The skin. It's our largest organ, covering about 20 square feet, which is about the size of a twin mattress, says NPR.org.
If somebody touches you, there's pressure pushing on your skin at the point of contact. And just under the skin are pressure receptors called "Pacinian corpuscles," says Tiffany Field, one of the world's leading touch researchers and the director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami in Florida.
"They receive pressure stimulation," Field says, "and the pressure receptors send a signal to the brain."
The Pacinian corpuscles' signals go directly to an important nerve bundle deep in the brain called the vagus nerve. The vagus sometimes is called "the wanderer" because it has branches that wander throughout the body to several internal organs, including the heart. And it's the vagus nerve that then slows the heart down and decreases blood pressure.
Field describes studies in which subjects were asked to perform something stressful, like public speaking or taking a timed math test. The subjects' partners were also part of the experiment, hugging or holding hands with the subjects when the researchers told them to.
"They found that, in fact, people who were given this stressful task, if they'd been holding hands or being hugged, they would have a lower blood pressure and lower heart rate, suggesting that they were less stressed," Field says.
Impact On Stress
Hand-holding or hugging also results in a decrease of the stress hormone cortisol, says Matt Hertenstein, an experimental psychologist at DePauw University in Indiana.
"Having this friendly touch, just somebody simply touching our arm and holding it, buffers the physiological consequences of this stressful response," Hertenstein says.
In addition to calming us down and reducing our stress response, a friendly touch also increases release of the oxytocin — also called the "cuddle hormone" — which affects trust behaviors.
"Oxytocin is a neuropeptide, which basically promotes feelings of devotion, trust and bonding," Hertenstein says.
Oxytocin levels go up with holding hands, hugging — and especially with therapeutic massage. The cuddle hormone makes us feel close to one another.
"It really lays the biological foundation and structure for connecting to other people," Hertenstein says.
Hertenstein says recent studies from England pinpointed an area in the brain that becomes highly activated in response to friendly touch. It's a region called the orbital frontal cortex located just above your eyes. It's the same area that responds to sweet tastes and pleasing smells.
"A soft touch on the arm makes the orbital frontal cortex light up, just like those other rewarding stimuli," Hertenstein says. "So, touch is a very powerful rewarding stimulus — just like your chocolate that you find in your cupboard at home."
The surging of oxytocin makes you feel more trusting and connected. And the cascade of electrical impulses slows your heart and lowers your blood pressure, making you feel less stressed and more soothed. Remarkably, this complex surge of events in the brain and body are all initiated by a simple, supportive touch.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Plates that will crack in a spectacular and nation-affecting way: the San Andreas Fault in California
A number of experts say that California is due for a large earthquake; likely a quake that would emanate from the San Andreas fault line, which runs under much of Southern California. During such an earthquake, waves would become trapped in the sediment underneath Los Angeles, causing 7.8-level tremors that could shake the area for up to two minutes, says the University of Southern California Daily Trojan.
The seismic waves are unpredictable, so logistics of exactly where this earthquake will hit cannot be specified. The Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast, however, believes Los Angeles does face a 67 percent chance of a 6.7-magnitude earthquake or greater sometime in the next 30 years. The chance of a similar quake striking anywhere in California in the same time frame is 99.7 percent.
Jordan noted that California is not bracing itself for a specific earthquake, but that there are many possible “big ones.” Though the San Andreas fault is the most likely source of “the big one,” Jordan said there are other faults that could spark dramatic seismic activity in the region.
USC has quite a program for earthquake preparedness. Protective activities are practiced on campus and there are contingencies for water and shelter. .
The seismic waves are unpredictable, so logistics of exactly where this earthquake will hit cannot be specified. The Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast, however, believes Los Angeles does face a 67 percent chance of a 6.7-magnitude earthquake or greater sometime in the next 30 years. The chance of a similar quake striking anywhere in California in the same time frame is 99.7 percent.
Jordan noted that California is not bracing itself for a specific earthquake, but that there are many possible “big ones.” Though the San Andreas fault is the most likely source of “the big one,” Jordan said there are other faults that could spark dramatic seismic activity in the region.
USC has quite a program for earthquake preparedness. Protective activities are practiced on campus and there are contingencies for water and shelter. .
Sunday, September 19, 2010
World geography project: what's inside Spaceship earth
Using
a) layers of paper and with
b) color, create an
c) annotated (well-identified by easy-to-read labels) representation of these elements of Spaceship Earth.
Your image will be based on these illustrations in World Geo: the Tectonic Plate Boundaries map, p 43, and The Earth's Layers graphic, p 41.
- N Amer Plate
- S Amer Plate
- African Plate
- Eurasian Plate
- Arabian Plate
- Indo-Australian Plate
- Earthquake Zones
- Arrows indicating direction of tectonic forces
- core (esp note nickel, molten)
- mantle (esp see pliable, magma, thickness)
- crust (see both thick and thin)
- watery planet
and add explanations for, from pp. 45 - 47:
- Ring of Fire
- subduction
- spreading
- converging
- faulting
- Original, jazzy title
- Documentation at bottom right.
- Legibility
- Neatness
- Completeness of the identifications.
Scored by end of period.
5 pts.
Quiz on this material on Th/Fri.
a) layers of paper and with
b) color, create an
c) annotated (well-identified by easy-to-read labels) representation of these elements of Spaceship Earth.
Your image will be based on these illustrations in World Geo: the Tectonic Plate Boundaries map, p 43, and The Earth's Layers graphic, p 41.
- N Amer Plate
- S Amer Plate
- African Plate
- Eurasian Plate
- Arabian Plate
- Indo-Australian Plate
- Earthquake Zones
- Arrows indicating direction of tectonic forces
- core (esp note nickel, molten)
- mantle (esp see pliable, magma, thickness)
- crust (see both thick and thin)
- watery planet
and add explanations for, from pp. 45 - 47:
- Ring of Fire
- subduction
- spreading
- converging
- faulting
- Original, jazzy title
- Documentation at bottom right.
- Legibility
- Neatness
- Completeness of the identifications.
Scored by end of period.
5 pts.
Quiz on this material on Th/Fri.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Indie work - comparison essays
Students wrote their first in-class essay this week. It was a brief comparison of Larkin Edwards and Henry M Shreve. Here's a teacher's sample essay:
The Diplomat and The Engineer: a comparison of Larkin Edwards and Henry Miller Shreve
"Rnnnggg-rnggr," was the sound made by the winches on the work boat designed by Henry Miller Shreve. It was snagboat. Its task was to wrench giant logs from the muck of the Red River as Shreve led the clearing of the Great Raft. A few miles away another pioneer, Larkin Edwards, smoked a peace pipe with Tarshar, chief of the Caddo people.
By learning the language of the Caddo the thoughtful Edwards was able to help the tribe as their interpreter, says caddohistory.com. In the 1835 negotiations which led to the US take-over of the Caddo lands in the Red River Valley, Edwards was given a gift of one square mile of land. He sold that land to the speculators who founded Shreve Town.
Meanwhile, the clearing of the river channel by Shreve ensured that settlers would fill the North Louisiana river bottom. In the process of clearing the raft, Shreve happened to cut off the river bend in which Edwards had established a store and post office. Edwards' site, the Coates Bluff landing on Stoner Hill, lost its river traffic and business.
But the port of Shreve Town prospered.
