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Archive for May, 2011

Year 10 Homework: “There is no such thing as evil”

27 May

This is due on Monday 20th June – you have plenty of time so no excuses!

Suggested structure:

  • What is the statement arguing? That evil does not exist in itself, but instead it is merely the absence of good. Just as darkness is the absence of light and cold is the absence of heat, evil is the absence of good! Suggest what your conclusion is going to be – will you agree or not?
  • Explain why people might agree with this statement. You could look at this and there are some interesting ideas here too. You should also analyse at this point. What might be the good things about explaining evil in this way? Why might it also cause problems?
  • Why might others disagree that there is no such thing as evil? You could refer to the Devil, the “damaged mind” or original sin as other ways of explaining evil. What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of the different ways to explain the existence of evil?
  • Conclusion: Do you agree with this statement? Which side of the argument is stronger and why?

Resources:

 
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Posted in GCSE, Homework

 

Year 9 History of Maths Project

18 May

Your task is to prepare a 5 minute presentation on a famous mathematician from history.

You could create a PowerPoint or props to show the class, which tell us something about the mathematician and what they contributed.

Your presentation should explain:

  • Who the mathematician was
  • When and where the mathematician lived
  • Some interesting facts about the mathematician
  • What the mathematician discovered about maths
  • How might this discovery be relevant to us today?

The idea is that we all learn something about the history of maths and maybe some useful maths for us to use today.

Presentations will begin on Tuesday 24th May!

Some suggestions for possible people to study:

al-Khwarizmi, Fibonacci, Aryabhata, Nicholas Copernicus, John Napier, Wilhelm Schickard, Blaise Pascal, Pierre de Fermat, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Pierre Simon LaPlace, Charles Babbage, Arthur Cayley, August Ferdinand Möbius, Alan Turing, Archimedes, Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss, Sir Isaac Newton, Pythagoras, Srinivasa Ramunjan, Euclid, Euler, Rene Decartes, Benjamin Banneker, Kurt Godel… There are loads of people to consider!

If you want a challenge then choose a more modern mathematician! I hope some of you will!

Resources

 
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Posted in Homework, Maths

 

Year 8: Right Livelihood Business Assessment

06 May

Your task is to come up with a business plan for a Buddhist “right livelihood” business. “Right livelihood” means earning money in a way that follows Buddhist principles such as the Five Precepts. You’ll present your ideas to the class and we’ll decide who gets the money (other prize may be awarded!)

The key thing is to think about how your business will help people follow Buddhist ideas. It needs to consider the Eightfold Path to avoid attachment and craving etc. Key teachings:

The three marks of existence:

Life involves suffering, everything changes, there is no permanent you

The four noble truths :

Suffering can be stopped by following the eightfold path, which stops craving

The eightfold path:
right vision, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right awareness, right meditation

The five precepts:

  • to abstain from harming another living thing,
  • to abstain from taking the not given,
  • to abstain from false speech,
  • to abstain from sexual misconduct,
  • to abstain from intoxicants

Things you may need to produce:

  • A PowerPoint presenting your business
  • A booklet explaining your business
  • A short film showing your ideas
  • Some props to demonstrate your idea
  • A spreadsheet showing the finances of your business

Resources:

 
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Posted in Homework, RPE