Portals+and+corresponding+mini-challenges

This is the list of ideas for mini-challenges that we developed together on the blackboard on Jan 30th. I have "bolded" the ones that we are currently working on with the name of the writers beside it. If you choose another one to work on, please "bold" it and put your name(s) next to it. Green = work has been started on this challenge Black/bold = next steps for something to be fleshed out


 * Mini-Challenges for each Portal**

Evidence and Interpretation
 * weigh the evidence (more relevant, more convincing)
 * draw plausible inferences from evidence
 * ** analyzing the quality/credibility of information presented (e.g. in a map); look for omissions, exaggerations, errors, distortions - what seems to be accentuated that might be a value judgment (see website from National Archives) - I really think we should work on these - I heard about a challenge that Laura Gini-Newman uses today in math where she represents 2 graphs and gives kids a scenario about a lawsuit (where the graphs provide a piece of evidence), then asks kids to decide which graph should a lawyer use in court to best make his case. I wonder if we could do something similar with maps - to show how all maps have a message or tell a story and that that story can be told differently using different techniques, emphasis, etc.. - Usha **
 * use evidence to make plausible predictions
 * assess predictions based on evidence
 * a ssess interpretations
 * draw conclusions
 * **imagine the possibilities - a) decipher as much as you can about the conditions and advantages using a map; b) based on this evidence, find optimal location for a site (e.g. a bank, a grocery store, etc.) - i.e. which would be most advantageous**
 * **interpreting maps**
 * **interpreting statistical tables - we have some very good stuff here in one of our other resources (New France) that I think we can re-purpose here and provide a different context for.. I'll post it and ask some of you to help me fill in the gaps with a context - Usha - it sounds like __Jennifer__ did this with her class **
 * **interpreting aerial photographs** ** - Roland would love it if we did this one - it sounds like __Amber__ is working on something similar to this one... maybe we can flesh this out a bit - Usha **
 * **interpreting satellite imagery**

Geographic Importance
 * **assess an issue's importance to different regions (e.g. water crisis - to Africa vs. North America)**


 * weigh relative importance of of different options (different places / events / actions, etc.)


 * **assess the significance of x on a variety of scales (i.e. local, regional, national, continental, global) - e.g. which govt should we lobby on this issue - i.e. who is more likely to see it as a pressing concern? - e.g. transit funding in Toronto**

- One of my interns is working on a challenge: What are the 5 most important issues facing the Great Lakes? - Usha
 * **decide on the most significant event - why is this newsworthy?**

Geographic Value Judgments
 * determine whose perspective is represented
 * determine whose voice/perspective is missing
 * ** assess the representation of the value judgment – Usha and Amber - assessing the strength of the argument, is it persuasive, compelling - assess the persuasive power of a particular visual/oral/written arguments **
 * which are the pivotal voices
 * assign value to an event, place, issue
 * ** choose the action that will have the greatest impact – ** ** Mike and Lisa - which action is most desirable **

Sense of Place - on one of the modules - provide 2 catalysts to model synthesis amongst catalysts
 * ** infer sense of place from (an image, a diary, etc.) – Barb and Jen **
 * determine most distinctive/characteristic elements
 * ** assessing whether a representation (visual/poem/etc) captures the sense of place - Amber/Jane/Amy - "Best photograph to represent a region" **
 * **what would be the biggest difference between living in place A vs. B (i.e. feel, sounds, etc.) - i.e. how that location is experienced by its inhabitants (spatial, cultural experience, captures the spirit of the place)**
 * **develop a multiperspective sense of place (design to specs) - what it would mean for various participants**

Patterns and Trends
 * the significant pattern/trend
 * suggest a plausible reason for the pattern/trend
 * find the relationship
 * **predict the impact of a ripple/ pattern/trend**
 * ** predict/speculate the rest of the pattern from a piece of it – Amy and Jane **

