John milton

When I consider how my light is spent†, and â€Å"How Soon Hath Time†, the poet refers to his blindness and the use of time. From the death of his infant son, to the death of his wife, down to Milton becoming blind, surprisingly, he had yet to let these obstacles stop him from being the amazing writer/Poet we was. â€Å"When I considered how my light is spent†, is a sonnet referring to his blindness nd his secret obsession with time.Towards the end of this sonnet he questions his God as to why Milton's â€Å"one talent† (line 3) was taken from him (his sight) and how it is possible to serve God with his blindness. Milton knows that he is talented, â€Å"though my Soul more bent to serve therewith my Maker, and present my true account, lest he returning chide;† (lines 4-6) his soul desires â€Å"bent† to use his skills in the service of his â€Å"Maker,† God, but doesn't know how to deal with it: â€Å"And that one talent which is death to hide† (line 3). It is ironic because here is a man who is incredibly talented, et isn't able to use his talents.Because its â€Å"Lodged with [me] useless, though my soul more bent†, where he almost bluntly states that he knows he has an amazing talent, which is his astounding ability to write amazing poems and such writings. â€Å"He does consider his blindness briefly in the poem, but taking Milton's work so literally as to suppose that his blindness was all that he was talking about doesn't give credit to Milton's completely abstract thinking nor his depth of understanding holy literature. â€Å"( Georgii ). The start of the poem goes smooth as he tells the reader is view of being blind.Then midstream the poem he slips into the conversation about god as his maker and how Milton is supposed to serve God in his blind state. He refers to â€Å"Light†, which is also referred to in the bible. He attempts to describe man's relationship with god. I believe he i s referring to light in the form of which Jesus speaks of light when quoting the Bible (all forms) Jesus says, â€Å"and no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. A lamp is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. Matthew 5:15;Contemperary English Version): â€Å"Jesus proceeded here to show them that the very reason why they were enlightened was that others might also see the light, and be benefited by it.When people light a candle, they do not conceal the light, but place it where it may be of use. So it is with religion. It is given that we may benefit others. It is not to be concealed, but suffered to show itself, and to shed light on a surrounding wicked world† (Barne's). In the scripture it also says â€Å"For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that ill not be known or brought out into the open. (Luke 8:17). As I am still referring to Milton's â€Å"Light†. His talent is nothing to hide, but feels as though, due to his loss of sight. Because he can no longer see light he is forced to â€Å"see† in another way. Fore his blindness does not attect ni ty to write, but it only makes it more difficult but not impossible. The bible also states, â€Å"The light of the body is in the eye; therefore when thine eye is single thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body is full of darkness.If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light† Here, eye does not literally mean eye in the sense of seeing but in the sense of what is within a person. Solely speaking that Milton isn't necessarily an evil person but due to his own insecurities feels as though. Because of his â€Å"dark world and wide†, feels he has not yet seen the light. Milton claims his talent is â€Å"useless†, and by not using his talent to write an epic poem, Milton thinks he's wasting it.In the Bi blical story, â€Å"a master gives servants oins (talents) to turn a profit on them; when one servant buries the talent instead, the master chides him for not putting it in the bank and earning interest. The master is supposed to be God† (web. ) So this chimes into â€Å"lest He returning chide†, that he wants his â€Å"true account† meaning he wants to be recognized for what he's worth. His One talent was far more than a biblical day-laborer could expect to earn. â€Å"His state Is kingly: thousands at His bidding speed, And post o'er land and ocean without rest; They also serve who only stand and wait†.Meaning that god is holy and bove all, because he created your talent he only serves those who wait. By the end of this poem he shows that he has learned the conclusion to his hidden talent which is not to sit and do nothing or wait without any effort or prolonging for what you want but Instead, he's trying to say that god only serves those who wait for b etter or remain faithful to his kingly name. While this amazing epic poem stresses the fact that god is behind you, one of his other sonnets expresses otherwise, â€Å"How soon hath time†, talks about aging and how it happens so fast.Hes Just turned 24 and everything is feeling like its going so fast. His life is excelling at a faster rate than he'd like, and he Just wants to do great things with his life. I don't think he feels as he's done enough for where he is, even though he clearly has. At the end he calms down and takes a break. He says the heavens will lead him to where he should be. And he wants to use all of his talents God gave him, and use them to his full potential. â€Å"My hasting days fly on wtih full career, But my late spring no bud or blossom shew'th. Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth, John milton When I consider how my light is spent†, and â€Å"How Soon Hath Time†, the poet refers to his blindness and the use of time. From the death of his infant son, to the death of his wife, down to Milton becoming blind, surprisingly, he had yet to let these obstacles stop him from being the amazing writer/Poet we was. â€Å"When I considered how my light is spent†, is a sonnet referring to his blindness nd his secret obsession with time.Towards the end of this sonnet he questions his God as to why Milton's â€Å"one talent† (line 3) was taken from him (his sight) and how it is possible to serve God with his blindness. Milton knows that he is talented, â€Å"though my Soul more bent to serve therewith my Maker, and present my true account, lest he returning chide;† (lines 4-6) his soul desires â€Å"bent† to use his skills in the service of his â€Å"Maker,† God, but doesn't know how to deal with it: â€Å"And that one talent which is death to hide† (line 3). It is ironic because here is a man who is incredibly talented, et isn't able to use his talents.Because its â€Å"Lodged with [me] useless, though my soul more bent†, where he almost bluntly states that he knows he has an amazing talent, which is his astounding ability to write amazing poems and such writings. â€Å"He does consider his blindness briefly in the poem, but taking Milton's work so literally as to suppose that his blindness was all that he was talking about doesn't give credit to Milton's completely abstract thinking nor his depth of understanding holy literature. â€Å"( Georgii ). The start of the poem goes smooth as he tells the reader is view of being blind.Then midstream the poem he slips into the conversation about god as his maker and how Milton is supposed to serve God in his blind state. He refers to â€Å"Light†, which is also referred to in the bible. He attempts to describe man's relationship with god. I believe he i s referring to light in the form of which Jesus speaks of light when quoting the Bible (all forms) Jesus says, â€Å"and no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. A lamp is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. Matthew 5:15;Contemperary English Version): â€Å"Jesus proceeded here to show them that the very reason why they were enlightened was that others might also see the light, and be benefited by it.When people light a candle, they do not conceal the light, but place it where it may be of use. So it is with religion. It is given that we may benefit others. It is not to be concealed, but suffered to show itself, and to shed light on a surrounding wicked world† (Barne's). In the scripture it also says â€Å"For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that ill not be known or brought out into the open. (Luke 8:17). As I am still referring to Milton's â€Å"Light†. His talent is nothing to hide, but feels as though, due to his loss of sight. Because he can no longer see light he is forced to â€Å"see† in another way. Fore his blindness does not attect ni ty to write, but it only makes it more difficult but not impossible. The bible also states, â€Å"The light of the body is in the eye; therefore when thine eye is single thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body is full of darkness.If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light† Here, eye does not literally mean eye in the sense of seeing but in the sense of what is within a person. Solely speaking that Milton isn't necessarily an evil person but due to his own insecurities feels as though. Because of his â€Å"dark world and wide†, feels he has not yet seen the light. Milton claims his talent is â€Å"useless†, and by not using his talent to write an epic poem, Milton thinks he's wasting it.In the Bi blical story, â€Å"a master gives servants oins (talents) to turn a profit on them; when one servant buries the talent instead, the master chides him for not putting it in the bank and earning interest. The master is supposed to be God† (web. ) So this chimes into â€Å"lest He returning chide†, that he wants his â€Å"true account† meaning he wants to be recognized for what he's worth. His One talent was far more than a biblical day-laborer could expect to earn. â€Å"His state Is kingly: thousands at His bidding speed, And post o'er land and ocean without rest; They also serve who only stand and wait†.Meaning that god is holy and bove all, because he created your talent he only serves those who wait. By the end of this poem he shows that he has learned the conclusion to his hidden talent which is not to sit and do nothing or wait without any effort or prolonging for what you want but Instead, he's trying to say that god only serves those who wait for b etter or remain faithful to his kingly name. While this amazing epic poem stresses the fact that god is behind you, one of his other sonnets expresses otherwise, â€Å"How soon hath time†, talks about aging and how it happens so fast.Hes Just turned 24 and everything is feeling like its going so fast. His life is excelling at a faster rate than he'd like, and he Just wants to do great things with his life. I don't think he feels as he's done enough for where he is, even though he clearly has. At the end he calms down and takes a break. He says the heavens will lead him to where he should be. And he wants to use all of his talents God gave him, and use them to his full potential. â€Å"My hasting days fly on wtih full career, But my late spring no bud or blossom shew'th. Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth,

