The 5 Habits Framework

1) Evidence (How do I know what's true?)

2) Perspective (Who might think differently?)

3) Connections (What other areas of knowledge are connected?)

4) Supposition (How might it be different if..?)

5) Significance (Is this important?)

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Strict Dress Code Enforcement in Kentucky School

Kentucky Teen Sent Home for Showing Collarbone



(Facebook)


http://www.today.com/style/kentucky-student-violates-high-school-dress-code-exposed-collarbone-t39211

1)  When do clothes become a distraction?  In what ways could you prove that certain policies affect groups disproportionately?  How can we prove a concept like decency?  Who gets a say?  

2)  Why might the girl's grandmother feel differently about this issue than her grandfather?  Why might a teenager in 1940 feel differently about this than a current teenager?  A woman from Iran?

3)  How is this connected to geography?  In what ways is this connected to science?  Censorship of books?

4)  What if  a male had word the same outfit?  If she were brunette?  Heavier?

5)  To what extent does this affect you?  What are underlying assumptions about physical appearance?  What are the short term consequences of this issue?  Long?  

Extension Activities:

1)  Students can create objective measures of dress code which factor in mathemathical concepts such as percent of skin showing, length of shorts, width of sleeves, proportional measures, etc.

2)  Students can research the bikini or other fashion trends and how it is perceived through time.  They can then predict what their school's dress code policy will be in 25 years.

AoK:  Ethics

WoK:  reason, emotion


Tuesday, August 18, 2015

The Tooth Fairy Is Lowering Payments

Less Money Under Pillows for 2nd Year in a Row


(CreativeNature R.Zwerver/Shutterstock)

http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2015/08/17/Survey-Tooth-Fairy-paying-less-for-second-year-in-row/5991439848364/

1)  In what ways is truth acquired about the economy?  What are the limits to economic surveys?  How could someone disprove the existence of the tooth fairy to a child who believes?

2)  How might a 28 year old think about this differently than a 68 year old?  Why might a dentist view this differently than an economist?

3)  To what degree is this connected to history?  Science?

4)  What would happen if the number suddenly spiked next year to $6/tooth.  Lowered to $1?  What are alternate explanations for the reduced rate?

5)  What are some basic assumptions about giving money to children?  In what ways is it appropriate to allow children to believe in the tooth fairy?  Not appropriate?

Extension Activities:  

1)  Students can research the tooth fairy in various cultures and create a hybrid with the best features from five they researched.

2)  Students can identify multiple ways in which to gauge the health of an economy through holidays, superstitions, and conventional wisdom.

AoK:  Human Sciences

WoK:  Imagination


Friday, August 14, 2015

Restaurant Sued for "Throwed Rolls"

Lambert's Cafe Sued After Patron Injured

lamberts3550.jpg
Johnny Fugitt


1)  What evidence is used in this article to convince you of truth?  What is the role of evidence in the justice system?  What number would convince you that the defendant deserves the money?  That the restaurant deserves exoneration?

2)  In what ways might the injured woman's doctor feel differently about this report than a waiter at Lambert's?  The same?

3)  What connection is there between this story and attending an athletic event?  What is the connection to math/physics?

4)  What if the injury had been more serious?  What if you found out that this person has sued 10 other companies?  What if you found out Lambert's has paid in the past?  How might Miranda Lambert capitalize on this news story?      

5)  Why is this significant?  What are the long term consequences of this story?  Short term?

Extension Activities:

1)  Students can research the layout of the building and develop a "Code of Best Practices in Throwed Rolls" for future hires at Lambert's including recommended height and angles of throws.

2)  Students can research frivolous lawsuits from the past and identify the impact to business.  They can then identify potential threats to a local business and provide suggestions for mitigation.  

AoK:  Human Sciences, Mathematics

WoK:  Intuition

Saturday, August 8, 2015

China Building Islands in Land Reclamation Projects

Kerry Urges Country to Settle Disputes Differently


China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, right, listens while U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry talks before a bilateral meeting at the Putra World Trade Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2015. (Brendan Smialowski/Pool Photo via AP)
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, right, listens while U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry talks before a bilateral meeting at the Putra World Trade Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Wednesday, Aug. 5,...   (Associated Press)

http://www.newser.com/article/61c1655f8bdc49c090495b9f3c7577c0/kerry-pushes-china-to-halt-south-china-sea-land-reclamation-projects-urges-dispute-resolution.html

1)  What is the most important number in this article?  Why?  What numbers are are left out?  How do we know who owns land?

