So What?

Free Emergency Response Training

2012-01-26T09:02:00.000-06:00

Study Abroad--Costa Rica

2012-01-26T08:57:00.000-06:00

Major Taylor Exhibit--Fine Arts

2012-01-24T10:57:00.000-06:00

Introduction to US History to 1877, International Studies

2012-01-23T18:21:00.009-06:00

ToI basically introduced the class to American studies through deconstructing the lyrics to Bob Marley's, "Redemption Song," as performed by Lauren Hill and Ziggy Marley.

Lyrics:

Old pirates, yes, they rob I
Sold I to the merchant ships,
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit.
But my hand was made strong
By the hand of the Almighty.
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly.
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs,
Redemption songs.

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our minds.
Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them can stop the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look? Ooh!
Some say it's just a part of it:
We've got to fulfill the Book.

Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs,
Redemption songs,
Redemption songs.

(Guitar break)

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our mind.
Wo! Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them-a can-a stop-a the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look?
Yes, some say it's just a part of it:
We've got to fulfill the book.
Won't you have to sing
These songs of freedom? -
'Cause all I ever had:
Redemption songs -
All I ever had:
Redemption songs:
These songs of freedom,
Songs of freedom.

Lauryn's freestyle lyrics:

Lauryn:
Yo, If they can stop this fruit
They would pop this route
Chop this fruit
Treat us like a prostitute
Knock this youth
See me in my cocky suit
God's recruit
From fallin even God's salute
Tribal truth
Ja people can't be mute
Share my youth to Babylon can't regroup
Sing, to Babylon can't regroup
Sing, to Babylon can't regroup

Historical Topics Covered

Atlantic Slave Trade

Banking and insurance industry
Humans as capital assets

de las Casas
Enslavement of the Indians

Brutal treatement
Civilizing mission
Christian mission

Synchretic culture

Myal
Obeah

To Ilustrate Myal and Obeah, I will play "Mi Friends", the Victor Essiet version of Bob Marley's Duppy Conqueror. We mentioned Marcus Garvey, who Marley [loosely] quotes in the second verse: Emancipation yourself from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds.

Interestingly a student from Ireland pointed out to me after class some similarities between Irish and Jamaican history, a point illustrated by the Chiefains' version of the same song, also played with Ziggy Marley.

Ireland and Jamaica were both British plantation colonies. Indeed, many scholars suggest that if you want to understand English attitudes toward Africans, look at English attitudes toward the Irish, during British conquest of that island.

Learning Community HIST 1302 PSYCH 2301

2012-01-23T17:55:00.000-06:00

Today was Janice's day to teach. She covered the basic theoretical approaches to Psychology and also covered the historical development of psychology from William James through Latane and Darley. Wednesday, I will

Introduce professor to the class
Have class introduce each other

Overlapping topics: History and Psychology

Latane and Darley--bystander apathy (1970-ish)

Dissent

Roll of free will in history

Marx

Structure determines the infrastructure
Ideological hegemony

Freud

Return of the Repressed

Human Agency

Janice gave us a learning tip:

Let the name help you remember the term or concept. Many times the meaning of a term will lie within the roots of the term itself.

Introduction to History 1301, U.S History to 1877

2012-01-22T12:32:00.007-06:00

Last Wednesday, Dr. Davis welcomed new students to the start of the spring semester History 1301 class. He explained his narration of American history may not be the one many know, and the class can expect an eye opening account of genocide, slavery, and civil war. Through the semester, Dr Davis will unveil clues from America's past, which will help students understand how many troubling events of today came to fruition. As a class we will seek to understand, through gaining an understanding of U.S. history, such things as why so few Americans vote, why the U.S. has one of the largest incarceration percentages in the world, and why the U.S took five days to reach its own impacted citizens in New Orleans following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Dr. Davis gave some direction on how to obtain a passing grade:

Attend class at the scheduled time.
Listen actively in class and take notes. Some of the exam questions will come directly from in-class lectures and may not be found in the text book.
To be prepared for class, read the text book and follow the chapter schedule listed in the syllabus.
Pursue extra credit. Extra credit opportunities will be discussed in class, as they arise, and can be found through this blog.

During this class we took part in a lively and interesting debate into the question of "What is America?" We will be discussing numerous topics in the future, which students will have different views upon, so Dr Davis gives these guidelines to help us all get the most out of these intellectual debates:

Discuss respectfully.
Summarize the point of view you to which you are responding.
Offer your point of view.
project your voice to the whole classroom so everyone can hear what you have to say.

I also discussed the Supplemental Instruction (S.I.) program,which I will be leading for this semester. We will have sessions twice weekly (times and dates will be confirmed next week). S.I. is free, fun, and improve students' grades. All History 1301 students are welcome to join us.

History and Pyschology Courses Available Spring 2012

2011-12-13T13:44:00.002-06:00

WWII

2011-12-08T13:33:00.001-06:00

I. Context

a. Versailles

b. League of Nations

c. Empire

i. Britain

ii. U.S.

