Researching the Relaxing Way

The library has always been my happy place. The smell of books. The neatly organized stacks. The access to anything I could ever possibly want to know. Our little branch library is only about two miles from our house, and it is a regular stop when running errands. However, when one of my children needs a resource, I may not be able to drop everything and go to the library. Neither do I trust the Internet to bring them safe and reliable sources. So what’s a busy mom to do? Thankfully, we have a state electronic library. In fact, while doing research for this post, I learned that all fifty states have some form of electronic library. So what is a state electronic library? It is a service that usually gives library card holders access to other member libraries―both public and university—as well as sometimes other organizations. Patrons can borrow books from around the state and can also access state historical archives. Most importantly, it provides access to research databases and other subscription-based services that I can’t access on my own. For example, through our electronic library I have access to Encyclopedia Britannica. When my children needed articles about the country of Wales for our co-op’s Geography Expo, we were able to download articles with a choice of reading levels, allowing all of them to research at their individual ability. My son is completing the Excellence in Literature: American Literature course, and he uses the Literature Resource Center by Gale Research for all his author background research. He can also locate current events and technology articles from the New York Times and many other publications that limit the number of articles you can read, simply by accessing their website directly. Another favorite database of mine is InfoTrac, which is available at elementary, middle, and high school reading levels. Through this I can access articles in Boy’s Life, Science Reader, Cobblestone, Calliope, and many others. The best part is, you don’t just receive an issue and page number so that you still have to go to the library to locate the article. As long as you ask the database to give you results that are â€Å"full text,† you will receive the full article right on your computer screen. When my children research on this site, I don’t have to worry about inappropriate content or advertising. And because it is subscription-based, it is ad-free. Each state library will vary in its subscriptions to these databases, so you’ll need to check with your local branch library for more information. Our librarian even gave a workshop at our local branch for our co-op on the variety of materials we would be able to access from the warmth and comfort of our homes (an important benefit as the Michigan winter bears down on us). In addition to your state library, be sure to investigate what the Library of Congress has to offer online. Because they are the repository for the history and culture of our country, you can find just about anything that relates to history, culture, geography, government, and, of course, books. I recently taught a Unit 3 class and needed to bring in some fables for it. There are many sources available online, but the Library of Congress has a beautiful interactive version of the classic Aesop’s Fables book by Milo Winter.   You can view them on your screen, or print them out.   The font and illustrations made it much more enjoyable for my young students. I’ve used the Library of Congress to find political cartoons for a government assignment, posters of past elections, and songs from World War I.   They have collections of materials available online like you would find in a museum. Need to research Dr.   Martin Luther King, Jr.?   They have a collection for that.   How about science facts and figures?   They are there, too.   Ã‚  Searching for a recording of a famous speech or the transcript of a famous interview? It’s probably in their files. So whether the north wind blows or you are miles from a library, there is more than just Wikipedia available online.   Give one of these sites a try the next time your student says, â€Å"Mom, I need something about ... by tomorrow morning.†    Other sites that we use often for research in our homeschool: National Geographic Map Maker http://nationalgeographic.org/education/mapping/outline-map Scholastic Publications I’ve used their Art History section for learning about the periods of art.   They also have printable activities for many books. http://scholastic.com Pro-con A website dedicated to giving both sides of the issue for students completing research reports and persuasive/argumentative essays. http://pro-con.org How Stuff Works A website that explores—you guessed it—how stuff works. It covers a large spectrum of topics and even includes some fun quizzes.   http://howstuffworks.com Discovery Education A subscription educational website that offers some free educational content as well. It has a supportive homework help section under the students tab.   http://discoveryeducation.com Danielle Olander, an IEW ® Accomplished Instructor, is the author of  Rockets, Radar, and Robotics. Married to her college sweetheart, Ray, and a homeschooling mom of five amazing children, she coaches writing via email for students from Michigan to Papua New Guinea. After graduating from her parents’ homeschool in the pioneer days of homeschooling, Danielle graduated  summa cum laude  with her B.A. in English/History Education from Cornerstone University, Grand Rapids, MI. Log in or register to post commentsDanielle Olanders blog Log in or register to post comments