Indie work this week:
Research and compare as in the guidelines above -
- Mark Zuckerberg and the duo of Larry Page and Sergei Brin
The Diplomat and The Engineer: a comparison of Larkin Edwards and Henry Miller Shreve
"Rnnnggg-rnggr," was the sound made by the winches on the work boat designed by Henry Miller Shreve. It was snagboat. Its task was to wrench giant logs from the muck of the Red River as Shreve led the clearing of the Great Raft. A few miles away another pioneer, Larkin Edwards, smoked a peace pipe with Tarshar, chief of the Caddo people.
By learning the language of the Caddo the thoughtful Edwards was able to help the tribe as their interpreter, says caddohistory.com. In the 1835 negotiations which led to the US take-over of the Caddo lands in the Red River Valley, Edwards was given a gift of one square mile of land. He sold that land to the speculators who founded Shreve Town.
Meanwhile, the clearing of the river channel by Shreve ensured that settlers would fill the North Louisiana river bottom. In the process of clearing the raft, Shreve happened to cut off the river bend in which Edwards had established a store and post office. Edwards' site, the Coates Bluff landing on Stoner Hill, lost its river traffic and business.
But the port of Shreve Town prospered.
Indie work this week:
Research and compare as in the guidelines above -
- Mark Zuckerberg and the duo of Larry Page and Sergei Brin
Friday, September 17, 2010
Pratt Industries: recycling for Shreveport and many other cities
Pratt Industries (USA) is a leader in recycling and the environment. The company is one of the world's largest privately held manufacturers of paper and packaging materials, according to Hoovers.com.
Pratt has seven divisions:
recycling,
mills,
corrugating,
converting,
displays,
packaging systems, and
national accounts.
Its products, which include container board and corrugated sheets, are sold to clients such as Rubbermaid and Pringles.
Pratt Industries operates some 50 plants in about 20 states in the US and Mexico. Founded in 1948 by Leon Pratt, grandfather of current chairman Anthony Pratt, the company is owned and controlled by Australian-based Pratt family investment vehicle Visy Industries.
Businessweek.com adds,
Pratt Industries (USA), Inc. operates as a paper and packaging company in the United States and Australia. It also operates paper mills, recycling facilities, and sheet and box plants. In addition, the company offers corrugated products for durable and non-durable goods, including lighting, electronics, glass, telecommunications, automotive, pharmaceuticals, toys, sporting goods, wine and spirits, vegetables, fruits, pizza, poultry, meats, and fish. Further, it offers custom-made packaging solutions and services, such as protective packaging, bulk boxes, triple wall, partitions, and technical services. Further more, the company designs and manufactures display systems and packing machinery. ...
Pratt Industries (USA), Inc. operates as a paper and packaging company in the United States and Australia. It also operates paper mills, recycling facilities, and sheet and box plants.
In addition, the company offers corrugated products for durable and non-durable goods, including lighting, electronics, glass, telecommunications, automotive, pharmaceuticals, toys, sporting goods, wine and spirits, vegetables, fruits, pizza, poultry, meats, and fish.
Further, it offers custom-made packaging solutions and services, such as protective packaging, bulk boxes, triple wall, partitions, and technical services. Further more, the company designs and manufactures display systems and packing machinery.
Pratt Industries (USA), Inc. was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Conyers, Georgia. It has locations in Conyers and East Point, Georgia; Duncan, South Carolina; Raleigh and Charlotte, North California; Staten Island, New York; Memphis, Humboldt, and Nashville, Tennessee; Mason, Springfield, and Lewisburg, Ohio; Allendale, New Jersey; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Valparaiso, Indiana; Wichita, Kansas; Dallas, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; Wichita, Kansas; Bentonville, Arizona; Bessemer, Alabama; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Ashland, Virginia.
Pratt has seven divisions:
recycling,
mills,
corrugating,
converting,
displays,
packaging systems, and
national accounts.
Its products, which include container board and corrugated sheets, are sold to clients such as Rubbermaid and Pringles.
Pratt Industries operates some 50 plants in about 20 states in the US and Mexico. Founded in 1948 by Leon Pratt, grandfather of current chairman Anthony Pratt, the company is owned and controlled by Australian-based Pratt family investment vehicle Visy Industries.
Businessweek.com adds,
Pratt Industries (USA), Inc. operates as a paper and packaging company in the United States and Australia. It also operates paper mills, recycling facilities, and sheet and box plants. In addition, the company offers corrugated products for durable and non-durable goods, including lighting, electronics, glass, telecommunications, automotive, pharmaceuticals, toys, sporting goods, wine and spirits, vegetables, fruits, pizza, poultry, meats, and fish. Further, it offers custom-made packaging solutions and services, such as protective packaging, bulk boxes, triple wall, partitions, and technical services. Further more, the company designs and manufactures display systems and packing machinery. ...
Pratt Industries (USA), Inc. operates as a paper and packaging company in the United States and Australia. It also operates paper mills, recycling facilities, and sheet and box plants.
In addition, the company offers corrugated products for durable and non-durable goods, including lighting, electronics, glass, telecommunications, automotive, pharmaceuticals, toys, sporting goods, wine and spirits, vegetables, fruits, pizza, poultry, meats, and fish.
Further, it offers custom-made packaging solutions and services, such as protective packaging, bulk boxes, triple wall, partitions, and technical services. Further more, the company designs and manufactures display systems and packing machinery.
Pratt Industries (USA), Inc. was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Conyers, Georgia. It has locations in Conyers and East Point, Georgia; Duncan, South Carolina; Raleigh and Charlotte, North California; Staten Island, New York; Memphis, Humboldt, and Nashville, Tennessee; Mason, Springfield, and Lewisburg, Ohio; Allendale, New Jersey; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Valparaiso, Indiana; Wichita, Kansas; Dallas, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; Wichita, Kansas; Bentonville, Arizona; Bessemer, Alabama; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Ashland, Virginia.
Mary Bennett Cane, Shreveport's first important businesswoman as well as founder of Cane City, later Bossier City
Mary Bennett Cane: a representation of the founder of Cane City, later Bossier City
Originally uploaded by trudeau
Mrs. Cane was the mother of of both Shreveport and Bossier City. One of the early names for Bossier City was "Cane City."
She and her first two husbands were business partners of Henry Shreve. They were here when Shreve arrived.
She survived both husbands, married a third and divorced him.
She was the area's the most successful businesswoman during the 19th century. Mary Bennett Cane is buried in Shreveport's Oakland Cemetery.
Bossier got its name from Pierre Evariste Jean-Baptiste Bossier (1797 – 1844). He was a soldier, planter, and politician born in Natchitoches, Louisiana.
He was a general in the state militia. Bossier was also a member of the Louisiana state Senate from 1833 to 1843. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from north Louisiana from 1843 until his death in Washington, D.C.
vocab of the day -
onomatopoeia - a word that imitates or suggests the source of the sound that it describes.
sympatico - one who gets along well with or goes well with another or others; compatible or congenial.
matriarchal (from mater, Latin for "mother") - society, in which the leading role is taken by the women.
Caddo lifestyle was matrilineal, says ehow.com, with descent and heritage traced through the female line. Every Caddo belonged to a clan named for an animal that was associated with the female line.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Cyberbullying an issue in Upfront magazine: "Technology and the law"
Students have read the article "Technology and the law" in Upfront magazine.
