fbpx
Home Blog Page 1188

Lesson of the Day: ‘The Year in Pictures 2021’

By
onlinefreecourse
-
0
Lesson of the Day: ‘The Year in Pictures 2021’

Featured Article: “The Year in Pictures 2021”

Each year, photo editors at The New York Times sift through thousands of images to find the perfect photographs to represent the year’s news. The 176 images collected here present the story of 2021 “through the eloquent universal language of photography,” Meaghan Looram, The Times’s director of photography, writes in the introduction to the collection. They chronicle conflicts, triumphs and poignant scenes of everyday life from the past 365 days.

The collection also showcases the bravery of the people who took the images. Ms. Looram writes:

This period has underscored the special communicative power of the image, as well as the risks taken and hardship endured by photographers so they can show us the world. As some people retreated to working from home, or keeping their distance, these committed journalists did not have that option. Our writers describe and sometimes interpret the world for our readers, but our photographers literally show our readers the world.

In this lesson, you will explore the visual story of 2021 and reflect on the power of photojournalism. In Going Further activities, we invite you to analyze and interpret a meaningful photograph from the Times collection and to curate a “Year in Pictures” for your own life.

Note to teachers: Some of the images in the featured article depict scenes of conflict, trauma and death. Please preview the collection to make sure it is appropriate for your students.

What is the story of 2021?

Before looking at the collection of photographs from the past year, brainstorm a list of images, sounds, words and artifacts that come to mind when you think about the events of the past year.

Then, reflect on your list: What do you notice? What big themes and ideas emerge?

Next, sketch an image that best captures the past year. Your drawing can be realistic or abstract, detailed or just a few stick figures. Add a caption that explains your creation.

Finally, share the drawing with your classmates. What is similar and different in your depictions of 2021?

Look at the photos in the collection and the accompanying text, then answer the following questions.

(Note: There are many ways to explore the collection. You might scroll through quickly and then return to look more closely at the images that stood out. Or you might work with a group to examine a single month and share highlights with the class.)

1. Reflect on the photo collection as a whole: What emotions and feelings did the images evoke for you? Taken as a whole, what story do these images tell about 2021? How is this story similar to or different from the drawing you created in the warm-up activity?

2. Respond to the power of individual images: Which images from the collection stand out to you most and why? Which ones do you think best capture the year’s noteworthy moments? Are there any events that you think are missing? If so, which ones and why?

3. Discuss a caption or quotation: The Times photographer Michelle V. Agins describes herself as “a moment thief.” Todd Heisler tells of developing “a kinship” with the New York service workers he photographed during the pandemic. Which caption or story behind a picture do you find most illuminating?

4. Ms. Looram notes in the introduction to the collection that while much of photojournalism, like news reporting in general, focuses on tumult, conflict and tragedy, The Times asks its photographers to document “the joy, the optimism, the curious and buoyant moments that remind us of the gobsmacking beauty of the world and all that connects us to one another.” Select one picture that captures the beauties and joys of 2021 and explain why you chose it and how it relates to your own life.

5. What are some of the challenges Times photojournalists faced in documenting the world in 2021, according to the article?

6. Ms. Looram’s introduction concludes:

Photographers are often invisible and unacknowledged. This collection puts their voices at the center of the conversation. As much as it is a representation of the year’s events, it is also a tribute to them.

Does you think the work of photojournalists needs greater attention and appreciation? Why is photojournalism — and a collection like “The year in Pictures” — important? What can photojournalists capture about the news and events of the world that words and text alone cannot? Would you want to be a photojournalist? Why or why not?

Option 1: Curate a “Year In Pictures” collection.

Create a new “Year In Pictures” slide show using five to 10 images from the Times collection. What story would you want to tell? Which images would you choose and why? Annotate your slide show with a written explanation of why you selected each photograph.

Option 2: Analyze and interpret a photograph.

Choose one photograph in the collection that you found particularly informative, surprising or affecting. As you look closely, respond to questions adapted from our What’s Going On in This Picture? feature:

Then dig a little deeper:

  • What do you notice about the composition, colors, objects and people in the photo?

  • Why did this photo stand out to you? What do you find intriguing or moving about it?

  • How does the photograph make you feel? How does it resonate with your own life and experiences?

  • What challenges do you think the photographer faced in capturing the picture?

  • What do you think the photographer wanted to communicate with this image? What questions would you ask the photographer or the subjects of the photo?

Option 3: Make a “Year in Pictures” for your own life.

