Lesson Plans to Explore the Definition of Christmas

The drive to preserve the separation of church in state in schools has meant that the curricular approach to teaching about Christmas has been watered down to the least common denominator. What is taught in school often has little to do with the real meaning of Christmas. By teaching about Christmas with lessons about Eid al Adha and Hannukah you can teach the history of Christmas as well as the traditions surrounding its celebration. Day One, Christmas as a Religious Holiday Objective: Students will name one reason Christmas is celebrated by Christians. Procedure: Do a KWL Chart with your classTell the basics of the Christmas Story. Use a crà ¨che, if you have one. Assessment: Distribute coloring pages. Put a place to write names on the coloring pages: Mary, Joseph, Jesus, Shepherds, angels. Day Two, Christmas Values Objective: Children will name ways in which we can live out Christmas Values. Brainstorm: What do these values mean? HospitalityGenerosityKindnessToleranceLove Procedure: Read The Christmas Tapestry by Patricia Polacco. Discuss the following questions: What did Jonathon Jefferson Weeks learn about Christmas?How did the tapestry change the life of the old Jewish woman?What was the Tapestry, really?Which of the Christmas Values did Jonathon and his father show to the old woman?Did the old woman show to Jonathon and his father? Day Three, Christmas Gift Givers Objective: Children will match countries to Christmas Gift Givers. Procedure: Perform an internet search and have students find the country for each of the following gift givers. Santa ClausSinterklaasChristkindFather ChristmasPere Noel Report: On chart paper, write countries next to gift givers. Place labels on the map. Day Four, Christmas Celebrations Objective: Students will compare family traditions surrounding Christmas Procedure: Create a chart with the following categories: Tree: When does it go up? What do you put on the top?Presents: When do you open presents?Stockings: Does everyone in your family have a stocking? Are they all still filled?Food: What do you eat Christmas Eve? Have a tasting. Prepare  Wassail  with your children, or ahead of time. Day Five, Christmas Around the World Objective: Students will compare and contrast practices between an American Christmas celebration and a celebration in another country. Procedure: Read about Christmas in another country. If you know someone from another culture, invite them. You may also check out Santas Net, which has narratives about many countries. Make a same/different chart. Write the things that are different between the two holidays under different, those that are the same under the same.

