Mt. Etna

v Mt. Etna, also known as Mongibello in Italian, is the most active volcano in Europe.

v It is also the largest volcano in Europe being nearly three times as large as Mt. Vesuvius.

v The base of Mt. Etna is 36 miles by 24 miles.

v Mt. Etna stands at about 3,326m (10,910 ft.) though this varies with summit eruptions.

v Etna has the longest record of historic eruptions.

v The last eruption occurred in November 2007.

v The first recorded eruption was in 1500 B.C.

v Etna has erupted at least 190 times since then.

v The most dramatic eruption was in 1669. Earthquakes began on February 25 and the eruption began March 11 and stopped on July 15.

v Fatalities have only occurred in 7 eruptions.

v On December 14, 1991 Mt. Etna began to erupt and the eruption continued until March 30, 1993. It was the largest eruption at Mt. Etna in the last 300 years.

v Mt. Etna is located in Sicily, Italy.

Pompeii Destruction

"You could hear women lamenting, children crying, men shouting. There were some so afraid of death that they prayed for death. Many raised their hands to the gods, and even more believed that there were no gods any longer and that this was one unending night for the world." —Pliny the Younger, circa A.D. 97 to 109

Ø Inhabited by about 20,000 people in 79 A.D., Pompeii, on the bay of Naples, survived its share of wars and natural disasters.

Ø On August 24 of 79 A.D. Pompeii was one of many cities that were destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.

Ø The exact date of the eruption has caused some debate among scholars. It is believed that the eruption could have been on August 24, October 30, November 1, or November 23. Some of the bodies found at Pompeii had heavy clothing on which appear inappropriate for a summer month such as August. However, deciduous trees were found at Herculaneum. These trees would have been bare if it was an autumn month which makes some believe that the eruption may have happened later that August 29.

Ø The streets of Pompeii were very narrow and were quickly filled with ash and pumice as the eruption progressed.

Ø Bits of pumice were found 74 miles away.

Ø The pillar of smoke and ash was seen all the way from Rome.

Ø Volcanic activity most likely continued for several days after Pompeii was destroyed.

Ø Volcanologists now know today that there was no lava flowing during the eruption.

Ø It is estimated that the surges could have reached temperatures of 100-400°C (212-750°F). These surges could have also carried toxic gases.

Ø Since 79 A.D. Vesuvius has erupted thirty times before becoming dormant again.

Ø The main source of historical information came from Pliny the elder who watched the eruption from his quarters in Misenum. His desire to study the eruption led to his death. Years later his nephew, Pliny the younger, told his uncle’s story to the historian Tacitus.

Ø Pompeii lay buried for nearly 1,700 years. It wasn't until 1748 that archaeologists began slowly uncovering the ancient city.

Ø Pompeii is now one of the most popular tourists with having nearly 2.5 million tourists a year to visit.

For further readings please see:

Berry, Joanne. The Complete Pompeii. New York, New York: Thames

and Hudson Inc., 2007.

Deem, James M. Bodies From the Ash. Boston: Houghton Mifflin

Company, 2005.

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY and CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN

Brian Freeman

Philosophy of Management

I will promote an atmosphere of respect and tolerance. I aim to not just teach, but to support, to guide, to promote learning, and to develop personal relationships with my students. While I aim to be a strict teacher, I also aim to be a fair teacher. I want my students to know I like them and my intent is for them to succeed but they must respect me.When students identify that I have respect for them and they have respect for me, the classroom will be more manageable. When they understand they have a supportive relationship with me they will learn to respect me and the rules. My classroom environment will be one of motivation and encouragement. I plan to encourage my students by rewarding their positive behavior in a number of ways, special assignments, extra credit assignments, winks, nods, smiles, and encouraging words. I will also punish negative behavior, but only after discussing it with the student. I believe it is extremely important to understand what a student’s life is like outside the classroom. When we understand their real-life experiences, we understand what they bring to the classroom better. In order to better understand this, I intend to create and continue an open dialogue with parents throughout the school year. Students in my classroom will be held responsible for their own behavior. When students misbehave or act inappropriately they will be called on it. There is no room for disrespect in my classroom. My hope is for students to realize that while in my classroom there is no need to act inappropriately to receive attention. My students will always have my full attention when they act in positive ways and contribute productively to the overall learning environment. As a caring teacher, I feel it is important to advise my students of desirable and undesirable behaviors used in the classroom. I also will alert them that if consequences need to be taken, the student will know and understand fully why the problem had to arise to disciplinary actions. As a competent teacher, I feel my goal is to teach the students how to take responsibility for their actions. I also feel that it is my responsibility to teach the students how to be self evaluators of their own actions and not make excuses. Hopefully, this will be a skill that will continue on throughout their life. As a committed teacher, I will assist my students to become effective self- evaluators responsible for their actions.