Discussion touched on cyberbullying. Students were divided as to whether a law would help ameliorate the lives of students who were attacked.
The nature of democracy was observed. Democratic decision-making is a lengthy process, accompanied by much debate.
The adversary system of US government was introduced. A struggle between liberals and conservatives is normal and healthy under the adversary system. Also acting as adversaries some of the time are the 3 branches of govt: the legislative, executive and judicial. The 3 branches check, or stop, and balance each other.
From the Greek: demo, "the people" and cracy, "rule by."
See a digital version of the magazine online. .
Discussion touched on cyberbullying. Students were divided as to whether a law would help ameliorate the lives of students who were attacked.
The nature of democracy was observed. Democratic decision-making is a lengthy process, accompanied by much debate.
The adversary system of US government was introduced. A struggle between liberals and conservatives is normal and healthy under the adversary system. Also acting as adversaries some of the time are the 3 branches of govt: the legislative, executive and judicial. The 3 branches check, or stop, and balance each other.
From the Greek: demo, "the people" and cracy, "rule by."
See a digital version of the magazine online. .
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Demographics, the study of populations
Demographics are the characteristics of a human population as used in government, marketing or opinion research, or the demographic profiles used in such research.
Commonly used demographics include
gender,
race,
age,
income,
disabilities,
mobility (in terms of travel time to work or number of vehicles available),
educational attainment,
home ownership,
employment status, and even
location.
Therefore my observational demographic profile of the group
in the photo -
50% female, 99% white, median age 32, income 40,000, mobility 100%, education: college degree, home owners 40%, 70% employed,
90% East Shreveport.
Notable demographics:
- The US "baby boom" generation was unusually populous.
- Impoverished nations: the people tend to have large families so that the children help support the family income. These nations cannot afford a welfare or social security system. The children are expected to aid the parents in time of illness or in advanced age.
- wealthy nations: the people tend to have the smallest number of children.
From Wikipedia:
Japan has one of the highest life expectancy rates in the world, at 81.25 years of age as of 2006.[122] The Japanese population is rapidly aging, the effect of a post-war baby boom followed by a decrease in births in the latter part of the twentieth century.
The changes in the demographic structure have created a number of social issues, particularly a potential decline in the workforce population and increases in the cost of social security benefits such as the public pension plan. Many Japanese youth are increasingly preferring not to marry or have families as adults.[124] Japan's population is expected to drop to 100 million by 2050 and to 64 million by 2100.[123] Demographers and government planners are currently in a heated debate over how to cope with this problem.
Commonly used demographics include
gender,
race,
age,
income,
disabilities,
mobility (in terms of travel time to work or number of vehicles available),
educational attainment,
home ownership,
employment status, and even
location.
Therefore my observational demographic profile of the group
in the photo -
50% female, 99% white, median age 32, income 40,000, mobility 100%, education: college degree, home owners 40%, 70% employed,
90% East Shreveport.
Notable demographics:
- The US "baby boom" generation was unusually populous.
- Impoverished nations: the people tend to have large families so that the children help support the family income. These nations cannot afford a welfare or social security system. The children are expected to aid the parents in time of illness or in advanced age.
- wealthy nations: the people tend to have the smallest number of children.
From Wikipedia:
Japan has one of the highest life expectancy rates in the world, at 81.25 years of age as of 2006.[122] The Japanese population is rapidly aging, the effect of a post-war baby boom followed by a decrease in births in the latter part of the twentieth century.
The changes in the demographic structure have created a number of social issues, particularly a potential decline in the workforce population and increases in the cost of social security benefits such as the public pension plan. Many Japanese youth are increasingly preferring not to marry or have families as adults.[124] Japan's population is expected to drop to 100 million by 2050 and to 64 million by 2100.[123] Demographers and government planners are currently in a heated debate over how to cope with this problem.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Guidelines for comparison essays in geography class indie work
The rubric (required elements) that will guide essay writing in geography class includes:
1. Colorful opening. There are 3 recommended ways to create an interest-getting opening: a) use a quote b) ask a question c) write with vivid description.
2. Blend the topics continually in the paper. Do not write a block of material about one topic and then write a separate block about the other topic. Integrate the topics as you offer insight and evidence.
3) Use comparison terms:
* different from,
* the same,
* Both,
* similar to,
* Neither, ... nor,
* like X is (adjective),
* ... than X is (adverb) than.
* both, ...
* either...or
* likewise
* similarly
* although,
* but neither...
* nor
* however
* on the other hand
4. Specific examples must be used to support generalities. An example: generality - The Incredibles was an awesome movie. specific - The Incredibles appealed to me because the characters (especially the mom and the teen sister) were believable. They sounded like people I know.
5. Grammar counts.
6. Spelling, too. When in doubt, see a dictionary or ask me.
7. Punctuation is paramount. Again, ask me or your Grammar Check software.
8. Include documentation via "according to ...". This means include your source - from World Book to your little brother - in the body of your writing. Usually you place it at the end of the first or second sentence, says Grammar For Today.
9. Write a snappy title. Ways to make a title fun are to tweak a song or movie title or use alliteration. Also, write an explanatory subtitle. Example: "Dinkas are Incredibles;" "Many refugees from the Sudanese Dinka tribe have moved from poverty in east Africa to comfort in the US."
10. Finally, please don't put quotation marks around your title - unless you are quoting someone.
1. Colorful opening. There are 3 recommended ways to create an interest-getting opening: a) use a quote b) ask a question c) write with vivid description.
2. Blend the topics continually in the paper. Do not write a block of material about one topic and then write a separate block about the other topic. Integrate the topics as you offer insight and evidence.
3) Use comparison terms:
* different from,
* the same,
* Both,
* similar to,
* Neither, ... nor,
* like X is (adjective),
* ... than X is (adverb) than.
* both, ...
* either...or
* likewise
* similarly
* although,
* but neither...
* nor
* however
* on the other hand
4. Specific examples must be used to support generalities. An example: generality - The Incredibles was an awesome movie. specific - The Incredibles appealed to me because the characters (especially the mom and the teen sister) were believable. They sounded like people I know.
5. Grammar counts.
6. Spelling, too. When in doubt, see a dictionary or ask me.
7. Punctuation is paramount. Again, ask me or your Grammar Check software.
8. Include documentation via "according to ...". This means include your source - from World Book to your little brother - in the body of your writing. Usually you place it at the end of the first or second sentence, says Grammar For Today.
9. Write a snappy title. Ways to make a title fun are to tweak a song or movie title or use alliteration. Also, write an explanatory subtitle. Example: "Dinkas are Incredibles;" "Many refugees from the Sudanese Dinka tribe have moved from poverty in east Africa to comfort in the US."
10. Finally, please don't put quotation marks around your title - unless you are quoting someone.
Indie work: comparing Henry Miller Shreve and Larkin Edwards
Indie work topic:
Comparing the diplomat-pioneer Larkin Edwards to engineer-pioneer Henry Miller Shreve.
You may research the fellows via google as well as quote your teacher's notes.
Comparing the diplomat-pioneer Larkin Edwards to engineer-pioneer Henry Miller Shreve.
You may research the fellows via google as well as quote your teacher's notes.
Open notes quiz Tues/Wed: 5 themes of geography and mondotrudeau notes
Place, Region and Location were featured in class last week as we studied the relative location of Magnet and the factors which inspired the founding and growth of Shreveport.
