понедельник, 7 октября 2013 г.
An Internet Treasure Hunt for snails.
1) A snail belongs to the class Gastropoda, a classification that includes land, freshwater and sea snails and slugs. Snails’ ancestors are one of the earliest known types of animals in the world. There is fossil evidence of primitive gastropods dating back to the late Cambrian period; this means that they lived nearly 500 million years ago.
Gastropods are able to adapt to a variety of living conditions and they don’t require large amounts of food. They have been able to continually evolve to survive the conditions around them which many researchers find to be very fascinating.
Gastropods belong to the phylum Mollusca (or Mollusks) a classification of invertebrate animals with soft unsegmented body, sometimes covered with an exoskeleton or shell. This phylum, Mollusca, includes animals like squids, octopuses, clams and cuttlefishes among others.
Snails and slugs are both Gastropods, therefore they are closely related, regardless the fact that slugs lack a protective shell.
2) Garden snails (helix apersa) a top speed of 50 yards per hour, this is about 1.3 cm. per second. While they don’t move fast, they do move at a very steady pace. The snails are one of the slowest creatures on the entire Earth.
3) While moving, snails they leave behind a trail of mucus. This mucus acts as a powerful lubricant to reduce friction against the surface. This is why they are able to move upside down, around corners, and other situations.
4) Most land snails are vegetarians. Snails eat plants and other vegetation. They eat mostly living plants as well as decaying plants. They also chew on fruits and young succulent plant barks. Snails also eat algae. A snail has something called radula in its mouth for grinding up its food. Snails can also gnaw through limestone. They eat the little bits of chalk in the rock, which they need for their shells (calcium). Many people get upset and farmers get angry when snails eat their plants and crops. Snails can cause serious damage to crops. Snails are generally herbivores, primarily eating vegetation such as leaves, stems and flowers. Some larger snail species however, are known to be more predatory animals either being omnivores or, in some cases, full-on carnivores.
5) Snails are born with shells, but they don’t initially look like how you might imagine them. Snails are hatched from eggs that are buried beneath the surface layer of the soil or, in the case of marine snails, placed in a protected area, like near a rock. It usually takes two to four weeks for the eggs to hatch and for the baby snails to emerge, shells and all.
The shell of a baby snail, often referred to as a protoconch or “earliest shell,” is colorless and very soft. Due to the fragile state of its shell, a newly-hatched snail needs to consume a lot of calcium, which will help its shell to harden. A baby snail usually begins its calcium-rich diet by eating the shell of the egg it hatched from, a convenient source of nutrients.
As the snail continues to grow, its shell grows with it. The snail produces new shell material, like the soft material of its protoconch, that expands its shell and then hardens. The part of the shell it was born with ends up in the center of the spiral when the snail and its shell are fully grown. As a snail matures, the number of whorls or spirals which its shell has increases, as do the rings that grow inside the shell. Much like the way we think about tree rings, these rings inside a snail’s shell can be used to approximate the age of the snail.
6) Being hermaphrodites, snails each have both male and female reproductive organs, but although they can mate with themselves, it's more usual to find a partner.
Snails must mate in order to fertilize each other’s eggs.
7) Snails are vegetarians, they eat all sorts of fruits and vegetables (especially the rotten kind), grains and seeds, even dirt. But don't give them any meat (their rough tongue does all the cutting).
The snail’s mouth is on the bottom of the head right up by the short tentacles. Inside the snail's mouth is a specialized eating tool, the radula. The radula is a muscular structure covered by thousands of tiny, sharp teeth. The snail eats by pressing the radula against a leaf or other desirable bit of vegetation and rasping it to scrape away small particles (radula is like a rough tongue, something like a file with rows of tiny teeth, which it uses to scrape off leaves and flowers to eat).
8) Snails can't hear anything, they don't have ears.
9) The Apple Snail can come in many different colors (for example, blue, purple, golden yellow, green or zebra coloration), the most common is blue.
10) Yes, snails can be used in agriculture. Heliciculture, or snail farming is the process of farming or raising land snails specifically for human consumption, and more recently, to obtain snail slime for cosmetics use.
Species of land snail that are consumed by humans are found in Western world, Europe, Northern Africa, North America and in various other parts of the world.
Four systems of snail farms can be distinguished:
- Outdoor Pens.
- In buildings with a controlled climate.
- In closed systems such as plastic tunnel houses or "greenhouses."