iii. Japan

II. Japanese expansion in the Pacific

a. Manchuria

i. Mukden incident

III. Fascism

a. Mussolini, 1921

i. Nationalism and socialism

ii. militarism and masculinity

iii. suppression of dissent

b. Adolf Hitler

i. WWI and Versailles

ii. Depression

iii. Weimar

iv. National Socialism

1. glorification of the state

2. parliamentary coalitions

a. National Socialists

b. Christian center-right

3. Chancellor, 1933

4. Reichsfurer, 1934

a. Nuremburg Laws, 1935

b. Kristellnacht, 1938

v. Nazi aggression

1. 1936: Remilitarization of the Rhineland,

2. 1938:

a. Austria

b. Czechoslovakia (Sudentenland)

c. Munich conference

3. 1939:

a. Czechoslovakia (rump state)

b. Non-aggression pact with Russia

c. Poland

i. Danzig

c. Franco

i. Spain, 1936

IV. Phony war, October 1939-winter 1940

V. U.S. Neutrality Acts

a. 1935

b. 1936

c. 1937

d. 1939

VI. Blitzkrieg, Spring 1940

a. Mobilized infantry

b. Luftwaffe

i. Denmark

ii. Belgium and the Netherlands

iii. France

1. Maginot Line

VII. American Response

a. Draft

b. Destroyers

c. Defense budget

i. Lend-lease

1. 1941, undeclared naval warfare

2. popular opposition to war

VIII. Invasion of Russia, 1941

a. Leningrad

b. Moscow

c. Sevastapol

d. Retreat

IX. Atlantic Charter, 1941

a. Freedom of the seas

b. Self-determination

i. Roosevelt

ii. Churchill

X. The Pacific

a. Tripartite Pact

b. Indochina

c. Oil

d. Philippines

e. East Indies

f. Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941

i. American Pacific fleet crippled

ii. 2,400 U.S. sailors killed

iii. U.S. declares war on Japan

iv. Germany and Italy declare war on U.S.

WWII (CONTINUED)

I. Early losses in the Pacific, December 1941

a. Guam Wake Island

b. Gilbert Islands

c. Hong Kong

d. Burma Road (Rangoon)

e. Philippines

II. The turning point in the Pacific

a. Coral Sea, May 1942

b. Midway, June 1942

III. The Home Front

a. Manufacturing

i. Conversion of manufacturing sector to war economy

ii. Rationing

1. gasoline

2. tires

iii. Office of Price Administration (OPA), 1942

iv. Stabilization Act, 1942

b. Conservative resurgence

c. Women at work

d. “Double V”

i. Fair Employment Practices Commission

e. Braceros

f. Nisei

IV. North Africa Campaign, 1942-1943

a. India

b. Irwin Rommel, “Desert Fox”

c. Montgomery

d. Patton

V. Italian Campaign

a. 250,000 Allied troops

VI. D-Day, June 6, 1944

a. Normandy and Calais

b. Atlantic wall

VII. Island hopping

a. Iwo Jima

b. Guadalcanal

VIII. Atomic warfare
Early losses in the Pacific, December 1941

a. Guam Wake Island

b. Gilbert Islands

c. Hong Kong

d. Burma Road (Rangoon)

e. Philippines

II. The turning point in the Pacific

a. Coral Sea, May 1942

b. Midway, June 1942

III. The Home Front

a. Manufacturing

i. Conversion of manufacturing sector to war economy

ii. Rationing

1. gasoline

2. tires

iii. Office of Price Administration (OPA), 1942

iv. Stabilization Act, 1942

b. Conservative resurgence

c. Women at work

d. “Double V”

i. Fair Employment Practices Commission

e. Braceros

f. Nisei

IV. North Africa Campaign, 1942-1943

a. India

b. Irwin Rommel, “Desert Fox”

c. Montgomery

d. Patton

V. Italian Campaign

a. 250,000 Allied troops

VI. D-Day, June 6, 1944

a. Normandy and Calais

b. Atlantic wall

VII. Island hopping

a. Iwo Jima

b. Guadalcanal

VIII. Atomic warfare

Civil Rights Movement

2011-12-06T15:11:00.001-06:00

CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

Context: just as the Jim Crow South was an American aspectof global economic and racial imperialism, the U.S. civil rights movement waspart of a global struggle for the liberation of colonized, marginalized andsegregated peoples. As W. E. B. DuBois said in 1901, “The color line belts theword.”

I. Plessy v. Ferguson,1896: the legal foundation for American apartheid.

II. Smith v. Albright

III. Harry Truman

IV. Gunnar Myrdal, AnAmerican Dilemma.

V. 1950, Swett v.Painter

VI. 1954, Brown v. Topeka Board of Education

VII. Eisenhower

VIII. 1955, Emmett Till

IX., 1955 Montgomerybus boycott

A. RosaParks

B. MartinLuther King

1.Dexter Avenue Baptist Church

2..Southern Christian Leadership Conference

C. 1956,SCOTUS rules segregated buses unconstitutional

X. Little Rock High School

A. OrvilleFaubus

B. JimJohnson

C. MelbaPatillo

D.Eisenhower and 101^st Airborn

XI. Peripheral South (Atlanta,Tampa,Charlotte, Houston)

XII. 1960, Sit-ins

A. Greensboro, N.C.Woolworth’s

XIII. Freedom riders

A. 1946court ruling on interstate travel

B. May1961, riders board buses in Washington, D.C.

1.Anniston, Alabama

2.Birmingham

XIV. Birmingham campaign

A. MLK

B.BullConnor

C. GeorgeWallace

D. John F.Kennedy

XV. Summer 1963, “I have a dream . . . “

XVI. September 1963, 16^th St. Baptist Church

XVII. November 1963, JFK assassinated

A. LyndonBaines Johnson

B. Selmamarch

1.“Judgment at Nuremburg”

C. 1964, CivilRights Act

D. 1965,Voting Rights Act

XVIII. Losing the South

GeorgeWallace, 1972

The Cold War

2011-12-01T10:22:00.008-06:00

COLD WAR

Yalta, February 4-11, 1945

• Big three

• Agree to a United Nations

• Soviets make clear that they will not leave Eastern Europe

• Germany divided into zones of occupation.

• Russia agrees to attack Japan.

