Landscape in the style of Mi Fu Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Landscape in the style of Mi Fu - Essay Example The subjugation of the Northern Song dynasty by the Yuan Dynasty failed to infiltrate the Chinese culture. The Mongol empire fell short in experience with regards to administration of the complex Chinese empire. Consequently, they slowly adopted political and cultural models of the Chinese. Nonetheless, the repercussion of the Mongol Empire was significant. The empire refused to recognise the Chinese literati. Most of them resigned to pursue personal interests and as such a culture of self-expression in painting was birthed and that of nature done away with. Through the learned scholar-artists, brushwork become the new calligraphy and assumed an independence that exceeded its function as a tool of developing representational forms. This period made variations in expressions to move beyond landscape to political expressions of the political frustration that was bombarding the Chinese during that era. Nonetheless, Kao K'o-kung’s work is associated with earlier work in (1051-1107 ) as observed by the characteristics similar to art by Mi Fu (1052-1109). Mi Fu’s most recognised work is his calligraphy as well as the landscape painting. His artwork was a termination of previous paintings common in the Song dynasty. During the Song era, landscape artwork in China relied on lines for its portrayal of the world. It was in his depiction of the mystic river along with the hills and Lake District in Henan province however that led Mi in the development of extreme moist washes as well as horizontal texture strokes.

Proposal writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Proposal writing - Essay Example It is very important not to omit the mission statement in the writing. It should demonstrate the company’s goals and expectations. Each proposal is based on a particular budget. The latter consists of the following elements: 1) management, 2) labor, 3) facilities and equipment, 4) materials, 5) travel and 6) communication. It is necessary to mention that there are several types of budget. They are: itemized budgets, nonitemized budgets, fixed budgets, flexible budgets, fixed costs, variable costs and semivariable costs. Despite all costs, there are many benefits of proposal. They are hard and soft benefits. Hard benefits stand for the guantifiable outcomes of the project that are easy to see, measure or read. Soft benefits mean abstract things you will get in the process of working with the company. It may be trust, satisfaction, confidence, efficiency, etc. The success of the proposal is begun with its introductory part. To prepare a perfect introduction it is necessary to do the following things: 1) identify the subject of the paper, 2) introduce the purpose of the writing, 3) suggest some main point to prove in the paper, 4) persuade the readers that this subject is very significant, 5) give some background information, 6) foresee the organization of the writing. Conclusion is as important as introduction; here the main point of the proposal should be

Is Compost Tea Fact Or Fiction Environmental Sciences Essay

Is Compost Tea Fact Or Fiction Environmental Sciences Essay Horticulturists, scientists, teachers, gardeners, practioners and farmers all rave about compost and the benefits to the soil, like improving soil structure, reducing water use, improving aeration, attracting earth worms and many more. I want to believe the same thing holds true for compost tea, is it the cure all for damping off disease, will it make my tomatoes luminescent(6), will it make my lawn greener, will my plants have less disease and eliminate pest problems, will it make my soil a better place for my plants, the claims for compost tea are numerous, does it really work? Compost tea has been around for thousands of years perhaps as far back as the Roman Empire (6). Somebody noticed that plants grew better around manure or on manured ground. But solid manure was hard to work with. So it went into a container of water to let it steep for awhile and we can be sure that it got stirred. When used as a drench, plant growth improved. In the late 1990s aeration was first introduced into the compost tea.(4) Aeration claims to increase beneficial microbes and accelerate the process by creating optimum levels of oxygen for growth and reproduction of beneficial aerobic microorganisms. So there are now numerous definitions of compost tea. Compost leachate which is the runoff of water from compost or worm bins. The material is a brown colored water that runs out of compost or worm bins when the bins or piles become too wet. The liquid is a product of compost or worm casting that has not completely finished the compost process. Most likely rich in soluble nutrients; but in the early stage of composting it may also contain pathogens(11) Compost extract is what was originally called compost tea. Compost is wrapped in coarse fabric and soaked in water for days. The primary benefit of the extract will be a supply of soluble nutrients, which can be used as a liquid fertilizer(11) Compost tea is an aerated mixture of compost and food sources for microbes; such as kelp, molasses, fish hydrolysates, rock dust and humic acids. The compost-tea brewing technique and aerobic process extracts and grows populations of beneficial microorganisms. (11) Compost tea can be added to soil to improve soil life and impacts plants more quickly than a composted mixture. (7) The reasoning behind compost tea is that once the mixture has completed and is applied as a soil drench it will add microbes to soils which in turn help to break down organic material in the soil and can then be used for food for plants. And the need for synthetic fertilizers becomes less. There are many different recipes for compost tea based on your needs, there are fungal teas which are good for acid loving plants and trees and shrubs, there is some evidence that beneficial fungus will help with some diseases like powdery mildew and downy mildew. And there are bacterial teas which are good for vegetables, annuals, perennials and grasses. What is compost tea? The soil food web defines compost tea as: essentially, is a brewing process that extracts microorganisms from compost followed by microbial growth and multiplication. This includes beneficial bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes. When compost teas are sprayed onto the leaf surface, these beneficial organisms occupy spatial niches on the leaf surface and gobble up leaf exudates that pathogenic organisms would otherwise feed on to prosper; other microbes directly interfere with pathogenic organisms through antagonism. A more simple definition: Compost tea, in modern terminology, is a compost extract brewed with a microbial food source-molasses, kelp, rock dust, humic-fulvic acids. The compost-tea brewing technique, an aerobic process, extracts and grows populations of beneficial microorganisms (11) based on the ingredients that you use you will either have bacterial tea, fungal tea or a combination Compost Tea has been field tested