This site is for Mrs. Stangherlin's classes at Salisbury High School.

Monday, March 30, 2009

What If There Was No News? What’s News?

Join us on May 27, 2009 in real or virtual time (connection information to follow later) as students in Jennifer Brinson‘s Advance Placement United States History and RJ Stangherlin’s Honors English 11 classes present factual and counterfactual history that examines the presence and absence of news in daily life.  This year’s venue is an interactive video documentary that is intersected at different points with a live stage presentation.  Time periods span the 1920 through the aftermath of 9-11.

The following video was created by each team and edited by Meagan Walsh.

What If There Was No News?  What’s News? from RJ Stangherlin on Vimeo.

Our first team, An Era on Air: Brandon Aversano, Chloe Frick, Olga Karounos, Erin Lobach, Dennis Peterson, Meagan Walsh
An Era on Air examines the influence of significant news events from 1920-1933, while capturing the spirit and liveliness of the period.  By deconstructing the era and eliminating the presence of news, An Era on Air portrays the time period through the juxtapositon of life with and without media.

Our second team, Uncovering Cover-Ups: Nadia Daher, Laudi El-Kareh, Hayley Joseph, Kelsey Molseed, Andrew Samy
In the words of Former President Richard M. Nixon, “The American people don’t believe anything until they see it on television.” Is this the only way to Uncover Cover-Ups?

Our third team, Generation X:  Peter Cialkowski, Sky McCarty, My Phan, Fatema Rajmohamed, Hannah Rucker, Courtney Weiss
Generation X explores the eighties and travels through the decade explaining military concepts like the Soviet-Afghan War, social aspects like the outbreak of AIDS, and economic disasters like the one that took place on Black Monday.

Our final team, Broadcasting Terror: Matt Eherts, Sarah Gracely, Josh Gregory, William Kennington, Brandon Lansing, Shanon Safi
Love & Hate; Pride & Shame; Peace & War, co-existing with one another in the heart of one nation.  Terrorists brought the terror but the media did the broadcasting.  Now imagine what would happen if there was no news.







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Saturday, March 28, 2009

Websites for Educators 03/28/2009


Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
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Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Sixth Sense








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Thursday, March 19, 2009

Highlighting Student Voices: Olga Karounos

Montage of World War IIImage via Wikipedia

Technology, Material Goods, and Perspective: The Fates of Postmodern Societies

America has been a major world power since World War II; however, like every great society prior to this era, America’s power will eventually fade to make room for a new prospering country. If America wants to keep it’s foothold in the world, it must make changes and adapt with the changing times. The United States has always been a forerunner when it comes to technological advancements. We must continue this trend and invent new, innovative forms of technology, preferable for a militaristic purpose. Despite the differences between all the countries of the world, there is one thing that holds true; money equals power. America needs to rid itself of it’s trillion dollar debt and focus on manufacturing and other forms of material production. Finally, the citizens of the United States need to change their attitude of entitlement. If American citizens are not willing to work to make a difference in our country, we will never succeed. If America is able to reach these goals, we will hold fast to our foothold and continue to be a world power. But if we fail, we could be living on the brink of the collapse of the “American Empire”.

The Manhattan Project, the creation of the atomic bomb. Both the most fansticating and frightening invention of our history, it showed the world America’s power. It warned other countries not to take advantage of us and be cautious when making negotiations. This display of technological supperiority showed it’s face again in 1969, during the Space Race against the Soviet Union. We became the first country to put a human on the moon and bring him back safely. This not only intimidated other countries but showed them what we were capable of; we said we were going to put a man on the moon before 1970, and we succeeded. Again, in the 1980s, during Reagan’s presidency. His “SDI” program, nicknamed Star Wars, might have seemed far fetch’d, but the Soviet Union wasn’t taking any chances. With this fear instilled in the “Evil Empire”, we were able to prevent a nuclear war and aid in the collapse of the Soviet Union. These examples in history have shown just how powerful technology really is. Though we’ve lead the way in the development of the internet, it isn’t enough to continue to intimidate our enemies and give us a strong treshold in the world. We need to create new, powerful technologies in order to retain our standing in the world. We have the best universities in the world; we have the mental capability and the drive, we just need to start seeing results. However, we won’t have the ability to invent anything worthwhile if we don’t have the funds or money to do so.