• Establishes initial lines of cold war.

Germany surrenders, 1945

• Soviets take Berlin May 2

• Germany surrenders unconditionally May 7

• Roosevelt died April 12

A post-colonial moment

• British, French, German, Japanese and Italian empires are destroyed or weakened.

• U.S. and Soviet Union spheres of influence

National Security Act, 1947

• National Military Establishment

– Secretary of Defense

• Army

• Navy

• Air force

– Joint chiefs of staff made permanent

– CIA

Containment

• Long telegram, George Kennan, 1947

– Soviet Unions seeks to expand communism wherever it can

– U.S. must oppose communism wherever it can.

Marshall Plan, 1948-1951

• George C. Marshall, Secretary of State

– $13 billion in European reconstruction

Berlin airlift

• 1948, Allied zones of occupation unified and become functional government

• Soviet union, in response to Marshall Plan and unification of Allied zones, blockaded West Berlin.

• U.S. responds with massive airlift.

• Soviet lift blockade after 10 months.

• 1955, West Germany gained full sovereignty.

Communism in South Asia

• Chinese civil war won by communists in 1949.

• Communist principle of economic self-sufficiency

– Opposition to capitalist imperialism.

• 1950, U.S. recognize French-supported emperor Bao Dai of Vietnam.

– Seeking friendly regime in Southeast Asia

Korea

• 1945, Japanese withdraw from Korea

• 1945, Soviet Union occupied North Korea (to 38th parallel)

• Americans occupy South Korea up to 38th parallel

• June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea

• Truman responds with force under the auspices of the UN rather than asking for a declaration of war

Korean conflict

• Un forces pushed to Puson

• MacArthur effects landing at Inchon while UN forces break out of Puson.

• Truman agrees with MacArthur to unify Korea, and UN troops push as far as the Yalu River

• Chinese “human wave” assault (260,000 soldiers) push UN forces below 38th parallel

• 1953 truce divided Korea at the 38th parallel

Consequences of Korea

• Precedent of large-scale military conflict without congressional declaration of war.

• Truman, believing the Korean conflict was part of a global communist offensive, increased assistance to the French in Vietnam (Military Assistance Advisory Group).

Nationalism in Indochina

• British Indochina independent

– India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Malaysia

• French retain Indochina (as do Dutch)

– Attempt to retake area abandoned by Japanese and held by local nationalists

– 1945, Ho Chi Minh proclaims Democratic Republic of Vietnam with capital in Hanoi (North Vietnam).

• Received aid from U.S. against Japanese

First Indochina War

• 1946, French recognize DRV as “free state” within French empire

• 1949, French reverse themselves and reinstate emperor Bao Dai

• 1949, communist china recognizes DRV

• 1949, U.S. recognizes Bao Dai government

Dien Bien Phu

• DRV has support from China and Soviet Union

• Bao Dai from France and U.S.

• French are defeated at Dien Bien Phu

Geneva Accords

• Laos and Cambodia neutral

• Vietnam divided at 17th parallel.

• Elections in 1956

National Liberation Front

• premier Ngo Dinh Diem at U.S. request

– Supposed to institute Democratic reforms but doesn’t.

• Gets CIA and military aid

• Diem ousts Bao Dai and refuses to hold elections in 1956

• South Vietnamese guerillas (viet cong) begin resistance to Diem government.

Kennedy years

• U.S. military advisors increased from 2,000 to 16,000

• Oppressive Diem government creates more opposition in South Vietnam

• North Vietnam sends supplies to Viet Cong through Ho Chi Minh trail

• 1963, Diem killed in coup led by generals.

Tonkin Gulf

• Lyndon Johnson did not believe Vietnam was worth fighting for or winnable, but he believed that perceived weakness in Vietnam would open his administration to criticism from hawks.

• Two American destroyers observing U.S. sponsored attack in North Vietnam.

– Johnson claimed that the destroyers were attacked.

– Later admitted the claim was probably bogus.

– Johnson interpreted the Tonkin Gulf Resolution as authorization to use unlimited military force in Vietnam.

U.S. combat forces arrive

• Johnson orders “Rolling Thunder” bombing of North Korea

• Airbase has to be protected by U.S. troops.

• Mission expands to “search and destroy” patrols.

• 1965: 184,000 U.S. troops

• 1966: 385,000

• 1969: 542,000

Nixon in Vietnam

• Vietnamization

• Growing opposition at home.

• Gradual drawdown

• Expanded bombing

• Last soldiers evacuated in 1973

Model Arab League

2011-11-17T11:51:00.002-06:00

http://www.ncusar.org/modelarableague/uregionals/busacc.html

Model Arab League

2011-11-17T10:26:00.000-06:00

Planned Parenthood

2011-11-08T10:16:00.002-06:00

Extra Credit!

2011-11-08T10:13:00.000-06:00

Extra Credit!

2011-11-07T16:01:00.002-06:00

Nicholas Blanford, Beirut Correspondent for the Times of London---speaking on "Inside Hezbollah," Tuesday, November 15th, ACAD-126. Sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Houston.

Consul Yan, Director of Education, Consulate of the People's Republic of China, speaking on "Educational Opportunities in China for American Students," Wednesday, November 16th, ACAD-126.

North Harris Volleyball

2011-11-05T18:15:00.002-05:00

Chinese Language Classes Available

2011-11-05T18:00:00.001-05:00

International Talent Needed

2011-11-02T12:35:00.001-05:00

Extra Credit

2011-11-02T12:31:00.001-05:00

Write a one-paragraph summary and evaluation (what was it and what do you think about it), and bring a program or an autograph from John Carlos. Get a point added to your final average!

