The EXPO that blew minds wide open...

With the Jet Sustainability Expo receiving rave reviews from all audiences, it's now time to bring some closure to the sustainability inquiry. In order to express you own individual thoughts on your presentation and the night itself, I want you to write one last post that includes your experiences and thoughts concerning the following prompts:

• What did you feel about the product you produced?
• What did you learn? (This may not even be related to the topic of sustainability)
• What did you most enjoy about the culminating task?
• What did you least enjoy about the culminating task?
• How might have you performed better throughout the project development stage?
• What are some goals you have for the upcoming City Project?

This post must be at least 250 - 300 words and is due to be posted up on your blog by Monday 24th of October.

Australia - Isolated or Included???

Greeting from Downtown Malaysia Boys, it's hot here, damn hot!

I know all of you have been madly completing all of the set class work and your understanding and knowledge relating to Australia's economy is extensive. Over the last week you've explored the concept of Australia's dependence on its Primary Sector exports and the development of the Tertiary Sector during the last 20 years. Other aspects explored include Australia's Employment Sector and the important trade links with our neighbours which have paved the way for a prosperous and strong nation.


Your next reflection piece needs to include the following points:

• A detailed explanation of the Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sectors of the economy, including how these terms relate to Australia. List at least one industry in your reflection as an example for each sector.
• Describe how the concept of trade (import / export) and why is this economic procedure is so important for the future of our nation.
• Include anything that really interested you throughout the week, any statistics or ideas that are noteworthy.
• Discuss the concept of economic sustainability and how it could be (is???) achieved presently and in the future for Australia.  

This post must be approximately 200-250 words and ensure that sure you include an accurate word count at the end of your reflection.

This post is due to be published up on your blog by Monday 23rd August

PS. I'm still checking your blogs and I'll Chris know who needs to stay back on Monday night. So... DO IT!

Horses for Sources...

As a follow up to our current session on energy sources, I want you to publish a blog entry that outlines your opinions on renewable and non-renewable energy sources. 
You task is to choose your top three preferred sources of energy that take into account the following aspects:

• Landscape - Australia
• Renewable / Non-renewable
• Cost / Affordability
• Sustainability
• Environmental Impact
• Output / Productivity

In completing this blog post it's important that you refer to the worksheet that was completed this week in class.

The post must be approximately 250-300 words in length and contain an accurate word count at the end of the reflection.

This post is due to be posted up on your blog by Monday 16th August

Did Somebody Say Steak?

Throughout this week we have been looking at the notion of virtual water and how this concept relates to sustainability. 

Your next reflection piece needs to highlight your understanding on the topic and express your own personal views on the notion of virtual water. 

This post needs to be approximately 300 words and some prompts to get you thinking about these ideas include:

• What is this idea all about?
• How does the concept relate to you and the rest of the world?
• What are your own personal thoughts about the concept of virtual water? 
• Do you believe there are any inconsistencies within the concept? Does it have merit?
• Will it change the way you think about buying certain products and eating specific food types?

Make sure you include an accurate word count at the end of your reflection.

This post is due to be posted up on your blog by Friday 2nd August

Watch where you tread...

The Ecological Footprint is a data-driven metric that tells us how close we are to the goal of sustainable living. Footprint accounts work like bank statements, documenting whether we are living within our ecological budget or consuming nature’s resources faster than the planet can renew them.

After completing the web-based quiz, as well as the other relevant activities, you are required to share your understandings of this concept on your blog.

In your blog post make sure you include your reflections (approximately 300 words) on the following prompts:

• Do we all have the same sized Ecological Footprints?

• What have you found out relating to how Ecological Footprints differ?

• What effects the size of the Ecological Footprint?

• What are some practical things we can all do to reduce our Ecological Footprint?

Make sure you include an accurate word count at the end of your reflection.

This post is due to be posted up on your blog by Friday 30th July

A Few Home Truths

After viewing the film 'An Inconvenient Truth', I want you to publish a blog entry that demonstrates your understanding and thoughts on the important ideas and concepts within the film.