Interactions / Associations


 * chart direct/indirect web of effects
 * uncover/suggest reasons for a behaviour/action by looking at association
 * **determine whether the interactions/associations are primarily characterized by cooperation - detect the nature of the relationship between interacting forces (e.g. which relationship best characterizes that interaction - e.g. cooperation, symbiotic) - e.g. severe earthquakes - see Chap 6 opening piece**
 * ** looking for the root causes of relationship - attributing cause - why is the earthquake severe? natural causes vs. human adaptation - Jane, Amy, Amber - Natural Disasters **

Mike: Last week in our grade nines at Emily Carr were asked to: - decide if the claims being made in the Proctor and Gamble ad campaign "Future Friendly" are actually future friendly! They were to assess the claims on the website and on the tv commercial. **Evidence and Interpretation
 * Ideas writers have played with in their classrooms
 * -compare the environmental claims made by two corporations (of their choice), on the corportorate websites, to determine which was more environmentally friendly .****Evidence and Interpretation - or Value Judgements?**
 * Both were part of a summative task where students had to choose a few activities from a list of six choices.

Jennifer: Grade 8

 Dealing with land use and moving into migration Idea of what people find attractive in a community - ****Sense of Place**
 * Students were given a specific family or individual. They needed to think what they would like to have in their community. Students were then asked to choose three things/places in their community that they would photograph and use to entice their family or individual to move into their neighbourhood. With their choices they needed to explain why that photograph may attract that family/individual. They will then be creating a brochure to attract people to their neighbourhood - using those photographs.

Other tasks - Students also ranked the top ten problems facing the world and had to justify their top 3 and bottom two choices. ** **Value Judgements**


 * For statistics I gave the students five unidentified countries with five population characteristics (statistics - literacy rate, life expectancy, fertility rate, GDP/capita and infant mortality) in groups they needed to decide where they thought that country may be in the world - justify their decision using the statisitcs. Then they had to explain what life would be like in that country and some of the problems the country may face in the future ( near or far) It worked really well with the students as a way to show them that statisitics are more than just numbers. Evidence/Interpretation

Lisa

Critical challenge ideas: 1) For my Gr. 12 Environment and Resource Management class I will have them determine which energy project is having the greatest impact on the environment. ****Geographic Importance??**
 * They will be working with the following case studies: Alberta Oil Sands, Kayford Mountain in West Viriginia (mountain-top removal for extracting coal), Pascua River in Chile (hydroelectricity project).

2) For my Gr.12 World Issues class I had them asses which individual or group will benefit the most from receiving a microcredit loan. ** **Value Jugement**
 * The webiste the students work with is called KIVA. It's a website that allows people to donate microcredit loans to individuals or groups in developing countries that require funds to support their business/livelihood. It's a legitimate site and the organization KIVA does a great job in monitoring the repayment of the loans and keeping you informed. Students complete an organizer to determine what the money will be used for, how the money will help the individual or their family (short/long term), and if the money will impact the greater community/country. They initially pick three individuals or groups and then narrow it done to one person/group in the end. For this challenge you can donate for real or not. 

Jane

all were used in World Issues **
 * • Grouping countries - what criteria should be used so that we can make meaningful generalizations about our world? **Patterns and Trends??**




 * • Ambers Haiti Headlines, map and pictures - what was missing from the Macleans article - criteria for headlines, for images and for a map **Evidence/Interpretation**




 * • Story of stuff - Write a 15 word promotional blurb the encourages teachers to show this 20 minute film




 * • Last weeks Globe and Mail - guest editors Bono and Bob Geldof.




 * • <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Which of the suggested covers should have been used.



<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> • Which story was missing? **Evidence/Interpretation**

Amber

I n terms of maps/stats...my students just completed creating their own green city. They had to create a map that followed the criteria of a green city (or sustainable city) that we have been learning in class. Does that help with a map challenge? **Patterns and Trends? Interactions and Associations?** Also, although I didn't have time to do the following I think it is a great idea to play with. We take our kids flying over Halton during our Urban Connections unit. My idea for next semester is have them re-work a series of photographs to be more sustainable. Maybe that means adding bike paths, or building a parking garage, adding green roofs, etc. I envision them using tracing paper over the photograph and then recreating it in a "map" form. Like taking a satelite image in google maps and then switching it over to the map format..... **Evidence/Interpretation?**