How to Rate Messages in an Angel Discssion Forum

2011-10-31T10:44:00.001-05:00

Judy Taylor Scholarship

2011-10-28T10:12:00.000-05:00

Judy Taylor Scholarship and Program Scholarship
Information Sheet

Purpose

This scholarship is intended to provide financial assistance to students who are dealing with a catastrophic medical situation (personal or immediate family) while pursuing an education at Lone Star College–North Harris. It is inspired by the courage, determination and unflagging spirit of Professor Judy Taylor in the face of such a challenge.

Amount of Award $1,000

General Instructions and Checklist

You must be a student currently enrolled at Lone Star College-North Harris (9 or more credit hours per term).

Must have at least a 3.00 cumulative college level grade point average (GPA) on a 4.00 scale (B average).
The student or one of the student’s immediate family members (spouse/partner, child, parent) must currently be experiencing or must recently have overcome a devastating medical hardship.
Preference will be given to students currently enrolled in Math and/or Science classes
Application deadline date: 5:30 p.m. on December 5, 2011
Completed applications and reference letters should be submitted to:
Diane Murray
Math Department
WN 115P
Recipient of scholarship will be notified in January
If there are no applicants that meet the criteria for the scholarship, the funds will not be dispersed.
Disbursement Guidelines

The funds will first cover the student’s direct educational expenses such as tuition, fees, books and supplies (excluding personal computers) for the Spring, 2012 semester at

Lone Star College-North Harris.
Any unused funds (after the expenses listed above) will be disbursed by check or credit to the student after the Official Day of Record for the term awarded.
Lone Star College District provides equal employment, admission, and educational opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

Expense-paid trip to Saudi Arabia for MAL alumni

2011-10-19T20:03:00.002-05:00

Hello Model Arab League Advisers!

Greetings from the National Council. We have received wonderful news from our friends at the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission – we are nearing approval for the next Student Study Visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia! As many of you know, these are expense-paid, 10-day, cultural immersion experiences for students who have participated in the MAL program. Having escorting a group of MAL alumni to the Kingdom in 2010, I can say that these study visits are unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. You can read about the most recent such study visit in the Council Chronicle. See page 8: http://www.ncusar.org/cc/Council_Chronicle_13.pdf

The dates for this visit would be December 7, 2011-January 7, 2012. A nominal program fee will be assessed to reduce attrition. Considering the tight deadline, we must start the selection process now. We are asking for your personal and professional recommendations for student participants. This upcoming visit is planned to include both men and women, the first mixed student delegation the National Council has sent to the Kingdom since our partnership with the Cultural Mission began two years ago!

If any of your student fit the following criteria, please send us their name, email, phone number, and brief paragraph why you would recommend them. Each school may recommend two students. Participants must:

1.      Be Model Arab League alumni;
2.      Not graduate before December 2012;
3.      Have no previous travel experience to the Arab world;
4.      Be in good academic standing;
5.      Be good representatives of your institution, the National Council, and the United States.

Once the final approval for this study visit is received from the Saudi side, we will move forward with the application process. Thank you! We look forward to seeing your recommendations for this great opportunity.

Free Emergency Respons Training at LSC

2011-09-26T13:26:00.000-05:00

Modern Day Robber Barons

2011-09-21T18:39:00.005-05:00

Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman speaks on the relevance of John D. Rockefeller to today's society.

2011-09-20T12:22:00.001-05:00

Culture Crossroads

2011-07-26T10:22:00.000-05:00

International Studies/ Diversity assignment

Form a group (3-5 students).

1. Compare your cultural background in the following terms:

religion (if any)
family structure
ethnicity
geographical origins
language

2. Create a slide show that compared the different cultures. What do you have in common? What is different about your cultures? What were you surprised to learn about other cultures?

Unit 2 Exam 2, HIST 1301

2011-06-27T11:02:00.002-05:00

Today, I gave the second exam. There were 10 questions, all of them directly related to major historical events and concepts related the the early republic, the years spent between the Revolution and the Constitution, wherein the central government was organized under the Articles of Confederation.

Topics covered on the exam included:

The post-Revolutionary Blues

Loss of trading position in the British empire
Debt
Destruction of property/loss of slave property
Loss of the Right of Deposit in New Orleans

The French Revolution
The Whiskey Rebellion
Shay's Rebellion
The French Revolution
The Great Compromise
The Three-Fifths Compromise

L.A.S.O. secretary Emanuel Paredes gave a presentation about L.A.S.O. that also contained an extra credit opportunity for students who participate in tomorrow night's event. Extra credit will consist of 10 points added to each participant's Unit 2 exam score. Emanuel will give me a sign-in sheet with the participants' names.

The Most Dangerous Man in America

2011-06-24T08:45:00.000-05:00

I watched The Most Dangerous Man in America last night. It brought together the Vietnam War, the Pentagon Papers and Watergate in a very artful and understandable documentary. I want to use it in class. It's longer than what we normally show in class or assign online, but it would fit into a full spring or fall semester, and I think it's worth it.

Overworked America

2011-06-24T07:58:00.000-05:00

Overworked America

A graph from Rachel Maddow's blog.

Conquest of Mexico, Writing Workshop

2011-06-09T16:06:00.000-05:00

We watched the FOD video, "Conquest of Mexico"
Students wrote a paragraph in class (20 minute exersize).
Established groups of 4 or 5.
Each student passed her paragraph to the student at her left.
This student evaluated the paragraph, using the star method.
The evaluator then reflected back to the writer what the paragraph said (5 minutes).
The evaluator explained his evaluation, using the sandwich approach (10 minutes).