to be effective in suppression of the following diseases: black spot, mildew (downy), needle cast on pine, vertilcillium wilt, white flies, mealy bugs, rust, aphids, tent caterpillars, mites, leaf curl, red thread (early and late), fungal diseases in ornamental cherries per the website http://www.simplici-tea.com/disease_suppression.htm. However, I have not found any science based information to back this claim. What about the science? A trial at the University of Oregon conducted on black spot on roses showed Roses in locations with shade suffered from powdery mildew. Compost tea did not seem to affect powdery mildew. One private location observed that the roses sprayed with tea at that location seemed healthier overall than those that were not sprayed. They had glossier leaves and more blooms overall. Two of the three test groups in 2007 showed a slight improvement in incidence of disease over plants that were not sprayed. The difference was not statistically greater. The average between 2006 and 2007 still showed control group doing better than the experimental group. (8) In comparing the matched pairs of eight Prunus spp., the compost tea extract was not significantly different from the water application for any of the eight cultivars tested. In fact, for some trees it made the problem worse. (9) An excerpt from a study on aerated compost tea to suppress dampening off disease While further work is needed to directly quantify the residual sucrose concentrations in aerated compost tea produced with molasses-based additive to determine the effect on damping-off suppression, there are strong indications that the use of simple sugars as additives should be avoided when producing compost tea for disease suppression. In addition to the potential of residual nutrients increasing Pythium damping-off, the use of simple sugars in producing compost tea has been linked to growth of E. coli in aerated compost tea makers when compost contaminated with E. coli was used. (1) Turf quality ratings initially were very low for the tea drenches, therefore it was decided to apply liquid fertilizer over the tea treated plots to maintain acceptable turf quality. This addition masked any further differences in turf quality. The foliar tea applications suppressed dollar spot 40 to 60 percent when compared to untreated plots in one of three years. It is unlikely that due to the variability of brewing results, little microbial benefit, and the labor required for brewing tea that this technology will see widespread adoption in its current form. (2) However a trial at Harvard University (Prepared by Harvard Facilities Operations Maintenance) which used a combination of compost tea, compost and organic fertilizer, increased the depth of turf roots, decreased water usage, and increased available nitrogen, since they were using a combination of organic methods there is no definite proof that the compost tea was a main contributor. When asked if they had done any studies on compost tea, they said We only use compost tea as a portion of our organic program so unfortunately we have not done any studies on compost tea alone. Dr Linda Chalker-Scott PH.D. WSU states that clearly the science is not strong for aerated tea use on crop plants, much less on lawns, shrubs and trees. (3) After twelve weeks of compost tea treatment, there are evident responses among the microbial community, however, its too early to draw conclusions about the efficacy of the compost tea treatment. (5) The production and application of compost tea is primarily focused on: disease suppression, supplementing plant nutrients, and increasing soil microbiology to improve soil structure, water percolation/retention, rooting depth and consequently improved plant growth. The research conducted worldwide on compost tea is scarce and the results are highly variable. Results vary from suppression of some diseases to no effect in disease suppression at all, or in few cases increased incidence of diseases. Where compost teas are compared with conventional fungicides, in most instances compost teas have been relatively ineffective. Compost tea producers estimate that up to 5,000 farms are using compost tea in New South Wales, Australia these are mainly organic farms. Use of compost teas is based on faith or anecdotal evidence rather than based on replicated scientific research at this stage. Researchers acknowledge that there are significant limitations in our knowledge of compost teas and its u se, and hope that an increased understanding of compost tea microbiology and the survival and interactions of microbes on plants surfaces will enable compost tea production practices and application technology that optimizes disease suppression. (15) Lee Reich PhD in horticulture wrote in Fine Gardening Magazine January 2007 an article titled The Jury is Still Out on Compost Tea where he says Benefits from compost teas are on even shakier ground when the tea is used to improve the soil. Compost has been shown to improve soil tilth, help soil retain nutrients, enhance nutrient availability, increase rooting depth, and suppress root diseases. Compost tea, by extension, is credited with providing these same benefits. Therein lies part of the great appeal of compost tea. Who  wouldnt rather improve an acre of soil with the recommended 15 to 20 gallons of compost tea rather than have to heave around 2 to 5 tons per acre of compost? But compost and compost tea are not the same. They differ quantitatively and qualitatively in microbial makeup, and most dramatically, one is a relatively small volume of liquid and the other is a relatively large, mostly solid mass. Composts bulk comes mainly from carbon compounds, which are the major fo ods for beneficial microorganisms. Compost tea contains relatively little of these carbon foods. The beneficial microorganisms of composts and compost teas are already present in most soils and will multiply rapidly if food supplies permit. If your soil does not have beneficial microorganisms, it probably means the conditions arent hospitable to them. Unless you improve those conditions, any added microorganisms will die.   