Michael’s Social Studies Blog

#1  Think about the presentations  and reflect on the projects your classmates presented and the information you listened to. Explain with details and specific information what you learned, what you found interesting, surprising, or shocking about the presentations you heard in class.

• I have learned that the world is changing dramatically and we need to help. Child Soldiers are dying helplessly and we need to stop them. They are acting as a human shield that protects their commanders from being caught, and need to be re-educated. We also need to consider the world’s development of small arms and weapons, and the danger of them. That is why the world is in serious need of disarmament. Also, blood diamonds have inspired me to help the dying citizens of Africa.

#2  What would you change to improve your project/presentation if you were to do the assignment again?

• I would make my (Michael, Maya and Nicole) movie with more information as our movie did teach us a lesson only without enough background information. However, I am quite satisfied with the final product.

Choice 2.

Find a similar event and write about how they are connected. Find a similar event and write about how they are connected.

Link to Article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/6610153.stm

. Include a link back to this homework post.

5. Use the title of this post as the title of your post.

6. Answer both of the questions below:

a. What did you find interesting about this topic?

b. What did you like about the initial blog posting?

. Include a link back to this homework post.5. Use the title of this post as the title of your post.

6. Answer both of the questions below:

a. What did you find interesting about this topic?

I found that nations are in deep trouble as there have been to shootings in England which have killed two girls in total. Distribution of weaponry in public has leaded into more serious problems and have been fatal. I feel that distribution of weaponry should be banned by the United Nations etc. as this world is getting more dangerous as every second passes.

b. What did you like about the initial blog posting?

I liked the format of Gabriela’s blog and how she layed out the font and images side by side. This format would take a lot of space however it is easy for the reader.

Mynnot, Adam. “Somalia’s ‘Total Nightmare.’” British Broadcasting Corporation 28     Apr. 2007, special report ed. 29 Apr. 2007 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/
     programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6600027.stm>

.

1. What is the issue?
The issue is that Mogadishu; capital of Somalia is suffering from weeks of fighting and wars.

A terrorist group called the Islamic Court Group has been uncontrollable which has leaded into continuous wars.
A percentile of Somalia’s population is leaving the country with nowhere else to go. 

2. Who is involved?
∑ Somalian Government
∑ Islamic Court Group
∑ Somalian citizens

3. Who is affected and how?
∑ Somalian citizens
∑ Neighboring nations of Somalia
∑ Somalian government

The Somalian citizens are affected because they must leave the country for safety, however they have nowhere else to live.

The Neighboring nations of Somalia are affected because the nations surrounding Somalia are poorer and they can’t accept illegal immigrants.

The Somalian Government is affected because if all citizens leave, the nation will collapse and will be taken away by the Islamic Court Group.

4. What would you do if you were directly involved?
If I was the UN secretary general, I would demand a trade with the Islamic Court Group, give them land to live,

give them jobs so they will not terrorize citizens of the world.

CNN. ”
New York braces for heavy snowstorm.” CNN 25 Feb. 2007, international ed.

      26 Feb. 2007 <http://www.cnn.com/2007/WEATHER/02/25/winter.storm.ap/

      index.html>. 

Link to News Article: New York braces for heavy snowstorm

Option 1. What new information has emerged?

It is said that the snowstorms are continuing and the temperatures are getting worse.

Michigan is the worst affected part where there are air flights delayed and traffic deaths.

2. What did you find interesting about the topic? 

I found that global warming is affecting everything around the world and we should to everything to delay it. It would happen eventually but there were lots of ways to delay it from happening.

3. What did you like about the initial blog posting?

I liked the way Joshua organized everything neatly. I also liked the photo because it showed the event and how serious it is. I just wish it was a little bit bigger. Nice Job!

• What would you change about the final product (the wiki you created) if you were to do the assignment again?

I would never EVER! go ahead and ignore teacher’s instructions because our group had caused problems to other people because we made our own wikispace. I would also make our homepage neater.

• Look at some of the other wikis from any class and find a few that you think are done exceptionally well. Tell me the name of the empire and the block, and then explain what you like about their wiki.

I think the Zimababwe Kingdom and Mali Empire from block E was done exceptionally well because their pages had neat layout, just the right amount of detail and all their sources were neatly written. Big Cheer To You Guys! You Rock~~~! Good Job to others to~! 

Resources:

Yardley, Jim, and David E. Sanger. "Nuclear Talks in North Korea Hit Roadblock."
     The New York Times Learning Network 12 Feb. 2007. 12 Feb. 2007
     <http://www.nytimes.com/learning/students/pop/articles/12korea.html>.

