I LIKE BOYUS POST!

I LOVE BOYUS POST.
OH MY GOD
SUSAN BOYLEEEEE
.. she is AMAZINGGG
wowwwwww

Death by Abortion

On May 31st, Dr. George Tiller of Wichita, Kansas, was shot to death during morning church services at the Reformation Lutheran Church for his work as a "late-term" abortion doctor. The doctor, reviled by anti-abortion groups, was assaulted and died from a single gunshot. This tragic event only adds to the never ending conflicts that are linked to the violence in society. Abortion has been an ongoing issue, and people have profound differences over their thoughts on this topic. However, it is often said that violence breeds violence, and the doctor's death certainly doesn't bring any more peace into the world. Dr. George Tiller's Wichita clinic was the site of several mass protests and a bombing in 1985. He was also previously shot in both arms and brought to trial for performing illegal abortions at his clinic. Nevertheless, it is outrageous that he was killed at a house of worship. This incident shows that the violence in the world around us is even invading places of peace. It can even be considered an attack on religion, for a church is clearly regarded as a sanctuary. Ironically, anti-abortion groups are protecting a child's right to life, however, they must kill others in order to achieve this. If holding true to one's beliefs can result in such grave consequences, people might become more submissive with their thoughts. It will also become harder for people to decide what is right or wrong, and if it is safe to believe in one's own opinions. Through this unfortunate tragedy, it is evident that when people fight for a cause, there will be a conflict. Amidst our chaotic society, such conflicts often happen side by side with inevitable death and ever increasing violence.

Sources:
http://www.theprovince.com/news/Kansas+abortion+doctor+shot+death+church/1649031/story.html

American Idol: Fair or Fixed?

On Tuesday, May 19, college boy Kris Allen and musical theatre star Adam Lambert battled it out for the final time this season, hoping to win the hearts of America and be named "American Idol of 2009." The following night, Ryan Secrest proclaimed Kris Allen the winner. Allen fans were ecstatic - Lambert fans were enfuriated - and based on friends and other people I know who watch American Idol (including myself), most of them were part of the furious crowd.

According to a few online polls I came across, around 63-73% of American Idol viewers were Lambert fans. Yes, Kris is a cute guy with a warm, soulful voice, but it doesn't compare to the powerful vocals that present Adam's high potential. If so many people were in favour of Adam, then how in the world did Kris Allen get the title? Some say AT&T gave Kris an unfair advantage by providing free phones and "power texting" to fans in Arkansas, Allen's birthplace. Some even say the voting was fixed. Others think the votes came from his secret fan base of "gum-snapping girls." Then there's the people who oppose Adam's homosexuality. Did it play a role in Allen's victory? Maybe, maybe not.

These kind of peculiar situations make me wonder about other voting competitions: how fair are they REALLY? Let's use student council as an example. Be honest now - what do you base your choices on? Do you base them on their speeches, how good of a friend they are to you, or how well they can bribe you to vote for them? I bet most students don't even pay attention to the candidates when they speak, leaving it to be a popularity contest. During the semi-finals for AI, one of Kris's song choices was "Heartless" by Kanye West, no doubt a hit-song. Think about it though - unless you are changing the arrangements so it's completely distinct from a rap song, would you really choose a rap song to sing in a COMPETITION? Yes he made some adjustments, but anyone can tell that the difference isn't overly large. I thought it was an unwise choice; the judges thought it was brilliantly creative. So what, he became extremely popular just because he picked a popular song? While Adam's selections weren't as well-known, his performances always made up for that; Kris chose from the hit list, performed them mediocrely, and he winned it all. What's the point in wasting effort if this is what will happen?

The reason for television competitions like American Idol, and elections like Student Council, is to choose the best of the competitors based on the standards of a winner, and the majority vote. However, various votes are placed for the wrong reasons, making it unfair for those who are truly worthy of representing one's grade, or one's country as "American Idol."

SOURCES:

http://realitytvmagazine.sheknows.com/blog/2009/05/28/american-idol-did-att-help-kris-win/

http://weblogs.redeyechicago.com/showpatrol/2009/05/american-idol-poll-adam-vs-kris-may-12.html

http://www.quizilla.com/polls/result/9579379

http://goldderby.latimes.com/awards_goldderby/2009/05/american-idol-adam-lambert-kris-allen-73915284-news.html

The TWILIGHT Craze

On November 21, 2008, the film adaption of the widely popular book Twilight finally came out. It was much awaited by the fans of this romantic-fantasy novel by Stephanie Meyer. The movie grossed 35.7 million dollars on its opening day and as of May 30, 2009 has grossed 382,133,300 million dollars in worldwide box-offices. The story of the first movie centers on the beautiful mortal teenager Isabelle Swan, who falls in love with her handsome classmate, Edward Cullen. It is considered to be the modern Romeo and Juliet. The problems begin when Edward, who although looks 17 is actually a 108-year-old vampire, reciprocates the feelings and when a series of older, more experienced vampires threaten to kill his beloved Bella. The “Twilight” movie catches the eye of fan girls, mostly, as it features the necessary dark, twisted, handsome vampire with a heart of gold to make the movie successful. Fans, mostly girls are anxious to get their hands on anything that has something to do with "Twilight". The movie definitely has made a strong base with teenage girls worldwide. The TWILIGHT craze has swept the world of teenage girls!

My eyes opened up to the "Twilight" series not long ago. I first read the book around September 2008 because I saw many of my friends reading the series. It got my attention and I immediately started reading Twilight when I got my hand on it. I remembered I finished reading "Twilight" in just three days! I got extremely addicted to the first book and got the next book to read. I became one the many fans of the mysterious Edward Cullen. Edward Cullen was the perfect prince charming that many girls hope to be with forever. He made almost every teenage girl on the planet fall in love with him including me. It affected my life because during those months I was only focused on reading the "Twilight" series. Nothing mattered to me except I had to finished the books. The TWILIGHT craze has swept me off my feet! I cannot wait for "New Moon" to come out in theaters on November 20, 2009.

