World War WebQuest I: World War Topics

The Internet is yours. Use a search engine like Google to explore some topics about WWI, WWII, or both that interest you. Take notes on your worksheet and let me know how it goes.


WWI (1914-1919) Chapter 24 Topics
Alvin York
Armistice
Battles (Marne, Ypres)
Convoy system
Espionage Act & Sedition Act
Fourteen Points
John J. Pershing
New Weapons (tanks, poison gas, fighter planes, etc.)
President Woodrow Wilson
Soldiers of WWI
The sinking of the Lusitania
Treaty of Versailles
Trench Warfare
Zimmermann Telegram



Both WWI & WWII
Cartoons’ or movies’ involvement in the war effort
Propaganda (posters, cartoons)
The Home Front (rationing, victory gardens, civilian defense)
U-Boats
War bonds and other fundraising
Minority achievements:
African-American
Asian-American
Hispanic-American
Native American
Women


WWII (1939-1945) Chapter 27
Adolf Hitler (Germany)
Anne Frank
Atomic Bomb
Bataan Death March
Battle of Midway
Battle of the Bulge
Benito Mussolini (Italy)
Holocaust/Concentration Camps
D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
Doolittle Raids on Japan
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Eleanor Roosevelt
Fascism
fire bombing of Dresden (Germany)
Franklin D. Roosevelt
General Douglas McArthur
Hideki Tojo (Japan)
Japanese-American internment
Joseph Stalin (Russia)
Manhattan Project
Navajo Code-talkers
New Weapons (rockets, jets, etc.)
Oskar Schindler
Pearl Harbor
Rosie the Riveter
Underground Resistance Movements (in France, Poland, and other countries)
USO (entertainment for the troops)
Warsaw Uprising
Winston Churchill (England)
Women in the military (WACs, WASPs, etc.)

World War II WebQuest II: The War Online

I blogged about Ken Burns' documentary about WWII simpled called The War a while ago. I'm not sure whether will have time to watch it in class but there are excellent online resources at the website.
So go ahead and explore. Go to the Search & Explore part of the website by clicking here, then look for videos, pictures, and other documents about some of the topics that interest you.

Who's (not?) running for president in 2008?

Students:
Choose two Democratic and two Republican presidential candidates for the November 2008 election and write them down on your worksheet along with some additional information. Choose candidates that you're interested in and be prepared to share your findings with the class and to journal about them next class.


Democratic Party Candidates
1. Barack Obama
2. Bill Richardson
3. Christopher Dodd
4. Dennis Kucinich
5. Hillary Clinton
6. Joe Biden
7. John Edwards
8. Mike Gravel

Republican Party Candidates
1. Rudy Giuliani
2. Mike Huckabee
3. Duncan Hunter
4. Alan Keyes
5. John McCain
6. Ron Paul
7. Mitt Romney
8. Tom Tancredo
9. Fred Thompson

The War on PBS

I wrote about Ken Burns' PBS documentaryThe War just before it was broadcast back in July. I was a little weary about the documentary being a little unbalanced, which proved to be unfounded.

I wasn't able to watch it when it was broadcast originally but I recorded it and my wife and I were able to watch the whole 14 hour (give or take) series this Thanksgiving weekend. I have to be honest here and confess even though I've been given a copy of Burns' landmark documentary about the Civil War I haven't watched it. I did enjoy his documentary on Jazz and I think I did catch a few episodes of his baseball documentary.

I knew that The War would be good but I wasn't prepared for how amazing it was. Using very low-tech presentation tools, Burn's Tour-de-Force lets the people who lived the war tell their stories. I really felt a depth of understanding that I haven't in other documentaries. Its coverage of mainstream American's, Japanese American's, and African-American's experience during WWII works so well because Burn's doesn't try to overreach himself and tell every single story. He instead focusing on four American towns and the wars impact there.

It's highly recommended and we'll be watching parts of it in class.

World War I letters--as a blog

After reading up on WWI at Wikipedia and trying to sort out every county involved and who was on which side (Italy’s role is particularly complex), I came across this blog. It’s told from the point of view of Englishman Harry Lamin’s actual letters as a soldier during the war.

