Naval Operations (Falklands Islands Campaign)

A modern example of naval surface warfare (ship versus ship), air and anti-air warfare, submarine warfare, and amphibious operations is the British Falklands Islands campaign. The While some of the footage may appear to look a bit dated it provides great examples of naval operations. 

You will watch this footage on Friday and be prepared for a short quiz on Monday about it. Since it is on the blog, you can always re-watch it. 

The Mayor Needs Some Help...?

The Ebola Virus has become an issue internationally and within the United States. (This is a simulated scenario for this class) The Mayor is determining what his City's policy on Ebola prevention should be. More specifically, what should the city's concept of prevention and quarantine be? What other preventative measures should the city take? More specifically, if someone comes to Norwalk from one of the countries affected by Ebola how should Norwalk handle that? What should its policy on quarantine and Ebola prevention be? (Below are three short videos to give you some background on the Ebola virus, symptoms, and prevention to get you started on your knowledge build. Note: clicking on the hyperlink on the word quarantine will give you a basic understanding of that concept.) 

Classroom Task: We will form into three groups and develop Ebola prevention policy recommendations for the Mayor. Everyone takes notes on the group work and discussion. 

Group Leaders: 
Period 2: Rene, Tom. Sienna, and citizen Rep: Angelique.
Period 4: Brendan, Johanna, Christian, and citizen Rep: Jen and Josue.
Period 6: Nicole, Christian, Elias, and citizen Rep: Brian.
Period 7: Allan, Steven, Anthony, and citizen Rep: Tatiana.

Group Task A (Thursday): 

• Step 1:Determine what are the key questions your group needs to answer before you can determine what policy recommendations to make? 
• Step 2: Find the answers to your own questions and then prepare a rough draft press statement. Below your Team Leaders are given a link to a Google Doc on which to put your statement. 
• Step 3: Everyone in your group review the scanned articles on Ebola as it relates to public reaction and the guidelines some states are taking. 

Group Task B (Nov 3. Monday - Thursday): The Group Leader's will be tasked with placing input on a class Google document for this module. 

Team Leaders Click on the below hyperlinks to put your City Press statement on the document. 

Period 2 Link to Google Doc:  

Period 4 Link to Google Doc:  

Period 6 Link to Google Doc: 

Period 7 Link to Google Doc:

Group Task C: (Nov 7, Friday):  As per the directions on the scanned document (for group statement) coupled with all of the group collaboration (discussion, videos. scanned articles, self research) you have done has prepared each group to present their simulated Mayor's press statement and participate in the community Town Hall meeting on Friday.

Sequence: A Group presents their statement and the other groups ask questions in response to the simulated mayoral statement.

Then the next group presents and we follow this sequence

Group 1 Presentation: Groups 2 & 3 role play as citizens and designated citizen Rep will takes notes and prepare to ask questions during the Q&A period. 

Group 2 Presentation: Groups 1 & 3 role play as citizens and designated citizen Rep.

Group 3 Presentation: Groups 2 & 1 role play as citizens and designated citizen Rep.

Assessment: Individual Assessments of Group and Group Members. 

ENDSTATE of this EBOLA MODULE:

• Learn more about the Ebola virus (causes, prevention, and intervention)
• Consider the role of government in maintaining the collective health at the local, state, and federal level. 
• Consider the issues associated with enforcement of a quarantine if the government deems it necessary. 
• What are some of the considerations of the government in determining to isolate or quarantine its citizens. 

Debate: US Re-engage Military Against ISIS versus Let Middle East Countries Deal With It

This week our public speaking assignment will be about the debate behind whether or not the United States should militarily re-engage against an Islamic extremist group, ISIS / ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria / Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant). From the perspective of large conventional forces, the United States is now out of Iraq and Afghanistan with the exception of US military advisers training their military.  Some say that in order for Islamic Extremists to be successful they need Western infidels to remain in the Middle East as motivation for recruiting young Muslims to continue to fight against the West. Despite the immorality of the act, but was the beheading of the Western reporters a dramatic ploy to draw the US forces back into fighting in the Middle East? What do you think?  

Perspective on Why the US Should Not Get Directly Involved: 

ISIS is not the US's Fight

War on ISIS will backfire on West


Perspective on Why the US Should Get Directly Involved: 

Classroom Activity: The class will be divided into 2 groups assigned by the teacher. One group will debate for US intervention against ISIS and the other group will debate against US intervention. You will conduct your research today, complete your homework (see below) and you will form and prepare debating groups on Tuesday and then debate in class on Wednesday.  

