Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Colton Harris - Moore: A lesson plan

This lesson plan is based on an article I first saw in Time about Washington state's answer to Jessie James.

Lesson Plan

This is aimed at intermediate or post intermediate students and could be used as a warm up on lessons concerned with crime or could be used as part of a lesson on discursive essay writing skills.

1 Show this photograph to your class. What crime to you think this person has committed?


2 Now students read the first paragraph of the Time article on Harris - Moore.

"Visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of the bald eagles on Camano Island in Washington State's Puget Sound are more likely to see a different bird in the sky: a police chopper skimming the cedar forests in search of an outlaw. Colton Harris-Moore, a gangly 18-year-old with furtive eyes and a dimpled chin, has been on police blotters since he was accused of stealing a bike at the age of 8. Since then, he is suspected of having committed nearly 100 burglaries in Washington, Idaho and Canada. Police allege that he graduated from bikes to cars, then to speedboats. Lately, he is suspected of stealing three small aircraft — all the more impressive given that he has never taken a single flying lesson."

3 Now divide the students into two groups.

The first group imagine they are a reporter who has been given the chance to interview Coltan. Now think of questions to ask using;

Who
What
Where
When
Which
Why
How

The second group reads the article taking notes as they will not be able to see it again. Alternatively, you could ask students to take notes from this video.



4 Pair of students from each group with the "reporters" interviewing the "Coltons". Remind both sides that they are free to improvise. This could be in the form of written answers or could be recorded as video using students mobile/cell phones.

5 Follow up ideas include essays

Decide on a suitable punishment for Colton if he were caught?

Is Colton a hero?

Would you want to be like him?

Labels: , ,

Latest updates on the Viva Palestina relief convoy




The latest news from El Arish, Egypt is looking bad with riot police attacking the Viva Palestina aid to Gaza convoy after participants protested the decision by the government to allow only 157 out of the 450 volunteers to enter Palestinian territory. Iranian based Press TV correspondent Hassan Ghani who has travelled with the convoy says that some of those delivering the medical supplies have been sustained serious head injuries, and that both sides are in a stand off. Other Viva Palestina volunteers have also spoken of police violence and injuries sustained via Twitter, As the Irish Viva Palestina site stated last night;

"We spent almost 3 hours in a blind panic unable to locate our people, only their phones were found on the ground and answered by strangers. Some people are STILL missing. THIS is what it was like for us on this blog as it happened. God knows what tomorrow will bring after this attack. Hopefully the Egyptians have had enough fun and games and will now let them get on with their work of delivering the ambulances and aid to those who are in need of it."

They also posted footage taken from Turkish TV here. For the latest updates check out their Twitter feeds here and here.

Ironically, some of the medical supplies destined to help Palestinians in Gaza is now being used to treat those who wished to provide aid.

Labels: , , , ,

Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Egyptian riot police attack and injure UK aid convoy volunteers

UK - Gaza aid convoy reaches Greece - Viva Palestina

Just before Christmas I reported on the Viva Palestina aid convoy that was delivering medical and educational supplies from UK to the Gaza Strip. I talked with those taking part and was deeply impressed by their commitment to their mission.

However, the latest news is not so gratifying. After being given the runaround by the Egyptian authorities and being told that they could not enter the country via Jordan they tried to get their supplies through via a Syrian port. Also the Israeli government attempted to stop the ferry the convoy reaching Egyptian territory using naval exercises as a pretext though this plan was thwarted thanks to the intervention of a Turkish warship which escorted them to their final port of call.

The latest hurdle thrown in their path are new restriction placed on who can and cannot enter Gaza placed upon them by Cairo which has said that only 150 of the 450 volunteers who have come from all over the world to help can go through. The Egyptian responded to protests by sending in the riot police who are attacking convoy members as I write this.

Follow the latest Twitter update here and here.

Labels: , , ,

Sunday, January 03, 2010

The Golden Rule - He who has the gold makes the rules.



Poster activism - Never leave home without it.

Labels: , ,

Patrotism means knowing when to keep your mouth shut!

This poster was generously sponsored by the Reformed Committee on Un - American Activities.

Poster activism - You know it makes sense.

Labels: , , , , ,

Support the war - Opposition is treason



Poster activism - Designs for a safer world

Labels: , , ,

Friday, January 01, 2010

New Year's Eve - Thessaloniki, Greece

New Year's Eve - Thessaloniki, Greece

"There's nothing to see here, move along" - Clown Squad

Taken in Kapani in the centre of Thessaloniki. Hope everyone has a great 2010. Happy New Year!!!

Labels: ,

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Greece License.