Showing posts with label 9th grade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 9th grade. Show all posts

Monday, April 22, 2019

Environmental Justice for Junior High


Happy Earth Day!

This is our final 9th grade ESL Social Studies Unit for 2019. Since most of my units and themes are interdisciplinary and cross over a variety of subjects, students have already been exposed to environmental injustices when we studied Poverty in 8th grade, and Fast Fashion last semester.

Recently, there has been more exciting dissent in the streets, for example, the Student Strikes in Europe, and Extinction Rebellion, so I want to discuss these movements. I also want the students to do student teaching, as in a seminar format and so I'm going to organize groups and have them present the vocabulary and readings for their final grade.

 Handouts: A Class/ B class and ppt
  1. Introduction: Define Climate Justice, who it affects, and why it matters
  2. Environmental Racism
  3. Outsourcing in Taiwan in the 1980s
  4. Taiwanese Corporations in Vietnam Role Play
  5. The Triple Threat: Climate Change, Fossil Fuels and Extinction
  1. The Effects On Our Health and Environmental Racism:

  1. Movements
Indigenous People: Oil pipeline protest joined by military veterans, NZ
Youth (Grete Thunberg)

B. Solutions

Resources:
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Thursday, February 21, 2019

Prison Studies for Middle School

This week we are finishing our unit on Mental Health and the natural transition was heading our reading into the prison system. Handouts: A Class/B Class, ppt

Introduction Learning Questions:
What is the role of prisons in society?
What are the main issues in Prison Studies?
How is the Taiwanese prison system in relation to other democratic countries?
  • Women Behind Bars
  • Reintegration
  • School to Prison Pipeline

  1. Where Mental Illness Meets The Prison System
JAILED: How should governments help people in prison with mental health issues?
Pros
Cons
Expert counseling
Drugs
Separate prisons
Mentors
Skills training
Alternatives:?

Reading 1: Mental Health Nurses Staff UK Police Stations (A class/ B class)

 Videos: Rosalynn Carter explains that jails and prisons are the largest mental health facilities in America.
Dr. Elizabeth Ford examines mental health in the prison system and the toll of incarceration.

II. Prison Escapes and Security
Reading 2: France Asks Google To Blur Internet Maps (A Class/B Class)
IV. Prison Strikes
  • Attica Prison Uprising
  • Jailhouse Lawyers Speak
  • National Prisoners Strike


V. Prison Riots- Brazilian Massacre (Both A and B levels)

Vocabulary:
  1. inmate (a prisoner)
  2. dismember (cut into pieces)
  3. smuggle (bring something without people knowing about it).

    Brazilian Prison Massacre – level 3


VI. Torture and Capital Punishment
  1. Secret CIA Torture Prisons (A/B)
  2. Pregnant Woman in Laos (A/B)
  3. Capital Punishment in Utah (A/B)
VII. Progress
  1. Tablets in NY(A/B)
  2. Indian Repatriates Prisoners (A/B)
  3. Taiwan
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Sunday, February 10, 2019

Wrapping Up Mental Health Unit: Self Care, Gaming or Hip-Hop?

Before the CNY break, some of the higher level (faster) classes were able to do a group role-play activity on bullying and class debate. Regardless, all the classes will end our theme on Mental Health with talking about Self-Care and readings on Gaming Disorder and Hip-Hop. Both readings are on the easier side for both A and B levels, as we all are coming back from holiday. (Handouts: A Class/ B Class)



I will introduce self-care and mental health by showing them the B level bilingual article, "The Importance of Mental Health Days" and then brainstorm ways they can cultivate self-care in their personal lives. I anticipate a third or more will say playing games on their phones or computers is one way they "take a break" which is an interesting transition into addiction and moderation.

I will introduce Gaming Disorder by showing them all this A level bilingual article from the Taipei Times as well as these videos:

  4. Chinese News: 電玩成癮是一種病 WHO Shekhar Saxena strong accent


 Therapy or Addiction? How serious are these habits? How can we treat them? Complete this table with your partner.

How Dangerous?
How Can We Treat the Addiction?
Gaming


Internet


Smartphone


Chocolate/Sugar/Junk Food


Shopping


Gambling


Reading 1: Too Much Gaming is a Mental Health Issue (A class/ B Class)
All of these vocabulary words are a review from previous readings, an easy start to the new semester.

B Class Vocabulary:

  1. disorder
  2. WHO 
  3. addiction 
  4. list

A Class Vocabulary:

  1. problem
  2. condition
  3. happen
  4. insist
  5. consequences
  6. aware
  7. circumstances
  8. hooked
  9. functioning
  10. worth


Reading 2: Hip-Hop Can Help Mental Illness (A Class/ B Class)
The emphasis in the reading is about hip-hop as a means to vocalize hurts about social injustices and a message of hope, not misogyny and violence. In 2014, Cambridge University combined Psychiatry and Hip-Hop to form the initiative Hip-Hop Psyche, which was published in the Lancet. I know half of the students are interested in this genre of music and have told me they are pretty knowledgeable about this kind of music. This reading is a means to teach them the origins of Hip-Hop from socio-economic deprivation and racial injustice, something they probably can't relate to, but I hope they can relate to the message of breaking free using positive visual imagery.

