SARS-CoV-2 Chemistry Project: Role-Play Discussing If Schools Should Reopen in Person After Winter Break
Reflection:
In order to prevent COVID-19 from infecting people we would need a vaccine. The vaccine would work by allowing our antibodies to learn their protein spikes and set up blockers for their protein spikes. That way if COVID does enter your system it won't be able to connect to your cells because of the blockers created following the vaccine. Before this unit I had no idea how vaccines work, I just thought they made you slightly sick so that way you would be more prepared once you actually got sick.
I had no idea about the close political relation between science and politics. By representing a politician in our seminar I really got to dive into this, but still I think the best example of this if Faci saying not to go out and buy masks at the beginning of the Covid outbreak so that way there would be enough for doctors, but it was taken and used by politicians to discredit the Faci and his science.
I had no idea about the close political relation between science and politics. By representing a politician in our seminar I really got to dive into this, but still I think the best example of this if Faci saying not to go out and buy masks at the beginning of the Covid outbreak so that way there would be enough for doctors, but it was taken and used by politicians to discredit the Faci and his science.
I think the benefits of this method outweighed the downsides, but this is coming from a biased standpoint as I really enjoyed chemistry this year, and before the year was kind of scared for labs. So without labs that fear was gone. Plus I love digging into news article, and the politics behind stuff, and I was able to do that during this semester which just made the class that much better for me.
In order to prevent COVID-19 from infecting people we would need a vaccine. The vaccine would work by allowing our antibodies to learn their protein spikes and set up blockers for their protein spikes. That way if COVID does enter your system it won't be able to connect to your cells because of the blockers created following the vaccine. Before this unit I had no idea how vaccines work, I just thought they made you slightly sick so that way you would be more prepared once you actually got sick.
I had no idea about the close political relation between science and politics. By representing a politician in our seminar I really got to dive into this, but still I think the best example of this if Faci saying not to go out and buy masks at the beginning of the Covid outbreak so that way there would be enough for doctors, but it was taken and used by politicians to discredit the Faci and his science.
I had no idea about the close political relation between science and politics. By representing a politician in our seminar I really got to dive into this, but still I think the best example of this if Faci saying not to go out and buy masks at the beginning of the Covid outbreak so that way there would be enough for doctors, but it was taken and used by politicians to discredit the Faci and his science.
I think the benefits of this method outweighed the downsides, but this is coming from a biased standpoint as I really enjoyed chemistry this year, and before the year was kind of scared for labs. So without labs that fear was gone. Plus I love digging into news article, and the politics behind stuff, and I was able to do that during this semester which just made the class that much better for me.
Project:
Standpoint:
Schools do more harm online than they could ever do inperson.
Schools should open as soon as possible after christmas break.
We can not expect people to all get tested or get the vaccine on account of this disenfranchising people who can't make an effort either.
All practicable steps should be taken to protect student well being, but schools should open.
Opening Statement:
We have two options moving forward.
First we can protect ourselves from harm, shelter away in a cave for months, and let the storm past. This is easy, but ever so painful. When we finally leave the cave, we are disformed, broken, shattered, the mental health of students in tatters, as we look to our government which offers bandages for cuts so deep they will scar future generations. We would be giving up on our strength and resistance. What if we had done that during WWII? The japanese attack Pearl Harbor, fine let them have it, they can take all of Hawwii if they want. That's not who we are.
Second instead we could acknowledge the struggles against this epidemic and meet it head on. God it's brutal, and people will get sick. But our students will be in school actually learning. Our adults will be in the factories and farms, working, making money so they can actually put food on the table, and keep the great economy we have all built together intact. Those who fall will be remembered, and when the pandemic is over we will emerge stronger than ever. No cuts will leave scars for the future, instead, bruises and scrapes adorn our skin, in a few years they will be gone. While scars can last lifetimes. If we want to protect the mental, financial, political, and economic futures for students and this country we must keep schools open and weather the storm.
Rogorian Argument That Could be Made:
Student safety and health should always be a top concern. Whenever we can we must limit the spread and effects of Covid 19. However student safety and health must also be a top concern when moving school online as the mental strain upon students can prove very detrimental to a students mental wellbeing. The effects of covid 19 will be felt for a few weeks, but long lasting mental damage from the stress of online school could last a lifetime. The reasoning for closing schools is sound 100%, but not worth it. Along with mental wellbeing moving schools online extremely disenfranchises lower income families. If a family does not have a connection to wifi, their student will fall behind. If a family relies on school lunch to help feed their kids, by moving school online the family will suffer financially. For the health and safety of the students of Animas High School we must keep schools in person.
(LAST MINUTE ADDED DON'T READ LIKE A SCRIPT NOT EDITED) Interesting Argument:
Despite schools like Animas and DHS closing, DHS football has been able to continue and they just won a state championship. If it is safe for two groups of 40 odd people to play a full contact sport without fear of covid then we can open schools with Covid Protocols, and small groupings.
Subsequent Points That Can Be Made:
Some students rely on school lunches, and without that a family that could already be suffering financially from this pandemic could be hit even harder as they have to spend more money on food.
Younger kids can no longer be looked after as some if not most parents work 6-10 hours a day. How can an 8 year old kid be expected to do well in school when he or she is left by themself for hours on end?