Economic Recession

We are currently going through an economic recession. The economic recession often refers to the two quarters of negative economic growth. A recession is a general slowdown in economic activity over a sustained period of time. Unemployment has been climbing and the stock market has been plummeting. Although teenagers may think the economic recession has little impact on them, they are wrong. We many not own homes, and falling home values don't matter to us. We may not own stock, and the plummeting stock market doesn't matter to us. We do, however, have jobs, or will have jobs in the next few years. Employers are cutting more and more jobs because of the economic depression. It affects the people who are losing their jobs and the people who are still looking for a job. For example, I already have a job, but I am looking for a better job in retail. Now that the economic recession has hit Canada retail has taken a dive. Not as many Canadians are shopping and buying as many clothes because of the economic recession. The economic recession has affected me because I haven't been able to find a good job in retail. Without realizing it, this recession has affected everyone in ways we never knew. Whether it's how much we make or how much we spend, the recession has influenced everyone.


Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recession
http://www.content4reprint.com/business/corporate/on-the-dole-the-effects-of-economic-recession-on-employment.htm
http://recession.org/

Fashorexia-

The Debate of having to be a size zero just to be a supermodel in the fashion world has exploded in current magazines. The constant image of super slim models walking down the catwalk seems to have become the role girls wish to fill; to be tall, thin which ultimately makes young teens believe that that will make them feel beautiful. The elimination of a girl attempting to win the competition of America’s Next Top Model was truly astounding, due to the ultimate reason she was eliminated for; obesity. Although the reason given for her defeat was because she could not capture her beauty on film, her fellow competitor did not gain fifteen pounds within two weeks like she did, therefore she advanced to the next round. This superficial world of modeling affects girls and heavily impacts many who literally killing themselves to be the women they see in the media. Many young girls constantly compare themselves to their role models, whom are secretly suffering from this illness of anorexia. The end of this certain girl’s journey in the shallow contest showcased the pressure models are in, to reach the standard to fit into a size of 00 jeans. In August of 2006 a Uraguayan model, Luisel Ramos, suffered heart failure and died after starving herself. The following November, a Brazilian model, Ana Carolina Reston, died from the same sickness: anoxeria.The close ties of the fashion industry with this illness is outrageous. I have altered my opinion of the disease that affects 10% of the entire population. Instead of blaming the girls for being foolish and crazy, who believe they can never be too skinny, I blame the fashion world for promoting this skinniness in young women and encouraging it with the many ad campaigns that are published around the world with models that have waists of eight year olds. Until the ban on size zero models is permenantly established never will I put those girls guilty of becoming what this disgusting industry wants them to be; clones who die in the name of fashion.


Sources:

• http://theviewspaper.net/anorexia-and-the-fashion-industry/
• http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23367018-details/Pressure+mounts+for+'ban'+on+zero+size+models/article.do
• http://forums.jokersupdates.com/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=NextTopModel&Number=11117906&page=0&view=expanded&sb=5&o=&rc=

TIM'S POST REGARDING PRESIDENT OBAMA

On January 20th, 2009, Barack Obama became the first African-American president of the United States of America. After running against Hillary Clinton and John McCain, Barack Obama successfully won 365 out of 538 electoral votes. During his first few months as President he has set a date to close Guantanamo Bay, produced a plan to end the war in Iraq, passed a major economic stimulus plan, lifted bans on funding abortion and stem cell research, banned torture, and has deployed thousands of extra soldiers to Afghanistan. Most of these actions have a minimal impact on my life but are nevertheless very significant on the world stage.

A lot of people are suffering these days due to the financial crisis; President Obama plays a key role in ensuring that the economy gets back on track. The United States of America has to end its own financial woes in order to help the rest of the world recover from this particular recession. The US is a huge consumer of goods from all corners of the world, it employs a huge workforce (both domestic and foreign), it is a major manufacturer/exporter, and it holds a vast amount of the world's wealth. If President Obama doesn't get America's financial system back to normal it could have a very negative impact on me and on the rest of the world. Imagine if the Royal Bank of Canada or the Bank of Montreal or any other bank filed for bankruptcy. That's all my mom ever talks about now. We could lose all our money overnight if something like that happened. Furthermore, when I graduate from university, the recession is not going to help with my job search. This is why President Obama's actions mean so much people like me. On a different note, his decision to lift bans on stem cell research will very likely have a positive impact on my life. The medical breakthroughs that will very likely come from this decision could only benefit me and the human race. In conclusion, most of President Obama's actions will not affect me drastically, but some of his more important decisions will.

Attempt at a healthy lifestyle

The amount of people dealing with obesity has risen dramatically in recent years. Researchers have gathered information and concluded that 58 million American adults are over weight, while as 5.5 million Canadians are dealing with this problem. The government takes notice in the danger of obesity, and has been trying to solve the problem, dealing with the youth as their first priority. These days, the youth has many more and easier access to fast food restaurants, or any other fattening foods. The government has taken this problem into action and contacted school districts, which then applied the healthy foods policy. I think the healthy foods policy has brought a huge change, and it has effected me, and possibly many other students, in many ways. Fast food restaurants are one of the reason for the increase of obesity, but it is not the only blame for it. Being obese relates to the amount of food and exercise one has taken up, basically their lifestyle. Which is why physical education is highly recommended for students around the age of 12 to 18, their growth years. A typical teenager would usually choose to sit around and stuff themselves with a bag of chips. The healthy foods policy has decided to target the schools. Replacing the vending machines with many healthy snacks and drinks, they've also changed the cafeteria's food menu. This new policy has effected me because the "good-tasting" food has been taken away from us. I also think it is a rip off to buy food available at school, not only does it taste bad, but it is also expensive. In my opinion, I think the healthy foods policy is not very effective at restraining students from unhealthy choices of eating, because many students still go out to fast food restaurants during lunch and after school. The policy has mostly effected me negatively, it makes me feel the need to go out and eat at restaurants, possibly buying more junk food, and stop buying food from the cafeteria. On the other hand with the new policy, it has helped me save up a bit more money in my wallet from cafeteria food. The healthy foods policy is a really bad attempt to restrain students from eating junk food, and it has only effected me in a negative way.