Their reading refers to legends such as Grandmaster Flash(閃耀大師) and Notorious B.I.G(聲名狼藉先生). I will introduce them Kendrick Lamar(肯德里克·拉馬爾).


Then, to conclude this unit and lesson they will make a Self-Care Plan that targets Mental, Emotional, and Physical well being.

Review/Quiz

RESOURCES

Interview on Mental Health and self care by Hip-Hop Artist, Charlamagne tha God

The breakdown of the vocabulary and readings are at the end of the Mental Health ppt.
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Thursday, December 6, 2018

Group Project: Review Games on Mental Health

So far, I have introduced our unit on mental health using the top ten mental illnesses of American students as well as Taiwanese students. I also showed the latest research done by Taiwanese researchers that linked inflammation in the body manifesting in allergies and asthma with a higher risk for mental illness.

After the following three readings which are easy and found at Liberty Times Net, we will have a group project instead of a test:

  1. Smart People Likely
  2. The Least Happiest Students 
  3. The Unhappiest Young People 

I am hoping these first reading selections will challenge some of my students' assumptions on mental illness and happiness. K-pop culture is alive and well in my students' admirations of what is uber-cool. I hope it will make them think twice about what is happiness, ask themselves if they are happy, and why Korean students and young adults have poor life satisfaction despite living in a highly developed country. In many ways, the reasons for Korean dissatisfaction mirror their own, or Taiwanese society (similar education system and post-graduate job woes). Koreans may have high youth unemployment, but Taiwan's graduates have a low entry salary. We will get back to the issue of Happiness, at the end of this unit.

 Group Work: We had group presentations prior to midterms, and for the most part, the majority of students were hardworking and thoughtful. However, I had two lower level classes that were just not emotionally mature to handle that kind of freedom, which meant they had poor time management and disappointing presentations. They were even asking for a traditional test assessment, which was disheartening. I am hoping to assess their grasp of the material "outside the box" and develop teamwork, verbal English skills and give them a break from the cycle of testing.

The idea for this group project is for the students to design a review game. They will have 2 classes to create the game, and 1 class to play it. Some games I am thinking of are board games, card games and crosswords. I'm hoping to learn some new games in the process!

GRADING RUBRIC will include:
Accurate content
Game can be played with written directions
Clear verbal directions
Ease of use
Teamwork
Creativity and neatness

20-25 Questions, or 20-25 Vocabulary Words used

Materials Needed:
Poster Board, blank cards
Students' markers, colored pencils

RESOURCES:

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Thursday, November 15, 2018

Mental Health Issues: Has the World Gone Mad?


After Midterms, for our second 9th-grade unit, we will focus on mental health issues. I hope to talk freely, using readings based on scientific research so I can help remove any stigmas the students might have. I won't be covering eating disorders again, as we just finished talking about them during the "Body Image" section of our Garment Industry.

 The ppt is a work in progress, as well as the handouts (A class/B Class.)



  1. Why is studying mental health important?
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 300 million people worldwide have depression and 50 million have dementia. Schizophrenia is estimated to affect 23 million people, and bipolar disorder around 60 million. A grim report recently published (October 2018) by 28 global specialists in psychiatry, public health and neuroscience warned that the world is experiencing a global mental health care crisis. The current approach by governments, if they don’t address this crisis will be devastating effects on individuals, communities, the global economy and human rights. Experts estimate it could cost the global economy up to $16 trillion between 2010 and 2030 if a collective failure to respond is not addressed. One of the reasons for the “world going mad” are global aging societies (dementia and alzheimers). Another reason, is inadequate care and outdated stigmas, that has led to mass human rights violations globally. It’s time to face our own stigmas and biases and use science and education to find solutions for a better future for everyone.


B. What Mental Issues do Students Face?
  1. The US
  2. Taiwan
Reading 1: 
Who? Smart people are more likely to suffer from mental illness 聰明人更可能苦於精神疾病

C. Who are the Unhappiest People?
Readings: 1. S. Korean students and 2. young people
3. Big rise in self-harm among girls (A/B)

D. Bullying
Reading: Bullied kids at higher risk of mental health problems (A/B)
E. Addiction
The Internet and Gaming
Readings: Too much gaming is a mental health issue (A/B)
Internet addiction sign of mental health problems (A/B)
F. Suicide
I taught this recently in my 8th grade ESL classes and will use the same materials.


G. Happiness and Solutions

  1. Finland is the happiest country in the world, says UN report
  2. Dutch Students the Happiest In the World
  3. Singing in groups could make you happier
  4. Tai chi may help reduce depression symptoms 太極拳可能有助減緩憂鬱症狀
  5. Hip-hop can help mental illness (A/B)
  6. Therapy center to help the persecuted
  7. The Art of Being Alone

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