This article provided a lot of discussion on the internet when it was first published and now includes a new string of posts on http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-tea/is-compost-tea-just-a-fad/ dated January 13th 2011 since that date there have been fifty eight posts. Most of the posts favor the use of compost tea and the major opinion is no compost tea mix is the same and if it works for you continue to use it. If you have good soil conditions and your plants are healthy there may be no reason for compost tea. But if you have a small amount of compost and need a vast improved soil, when plants are struggling, showing signs of stress or when you want to apply composts benefits to a lawn these might be good reasons to use compost tea (Plesand). With so many claims about compost tea, in 2003, the National Organic Standards Board convened a Compost Tea Task Force to review the relevant scientific data and report their recommendations on compost tea. The Task Force was composed of 13 individuals with knowledge and expertise in organic farming practices, organic certification, EPA pathogen regulations, compost, compost tea production and analysis, plant pathology, food safety and environmental microbiology. The final report can be found at http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5057213. They came back with ten steps to be used in making compost tea, found a lot of practioners that use compost tea and also established there was not a lot of science based evidence behind the use the compost tea, and a possibility of contaminating crops. In conclusion there could be benefits from compost tea but there have not been a lot of scientific studies on the use as prevention for diseases and pests or that it increases dramatically the growth of plants. Compost tea has a lot of different variables by the type of compost used; vermicompost, manure compost, leaf and grass clipping compost, and any other possible compost mix. Another variable would be the additives to the tea molasses, kelp, humic acid, granite dust, fish hydrolysates, fungal foods like oatmeal and powdered baby oatmeal. And then there is the time and temperature of mixing with aeration. There appears to be some advantage of using compost tea but a lot more studies need to be done to prove the claims of the some websites and even some famously written books. The question has been asked why not more research on compost tea? Compost teas are highly variable in their microbial and nutrient content from batch to batch. This translates to high variation within data sets and often leads to inconclusive results. Unfortunately, these results are often not published even though they are just as important as positive outcomes. In other words, if a particular treatment doesnt work well under controlled experimental conditions, its unlikely to work consistently anywhere else.(18) With that being said, there is no harm in trying to make your own compost tea and doing your own experimentation. There has been some back and forth discussion on the use of molasses and e coli in compost tea, so if one uses molasses read the scientific data before applying to edible plants. Per Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott, PhD While the scientific evidence is certainly lacking for Aerated Compost Tea activity in disease control, there is a serious, documented concern with these types of compost teas, says Dr. William R. Schneider, a research scientist in the Biopesticides Pollution Prevention Division (Office of Pesticide Programs) of the USEPA. He continues it is very difficult to do a microbial pesticide risk assessment on a mixture of unidentified microorganisms that could easily contain human and nontarget organism pathogens. Indeed, this risk is significant in ACTs that have been enhanced with molasses, kelp, and other high-nutrient additives. Such ACTs have been documented throug h scientific research to contain E. coli and Salmonella populations, both of which are human pathogens. The recent deaths due to E. coli-contaminated spinach illustrate how dangerous compost tea applications can be, particularly on food crops. Even though there have not been any reports of problems from compost tea make sure you read all the reports. The use of compost tea as part of an integrated plant health management strategy will require much additional whole systems research by a cohesive team of farmers and experts in composting, plant pathology, phyllosphere biology, molecular microbial ecology, fermentation science, plant physiology, plant breeding, soil science, and horticulture. From the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada posted April 2010 (13) A controversial name in compost tea is Dr Elaine Ingham with Soil Foodweb who has published The Field Guide I for Actively Aerated Compost Tea, Compost Tea Manual 5th ed. and a number of other books, CDs and offers seminars on compost tea. She has done a lot of research on soils, and helps farmers all over improve their soils; but has not published a lot of peer reviewed research on compost tea. In January 2011 the Rodale Institute a non-profit dedicated to pioneering organic farming through research and outreach named her Chief Scientist; and will be in charge of research at the institute, hopefully now, there will be more research on the benefits of compost tea. So despite all the hype, compost tea is not the silver bullet everyone is looking for.   Unfortunately, nature is not that simplistic.   But its fun to experiment.   (I do lots!) If you do experiment, and come up with a formula that you think works-try replicating it in a scientific way (16) per the Whatcom County Master Composter Recycler Program. How do I make compost tea? The USDA suggests using a sump pump to bubble air into the extract for 24-36 hours (Sac Bee). First you need a brewer you can purchase a brewers which makes 500 gallons for around $11,647.00 to $50.00 for a 5 gallon brewer. And then purchase packaged mixes and just add water. You can also buy brewers and make your own mixture, using your own compost or vermicompost. Another option would be to make your own brewer using a five gallon bucket, an inexpensive aquarium pump, an air stone, some aquarium tubing and a porous bag of some type. There are numerous directions on the internet. Once you have a brewer to make the tea; there are numerous recipes on the internet. One simple recipe is five gallons of chlorine free water, six cups of compost or vermicompost, three tablespoons unsulfured black strap molasses. Cover the container Brew this for twenty four to forty eight hours at 75à ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ ° let rest ten minutes and then use immediately.(Remillard) The compos t tea should smell good (earthy) and have a brownish tea color. If the tea smells bad it has gone anaerobic it could contain ammonia and dangerous bacteria and should not be used. Once the tea is made it can be diluted one to three, one to two or used full strength. It can be used as a soil drench on a wet soil any time of the day. It can be used as a foliar spray in the early morning or evening. If you are using a foliar spray it would be a good idea to filter the tea first so you do not clog your sprayer. When making compost tea make sure you start with good smelling compost or vermicompost the better the compost the better the tea. Another easy recipe for compost tea Home-size compost tea recipe comes from W.F. Brinton at Woods End Laboratories Inc., Maine. 1) Use well-aged compost, at least 4 months old. 2) Put in a large pail or barrel outdoors between 59à ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ ° and 68à ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ °C. 3) Add water, 1 part compost to 5 to 8 parts water (i.e. 1 cup of compost to 5 cups of water). 4) Stir daily for five days. The strong smell should slowly dissipate. 5) On the fifth day, pour through a sieve or a cheese cloth. 6) Spray on plants in periods of disease outbreak, or drench the soil at the base of the plant. 