The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald - 1222 Words

Machiavelli Essay F. Scott Fitzgerald portrayed all of his characters with pro-Machiavellian ideas or principles as well as anti-Machiavellian ideals through various power struggles in the duration of his acclaimed novel, The Great Gatsby. All the Machiavellian maxims can be found throughout Fitzgerald s Jazz Age novel and are applied toward multiple characters. As the landscape of the story changes, the conclusions about the characters to which Fitzgerald was presenting become more and more evident. The characters that successfully portray two of the ten Machiavellian maxims also determine whether they are crowned as an unsuccessful or successful Machiavellian prince. The two following Machiavellian maxims are found in The Great Gatsby: It is not titles that honor men, but men that honor titles and politics have no relation to morals. The characters that demonstrate those maxims are: Myrtle Wilson, Jay Gatsby, Daisy and Tom Buchanan. The meaning of the first maxim conveys that if one is given a grandeur title that person might or might not uphold that particular title. It must be left upon oneself to establish and maintain their title, whether it be a good or bad one. In this context, Fitzgerald’s novel, the characters commit doings that both determine and establish if they live up to their characterization as an unsuccessful or successful prince. The second maxim, politics have no relation to morals, takes on the issues of politics and the lack of morals within politicalShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald1393 Words   |  6 PagesF. Scott Fitzgerald was the model of the American image in the nineteen twenties. He had w ealth, fame, a beautiful wife, and an adorable daughter; all seemed perfect. Beneath the gilded faà §ade, however, was an author who struggled with domestic and physical difficulties that plagued his personal life and career throughout its short span. This author helped to launch the theme that is so prevalent in his work; the human instinct to yearn for more, into the forefront of American literature, where itRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1343 Words   |  6 PagesHonors English 10 Shugart 18 Decemeber 2014 The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald s 1925 novel The Great Gatsby is a tragic love story, a mystery, and a social commentary on American life. The Great Gatsby is about the lives of four wealthy characters observed by the narrator, Nick Carroway. Throughout the novel a mysterious man named Jay Gatsby throws immaculate parties every Saturday night in hope to impress his lost lover, Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby lives in a mansion on West Egg across from DaisyRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1155 Words   |  5 PagesThe Great Gatsby The Jazz Age was an era where everything and anything seemed possible. It started with the beginning of a new age with America coming out of World War I as the most powerful nation in the world (Novel reflections on, 2007). As a result, the nation soon faced a culture-shock of material prosperity during the 1920’s. Also known as the â€Å"roaring twenties†, it was a time where life consisted of prodigality and extravagant parties. Writing based on his personal experiences, author F. ScottRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1166 Words   |  5 Pagesin the Haze F. Scott Fitzgerald lived in a time that was characterized by an unbelievable lack of substance. After the tragedy and horrors of WWI, people were focused on anything that they could that would distract from the emptiness that had swallowed them. Tangible greed tied with extreme materialism left many, by the end of this time period, disenchanted. The usage of the literary theories of both Biographical and Historical lenses provide a unique interpretation of the Great Gatsby centered aroundRead MoreThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald845 Words   |  3 PagesIn F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, colors represent a variety of symbols that relate back to the American Dream. The dream of being pure, innocent and perfect is frequently associated with the reality of corruption, violence, and affairs. Gatsby’s desire for achieving the American Dream is sought for through corruption (Schneider). The American Dream in the 1920s was perceived as a desire of w ealth and social standings. Social class is represented through the East Egg, the WestRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay970 Words   |  4 Pagesrespecting and valuing Fitzgerald work in the twenty-first century? Fitzgerald had a hard time to profiting from his writing, but he was not successful after his first novel. There are three major point of this essay are: the background history of Fitzgerald life, the comparisons between Fitzgerald and the Gatsby from his number one book in America The Great Gatsby, and the Fitzgerald got influences of behind the writing and being a writer. From childhood to adulthood, Fitzgerald faced many good andRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald2099 Words   |  9 Pagesauthor to mirror his life in his book. In his previous novels F. Scott Fitzgerald drew from his life experiences. He said that his next novel, The Great Gatsby, would be different. He said, â€Å"In my new novel I’m thrown directly on purely creative work† (F. Scott Fitzgerald). He did not realize or did not want it to appear that he was taking his own story and intertwining it within his new novel. In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, he imitates his lifestyle through the Buchanan family to demonstrateRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1607 Words   |  7 Pages The Great Gatsby is an American novel written in 1925 by F. Scott Fitzgerald. One of the themes of the book is the American Dream. The American Dream is an idea in which Americans believe through hard work they can achieve success and prosperity in the free world. In F. Scott Fitzgerald s novel, The Great Gatsby, the American Dream leads to popularity, extreme jealousy and false happiness. Jay Gatsby’s recent fortune and wealthiness helped him earn a high social position and become one of the mostRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1592 Words   |  7 PagesMcGowan English 11A, Period 4 9 January 2014 The Great Gatsby Individuals who approach life with an optimistic mindset generally have their goals established as their main priority. Driven by ambition, they are determined to fulfill their desires; without reluctance. These strong-minded individuals refuse to be influenced by negative reinforcements, and rely on hope in order to achieve their dreams. As a man of persistence, the wealthy Jay Gatsby continuously strives to reclaim the love of hisRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1646 Words   |  7 PagesThe 1920s witnessed the death of the American Dream, a message immortalized in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Initially, the American Dream represented the outcome of American ideals, that everyone has the freedom and opportunity to achieve their dreams provided they perform honest hard work. During the 1920s, the United States experienced massive economic prosperity making the American Dream seem alive and strong. However, in Fitzgerald’s eyes, the new Am erican culture build around that

