Unit 4: Work Samples

All High School Students, You will have to complete two work samples this semester one written and one which is a speech.  The written requirement will be taken from one of your submitted project essays this semester, but this assignment will be your speech.
All high school students are required to give three speeches before they graduate. The three types of speeches are persuasive, informative and impromptu. Both persuasive and informative can be recorded and turned in as a media file and if you have a school computer, you have a microphone built into the computer and will be able to record that way. "Audacity" is a free program found online that you could use in conjunction with your microphone, and turn in your speech that way.
If you would prefer to give your speech in person, get in touch with me or set up an appointment and we'll figure out a time. Impromptu speeches must be given in person.
Check with your mentor!
What speeches have you given and what speeches do you need to give in order to graduate? You are more than welcome to use an essay written for this class and turn it into a speech. If you have written an informative essay and would like to receive credit for an informative speech, this is where to do this! If you have written a persuasive essay and would like to turn that into a persuasive speech, do so here! Get those graduation requirements out of the way, and do so by recording your speech.
If you don't need a speech, then don't worry about the special project. Speeches will be worth 100 points. Giving a speech would certainly help your grade if you need to give one.
Test your voice recording availability through the control panel> sounds and audio devices>voice> test hardware
While recording your work in Audacity, make sure to save your file as a wave.file or I will not be able to upload your work.

Unit 3 Project

There will be no Unit 3 project for your class. Your Unit 4 project will be your CIM submission. Use this time to catch up in your course and let me know in the box how many assignments you have that are overdue for your class with me. -Mr. Ellsberg

End of Summer Semester.

Students,
You have until Friday to complete all work in Summer classes.  Please contact me ASAP if you have any questions!
Good Luck,
Mr. Ellsberg

17 Days Left

Summer School Students, you have until July 29th to complete all assignments.  Please get in contact with me if you have any questions.  Good Luck!
Mr. Ellsberg

Summer School

Welcome to Summer School at GBWA, It's great to have you in class!  I'm Mr. Ellsberg your High-School Social Studies teacher.  If you need have any questions about the class that are not answered below please contact me at ellsberg@gbwebacademy.org or my phone 503-893-5788.  Here are some trouble shooting tips made by our Health/PE teacher Ms. Calhoun:

1.)  This is an 18 week class.  But you are taking it as a summer class, and are consequently squishing it into 5 weeks.  Therefore, you will need to commit to spending at least  3-4 solid hours of work on this class a day.    With busy summer schedules, you will need to manage your time wisely if you wish to finish the summer term successfully.  If you are taking more than 1 class, prepare to commit ANOTHER 3-4 hours on each class you are enrolled in per day.

2.)  Remember, your teachers are not available on campus during summer term.  You can reach me by phone, message center, or email.  Please also remember that I try my hardest to answer all questions within 24 hours, but that it is unlikely that I will be able to work in that time frame over the weekends.

3.)  If you have a question, you need to get it answered as soon as possible.  Remember, you only have 5 weeks to finish your work.  Do not waste your time, or wait until later to ask your questions.  Ask them as they come up.

4.)  You have 5 opportunities to take each test.  Please note that the LAST score you submit will be the one entered into the gradebook.  The system does NOT take the best score out of five.  Once you earn a grade that you are satisfied with, move on.

5.)  Hit the ground running.  If you haven't already done so, take 20 minutes to organize yourself.  Write in an agenda, or a planner.  Mark assignments on your calendars.  Print out the course schedule (available on the left hand menu column, under "Schedule & Syllabus").  Divide up your assignments so that you are tackling a few every day.  Ask your family for help if you find yourself overwhelmed.  You need to have a plan to get through these next five weeks- and now is the best time to make one.

For those of you who are ready to take the Exams remember you only get one chance! The passcodes (cap sensitive) are as follows:
American History:          Lincoln, Washington
Economics:         m$n$y
American Government:          Obama09

Good Luck!
Mr. Ellsberg

Deadlines and Finals

As we get closer to the last day of classes for the school year some of you will have to take an end of semester exam.  Only after you have completed all assigned work for the class will you be eligible to take the Final Test.  If you are enrolled in an American History, Government, or Economics class you will have to set up a time to come take the final.
On another related note, Seniors will have until the 3rd to complete all assignments and all other students will have until the 16th at 12am.  Please contact your mentor at the Web Academy if you have any questions about upcoming dates and requirements.
Thank you,
Mr. Ellsberg

Should we cut taxes, or increase them?