Here’s one of his letters:

37/74 M Coy 15 Hut
10th Training Reserves
Rugeley Staffs

February 7th 1917

Dear Kate
I was very pleased to receive your letter. The weather here is very cold and we don’t get much fire. We have been vaccinated this week well last Monday but we have to do all drills just the same. Ethel says Annie’s cold is much better. I can’t get a shut of mine but I am lucky to keep as well as I do. We have four blankets a piece and a bag of straw about 6in. from the floor on three planks to lie on. There are 29 in our hut and there only suppose to have twenty. I think it will be another five or six weeks before I get a pass I am ready for one anytime. Ethel says Connie and Willie are alright he will soon be a year old now and have two letters from Jack he seems to be getting all right. We don’t get too much to eat, bread and jam dripping we have to do the cleaning in turns but the cooking is done at the cookhouse. I have not got any fatter yet I don’t suppose I shall do

Will write soon

With Love

from Harry

What a fascinating idea! I haven’t read much of it yet, but it’s got me thinking about some ideas to do for our upcoming world wars project.

Check it out by clicking here. His full diary is posted at the companion site, which you can link to from the main page (on the left-hand side).

Chapter 24 WWI: "The Great War"

We're finishing up the Great Depression this week and jumping back to WWI. Eventually will cover WWII and compare the two.
Starting on Friday, 11/16, we'll be working on the Ch 24 Crossword. If you need to finish it or check your answers, you can go to www.classzone.com to find it or just click here.

WebQuest V: Helping out

If you have time (that's if--don't do this one first. You should start with WebQuest I. Page down!) check out our loans at Kiva.org. You'll also have a chance to give a dollar on Thursday to the Cradle adoption agency for Red Ribbon Week.
Click on the links to check them out.

WebQuest IV: The Golden Age of Radio

Google "1920s radio" or "1930s radio" and see what sites come up. Share ones that you think are good with your neighbors, the class, and me.

Next, find out about these radio people that we will hear from on Friday:

• Baby Snooks
  
• Lucille Ball (before TV)
• Abbott & Costello (what's there most famous routine?)
• James Cagney
  
• Groucho Marx (pictured above)
• Mae West
  

WebQuest III: Classzone.com

Go to your textbook's website at www.classzone.com and check out Ch 26 items.
Can you find the. . .

1. crossword?
2. quiz?
3. chapter links?

Ask another student or me if you need help.

WebQuest II: 1920s & 1930s Fashion

20s & 30s Day is just around the corner: Friday, October 26th. You’ve read the handout; now check out some era fashions on the web.

You can use the search terms that we came up with in class. If you find good sites you can post them for us in comment section or let me know in class.

A good site that I found was Fashion Era



These sites are also good as well:
(The first two are actually pages of links to lots of sites. Especially check out the “Chicago Exhibition” listed under history on the 20s site.)
http://www.wtps.org/WTHS/imc/Teacher_Assignment/social_studies/mcfadden%20the%2020s.htm

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~1930s/Print/printindex.html

There's also some fun cultural items here:
http://www.crazyfads.com/20s.htm

This activity is from last year so if there are any broken links or new ones that I should use, let me know.

WebQuest I: Website Rundown: Real or fake?

Click on these links and take a minute or two to check out these websites. Be prepared to report back to the class if you think that they’re real or a hoax and why.

Boilerplate

Fun Phone

GolfCross

The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus

20s & 30s Day will be Friday, 10/26

I'm looking forward to a great day of music, activities, learning, and fun.
Since we'll be dressing up, check out my post from last year here to see some examples of fashion to assist you in dressing up.

How to dress up for ’20s &’30s Day…

First, look around the house and/or ask some willing family or friends to let you look in their closets. You’ll be surprised what you might find. A loose fitting dress (for the girls) or a plain suit (for the boys) can work by simply accessorizing!

Here are some suggestions for accessories to make a simple outfit look like the ’20s or ’30s:

WOMEN

· Feather boa

· Headband (worn around the forehead with a feather or covered in sequins)

· Long pearl necklaces

· Cloche or “bowl” hat

· An aviator hat and/or leather jacket (the Amelia Earhart look)

MEN

· Floppy cap

· Fedora

· Newsboy cap

· Suspenders

· Bow tie

· Aviator hat and/or leather jacket (the Charles Lindbergh look)

To buy or rent accessories or whole outfits check out these shops. Call first to check hours.

