Simmons 1

Tierney

WHAP

9.3.18

Ancient Civilizations in China and the Americas

All of the early ancient civilizations have their differences, and they are also the same in

a number of ways. T​hey were similar in that they both had cities with social classes, had a way to

write, and both created systems of measurement and government that some of our modern

systems are based on today. The details on how these ancient civilizations were created, what

they looked like, or how they worked that make them different.

Both the ancient Americas and the Chinese civilizations had advanced cities. These

advanced cities found ways to create social classes, writing, and new systems of irrigation and

government. The use of writing was key in these ancient societies because it was used to record

history and other events such as trade. These two separate written languages adapted and spread

through the nearby cities.

The civilizations in the Americas started in Peru around 3200 BCE. Instead of farming

food, the Peruvian civilizations built large populations centers along the coast and fished for their

food. Unlike the Americas, the Chinese civilizations were started along a river. The Chinese

settlements are thought to have started much later in history, but these ancient civilizations have

adapted throughout centuries and still exist today. Both of their settlements had social classes,

but in Chinese societies, the artisans made up a separate class and lived beyond the walls, while
 Simmons 2

there is evidence that in the Americas civilizations, there were social classes because of the

difficult projects the took on such as building temples and very heavy stone statues.

Most ancient civilizations had some form of written language. For example, in the

jungles of the Americas were the Olmec people, who lived on the Gulf of Mexico. This is where

a writing system using glyphs was developed Glyphs were later adapted and used in other

civilizations. The ancient Chinese civilizations created a writing system that is very similar to

Chinese writing today. The Chinese wrote on animal bones, while many other civilizations

would carve into stone.

New technologies and systems were created and developed around the time the first

civilizations were being built. The American civilizations (Olmec civilizations in particular)

created a calendar, the concept of zero, and a ballgame that later became popular in other ancient

civilizations. Similar to the American civilizations, the ancient Chinese also developed many

new ideas that changed the course of history. Each Chinese civilization was called a clan. These

clans would eventually begin to dominate one another until there was one great Chinese empire,

ruled by an engineer and mathematician named Yu. Yu designed irrigation and flood control

projects that lead to the naming of the Yellow River and the advancement of humans.

Each of the different early civilizations is alike and d​ifferent in a number of ways.

Although the ancient civilizations of the Americas and of China may have started in different

places, they both had social classes in advanced cities, a written language, and intricate systems

that changed the course of history.

 Simmons 3

Webster

English

9.20.18

The Most Dangerous Animal in the Zoo

There are many arguments as to what the most dangerous animal is to the human in a

zoo. Most zoologists argue that it is a tiger or elephant, but the novel Life of Pi argues that man

is the most dangerous. While Yann Martel makes a valid point, I think other people who have

studied animals and animal behaviors make a better point, that any animal has the ability to

harm.

The idea that man is the most dangerous animal in the zoo is highlighted in Chapter 8 of

in Yann Martel's Life of Pi. Martel argues that people are the most dangerous because they “feed

fish hooks to the otters, razors to the bears, apples with small nails in them to the elephants”

(Martel 29). But, later in the same chapter, Pi’s father throws a goat into the tiger’s cage, and Pi

and his brother watch in horror as the tiger tears the goat apart. Pi begins to realize that although

they tell their zoo guests that man is the most dangerous, his father is showing him the tiger can

cause the most harm. This is showing that although man can be harmful, the animals are truly the

most dangerous.

Steve Clarke is an elephant handler at the Fort Worth Zoo. When asked what the most

dangerous animal is from his perspective, he always answers elephants. Dr. Keith Hinshaw from

the Philadelphia zoo agrees. He says, “[Elephants are] the number one offender. More animal
 Simmons 4

handlers have been killed by elephants than any other animal.” Although he believes elephants

are the most dangerous, he also thinks “just about any animal that has a mouth can bite.” Any

animal with a little motivation has the ability to harm (Helvarg).

Man is not the most dangerous animal in the zoo. There is a question as to what the most

dangerous animal is, but the truth is that any animal with the motivation to harm can and will put

other animals or people in danger.

