Hello Eco folks,

Here are some readings about Camden suggested by Michael for our class; I'm also including Michael's notes.  I'm posting them now in case you want to browse in them as we work on the lesson plans you're developing for our 5th grade partners.  We may also use some of these readings in other ways...

In Ed class on Wed., we had a silent discussion in response to quotes from our readings.  As I read over all of our rich, provocative writings (I love the way 'silent discussion' stays in place for a minute!), I started to notice language that seemed related to economics... and decided to highlight these in a post, hoping to prompt more cross-disciplinary talk, including "difficult conversations" within and across our 360 classes!

Here are some quotes from our language ('representation') on the silent discussion poster pages (with my italics added):

Is referring to (certain urban spaces) as "denatured" good - what if they reflect the nature of the community they are located in or hold a certain value to the community?

I'm wondering is these (manufactured playground structures) cost less overall -- less upkeep?  More economically affordable...

...is it necessary that we get the voices of urban kids and adults?  Do they want more access to nature and wildlife?  What spaces are valued and where (for example) could a park go?

But also in the name of money, because the same people who forbid these environmentally harmful activities (restrictions placed on children climbing trees, etc.) allow things like mountaintop removal and fracking...

This is something interesting I came across that reminded me of what Anne showed us the first day of class!

http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/nobuttsorg_anticigarette_butt_pollution_campaign_rabbit

ECON 136:  Week 5 Tasks 

Monday:  Catch Up Class

I worry that we’ve been pressing too much.   I want a chance to address any technical glitches you’ve run into in working with your preferred spreadsheet, drawing and word processing software.   I want to finish talking about the gains from voluntary exchange and I want to get your thoughts about the economic way of inducing cooperative resource allocation. 

Preparing for class:

Review your notes, make progress on Opportunity Cost paper  due Wednesday night.

Wednesday:  Demand and Surplus         

            Preparing for Class

            Read Taylor Ch. 8, pp. 154-158

            Read Taylor Ch. 4, pp.  59-64, 81-82

Before you retire Tuesday night (or by 3am  Wednesday)

            Complete the Demand and Surplus problem set in Sapling Learning 

By Wednesday night (or 3am Thursday), save your Opportunity Cost Memo (assignment attached) to your class Dropbox folder 

Friday:    Supply, profit and rent 

and on a more philosophical note...

alice lesnick just shared w/ our "internationalizing women's education" group a really wonderful essay
about "the right to research" which is focused on the needs and rights of poor global communities, but
which i think also has tremendous resonance for women inside. sara, it might go on the reading list
for your independent study, and sasha it might also help you w/ that thesis proposal!

Dear Students,

Please use this space to post comments, questions, connections, responses to one another. Happy snow!

I am a customs person and we have just welcomed several new members onto our hall this past week. One of these students is an international student from another dorm and my first years have been very sweet and accommodating to her and I was very touched by their actions. Most international students go by an English name for comfort’s sake and it cuts down on confusion when names are called out during class or when interacting with people. I too go by an English name because my name is constantly mispronounced/misspelled and the mispronunciation of my name is actually another Korean name and so I would never know if someone was calling me or another person and would cause A LOT of confusion. My Korean name is a very big part of my identity and I value what my name stands for because it shows my heritage and the history of my family (most Korean names have unique Chinese roots and belong to certain regions of the country and so lineages can be easily traced). I feel as if we lose a bit of our identity when we decide to go by an English name because most students pick a name that they have read in a book, heard on tv or in a movie or was given to them by friends or strangers. What really touched me was that my first years really made an effort to learn our newcomer’s real name and other international students’ names on our hall. Being called by our real names brings, at least to me, comfort and I feel little bit more ‘whole’. 

Attached find two drafts: for our lesson plan and homework handout.
By Thursday, please send suggested changes.

p.s. now I've removed the drafts, attached the edited versions.