Ø Fantasy Headquarters (costumes)

4065 N. Milwaukee Ave. (at Irving Park and Cicero) in Chicago

773-777-0222

Ø Salvation Army Thrift Store (second-hand clothes)

6536 Roosevelt Road in Oak Park

848-1181

Ø Margie’s II (second-hand vintage clothes)

2208 N. Mannheim Rd. in Melrose Park

847-451-9836 (call first; hours vary)

Ø Fashions Anew (second-hand clothes for women)

183 S. Oak Park Ave. in Oak Park

848-0120

There are numerous other locations in the city of Chicago; check the yellow pages, Chicago newspapers, or online for other options.

Kiva.org Update: Furkat Sultonov

From kiva.org
Loan has been disbursed

Thank you for your loan. It has been disbursed to Furkat Sultonov by MLF MicroInvest-Tajikistan in Tajikistan. We are excited to watch this business grow. Over the next 10 - 16 months, MLF MicroInvest-Tajikistan will be collecting repayments from this entrepreneur and posting progress updates on the Kiva website.

Posted by Madina Umarova from Khujand, Tajikistan
Sep 6, 2007

Kiva.org Loan Update: SANFO ISSIAKA

From Kiva.org
Loan has been disbursed

Thank you for your loan. It has been disbursed to SANFO ISSIAKA by Afrique Emergence & Investissements in Cote D'Ivoire. We are excited to watch this business grow. Over the next 15 - 21 months, Afrique Emergence & Investissements will be collecting repayments from this entrepreneur and posting progress updates on the Kiva website.

How can people believe something that isn’t true?

We've been talking a lot about 9/11 in class and have discussed various conspiracy theories and the publics perception of 9/11 & the Iraq War.
Looking through Google News I found this interesting article from CBS News (9/12/07):

Polls, Truth Sometimes At Odds
CBS' Kathy Frankovic: Political Views, Psychology Can Make People Believe In Falsehoods

How can people believe something that isn’t true?

A significant number of Americans say Saddam Hussein was personally involved in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. That number rose above 50 percent in the run-up to the war in Iraq in 2003. While that belief has since declined somewhat, for many Americans it still exists. In the latest CBS News/New York Times Poll 33 percent said they believe Saddam was personally involved in the 9/11 attacks. As has been repeated over and over, there was and is no evidence of any such link. So why do so many people believe something that just isn’t true?

What do you think?
You can read the rest of the article here.

Kiva.org, "A little goes a long way" Update

With the great popularity of Kiva.org since being featured on Oprah we have managed to loan money to three people. Not all classes have been able to do it and so far there have been a lot fewer student donations than I would have liked. Therefore, I think that we will be tracking the loans as a school rather than as individual classes.
More info to come.
In the meantime, here's the rundown on who we've lent money to(click on the pictures to find out more):

SANFO ISSIAKA from Cote D'Ivoire in Africa

Fukart Sultonov from Tajikistan

Martha Álvarez from Ecuador

There is also more info about Kiva.org at the PBS's Frontline World site. There is an article, a video link, and more if you click here. Or the video link is here.

Check it out.

Kiva.org: Scooped by Oprah & Bill

From Kiva.org: Due to a recent surge in support ignited by viewers of the Oprah Winfrey Show , there is currently a shortage of businesses in need of loans. The Kiva.org staff and our Field Partners are working overtime to get more businesses on the website.
In the meantime, thank you for your patience!

I was really excited about getting my classes involved in Kiva.org this year. I was home sick on Wednesday when Oprah & Bill Clinton told the whole world about the site. Now it’s inundated with givers—so much so that there is often no one to lend to and lenders who are up there stay up for minutes at a time. While I’m happy that so many people are participating it looks like some of my classes will have to hold off for a while. I was able to make loans with 1B & 2B classes though.

More updates in the future.

Microlending with Kiva.org

Over the next week we'll be looking into making a few small loans using Kiva.org. You can find out more on their website (click on the picture).
Normally you would get your money back if the person pays the loan, but since some of the loan terms are over 12 months, the money will instead be rolled over into the next lending cycle and/or next year's class. If classes fall short of the $25 necessary for a loan, I'll kick in the rest of the money. Any class that raises more than $30 I'll help them to the next level of $50.
As a class we'll decide who to sponsor and we'll track the loans in class.
Thanks!