If you were to make a “Year in Pictures” of your own year, which photos would you choose? How do these images illustrate the most significant moments of your 2021?

Want more Lessons of the Day? You can find them all here.

Word of the Day: bane

By
onlinefreecourse
-
0
Word of the Day: bane

: something causing misery or death

_________

The word bane has appeared in 19 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Oct. 15 in “The Fight for Sneakers” by Daisuke Wakabayashi:

When Bodega, a streetwear shop in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston, released a hyped, limited-edition New Balance 997S sneaker in 2019, the entire stock sold out online in under 10 minutes.

There was one problem, though: About 60 percent of Bodega’s sales went to shoppers gaming the system with bots, timesaving automation software used to speed through checkout. The bots had claimed hundreds of pairs of New Balances for a single customer; many other shoppers failed to secure just one.

… To most customers, bots are the bane of online shopping. But for sneaker brands and retailers, the relationship is more complicated.

Can you correctly use the word bane in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the “Recommend” button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you.

If you want a better idea of how bane can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com.

If you enjoy this daily challenge, try one of our monthly vocabulary challenges.

Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.

Festive Wear

By
onlinefreecourse
-
0
Festive Wear

Do you have a special holiday outfit, whether for Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve or any other occasion celebrated this month? If so, what’s it like, and how does it make you feel?

How do you feel about the Christmas sweater, a tradition that Britons — including this dinosaur in the Natural History Museum in London — have embraced? Would you ever wear one?

Tell us in the comments, then read the related article to learn more.

Want more Picture Prompts? Find them all in this column.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

On the Court

By
onlinefreecourse
-
0
On the Court

Use your imagination to write the opening of a short story or poem inspired by this illustration — or, tell us about a memory from your own life that this image makes you think of.

Post it in the comments, then read the related article to learn more.

Want more Picture Prompts? Find them all in this column.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

“Alison has opened up opportunities for me that I had never dreamed of.”

By
onlinefreecourse
-
0
“Alison has opened up opportunities for me that I had never dreamed of.”

“My name is Majid and I’m from Saudi Arabia. When I graduated from high school I tried to take some courses in order to develop my skills and expand the job opportunities available to me. But unfortunately, I wasn’t able to so for a variety of reasons.

First of all, such courses are expensive in my country and I don’t have the financial means to take them. Secondly, I live in a remote area where there are no educational institutions. The third reason is that there aren’t many educational opportunities available here. My country doesn’t let me have a chance. The quality of education is poor and not advanced here.”

 

How did you learn about Alison?

Despite the above circumstances I face, I still have the desire to pursue learning and knowledge. This led me to look for international educational institutions and I searched online and found Alison. I got to know the platform and I completed my first diploma in January 2021.

What was your first course on Alison, and why did you choose it?

It was a diploma specializing in Social Media Strategy. I chose it because this specialty is a new area and I want to know about it.

How have Alison courses affected your life?

I’ve benefited a lot from Alison from my very first experience of the platform. I learned new skills with Alison. It opened up many great prospects and opportunities for me that I had never dreamed of.

Where are you working and what are you studying now?

I’m not working right now but I’m studying an Advanced Diploma in Certified Associate in Project Management (CPAM) Exam Prep with Alison.

What’s next for you, in terms of education or work?

My goal is to set up my own business. I want to learn how to start and run a business. I also want to learn about currencies and global trading.

What would you say to someone if they asked you about Alison? Would you recommend it and why?

I would tell them that it’s the best platform and that it can teach you everything you want to learn. I would recommend Alison because it’s a unique and high quality platform.

Lesson of the Day: ‘Eating My Way Through New York City’

By
onlinefreecourse
-
0
Lesson of the Day: ‘Eating My Way Through New York City’

This lesson is a part of our new Accessible Activities feature, which aims to welcome a wider variety of learners to our site and to The Times. Learn more and tell us what you think here.

Featured Article: “Eating My Way Through New York City” by Melissa Guerrero

In this lesson, join Melissa Guerrero, a New York Times reporter, as she travels from the Bronx to Brooklyn to try as many dishes as she can from New York City’s food carts.

You will learn about the food Ms. Guerrero ate and the people she met who made it. Then, you will write a poem honoring the smells, tastes and sounds of cooking in your own community.

Spend a few minutes free-writing about the tastes, smells, sights and sounds that come to mind when you think about the food made in your home or in your community.

For example, what does food preparation look like in your house, either on a regular weekday or for a special event?

