The Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Education Essay

The Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Education Essay Todays classrooms oblige teachers to tutor students varying in culture, language, abilities and various other characteristicsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Teachers must form a classroom culture where every student despite of their cultural and linguistic background are greeted, supported and supplied with the best aptitude to learn (Richards, et all). In my opinion, culture is essential to learning as it plays a role not only in conversing and receiving information but also in determining the thinking process of individuals as well as groups. A pedagogy that acknowledges, reacts to, and celebrates fundamental cultures offers full, equitable access to education for students from all cultures and prepares students to live in a pluralistic society. Culturally responsive teaching  is a pedagogy that identifies the importance of including students cultural references in all aspects of learning (Ladson-Billings, 1994). Culturally responsive pedagogy is based on student-centered approach to teaching whereby the students distinctive cultural potential are classified and nurtured to encourage student achievement and a sense of well-being about the students cultural place in the world. As from my knowledge, culturally responsive pedagogy comprises of three functional dimensions: the personal dimension, instructional dimension, and the institutional dimension. Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: The personal dimension is a process involving emotional and cognitive factors whereby teachers must engage in their teaching so that it becomes more culturally responsive. In fact, there are two components in a personal dimension. These components are self-reflection and self-exploration. Self- reflection is the most essential part of the personal dimension. This is because teachers need to honestly examine themselves in terms of attitudes, belief, values as well as their ultimate goal in order to create a more welcoming and safe environment for the students and their families (Villegas Lucas, 2002). Self- exploration is the opportunity that is created to explore their personal histories and experiences, as well as the history and current experiences of their students and families (Richards, et al). A better understanding and knowledge enables teachers to appreciate the differences and deliver unbiased instructions which ultimately prepare them to address the needs of all their stud ents. The instructional dimension is basically instructions use through activities, practices, materials and challenges that are associated with teaching cultural responsiveness in a classroom. The institutional dimension of culturally responsive pedagogy highlights the need for reorganization of the cultural features that are distressing the institution of schools, school policies and procedures (including distribution of finances and resources), and society involvement. According to Gorski and Covert ¼Ã…’there are six types of condition that have to be implemented in classrooms to ensure culturally responsive educational curriculum and setting in order to support students. First and foremost, teachers must ensure that every student have an equal opportunity to achieve her or his full potential. Secondly, students must be geared up to competently involve themselves in a more progressive intercultural society. Thirdly, teachers must also be geared up to effectively facilitate learning for every student no matter how culturally different or similar from her or himself. Fourthly, the school must be a dynamic participant in ending subjugation within their own territory, to produce a socially and critically active and awareness in students. Fifthly, in terms of student-centered and comprehensive of the voices and experiences of the students should be implied in their education. Last but not least, the educators, activists, and others must take a more active role in reexamining all educational practices and how they affect the learning of all students: testing methods, teaching approaches, evaluation and assessment, school. *Gorski, P. Covert, B. (2000). Multicultural pavilion: Defining multicultural education. The instructional dimension consists of materials, activities which can form basic instructions as well as strategies. There are about twenty-four Cultural Responsive Instructional Guidelines to endorse active learning, continues review, scaffolding, providing instruction to context and other. (Adapted from Klump, J., McNeir, G. 2005, and Artiles and Ortiz (2002)). In fact, there are ten additional guidelines to this cultural responsive instruction: 1. Students differences as well as their commonalities are acknowledged. 2. Validate students cultural identity in classroom practices and instructional materials. 3. Students are educated about the diversity of the world around them. 4. Justice and mutual respect are promoted among students. 5. Assess students ability and achievement validly. 6. Foster a positive interrelationship in the midst of students, their families, the community and school. 7. Motivate students to become active participants in their learning. 8. Students are encouraged to think critically. 9. Challenge students to strive for excellence as defined by their potential. 10. Show support students in becoming socially and politically conscious. (Banks Banks, 2004; Gay, 2000; Ladson-Billings, 1994; Nieto, 1999 cited in Richards, et al. 2006, pp.8-11.) The institutional dimension is an institution that emphasizes on the needs to transform the cultural aspects that are affecting three areas such as the schools organization, school policies and systems which includes the allowance of school finances and resources (Little, 1999). Organization of the school includes the administrative structure which in a way it relates to variety. Organization of school also uses the physical space in developing schools and arranging classrooms. School policies and procedures refer to policies and practice that may result an impact on the deliverance of services to students from diverse backgrounds. Last but not least, the community involvement is more concerned towards the institutional instruction to community contribution in which families and society are estimated to discover ways to be more involved in the development of school, instead of the school looking for acquaintances with families and society. Conclusion: In a nutshell, I believe that these three dimensions that were mentioned above create critical understanding of the effectiveness of a culturally responsive pedagogy. Cultural responsive pedagogy enables students to learn about their own culture as well as the culture of others. Students will also learn to appreciate and treasure cultural differences around them. Teachers are highly looked upon as role model by the society. Therefore, it is important that teachers must be culturally responsive so as to demonstrate positive values and be an example to students. In fact, extra effort of teachers is required to enhance high levels of development in students and within this process; student should never lose any element of their cultural identity.

