218 Matching Annotations
  1. Jan 2016
    1. Black babies are more likely to be born to younger, less-healthy, less-wealthy and less-educated mothers, who additionally are less likely to be married and less likely to receive prenatal care than white mothers. 

      A specific race of babies is more likely to have flaws when they are born. This only describes a specific race such as African-Americans with a high rate of less educated mothers, less wealthy,and more likely to lose prenatal care of their children. I know people that are having children or had children already,and fall under one of these categories.

    2. The death of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, prompted a national conversation about race and the justice system, with many concluding discrepancies exist in policing and sentencing that, apart from race, seem unexplainable.

      *What I see in this paragraph is Micheal Brown's death inspired people to run a justice system.

      *What makes it important is that the people of Missouri finally decided to take action because of black males dying by police brutatlity

    3. The average black baby enters the world under different circumstances than the average white baby, and the gap only grows between birth and death.

      Blacks are always the outcast of a situation, and this is important because Blacks are always in the worst circumstances.

      ~ It connects to me because

  2. Dec 2015
    1. What I see in this sentence is that many people also get there lives shorten because they in a middle of a war Whats so important about this is that that young people are either tend to do military things or force to fight fo their country so its hard to live a regular childs life *Its connects to me cause I seen plenty of movies that are based on true stories about young children getting their freedom and their childhood taken away because they have to fight for their country's survival

    2. There are great changes in life expectancy between different parts of the world, mostly caused by differences in public health

      What I see in this sentence is most likely the area that affect your healthThis is important because some areas is polluted with smoke from ciggerates,chimneys,and food stands *It connects to me because if aviod food stands and people that smoke ciggerates y live can probably be longer depending on much polluted air there is

  3. Oct 2015
    1. Think about all of your personal creations over time, and identify something you’ve made that you liked. What is it? What about it reflects themes that you are drawn to and want to express through the creative process?

      These are really helpful questions to ask yourself if you plan on making a series of artworks.

    2. The knowledge and experience you gain from working within a well-defined set of parameters, while expressing yourself from a range of different perspectives within those parameters, allows you to nuance your compositions more subtly, purposefully and in greater depth and detail

      What creates a well-defied set of parameters? How would you know what is to hard and what is too easy in the process of making multiple variations of your piece?

    3. Elizabeth views making a sculpture as a learning experience. The more you do this kind of work, the faster you get.

    4. About how many of each piece would we make in order to effectively improve?

    5. How would you eventually develop and know what your signature style is? what if you don't enjoy that style of art as much as something else?

    6. Does this text imply that you should do multiple pieces for EVERY work you create in order to improve? Wouldn't it be better to create only one piece and make it perfect in one shot t improve?

    7. She uses material of lower quality in her art work to reflect the materials people who live in poor areas have to work with when they build their homes

    8. “If you produce a unified series or body of themed related works, you become the expert or authority on whatever thoughts, inspirations or ideas are embodied within that art.

      I can really relate to this because this is somewhat along the lines of what we're learning in school. This year in art we're really focusing on self-expression and how to show ourselves within our artwork. I like this quote because it displays what art is really about, our ideas embodied in one piece.

    9. and how she pushed her work to new heights with a lot of practice.

      But many artists don't get get the recognition they deserve. I believe its all about luck

    10. In other words, you’re able to more convincingly get your point across and to more profoundly connect with your audience

      Art is a way that people express their ideas without being judged by others.

    11. Elizabeth uses things she finds from her environment to make sculptures and works of art.

    12. although they’re not always perfect, the practice of art is what helps these artists generate a unique style

      This reminds me of when students ask how to get better at drawing. By practicing drawing, you gradually get more comfortable and improve your drawing skills.

    13. If you produce a unified series or body of themed related works, you become the expert or authority on whatever thoughts, inspirations or ideas are embodied within that art

      Does everyone accept all forms of art?

    14. Elizabeth uses line in her 3-D art works because she was influenced by artists' drawing from the past that use line.

    15. Artists create prints, books, sculptures, paintings, and many more objects,

      Art does not only have to consist of paintings but art is basically anything that you create. Art is when you use your imagination or skills.

    16. In order for an artist to create the "perfect" work, they need to patiently approach the work in different styles with different versions of the piece. This allows the artist to understand his or her signature style.

    17. Elizabeth uses things she finds from her environment to make sculptures and works of art.

    1. everyday rockers who want to be cozy,

      He makes these quilts for a specific group of people and he does not conform to what people outside the group care about

    2. traveled the world to exhibit his quilts in fine art and folk art museums

      By traveling all over the world, Venom is exhibiting his artwork to inspire people. Also, he does not only travel around the world to show the people his skills, but to get motivated from the designs of different cultures.

    3. developing folklore and personal symbolism through his quilts

      Venom is using his quilts to create stories and symbols. This shows how a piece of fabric can develop meaning. Quilts are usually plain and an old piece of fabric, but by adding pictures and symbols, it gives off a new meaning for creating quilts.

    4. Using traditional reuse and appliqué methods, Venom takes his inspiration from the historical and social aspect of quilting,

      The particular style of art that is being discussed in this article is punk rock. Venom supports punk rockers by creating quilts, which is a padding enclosed between layers of fabric. Quilts are typically applied in a decorative design. Venom was motivated from the ancient way of creating quilts.

    5. tackle this compelling question in order to figure out how one goes about developing a personal style that is recognizable and unique.

      Based on this article, the KQED Art School have asked many public artists to state a style of music that is recognizable and unique. Also, it is implied that the public artists are asked on how they developed their personal style. The question that was asked to these public artists was how they were able to develop their personal style.

    6. Venom also grew up as a member of the Atlanta punk rock scene

      The way he grew up influenced what he does for a living because most of his teen life he spent listening to punk rock in peoples garages backyards and homes in general. The way that local bands created their own merchandise and made their own displays made him understand how he could portray his own ideas on quilts.

    7. often made of recycled materials donated

      This was influenced by the women who would make quilts out of mens old clothes. It is good to reuse materials and it helps him create more quilts at less expense to him.

    8. developing a personal style

      Your style in art, describes aspects of your personality. It describes your interests. For example this artist was influenced by many punk merchandise that was sold often in his childhood.

    1. It's like looking at something under a microscope as opposed to giving it a casual passing glance. The closer you look, the more you see, and the more you see, the more fascinating it gets.

      This reminds me of an exhibition of Pablo Picasso's Las Meninas that I saw over the summer. Pablo Picasso drew about fifty paintings of his interpretation of the original las meninas painting and by doing this, he created a unified theme and I assume analyzed the painting thouroughly but for the viewer it was just mass obsession and repetition

    2. The idea of working in series or in distinct purposeful directions can actually be the opposite of condemning oneself to a life of sameness or repetition. The process is not about repetition at all, but rather about being able to explore, investigate, examine or address particular ideas, themes, issues, compositions, concepts or topics in progressively deeper and more meaningful ways, and from a richer variety of perspectives than is possible by making just one or two.

      This reminds me of poetry guidelines. While yes, they constrict they also allow us to consider more options. They allow us to work within a set boundary and when we fulfill our conditions we usually create something fantastic. When we work within boundaries and fill these walls to the brink we show that we have the ability to work within constraints and use them to our advantage.

    3. and buying nothing

      This is arguably the author's most important point. What our author explains is that this is geared towards the professional artist, not the simple layman artist. Our narrator explains that the average art buyer wants something to appeal to them easily. In a way, he expresses the cynical world of artselling. If you want to make money sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do.

    4. Now the easiest way to do that is to work in series-- to create unified, cohesive, coherent, related bodies of work

      Bamberger explains that by creating a series of artworks we can better understand a single one, thanks to association. This makes me question, what does he think of great paintings like the Mona Lisa which seem to have no predecessor nor follower?

    5. The idea of working in series or in distinct purposeful directions can actually be the opposite of condemning oneself to a life of sameness or repetition. The process is not about repetition at all, but rather about being able to explore, investigate, examine or address particular ideas, themes, issues, compositions, concepts or topics

      Do the artists need to submit all of the pieces that they were working on? or just the one that they think best defines themselves?

