klmama Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Because of some unexpected changes in our plan, I am now trying to put together a course on short notice so my senior will have a typical number of credits for the year. I'd like it to cover major issues currently facing our nation and/or world. Please help me come up with some good, non-fiction reads! If you have a topic and/or a book to recommend, I'll be very grateful! So far I have this: Immigration of unaccompanied youth from central America - Enrique's Journey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Michael Lewis has some good books on he financial meltdown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted August 29, 2014 Author Share Posted August 29, 2014 Thanks for the suggestion! Anyone else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathie in VA Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 You could also have him read/listen to the news and pick a topic of choice. He can either research more on it and write a paper arguing a point or he can first collect news articles over a period of time to use as his main source for his research. I did something like that 1st yr in college. There are sooo many hot topics in the news these days that this could be very interesting n informative for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted August 29, 2014 Author Share Posted August 29, 2014 Thanks, Kathie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 I recommend The Economist for the most thorough and not solely US centered information about current events. It comes out weekly and also has a website http://www.economist.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space station Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 I highly suggest some in depth history reading about the middle east, and then have him make connections with modern events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathie in VA Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Oh. My guy enjoys reading the articles from the Impremis from Hillsdale College. http://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/current they also have their past issues online. It all free. We signed up and get the paper versions in the mail and my ds (14) reads them right away! Very informative. ...on the line of modern essays with longer sentences, good vocabulary, and grammar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted August 30, 2014 Author Share Posted August 30, 2014 Thank you for all these great suggestions! I'm starting to feel better about this! Other ideas still welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate in Arabia Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 This is one of the books on ds' list for Middle Eastern studies this year, we're on the modern period, I don't know if this is the kind of thing you are looking for? Princeton Readings in Islamist Thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 Connect the Thoughts World Problems. Examples: Religious Intolerance, Terrorism, Global Poverty and Hunger. Each unit is fairly short. (Can't link from my phone. Sorry!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted August 30, 2014 Author Share Posted August 30, 2014 Note to self and all of you - when taking a long time to type up a post, especially when it is your plan for a course, be sure to copy it before you submit it, so that if the system decides not to accept it you won't lose the whole thing. :banghead: So, without all of the details now, here's the current plan. Ds will read news daily, collecting articles on these topics from newspaper, online news, The Economist, etc.: world conflicts - Israel/Gaza, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Ukraine/Russia, Iraq, etc. terrorism - Boston bomber trial, ISIS, Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, etc. human rights violations - slavery, forced marriage/prostitution, child soldiers, religious persecution, etc. governmental spying - NSA, GCHQ other governmental abuse of power epidemics - Ebola, HIV/AIDS poverty racism financial crisis environmental issues - climate change debate, fracking, wind farms, Monsanto, endangered species hunger gangs/drug cartels health US immigration policy The list was longer before I lost it. What important topics have I left off of this list? So, ds reads current articles on these topics, does additional research for historical background or more info, discusses with me, and then produces some kind of gradable output - essays, oral presentations with power point, quizzes, tests. What other kinds of output do you suggest? I'd particularly like to use this course as an opportunity to practice anything he might need to do in college. Also, I want this class to be a full-year course. Do you think this is enough? If not, what would you add to make it worth a full credit? Thanks for any suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyndiLJ Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I'd also suggest Connect the Thoughts for their Current Events curricula. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 This is starting to sound a lot like the American Government and Comparative Givernment class we did last year. Maybe more on the current playing out of issues than the question of how they were designed to work. If you haven't done government or Econ, maybe adding a light book on principles to the current events readings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 The homepage of world-affairs.org has a weekly current events round up -- very globally focused rather than the America-focused. choices.edu has some fabulous materials. Definitely check out the Scholar's Online videos even if you don't buy the books. They are free, short, and incredibly informative for their short length. One of my favorite resources on the Arab Spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted September 11, 2014 Author Share Posted September 11, 2014 The homepage of world-affairs.org has a weekly current events round up -- very globally focused rather than the America-focused. choices.edu has some fabulous materials. Definitely check out the Scholar's Online videos even if you don't buy the books. They are free, short, and incredibly informative for their short length. One of my favorite resources on the Arab Spring. THANK YOU!!!!!! These will be very helpful to us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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