Action Plan Coming Soon

So, I've been working on my action plan and slowly but surely it is coming all together. I first wanted ot do the food drive, which I am still working on, but decided to branch out and attempt to inform students of how to manage and save their money.

I'm currently working with my marketing teacher to set up a day to teach, I'm completing a PowerPoint to show them, and a survey to see what they learned and if it helped them. That and pictures will be documentation or the tangible product of my project.

Hopefully, I'll have hte PowerPoint and survey done this week, and presenting sometime this third trimester. Then, I'll be comeplete with that.

TimeLine:
Action Plan - done 3rd trimester
Notes -Done by end of August
PowerPoint & Paper - done by the end of my 2nd Graduation Project Class

First Interview- Updating Progress

So, my first interview has been set up with the help of Ms. Kretschman our internship coordinator. I have created questions that have been directed towards the finance and business issues of the recession. The person I'm going to be interviewing first is going to be a senior analyst from First Niagra Banking Corporation.

this entirely heps me and takes the weight off of my shoulders a bit. I know exactly who I'm going to interview, how I'm interviewing them, and when/where.

Also, I have a few other places with people that I'd like to interview as well. Since I live in the Allentown area there is a new financial organization that is going to be opening up and I hope that maybe they'll be able to help me gain more information and become a second contact.

I've also written my proposal for my graduation project, self edited, peer edited, and now all I need is a parent or teacher edit before polishing it up and turning in the final proposal.

Goals for rest of week and Next Week:

• Finish taking notes from 1st book source
• Fine-tune the questions for my interview
• Interview March 18th at 10:30a.m. (next week)
  
• Continue with more notes based on the interview (next week)
  

Finally "Quiet"

So, it's finally "quiet" now due to the new seating arrangements in the classroom. I've actually done some progress which I'm happy with for this week.

I've entirely completed my proposal questionnaire, but also have started my proposal. I've looked through the documents on edline and have written paragraphs and details and such for my proposal covering about every angle of the proposed graduation project.

Now, I'm working on the final part of the proposal which is going to be the attached and detailed steps of how I'm going to complete this project. I'm basically making an excel document about my steps and see what I've completed and what I still need to do in order to complete this project. It's also going to be the details of the essential parts such as the interview and maybe possible ideas on who to interview.

That then leads me to my new question and ideas that I must think about. WHO WILL I INTERVIEW???
It's a good question, and I have a feeling I have someone that would be able to use for a interview or at least as another mentor that would be able to help me to gain understanding of my topic. I'll need to think this through and that will be my next step.

GOALS:
Completed Tables/charts for Proposal
Think of possible people to interview

Progress & Print Source Information

So, I finished typing up my webliography and turned it in yesterday. I had 13 sources, but i added my first print source which is $700 billion bailout By Paul Muolo. I've spent the time to read the first 15 pages so far of it, and I've already found out a lot of connections between the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act and the banks (Frannie Mae and Freddie Mac) as well as what Credit Default Swaps are and how the United States is selling their debt for money and attempting to keep afloat.

This book has really helped me, but at the same time has angered me because of how self-interested the United States is. Really, if they weren't worried about making a profit even when we as an entire nation are in debt then maybe we'd be able to figure out a plan or bailout that would support and improve the economy.

It also has to do wtih politcs. There's politics in everything and it always seems to screw things up! I mean Paulson who was the Treasury Secretary during the Bush Administration. The reason he didn't worry much about the fact of getting and using $700 billions dollars of TAX money is because it was just before Obama was elected so Paulson was out of a job so he didn't care much. The only reason why they had such a hard time, the first time, passing this bill was because Republicans didn't want the money to go to the banks and such, but more the homeowners that were losing their hosues due to the inability to pay their mortgages.

Annotations Work Day 1

So, today out of 13 sources that I have cited on my Webliography I currently have 5 sources completed with annotations. The first draft of the Webliography with annotations is due in one week Monday March 1st. I'll be able to finish these annotations and citations by Wednesday most likely. Then, I'll finally be able to go back to gathering information on my topic as well as a possible "expert to interview" in mind.