Fad Diets Free Essays

NO FAD DIETS Americans are obsessed with dieting. They willingly try the latest diet appearing in popular magazines, discussed on talk shows, and displayed on the shelves of a local bookstore. The basic premises to a healthy life seem simple, and Americans are even given specific guidelines- outlined in the food pyramid- as to how much of each food group to eat. We will write a custom essay sample on Fad Diets or any similar topic only for you Order Now If this is so, why then, is obesity one of the leading health risks confronting Americans? It may be because the simple and healthy road to weight loss is actually a long-term process. Therefore, it is tempting for Americans to substitute diets and exercise regimens with what are known as â€Å"fad diets†Ã¢â‚¬â€diets that promise quick and easy results. Long term weight loss does not come from extreme diets and quick fix decisions; losing weight and keeping it off comes from choosing a healthy lifestyle and making it a habit. Despite research, fad diets have achieved popularity proving their dangers and inefficiency. Just as a car needs the proper gasoline, the human body needs a healthy diet; a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fat to properly develop. Although fad diets may share very different â€Å"truths†, most have many common characteristics: most claim to provide insight and new results, but they are simply replicas of older fad diets (Hobbs 2007, 42). They also claim that specific foods or group of foods are the â€Å"enemy† and should be banned from the diet. This is a myth—there is not a single food which is capable of causing weight gain or loss (Hobbs 2007, 42). Another characteristic of a fad diet is that they usually promise fast results. These diets are usually not supported by scientific evidence, and the information they provide are usually derived from a single study or analysis (Hobbs 2007, 42). An example of a popular fad diet is called â€Å"The Zone. † This plan was created by Barry Sears, PhD in 1995 (Greene 2003, 23). Sear’s principle argument is that human beings are programmed to function best on only two food groups: lean proteins and natural carbohydrates (Greene 2003, 24). Consumption of carbohydrates, according to Sears, produces insulin—a process that converts carbohydrates into fat (Greene 2003, 22). Critics of this diet argue that Sear’s theory regarding insulin production is an â€Å"unproven gimmick† (Greene 2003, 22). Individuals who go on fad diets are putting their body at risk for disease and illness. A second well-known fad diet is called â€Å"Sugar Busters. † This plan was created by H. Leighton Steward (Greene 2003, 13). Labeling sugar as the enemy because it releases insulin and then stores it as body fat, â€Å"Sugar Busters† demands that both refined and processed sugars be taken out of one’s diet (Greene 2003, 13). This includes potatoes, white rice, corn, and carrots. Sugar is not naturally toxic and it is dangerous to eliminate along with complex carbohydrates, which provide a good source of fiber (Greene 2003, 14). This plan, just like many other fad diets, calls for the elimination of a specific food. It is ignoring the fact that the human body needs many types of foods to stay healthy (Greene 2007, 17). These fad diets promote high- fat foods which, in turn, can increase the risk for heart disease, cancer, high cholesterol, and liver and kidney damage. A 2007 Stanford University study took 311 women who averaged 40 years old and 189 pounds, and put them on 1 out of 4 diets—the low carbohydrate Atkins and Zone diets, or the low-fat Ornish and LEARN diets. After six months, the Atkins dieters had lost 13 pounds; the others 6 to 8 pounds. All the dieters, however, started to regain what they had lost (American Heart Association 2005, 12). In the past year, the Atkins dieters regained 3 pounds, and the others had gained back 3 to 8 pounds (American Heart Association 2005, 11). None of these dieters could stick to the dieting plan for a long-term period. Fad diets are extreme plans that lack valid evidence and research. High-fat diets may promote short-term weight loss, but most of the loss is caused by dehydration (Hobbs 2007, 14). As the kidneys try to destroy fats and proteins, water is lost (Hobbs 2007, 14). High-fat diets are low in calories causing depletion of body mass instead of fat loss (Hobbs 2007, 16). Fad diets argue that the human body responds to carbohydrates in a way that causes weight gain. If Americans are gaining weight, it is because of the quantities they consume. Weight gain is due to the excessive calories, not the carbohydrates that invite obesity (Greene 2003, 22). If fad diets work, it is due to the decreasing of calories being consumed [The Zone’s diet calls for less than one thousand calories a day] (Greene 2007, 33). Fad diets are very difficult to keep up with since they ban certain products and require repeated eating of certain foods. These fad diets are low in calcium, fiber, and other important vitamins (Hobbs 2003, 32). This provides many dangers such as heart disease, hardening of arteries, and high cholesterol. Many fad diets contribute to the â€Å"yo-yo dieting. † Yo-yo dieting is the successive loss and gain of weight due to excessive dieting. This makes weight loss slow when it is looked at from a healthy perspective (American Heart Association 2005, 39). Because of the obvious health dangers and the failure to provide long-term weight loss, this should encourage people to stop using fad diets but that is not the case. Fad diets continue to remain the substitute for healthy diet plans and exercise. Each year, Americans spend more than thirty billion dollars fighting fat—often on gimmicks that do not work (American Heart Association 2005, 9). What is so appealing to Americans about fad diets? Instead of pursuing the long and enduring road of healthy diets and habits, most embrace the â€Å"easy fix† – the fad diet. When one hears of a person losing a significant amount of weight, one often does not even question the health risks, and they embrace this quick way of losing weight for themselves. Devoting to a lifestyle that includes exercise and eating a proper diet with moderate portions is still the best method to lose weight and keep it off (Greene 2007, 21). Those who make the change from a typical high-fat fad diet to one that follows a diet based on the food pyramid will slowly and safely lose weight (Greene 2007, 22). It is important to note that it is possible for fad diets to prove effective for certain individuals. Each body is different, reacting to certain diets in different ways (Hobbs 2003, 56). Fad diets may work on bodies that are used to such extreme constraints. Diversity, however, is the most basic principle for the human body (Hobbs 2003, 59). The fact that fad diets disregard this most fundamental truth renders them unhealthy and ineffective. The diet industry is giving the world what they want—a diet plan that can be followed while keeping the same of living (Greene 2007, 40). If a person want to lose weight, it is best to stay away from fad diets. A magic pill or diet will not take weight off. A person trying to lose weight should talk to their physician about a healthy weight loss plan that is right for their individual needs. Also, Exercise goes hand-in-hand with weight loss. Simply walking 2 to 3 times each week will boost your metabolism. Studies show that ninety-five percent of people who lose weight gain it back within five years (Greene 2007, 32). It is not surprising that nearly twenty-five percent of Americans are confused when it comes to dieting (Greene 2007, 32). Reducing calories, no matter how approached, will result in weight loss, but when cutting calories, it is also important to choose foods that nourish the body (Greene 2007, 35). In conclusion, fad diets do not result in long-term weight loss, are nutritionally inadequate, and should simply be avoided. The key diet for weight loss is one that reduces overall caloric intake and promotes physical activity. Psalm 139:14 says, â€Å"For I am fearfully and wonderfully made. † We need to live a lifestyle that reflects this principle; fad diets are not a reflection of this. God designed us exactly how He wanted to, and that should bring comfort to each and every person in this world. How to cite Fad Diets, Essay examples