Over the years, America has always been seem as the country of prosperity; immigrants have always come here to improve their lifestyle and make money. Yet, people seem to turn a blind eye to the increasing national debt our country has built up over the years. In the early 1700s, Alexander Hamilton proposed a managable national debt was good for the country, because it motivated other countries to want America to succeed. However, with the debt clock exceeding a trillion dollars in 2008, our finacial I.O.U’s have stopped being a blessing and starting becoming cumbersome. America’s goal should be to lower it’s debt to a more managable amount. Manufacturing has always been a big business for America; we are currently #1 in the world when it comes to producing goods. However, America has been switching from a more production based economy to a service and consumer based economy; instead of selling the majority of goods to other countries, we’ve started buying. China has even predicted it will surpass the United States in manufacturing during this year.By teaching elementary school and high school children they can still be successful by working in a manufacturing plant as opposed to being lawyers or doctors, we will continue to make money and be on the way to eliminating or controlling our national debt. However, neither techological advances nor lowering our national debt is feasable without the support and willingness of American people.

During President Kennedy’s inaugural address, he uttered this inspiring line,"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”. American’s have recently lost this attitude and started to believe the country owes something to it’s citizens. The amount of undeserving Americans on welfare has increased exponentially throughout the years, which has cost the United States economy millions of dollars. Overspeculation on homes people thought they deserved but couldn’t afford has also caused our economy to spiral downward.Expecting the government to fix all of these problems has been a by-product of the ignorance of the majority of the American people. They chose to ignore the “people” aspect of the,"Government created by the people, for the people”. Barrak Obama recently addressed this issue in his own inagural address, similar to President Kennedy’s. He stated the government could not make the country better without the support and effort of the American people. By looking for jobs, trusting our government, and accepting that each person will be required to give a little in order to recieve maximum progress, the American people will change their attitude and deserve what they feel they are entitled to obtain. However, if the America fails to succeed in technology, productivity, and, perspective, we are doomed to slip off our pedistal.
(fails to inspire the American people)

Losing our technological foothold to another nation such as China or the Soviet Union could do more than just make us lose our influence in the global specturm.By forget the importance of technological advancement, it could be us who is cowering under the superiority of another nation, as opposed to the way it’s been in the past. If our national debt continues to increase without bound, we run the risk of becoming subordinate to the countries from which we have borrowed money. All a country needs to do is demand we pay our owed debt to bring America to it’s knees. Losing our manufacturing stronghold will also greatly decrease our GNP and increase our inability to pay off our debts. If Barrak Obama fails to inspire the American people to take action and start working for our country, we will have settled our own fate. A country can never succeed without the support of it’s citizens.  However, if we fail both as a people and a nation to rreach these goals, it could mark an end to America’s success. Unfortunately,only time will tell what route America decides to take.







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Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Highlighting Student Voices: Fatema Rajmohamed

BEIJING, CHINA - DECEMBER 20: Top envoys repre...Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Economy, Allies, and Philanthropy: The Fates of Postmodern Societies

America, at her fullest potential, will be able to regain her superpower status. However, she will first have to solve her economic crisis. To do so, she will have to take advantage of the dollar’s position as the world’s reserve currency. America will also have to ally herself with China. China, over the years, has grown in power, and must be schemed into a position of managed submissiveness rather than political enmity. Finally, America should uphold the responsibility to keep world peace. The first step would be by addressing genocide. However, the status of superpower lies in increasing America’s monetary value.

America’s superpower status lies profoundly on the dollar’s function as the world’s reserve currency. Over the decades, the dollar’s role has been jeopardized due to the ignorance of American trade deficits. As this trade deficit mounted, debts owed to foreigners increased. Payments to foreigners coupled with the outpouring of dollars have resulted in an enormous supply of dollars in foreign lands and because foreigners keep their reserves in dollars, the surplus has benefited them. The depreciation of the dollar against the pound, the yen, the euro and gold decreases the enthusiasm with which private investors accumulated U.S. government bonds. To regain America’s status, she will have to increase her exports in relation to imports by selling more overseas and buying less from other nations, which means Americans must use less. If Americans consumed less, the federal government’s budget would be balanced. Another strategy would be to reduce budget deficit, thus reducing the supply of government bonds. The newly found strength in the dollar would persuade countries such as China to continue supporting the dollar by purchasing U.S. government bonds.