The students responded well to the exercise, and I believe it will become a helpful component of the course. It is my hope that, beyond improving their writing, this assignment will help students learn to read, explain, listen to, and evaluate the ideas of others as well as their own. This should elevate their professionalism and help make them more valuable members of any team, in the public or private sector. "Yes" men and women are a dime a dozen. A professional who can offer effective evaluation and feedback is invaluable.

Sandwich Approach to Paragraph Critique

2011-06-09T15:39:00.000-05:00

Mention the elements of the paragraph that the writer does well. This is the bread, the outside of the sandwich).
Explain which elements need more attention and why. This is the filling, the middle of the sandwich.
Tell the writer something positive you got from the paragraph, such as new information or a helpful perspective. There is something positive to say about every effort. This is the bread on the other side of the sandwich.

Rate and Evaluate a Paragraph

2011-06-09T15:28:00.000-05:00

To rate a discussion post, hover your cursor over the stars in the top right corner of the window. As you hover over different stars, they will turn blue. The number of blue stars represents how many starts you are giving that post.

Strong topic sentence = 1 star

Good use of evidence = 1 star

Analysis (is it explained in such a way that makes sense) = 1 star

Strong conclusion = 1 star

Proofreading (is it free of grammatical and spelling errors) = 1 star.

A post that gets 5 stars should be strong on all these elements. A post that gets 4 stars is lacking in one of these elements. A post that gets 3 stars is lacking two of these elements, etc.
Be sure to explain why you rated the post the way you did. In your explanation, refer specifically to the above listed elements. When doing this, I recommend the "sandwich" approach:

1. Mention the paragraph's strong points (this is the first slice of bread on the sandwich).

2. Mention the elements that need more attention (this is the middle of the sandwich)

3. Mention something positive you got from the paragraph. Did you learn something new? Did it offer you a valuable perspective? There's something good to say about every effort.

Today in Class, June 7 2011

2011-06-07T11:58:00.001-05:00

1. The Cornell Note Taking Method. After a brief presentation on the earliest Americans, we watched "The Anasazi and Chaco Canyon."

2. Earliest Americans Presentation

3. Watched "Anasazi and Chaco Canyon."

4. Discussion: Was it a New World?"

Steal this Book

2011-04-14T09:02:00.001-05:00

http://www.tenant.net/Community/steal/steal.html

Police and Gangs, Aldine

2011-04-14T08:55:00.000-05:00

Sheriff's Gand and DWI Crackdown

Houston Area Research

2011-04-06T10:36:00.000-05:00

Hobby Center

What is Columbus Day?

2011-01-26T14:24:00.001-06:00

Discussion question for the Columbian Exchange.

In class:
-

Columbian Exchange presentation
Discussion (Columbus Day)
Notetaking lab

What killed the Indians?

2011-01-26T09:03:00.001-06:00

Discussion question for the Columbian Exchange.

Go to NYC and Start a Brilliant Career

2011-01-21T09:41:00.000-06:00

History Scholars Program

Warriors Don't Cry

2010-12-07T10:21:00.001-06:00

Beals writes in her journal, "Integration is a much bigger word than than I thought." What do you think she means by this? Explain

2. Beals writes in her journal that freedom is not integration. Freedom is being able to go to the wrestling match with her grandmother. What do you think whe meant by this? Explain

3. Consider the title, "Warriors Don't Cry." Do you think that is an appropriate title for this book? Why or why not?

Final Exam Schedule

2010-12-03T17:40:00.000-06:00

Find it here.

Make-up Exams

2010-11-30T08:52:00.000-06:00

All make-up exams must be scheduled this week. They will be given next week. They must be taken in the assessment center. dld

Freedom Rides

2010-11-29T10:32:00.002-06:00

Some of you may be interested in this unique opportunity to retrace the steps of the 1961 Freedom Rides. 40 students will be chosen for the experience. PBS is accepting applications now until January 17^th. More info is at:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/freedomriders/2011/?page_id=2

American Experience Invites College Students to “Get on the Bus”

Be one of 40 college students to join original Freedom Riders
in retracing the 1961 Rides.

May 6-16, 2011: Washington, DC to Jackson, MS
Apply now!

Read the New York Times article.

Watch the full episode. See more American Experience.

JOIN students from across the country in retracing the route of the 1961 Freedom Rides. Accepted students will participate at no cost to them. All transportation, hotel and food expenses are covered by American Experience.

PARTICIPATE in an intergenerational conversation about civic engagement.
What does it mean today? What has changed since 1961?
What inspires young people to “get on the bus”?

SHARE the journey.
Through live blogging, Twitter, and Facebook, the students on the bus will be able to share their experiences and, in a sense, bring others along on their journey.

Application period is open!
Application deadline: January 17, 2011
Decisions announced: February 2011

Scholarship available

2010-11-29T10:29:00.002-06:00

Federal Lawsuit Reveals Inhumane Conditions at For-Profit Youth Prison

2010-11-19T10:48:00.000-06:00

A youth prison camp in Mississippi that houses inmates aged 13-22, is accused of keeping youth in "horrific" and "barbaric" conditions.

One young man was tied to his bunk for almost 24 hours, brutally raped and sexually assaulted after prison staff failed to heed his pleas for protection. Other youth suffered multiple stabbings and beatings—including one youth who will live with permanent brain damage as a result of an attack in which prison staff were entirely complicit.

Get the full story here.

Injustice on Our Plates: Immigrant Women in the U.S. Food Industry

2010-11-19T10:33:00.000-06:00

Just by stating the facts they uncovered through their survey, the Southern Poverty Law Center lays bare the troubling relationship between our food and the brutal exploitation of immigrant women.