Some questions that may prompt your thoughts (approx. 300-350 words) could include:

• What was the argument Al Gore was putting forward?
• What were your thoughts about the Al Gore's argument? Is it convincing? Why or why not?
• What information presented in the film particularly interested/startled/worried you?
• What are your own personal thoughts about the issue of global warming?
• Why does this issue matter?
• What are the obstacles we need to overcome in order to make a change?
• Is the issue of global warming or climate change a 'lost cause'? Why or why not?
• What do you think could be done (on an individual, community and industrial level) about the issue of global warming?

****I want you to include an accurate word count of your reflection at the bottom of your post***  

This post is due to be published on you blog by Friday 23rd July

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The Lorax - "Unless..."

The first reflection piece relates to the Dr Suess story, 'The Lorax' and how this tale relates to the concept of sustainability and the impact humans have on the environment we live in. After reading the novel and watching the animated cartoon your first task is to write a 200 - 250 word reflection using the following prompts:

• How does this tale relate to the concept of sustainability?
• What issues surrounding sustainability and the environment does the story deal with?
• Are the ideas and themes within the story relevant in today's society?
• What do you believe is the main message behind the story?

This post is due to be published up on your blog by Monday 19th July

Is Life on Earth Sustainable?

Our big question for the term is, "Is Life on Earth Sustainable?" This will be explored and evaluated by investigating four key questions:

1) Have past and current human behaviours affected our chances of survival?
2) What are the current issues that need to be considered?
3) In what ways is a sustainable future possible?
4) How do individuals’ choices, decisions and actions impact on the world?


Similarly to last term, you will be using your own personal Inquiry blog to show your understanding on the key concepts covered in our Inquiry sessions.

Why Explore? The Culminating Task

It's now time for you to tell us about the way people have engaged in exploration and the impact this concept has had on our lives and the world we live in.

There are three parts to this culminating task:

1.  A 1750 – 2000 word essay explaining your thoughts on exploration and its impact on our lives / world.

2.  An oral presentation to an audience of parents and other students, where you will explain your point of view. This will be spoken (notes can be used) and should be about 5 minutes long. You will also have to answer questions from the audience.

3.  An audio-visual component which will help you explain your presentation to your audience. This will need to be a PowerPoint presentation.

Due Dates:

• Essay Plan – Monday 7th June
• First Draft – Tuesday 15th June
• Final Essay – Monday 21st June
• Oral Presentation – 22 June or 23 June (in the evening)

The Telescope, The ISS & Space Exploration

Since the invention of the telescope by Galileo in 1609, our perception of the universe has siginificantly changed. Edwin Hubble built upon this idea and created and even more powerful instrument that discovered countless stars, planets and galaxies.

The International Space Station is an internationally developed satellite currently being assembled in Low Earth Orbit. Primarily a research laboratory, the ISS offers an advantage over spacecraft such as NASA's Space Shuttle because it is a long-term platform in the space environment, where extended studies into medicine, the human anatomy, buidling materials and construction materials take place.  

For the next task I want you to complete a 300 word reflection that discusses the following points:

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   Explain the invention of the telescope and how it is related to the concept of exploration?
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   What does the International Space Station allow us to explore?

This post is due to be published up on your blog by Monday 7th of June.

Burke & Wills: An Australian Expedition

In 1860-61 Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills led an expedition of 19 men with the intention of crossing Australia from Melbourne in the south to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north, a distance of around 3,250 kilometres. At that time most of the inland of Australia had not been explored by non-indigenous people and was completely unknown to the European settlers.

The south-north leg was successfully completed (except they were stopped by swampland 5 kilometres from the northern coastline) but owing to poor leadership and bad luck, both of the expedition's leaders died on the return journey. Altogether, seven men lost their lives, and only one man, John King, travelled the entire expedition and returned alive to Melbourne.

Using th concepts covered in class I want you to post your thoughts in a reflection piece on the following questions:

• What were some of the important features (includng equipment, technology and transportation) of a typical Australian overland explorer in the 1800's?
• How did the story of Burke and Wills unfold? Who do you think was to blame and what could have been done differently?
• What does this story tell you about early Australian exploration?

Your overall post that addresses the questions outlined above must be at least 350 words.

This post is due to be published up on your blog by Friday 4th of June.

The Industrial Revoltion - Exploration & Invention

The Industrial Revolution, which began in England, was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when the life of ordinary people was changed dramatically forever. It was a time of numerous inventions, so industry developed so fast that society could barely keep up.