    6. They need more-- a fuller context, understanding or build-out as to where the art comes from, what inspired it, why it exists or where it's going

      Making a art work needs to be inspired by something and needs to be where it comes from.

    7. The process is not about repetition at all, but rather about being able to explore, investigate, examine or address particular ideas, themes, issues, compositions, concepts or topics in progressively deeper and more meaningful ways, and from a richer variety of perspectives than is possible by making just one or two.

      Artists have to make their art work be able to make the people looking at the art work and explore the things that are going on in the art work that was created.

    8. The problem with the "I make whatever I feel like making whenever I feel like making it" approach to art is that when everything is different and there's no common thread, it's difficult for us to get a grip on where you're going, what you stand for, what your art is about.

      I definitely agree with this idea, however doesn't it make more sense that when an artist is going through a certain thing and the only way to express themselves is through art and whenever they want to make something, they should

    9. That's not only time consuming and labor intensive, but it's also confusing and in many cases, ultimately exhausting.

      For me this slightly backwards. Great paintings and peices of art should be able to tell you everything they mean in one work. They represent one thought. perhaps that thought ended on that painting. The artist is attempting to grow and present his or her thoughts. Whether that is accomplished in one canvas or many is solely up to them

    10. If you make art for the rest of us and you're interested in having us appreciate and understand what you're up to, you better make it in ways that give us a fighting chance to figure it out.

      Shouldn't art be also something that you make for yourself, and that you want to express your feelings for others, instead of making it for others?

    11. Many artists aren't fully aware of the advantages to creating multiple works of art around the same idea, theme, philosophy, concept, topic or subject matter.

      Does there always need to be a series of the same artworks? I don't think that making a series out of every work makes it unique but rather boring for viewers to have a series to decipher...

    12. Many artists aren't fully aware of the advantages to creating multiple works of art around the same idea, theme, philosophy, concept, topic or subject matter.

      Artists creates many things but may be the same idea or a theme that allows them to create art works that people like to see. Also allows them to draw new art works.

    13. If you make art for the rest of us and you're interested in having us appreciate and understand what you're up to, you better make it in ways that give us a fighting chance to figure it out.

      This comment seems to show that the writer of this article believes that there are certain standards for art that comes on show. This is actually contrary to what is usually said about art. The purpose of art is usually its great outlet for interpretation. Art is supposed to mean anything you want to believe. The modern art scene leaves the idea of the artist in the studio. It ius the mystery that is shown in the show

    1. Maya’s story is a reminder that gun violence doesn’t only affect direct victims and perpetrators. Bystanders, loved ones, and friends who witness shootings–even when no one gets physically hurt–can carry that experience with them, and can benefit from programs designed to help young people feel, and actually be, safe in their homes and communities

      Using a gun against someone else doesn't only affect the person it is used against. It can hurt many people around that person. People who loved the person can go into depression, and even commit suicide. Children can be affected deeply, becoming paranoid and going to gun violence themselves. I feel that people who have guns should be responsible, and if people can't do that, maybe it's better not to have guns at all.

    2. Being exposed to gun violence can have a deep impact on kids, including aggression, insomnia, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress.

      Many people want to be able to carry guns around, but they don't realized how having a gun, and needing to use it can affect a child. If everyone was responsible enough for one, than it wouldn't be so bad. Unfortunately, there are gangs,psychopaths, sociopaths, and mentally ill people that will use guns to kill others. These experiences can hurt children a lot. If you impact a child like this, they can grow up with difficulty, and might end up the same way as the shooter they witnessed.

    3. “I stopped playing outside like I used to,” she says. “I started paying attention to the noises outside my house and wherever I went. I listened for any angry voices or people yelling at each other, because arguments can escalate quickly into violence.

      Gun violence is affecting the way people live their lives. People are more cautious, which isn't always bad, but they are also frightened. Living your life being scared is not a good way to live it. The fact that people are expecting to hear a shot is very scary.

    4. . The most recent mass shooting at a community college in Roseburg, Oregon (leaving 10 people dead and another seven injured) is sadly not unusual in this country: according to a crowd-sourced website called the Mass Shooting Tracker, there is a mass shooting (defined as four or more people shot in one incident) nearly every day.

      Gun violence is a serious threat in the community. So many people are hurt by crazy people with guns nearly everyday.

    1. Printmaking with Favianna Rodriguez

      Rodriguez uses art to describe problems around the world. It can be used as activism, and expresses her feelings. She talks about immigration and her experience, through symbols in her art. Printmaking can be reproduced and used to express ideas.

    1. Not only are we students paying higher tuition costs, but we still have to worry about the expenses that go along with living away from home for the first time.

      She believes that kids are paying an arm and a leg to leave home for the first time and have years in debt after their college tuition.

    1. Over a span of only seven years from 2006-2013, the population decreased by more than 50 percent.

      Because the government is not willing to spend money to protect these birds, the population has decreased by a lot.

  4. Jun 2015
    1. there is a powerful impact on growth and self awareness when students can see their own development in speaking, in writing, in thinking and problem solving.

      So it all comes back to self-directed learning again. As I've begun to think about this competency in our school, I've thought about how this might be something that is intertwined with all other competencies. In plain language, this might mean that students are always pulling back holding up a mirror (or taking a snapshot) of their learning/journey.

    2. Making clear what students need to know and be able to do, not only in a specific assignment or class, but across the experiences that lead to a college degree, is a necessary base. It requires clear criteria about what will count as meeting the goal that has been set

      This is the goal -- or at least I think it is -- of competency, mastery-based learning and of open badges. One thing I love about looking at Alverno's 8 Abilities like I did this morning is to see two things: First, the over-arching 8 remain more or less the same for almost 40 years. And second, there is a constant revision, re-owning, re-thinking of the skills under each ot the abilities (thus the history of the changes).

    3. The kind of work assigned thus makes a big difference. If students have only been asked to write in one mode or to one type of audience (or no audience except the implied teacher as audience), their portfolios will provide less opportunity to find direction.

      This is real, and perhaps, a bit understated. When students are doing worksheets, filling in blanks, how can we ask them use them for self-expression (sonnet), self-reflection (mirror) or for making a plan (map).

      But then, does this mean that we have to spend more time on creating conditions and projects for meaningful work before working on portfolios? Probably not, but this does remind me of how much gets revealed because of portfolios.

      Seeing what's not there yet -- in our own curriculum -- is a big reason why teachers resist student portfolios, I think.

    4. Criteria for performance, such as the Alverno criteria for speaking across the curriculum guide the interaction between student and teacher.

      The purpose of criteria is not about judgment or meeting standards, it's a precursor for conversation or interaction between teacher and student.

    5. Using explicit criteria, the student develops the ability to look at her own work and determine the strengths and weaknesses evident in a particular performance or across a set of performances. She begins to set goals to address the areas she needs to develop and to deepen her areas of strength.

      The obvious paradox here is that the more "explicit" and digestible (student friendly) our criteria, the more a student can be independent in assessing her own work. That's a wonderful tension between top-down criteria and bottom-up assessment.

    6. That power is unleashed when teachers see the portfolio process as dependent upon the clarity of goals for student performance through their work in the liberal arts and professional education curriculum; when they attend to the quality of the assignments, projects and assessments that they provide for their students; and when they take the responsibility for teaching students the process of reflection and self assessment.

      That's a lot to throw in here at the end. It does make me wonder about how focusing too much on assessment might become the tail wagging the dog, if you know what I mean. Because ultimately it gets back to working together to create quality assignments and teaching the process of self-directed learning.

