BP4 QTR4: Research and Interpretation-Geography

Location: 
Switzerland is in the middle of Europe, surrounded by France, Liechtenstein, Italy, Austria, and Germany at47° 00' North and 8° 00' East.

Area: Switzerland has an area of 41,277 sq km

Area-Comparative: 
The U.S. is  3.719 million mi squared and is the 3rd largest country in the world. Switzerland has and area of
15937 mi squared and is the 135th largest country in the world.
 

Land Boundaries: Switzerland's land boundries is 1,852 km Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Climate: The temperature in Switzerland is about 8.6 °C (47 °F) The highest monthly average of high temperature is 23 °C (73 °F) in July & August.The lowest monthly average of low temperature is -4 °C (25 °F) in January. Switzerland's climate gets about 986 mm (38.8 in) of rainfall per year, or 82 mm (3.2 in) per month.

Terrain:

 Switzerland has a hilly, mountainous  terrain, and with glacial, and lush, green growth. So Switzerland consists mostly of hills, lakes, mountain, and plain.

Natural Resources: Switzerland's natural resources are hydro-power potential, timber, salt

Land Use: 
arable land: 9.91%
permanent crops: 0.58%
permanent pastures:
forests and woodland:
other: 89.51%

Environment-Current Issues:Switzerlands currant enviorment issues include air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

Environment-International Agreements: Switzerland is involved with Biodiversity, Marine Life Conservation, Air Pollution, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Wetlands, Whaling, Tropical Timber, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Air Pollution-Sulphur, 
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants  Nuclear Test Ban, Law of the Sea, and Desertification.

Natural Hazards:  Switzerland could have many natural hazards like avalanches, landslides; and flash floods.


Cites- 
http://www.indexmundi.com/switzerland/natural_resources.html
http://www.climatetemp.info/switzerland/
http://www.mapsofworld.com/lat_long/switzerland-lat-long.html
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_terrain_of_Switzerland
http://www.indexmundi.com/switzerland/environment_current_issues.html
http://www.interopp.org/htm/env_agreements.htm

BP3 QTR4: Research and Interpretation-General Information

 

Country Name: My country is called the Swiss Confederation, or Switzerland.


Nationality: People in Switzerland are called Swiss (singular and plural).

Languages: In Switzerland, there are many different languages including- German, French, Italian, and Rumantsch.

Flag Description: The Switzerland flag is quite simple. It has a bright red back round, and in the middle is a white cross, or plus sign.


Background:  Have you ever heard the saying "I'm Switzerland!" Switzerland is a neutral country, meaning they don't pick sides between countries at war, so when people say that, they mean they won't pick sides during a fight or something. The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 and secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. Switzerland was not involved in either of the World Wars.  During World War I there was serious tension between the German, French, and Italian speaking parts of the country and Switzerland almost violated its neutrality but it managed to stay out of hostilities. Switzerland industrialized rapidly during the 19th century and by 1850 had become the second most industrialized country in Europe after Great Britain. Switzerland waited until 1963 to join the Council of Europe. Switzerland did not join the United Nations for many decades. Switzerland joined the Bretton Woods institutions in 1992, and then finally became a member of the United Nations in 2002.

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3431.htm
http://official-swiss-national-languages.all-about-switzerland.info/index.html
http://www.ed-u.com/country-names.htm


 

BP2 QTR4: UN Quick Write

  The United Nations is a very important group effecting almost every ones lives. The United Nations (U.N.) is made up of almost all of the countries in the world. The U.N. tries to maintain international peace, to try to get countries to be friendly with each other, and to try to solve international problems. The United Nations feels that, no matter how poor or small a country/nation is, it still has a voice and a has a say in the development of the world. The U.N. is still very important to our world today because it helps solve problems and is working towards peace.


   The U.N. holds regular meetings to talk about the world's most serious problems. Each member of the UN has a vote on the topic they are discussing. At the meetings, they decide and vote on the item of discussion. They try their best to work out the problems of the world and send help to the places of need. The UN tries to make peace as best as they can  because we all need to be kind to one another and help out to have a successful world. If we don't have kindness what do we have? Fighting and killing and war and uncontrollable madness. Who wants to live in a world like that? It's the UN's job to try to complete this mission. The UN is a much more effective group than the other group made to try to accomplish this task so it is very important today.

   The UN is just a group trying to get us to all get along. We all fight over stupid little things from who took the last cookie to who can have oil for their country. If we could just all get along i think the world would be a better place, and that's exactly what the UN is trying to do.

BP1 QTR4: Women's History Month

   In the document, it states that women are to fragile, or wouldn't care or need the right to vote. So because of the things men thought, women don't have opinions on something that could effect their life forever? Who ever came up with those ten reasons, I believe, couldn't come up with real answers other than, we just don't want them to. So they came up with false, bad reasons on why women shouldn't vote.
  
    In the cartoon shown on the document it shows a man sitting in a chair with his two children while his wife went off to vote, it shows the fear the men had if women got to vote. They thought they would be left home with the kids while the women went out to vote. I don't think they understood parenting was a job for both parents, not just throw it all on one parent. Have they ever thought how their wives felt when they were being left home with the kids?