Black & Decker Essay -- essays research papers

Background Black and Decker (B&D) is a pioneer in portable power tools. In 1991, it is a $5 billion in sales company with 29% of these sales coming from Power Tools and Accessories. B&D is the world’s larges producer of power tools and the U.S. market overall leader. Problem Statement B&D has a strong market share in the consumer and industrial markets, but is weak in the P-T market as it is currently experiencing decreased market share. In this segment, B&D is not generating profits and, at the same time, retailers want more advertising allowances and rebates. Analysis The U.S. power tools market is divided into three segments: Consumer (home use buyers), Professional-Tradesmen (P-T) (contractors who purchase their own tools), and Industrial (procuring professional buying in large quantities for industrial usage). The P-T segment is the one experiencing the largest growth potential. B&D is one of the most powerful brands in power tolls. Its products are generally regarded to have high quality. B&D currently has 45% of the Consumer and 20% of the Industrial markets. However, in the P-T segment B&D holds only 9% of the market and is in near parity with Milwaukee Electric (10%) and trails Makita, which has captured 50% of the market. Makita was able to grow rapidly in the P-T market as its dominance was aided by the rapid development of a new type of distribution channel, the Home Centers such as Home Depot, which Makita actively sought. B&D, however, was not able to grow quickly in the P-T market due to Tradesman’s perception of its P-T Line. The Tradesman market perceives B&D as a â€Å"Consumer† product that is not on par to handle professional tasks. This is evident in that in studies of brand perceptions in the P-T segment, six manufacturers out-rank B&D, three tie with B&D, and only one is rated with lower quality. On blind trials the quality of B&D P-T products often outranked those of the manufactures whose quality was perceived to be better, implying that B&D’s problem is not of having bad products, but of having a bad reputation. One factor contributing to the perceived higher quality of Makita and Milwaukee is that both are priced at a premium, and on average, are 5-10% more than B&D. This difference in price contributes to foster the perception by the P-T market that because the competitors’ prod... ...f B&D P-T line may remain. The recommended Option 3 is that B&D should go with the established DeWalt and Industrial Yellow. Marketing DeWalt alone is a better choice, as there are negative perceptions of the B&D line concerning reduced quality. Increasing the DeWalt brand awareness and improving the perceived quality will be easier and more successful to accomplish than increasing B&D’s perceived quality at the P-T market. The color of the new line should be â€Å"Industrial Yellow† because other power tool companies have not used this color. It is a bold color, and will stand out compared to the other P-T colors. In the early stages, the positive associations will be associated with the original DeWalt Company’s reputation and safety as this color is used to indicate safety. As the DeWalt line’s positive market perceptions grow, Industrial Yellow will be easier to identify the high-end P-T line and will automatically be associated with high quality goods. Although not sufficient by itself, Option 4 is also interesting for B&D, since Makita has already damaged relationships with retailers, and retailers â€Å"push† of products is an important element in driving sales.

Stepping into the Fourth Dimension :: Mathematics Dimensions Geometry Essays

Stepping into the Fourth Dimension   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Imagine going to a magic show, where the world’s top ranked magicians gather to dazzle their wide-eyed crowd. Some would walk through jet turbines, others would decapitate their assistants only to fuse them back together, and others would transform pearls into tigers. However, with each of these seemingly impossible stunts, there is always a catch. A curtain will fall momentarily; a door will shut; the lights will go out; a large cloud of smoke will fill the room, or a screen will hide what is truly going on. Then, a very different magician comes on, and performs stunts like entering a closed box without opening any doors, and placing a mouse in a sealed bottle without removing the cork. These do not seem very extravagant compared to the amazing feats other magicians pull off, but what leaves the crowd completely baffled is the fact that he does these tricks without placing a handkerchief over his hand, or doing it so fast the crowd misses what is going on. To perform the mouse-in-the-bottle trick, he shows the mouse in his hand, slowly twists it in a strange manner, and right before your eyes, his hand completely disappears! A few instants later his hand reappears inside the bottle, holding the mouse. There seem to be two parts of his arm; one in the bottle, and one out. His arm looks severed, yet he has complete control of his fingers inside the bottle. The hand lets go of the mouse, and again vanishes from inside the bottle, and reconstitutes itself on the magicians arm. He pulled it off candidly, without the smoke and mirrors. Everything that was seen actually happened. This magician, breaking the tradition of fooling the audience with illusions, used cutting edge knowledge of higher-dimensional science to perform this marvel. He sent his arm outside of 3-D space, twisted it in the fourth dimension, and placed it back into the bottle. The fourth dimension is not time, but an extra direction, just like left, right, up, down, forward, and backwards. This magician has used the fourth dimension for entertainment purposes. However, the fourth dimension has other, more practical uses and applications in the realm of mathematics, geometry, as well as astrophysics, and holds the explanation to such natural phenomena as gravity and electromagnetism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To this day, many scientists and other people accept time as being the fourth dimension. This notion is completely absurd. Time does play an important role in the description of an object, but it is incorrect to perceive it as a dimension.