Notice the cross-cultural tourism event in the illustration: the Dragon Boat Races on the Red River. While I'm sure the Caddo peoples also raced boats, theirs were heavy dug-outs. These Chinese craft are based on ancient and heavy log-based designs. But the modern craft are light and of modern construction.
The team paddling sport of dragon boat racing originated in China over 2000 years ago, says Wikipedia.
Chinese dragons are traditionally believed to be the rulers of rivers and seas and dominate the clouds and the rains of heaven. There are earth dragons, mountain dragons and sky or celestial dragons (Tian Long) in Chinese tradition.
The races are associated with big celebrations in Hong Kong, Shanghai, on the Yangtze River, and in other East Asian nations such as Malaysia and Singapore.
The city of Vancouver, Canada, is also known for its dragon boat enthusiasm. Wonder why?
Quiz: about 14 mult-choice questions.
Notice the cross-cultural tourism event in the illustration: the Dragon Boat Races on the Red River. While I'm sure the Caddo peoples also raced boats, theirs were heavy dug-outs. These Chinese craft are based on ancient and heavy log-based designs. But the modern craft are light and of modern construction.
The team paddling sport of dragon boat racing originated in China over 2000 years ago, says Wikipedia.
Chinese dragons are traditionally believed to be the rulers of rivers and seas and dominate the clouds and the rains of heaven. There are earth dragons, mountain dragons and sky or celestial dragons (Tian Long) in Chinese tradition.
The races are associated with big celebrations in Hong Kong, Shanghai, on the Yangtze River, and in other East Asian nations such as Malaysia and Singapore.
The city of Vancouver, Canada, is also known for its dragon boat enthusiasm. Wonder why?
Quiz: about 14 mult-choice questions.
Cochon de lait is the Cajun French term for a pig roast
The pig was the universal protein source for pioneers in Louisiana. When the winter days hit their lowest temp, the men gathered to butcher the hogs. Of course, every bit of the porker was made into edible items, from snout to feet to tail.
The Cajuns have a special event called Cochon de Lait. It literally translates from French to English as "pig in milk", but would be better called a "suckling pig," says David Walker.
He says, "A Cochon de Lait is basically a cajun pig roast of a whole young pig. The pig is slow roasted for 6 to 12 hours. That is what makes a Cochon de Lait an event rather than just cooking a meal. It's an extended "male bonding", "story telling", "bull shooting", "beverage of your choice drinking", "fire tending" event!"
Today ecologists recognize that the enormous amounts of phosphates emitted by pigs endangers the environment. Phosphates drain into rivers and seas and cause "dead zones."
But scientists in Australia have found a way to get pigs to absorb phosphates. Called the Enviropig, the new swine have been genetically engineered to aborb up to 50% more phosphates, says Popular Science monthly.
The Cajuns have a special event called Cochon de Lait. It literally translates from French to English as "pig in milk", but would be better called a "suckling pig," says David Walker.
He says, "A Cochon de Lait is basically a cajun pig roast of a whole young pig. The pig is slow roasted for 6 to 12 hours. That is what makes a Cochon de Lait an event rather than just cooking a meal. It's an extended "male bonding", "story telling", "bull shooting", "beverage of your choice drinking", "fire tending" event!"
Today ecologists recognize that the enormous amounts of phosphates emitted by pigs endangers the environment. Phosphates drain into rivers and seas and cause "dead zones."
But scientists in Australia have found a way to get pigs to absorb phosphates. Called the Enviropig, the new swine have been genetically engineered to aborb up to 50% more phosphates, says Popular Science monthly.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Shreveport in Place and Location: the Texas Trail and Coates Bluff settlement
As Americans headed West, says caddohistory.com, some people sent their possessions ahead on steamboats up the Red River. The families traveled on horseback or in wagons, frequently traversing this area because it was higher ground. This was known as the Texas Trail numerous years before Shreveport was founded.
James Huntington Cane and William Smith Bennett opened a store in a one-room cabin about 1832 and called it “Cane’s & Bennett’s Bluff.”
Saloons, gambling houses, and dance halls appeared on Commerce Street, giving entertainment to those who had arrived here in the course of moving westward. 2
When the Caddo Indians sold their land to the United States in 1835, they gave a section of the land to their friend and interpreter, Larkin Edwards, who had arrived from Tennessee at the time of the Louisiana Purchase. 3
Edwards sold the land in that same year to Angus McNeill, who located a claim where Shreveport was built. McNeill along with Cane, Bennett, Thomas Taylor Williamson of Arkansas, Sturgis Sprague from Mississippi, Bushrod Jenkins from Natchitoches Parish, James Belton Pickett from South Carolina, and Henry Miller Shreve from Pennsylvania were the founders of the Shreve Town Company on May 27, 1836. 4 These seven investors established the town and invited Shreve to plat it (lay out officially measured sections).
Your teacher has pointed out that in fact they were land speculators; their investment was a gamble.
It was born “Shreve’s Town” and renamed “Shreveport” in 1839. 6 This was the second city in Louisiana, planned because of the fertility of the land and the location along the Red River after it was opened. 7 They formed a community measuring eight streets long and eight wide with the Public Square on Block 23.8 These streets now form present-day downtown Shreveport.
With Texas gaining its independence in 1836, Shreveport’s main street was named Texas Trail and renamed Texas Avenue after its extension. Caddo Street was named for the Caddo Indians, who first owned the land, and Cotton bears the name of the area’s staple crop. Hopeful names were given to Commerce and Market Streets, as the founders anticipated their development into prosperous business streets; the first market house also stood at the northwest intersection of Texas and Market Streets. Fannin, Travis, Milam, and Crockett Streets honor those who died at Goliad, the Alamo, and San Jacinto. Edwards Street remembers Caddo Indian interpreter Larkin Edwards, McNeill Street bears the name of the Shreve Town Company’s president. Spring Street called to mind the nearby springs,
which gave water to the cattle and pasture of the owner of a nearby pioneer boarding house. Lake Street was fittingly named, as it was interrupted by Silver Lake. 9
Shreveport had been challenged by another rising community, Coates Bluff, which had opened the first area post office on April 10, 1838. 10 The community, located on what is now Stoner Hill, had begun with a trading post owned by McLeod and Carr.
Using the Eradicator, Shreve dug a ditch across the forty-two-yard neck of the river circle that went around Coates Bluff, leaving the community dry. 11
James Huntington Cane and William Smith Bennett opened a store in a one-room cabin about 1832 and called it “Cane’s & Bennett’s Bluff.”
Saloons, gambling houses, and dance halls appeared on Commerce Street, giving entertainment to those who had arrived here in the course of moving westward. 2
When the Caddo Indians sold their land to the United States in 1835, they gave a section of the land to their friend and interpreter, Larkin Edwards, who had arrived from Tennessee at the time of the Louisiana Purchase. 3
Edwards sold the land in that same year to Angus McNeill, who located a claim where Shreveport was built. McNeill along with Cane, Bennett, Thomas Taylor Williamson of Arkansas, Sturgis Sprague from Mississippi, Bushrod Jenkins from Natchitoches Parish, James Belton Pickett from South Carolina, and Henry Miller Shreve from Pennsylvania were the founders of the Shreve Town Company on May 27, 1836. 4 These seven investors established the town and invited Shreve to plat it (lay out officially measured sections).