Here is an interesting infographic about taxes in America.  What do you think about the message it's trying to convey about taxes in America? Entire Link Here

Homework: Talk to someone about this Milestone.

Monday night marked an important event in what many call "The War On Terror".  A US group of Navy Seal's infiltrated a home 90 miles north of the Pakistani Capital and after a fire fight killed Osama Bin Laden among 4 others.
What does this mean to you?
to the US?
Terrorists?
Pakistan?
the World?
I would like you to strike up a conversation with a parent or friend about this event then if you like, leave a comment below.  Click Here for the BBC's coverage.

Deadlines and Summer Class Opportunities.

All students should be completed with work up to week 12, Friday the 29th in all classes with Mr. Ellsberg as a teacher. As per beginning of the semester:
Deadlines will be implemented in all of my classes after every 6 week interval. So all work has to be completed up to that date to get credit. Students who have not completed work will receive a "0" for those assignments. If there is a conflicting issue please get in contact with me ASAP. ellsberg@gbwebacademy.org
This does not mean that your final grade for this assignment is a 0, in fact you can still submit that assignment, quiz or test.  The rub is that you have to contact me after you completed ALL post-deadline assignments to remove the 0 for those assignments.  Until that time the grade will stay as is in your grade book.
Summer School
Students who are eligible for High School Credit Recovery Classes can take them through the Web Academy.  You can access that Application Form Here. Remember All courses will cost 100$ per course (which you have to pay within a week of sign up, no exceptions), and you have to supply your own computer and internet access.  The seating is limited to 47 students for the entire program so sign up early!

Energy: Something to Ponder

Energy, whether it be fossil fuels, solar, nuclear, wind, wave or hydro-electric is a necessity for our current lifestyle needs and required for any type of large scale production.  Here is an enlightening chart made by the Lawernce Livermore Natural Labratory that shows US energy efficiency, or how much energy we use compared to how much energy we waste.  In 2009 the energy produced in the US was used 46% of the time, while 54% was rejected (or was not used).  This may seem a bit confusing as we continue to look for new ways to produce energy at the cost of Mountain tops, River Systems, and Entire Regions, just to name a few of the bigger issues.  Large scale projects have a greater chance to be inefficient than those that are on a smaller scale.  Like getting solar panels or a wind turbine for your house or one town would be more efficient than one dam for Oregon.  Just as a local government is more likely to find the best ways to use funds to support their own community than the Federal Government could.  Comment below with your thoughts!

What should you know about Inequality?

Well for one the US has the second highest child poverty rate in the world! Only coming in second to Mexico.  That by the way, is not a good thing.  Check out this infographic about inequality in the US completed with information from The Center for the Study of Poverty and Inequality at Stanford University.

New Phone

I have a new phone number!  You can reach me at (503) 893-5788 schooldays from 9am-4pm.

Back to School: Updates, here and theres.

Welcome back from (what I hope was) a refreshing break to the Web Academy.  A friend and I got to visit some of our oldest North American Residents on Vancouver Island in BC, Canada.
Make sure that you set up an appointment for your mentor meeting for the month of April with your Mentor this week!  It is critical that you, your parent and your mentor are all on the same page and understand your current academic plan.
Economics Students should have begun their monitoring of stocks in the Research project.
History Students should be starting their Writing Narrative Essential Skill Work Sample.
Government Students should be thinking about their Writing Persuasive Essential Skill Work Sample.
And 7th Grade students should be starting their Community Service Assignment.
This weeks Documentary Club will look at the lives and art of B-Boy's in Planet B-Boy.  Click here for your Parent Permission Form.
Please get in contact with your teachers or your Mentor if you have any questions, issues or concerns.  There are no insignificant questions!

Nuclear Threat

As the Crisis worsens at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in Japan may are reflecting on our own use of Nuclear Power and the viability of future reliance on this power source.  I found this very interesting infographic which looks at the cost of human life and energy sources worldwide.
Something to ponder over the break.

Spring Break!

