Technology Troopers

Division 2 Weekly Podcast Episode_5

2009-05-01T13:12:00.000-07:00

Division 2 Weekly Podcast Episode 4

2009-04-28T07:35:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another weekly review by our podcast team.

Division 2 Weekly Podcast Episode 3

2009-04-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

Another weekly review from our podcast team.

Division 2 Weekly Podcast Episode 2

2009-04-07T14:49:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another weekly review by our podcast team.

Children's Rights Violation, Perhaps?

2009-04-03T08:54:00.000-07:00

Quebec convenience store chain tests 'Mosquito' to get teen loiterers to buzz off.

Quebec's most popular chain of convenience stores is testing out a device that sends out high-frequency sound waves to keep young loiterers away from some of its stores, CBC News has learned.

The move comes as the City of Montreal is being asked to bring in a city-wide ban against the device, known commercially as the Mosquito.

The device emits an irritating, high-pitched tone that most people over the age of 25 can't hear.

Couche-Tard is testing the device at a store in Laval.

Company spokesperson Denise Deveau would confirm only a few details about Couche-Tard's experiment.

"We are in a testing period with the Mosquito device," said Deveau. "We will test it during the spring and summer, and only then will we be able to make an assessment.

"We do not really wish to publicize which of our sites have the device."

Quebec Human and Youth Rights Commission believes the Mosquito violates at least four rights in the Quebec Charter of Rights, among them the right to peaceful assembly and security of the person.

A youth centre in the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough has already successfully lobbied the City of Montreal not to install the Mosquito on city property.

On Monday night, officials from the youth centre will be back before city council asking for an island-wide bylaw banning the device.

Tell me if you think the Mosquito device does/does not violate children's rights and why.

Happy Birthday Miss Ward - You're Amazing!

2009-03-27T13:10:00.001-07:00

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

2009-03-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

Below is a list of the most important Rights all children should have throughout the world. I would like you to choose one and tell me why it is important, and why it should be on the list. Also please explain what would happen if the right you chose was not met, what would happen to children in those situations.

food, water, shelter, and clothing to meet your needs
medical services
equal opportunities if you are disabled
an education that helps you develop to your greatest ability
protection from being physically harmed or made to feel badly by what people say
fair treatment if you break the law
protection from being forced to work long hours or being sold into slavery
a name and a nationality (This gives you the benefits of being a citizen of a country)
have people listen to your opinions, especially about decisions that affect you and your community
a clean environment

Choose which of the above Rights you think is most important. Tell me why it's important and what would happen to children in circumstances where the Right was not met.

Advertisements do more harm than good?

2009-03-09T08:07:00.000-07:00

Advertising has grown to be an industry worth many billions of dollars across the world. Almost all public space has some advertisements in sight and all forms of media, from newspapers to the internet, are also filled with adverts. Whilst this helps companies sell their produces, and helps consumers to learn what is on offer, many believe that this huge amount of advertising can be harmful. It may make people want too much, or things that they cannot have, or it might make them feel inadequate when they don't have something. Research shows that children can be particularly open to these kinds of risk.

Read the passage above and answer the following in detailed sentences:
Is having widespread advertising good for a society?

The Right to Survive

2009-03-09T07:55:00.000-07:00

According to the United Nation's Convention on the Rights of the Child, every child has the right to equal opportunities if they have a disability. Explain why you think this is important and give specific examples of how this happens in the Canada or Chilliwack.

Division 2 Weekly Podcast Episode 1

2009-02-23T12:24:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Division 2 weekly podcast review. This weeks review is brought to you by Erza and Kassidy.

Should children be allowed to own and use mobile phones (cellphones)?

2009-02-23T07:48:00.000-08:00

Mobile telephones (known as cellphones) have only existed for twenty years. In the past decade they have become very widespread with almost every adult in developed countries now owning a small portable phone.

Modern phones can perform a wide variety of functions, such as taking and sending photographs and video, playing music and games, and even surfing the internet. Their main use, however, remains for voice calls and for texting short messages. As prices of both phones and calls have come down in the past ten years or so, they have become much more affordable for young people. This has raised questions about whether children should be able to own phones, and if they should be allowed to take them into school. Schools in different countries, and within countries, take very different views on this issue. In some students can carry them as they like, as long as they are off during lessons. Other schools allow them to be carried, but they must never be turned on in school hours. Some (for example, New York schools recently) ban them entirely.

There are possible long-term health risks from using mobile phones. Some research suggests that the radio waves from mobile phones may harm people’s brains. Because children’s brains are still developing, any possible damage to them is even more worrying than for adults. It is true there is no total scientific proof about this, but is it better to play safe than take risks?