- In addition, snails may breed and hatch inside in a controlled environment and then (after 6 to 8 weeks) may be placed in outside pens to mature.
The big question.
What about my attitude to snails, I don't like and don't want to have a pet snail. May be they are really useful and effective in medicine and agriculture but as pets - I don't think so. It's unpleasant for me to take slimy snail in hands.
Snails have been used in medicine since antiquity and prepared according to several formulations. For example, snails are used as a prognostic indicator for some cancers, such as those of the breast, stomach and colon. Snail’s venom has a powerful anesthetic effect. Drugs are being developed from this venom that can block specific pain that is otherwise untreatable or poorly managed.
Snails are really helpful, but they aren’t very pets.
Treasure Hunt. Theme: “Fitness and physical activity for school-aged kids”
Introduction:
Children need plenty of large motor activity to redirect excess energy.
Does every child run, play, and move for at least 60 minutes a day? That's how much time school-aged kids need to spend on moderateto vigorous physical activities to stay fit and healthy. The time should be divided among aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and bone-strengthening activities.
Short bursts of 15, 10, or even 5 minutes count toward this daily tally, so make sure your child has lots of opportunities for physical activities before, during, and after school.
Physical Activities at School
Academics are important, but so is finding time for fitness. When kids have the chance to run and play at recess, they focus more (and fidget less) during class. Physical education (PE) provides another opportunity to move during the school day. It also exposes kids to new sports and games, and introduces important health habits.
1) Do you remember when you were a pupil did your school provide daily physical education?
2) Read the article about Physical education in America's public schools. How do you think is it needed to increase physical education time at schools and reduce time devoted to academic subjects?
“20 percent of all elementary schools in the U.S. have abolished recess in favor of increased classroom time under pressure to improve student achievement”. What do you think about such method of improving achievement of pupils?
Internet resource:
http://sitemaker.umich.edu/356.speregen/physical_education_and_school_performance
3) Read about physical education and sport at schools in different countries. “System” of which country do you prefer mostly? Was physical in our country more efficient and more developed in the Soviet Union’s time than at present time? Your opinion.
Internet resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_schoolhttp://sitemaker.umich.edu/356.speregen/physical_education_and_school_performance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_education
http://www.euractiv.com/sports/france-offer-sport-school/article-166454
4) What are the benefits of daily physical activity? Why sport is so important? Can sport stop one of the world's problems such as obesity?What’s also important for children health besides daily physical exercises?
Internet resources:
http://www.healthunit.org/physact/school/school.htm
http://helpguide.org/mental/childhood_obesity.htmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IApvPofJfY
5) What you need to do to your child interested in sport?
Internet resource:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_center/staying_fit/hate_sports.html
6) How much physical activity is enough? How can we promote physical activity among children?
Internet resource:
http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content4/promote.phyed.html
7) One secret to human longevity is regular exercise, physical activities. Are you agree? Is the age important for sport or people can do the sport exercises in either age?
Internet resources:
http://www.naturalnews.com/025923_physical_activity_health_natural.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL4mqKxi-qY
Subject sampler: «Being an international student: good or bad?»
1. The main aim of Ministers is to reserve "proper" higher education, the full university experience, for an elite – ostensibly of the talented but inevitably also the privileged – and to provide everyone else with higher education-lite: two-year low-cost vocational courses perhaps in private for-profit institutions or offered online. Under their plan, the university core would be well-funded with high fees for students, bursaries for a new generation of scholarship students and generous public funding for research. It would remain stable, or even shrink, and academic standards would be maintained. Higher education-lite would be no-frills and low-cost – and be the focus of any future student growth.
Higher education was not always considered as the basic standard for education. It was the gold standard with graduate school being the platinum standard. It was, for lack of a better word, elite. But that was back when that word did not carry such a negative connotation as it seems to today. The world is full of examples of elitism that still performs some kind of positive social function. For most of history elites were an essential part of social organization. Elitism or the existence of an intellectual elite based on native intelligence capacity and accomplishment in rigorous higher education has lost its luster in our society. But nowadays I think society and education should be more just and equal.
It’s my opinion…Perhaps it is inevitable that higher education must become more unequal.
2. There hasn't been much good news for university-leavers over the past four years, but it looks like things might be about to change. A survey released last week found that nine in 10 graduates of the class of 2008-09 have found work, despite graduating at the onset of the economic crisis. And, this summer, a survey of the 100 largest graduate employers also suggested that recruitment is on the mend. The number of vacancies being advertised is up 4.6% according to the survey, which – although below pre-recession levels – is the highest rate seen since 2008.