 Simmons 5

Works Cited

Helvarg, David. “Zookeepers.” Consumer HealthDay, 20 Jan. 2018,

consumer.healthday.com/encyclopedia/work-and-health-41/occupational-health-news-50

7/zookeepers-648116.html.

Martel, Yann. Life of Pi. Harcourt Books, 2001.

Pouget, Jeanne. “Buenos Aires Is Home To The Cruelest Zoo In The World.” Konbini United

States, 29 Aug. 2017,

www.konbini.com/us/lifestyle/buenos-aires-zoo-lujan-cruelty-animals/​.
 Simmons 6

Webster

Self-Directed

9.25.18

The Effects of Technology on Young Children

On average, children use four to five times the recommended one hour of technology per

day (Rowan “Ten”). As these children grow older, they may not be able to realize the effects that

the screen is having on them. The amount of technology that young children use should be

limited because it can affect their health, family structure, and time outdoors.

There are many side effects that relate to technology overuse. For example, children are

increasingly being diagnosed with conditions like ADHD, autism, coordination disorder, and

developmental delays. Although the lifestyle of these young children has adapted, their

developing brains have not (Rowan “Impact”). Not only does technology overuse affect young

children’s many mental conditions, but also their physical conditions. One-third of children in

the US are obese. Thirty percent of children with obesity will develop diabetes (Rowan “Ten”).

These negative effects can continue to affect a child’s life forever.

In the parenting book, “​Parenting with Love and Logic​,” the authors, Foster Cline and

Jim Fay find that “bored children usually ask, what can I watch?” instead of ‘What can I do?’

(Cline and Fay 239). Young children focus themselves on a fantasy world that is trapped in a

screen rather than communicating with real people.

 Simmons 7

When children become addicted in the first place is a mystery to many. Children often

watch their parents on their devices, which may make them “more inclined to do the same”

(Cappetta). This is called the Modeling Effect, as explained by Steve Booth-Butterfield, “just by

watching what other people do, we can acquire new ideas and behaviors”. The steps that are

unconsciously familiar to most are observing, imitating, and suffering a consequence

(Booth-Butterfield). These steps make sense, but the common problem with families these days

is the parents are not putting consequences on the overuse of technology.

Devices are so commonly used, young children don’t know how “to have a conversation

or use their imagination” (Cappetta). Families no longer have conversations, instead, they are

glued to their screens, sometimes even communicating with them when they are in the same

room. Technology is breaking families foundation and messing up core values that long ago held

families together (Rowan “Impact”). If parents were to enforce consequences, then the children

may stop (Booth-Butterfield). So many children have their heads down on their devices,

“[Children] don’t know how to interact with real people because they spend too much time

interacting with their devices” (Cappetta).

Children are staying inside playing with their devices instead of going outside and

burning calories. Exercise is important because “young children require two to three hours per

day of active rough and tumble play to achieve adequate sensory stimulation” (Rowan “Impact”).

In other words, for young children’s brains to develop properly, they should be active for at least

two hours a day. Going outside causes stress hormones to go down, blood pressure to go down
 Simmons 8

and resting heart rate to slow (Kooiman). Going outside could help young children who typically

spend most of their time inside on devices to have a healthier lifestyle.

Screen time affects children's health, family structure, and amount of time spent outdoors.

These three things are important for children to maintain a healthy lifestyle. So parents should

limit the number of time children (especially younger ones) spend on technology.
 Simmons 9

Works Cited

Booth-Butterfield, Steve. “Modeling Theory” Healthy Influence, N.d.

Cappetta, Kristina. “Is it too Late to Unplug our Kids?” The Huffington Post. January 13, 2017.

Cline, Foster MD & Fay, Jim. Parenting with Love and Logic. Piñon Press, 2006. Print.

Kooiman, Anna. “Nature deficit disorder: Is staying indoors harming your health? Fox News,

April 23, 2013.

Rowan, Cris “Ten reasons why Handheld devices should be banned for Children Under the Age

of Twelve.” The Huffington Post. December 21, 2015.