    1. On one hand there is depth of content understanding to gain and at the same time the schools needs to ensure all students develop the competencies to learn. Students will leave with their unique content learning but all need to be equipped with competencies to learn. This is the essence of personalised learning. Students learn while doing things – they involve themselves in projects in which they see as important. Educationalist Jerome Bruner has written the ‘teaching is the canny art of intellectual temptation’. Students learn, as do scientists and artists, by enlightened trial and error – helped sensitively by adults. It is important to appreciate that not all learning is fun. What it does mean is that, as Guy Claxton has written, children need to see the point of learning, that it is something they want to achieve, reach for or do. With this in mind students will involve themselves in difficult, even painful, learning tasks. Anyone who has seen a student learning to ride a bike, swim, or skateboard, or play a musical instrument cannot but conclude that children are capable of incredible learning feats that are difficult and hard. Contrary to the current focus on intentional teaching project based learning can lead individual students to explore unplanned content to their advantage. In this respect students are learning like artists – new ideas unfolding as opportunities arise. Every study undertaken provides opportunities for students to follow up their areas of interest – to personalize their learning while at the same time working with others as required. Current assessment is constrained by learning objectives and criteria and increasingly by an emphasis on summative National Standards in literacy and numeracy. With personalised learning, or project based learning, assessment is seen by the depth of understanding and creativity of the students, by what they can do, demonstrate, exhibit or store in their portfolios. Constant feedback and assessment is part of the teacher’s role.

      This comes close to my philosophy of education.

    1. The four pillars of learning The four pillars of learning are fundamental principles for reshaping education: Learning to know: to provide the cognitive tools required to better comprehend the world and its complexities, and to provide an appropriate and adequate foundation for future learning. Learning to do: to provide the skills that would enable individuals to effectively participate in the global economy and society. Learning to be: to provide self analytical and social skills to enable individuals to develop to their fullest potential psycho-socially, affectively as well as physically, for a all-round ‘complete person. Learning to live together: to expose individuals to the values implicit within human rights, democratic principles, intercultural understanding and respect and peace at all levels of society and human relationships to enable individuals and societies to live in peace and harmony.

      These are great "meta-competencies."

  5. May 2015
    1. I ain’t particular about doing homework

      I can relate to this because I don't really do homework either. I Saul feel like if its not important to do it but i also have mixed feelings cause Homework does help you . And teachers use it to understand where are you and to see if your'e caught up with things

    1. “Making creates evidence of learning.” The thing you make—whether it be a robot, rocket, or blinking LED—is evidence that you did something, and there is also an entire process behind making that can be talked about and shared with others. How did you make it? Why? Where did you get the parts? Making is not just about explaining the technical process; it’s also about the communication about what you’ve done.

      This is an important notion, that making something is the beginning of having evidence of learning. AND that embodied in that object is the process and the learning that you went through, which needs to be given time and place to show.

    1. the decision these judges had made portrays that they will always protect white cops no matter what the crime is.

      This is also bad because the judges should not protect the cops this way.

    2. The actions the police made demonstrated that they can not be trusted and that it is easy for them to get away with intense crimes like murder.

      I think this is bad because the White police man should have gotten out of the car and asked nicely for the boys to move somewhere else when the football hit the patrol car.

    1. better for the environment,

      I would think eating insects would be worse for the environment because of how they benefit the environment. Also, how many people would be willing to eat insects to help the environment?

    2. our health and could be better for the economy too

      Insects are a good source of protein but how would it be accepted to eat insects as a regular meal? Would it be okay in our society to buy bags of roaches to cook for dinner? What would others think?

    3. Like two billion people across the world, we all need to develop the insect-eating bug. At least, that's what the UN thinks

      It is interesting how in western culture, this is seen as disgusting but a large amount of the population do do this. Westerners should be more open to eating new things that are actually better for you

    4. Although there are many benefits to eating insects, I think most people including myself would never be able to eat bugs. It probably isn't that bad since 2 billion people around the world do it, but since we are not used to eating bugs from an early age, our fear will probably only increase as the years go by. If we were introduced to this earlier, eating bugs would be normal.

    5. Insects are a better source of food than cows are because they don't produce CO2 like Cows do that can destroy the environment. In addition they have more protein than beef.

    6. I did not know all the benefits that came along with increasing our insect intake like decreasing food prices and eliminating a decent percentage of greenhouse gas emissions.

    7. Our infographic looks at what entomophagy can bring to the table

      Based on the infographic, it shows how much healthier insects are than regular meat or animals that we would normally eat. Insects have more protein and less carbon dioxide is produced.

    8. An insect diet is better for the environment, better for our health and could be better for the economy too.

      Honesty i find this really intresting because it shows how we can help save money while getting the same or better nutrition.

    9. An insect diet is better for the environment, better for our health and could be better for the economy too.

      Insect consumption will reduce the amount of animal farming across the world. This would be bad for farmers; they would earn less money. Besides, how many people in this country, let alone the world, would voluntarily step up to eating insects for nutrition and less animal farming?

    10. An insect diet is better for the environment, better for our health and could be better for the economy too. Our infographic looks at what entomophagy can bring to the table

      I think that this would be hard to convert many countries to this because of the stigma against bugs. I don't think the issue would be the way the bugs taste but how they are viewed by society.

    11. I found these facts really intresting. It is crazy that 1900 species of food are edible. while 31% are beetles that is crazy.

    12. An insect diet is better for the environment, better for our health and could be better for the economy too.

      Although it says here that incorporating insects in you diet is healthier and better for everyone, I still think it is gross. Personally I think insects are disgusting, but if other people think otherwise, I am fine with that.

    13. Bugs are not only more nutritious than regular meat, but are more cost and energy efficient. They produce less wastes and are better overall, why don't we eat them already?

    14. An insect diet is better for the environment, better for our health and could be better for the economy too

      I honestly did not know that a diet including a variety of bugs would benefit the environment. I feel as if more of society were to know this, they would be more open-minded to "widening" their cuisine.

    15. Would you like flies with that?

      I don't like flies, but grasshoppers are yummy.

    1. You may feel icky about munching on insects, but they feed about 2 billion people each day (Mmm, fried tarantulas).

      This will help people in the future because if we run out of food sources it might hep us humans as a source of proteins

    1. With the global population slated to hit nine billion by the year 2050, and meat consumption increasing steadily around the world, our current land and water resources simply don’t supply enough animal protein to meet the future demand.

      I think bugs are a good solution for a supply of nutrition. Bugs are not high in demand right now while traditional meats are. We are running out of resources and space for our growing population

    2. Would you eat insects as part of a sustainable, earth-friendly diet?

      I like most people find bugs disgusting but they are a good source of protein and they are also an alternative for food.

    3. Before you gag, chew on this: nearly 80 percent of the global population eats insects as part of their normal diet

      Personally I have eaten bugs before in my life and I don't find a problem in eating them. I am not squeamish around bugs so i am comfortable eating them. I have tried cricket and ants before, and they tasted great.

    4. With the global population slated to hit nine billion by the year 2050, and meat consumption increasing steadily around the world, our current land and water resources simply don’t supply enough animal protein to meet the future demand.

      I agree that there should be a new way to consume meat but I also think it should be done differently than eating insects.

    5. Before you gag, chew on this: nearly 80 percent of the global population eats insects as part of their normal diet, and insects are related to delicacies in western cuisine including shrimp, crayfish and lobsters.

      This is also significant because I would never eat a bug but 80 percent of the population already eats it. Also, insects are related to shrimp, which I have eaten before.

    6. Around the world, as countries’ economies develop and people gain the ability to purchase more expensive food, diets generally change to include more meat.

      This quote is significant because the article says that meat will run out because we are consuming it all. And a solution is to eat bugs.

    1. What's a fair way to divide up something that's scarce and valuable? That "something," in this case, is water.

      The California drought actually has 2 parts of the conflict to it. 1 part is the addressing the actually drought itself. However, the 2nd part is always emphasized more than the essential conflict, the drought, which is how to deal with the current situation, dividing up the water so it could please everyone, rather than how to fix the current essential conflict.

    2. Szeptycki says this system it is not so great when it comes to responding to drought.

      Money should not even come up when talking about the most sacred resource in Earth. People should not legal access to bodies of water; these bodies of water were meant to be shared by everyone.

    1. Will California water restrictions help with drought?

      I think that California's water restrictions will help limit the water supply people get, but won't exactly fix the problem. The problem is that California doesn't have enough water. While putting limits on the water supply will help, it won't get to the root of the problem.

    1. A fountain outside City Hall is shut down due to the drought, Los Angeles, California,

      This is really sad. Because of the drought, people can't drink from public water fountains. It's causing a lot of water shortage, and the extra water being used in things like the water fountains is being taken away. This is proof on how California needs water badly.