Should children be allowed to own and use mobile phones (cellphones)? Support your ideas and thoughts with detailed sentences.

FSA testing radio debate

2009-02-16T22:33:00.000-08:00

The Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA) is an annual province-wide assessment of British Columbia students' academic skills, and provides a snapshot of how well BC students are learning foundation skills in Reading Comprehension, Writing, and Numeracy.

According to the Ministry of Education, the main purpose of the assessment is to help the province, school districts, schools and school planning councils evaluate how well students are achieving basic skills, and make plans to improve student achievement. FSA is designed and developed by British Columbia educators. The skills tested are linked to the provincial curriculum and provincial performance standards.

The assessment is administered each year to Grade 4 and 7 students in all public schools.

Listen to the podcast and offer your thoughts on whether or not you think students should be given this test. The question to ask yourselves is whether you think the information gathered by the test is useful enough, and will it help students improve their studies. Support what you say with thoughtful comments.

Should governments introduce identity cards and require each citizen to carry one?

2009-02-11T11:31:00.000-08:00

In many countries, such as Hong Kong or France, it is normal for citizens to carry an national identity card. In most cases this must be shown to a policeman or other government official when they ask. In other countries, such as the UK, USA, Canada and Australia, national identity cards have only been issued in times of war. Many people in such countries believe that being made to carry and show an identity card goes against their rights to privacy. How this issue is debated will therefore differ from country to country. In some countries the argument is over whether to bring in identity (ID) cards. In others the debate is over whether they should be scrapped.

In recent years the debate over ID cards has changed for three reasons. Firstly, the attacks of September 11 2001 have led people to call for more security measures, including identity cards. Secondly, increasing immigration has led to calls for ID cards to screen out and catch illegal migrants. These are some of the reasons given by the UK government for its plans to introduce ID cards over the next few years. These will be voluntary at first, but later everyone will have to carry one. The third change is that technology now allows vast amounts of personal data to be stored on a small plastic “smartcard”. This could include details of unique personal features - called biometric indicators - which would allow the identity of the cardholder to be checked by a scanning machine. The UK’s planned ID card scheme will involve such biometric data, and the USA says that the passports of those wishing to enter the United States must soon include biometric data. Countries such as France and Hong Kong which already have ID cards are also changing them to smartcards with biometric details.

Should governments introduce identity cards and require each citizen to carry one? Support what you write with detailed comments.

Should smoking be banned in public places?

2009-02-09T13:40:00.000-08:00

For many years, governments have tried to reduce smoking by taxing tobacco, running advertising campaigns and putting warnings on packets. Recently, several countries have also restricted the areas in which people may smoke. Most bans apply only to enclosed places (meaning inside buildings, e.g. shops, restaurants, bars, offices, theatres, trains, bus shelters etc). Smoking is banned in all or most enclosed public places in South Africa, New Zealand, Italy and the Republic of Ireland. There are similar bans in the American states of California and New York. Smoking in enclosed public places was recently banned in Scotland. It will become illegal in the rest of the UK in 2007. In England and Wales, pubs that do not serve food can continue to choose to allow smoking.

Bans on smoking in public places in the open air (e.g. parks, streets) are less common. Smoking is banned in some streets in Tokyo (Japan). Smoking near the entrances of buildings is banned in some parts of Australia, Canada and the USA.

Should smoking be banned in public places? Give your option and support what you say. How does it affect you and your own life?

Debate: Is television a bad influence?

2009-02-02T07:50:00.000-08:00

In a report released by Statistics Canada in 2006, children aged 12 to 17 spent on average 13 hours a week watching television.

Is television a bad influence? Support your opinion with details.

Should we keep animals as pets?

2009-01-30T08:20:00.000-08:00

The first evidence for human beings living with animals is from 12 000 years ago. Remains found in early human sites show that men had already domesticated wolves and created dogs. This may have been to help them hunt, but they must have quickly come to enjoy their company and affection. Dogs appear to have been with early humans in many different parts of the world. It was the Ancient Egyptians who first bred wild cats 5000 years ago to produce the domestic cats we know today. Other people around the world seem to have tamed many sorts of animals as companions and pets, from goldfish and birds to monkeys and reptiles. It seems a very common human quality to enjoy the company of tame animals.

Today pets (also called companion animals) are very common in many countries, especially richer western nations where people have the time and money to look after them. For example, one in every two families in the United Kingdom owns a dog or a cat. But is this right? Is it good for people, for the animals, and for our society to keep animals as pets?

Question: Should we keep animals as pets? Support your answer with details from what you already know about keeping pets.