Students' grades are suffering, nationwide students that no longer meet in person are having their grades and future impacted by this online schooling.
Among kids who are now schooling from home, mental health has taken a massive uptick. Depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses run rampant.
The underlining racist bias of this country has led to minority groups especially, blacks and latinos, being disproportionately affected negatively by this pandemic. Closing schools is just another way that this happens as it affects people in poverty much more, and due to the racist roots of our country a disproportionate percent of people in poverty are black and latino.
Presentation Notes:
Don't argue like a politician against everybody else. Present my arguments like a politician, but don't directly go after others points.
Speak strongly.
I am not trying to convince anyone of anything, but instead present my arguments in a flashy way, and leave it at that.
Don't answer questions I am not qualified to answer, but do try to ask questions about others statistics if they are not the direct character.
Don’t Panic.
Make sure to represent my point, but look subconsciously to compromise.
Don’t yell.
Sources:
All my conferences with Steve.
https://slate.com/human-interest/2020/10/reopening-schools-the-progressive-case-from-joseph-allen.html (Not sure how reliable this source is, but I liked their arguments a lot.)
https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/new-findings-children-mental-health-covid-19 (Backs up points about mental health damage, while it does not support my claim about online schooling.)
Standpoint:
Schools do more harm online than they could ever do inperson.
Schools should open as soon as possible after christmas break.
We can not expect people to all get tested or get the vaccine on account of this disenfranchising people who can't make an effort either.
All practicable steps should be taken to protect student well being, but schools should open.
Opening Statement:
We have two options moving forward.
First we can protect ourselves from harm, shelter away in a cave for months, and let the storm past. This is easy, but ever so painful. When we finally leave the cave, we are disformed, broken, shattered, the mental health of students in tatters, as we look to our government which offers bandages for cuts so deep they will scar future generations. We would be giving up on our strength and resistance. What if we had done that during WWII? The japanese attack Pearl Harbor, fine let them have it, they can take all of Hawwii if they want. That's not who we are.
Second instead we could acknowledge the struggles against this epidemic and meet it head on. God it's brutal, and people will get sick. But our students will be in school actually learning. Our adults will be in the factories and farms, working, making money so they can actually put food on the table, and keep the great economy we have all built together intact. Those who fall will be remembered, and when the pandemic is over we will emerge stronger than ever. No cuts will leave scars for the future, instead, bruises and scrapes adorn our skin, in a few years they will be gone. While scars can last lifetimes. If we want to protect the mental, financial, political, and economic futures for students and this country we must keep schools open and weather the storm.
Rogorian Argument That Could be Made:
Student safety and health should always be a top concern. Whenever we can we must limit the spread and effects of Covid 19. However student safety and health must also be a top concern when moving school online as the mental strain upon students can prove very detrimental to a students mental wellbeing. The effects of covid 19 will be felt for a few weeks, but long lasting mental damage from the stress of online school could last a lifetime. The reasoning for closing schools is sound 100%, but not worth it. Along with mental wellbeing moving schools online extremely disenfranchises lower income families. If a family does not have a connection to wifi, their student will fall behind. If a family relies on school lunch to help feed their kids, by moving school online the family will suffer financially. For the health and safety of the students of Animas High School we must keep schools in person.
(LAST MINUTE ADDED DON'T READ LIKE A SCRIPT NOT EDITED) Interesting Argument:
Despite schools like Animas and DHS closing, DHS football has been able to continue and they just won a state championship. If it is safe for two groups of 40 odd people to play a full contact sport without fear of covid then we can open schools with Covid Protocols, and small groupings.
Subsequent Points That Can Be Made:
Some students rely on school lunches, and without that a family that could already be suffering financially from this pandemic could be hit even harder as they have to spend more money on food.
Younger kids can no longer be looked after as some if not most parents work 6-10 hours a day. How can an 8 year old kid be expected to do well in school when he or she is left by themself for hours on end?
Students' grades are suffering, nationwide students that no longer meet in person are having their grades and future impacted by this online schooling.
Among kids who are now schooling from home, mental health has taken a massive uptick. Depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses run rampant.
The underlining racist bias of this country has led to minority groups especially, blacks and latinos, being disproportionately affected negatively by this pandemic. Closing schools is just another way that this happens as it affects people in poverty much more, and due to the racist roots of our country a disproportionate percent of people in poverty are black and latino.
Presentation Notes:
Don't argue like a politician against everybody else. Present my arguments like a politician, but don't directly go after others points.
Speak strongly.
I am not trying to convince anyone of anything, but instead present my arguments in a flashy way, and leave it at that.
Don't answer questions I am not qualified to answer, but do try to ask questions about others statistics if they are not the direct character.
Don’t Panic.
Make sure to represent my point, but look subconsciously to compromise.
Don’t yell.
Sources:
All my conferences with Steve.
https://slate.com/human-interest/2020/10/reopening-schools-the-progressive-case-from-joseph-allen.html (Not sure how reliable this source is, but I liked their arguments a lot.)
https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/new-findings-children-mental-health-covid-19 (Backs up points about mental health damage, while it does not support my claim about online schooling.)