School’s just around the corner

School starts next week for another exciting year. I’ve been busy this summer finishing up my masters in reading at NEIU, traveling the Midwest and taking a short trip out to the east cost, attending lots of weddings, and reading for pleasure.

In Chicago my wife and I have been hosting guests, cycling around, and enjoying the city. We also attended Lollapalooza for all three hot and sunny (and sometimes rainy) days.

I’m currently working my way through the novel Shogun by James Clavell. I love historical fiction and am quite a Japanofile (since I lived and taught there for two years) so I don’t know how it took me so long to finally read this book. I often have a short attention span and while I read a lot there are few authors that can keep me interested for 1200 pages but I’m over 800 pages in and can’t put the book down. The personal stories, culture clash, and political intrigue are all interwoven so well that you’re immersed in the story.

In addition to reading some historical fiction novels I’ve also been reading some graphic novels, including the often recommended Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. It’s an autobiographical coming of age story set in turbulent Iran of the 1980s.

Ken Burns on WWII

Famous documentary filmmaker Ken Burns has a new sprawling documentary on WWII coming out this fall. WTTW Chicago has been running half-hour previews of it this July. Can anything more really be added to one of the most documented events (ever?) in human history?
One one hand, what more can be said? On the other Ken Burns is a masterful filmmaker and will undoubtedly add something to our insight and understanding.

From the website: THE WAR, a seven-part series directed and produced by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, tells the story of the Second World War through the personal accounts of a handful of men and women from four quintessentially American towns. The series explores the most intimate human dimensions of the greatest cataclysm in history — a worldwide catastrophe that touched the lives of every family on every street in every town in America — and demonstrates that in extraordinary times, there are no ordinary lives.

The trailer on the PBS website certainly looks compelling but as with most contemporary retellings of the war, Burns wants it both ways: war is hell but what a great war it was.

I also notice that the History Channel has been rerunning the excellent Band of Brothers series this summer.

UPDATE: Well, after watching the half-hour preview I don't think that this series will overly romanticize the war. I'm really looking forward to seeing it this spring.

Dunce-Cap Nation?

You can take a global IQ quiz here at the Newsweek website, but with 150 questions of mostly trivia, it's not going to make you feel very smart. (I stopped at question 50)

Since we're on the subject of not feeling so good about yourself, there's yet another poll that "found many gaps in America's knowledge." While I'm not so concerned with Americans being able to know the first five presidents, there are some more troubling statistics. 41% thought that Saddam had something to do with 9/11. More of the adults polled knew the winner of American Idol than the Current Supreme Court Chief Justice. I think that it's almost more generational if you know the answer. I know the Chief Justice but I have know idea who won American Idol. You can read more here.

Update: I just asked my wife figuring that she would know both, but she didn't know who won American Idol. Has she moved on into my demographic?

Blagojevich the Fanatic

Over at the on-again-off-again-but-always-funny The Daley Show Blog (a play on words: The Daily Show + Mayor Richard M. Daley) they’re having some fun with the Governor and Photoshop.

Besides being an avid runner, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is quite the Chicago sports enthusiast. In recent weeks, he's been seen cheering and even participating at various contests.

Here, he helps Luol Deng track down a loose ball in a game against Detroit. The governor was whistled for a moving pick violation.


Check out rest of the post by clicking here.

Politician Postcard WebQuest

Activity I: Politicians in the news

Turn to the Government Officials page (73) in the back of your blue constitution workbook. Choose one of the officials to search for in the news archive. You can type in their full name (e.g. Rod Blagojevich) or their title and last name (e.g. Governor Blagojevich) and click on the news button. It’s a good idea to choose who you’ll be writing to.

You will see news stories relating to the person. Choose two articles from the first page of results (make sure that they aren’t about the same thing). Summarize them briefly but coherently on your worksheet.

Next, find the address to write to them. It’s best to start where they work (the Senate, White House, and so on). Start with Google and see what you come up with. If you have trouble, ask for help.

