Mr. Dees's Social Studies Blog

Economics 8th- Minimum Wage Assignment

2010-09-28T13:21:00.000-05:00

This area is for students in 8th period Honors Economics. If you are in 2nd or 4th period, please use the posting for your assigned period!

As we study price floors in class, there is no better example of this topic than the minimum wage. While all economists agree that minimum wage is a price floor, they differ in their opinion on the merits of the wage. I have a feeling that many of you will as well...

Before posting on the blog, you are to read the following editorial from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that features a debate between a proponent and opponent of a minimum wage increase.

Does raising the minimum wage help the economy?

Part ONE--due Wednesday
After reading the article, students should write a BRIEF response (using info from the article) with their own feelings on the minimum wage. Is it poor economic policy, or is it needed to ensure that poorer Americans receive a just wage? I understand that you may fall somewhere in the middle of this debate, but please try to favor one view over the other.

At the end of your response, you MUST write a question that you would like to ask a person who is in favor of the opposite view.

Part Two--due Thursday
Then, in a SEPARATE comment, you will then answer one of the questions that was asked to people with your point of view. (When answering, please state whose question you are responding to).

Due Date (AGAIN): Your Initial Views and Question due Wednesday; Your response to another classmate due Thursday

Economics 4th- Minimum Wage Assignment

2010-09-28T13:20:00.000-05:00

This area is for students in 4th period Honors Economics. If you are in 2nd or 8th period, please use the posting for your assigned period!

As we study price floors in class, there is no better example of this topic than the minimum wage. While all economists agree that minimum wage is a price floor, they differ in their opinion on the merits of the wage. I have a feeling that many of you will as well...

Before posting on the blog, you are to read the following editorial from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that features a debate between a proponent and opponent of a minimum wage increase.

Does raising the minimum wage help the economy?

Economics 2nd- Minimum Wage Assignment

2010-09-28T08:14:00.002-05:00

This area is for students in 2nd period Honors Economics. If you are in 4th or 8th period, please use the posting for your assigned period!

As we study price floors in class, there is no better example of this topic than the minimum wage. While all economists agree that minimum wage is a price floor, they differ in their opinion on the merits of the wage. I have a feeling that many of you will as well...

Before posting on the blog, you are to read the following editorial from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that features a debate between a proponent and opponent of a minimum wage increase.

Does raising the minimum wage help the economy?

World History--Exploration of the Eastern World

2010-02-15T17:59:00.003-06:00

During this week in class, we have studied the explorers of the Eastern (non-Americas world). The major pioneers that we focused on were:

Prince Henry the Navigator
Bartolomeu Dias
Vasco da Gama
Christopher Columbus
Ferdinand Magellan
Zheng He

Remembering these men, Mr. Dees would like you to answer the following TWO questions by posting a comment on this blog page.

BUT FIRST, CHOOSE AN EXPLORER. YOU ARE NOW HIM. WRITE AS IF YOU ARE THAT PERSON!!!!

1. In a 1st-person paragraph, state why you were the greatest explorer of the era.
(EXAMPLE: I, Vasco da Gama, was the greatest explorer this world has ever seen. Without my discovery of....)

2. Then, in 2-3 sentences, call out who you think was the weakest explorer of this time.
(EXAMPLE: Sailing around the world, Magellan, please! If you had not known about my earlier discovery...)

In #2, feel free to be creative and funny while attacking the other explorers. However, good taste must be shown as stated on the rules of the blog!!

You will be graded on: Completion of the assignment, usage of facts when making your case as the best explorer and in attacking your opponent, posting without spelling or grammatical errors.

POSTS ARE DUE BY 9th PERIOD ON THURSDAY!!

World History--America vs. the Narrative Reading

2009-11-30T15:02:00.004-06:00

World History Students,

The first thing you will do for this assignment is to read the column from today's New York Times entitled "America vs. the Narrative."

After reading, I would like you to respond to ONE of the following question with a comment in the "comments" section below.

1. According to the author, how is this narrative "obscuring the truth" about American foreign policy in the Muslim world?

2. If President Obama made the statements mentioned in the article to the people of the Muslim world, in what ways do you think the governments and people of the region will respond? (Use some info or ideas from the article in your response).

Again, answer only ONE! If you have any questions about posting on the blog, please let Mr. Dees know at jdees@loy.org

World History-How do we solve the problems of the Industrial Revolution?