Reference:
http://www.healthgoods.com/Education/Nutrition_Information/Weight_Control/overweight_obesity_facts.htm
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-620-m/2005001/article/adults-adultes/8060-eng.htm

Caution: Internet Danger

The internet is used by people all over the world, whether they are kids, working adults, or even seniors, the internet is definitely a great way for communication. It is almost as if the future generation had made the internet revolve around everything we do. Posting blogs, pictures, streaming videos, using messenger, and researching on Google are things that we do daily. As a result, people have the ability to do whatever they want on the computer. However, they do not know the danger of using the internet and how it affects us. In 2008, the Edison Chen photo scandal demonstrates the danger of the internet. He was involved in a publicized nude photo scandal of himself and other celebrities that he had dated from the past. The pictures of the female celebrities had been accidentally posted up all over the internet by a person that is still unidentified. This had mentally hurt the celebrity victims of this scandal due to Edison Chen’s posted photos. I believe that this kind of action can happen to anyone of us. The information that we allow published on websites and computer can be easily put on the internet. And the fact is, because the internet is widely operated all over the world, it is possible for anyone to post false information about you. Besides, Edison’s scandal it is obvious to see that there are other internet dangers such as internet dating, hacking, and communicating with strangers on net. This certainly puts an effect on all the people that uses the computer. No longer can you fully trust the internet and there is no longer full privacy either. But by agreeing to the internet’s policies, you are taking the responsibilities of these actions on your own risk. In conclusion to my statement, I believe that using the internet can be dangerous and that we should pay more attention to what we do on the internet to protect ourselves from internet danger.


Reference:
Wikipedia.com

GG!

The UN gang, also known as the United Nations gang is a criminal gang that has been active in our society. Since 2008 till now, there has been gang violence occuring in where we live. The UN gang has known to be playing a major role in this gang violence. There are gangs all over the world. Theres TC, BC, Hells Angel, Vietnam Gang, and lots more. Nowadays, teenagers are too caught up with the artificial look that society puts on. They care too much about what people say and what people wear. People now, are willing to buy 160 dollar T-Shirts that has the word "Smet" or "Ed Hardy" on them hoping that gang groups would notice them and recruit them. Society nowadays are all about the "looks" and who they hang out with. Teenagers, age 13-18 are trying to get into clubs, and they start smoking and blazing and drinking at a very young age. It's amazing how far people would go to just to fit in, and to make people notice them. Just last week, I went to the mall and noticed that basically all the teenagers in Richmond were at the mall. All my friends from other schools came up to me and said, "theres gonna be a fight between the UN gang and the TC gang." Most of the people at the mall just wanted to see a fight and hopefully get involved with it so people would notice them. The amount of peer pressure that these gangs put on people is just overwhelming. Teenagers nowadays would do anything to get into a gang because they feel that its the "cool" way to go. They suck up to those who they want to impress and at times, they feel embarassed with the people they normally hang out with. Gang violence, and gangs has definently impacted many, usually not for the better.

Most likely your last blog post...

If you look back on this year there has been a lot of history making events going on in our society. On the world stage, we have been dealing with the economic recession. Scientists are more confident than ever about Global Warming. On the more political front, our neigbours have elected the first African-American president, and Canadians and British Columbians have been faced with numerous political elections (including one this week!). Vancouver has also experienced gang violence in an unprecedented manner. We are also almost ready to host the Vancouver-Whistler Winter Olympics. A lot of individuals have also pushed ethical boundaries, like Nadya Suleman having octuplets.

Look back at the past 12 months or so, and find an event that interests you or that you believe will affect you in some way. Give a brief summary on the event, and then explain how it will affect you. The way it affects you can be specific (it will actually change your life) or it can be general (it may have a minimal impact on your life).

Speak Project: Vikki Lam

Aside from having to have the project relate to a typical teenage life, there were no specific guidelines for our unit assignment. Everyone's project was very unique in its own way, but I thought Vikki Lam's project with the badge stood out in a good way. She obviously put a lot of thought and critical thinking into the symbolism of the badge; I never would have imagined a badge representing one's accomplishments. I'm sure there are other things badges could represent, but to think of it like that is very interesting. Excluding the "perceptive" aspect of the project, her sash with the little awards was very cute. You sure won a lot of stuff Vikki!
With that being said, Vikki did very well.

A Pawn-tastic Project!

The projects were all amazingly presented but I enjoyed how Charlie related his given object of a pawn to himself as well as his deep interpretation. Life can be a game such as chess played by the cleverest competitors controlling and destroying anyone who may step in their way. A pawn is seen as the lowest ranked player in this endless board game, which cannot jump more than two rows, such as an intern who cannot make a great advance on the job very quickly. Charlie used critical thinking to position himself as this little plastic game piece, persuaded by his parents on which moves to make concerning his present lifestyle as well as future aspirations. They rule his every thought and simply give him orders to be who they expect him to be. All individuals face this dilemma to decide between what standards, established by parents, peers, as well as elders, must be met and what moves must be independently made. Charlie used this reality to create a mental image of what it looks like to go through during the years leading up to adulthood. I was captured by his judgment of what a pawn is believed to be and his relation and response to it. Checkers is one game which I always personally thought seemed similar to chess, however the main difference is in checkers titles do not matter. As in the game, a follower can become a leader in his or her own life. I extremely enjoyed his project and I honestly believe he expressed great critical thinking skills.

Gavin's Brick Foundations

Gavin's perception of his object, the brick, well relates to his life and the world around him. A brick is closed in and tough, and sometimes people choose to be this way to hide their emotions. Gavin effectively mentions that everyone has difficult moments in life, and wish to conceal their feelings behind their own 'brick wall'. Also, he says that people can represent bricks, meaning they are emotionally strong in certain situations. Gavin cleverly made a wall of bricks by piecing them all together. He shows that a group of friends together make a stronghold, and that friends are there to support each other. Also, the multi coloured arrangement shows that everyone is unique in their own way, but can be united as one. Furthermore, just as a crack in the brick wall makes it unstable, a weakness in a group of friends will devastate the bond. Gavin's response on his object is very detailed and well thought out. It's clear that he has put much time and thought into what he says; this demonstrates his skill as a critical thinker. Gavin's project really stands out to me -- while it isn't too elaborate, it makes a clear statement and presents many insightful ideas.

