Web assignments

September 2003



ASSIGNMENT 1

Private schools

Group work
40 minutes

[Linked to: Dancing to the tune of segregation]

You read about 'seg academies' in this issue of Alquin magazine. In this assignment, you'll learn more about what's left of seg academies and private schools.


Part A

Go to: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/8103/betterthanvouchers.html

This is an article that appeared in the Atlanta Journal last year. The article mentions a system of vouchers that refund parents who want to send their children to a private school. President Bush is in favour of introducing these vouchers, because everyone should have the opportunity to send their child to a private school, in order to receive better tuition. However, the writer doubts the president's good intentions.

Read the article and try to answer the following questions in your group.
1. In what way should vouchers make private schooling possible for all children?
2. Why does the author doubt that this is the case?
3. What will be the effects of the vouchers according to the author?
4. Why don't children's marks improve when they move from a state school to a private school?
5. What should be done if the government really wants to improve education?


Part B

In the article you have just read, the writer comments on the high fees of private schools in Atlanta. Now, go to: http://privateschool.about.com/library/weekly/aa060198.htm. Here, you will find a list of private schools in Atlanta. Every group member should select one school (choose one with an active link or you will have to do additional research on your own) and fill in the following form:

 
School: 
Who are admitted?  
Fees (for 10th grade)  
For which ages is the school?  
Founded in:  
Why was the school founded?  
What's the uniform like?  
What's attractive about the school?  
What's not so attractive about the school?  
What subjects are taught you don't get at your present school?  

Compare your table with those of the other students in your group. What differences are there between the schools?

To which school would you most like to go? Why? Which school would you not like to attend at all? Why not?

Why do you think some of the schools have uniforms? Would you mind wearing a uniform to school?

Discuss these questions in your group, and make notes on your conclusions.





ASSIGNMENT 2

How the West was won

Individual / Group work
40 minutes

 Part A

1. Go to www.ghosttowns.com. On this page, you can find information about ghost towns in the United States and Canada.

2. Click on "Learn How to Ghost Town" at the right side of the website and read the first paragraph "Just what is a ghost town?" Explain in your own words what three kind of ghost towns there are, according to this paragraph.

3. Then scroll down and click on "How to take pictures of ghost towns?" Read the first part of the text, till the guidelines and answer the following questions in your own words:
a. Why is it so important to take a lot of pictures?
b. Under what circumstances might it be better to use a regular camera instead of a digital camera?
c. What type of film do you think a slide film is? Why would it be so difficult to get it scanned?
d. What does the ($$$) after slide scanner indicate?
e. Why would viewers run the risk of getting nauseous from watching ghost town videos that are shot without tripod?

4. Now, look at the top of the homepage. You'll see you can select a province (Canada) or state (United States) to see which ghost towns are present in that region. Choose one province or state and take a look at the list of ghost towns available in your area. Click on some of the ghost towns you'd like to know more about before selecting one ghost town you specifically like for some reason. Some ghost towns can be pretty recent, some of them don't have any remnants, sometimes there's only a road sign left to indicate that there used to be a town.

5. Write down the name and the state or province of the ghost town you've selected. Then, write down what is still left of the ghost town, summarise what is written about the town and what you can see on the picture accompanying it. Finally, write down why this specific ghost town appeals to you.

6. Now, team up with three or four other people and compare ghost towns. Do (some of) your ghost towns have things in common? What are their differences? Think about what remains of the town, in what time it was in use, why it became a ghost town, where it is located, if it's a town or just one building, etcetera. Make short notes on differences and similarities of your ghost town with the ones your partners have selected.

7. Finally, discuss in your group if you'd like to go out and search for ghost towns yourself. Why would it be fun, interesting, important or boring, useless, horrible?


Part B

1. Go to www.bertholdsteinhilber.com. On this page, you can pictures of the photographer mentioned in the article. You can also find the pictures discussed when you click on "The Lightworks". The first two links provide pictures of Ghost Towns, the first one containing the exterior, the second the interior.

2. Take a look at the pictures and read the passages on the pictures in the article again. Can you understand the way the writer speaks about the pictures? What do you think about the pictures? Do you like them or not? What do you like or dislike about them? Which ones do you prefer?

3. Select one of the pictures and write down ten words that enter your mind when studying the picture. Then write a short story (approx. 150 words) about the picture, using these words. The story can be a description, but it may also be a more creative story.





ASSIGNMENT 3

Irony

Group work
30 minutes

 (linked to: bye bye boys)

1. Team up with a partner or form a small group. Together, re-read the background information on 'irony'.

2. After having refreshed your knowledge on irony, take a look at the Internet and try to find at least three explanations of 'irony' given there, and at least five examples of irony or ironic incidents.

3. Surf to: http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/Virtualit/poetry/irony_def.html and read what it says on the first page. When you have finished, answer the following questions:
1. What is the difference between sarcasm and irony, according to this definition?
2. Why would irony be used so often in poetry?
3. Why would it be more difficult to understand irony in poetry than in normal speech?

4. Now, click to 'go to irony exercise'. You don't have to do the exercises, just read the first example. Discuss the following questions on the example in your group:
-What suggests that the boy in the poem didn't use to live alone?
-How do you know that the girlfriend of the boy in the poem has left?
-How do we know that the girlfriend of the boy in the poem wasn't as tidy as her boyfriend?
-What is so ironic about the poem?

4.Now that you've got a proper understanding of the topic, go to http://www.lyricsstyle.com/a/alanismorissette/ironic.html These are the lyrics of a hitsingle by Alanis Morissette, called "Ironic". In your group, read the text.What is the text about?

5. Write down all the examples of events Alanis refers to as 'ironic'. Would you consider these things ironic? Why, or why not?

6. Go to http://www.mellowfellow.com/ironic.shtml On this page, the lyrics are discussed by someone who doubts the lyrics are correct examples of irony. Do you agree? Also, when scrolling down, you can find reactions on this analysis of the lyrics. Which example of irony given there do you consider most ironic?





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