    2. Patchy snow covers a meadow in Phillips, California where the California Department of Water Resources measured the snowpack on January 29, 2015.

      This photo shows what danger California is and since this is already the fourth year than they are in for a lot more trouble. The little amounts of rainfall and the snow they are receiving show that they are in trouble and should try to conserve water. Most likely many of the Californians are recognizing this problem and are trying to conserve water, however they should put more effort into it because they are still having problems with their drought.

    3. It is shown in the image that fish have been transferred to a tank because of the drought's effects. Based off of that, this drought must be very detrimental to wildlife and nature. I wonder, however, how this drought even started. It seems a bit unclear to me as to how it begun, but it is clear about how much damage it has done to the state of California. If the drought continues, it will affect the entire nation--not only because of the devastation, but also because of economical problems. Is America ready to deal with such an issue?

    4. This is just unbelievable. I can’t imagine what those people are going through right now. This drought has caused so many more problems than needed. Since I have never experienced a drought I really can’t relate to these people, but I do feel sympathy for them.

    5. Following years of severe drought and the lowest winter snowpack ever recorded in the state, California Gov. Jerry Brown announced a plan Wednesday to impose a 25 percent reduction on most of the state’s local water supply agencies.

      Wow! This drought seems to be pretty extreme! I never really knew that it effected California so much! They have to really conserve the water! You can even see the impact of this drought today even if you don't live in California. The fruits and vegetables that New York gets have a higher price now since we rely on California for fresh produce. I hope this will end.

    6. A skier threads his way through patches of dry ground at Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley, California, on March 21. Photo by Max Whittaker/Getty Images

      This comes to show how extreme this drought really is. There are dry patches of ground in a skiing place, and this drought has been going on for a while now! Can we help? Will this end?

    7. Docks that collapsed when the water receded are seen at Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara, California March 27, 2015. Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

      Even as humans and animals are being harmed from the drought, it is doing a significant amount of damage to the economy as well. Docks are collapsing because the water isn't there to support it anymore. Like the previous picture, swimming pools have to be drained for the water, showing just how bad the drought is getting.

    1. what it means for you.

      California's current water drought is a huge problem to many and not just its residents, since a lot of our produce come from California. This can affect our daily lives by increasing prices for purchasing food, while it also limits their citizens to be as conservative about their water as possible.

    2. The state is experiencing the worst drought in its history.

      California's current water drought is a drastic natural disaster. It's water sources are reducing rapidly due to massive demand, as it's water percentage compared to last year is just 20 percent. Californian citizens have to expand their reservoir system and be more aware about the problem to make a better effort to restrict water use in their everyday lives.

    3. Find out just how bad the situation is

      Seeing that they have only reduced water usage by 5% instead of 20% as planned shows that people aren't doing much to try and conserve water. It would be better if people learned to use less water when brushing their teeth, showering, etc. instead of just saying they will reduce the usage.

    4. Find out just how bad the situation is

      Droughts in California not only affect that state itself, but also us and other states. It was said that some farmers weren't being supplied with water at all. These farmers make money by selling produce and having less of it could destroy their business. Not only that, there would be less fresh fruits and vegetables for us to buy.

    5. The state is experiencing the worst drought in its history.

      This drought is the wort one ever seen in California, causing many residents to struggle with it. They need to fix this problem, for as you could see the once very large water reserve had already diminished in size by at least half. This loss of water will affect the whole nation, making this a problem we all need to try and help solve. Even by doing little deeds, because every deed counts.

    6. it means for you

      Perhaps many people living outside California overlook this issue because they may think that this particular drought won't affect them because they don't live in California, but the reality of the situation is that it will. A good majority of Americans depend on the Californian agricultural industry for high quality food, however without water, that industry can not produce too many products to sell. This means that produce prices will drastically increase, and the quality of your food may or may not decrease as well.

    7. The state is experiencing the worst drought in its history. Find out just how bad the situation is

      All across California, there is extreme drought, while most other parts of the United States are drought free. Not only is it bad as is because it is affecting the world economy, it also is detrimental to the future of agriculture and perhaps even living in California! If you can't control the usage of water, yet you are still using it on the other end, something should be done immediately. As stated in the video, the Californian agricultural business is very vital as people around the nation depend on Californian produce. However, if these vegetables and fruits cannot be grown to the demand because of a shortage of water, this raises a major concern. Somehow, the other forty-nine states can and should help out the water crisis in some way. Perhaps there can be a large scale way to transfer salty sea water into fresh water?

    8. The situation isn't helpful (at all) and pretty much is just going to get worse until the drought is over.

    9. California's Extreme Drought, Explained | The New York Times

      I think that Californians should do more than a 5% reduction of the usage of water, however reducing water usage by 20% is far too much. They should be aware of their problem and try to conserve water or do their best not to use up all of it. If they do not do this the problem would continue to grow.

    10. California's Extreme Drought, Explained | The New York Times

      In the beginning of the video, when it shows the San Louis Reservoir, it is 1/2 full of what it normally should look like. After looking at the water lines from before and during the drought, it helps me see how desperately we need this drought to end if we a) want to get the food that is grown there and b) if we want California and its waters to come back to their full potential.

    1. A recent editorial in the Washington Post criticized drills for their disruption to the school day

      I would completely disagree with that statement because if there were no drills, how would the children be properly prepared for these events? If what they are trying to say is that they should have drills at the end of the day, that would still be unwise. The point is that anything can happen at any time, randomly. If it was to happen at the end of the day, then it would be predictable, and some might not take it seriously. However, since the drills would normally be random, it would take it by surprise, and would have to react properly, and urgently. You have to do as you're told, while in shock, which is the whole point of it disrupting the day.

    1. Changing people's behaviors and attitudes is more effective. Government action will only make little changes that probably won't last long, while changing attitudes will ensure more long term changes in people's habits towards the environment.

  6. Apr 2015
    1. A fountain outside City Hall is shut down

      City halls are one of our most prized locations, that we treat almost like a palace. They have these magnificent fountains turned on in front of it, sculptures that shoot out the water, and on a lucky day, occasionally a rainbow might show. Not so much here. Fountains are shut down, even in government buildings just to conserve water. This just goes to show how bad the drought is. After all, California has the most amount of people, and therefore the most amount of people governing it. They have to look up to the part, but the drought is affecting them so much that they are sacrificing their appearance just for the cause of saving on the drought.

    2. Houseboats sit on Lake Kaweah, well below the visible high-water mark in Lemon Cove, California January 17, 2015. Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

      I'm not the expert of water level, but it seems as though the water height was at first all the way up to nearly the height of the mountain (I'm assuming this due to how it looks like there is sea life on the mountain). If that's the case, then my reaction would be to ask: is this real life? The entire situation here seems to be something that'll only happen in a book, but never in real life. I'm amazed that we are even getting food at all, because, assuming that my previous hypothesis was right, they practically lost (I'm estimating) water for about a mile deep! I've read stories about droughts, but they talked about the water going down a couple of feet, but in this case, it's already seemingly a mile! How will this end up becoming?

    3. The drought has reduced water supply to the extreme. The photo shows how even transportation through water so much that the ground has cracked severely. One with continuous water supply like me can only imagine the harm that this has caused to not only the humans, but the animals as well.

    4. NewsHour’s Hari Sreenivasan spoke Wednesday with Gov. Brown about the cutbacks and the impact that the drought is having on California’s citizens and economy. The historic drought is now in its fourth year and shows little sign of abating in 2015.

      If this drought can have enough impact to the citizens and the economy of California, in a year, how will the conditions of California look like? California is a very popular state especially known for the produce they harvest throughout the year. Many people in America are relying on California for their fruit and vegetables supply showing that if this drought gets worse, it can effect a whole lot more people. California should have watched out for this drought and tried to find solutions to it in its early stages, now that it got worse, it will be harder to find this solution, and from here everything can go downhill.

    5. The historic drought is now in its fourth year and shows little sign of abating in 2015.

      Fourth year? How and what skills did California come up with to 'harvest' enough water to keep everyone alright? The ongoing drought is even more significant due to the large population of California, and imagining how much water is used frequently everyday. I can't imagine trying to organize the state and instructing everyone to follow the new frequencies in which they use water under the circumstances.