I'm starting to hate annotations, but they have to be done and that I'm not going to argue with.

Friday, the First FULL Day back

So I just completed my Webliography assignment that was due today.

Now, I currently have 13 citations on my own webliography which I'll start to add the annotations to them today as well as next week since they're due March 1st. It shouldn't take me too long, hopefully.

I also found a couple of articles in a couple of my mom's TIMES magazines which would really help me to understand where the recession is taking people and how the U.S. wants or needs to fix the recession issues.

21 Plus inches of SNOW, but there's progress!

So, we have been off for an entire week due to the snow storm that we got. We were supposed to finish our citations for our webliography last week, but I currently have 13 citations printed out and on my easybib so that is completed. I've also found 7 print sources for our trip to the Carnegie Library in Oakland.

So far I've compelted both weekly goals that we were supposed to have done so now I'm going back to taking notes which I have notes for 10 of my questions! =]

Sources:

Works Cited

Allen, Paddy. "Global recession - where did all the money go? | Business | guardian.co.uk." Latest news, comment and reviews from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk. Guardian News and Media Limited, 29 Jan. 2009. Web. 03 Feb. 2010. .

Brennan, Richard J. "Recession's toll seen in record food bank spike - thestar.com." News, Toronto, GTA, Sports, Business, Entertainment, Canada, World, Breaking - thestar.com. Toronto Star., 17 Nov. 2009. Web. 02 Feb. 2010. .

Eng, Elizabeth. "National Bureau of Economic Research Declares Recession -." Associated Content - associatedcontent.com. Associated Contect. Inc., 1 Dec. 2008. Web. 02 Feb. 2010. .

Fraser, Ross. "New USDA Statistics Highlight Growing Hunger Crisis In The U.S." Feeding America. Feeding America Inc., 17 Nov. 2008. Web. 03 Feb. 2010. .

Hall, Ed. "U.S. National Debt Clock." Ed Hall's Home Page. Ed Hall., 1 Feb. 2010. Web. 03 Feb. 2010. .

"Late-2000s recession." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wikimedia, 2 Feb. 2010. Web. 03 Feb. 2010. .

"Personal Bankruptcies Surge 10% | RECESSION.ORG." RECESSION.ORG United States Economy & Global Economic Recession. 4 Nov. 2009. Web. 02 Feb. 2010. .

Pettinger, Tejvan R. "The Problem with Printing Money." Web log post. Economic Blog. Economic Blog, 7 Aug. 2008. Web. 4 Feb. 2010. .

"Unemployment Packs A Bigger Punch | RECESSION.ORG." RECESSION.ORG United States Economy & Global Economic Recession. 8 Nov. 2009. Web. 02 Feb. 2010. .

"US GDP Definiton & Formula | RECESSION.ORG." RECESSION.ORG United States Economy & Global Economic Recession. Web. 02 Feb. 2010. .

"What Is Recession? Economic Recession Definition | RECESSION.ORG." RECESSION.ORG United States Economy & Global Economic Recession. Web. 02 Feb. 2010. .

"Which Age Group Has Been Most Affected by the Recession?" The Money Stop - Personal Finance Tips And Articles. The Money Stop., 6 Aug. 2009. Web. 02 Feb. 2010. .

"You can help!" Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Web. 02 Feb. 2010. .

Reflection Blog - Independent Learning Week 5

Understanding the Task - Advanced
Setting Personal Goals - Advanced
Gathering Resources - Advanced
Accessing Previously Learned Information - Advanced
Managing Your Time - Advanced
Controlling for Quality - Advanced

Reasoning:

• I chose advanced for gathering resources because as I continued my research I only needed 10 sources wih citations, but I'm recorded information on 10 out of the 15 foundation questions I have as well as cited the sources which total 13 instead of 10.
• I also chose advanced for Managing Your Time because all this week I determined how long it would take me to do certain assignments and then judged how much time i actually had to do them. Currently, I'm up to date on all my assignments and work with more that what is required as well as I've began looking up print sources from the Main Branch Library which we don't start to do until next week, and I already have 7 sources.
  

Did you know...?

1. Our current recession is the LONGEST running recession to date, spanning 24 months and counting.
2. Unemployment has hit a new high of 10.5%!!
3. One in seven people in the greater Pittsburgh area don't get enough to eat.
4. 25 Million people use food banks each year!
5. 900,000 vacant homes are currently in the U.S. due to the recession!
6. Failure of just two banks totals $850 million dollars in costs for the FDIC.
7. Average Person has about 40,000 in debt and is growing regardless of recession.
8. National debt is growing an average of 3.9 billion per day since September 2007.
9. Oil Barrel Prices peaked at $147.30 a barrel in January of 2008.

Reflection Blog- Weekly Progress & Challenges

1. So, first off, I had several challenges during the week. When it came to the collage my internet wouldn't work well and work with me to help me get it done as well as it was difficult to find pictures that helped to represent my graduation project. I also had a little bit of trouble thinking or and finding key terms to use.

2. I overcame the challenges with my collage by using a blue internet cord, restarting my computer, and using different words or similar words to the topics that I wanted. Like for foreclosure, I looked for houses for a for sale sign rather than foreclosure and such.

I also I then read and did more research for my notes and found and thought of what was going in the news and I know that most people don't know the common issues of what people are going through which is why I got a couple simple terms, but things that people might not know because they're technical words.

OVERALL:
I finished my key terms and I have currently 10 of them. I finished ym collage which is up on my blog as well both as gadgets. I even continued working and found more information for my notes and questions for my project. All in all, this week has been sucessful despite the challenges and internet problems.

Update on Progress

So, I've started my notes and used entirely one of my websites that I've found. It's given me a start to what a recession is and what causes it.

Today, I plan on working on my photoshop collage and finishing that before I go back to taking my notes. I think I've made good progress as well as I've actually come up with 4-6 key terms so I'm well on my way with my grad project.

Reflection Blog - Possible Key Terms.

1. Recession
2. GDP
3. Economic Quarter
4. NBER
5. consumer spending
6. consumption

Reflection Blog - Music Day

1. I think on a scale of 1-10 I think I was a 10 when it came to productivity because I was able to complete all 4 of the objectives that I needed to get done.

2. Listening to music helped me to work because it helps me to focus more. People talking bothers me especially when it's many different people are talking and all it sounds like is a buzz in the room. Listening to music really helped me block out the people that were talking and made it barable in order to work.

Goals Met So Far

Identify a Topic: Recession and Affects on People
Essential Question: What is the best way to prevent and prepare a recession?
Foundation Questions:

1. Who declares a recession?
2. What caused the recession?
3. Where dis the recession start?
4. When did the recession begin?
5. How has the current recession affected people?
6. Why did the recession happen?
7. In what ways has the recession changed credit and banking?
8. Suppose President Obama didn't do the cash for clunkers deal. Would the car dealers still b in debt?
9. What predictions can be made regarding the lending process of banks?
10. Can you imagine ways that credit cards have changed people's ways of spending during a recession?
11. If the U.S. can bailout the Automakers, then why can't they bail everyone else out?
12. What do you think about using a food bank for food?
13. What is your opinion of spending money during a recession?
14. How do you feel about taking out loans?
15. Justify Obama's decision to bailout the automakers.
    

Haiti Earthquake Warm-Up

So, the earthquake that Haiti had was one of the worst that they have received at all or at least recently. It has killed many people and the worst thing is that no one knows exactly how many people are dead or even how many people may still be alive under the rubble.

There have been 54 orphans from an orphanage in Haiti that have come up to Pittsburgh here and have received medical treatment as well as 47 out of hte 54 are in the process of being adopted. Others in Pittsburgh had collected non-perishable food, water, and other necessities in order to send done to the country in the efforts to help the people.

My questions are:
How many people have died?
How have people been affected by the earthquake?
Given the amount of damage doe Haiti have a chnace of fully recovering?
How has the amount of damage affected the economy of Haiti?

Fool Warm-up

"One who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; one who doe not ask a question is a remain a fool forever."

This proverb means that if you ask a question you look like a fool because you didn't know what you were asking, but the difference is when you don't ask a question period you remain a fool forever means that you don't know the answer and are a fool or unknowing for ever because you never asked hte question, thus you'll never know the answer.

It means that you should ask a question deal with looked like a fool for five minutes rather than never ask the question which means that you'll never know what the answer was or even could have been. That's what the proverb means.

Full 10 Websites

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Late-2000s_recession

This is about the current recession that not just the world, but U.S. is in. This site I think is good for my research because although it’s Wikipedia and that’s not exactly a quality source I can get into an overview of the recession and the common causes or factors that have led the U.S. and it’s people into the recession.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/national/20050515_CLASS_GRAPHIC/index_01.html

This website doesn’t give direct information, but more of a interactive program and helps to show what type of people are in each socioeconomic level and then what people of those areas care most about. This will help me to see the different important aspects in order to see how much a recession would affect a person.

http://www.pittsburghfoodbank.org/about/

This website gives the information about the greater food bank of Pittsburgh. This organization is the main food bank that people of Pittsburgh use so I can use the information about how many people the organization helps and what exactly they do at all. I can also use this website for other websites of food banks that collect food for people in Pittsburgh.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Social-Class-in-America&id=924658

This article is relevant source because it gives more detail about social classes which gives similar information to the New York Times program on social classes and levels as well as giving more detail than what most people think of the 3 basic levels of rich, middle, and poor.

http://recession.org/definition

This organization is a wonderful source. It provides a detailed definition for what exactly a recession is and how people see a recession. Also, beyond the recession information it gives the information about news articles that talk about the recession as well as the recession’s affect on people, jobs, and the economy in general.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/726732--recession-s-toll-seen-in-record-food-bank-spike

This website leads to a newspaper article written in November of 2009 giving statistics about people that use food banks and how the recession has made that increase need or use of food banks. This will help my reasoning for the food bank use and food drive.

http://www.clpgh.org

This website is the link to the Allegheny County Libraries where I can access the ebesco business database that gives articles and such on the economy and recession. This I’ll be able to use to find articles on the different questions like how the recession has affected people or what the cause was.

http://economics.about.com/cs/businesscycles/a/economic_ind.htm

This website will help me and be useful to use so that I know how people determine a recession as well as some key words that people would need to understand. They talk about the Gross Domestic Product.

http://www.quickmba.com/econ/macro/gdp/

This website will help me to understand the GDP or Gross Domestic Product which will then help me to understand it because its’ an indicator of a recession. This gives explanations and information on my few key terms.

http://www.bea.gov

This final website is the Bureau of economic analysis which can help me find information on the economy and what is changing throughout the recession. From my searches I’ve found numerous webpages under this site that can help to explain changes in the economy.

Self-Evaluation

Understanding the task- I'd give myself an Advanced level for this because I've gone beyond just answering the questions that are asked of me or have given in depth answers that show my understanding. I've then completed things and asked for beyond what is required.
Set Personal Goals- I'd give myself proficient in this area because I've posted in my end of class blogs that I want to develop 10 questions for my project and such, but never defined outline for it.
Create a Time line- I'd give myself an advanced in this area because I've taken the time to see what I've had to do and then give what I want to get done in the current week. They are goals, yes, but I give a time frame for when I want the things done.
Gather Resources- I'd give myself an advanced because although I'm not done with 10 websites, YET, I've still found a variety of different sources. One of my websites is the Carnegie library because I can use their business databases and then I have news articles that help me. I've given myself a variety of resources so that I can get a more in depth research.
Access Previous Learned Information- I'd give myself an advanced because I have a few blogs that have my potential topics that are then from passed learning experiences. I've learned about the economic recession from my economics class and this is described in my detailed idea blog and how I'm interested in economics and such.
Manage Your Time- I think that I've managed by time well enough to receive an advanced grade because I always make sure I make some sort of progress and post it on my blog. Each day if I find one or two more websites I post them on my blog and I tend to finish things up so that i can go back over them or move on to the next thing.
Maintain Organization- I'd give myself an advanced because I have my files all located in my bookmarks for the websites as well as a word document that contains all my sources as well. My files are then organized and easily accessible from my H Drive as well as I have parts of my progress posted each day on my blog.
Control for Quality- My blog is organized as well as up to date with each blog entry that is needed as well as extra ones that give my progress or information about my graduation project so far. There are no errors with my blogs as well as organized with titles to know what is what.
Complete Final Project- The process of blogging is not to give constant information, but show progress. I came up with topics and then gave a detailed idea that I wanted to do. I then posted the new websites I've found so I think my final project so far of my blog is complete as it can be right now.

Independent Learner Warm-up

1. Five characteristics that a independent learner possesses would have to be concentration due ot the fact that the person should be able to focus and if they get distracted then they aren't a good independent learner. Also, one that is good independent learner also is setting goals and having some sort of a timeline. Most independent leaders keep track of what they're learning and measure such things. Lastly, they have the ability to understand things for yourself. Independent learners don't have someone really elping them or teaching them, but they teach themselves.

2. Being an independent learner would help me later in life because then I'll be able to learn things on my own and if I want to know something i'll be able to do such. Also, in the future I'll have to work on problems and questions on my own so being able to focus and work on what I need to do is key.

Websites And Progress

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Late-2000s_recession

This is about the current recession that not just the world, but U.S. is in. This site I think is good for my research because although it’s Wikipedia and that’s not exactly a quality source I can get into an overview of the recession and the common causes or factors that have led the U.S. and it’s people into the recession.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/national/20050515_CLASS_GRAPHIC/index_01.html

This website doesn’t give direct information, but more of a interactive program and helps to show what type of people are in each socioeconomic level and then what people of those areas care most about. This will help me to see the different important aspects in order to see how much a recession would affect a person.

http://www.pittsburghfoodbank.org/about/

This website gives the information about the greater food bank of Pittsburgh. This organization is the main food bank that people of Pittsburgh use so I can use the information about how many people the organization helps and what exactly they do at all. I can also use this website for other websites of food banks that collect food for people in Pittsburgh.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Social-Class-in-America&id=924658

This article is relevant source because it gives more detail about social classes which gives similar information to the New York Times program on social classes and levels as well as giving more detail than what most people think of the 3 basic levels of rich, middle, and poor.

http://recession.org/definition

This organization is a wonderful source. It provides a detailed definition for what exactly a recession is and how people see a recession. Also, beyond the recession information it gives the information about news articles that talk about the recession as well as the recession’s affect on people, jobs, and the economy in general.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/726732--recession-s-toll-seen-in-record-food-bank-spike

This website leads to a newspaper article written in November of 2009 giving statistics about people that use food banks and how the recession has made that increase need or use of food banks. This will help my reasoning for the food bank use and food drive.

http://www.clpgh.org

This website is the link to the Allegheny County Libraries where I can access the ebesco business database that gives articles and such on the economy and recession. This I’ll be able to use to find articles on the different questions like how the recession has affected people or what the cause was.

________________________________________________________________

PROGRESS:

So, I've found about 7 websites that i know will be able to use some part of them in order to get answers to my questions, but also they may be able to lead me to articles and journals of professionals that will help me research.

I have 7 which means I still need about 3 or more websites which means I still need to continue research, but I've still found 3 websites today which means that I've made progress. After I finish finding at least 10 websites I'll be able to go back and actually start reading and researching the information to my questions and organizing what I have so far.