2009-04-02T11:22:00.005-05:00

After reading about seven different thinkers in class today, Mr. Dees would like you to take on the identity of two of these people. You will then write a short conversation between the two thinkers.

EXAMPLE:

Adam Smith: "I believe that the best way to solve problems is to let the market take care of itself."

John Stuart Mill: "Well hello, Mr. Smith. You have some clever thoughts, but clearly the market will not solve all of our problems. The government has to help!"

It would then continue on....

In your conversation, each person MUST speak 2-3 times!

Your answers should include facts from their ideas, reasonable conversation and proper spelling/grammar.

World History-A Tale of Feudalism

2009-01-06T14:08:00.005-06:00

After reading about the lives and roles of people in the Middle Ages, you have a much better understanding of feudalism. For this blog post, I want you to select TWO of the following groups of people in this time period: Noble (Lord), Knights, Vassal, Serf or Monk.

After selecting those two, assume the character of that person and write 3-4 sentences (for EACH one) about their life during the feudalism age. The tales should be written in the 1st person.

You can write about any aspect of life, and students will be rewarded for being creative. However, you will need to display some knowledge of the material in your writing.

The posts are due at the beginning of your history period.

Economics- Should we raise the gas tax?

2009-01-06T13:32:00.005-06:00

POST due whenever you have class, just please do it....

After reading the two points of view about raising the gas tax, I would like you to answer the following questions by commenting below:

1. What is the best reason in support of raising the gas tax, and what is the best reason to not support the gas tax? Explain yourself.

2. Assess the Baltimore Sun writer's idea that the gas tax can be made higher, thus increasing the government's tax dollars, which then can be given back to the tax payer. Does his argument hold merit?

3. The Salt-Lake Tribune writer states that Barack Obama should borrow the money to finance Obama's plan to increase public works projects. However, with a bailout package that has an ever-growing price tag, should we just borrow more money. Could the gas tax be a proper solution to our transportation woes?

4. Where do you stand on the issue?

Economics-A Living Wage Video

2008-12-05T18:04:00.003-06:00

6th Period Economics Students:

First and foremost, my apologies for the video difficulties today in class. The Loyola server was being a little ridiculous.

Over the past week, we've been looking at wages, earnings and discrimination. One of the topics discussed in class was the living wage, or the thought that a person's earnings should cover the basic necessities of life. That topic is a source of debate in many areas of the country, and one such example is on college campuses. I would like you to go to this site and click on the video link entitled "A Living Wage" on the right hand side of the page. You need to watch the first 10-12 minutes of the video (I could not get an exact time, but when you see actor/labor activist Danny Glover, you should stop watching...just like in any of his Hollywood movies, ha!)

After viewing this video, I would like you to answer the following three questions by commenting. A sufficient answer does not have a set length, but it should include relevant economics terms from the video or class.
1. Why is the wage of the maintenance worker at Vanderbilt at its current level (use what is said in the video and what we have seen in class)?

2. According to the university, the benefits provided by Vanderbilt are fantastic and make up for the level of their wage. Your thoughts?

3. At the end of this video, it is shown that the worker received a boost from $8.16/hr to $10/hr in pay over a two-year period. While this move is obviously good for the maintenance workers, what effect (or effects) could it possibly have on the labor market? on other college and universities? on the Nashville economy? You don't have to answer all of those questions, just pick one of the areas and discuss how the Vanderbilt story could have a larger impact.

The blog will close at 9ish on Monday December 8th. Questions? Email jdees@loy.org.

Economics--Auto Bailout Questions

2008-11-20T10:00:00.005-06:00

After reading the article "Auto Bailout Aimed at Unions, not Companies," please answer the following three questions by commenting below:

1. In what way did the author best prove her point that the unions are the major recipient of the proposed auto bailout?

2. In your opinion, is it the union's fault for asking for high demands concerning health care and pensions or the automakers' fault for agreeing to those demands? Answer in a sentence or two.

3. Are unions a necessary tool in 2008? Or, have conditions and wages reached a fair point for workers, thus leaving unions a relic of the past?

Responses are due by Monday at 8:00 AM. Be sure to put your first name and last initial on your answer (ex: Bobby J.).

Hey Hey!

2008-10-30T15:02:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the NEW place to be for online Social Studies discussion!! The old blog site has been put out to pasture for being too slow and annoying. The new and improved Mr. Dees Social Studies blog is here to stay!