1989 article in Florida indicates that sexual harassment against farmworker women was so pervasive that women referred to the fields as the “green motel.”²⁰ Similarly, the EEOC reports that women in California refer to the fields as “fil de calzon,” or the fields of panties, because sexual harassment is so widespread.²¹

Today in Class

2010-11-12T20:03:00.000-06:00

Thursday, we continued with our classroom presentations, which we started this past Tuesday. We are having some some rich intellectual discussions about:

The war in Iraq
The war in Afghanistan
Golddigging as an urban trope
Sharecropping and coal mining (literal)
Similarities between the New Deal's Tennessee Valley Authority and Obama's health care expansion.

I am finding some promising material that I can use to link popular culture with historical ideas. In short, I am assigning students to teach me how to better relate to them.

I'll provide some samples later on.

Asian leadership conference

2010-11-12T11:32:00.000-06:00

"Nuclear Tipping Point"

2010-11-12T11:21:00.000-06:00

Presentations

2010-11-06T12:30:00.001-05:00

We spent part of class Thursday in the Learning Center working on presentations. The students were instructed to take an idea from their journals (this is the writing we do in class, where we use history as a tool to help understand the present), and find some media representation of that idea (an image, song, short video, etc.). After finding the image, they were instructed to condense their thoughts to no more than three bullet points, each using no more than five words to explain how the media is connected with the idea or the course material. These were to be put in text box, in powerpoint, along with the image. Finally, they were to create a google account ( if they didn't have one, already), and upload their Powerpoint slide into google documents. Tuesday, they will present this single slide to the class, and explain it in no more than two minutes, preferably one.

SACS and Learning Outcomes Assessments

2010-10-28T22:13:00.000-05:00

http://chronicle.com/blogs/measuring/learning-assessment-the-regional-accreditors-role/27485
Sent from my iPad

Angel difficulties

2010-10-26T11:58:00.001-05:00

A student cannot log onto Angel because the error message shows that she hasn't done the mandatory orientation. When I checked my settings, there were no blocks to her login, but she still can't log in. She will call the help desk.

Key Findings of the 2010 Rice University Houston Area Survey

2010-10-22T10:25:00.000-05:00

http://has.rice.edu/content.aspx?id=2638&ekmensel=c580fa7b_8_0_2638_4

Sent from my iPad

Houston's Diversity Challenge

2010-10-22T09:58:00.000-05:00

http://has.rice.edu/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=226

Sent from my iPad

Power of the Market - The Pencil

2010-10-21T15:30:00.000-05:00

French Pension Reform Protest

2010-10-21T15:29:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Hooverville

2010-10-21T14:54:00.000-05:00

Today in Class-- October 21, 2010

2010-10-21T14:37:00.004-05:00

In class today, we began with the following key terms:

Hawley-Smoot Tarrif
Hoovervilles
New Deal
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Wagner Act or National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)
Works Progress Administration
Social Security

You should be able to identify all these terms.

In class, we watched the following videos for context

New Deal Programs in Appalachia: CCC, WPA, and TVA

The 9:00 and 10:30 classes compared the TVA the Obama Health Reform Act to the New Deal's TVA within the context of changing the role of government in the marketplace.

The 2:00 class wrote on the debate around Mountaintop removal by coal mining companies in the Appalacians.

For the conservative position on government and the market see Milton Friedman's lesson of the pencil below

To compare U.S. and French attitudes toward labor rights, see French Protests against efforts to raise the retirement age in France below:

2010-10-20T13:03:00.000-05:00

Knowledgeable articles about U.S.-Arab relations

2010-10-20T12:07:00.001-05:00

National Council on U.S. Arab Relations Publications

Today in class: gender performance and urban diversity

2010-10-19T22:20:00.000-05:00

We began class by watching the two videos below to illustrate changes in women's gender performance over time. Then, after discussing Robin D. G. Kelley's "Yo Mama's Difunktional" we did a writing exercise relating tropes about black and brown women's sexuality to kelley's critique of urban sociological findings that tend to reinforce existing stereotypes about diverse urban populations.

Sent from my iPad

Flappers of 1920s:- So granny, what did you do when you were a girl?

2010-10-19T13:34:00.001-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3svvCj4yhYc

The Victorian Guide to Women

2010-10-19T13:29:00.001-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO5AuYNWQGA

Do any of these apply to your writing?

2010-10-18T13:16:00.001-05:00

Your writing shows a sound understanding of the book, but it sounds like you write the way you talk. Bear in mind, next time, that writing sounds different from talking. Next time, try writing it down the way you would normally say it. Wait a day. Then read it again for errors. After that, read it aloud, and listen for errors. You might want to seek help from an LSC resource. We have a variety of support services for online students at nhcounselor@lonestar.edu. Or you can just email me.
Your writing is sound; but next time, I'd like you to focus on just one question, and explore it in greater depth, using lots of evidence from the book and reflecting on it carefully at some length.

Warriors Don't Cry: General comments on disccusion paragraph.

2010-10-18T13:13:00.002-05:00

Only respond to one question. Try to answer it as thoroughly as you can, using lots of evidence from the book.
Avoid long quotes. It takes time an effort to translate quotes into your own words, but that’s what writing is.
Be specific in the way you use evidence from the book. Page numbers are helpful, but what is more important is to explain the situation in the book you are referring to, and how that relates to your main point.
If this grade does not truly reflect your ability, it is possible that you need help with your writing, specifically with proofreading. There is writing assistance available at nhcounselor@lonestar.edu, or just email me.
Use lots of evidence from the book, and take some time to reflect on it at some length and depth.