7) Do not spray edible plant parts to be harvested in the following 2 to 3 weeks. CalRecycle (a CA.gov website) on their website says But why go to all the trouble of brewing and spraying this tea instead of just working the compost into the soil? Two reasons: To inoculate microbial life into the soil to feed the foliage of plants, and to add soluble nutrients to the foliage or soil in order to feed your plants. Compost tea is a readily available form of compost that will impact the plant more quickly than compost mixed into the soil. I am not sure how they came up with this information as no scientific evidence has been found that all this is true. When it comes to state Master Gardener programs there is also a lot of different opinions. The state of Pennsylvania tells you how to make compost tea at http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/recycle/tea/tea1. Arizona state university extension tells you how to make compost tea at http://ag.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/archive/composttea.html. However, Washington state master gardeners cannot recommend compost tea. Because Washington State University Master Gardeners are volunteer educators who rely on science-based information, they cannot recommend a practice or product that lacks a legitimate scientific basis. Furthermore, it is illegal to sell unregistered substances for use as pesticides. There are no compost tea products registered as pesticides within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Neither WSU Master Gardener volunteers nor Web sites may encourage the use of compost tea as a pesticide. (9) Then Oregon State University extension tells you how to make compost tea on their website and their Master Gardeners sell compost tea as a fund raiser . In California per Pam Geisel Statewide University of California Master Gardener Coordinator We dont recommend compost tea because we do not have science based information on it at this time.   Also, compost tea is so variable in terms of content that making a generalized recommendation would be impossible as to the quality and the plant response. Organic Gardening senior editor says he is convinced that There is the potential for a health hazard from its use (compost tea) that being the possible presence of E. coli.   And hes concerned that some Cooperative Extension Service websites happily provide the recipe for making compost tea at home with no warning about the health risks if its applied to food crops. Finally, I think the Extension Horticulture Agent, in Anchorage Alaska, Julie Riley sums it up best, Compost tea is like a religion-you have to have faithà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I know there are Anchorage Master Gardeners who feel they get good results with compost tea. Ive always said to gardeners if you are happy with your results, keep doing what you are doing' Bibliography and Citations (1) Scheuerell Steven J. and. Mahaffee Walter F First author: Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University; and second author: U.S. Department of Agriculture- Agriculture Research Service-Horticulture Crops Research Laboratory, Corvallis, OR 97330. Compost Tea as a Container Medium Drench for Suppressing Seedling Damping-Off Caused by Pythium ultimum Accepted for publication 14 June 2004. Web March 2011. (2) Rossi Frank, Cornell University, Cornell University, 134a Plant Science Bldg., Ithaca, NY 14853 Effects of Compost Tea on Turfgrass Performance, Disease Incidence, and Soil Microbial Populations. Nov. 8, 2007 Web March 2011. (3) Chalker-Scott, PhD. Linda, Extension Horticulturist and Associate Professor, Puyallup Research and Extension Center, Washington State University www.MasterGardenerOnline.com à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ MASTERGARDENER winter 2007 pages 8-10, Web March 2011 (4) Moore, Robert C; History of Compost Tea thesoilguy.com N.p, n.d web March 2011 (5) Stevenson, Emily; Yale School of Forestry, Alexander Felson and Mark Bradford Environmental Studies Advisors, Closing the Loop: Alternative Land Management at Yale, Hixon Fellowship 2010, web April 2011 (6) Remillard Marc, Compost Tea Making, Ascension Press, April 2010 (7) Author unknown, What Is Compost Tea, and Why Use It? CA.Gov CalRecycle, California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, March 24, 2005, web April 2011 (8)Wise, Cindy, Compost Specialist Compost Tea Trial 2007, OSU/Lane County Extension Service Compost Specialist tea trial, December 2007, web April 2011 (9) Chalker-Scott, Linda Ph.D., Extension Horticulturist and Associate Professor, Puyallup Research and Extension Center, Washington State University The Myth of Compost Tea Revisited: Aerobically-brewed compost tea suppresses disease, April 2001, Web May 2011 (10) Lanther, Mario, Compost Tea and Its impact On Plant Diseases, BC Organic Grower, Volume10, Number 2, spring 2007, Web April 2011 (11) Diver, Steve, NCAT Agriculture Specialist Notes on Compost Teas The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service ATTRA 2002 Web March 2011 Ingham, Dr Elaine, Rollins, Carole Ann ed., Sustainable Studies Inc. and Natural Technologies, The Field Guide 1 for Actively Aerated compost Tea (AACT) April 2001-June 2003 Second Edition, Second Printing March 2007 Pleasant, Barbara and Martin, Deborah; The Complete Composting Guide, Storey Publishing, LLC February 13, 2008 Arrington, Debbie, Now theres distinction between compost tea, extract', Sacramento Bee, Saturday, February 26, 2011, page D5. Geisel, Pam, Personal interview May 10, 2011 (12) Harvard Facilities Operations Maintenance, Harvard Yard Soils Restoration Project, 2009 President and Fellows of Harvard College, February 2009, Web March 2011 (13) Scheuerell S. and Mahaffee W., Compost tea: Principles and prospects for plant disease control Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada, April 2010, Web March 2011 (14) Aerated Compost Tea Oregon State University Extension Service Douglas County, November 14, 2009, Web April 2011 Chalker-Scott, Dr. Linda PhD Associate Professor and Extension Urban Horticulturist WSU Puyallup Research and Extension, Compost Tea: Examining the science behind the claims N.d., Web April 2011 (15) Overview of Compost Tea Use in New South Wales. Recycled Organics Unit (2006). Recycled Organics Unit, internet publication: 2007 second edition, Web March 2011 (16) To Tea or Not to Tea Whatcom County Master Composter Recycler Program, Bellingham, WA, N.d. Web May 2011 (17) Harris, Susan, Still confused about compost tea, I turn to Rodale Garden Rant, Uprooting the Gardening World, February 25, 2010, Web May 2011. (18) Reeves, Walter, The Georgia Gardener, Compost Tea Does it Work? N.d, web May 2011 Martin, Deborah L. and Gershuny, Grace, Ed., The Rodale Book of Composting, Rodale Press, 1992

Teacher Ethics Essay -- moral code ethics ethical educators