If America truly wishes to remain the lone superpower, then she must maneuver China from a position of political rivalry to a position of supervised subservience. China has been able to maintain diplomatic relations with nations like Iran, North Korea and Pakistan--all of whom America has had trouble with. With China’s help, America may be able to lessen world tension without immense expenditures for military interference and shuttle diplomacy. China would also be able to help America economically by investing in America and creating jobs. In order to ally America with China, she must send out a new message that dollars in Chinese hands are as welcome ans anyone. Guidelines on permissible investment need to be clearly outlined so that Chinese companies know where they stand in advance. The U.S. export control policy towards China needs to be restored and the antagonistic bias removed so that China can receive the same respect as any other consumer. China’s high-tech goods are too important for the American export market to continue a policy that undermines her aggressiveness. By treating China as a comrade, America would gain an ally that could shrink America’s military spending, offer diplomatic cover in parts of the world vital to world stability and help save America’s economy--a foundering economy that begins with philanthropist actions.

A superpower is a nation that people all over the world turn to in times of emergency. America, time and again, has responded to the call of aid. However, recent actions undertaken by America have diminished her role as superpower. Nonetheless, America has the most passionate devotion to liberty and the most powerful military to regain her status. In the past, it has asserted its demeanor over Cuba and Korea. The problem at hand is the issue of genocide, which has rampaged the world. This initiative should embrace an effort to inform people about genocide. Education and awareness are imperative components of any solemn effort. Once Americans are aware of what is going on, it is harder to turn their backs and be onlookers. Efforts such as scheduling a meeting of the Security Council in Darfur should be undertaken as a primary step. Only when the Americans attain the mental construct of being a superpower, will be when America becomes a superpower.

America’s superpower status is hanging by its’ last threads. Failing to meet with her problems could result in drastic changes. Giving up her status along with the privileges that go along with it, are among many of the changes. However, meeting the demands of the nation are not far from grasp. Adhering to the advice of economic, political and social experts would give America another chance to dominate the world. A nation is a superpower because other nations believe so, and more specifically, because its citizens believe so. It is this doctrine that lifts a nation above exclusively being politically active to being a superpower that governs the world. The American people owe it to themselves to rise above their challenges ans attain this desired goal.





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* China Seeks Safeguards on US Investments (eagleviews.org)
* China and the U.S. Depression--Posner (becker-posner-blog.com)
* US addiction to Chinese capital (chinaherald.net)

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Friday, March 13, 2009

Highlighting Student Voices: Josh Gregory

The University of Virginia, designed by Thomas...Image via Wikipedia

Economy, Education, and Global Opinions: The Fates of Postmodern Societies


The United States currently still ranks as a superpower, but three main fundamental changes would have to occur for the United States to remain a superpower. The first change that the United States would have to make to remain a superpower is to alter its economy. In recent years the United States’ economy has transformed from a manufacturing economy to a service economy, and no longer produces and manufacturers an abundance of goods. Another change the United States would have to make is a reformation of the United States’ educational system. The educational system of the United States is falling behind that of China and Japan, and in order for the United States to remain a superpower it must have the ability to stay on the top politically, militarily, and scientifically. Finally, the United States needs to make social changes and improve the world’s opinion of the United States. Americans need to lose their arrogance and face the fact that if the United States does not truly change, it will quickly slip behind other countries as the greatest superpower in the world. If the United States could manage to transform its economy, modify its educational system, and improve its global opinion, then the United States will be able to remain a superpower and continue to flourish.


A change that needs to occur is an alteration of the United States’ economy to return it back to a manufacturing economy. The United States used to be one of the leading producers of steel and agricultural goods. Mines and factories used to flourish in the United States. Now the United States’ economy has completely transformed into a service economy. Most United States’ citizens do not leave high school and work in factory or attend a trade school. Most Americans go to college to become doctors, lawyer, business men, etc. There is nothing wrong with these occupations, but a careful balance must be maintained. A society that does not have enough sustenance to support itself is destined to fail. For example the Unites States consumes twenty five percent of the world’s oil, but produces very little of its own. The United States has become extremely dependent on countries such as Canada, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Nigeria, and Venezuela for its oil. The United States’ national debt has exceeded ten trillion dollars and its average increase is at about four billion dollars a day. This shows that the United States would have to make economic changes if it is to remain a superpower.