Cabeza de Vace discussions, HIST 1302 online

2010-10-17T17:29:00.002-05:00

I have enjoyed reading your paragraph responses to Cabeza de Vaca. I encountered in your replies some new ways of thinking about the questions I posted to you all, especially regarding the issue of cannibalism. There are points I'd like to make:

I only intended for you to write one paragraph. Apparently, that wasn't clear in the instructions, so I graded with that in mind. When doing the Frederick Douglass assignment, choose one question and answer it as thoroughly as you can in one paragraph.
Proofread carefully. It's okay to get help with proofreading. I have someone proofread everything I write (except this blog).
Give some time and consideration to the question you are addressing. Think it through. Be careful that you don't just restate the question; rather, make a claim of your own. It doesn't have to be original, but it needs to be yours

My comments refer to this rubric:

1. Structure/organization, does the paragraph function as a unit of thought?
2. Evidence, does the paragraph draw specific references from the book as evidence to support the claim(s) made in your paragraph?
3. Analysis, does the paragraph explain logically how the evidence presented supports the claims made?
4. Proofreading, the paragraph should be free of grammatical errors and misspellings.

Volunteer Peer Leader Academy

2010-10-13T13:54:00.000-05:00

The Center for Teaching and Learning is proud to present our first volunteer Peer Leader Academy. Peer leaders would donate their time to mentoring and tutoring their fellow students. In exchange for their time, they would be trained according to the College Reading and Learning Association requirements and receive an international certification upon successful completion of training and tutor/mentor contact hours. PLA students would function in a dual role on campus as volunteer mentors/tutors. PLA students will be divided in teams of five and mentor four EDUC 1300 courses.

We kindly request your assistance in recruiting students interested in becoming volunteer mentors/tutors in this academy.

Student requirements to prequalify are as follows:

1.) 3.0 GPA

2.) Grade of A or B in content area they are interested in tutoring

3.) Faculty Recommendation

4.) Orientation

5.) Commitment to 15 hours of training (10 hours tutor training and 5 hours mentor training)

6.) Commitment to tutoring and mentoring 50 hours per year (25 hours tutoring and 25 hours mentoring)

7.) Successful completion of at least one semester at LSC-North Harris

Great Debates

2010-02-16T12:00:00.001-06:00

http://www.peterpappas.com/journals/greatdebates.htm

great debates

Tuturing is available!

2010-02-03T20:52:00.000-06:00

Linda Quintanilla, one of our very experienced adjunct history instructors, is providing tutoring this semester in the Learning Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM

Old England, New England

2010-02-03T19:24:00.003-06:00

free web apps (writing aids)

2010-02-03T19:21:00.000-06:00

Find them here.

Ch. 1 discussion prompt

2010-01-27T18:32:00.005-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7aZTkiZiP0

eVista section is online!

2010-01-25T20:55:00.001-06:00

HIST 1301, 2:30-3:50: Your section is online. Let me know if you have questions or problems.

Blog threads for online students

2010-01-25T20:40:00.003-06:00

For 1301 "U.S. to 1877," your blog will discuss the following two video clips. How do the different points of view expressed in these video clips agree with each other? How do they disagree. How do they relate to the textbook treatment of ancient American peoples?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgnmT-Y_rGQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw1plQa5-Hs

1302, U.S. since 1877. Your blog will discuss how Chief Joseph and the Nez Pearce relates to "The New West" in Chapter 18 of the textbook. If the link doesn't work, cut and paste the url http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd8hYb7BhAA

HIST 1301, 11008 (MW 2:30 class) quizzes

2010-01-23T21:20:00.002-06:00

There is a problem with eVista, and the course is not online, yet. This is being worked on, and I hope it will be ready in time for class Monday. The first quiz will be due January 31, so there is plenty of time.

Books not in stores--what can you do?

2010-01-23T21:11:00.002-06:00

I am hearing from students that the books are still not in the stores. What can you do?

You can probably find the textbook at the book stores. A lot of other professors use the same book, Tindall/Shi, America: A Narrative History, Vol. 2, 7th ed.
You can order the other two online or give it a week and see if the book stores get them in.

Books for all HIST 1301 students online and ftf (face-to-face)

2010-01-22T10:46:00.003-06:00

Some of you have had questions about the books. Here is the information. Any publication of the Douglass Narrative is fine. I'm using the one from Bedford/St. Martin's Press.

Tindal, George Brown and and David Shi, America: A Narrative History, Vol. 1, 7th edition ISBN [978-0-393-92732-0].

De Vaca, Alvar Nunez Cabeza, The Narrative of Cabeza de Vaca (University of Nebraska Press, 2003). ISBN: 080326416X.

Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.

Update on books, etc.

2010-01-22T00:05:00.002-06:00

I stopped by the off-campus bookstore today, and they don't have our books in, yet. I don't know if the campus bookstore has them yet, either. Don't sweat it. I build the schedule knowing that there will be problems the first week.
If you are in my face-to-face [ftf] HIST 1301, 11008, we don't have an eVista section right now. Weird, I know. We'll have to do without until my people can get it for us.
The other two ftf sections are up and running. Let me know if there are problems, because there are always glitches the first week, and the sooner I learn about them, the sooner I can get them fixed.

Online Tutorial

2010-01-19T23:15:00.001-06:00

Find it here http://nhmccdvista4.blackboard.com/webct/urw/lc28228938311031.tp28251635594031/previewtoc.dowebct?viewtype=preview&TOCLinkId=28251727239061&TOCId=28251643162031

Technical support here
http://lonestar.edu/lsc-online/student-support.htm

Other support services
http://lonestar.edu/lsc-online/online-learning.htm

HIST 1301 and 1302, online

2010-01-19T22:53:00.003-06:00

Tonight, I'm going through all the settings and preferences to make the stuff work the way it's supposed to. I'll probably get some of it wrong, so let me know if anything doesn't show up where and when it's supposed to.