Room Arrangement

My desk will be placed in front of the projector or chalk board. I have done this because I want students to always see me when I lecture. Students on the first day will seat in assign seats I will make adjustments for students who have bad vision to seat up front. Placing students in assigned seats will allow me to take role quickly and begin my lesson quicker. I will place seats on the both sides of classroom for students who are found to be disruptive and need to separate from friends.

In my classroom there will be no bare walls. The classroom walls will have a number of historic documents and maps including United States, World Map and current event maps. Students will have a number of activities were they must show were certain historical events that have occurred and update the current event map so students know where geographically history is occurring. Classroom room will be clearly posted in the front so all students can view them. Finally on the front of my desk will be the symbol of the United States President “Commander and Chief” because I want students to realize that I am the Commander and Chief of the classroom. On my desk will multiple drop boxes and pick up boxes students when picking up daily activity will turn in homework.

Classroom Rules

Rules will be posted in the classroom in unobstructed location so all students can clearly see the rules.

1.NO CHEATING on daily assignments or test will not be tolerated.

2.DO NOT LET OTHERS CHEAT OFF OF YOU

3.RESPECT OTHERS AND YOURSELF do not talk while Teacher or student is talking.

4.DO YOUR WORK AND DON’T BE LAZY must participate in class discussions and daily activities. Students who participate in class discussions will be tallied during class and this will be taken into consideration for grading.

5.BE COOPERATIVE listen to Teacher, classmate when talking and group members.

6.BEHAVE APPROPRIATELY AT ALL TIMES bad behavior will not be tolerated and consequences will occur.

Positive Consequences if students who follow the rules will be rewarded by dropping their lowest warm-up activity score from their grade average. Students who raise their hand before speaking will be allowed to speak. Students who participate in class discussions will be tallied during class and this will be taken into consideration for grading. When students make especially relevant or insightful statements during group discussion they will come to the front of the classroom to collect a pass which allows them to skip one of the daily activities. The pass is reward in this is not the reward itself, but the recognition a student receives in front of the class, as well.

Negative Consequences will occur when a students who do not raise their hand before speaking will be ignored. If their behavior continues, they will be called into the hall for a one-on-one chat with me and not be allowed to speak.

Students who interrupt other students will not be allowed to speak. Students who do not participate in class discussions will be tallied during class and this will be taken into consideration for grading. Classroom participation counts toward their final grade! Students who do not stay on task will be separated from their group or will have a one-on-one meeting with me in the hall if their behavior is persistent and be forced to sit in the bad behavior section away from other students or recess detention.

At the beginning of each school year or semester, I will go over these rules with students. Students will be required to sign a contract committing to these rules. This complete list of school rules will then be printed and sent home with students to collect parent signatures.

Class Room Procedures:

A Warm-up Activity will always be provided at Beginning of Class (1^st 5 minutes of class) except on test day’s students will then have 5 minutes to study. The student will enter the room and find on the end of my desk the assignment. Students will sit immediately and quietly, without talking, until the bell rings and then throughout the duration of the warm-up activity.