Katrina's Shipping Container

Out of all the projects I've seen, Katrina's assignment captured my attention the most. Katrina drew a shipping container for our critical thinking assignment. She decorated a box and connected arrows to it. The arrows had words relating to her life. I loved her creativity to make a shipping container her life. It was unique on how she presented it because almost everyone did a poem. One thing that stood out for me the most were the arrows connected to the box. Katrina related her life to a shipping container and wrote it on the arrows. One connection that she made was that whenever a shipping container goes to somewhere else, it has to pass through a lot of security checks. That related to Katrina's life becasue she too has to overcome obstacles in her life. This can prove that she is thinking critically. I totally agree on the connection that she made. I also have to overcome obstacles in my life because life is full of unpredictable things. We cannot foresee what will happen in our lives. I think that Katrina did a wonderful job on how to connect a shipping container to her and a teenage's life.

Tim's Poem on Candles and his Life

The object Tim recieved to do his project on was a candle. Tim did a fantabulous, fantastical job on the writing of his poem. One thing he did very well was to relate the lifespan of a candle to the lifespan of himself. In the adolescent stage where the fire rages, and when you die you get snuffed out, just like a candle. Both the life of a candle and a human being can be ended easily and abruptly. There are also many other things that he did well in his poem such as using good imagery. For instance, the line, "The passion and wavering desires of my teenage flame burns brightly and out of control; it becomes an all-consuming vortex of fire that destroys and eradicates.", has many strong, descriptive words in it to help create images in your head. Something that stood out (and I think deserves mention) is the use of a real candle in his presentation. Once lit, it not only created a pleasant fragrance, but more importantly it helped to reinforce his idea that life could be ended abruptly when he blew out the candle. As you clearly saw on presentation day, Tim did a fantastic job on this project and I hope that I haven't missed any of all the wonderful things he did well on it.

AMBER and her TIGER

I felt that Amber did an excellent job connecting her object to her life. It definently displayed good critical thinking. Her object was a tiger. Yes, a tiger. Not many people would have the imagination or critical thinking to connect a tiger to their lives like how Amber did. She expressed her connection with her object through poetry. Amber has an amazing way with words, and her poetry really stood out to me. In her poem, she compared how a tiger's life is similar to a life of a teenager. Tigers are avoiding exctinction, just like how teenagers try to avoid getting into peer pressure. Tigers hide from their predators, like how teenagers hide from bullies. One of the main things that really stood out to me with her poem was when she wrote that both tigers and teenagers are just trying to survive the jungle (or highschool). I honestly feel that Amber demonstrated amazing critical thinking and the way she expressed her object in a form of poetry was just really complex and well thought out. I doubt anyone who picked the object, tiger, would be able to present it in better way than Amber.

-Eleanore


P.S. :: AWWW THANKS BOYUUUU for that lovely comment about my newspaper =] I APPRECIATE IT!!!!!!!!!!!

Perri's Project : You've Got Mail

I've decided to write a response on Perri's project which was You've Got Mail. Perri's object was e-mail and the concept of Perri's project was how communication between teenagers is changing. She pointed out how people can interact socially without even getting changed and stepping out of their house. E-mail has changed the way we interact with people and we haven't even realized it. By depending on e-mail for communication we are removing face-to-face contact with people. Eventually our everyday phrases and words will be replaced with acronyms. Her project looked like a computer screen with an envelope saying 'you've got mail' and inside the envelope was a clever poem. I thought her project was brilliant because it not only delivered her message, but also it was conveyed in a creative way. I thought Perri's poem was great because it was good-humoured and clever. The thing that stood out the most for me was her overall display of her project. I thought it was ingenious how she made it look like a computer screen and the poem could be pulled out of an envelope. Perri's project showed she was a critical thinker because she gathered information and was able to analyze and apply it to her project. Perri's project is commendable; I think she exceeded the expectations of the project.

TIM

My post has been edited. All claim(s) to Olivia's project are now ineffective at the time of this particular post. Please refer to my original post to see the edited version.

Olivia's Project...

Nice try, TIM.

Olivia's project is still up for grabs. If you want to write on it, beat Tim to his edit!!!

Also, this is a PERFECT blog for you guys to comment on. If you want to give your peers feedback, don't feel restricted to the one you have chosen! WRITE WRITE WRITE!

Newspaper

There were many impressive projects that were presented today, and the one that stood out to me the most was Eleanore Chang’s project "Eleanore's Daily News". A newspaper: an object that contains variety of topics that covers daily world-wide news, political events, business, art/entertainment, advertisements and sports allowing the readers to acknowledge the current events. I thought Eleanore’s idea of creating a newspaper that features her daily basis news was very clever and unique. Definitely, her creation and connections could relate to any typical teenagers, and even adults. Her ideal of demonstrating the main point across the class made it clear; a newspaper is an important updater to inform individual recent news around the world. Eleanore stayed true throughout the assignment, and she certainly did let the readers know that many mandatory difficulties must be faced whether one likes it or not. Her newspaper’s discussion “Asian Parent Cracks Up” and “Boys are Jerks” is hilarious. Also, I thought “Eleanore’s Daily News” was a smart way to express her emotions, feelings, etc. Honestly, if an individual sincerely care for you, he/she will buy any newspaper regarding the price. Like Eleanore’s newspaper, if she published it, many of her friends will buy it. Eleanore absolutely proved that a newspaper is an important item in our everyday’s life.

Stop Sign- Boyu's Critical thinking assignment.

Through out the presentations, i thought one of the projects that really stood out for me was Boyu's critical thinking assignment on a stop sign. When people think of teenagers, we are usually described as impulsive people. I think a stop sign is what we need sometimes, there is so much drama and events going on around us that sometimes you just want things to pause for a second. In the presentations, Boyu clearly explained what she did for her critical thinking assignment. She made a thinking bubble filled with all the important events in her life. She related herself to the stop sign by explaining how there were many memorable events in her life, and even if it may be all the fun highlights in her life, sometimes you just have to slow down and stop. There has been so much that happened in your life that when you bring your mind around it, all the memories rain down on you. When stop signs were brought up, all i could think of is school, all the tests, homework and friends seems so complicated, for teenagers.. this is what our world revolves around. She gave me a new perspective of how this object can relate to all of us. Not only teenagers, but everyone can relate to this object.

