Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Term IV ROAR: The History of _______________.

Term IV ROAR: The History of _______________.

Proposal Due: March 7

No biographies, think about reading a history of a topic that interests you. Please talk with librarians, use Amazon research, and maybe talk with your teachers for suggestions!

-math (the history of zero)
-chem (the discovery of an element)
-history (the Doner Party)
-ELA (history of curse words)

Here are some choice selections from past years:

This book was about the war of chocolate. It started off telling about these two men who wanted to pursue a career in creating the best chocolates. The two men were Forrest Mars, and Milton Hershey.

Blue: The History of a Color By Michel Pastoureau
Certain colors were forbidden outside certain social groups. The moral issue was not the actual color, but the product used to create it. This became part of how people distinguished social outcasts. "The crippled, the deformed, lepers, the 'weak bodied,' and those who were 'cretins and funny in the head' were often to wear bright colors" (Pastoureau 91).

Chewing Gum By Michael Redclift
Michael Redclift shows a history of how gum was created. Thomas Adams introduced chicle to the Americans but Wrigley offered baking powder to customers who would buy two packs of gum. He convinced millions of Americans to buy his gum.

As the 1918 season ended it was a significant moment for the Red Sox. Unfortunately, it was the last moment worth mentioning for the next 86 years. That year was full of controversy due to the player strike, threat of government shutting down the season, and the lack of players on rosters.

Beer, spirits, wine, cola, coffee, and tea are six beverages that were each the most influential drinks at particular eras in history. These six beverages form a chain of drinks that were important to many people because they were used for important events.

The book takes you back to when ice cream first came to be, and what an interesting history it is. Marilyn Powell did a great in writing this book. She sure knew how to draw her readers in by intriguing stories, myths, and facts about ice cream.

Chocolate, referred to as "the gods' breakfast" is "just about everyone's drug of choice." In the book Chocolate, Mort Rosenblum describes the history and the processes that make chocolate. Based on history, it is said that one hundred beans of cacao was worth one slave.

The book Can't Stop Won’t Stop was about the hip-hop generation and how it started. Hip Hop was a very popular type of music in the 1979 when it started. It appealed to people because it was a type of music like no other. Hip Hop originated from the Bronx, New York when DJs began isolating the percussion break from funk and disco songs.

In the book the idea of “teenager” was discussed. Amazingly, this word did not always exist. According to Thomas Hine and many other people, teens were invented. "The word was coined during the early 1940's by some anonymous writer or editor to describe an age group that had suddenly become a great interest to marketers and social reformers."

Heroin By Humberto Fernandez
Heroin, the notorious drug known for its addiction and devastation, dates back over 7,000 years ago as the Sumerians made the discovery of opium. One of the main cereal crops that the Sumerians grew was the poppy flower, in which they referred to as "hul gil", or "the plant of joy."

The two men were very alike in physical features, but had different careers. One is an architect, while the other is a killer. Burnham, the architect, was well known for many of his like the Flatiron Building in New York and Union Station in Washington. H. H. Holmes was at first a doctor who then built a hotel called "World's Fair Hotel” where the guests were brutally murdered.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Office Hours at Copley Library (2/22) 10-1pm

Remember to send an e-mail RSVP if you are planning to visit during office hours on Friday. Enjoy the time off!

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

February Break Culture Vulture/Extra Credit


Museum of African American History
Presents

Touré on Movies: Lincoln, Django 
and the Portrayal of Blacks in Period Films

Saturday, February 23 at 5:00pm
MAAH Boston Campus:  46 Joy Street, Beacon Hill

Free and open to the public
Book signing and reception follow
 
A Lowell Lecture Series Presentation
Boston's own Touré now hosts The Cycle, weekdays on MSNBC. He is a columnist for Time.com, popular culture critic, and author of four books including the critically acclaimed Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness?  His latest work, I Would Die 4 U: Why Prince Became an Icon, will be released March 2013. Touré will share his insights into two of today's most talked about period films.

Space is limited ~ rsvp@maah.org

Central Library in Copley Square

Art & Architecture Tours

The Boston Public Library offers public tours highlighting the architecture of Charles Follen McKim and Philip Johnson, as well as the many works of famed sculptors and painters. The free tours last about an hour and are given by volunteer guides. No appointment is necessary. Tours meet in the lobby of the McKim Building (Dartmouth Street entrance).

  • Tuesday 6:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday 11:00 a.m.
  • Thursday 6:00 p.m.
  • Friday 11:00 a.m.
  • Saturday 11:00 a.m.
  • Sunday 2:00 p.m. (October through May)

Free Concerts at Berklee's Cafe 939 

http://www.cafe939.com/events/

Wednesday, February 20, 2013, 1:00 pm

Bacha Mdzinarashvili's Recital
Bacha Mdzinarashvili and his trio present a concert of standards (including Monk and Avishai Cohen) as well as originals.

Thursday, February 21, 2013, 1:00 pm
Bryan Lazar's Senior Recital
Guitarist and vocalist Bryan Lazar presents his last show at Berklee. Bryan and his band will perform new material from his upcoming album, Research of a Heartache, available online this spring.

Free Concerts at New England Conservatory of Music

2/20            
8:00 PM  
Qianwen Shen
NEC student violin recital   
Keller Room

Trio Cleonice presents a recital in the popular lunchtime series at the Old South Meeting House.
Date: February 22, 2013 - 12:15:PM
Price: Free
Location: Old South Meeting House, 310 Washington Street, Boston 02108

Harvard Book Store

Karen Russell  reads from  Vampires in the Lemon Grove: Stories
Thursday
February 21, 2013
7:00 PM

Brookline Booksmith

Wednesday, February 20 at 7pm
Manil Suri
The City of Devi


Friday, February 22 at 7pm
Ayana Mathis
Twelve Tribes of Hattie









Chinese New Year Celebrations

Sunday 2/17 11am


Monday, February 11, 2013

revised, revised snow day work schedule

-ROAR note/reading will be due on Wednesday
-Root Words (pater) on Thursday

-(S)tyle section will be due on Friday (just printed, no turnitin.com)

-Culture Vulture proposal on Friday

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Change in due dates (snow?)

Here's the deal. Snow or no snow, there is some work that needs to go on.

Sure, sled and drink copious cups of cocoa, but we also need to read, research, and write.

ROAR notes on 2nd half of book- Monday (2/11)
(S)tyle section of research paper- Tuesday (2/12)