Today's human geo class 10/29/10

Today in human geography we had a test on the movie God Grew Tired of Us.  It was a very easy quiz. i had a shadow today. We also worked some more on our magazine projects.

today's class 10/28/10

Today in class we started working through our magazine articles with our partners. We learned that it is due next Friday and that we were going to have a test on the Lost Boys movie tomorrow.

Today in human geo class 10/27/10

We finished the movie God Grew Tired of Us today. In the end John reunited with his mother and sister in America. Panther traveled back to Africa, to visit his home land and to get married. He also met with his mother and brother while he was there. Panther also started to build a school in Sudan. John also started and organization to help Sudan, which he is the president of, and he also is starting a medical clinic in his hometown in Sudan. Daniel was not so lucky and did not find any of his family members. He is still working with the Jobs Corps. to finish out college.

Today's class 10/25/10

Today in human geography we watched more of the Lost Boys of Sudan's movie, God Grew Tired of Us. The lost boys were starting to feel very lonely and had no one to turn to for help. They were trying to help their fellow brothers back home in Africa to maintain a better life. When they sent over money, the boys got worried that maybe the money didn't go through and were constantly worrying about that, plus their multiple jobs, and whether or not they could find their families. One of the lost boys ended up running away and slowly losing his mind, and being admitted to a phyciatric hospital for scientific study. John received a letter informing him that his mother and sisters were still alive, but were suffering from diseases. He did what ever he could to help bring them some relief and possibly to the United States. Many Americans also started discriminating against the boys. They were even told by police not to go into stores in big groups, because people felt intimidated.

Friday's class and weekend homework

On Friday we watched more of the movie God Grew Tired of Us.

Movie Summary: The lost boys traveled by plane from Kenya to the United States. It was strange and new to them. They had no idea what to do. United States provided them with an apartment that had all the necessary items for living. It took some time for them to adjust to the new culture. When they ate they still prepared their food the same way they did in Africa, and they even ate with their hands as well. The Lost Boys could not work until they had gotten their social security numbers. If they were going to get jobs then they had to be hired within three months of their receiving of the social security number, or they would be sent back to Africa.

Definitions:

In-Migration - to move or settle into a different part of one's country or home territory

Out-Migration - to leave a region, community, etc., to move or settle into a different part of one's country or home territory

Forced migration - the coerced movement of a person or persons away from their home or home region

Net internal migration – the total amount of people moving to a different location inside of the countries’ border

Movers from abroad – Immigrants and emigrants

Internally displace person (IDP) - someone who is forced to flee their home but who, unlike a refugee, remains within their country's borders

Civil War summary:

Civil war in Sudan has been going on throughout most of its independence in 1953.  The most recent civil war began in the early 1980’s.  The conflict is between the predominately Muslim northern Arabs and the Black African people of the Southern area.  A general understanding of the problem between the two groups is the desire of the Muslims to impose their beliefs and Islamic laws (Shari‘a) on everyone in the country.  Coupled with other cultural differences, the people of southern Sudan rebelled against the government of the north.  Sudan’s civil war has killed over 2 million people and internally displaced about 4 million.  Also, approximately 600,000 people became refugees.  The civil war formally came to an end when the two sides signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in January, 2005.

U.S. Department of State

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5424.htm

Global Security.org

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/sudan.htm

today's class 10/21/10

Today we watched a movie about the Lost Boys of Sudan.

Answers:

Why did the Lost Boys have to leave their home?
They left their home because there was a civil war in Sudan between the Muslims and the Black Christians.

Why couldn’t they stay in Ethiopia?
The Lost Boys  had to leave Ethiopia because the Ethiopian government was overthrown by rebels and refugee camps were attacked.  

What was life like in the refugee camp?
They had food rations, lived in make-shift houses and families, and they never had enough water and food.


The Lost Boys traveled 500 miles, and below is a map
Map of the Lost Boys Journey:

Map of 500 mi from Bel Air into Ohio:

Today's class 10/20/10

Today in human geography we got our population tests back. I did very well on it. We went over the test and discussed what we had gotten wrong and what the right answers were. We also had a shadow today.

Today's class 10/18/10

Today in human geography we went through our Migration papers and we also created a class map that depicted all of the places the class's families came from. As I reflect on my Migration paper, I think of how much I have learned about my heritage. I thought it was cool that my great cousins wrote a book about my ancestors. It was fun to talk to my grandmothers about our family. They were so happy to share. I am also amazed at how many relatives migrated from Europe. I was also shocked to learn that I am a direct descendant of Davey Crockett.

Weekend Assignment

My Future

When I graduate from college there are two places I would like a chance to move to.  They are Tokyo, Japan and Washington D.C.  Japan has always been a special place for me because I love to draw anime and I love the language and culture.  As a pull factor living in Tokyo will give me an opportunity to refine my art work and work in the manga industry.  Also, I plan to take Japanese during college.  Living in Japan will give me a chance to use my language skills and become fluent in a natural setting.  While both language use and manga are pull forces drawing me to Japan, they can both be push factors also.  The manga industry in the U.S. is small and using the Japanese language in the U.S. is limited to mostly government jobs as an interpreter.  The downside to moving to Tokyo, Japan would definitely be leaving my family behind.  Also, it would be very difficult learning to live in a vastly different society.  The advantages would be the ability to further my art work, refine my language skills, and spend time in a culture that I love.

