Blog Expectations

This is a photo from the desert salt mines.  We learned about the living and working conditions of the salt farmers.  We heard from the head of the organization who works to help these people who believe this is their fate to do this type of hard and dangerous labor.  This is a picture of a solar-powered pump that pumps water to the surface.  The donation for this pump was given to the workers as a 1.5 million Rupee loan that needs to be paid back but without interest.  Using a solar-powered pump saves the workers money.  Now the workers don't have to use their own hard-earned money to pay for diesel which is a much more expensive process for bringing water to the surface.  More money is left in the hands of the worker.  The reason salt is in this part of the desert is that at one point this area of India was under water.  Dr. Arun Gandhi and his son Tushar Gandhi are pictured here as well.  That is a rusted salt pan which shows you the impact of salt on metal.  Now imagine the impact on people's skin handling salt all day long.

Hi everyone!

  I have been checking your blog comments daily and will be answering your questions either through commenting directly or through YouTube Live with the Gandhi's.  We are working on making this happen on 1/4/17 during 4th period and for those of you who are following the blog but not in my class that will be at 11:35am U.S. time.  Before commenting, really think about what life is like here in India and the impact on the culture and people.  Think about the connections to the themes of Economic (money, resources, sustainability, sufficiency or lack of, trade, jobs, skills), Political (laws, policies and government), and Social (the way people interact, their story, culture, religion, language, customs) Impact and/or Changes.  Think about the turning points that will need to happen in order to help support these people and their livelihood.   When I return, we will talk about the organizations that are in place and you will have a say in which one we we as a school can support.

The comments will be based on a scale from 1-5.  I have been recording these scores in the gradebook.  Some have not received credit yet.  Please be sure to go back to the first days of the trip (I haven't seen many comments on these posts) which include pictures, experiences and stories from Mumbai.  The expectation is that you have responded with at least 18 different comments about different text and or pictures by 1/14/17 that follow the rubric check below. You will be given time each day in class.  We are now making our way through Northern India in Ahmedabad (heading towards New Delhi and Agra).  

1-Minimal response-one to two word response.  Might only use an emotion or adjective to describe what has been read or seen
2-Makes minimal reference to the themes above and might just include an emotion to express what is read and/or seen.
3-Describes and makes connections to the themes above.  Uses text or details from the pictures to support evidence.
4-Describes and makes connections to the themes and there is some level of understanding of the impact on the culture and people.  Uses text or details from the pictures to support evidence and inference made.
5-Critical thinker-someone who really thinks deeply about the material and pictures seen.  Makes reference to text read and inferences.

Hope you all are well!  Miss everyone!