Rowan, Cris. “The Impact of Technology on the Developing Child.” The Huffington Post. July

29, 2013.
 Simmons 10

Tierney

Global Choice

10.2.18

The Refugee Crisis and Immigration Issues

Dear President Trump,

In 2016, nearly 85,000 refugees came to the US (Conner). These refugees came to the US

seeking safety and a hope for a better life. The United States should take in as many refugees as

possible because everyone deserves to be safe, and the US has the ability to handle more people.

Refugees are people who flee their countries to escape violence. If these people aren’t

allowed into our country, the majority of them will be sent back to their home country where

they could be badly hurt or even killed. Everyone deserves to be safe and not live in fear for their

life, and by allowing refugees access to our country, they can start a better life. For example,

Tom Reno is a refugee who fled from Southern Uganda to a safer, more Northern part of his

country. He is also a businessman. He has helped bring connectivity to millions of people in

Sudan by starting a phone company and opening a few internet cafes. This man and his

company, with help from the UNHRC, helped him start a better life for himself, while also

helped others stay connected to family and friends.

The US is the third most populated country in the world, behind China and India. The US

is also more equipped than other countries to handle more people. Many people are worried

about the safety of American citizens. But the US has an economy that has the ability to hold
 Simmons 11

many more people. In 2018, the US has taken in the fewest number of refugees in forty years.

This can and should be changed because our country has handled many more refugees in the past

decades.

The United States should take in as many refugees as humanly possible because it will

allow these people at a chance of a better life, and the US has the ability to take in more people.

Sincerely,

Morgan Simmons
 Simmons 12

Works Cited

Connor, Phillip. “U.S. Admits Record Number of Muslim Refugees in 2016.” Pew Research

Center, Pew Research Center, 5 Oct. 2016,

www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/10/05/u-s-admits-record-number-of-muslim-refuge

es-in-2016/​.

“Country Comparison > Population.” Zambia GDP - per Capita (PPP) - Economy, Index Mundi,

www.indexmundi.com/g/r.aspx.

Grillo, Ioan. “Why Central American Refugees Will Keep Coming to the U.S.” Time, Time, 21

June 2018, time.com/5318718/central-american-refugees-crisis/.

“Here's How Many Refugees the US Has Accepted in 2018.” Global Citizen,

www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/us-accepted-refugees-2018/.

Le Blond, Josie. “For Refugees and Locals in Uganda, the Internet Is Changing Lives.” UNHCR,

The United Nations, 24 Sept. 2018,

www.unhcr.org/en-us/news/stories/2018/9/5ba8b3ba4/refugees-locals-uganda-internet-ch

anging-lives.html​.
 Simmons 13

Gregory

Chemistry

10.3.18

Dear Ms. Taylor,

The Austin High Global Studies sophomores take a trip to Costa Rica during the spring

semester. Since these students will already be in Costa Rica, I propose that the students take a

day to go ziplining. Ziplining is a fun and exciting way to learn about a few essentials of science.

It is crucial for the students to go ziplining because, without this interactive experience, students

wouldn’t be able to learn about two of the key components of science, friction, and gravity.

Friction basically means resistance. This is a crucial part of ziplining because, without

friction, objects will continue moving until acted upon by another force. This will be interesting

to see, especially because we will be the moving objects on the zip line. Friction also tells how

fast you are going, in other words, the less the friction, the faster you most likely go.

Another thing that will be interesting to experiment with is gravity. If it weren't for

gravity, we wouldn’t move anywhere on the zip line. The way a zip line works is because of the

declining slope of the rope. Gravity pulls the person from one end of the line to another.

Learning about gravity is crucial to understanding how we stay on the ground every day.

Ziplining isn’t really dangerous. With proper attention, all accidents can be avoided.

Simply make sure every student is harnessed into the equipment correctly and has a helmet to

cover that fits and covers their heads properly. Also, it is a good idea to have the students learn
 Simmons 14

about the basic maneuvers of ziplining such as starting, slowing down, and stopping. As long as

these measures are kept intact, every student should be safe, and be able to learn this crucial

knowledge for their science education.

I think this Costa Rica ziplining experience would be a crucial step into the science

education of these sophomores because it would help give these students a hands-on introduction

into friction and gravity.

Sincerely,

Morgan Simmons