            The second place I have chosen, Washington D.C., is because I find it to be a fascinating city.  My father works there and I have had the chance to go to work with him a few times. What pulls me to the city are the job opportunities.  My father tells me that there are many more opportunities than here in Baltimore.  Also, it is one place where I may be able to use my language skills as a government interpreter.  It is also an excellent place to pursue a career in forensic science because of the FBI and CIA.  Washington D.C. is also our nation’s capitol.  As such, it has a very diverse and vibrant culture that draws me to it.  On the downside once again is leaving my family.  However, it will be easier to visit them more than if I lived in Japan.  Also on the downside, being our nation’s capitol, it is a terrorist target.  The advantages are better job opportunities, more chance for using my language skills, and an excellent place to pursue a career in forensic science.

My Past

            To explore my past I talked to both of my parents and both of my grandmothers.  I learned that my parents, grandparents, and great grandparents all were born in the United States.  It is not until I get to my great, great, grandparents that I discover who came to the U.S. from other countries.  Both of my parents were born in Maryland.  My grandparents on my father’s side were born in Indiana and North Carolina and on the mother’s side my grandparents were born in Maryland.  As I work through to my great grandparents I learned that on my father’s side they were born in Indiana (two of them), and North Carolina (two of them).  On my mother’s side I learned that three of my great grandparents were born in Maryland and one in Virginia.  Although it appears that most of my family was born close by, over the years they have lived in many different places.  My relatives have lived in Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Indiana, Illinois, California, and Colorado.  I even have a great grandfather who “rode the rails” throughout the states working wherever he could find work.  As I talked to my parents and grandmothers I learned that the single most important push or pull factor on why my extended family moved around was jobs.  In some cases there were not many jobs in the areas they were living and in some cases it was just better job advancement that made someone move to another part of the United States.  Military service was another reason why some of my family moved.

            When I get down to my great, great, grandparents I finally find some of my relatives that came to the U.S. from other countries.  I discovered on my mother’s side a great, great grandmother and grandfather that came from Germany and a great, great grandfather that came from Ireland.  On my father’s side I learned of a great, great grandmother and grandfather that also came from Germany.  As best that my family can remember these relatives moved to the states for better living and job opportunities after World War I.  One of the most fascinating things I learned is that I am a direct descendant of Davy Crocket through my mother’s side of the family.

Today 10/ 11/10

Today in human geography we took a test on the population vocabulary and notes that we had been going over. I'm pretty sure I got an A. It really wasn't that hard at all!

Today's class 10/8/10

Notes...

• over 6.8 billion people on the earth right now
• increasing by over 80 million per year
• by 220,980 a day
• 14,000 births per hour
• 90% of this population growth takes place in the developing countries of Africa, South and East Asia, and Latin America

rate of natural increase (RNI)

• produced by subtracting the death rate from the birth rate, then dividing by 10
• this gives us the annual natural growth rate - in percentage form -  for a country or region

push forces

• civil war
• environmental degradation
• unemployment
• religious or ethnic persecution

pull forces

• better economic opportunity
• better health services
• religious freedom
• political freedom

World TFR:      2.54

 

US TFR:          2.05

Europe's TFR: 1.45

Africa's TFR:    5.14

 

 

Today in class 10/7/10

Today in human geography we talked more about our definitions and discussed the population pyramids. Mr. Schick also talked to us about the Cold War and the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We learned about the developments of the atomic bomb and how they have advanced in technology. Mr. Schick also let us take a class picture in all our crazy outfits.

Today's notes 10/7/10

Notes....

• The one country with a negative RNI is Germany
• In most African nations the total fertility rate is high becuase most children don't survive, and so they have 4 or 5 in hopes that some will survive
• One can be an immigrant and emigrant, by moving to one country (immigrant) and leaving their own.(emigrant)
• Why do you migrate? Push and Pull factors: people are "pushed" out their own country by laws or resricted freedom, and they are "pulled" into a better country 
• Pull factors are the reason that the net migration is so high in some countries
• Population pyramid
• determines the age of the people in a population
• when you have a low amount of people in the lower age range that are the work forces nad have the timportant jobs, and a high amount of people in the bigger age ranges that need help, then it causes problems in the economy
• Germany had a low population rate, and they don't have as many people pouring into their country

Today in human geo 10/6/10

Today in human geography class we looked back on our vocab words on the Population unit and Mr. Schick gave us a few more notes. He also gave us a mini health lecture on the total fertility rate. We had a shadow today too, and we learned that you can't touch stinkbugs.

Today's notes 10/6/10

Notes....

• Life expectancy statistics are a great snapshot of how life quality is in the world.
• Rate of natural increse is a positive for every country on earth.
• negative if people start dying
• the population is going up
• The number for total fertility, in order for the population in a country to stay the same is 2.1
• The net migration rate

Today in class 10/4/10

Today in human geography class we got our tests back. We spent the entire period going over the test, seeing what we did wrong, and how to improve for the next time we take one of Mr. Schick's tests. Overall I did fairly well on it. I need to add more detail though, when I write my essay portions of the tests.

Today 10/1/10

Today in human geography we went over the country statistics and the definitions we were assigned to do. Mr. Schick also told us that if we did not finish them then we were to do the definitions and statistics  over the weekend.