Our Spring Break will start tomorrow at 4pm, SWEET!  For many of you this means a break from studies, for others a time to catch up, others still a time to get ahead.  I will be available sparringly as I will be "conquering the usless" from here to Canada and back again.  Please refer to the previous posts for information about classes and assignments.  Big things on the horizon at the Web Academy:

State Testing

High School Essential Skills Work Samples

7th grade Community Service Project (Social Studies)

Admissions and Campus Tours at some of our Finest State Universities.

Please get in contact with me if you have any time sensitive questions that the website cannot answer!
Have a wonderful week!
Mr. Ellsberg

Grades and Reports

Your progress reports were sent out last night.  Hopefully you noticed that all due assignments were allotted a 0 in "My Grades" if they were not submitted before Monday. Unless you contacted me with your individual education plan that you set up with your mentor.   
This does not mean that your final grade for this assignment is a 0, in fact you can still submit that assignment, quiz or test.  The rub is that you have to contact me after you completed ALL post-deadline assignments to remove the 0 for those assignments.  Until that time the grade will stay as is in your grade book.

Two noticeable worrisome trends that I saw were:
-Students waiting until the deadline (Friday) to contact me.
-Students and Parents failing to check their email (or class announcements) on a daily basis, or using their email at all.

A few ways to prevent falling victim to these are:
Parents and Students; Get an email that you can use only for school then send us that address Click Here For Survey.  Then check that every school day, and contact each teacher once a week to check in.
Check your announcements on a daily basis.
Send your teachers a message if you have a question about any query that you may have.
Finally, but most importantly!
Finish your work when it is due in the schedule and if you can't do that let us know.

This may be confusing for some of you, but lets be happy you get another change and that it did not occur at the end of the semester ~ 6/11.
Some more good advice.

Extra Credit: Documentary Club! (Download Permission Slip)

DOWNLOAD PERMISSION SLIP HERE
180 South will be shown Thursday March 17th at 11am for Extra Credit. Big waves, Big rocks, and one Big adventure describes this cross continental trip filmed in 2006. In an effort to promote attendance we will be diverging from the usual less glamorous subjects of Union plight, Deaf culture, and Women suffrage etc. to a more palatable subject: travel. Check out the description and amazing website:
Inspired by Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins' 1968 excursion into Patagonia, adventurer Jeff Johnson sets out to retrace the footsteps of his heroes' arduous trek as filmmaker Chris Malloy follows with camera in hand. But despite the thrill of surfing the biggest wave he's ever encountered, Johnson quickly discovers just how treacherous things can get when you decide to challenge Mother Nature's majesty; in addition to enduring some particularly rough waters just off the coast of Easter Island, he quickly discovers that conquering Cerro Corcovado is no simple task. Later, during a face-to-face meeting with Chouinard and Tompkins, Johnson learns how their lifelong quest to explore everything that nature has to offer eventually lead them on a drive to ensure that the places they visited over the years will be preserved for future generations of explorers to discover.

Companies giving taxes an Irish goodbye?

Here is an interesting infographic showing how companies are evading our High Income Tax which is costing the American people billions and likely trillions. Click here for full transparency.

Upcoming Deadlines

All students should be completed with work up to week 6, Friday the 11th in all classes with Mr. Ellsberg as a teacher. As per beginning of the semester:
Deadlines will be implemented in all of my classes after every 6 week interval. So all work has to be completed up to that date to get credit. Students who have not completed work will receive a "0" for those assignments. If there is a conflicting issue please get in contact with me ASAP. ellsberg@gbwebacademy.org

6 week deadline.

Your 6 week deadline will be March 11th at 4pm.   This means that you have to complete all assignments up to that date in your syllabus.  If you have a reason(s) that you will not be able to meet this deadline you have to meet with me at the Academy or send an email with your explanation(s).

The following is a list of chapters you have to be completed with in the corresponding class:

American Government: Chapter 3 (Principles)

American History B: Chapter 2 (From the age of Extremes to a World Power)

Economics: Unit 4, Section 2 quiz

Geography B: Eastern Asia, Physical Characteristics and Systems of Eastern Asia

6th Grade

-Math: Classify and Measure Angles

-Social Studies: Ancient Rome: Christianity

7th Grade

-Math: Quadrilaterals and Other Polygons

-Social Studies: World War II

8th Grade

-Math: Polygons

-Social Studies: Reconstruction