Obadiah The Prophet :: essays research papers

Prophet - One who utters divinely inspired revelations That is how the word prophet is defined in Webster’s dictionary, but a prophet is much more. A prophet is someone who is chosen by God to convey his message to the people; a middleman between God and his people. A prophet is someone who God selects as the embodiment of himself. Someone that people will listen to. Someone with a presence. Now the prophets did not all lead perfect lives, but they all had a bond with the Lord that could not be matched. The Prophets were holy people but they were in no way God-like. They were humble people that gladly served their God. This summary of a prophet is what most people believe the prophet Obadiah was like. Obadiah, the shortest book in the Old Testament consisting of only one chapter, is the pronouncement of doom against an ancient and long-forgotten nation, the land of Edom. It was written in 587 B.C.E, after the destruction of Jerusalem. But there is more to this book than that. The Scriptures have that ability of appearing to be one thing on the surface, but on a deeper level, yielding rich and mighty treasures. This is definitely true for the short, but meaningful book of Obadiah. We know very little about Obadiah except that he was one of the minor prophets. There is a reference to a prophet Obadiah in the days of Elijah and Elisha and there is some thought that perhaps he is the same man. The name Obadiah was a very common name among the Hebrews though, and it is very likely this is not the same prophet, for in this book Obadiah mentions the day when Jerusalem was destroyed, captured by the alien armies, and that occurs long after the time of Elijah and Elisha. So most Bible commentators believe the author of this book was a contemporary of the prophet Jeremiah, the last of the prophets before Israel went into captivity. The name Obadiah means "the servant of Jehovah;" He fulfills the position of a servant. He comes and does his work and fades into the background; he delivers his message and he is gone. That is about all we know about the man behind this book. The book of Obadiah tells the story of two nations, the nation of Israel and the nation of Edom, the country to the south of Israel that is now usually referred to as the Negeb.

Internet Library Research Essay

The library is one of the best places wherein students can gather information for their assignments and researches. Libraries contain thousands of books that vary in subjects such as mathematics, sciences, arts, languages, and literature. In addition, it also provides students with other types of resources including periodicals, maps, CD-ROMs, and even the Internet. To say, therefore, that libraries are important in a student’s life is an understatement. As such, schools should make sure that students have constant access to the libraries even while at home. The North Central University is one of the many schools in the country that offers online access to its library. Students are able to search for resources that they need to complete their works even while not at the campus. They can talk to a librarian if they wish to. They can refer to guides if they encounter difficulty in using the online library or if they are confused in the writing process and cannot finish their research. The best feature of the university’s website is the abundance of resources it can provide for its students because of the numerous databases that it can access. The login page of the university is simple in that it does not require the students to search the page just to be able to log in properly. The login page also has options for first time users who have no account yet, for students who have forgotten their passphrase, and for those who need to reset their passphrases. An option to remember the user is also available on the page. The login button will take the student to the main page of the university’s website, which is the Learner Portal. Here, the student will be able to view his or her messages, announcements, and important events through the calendar. The portal has links to several other features, which include the library, writing center, and university documents. Clicking on the link for the library will direct the student to the main page of the North Central University online library. There are several options available for students in this area. One can ask a librarian about the availability of certain books. Students can search multiple databases for scholarly references. There are also guides in which students can refer themselves to if they have a hard time writing their researches. To perform a search that will yield scholarly references, students must click the NCU databases link and select their choice of database from here. The databases include EBSCOhost, LexisNexis Academic, ProQuest, and Sage. The database chosen for this activity was ProQuest, and the topic that searched was â€Å"ethical leadership in the 21st century. † Before performing the search however, there was an instruction to select the option â€Å"Database selected† so that the students will have the opportunity to select only the databases that are relevant to the search. The pre-determined databases include Career and Technical Education, Dissertations and Theses, ProQuest Computing, ProQuest Education Journals, and Research Library. The results of the search yielded seven documents from which only three were relevant. Among these three, only two was able to give full access to the document. The subjects that these documents fell under include counseling, organization behavior, anthropology, business ethics, psychiatry, and information science. Of these, only two were relevant to the topic being searched. The chosen citation reviewed was the one with the latest date of publication entitled â€Å"The Ethical Grounding to 21st Century Public Leadership. † There was a little difficulty experienced while searching for the author link because the document was full-text PDF format, which does not contain any links to the author. This was resolved by clicking the option to view the abstract of the document where the author’s name was hyperlinked to his other works. This particular document had two authors. Clicking the link for the first author (Niel R. Vance) gave five documents and only one was related to the original document because it discussed applied ethics. The second author (Brett V. Trani) did not have any other work aside from this document. Because there were only three relevant documents related to the search terms, another search was performed. This time, the word â€Å"21st† was replaced with â€Å"twenty first. † This yielded five results, two of which were relevant. The ProQuest database is user oriented in that it provides a Help link for people to find ways to enhance their search process. At the beginning of the search, the Help option allows students to learn how to improve their search. Students will learn how to limit their searches or exclude other options to refine their search. This would lead to better results and would take the students less effort when searching for their resources. Another Help link is also available after a search is completed. This will teach students how to read and mark a document, cite the document properly, and filter or sort the results. The database can also suggest topics and publications that are related to the student’s keywords. Overall, ProQuest excels in trying to provide scholarly and useful resources for the students of North Central University. The results were very relevant and close to the terms