Homework: Your homework tonight (Monday) is to read the two articles and watch the two videos to prepare for the debate. Tonight, you will add a comment and include your first name and the class period you are in with your homework comment. In your comment (short response) on the blog, tell me whether you agree or disagree with US's intervention in the Middle East against ISIS and why. 

ISIS...ISIL...AL QAEDA...ISLAMIC EXTREMISM or Just Countering Extremist Violent Organizations...?

ISIS: Islamic State of Iraq & Syria.   ISIL: Islamic State in the Levant.

Here is a discussion on Why Global Jihad and the Spread of Islamic Extremism will not be successful.

What is the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or termed differently Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)? Let us watch a short video to gain perspective:

This is a 9 minute video call Inside Isis and the Islamic Caliphate.

This is a 2 minute video about the Western world's use of social media to counter ISIS social media efforts and recruiting. 

Fighting Back Against ISIS: Kurdish Peshmerga fighters in Northern Iraq. (9 min video) 

PUBLIC SPEAKING: INVOLVEMENT IN THE CRISIS IN UKRAINE

We spent time last week in small groups reviewing the ongoing situation in the Ukraine where Russian troops have occupied key areas in Crimea and Ukrainian military bases. Is this an illegal intrusion by the Russian President Putin or his country merely providing security assistance? The people of Crimea apparently voted for annexation from the Ukraine and desire to be controlled by Russia. We discussed some of the US options (Diplomatic, Informational, Military, and Economic) that could be taken. Many question President Putin's motives and President Obama's leadership? Some say the "cold war has come back" as Russia was previously thought of as a former superpower in decline? It is a very fluid situation that is having a growing impact in the European (NATO) region. What will happen?

Russian Troops in Occupation

US Military Preserving Peace

 Your Individual Public Speaking Assignment is to develop a short speech expressing your individual opinion on:

"Why the United States Should (or Should Not) Get involved in the Crisis Between Russia and Ukraine?" 

TOPIC: Is the Question Above. Pick an opinion and develop your speech.

Time Standard for Speech: 1 minute and thirty seconds (Anything shorter will result in the reduction of your grade)
Contents: Introduction, 3 Main Points Supporting Your Opinion, Conclusion
Monday: Work on Speech in Class, Review and Time Rehearse for Homework. You will be allowed to have a written speech, but it will need to have been rehearsed as homework so you do not merely read it.
Tuesday: Give Speech in Class

Final Comment: A component of being a citizen is being informed by keeping yourself aware of what is going on locally, domestically, and globally. Once you are informed you are responsible to do something about it: talk with peers, let your elected official know what YOU think, vote for candidates that are well informed on the issues, participate in a protest or organize a protest if your government is taking action that you feel is counter to your national interests, etc.

Memorial Day Module: Somalia 1993

As we approach Memorial Day, this year we are going to focus on a more recent combat operation, Operation GOTHIC SERPENT in October 1993 in Somalia. Above is the Medal of Honor Citation awarded to Master Sergeant Gary Gordon (as well as his fellow sniper Randall Shugart), 1st SFOD posthumously for their actions on that day.

Reference A: A quick synopsis of the Operation is included here (check this out on your own):
Operation Gothic Serpent Wikipedia

Reference B: For a more formal version of the operation go to the Army Historical Branch version:
US Army in Somalia

We will start this module by reading the above citation that I want you to consider the price paid by American fighting men and woman everyday. With less than 1% of the American population serving in the military and of that 1% an even smaller number of those serviceman serving in a combat environment, it is important for you as an informed and involved citizen to be aware of their sacrifice for our freedom.

Let's get oriented to Somalia to gain some perspective on the country, the people, the politics, and the environment, here is a short video:

Reference C1: 1992 1993 Starvation in Somalia
Reference C2: http://youtu.be/pRAsT5EBXZo  (Post 1993 Anti-Americanism)

Reference D: Now let's review The Battle of The Black Sea by watching the following documentary:

History Channel Black Hawk Down

We will watch the movie: Black Hawk Down and present our upperclassmen battle studies and Memorial Day remembrances based upon that operation and the bravery, heroism, and sacrifice made that day.

Reference E: Black Hawk Down (The Movie)

The Reluctant Fundamentalist...or Frustrated American Citizen...