    6. The water level has significantly dropped, as seen in the picture. Has this been a detrimental affect on California's population? If this drought continues, how will California manage to "stay alive" in both economy and in population? After viewing these pictures, it is clear that the drought is paying a large toll on the state and its citizens and wildlife.

    7. A man stands in an empty public swimming pool in Burbank, Los Angeles, California March 19, 2015. Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

      I wouldn't have imagined the drought to be this extreme that even public pools are being shut down. I've never experienced a drought, and it's hard to believe it can be this bad. I can't imagine how many businesses are being shut down due to the drought. Especially businesses such as public swimming facilities, such as this one. This drought seems horrific or those living in California.

    8. I don't think a lot of people have realized how important it is that not only are our plant supplies running out but soon we won't have a lot of fish because they would have all died because of the drought. We will soon run out of food. It's not just the water that will run out.

    9. This drought is extreme, look at how much water is left! The water mark is huge. How could it lead to this. It's horrible. I hope it gets better, for California.

    10. Is governor Jerry Brown really doing the right thing? From reading several articles it seems like the farmers are really on the downside of this water usage cut. Last year, they only received 5% of the water they would normally receive. Maybe this cut will benefit everyone, but at the same time, it doesn't! It kind of makes no sense...you're cutting your water usage...to get more water. I don't get it. However, I do feel that people should not abuse their water rights. But is this really the right way to do it?

    11. NewsHour’s Hari Sreenivasan spoke Wednesday with Gov. Brown about the cutbacks and the impact that the drought is having on California’s citizens and economy.

      I wonder how much impact the drought has on the economy to the people in the agricultural industry. Because their occupations rely on water, there must be a huge compromise they must make in order to save the water, yet continue their lifestyle/jobs. All citizens have to cooperate in order to defeat the drought, and the fact that California does produce many agricultural foods (fruits and vegetables) for many other places means that other places will be affected as well.

    12. The historic drought is now in its fourth year and shows little sign of abating in 2015.

      If this drought doesn't end pretty soon, people are going to most likely leave California, and possibly head towards states with an incredible water supply. California would practically be abandoned due to the lack and restriction.

    13. Docks that collapsed when the water receded are seen at Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara, California March 27, 2015. Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

      This image really shows that the drought won't only be effecting farmers and people who live there, but also possibly importing goods. The drought is not only destructive to farmers but also to everyone else, and even people throughout USA since it is imported. This is even horrible for the economy, because many fruits and vegetables as well as other food and gods are coming from California, and if they can't supply that, then prices will go up, there will be less fruit and vegetables, not as many people will buy then since there is less expensive food, and the production will go down. It is effecting everyone, but the worst of it is in California. The economy will go down when it comes to buying fruits and vegetables and importing them to other places, which, in turn, would lose California a lot of money and prices will go up even higher, and California may not be able to recover for a while. It is not a good thing for anyone no matter where they are.

    14. They just started the water reduction on the state's local water supply! This drought has been around for 4 years and they just started trying to do something about it? What if their plan for water reduction doesn't work? We just have to hope for the best in California, or else we are all in trouble.

    15. Juvenile salmon are suffering because of this drought! This is a monstrosity! The aquatic ecosystem surrounding California might as well die if this drought keeps up for another year perhaps or maybe less.

      Even if you states out there hate Californian's, do it for the animals. They are important and if they die out we might as well run out of food to eat. The aquatic ecosystem is important to everyone! Chip in and do something about it. States that are easily flooded, give some of your water to California. You don't need that much to keep you alive, California is suffering!

    16. The historic drought is now in its fourth year and shows little sign of abating in 2015.

      I believe that this is really important because we rely on California's resources and the fact that California is experiencing the drought is going to effect the resources that other states have. We should support this and help California because without the ability to make more fruit, we will not be able to gain the natural fruits and vegetables from California.

    17. A skier threads his way through patches of dry ground at Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley, California, on March 21. Photo by Max Whittaker/Getty Images

      This is more intense than I thought it would be. I mean, dry patches of ground where there should be snow? I would have never thought that it was this impactful. I wouldn't be surprised if they agreed to collect the snow and filter the water.

    18. Nation Photos: California’s brutal drought shows no signs of yielding +1 EMAIL BY News Desk April 5, 2015 at 5:57 PM EDT A fountain outside City Hall is shut down due to the drought, Los Angeles, California, January 6, 2015. Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters A fountain outside City Hall is shut down due to the drought, Los Angeles, California, January 6, 2015. Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters Following years of severe drought and the lowest winter snowpack ever recorded in the state, California Gov. Jerry Brown announced a plan Wednesday to impose a 25 percent reduction on most of the state’s local water supply agencies.

      The historic drought has caused much misery. It caused pool to dry up, water fountains to be turned off, etc. The fact that the drought is doing all this is causing a real threat to their agriculture and their economy. In the picture shown above we can see that the water fountain was turned off so that California would be able to conserve the water.

    19. A skier threads his way through patches of dry ground at Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley, California, on March 21. Photo by Max Whittaker/Getty Images

      This makes me wonder what would happen if other parts of the world would also receive droughts. It is clearly a big issue and can even effect regular people who are skiing, or trying to fill up a public swimming pool, or even an every day dock. Even though the State of California's water conservation is trying to limit the amount of water use regularly, such as in a water fountain, the water stored won't last long. Larger cautions should be taken so California will not have any future droughts, affecting them in this way or any other states as well.

    20. Following years of severe drought and the lowest winter snowpack ever recorded in the state, California Gov. Jerry Brown announced a plan Wednesday to impose a 25 percent reduction on most of the state’s local water supply agencies.

      When did the drought begin, and what was the cause of it? Perhaps if we find the source of the drought, we will have a better way of how to deal with in a more manageable way than restricting water from farms (as most of our fruit and vegetables comes from there). Furthermore, will water be only restricted from the farmers, or the people as well?

      Also, has the ecosystem been affected by it? Have people noticed a dip in wildlife? We must not only think of ourselves, but the animals who feed us as well (and their lives)...how much has the drought disrupted their food chain? Also, is the drought getting worse?

    21. Docks that collapsed when the water receded are seen at Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara, California March 27, 2015. Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

      How did the drought form? It seems as if the Drought just happened and all the water is diminishing. The Docks in this picture make it seem as if the water has decreased significantly.

    22. This nearly dry Almaden Reservoir doesn't look like it had been full of water. Looking at this picture really shows you the full, drastic effects of this drought. It seems endlessly brutal. Will it ever end?

    23. Water seems like such a precious resource in these photos. Hard to believe for someone who hasn't experienced a drought before. I can't believe even public swimming pools are being forced to be emptied simply because of how valuable water has grown in California. This drought must be devastating. I can't imagine how many businesses such as pools are being forced to shut down simply because of this drought. I wonder, what's the cost of just one water bottle?

    24. A skier threads his way through patches of dry ground at Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley, California, on March 21. Photo by Max Whittaker/Getty Images

      How has the population of California been affected? Have more people chose to move somewhere else? Furthermore, has the drought spread to other places other than California? If not, does it have a high chance of spreading?

      I believe that other states should try to chip i to help California out of this drought (as we are the UNITED States of America, right?). Perhaps every month a different state can donate a portion of their water to California.

    25. fountain outside City Hall is shut down due to the drought, Los Angeles, California,

      The drought is causing a lot of water shortage. Even this fountain outside City Hall wont burst open with water. Can't people drink the water that comes outside this fountain. And where does the water go after the fountain is turned on? Can't it just be recycled and used again for the fountain. This a memorial for Frank Putnam Flint, what kind of joke is this!

    26. Following years of severe drought and the lowest winter snowpack ever recorded in the state, California Gov. Jerry Brown announced a plan Wednesday to impose a 25 percent reduction on most of the state’s local water supply agencies. NewsHour’s

      I feel that this makes the state almost a survival of the fittest, and that the people who can't get water themselves won't survive. It makes people have to survive by themselves, especially since there is not much water. Where will the water supply go? What about people who can't find water or are not rich enough to find or afford water in the drought? The farmers won't be able to create fruits and vegetables and prices would go up, so it's generally bad in the economy too. Even for people who don't live in California or have relatives there, the drought would still effect them.