The United States’ educational system is struggling to keep up with foreign countries. Many American children are not getting pushed to perform to their best and work their hardest. Teachers are not allowed to be as strict, and Americans are quickly losing the work ethic and respect that once characterized the United States. Another main problem is college education. The tuition costs at colleges are soaring every year, and even with financial aid it is very difficult for some Americans to attend college. The average tuition costs for a private four-year school is $25,143 and the average tuition costs for a public four-year school is $6,585. The United States needs to remember that are children are our future. The result of education is great thinkers that make developments in many fields. The United States needs to be able to invent the newest technologies, more efficient fuel alternatives, new food production techniques, better military supplies, and new medical cures if it is going to remain a world superpower. Great minds are also needed for politics and diplomatic relations. The United States can not afford to lose any more respect and dominance on the world political stage. In order for the United States to retain its title as a superpower it has to better its educational system and continue to produce brilliant, imaginative minds.


If Americans do not stop pretending that current conditions are fine and that the United States is still the dominant world power the United States will not remain a superpower. Many Americans have developed an arrogance and ego that make them think that they are superior to everybody else. The world recognizes the attitudes of many Americans and therefore resent the United States. The first step in solving a problem is recognizing the problem. Americans have to recognize the problem and make changes, whether they are changes in thought or changes in life style, to better the world’s opinion of the United States. Countries like China and Russia are quickly thriving and rising in power. The United States needs to work with these countries, but cannot become at all reliant or dependent upon these foreign countries. The United States must also continue to provide humanitarian aid to foreign countries, but has to avoid the unilateral approach it has adopted in recent year. The United States must realize that it can not do everything by itself and must make sure that it has the support and consent of foreign nations, as well as the United Nations. By doing this the United States may be able to lessen American hatred and remove its reputation as a global bully. This does not mean that the United States should remain docile and unresponsive to global affairs, but must keep its power and influence under control. The United States must be able to realize that it is quickly falling behind and that it must change its world opinion if it is to remain a great superpower.


The United States must act quickly to change its economy, educational system, and global opinion or the consequences could be severe. I believe that China, Russia, and possibly India could compete with or even completely surpass the United States as the greatest superpowers. Not only do these countries have a tremendous amount of land and natural resources, but they also have gigantic populations. China and Indian both are inhabited by almost one billion more people than the United States. These huge populations account for a large work force, as well as a great army. The United States would no longer have the greatest army in the world and would lose its dominance and prestige. On the other hand I believe that if the United States can make these changes, it will remain the number one superpower in the world. I believe the United States’ economy will bounce back and Americans will again enjoy the economic prosperity that they had in the early 1990’s. Also if the United States can manage to better its educational system it will continue to produce the best generals, inventors, scientists, and diplomats. If Americans can face the facts and lose the arrogance that characterizes them now, they will be able to improve the world’s opinion of the United States. Finally, I believe that if the United States can make these changes no dictator or communist regime can ever compete with the beacon of liberty, freedom, and democracy, the United States.




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Friday, March 06, 2009

March Madness

March Madness, aka the countdown to Integrated Project presentations in May, adds more than the usual stress to the AP US History and Honors English 11 students.  At Assignment 6 due March 11 and only 2 assignments remaining until the work is a wrap, the pressure is on. In spite of everything, these truly gifted students managed in three days to showcase a commercial promoting their teams’ presentations, a culmination of year-long interdisciplinary research packaged in stage and film format.

My Phan, whose artistic talent and organizational ability is legend at SHS, designed, oversaw, and assembled the Administration Building’s showcase.  But in fairness to all concerned, this extra credit activity was a team venture; these students are aces at collaboration.  At the end of the month, the advertising moves to the high school, where interest in the forthcoming presentation runs high.

This year, the presentation venue will be different--an interactive documentary, with presentations on stage as well as in video segments.  Although nothing has been finalized, we anticipate running one day of team presentations.  We hope that you will join us in May, either in real or virtual time, to see What If There Was No News? What’s News?







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