School Improvement Plan

U10a1: School Improvement Plan by Robin R. Bailey The School Improvement Plan in Full Fulfillment Of the Requirements of ED 7852- Principalship March 15, 2013 |Address: |6647 S. Maryland Ave Unit 3E | |City, State, Zip: |Chicago, IL 60637 | |Phone: |773-655-5508 | |E-mail: |[email  protected] du | |Instructor: |Dr. Jeff Ronneberg | Table of Contents Abstract†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦pg. 3 School Improvement Committee†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦pg. 4 Data and Gathering Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦pg. 5 Environmental Scan of the Sch ool and Community†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦pg. 7 Goals and Objectives†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦pg. 10 Resource and Community Development†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦pg. 13 Monitoring and Assessing†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦pg. 18 Expected Outcomes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦pg. 20 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦pg. 21 Abstract Herzl Elementary School of Excellence is located in Chicago, IL. Herzl has a population of 492 students who are: Black (481), Hispanic (6), Asian/Pacific Islander (1), White (1), and Two or More Races (3). The goal is to improve student achievement in reading and mathematics. Herzl Elementary School is committed to preparing students for the future by including real world activities into students’ daily lessons. Herzl is also using research based strategies in every lesson to enhance learning and improve student achievement.Committee Development, Data Gathering and Analysis Part 1 -School Improvement Committee Mrs. D†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Principal Ms. R. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Assistant Principal Mr. A. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Assistant Principal Ms. C†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Chair Ms. L†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Special Education Teacher Ms. M†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Kindergarten Teacher Ms. B. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Second Grade Teacher Ms. P . †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Fourth Grade Teacher Ms. P†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Sixth Grade Teacher Mr. A†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Eighth Grade Teacher Mrs. V†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Parent Ms.S†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Community Leader Rath et al. (2008) states, â€Å"Effective leaders surround themselves with the right people and build on each person’s strengths† (p. 21). The purpose of the School Improvement Committee is to serve in an advisory role to me as the principal. The committee advises on an as needed basis with the budget, school safety, standards and behavior, and school improvement surveys. The School improvement committee helps me establish communication links within the school community and works closely with staff and other organizations to provide successful outreach.The committee has a broad based representation of the school community and employee groups. This effective site- based school team, not only enhances the strengths of me, but it gives empowerment to all stakeholders in the school. Sorenson et al. (2011) proposes that effective site- based schools starts with a team-oriented approach that allows principals to give power to their employees and therefore encourages a collaborative decision- making and problem-solving process (p. 135). Part 2 – Data Gathering and Analysis County: Cook County Grade Span: (gr ades PK-8)Total Students: 548 PK |K |1 | |Students |250 |298 | Students with disabilities: 17. 1%English language learners: 0. 4% Free lunch eligible: 518 Reduced-price lunch eligible: 8 Collecting the data is a planned, purposeful process. Valuable data guides the school improvement team in developing improvement goals for the benefit of all students. The four types of data we collect and use as indicators of school or district success and progress are as follows: achievement data, demographic data, program data, and perception data. The data helps support the vision and mission of the school.The school improvement team collects, evaluates, and analyzes data to strategically find strategies, resources, and research methods for effective instruction. Some of the data that is collected are the demographics, End of Grade testing, Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), ISAT, NWEA, REACH assessments, teacher observations. The school improvement committee team collected data using the data guid es provided by the Illinois Department of Education. Staff members, parents, and students were asked to complete surveys concerning their attitudes toward the Herzl School of Excellence environment and academic progress.All staff members were also asked to list parent involvement, technology usage, and professional development. Random samples of teachers were taken to chart parent communication and classroom interruptions. The planning team analyzed ISTEP+ and NWEA test scores. Teachers participated in district wide curriculum alignment meetings where they streamlined the district’s curriculum and developed quarterly benchmark tests. After analyzing the student data, it was concluded that there is a high population of students on free/reduced lunch.While reviewing STEP and ISAT data the school improvement team recognized a trend of low scores in the areas of reading comprehension, writing application and math problem solving. They also identified these areas of concern previo usly when compiling data for the existing School Improvement Plan. The team is currently using NWEA to assess student growth from fall to spring. The initial student scores have reinforced our findings in relation to STEP & ISAT, but this data is not conclusive due to the number of assessments taken and our understanding of the data.Furthermore, students did not make AYP in reading and math. African American and economically disadvantaged students did not make AYP in math and reading. Environmental Scan of the School and Community Herzl School of Excellence is influenced by many policies and procedures that are determined through the Federal Government, the State of Illinois and the District of Cook County. The Illinois General Statues were created to help establish provisions for the school districts across Illinois.Once the regulations are established, sent to the Department of Instruction and then the districts receive the regulations and are to implement the provisions. To show accountability, a school improvement plan must be created. The regulations and the community are a major factor that helps drive the School Improvement Plan. Submission of a School Improvement Plan (SIP) is required by federal and state regulations for schools that are in academic status. The plan must cover two fiscal years (e. g. FY 2010 to FY 2012) and must be revised every two years while the school remains in status.Illinois schools in status that do not submit a school improvement plan the previous year must submit an improvement plan as required by Public Law 107-110, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, section 1101 et seq. , and Section 2-3. 25d of the School Code, 105 ILCS 5/2-3. 25d. Revisions are then required at the expiration of the two-year plan while the school remains in academic status. Districts are required to submit restructuring plans on behalf of schools after the fifth calculation of not making Adequate Yearly Progress. A School Improvement Plan is optional for schools that are not in academic status.The Illinois State Board of Education members that represent our school district have helped shape our school and community. Our district representative assessed our need for our school and encourages the community to get involved with the school and school system. The goal for our Board is for the student to have a sound education. This includes having policies to address the relationship between the school system and community. The policies address the following: a) Building a safe and inviting learning environment b) Increased extracurricular offerings c) Improving student attendance ) Renovated facilities At Herzl Academic progress is monitored through the reading & math benchmarks, NWEA, REACH, ISAT, and classroom bi-weekly assessments. The results indicate that Herzl must continue to work on reading comprehension instruction/ guided practice and math extended response at all grade levels. After analyzing the data it was concluded tha t students would benefit from the instruction and individualized attention that could be provided in differentiated instruction in the classroom, effective intervention practice and team teaching of regular and special education teachers.Herzl needs to increase math manipulatives and purchase additional resources for science and math classroom and provide professional development for teachers in math and science. AYP concluded that in the sub group all students did not make AYP on the ISAT. Herzl must achieve a 10% increase overall, in subgroup ALL, in ISAT scores on reading for the two consecutive years to meet AYP Safe Harbor targets by 2013. North Lawndale demographics overview †¢94. 3% African American †¢Population: 41,768 †¢Median Family Income: $15,549 †¢Median Age: 26. 1 †¢27. 0% high school graduates 19. 1% have greater than 12th grade education North Lawndale suffers from a high unemployment rate (13%) and jobless rate among 20-24 year olds (59. 4%) . 34. 6% of residents between 18 and 24 years of age lack a high school diploma or GED. Many unemployed residents lack the basic skills and qualifications to secure livable wage jobs, especially those who attended Chicago public schools. Many North Lawndale residents are employed in repetitive, low-wage jobs that have almost no room for learning or growth and extremely limited earning potential.While North Lawndale is plagued by crime, vacant housing and unemployment, a strong web of social service organizations have affected positive changes in the area in recent years. After sponsoring a class of sixth graders in the neighborhood in 1986, the Steans Family created The Steans Family Foundation in North Lawndale that continues to contribute to the community today. The foundation's main focus areas are education, strengthening families and community development. Additionally, Homan Square has turned the former world headquarters of Sears, Roebuck and Co. nto a hub for the North Lawnd ale community. The former site of abandoned buildings, manufacturing plants and parking lots now features a vibrant community center offering education, medical services and health and wellness opportunities for all North Lawndale residents. This site is also home to new housing developments and two new schools. Goals and Objectives Part 1- Generating Goals and Objectives Herzl School of Excellence has based its needs off of the data that has been collected from the previous school year and the current school year.The areas that the school improvement team determined to be of concern were literacy and the learning environment. Sorenson et al. (2011) state, â€Å" Effective planning buys time , prepares leaders and teams to meet adaptive challenges, allows everyone to collaborate and encourages trust† (p. 146). The School Improvement Team at Herzl School of Excellence has designed goals and objectives based off of the data that has been collected and analyzed. The School Impro vement Team has designed goals and objectives to correlate with the District goals and Common Core Standards to help guide teachers in creating strategies for student improvement.These goals and objectives are aligned with Common Core Standards. Sorenson et al (2011) suggests, â€Å"When the principal and team prioritize goals and objectives as an expectation of the curriculum review and assessment process, it becomes apparent that certain instructional enhancements are necessary to build a strong academic program† (p. 74). The priorities for Herzl School of Excellence are literacy and school environment. First, the goals and objectives for literacy are as follows: School Improvement Goal 1: Herzl will work to increase students’ achievement in the area of literacy.Our goal is to increase our staff’s knowledge and skills in the area of literacy instruction (understand and implement best practices in the area of vocabulary development). It is our intent that this will ultimately increase the number of students meeting and exceeding grade level expectations in literacy development. Objective – Every student will excel in rigorous and relevant core curriculum that reflects what students need to know and demonstrate in a global 21st century environment. †¢ We will use the NWEA, ISAT, and IA as a measure of attainment.Our goal is to increase the number of students performing in the meets and exceeds level in literacy development. †¢ We will gather baseline data to determine the number of students currently not meeting grade level performance. Part 2 – Researching Strategies †¢ The administration will attend a conference on best practices in Spanish vocabulary instruction. The administration and staff will analyze data from CBMs, ISEL, the NWEA, ISAT, and IA to identify specific students needing extra support in literacy. The building administration and the LSC will provide professional development on best practice on vocabulary instruction. †¢ Each grade level team will develop a goal and action plan as a means to increased student achievement. †¢ The Learning Support Coaches will work with all grade level teams to identify resources, instructional support and feedback based on assessment data and their team goals. †¢ Target students will be given an opportunity to participate in an after school literacy program designed to meet their individual needs. Parents will be informed of their child’s literacy progress. School Improvement Goal 2: Herzl will continue working toward â€Å"Building Community: Acceptance for All† to create a learning environment where all people (students and staff alike) feel respected, valued, and supported to accomplish the mission of Herzl School of Excellence. Our goal is to build community, acceptance for all. This is a direct alignment with our District’s diversity goal. Our outcome is to increase students’ elements of inne r wealth (feelings of belonging, valued and having a level of competency to succeed). There is an observed need to develop a learning environment where all students and staff feel respected, valued, and supported to accomplish the mission of the Herzl School of Excellence. †¢ The administration and staff will develop a perception survey that will measure students’ feeling of belonging, feeling being valued and having a level of competency to succeed. Once baseline data has been collected, we will determine the target population and desired increase in these attributes of their inner wealth. A post survey will be administered to determine growth over time. The administration and staff will collect and analyze behavioral data on our target students (identified by the perception survey). Data will be collected during the months of November, December, January and February. Behaviors include their interactions with peers and staff, their willingness to participate in class, a nd their ability to be self-directed. The desired outcome will be an increase in positive behaviors. Part 2 – Researching Strategies †¢ The administration and staff will complete the culturally responsive questionnaire to determine next steps in professional development. Students will complete