that were used to search the database. There were many helpful hints throughout the website for students to use so that they can experience the best while searching. These tips were also significant because the students are able to apply them in their papers, which would mean that they would commit fewer errors in their works. There was also an option for students to email a specific article if they want to share what they have found in their search. The references that the document used can also be viewed by the student to see if there are relevant information that can be used for his or her work. The experience provided new insights in performing searches. Although it was relatively easy, students need to know some tricks to yield better results like changing some keywords or using the suggested topics that the database provides. There is no doubt that technology has a big impact on everyone’s lives nowadays. Educational institutions have to keep up with the changing of times to meet the needs of their students even if it means having to set up websites and online libraries, and acquiring huge databases for their students. Online libraries are important because this would provide students reliable sources for their papers. This is in contrast to Internet articles that are freely available on the World Wide Web but are sometimes misleading and are questionable in terms of the content and the authority of the person who wrote it. While not all that can be found on the Internet is unreliable, it is better for students to not take the risk, especially if it is their grades that are on the line. Only trusted information should be used when doing academic research papers unless otherwise indicated by professors and instructors. It is essential to mention that students need to learn how to distinguish reliable sources from those that cannot be trusted. They should learn how to distinguish if a website has the requirements for it to be considered reliable. References Bahaudin G Mujtaba, Carol Griffin, Cuneyt Oskal. (2004). Emerging Ethical Issues in Technology and Countermeasures for Management and Leadership Consideration in the Twenty First Century’s Competitive Environment of Global Interdependence. Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship, 9(3), 34-55. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1178660741). Kanungo, Rabindra N. (1998). Leadership in organizations: looking ahead to the 21st century. Canadian Psychology, 39(1/2), 71. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from ProQuest Psychology Journals database. (Document ID: 390882341). M. Fleckenstein, Mary Maury, S. M. Patrick Primeaux, Patricia Werhane. (2006). Ethical Leadership in 21st Century Corporate America. Journal of Business Ethics, 66(2-3), 145-146. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1113480671). Neil R Vance, Brett V Trani. (2008). THE ETHICAL GROUNDING TO 21st CENTURY PUBLIC LEADERSHIP. International Journal of Organization Theory and Behavior, 11(3), 372-380. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1536919851). Rost, Joseph C. (1995). Leadership: A discussion about ethics. Business Ethics Quarterly, 5(1), 129. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 4596738). Vivienne Collinson. (2008). Leading by learning: new directions in the twenty-first century. Journal of Educational Administration, 46(4), 443-460. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1506286921).

Personal Transformation from Gilgamesh to Chihiro

Personal Transformation from Gilgamesh to Chihiro Regardless of the setting and the time, maturity and development are key processes that reshape individual’s character. Although on the surface, Hayao Miyazaki’s film, Spirited Away and The Epic of Gilgamesh have nothing in common based on their different historical and geographical settings, they are tied together by the genre called â€Å"Bildungsroman†. A genre that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood, also known as a coming of age novel.The film, Spirited Away, is about Chihiro, a young girl who is taken down an unusual road by her parents while moving to a new home in an unfamiliar town. Their curiosity leads them into what appears to be an abandoned amusement park. As they explore, they come across an unattended food stand and the parents help themselves; later as the sun sets, they are transformed into pigs by some sort of sorcery. Chihiro is left alone t o figure out how to free her parents and escape this unknown world. Thankfully, she finds companionship in a boy named Haku who guides her through the obstacles she has to face along the way.The Epic of Gilgamesh begins in a similar manner as Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk appears to be an unfit leader for his city. As the city continues to resent their leader, the gods of Uruk decide to create Enkidu, a companion and diversion for Gilgamesh. Immediately after their friendship begins, Gilgamesh's selfish character is transformed into one of a more giving and gracious leader. These personal transformations interconnect the two stories that appear to be unrelated at first glance. The most essential similarity between The Epic of Gilgamesh and Spirited away is the companionship they find which begins their transformation.Without their companions, neither Chihiro nor Gilgamesh would be able to overcome their obstacles and develop into stronger characters. As the abandoned amusement park tu rns into a spirit world upon nightfall, Chihiro meets a young boy named Haku. Having been in her place previously, he instructs her on what to do in order to survive within this world and eventually save her parents. He guides her to the bathhouse for the millions of Shinto Gods that inhabit this spirit world. Following Haku's instructions enables her to find Yubaba who can give her the job she will need to stay live and function. Through her stay there, she discovers that Haku is actually a dragon under the employ of the evil witch Yubaba, who provided her with a job as well. She is able to free him along with herself as she realizes that Haku is actually a river spirit she fell into as a child. Haku responds with excitement after she tells him, â€Å"You did it, Chihiro! I remember! I was the spirit of the Kahaku River† (Miyazaki). She not only liberates him at this moment, but she completes her process of adulthood and finding a way home for herself.Chihiro began her journ ey through the spirit world simply looking for a way out, yet she was able to accomplish a lot more. None of it being possible without her guide, Haku. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh finds a similar friendship within his wild equal, Enkidu. Enkidu's companionship is essential in order for Gilgamesh's character to develop. Enkidu's greatest effect on Gilgamesh's nature occurs upon his death. Until the death of his only friend, Gilgamesh thought of himself as invincible and immortal. With Enkidu's demise, Gilgamesh falls into a state of misery and realizes what he must do.He states, â€Å"How can I keep silent, how can I stay quiet? My friend, whom I loved, has turned to clay. Shall I not be like him, and also lie down, never to rise again, through all eternity† (Epic of Gilgamesh 78)? Witnessing his friend die made Gilgamesh realize his fear of death and he therefore sets on a journey to find Uta-napishti, who has discovered the secret to immortality. Instead of returning to his old selfish ways, he takes on a quest to defeat fate. Once he reaches Uta-napishti, he is presented with a plant which grants youth upon the owner, even though he fails the test of staying awake for a week.On his journey home however, a snake retrieves the plant. Gilgamesh fails in his journey to defeat his fate, yet comes upon him a sense of humility and acceptance of his true destiny. He returns home to serve Uruk and its citizens. With the help of their companions, the main characters must overcome a series of obstacles before they can discover their full potential. In the beginning of the story, Chihiro is a spoiled child forced into the fantastic world. Chihiro becomes completely separated from everything she has known and must find her way back to reality.Her adult guidance is stripped away from her when her parents are turned into pigs after being greedy and eating plenty of food that did not belong to them. Chihiro is then forced to step up and save her own parents: â€Å"I'm sorry my sister turned your parents into pigs, but there's nothing I can do. It’s just the way things are. You'll have to help your parents and Haku by yourself† (Miyazaki). Never having been cast such responsibility, Chihiro does a pretty good job. In order to survive in the spirit world, Chihiro takes a job at the bath house run by Yubaba.There she performs hard tasks most kids her age would not be able to grasp. Chihiro taking a job is a first step into her reaching adulthood, as providing an income and hard work are grown up responsibilities. While she is working there, she faces some difficult challenges which the other workers could not handle. The first occurrence is when a creature in similar appearance to that of a stink god enters the bathhouse. The employees try to tell him to turn around, but when he ignores them and continues his way into the bathhouse, Chihiro is faced with the responsibility of cleaning him.The creature turns out to really be a River God polluted with garbage, and Chihiro is able to cure him by pulling out a bike and letting the other garbage spill out. Soon after, a spirit known as No-Face becomes a glutton, eating everything in the bathhouse. Chihiro saves the day again making him spit out all the creatures he ate and returning to his true form. Both times Chihiro was faced with challenges none of the other workers could handle. Both times, she was able to use her logic to fix the problems at hand. These obstacles forced Chihiro to grow up more quickly, as well as let her realize her true potential.Gilgamesh must make his way through hurdles as well in order to accomplish the effects of Chihiro. After meeting Enkidu, he begins this transformation by destroying two beasts. The first is Humbaba, whom Gilgamesh and Enkidu travel to the forest of Cedar to destroy. After they succeeded, the goddesses Ishtar was impressed by Gilgamesh and offers him marriage. Knowing the history of her previous husbands, howe ver, Gilgamesh refused. Angered at his refusal, Ishtar summoned a Bull to destroy Gilgamesh. He is able to overcome the bull, only marking the beginning of his metamorphosis.Soon after these events, his companion Enkidu dies and Gilgamesh takes on another mission. He goes on a journey to find the secret to immortality as he begins to strongly fear death after seeing what happened with his friend, Enkidu. He believes Uta-napishti, who lives on the other side of the world, holds the answers: â€Å"I thought, ‘I will find Uta-napishti the Distant, of whom men tell’ and I wandered journeying through every land. Many times I passed through terrible mountains, many times I crossed and recrossed all the oceans. † (Epic of Gilgamesh 85)? Uta-napishti presents him with a plant that will bestow youth upon the owner.On his way home, however, a snake snatches the plant, leaving Gilgamesh disappointed as he realizes he will never seize what he has so long struggled for. It is this loss that helps him realize what he should do next, which is to reign as the best king he possibly can. While the obstacles Chihiro and Gilgamesh had to face in order to complete their transformation differed in nature, they helped them mature into adults and realize their potential. The last aspect of a transformation, and perhaps the most important is the realization gained through the difficult tasks one had to face.Characters in both Spirited Away and The Epic of Gilgamesh become more aware that the actions they take affect other people around them as well and therefore they should make decisions that benefit them and the surrounding communities. In the opening scene of Spirited Away, Chihiro’s main concern is losing the friends she is leaving behind by moving to a new home. When she enters the spirit world and her parents are turned into pigs, she has bigger problems to take care of first. Although she takes the job at the bathhouse to help herself and her parents, she ends up saving the bathhouse itself from destruction twice.Chihiro also helps her companion Haku as she remembers his name and is able to relieve him from the spirit world. Through her journey into adulthood, Chihiro learns to make decisions that benefit her, as well as others. Gilgamesh gains similar lessons in the Epic of Gilgamesh. After all the obstacles Gilgamesh overcame to gain the plant of youth, a snake simply snatched it away. Gilgamesh sat down and wept for the plant, but through his tears he finally grasped that his mistake was to fear death in the first place.Immortality is not meant for humans, and Gilgamesh then realized that instead of chasing it, he should return to his king duties just as Uta-napishti suggested: â€Å"Let him cast off his pelts, and the sea bear them off, let his body be soaked till fair! Let a new kerchief be made for his head, let him wear royal robes, the dress fitting his dignity† (The Epic of Gilgamesh 97). Gilgamesh returns to Uru k after accepting the fact he is mortal and he should be a great leader to his citizens. The text does not reveal what happens to Gilgamesh after he gets back to Uruk.However, based on his change of character throughout the epic, a judgment can be made on how he will rule as king. He has faced and accepted the harsh reality that humans cannot have power over everything and completed his transformation. Spirited Away and The Epic of Gilgamesh seem completely unrelated at first glance due to their difference in historical and geographical setting. However, when looked at more closely, the main characters experience similar psychological and moral growth into adulthood. The transformations of both Chihiro and Gilgamesh first begin when they find companionship.Chihiro finds hers within a young boy named Haku, who guides her to survive within the spirit world. He points her to Yubaba, an evil witch who gives her a job at the bathhouse. While Chihiro is working there, she has to face the monsters that invade and pose a threat the bathhouse, a task the adult workers could not handle themselves. After overcoming these obstacles, she is able to save herself and her fellow companion Haku from the spirit world. Gilgamesh began his journey similarly as he was a selfish tyrant highly disliked by the public.When he meets his natural equal, Enkidu, his life is forever changed. The two work together and become really close friends. At the peak of their friendship however, Enkidu dies and Gilgamesh embarks on a journey to find immortality. When his journey fails, he realizes that it is not in his power to have everlasting youth, but instead he has the capability to be a great king. He returns to his home city of Uruk transformed into a stronger leader. Both characters, Chihiro and Gilgamesh began their journeys as selfish and misguided individuals, but were able to reach their full potential in the end.