An earlier version of the syllabus had the wrong ISBN for the textbook. That is fixed. You're looking for Tindall/Shi, "America: A Narrative History (Norton) 7th ed., Vol. 1 for 1301 and Vol. 2 for 1302.

Welcome to Spring 2010 U.S. History

2010-01-19T22:47:00.002-06:00

Here's a couple of ideas to help us communicate:

Please let me know what section you are in, for instance: HIST 1302 1W003. Or you could just say you're in my online 1302 or my online 1301 or my face-to-face [ftf] 1301
When I post notices here, look at the section number carefully before you respond. Make sure the message is meant for you. I'm basically teaching three separate courses, and they all get different announcements.

Let me know if you have any problems at all, so I can help you fix them. That way we both succeed.

The Day the Cowboys Quit

2009-11-15T10:48:00.001-06:00

All the posts are graded and commented on.

HIST 1301

2009-11-11T15:14:00.001-06:00

Unit 3 quizzes are ready. You will have until 9 a.m. December 1. Good luck!

Riot and Rembrance quiz

2009-11-04T11:51:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone,

The Riot and Remmebrance quiz is up and ready to go. It will remain open until November 22. This will be a 3-hour quiz. There are 25 questions. You will get 2 attempts, and the average will be recorded. Good luck! dld

1302 Online (1W002), Riot and Remembrance

2009-10-31T14:29:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone,

The quiz is delayed until Monday (my fault). I will make sure you have at least two weeks to complete the quiz. dld

Cabeza de Vaca Quiz will remain open until Monday

2009-10-29T15:12:00.000-05:00

at midnight.

Cabeza de Vaca Quiz

2009-10-28T19:27:00.002-05:00

It was unavailable from about 4:30 to 7:30. Thanks to a student who tracked me down on FB, it's back online, now.

1301 students--Cabeza de Vaca quiz

2009-10-14T16:36:00.000-05:00

is available on the course homepage. You have two weeks to complete it. Good luck!

HIST 1302 Online

2009-10-13T18:06:00.001-05:00

I'm a few days behind on my email inbox. I will spend tomorrow catching up.

HIST 1302, online and 10:30 face-to-face

2009-10-07T13:12:00.001-05:00

To make up for those questions from "Ragtime," I added 20 points to everyone's score. Your grades are looking very good, so far. Keep up the good work!

Cabeza de Vaca quiz

2009-10-07T12:13:00.002-05:00

It will not be posted until tomorrow. I need some help with the software.

Kelton Discussion Board

2009-10-06T17:53:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone,

It looks like about 30 discussion posts rolled in over the weekend. It's going to take about a week for me to read and respond to them. So far, they are interesting and fun to read. Keep up the good work!

Kelton Discussion Board

2009-09-29T17:17:00.002-05:00

I'm really enjoying it. Come on in, the water's fine!

Instructions for Posting Discussion Paragraphs

2009-09-26T14:08:00.001-05:00

Go to:

home page
unit 1 folder
Unit 1 discussion module

When you click the Unit discussion module, it should open to this

Here, I've circled the discussion link in red.
I hope this helps.

LSC is offline Sunday Morning

2009-09-26T13:59:00.002-05:00

Kelton, discussion board open

2009-09-23T20:25:00.000-05:00

The discussion board is open for Kelton, "The Day the Cowboys Quit." I look forward to a lively discussion!

What is a Paragraph?

2009-09-23T20:14:00.001-05:00

Okay. I know that you guys know what a paragraph is. However, you still need to know what are my expectations of your discussion posts. Below, I clearly lay out these expectations along with the rubric under which your work will be evaluated. I look forward to reading your posts.

A paragraph is, first and foremost, a unit of thought. You are telling me what you think about a particular topic. In this case you are responding to a question prompt. Therefore, the first sentence should introduce your thought as clearly as possible. I should be able to tell by the first sentence what that paragraph will express to me. Ideally, your first sentence should state a claim. The following sentences should draw evidence from the book to support your claim. They should convince me that what you say is supported by the book. The concluding sentence should answer the question, “So what?” How has this paragraph answered the question that you selected? How has it added depth or breadth to our understanding of the book? How am I a smarter or better-informed person for having read this paragraph? Very few paragraphs answer all these questions, but you should try to accomplish at least one of them. That is the ideal and the basic structure. Remember, I want to know what you really think; not what you think I want you to think. Have fun, and speak your mind! It’s easy when you actually believe what you are writing.

Grading—paragraphs will be graded on the following:
1. Structure/organization, does the paragraph function as a unit of thought?
2. Evidence, does the paragraph draw specific references from the book as evidence to support the claim(s) made in your paragraph?
3. Analysis, does the paragraph explain logically how the evidence presented supports the claims made?
4. Proofreading, the paragraph should be free of grammatical errors and misspellings.

Sholarship money!

2009-09-23T19:15:00.002-05:00

$500 LSC-Online scholarship

More scholarships here

Online students, 1302

2009-09-12T20:04:00.001-05:00

Sorry, I've let my email inbox pile up a little. I didn't get all the emails answered tonight, but I'll get back to them in the morning.

all sections, online and face-to-face: online tutorial

2009-08-29T18:52:00.002-05:00

It turns out that all my links in the orientation document are broken. I didn't know this. If you are looking for the "online tutorial" here is where you will find it:
Go to LSC HOMEPAGE
click LSC ONLINE
click GETTING STARTED (Circled in red below)