the perception survey (October and March). †¢ Staff and parents will be trained to apply the Nurtured Heart Approach as a means to increase our awareness and skills to help children increase their inner wealth. †¢ Administration and staff will create and conduct assemblies that promote character traits (Persistence, Respect, Ownership, Welcoming behaviors and Leadership). †¢ Target students will participate in a mentor program (Check-in/Check-out system). A mentoring program will begin in October and continue throughout the school year. Our school counselor will work with administration to educate our Herzl community on the purpose of â€Å"Building Community; Accep tance for All† and the strategies used at school. Resources and Community Involvement Step 1- Identifying School Resources Epstein developed the action team approach for school, family, and community partnerships to ensure that school, family, and community representatives shared responsibility for the development, implementation, and evaluation of partnership practices (Epstein & Hollifield, 1996). Herzl will use this approach when implementing the School Improvement Plan (SIP).Epstein’s framework of five types of family and community involvement — parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, and decision making will help us build partnerships and improve the school environment and support student learning. Action Teams for School-Family-Community Partnerships consist of six to twelve members including family members, teachers, administrators, other school staff (i. e. , counselors, nurses, parent liaisons), community representatives, and students i n the upper grades, selected to serve two-year, renewable terms.As an ILT member one of my jobs is to identify the school resources that will help manage Herzl’s School Improvement Plan. The resources needed to help with the school improvement plan first start with the funds that are provided by the state of Illinois and the Chicago Public School District, IDEA funding for instructional equipment and staffing and community. Herzl Elementary School is committed to the integration of technology as a teaching tool and technology use to overcome limitations of time and distance imposed by the geographical isolation of the community.A long-range technology plan has been developed and approved by the State of Illinois. In previous years, through grants and a successful bond issue, the district has replaced three to four computers in every elementary classroom, has constructed one twenty-one station computer labs, one twenty-two station computer lab, one twenty-four station computer lab and networked the entire building. Technology is pertinent to the School Improvement Plan because it allows the school to be managed efficiently and effectively. The School Improvement Plan will focus on: 1.Providing staff development in the integration of instructional technology. 2. Maintain funding to finance hardware, software, and teacher training to upgrade school-to-work application classes at the middle school and high school levels. 3. Make technology integration a component of every alignment process. 4. Update the long-range technology plan. Step 2 – Incorporating Community Involvement Wilmore (2002) accentuates the importance of community partnership. He implies that it should be a give and get partnership; one where interests and needs are being met by all stakeholders.This kind of partnership in which community is valued and input is often sought and taken into consideration (Wilmore, 2002). As the Principal, my staff and I will reach out to the community a nd maintain collaborative partnerships. It is my role, as principal, to work towards gaining the support and trust of those partnerships by not taking advantage of their efforts and work with students and the school (Robbins & Alvy, 2009). Our staff will rally out to our civic groups, churches and local businesses to create a collaborative partnership with our school.We will create technology nights, family fun days, parent curriculum night, and other community events to get our community involved with our school. As a result, local businesses will get additional clientele and the civic groups and churches will receive advertisement for their groups. The School Improvement Team has discussed how to make sure parents are involved with the community and get important information out to our parents because it has been proven that increased parent and community involvement will impact student achievement.Family Involvement Strategies: †¢ â€Å"Back to school night† †¢ D isseminate school information and news †¢ Families meet teachers and support staff †¢ Community partner open house – parents have an opportunity to meet all community and business partners and gather information †¢ Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) †¢ Host of â€Å"Back to school night† †¢ Recruits new members †¢ Liaison between parents and the school †¢ Manages parent volunteer pool †¢ On-going school-parent communication †¢ Bi-Monthly progress reports to parents Monthly school contact: newsletters, emails, phone contacts, teacher notes and letters home †¢ Monthly Parent Events †¢ Celebrate parent involvement & recognition Business Involvement Strategies: †¢ Administration will continue to build relationships with new businesses around the community and nurture and support existing business partnerships †¢ Quarterly meetings with business partners to discuss strengths and weaknesses as it relates to shar ed goals †¢ Continue the sharing of resources: human, fiscal and facilities †¢ Volunteers to tutor & MentorPolitical Involvement Strategies: †¢ Stay abreast of federals and state legislation and policies †¢ Build and sustain relationships with school board and central office †¢ On-going dissemination of school activities and events to the school board and central office Our team has created a partnership with the newspapers to showcase our successes with the school. We have representatives to communicate with the local newspapers to not only showcase students but serve as an educational resource for the paper.In having this collaboration with the local news, we are establishing positive communication to our community, as a result, our teachers are becoming more trustworthy, parents are more respectful to the teacher and the school is promoting a highly effective school-family-community relationship. Our school will work closely with agencies such as social s ervices, and behavioral management agencies for the safety of our students. This will ensure that they receive their education on a daily basis.Wilmore (2002) states, â€Å"We must reach out to multiple stakeholders, including families, social service agencies, and the media to create collaborative partnerships in which everyone gives and receives† (p. 78) These resources support student achievement by empowering students, and parents to become aware of their needs and educate them on what and how they can achieve success in their lives. With these resources, we plan on incorporating the community into our classrooms as a resource depending on their experiences and skills to help our students to be independent and to be global competitors in the 21st century.ACTION PLAN I. Collaborate with families and the community a. School Calendar will be created to manage parent, community and business stakeholder meetings –monthly meetings and quarterly meetings for businesses i. Post on school’s website for accessibility to all stakeholders b. Ongoing communication from administration, school, teachers and staff –see above c. School event calendar –parent and community invitations d. Strategic plan – strategies outlined in a systematic progression for the entire school year II. Responding to community interest and needs . Collaborate with the community stakeholders and facilitate a community needs assessment at the beginning of the school year to support the community and the goals of the school simultaneously b. Share facilities and resources with stakeholders i. Community forums, meetings, events etc. ii. Create a â€Å"Community Learning Center† –after school activities etc. iii. Support organizations with volunteers –reciprocity c. Build relationships with community organizations –diverse group of organizations that represent the student demographics i.Provide opportunities to celebrate diversity and educate the school and community in cultural diversity ii. Encourage community and parent involvement in the schools III. Use of school and community resources a. Use the community needs assessment and SIP to collaboratively allocate community stakeholder resources to meet the needs of the community and the school b. Develop a collaborative action plan that aligns with the school’s SIP to use as a framework for collectively allocation the school and community resources IV. Solicitation of support and new resources . The chair of each sub-committee and the administration team will be responsible for researching information regarding new resources and support. The chair will submit the information to administration on a quarterly basis. i. The administration team will be responsible for soliciting the new support and resources—build relationships. ii. The administration team will report back to the CIP quarterly. Monitoring and Assessing Herzl Elementary School is a data driven school that will be constantly monitoring students through formative and summative assessments.Dufour and Marzano (2011), emphasizes that with more monitoring there will be more achievement and effective monitoring will focus on test scores and teacher practices that will led to the test scores (p. 119). Our school will continuously collect data through numerous amounts of assessments. Our school will be reviewing data that are aligned with the Common Core Standards. Our assessments include the NWEA testing which allows us to look at student’s improvement over the course of the year, the ISAT test which tests grades third through eighth in reading, math, and science, and the RTI nd literacy instruction. RTI not only evaluate the needs of students but it recommends different learning techniques on students to become more proficient in their content areas. Internal Review Visits will be conducted. Internal Review Visits are opportunities for self-reflection, self-mo nitoring, and a conversation with outside observers about school improvement at the school — a â€Å"snapshot† of the school’s school improvement process, products, results, and plans.A consultation team examines the school profile data and the School Improvement Plan – to include the implementation of the plan – and provides feedback and recommendations to the staff to enhance their school improvement process and products. To improve Goal 1- To monitor and assess the implementation for effectiveness, teachers will also monitor the students on a daily, weekly, quarterly and annual basis. The data that will be used for the effectiveness of the reading proficiently will be reading logs, reading observations, teacher feedback, tutoring logs and feedback.These assessments will be used on a daily and weekly basis. DAR, K-8 assessments, and report cards will be visited on a quarterly basis and EOG testing and summative assessments will be visited on an a nnual basis. Based on the results of the assessments, the school improvement team will determine in additional teacher training is required. There will also be increased teaching tools and collaboration between classroom teachers and media coordinator/technology facilitator.We will also see what is needed to improve record keeping in book circulation, team planning minutes, and flexible grouping within the classroom and in team grade collaboration. There will also be more focused objectives for in-school tutoring programs and teachers will providing specific goals and objectives for children involved in this program so that it can be better assessed. To Improve Goal 2 – To monitor and assess our â€Å"Building Community: Acceptance for All† the administration and staff will complete the culturally responsive questionnaire to determine next steps in professional development.Students will complete the perception survey (October and March). Staff and parents will be train ed to apply the Nurtured Heart Approach as a means to increase our awareness and skills to help children increase their inner wealth. Administration and staff will create and conduct assemblies that promote character traits (Persistence, Respect, Ownership, Welcoming behaviors and Leadership). Target students will participate in a mentor program (Check-in/Check-out system). A mentoring program will begin in October and continue throughout the school year.Our SFCP will work with administration to educate our Herzl community on the purpose of â€Å"Building Community; Acceptance for All† and the strategies used at school. Effective classroom assessment and monitoring to enhance student achievement will be a collaborative effort and Herzl Elementary School. Teacher, Teacher Assistants, Literacy Coachers, Media Coordinator, Technology Facilitator, Tutor Coordinator, and the RTI team will be utilized for the success of the student. By working collaboratively with the staff, the sc hool will continuously convey the â€Å"shared vision† of the school for the success of all students.Through collaboration we will ensure high levels of quality student learning through our core beliefs, vision, and mission, goals, and data analysis. We will plan the way that enables the realization of excellence. (Robbins and Alvy, 2009, p. 120) Our teachers’, students and staff are continuing to grow and learn. The School Improvement Plan provides a foundation for the school and teachers’ to have focal points of what they should be teaching. In the next three years we expect our students to have significant growth. With collaboration, professional development, tools and resources, and teacher leaders, our school will be successful.Expected Outcomes In Grades 3-8, 29% of the students will achieve proficiency on the 2013 ISAT Math test. In Grades 3-8, 54% of the students will achieve above proficiency on the 2013 ISAT Math test. In Grades 3-8, 68% of students wi ll achieve learning gains on the 2013 ISAT Math test. In Grades 3-8, at least 58% of the lowest 25% will achieve adequate progress on the 2013 ISAT Math test. Herzl School of Excellence school culture either will supports quality professional learning. Herzl will develop and sustain a positive, professional culture that nurtures staff learning for everyone in the school.With a strong, positive culture that supports professional development and student learning, Herzl will become a place where every teacher makes a difference and every child learns. References DuFour, R. , & Marzano, R. J. (2011). Leaders of learning: How district, school, and classroom leaders improve student achievement. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press. ISBN: 9781935542667. Epstein, J. L. , & Hollifield, J. H. (1996). Title I implications for comprehensive school-family community partnerships: Using theory and research to realize the potential. Journal of Education for Students Placed At Risk, 1(3).Rath, T. , & Conchie, B. (2008). Strengths based leadership. New York, NY: Gallup Press. ISBN: 9781595620255. Robbins, P. M. , & Alvy, H. B. (2009). The principal's companion (3rd ed. ). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Sorenson, R. D. , Goldsmith, L. M. , Mendez, Z. Y. , & Maxwell, K. T. (2011). The principal's guide to curriculum leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. ISBN: 9781412980807. Wilmore, E. L. (2002). Principal leadership: Applying the new educational leadership constituent council (ELCC) standards. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 7