2)  Why might a Japanese teenager think about this differently than a Puerto Rican?  Why might a captain of a ship think of this differently?

3)  In what ways is this connected to Twitter?  How is this connected to the Columbian Exchange? The Olympics?  The internet?  

4)  In what ways would this be different 100 years?  5 years from now?

5)  What is the significance of this?  What are the underlying assumptions about diplomacy?  In what ways does this affect me?  If it doesn't affect me, who might be affected?

Extension Activities:

1)  Students can compare and contrast ways in which land has been added to coastlines or created (Battery Park, "The World" in Dubai, etc.) and develop sustainability plans for nations facing issues with rising sea levels or erosion.  .

2)  Students can research shipping lanes and rank the 10 most valuable (money, access, etc.) for getting specific products to their interests (Fashion, electronics, travel, etc.)

3)  Students can research the network of internet cables around the world and evaluate claims of ownership based on proximity to land.

AoK:  Natural Sciences

WoK:  Emotion


Friday, August 7, 2015

The Global Millionaire's Club is Booming

More People Around the World Become Wealthy

shutterstock_211339102
Photo by Shutterstock.
By Alison Griswold

http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/10/21/global_millionaires_credit_suisse_wealth_report_finds_they_re_growing_faster.html

1)  How do we know what is true in this story?  In what ways is self-reported income and unreliable measure?  Reliable?  Should everyone have the chance to become a millionaire?  

2)  Why might a student in India think differently about this article than a worker in the U.S.?  In what ways would you think about this differently if your parents were wealthier?  Less wealthy?  Whose perspective is left out?

3)  In what ways is this connected to food?  To what degree is this connected to sports?

4)  How might this article be written differently if it was reported in Ukraine?  How might we increase wealth access to under-represented areas?    

5)  To what degree is the assumption that people should want to become a millionaire promoted in this article?  What are the short-term outcomes of this news?

Extension Activities:

1)  Students can chart global wealth by country over time and make predictions for the future.

2)  Students can write a descriptive account of what they would do if they became a millionaire.

AoK:  Human Sciences

WoK:  Imagination

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Russia Claims Land in the Arctic

U.N. to Weigh In on Legal Access to Resources


In this Thursday, Aug. 2, 2007, photo, a titanium capsule with the Russian flag is seen seconds after it was planted by the Mir-1 mini submarine on the Arctic Ocean seabed under the North Pole.

 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/11782413/Russia-claims-resource-rich-swathe-of-Arctic-territory.html

1)  How do we know what is true in this story?  In what ways should we decide claims like this?  

2)  Why might a Russian teenager feel differently about this than an American?  The same?  Why might this be good for Europe?  Bad?

3)  How is this connected to art?  In what ways is this connected to the moon landing?

4)  To what degree would this be different if Greenland was not a territory of Denmark?  In what ways would this be different if Russia did not already have massive natural resource wealth?

5)  What are the basic assumptions in this article?  Can a new law be developed on this claim?  To whom is this story most significant?  

Extension Activities:

1)  Students can research territorial claims around the world and develop a plan for one of their choice.

2)  Students can research the development of the Russian territory and it's time zones and offer advice to leaders on how to best reach places far from administrative centers.

AoK:  Human Sciences

WoK:  Reason,


Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Can Eating Spicy Food Help Me Live Longer?

Chili Peppers Linked to Longevity

This Feb. 11, 2013 photo shows chili peppers.
 (AP Photo/Dean Fosdick)

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/04/spicy-food-linked-to-lower-risk-of-death/?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=1

1)  How do I know what is true in science?  What evidence in the article is most useful to convince a family member to start eating more peppers?  How do we know about antioxidants?

2)  In what ways might a Mexican citizen feel differently about this than a Russian?  Why might a child feel differently than an adult?

3)  In what ways is this story connected to math?  Geography?  How might an internet company use this information?

4)  How might this be different if Texans were used instead of Chinese citizens for this study?  In what ways is this connected to religion or ethics?

5)  Is this important to you?  To whom might this story be most important?  What are the long term effects of people living 10 years longer than the average person lives now?

Extension Activities:

1)  Students can research average life span and develop math problems associated with its logarithmic growth over time and chart their findings in unique ways.  

2)  Students can research the ways in which people have tried to increase life span in the past both naturally and chemically and then create an ad for a past or future products.  

AoK:  Human Sciences

WoK:  Reason, Perception