    27. A boat paddle is shown on the bottom of the nearly dry Almaden Reservoir near San Jose, California January 21, 2014. Photo by Robert Galbraith/Reuters

      This picture depicting a dry and cracked riverbed shows the effect of the drought on water sources and the severity of it. How did the drought begin?

    28. Is there any way for the drought to get better? These pictures seem as if California is at it's worst state. If the state really has to impose a 25 percent reduction on most of the state's local water supply, then does that mean that it's getting worse? If so, will really cutting down on water usage help?

    29. The water level has sunken that low in some areas that actual docks are collapsing? That's pretty extreme. I would have never guessed that the drought was so severe that even docks were collapsing simply from the receding water level.

    1. The state is experiencing the worst drought in its history

      Why is California the state where the country gets 90% particular fruits from? What is so different about the California fruits and those grown in other states, or places? Now, the people in California must always be aware if they are wasting water, and make sure to limit their use. They should only use it when needed, like when showering, drinking, brushing teeth, and more. They should also limit the use in theme parks, like Disney land, because water rides waste a lot of water.

    2. California's Extreme Drought, Explained | The New York Times

      California is in a serious drought that is affecting people throughout the United States. Many reservoirs contain less water than in previous years. This means that the people of California cannot continue their daily activities or else they will use up all their water. This may not sound like an issue for anyone else, but many vegetables come from there.If they lose all their water, a lot of vegetables will be expensive.

    3. California's Extreme Drought

      It it interesting how the water usage is apart of our everyday lives without us realizing it. However, why if the governor called for a 25% is there only a 5% reduction?

    4. Explained

      California is a major producer of fruits and vegetables here in the US. It is important to remember that 80% of our fruit/vegetables come from California. Other produce such as almonds and tomatoes are 90-99% Californian. The Californian drought is very significant, even if we live far away, somewhere like NYC.

    5. The state is experiencing the worst drought in its history.

      I believe that it is wrong to say that they are going to reduce usage by 20% and then reduce it by 5%. California needs this water desperately and need to draw back as much as they can without killing vegetation.

    6. California's Extreme Drought, Explained | The New York Times

      California's drought has caused the state to make restrictions upon water use ,especially towards farmers. One farmer in the video said that in one area of his farm his trees have not been watered for a long time causing them to die

    7. California's Extreme Drought, Explained | The New York Times

      People in California will not be able to continue to do the everyday things they used to do. For example, Californians wouldn't be able to use the bathroom as much as they could. They wouldn't be able to brush their teeth due to the water shortage. The Californians, mostly the farmers, need to save as much water as they could in order to continue their life of farming. Farmers need as much water as they need, so people should give water to the farmers. The people in California also rely on farmers for food, so they should save water and give it to the farmers.

    8. California's Extreme Drought, Explained | The New York Times

      This video explains the effects and the reasons for what has happened to California during this drought. Every part of California has a hard time accessing water. As one man said during the video" How are we going to flush the toilet,take a shower,brush our teeth." This shows the effects this drought has upon the people

    9. California's Extreme Drought, Explained | The New York Times

      This is harsh towards the farmers. The farmers are the people in California who need the water the most, and they are doing everything they can to be able to water the crops, but they aren't being provided water at all while others have have only reduced their water usage by 5%. Californians should use as little water as they possibly can so that the farmers can make use of it.

    10. California's Extreme Drought, Explained | The New York Times

      Because most fruits and vegetables are from California, and the drought is going to make prices higher, it's going to be tough for people not only in California, but people throughout the nation. Americans rely on California for majority of their food. However, if the prices sky rocket, then people might not be able to afford it. Those who can't afford it would have to starve. Many people would refuse to buy these expensive fruits and vegetables, so farmers in California that are farming wouldn't be able to have enough money to keep on farming. The drought in California is going to affect not only farmers in California, but consumers all around the nation.

    11. California's Extreme Drought

      Many Californian citizens are having trouble trying to understand the significance of their drought. There should be severe and strict water restrictions. What these Californian residents choose to do with their water effects them, their environment, and the nation.

    1. Will California water restrictions help with drought?

      People have different points of view but it comes to one particular conclusion that everyone will struggle and farmers will lose a lot of money. How will it be solved though?

    2. Will California water restrictions help with drought?

      I think that the restrictions will help with giving people the water they need. It tells the people that there is an issue and that they need to conserve water. If people turn of the faucet while they are brushing their teeth or take shorter showers, it will save lots of water. By imposing restrictions, it will force Californians to use the water they have wisely.

    3. CBS News correspondent Carter Evans explains what he's learned while covering the crisis.

      I think that it is very important that CBS is sending people out to learn about the problem at the source and then explain the issue to everyone. By learning about the problem where it is the worst, the reporter can come and explain the problem to the public.

    4. Will California water restrictions help with drought?

      California is facing a huge drought, and they need to save every drop of water they can to make sure farmers and ordinary people don't run out. People have stopped watering their lawns and are trying to not use water for anything that isn't absolutely necessary.

    5. California governor Jerry Brown is taking historic steps to deal with the state's major drought.

      I believe the Californian government is taking proper measures to preserve the fluid of life. 80 percent of fruits and vegetables come from California. This vegetation needs water to live, like all other living things. With the water drawback, the vegetation will have enough water to survive the drought, while they wait it out and finally have enough water. This will only affect minor things, such as shorter showers, browner grass, and other things that will not majorly affect the Californians lifestyle.

    1. These fields will receive water, and others in California will not, because of history.

      What history? I know that the article further explained it but I still don't understand what they mean by "history"

    2. What's a fair way to divide up something that's scarce and valuable? That "something," in this case, is water.

      Its really sad that water has to be a valuable thing for some places in the world. Honestly, I never really thought about this deeply until I realized water might be a problem in America. Now I am aware that I shouldn't just brush this problem off

    3. When water is really scarce, he says, people might say that it should go first to ensure public safety and health, then to irrigate the most valuable crops, like almond orchards.

      This shows that the health and safety of people should always be the most important. Then the rest of the water can be used to irrigate any crops and such, but focusing on the more important ones first.

    4. He expects to receive about 40 percent of the amount of water that he'd receive from the state's aqueducts in a normal year, which sounds harsh, until you realize that some other farmers will get nothing at all. "Yeah, we're thankful for being able to have whatever water that we can. We're thankful to be able to continue some employment for our [workers]," Michael says.

      The California drought is limiting the water availible to farmers and many farmers will stop growing certain crops this year. This particular farmer is recieving less than half of the water he will normally get for tending his crops. He is considered a lucky farmer, displaying how bad the situation really is. Many farmers will have no water and won't be able to grow their crops. The drought in California will cause people everywhere to lack the fruits and vegetables they need and possibly increase their health problems.

    5. government officials are not seriously proposing any fundamental change to the water rules

      This is a very serious concern that government officials in California should be trying to find a solution to. Without making any changes, they are telling the public that they don't care if California is not able to supply fruits and vegetables to other cities. This is a serious concern that everyone in California should be raising awareness about. Although the officials aren't making changes, the general public should be trying to save water because it will allow more crops and jobs to be available to everyone.

    6. There's a lot at stake, including your very own nuts, fruits and vegetables, because most of the water that's up for grabs in California goes to farmers.

      The drought in California has a big impact on the agriculture of the place and it is where most fruits and vegetables come from. It will have a great effect on the amount of fruits and vegtables are avalible and therefore the price of fruits and vegetables will increases everywhere. The drought ion California will have an effect on everyone. If prices of these healthy fruits and vegetables goes up, people will not buy them as often, causing health to also become an issue involved in this. This drought is a very big deal and needs to be taken seriously.

    7. We're thankful to be able to continue some employment for our [workers]," Michael says.

      This is a very significant quote because this drought will cause many people to be unemployed. Jobs on the farms are a very big part of California's economy. With the drought, many people will be unemployed and will struggle to live with the high prices in California. Farmers should quickly come up with a solution because it will be very difficult for a family to prosper in California without a job.