Your teacher has pointed out that in fact they were land speculators; their investment was a gamble.
It was born “Shreve’s Town” and renamed “Shreveport” in 1839. 6 This was the second city in Louisiana, planned because of the fertility of the land and the location along the Red River after it was opened. 7 They formed a community measuring eight streets long and eight wide with the Public Square on Block 23.8 These streets now form present-day downtown Shreveport.
With Texas gaining its independence in 1836, Shreveport’s main street was named Texas Trail and renamed Texas Avenue after its extension. Caddo Street was named for the Caddo Indians, who first owned the land, and Cotton bears the name of the area’s staple crop. Hopeful names were given to Commerce and Market Streets, as the founders anticipated their development into prosperous business streets; the first market house also stood at the northwest intersection of Texas and Market Streets. Fannin, Travis, Milam, and Crockett Streets honor those who died at Goliad, the Alamo, and San Jacinto. Edwards Street remembers Caddo Indian interpreter Larkin Edwards, McNeill Street bears the name of the Shreve Town Company’s president. Spring Street called to mind the nearby springs,
which gave water to the cattle and pasture of the owner of a nearby pioneer boarding house. Lake Street was fittingly named, as it was interrupted by Silver Lake. 9
Shreveport had been challenged by another rising community, Coates Bluff, which had opened the first area post office on April 10, 1838. 10 The community, located on what is now Stoner Hill, had begun with a trading post owned by McLeod and Carr.
Using the Eradicator, Shreve dug a ditch across the forty-two-yard neck of the river circle that went around Coates Bluff, leaving the community dry. 11
Thursday, September 09, 2010
Syllabus, Magnet geography / Trudeau / 2010-2011
As guided by the comprehensive curriculum, which insures topical uniformity across the parish . . .
Aug: basic skills in geography (2 weeks)
Sept: US & Canada (4)
Oct: Central & South America & the Caribbean (3) also, Europe begins.
Nov 4: schools closed for presidential election.
Nov: Europe (4)
Dec: Russia & Northern Eurasia (3)
Jan: Middle East (SW Asia) & Mediterranean Afric
Feb: Sub-Saharan Africa (3)
March: South & Central Asia (3)
April: East Asia (3)
May: Australia & Oceania
Geography is a social studies regimen in which Robert Trudeau's students take a humanities approach appropriate to a college-oriented high school curriculum.
The class integrates
* study of language (especially Greek and Latin roots)
* literature (often through classic films such as Gandhi and Lawrence of Arabia)
* architecture (students make abbreviated models of buildings such as the Taj Mahal and the Great Mosque at Mecca)
* cuisine (taste this Japanese nori, or cultivated seaweed, and write down 5 sensory words)
* music (ethnic or classical music is played in the classroom daily)
* map study (students can draw and label a map comprising the entire world by year's end), * economy (per capita income, standard of living) and
* history (empires, wars, rulers).
Subject-matter units may vary in order and substitutions may occur according to world conditions.
Skills emphasized in geography class comprise the higher thinking modes:
questioning
evaluation
composition
analysis
synthesis
The primary theme is that students are encouraged to gather information about a nation / culture and compare it to previously-studied nations.
Quizzes focus on reading and organizational skills. Reading comprehension is a key to this class as well as to your future success in school and work.
Analysis: to take apart the elements of a culture:
* land - ex., from the cold Himalayas to bustling Shanghai
* resources - petroleum, alumina, arable land, work ethic
* history - golden eras, wars, colonialization, empire
* arts - architecture, painting, sculpture, literature, clothing
* philosophy - What is the theme of Confucianism? can you identify the difference between Buddhism and Taoism?
* government - authoritarian, socialist, democratic
* economy - free enterprise, government controlled, modified
* ethnic groups - Mongolian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Creole
* language - Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, Hindi, Mandarin Chinese
* religions - the degrees of fervor in Christian, jewish and Muslim communities
Synthesis: combine elements of cultures to offer a theme or thesis.
Ex., a) Write a brief essay showing the similarities in Chinese and American cultures. b) Create an annotated map that shows the influence of Buddhism across several nations in Asia.
Questions which accompany each class activity emphasize interpretation and comparison.
Ex.: if most of the world's poor population cooks over charcoal, what are the indirect stresses on the environment? answer: not only air pollution, but deforestation (charcoal being the product of partially burned trees). Deforestation leads to excessive erosion of topsoil and to an extreme danger: a decline in agricultural production.
Learning styles exploration and communication styles evaluation are the subtext for this social studies class.
* How effective is repetition? How can repetition be made bearable?
* How does art - ex., illustrations - enhance learning? Does color add significant impact to communication?
* Does a hands-on activity (for instance, a puzzle map) enhance retention of material?
* Does a multiple-choice quiz create involvement in a general audience? Is multiple-choice more appealing than a fill-in-the-blanks quiz? Why?
If students both see material on the board, write it down, add an illustration, add color, create a quiz and write an essay on the material do we reach a high level of understanding and retention? That is this teacher's idea of a thorough lesson.
Composition engages students in the highest mode of thinking.
Written communication must be
orderly; logic and chronology and thoughtful transitions must be in evidence. Writing must be:
* detailed - examples and documentation make a full-bodied article.
* lively - a snappy title and colorful opening are mandatory.
* credible - "according to" and a source must accompany all fact and even presentations of opinion. Meanwhile, we also avoid plagiarism.
* insightful rather than lengthy - while offering an adequate amount of evidence is important, the highest level of writing demonstrates questioning, offers a thesis and demonstrates leaps of imagination.
Materials
Rand McNally Quick Reference World Atlas is used in class virtually every day and on every quiz. It comprises demography, topography, political life, and spatial relationships. The RMQRWA offers students opportunities for exploration, memorization and global insight.
Presentations and activities developed by your teacher from material in the NY Times, Public Broadcasting, National Geographic, World Book and numerous additional sources.
The Class Web Site at http://mondotrudeau.blogspot.com is designed to help create a partnership in learning between student, teacher and parents. Assignments, activities, notes, announcements and tests are updated regularly. Here you will find opportunities for bonus credit writing assignments and a place to catch up on notes and tests when you are ill or otherwise absent.
Guest speakers and field trips offer a first-hand learning opportunity. Students' questions are highly valued during these experiences. Post-activity essays afford us an opportunity to evaluate the experience.
Evaluation
Memorization is exercised by a regular schedule of map tests. Spelling counts, as it does all one's life.
Open Notes Multiple Choice Tests offer a challenge to students' ability to take accurate notes, to organize their notes and to use pertinent resources, such as notes from the class web site and resource books in the classroom. Also measured by Open Notes Tests is the ability to read questions and the ability to use deduction in choosing answers.
Essays
Student growth in communications and thinking skills are challenged in the most stringent way by essay questions. Students are given evidence in handouts and expected to follow essay guidelines.
Projects
Special teamwork assignments such as making Powerpoint presentations are an important part of a varied academic diet.
Independent work
Essays are the primarily recommended form of independent work. Each week I suggest several topics for research and writing. From time to time I may allow students to bring a taste of a foreign cuisine to school. I also encourage audio-visual projects such as video and other photography projects.
Email is my way of extending my care to the 143 students I teach each day. Email may be used for bonus work or regular assignments when needed.
Parents and students' questions are answered efficiently by the use of email.