Teacher Ethics â€Å"Ethics are defined as a set of principles of right conducts; the rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession† ( Dictionary of the Human Language, 2000). Teachers are often put in situations that require more than just knowing the basic school rules. It is within these situations, that the ethical dilemmas occur. There is not always a right way to deal with many daily problems that face educators, but there are ways to handle situations that are better then others. Teachers should follow and refer to a code of ethics to help teach in the most appropriate and ethical way; as well as a guide to help deal with dilemmas. It is important that teachers give children a fair chance to show their knowledge when assessing. â€Å"The purpose of assessment is to provide feedback that can be used to improve student performance† ( Orange 2000). Teachers assess children to ensure that they are understanding the material, and to make sure they are learning. For young children especially tests should never be the only criteria of assessment. Instructors should always make sure that their assessment is fair. When testing a child, make sure that the testing method used is appropriate for that child. For example, if giving a test that relies on visual aids to administer the test it is important that the teacher is certain that all the children have good enough vision to clearly see the aids. When assessing young children in particular it is important to look for more then simply right or wrong. An in depth look is necessary to see what the children really know before giving them a poor grade. Children’s work needs to critiqued in more then one way to be sure that they really do ... ...o put a leash on teachers' pets. Retrieved November 2, 2002 from http://www.mbhs.edu/silverchips/articles/apr2001favoritism.html . Dictionary of the human language. (2000). Retrieved November 5, 2002 from www.dictionary.com. Goodlad, J. I., Sirotnik, K. A., & Soder, R. (1990). The moral dimensions of teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Gushee, M. (1984). Student discipline policies, 12. 5. Retrieved November 4, 2002. ERIC Digest. Hanson K., & Shwartz W. (1992). Equal mathematics education for female students, 78. 4. Retrieved November 4, 2002. ERIC Digest. Isenberg, J. P., & Jalongo, M. R. (2000). Exploring your role: A practitioner’s introduction to early childhood education. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. Orange, C. (2000). 25 biggest mistakes teachers make and how to avoid them. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press. Teacher Ethics Essay -- moral code ethics ethical educators Teacher Ethics â€Å"Ethics are defined as a set of principles of right conducts; the rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession† ( Dictionary of the Human Language, 2000). Teachers are often put in situations that require more than just knowing the basic school rules. It is within these situations, that the ethical dilemmas occur. There is not always a right way to deal with many daily problems that face educators, but there are ways to handle situations that are better then others. Teachers should follow and refer to a code of ethics to help teach in the most appropriate and ethical way; as well as a guide to help deal with dilemmas. It is important that teachers give children a fair chance to show their knowledge when assessing. â€Å"The purpose of assessment is to provide feedback that can be used to improve student performance† ( Orange 2000). Teachers assess children to ensure that they are understanding the material, and to make sure they are learning. For young children especially tests should never be the only criteria of assessment. Instructors should always make sure that their assessment is fair. When testing a child, make sure that the testing method used is appropriate for that child. For example, if giving a test that relies on visual aids to administer the test it is important that the teacher is certain that all the children have good enough vision to clearly see the aids. When assessing young children in particular it is important to look for more then simply right or wrong. An in depth look is necessary to see what the children really know before giving them a poor grade. Children’s work needs to critiqued in more then one way to be sure that they really do ... ...o put a leash on teachers' pets. Retrieved November 2, 2002 from http://www.mbhs.edu/silverchips/articles/apr2001favoritism.html . Dictionary of the human language. (2000). Retrieved November 5, 2002 from www.dictionary.com. Goodlad, J. I., Sirotnik, K. A., & Soder, R. (1990). The moral dimensions of teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Gushee, M. (1984). Student discipline policies, 12. 5. Retrieved November 4, 2002. ERIC Digest. Hanson K., & Shwartz W. (1992). Equal mathematics education for female students, 78. 4. Retrieved November 4, 2002. ERIC Digest. Isenberg, J. P., & Jalongo, M. R. (2000). Exploring your role: A practitioner’s introduction to early childhood education. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. Orange, C. (2000). 25 biggest mistakes teachers make and how to avoid them. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press.

Animal Mitochondrial Genome

One of the most essential organelles in the animal cell is the mitochondrion, as it is not only the center of ATP production, it also have a phylogenetic value that reveals taxonomic relationships among organisms. These are rod-shaped organelles convert oxygen and glucose into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), otherwise known as the chemical energy â€Å"currency† of the cell that powers the cell's metabolic activities. This kind of respiration is termed aerobic and it supplies energy to most cellular activities.This mode of respiration is more efficient than in the absence of oxygen as anaerobic respiration can only produce two ATPs, as opposed to the 36-38 ATPs produced by the aerobic mode. This is why higher life forms are adapted to utilize oxygen for their ATP production (Davidson, 2004). Mitochondria are hypothesized by scientist to have evolved from a symbiotic relationship between aerobic bacteria and primordial eukaryotic cells (Wallace, 2005), otherwise known as the endo symbiont theory. It functions in common physiological processes such as metabolism, apoptosis, disease, and aging. Being the primary site where oxidative phosphorylation occurs, these double-membrane organelles are efficient in aerobic respiration which allows eukaryotic cells to generate the necessary amount of ATP (Chan, 2006).The mitochondrion maintains its own set of genes although most of its proteins (about 900) are synthesized within and imported from the nuclear genome necessary for its respiratory function (Wallace, 2005).The genome contained by this subcellular organelle separate from the nuclear chromatin is otherwise referred to as the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Particularly in animals, mtDNAs commonly have a closed-circular molecule, with the exception of certain classes containing linear mtDNA chromosomes (Boore, 1998).These extrachromosomal genomes contain 37 genes composed of 13 protein subunits for enzymes coding for oxidative phosphorylation, two ribosomal RNAs of mitochondrial ribosome, and 22 tRNAs for protein translation. Together with proteins and RNAS synthesized in the cytoplasm, products of these 37 genes allow the mitochondrion to possess its own system facilitating DNA transcription, translation, mRNA processing and protein translation. This circular genome is comprised of a mixture of covalently closed circular monomers and different amounts of concatenated dimers and higher oligomers (Burger et al., 2002).Genes contained in the animal mitochondrion are usually encoded on both strands. The H-strand, or the heavy strand, and the L-strand, or the light strand, are these two mentioned strands that comprise the genome. Their names are derived from their molecular weight differences caused by their varying base compositions. 