Lesson Review          1 ASE Morning                    March 2005

Thursday, March 31, 2005             9 Learners present.                                                  3.25 hours

  --   Development of comprehension strategies (Reading)    The immense differences in orders of magnitude in

our universe (Measurement, Magnitude, and Models) READING - Locate, understand & interpret written

information in prose and documents (manuals, graphs, and schedules) (Basic Skills)

Electromagnetic Radiation

We started with a "Board Discussion" recalling what we already knew about the electromagnetic

spectrum.

Then Luz had an article about the visible part of that spectrum (daylight) which we read as a group.

Finally, we got a start on the GED book exercises which people had requested.

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Wednesday, March 30, 2005         12 Learners present.                                                 3.25 hours

  --      Compute with whole numbers, fractions, decimals & integers using appropriate algorithms and a variety

 of techniques (Number Relationships & Computation)  MATHEMATICS - Perform basic computations;

approach practical problems by choosing from a variety of math techniques (Basic Skills)

Multiplication Exercises:

We did a warm up (random multiplication facts including some "algebraic"/division problems).  Then

we did a Timed "Minute Math" exercise, followed by another set of multiplication facts expressed

algebraically.  Then we did some very difficult multiplication problems prepared by Nick.

(ANYTHING time zero = zero)

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Tuesday, March 29, 2005               8 Learners present.                                                  3.25 hours

  --Complexity of managing and resolving conflict (Conflict & Resolution)     Recognize there is not always a

"right" answer (Critical Thinking)   LISTENING - Receive, attend to interpret & respond to verbal messages

and other cues (Basic Skills)

Unplanned Discussion on the Schiavo Case

Some people wanted to know why the President or the Governor of Florida were not stepping in to

help Terry.

We tried to connect that question to issues like "Rule of Law", "Separation of Powers", "Federalism"

and "Limited Government"

Other questions that arose: "What makes any life support system "ARTIFICIAL"?  "What is a living

will?" and "What is a 'health care proxy'?"  "What is a persistent vegetative state?" and "What can

people in those states 'think' or 'feel'?.   Another big question is "What makes a marriage valid?"

Nina also introduced some fun word games as a segue between the Group Activity and Individual

Learning Time.

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Monday, March 28, 2005               12 Learners present.                                                 3.25 hours

  --  Awareness of rules for grammar and mechanics (Writing) Development of comprehension strategies

(Reading)     WRITING - Communicate thoughts, ideas & information in writing; Create documents (letters,

directions, reports, graphs) (Basic Skills)

Parallel Structures

"Parallel Structures" refers to using the SAME grammatical structures to show that different ideas (or

items) in a sentence have equal importance.   Using the same grammatical forms for similar items in a

sentence makes that sentence smoother to read.

 

(By popular demand, we worked out of the GED book today during Group Time.  It is good to do that

once in a while so that people have a better idea of how to use that book.  The book is NOT really

designed for Group Activities.  It IS designed as a self study guide.  The book is NOT designed to

teach "NEW" material to someone although it can be a good introduction or a good "brush up".   People

 SHOULD work from the GED book during Individual Learning Time, but some Group Time can be

used to answer questions that come up from GED item practice.)

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Thursday, March 24, 2005             8 Learners present.                                                  3.25 hours

  --       How creating and using order and organization tools help solve life problems (Order and Organization)

 READING - Locate, understand & interpret written information in prose and documents (manuals, graphs,

and schedules) (Basic Skills)

Discoveries of Electromagnetic Radiation

We struggled with a lot of reading about historical discoveries of various forms of electromagnetic

radiation (radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, x rays, gamma rays, etc.)

We had a crossword to help review vocabulary and concepts, and the class had to construct their own

Word Bank.

During Individual Learning Time quite a few people continued on with the crossword puzzle or found

more information about electromagnetic radiation on the web.

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Wednesday, March 23, 2005         8 Learners present.                                                  3.25 hours

  --      Compute with whole numbers, fractions, decimals & integers using appropriate algorithms and a variety

 of techniques (Number Relationships & Computation)  MATHEMATICS - Perform basic computations;

approach practical problems by choosing from a variety of math techniques (Basic Skills)

Math:  Minute Multiplication and Cross Multiplication

Started with some multiplication warm-ups and drills. 