Geography Prelim Notes

Geography Preliminary Exam Outline 20 multiple choice – skills Short Answer Questions – Biophysical Interactions (some or all or how they integrate), population and culture integration. Extended response – Natural resources – one or a combination of the four points Geography Preliminary Notes The Biophysical Environment * The Biophysical Environment is the interaction of all abiotic and biotic elements found on the planet. * Expressed another way the BPE is made up of all the features of the physical and the built environment and how these features interrelate. The BPE is then the interactions, which occur between the Atmosphere, Lithosphere, Biosphere and Hydrosphere. ATMOSPHERE * Atmosphere, mixture of gases surrounding any celestial object that has a gravitational field strong enough to prevent the gases from escaping; especially the gaseous envelope of the earth. The principal constituents of the atmosphere of the earth are nitrogen (78 percent) and ox ygen (21 percent). The atmospheric gases in the remaining 1 percent are argon (0. 9 percent), carbon dioxide (0. 3 percent), varying amounts of water vapour, and trace amounts of hydrogen, ozone, methane, carbon monoxide, helium, neon, krypton, and xenon. * The water-vapour content of the air varies considerably, depending on the temperature and relative humidity. With 100 percent relative humidity the water-vapour content of air varies from 190 parts per million (ppm) at -40Â ° C to 42,000 ppm at 30Â ° C. Minute quantities of other gases, such as ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, and oxides of sulphur and nitrogen, are temporary constituents of the atmosphere in the vicinity of volcanoes and are washed out of the air by rain or snow.Divisions of the Atmosphere: Without our atmosphere, there would be no life on earth. A relatively thin envelope, the atmosphere consists of layers of gases that support life can provide protection from harmful radiation. Issues related to the Atmosphere * Daily weather conditions, climatic conditions (seasonal/short-term/long-term/cyclical) * Global warming, Greenhouse Effect (GHE) * Ozone depletion * Acid rain * Smog, photochemical smog, brown haze * Radioactive fallout Atmosphere Impacts Oxides and other pollutants added to the atmosphere by factories and automobiles have become a major concern, however, because of their damaging effects in the form of acid rain. In addition, the strong possibility exists that the steady increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide, mainly as the result of fossil-fuel combustion over the past century, may affect the earth's climate (for example enhanced Greenhouse Effect). * Similar concerns are posed by the sharp increase in atmospheric methane.Methane levels have risen 11 per cent since 1978. About 80 per cent of the gas is produced by decomposition in rice paddies, swamps, and the intestines of grazing animals, and by tropical termites. Human activities that tend to accelerate these processes include raising more livestock and growing more rice. Besides adding to the greenhouse effect, methane reduces the volume of atmospheric hydroxyl ions, thereby curtailing the atmosphere's ability to cleanse itself of pollutants. (for example photochemical smog) Atmosphere – Ozone DepletionThe ozone layer became a subject of concern in the early 1970s when it was found that chemicals known as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), were rising into the atmosphere in large quantities because of their use as refrigerants and as propellants in aerosol dispensers. The concern centred on the possibility that these compounds, through the action of sunlight, could chemically attack and destroy stratospheric ozone, which protects the earth's surface from excessive ultraviolet radiation. HYDROSPHERE * The hydrosphere refers to all liquid and frozen surface waters, groundwater held in soil and rock, and atmospheric water vapour. Water is the most abundant substance at the surface of the Earth. About 1. 4 b illion cubic kilometres of water in liquid and frozen form make up the oceans, lakes, streams, glaciers, and groundwater. * Central to any discussion of the hydrosphere is the concept of the hydrologic cycle. This cycle consists of a group of reservoirs containing water, the processes by which water is transferred from one reservoir to another (or transformed from one state to another), and the rates of transfer associated with such processes.These transfer paths penetrate the entire hydrosphere, extending upward to about 15 kilometres in the Earth's atmosphere and downward to depths in the order of five kilometres into the crust. * Although water storage in rivers, lakes, and the atmosphere is small, the rate of water circulation through the rain–river–ocean–atmosphere system is relatively rapid. The amount of water discharged each year into the oceans from the land is approximately equal to the total mass of water stored at any instant in rivers and lakes. The biosphere, though primarily H2O in composition, contains very little of the total water at the terrestrial surface, only about 0. 00004 per cent. Yet, the biosphere plays a major role in the transport of water vapour back into the atmosphere by the process of transpiration. Impact of Human Activities on the Hydrosphere * The activities of modern society are having a severe impact on the hydrologic cycle. * Humans alter the natural functioning of the water cycle through quantitative or qualitative changes to the cycle. For example the dynamic steady state is being disturbed by the discharge of toxic chemicals, radioactive substances, and other industrial wastes and by the seepage of mineral fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides into surface and subsurface aquatic systems. Inadvertent and deliberate discharge of petroleum, improper sewage disposal, and thermal pollution also are seriously affecting the quality of the hydrosphere. * Humans alter the quantity of water available throu gh by a range of activities such as the construction of Dams.Weirs, irrigation schemes, aqueducts, reservoirs, dyke & levee schemes and land reclamation