    1. California is home to over 250 different crops, including water-intensive crops like alfalfa, almonds, rice and cotton. In an average year, 9.6 million acres of cropland is irrigated with 34 million acre-feet of water.

      What is so good about California that most of the food we eat come from that state? Other states that aren't in a drought should help and raise their own crops or allow other states to raise crops instead of California doing everything. California should also try to cut down on the crops they produce for others. Others should be knowing about the extreme drought and helping them; not just sitting back and taking California's crops for money. Soon, i don't think money will even be a problem because droughts are controlled by nature not by money. This is unfair!

    2. Farmers throughout California use approximately 80 percent of the state’s water that goes to human use.

      "West Side", I hear in a lot of songs these days. Yes places like Los Angeles and Anaheim are great places in the country, but many don't know the great bad things to come. Farmers need water, but so do the normal residents. Scary things can happen as time progresses. More and more droughts can cause less and less water. It's going to be the 1930 Dust Bowl again. Water is the man's most important resource, and if this is going to go on, California isn't going to be the Hollywood, we think of.

    3. The 2015 water year was by far the driest in California’s written record.

      It's scary to hear what is going to happen in the future. Is it going to get better or worse? If the drought gets worse as the years go by, what will California become? We will be unable to eat most of the fruits and vegetables we eat today...If Governor Jerry Brown mandated a 25% reduction in urban water use, wouldn't other families and friends other than farmers be in danger? Their lives wouldn't be the same as before. However, I disagree with the fact that people outside of California are lacking attention to their problems of drought. The attention THEY THINK they aren't receiving is actually THERE...

    1. Mass shootings in gun free zones like schools have some Western lawmakers considering legislation that would eliminate these zones.

      To avoid these mass shootings, it is best to completely take guns out of the situation, not add more!

    2. It’s these mass shootings that legislators in some states say are the reason laws should be changed so that school administrators can protect children by carrying guns

      Most school teachers don't have experience shooting guns and will probably miss their target when they shoot. This will just make things worse. It is best to leave the guns to the police.

    3. Should we allow teachers to carry concealed weapons like hand guns? Why or why not?

      Teachers shouldn't carry weapons because there are already emergency procedures in place. For example, when there is fire in the school, teachers will hastily get their students out of the building. Additionally, emergency procedures are practiced. For instance, there will be a fire drill once in a while, where teachers and students treat it as a real fire in the school.

    4. Should Teachers Carry Weapons?

      Teachers shouldn't carry weapons because it makes the learning environment for students intimidating. Instead of focusing on their school work, they will worry about the possibility of an emergency-which defeats the purpose of a school.

    1. What is the Value of a High School Diploma?

      I believe that receiving a high school diploma is extremely important in order to be as successful as possible in the future. Without a high school diploma, people aren't able to go to college. College is what possible employers focus on, and therefore the best job able to get without a high school diploma is extremely low paying while the opposite applies to someone who graduates from high school and college.

    2. Graduation rates have improved over the past few years and the national average rose above 80 percent for the first time in 2012

      the fact that only 4 OUT OF 5 KIDS ARE GRADUATING IS KIND OF CRAZY!!! KIDS AREN'T REALIZING THAT A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA IS SUUUUUUPER IMPORTANT! IF YOU DON'T GRADUATE YOUR'E GONNA GET A BAD JOB!!!!

    3. First-generation students face unique struggles at elite colleges (PBS NewsHour)

      All the hard work for these students payed off. The only way these students could have gotten into such elite colleges is by doing great in high school and by getting amazing SAT or ACT scores which was the cause of getting into such a college. Even though it might be tough for them, they will get used to it because they were able to get over the difficulties faced in high school to reach to this point

    4. First-generation students face unique struggles at elite colleges (PBS NewsHour)

      According to student Stanley Stewart he says,"For me, a first generation college student is…Sort of like a blessing and a curse." I would like to agree with her even though I am far off from college, but there were similar instances where I was put in an advanced program and just like him I was blessed with such an opportunity, but it had a lot of work to it. Thats why I want him to know that he is not alone in this because even till today I remember all the stress that I had just because of it..but I guess it was for the best.

    5. The NewsHour’s April Brown introduces one student who tackled all of that to become high school valedictorian and a freshman at one of the nation’s top universities.

      The fact that a kid with so many obstacles in his way can reach success is really inspirational. Many kids in this world are facing challenges such as finding enough shelter and nourishment. However, by knowing that it is possible to become a triumphant by demolishing the obstacles in one's way, it gives hope to the kids that are putting hard work into reaching success.

    6. States can raise the graduation rate even further by focusing on low-income students and students with disabilities, the Washington Post reported. In Texas, where the graduation rate of low-income students is relatively high at 85 percent, school districts receive financial incentives for getting dropouts back into school.

      The fact that states have the ability to help more people graduate high school and give them a chance to be successful is great. I mean it really means a lot to make a difference in someone's life especially if they're a person who really needs help and guidance to do the right thing for themselves.

    7. That number held steady for the graduating class of 2013, which saw an 81 percent graduation rate, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

      does that mean that now even less than 4/5 people are graduating? that could be an issue.

    8. What is the Value of a High School Diploma?

      It's important. Without one you can't get a good job.

    9. That number held steady for the graduating class of 2013, which saw an 81 percent graduation rate, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

      That number of graduating high school is pretty awesome, but don't you think that is a bit low? Also it only increased 1 PERCENT??!! I guess it is still an a achievement.

    1. 1. Encourage students to take ownership of their education:

      This thing is extremely necessary because if students don't care abut their education they're not going to work hard in order to achieve a high-school diploma. Hard work is the key to success, and is the key to graduating high school and going on the right track to the future.

    2. I would totally agree with all of these tips to make the students, teachers, and parents more involved in the process. If people are more involved, everyone could collaborate and solve the student's problem holistically. Sometimes, there's a problem on one end, but mostly it's on multiple fronts. Also the fact that the teachers could be more experienced and could incorporate more ways of learning by going to professional development would eventually trickle down to the student, and make a student more activated in learning. Finally, the idea of project based learning is another way to get students more excited about learning and makes them explore many fields that would enable them to explore different career options that they would've never known about. I would agree with all of these ideas, for they all make practical sense in the real world and would definitely make students more interested and involved in the process of learning.

    3. Many students at these schools are minorities or from low-income families.

      I think that it is kind of evident that students from low-income families, or are minorities, are not graduating. It is most likely because of the trouble they are in, having to find money, or not being recognized because of them being minorities.

    1. The Education Department did not release graduation rates broken down by race, gender, income and disability, so it’s not clear whether the nation made progress toward closing persistent gaps in graduation rates between subgroups of students. In general, poor children have been less likely to graduate than more-affluent peers, while black and Latino students have been less likely to graduate than white students.

      The fact that the education department did not release a breakdown by race, gender and other factors is something that I disagree with. If we don't know what factors have caused graduation rates for specific groups of children to decrease then it won't help us progress in following years. After all education is important to all students because it is what causes them to succeed in life.

    2. “We can take pride as a nation in knowing that we’re seeing promising gains,” U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a statement, calling the 2013 graduation rate, the latest for which data is available, a “record-setting milestone.”

      I feel so proud about our country at this moment since we are ranked like last in the entire world according to the subject of graduation. Since the graduation rate in 2013 increased we can have a greater possibility of being #1 in education. this shows us that our country is becoming better day by day in education. And we should all take pride in that and hope that in coming years we gain favorable gains like the one in 2013.

    3. In general, poor children have been less likely to graduate than more-affluent peers, while black and Latino students have been less likely to graduate than white students.

      There should be something done about this, everyone deserves a good education and graduate with an high school diploma. But if the DOE didn't release graduation rates in different breakdowns how do they know this though? Never mind the DOE should work on helping the less fortunate students graduate too. They can hold more after school programs and weekend programs as well. I do hope that in the very far or near future everyone in the nation would graduate, is this impossible? I hope it isn't!

    4. Nation’s high school graduation rate ticks up for second year in a row

      This amazing at this rate everyone may graduate in the future. It would also affect the nation's future greatly, the increase economic rate, decrease unemployment population and so forth. Lives would be greatly improved.