Statistics released by the Higher Education Statistics Authority (Hesa) show that, of the graduates leaving full-time degree courses in 2008-09, 18.8% found work in the health and social work sector, while 14.1% are now in the professional, scientific and technical industry (which includes anything from bookkeeping, to architectural services or legal advice). The biggest source of employment for graduates was the education sector – where more than a quarter (25.5%) now work.
Most graduates do end up working in a field that's related to their degree – 61.6% of 2008-09 graduates said their degree subject was a formal requirement or 'very important'' in helping them get their current job.
But often, employers are less bothered by applicants' degree field, and more concerned that applicants have "the right thinking skills and creative skills – and that they can apply themselves to the job at hand," says Isherwood.
3. The college had originally said students must remove all hoodies, hats, caps and veils to ensure individuals were "easily identifiable" as part of keeping a "safe and welcoming learning environment".
But firstly the Birmingham Metropolitan College had banned Muslim face veils. May be the college management thought veiled female students could be posed a security risk or involved in some sort of criminality, so there were protective (security) measures. And there were some other reasons.
Three years ago Philip Hollobone, Conservative MP for Kettering, told the Independent: "I just take what I regard as a commonsense view. If you want to engage in normal, daily interactive dialogue with your fellow human beings, you can only really do this properly by seeing each other's face."
Jack Straw, then leader of the Commons, suggested that wearing a veil might hinder community relations.
4. International students have little or no access to emergency funds, which puts them in a vulnerable position. They should be able to access emergency loans or funds like home students instead of being left on the sidelines.
The government needs to be doing more to ensure international students are adequately protected and empower them to seek redress against institutions.
5. Video “Higher Education in the UK (including Bellerbys College) “.
Working with university partners and their own prestigious Bellerbys College, Study Group is the largest provider of international students to UK Higher Education institutions. They use their global reach to attract quality students and they prepare each graduate for their time in higher education. Study Group has unrivalled experience in recruiting high quality international students and helping them to successfully make the transition into UK universities and colleges. They have the highest quality university preparation.
Higher education was not always considered as the basic standard for education. It was the gold standard with graduate school being the platinum standard. It was, for lack of a better word, elite. But that was back when that word did not carry such a negative connotation as it seems to today. The world is full of examples of elitism that still performs some kind of positive social function. For most of history elites were an essential part of social organization. Elitism or the existence of an intellectual elite based on native intelligence capacity and accomplishment in rigorous higher education has lost its luster in our society. But nowadays I think society and education should be more just and equal.
It’s my opinion…Perhaps it is inevitable that higher education must become more unequal.
2. There hasn't been much good news for university-leavers over the past four years, but it looks like things might be about to change. A survey released last week found that nine in 10 graduates of the class of 2008-09 have found work, despite graduating at the onset of the economic crisis. And, this summer, a survey of the 100 largest graduate employers also suggested that recruitment is on the mend. The number of vacancies being advertised is up 4.6% according to the survey, which – although below pre-recession levels – is the highest rate seen since 2008.
Statistics released by the Higher Education Statistics Authority (Hesa) show that, of the graduates leaving full-time degree courses in 2008-09, 18.8% found work in the health and social work sector, while 14.1% are now in the professional, scientific and technical industry (which includes anything from bookkeeping, to architectural services or legal advice). The biggest source of employment for graduates was the education sector – where more than a quarter (25.5%) now work.
Most graduates do end up working in a field that's related to their degree – 61.6% of 2008-09 graduates said their degree subject was a formal requirement or 'very important'' in helping them get their current job.
But often, employers are less bothered by applicants' degree field, and more concerned that applicants have "the right thinking skills and creative skills – and that they can apply themselves to the job at hand," says Isherwood.
3. The college had originally said students must remove all hoodies, hats, caps and veils to ensure individuals were "easily identifiable" as part of keeping a "safe and welcoming learning environment".
But firstly the Birmingham Metropolitan College had banned Muslim face veils. May be the college management thought veiled female students could be posed a security risk or involved in some sort of criminality, so there were protective (security) measures. And there were some other reasons.
Three years ago Philip Hollobone, Conservative MP for Kettering, told the Independent: "I just take what I regard as a commonsense view. If you want to engage in normal, daily interactive dialogue with your fellow human beings, you can only really do this properly by seeing each other's face."