How to Address Politicians
When writing your politicians, you should always address them properly. Whenever e-mailing your politicians, you should use the same salutations as below. Letters should be addressed in the following manner:

Senators:
Honorable______________
United States Senator
(Address)
Dear Senator_____________

Representatives:
Hon.______________
Member of Congress
(Address)
Dear Congressman___________

Governors:
Hon.______________
(Address)
Dear Governor_____________


President:
Hon. ____________
President of the United States
(Address)
Dear President ______

Activity II: Postcards

Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
Iraq War
Taxes
Postage
Driving age
Curfew
School rules
Immigration
Wages
Working age
Darfur (Sudan)
Global warming
Gas prices
School hours
Other topics?

Sudan

We are going to be writing postcards to politicians soon and to highlight one of the many issues that we might write about we are watching a Channel One investigation on the conflict.
You can watch it and do more related activities by clicking here.

U.S. Constitution WebQuest

First, take a look at the Declaration of Independence by clicking here, then the Constitution by clicking here (same site), and the Bill of Rights. You can also check out an interactive constitution here.

Next, try your hand at your America IQ by going to the channel one site (click here) and trying the quiz.


Finally, look up the names of the Federal Government Officials on page 73 (on the back, inside cover) of your constitution workbook.
Fill in all of the Federal Government officials (first eight), the Secretary of State, and the Representative from your district (your district is the 5th—make sure that it is the federal Representative. His initials are R.E.). You don’t need to fill out the other ones.
Transfer that information to page 6, #98-104, in your Constitution Practice Test.

Chapter 32 WebQuest

1) The Presidential Election of 2000
First we will read about the 2000 election in your textbook. Then, take a look at these two sites about he election:

CNN
Wikipedia

Who won the election? Who got the most votes?

Next, compare that to the up coming 2008 presidential election. I know that it’s early but check out these sites:

http://www.270towin.com/
Have the called Illinois for the Republicans or the Democrats? Which are they predicting to win the election?

http://www.electoral-vote.com/ (this site has the 2004 results on the top, but scroll down to the bottom to see current polls)
Who is favored in Illinois for the Democrats? For the Republicans?

2) Chapter 32 Practice Quiz
Go to https://mlas.classzone.com/ and log-in. There you will find a practice quiz for Ch 32. Take it with a friend and see how you do.

3) 80s Trivia Hunt
Guess what? I don’t know the answers to our trivia questions. I didn’t check my answers until after I printed up the questions and the website doesn’t have the answers. Look around the Internet and find the answers to these:

Which of the following was the first video to be aired on MTV?
Down Under by Men at Work
Money for Nothing by Dire Straits
Physical by Olivia Newton John
Video Killed the Radio Star by the Buggles

Which of the following was not a character on the Smurfs?
Wild Smurf
Slouchy Smurf
Forgetful Smurf
Clumsy Smurf

Which of the following video games did not lead to a Saturday morning cartoon?
Pac Man
Joust
Q-bert
Donkey Kong

Which of the following nations did not boycott the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles?
U.S.S.R.
East Germany
Romania
Albania

Which of the following Transformers was not a decepticon?
Megatron
Jazz
Starscream
Soundwave

In what year was the major league baseball season cut short by a 50 day strike?
1981
1982
1983
1984

Which of the following television shows was the first to debut?
Head of the Class
Growing Pains
Perfect Strangers
My Sister Sam

In October of which year did the US stock market crash?
1984
1985
1986
1987

Which of the following was not a Billboard #1 hit?
Rock Me Amadeus by Falco
Material Girl by Madonna
Take On Me by A-Ha
Jack and Diane by John Cougar

The famous "Where's the Beef?" commercial was a commercial for which fast food chain?
McDonald's
Burger King
Wendy's
Roy Rogers

Iraq & Vietnam

We are discussing Ch 30 on Vietnam in school now and comparing the War to the current war in Iraq.




WEBQUEST
Find websites that chronicle what life is like for U.S. soldiers in Iraq. You can then use this information to help you write your letter with realism and creativity. Be prepared to share what you find with the class.









Assignment
Chapter 30 Assessment
Comparing the Vietnam War and the current Iraq War
You have been called up for active duty!

You were recently called up for active duty for the armed forces. You will need your notebook, folder, and textbook. Warning: There may be spies in our midst and sensitive information could fall into enemy hands. You may not share your supplies or information with anyone. You may use information from any sources and your own knowledge, but you may not share it with other soldiers.