12 out of the 13 protein coding genes comprise the H-strand while only the single gene left belongs to the L-strand. The genome also contains noncoding regions which are restricted to certain areas known as the D-Loo p (Shadel and Clayton 1997).These two strands, the H-strand and the L-strand, originated within the D-Loop, or the displacement loop, region and within a cluster of five tRNA genes respectively. The entire replication process only commences in the initiation of the H-strand synthesis, while the L-strand lags behind. The L-strand synthesis can only begin when two-thirds of the H-strand synthesis across the circular genome is already completed. Therefore, only in the intiation of H-strand synthesis can mtDNA start replicating. Aside from its mentioned function, the D-Loop region is also the location of two transcriptional promoters (HSP and LSP), one for each strand of mtDNA. Synthesis of polycistronic transcripts for the expression of the majority or all of the genes encoded in each strand are directed by these promoters (Chang and Clayton, 1985).Scientists have speculated that the mitochondria are derived from eubacterial endosymbionts. This is due to the possession of mitochondria their own genetic material (DNA) and their own system for genetic expression. Although mitochondria are contained in species belognoing to different kingdoms, they offer considerable differences and even reveal phylogenetic relationships and distances.There are characteristic variations among the three major kingdoms Animalia, Eukaryomycota, and Plantae (including protests). Among animals, their mitochondrial genome is relatively small, having an approximate measurement between 16 and 19 kb, and are compactly arranged as they lack introns or spacer regions. Fungal mtDNAs are considerably larger that animal mtDNAs. Their size is within the range of 17-176 kb and they encode more gene sequences than those of animals.It can be observed that the size range is quite vast, reflecting great variations in genome size. This is not due to coding capacities, instead it can be attributed to the presence of varying sizes of introns and spacer regions. In the case of plants, the genome size range is even more variable as it spans 16 to 2400 kb. Its mtDNA is distinctly characterized by a wide variety of gene content and molecular structure, and the variation of the length of spacer regions and introns (Ohta et al., 1998).One of the most extensively studied group are those of the protists. Their mtDNAs are considered intermediate in size with a measurement range of 6 to 77 kb. Most of protist genomes are compact having little or no non-coding regions. Although present, intergenic spacers are sparse and are generally small, with some coding regions overlapping. There is an general high concentration of Adenine and Thymine that are particularly elevated in non-coding intergenic regions (Gray et al., 1997).Mitochondrial genome composition in vertebrates predominantly includes a standard set of genes coding for 13 inner mitochondrial membrane proteins for electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation functions. Included genes for this function are nad1-6 and 4L, cob, cox1-3 an d atp6 and 8. Genes for both large subunit (LSU) and small subunit (SSU) rRNAs are also contained within the animal mitochondrial genome.The mentioned set of mtDNA-encoded genes (plus atp9) is also found in fungal organisms such as Allomyces macrogynus mtDNAs. However, particular ascomycete fungi such as Schizosaccharomyces pombe lack all nad genes. Both animal and fungal mtDNAs do not encode a 5S rRNA nor, with the exception of rps3 in A. macrogynus mtDNA, do they carry any ribosomal protein genes. Terrestrial plants contain mitochondrial genomes with a few extra respiratory chain protein genes such as nad9 and atp1 in M.polymorpha. But the most distinct variation of the plant mtDNA from the animal and fungal mtDNAs is the presence of both the 5S rRNA (Gray et al., 1997).Animal mtDNA sequences are found to evolve rapidly however they maintain their genetic arrangements for long periods of evolutionary time. A notable example is the identical arrangement of humans and trouts. Althou gh there are few exceptions, gene arrangements are considered stable within major taxonomic groups but are variable between them. We can potentially utilize these data comparisons in reconciling phylogenetic conflicts. Greater differences would entail divergence among the taxa. Comparisons of mitochondrial gene arrangements have provided convincing phylogenies in several cases where all other data were equivocal, including the relationships among major groups of echinoderms and arthropods (Burger et al., 2002).Although studies in mitochondrial genomes of different taxonomic groups are still inconclusive, it still holds a large potential in revolutionizing the taxonomic field. It has opened avenue for prospective discoveries on the currently unknown areas of biological sciences. Therefore, mitochondrial genome research studies are yet to reach their pinnacle and would surely still be an essential focus of phylogenetic sciences.BibliographyBoore, J.L. (1998) Animal Mitochondrial Genom es. Nucleic Acids Research. 27 (8), 1999, pp.1767-1780.Burger, G., Forget, L., Zhu, Y., Gray, M.W., and Lang, B.F. (2002) Uniquemitochondrial genome architecture in unicellular relatives of animals. PNAS, 100 (3), 04 February, pp. 892-897.Chan, D.C. (2006) Mitochondria: Dynamic Organelles in Disease, Aging, and Development.Cell. No. 125, 30 June, pp. 1241-1252.Chang, D. and Clayton, D. (1985) Priming of human mitochondrial DNA replication occursat the light-strand promoter. Biochemistry. Vol. 82, January, pp. 351-355.Davidson, M. (2004) Mitochondria [Internet], Florida State University. Available from:;http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/cells/mitochondria/mitochondria.html;Gray, M., Lang, B.F., Cedergren, R., Golding, G.B.,Lemieux, Sankoff, C.D., Turmel, M., Brossard, N., Delage, E.,Littlejohn, T.G., Plante, I., Rioux, P., Saint-Louis, D., Zhu, Y. andBurger, G. (1997) Genome structure and gene content in protest mitochondrial DNAs. Nucleic Acids Research. 26 (4), 1998, pp. 865-878.Ohta, N. , Sato, N., and Kuroiwa, T. (1998) Structure and Organization fo the MitochondrialGenome of the Unicellular Red Alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae Deduced from the Complete Nucleotide Sequence. Nucleic Acids Research. 26 (22), 24 September, pp. 5190-5198.Shadel, G. S., and D. A. Clayton. (1997) Mitochondrial DNA maintenance in vertebrates.Annu. Rev. Biochem. 66:409–435.Wallace, D.C. (2005). A mitochondrial paradigm of metabolic and degenerative diseases,  aging, and cancer: A dawn for evolutionary medicine. Annu Rev Genet. 39, pp. 359–407