Fish Bowl- Spencer Such

We had seen so many presentations today for our critical thinking assignment, but it was Spencer’s project that attracted me the most. I really like the way Spencer had used his object and how he had related to his life. Although his project was not fancy, I really liked his picture. The picture itself had spoken to me. The little soldier surrounding the fish bowl in the picture had certainly help made Spencer’s point. Spencer had stated that the fish bowl was like a personal bubble, a place for you and away from all the chaos. He had also used the example of how sometimes you need to learn how to speak up and walk away. I believe this example has somehow also related to my object and I totally agree with his statement. I had never thought of how a fish bowl can relate to a teenager’s life but Spencer’s idea had shown a unique way of looking at a fish bowl with a new perspective. In conclusion, I do find Spencer achieving his goal of the project to become a critical thinker.

TIM's Response to Olivia's English Critical Thinking Project

I thought that Olivia's project was a perfect example of teenage life and displayed excellent critical thinking skills. A seemingly simple object (a door) was transformed by Olivia into a remarkable work representing her ambitions, which consist of being either a lawyer or an actress. The door was a masterful work of art; there were four other doors within the door, each representing her past, her present, and two possible futures. I think that the present door showed her perception of typical teenage life because it displayed what was really in her soul. Furthermore, this represents critical thinking because she was able to connect an object with many aspects of her life and present to us the significance of these connections. One of the many things that Olivia well was that she created a very artistic and moving painting of the door and used colour to a great effect. One particular aspect of Olivia's project really moved me; it was her desire to become a lawyer. The reason that notion struck me was because I'm also aspiring to become a lawyer. Also, Olivia used sound and logical judgment/reasoning when it came to interpreting the meaning behind the object; she also connected it to her own life. That clearly represents critical thinking. In conclusion, I liked Olivia's artistic painting, the lawyer idea really stuck out for me, and her critical thinking skills are excellent.

SPEAK Feedback

Reflect on one of your peer’s Speak projects.

Write a paragraph that includes positive feedback on their project. Please include answers to the following questions, as well as any other positive feedback you would like to give them.

What did they do well?
What stood out for you?
How does their project show that they are critical thinkers?

You may NOT write on a project that has already been commented on. That goes for BOTH blogs – so check out the other one before you write your own post.

It's Just like Brushing your Teeth (hard copy)

Obesity has become quite the problem in British Columbia. There are many serious health issues that come along with obesity. In order to prevent obesity in our youth, the DPA, which is an extremely effective strategy to get kids active, should be implemented as soon as possible. The reasons why the DPA would work so well are because it is daily and not too long. When you do something on a daily basis, such as brushing your teeth, it becomes second nature and you don't mind doing it. For example, when you're really young you don't really want to brush your teeth. However, after you get trained into it it isn't so bad and you will continue to do it for the rest of your life. This what makes the DPA so great. Kids won't mind doing their daily excersizes so much because it will become a habit. Once the kids grow up, just like brushing their teeth, they should keep doing their daily excersizes for the rest of their lives. The beauty of this is that it doesn't take more time in total than the P.E. system we have now. It will take the same amount of time but kids will be much more motivated because of the way it is spread out. I think that if I were to use the DPA then I would be more motivated to excersize, I would be more active, and I would be much more likely to excersize later in life than just doing the normal P.E. system. Incorperating this into school would be fairly easy, just take roughly five minutes from each class and maybe two or three minutes from lunch and make a period similar to reading block where every does their daily physical activities. This will get everyone active and do an effective job of lowering the obesity rates of British Columbia.

Please Edit...

Please take the time to review your posts. Check for grammatical errors, spelling, punctuation, etc. Also, review the question. Have you answered the question or simply restated what DPA is?

Read your posts to yourself, OUT LOUD! Hearing your written work will help you make adjustments.

Final copy of your January blogs are due this Friday, Feb 6.

Get up, get up, GET UP!

Compared to the past, the obesity rate in North America has skyrocketed. Sure, people can put the blame on unhealthy foods, TV, laziness, whatever they can think of - but true fault lies with us. LACK OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN OUR DAILY ROUTINE IS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. Luckily, the government has finally picked up on this, and has implemented DPA in our schools. Though the government's purpose for DPA is very positive, there are a few pros and cons to this program.

What are the pros? As mentioned earlier, and probably the most obvious, daily physical exercise will lessen obesity amongst kids all over BC. An even greater advantage that not many realize is the improvement in health, which has been damaged for those who consume McDonalds every other day, smoke (hopefully this doesn't apply to many), etc. DPA may sound like a whip on the back, forcing lazy children to get off the couch and run around until they've lost a few pounds, but that whip will eventually embed itself into our daily lives for the better.

Now onto the cons. DPA applies to ALL students between Kindergarten to Grade 12; that is a lot of people to take part in this, and a lot of people to monitor in their exercises. Correct me if I am wrong, but students receive a book to record their "activities" in. I quoted "activities" because there is no proof that one's list of activities are actually done; forty-five minutes of dance lessons could just be two hours chatting away on Facebook. As much as the government would love to have the ability to ensure that only the truth is recorded in that book, I'm quite certain that they have enough dilemnas to deal with on a daily basis.

So what's an effective way to enforce DPA? P.E. is currently mandatory up to Grade 10, so perhaps making it mandatory for the entire 5 years of high school will get more hearts pumping, though it will probably result in more frowns than smiles. If parents (or students) are willing to spend some money, classes outside of school could benefit greatly, but of course it requires money. Personally, P.E. has been my only physical activity in a long time, and I have a little weight problem, so I don't need to be convinced very much to do something active. However, my other problem is that I am deemed "lazy" - it's not that I do not want to be more athletic, I'm just too lazy to take my eyes of the TV. Luckily I'm not the only person in a situation like this; classes outside of school is probably the best option for me and others who need a boost of motivation to move around and get active.

For the most part, DPA will benefit kids tremendously.

Delightment and Motivation are key!

