#SuperPowerForGood

Bill and Melinda Gates were recently asked by some high school students in Kentucky if they could have a superpower what would it be.

                          "More time!"             and            "More energy!"

When I read the letter I was moved by how meaningful their answers were and how much it meant to me.  This past Friday night I went with some NHS kids to Feed My Starving Children.  While I have done Feed My Starving Children several times, I am always moved by the videos of the starving children and the overall poverty in different areas of the globe.  

In the annual letter, Bill and Melinda point out that poverty is not just about a lack of money.  Often times, poverty has to do about lack of resources.  This letter puts a whole new meaning on lack of energy and lack of time.  Watch these two video clips:

Do you know that more than one billion people today live without access to energy?

These video clips give a whole new meaning to lack of time and energy.

In this next video clip, Melinda gates talks to teens about lack of time:

Below is the link to the actual letter and some great graphics on time and energy poverty:

https://www.gatesnotes.com/2016-Annual-Letter

While my sons would have picked superpowers like being able to fly, be invisible,  be insanely fast and super human strength.  Joe is thinking if he could be like Superman that would be a cool super power.  What is your super power?  If you choose this blog option, I want you to read the letter and watch the video clips. in a scholarly response, summarize what you learned.  What do you think?  As a teenager, what can you do about this?  What would your "Super Power For Good" be?

Are you up for the Burmese Python Challenge?

In the newspaper this morning, I saw a very interesting article about invasive species.  I know that invasive species were last semester, but the Florida Everglades is being over-run with a super creepy invasive species....the Burmese Python.  

Want to see some more?

For the past month, snake hunters have flocked to the southern state of Florida in order to hunt the elusive Burmese python.  No this isn't a reality televsion stunt although it sounds like one.  On this past Saturday, Florida wildlife officials announced the winners of the 2016 Python Challenge.  The contest removed a total of 106 Burmese pythons from the Florida Everglades.  Bill Booth lead the winning team earning a $5,000 grand prize for killing the most Burmese Pythons by removing 33 total snakes.  Additionally, his team had the longest snake that was killed.  At over 15 feet long and nearly 125 pounds, the giant snake earned Booth's team an additional $3,000 in prize money.

http://pythonchallenge.org/

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/winners-florida-s-python-challenge-capture-snake-15-feet-125-n527226

Above are two links about the contest.  If you Google "Burmese Python Challenge" and click on "in the news," there are a plethora of other resources.  In a scholarly paragraph, summarize what you learned.  Will you take the python challenge?  What would you do with the snake skin?  A purse?  A belt?  A handbag?  What about the meat?  Where does all that excess snake go?  106 snakes....what do they do with 106 dead snakes?

Chalk full of love

In honor of Valentine's day, I picked two separate articles for you to choose to respond to this week.

http://theplate.nationalgeographic.com/2016/02/13/chalk-full-of-love-the-evolution-of-conversation-hearts/

Read the above article about the history of conversation hearts.  In a scholarly paragraph with at least five sentences and proper punctuation, explain what you learned.  What is the history of the conversation heart?  What did you learn?  In your conclusion, suggest a couple of new messages that would be biology related.

OR

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/photo-ark/pictures/monogamous-animals/#/photo-ark-monogamous-prairie-vole_94135_600x450.jpg

To continue with the spirit of Valentines Day, read the above article about animals that mate for life.  Which is your favorite?  Is it endangered?  What did you learn about that animal?  Are there any other animals that you know of that mate for life?  In a scholarly paragraph, write about one of these animals that mate for life.

Big Game Hunting on the day of the Big Game

Tonight is the 50th Super Bowl...kinda a big deal.  When I saw this article earlier this week, I decided that writing about big game hunting on the week of the Super Bowl was a perfect fit.

Do you remember Cecil, the lion?

The world's largest trophy hunting organization is auctioning hundreds of permits to hunt at least 600 animals in 32 different countries.  Some supporters say that this auction will raise millions of dollars that can be used for conservation.  What do you think?

Below is the article explaining about the controversial auction:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/02/160206-American-trophy-hunting-wildlife-conservation/

This second article is about actual trophy hunting industry:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/02/160202-safari-club-international-auction-dallas-safari-club-big-game-hunts/

Read one of the two articles and write a scholarly article explaining your stance on the practice of trophy hunting.  Start your paragraph with your stance.  Then provide at least three concrete pieces of evidence.  More is better here.  Finally, in your conclusion I would like you to suggest what should be done in the future.