Benchmarks
Instruction and student achievement will be based on these items, as mandated by the Department of Education:
Solving geographic problems by use of geographic materials.
Organizing material by formulating mental maps.
Determining how location and social, cultural, and economic processes affect the features and significance of regions.
Analyzing the structure and interconnectedness of regions.
Determining the social factors that impact human systems.
Analyzing demographic materials.
Comparing economic systems.
Examining the role of technology in human achievement.
Describing the earth's physical challenges and searching for solutions.
Using concepts such as chronology and conflict to analyze history.
Interpreting primary and secondary sources.
Conducting research in efforts to analyze historic issues.
Analyzing cause and effect relationships.
Analyzing and demonstrating an understanding of nations' changes in the modern era.
Analyzing the origins, central ideas and impact of great religions and philosophies.
Tracing the interconnectedness of peoples through research into national and cultural forces.
Grade level Expectations
Competent use of all sections of the atlas.
Mental mapping.
Comparison of cultures.
Use of graphs and diagrams in communicating geographic material.
Drawing conclusions about locations based on the evidence in maps and graphs.
Analysis of economic forces.
Demonstrate an understanding of demographics.
Inquire into the forces that create war and peace.
Describe the cultural forces that link the world's regions.
Aug: basic skills in geography (2 weeks)
Sept: US & Canada (4)
Oct: Central & South America & the Caribbean (3) also, Europe begins.
Nov 4: schools closed for presidential election.
Nov: Europe (4)
Dec: Russia & Northern Eurasia (3)
Jan: Middle East (SW Asia) & Mediterranean Afric
Feb: Sub-Saharan Africa (3)
March: South & Central Asia (3)
April: East Asia (3)
May: Australia & Oceania
Geography is a social studies regimen in which Robert Trudeau's students take a humanities approach appropriate to a college-oriented high school curriculum.
The class integrates
* study of language (especially Greek and Latin roots)
* literature (often through classic films such as Gandhi and Lawrence of Arabia)
* architecture (students make abbreviated models of buildings such as the Taj Mahal and the Great Mosque at Mecca)
* cuisine (taste this Japanese nori, or cultivated seaweed, and write down 5 sensory words)
* music (ethnic or classical music is played in the classroom daily)
* map study (students can draw and label a map comprising the entire world by year's end), * economy (per capita income, standard of living) and
* history (empires, wars, rulers).
Subject-matter units may vary in order and substitutions may occur according to world conditions.
Skills emphasized in geography class comprise the higher thinking modes:
questioning
evaluation
composition
analysis
synthesis
The primary theme is that students are encouraged to gather information about a nation / culture and compare it to previously-studied nations.
Quizzes focus on reading and organizational skills. Reading comprehension is a key to this class as well as to your future success in school and work.
Analysis: to take apart the elements of a culture:
* land - ex., from the cold Himalayas to bustling Shanghai
* resources - petroleum, alumina, arable land, work ethic
* history - golden eras, wars, colonialization, empire
* arts - architecture, painting, sculpture, literature, clothing
* philosophy - What is the theme of Confucianism? can you identify the difference between Buddhism and Taoism?
* government - authoritarian, socialist, democratic
* economy - free enterprise, government controlled, modified
* ethnic groups - Mongolian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Creole
* language - Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, Hindi, Mandarin Chinese
* religions - the degrees of fervor in Christian, jewish and Muslim communities
Synthesis: combine elements of cultures to offer a theme or thesis.
Ex., a) Write a brief essay showing the similarities in Chinese and American cultures. b) Create an annotated map that shows the influence of Buddhism across several nations in Asia.
Questions which accompany each class activity emphasize interpretation and comparison.
Ex.: if most of the world's poor population cooks over charcoal, what are the indirect stresses on the environment? answer: not only air pollution, but deforestation (charcoal being the product of partially burned trees). Deforestation leads to excessive erosion of topsoil and to an extreme danger: a decline in agricultural production.
Learning styles exploration and communication styles evaluation are the subtext for this social studies class.
* How effective is repetition? How can repetition be made bearable?
* How does art - ex., illustrations - enhance learning? Does color add significant impact to communication?
* Does a hands-on activity (for instance, a puzzle map) enhance retention of material?
* Does a multiple-choice quiz create involvement in a general audience? Is multiple-choice more appealing than a fill-in-the-blanks quiz? Why?
If students both see material on the board, write it down, add an illustration, add color, create a quiz and write an essay on the material do we reach a high level of understanding and retention? That is this teacher's idea of a thorough lesson.
Composition engages students in the highest mode of thinking.
Written communication must be
orderly; logic and chronology and thoughtful transitions must be in evidence. Writing must be:
* detailed - examples and documentation make a full-bodied article.
* lively - a snappy title and colorful opening are mandatory.
* credible - "according to" and a source must accompany all fact and even presentations of opinion. Meanwhile, we also avoid plagiarism.
* insightful rather than lengthy - while offering an adequate amount of evidence is important, the highest level of writing demonstrates questioning, offers a thesis and demonstrates leaps of imagination.
Materials
Rand McNally Quick Reference World Atlas is used in class virtually every day and on every quiz. It comprises demography, topography, political life, and spatial relationships. The RMQRWA offers students opportunities for exploration, memorization and global insight.
Presentations and activities developed by your teacher from material in the NY Times, Public Broadcasting, National Geographic, World Book and numerous additional sources.
The Class Web Site at http://mondotrudeau.blogspot.com is designed to help create a partnership in learning between student, teacher and parents. Assignments, activities, notes, announcements and tests are updated regularly. Here you will find opportunities for bonus credit writing assignments and a place to catch up on notes and tests when you are ill or otherwise absent.
Guest speakers and field trips offer a first-hand learning opportunity. Students' questions are highly valued during these experiences. Post-activity essays afford us an opportunity to evaluate the experience.
Evaluation
Memorization is exercised by a regular schedule of map tests. Spelling counts, as it does all one's life.
Open Notes Multiple Choice Tests offer a challenge to students' ability to take accurate notes, to organize their notes and to use pertinent resources, such as notes from the class web site and resource books in the classroom. Also measured by Open Notes Tests is the ability to read questions and the ability to use deduction in choosing answers.
Essays
Student growth in communications and thinking skills are challenged in the most stringent way by essay questions. Students are given evidence in handouts and expected to follow essay guidelines.
Projects
Special teamwork assignments such as making Powerpoint presentations are an important part of a varied academic diet.
Independent work
Essays are the primarily recommended form of independent work. Each week I suggest several topics for research and writing. From time to time I may allow students to bring a taste of a foreign cuisine to school. I also encourage audio-visual projects such as video and other photography projects.
Email is my way of extending my care to the 143 students I teach each day. Email may be used for bonus work or regular assignments when needed.
Parents and students' questions are answered efficiently by the use of email.
Benchmarks
Instruction and student achievement will be based on these items, as mandated by the Department of Education:
Solving geographic problems by use of geographic materials.
Organizing material by formulating mental maps.
Determining how location and social, cultural, and economic processes affect the features and significance of regions.
Analyzing the structure and interconnectedness of regions.
Determining the social factors that impact human systems.
Analyzing demographic materials.
Comparing economic systems.
Examining the role of technology in human achievement.
Describing the earth's physical challenges and searching for solutions.
Using concepts such as chronology and conflict to analyze history.