When students are finished with their warm-up activity they will turn their sheet of paper over on the desk and look up. When I instruct the students to stop they will pass their assignments forward. Students will be required to write there first and last name the date and title must be placed on daily activity in order to achieve the full amount of points. Some participation points for the day will be based on whether or not this activity is completed and collected by the teacher. At the end of class the bell will not dismiss the students they will wait because only I can dismiss the students.

There are a number of steps I can take to implement my classroom management plan successfully. One of the most important things I can do is to keep my lesson plans and daily activities on a routine so that I provide my students with consistency. Furthermore, it is important to stay consistent with the implementation of my discipline plan. That way, students can observe that procedures and consequences are enacted fairly. I plan to use the Kounin model for classroom management in combination with the Glasser models for discipline. Kounin model is weak in discipline but provides excellent points for classroom management and will allow me to be effective and efficient in my teaching. The use of the Kounin model will allow me to have classroom awareness to all things occurring and prevent me from having overlapping and poor transitions in my lessons. While using the Kounin model I must keep the group focused and interested and involved in the lesson. The Kounin model also states I must keep the students challenged by setting goals for them and track their progress.

The Glassner model will be used in discipline and allow students to add rules to the rules I have already provided and choose what they feel are important rules to have a successful classroom. This is an example of Glasser’s Choice theory and the basic needs of students. Throughout the year, my students will have ample opportunities to make choices of their own. Through allowing a sense of control and freedom, the students will be more willing to abide by the rules they created. Glasser’s class meeting will also be important part of my classroom discipline plan. The class meeting allows students to confront others about the problems they see in a mature and clam manner. At the end of the meeting the teacher and students should have a plan that is agreed upon.

ReviewUniversity Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology

Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update, Aug2005, Vol 7 Issue 8,

p8-8. FDA to issue methylphenidate warnings.

According to the Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are planning on adding a warning to all medications that contains methylphenidate. Methylphenidate is used in medications such as Ritalin and Concerta which are used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The FDA is conducting a safety review of all ADHD medications prescribed and then the warning will be added to all the medications. The FDA wants to carry out this warning in the early part of 2006. The FDA wants to add this warning due to the fact that some children taking these medications are experiencing hallucinations, aggressive behavior, or suicidal thoughts. This warning is very important for children who might have to take these medications in the future. The FDA has, however, approved Adderall XR as a treatment to children and adolescents ages thirteen to seventeen with ADHD. Adderall has already been approved as a treatment for children ages six to twelve.

What is ADHD?

I. What is ADHD?

ADHD is a common disorder among children, adolescents, and adults that causes inattentiveness and hyperactivity.

II. Treatments of ADHD

1. Long-acting stimulants- this type of treatment can help treat a child for up to twelve hours at a time. They only have to be taken once daily so this will help cut down on a child being embarrassed in front of other children.

2. Short-acting stimulants- this type of treatment is more successful in treating children and adolescents, but they must be taken two to three times daily.

3. Behavioral therapy- this form of treatment is used on children who are too young to be treated with medication.

4. Combination of stimulant medication and behavioral therapy- this form of treatment is the best type of treatment.

III. Effects of Treatment

1. Adverse side effects

2. Academic failure

3. Nausea

4. Suicidal thoughts

5. Suicide attempts

6. Hallucinations

IV. Controversy of Treatment

1. Children who do not actually suffer from ADHD are being diagnosed and treated.

2. The FDA is planning to add warning to all stimulant medications that are used to treat ADHD.

Vestal Virgins

By Brian Freeman

The Vestal Virgins of ancient Rome was an unknown cult to me. The keepers of the scared flame of Rome are hardly studied. Many including myself were clueless to the reasonability the Virgins had on Roman history. The article “Vestal Virgins Chaste Keepers of the flame” by Melissa Barden Dowling is an outstanding article that shows the social importance and political power the Virgins had on the Ancient Roman society. To be a Vestal Virgin in ancient times was to be a super powered celebrity. If the virgins existed today they would probably be more popular and more influential than celebrities the likes of Britney Spears, Paris Hiltion and Jennifer Lopez. The origin Numa paid homage to the goddess whose priestess was the unwitting mother of Rome’s founder. The vestal virgin Rhea Silvia gave birth to Romulus after being raped by Mars, the god of war.