Business - Essay Example However, it is the customer base which determines pattern and content of the network. Both international and domestic travelers go through a given transport hub. Thus a wide network of retailers – commercial banks, tour operators, airlines, taxi-cab operators, insurance companies, healthcare providers, restaurateurs, hoteliers, transporters, liquor sellers, motel owners and so on – could be seen operating at different points. Paddington, as a pivotal train interchange, in London in particular and the United Kingdom in general, provides one of the most important focal points for the analysis of the retail marketing business in this transport hub. Paddington is part of the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. The township, along with the station, provides a much needed boost to the Central London’s economy and way of life. Paddington station has a commuter service to the west of London, connecting Slough, Swindon, Reading, Maidenhead and so on. There is also a main-line service to Bristol, Bath, Oxford, Exeter, Taunton, Plymouth, Cornwall, South Wales, Swansea and Cardiff. Then there is the main bus route to Elephant and Castle. Finally there is also the Heathrow Express service to Heathrow Airport. The Elephant and Castle is a major road interchange in the interior of the south London area. In short it is called â€Å"The Elephant† and has of two big roundabouts which in turn are connected by a short road called â€Å"Elephant and Castle†. The Castle Shopping Centre is at the northern roundabout, with Hannibal House, a shopping centre on top. It also has a large residential block known as â€Å"Metro Central Heights†. The Heathrow Airport is located 24 kilometers west of central London and has five Terminals. The 3rd Terminal is connected to both the Elephant and Castle by bus and to Paddington by train/tube. The retail marketing sector plays a much wider significant role here.