To start writing this letter, we will use the RAFT formula.

R is for Role. You are a solider but what kind? Where in Iraq?
You could also be:
· a nurse or doctor
· a soldier from another country in Iraq like Poland or England
· a civilian at home in the U.S. writing to someone in Iraq
· an Iraqi civilian or police officer writing to family in the U.S.

A is for Audience. Imagine who you will be writing to: Will you be writing to your fiancé? Family? Mother? Sibling? Friend? Don’t forget to write in letter format and keep in character.

F is for Format. I’m asking that you write a letter, but you could also write diary entries, rather than to a person. You can also write the letter as an email instead of a paper letter. Just remember, whichever format you choose you must have an introduction and conclusion.

T is for Topic. The topic is the similarities and differences between the Vietnam War and the current Iraq War, and whether you think that the Wars should be compared or not.

Your grade for the letter will be based on:
- Accuracy of information
- Your comparisons of similarities and differences, using details and examples
- Whether you think that comparing the Wars is acceptable or not
- Your creativity and connections in your letter

See the rubric on the other side for the details of how you will be graded.

Genocide In Darfur

As we have discussed in class, Genocide is not confined to the history books. It's happening right now in Darfur, a region of Sudan in Africa.

We've discussed what's happening there, watched a video on it, and most importantly talked about what students can do to make a difference.

We'll be taking more direction action fourth quarter but seeing this recent political cartoon shows that the issue is still on America's conscious--as it should be.

To learn more check out SaveDarfur.org

Anti-Nazi, Anti-Fascist Campaign

After spending time in class talking about Nazis, fascist and the murder and hate that they bring, I think that it’s time for action. As I reported earlier, the store Hot Topic (which I’m told is in many malls in the Chicago area) has buttons for sale. Great, not a problem, right? Well yes, except apparently some of them feature the swastika on them.

How do you feel about that? I personally am shocked and offended. Do they understand what the symbol means? What it stands for?

My mission to you, the youth of Chicagoland, is to
-Gather pictures of the buttons at Hot Topic stores. If you can put a date stamp on them it’s great. Note the time, date, and mall name. Try to take the picture so that we can see the button and also that it’s in the store. Send or bring the digital picture (or print if you have to).

-Ask the people who work there questions like these: “Do you know you sell them?” “What does the swastika mean to you?” Ask the manager about them.

-Tell them what you think about the buttons.

-Don’t buy the buttons!

My plan is to gather information and pressure Hot Topic to apologize and stop carrying the buttons.

Got any other Anti-Nazi tips? Let me know.

2006 Year in Review with Political Cartoons

We've talked about political cartoons throughout the year. I often use Daryl Cagle's MSNBC site. He's posted an interesting, although not to easy to navigate review of 2006 here. Enjoy

Top News Stories of 2006

It seems like a lot of the top stories of the year happened over the winter break this year and even into early January. If the poll went up to today (1/7/07), I imagine that Saddam’s execution and Gerald Ford’s death would be on the list as well.

I didn’t have much time to look around but according to the AP (via CBS news) these were the top stories of 2006 (with a tie for seventh place) with my comments.

1. IRAQ: What started in 2003 as a supposedly straightforward drive to topple Saddam Hussein deteriorated during 2006 into a dismayingly complex and savage struggle, with Iraqis by the thousands killed in sectarian reprisal attacks and the U.S. military death toll nearing 3,000. President Bush dropped talk of "staying the course" but balked at embracing many of the key suggestions of a bipartisan study group; Iraqi authorities struggled to assert control and avoid fracture.

We’ll see what, if anything will change with the Democratic Congress and Bush’s impending speech on what we’re going to do in Iraq in the near future.

2. U.S. ELECTION: Unhappiness with events in Iraq was one of the driving forces behind the Democrats' surge in the Nov. 7 election. They took over the House with a large majority, gained a narrow edge in the Senate, and also advanced in statehouses nationwide. Nancy Pelosi, assailed by the Republicans as a "San Francisco liberal" during the campaign, will become the first female speaker of the House.

I just caught an interview of her this morning on CBS. She talks the talk and I like what she has to say but I’m cynical about whether the Dems can bring about any real changes for the better. I wish ‘em luck and will be watching them closely.