Interpreting primary and secondary sources.
Conducting research in efforts to analyze historic issues.
Analyzing cause and effect relationships.
Analyzing and demonstrating an understanding of nations' changes in the modern era.
Analyzing the origins, central ideas and impact of great religions and philosophies.
Tracing the interconnectedness of peoples through research into national and cultural forces.
Grade level Expectations
Competent use of all sections of the atlas.
Mental mapping.
Comparison of cultures.
Use of graphs and diagrams in communicating geographic material.
Drawing conclusions about locations based on the evidence in maps and graphs.
Analysis of economic forces.
Demonstrate an understanding of demographics.
Inquire into the forces that create war and peace.
Describe the cultural forces that link the world's regions.
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
Quiz #2: Hydrologists & Kinesiologists
1. The Ozark Mountains: a) Northern Arkansas b) Southern Arkansas.
2. Before the 1700's there was quite a conflict between the a) Osage and the b) Iroquois. Which was the more powerful tribe?
3. The date of the Louisiana Purchase: a) 1783 b) 1803 c) 1835 d) 1836.
4. Which is sweeter, more succulent (juicy) and more aromatic (appealing aroma), the a) pimento, or cherry pepper, or the b) red bell pepper?
5. The Spaceship Earth project is an example of learning that we may term
a) tactile b) holistic c) kinetic d) mnemonic.
6. With a population of 6.8 billion, most people on earth are competing to get an adequate supply of jobs, food, housing and __ . a) living space b) money
c) ecosystem d) water.
7. One of these nations has a totalitarian government, one which has absolute power in regards people's lives. a) China b) India c) Asia d) Africa.
8. 40N, 74W: a) Beijing b) New York City c) Paris d) Chicago.
9. The most important item learned in the recent Mississippi Valley map quiz:
a) 10 states b) tributaries c) memorization d) mnemonics.
10. A hydrologist might be a geologist. T / F
11. The Caddos, Celts, Zulu and Choctaw are indigenous peoples but the aborigines of Australia are not what we call indigenous. T / F
12. There is a great ocean current which flows around the peninsula of Florida and moves slowly north along the Atlantic coast. It is the: a) equatorial b) Canary c) North Atlantic d) Gulf Stream.
13. The devastating Katrina sequence seen in New Orleans in 2005: a) wind-rain-broken levees-flooding b) rain-broken levees-wind-flooding c) flooding-broken levees-wind-rain.
14. Relatively large Island which visibly separates the Caribbean from the Gulf of Mexico: a) Cuba b) Florida c) Venezuela d) Haiti.
1. Northern Ark.
2. The Iroquois; return to the Caddo history to see the explanation.
3. 1803
4. pimento
5. tactile
6. water
7. China
8. NYC
9. mnemonics
10. T
11. F
12. Gulf Stream
13. wind-rain-broken levees-flooding
14. Cuba
2. Before the 1700's there was quite a conflict between the a) Osage and the b) Iroquois. Which was the more powerful tribe?
3. The date of the Louisiana Purchase: a) 1783 b) 1803 c) 1835 d) 1836.
4. Which is sweeter, more succulent (juicy) and more aromatic (appealing aroma), the a) pimento, or cherry pepper, or the b) red bell pepper?
5. The Spaceship Earth project is an example of learning that we may term
a) tactile b) holistic c) kinetic d) mnemonic.
6. With a population of 6.8 billion, most people on earth are competing to get an adequate supply of jobs, food, housing and __ . a) living space b) money
c) ecosystem d) water.
7. One of these nations has a totalitarian government, one which has absolute power in regards people's lives. a) China b) India c) Asia d) Africa.
8. 40N, 74W: a) Beijing b) New York City c) Paris d) Chicago.
9. The most important item learned in the recent Mississippi Valley map quiz:
a) 10 states b) tributaries c) memorization d) mnemonics.
10. A hydrologist might be a geologist. T / F
11. The Caddos, Celts, Zulu and Choctaw are indigenous peoples but the aborigines of Australia are not what we call indigenous. T / F
12. There is a great ocean current which flows around the peninsula of Florida and moves slowly north along the Atlantic coast. It is the: a) equatorial b) Canary c) North Atlantic d) Gulf Stream.
13. The devastating Katrina sequence seen in New Orleans in 2005: a) wind-rain-broken levees-flooding b) rain-broken levees-wind-flooding c) flooding-broken levees-wind-rain.
14. Relatively large Island which visibly separates the Caribbean from the Gulf of Mexico: a) Cuba b) Florida c) Venezuela d) Haiti.
1. Northern Ark.
2. The Iroquois; return to the Caddo history to see the explanation.
3. 1803
4. pimento
5. tactile
6. water
7. China
8. NYC
9. mnemonics
10. T
11. F
12. Gulf Stream
13. wind-rain-broken levees-flooding
14. Cuba
Henry Miller Shreve, the steamer & flat boat and a modern log jam
In the beginning was the flat boat. Men wielding poles gave it direction; it used the current for most of its conveyance. Sides of salted bacon, barrels of molasses and stacks of animal pelts were among the products of the region which could be shipped south by flat boat.
But no one would get rich on the trade engendered by flat boats.
The development of this region was first spurred by steam boats.
Henry Miller Shreve was the developer of the shape and style of the Mississippi River Steamboat, according to author and professor Gary Joiner.
His design featured -
- a wide, shallow draft hull -
- 2 decks
- boiler on main deck
- improved engine
The steamboat brought wealth to the Red River valley through increased trade. Imagine giant stacks of cotton bales on the front and rear decks of a steam boat.
Shreve also enabled river traffic by clearing the Red of a log jam called the Great Raft. By one account the obstructions in the channel stretched from Shreveport to Baton Rouge.
He developed a steam-powered work craft called a Snag Boat to fully leverage the clearing of the river of the masses of heavy trees and debris. The Snag Boat featured a split front hull topped with an armature, or frame, that enabled the men to better use a winch and pulley to extract heavy trees from the river sediment.
Cave-ins of dirt and trees were the main elements of the log jam. The jam was so thick that islands developed in the main channel.
Today Shreveport faces a transportation problem somewhat similar to that of the Great Raft. It is the air access problem due to the oddly high cost of flying in or out of Shreveport Regional Airport.
We need a visionary in the mold of Henry Shreve to clear the obstructions in local air traffic. If we can find a way to lower ticket prices to a competitive level, this region will surely develop more wealth and comfort.
But no one would get rich on the trade engendered by flat boats.
The development of this region was first spurred by steam boats.
Henry Miller Shreve was the developer of the shape and style of the Mississippi River Steamboat, according to author and professor Gary Joiner.
His design featured -
- a wide, shallow draft hull -
- 2 decks
- boiler on main deck
- improved engine
The steamboat brought wealth to the Red River valley through increased trade. Imagine giant stacks of cotton bales on the front and rear decks of a steam boat.
Shreve also enabled river traffic by clearing the Red of a log jam called the Great Raft. By one account the obstructions in the channel stretched from Shreveport to Baton Rouge.
He developed a steam-powered work craft called a Snag Boat to fully leverage the clearing of the river of the masses of heavy trees and debris. The Snag Boat featured a split front hull topped with an armature, or frame, that enabled the men to better use a winch and pulley to extract heavy trees from the river sediment.
Cave-ins of dirt and trees were the main elements of the log jam. The jam was so thick that islands developed in the main channel.
Today Shreveport faces a transportation problem somewhat similar to that of the Great Raft. It is the air access problem due to the oddly high cost of flying in or out of Shreveport Regional Airport.
We need a visionary in the mold of Henry Shreve to clear the obstructions in local air traffic. If we can find a way to lower ticket prices to a competitive level, this region will surely develop more wealth and comfort.
Coates Bluff Nature Trail, adjacent to Magnet, Stoner Elem and Montessori
Here is a look at the North-South open space on the river side of Magnet, Stoner Elem and Montessori for Shreveport. This area, blank on the map, is an old river bed.
When the Great Raft clogged the main body of the Red River, side channels were developed. This former river bed, now an open space and wooded bottom, was a loop. The neighborhood called Anderson Island was created by this and other loops of the river.
This wooded area is being developed into a nature trail by a civic group called A Better Shreveport. The person who identified this area was nature education specialist Jon Soul of Montessori. .
When the Great Raft clogged the main body of the Red River, side channels were developed. This former river bed, now an open space and wooded bottom, was a loop. The neighborhood called Anderson Island was created by this and other loops of the river.
This wooded area is being developed into a nature trail by a civic group called A Better Shreveport. The person who identified this area was nature education specialist Jon Soul of Montessori. .
Mapping overview / East Shreveport; Magnet and neighbors
Classes are reviewing the 5 Themes of Geo and the mapping sensibility that accompanies the sense of place, location, region, movement and human-environment interaction.
On this map students will be able to sketch and identify -
Red R.
Teague Parkway
Fant Parkway
Stoner Ave
Youree Dr
Olive St
Magnet / Valencia Park
Students were helped in adding
Stoner Hill Elem
Montessori School for Spt
and identifying a North-South open space on the river side of three schools: Magnet, Stoner Elem and MSS. This area, blank on the map, is an old river bed.
When the Great Raft clogged the main body of the Red River, side channels were developed. This open space / wooded bottom was a loop of the river. The neighborhood called Anderson Island was created by this and other loops of the Red.
This wooded area is being developed into a greenway or nature trail by a civic group called A Better Shreveport. The person who identified this area was nature education specialist Jon Soul of Montessori. .
On this map students will be able to sketch and identify -
Red R.
Teague Parkway
Fant Parkway
Stoner Ave
Youree Dr
Olive St
Magnet / Valencia Park
Students were helped in adding
Stoner Hill Elem
Montessori School for Spt
and identifying a North-South open space on the river side of three schools: Magnet, Stoner Elem and MSS. This area, blank on the map, is an old river bed.
When the Great Raft clogged the main body of the Red River, side channels were developed. This open space / wooded bottom was a loop of the river. The neighborhood called Anderson Island was created by this and other loops of the Red.
This wooded area is being developed into a greenway or nature trail by a civic group called A Better Shreveport. The person who identified this area was nature education specialist Jon Soul of Montessori. .
Reviewing the 5 Themes of Geography
The 5 Themes of Geography include
- Location, both relative location and absolute location.
- Place, including physical characteristics of place and human characteristics of place.
- Human-environment interaction, comprising human adaptation to the environment, human modification of the environment, and human dependency on the environment.
- Movement, which includes movement of people, movement of goods and movement of ideas.
- Regions, subdivided into formal regions, functional regions and vernacular regions.
Review quiz
Which item of the 5 Themes is indicated by
1. Shreveport's humid climate.
2. Tax incentives (rewards) for movie production in Shreveport.
3. The Gulf Coastal Plain includes Shreveport.
4. Shreveport's indigenous people were expelled around 1835.
5. Shreveport is some 300 miles north of New Orleans.
6. The Fant Parkway was built alongside the Red River in the 1970's.
7. People in the media sometime refer to this area as "S-B Land."
8. Hispanic people comprise (make up) about 2% of the population.
9. Eldorado and Sam's Town are casinos (casino means "house" in Italian) that were added to the Shreveport side of the Red River.
10. Water from the Red River can be purified for use as a municipal (having to do with a city) water supply.
The S-B map:
1. Name the curving, NW to SE thoroughfare (area where things are moved).
2. Name the principal N-S conveyance (area where things are moved).
3. Spt's downtown buildings are north of I-20. T/F
4. Magnet is across the red from a major institution in Bossier:
a) La Boardwalk b) Diamond Jacks / Isle of Capri Casino c) Barksdale Air Force Base.
5. I-20 is basically a highway that carries traffic a) East-West b) North-South c) NW - SE across the US.
1. Human-Environment adaptation
2. Movement of ideas and goods.
3. Place / physical characteristics.
4. Movement of people.
5. Location, relative.
6. Human-environment modification.
7. Regions, vernacular.
8. Place, human characteristics.
9. Human-environment modification.
10. Human-environment dependency.
- Location, both relative location and absolute location.
- Place, including physical characteristics of place and human characteristics of place.
- Human-environment interaction, comprising human adaptation to the environment, human modification of the environment, and human dependency on the environment.
- Movement, which includes movement of people, movement of goods and movement of ideas.
- Regions, subdivided into formal regions, functional regions and vernacular regions.
Review quiz
Which item of the 5 Themes is indicated by
1. Shreveport's humid climate.
2. Tax incentives (rewards) for movie production in Shreveport.
3. The Gulf Coastal Plain includes Shreveport.
4. Shreveport's indigenous people were expelled around 1835.
5. Shreveport is some 300 miles north of New Orleans.
6. The Fant Parkway was built alongside the Red River in the 1970's.
7. People in the media sometime refer to this area as "S-B Land."
8. Hispanic people comprise (make up) about 2% of the population.
9. Eldorado and Sam's Town are casinos (casino means "house" in Italian) that were added to the Shreveport side of the Red River.
10. Water from the Red River can be purified for use as a municipal (having to do with a city) water supply.
The S-B map:
1. Name the curving, NW to SE thoroughfare (area where things are moved).
2. Name the principal N-S conveyance (area where things are moved).
3. Spt's downtown buildings are north of I-20. T/F
4. Magnet is across the red from a major institution in Bossier:
a) La Boardwalk b) Diamond Jacks / Isle of Capri Casino c) Barksdale Air Force Base.
5. I-20 is basically a highway that carries traffic a) East-West b) North-South c) NW - SE across the US.
1. Human-Environment adaptation
2. Movement of ideas and goods.
3. Place / physical characteristics.
4. Movement of people.
5. Location, relative.
6. Human-environment modification.
7. Regions, vernacular.
8. Place, human characteristics.
9. Human-environment modification.
10. Human-environment dependency.
Stoner Ave at Fant Parkway: Riverscape development, Shreveport, will be adjacent to Magnet
In this illustration you see the plan for a housing development, a neighborhood, that will be built adjacent to Magnet on the Fant Parkway side of the campus. It is to be called Riverscape.
In the illustration can you tell that the person's hand is pointing to Magnet campus? The finger is on the tennis courts.
Above is the campus proper, with PAC, central wings and even E wing. Above E wing is the outline of the oval track. At the top is Stoner Ave.
In the illustration can you tell that the person's hand is pointing to Magnet campus? The finger is on the tennis courts.
Above is the campus proper, with PAC, central wings and even E wing. Above E wing is the outline of the oval track. At the top is Stoner Ave.
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