(Viewed 12th Feb, 2007)

Link to the Article:Nuclear Talks on North Korea Hit Roadblock 

Images.

Source: Click Here!

Source: Click Here!

Sources for Maps: Asia: Click Here  North Korea: Click Here

1.What is the Issue?

The Issue is that the step-by-step offer for North Korea giving up their nuclear weapons are not working. George Bush, President of the United States, can’t trust North Korea to give the USA all the Nuclear Weapons they have if the USA send North Korea huge shipments of fuel and electricity beforehand. The USA can’t afford to send huge shipments of fuel which are reaching 60.00 US$ and thousands of electricians to install cables in North Korea.

2.Who is involved?

1. The US Government
2. North Korean Government
3. Christopher R. Hill (Chief American Envoy)

3.Who is affected and how?

1. The North Koreans are affected because they are living with 1000 US$ every year, and they don’t have enough electricity and modernized equipment because dictator Kim-Jong Il only thinks about himself and WAR! Also, Every citizen living in North Korea has to pay taxes which are used for making Nuclear Weapons.
2. People who donated (Red Cross, United Nations, UNICEF etc.) are affected because all their donations were sold to make nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons.

4.What would you do if you were directly involved?

If I was Christopher R. Hill, I would tell the North Korean Government to have a direct trade (When two people both bring their goods and exchange at the same time) in sea or land. This would be fair to both countries which would make the trade a success.

What did you learn from this task?

I learned effective use of teamwork, how to use the different techniques of wikispaces.

Did you find this difficult or easy? Why?

I found this task really easy because all it really was to create a homepage, only easier.

What would you change about the process you went through to complete the wiki if you were to do the assignment again?

I would always listen to teachers instructions and never work ahead.

I have learned about the 4 Kingdoms that rose in Western Africa. The 4 Kingdoms were Ghana, Mali, Songhai and The Morrocan Empire. Ghana was named the ‘Kingdom of Gold’ and it was the first empire to be made in Western Africa. Before that was some tribes who survived or faded out because of the appearance of more powerful weapons. The most powerful weapons were made out of ‘iron’ which was made by melting rocks that contained iron ore. The people melted the rocks until the iron ore got very soft but hot. The people took out the iron ore and shaped it when it was soft. then they cooled down the iron so it could be in use as a weapon. The tribes became more powerful if there were more iron weapons. Then the kingdom, Ghana was formed. Ghana was very rich in gold. It took the rivers so people could trade with them. Ghana lasted about 100 years. After 100 years, Mali took over the land and became twice as big as the usual Ghana kingdom used to be, but the Kingdom of Mali was conquered by the Songhai Empire who was the most powerful trading kingdom in Africa. Then Finally, the Morrocan Empire which formed from the north-west, attacked with their well-trained and equipped with highly expensive armory attacked. The whole kingdom of Songhai was conquered in a year and Morroco gained all power.

I wonder what happened to Morroco although there is a country called Morroco in North-West Africa. I believe kingdoms came, rose in to height and then became conquered. I wonder why the kingdoms, Ghana, Mali and Songhai couldn’t survive.

Resources:

Citation:Abrashi, Fisnik. “NATO, Afghan Troops
Battle Insurgents.” Yahoo! News 29 Oct. 2006. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061029/ap_on_re_as/afghanistan_13

(29 Oct. 2006)

Link: NATO, Afghan Troops Battle Insurgents

Picture:

Picture Source: Click Here

Map of Afghanistan

Picture Source: Click Here

1. What is the issue?

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and Afghani soldiers battled a large group of Insurgents who attcked a military base in Southern Afghanistan. There also was a roadside bomb blast where it killed 1 NATO soldier and wounded 8 soldiers. 55 suspected militants were killed on Saturday.

2. Who is Involved?

• NATO’s Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
• Civilians living in Southern Afghanistan
• Afghani soldiers
• Insurgents
• NATO soldiers

3. Who is Affected and How?

• Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, NATO Secretary General: He sent NATO soldiers to attack but instead, he injured soldiers by sending them to roadside bombs.
• Civilians: Some have lost their lives just because they lived close to the battlefield.
• Insurgents: They have tried to attack, but only their roadside bomb was a success. The others all lost their lives.
• Militants: Some were killed because their party were suspected.

4.What Would You Do if You Were Directly Involved?

Instead of killing all the militants, I would have put them in some serious condition where they would tell the answers to everything I ask. Then I observe the information told and then choose a solution for the fight.