Trayvon Martin

Hi students,

Here at EACPA, students wear uniforms.  One of the arguments for wearing uniforms is to reduce distractions in the classroom, and ensure that no one is discriminated against because of what they are wearing.

Discrimination is when a person is excluded or prejudiced (pre-judged) based on his or her membership or perceived membership of a group.  For example, somebody may hear someone speak with a Spanish accent and think that they do not know how to speak English.  Or, someone may see a someone with a lot of tattoos and think they are a criminal or a member of a gang.

Earlier this year, there was a tragic event that occurred based on this idea of discrimination.  A 17 year-old Black male named Trayvon Martin walked to the gas station to get some candy and a drink, and was shot by someone on the way home because he was wearing a hoodie and looked "dangerous".

In the comments section, tell me if you have heard about the Trayvon Martin case.  If you have, what do you know about it?  If you have not, what do you want to know about it?

After you are finished commenting, make sure that you have finished your news blog from Monday, and your adaptation blog.

Hope you all have a great weekend :)

-Ms. Cedillo

Adaptation or Murder?

Yesterday, in Ms. Chambers' room, there was a poster on the wall about the scientific process of adaptation.  

According to the poster, the definition for adaptation was anything that helps a living thing survive in its environment.  An example of a physical adaptation would be a tiger's brown, black, and or gray stripes which help it conceal itself in tall grass.  

Sometimes animals can develop behavioral adaptations.  Behavioral adaptations are activities that help an animal survive.  For example, birds learn over time to build nests to provide shelter, warmth, and to protect their young.  Another example would be hyenas who hunt by following large packs of animals and preying on the weak ones.  This is a behavior that allows them to obtain the food they need to survive.

For your blog post today, let's think outside of the science world and more specifically to human behavior.  Put yourself in this situation and decide what you would do.  You are kidnapped by somebody who is going to try to kill you in five seconds.  You have a knife on you.  If an adaptation is anything that helps a living thing survive in its environment, would you adapt your behavior and kill that person, or not?  If you decided to kill them, would that be an adaptation or murder?  Explain your decision and defend your answer using science, real life experience, what you think your family would want you to do, or anything else that comes to your mind!  

-Ms. Cedillo & Ms. Waffles

Issues in Our Community - Project

Hi class!

On Wednesday, you blogged about the election results.  Across the board, everyone who responded agreed on President Obama's re-election.  However, you all gave very different responses about what issues you cared about.  I went through every one of your blogs, and here is the list of what you guys said your "priority" issues were:

• Saving people/diseases
• Help kids in school/too much homework
• Crime/stop people from acting wild
• Help old and poor people
• Drugs
• Street gang violence
• Help the homeless
• Not let Mitt Romney win again
• No homework for kids
• Help people with taxes
• Help the poor/be like Robin Hood
• Give immigrants a chance
• Poverty
• Make more jobs
• Immigration
• Help immigrants
• Help the poor/homeless get a job

These responses were FANTASTIC!!!  We are going to use them as a jumping off point for our next project.  Here is your task for today and next week:

     1. Go to this website: Travis County Community Dashboard

     2. On the left side of the "Community Dashboard", you will see links for many of the issues we listed above (and more).  Choose ONE of the issues to research. It does not have to be one of the ones above or what you wrote on Wednesday on your blog.

     3. Create a new blog post (make sure it is on your math blog) with the title of your issue. (Example: "Obesity")

YOUR BLOG POST MUST INCLUDE:

1. The title of your issue (ex: smoking, violent crime, high school graduation, etc.)  (5 points)

2. The goal for Travis County.  (5 points)

3. The number or percentage of people in Travis County the issue is currently affecting.  (5 points)

4. What the target goal for Travis County is.  (5 points)

5. The significance (importance) of this issue (why do we care about it?)  (10 points)

6. A picture of the graph included in your topic with an explanation of what the graph is telling us.  (15 points)

7. One local organization that is working to solve this problem.  Who are they?  What are they doing to help?  (10 points)

8. Include one of the graphs from the "closer look" of the issue and explain the graph.  (15 points)

9. Who are the vulnerable (the most at-risk) populations?  Why do you think they are vulnerable? (15 points)

10. How does this issue affect you personally?  Do you know someone who it has affected?  Why do you care about it?  (15 points)

This is a major project that I would like to show to Dr. G. and Mr. Sanchez.  Please do your best and make it look great!  It will be due at the end of class next Friday.

-Ms. Cedillo

Obama Wins!

Hi students!

Last night was the election.  Barack Obama was re-elected and is officially the 45th President of the United States.  Personally, I am very happy with the result and look forward to the next four years in this country.  Based on your own opinions, answer the questions below about how you feel about this event.  USE COMPLETE SENTENCES.

1. Did you or your family watch the election?  
2. Are you satisfied with the result?
3. Why do you think Obama won over Romney?
4. If you were president, what would be your priority?  What do you think the biggest issue in America is today?

After answering the questions, watch the CNN student news here: CNN Student News
Then, answer this question:

5. Do you think it is important to vote?  Why or why not?  Why do you think some people choose not to vote?


HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!!! :)

Ms. Cedillo