Teenagers, who are naturally lazy creatures, usually try to avoid any form of getting active; whether it is choosing between healthily walking to school, or hopping into the family van, most prefer the second option. The government, however, is trying to improve the obesity rates throughout B.C. by developing and initiating the Daily Physical Activity program throughout schools in the province. Nevertheless, many students focus more on achieving personal goals rather than one from the government. The thirty minute requirement for Kindergarten to Grade 9 and one hundred and fifty minute weekly requirement for Grades 10,11 and 12 can be met and recorded but the fact is that many individuals will most definitely lie and say they did perform a sport and then write down an invented number as the amount of time spent doing the activity. The government cannot monitor every single student and make sure that they are receiving enough exercise; therefore the DPA strategy is not an effective one.
Not one individual in the world is the same as the next, and not everyone was meant to be a professional athlete either. A valuable way to contribute and construct a healthy lifestyle is to get the student to participate in an enjoyable endeavour. Physical Education is not necessary in grades 11 and 12, so an active pastime is needed. Parents and guardians are the only true rule-enforcers of the household and must find compromise with their children on the subject of exercise. Rules on limiting time spent staring in front of the computer screen or spraining fingers while playing video games all day must be met, but children can play a video game if it involves getting active and having to stand up and move around. The “Weight-life coach” on the popular Nintendo D-S, is a grand example that teaches players to live vigorous and healthy lives. The “Wii-fit” (another gaming console) also includes participating in virtual sports as well as yoga, which involves forming positions as if in a real yoga class. The only way to get kids and teens truly active is to allow them to enjoy the activities that they do while staying fit and achieving a proper standard of living. Thus, with the support and ongoing encouragement of family and friends, students may change and start to actually live life to the fullest. Not all individuals have to have smouldering biceps and six-pack abs, but should be at a state of personal victory, with an improvement shown in current physical and mental status. Individuals have to be motivated with rewards and compliments and only then they can and will achieve. Throughout the week, my cheeks and face are tomato red after every physical education class because of the effort I exude during the one hour and twelve minute period. Drama rehearsals after school also keep me active and moving as well as the fact that I walk to and from school every single day of the week. Personally, I bend my strict try-to-be healthy rules and eat junk food but who doesn’t? I motivate myself to do better and to have fun while doing so. My enjoyable after-school events keep me going and exercising in inventive ways. The government's attempt to keep students exercising is a worthy effort but cannot insure results for everyone. Hence, the way to keep active is to create a special activity, which parents ensure is healthy, that doesn’t have to be mandatory or pressurizing, just one that the student can successfully do without being told to do so. Then a progress will be shown in the way students physically, mentally and emotionally carry themselves.

HEY EVERYBODY :)! LETS START RECORDING OUR DAILY ACTIVITIES DOWN :)

Have you notice that the world is changing quickly in many ways? The changes are not beneficial; instead it is a disadvantage to our lives. Many changes have been made throughout the centuries, one of it would be wasting unnecessary things which limited the planet’s resources. Most importantly, our lives are being engaged in the world of just unhealthy food. This has given many individuals difficult time to choose since there are varieties of food selections to pick from. The worst thing about the marketing nowadays are most of the products that are being sold are junk foods. Also, more and more fast-foods are being opened everywhere. This influences the people to eat unhealthy food which eventually leads to obesity. Did you know that Canada’s percentage of obesity has increased rapidly over the past 25 years? It has tripled for the last few years. Being obese/overweight not only is a matter of how we look, also it is a risk of physical, emotional, and psychological health issues as stated on www.kidshealth.org. For example, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, early puberty, and depression. We should all be aware of these consequences when eating unhealthy foods especially fat-greasy food from fast and convenient restaurants. Sometimes, it is OK to eat delicious and high calories food, only if we exercise.
The government has recently implemented Daily Physical Activity (DPA) in all schools across our nation due to our population of obesity. This is certainly an effective strategy for all the young people to be active and healthy. Also,this will set great examples for the next generations. DPA is a requirement for students to participate in 30 minutes of physical activity during school day and the activity must be recorded and be signed by parents. This should definitely be mandatory for all students to graduate because it forces students to become more involved and motivated. How hard is it to do 30 minutes of exercise a day? We can simply walk to school instead of getting a ride – this will help us prevent diseases and obesity. The government is not trying to fail the students; it only wants the student to develop positive activity habits and to understand the importance of exercising. Honestly, I believe that this program will help many individuals to succeed. Basically, if we do anything around the community is considered exercising, such as walking around the park, shopping in the mall, and even working in a restaurant. All we have to do is record all those activities down in the DPA booklet. The government is only doing this to stop the students from being lazy. Why not challenge our lives with more than 150 minutes per week? It is essential to exercise everyday in order to maintain a healthy body and prevent gaining extra weights.

Watch this video and you will understand why the government is setting a DPA program.
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/index.php?rn=222561&cl=11795975&ch=224106

DPA is A-OK !

I think implementing DPA in all schools across BC is an effective strategy to increase daily physical activity in teenagers' lives only if the schools across BC are committed to helping students. Students must be motivated and supported as they try to increase their daily physical activity. Students will definitely learn the benefits of being a healthy student once they do DPA. If a teenager does DPA during his/her adolescence it is more likely that the individual will continue to do so as an adult. However, the majority of students are lazy and have no interest in going out of their way to do 150 minutes of physical activity a week. Once the schools make DPA easy to incorporate into a students' schedule then improvement will surely happen. Although it's difficult for schools to meet the guiding principles of the DPA initiative, it's possible. Daily physical activities should vary in form and intensity, take into account each student's ability, consider resources available within the school and the larger community, and allow for student choice. Each school is expected to cater to every student's ability and liking. I think that once the schools actually meet these guidelines BC students will be participating in DPA. Although 150 minutes a week seems like a lot, it's an easy and doable standard. The idea of increasing daily physical activity in every BC teenagers' life is an optimistic goal.