Example of Descriptive Essay

Bedroom

A southern home is always a calm and comfortable place. Walking toward the entrance of the home, one is consumed in a festival of bright flowers that align the concrete walkway. Past the bright flowers, an elegant white door stands as the entrance to the home. One is embraced with all sorts of beautiful antique furniture when entering through the door of the home. Significant objects are aligned neatly all over the beautiful furniture. Immediately, brilliant aromas radiate from the kitchen. Interested noses wonder just what could be cooking. As walking down the long hallway, timeless pictures of the resident’s family surround the walls. At the end of the hallway stands a plain wood door.

At last, entering through the plain wood door one is impressed with what lies inside the bedroom. The carpet, walls, and curtains all have a soft light blue color to them. The carpet is thick but soft. The walls are smooth with no lines of error in the paint. As soon as one enters the room, a small wood desk sits in the corner. The desk is cluttered with all sorts of noteworthy objects. In the middle of the room a huge wooden bed stands tall. The huge bed is masculine in shape with a large wood headboard. In the middle of the large wood headboard lies an oval mirror where one can see the reflection of the whole bed. On top of the bed several blue pillows are neatly stacked. A White blanket filled with goose feathers covers the large bed neatly and is folded and tucked in at ever corner. While lying on the bed, comfort and warmth surrounds one’s body. The room gives off a sense of calm and comfort to make anyone feel as though they are at home.

Overview of "The Quarrell"

By Brian Freeman

Hersh, a rabbi, survived Auschwitz and his faith was strengthened by his ordeal, while Chaim escaped the Nazis, but had lost his faith long before. The two walk together, reminisce, and argue passionately about themselves, their actions, their lives, their religion, their old quarrel, and their friendship.

PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES: Philosophy of religion, problem of evil

CHARACTERS: Hersh Rasseyner (orthodox Jew), Chaim Kovler (secular Jew)

OTHER FILMS BY DIRECTOR ELI COHEN: Under the Domim Tree (1994)

SYNOPSIS: “The Quarrell,” like “My Dinner with Andre,” is a dialog-driven movie that consists almost entirely of a conservation between two people. Twenty years earlier, prior to the outbreak of World War II, Hersh Yeshiva Hersh and Chaim were childhood friends in Bialystok, Poland. They were both students in an Orthodox Jewish Yeshivah – an institute of Jewish Talmudic learning. Chaim became dissatisfied with the Yeshivah as his interest in creative writing developed, and he left the institute. Hersh, horrified at Chaim’s rejection of Jewish tradition, intervenes, thereby alienating Chaim from his family. Shortly after, Chaim’s and Hersh’s families were killed by the Nazis along with most of the European Jews. Twenty years later the two accidentally meet in a park in Montreal and drag skeletons out of the closet.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Chaim blames God for the Nazi Holocaust and states “If I knew God I’d put him on trial.” The issue raised here is that, just because God is powerful, that doesn’t necessarily mean that he is good – or at least good in the way that humans understand goodness. Assuming that human and divine notions of goodness are different, should we buckle under and worship God nonetheless, or should we put him on trial as Chaim suggests?

2. Hersh argues that writers like Chaim make people’s flaws exciting, and thus justify those flaws. Instead, Hersh believes, writers should show people what they could be. Are one of these views better than the other?

3. The two argue about whether Hersh was justified in approaching Chaim’s family when Chaim first wanted to leave the Yeshivah. This intervention resulted in a rift between Chaim and his family, which we was never able to mend because of their deaths by the Nazis. Was Hersh’s heavy-handed intervention justified?

4. Discussing Hersh’s over-demanding father, Chaim states, “I used to wonder why the Bible commanded us to love the stranger but only honor the parent.” Why would any ethical text make such a paradoxical recommendation?

