Monday, January 8, 2018
02:30 - 04:15; 105 min. -
AP Environmental Science:
Land Use Classification -
Chase and I discussed how land is used by humans and what types of land is suitable for each. We then listed the five different international designated public land use types. We also listed the classification of public land use in the United States. We compared and contrasted the two lists, by examining the criteria and over-riding environmental conservation ethic under which these areas are managed. We discussed the four main governmental agencies that manage National public lands. Homework: read and answer the questions for mod 29.
Assignment
Homework: read and answer the questions for mod 29.
Today, we started with a creative word association game to help Chase brainstorm ideas for the rest of her short story. We then highlighted a few of the concepts to concentrate on and Chase made a list of scene ideas. We discussed these ideas and then reread the intro to her short story to go over any edits that would better set up the rest of her story.
Today, Chase decided on a conflict to explore in her new short story: working title "Lies, Loyalty, and Loss." We went over possible character development and subplots she could weave in, and then she began drafting.
Today we discussed and revised the intro to a short-story Chase wrote over vacation. We went over possible conflicts to introduce and themes to explore. We also discussed Chase's other story "Moxy Brown." Chase then did a quick descriptive writing prompt which asked her to describe a scene from her sailing trip using figurative language.
Today we discussed Chase's idea for her next short story. She did some quick scene mapping to help her brainstorm characters, conflicts, and overall themes that might fit within the story's narrative. We also discussed what elements she might use in her story to help develop her theme.
Thursday, December 21, 2017
02:00 - 04:00; 120 min. -
AP Environmental Science:
Owl Pellet -
Chase used the bones she had removed from the owl pellet last week. Using a diagram of a vole skeleton, and a pair of tweezers, she placed and glued each bone onto the diagram. She was skilled in her bone removal, and had complete bones that are often broken or overlooked by students. As she worked on the skeleton, we discussed the tragedy of the commons, and found other areas where humans have destroyed a resource that was available to the ‘common’ human.
Monday, December 18, 2017
02:30 - 04:15; 105 min. -
AP Environmental Science:
Virtual Water and the Tragedy of the Commons-
Chase examined how much virtual water is inside the average Christmas gift. A T-shirt has a hidden price of 400 gallons of water. Just a single bar of chocolate requires 380 gallons of water; a single glass (not a bottle) of wine uses 28 gallons of virtual water. The object of the lesson is to think of the true cost of a product and to respect and use the product through its entire life, to make the expense worthwhile. The tragedy of the commons refers to when a shared-resource system, used by individuals according to their own ‘needs’, ultimately behaves contrary to the common good of all users by depleting or spoiling that resource through their collective action. The first example I provided was the passenger pigeon, which prior to 1860, was the most prevalent species on Earth. Flocking in groups of possibly a billion birds, they had a devastating effect on farms and villages, but were a blessing as a source of food. When the shooting became a sport, this bird was the primary target. A single person could kill 4,000 a year for feathers to make beds and pillows. By 1900 they were functionally extinct, the final bird dying in a zoo in 1914. The second tragedy of the commons is currently taking place in the oceans, where a single net used today, big enough to take in 500 tons of fish, much of which is unwanted by catch, is thrown away as waste.