Jack Straw, then leader of the Commons, suggested that wearing a veil might hinder community relations.
4. International students have little or no access to emergency funds, which puts them in a vulnerable position. They should be able to access emergency loans or funds like home students instead of being left on the sidelines.
The government needs to be doing more to ensure international students are adequately protected and empower them to seek redress against institutions.
5. Video “Higher Education in the UK (including Bellerbys College) “.
Working with university partners and their own prestigious Bellerbys College, Study Group is the largest provider of international students to UK Higher Education institutions. They use their global reach to attract quality students and they prepare each graduate for their time in higher education. Study Group has unrivalled experience in recruiting high quality international students and helping them to successfully make the transition into UK universities and colleges. They have the highest quality university preparation.
The advantages that have been said by the students:
- A lot of/great number of opportunities for international students to continue their studies.
- People have so many different opportunities for people to express themselves in different areas.
- Everybody is friendly.
- On hill there are beautiful views (especially evening), it’s a possibility to relax after hard working day.
- A great experience to the people from all over the world.
- Fantastic education in the UK and it means the best way to do a fantastic career after it.
- A very high quality of education.
- Everyone is polite.
- People don't judge you by how you look. You can dress how you want to dress, you can be what you want to be.
- Students’ experience as a whole: from the moment they become interested in the institution till the time they leave.
- Opportunity to make friends.
Conclusion.
A foreign student may also find himself feeling somewhat lonely, since arriving in a new city means you don’t know anyone. You may be lucky if another friend from your city comes with, but usually you are alone. It is important to start meeting people and making friends. In this way it will be much easier to get used to being a foreign student. You will have new people with who to hang with, with whom to go to parties. Besides you won’t have to be quiet all the time in classes like when you don’t know someone. Sometimes friends can also help you in a lot of situations, like when you have problems about running out of money, when you need to go to your house quickly but you don’t have a car, or when you need to get something that is not easily found. But most of all, with friends you can have a great time and learn a lot of things.
By studying in the UK you’ll also gain an international perspective, learn about new cultures and socialise with students and teachers from around the world – valuable experience for a career in an international company.
Subject sampler «Higher Education in Great Britain».
Introduction.
After finishing secondary school or college you can apply to a university, polytechnic, college of education or you can continue to study in a college of further education.
Good A-level results in at least 2 subjects are necessary to get a place at a university. However, good exam passes alone are not enough. Universities choose their students after interviews. For all British citizens a place at a university brings with it a grant from their local education authority.
It should be noted that the UK is one of the most popular countries of destination for international students and it has one of the highest percentages of international students in higher education enrolments in the world. The UK is also a world leader in transnational education, with considerable numbers of international students studying on UK higher education programs outside the UK.
Good A-level results in at least 2 subjects are necessary to get a place at a university. However, good exam passes alone are not enough. Universities choose their students after interviews. For all British citizens a place at a university brings with it a grant from their local education authority.
It should be noted that the UK is one of the most popular countries of destination for international students and it has one of the highest percentages of international students in higher education enrolments in the world. The UK is also a world leader in transnational education, with considerable numbers of international students studying on UK higher education programs outside the UK.
1) How many universities there are in the UK? What the best-known universities can you name?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_universities_in_England
2) When Oxford & Cambridge Universities were found?
http://study-english.info/topic-uk-higher-education.php
3) Read about costs and scholarships. What maximum fees pay students?
http://www.educationuk.org/global/articles/higher-education-costs-scholarships/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Englandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_England
4) In which levels consists of UK higher education? What are the courses and qualifications?
http://www.educationuk.org/global/articles/higher-education-introduction/
http://www.educationuk.org/global/articles/higher-education-courses-qualifications/
5) Why choose UK higher education?
http://www.educationuk.org/global/articles/why-choose-higher-education/
6) How to apply in the UK University (main requirements)?
http://study-english.info/topic-uk-higher-education.php
Conclusion.
After you have read the materials, reflect on the question:
Is it possible to apply foreign students in UK Universities? What are the requirements for acceptance?
UK qualifications are respected and valued by employers worldwide, giving you the edge when you are applying for jobs.
The teaching style in the UK helps you to develop attributes which are in high demand from employers worldwide – attributes such as creativity, innovation, teamwork and leadership.