Attack on Fort Sumter Began the Civil War in 1861

The shelling of Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861 marked the beginning of the American Civil War. With the booming of cannons over the harbor in Charleston, South Carolina, the secession crisis gripping the country escalated into a shooting war. The attack on the fort was the culmination of a simmering conflict in which a small garrison of Union troops in South Carolina found themselves isolated when the state seceded from the Union. The action at Fort Sumter lasted less than two days and had no great tactical significance. And casualties were minor. But the symbolism was enormous on both sides. Once Fort Sumter was fired upon there was no turning back. The North and the South were at war. The Crisis Began With Lincolns Election in 1860 Following the election of Abraham Lincoln, the candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party, in 1860, the state of South Carolina announced its intention to secede from the Union in December 1860. Declaring itself independent of the United States, the state government demanded that federal troops leave. Anticipating trouble, the administration of the outgoing president, James Buchanan, had ordered a reliable U.S. Army officer, Major Robert Anderson, to Charleston in late November 1860 to command the small outpost of federal troops guarding the harbor. Major Anderson realized that his small garrison at Fort Moultrie was in danger as it could easily be overrun by infantry. On the night of December 26, 1860, Anderson surprised even members of his own staff by ordering a move to a fort situated on an island in Charleston Harbor, Fort Sumter. Fort Sumter had been built after the War of 1812 to protect the city of Charleston from foreign invasion, and it was designed to repel a naval attack, not a bombardment from the city itself. But Major Anderson felt it was the safest place in which to place his command, which numbered less than 150 men. The secessionist government of South Carolina was outraged by Andersons move to Fort Sumter and demanded that he vacate the fort. Demands that all federal troops leave South Carolina intensified. It was obvious that Major Anderson and his men couldnt hold out for long at Fort Sumter, so the Buchanan administration sent a merchant ship to Charleston to bring provisions to the fort. The ship, Star of the West, was fired on by secessionist shore batteries on January 9, 1861, and was unable to reach the fort. The Crisis at Fort Sumter Intensified While Major Anderson and his men were isolated at Fort Sumter, often cut off from any communication with their own government in Washington, DC, events were escalating elsewhere. Abraham Lincoln traveled from Illinois to Washington for his inauguration. It is believed that a plot to assassinate him on the way was foiled. Lincoln was inaugurated on March 4, 1861, and was soon made aware of the seriousness of the crisis at Fort Sumter. Told that the fort would run out of provisions, Lincoln ordered ships of the U.S. Navy to sail to Charleston and supply the fort. The newly formed Confederate government kept up demands that Major Anderson surrender the fort and leave Charleston with his men. Anderson refused, and at 4:30 a.m. on April 12, 1861, Confederate cannon positioned at various points on the mainland began shelling Fort Sumter. The Battle of Fort Sumter The shelling by Confederates from several positions surrounding Fort Sumter went unanswered until after daylight, when Union gunners began returning fire. Both sides exchanged cannon fire throughout the day of April 12, 1861. By nightfall, the pace of the cannons had slowed, and a heavy rain pelted the harbor. When morning dawned clear the cannons roared again, and fires began to break out at Fort Sumter. With the fort in ruins, and with supplies running out, Major Anderson was forced to surrender. Under the surrender terms, the federal troops at Fort Sumter would essentially pack up and sail to a northern port. On the afternoon of April 13, Major Anderson ordered a white flag to be raised over Fort Sumter. The attack on Fort Sumter had produced no combat casualties, though two federal troops died during a freak accident at a ceremony after the surrender when a cannon misfired. The federal troops were able to board one of the U.S. Navy ships which had been sent to bring supplies to the fort, and they sailed to New York City. Upon arrival in New York, Major Anderson learned that he was considered a national hero for having defended the fort and the national flag at Fort Sumter. Impact of the Attack on Fort Sumter The citizens of the North were outraged by the attack on Fort Sumter. And Major Anderson, with the flag that had flown over the fort, appeared at a massive rally in New York Citys Union Square on April 20, 1861. The New York Times estimated the crowd at more than 100,000 people. Major Anderson also toured the northern states, recruiting troops. In the South, feelings also ran high. The men who fired the cannons at Fort Sumter were considered heroes, and the newly formed Confederate government was emboldened to form an army and plan for war. While the action at Fort Sumter had not amounted to much militarily, the symbolism of it was enormous, and intense feelings over what had happened propelled the nation into a conflict that would not end for four long and bloody years.