3. NUCLEAR STANDOFFS: The United States and its allies were frustrated in their efforts to rein in nuclear programs in North Korea and Iran. North Korea tested a nuclear bomb in October, and Iran — despite a threat of sanctions — pushed ahead with plans to bring its first nuclear power plant on line in late 2007.

With no more nuclear tests from N Korea and Iran’s recent elections, these stories have cooled down but I’m sure will be seeing more in 2007.

4. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION: Congress tried to confront the influx of illegal immigrants from Latin America, but the effort collapsed amid deep divisions over whether to stress a crackdown or include provisions to help some illegal immigrants work toward citizenship. The get-tough approach triggered huge protests by immigrants-rights supporters.

Again, this was a big story over the summer. I hope more happens than trying to build a wall between the US and Mexico. At least historically walls have all long proven track record of keeping people out—oh, wait they don’t. Can you hear the sound of your tax dollars being flushed down the toilet? Or is that just the sound of the government paying grossly inflated prices to some friend of a politician to build an ineffective-at-best wall.

5. SCANDALS IN CONGRESS: Several Republican congressmen were brought down by scandals, including Mark Foley, who resigned over sexually explicit messages sent to male pages, and Randy Cunningham, who pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from defense contractors. House Majority Leader Tom Delay resigned after being indicted on campaign finance charges in Texas, and Ohio's Bob Ney pleaded guilty in connection with the probe of lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

A tough year for Republicans but just wait for the Dem scandals once they’re back in the power position.

6. SADDAM CONVICTED: Saddam Hussein was convicted in the slaying of 148 Shiite Muslims, including children, following an assassination attempt against him in 1982. He was sentenced to death by hanging, but proceedings against him continued on genocide charges stemming from a chemical attack on Kurds in 1987. (Saddam was executed by hanging on Dec. 30, 2006.)

7. MIDEAST FIGHTING: Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah militia fought a monthlong war in the summer; more than 900 people were killed and much of southern Lebanon was battered. Lebanon's Western-backed government emerged more embattled than ever, while Hezbollah claimed increased popular support.

I’ve got nothing to add. I wish we could just all get along. I feel so powerless when it comes to conflict in the Middle East or anywhere. I still can’t understand why people litter, let alone understand why people are willing to kill each other. I know that this sounds naive, and I understand that there are times where fascist and the like must be stopped with violence. . .but what if they gave a war and no one came?

7. RUMSFELD RESIGNS: As conditions worsened in Iraq, President Bush publicly stuck by his defense secretary. But a day after the midterm elections gave Democrats control of Congress, Bush announced Donald Rumsfeld's departure. Though his brusque style initially won some admiring reviews, Rumsfeld was seen as underestimating Iraq's challenges while alienating the military brass and members of Congress.

Good riddance.

9. AIRLINER PLOT: British authorities said they narrowly thwarted a terrorist plot to bomb several jets over the Atlantic. The disclosure led to tough new restrictions on the contents of carry-on luggage.

Quite a boom for zip-lock bags. Recently when I was at O’Hare, they really didn’t enforce this. But in the Podunk airports they’ve got special people assigned to checking the 3 oz. regulation.

10. DISASTER IN DARFUR: Violence worsened in Sudan's Darfur region, where fighting between rebels and government forces has killed more than 200,000 people. The United Nations approved a 20,000-strong peacekeeping force, but Sudan blocked its deployment.

We will be talking about this one in class soon when we cover genocide. Just horrible.

Just missing out on the Top 10 was mounting concern over climate change and global warming, highlighted by the release of Al Gore's movie, "An Inconvenient Truth," and alarming new warnings from many scientists.

Several voters remarked on how Iraq — and its ripple effects — dominated the year.

"All news paled in comparison to the developments in the Middle East, which are beginning to be felt in every community," wrote Ken Stickney of The News-Star at Monroe, La.

You can read the full article here.

We’ll be brainstorming this list in class on Monday and Tuesday. I’m curious to see what stories students come up with.

You can also click here and vote for which story you think is #1 for 2006 and read more.

Know of any other lists? Post a comment.
Ideas on the most under-reported stories of 2006? Post a comment.