Saturday, April 30, 2016

SPAIN’S CURSED VILLAGE OF WITCHES


“This tiny village has been excommunicated and cursed with a spell so powerful that only the Pope can lift it”
By: Inka Piegsa-Quischotte
Level of Difficulty: *
WATCH AND LISTEN
QUESTIONS
1.       Why is the situation of the Spanish village surprising? Because….
2.       What is the name of the village in question?
3.       What makes the village special?
4.       Ruiz was a typical witch/ wasn’t a typical witch because she was/wasn’t dressed like one and she had/ didn’t have the usual stuff witches have with her.
5.       Circle the answer(s) that fit(s) : The story of witchcraft was a trick/ a cover-up/ a fabrication/a hoax.
6.       What was going on at the castle was a business venture / a criminal activity. How do you know?
7.       What political advantage did Trasmoz have?
8.       What practical advantage did Trasmoz have that helped the locals in their activities?
9.       The whole of Trasmoz was excommunicated because they were practicing witchcraft. True or False? How do you know?
10.   The monastery started diverting water from Trasmoz because the excommunication hadn’t worked. True or False?
11.   What does “the defeat” refer to in the phrase “the Church never forgave the defeat”?
12.   Why is it necessary for the Pope to lift the curse?
13.   Circle the correct answer: After the curse, Trasmoz flourished/ was deserted / was ruined/ was neglected.
14.   Read the story of La Tia Casca and decide which of the following fits best:
·         Casca was blamed for the epidemic because she was a witch
·         Casca was blamed for the epidemic because they couldn’t find any treatment
·         Casca was blamed for the epidemic because of her personality
15.   The festival organized in Trasmoz every year proves that……………………………………..
16.   Is Ruiz telling the truth when she says she can’t cast a spell?
17.   Why did the writer throw rice and salt over her shoulder?
SPAIN’S CURSED VILLAGE OF WITCHES KEY AND TEACHER’S NOTES
This exciting and interesting yet simple text should go with a bang in class given the title. The structure of the text has given me the opportunity to pose some serious comprehension questions which will, I hope, come more easily thanks to the subject matter.
1.       Because it was excommunicated in its entirety and cursed with a spell so strong that only the Pope can lift it
2.       Trasmoz
3.       It has centuries of witchcraft history
4.       Wasn’t atypical witch because she wasn’t dressed like one and she didn’t have…
5.       They are all true
6.       A criminal activity; They were forging fake coins
7.       It was a lay territory
8.       It had rich iron and silver mines
9.       False: the Church was angry because they weren’t paying taxes to the Church. The witchcraft was an excuse
10.   True
11.   King Ferdinand’s decision that Trazmos’ actions were justified
12.   Because/ since a pope sanctioned the curse
13.   Was ruined
14.   The second one
15.   The tradition of witchcraft seems to be alive and well
16.   Personal answer

17.   To ward off evil spirits

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

DOES SUFFERING MAKE US STRONGER AND LEAD TO SUCCESS?

Life isn’t a bed of roses and there is often a good amount of suffering thrown in as well. Some claim suffering is necessary to come out of bad spells in their life more resilient and successful; others  claim that such experiences can destroy one. Who is right? Do your research and write an argumentative essay.

Refer to my second blog, The Essay Archive, for sample essays: https://theessayarchive.blogspot.com.tr/  
Here is one:

Sample essay

·  http://michellehsiehliteratureblog.blogspot.com.tr/2015/03/tnyt-editorial-contest-does-suffering.htm

Power point:

· https://prezi.com/1--bs4xpaj2q/does-suffering-makes-us-stronger-and-lead-to-success/  

 Reading material to make notes on

·Can suffering make us stronger? https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/out-the-darkness/201111/can-suffering-make-us-stronger

·Can Suffering lead to success 

http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/can_suffering_lead_to_success

 What doesn’t kill you doesn’t necessarily make you stronger

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/what-doesnt-kill-you-doesnt-necessarily

make-you-stronger/2015/01/02/939f250e-8f7e-11e4-ba53-a477d66580ed_story.html

·  Losing is good for you http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/25/opinion/losing-is-good-for-you.html?_r=0

Videos to watch and make notes on

· How the worst moments in our lives make us who we are https://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_solomon_how_the_worst_moments_in_our_lives_make_us_who_we_are?language=en

·  The surprising link between suffering and success https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQeZr_-4tuI



Wednesday, April 6, 2016

BEING A MULTIPOTENTIALITE


Social norms dictate that we determine one interest in life and focus on it to the detriment of everything else. People need to find their vocation and pursue a career path. What if certain individuals are not wired that way? Do your research and find out who they are and the advantages of being the way they are. Then write about them.
Note to the student: this essay task is not your run of the mill advantages and disadvantages essay; in keeping with the title, it is a combination of more than one task. Your essay should clarify what kind of person a multipotentialite is and the advantages of being so.
Thanks are due to another multipotentialite, Essie (http://essiespeaks.blogspot.com), for this interesting activity
Refer to my second blog, The Essay Archive, for sample essays: https://theessayarchive.blogspot.com.tr/  

Familiarize yourself with the issue:
·        On being a multipotentialite | Anthony Rahayel | TEDxLAU
h           ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6G3QcpoJd4&t=4s 
Reading material to make notes on
·         Putty-like http://puttylike.com/terminology/ Scroll down: on the right of the screen you will see many more articles linked to the topic; read them and make notes
Videos to watch and make notes on
On being a multipotentialite https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6G3QcpoJd4

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

OCEAN GARBAGE


A serious problem that does not come up as much as it should in the modern world is what we are doing to our oceans and marine life with all the plastic we dump in them. Do your research and write about the current situation, the reasons that things got so bad and the possible solutions.
Refer to my second blog, The Essay Archive, for sample essays: https://theessayarchive.blogspot.com.tr/  

Familiarize yourself with the issue:
·         NASA reveals how 35 years of garbage turned into ocean garbage patches http://www.takepart.com/video/2015/08/31/nasa-video-reveals-35-years-trash-turned-ocean-garbage-patches
Reading material to make notes on: The Problem

·         Ocean trash5.25 Trillion Pieces and Counting, but Big Questions Remain

·         The great Pacific garbage patch http://education.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/ 
Reading material to make notes on: Solutions
·         The ocean clean up http://www.theoceancleanup.com/ 
·         To clean up ocean plastics, focus on coasts… http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/newsandeventspggrp/imperialcollege/newssummary/news_18-1-2016-15-59-52   
·         Could we clean up the greatest Pacific garbage patch?  http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/clean-up-garbage-patch.htm
Videos to watch and make notes on:
·         Solution to the great Pacific garbage patch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljrbtYlku-k
·         Great Pacific garbage patch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXKpqHtkmHw
·         Tales from the ocean’s garbage patch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEvXUp44DDI
·         The clean oceans project https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRTA0QSdFd4