Monday, November 30, 2020

Tuesday, December 1. 2020

Today's schedule is: 

9:15 - 11:50 C Block Social and Environmental Sciences 
12:30 - 3:05 B Block Legal Studies 

C Block Social and Environmental Sciences - Today, in the first part of our block, we'll head to room 145 (Benton) for your presentations on forest/land use conflicts. We'll put the posters up outside the class for a gallery walk. When you do the gallery walk, we'll place a sheet of paper next to each poster. You need a pencil or pen with you. When you go around to other posters you'll be asked to comment on what you see. As you would explore an art gallery, you'll walk around the room and consider each water crisis poster at least once. On the piece of paper next to the poster, you should write whatever thoughts or feelings come to mind. You will have a project review sheet to fill in after you look over a presentation. Remember, each presentation has a different format so take time to really delve into each topic. Remember:

List something that surprised you
List something that interested you
List something you like about what you saw
List a question that you have of the project
Write one thing you don't want to forget from this poster
Write one thing you'd like to share with the poster creator(s)

For the rest of the block, with Benton, we'll look at samples from your plankton nets that you created last week and complete a lab on what we find. The word “plankton” comes from the Greek word planktos meaning “drifting.” This ecological term refers to the community of plants and animals that drift in both fresh and marine bodies of water. Some plankton are fairly large, such as jellyfish, but most are microscopic in size (not visible by the naked eye).

Planktonic plants are called phytoplankton. The primary importance of these plants, like plants on land, is their ability to photosynthesize. Using chlorophyll, they capture the energy of the sun to make food, releasing oxygen in the process. Virtually all aquatic life depends upon these microscopic single-celled organisms for food. Phytoplankton is the main source of food for zooplankton. Phytoplankton also contribute a significant portion of the oxygen found in the air we breathe. Nanoplankton are defined by their extremely small size. Nanoplankton’s importance has only recently been discovered (nanoplankton account for 60-99% of the food and oxygen produced). Diatoms are much larger than nanoplankton, yet it still takes a microscope to see them. They are single-celled algae encased in two-part silicon (glass-like) shells. Like all plants, diatoms need sunlight. They have various adaptations to keep them near the surface and near sunlight. Diatoms may have long spines, may be round and flat, or may form long chains. Diatoms can also regulate their density. Some contain oils while others may have a gas bubble inside their bodies. Dinoflagellates, while considered members of phytoplankton, have characteristics of both plants and animals. Like plants they contain chlorophyll which allows them to convert sunlight into food and they have a plantlike cell structure. However, like animals, many varieties eat microscopic pieces of matter found in the water. Dinoflagellates also have two whiplike appendages which provide some mobility.

Planktonic animals are referred to as zooplankton (zoo is pronounced like toe). Many zooplankton are able to move up and down in a water column, pursuing food and escaping predators. Copepods are the most numerous of all animals; they are small crustaceans that grow to 2 mm long and use their long, sensory antennae as rudders to direct movement. Ostracods are also small crustaceans, with a hinged, two-sided carapace (shell) that resembles a clam. Their antenna are used as sensors and to assist in swimming. Ostracods crawl along surfaces using two pairs of legs with clawed tips. Another common type of zooplankton are rotifers. Rotifers are almost constantly in motion, beating the cilia at their heads to move and to bring food to their mouths. When feeding, rotifers attach themselves to a bit of debris and the rapid beating of the cilia draws a current of water towards the mouth. Other species of zooplankton are planktonic (drifters) only as eggs or larvae, then become free swimming or sedentary (stay in one place) during their adult stages. Among the myriad of organisms included in this latter group are sea urchins, sea stars, crabs, barnacles, clams, mussels, sea snails, and many species of fish

B Block Legal Studies - Today we will venture off to the learning commons/library to begin work on our introductory unit major assignment that comes from the Toronto District School Board:

Human rights violations are a daily occurrence throughout the world. These violations take place in both the North and the South and affect the civil, economic, political, cultural, social, and equality rights of human beings. These violations are in direct opposition to the universal and inalienable rights guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Fortunately, organisations around the world work on protecting these rights, partly through education and awareness campaigns

Artists, both visual artists and musicians, often comment on human rights issues through their artwork. Assume the role of the Media Outreach Co-ordinator for a particular human rights organisation (Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, etc.) and research a contemporary case of human rights violations somewhere in the world. Based on your research, create a Human Rights Campaign Poster that educates the greater public about the human rights violations and urges them to take action to end the abuse.

Remember...

  • Human rights are the basic standards human beings need to live life with freedom and dignity. Human rights include fundamental civil and political rights, such as the right to free speech, to freedom of religion, and the right to participate in government. Human rights also include essential economic, social and cultural rights, such as the right to education, to work, and to healthcare.
  • Human rights are the rights that all people have simply because they are human beings. Each of these rights are inalienable; they cannot be denied or taken away from any individual. They are also indivisible; all human rights are equally important and one right cannot be taken away because it is said to be less important than another.
  • Finally, human rights are interdependent, all human rights are connected and you cannot guarantee one right without ensuring that other rights are protected.
So your task is to...

1. Choose a contemporary case of human rights violations, as well as an organisation that is working on ending the abuse.

2. Research your case study using the following websites: Amnesty International (click on campaigns); Human Rights Watch (click on Global Issues); Oneworld (click on In Depth then Human Rights); United for Human Rights; Youth For Human Rights or the BBC "I Have a Right to..." site and complete the following questions to help with your poster Case Study:

What is happening? Where is it taking place? What rights are being violated? Who is having their rights violated? Why are their rights being violated?

3. Create a visually appealing Human Rights Campaign Poster that addresses the human rights violation by incorporating the key information from the questions in point 2 above (in point form) as well as pictures, symbols, and colours. Remember, your poster should seek to draw the attention of the public through the balanced combination of text and visuals in a creative, yet educational manner!

Some examples of Human Rights posters...

 

Remember you need to create a visually appealing Human Rights Campaign Poster that addresses the human rights violation by incorporating key information (What is happening? Where is it taking place? What rights are being violated? Who is having their rights violated? Why are their rights being violated?) as well as pictures, symbols, and colours. Your poster should seek to draw the attention of the public through the balanced combination of text and visuals in a creative, yet educational manner!
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Illustrated Universal Declaration of Human Rights 

Online Examples of Human Rights Posters:
"Women's Rights Are Human Rights" poster exhibition in Boston
The City College of New York’s Human Rights Forum
Stand Up 4 Human Rights
Poster For Tomorrow

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