Motivation and Emotion free essay sample

J. Aznarez Motivation is the force behind behavior. Different things can be factors for motivation. Instincts make us eat when we are hungry, sleep when we are tired, and drink when we are thirsty. The body’s basic needs are taken care of by the natural instinct to fulfill those needs. I think it could be argued that the basic needs are also motivated by drive, or lack of, to satisfy those same natural behaviors. You know you will be hungry by a certain point so you may snack in order to reduce the drive to overeat later, or to satisfy the need before instinct takes over. There are some who seek out stimulation and excitement, thrill seekers, who are motivated by the adrenaline rush they receive. Their motivation is aroused by the anticipation of something that might be considered dangerous by others. Skydiving, bungee jumping, zip lining are all examples of things that would motivate a thrill seeker. We will write a custom essay sample on Motivation and Emotion or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Motivation can also be brought on by setting goals for ourselves. Cognitive motivation is the explanation for wanting to lose twenty pounds in time for bikini season. At the same time, being able to fit into the bikini is the incentive motivation to lose the weight. For children, you might use incentive motivation so that they complete homework, by telling them they will receive a snack afterward. Eventually, the child will know that they will always receive a snack and it becomes a goal to finish the homework. Incentive and cognitive motivation are a yin and yang of sorts; they co-exist with each other to push us to complete tasks. Our motivations are usually accompanied by our emotions, both positive and negative. Positive emotions such as love and joy are felt when we meet and exceed our goals and expectations or because someone has helped to keep their motivation to complete the goals. Fear, anger, and sadness are negative emotions that accompany not satisfying a need or a goal. I start every week in this class fearful that I overthink the assignments or that I do not understand it properly and I will make a mistake. By the next week, I am happy that I did better than I thought I would. I am driven and motivated by the need to achieve, to accomplish school, to show my children that nothing is impossible, and to show them that we always have to work to achieve our dreams and goals. I think I tend to take a cognitive approach to school, because my ultimate goal is to use my education to help my son, my nephew, and other children work through their emotional and behavioral disorders, but it could also be incentive driven because my reward is to help them achieve their goals and expectations.