projects. * In more subtle ways humans through enhancing the Greenhouse Effect may be changing regional climates and therefore rainfall patterns within regions. * While large scale dams can mitigate flood damage, provide Hydro-electric energy and reliable water supply they also present significant environmental and ecological costs. * People alter the quality of water in many ways such as through domestic, agricultural, commercial and industrial pollution. The pollution of waterways is classified according to point or non-point pollution. * Pollution in waterways can mean the quality of water is unfit for human consumption (toxic to humans) or of a low enough quality to seriously impact on the ecology of the water system. LITHOSPHERE * The Earth's outermost rigid, rocky layer is called the lithosphere. It is broken, like a slightly cracked eggshell, into about a dozen separate rigid blocks, or plates. There are two types of plates, oceanic and continental.An example of an oceanic plate is the Pacific Plate, which extends from the East Pacific Rise to the deep-ocean trenches bordering the western part of the Pacific basin. The North American Plate exemplifies a continental plate. * The upper layer of the lithosphere is termed the crust. * The earth’s crust is comprised of bedrock material in various situ * Rocks are commonly divided into three major classes according to the processes that resulted in their formation.These classes are (1) igneous rocks, which have solidified from molten material called magma; (2) sedimentary rocks, those consisting of fragments derived from pre-existing rocks or of materials precipitated from solutions; and (3) metamorphic rocks, which have been derived from either igneous or sedimentary rocks under conditions that caused changes in mineralogical composition, texture, and internal structure. * Elements of weathering, erosion and gradational forces over time then shape these rock components into landform.This is known as the geomorphological process. * Such forces as tectonic plate movement, fluvial action, gradational forces and the action of the wind and sun shape landform features. * Tectonic plates move in three main ways relative to each other. Translation, seduction and convergence (Spreading). The results of this plate movement is often seen as volcanic activity (eruptions, geysers, hot springs) as earthquakes or tremors and in subsidence, land slips and slumping. * Fluvial action is the process of water eroding, transporting and depositing rock material. Wind can erode rock material by blasting, while the sun heating up rock and the rock cooling can break it down in a process call exfoliation. The top three soil issues confronting Australia are; 1. Loss of valuable topsoil due to over-clearing and subsequent erosion 2. Soils salinity – as result of over-clearing and or irrigation rasing the water table and bringing salt to the surface. 3. Acid Sulfate soil exposure – as a result of construction and mining exposing acid sulfates locked up in soil and these sulfates leaching into local waterways. BIOSPHERE The Biosphere is defined as the relatively thin life-supporting stratum of the Earth's surface, extending from a few kilometres into the atmosphere to the deep-sea vents of the oceans. * The biosphere is a global ecosystem composed of living organisms (biota) and the abiotic (nonliving) factors from which they derive energy and nutrients. * The biosphere can be broken down into segments of abiotic and biotic components, called ecosystems. Oceans, lakes, and wetlands are examples of aquatic ecosystems, while forests, deserts, and tundra are examples of terrestrial ecosystems.Through these systems, energy flows and chemicals essential to life are cycled in what is known as biogeochemical cycles. * The biosph ere itself can be studied as a worldwide ecosystem through which the interconnectedness of all life and life-supporting systems on the Earth can be understood. * The earth’s biodiversity (total known stock of varying species of fauna and flora on the planet) is classified into several major Biomes. Each Biome is made up of a multitude of interconnected and interrelating ecosystems. An ecosystem is defined as the complex of living organisms, their physical environment, and all their interrelationships in a particular unit of space. * An ecosystem can be categorized into its abiotic constituents, including minerals, climate, soil, water, sunlight, and all other nonliving elements, and its biotic constituents, consisting of all its living members. Linking these constituents together are two major forces: the flow of energy through the ecosystem, and the cycling of nutrients within the ecosystem. Cycles within ecosystems which transfer / transform energy and matter are known as t he Biogeochemical cycles (eg. Carbon, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Phosphorous etc.. ) * The biosphere supports between 3 and 30 million species of plants, animals, fungi, single-celled prokaryotes such as bacteria, and single-celled eukaryotes such as protozoans. Of this total, only about 1. 4 million species have been named so far, and fewer than 1 percent have been studied for their ecological relationships and their role in ecosystems. * A little more than half the named species are insects, which dominate errestrial and freshwater communities worldwide; the laboratories of systematises are filled with insect species yet to be named and described. Hence, the relationships of organisms to their environments and the roles that species play in the biosphere are only beginning to be understood. BIOPYSICAL ENVIRONMENT Impacts of Humans on the Biophysical Environment * The biosphere supports between 3 and 30 million species of plants, animals, fungi, single-celled prokaryotes such as bacteria, a nd single-celled eukaryotes such as protozoans. Of this total, only about 1. million species have been named so far, and fewer than 1 percent have been studied for their ecological relationships and their role in ecosystems. * A little more than half the named species are insects, which dominate terrestrial and freshwater communities worldwide; the laboratories