POLICE ADMINiSTRATION COMPLETE 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

POLICE ADMINiSTRATION COMPLETE 4 - Essay Example Second is depression; the nature of law enforcement makes officers to have interpersonal conflicts. These conflicts can escalate to depression causing levels. This can be detrimental to the officers’ health and work performance (p7). Professional handling of interpersonal conflicts reduces depression among officers. Others include post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatizing images like crime scenes etc. They usually lower officers work performance and it is good for administrative officers to ensure that officers are counseled to avoid these issues. As an administrative officer, the action i would take to ensure that my officers don’t get burnt includes; providing good working environment reduces stress and depression. Secondly I would ensure that they receive counseling services after traumatic experiences. This would reduce depression and post-traumatic stress disorder cases. After an ugly incident, I would recommend that my officers get counseling from professionals to ensure that they don’t get nightmares and bad images (233 words). 2) Using the internet and the text (chapter 13) give a narrative overview of the Kansas City Preventative Patrol Experiment, detailing the findings and analysis of this controversial experiment. (Minimum of 200 words) According to Kelling et al. (1974) The Kansas City Preventive Patrol Experiment was a year-long experiment that was carried out in Kansas City between 1972 and 1973 to find out if police prevalence in an area can prevent crimes from being committed. Three controlled levels of routine preventive patrols were created and applied in the experimental areas. The areas were termed as â€Å"reactive† this is the area that received no preventive patrol. In this area, police officers only visited the area after receiving a call from the citizens which reduced police visibility. The second area was termed as â€Å"proactive,† in this area police visibility was increased two to three times its usual

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Introducation to computer science assingment - Assignment Example Q6. The value that can be retrieved from the table by the pop instruction is 11 C. this is because it is possible to get the pointer in to the first element of the vector through incrementing this pointer in order to access the second pointer. The value that will be found in the pointer after the pop operation is 12 A. on the other hand, the deque is not a guarantee of a contiguous storage which contains the same elements (10, 11 12) and getting the pointer to the first element does not guarantee that you will get access to the second pointer by incrementing the pointer (Finkel, 1996) Q7. Assuming that the stricture above represents a queue, the value that will be removed from the queue is 14.this is because it is obtained after several increments of 10. The head pointer will next point at 13 which will be the value before 14. *In order to obtain the left child of a certain index, we multiply the current index 2 and we add 1. *for us to get the right child on this specific index, we multiply the current index by 2 and then we add 2. Q10. The reference data types are used to refer to objects while the primitive data types usually contain some values. Some of the example of primitive data type includes the byte, int Boolean and the float. Q11. When writing a chessboard structure that has an 8-by-8 grid, the programmer can consider using arrays that contains chess like structure which is a two dimension array. In order to store the position of the chess piece. The two dimension array is used in pinpointing individual elements in the array (Finkel,

Kraft Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Kraft - Essay Example Kraft Foods Inc. has a reputable financial history as depicted from the previous year’s revenues. For instance, in the year 2013 ending, the company registered net revenue of $4595 million and in 2012 ending it reported net revenue of $4492 million (Kraft Foods Inc., 1). The firm’s key profitability drivers include the diverse category of products, a superior brand assortment, significant coverage in the Northern America, a wide-spread reputation for the most quality products in the food industry and a strong foundation in innovation and use of the latest technology in its operations, a deep knowledge about consumer’s interests, a long-lasting relationship with its major retailers and suppliers and an experienced team of managers who are solely driven by the firm’s core goals or rather aims in achieving the best (Kraft Foods Inc., 1). The substitute products in this industry are hot drinks such as tea, all the beverages and beverages that have caffeine, Cola. Thus, all the firms in this industry are good producers of the above mentioned products. This is due to the high number of nations which are chief coffee exporters, alternative products as a result of different types of coffee beans and insufficient money supply due to the impossible forward integration for suppliers. Thus, the farmers can combine forces but the wealthier will always influence the market. This industry or rather market has an oligopoly structure whereby there are a few globe competitors such as Nestle, Kraft Foods and Sara Lee. In addition, the industry has a relatively smaller regional roasters and intense competition from the final products of these firms. This is due to product differentiation that results to a number of flavors in coffee

What isnt new about social networking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

What isnt new about social networking - Essay Example The tide of advancement hits forcefully so as to blur people’s sight of what is in fact taking place. The argument that the current period is not at the heart of immense and more recurrent development in media technologies opposes the entire fundamental principle of progress that it should be questioned by rational individuals. The notion of ‘social media revolution’ is utterly historical or cultural, because how can one be certain that a condition has transformed, or has evolved, without recognizing its earlier situation or status? It is relevant to provide an analysis of these arguments which are themselves rooted in history; in the cultural and historical conditions enveloping the usage of what could be generally referred to as ‘science’, particularly the science of human communication. This historical knowledge unravels the ‘Information Age’ to be mostly a misapprehension, a rhetorical ploy and a demonstration of technological unaware ness. The mainstream literature on the media and these issues reverberate with images of catastrophe, the same group of occurrences being the foundation of both modes of being dogmatic. This is the context against which this paper discusses more purposely that there is nothing in the historical development of electronic communication technologies to suggest that important large-scale revolutions have not been supported by established social formations. Certainly, it is probable to discern in the historical document not only a more gradual tempo of change than is often proposed but also these continuities in the behavior of transmission and innovation as to propose a paradigm for all these transformations. Replications can be found across this varied continuum of media technologies and across periods of their creation and transmission. For instance, take into account the ways in which blueprints for tools arise, the relevance of science and technology, the connection of ‘trial products’ to ‘innovations’ and the harmony of forces inducing and hampering the technologies (Gripsrud et al. 2010). A paradigm to demonstrate these trends completely expresses the dominance of the social arena as the meeting point of these interactions, activities, orientation, and creation of technological advances. Relevant Literature For many people nowadays, social media refers to Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook. However, social media transcends these social networking sites to take account of blogs, wikis, and other specialized applications (Research Technology Management 2011). Social media users do not interact with or consume content. Rather, they produce content, mutually structuring, sharing, editing, tagging, and generating information, reconstructing the inputs of others and taking part in open forums (Clark & Slyke 2006). These are developing media technologies, implying that content and system and even usage arise with application, from the activiti es and requirements of the users. Although open innovation involves an entire array of attempts to expand outside the business firewall, social media can control a formerly inaccessible reservoir of new knowledge and insights: the public. A crowd that is composed of self-reliant members with varied points of view can produce wise decisions and innovative answers, given correct means to amass and disseminate ideas and points of view (Morozov 2011). However social media is not merely an innovative technology mechanism, but a revolution in the function that media technologies

Math problem Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Math problem - Speech or Presentation Example Middle is the value that represents the center of a variable. In this case, both the median (3.7) and the mode (3.7) are in middle. This list is negatively (left) skewed as the value 1.0 is very low compared to all other values 4.0, 3.7, 3.7 and 3.7, and thus has an effect on average value. We take average value as middle for normally distributed data, however, in this case, data are left skewed, and therefore, appropriate choice for middle is median. The mode value is rarely taken as a middle value. If, I look at the routine that I do every day at work, the average time it takes to complete it matters most. The reason for this that there is not much variation in time for doing the routine work (it is a habit), therefore, average time represents the middle. However, in some cases when there is a problem, the time take more than usual, in such circumstances, the median is more appropriate because time taken will be right skewed. For finding the middle of process, I look first whether distribution is normal or not. For normal distribution, the average represents the middle of the process. If distribution is skewed, than the median represents the middle of the process. The normal distribution is symmetric and bell shaped. The scores in a normal distribution are more concentrated in the middle than in the tails. It is an example of continuous probability distribution. It has two parameters, the mean mu and the standard deviation sigma that is used to specify a distribution completely.   If we look at a process and can use a tool to normalize the data, or convert it to a normal distribution, than we will be able to know the range of the values for the process. By using a normal distribution, we can set an upper and lower limit for the process mean so that anytime the process mean is outside this range (above upper limit or below lower limit), we will know that there is some problem and the process

Sujata Bhatt Biography Essay Example for Free

Sujata Bhatt Biography Essay Sujata Bhatt (b. 1956) grew up in Pune but emigrated with her family to the United States in 1968. She studied in the States receiving an MFA from the University of Iowa and went on to be writer-in-residence at the University of Victoria, Canada. More recently she was visiting fellow at Dickinson College, Pennsylvania. She currently lives with her husband and daughter in Bremen, Germany. Her first collection, Brunizem, won the Commonwealth Poetry Prize (Asia) and the Alice Hunt Bartlett Award. Subsequent collections have been awarded a Poetry Book Society Recommendation and in 1991 she received a Cholmondeley Award. For Bhatt, language is synonymous with the tongue, the physical act of speaking. She has described Gujarati and the Indian childhood it connects her to as the deepest layer of my identity. However, English has become the language she speaks every day and which she, largely, chooses to write in. The repercussions of this divided heritage are explored in her work, most explicitly in Search for My Tongue which alternates between the two languages. The complex status of English its beauties and colonial implications are also conveyed in the moving ironies of A Different History and Nanabhai Bhatt in Prison about her grandfather who read Tennyson to comfort himself during his incarceration by the British authorities. Such division finds geographical expression in poems which explore ideas of home (The One Who Goes Away) and question our mental mapping of the world (How Far East is it Still East?). Its present too in her voice, with its musical melding of Indian and American inflections. However, its in the non-verbal world of animals and plants that Bhatt finds a source of unity denied to humans except for the very young, as in her poem The Stare in which the monkey child and the human child experience a moment of tender connection. Perhaps it is this longing for unity which makes Bhatts writing so sensual; her poems are rich with the smell of garlic, the touch of bodies, the vibrant plumage of parrots. An intense colourist like the women artists who inspire some of these poems, Bhatt acknowledges that language splits us from experience but through the physical intensity of her writing brings us closer to it so that the word/is the thing itself. Her recording was made for The Poetry Archive on 1 September 2005 at The Audio Workshop, London and was produced by Richard Carrington.

Principle of teaching Essay Example for Free

Principle of teaching Essay Maintaining an environment for ï ¬ rst-class higher education Nine educational principles underpin the University of Melbourne’s teaching and learning objectives. These principles represent the shared view within the University of the processes and conditions that contribute to ï ¬ rst-class higher education. The nine principles were ï ¬ rst adopted by the University’s Academic Board in 2002. This renewed edition of the document reï ¬â€šects the bold changes the University has undergone since then with the implementation of the Melbourne Model. Many elements of the nine principles are embedded in the philosophy of the Melbourne Model. The provision of a cohort experience, the breadth component, research-led teaching, attention to the physical and intellectual learning environment, knowledge transfer opportunities: these features of the Melbourne Model incorporate the nine principles on a structural level, reinforcing their importance and the University’s commitment to them. Aspects of the principles guiding knowledge transfer with regard to teaching and learning are the most signiï ¬ cant additions and while they are embedded throughout the document, they are particularly concentrated in principles two and seven. In principle two the interrelations between research, knowledge transfer and teaching and learning are described while in principle seven the practical elements of embedding knowledge transfer in teaching and learning are discussed. Nine guiding principles 1. An atmosphere of intellectual excitement 2. An intensive research and knowledge transfer culture permeating all teaching and learning activities 3. A vibrant and embracing social context 4. An international and culturally diverse learning environment 5. Explicit concern and support for individual development 6. Clear academic expectations and standards 7 Learning cycles of experimentation, feedback and assessment . 8. Premium quality learning spaces, resources and technologies 9. An adaptive curriculum The nine guiding principles are interrelated and interdependent. Some relate to the broad intellectual environment of the University while others describe speciï ¬ c components of the teaching and learning process. Together, these principles reï ¬â€šect the balance of evidence in the research literature on the conditions under which student learning thrives. Each principle has a direct bearing on the quality of students’ intellectual development and their overall experience of university life and beyond as they embark on a process of lifelong learning, regardless of whether they come to the University as undergraduate, postgraduate coursework or postgraduate research students. Generic statements of beliefs, values and practices cannot completely capture the diversity and variation present in a large and complex University. However, the underlying principles presented in this document hold true despite variations across the disciplines in traditions of scholarship and in philosophies and approaches towards teaching and learning. Indeed, the nine principles described here support the process of interdisciplinary learning encouraged by the Melbourne Model: they provide a framework under which teachers from different backgrounds and disciplines can work together to plan, develop and provide coherent interdisciplinary learning experiences for students. The ultimate objective of the University of Melbourne’s teaching and learning programs is to prepare graduates with distinctive attributes — described in the next section — that enable them to contribute to our ever-changing global context in a meaningful and positive way. The purpose of the present document is to guide the maintenance and enhancement of teaching and learning standards that serve this end. It is a statement of what the University community values. As such, it has aspirational qualities and the suggestions for good practice offered provide laudable benchmarks to which the University is committed within the availability of resources. Responsibilities The maintenance of the University of Melbourne’s teaching and learning environment is the responsibility of the whole institution. This document identiï ¬ es various University, Faculty and individual responsibilities, though not all of the detailed implications apply equally to all members of the University community. The Academic Board is responsible to the University Council for the development of academic policy and the supervision of all academic activities of the University of Melbourne, including the preservation of high standards in teaching and research. It has core quality assurance functions, including the approval of selection criteria, the monitoring of student progress, the approval of new and changed courses, and the monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning. The Provost is responsible to the Vice-Chancellor for the conduct, coordination, and quality of the University’s academic programs and the planning of their future development. The Provost provides academic leadership, working in close collaboration with the Academic Board, deans and professional staff to ensure the alignment of accountability, budgets and initiatives in the delivery of academic programs and consistent, high quality student support. The Academic Board and Provost together ensure that the University: †¢ recognises and rewards excellence in teaching through its policies in staff recruitment, selection and promotion criteria; †¢ provides extensive opportunities for professional development in teaching and learning; †¢ supports and promotes research-led teaching; †¢ develops and maintains high quality teaching and learning spaces and resources; †¢ places high importance on the place of knowledge transfer activities in making its degrees relevant and distinctive and supports its staff and students in pursuing such activities; †¢ encourages and supports innovative approaches to teaching and learning, including through the application of advancements in information and communications technology; and †¢ provides mechanisms for on-going curriculum review involving all stakeholders (students, community, industry, professional associations, and academics) of the content, structure and delivery of courses and the learning experiences of students. The University is committed to the scholarship of teaching in the belief that academic staff in a research-led environment should apply scholarly principles to teaching and to the leadership of student learning. In practice, the scholarship of teaching involves academic staff being familiar with and drawing on research into the relationship between teaching and student learning. It also involves evaluating and reï ¬â€šecting on the effects on student learning of curriculum design, knowledge transfer activities, teaching styles and approaches to assessment. The present document is designed to support consideration of the University’s obligations in terms of the scholarship of teaching and to assist in the review and enhancement of the quality of personal teaching practices. Students have responsibilities as well for the quality of teaching and learning. The effectiveness of a higher education environment cannot be expressed simply in terms of the challenge, facilitation, support and resources provided by teaching staff and the University as an institution. Students have complementary responsibilities. Students have responsibilities for their personal progress through their level of engagement, commitment and time devoted to study. Students also have obligations to contribute to the creation and maintenance of an effective overall teaching and learning environment. These obligations include: †¢ collaborating with other students in learning; †¢ contributing to the University community and participating in life beyond the classroom; †¢ developing a capacity for tolerating complexity and, where appropriate, ambiguity; †¢ respecting the viewpoints of others; †¢ being reï ¬â€šective, creative, open-minded and receptive to new ideas; †¢ actively participating in discussion and debate; †¢ seeking support and guidance from staff when necessary; †¢ accepting the responsibility to move towards intellectual independence; †¢ being familiar with the Graduate Attributes and consciously striving to acquire them; †¢ respecting and complying with the conventions of academic scholarship, especially with regard to the authorship of ideas; and †¢ providing considered feedback to the University and its staff on the quality of teaching and University services. The Attributes of University of Melbourne Graduates The University of Melbourne Graduate Attributes are more than simply an aspirational vision of what the University hopes students might become during their candidature. They can be used practically to guide the planning and development of teaching, knowledge transfer and research to ensure the University’s students acquire the experience, skills and knowledge necessary for graduates in today’s complex global environment. Graduate Attributes The Melbourne Experience enables graduates to become: Academically excellent Graduates will be expected to: †¢ have a strong sense of intellectual integrity and the ethics of scholarship †¢ have in-depth knowledge of their specialist discipline(s) †¢ reach a high level of achievement in writing, generic research activities, problem-solving and communication †¢ be critical and creative thinkers, with an aptitude for continued self-directed learning †¢ be adept at learning in a range of ways, including through information and communication technologies Knowledgeable across disciplines Graduates will be expected to: †¢ examine critically, synthesise and evaluate knowledge across a broad range of disciplines †¢ expand their analytical and cognitive skills through learning experiences in diverse subjects †¢ have the capacity to participate fully in collaborative learning and to confront unfamiliar problems †¢ have a set of ï ¬â€šexible and transferable skills for different types of employment Leaders in communities Graduates will be expected to: †¢ initiate and implement constructive change in their communities, including professions and workplaces †¢ have excellent interpersonal and decision-making skills, including an awareness of personal strengths and limitations †¢ mentor future generations of learners †¢ engage in meaningful public discourse, with a profound awareness of community needs Attuned to cultural diversity Graduates will be expected to: †¢ value different cultures †¢ be well-informed citizens able to contribute to their communities wherever they choose to live and work †¢ have an understanding of the social and cultural diversity in our community †¢ respect indigenous knowledge, cultures and values Active global citizens Graduates will be expected to: †¢ accept social and civic responsibilities †¢ be advocates for improving the sustainability of the environment †¢ have a broad global understanding, with a high regard for human rights, equity and ethics Principle 1: An atmosphere of intellectual excitement The excitement of ideas is the catalyst for learning Intellectual excitement is probably the most powerful motivating force for students and teachers alike. Effective university teachers are passionate about ideas. They stimulate the curiosity of their students, channel it within structured frameworks, and reveal their own intellectual interests. While students have strong vocational reasons for enrolling in courses of study, unless they are genuinely interested in what they are studying their chances of success are low. Pascarella and Terenzini’s (1998) meta-analysis of research on the effects of university education concluded that the evidence unequivocally indicates that greater learning and cognitive development occur when students are closely engaged and involved with the subjects they are studying. The research evidence shows that most undergraduates commence university with a strong interest and curiosity in the ï ¬ eld they have selected, providing a strong foundation on which to build. A Centre for the Study of Higher Education study of applicants for university places (James, Baldwin McInnis, 1999) showed that intrinsic interest in the area of knowledge was among the most important inï ¬â€šuences on their choice of a university course. University of Melbourne graduates conï ¬ rm these sentiments. When asked for their views of their educational experience at the University some time after graduation, graduates consistently stress the inï ¬â€šuence of staff who were excited about ideas, and the importance to them of studying in an atmosphere of intellectual stimulation and discovery. Part of fostering an atmosphere of intellectual excitement in students includes providing them with stimulating experiences that enable them to realise the value and knowledge of their skills in external settings. Some of these experiences will involve activities in the classroom – such as problem and project-based approaches and involvement of community and industry participants in class activities – but many will take students beyond the University’s campuses, to include such activities as ï ¬ eld and industry placements or internships, on-location subject delivery and student exchange programs. As well as providing students with a vibrant intellectual experience, embedded knowledge transfer activities allow students to understand and analyse the social, cultural and economic contexts in which their own knowledge acquisition is situated as well as help them realise their capacity, responsibility and opportunity for current and future knowledge transfer. Implications for practice †¢ Subjects are planned and presented in terms of ideas, theories and concepts. †¢ Conï ¬â€šicting theories and approaches are incorporated into courses to stimulate discussion and debate. †¢ Courses are designed to foster an understanding of the legal, political, social, economic, cultural and environmental contexts for practice in national and international settings, and of codes of conduct and the ethics of practice. †¢ Knowledge is presented in terms of broader contexts — intellectual, social, political, historical — to help students understand the signiï ¬ cance of what they are studying. †¢ Students’ personal engagement is fostered by teaching which encourages them to relate their learning to their own experiences. †¢ Staff convey enthusiasm for the subject matter and work to provoke students’ curiosity. †¢ Courses and subjects are revised regularly to incorporate new theories and approaches. †¢ Staff model the excitement of intellectual exploration when working with students. †¢ Students are given opportunities to make discoveries for themselves and creativity is rewarded. †¢ Innovative approaches to teaching and learning are incorporated into existing courses so that necessary, ‘base-line’ learning is revitalised. †¢ The University provides resources and activities to allow students to develop their interests beyond the experiences provided within their courses. Principle 2: An intensive research and knowledge transfer culture permeating all teaching and learning activities A climate of inquiry and respect for knowledge and the processes of knowledge creation and transfer shapes the essential character of the education offered by a research-led University It is a basic conviction within the University of Melbourne that the University’s research activities and research culture must infuse, inform and enhance all aspects of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and learning. Across all disciplines and across all study levels, education in a research-led university develops its distinctive character from an understanding of and respect for existing knowledge and the traditions of scholarship in particular ï ¬ elds, recognition of the provisional nature of this knowledge, and familiarity with the processes involved in the ongoing creation of new knowledge. Historically, research and teaching have always been considered in symbiotic relationship at the University of Melbourne; however, the Melbourne Model introduced a crucial third strand to this relationship: knowledge transfer. In the context of teaching and learning, knowledge transfer experiences â€Å"underpin the development of high levels of skill and ï ¬â€šexibility in problem-solving, in creative contributions in the workplace, in understanding, assessing and initiating innovative contributions to community needs and in promoting and developing egalitarian ideals and social, civic, ethical and environmental responsibility† (Curriculum Commission 2006: 35). Research thus lays the foundations for knowledge transfer, but knowledge transfer, in turn, elucidates the signiï ¬ cance of research by placing the knowledge it produces in context. The process of knowledge transfer is also inherently two-way: as students engage in activities such as substantial ï ¬ eld-based projects or placements and internships, so too they engage with industry, the professions and the broader community, taking their knowledge – which has its origins in research and experiences to the world. Not all students are directly involved in research activity, but the University has a strong commitment to the teaching-research nexus, and aims for all undergraduate and postgraduate students to beneï ¬ t from being taught or supervised by active researchers, from studying a curriculum informed by the latest research developments, and from learning in a research-led environment. Training in research skills is fundamental to students acquiring the skills of critical thinking. As Baldwin (2005) has shown, there are myriad opportunities and methods for teachers to incorporate research in teaching, a process fundamental to students ’learning how to learn’; that is, how to effectively process and apply both their present understandings and giving them a framework and skills for using the knowledge they will acquire in future. It is essential, therefore, that teaching staff are learners too and that their teaching is infused by their learning and their love of research and scholarship. The particular beneï ¬ ts for undergraduate students of an intensive research culture derive from experiencing the ‘latest story’ — curricula underpinned not only by the corpus of human knowledge in the particular ï ¬ eld but also by the latest research and scholarship — and from learning in an educational climate in which knowledge claims are viewed as fallible, ideas are questioned and inquiry-based learning is given a high priority. Knowledge transfer adds yet another dimension, giving students the opportunity to see knowledge at work in social, economic and cultural context. Interdisciplinary learning and teaching can also provide students with unique perspectives and solid understandings of how knowledge is created and used. However, while interdisciplinarity should be embraced — underpinned by the maintenance of established quality assurance and evaluation processes — a strong disciplinary focus should, nonetheless, be preserved (Davies and Devlin 2007). A climate of respect for ideas and spirited inquiry in which theories and ideas are actively contested supports the development of critical thinkers and heightens student sensitivity to the history of the evolution of knowledge, the provisional nature of knowledge and the processes of knowledge renewal. Knowledge transfer adds a signiï ¬ cant new dimension to curriculum design and delivery, encouraging innovation and dynamism in approaches to teaching. It is essential, however, that the overriding principles of coherence and appropriateness – within both a subject and the broader course of study itself – are maintained; that is, that knowledge transfer activities are embedded, relevant and targeted to the overarching goals of the degree. Ultimately, exposure to the interdependence of research, learning and teaching and knowledge transfer provides students with the opportunity to acquire the graduate attributes (see page 4), and to use them in practice. Implications for practice †¢ Teachers model intellectual engagement in the discipline, including an approach of analytical scepticism in the evaluation of all research. †¢ Current research and consultancy experiences are directly incorporated into teaching content and approaches. †¢ Teachers demonstrate that they value lifelong learning, and foster in students an awareness that it will be essential in their professional and personal lives. †¢ Students are trained in the research skills of particular disciplines, but that they are also aware of the possibilities for and challenges in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research; †¢ Students are made aware of the traditions of scholarship in particular ï ¬ elds, the history of knowledge development, and the body of existing knowledge. †¢ Teachers keep abreast of current developments in their own and related disciplines and incorporate this knowledge into their teaching. †¢ Evidence-based or scholarship-informed practice is emphasized, and students gain experience in critically evaluating and contributing to the evidence base, or in critically assessing and contributing to the scholarly discourse on practice. †¢ Research students are exposed to current research through involvement in staff seminars and conferences. †¢ Students are made aware of the questioning of paradigms that is central to the development of knowledge. †¢ Staff demonstrate a commitment to professional values and ethical practice in the conduct of research. †¢ Students conducting research are made to feel part of the community of researchers while they are being trained in its procedures and values. †¢ Staff adopt a scholarly, evidence-based approach to the decisions made about curriculum design, teaching approaches and assessment methods. †¢ As appropriate, staff conduct research into the effects of teaching on student learning. †¢ Staff demonstrate a willingness to revise their own views and admit error, and encourage this attitude in students. †¢ Students are enabled to see the relevance of research to current practice through exposure to experienced practitioners, e-enabled case experiences, ï ¬ eld trips and other in situ learning experiences.

Introduction To The Solar System Environmental Sciences Essay

Introduction To The Solar System Environmental Sciences Essay A. This essay will briefly describe the planets and how they relate to the planet Earth. The surface and inner geology, the atmosphere, and other general properties will show how the other planets are not unlike the Earth. B. How do the unique characteristics of each major solar system body compare with the planet Earth primarily the mass and density, and the composition? 2. The Planets Other Objects. The charted regions of the Solar System consist of the Sun, four terrestrial inner planets, an asteroid belt composed of small rocky bodies, four gas giant outer planets, and a second belt, called the Kuiper belt, composed of icy objects. Beyond the Kuiper belt is hypothetical Oort cloud. The inner Solar System is the traditional name for the region comprising the terrestrial planets and asteroids. Composed mainly of silicates and metals, the objects of the inner Solar System crowd very closely to the Sun; the radius of this entire region is shorter than the distance between Jupiter and Saturn. The four inner or terrestrial planets have dense, rocky compositions, few or no moons, and no ring systems. They are composed largely of minerals with high melting points, such as the silicates which form their solid crusts and semi-liquid mantles, and metals such as iron and nickel, which form their cores. Three of the four inner planets (Venus, Earth and Mars) have significant atmospheres; all have impact craters and tectonic surface features such as rift valleys and volcanoes. Our probe, the ESP begins the exploration of the solar system with the third planet from the sun, the Earth and the fifth largest in our solar system. Astronomers usually measure distances within the Solar System in astronomical units (AU). One AU is the approximate distance between the Earth and the Sun or roughly 149,598,000 km (93,000,000 mi). A. The Earth. The mass of the Earth is 5.98 E24 kg with a mean density of 5,520 kg/m3 and the densest of any planet in the solar system. Earths diameter is just a few hundred kilometers larger than that of Venus, and considered our sister planet. Earth is the largest of the inner planets, the only one planet known to have current geological activity, although there are moons of Jupiter and Saturn that have seismic activity, and the only planet known to have life. Its liquid hydrosphere is unique among the terrestrial planets, and it is also the only planet where plate tectonics has been observed, unlike Venus where there is no evidence of plate tectonics. Earths atmosphere is radically different from those of the other planets, having been altered by the presence of life (in two oxygen generating events) to contain 21% free oxygen. It has one satellite, the Moon, the only large satellite of a terrestrial planet in the Solar System so large as compared to its planet. No other moon-pla net has this size ratio. The four seasons are a result of Earths axis of rotation being tilted 23.45 degrees with respect to the plane of Earths orbit around the sun. During part of the year, the northern hemisphere is tilted toward the sun and the southern hemisphere is tilted away, producing summer in the north and winter in the south. Six months later, the situation is reversed. During March and September, when spring and fall begin in the northern hemisphere, both hemispheres receive nearly equal amounts of solar illumination. Earths global ocean, which covers nearly 70 percent of the planets surface, has an average depth of about 4 km (2.5 miles). Fresh water exists in the liquid phase only within a narrow temperature span, 32 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit (0 to 100 degrees Celsius). The presence and distribution of water vapor in the atmosphere is responsible for much of Earths weather. The Earths rapid rotation and molten nickel-iron core create the magnetic field which prevents the solar wind from reaching the surface (the solar wind is a stream of charged particles continuously ejected from the sun.) The Earths magnetic field does not fade off into space, but has definite boundaries. When charged particles from the solar wind become trapped in Earths magnetic field, they collide with air molecules above our planets magnetic poles. These air molecules then begin to glow, and are known as the aurora the northern and southern lights. Earths lithosphere, which includes the crust (both continental and oceanic) and the upper mantle, is divided into huge plates that are constantly moving, and the movement is accurately determined via radio telescopes from a stationary point such as a star . Earthquakes result when plates grind past one another, ride up over one another, collide to make mountains, or split and separate. The theory of motion of the large plates of the li thosphere is known as plate tectonics. Developed within the last 40 years, this explanation has unified the results of centuries of study of our planet. The Earths atmosphere consists of 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen and 1 percent argon and other trace ingredients. The atmosphere affects Earths long-term climate and short-term local weather, shields us from much of the harmful radiation coming from the sun and protects us from meteors as well, most of which burn up before they can strike the surface as meteorites. Before the ESP leaves the immediate vicinity of the Earth, ESP will begin the journey starting with Earths Moon approximately 250,000 miles away. B. The Moon. The Earths moon provides a more livable planet by moderating our home planets wobble on its axis, leading to a relatively stable climate, and creating a rhythm that has guided humans for thousands of years. The Moon was likely formed after a Mars-sized body collided with Earth approximately 4.5 billion years ago, and the resulting debris accumulated (or accreted) to form our natural satellite. The newly formed Moon was in a molten state. Within about 100 million years, most of the global magma ocean had crystallized, with less dense rocks floating upward and eventually forming the lunar crust. The moons surface shows four significant impact structures and are used to date objects on the Moon; are called the Nectaris and Imbrium basins and the craters Eratosthenes and Copernicus. The Moon was first visited by the USSRs Luna 1 and Luna 2 in 1959. These were followed by a number of U.S. and Soviet robotic spacecraft. The U.S. sent three classes of robotic missions to prepare the way for human exploration, the Rangers (1961-1965) were impact probes, the Lunar Orbiters (1966-1967) mapped the surface to find landing sites and the Surveyors (1966-1968) were soft landers. The first human landing on the Moon was on 20 July 1969. During the Apollo missions of 1969-1972, 12 American astronauts walked on the Moon and used a Lunar Roving Vehicle to travel on the surface to investigate soil mechanics, meteoroids, lunar ranging, magnetic fields and the solar wind. The Apollo astronauts brought back 382 kg (842 pounds) of rock and soil to Earth for study. The Moon has no internally generated magnetic field, although areas of magnetism are preserved in the lunar crust, but how this occurred remains a mystery to science. The early Moon appears not to have had the right conditions to develop an internal dynamo, the mechanism for global magnetic fields for the terrestrial planets; so an iron-core did not form or have the ability for motion. In retrospect, no magnetic field may be a good thing as perhaps there would be some interactions between the Earths magnetic filed and the moons, when considering the abnormal size ratio between these bodies. With no atmosphere to impede impacts, a steady rain of asteroids, meteoroids and comets strike the surface. Over billions of years, the surface has been ground up into fragments ranging from huge boulders to powder. Nearly the entire Moon is covered by a rubble pile of gray, powdery dust and rocky debris called the lunar regolith. Beneath the regolith is a region of fractured bedrock referred to as the megaregolith. The ESP now leaves the Earth to journey toward the sun and visit the second closet to the sun, Venus our sister planet. C. Venus. From the Earth, the distance to Venus is about 23 million miles, and 0.723 AU from the sun. The orbital period of Venus is about 225 Earth days long, while the planets sidereal rotation period is 243 Earth days, making a Venus solar day about 117 Earth days long. Venus has no natural satellites. The mass of Venus is 4.87 E24 kg and close in size to Earth (0.815 Earth masses) and, like Earth, has a thick silicate mantle around an iron core, a substantial atmosphere and evidence of internal geological activity. Because of the similar silicate mantle around an iron corer, the density is not unlike the Earths at 5,250 kg/m2. The slow rotation of Venus cannot generate a magnetic field similar to Earths, though its iron core is similar to that of the Earth and approximately 3,000 km (1,900 miles) in radius. Venus rotates retrograde (east to west) compared with Earths (west to east) rotation. Seen from Venus, the sun would rise in the west and set in the east. Current thinking suggests that Venus was completely resurfaced by volcanic activity 300 to 500 million years ago. More than 1,000 volcanoes or volcanic centers larger than 20 km (12 miles) in diameter dot the surface. Volcanic flows have produced long, channels extending for hundreds of kilometers. Venus has two large highland areas: Ishtar Terra, about the size of Australia, in the North Polar Region; and Aphrodite Terra, about the size of South America, straddling the equator and extending for almost 10,000 km (6,000 miles). Maxwell Montes, the highest mountain on Venus and comparable to Mount Everest on Earth, is at the eastern edge of Ishtar Terra. No definitive evidence of current geological activity has been detected on Venus, but as mentioned it has no magnetic field that would prevent depletion of its substantial atmosphere, which suggests that its atmosphere is regularly replenished by volcanic eruptions. Venus atmosphere consists mainly of carbon dioxide, with clouds of sulfuric acid droplets with trace amounts of water detected in the atmosphere (96% carbon dioxide, 3% nitrogen, and 0.1% water vapor.) The atmosphere is much drier than Earth and ninety times as dense. It is the hottest planet, with surface temperatures over 400 Â °C, most likely due to the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The thick atmosphere traps the suns heat, resulting in surface temperatures higher than 880 degrees Fahrenheit (471 degrees Celsius). Probes that have landed on Venus survived only a few hours before being destroyed by the incredible temperatures. Sulfur compounds are abundant in Venus clouds. The corrosive chemistry and dense, moving atmosphere cause significant surface weathering and erosion. Atmospheric lightning bursts were confirmed in 2007 by the European Venus Express orbiter. On Earth, Jupiter and Saturn, lightning is associated with water clouds, but on Venus, it is associated with clouds of sulfuric acid. As we leave the Venusian orbit, Earths probe ESP continues toward the sun and onward Mercury. D. Mercury. The closest planet to the Sun and the smallest planet (0.055 Earth masses), Mercury is 0.387 AU from the sun. Mercury has no natural satellites, and its mass is 3.30 E23 kg with an average density of 5,420 kg/m3. The similarity of the rocky terrestrial planets is apparent. Mercurys surface resembles that of Earths Moon, scarred by many impact craters resulting from collisions with meteoroids and comets. While there are areas of smooth terrain, there are also scarps or cliffs, some hundreds of miles long and soaring up to a mile high, formed by contraction of the crust. Mercury is the second densest planet after Earth, with a large metallic core having a radius of 1,800 to 1,900 km (1,100 to 1,200 miles), about 75 percent of the planets radius (Earths core is many times smaller compared to the planets diameter). In 2007, researchers using ground-based radars to study the core found evidence that it is molten (liquid). Mercurys outer shell, comparable to Earths outer shell (called the mantle), is only 500 to 600 km (300 to 400 miles) thick. The only known geological features besides impact craters are wrinkle-ridges, probably produced by a period of contraction early in its history. The Caloris Basin, one of the largest features on Mercury, is about 1,550 km (960 miles) in diameter. It was the result of a possible asteroid impact on the planets surface early in the solar systems history. Mercurys almost negligible atmosphere consists of atoms blasted off its surface by the solar wind. Though Mercurys magnetic field has just 1 percent the strength of Earths, the field is very active. The magnetic field in the solar wind creates intense magnetic tornadoes that channel the fast, hot solar wind plasma down to the surface. When these ions strike the surface, they knock off neutral atoms and send them high into the sky where other processes may fling them back to the surface or accelerate them away from Mercury. As we leave Mercury before heading out to the deepest regions of the solar system, the ESP will make a fly-by of the sun, as the voyager probes did around Jupiter and Saturn to increase the velocity. E. Our Sun. The principal component of the Solar System is the Sun that contains 99.86% of the systems known mass and dominates it gravitationally. Jupiter and Saturn, the Suns two largest orbiting bodies, account for more than 90% of the systems remaining mass. Most large objects in orbit around the Sun lie near the plane of Earths orbit, known as the ecliptic. The planets are very close to the ecliptic while comets and Kuiper belt objects are usually at significantly greater angles to it. The orbits of the planets are nearly circular, but many comets, asteroids and objects of the Kuiper belt follow highly-elliptical orbits. The probe ESP circles the sun picking up velocity to begin the voyage to Mars again passing the terrestrial planets. F. The Red Planet, Mars. Mars is smaller than Earth and Venus (0.107 Earth masses) has a mass of 6.42 E23 kg and a mean density of 3,940 kg/m3 (lower than that of the other terrestrial planets,) and is 1.524 AU from the sun. Mars is a cold desert-like world similar to our Southwestern States, and has the same amount of dry land. Like Earth, Mars has seasons, polar ice caps, volcanoes, canyons and weather, but its atmosphere is too thin for liquid water to exist for long on the surface. There are signs of ancient floods on Mars, but evidence for water now exists mainly in icy soil and thin clouds. Mars has two tiny natural satellites Deimos and Phobos thought to be captured asteroids. Mars experiences seasons because of the tilt of its rotational axis (in relation to the plane of its orbit). Mars orbit is slightly elliptical, so its distance to the sun changes, affecting the Martian seasons that last longer than those of Earth. The polar ice caps on Mars grow and recede with the seaso ns; layered areas near the poles suggest that the planets climate has changed more than once. Mars is a rocky body about half the size of Earth. As with the other terrestrial planets (Mercury, Venus and Earth) the surface of Mars has been altered by volcanism, impacts, crustal movement, and atmospheric effects such as dust storms. Volcanism in the highlands and plains was active more than 3 billion years ago, but some of the giant shield volcanoes are younger, having formed between 1 and 2 billion years ago. Mars has the largest volcanic mountain in the solar system, Olympus Mons, as well as a spectacular equatorial canyon system, Valles Marineris. Mars has no global magnetic field, but NASAs Mars Global Surveyor orbiter found that areas of the Martian crust in the southern hemisphere are highly magnetized. Evidently, these are traces of a magnetic field that remain in the planets crust from about 4 billion years ago. Mars often appears reddish due to a combination of the fact that its surface is comprised of iron-rich minerals that rust (or oxidize) and that the dust made of these minerals is kicked up into the atmosphere, giving the atmosphere a reddish hue as well. Mars possesses an atmosphere of mostly carbon dioxide (seems like a natural tendency of the terrestrial planets), and other gases (nitrogen 3%, and argon 1.6 %.) The thin atmosphere on Mars does not allow liquid water to exist at the surface for long, and the quantity of water required to carve Mars great channels and flood plains is not obvious today. Unraveling the story of water on Mars is important to unlocking its climate history, which will help us understand the evolution of all the planets. Water is believed to be an essential ingredient for life; evidence of past or present water on Mars is expected to hold clues about whether Mars could ever have been a habitat for life. In summary, there is evidence and good science that large quantities of water may still be present below the surface. Scientists believe that Mars experienced huge floods about 3.5 billion years ago, though it is not know where the ancient flood water came from, how long it lasted or where it went, recent missions to Mars have uncovered exciting evidence. In 2002, NASAs Mars Odyssey orbiter detected hydrogen-rich polar deposits, indicating large quantities of water ice close to the surface. Further observations found hydrogen in other areas as well. If water ice permeated the entire planet, Mars could have substantial subsurface layers of frozen water, and if true, the long-term colonization of Mars is probable. In 2004, the Mars Exploration Rover named Opportunity found structures and minerals indicating that liquid water was once present at its landing site. The rovers twin, Spirit, also found the signature of ancient water near its landing site halfway around Mars from Opportunitys location. Recently, in August 2012, the probe Curiosity made another surface landing in a crater and being the first nuclear-powered probe. Leaving Mars orbit and the terrestrial planets, ESP moves further from the sun to explore the left-over remains from the formation of the solar system, the Asteroid belt. G. The Asteroids Belt. These small Solar System bodies are mostly composed of rocky and metallic non-volatile minerals. Tens of thousands of these minor planets and small rocky bodies are gathered in the main asteroid belt, a vast doughnut-shaped ring between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Asteroids that pass close to Earth are called Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). The main asteroid belt occupies the orbit between Mars and Jupiter, and is between 2.3 and 3.3 AU from the Sun. It is thought to be remnants from the Solar Systems formation that failed to coalesce because of the gravitational interference of Jupiter. Asteroids range in size from hundreds of kilometers across to microscopic. Despite this, the total mass of the main belt is unlikely to be more than a thousandth of that of the Earth. The main belt is very sparsely populated; spacecraft routinely pass through without incident. Asteroids with diameters between 10 and 10-4 m are called meteoroids. Asteroid groups in the main belt are divided into groups and families based on their orbital characteristics. Asteroid moons are asteroids that orbit larger asteroids. They are not as clearly distinguished as planetary moons, sometimes being almost as large as their partners. The asteroid belt also contains main-belt comets which may have been the source of Earths water. The inner Solar System is also dusted with rogue asteroids, many of which cross the orbits of the inner planets. The three broad composition classes of asteroids are C-, S- and M-types. The C-type asteroids (carbonaceous) are most common, and probably consist of clay and silicate rocks and are dark in appearance. C-type asteroids are among the most ancient objects in our solar system. The S-types (silicaceous) are made up of silicate (stony) materials and nickel-iron. M-types (metallic) are made up of nickel-iron. The asteroids compositional differences are related to how far from the sun they formed. Some experienced high temperatures after they formed and partly melted, with iron sinking to the center and forcing basaltic (volcanic) lava to the surface. One such asteroid, Vesta, survives to this day. Ceres is 2.77 AU from the sun, is the largest body in the asteroid belt, and considered a dwarf planet. It has a diameter of slightly less than 1000 km, large enough for its own gravity to pull it into a spherical shape. Ceres was considered a planet when it was discovered in the 19th century, bu t was reclassified as an asteroid in the 1850s as further observation revealed additional asteroids. It was again reclassified in 2006 as a dwarf planet along with Pluto. Leaving the left-over rubble of the Asteroid belt ESP now begins s very long journeys as did the Voyager, and Cassini probes and visit the four outer planets, or gas giants (sometimes called Jovian planets), and collectively make up 99 percent of the mass known to orbit the Sun. H. The Gas giants Jupiter. Jupiter and Saturns atmospheres are largely hydrogen and helium. Uranus and Neptunes atmospheres have a higher percentage of ices, such as water, ammonia and methane. Some astronomers suggest they belong in their own category, ice giants. All four gas giants have rings, although only Saturns ring system is easily observed from Earth. Our probe ESP approaches Jupiter at an average distance of 5.203 AU from the sun we are now in the region of deep space. Jupiter at 318 Earth masses has 2.5 times the mass of all the other planets put together, and an average density of 1,314 kg/m3. It is composed largely of hydrogen and helium. Jupiters internal heat creates semi-permanent features in its atmosphere, such as cloud bands and the Great Red Spot. On 7 January 1610, using a telescope (probably the first) he constructed, astronomer Galileo Galilei saw four small stars as he first thought near Jupiter. He had discovered Jupiters four largest moons, now called Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. These four moons are known today as the Galilean satellites. In retrospect, Jupiter has sixty-three known satellites, and show similarities to the terrestrial planets, such as volcanism and internal heating. Galileos surprise and illumination is understood. In 2004, while looking through a small Meade reflecting telescope, Jupiters four largest moons were visible as they were all in a straight line moving around the planets equatorial plane. For the first time ever, I gazed at four moons in the solar system other than our own, and it was an amazing sight. Looking at Jupiter from an Earth or near-orbit telescope or planetary probe, the apparent surface and appearance is a blend of striking colors and atmospheric features. Most visible clou ds are composed of ammonia, and water vapor exists deep below and can sometimes be seen through clear spots in the clouds. The planets stripes are dark belts and light zones are created by strong east-west winds in Jupiters upper atmosphere. The Great Red Spot, a giant spinning storm, has been observed since the 1800s, and in recent years, three storms merged to form the Little Red Spot, about half the size of the Great Red Spot. In December 1995, NASAs Galileo spacecraft dropped a probe into Jupiters atmosphere, which made the first direct measurements of the planets atmosphere, and began a multiyear study of Jupiter and the largest moons. The magnetic field of Jupiter and is nearly 20,000 times as powerful as Earths. Trapped within Jupiters magnetosphere (the area in which magnetic field lines encircle the planet from pole to pole) are swarms of charged particles. Jupiters rings and moons are embedded in an intense radiation belt of electrons and ions trapped by the magnetic field, and perhaps a moon landing is possible in the future, but protection from this radiation will be necessary. Jupiters atmosphere is similar to that of the sun, and the composition is mostly hydrogen and helium. Deep in the atmosphere, the pressure and temperature increase, compressing the hydrogen gas into a liquid. At further depths, the hydrogen becomes metallic and electrically conducting. In this metallic layer, Jupiters powerful magnetic field is generated by electrical currents driven by Jupiters fast rotation (9.8 Earth hours.) At the center, the immense pressure may support a solid core of rock about the size of Earth. Jupiters Galilean Satellites. Io is the most volcanically active body in the solar system and the surface is covered by sulfur in different multi-colored forms. As Io travels in its slightly elliptical orbit, Jupiters immense gravity causes tides in the solid surface that rise 100 m (300 feet) high on Io, generating enough heat for volcanic activity and to drive off any water. Ios volcanoes are driven by hot silicate magma. Europas surface is mostly water ice, and there is evidence that it may be covering an ocean of water or ice beneath. Europa is thought to have twice as much water as does Earth, and intrigues scientists because of its potential for having a habitable zone. Life forms have been found thriving near subterranean volcanoes on Earth and in other extreme locations that may be analogues to what may exist on Europa. Given the right chance and some basic conditions, life is possible on so many different levels. Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system (larger than the planet Mercury), and is the only moon known to have its own internally generated magnetic field. Callistos surface is extremely heavily cratered and ancient, a visible record of events from the early history of the solar system. However, the very few small craters on Callisto indicate a small degree of current surface activity. The interiors of Io, Europa and Ganymede have a layered structure similar to the Earth). Io, Europa and Ganymede all have cores and mantles partially molten rock or a solid rock envelope around the core. The surface of Europa and Ganymede is a thick, soft ice layer and a thin crust of impure water ice. In the case of Europa, a subsurface water layer probably lies just below the icy crust and may cover the entire moon. This makes Europa a candidate for moon landing, but in the movie 2001 A Space Odyssey, mankind was forbidden to land on Europa, however, we will of course disregard. Layering at Callisto is less well defined and appears to be mainly a mixture of ice and rock. As ESP leaves the Jovian world and once more, as the voyager space probes successfully navigated, rounds the giant planet to pick up additional speed for the voyage to Saturn, and beyond. I. Saturn. At 9.5 AU from the sun Saturn has a mass of 5.69 E26 kg. With an average density of 690 kg/m3, Saturn is far less massive than any planet in the solar system, being only 95 Earth masses and could be floated in water since its density is less than that of water. Famous for its extensive ring system, Saturn has similarities to Jupiter, such as its atmospheric composition, as Saturn is mostly a massive ball of hydrogen and helium. Saturn is unique among the planets. All four gas giant planets have rings, made of chunks of ice and rock, but none are as spectacular or as complicated as Saturns. Saturns magnetic field is not as huge as Jupiters, however; it is still 578 times as powerful as the Earths. Saturn, its rings and many of its satellites lie totally within Saturns own enormous magnetosphere (the region of space in which the behavior of electrically charged particles is influenced more by Saturns magnetic field) than by the solar wind. Jupiter shares the magnetic field s imilarity. Saturn has sixty known satellites; two of which, Titan and Enceladus, show signs of geological activity, though they are largely made of ice. Titan is larger than Mercury and the only satellite in the Solar System with a substantial atmosphere. In 1610, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei was the first to gaze at Saturn through a telescope, and in 2004, after seeing Jupiters Galilean satellites; I saw the outline of Saturns rings. My image was not unlike Galileos where I could resolve the rings, not their structure or color, and noticed a dark space between the ring system and the planet was visible. Although a fascinating sight, nothing compared to seeing the Galilean satellites. However, to credit Galileo, my modern-day meade-reflector was equal to Galileos very first refractor; a testament to the mind of a genius. He would probably say, they dont build them like they used too. Winds in the upper atmosphere reach 500 m (1,600 feet) per second near the equatorial region. These super-fast winds, combined with heat rising from within the planets interior, cause the yellow and gold bands visible in the atmosphere. In the early 1980s, NASAs Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft revealed that Saturns rings are made mostly of water ice and the ring system extends hundreds of thousands of kilometers from the planet, however surprising, the vertical depth is typically only about 10 m (30 feet) in the main rings. Saturns Moons. The largest moon, Titan, is a bit bigger than the planet Mercury (Titan is the second-largest moon in the solar system; only Jupiters moon Ganymede is bigger.) Titan is so large that it affects the orbits of other near-by moons. At 5,150 km (3,200 miles) across, it is the second largest moon in the solar system. Titan hides its surface with a thick nitrogen-rich atmosphere. Titans atmosphere is similar to the Earths atmosphere of long ago, before biology took hold on our home planet and changed the composition from carbon dioxide to oxygen. Titans atmosphere is approximately 95% nitrogen, 3% helium with traces of methane. While the Earths atmosphere extends about 60 km (37 miles) into space, Titans extends nearly 600 km (ten times that of the Earths atmosphere) into space. The moon Iapetus has one side as bright as snow and one side as dark as black velvet, with a huge ridge running around most of its dark-side equator. Phoebe is odd as the moon orbits the planet in a direction opposite that of Saturns larger moons, as do several of the more recently discovered moons. The result of an impact that nearly split the moon Mimas apart has an enormous crater on one side providing evidence that the solar system still contains left-over debris and can cause substantial impacts. The probe Cassini observed warm fractures on Enceladus where evaporating ice clearly escapes and forms a huge cloud of water vapor over the South Pole. Scientists have seen evidence of active ice volcanism on Enceladus. Hyperion has an odd flattened shape and rotates chaotically, probably due to a recent collision, and probably due to the space junk being tossed out from the ring-system due to collisions there. The moon Pan orbits within the main rings and helps sweep materials out of a narrow space known as the Encke Gap (have to do a better job of sweeping with the many impacts on-going.) Finally, Tethys has a huge rift zone called the Ithaca Chasma that runs nearly three-quarters of the way around the moon. Four additional moons orbit in stable places around Saturn they tag along with their larger sisters. These moons lie 60 degrees ahead of or behind a larger moon and in the same orbit. Telesto and Calypso move along with the larger moon Tethys in its orbit; Helene and Polydeuces occupy similar orbits with Dione. A collision with any of these smaller moons within the same orbit can cause catastrophic consequences with Saturns larger moons. Uranus is next as our probe moves on from Saturn. J. Uranus This strange upside-down world is 19.6 AU from the sun, and at 14 Earth masses, has a mass of 8.68 E25 kg with a mean density of 1,290 kg/m3. Uniquely among the planets is the only gas-giant whose equator is nearly at right angles to its orbit (its axial tilt is over ninety degrees to the eclip