Summary of Becoming Human’s Interactive Documentary

This is a documentary by Donald C. Johanson, a paleoanthropologist. It discusses about the evidences that prove where humans did originate. The story starts in Africa where our ancestors are believed to have first stood up and eventually continued to evolve and spread out across the globe.Insights of our ancestors In Johanson’s trip to Hadar Ethiopia in 1973, he made a discovery that firmly placed this geographical location as one of the most significant hominoid fossil sites in the world.He discovered bones of a hominid, which they called Lucy. Johanson called her Lucy because when her fossils were being examined, the song â€Å"Lucy† of the Beatles was playing on the background. He suspected it to be a female because of the skeleton’s petite stature. This discovery opened a major opportunity for the study of human origin. Kaye Reed, a paleoecologist, said that Hadar Ethiopia was a place full of trees three million years ago so it was a good place for animals to live in, more importantly there was enough food for hominids to eat.In line with this, the long arms of Lucy helped her to climb trees and get away from these predators and survive. There were also fossils in Saddaman, which were probably Lucy’s species, whose foot prints proved them to be hominids for they are bipedal. The brain size and body size of the fossils also prove that they are hominids. The Homo neanderthalensis are closely related to Homo sapiens, the genus for modern humans.One paleoanthropologist thinks that Homo sapiens succeeded to survive and Neanderthals went on being extinct without contributing to the modern human gene but another one thinks that modern humans have Neanderthal genes. The culture of man’s ancestors can be seen in Australia where human expression is visible through writings. It was also conducive for aboriginal artists to paint on. Reference: Institute of Human Origin (2008). Becoming Human. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www. b ecominghuman. org/node/interactive-docume

Whats the Difference Between AP Physics 1, 2, and C Which Should You Take

What's the Difference Between AP Physics 1, 2, and C Which Should You Take SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you interested in taking AP Physics? You might have noticed that the AP program offers more than one physics course. So what’s the difference between the different AP Physics classes- AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, and AP Physics C? We will introduce you to them and help you decide which one to take. What AP Physics Classes Are Offered? The AP Program used to offer three physics classes: AP Physics B, AP Physics C: Mechanics and AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism. However, the AP program recently replaced AP Physics B, a one-year course, with two one-year courses: AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2. These are both algebra-based physics courses, which means they don’t require a math background beyond Algebra II. The AP program still offers AP Physics C, which is broken into two courses and exams: Physics C: Mechanics and Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism. Many schools teach these as the same class, or just teach one topic. Both of these courses are calculus-based. This means that there are now four AP Physics exams: AP Physics 1 AP Physics 2 AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism AP Physics C: Mechanics The fact that there are now four AP Physics exams can be confusing. So do you take Physics 1, Physics 2, and Physics C in order? What’s new about Physics 1 and Physics 2? We will introduce you to all of the courses and help you decide which class is right for you. AP Physics 1 AP Physics 1 is an algebra-based, introductory, college-level physics course. It explores Newtonian mechanics (including rotational motion), work, energy, power, mechanical waves and sound, and circuits – in other words, fundamental physics concepts. AP Physics 1 was designed to be a first-year physics course which you can take without prior physics experience. This is the main difference from the old AP Physics B course, which was designed to be a second-year physics class. The AP program recommends that students have at least taken geometry and are concurrently taking Algebra II while taking this course. If you’re not that far along in math yet, consider taking a different science class until you’re caught up, as math is very important in physics. AP Physics 2 AP Physics 2 is also an algebra-based, college-level physics course. However, it delves into some more advanced topics than Physics 1. Physics 2 explores fluid statics and dynamics, thermodynamics with kinetic theory, PV diagrams and probability, electrostatics, electrical circuits with capacitors, magnetic fields, electromagnetism, physical and geometric optics, and quantum, atomic, and nuclear physics. AP Physics 2 was designed to be a second-year physics course. This means it could come after AP Physics 1 or any first-year physics course. Much of its content is similar to the old AP Physics B course. You can read the full descriptions of AP Physics 1 and Physics 2 at the Advanced Placement website. AP Physics C: Mechanics and AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Both AP Physics C courses are calculus-based, meaning you should have already taken calculus or concurrently be taking calculus while you take either AP Physics C course. This is the main factor that makes Physics C more challenging than Physics 1 and Physics 2. But what’s the difference between AP Physics C: Mechanics and AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism? Mechanics covers kinematics, Newton’s laws, work, energy, power, linear momentum, circular motion and rotation, oscillations and gravitation. As you can see, these are many of the same concepts explored in Physics 1. However, this course goes into more depth than Physics 1 and uses calculus, making it much more challenging. Electricity and Magnetism covers electrostatics, conductors, capacitors, dielectrics, electric circuits, magnetic fields, and electromagnetism. Notice there is some overlap with the Physics 2 curriculum, though again, Physics C will be more difficult since it incorporates calculus. The two topics are sometimes taught as the same course even though there are two different exams, with each topic being taught over one semester. When taught as a single class, Mechanics is usually taught first, and Electricity and Magnetism comes second. If schools only teach one topic, it tends to be Mechanics, since it builds on material most commonly taught in beginning physics classes (Newton’s laws, work, energy, power, etc). Each topic is supposed to be equivalent to one semester of college calculus-based