Then went over some basic Algebra concepts and cross multiplication.

Jason B.  Asked people to sign advocacy cards to protect Section 8 subsidies. These cards will be sent

 to Governor Romney and to Senator Gregg in New Hampshire.

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Tuesday, March 22, 2005               13 Learners present.                                                 3.25 hours

  --How individuals and groups interact with and impact systems (Systems)  Express thoughts in writing

(Writing)      REASONING - Discover rules/principles underlying relationships between various objects &

apply them to problem solving (Thinking Skills)

The Arguments Against Taxation.

"Is government taxation of private individuals and corporations nothing more than legalized theft?"

 

Most people actually agreed that taxation was theft either because they believed:

            1. Taking anything that's not yours without permission is theft

or

            2. When the government has your money they will always waste too much of it, be taken advantage of

             by fraud, or be corrupt themselves

 

Some people tried to make the argument that there are circumstances where people need help and the

government should provide it. Others said that without police, there would be too much chaos and

bloodshed on the streets.

 

The classic Jeffersonian argument against taxation is that:

            3. taxation  merely increases the power of government which can then threaten the freedoms of

            private individuals and corporations

 

a related argument is:

            4. When government spends your tax money it will make the people or businesses that benefit

            dependent on that money.  (Dependence is the opposite of independence - or freedom.)

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Monday, March 21, 2005               13 Learners present.                                                 3.25 hours

  --  Write at greater length in response to a topic or question (Writing)      WRITING - Communicate thoughts,

ideas & information in writing; Create documents (letters, directions, reports, graphs) (Basic Skills)

Writing:

People were handed a collection of classifications systems (continuums, spectrums, lists . . . Relating

to History, Science and Math)) used in this class.  Another classification system about people was put

on the board.  ("Some people make things happen. Some people watch things happen.  Other people

wonder what happened")

 

The writing prompt was:  "Does this classification system help you understand the world and your

place in it?  What might be a better classification system?"

 

(Tim also distributed a survey on Bush's budget cuts)

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Thursday, March 17, 2005             10 Learners present.                                                     2 hours

  --   Development of comprehension strategies (Reading)     READING - Locate, understand & interpret written

information in prose and documents (manuals, graphs, and schedules) (Basic Skills)

Reading Strategies:

1. Reviewing vocabulary list - if available

2. Examining pictures and diagrams

3. Reading the introduction and conclusion (first and last paragraphs)

We had a long, complicated reading on electromagnetic fields and radiation.  We got through it with

lots of good comments, explanations, and analogies.  Of course, nobody understood everything. 

(Unfortunately, some people preferred to focus on distractions . . . )

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Wednesday, March 16, 2005         9 Learners present.                                                  3.25 hours

  --      Compute with whole numbers, fractions, decimals & integers using appropriate algorithms and a variety

 of techniques (Number Relationships & Computation)  MATHEMATICS - Perform basic computations;

approach practical problems by choosing from a variety of math techniques (Basic Skills)

Minute Multiplication:

Reviewing multiplication facts and practicing for retention.  (Also dealing with a little time pressure.) 

Everybody did there best with most people having pretty good control of multiplication facts although

they needed more time.

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Tuesday, March 15, 2005               8 Learners present.                                                  3.25 hours

  --        

Free speech

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Monday, March 14, 2005               10 Learners present.                                                 3.25 hours

  --  Acquire more organizational strategies (Writing)      WRITING - Communicate thoughts, ideas &

information in writing; Create documents (letters, directions, reports, graphs) (Basic Skills)

Writing:

Making lists as a way to plan essays.

In response to an essay question people were asked to generate at least three lists before starting to

write.  Lists could be words, phrases, associations, facts, questions, etc.

Not everybody tried the list technique, but everyone did their best to write a lot.