Kant s Categorical Imperative Of Universal Laws And Humanity

Kant’s Categorical Imperative of Universal Laws and Humanity People have an intrinsic worth above mere things or possessions. In order for people to cohabitate peacefully and respectively, there’s a need for universal laws based on good will and absolute moral beliefs. It is this moral belief which is based on reason and must be uniformly abided by. This allows humanity to function as an amicable society; an amicable society that is achieved by treating ourselves and others with respect and dignity. Immanuel Kant’s theory known as the categorical imperative expressed an absolute belief in universal moral laws which enables humanity to be treated well. (Rachels EMP 129 139) Categorical Imperative and Universal Laws Important to realize is universal laws or moral rules are a necessary part of society. Without rules, society would not function properly, and a breakdown of humanity’s social structure would soon follow. If no one kept their word, then no one would be believed or trusted. Hence, nothing would ever be accomplished. It would stand to reason people must keep their commitments. Kant’s categorical imperative is defined by reason and binding for all rational people. (Rachels EMP 135) Kant maintains that â€Å"act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that is should become a universal law.† (qtd in Rachels EMP 130) To clarify, if one’s actions can be based on a rule or maxim that can be followed without exception by everyone,Show MoreRelatedKantian Ethics1459 Words   |  6 Pageson individuals that have a major impact on one`s life. The teachings usually start from a young age through parents, caregivers and educators in s ociety. Due to their influence on young children`s lives it is their responsibility to make certain that young children will learn to make logical decisions that would contribute in a positive way in society. An ethical theory that would best describe people that influence young children would be Kantian`s ethics. His ethical theory elucidates that moralityRead MoreKant And The Categorical Imperative1177 Words   |  5 PagesImmanuel Kant was a philosopher who tried to work out how human beings could be good and kind outside admiration and devotion of traditional religions. Kant was a pessimist about human character and believed that we are by nature intensely prone to corruption. This became more clear to Kant after reading the work of philosopher David Hume. It was this that led him to formulate his life’s project, the desire to replace religious authority with the authority of reason, that is human intelligence. WhenRead MoreWhat Has Posterity Ever Done For Me By Robert H eilbroner1626 Words   |  7 Pagesresponsibilities towards future generations in regards to preserving the planet. In this paper, I will present Heilbroner s arguments for posterity, in relation to how we treat our environment. 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I believe that Kant, the deontologist, will not care as much about the duty/responsibility between humans and animals as Mill, the utilitarian, who will see the extreme importance of animal ethics. After studying and explaining the views and teachings of these two philosophers I will see if my thesis was correct,Read MoreKantian Ethics And The Categorical Imperative Essay1581 Words   |  7 PagesReason Book, I, Immanuel Kant, a prominent late Enlightenment Era German philosopher discusses his most famous ethical theory, the â€Å"Categorical Imperative.† The â€Å"Categorical Imperative† is a proposed universal law in stating all humans are forbidden from certain actions regardless of consequences. 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In his work, Groundwork of Metaphysic of Morals, Immanuel Kant talks about threeRead MoreCritique And Critique Of Kantian Ethics1812 Words   |  8 PagesColin Rinne PHI 110 Ethics Kant Analysis and Critique 3 November 2014 Examination of Kantian Ethics â€Å"There is no possibility of thinking of anything at all in this world, or even out of it, which can be regarded as good without qualifications, except a good will.† (Kant, pg.7 393). No other thing that may appear good can be unqualifiedly good, as even â€Å"Talents of the mind†¦Gifts of power†¦[Other] qualities†¦Have no intrinsic unconditional worth, but they always presuppose, rather, a good will, whichRead MoreThe Metaphysic Of Morals By Immanuel Kant1199 Words   |  5 PagesGroundwork for the Metaphysic of Morals by Immanuel Kant: A Reflection and Analysis Author name Name of institutionâ€Æ' In man’s attempt to figure out what is right or wrong, they have developed a number of systems that purportedly deal with such matters. Immanuel Kant expanded on his moral philosophy in his work, Groundwork for the Metaphysic of Morals. This paper will be a reflection upon Kantian ethical principles presented therein and their relation to what is generally called morality. People

A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand free essay sample

The phrase, â€Å"A house divided against itself cannot stand† became famous as a quotation from Lincoln’s â€Å"A house divided† speech delivered at 17 June 1858, in what was then the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, upon accepting the Illinois Republican Partys nomination as that states senator of the United States . The speech became the launching point for his unsuccessful campaign. Abraham Lincoln was not the first one who used the â€Å"A house divided against itself cannot stand† phrase: Sam Huston used it during the Senate debate on the Compromise of 1850,during the War of 1812; a similar line appeared in a letter from Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren. Thomas Paine in 1776 and Thomas Hobbes, in 1651 used something very similar. We, as humans, are social beings†¦so we cannot live alone. We need friends and people with whom we can share our thoughts, our feelings, our life, our experiences and so on. We will write a custom essay sample on A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page For this reason we form all kinds of groups (friends group, school group, workplace group). If the members of a group are not united, they will be much more easier to defeat by a â€Å"common enemy† or by nature itself. If a group (house) is divided against himself, members will be more easier to beat one by one, then if they are united and their power cumulated. Even if, hypothetically, there is only one group and there will be no external danger, if the member of that group is disunited, the group could not stand and, sooner or later, if the conflicts are not solved, the group will divide in at least two other smaller groups( each one more powerless than the original group will be if its members are united). The â€Å"A house divided against itself cannot stand† phrase applies very well to smaller (but more bounding) groups. For example, a family where the partners are always arguing against each other, it will be very hard (if not impossible) to get over the life challenges and succeed together in life. It is even worse if that family involves at least a child, because it is very probably that he will follow his parents` example and be more rigid with his partner when he will grow up. Another good example are the groups formed in a world full of sharks all running for the biggest prey and winning: the businessman world. If two (or more) business associates are not united they will surely lose because bigger or more cunning sharks will profit from their division against each other. In conclusion a house divided against itself cannot stand (SEE What I did there? ) because it is much more difficult conquer it if its members are united than applying the famous quotation : divide et impera! .