    5. That’s an increase of one percentage point since 2012 and two percentage points since 2011, making it the highest rate since states began calculating them in a uniform way in 2010.

      I think the fact that the percentage points of students graduating is great because it means students are being more successful. However, if I was in control of this data I would be trying to analyze and look for information that shows things that might help the graduation of high school students so it can be positively used for other people so that they can graduate as well.

    1. A bachelor’s degree is not a piece of paper that says “You’re a success!” just as the lack of one doesn’t say “You’re a failure!”

      I highly agree with this sentence. People should realize the importance of their Bachelor's Degree, if they don't, they won't work as hard as they should. However, when it mentions "...just as the lack of one doesn't say you're a failure!" I can't argue that you aren't a failure, but not getting a degree isn't simple as that. It kinda brings you down sometimes and can discourage you. Some need to realize that because they didn't get what they didn't work hard enough for, they need to work harder in the future. I believe that fact should have been mentioned in addition to this section.

    2. But with student loan debt reaching an all-time high of $1.2 trillion (surpassing credit card debt), and little research to support that the investment is worth it, I am cheating my student by not encouraging them to make the best choice for themselves. if this is higher then credit card debts then most students are being cheated. why get a degree when you can get a job that a person with a degree can get. teachers aren't supposed to do that, but for certain students it is a must.

    3. But with student loan debt reaching an all-time high of $1.2 trillion (surpassing credit card debt), and little research to support that the investment is worth it, I am cheating my student by not encouraging them to make the best choice for themselves.

      if this is higher then credit card debts then most students are being cheated. why get a degree when you can get a job that a person with a degree can get. teachers aren't supposed to do that, but for certain students it is a must.

    4. We are doing a disservice to our students. We are assuming all students need the same thing: that they need to go to college. When we know that it may not be the best choice for them, we are cheating them of reality and a worthy, challenging education simply because they are the textbook version of a “good student.” We do not have the courage to tell them no, so instead, we let the much harsher voice of life do it for us.

      Most teachers want the best for their students, and give false hope that they will do great in life, in order to encourage the student. I don't see how that helps anyone, all it will do is make the student disapointed when their life "fails." College is something that everyone wants to go to, all students want to be able to get that degree. As stated in the article, its mainly about the courage of the teachers. Some are just to kind and don't want to "hurt the child's feelings." But being harsh with the student and giving them critcism that will help them in life, is one of the best things a teacher can do. The only thing that will happen is that the student goes to college later in the future, or the student takes extra classes to better prepare themselves.

    5. For some of my students, a four-year university is by far the best option for them. But this isn’t the case for all students, and we need to stop pretending it is. A bachelor’s degree is not a piece of paper that says “You’re a success!” just as the lack of one doesn’t say “You’re a failure!” As educators, it’s time to stop pushing all of our students to go to college, and instead push them towards the path that is right for them.

      College isn't always the right way to go, but rather what fits in with student. Bachelor's degree simply states that you acquried a certain level of education. I believe that you don't always need to get a degree to succeed in life. There are plenty of people without a degree who have succeed, such as Steve Jobs. There are also plenty of people who have a degree and have succeeded, such as Barack Obama. It all depends on what fits in with someone's plans. Teachers shouldn't always encourage kids to go to college, not unless it is the thing they exactly need. I don't see why teachers pretend college is life itself, when it sometimes leaves you in a position you never planned to be in.

    6. And a four-year degree is not always synonymous with “best choice.”

      I think that it may be true that a four year degree is not always be the best choice, because of all the debts mentioned in the article. There are ways that you can agree with the author of the article, but when it comes to educational reputation, and trying to find a job, it might be best to have the four-year degree, even if there might be a possible high student loan debt.

    7. he “underemployment rate” for young college graduates is 44 percent. What does that mean? Almost half of the recent graduates in the United States are employed in positions that do not require a college degree.

      While this article does show a different point of viw on going to college, I must disagree with the fact that 44% of graduates are unemployed. While this is true, it is important to consider other facts, one such being the fact that people may have attempted to get jobs that they had not majored in. This would seriously affect the number of people that went to college because you have a less likely chance of getting into college. Another important factor would have to be the fact that many people would not be ready for jobs as soon as they left college. Some people may not go for jobs right away or might more likely not be mentally ready for them. This would seriously affect the number of people with jobs as well. These are just a few factors to think about.

    8. "A few years ago, I worked closely with a student who very much wanted to be a reporter. She was passionate about it, and spoke about her dreams with wide eyes and a contagious smile. The issue? This student’s writing was subpar at best, and her talents, while immense, were not shown through her academic ability. She simply did not have the grades to make it through four more years of college.

      Guilty of it myself, I watched as all of her teachers smiled at her and encouraged her to follow her dreams, no one having the courage to push in her a direction that was more logical for her to take. We smiled and watched as she dropped out of college and moved back home with no back-up plan in place. I had to learn the hard way that sometimes it’s our jobs as teachers to tell students no, otherwise life will do it for them — and life is rarely ready to catch them when they fall."

        The teachers should have informed her of how she was doing and that she needs to work harder. Just because she wasn't doing well does not mean that she could never become a reporter. She needed a push and that is exactly what her teachers did not give her. 
      
    9. There is an epidemic of college students across the country choosing majors at four-year universities that do not lead to a viable career path after graduation. The “underemployment rate” for young college graduates is 44 percent. What does that mean? Almost half of the recent graduates in the United States are employed in positions that do not require a college degree.

      In my opinion, college is a major factor in your career. Going to college is because you have a specific job you want to have, not just because everyone else is going there. However, a lot of people do go to college just because they want to. This leads to the underemployment rate being higher. When these students finish college, they have nowhere to go and go to a job not requiring a bachelors's degree, just to pay their bills.

    10. The “underemployment rate” for young college graduates is 44 percent.

      that mean college isn't worth it. if only about 50% get jobs then college is just something to bankrupt you. it doesn't help you with your life at all. getting a degree today means that it is just another degree to put on your bedroom wall. the degree isn't everything. it is your skill that matters. college grads have no insight for the future and think the degree would do everything. the conclusion of this is that it is natural why all these people would be unemployed up to today since of their debts to various colleges.

    11. The “underemployment rate” for young college graduates is 44 percent.

      This is crazy! You would expect that college and a degree would have some kind of aid on a persons ability to get a job, but according to stats, apparently not.

    12. This is an interesting acknowledgement, going with the rest of the article. Most people whom push students towards college only do so because college has been told to them to be a great option and the best way to achieve their dreams and also because going to college is nowadays an accepted system that is part of being a "good" student. As much as it may not be, would you question the worth of a degree? After all, many jobs require college level education and experience for them to even be considered. With this in mind, wouldn't a degree of some kind be of some worth? (I still agree with the rest of the article, just a question)

    13. Why I’m telling some of my students not to go to college

      Nowadays, a Bachelor's Degree is the same as a High School Degree was in the past. Most employers look for a College Degree. Be realistic, most jobs that don't require a college degree are those that don't pay much and are unstable. Although a College Degree may not be for everyone, it is for most people. It teaches students to work hard and gives chances at a better life. By telling a student not to go to college is the same as telling them that they are not smart enough, they do not work hard enough, and that they wouldn't get a good job anyways, so just give up. Instead, it is a teacher's job to encourage their students to work as hard as they can to achieve their dreams. Not tell them that they cannot do something and not to just smile at a failing student.

    14. I think this is important for teachers, as well as students to understand. It seems only right that students don't need college to succeed in life, since society says that people need college to be a worthy student. I find it unnecessary in some cases for people to go to college if it doesn't affect their future career. Some people find successful jobs and have a good future, despite their lack of a college education.

    1. I agree with 20unir it is a blessing and a curse because with the priveledge of being able to work with such smart people. There also comes the curse of having to work hard and be perfect because it is what people expect of you

    2. According to student Stanley Stewart he says,"For me, a first generation college student is…Sort of like a blessing and a curse." I would like to agree with her even though I am far off from college, but there were similar instances where I was put in an advanced program and just like him I was blessed with such an opportunity, but it had a lot of work to it. Thats why I want him to know that he is not alone in this because even till today I remember all the stress that I had just because of it..but I guess it was for the best.