TIM'S RESPONSE TO THE DPA STRATEGY

Being and staying healthy could always be considered a monumental achievement in a person's lifetime, but so few manage to live up to that goal. Therefore, the government of Canada has chosen to "get them while they're young" by making PE mandatory from grades K-9 with the idea that students will then get thirty minutes of physical activity everyday, five days a week. After grade nine, the DPA program comes into effect and students now have to acquire 150 minutes of physical activity per week either at school or on their own time. This is not an effective way to ensure that students exercise and stay healthy because it is not possible to effectively enforce the DPA policy; the administration cannot determine if the individual is actually actively participating in the sport. Furthermore, forcing a person to do something they do not enjoy seldom wields good results. Anyone could just write that they have been running on their treadmill for 30 minutes each weekday and have their parents sign the piece of paper; there's nothing the school can do about it. Also, when a person is forced to exercise it would not be beneficial because if they don't enjoy it or is not capable of performing it well then they are not really getting healthier. They will simply be doing it idly and staring at the clock, then when time is up they will simply leave. The DPA policy was poorly planned, even more poorly executed, and will not work because it cannot be enforced due to the lack of regulation and the fact that one can't force a person to do something they don't appreciate in a proper manner.

However, health is still of the utmost importance for teenagers, so what should we do encourage exercise? The solution is very simple and effective; the government should make PE a requirement in grades K-12, and have not only teachers helping the students, but also supervisors from the school board. The supervisor would then make suggestions to the PE teacher about which students have not been trying hard enough, and he would have the power to make them run laps for 30 minutes after school. This would discourage students from just hanging around and not doing anything during PE class. Furthermore, the way that students are graded on their physical performance is exceedingly unfair; some people just have more talent in athleticism than others. A mark should be given solely on how much effort is made, nothing else. The one thing that will not be changed is the fact that a certain amount of exercise is still needed in order to graduate. Currently, my personal lifestyle definitely cannot be considered healthy, I lie around all day and I don't attempt to participate in PE class. The only thing that could possibly motivate me to start getting fit would be the strategy I just described, where if one tries hard enough they will get an excellent grade, even if it seems a bit harsh it is for the betterment of all adolescents' health.

Tim Chen

Piece of Cake!

The Government’s new strategy to get kids to be more active is an effective way to keep teenagers healthy. How hard would it be to participate in 150 min per week of physical activity? It is a good hobby to develop on, a way to stay connected with your friends and to keep fit! All these reasons are all beneficial to the students. Furthermore, it would help teens to reconnect with the outside world instead of gaming or messaging on their computers. Many teenagers nowadays are spending most of their time on their computers, and are gradually getting less active. Since this new curriculum is mandatory for the students to complete the DPA program in order to graduate, it will definitely help encourage the teens to go out and exercise. There are so many choices of activities for teens to do to stay active and meet their DPA (Daily Physical Activity) requirements such as running, volleyball, basketball, dancing, etc. Not only does exercising more can help make teenagers healthier and active it can also help develop a more optimistic personality. Although some students may be annoyed by the fact they spend time exercising and filling in their sheets, it is not a waste of time at all! The longer you continue to exercise you will notice that it is not a burden to work out and just by participating every week for 150 min, you will see that your health will be greatly improved. It is no hassle, it is easy, and it is nothing but a piece of cake!

Exercising is a hobby.

Just when you think you were about to get out of physical education, the government surprises us with a DPA.

'PE again..?' That's right, in order to keep students healthy and to avoid obesity, the government is making the seniors complete 150 minutes per week of physical activity. I agree that the government should be doing something to make students active again. Because without PE anymore, students would be eating away while slumped in the couch, watching TV 24/7.
But is DPA really an effective way to make students run again? I think not. DPA is no better than taking PE class again. Why do seniors have the privilege to quit PE class, when they have to complete 150 minutes of physical activity? Why not make it mandatory for them to take PE again? There is no difference. In my opinion, PE class and DPA are both ineffective to make students healthy. Students are forced into physical activity in both solutions. They are both ineffective, in PE class- students can be standing around in the corner or following each other, cluttering in the same direction. With DPA, no one really knows if the students completes the minimum time of physical activity, they could easily fake it. I think the reason why there are so many people standing in the corner during PE class is that they don't enjoy playing the sport. Why not do something we actually enjoy? I remember in elementary, the time when i truly get exercise is not during PE, but during recess and lunch, where i could run around freely. In my opinion, exercising doesn't have to be a sport. Exercising can be dancing, biking, power walking, doing yoga or ,even as Eleanore mentioned, shopping. I remember every year in PE class, all the time I'm just waiting to begin a certain sport, and i could care less for the others. Schools should create more courses where students could enjoy their hobbies. We already have a basketball course as an election, why not one for volleyball or badminton too? Other schools have swimming teams, why don't we have one too? Also, why not set up some more activities to do during the lunch hours? Not only are you exercising, but you can shake off some pounds after a fat, greasy lunch. I believe with more varieties, it would be more effective and interesting for one to participate in. Exercising doesn't have to be a course you are forced to take in school, it's a hobby.

A Weight Gain Nation?

As the years progress, the younger generation seems to take on a noticeable change. Changing sideways, that is. While the childhood obesity rate has not increased, it has not gone down either, and the government has decided to enforce the Daily Physical Activity program. Its objective is to decrease the obesity rate, and encourage the younger generation to view exercise as a daily part of a healthy life. However, I am not completely satisfied with the way the DPA program works. First of all, it is unreasonable to say that home, lunch, and break activity does not count as physical exercise for students Kindergarten to Grade 9. Just running around or walking, especially for younger students, is an excellent way to achieve the daily amount of exercise needed each day. Regarding 150 minutes a week of exercise for students from Grade 10 to 12, it is also not as effective as it could be. While older students are expected to take more responsibility, they can, and will easily lie about physical activity when it comes to writing a number down on a piece of paper.