Link for Yoo Bin's Voicethread

2009-01-27T11:58:00.001-08:00

See link for Voicethread - http://centralsharks.ed.voicethread.com/#q.b320884.i1699349

Yoo Bin's Goodbye Messages

2009-01-26T14:06:00.001-08:00

Personal Narratives Writing Project

2009-01-22T11:32:00.000-08:00

In an effort to increase the quality of my students writing I'm encouraging them to write about small moments in their lives, which are rich in detail. For example, instead of writing about the whole trip to grandmother's house I'm teaching them to choose an exciting moment they experienced on the trip and write a story around that one moment. Below are samples of their work...

United Nations Video Project

2009-01-21T07:11:00.000-08:00

I recently asked my class to consider the role of the United Nations in the world. They responded to an early post on the topic, and I told them that the best responses would be video and placed on the class blog. Enjoy Division 2's thoughts on the role of the United Nations:

Who Owns The Moon?

2009-01-15T12:24:00.000-08:00

A very interesting debate today on the internet started by NASA with regards to who holds the rights or ownership of the moon?

Within the next 10 years, the U.S., China, Israel, and a host of private companies plan to set up camp on the moon. So if and when they plant a flag, does that give them property rights? But ownership is different from property rights. People who rent apartments, for example, don't own where they live, but they still hold rights. So with all of the upcoming missions to visit the moon and beyond, space industry thought leaders are seriously asking themselves how to deal with a potential land rush, cowboy-style. To be sure, the United States aims to send astronauts back to the moon by as early as 2015, in a mission that would include a long-term settlement. China and Israel, among others, are also working on lunar projects. And for the first time, several private groups are building spacecraft to land on the moon in an attempt to win millions of dollars in the Google Lunar X Prize. Some participants say that they plan to gain property rights in the mission, so is it whom ever gets there first gets a spot on the Moon?

What do you think, who owns the Moon?

The United Nations

2009-01-06T07:15:00.001-08:00

After researching in the computer lab please answer the following post:

Who are the United Nations, what do they do, and who do they serve?

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

2009-01-04T15:26:00.000-08:00

Welcome back Division 2. I hope you enjoyed your Christmas break and you're feeling refreshed and relaxed.

Explain, in your own words, what the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is, what it means, and why we should follow it.

Extreme Environments

2008-12-18T12:18:00.000-08:00

... because I know you'll miss school over the Christmas and New Year holiday period, I thought I'd let you consider the following post:

Above is an example of an extreme environment.

Explain why you think this might be extreme and why people may find it difficult to live there. Secondly, give an example of another extreme environment you know about.

Children's Rights...

2008-12-15T12:39:00.000-08:00

We've already discussed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I'd now like you to consider the Human Rights of Children.

In order to get your brain thinking I'd like you to read the following question and offer an opinion...

Should you and all children have a curfew? If so, what time and on what days?

Human Rights in Chilliwack

2008-12-02T14:45:00.000-08:00

Explain how we can improve Human Rights in Chilliwack.

Poverty

2008-12-02T11:58:00.000-08:00

What does poverty mean to you? Give specific examples if you can to support your opinion.

Second Post

2008-11-27T07:41:00.000-08:00

Thank you for all your thoughtful comments. I would encourage you to read all student comments first before posting your own ideas. Feel free to read the blog at home and repost comments if more ideas come to mind.

Here's the next statement I would like you to think about:

It costs hundreds of millions of dollars to host the Olympic Games. Should Vancouver have agreed to host the the 2010 winter Olympic Games when we have such a huge homelessness problem and extreme poverty in British Columbia?

Should the money,which is to be used to fund the Olympic Games, be used to solve the above problems instead?

First Post

2008-11-21T12:02:00.000-08:00

All schools should be divided into boys schools and girls schools. There should be no co-ed education.

Choose a side and write a comment. Make sure you sign your name to it so I can give you credit.

Welcome To The World Of Online Blogging

2008-10-29T13:58:00.000-07:00

Welcome grade 5 and 6 students to the world of online blogging. A blog (a contraction of the term "Web log") is a Web site, usually maintained by an individual or a group, with regular entries. Entries may include descriptions of events, opinions on selected topics, or other material such as graphics or video.

This year we'll be starting with you responding to topics I post on the blog. An example may look like the following... I will post a comment similar to this one, "Schools should no longer ask their students to complete homework."

The idea of blogging is that you login to the blog and respond to the comment/question I post. You may decide that you agree with the comment, and you would spend some time writing why you agree. Alternatively, you may decide that you disagree with the comment, so you would explain why you disagree with the comment.