Do you have special memories of people cooking in your home? Does the smell of a certain spice remind you of helping a family member in the kitchen? Or does the sound of bread thudding against a table remind you of kneading dough with someone in your family?

What about in your community? Do you ever recognize the spices that your neighbors are cooking with? When you walk down the streets, do you smell the cuisine of certain countries or cultures? Do you try foods with different flavors and ingredients when you visit your friends’ houses?

Here are eight words from the featured article that you may, or may not, be familiar with. Look through the words. Do you know any of their meanings? Could you use them in a sentence?

1. vendor
2. promote
3. prosciutto
4. request
5. simmer
6. inherited
7. scavenger
8. shish kebab

To practice these eight words, visit our list on Vocabulary.com for definitions and quizzes.

Read the article, or the PDF, and then answer the following questions:

1. What makes the carnitas made by Armando Flores Barrera and Ma. Guadalupe Romero, special? Have you ever made or tried carnitas? What flavors do you remember tasting?

2. Why did the Street Vendor Project organize the scavenger hunt? Do you think it is a good way to create more business for food carts? Or do you think something more should be done to support these businesses? Explain.

3. Why do you think some of Tony Dragonas’s customers want him, instead of his co-workers, to make their meals? Are there any foods that you prefer to eat when they are prepared by a certain family member or friend? What are they and why?

4. How did Jack Xia go from owning a restaurant to operating a food truck? Do you think this was a smart business decision?

5. Why are the shish kebabs that Zaina Elkordy makes meaningful to her and her family? Are there any foods you enjoy that are made special because of what they mean to you personally or culturally?

Return to the free write you did in the warm-up. Circle, underline or highlight the words that feel most important or meaningful to you when you think about food in your home or community.

Then, write a short poem using those words to honor the smells, sights, tastes and sounds of cooking in the place you live. You can read some of these poems for inspiration:

Share your poem with your class, or post it in the comments section of this lesson.

Want more Lessons of the Day? You can find them all here.

Clicking Her Heels

By
onlinefreecourse
-
0
Clicking Her Heels

What do you think this image is saying? How does it relate to or comment on society or current events? Can you relate to it personally? What is your opinion of its message?

Tell us in the comments, then read the related article to learn more.

Want more Picture Prompts? Find them all in this column.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Word of the Day: subside

By
onlinefreecourse
-
0
Word of the Day: subside

1. wear off or die down

2. sink to a lower level or form a depression

3. descend into or as if into some soft substance or place

4. sink down or precipitate

_________

The word subside has appeared in 74 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on July 27 in “When the Olympics Delay Gets You to the Games” by James Wagner:

Also that day, Salamán played in her first game in the Olympics, a 97-55 loss by Puerto Rico to China, capping a 16-month journey for her. She had played only four games for her professional team in Sweden when she hurt her knee while with the Puerto Rico squad in France.

She flew to the island to have it examined by the national team doctor and waited four weeks for her M.C.L. to heal and the swelling to subside so that her A.C.L. could be repaired. In that time, the pandemic shut down Puerto Rico and canceled all nonessential surgeries, including hers. But then the Olympics were postponed, giving Salamán more time to recover and an opening to fulfill a goal that had previously slipped away.

Can you correctly use the word subside in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the “Recommend” button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you.

If you want a better idea of how subside can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com.

If you enjoy this daily challenge, try one of our monthly vocabulary challenges.

Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.

Do Parents Have a Role in a School Shooting? Students Discuss

By
onlinefreecourse
-
0
Do Parents Have a Role in a School Shooting? Students Discuss

The future is in our hands. Rather than doing nothing and expecting the worst, we must work hard to attain our desired future. We spend the first twenty years of our lives preparing for the future. Whether it is great or not, it is up to us teenagers and young adults. Achieving the success my parents have accomplished would be amazing, but I cannot help but desire something even better.

— Lauryn, Miami Country Day School

I cannot help but be excited for the future; I am someone who wants to change the world. I think that I speak for most people when I say that the world is in a very unstable place right now: we are at a turning point and it is time to choose how our future will look.

My generation, the teenagers and young adults of the 21st century, is the one who has to make this decision, and I am very hopeful that we will make the right choice. There are so many passionate kids who recognize the current global issues and want to make a difference in this world— desalinating sea water, finding a cure to cancer, ending plastic pollution, helping to curb starvation in poor countries, etc. While economically, these jobs may not pay as much as a job at a law firm, or as an engineer, they have just as much, if not a larger impact on our world, and I feel as though that is a more important success to push people towards.