physics. Because of this, AP Physics C is highly recommended to be at least a second-year physics course. You can read a full description of Physics C at the AP website. Which AP Physics Class Should You Take? Now that you know a little bit about the different AP Physics classes, you’re probably wondering which class you should take. Or, if you want to take more than one, you’re probably wondering the best order to take the classes in. We will present a few possible sequences, but we will also give you some steps to follow up with your school so you can choose the class that’s best for you! Option 1: Regular/Honors Physics, Then AP Physics 2 If your school doesn't offer AP Physics 1 or you don't want the first physics class you take to be an AP class, then one option is to start with a regular or honors physics class, where you learn the basic concepts of physics. Then, you can take AP Physics 2 as your second physics class. This option is ideal for students whose schools don't offer multiple AP Physics classes as well as students who don't have the time or desire to take multiple AP Physics classes. Physics 2 is the best AP Physics class to take after a regular or honors physics class (Physics 1 would pretty much just repeat what you already learned), although AP Physics C is also an option if you're taking/have already taken calculus. Option 2: AP Physics 1, Then AP Physics 2 The AP program says taking Physics 1 and 2 provide a solid physics background for future pre-med, geology, and life sciences students. They also say it’s a good option for students attending colleges where they will have to fulfill a science requirement but will not be studying science as their major. If your school teaches AP Physics 2 but not AP Physics 1, you can just replace AP Physics 1 with whatever introduction to physics course your school offers. Don’t jump straight into AP Physics 2 – it’s meant to be a second-year physics course! If your school teaches AP Physics 1 but not AP Physics 2, you could take Physics 1 and then take another natural science course (including chemistry and biology), a science elective, or consider taking AP Physics C if your school offers it. Option 3: AP Physics 1, Then AP Physics C AP recommends Physics C (along with AP Calculus AB or Calculus BC) for students aiming for engineering or physical science majors in college. However, taking AP Physics 1, Physics 2, and Physics C might be overkill – you would lose time for biology and chemistry. Getting exposure to all three natural sciences is important for a well-rounded, challenging high school career, especially if you're going into science or engineering. You also want to make sure you can fit in at least one of the AP Calculus classes. So if you want to take Physics C, start with AP Physics 1 (or a regular physics course), and then take AP Physics C, which will give you a total of two physics classes during high school. Physics C is intended as at least a second-year course, so don’t jump into it unprepared. Also make sure you have taken or are taking calculus while you take AP Physics C. Next Steps Now that you have a better idea of what the AP Physics classes cover and the general order they should be taken in, what should you do next? Read this section for the five steps you should follow. #1: Meet with your guidance counselor and find out which physics courses your school teaches. Do they offer both AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2, or do they just offer a basic introductory physics course? Do they teach AP Physics C? If so, do they teach Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, or both? Getting these answers is the first step to planning your schedule. Also keep in mind that since Physics 1 and Physics 2 are new classes, schools might still be working them into their schedules over the next few years. #2: During the meeting, ask about the recommended physics course sequence at your school. There may be required prerequisite courses or placement tests for the AP Physics courses, or your school might have a recommended order of science classes that includes biology and chemistry. #3: Find out who teaches the AP Physics classes Ask your counselor and ask other students. You can ask other students currently taking AP Physics what they think of the teacher and how prepared they feel for the AP test. You can ask your counselor what the AP Physics test pass rate is like at your school. Getting some background on how the classes are taught at your school can help you decide if AP Physics is right for you. As a brief example, at my high school, our AP Physics class included a lot of independent work and self-studying. It was great for students who were self-motivated, but challenging for students who wanted more support. Many students decided whether to take AP Physics based on whether they thought they could handle the independent nature of the class. #4: Ask for the syllabi for the different physics classes if you want to find out about the workload and topics they cover. This might help you choose between taking a regular introduction to physics course or AP Physics 1, or choose between AP Physics 2 and AP Physics C. #5: Find out about any summer assignments. AP courses often have summer assignments. AP Physics C in particular is likely to have summer work, especially if your school teaches both topics. Make sure to consider your schedule and summer commitments (like camps, jobs or trips) before signing up. And finally, be aware that Physics 1 and 2 are fairly courses so there are still kinks to be worked out. They won't have as many old-free response questions and other official practice materials to study with. If your school has a very strong, established AP Physics C class, it might be a better option for you if you’re up to the challenge. Bottom Line Aim to take AP Physics C if you are a future engineer or natural sciences major – but take it alongside or after taking calculus. If your school doesn’t offer Physics C, take AP Physics 2 or honors physics if you can. Taking AP Physics 1 and Physics 2 is plenty if you aren’t going to study natural sciences or engineering, but want to take challenging science courses in high school. If you’re considering college engineering but aren’t sure if it’s right for you, taking AP Physics C could be a good way to find out if you are up to the challenge and enjoy the topics you would continue to explore in college. What’s Next? Want to dip your toe into the physics pool to see if physics is the right AP science for you? We have straightforward articles on the law of conservation of mass, the specific heat of water, and the three formulas you need to calculate acceleration. How many AP courses total should you take? What if you want to get into an Ivy League school? Read our advice on AP course load here. Also studying for the SAT/ACT? Learn the difference between the two tests, including why one tests science and one doesn’t. Also figure out which test you will do best on. Curious about what it takes to get a perfect SAT score? Read advice from our full-scorer. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: