1. Question everything. If you didn't do the homework assignment and post it to the blog, then shame on you! Use this time to free write a list of questions and then if you have time, to do the following:
Research based on your questions. Start with wikipedia or google scholar, and as you go keep track of what you find out. Type the question and then a blurb of a paragraph or so on what you discover. Be sure and copy down the url for any site you visit. Let yourself wander and feel free to record any of your own ideas.
Post your questions and responses to the blog, and don't forget to put a jump break after the first. Also, post your Op-Ed if you haven't yet. The format should look like this:
1. How smart are octopuses?
- http://www.mollylaich.com/archives/1106
- http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/paul-the-octopus-who-predicted-world-cup-matches-dies/
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus#Intelligence
- Apparently they're smarter than you'd think. Paul the octopus correctly predicted the world cup winners for 8/8 games in the last world cup. While that's probably just an anomaly, different octopus species are as smart as dogs and able to use tools (coconuts as shelters).
2. For those of you who did your HW: Kudos! Pick the topic from your research that you're the most curious about and see if you can start to narrow down your focus enough to write 2000-3000 words on it by reflecting on how the topic relates to you:
- How am I involved directly with this topic?
- Can I explore how this topic relates to the place I live, or a place I've lived in the past?
- Did something happen recently concerning this topic that I can explore and thereby limit my scope?
- Is there an aspect of this topic that I could focus on, rather than trying to tackle the whole thing?
For example, say I want to explore how industries effect the sustainability of species. That's a broad topic I could probably write a book or two on. However, I can narrow it down to something more the length of a chapter of a book by addressing it from where I live and through the things that effect me.
One thing you all know how much I love beauty and health products. Hand cream, make up, lipstick–you name it, I love it–mouth wash, throat spray, tooth-paste (I just can't stop, I love them all so much!). Which makes me wonder: are the ingredients for all my products harvested sustainability? Have Montana plants faced any problems because of health or beauty products? To help me focus, I might ask the following focusing question to guide my research: Do any of the health and beauty products I use effect plant species in Montana? Read Heather's essay "Copper and Green" this weekend and you'll find out.
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