Genetically-Modified Foods (GMF)

Chapter 8 in our book, p. 171, deals with GMF.

Listen to the lecture on GMF for next class: November 23.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/11/06/the-real-reasons-you-want-to-avoid-genetically-modified-foods.aspx

Pascua Lama Simulation

Economic benefits vs. protection of the environment
We are going to do a simulation based on the Pascua Lama Project. What is a simulation? It's an extended group activity in which students take on roles and act out a real-world situation. The Pascua Lama Project involves the controversial initiative of a Canadian mining company to extract gold reserves from two glaciers in waters belonging to Chile in South America. In this activity, you will:

• join a Special Interest Group or Organization
• do research on the Internet and collect information
• create a bank of documents
• take notes on your reading
• write summaries of the information you found (posted on your Wiki page under your group name
• create a role as part of your group
• develop your position, for, against or undecided on the Project
• write your own role card
• participate in a trial

There will be five groups of 3:

1. Judges of an International Tribunal
2. News reporters from different news agencies
3. Mining Company officials
4. Environmentalists
5. Chilian government officials

The activity will extend over three classes. Your particiaption in the activity will be evaluated for speaking, reading and writing.

In the last class on Dec. 7 we will hold the trial.

Here is an example of a role card:

• Title of special interest group
• Your name and position in the group
• A short statement of your point of view worded as such: (3 0r 4 lines) 'My name is ______. My responsibilities are ______ . I am primarily concerned with improving the quality of life by (give reasons). I also want to . . . - As you do research, keep a written record of your developing position.
• The team leader should insure that there are different positions in the group, ranging from pro-project and neutral to anti-project.

Sources of information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascua_Lama

http://www.miningwatch.ca/index.php?/104/Pascua_Lama_Background

http://www.barrick.com/

http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/pascualama.asp

http://alucinora.blogspot.com/2007/05/pascua-lama-water-or-gold.html

Friday, December 7 - Trial

First part of period

• Part 1, Statement of Position
  Your group will testify before the International Tribunal. You personally will have four minutes to talk about your role and state your position on the case.
  
• Part 2, Question and Answer Period
  Your group will answer questions from the judges and other groups. You personally should participate for at least two minutes.
  
• Part 3, Judges' Decision
  Each judge will have two minutes to summarize the arguments for and against and give their legal opinion on the case.

Second part of period

Writing Test 10%:

• Write a persuasive essay.
• See Module Five: Short Persuasive Essay, p. 207.

Play at the Centaur Theatre

• There will be a class outing to the Centaur Theatre during Week 12 (note the change to the class schedule).
• The play is entitled, The Syringa Tree. See the Centaur Web site for information about the play: http://www.centaurtheatre.com/
• Admission costs $15.00.
• There are four possible dates. The play begins at 8:00 p.m.
  - November 13, Tuesday
  - November 14, Wednesday - November 15, Thursday
  - November 16, Friday
  
• Please register as soon as possible on the class Wiki page under the heading Centaur Theatre.

Criteria for Evaluation of Survey Presentation

DELIVERY 25
- volume is loud enough to be heard
- gives a natural delivery, not read or memorized
- tone of speech is neither too fast nor too slow
- excellent English intonation
- pronunciation is understandable

CONTENT 25
- thesis statement or hypothesis is clearly indicated
- the development of ideas is logical and easy to follow
- the topic is developed with relevant details, facts and examples
- the points are made in clear and colourful way - interesting
- there is suitable time allowed

ORGANISATION 25
- opening statement is interesting and relevant
- there is audience involvement
- credibility is clearly established
- good use of visual aids
- there is good use of transition cues
- the summary in the conclusion ties points made together

LANGUAGE 25
- uses 's' for plurals and the 3rd person singular, present tense
- uses correct verb forms, doesn't jump around from one tense to another
- vocabulary used is neither too simple nor too complicated
- good basic English skill (articles, pronouns, possessives, prepositions)
- uses clauses, avoids speaking only in simple sentences.

Using Prefixes

Here is a very useful site for learning English vocabulary, particularly prefixes: http://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/prefixes.htm

Listening Practice

A good Web site to practise your listening is: http://www.elllo.org/

FB's Golden Rules

It's important that English class operate by clearly defined rules:

- Be in class on time with your textbook and notebook.

- Do your assignments weekly.

- Listen when another person is talking.

- Eat outside not inside class.