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Thursday, March 10, 2005             12 Learners present.                                                 3.25 hours

  --      Represent and use numbers in a variety of equivalent forms and in order relations (Number Relationships

 & Computation)  MATHEMATICS - Perform basic computations; approach practical problems by choosing

from a variety of math techniques (Basic Skills)

Math: Converting Mixed Numbers to Improper Fractions:

Jason started the class by reading a news story about a ruling in a "DNA test" motion in a local murder

 case.

 

We went over definitions of proper fractions, mixed numbers, and improper fractions with students

encouraged to generate additional and alternative definitions for each term.

Example:  a proper fraction is a "value less than one" OR a proper fraction is a "fraction whose

denominator is greater than its numerator"

People were very eager to demonstrate the conversion steps and some checked their work by

converting the improper fractions back to mixed numbers (learning or reviewing how to turn the

remainder into a numerator using the divisor as the denominator)

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Tuesday, March 08, 2005               13 Learners present.                                                 3.25 hours

  --  Express thoughts in writing (Writing) Interpret Charts & Graphs (Reading)  Recognize a speaker's point of

 view (Critical Thinking)   INTERPRET & COMMUNICATE INFORMATION (Information (Acquiring and

Behind the Budget Cuts.

A "Neoconservative" revolution can be used to account for a trend of developments behind President

George W.. Bush's recent budget proposals.

A reasonably educated person is able to look at more than one side of any position - even when that

position is opposed to theirs.   What is going on right now in the US  is part of an even larger

progression of struggles between interest groups with different visions of America.  Most of these

differences have been settled reasonably peacefully with the drastic exception of The Civil War.

The class began with a discussion of the words "significant",  "adequate" and "oppose".  Then we

looked at words that might have significance for those who support or oppose the president's budget

proposals.  (Words like "Poverty", "Property", "Equality", "Education", "Social Justice" and "Freedom").

 

Then we looked at some graphs describing changes in income growth and distribution since 1947 and

some explanations of "Rule Changes" that explain some of these changes. These materials were take

from the "United for a Fair Economy" organization in Boston.

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Monday, March 07, 2005               15 Learners present.                                                 3.25 hours

  --  Express thoughts in writing (Writing)      WRITING - Communicate thoughts, ideas & information in

writing; Create documents (letters, directions, reports, graphs) (Basic Skills)

Writing:

Everyone got invitations to the March 24 Coffee House.

The writing prompts were: "Describe a time when you had difficulty explaining yourself or your

actions".  "Describe a time when you had trouble understanding someone else or their actions",

"Describe the most important goal you hope to achieve.  How will you recruit people to help you

accomplish this or give you recognition?"

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Thursday, March 03, 2005             10 Learners present.                                                 3.25 hours

  --Means and varieties of civic participation (Power, Authority, & Participation)   Development of

comprehension strategies (Reading)    Demonstrate an understanding of technology as a set of human

developed solutions to human problems () KNOW HOW TO LEARN - Use efficient learning techniques to

acquire & apply new knowledge & skills (Thinking Skills)

Energy and Electricity:

We went over last week's materials before doing more close reading on basic electrical safety

concepts.  There was a lot of good discussion and questions.

 

Luz also talked more about the Anti-Displacement Project.   There was not incredible enthusiasm for

inviting a spokesperson to talk about upcoming events relating to Federal budget priorities.

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Wednesday, March 02, 2005         12 Learners present.                                                 3.25 hours

  --     Recognize a speaker's point of view (Critical Thinking) Represent and use numbers in a variety of

equivalent forms and in order relations (Number Relationships & Computation)  LISTENING - Receive, attend

to interpret & respond to verbal messages and other cues (Basic Skills)

Equivalent Fractions:

We went over finding equivalent fractions (dividing or multiplying both the numerator and denominator

by the same number) and also had the opportunity to practice converting whole numbers and decimals

to fractions.

 

Discussion on Budget Cuts

Tim lead a very good discussion - and was even astute enough to give people a writing prompt and a

chance to do independent writing.  Luz followed up with a flyer announcing a meeting tonight at

Greenfield Gardens.  They both did a terrific job!

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