of systematises are filled with insect species yet to be named and described. Hence, the relationships of organisms to their environments and the roles that species play in the biosphere are only beginning to be understood. Management Strategies for human impacts on BPE Management strategies can be based on a number of approaches such as reactionary, precautionary or proactive management. * As many issues have multiple causal factors at a variety of scales any successful management strategies must be designed with this in mind. Often the real measure of success of a management strategy is a direct reflection of effectiveness or otherwise of a co-ordinating authority. * An example of this need for a co-ordinated response to management can be seen through reviewing the Murray Darling Basin Commission (MDBC).This authority must oversee management strategies in literally hundreds of sub-catchments of the Murray Darling river and across local, state and federal levels of jurisdiction. Natural Resources Definition of a Natural Resource A natural resource is any part of the biophysical environment that can be used in some way to satisfy human needs. For example; air, water, forests, minerals. They can either be either RENEWABLE or NON-RENEWABLE. RENEWABLE RESOURCES Renewable resources are those that are naturally renewed within a sufficiently short time span to be useful to human beings.There are two categories of renewable resources: * Non-critical zone resources * Critical zone resources Non-critical zone renewable resources: * These types of natural resources remain renewable irrespective of how much and ho w often humans use them * Some examples include solar energy, tides, wing, waves, water and air. Critical zone renewable resources: * These are resources that naturally renew within short periods of time but can be affected by how much and how often humans use them, That is humans use them before they can be renewed. * Examples include fish, forests, animals, soil, underground water (aquifers)NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES * These are resources that have taken millions of years to form’ * These are resources that are deemed to be in fixed supply that is once they are used they can never be replaced. There are two categories of non renewable resources; * CONSUMED BY USE and * RECYCLABLE OR THEORETICALLY RECOVERABLE Consumed by use Non-renewable * These are resources that once used they can not be replaced. These are basically the fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal. There are called fossil fuels because they were once living organisms million years ago. * Because of the ra te of use in recent times these resources could ace exhaustion. It is predicted that after 2008 that oil will reduce as we have used it up. Recyclable or Theoretically Recoverable Non-renewable * These are the metallic minerals that are mined such as iron ore, aluminum copper, gold, silver etc. These also take millions of years to be created and once used they too cannot be replaced; the significant difference is that these resources can be reused or recycled. Think of aluminum cans or metal scrap yards. What constitutes a resource? For these resources defined earlier several conditions must exist before it can actually become a resource. 1.It must be recognized as being a resource indirectly or directly. 2. There must be the skills, equipment and social organization present to transform the resource into something useful. 3. The transformation must be achieved at a cost and convenience that make it more appropriate than an alternative. 4. The adverse impacts generated by the activi ty must be acceptable to society. What a natural resource is, depends on a number of factors; 1. Economic – what is the cost of extraction e. g. , extracting petroleum out of deep-sea deposits is expensive and risky – the deep sea well in the golf of Mexico. 2.Cultural – What is a resource for one culture might not be for another e. g. Kangaroo meat. 3. Technology – the resource might not be technologically possible at the moment e. g. fusion power 4. Political – governments might promote exploitation of natural resources for strategic, economic & political reasons e. g. the cotton industry in Australia is a result of government policy in the 1960s that wanted to reduce our reliance on imported cotton. 5. Environment and health factors – concerns about the impact on the environment and the health of people and ecosystems may effect the nature and rater if resources exploitation.Environment + Impact Statements (EIS) are often used to assess t he impact on ecosystems of the exploitation of a resource. Economic & political issues related to the use of natural resource, their ownership and management 1. Rate of use: Supply and Demand * Economically, natural resources will be used at a higher rate while that resource is in demand. * If demand is reduced over time it could have economic repercussions for the country that relied on its sale – relevant to the economic well being of many developing countries. They take out large loans to help develop their country based on the performance of selling their natural resources * Once demand decreases their ability to pay back the loan is reduced which then makes the country more in debt. * Money made from selling the resources is used to pay off interest on the loans and little is put back into the country to make it better off. 2. Continued demand for a resource * Can jeopardise economic prosperity due to economically unsustainable practices * Uncontrolled exploitation may j eopardise long term production levels.A good example of this is fishing. * May cause stocks to be reduced * Threat to the preservation of the fish species * Industry and jobs would be lost * Boat owners would incur increasing debts * Food supplies would be threatened by high prices and limited availability Political Issues 1. Opposing views * Political issues of resource use can arise when competing groups wish to use the same resources. * Countries who dispute ownership of a major resource e. g. the waters of a river that flows through more than one country. * Subgroups within a society