion
1900 - Modernization
1950 - Recent Trends
2000 - The Future of Food

As you research your period in US food history, note the following:

1. What were some of the important US foods at that time?
2. How were these foods obtained? For example, did people buy them? Did they grow them...?
3. Were there any important food traditions? (Holidays, etc)
4. What role did cultural traditions play?

II. Now you are going to learn about the regional food cultures of the United States from the Key Ingredients website. Your teacher will assign one of the following regions for you to research:

Northeast
Southeast
Midwest
Northwest
Southwest

As you research this region, keep in mind the following:

1. What foods are important to this region?
2. What are the cultural and ethnic influences?
3. Are there any important holidays and festivals associated with this region?

III. Finally, you are going to research specific regional foods on the What's Cooking America Website. Your teacher will again assign you one specific region to research. You can find links to each specific region below:

Deep South: Alabama - Florida - Georgia – Mississippi

Far West: California - Hawaii - Nevada

Great Lakes: Illinois - Indiana - Michigan - Minnesota - Ohio – Wisconsin

New England: Connecticut - Maine - Massachusetts - New Hampshire - Rhode Island – Vermont

Mid-Atlantic: Delaware - Maryland - New Jersey - New York - Pennsylvania - District of Columbia (Washington D.C.)

Midwest/Plains: Arkansas - Iowa - Kansas - Missouri - Nebraska - North Dakota - Oklahoma - South Dakota

Pacific Northwest: Alaska - Oregon - Washington - Idaho – Montana

Southeast: Kentucky - North Carolina - South Carolina - Tennessee - Virginia -West Virginia

Southwest: Arizona - New Mexico - Texas - Utah

South Central: Louisiana

1. Choose two recipes from your assigned region and take notes on them.
2. Be sure to note the history of the food, its relationship to cultural and ethnic history, and any holidays it is associated with.
3. Be sure to note when it is typically eaten (i.e. for breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc).
4. Does this food appeal to you? Why or why not?
5. Is this food similar to a food you eat in your home country? If so, tell us about it.