Using the concepts covered in class and the websites below I want you to post your thoughts on the following questions:

• How does the concept of exploration relate to the Industrial Revolution?
• Who were the people that explored in this period of time? (This may not be exploration in the travelling sense, more so in relation to inventions)
• What was a significant invention in the Industrial Revolution that had a major impact or influence on the 18th 19th Century society?
• What was the impact of the exploration and invention of machines on everyday life in England throughout the Industrial Revolution?

Here are some websites you may want to use:

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/domestic_system.htm
http://www.nettlesworth.durham.sch.uk/time/victorian/vindust.html

http://www.schoolshistory.org.uk/IndustrialRevolution/womenandchildren.htm

http://nhs.needham.k12.ma.us/cur/Baker_00/2002_p7/ak_p7/childlabor.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/4132/info.htm

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/transport_1750_to_1900.htm

Factories:

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/factories_industrial_revolution.htm

Inventions and developments in the cotton industry:

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/cotton_industrial_revolution.htm

Coal mining:

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/coal_mines_industrial_revolution.htm

Child labour in the Industrial Revolution: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/children_industrial_revolution.htm

Living conditions in industrial towns:

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/industrial_revolution_towns.htm

Your overall post that addresses the questions outlined above must be at least 350 words.

This post is due to be published up on your blog by Friday 28th of May.

The Renaissance - 'The Quest for Knowledge and Answers'

"Renaissance," French for "rebirth," perfectly describes the intellectual and economic changes that occurred in Europe from the fourteenth through the sixteenth centuries.

During the era known by this name, Europe emerged from the economic stagnation of the Middle Ages and experienced a time of financial growth. Also, and perhaps most importantly, the Renaissance was an age in which artistic, social, scientific, and political thought turned in new directions.

Your next post requires you to go to the following website:

http://www.renaissanceconnection.org/index2.cfm

Once you have entered the website you must complete the following steps to get to the timeline needed for this activity.

1. Enter the website.
2. Watch the introduction to the website if you like (it's quite quirky), it does provide you with a summary of the Renaissance period.
3. Click on the 'Art Explorer' link.
4. You should know the answer to the question that is asked about the Renaissance, (if you don't the answer it is ALL OF THE ABOVE)
5. Click 'Continue', you should then arrive at the 'Art Explorer' Timeline.

Now you should be at the relevant timeline needed to complete the following tasks. These tasks need to be completed in ONE post on your blog:

• Summarise 'The Quest for Knowledge' and 'Everyday Life' under the stated headings. These summaries need to be approximately 100 words.
• Choose one icon relating to 'Arts / Architecture' and one icon for 'Science / Technology' and write a 100 word summary about the painting, invention, discovery, ideas, etc.
  

Remember: These summaries all need to be in ONE post on your blog with headings.

This post is due to be published up on your blog by Friday 21st of May.

Leonardo da Vinci - Discovery, Invention, Creation and Exploration

After watching the documentary 'Leonardo da Vinci - Dangerous Liasons' write a 300 word summary addressing the following questions.

Leonardo da Vinci often pushed the boundaries in order to pursue his passions and his interests. What were some of the things da Vinci was exploring in the 15th and 16th centuries, sometimes 400 years prior to anyone else making these same discoveries? Considering that most of his notes were lost for several hundred years, what impact do you think these ideas and innovations had on European civilization, if any?

This post is due to be published up on your blog by Friday 15th of May

Explore, Conquer & Colonise

Using the information from our previous Inquiry sessions concerning the consequences of exploration and the impact of colonisation, I want you to write a 200 word reflection explaining your thoughts and ideas on the topic. You could include information about a number of ideas in your reflection, even the work you have completed today on on the Spanish army conquering the Aztecs.

In order to get you thinking (again!) about these concepts, use the work we completed in class (mix and match image analysis) surrounding the impact of colonisation on indigenous people. This work should be located in your individually labelled plastic pocket.

This post is due to be published up on your blog by Friday 7th of May

Initial Thoughts on Exploration

Welcome to the wide world of blogging!

As your initial post I want you to think about and reflect on the following key Inquiry question:

* Why Explore?

We have completed a number of tasks and discussed this Inquiry question throughout a number of sessions.

Your first task is to write a 150 word summary or reflection on the concepts we have covered in class that specifically relate to this key question.

This first post is due to be published on your blog on Friday 30th of April