There has been talk of making PE a required course for senior students. While the goal is to implement exercise into students' lives, this also is not very effective. I myself understand that many students, especially girls, are not very interested or not as capable in participating in the sports and activities of PE classes. Females in particular will care about their appearance more as they grow older, and will not wish to sweat it out and engage in aggressive 'warfare' with their classmates. There are also males that do not participate in much physical activity. The main point is that even if PE is mandatory for senior students, it doesn't guarantee all students will achieve their needed amount of DPA, especially if they end up standing around in the corner of a playing field. The Alberta Education mentioned that DPA should take into account each student's ability, and allow for student choice. An effective strategy would be to take a school survey of which physical activities students enjoy the best, and also any physical limitations (ie. asthma, disabilities), and then try to incorporate the most popular and efficient activities into the school system. Teachers can even be encouraged to allow for some more physical involvement during in class time. Furthermore, talks should be held to have students be more aware of the damaging effects of obesity. They should be notified that lack of proper physical activity can lead to numerous physical, emotional, and psychological risks. Instead of delivering information to them by reading from a paper, ask them face to face if they want to lead a life controlled by diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol, improper body development, difficulty sleeping, eating disorders (ie. anorexia, bulimia), constant teasing from peers, and even suicidal tendencies. Tell the students that the next time they're tempted to snack on junk food, they should consider exercising for even a short while, instead of satisfying themselves with the latest flavour of chips that will eventually betray their life with a horrible death of strokes, heart disease, or heart failure. For all the people that believe academic education takes first priority, let them know that proper exercise will result in higher success, in school and work. As we all know, success is extremely important in the modern society. Last but not least, parents can take an active part in helping with DPA requirements by limiting technology time (incidentally a good time for snacking), encouraging fun outdoor activities, and stocking up on a variety of healthy but delicious foods. I am aware that I myself need to exercise more, and perhaps my own lifestyle may not be the healthiest. My motivation is that I want to have a healthy, good appearance and a lean body to be confident about. Also, as I get older, I can enjoy the benefits of a healthy life such as being attune to nature while jogging with a dog or friends, and hopefully live a long, satisfying life! The younger generation of our time needs to step away from a weight gaining nation, to ensure they can decrease the amount of junk food to feel the freedom of a healthy life.

UNREALISTIC!

Over the past few years, obesity has increased dramatically due to unhealthy foods and less physical activity. Physical activity and exercise is essential to live a healthy lifestyle. Not only does being overweight effect how people look, it also effects a wide range of physical, emotional, and psychological health issues as stated on kidshealth.org. Being overweight can cause high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, bone and joint problems, difficulty in sleeping, early puberty, being socially outcasted, being judged, low self-esteem, depression, suicidal thoughts, and lots more. The lives we live in today are far different from before. People nowadays become dependent on technologies to satisfy their everyday needs. Instead of taking up 10 minutes of walking to school in the morning, kids tend to drive to school. Also, teenagers tend to buy fast, greasy food because their cheap, convenient and delicious.
The government has decided to add DPA (daily physical activity) in hopes to reduce the amount of obesity in our society. I personally do not think this is an effective strategy at all. 30 minutes of physical activity for kids kindergarten through grade 9 is nothing. They can complete that during break and lunch. For kids grade 10-12 they are required to complete 150 minutes a week. Kids nowadays can lie or cheat their way out of exercising. It’s their choice if they want to exercise or not, but by forcing them, it wont get them anywhere. Honestly, I think the best way to decrease obesity in our society is to let kids find their own hobby or sport that they enjoy doing, whether it being dancing, golf, badminton, fast-paced walking, or even shopping. Schools should create more clubs for kids to join. Exercise should be a hobby, and not a requirement. Everyone wants to be healthy and looking good. Teenagers need to find it within them to motivate themselves into doing more exercises- to help themselves grow, learn, and stay healthy.

exercise or technology?

Exercising is one of the most important factors to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Whether it's playing soccer with friends or just walking to school everyday, these type of activities can lead to having a good lifestyle. A decent amount of exercising everyday can help prevent diseases and obesity. More children are becoming obese because of all the technologies that are surrounding them. They are always sitting down and are glued to television or going on msn to chat with friends. Our government seen these poor lifestyles and had finally implemented Daily Physical Activites(DPA) in schools all across British Columbia. I strongly believe that this would help students to become more active and to improve their lifetyles. It will encourage students, or at least they have to, to exercise. Kindergarten to Grade Nine are required to do 30 minutes of exercising during the school days. This mean that they are monitored to exercise because they need to complete it only during school hours. Schools can organize a walk-a-thon or sports day to ensure that students are doing their required exercise time. Senior students are required to do 150 mintues of physical activities but, it can be done in school or outside of school. High schools should make physical education required in grade 11 and 12 to make sure that students are getting the right amount of exercis time. For me, about 20 minutes of exercising everday is very easy to achieve and students should not complain about having to do that. The Ministry of Education is wise to put out this program to ensure students are having a healthy lifestyle. Also, it can help the academic performance of a child because they have a healthier mind and body. Students are to complete the requirements of the DPA in order to graduate; it will certainly help students to exercise more and spend less time on technologies. This program will surely help everyone to have a healthier lifestyle.

Spoken Word Festival

I thought I would let you know about this fabulous event coming up:

It is a Spoken Word presentation by some great artists from around the world. Since you are now on your way to becoming excellent Spoken Word poets yourselves, I thought you may enjoy joining me in attending this event. I am going to attend the Fri. Feb 20th evening. It is in Granville Island.

Also, for those of you interested there is a work shop that you can attend to become even better at acting, presenting and spoken word. There is info on this website and I can provide you with more next class. Click here

January Question (Due Jan 31)...

I have marked your blogs! I will give you feedback next time I see you.

Our next question, based on your input, is...

The government has recently implemented Daily Physical Activity (DPA) in all schools across British Columbia. The model, which is based on the successful Albertan DPA, is supposed to increase students’ physical activity and decrease obesity. It is hoped that DPA will become routine, so individuals will remain active throughout their lives.

If you are unaware, DPA requires each student to participate in 30 minutes of physical activity during the school day for Kindergarten through Grade 9 (not at home, not during lunch or break, but during school hours). It must be every day (so PE would only count on the days you have PE class). Grade ten, eleven and twelve must complete 150 minutes a week (on their own time or at school).

Do you think this is an effective strategy to increase daily physical activity in teenagers’ lives? Why or why not?

If you agree, explain how we could effectively implement DPA in our school system.

If not, think of your own strategy to increase physical activity in teenagers lives. Also, please reflect on your own personal lifestyle and what would motivate you to increase your daily physical activity.

Please review the following sites for more information:

Kids Health

BC Information

Act Now BC

Alberta Model