By studying in the UK you’ll also gain an international perspective, learn about new cultures and socialise with students and teachers from around the world – valuable experience for a career in an international company.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_universities_in_England
2) When Oxford & Cambridge Universities were found?
http://study-english.info/topic-uk-higher-education.php
3) Read about costs and scholarships. What maximum fees pay students?
http://www.educationuk.org/global/articles/higher-education-costs-scholarships/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Englandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_England
4) In which levels consists of UK higher education? What are the courses and qualifications?
http://www.educationuk.org/global/articles/higher-education-introduction/
http://www.educationuk.org/global/articles/higher-education-courses-qualifications/
5) Why choose UK higher education?
http://www.educationuk.org/global/articles/why-choose-higher-education/
6) How to apply in the UK University (main requirements)?
http://study-english.info/topic-uk-higher-education.php
Conclusion.
After you have read the materials, reflect on the question:
Is it possible to apply foreign students in UK Universities? What are the requirements for acceptance?
UK qualifications are respected and valued by employers worldwide, giving you the edge when you are applying for jobs.
The teaching style in the UK helps you to develop attributes which are in high demand from employers worldwide – attributes such as creativity, innovation, teamwork and leadership.
By studying in the UK you’ll also gain an international perspective, learn about new cultures and socialise with students and teachers from around the world – valuable experience for a career in an international company.
Web-quest “Human society and animals”
1) Introduction
Humans and animals: to kill or not to kill.
There is a variety of issues including animal
experiments, the fur trade, vegetarianism/veganism, endangered species, killing
wild animals for fun, fox hunting, shooting animals for trophies, the dangers
created by humans: cars, pollution etc. Many of these causes have found support
from a wide-range of people, affecting lifestyles as well as opinions. We are
beginning to realise that animals have their own claim to this planet,
independent of their use to the human species.
2)
Task
You can work in groups of 2 or individually. You
should make a research and answer the questions below, using the given Internet
Resources. After you do that, move to the Conclusion and try to express your
own opinion to the theme, giving arguments for or against the topic.
3)
Process & Resources
Surf the Internet and answer the following questions:
1) Why, for what reasons people kill animals?
What are the differences between ruling class and
working class shooting?
2) What is the problem with foxes and what to do about
it?
3) Some wild animals can be very dangerous. How can
people protect themselves faced with such animals?
4) Animals are infamous producers of an odor so
powerful that it quickly and easily conveys a clear message: “Don’t mess with
me”.How can you protect your yard from these animals?
5) What measures can be applied towards those who
treat animals with cruelty?
6) How can be encouraged those who help to protect
animals?
7) What activity is the most harmful according to its
impact on the animals’ habitat?
8) What is the scale of the animals’ species
disappearing?
9) What is the scale of environmental pollution caused
by humans?
10) What are the major kinds of habitat loss? What can
cause a habitat loss?
4) Conclusion
Do you think
that caring for animals is the inevitable duty of all the human beings?
What the society
should do to stop the animals’ suffering?
5) Evaluation
Research and sharing of information
Finds and shares
little or no pertinent information with other team members -2
Finds and shares
some pertinent information with other team members -3
Finds and shares
important information needed to accomplish the task -4
Finds and shares
a great deal of important information to accomplish the task, adding
complementary details-5
Cooperation
Rarely takes
part in group discussions, shares very few ideas and does not respect others'
opinions-2
Occasionally
takes part in group discussions, shares some ideas and respects others'
opinions to a limited degree-3
Takes an active
part in group discussions, shares ideas most of the time, and respects others'
opinions-4
Takes the
initiative in group discussions, shares ideas and encourages others to do the
same, respects others' opinion-5
Time management and focus on task
Wastes his or
her time and focuses very little on the task -2
Does not make
good use of time and is often distracted from the task-3
Manages time
well and generally focuses on the task-4
Manages time
very efficiently and focuses on the task-5
Organization
There was no
clear or logical organizational structure,
just lots of
facts- 2
Content is
logically organized for the most part-3
Uses headings or
bulleted lists to organize, but the overall organization of topics appears
flawed-4
Content is well
organized using headings or bulleted lists to group related material-5
Originality
Uses other
people's ideas, but does not give them credit- 2
Uses other
people's ideas (giving them credit), but there is little evidence of original
thinking- 3
Product shows
some original thought. Work shows new ideas and insights- 4
Product shows a
large amount of original thought. Ideas are creative and inventive- 5
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