We studied the national security concern of Islamic extremism and the importance of establishing the differentiation between faithful practising Muslims and those who use terrorist violence in the name of Islam. We have discussed the dysfunctionality of our present political system in their inability to balance the national budget and sequestration effects on our nation. However, the one recent area of agreement looked to be on the issue of immigration, both Republicans and Democrats seemed supportive. The recent Boston Bombing attack has added a twist and changed that common ground. The Tsarnaev brother's bombing of the Boston Marathon on April 15th has combined our national security concern of combating violent extremism (CVE) with the immigration issue. Both of the Chechen immigrant brothers were on student visas seeking  naturalization. The younger brother become a US citizen, but the older brother's case was pending until his death at the hands of US Law Enforcement.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (Naturalized US Citizen)

Classroom Activity: A fictional Homeland Security scenario has been developed for this module that connects with previous instruction on global awareness issues of Islamic Extremism, Islam, and US efforts to counter global terrorism at home and abroad.

Background: A fictional character (Rashid Khan) is a 24 year old American citizen born in the US from Pakistani immigrant parents. A Princeton graduate he got a job as a financial manager on Wall Street in May 2001 and he was highly successful. He was on an international business trip on September 11th, 2001 and his world changed. Due to trips and phone calls to Pakistan in communicating with his family who returned to care for an ailing family member, he was placed on a DHS Watch List. He has volunteered to come in for questioning, he is not under arrest, but we have security concerns.

Class Task:

 1. The class will be broken up into three groups for this education module: Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) Investigation Teams, Department of Justice Inspector General Observer Group, and Rashid Khans.. Each group will receive a product to help them participate in the scenario.

• Rashid Khan (role playing student with a script) is in the back room awaiting DHS questioning.
• DHS Investigation Teams will review the fictional DHS case file, and formulate a strategy among their team and adjacent teams to determine if Mr. Khan is a national security concern or not. 
• DOJ IG Observer Group will monitor all DHS activity to include the voluntary questioning of Mr. Khan. 

2. There will be two class periods (Monday & Tuesday) of questioning of Mr. Rashid Khan by the DHS Investigation Teams. On Wednesday, there will be a facilitated discussion to analyse the perspectives and perceptions of each group.  

3. Homework: Provide a comment Tuesday night on this blog post highlighting what you learned from this experience and post it in short answer format. 

3/11: One Voice...The Power of Exercising Your Freedom of Speech

One Student's Opinion's On School Budget Cuts

CLICK ON THE LINK ABOVE TO READ THE LETTER FROM A STUDENT (A SENIOR) IN TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT WHO IS CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL CUTS IN HER TOWN'S SCHOOL BUDGET.

Last week, your assignment was to write a letter to your Elected Officials concerning our national financial crisis and in particular, the impact of the Sequestration. Some of you worked hard on it, some put a mediocre effort into it, and some (despite promptings) elected not to complete the assignment. (How indicative of this varied student effort is a reflection of the types of citizens you will become in the future?) The quote above speaks to our responsibility as citizens to work to defend the blessings of our freedoms. Not for us to merely to enjoy them, but to be informed and when necessary defend them through our freedom of speech. 

Classroom Assignment: 
1. Let's read the letter as an entire class aloud. Student's take notes on what you felt were important points of the letter. 
2. Break up into small groups, and review your notes, her letter,  and discuss how effective or ineffective you felt this letter will be if you were an Elected Official or on the Board of Education. 
3. Have a group note-taker to capture the key points of your group discussion. Turn the group notes in at the end of class. 
4. Your focus: Questions I want you to address in your groups:

1. How will you go about cutting the budget if you have to? 
2. What are some of your considerations in determining what to cut and what not to cut? 
3. As Elected Officials, how can you raise money to maintain or increase the budget?

How Long Will Your Freedom Of Speech Remain a Freedom, 

If You Do Not Exercise That Freedom...?

Feb 26: The Economy...Boring! Who Cares...?

The Economy...who cares? Well that is the problem, most American citizens have little interest in the economy. People are concerned about how much money them have in their pocket or the bank. Few realize that this is related to the state of the economy, but it is. The politicians we elect, the decisions they make on our behalf that directly affect the economy (wages, jobs, interest rates, mortgage rates, taxes, entitlements, etc.). Let's take a look at the basics of the economy (7:30):

Now lets take a quick (3 min) look at taxes:

What is happening on Friday...Sequestration....What the heck is that...? Let's take a quick (1 min) look:

Why can't our Elected President (Executive Branch) shape and influence the Congress (Legislative Branch)  to make economic decisions that our best for our country vice posturing to make the opposing political party look bad...?

Discussion Point:  Is our elected President a politician or a leader? Think of what Dr. Ben Carson said about lawyers and politicians are taught to "win" and leaders "solve problems". We know that Leaders seek responsibility and accept blame in being accountable...Watch the news, what is the President doing to solve this? House of Representative Majority Leader Representative John Boehner? Senate Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid?

At the legislative and executive branches, who is deflecting blame and who is accepting it? Is anyone leading...?