5. Because of his World War II experience, Hersh feels that people are fundamentally bad, and, if they followed their reason it would lead to disaster. Reason, he believed, is amoral, and he objects to the Ancient Greek view that we can be moral by following our reason. Rational morality, he argues, reduces to a matter of opinion, and so we need to ground our notions of morality in God instead. He poignantly states, “If there is no master of the universe, then who’s to say that Hitler did anything wrong? If there is no God, then the people who murdered your wife and sons did nothing wrong.” Is Hersh being a bit too hard on reason’s role in morality?

6. Chaim, by contrast, feels that people are fundamentally good, and that goodness comes from a faith that human beings ought to help each other. To illustrate his conviction, Chaim tells the story about an old Lithuanian atheist woman who risked her life to help Jews during the war. She did this because she believes in human beings and loves them. Is this an adequate basis of morality?

7. Hersh speculates that if while in the death camp an angel allowed him to switch places with his Nazi guard, he wouldn’t do it. Chaim responds that if he chooses to be a victim, then he has too much hatred. What besides hatred would be the cause of Hersh’s decision?

8. Hersh relates a story about a train trip he once took. The passenger next to him was a Jewish woman and she said to him in a whisper: “I don’t know who you are mister but I just want you to know how embarrassed I get when I see Jews like you dressed from another century. You make the rest of us look ridiculous. If you have to dress like this, the least you can do is stay at home.” When Hersh said that he was Amish and not Jewish, the woman replied, “I have such respect for you people, the way you keep your traditions.” Why would the woman think it was OK for the Amish to keep their traditions, but not Orthodox Jews?

9. “My Dinner with Andre” is non-stop dialog in a single setting. “The Quarrel” breaks up the dialog with scenery changes and moments in which the two remain silent. Does this help or hurt the movie?

By Brian Freeman

The Birmingham Museum of Art is one of the South’s most important Museums. The Museum is an 180,000 square feet and has a nationally recognized collection of more than 21,000 works of art dating back from ancient to modern. These include paintings, sculptures, graphic arts, and decorative arts from any diverse cultures. On October 14, 2007 a truly amazing exhibit opened at the Birmingham Museum. The Pompeii: Tales from an Eruption opened with lots of press and praise. Pompeii: Tales from an Eruption tells the stories of the final days of Pompeii and the nearby resort cities of Herculaneum, Oplontis and Terzigno following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

The traveling exhibition, which is on loan from the collections of the National Archaeological Museum in Naples and the Archaeological Superintendent in Pompeii, will only visit three other museums in United States. The exhibit features large-scale frescoes, mosaics, with body casts and skeletons shown in the context in which they were found as the pyroclastic surges’ ash and superheated gases engulfed the people of Pompeii. Excavated from 1780 through present day, many of these artifacts have never toured outside Italy. At 10,000 square feet and with 500 artifacts including room size
frescoes and body casts the exhibit takes about an hour and half to visit. The exhibit is not free but is reasonable price for an exhibit of this stature. The price for admission is $16 for adults; $8 for children under 12 accompanied by adult; $14 for college students (with I.D.) and senior citizens (65 years and over); $8 at the door for active members of the U.S. military (with ID). The price admission also includes the audio device which during the tour of the exhibit can be used to acquire addition information about an object. One major down fall to the exhibit is no camera policy.

As you walk through the exhibit you’re offered a rare glimpse of life in the ancient world. There is a large collection of tools, jewelry, and even a Doctors surgical kit found. The perfect reds, olives, and blues to enhance visitors emotional to the body casts Citizens clutched their most precious possessions, including exquisitely designed jewelry, coins and the tools of their trade.

The Pompeii: Tales from an Eruption is a traveling exhibit and will on January 27, 2008 which makes it a must see attraction. After leaving Birmingham, the exhibition will travel to the Houston Museum of Fine Art. Houston is the venue on its international tour. Once it was spent its time in Houston the exhibit will retire to Naples, Italy. After seeing the exhibit one is left with a lasting impression of how quickly life can tragically be taken away. This exhibit offers an emotional and life changing experience that no one should miss.