— Anna M, Glenbard West High School

To be honest I can’t wait to leave high school and head into my own future: I am ready to explore—ready to go out and try new things, to find—areas that will benefit me and get me one step closer to becoming successful in whatever I do. I believe that experiencing many different cultures, economies, and locations will help someone understand their place in the world. By doing this one can understand what they are doing and what they are doing in respect to other people around them. This could possibly help them determine what they want to do job wise and could motivate them to find ways to help others who maybe don’t have the same opportunities they do.

— Nitin, Glenbard West High School, Glen Ellyn IL

I think that the way that American Gen Z thinks of careers is going to change how economically successful we are. We have been taught incredibly different principles surrounding work than our parents were. We grew up being told to follow our dreams. To go after what we want. To find ourselves. To get that “dream job.” Our generation is one of the first to think of work as something beyond a means to make money. We see a career as fulfilling a dream, not fulfilling a bank account. I think that it’s natural that chasing happiness might lead to less economic success for us. But I would prefer to be part of a passionate generation than a wealthy generation.

— Lainey, Jesuit High School in Portland, Oregon

Throughout the human timeline, we’ve made hundreds, if not thousands, millions, or trillions, of mistakes… We pass on those mistakes to the next generation. The war stories, epidemics, government corruptions, all of the weight gets passed from the shoulders of the old to the new. The pressure and being told that we are to be the ones to make a difference stays with us. Giving proof to the children that we can’t be optimistic, and that life will, at some point, come down to the worst. We’ve been told that we are the ones who are expected to miraculously stop our issues, our losses, and restore our livelihoods.

Yet through all of our troubles, we don’t realize that there are stories of truth, success, and a happy world…This pessimism needs to change. We can and we will make the world a better place. But only if we have everyone’s eyes and hearts set on it.

— Ivy, J.R. Masterman, Philadelphia PA

Saudi Arabia’s National eLearning Center partners with Coursera to launch nationwide skill training program

By
onlinefreecourse
-
0
Saudi Arabia’s National eLearning Center partners with Coursera to launch nationwide skill training program

Anthony Tattersall, Vice President, EMEA 

Today, we proudly announce that Coursera is partnering with Saudi Arabia’s National eLearning Center (NELC), to launch a nationwide skill development program. Through this initiative, NELC, established as an independent entity run by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Council of Ministers, aims to further its mission of enhancing trust in and leading innovation in online learning.

Together, we will equip learners across Saudi Arabia with the high-demand digital skills needed to participate in the workforce and advance their education and careers in the new economy. 

Learners will receive access to thousands of high-quality online courses from over 250 top university and industry leaders worldwide, including Yale University, Stanford University, University of Michigan, Google, IBM, and Microsoft. This includes 15 entry-level Professional Certificates, which help learners develop skills for fast-growing, entry-level digital jobs. Learners will also benefit from a world-class online, mobile, and hands-on learning experience while earning job-relevant credentials for courses they complete. 

In addition, this partnership will offer Saudi Arabian learners access to over 1,900 Guided Projects on Coursera, which allow learners to gain hands-on experience and earn high-demand skills in less than two hours, with step-by-step guidance from an instructor. 

Coursera currently has over 600,000 enrolled learners in Saudi Arabia, with over 40,000 new learners in the last three months alone. This partnership expands upon our commitment, enabling access to Coursera for all university students and government employees in the kingdom. 

Saudi Arabia is one of the region’s top-performing nations for skills proficiency. According to Coursera’s 2021 Global Skills Report, the kingdom is classified as cutting-edge for business skills, ranking 4th in the Middle East and Africa. Access to courses such as Machine Learning (Stanford University) and Foundations: Data, Data Everywhere (Google) will further enhance the country’s Technology and Data Science skills, currently at 54% proficiency and 18% proficiency, respectively. 

“Working with Coursera as a key strategic partner significantly expands the opportunities for our learners and institutions to access world-class educational content, faculty and institutions” said Dr. Abdullah Alwalidi, the Director General of NELC. “Through this relationship, we ensure that NELC continues supporting the skills demands of the rapidly-changing employment market, resulting in continuous development of the Kingdom’s human capabilities.”

We’re excited to help Saudi Arabian learners develop the skills necessary to prepare for the digital economy, adjust to a rapidly-changing workplace, and unlock new career opportunities.

To sign up for the initiative, visit FutureX. To learn more about Coursera for Government, visit coursera.org/government. 

1...1,1871,1881,189...1,678Page 1,188 of 1,678

Recent Posts