    I have to say that not all of these reasons were terrible though. It was thought that once they got the right, they would relive the men of their voting duties. But women of that time didn't seem as self-absorbed as men then. I mean not wanting the women to vote so their gender could? Women wouldn't leave their spouse at home so they could do something. They would feel they all have the same amount of rights to vote. I think that was the mens main concern of women voting. I think the most far-fetched reason men gave were that women like rest and quiet, not political excitement. Most women would prefer excitement in their world other than a quite boring life.

   My thoughts are that men didn't want women to vote because their housing work would be all dumped on them. I hate how women were treated like them and this whole thing never would have happened if men had thought of other people besides themselves. I'm glad women finally got to vote so that now when i'm old enough i will be able to share my opinion, unlike many women before 1920's

   

BP4 QTR3: President's Day

     George Washington was no doubt a great president and helped our country greatly. Some people say that the holiday, Presidents Day, should be renamed- George Washington's Birthday. Washington was important but I feel the holiday's name should stay Presidents day for many reasons.

     George Washington once said- "The Constitution which at any time exists, 'till changed by an explicit and authentic act of the whole People, is sacredly obligatory upon all." Farewell Address, September 19, 1796. To me, it sounds like what he is trying to say is that he wasn't the only one who helped with the Constitution, it was an act made by everyone. It wasn't made in one day by one person, but by many people over a period of time. He shouldn't be the only one appreciated for the making of the U.S. but every one should.

    I understand why someone would want to rename the holiday, he was indeed an important man. "His example is now complete, and it will teach wisdom and virtue to magistrates, citizens, and men, not only in the present age, but in future generations, as long as our history shall be read." John Adams, Message to the U.S. Senate, December 19, 1799. This is saying that now he has set a good example for us all, and he has given wisdom to us all, but the example he set for us was that he didn't do everything himself it was a group effort.

    In conclusion, yes, it is Washington's birthday, yes he did do a lot for our country, but he didn't do it all. Many people worked to get what we have today. Not just Washington. He did so much for us but share the glory with the other presidents too who did work to help our country

BP3 QTR3: Children's March

    We watched the movie Childrens March a couple days ago in civics. The movie Childrens March is an inspiring movie stating that you can make a difference. It was a really interesting short movie. The blacks wanted to stop being treated different from the whites so they were finally going to stand up against them, not the adults like you would expect, but the kids. Childrens March is a true story that took place in Birmingham, nicknamed Bombing-ham because it was the most destructive city. It was also the most segregated city in the U.S. Blacks had different water fountains and they just weren't treated how a person should be. Whites paraded in white tanks, making them think that they were more powerful, and maybe making the blacks scared. But they had finally had enough.

     . Adults were scared to protest but the kids wanted to live a better life. They planned a big event using code over the radio to tell kids to meet in certain places. Shelly, told kids there was going to be a party in the park, but he really meant they were going to protest. The kids snuck out of school to participate. One of their teachers, Mrs. Goree helped the kids by turning her back so she couldn't see the students leave so neither of them would get in trouble. They all gathered at the church and they left in waves of 50 people, to make the cops waiting outside seem like they were the last, but what they didn't know was that as kids were leaving though the front, more were coming through the back door. The blacks were happy to go to jail because they knew they were making a change for the better. They were getting freedom. The firefighters got the fire-hose to try to get the crowd to disperse, so they sprayed it on them. Four men couldn't even hold it steady! Many kids ran fast but ten were left standing singing one word over and over again- Freedom. Why should ANYONE be treated this way? In jail they were happy and were singing about freedom. The jail was filthy but once someone was let out, they ran right back to the cop car so they could get back in.

      Kids of all ages were in the jail, the youngest at age four.Because they weren't afraid to go to jail or get hurt the whites had no power over them, because their fear was their weapon. The president at the time, Kennedy, felt sick when he saw the picture of what was happening over there. So he made a speech, saying that this was the end of segregation.  People may still be picked on because of their skin color, but now every one will be treated the same, no different water fountains, and no more having to sit in the back of the bus.

BP2 QTR3: Project Reflection

          For our final project, were visiting Starbucks and asking adults opinions on questions regarding economics and putting the results in an imovie. I thought it was a really neat and interesting idea, and most importantly, different from all the rest. I think what led us to choose this was the fact that no one else has really done something else like this before and we could defiantly learn a lot from this experience. It's something I was waiting to try out and I think it turned out great. We got great responses and I learned a lot from those people we interviewed.

            The project is unfolding really good for us because we went to Starbucks, and got great answers! It's turning out better than I actually expected and the more we add to it, the more excited I get. It was really easy getting answers from every one and the imovie has been easy so far too. We are ready to download the videos we made of the people we interviewed, and I learned a lot from them. I think whats working best for us is combining our ideas to make the best possible movie we can make. I'm really excited for the outcome, and i don't think we have too much more work to do since we already interviewed people and started our imovie.

               We are gathering our needed information by asking the people at Starbucks our questions concerning economics, and then doing some research online to decide which answers we got were best. Then we will need to cut the answers that didn't quite explain the question out from our movie. I think this is working really good for us, we just need to edit the interviews and then I think our movie will be pretty awesome. We are making it like a news broadcast and it looks so cool!

               When at Starbucks, I didn't expect such intelligent answers from some of the people we interviewed. We received very good feed back from everyone and they were glad to help. We didn't interview as many people as I would have liked to interview, but it will defiantly be enough to answer our questions thoroughly. We did have to change a few things from our original plan, like how were going to set up the movie and how we were going to ask the questions but I think they changed for the better.