Ok, here are some more specific resources to help you with your topics. We can work specifically on your country’s position on these topics when we meet next week, however, you will have to have some specific information that we can work with. HW is at the bottom. Make sure you read all important info below!

> TIP: before your search terms add “filetype:pdf” before your terms and you will get published documents which will often be more reputable sources and sometimes have info that is easier to understand. 

To get more results, change search terms for your country, obviously, but also, for example on ECOSOC’s Topic 1 search switch “social vulnerability’ for “environmental migration” or  add the other relevant terms below. Notice how I left out ‘the’, ‘of’ and words like that.

When reading through results – make sure you read the introduction to save time – don’t waste time! Get the info you need and move on.  From a quick glance at the results for Uruguay on my search for topic 1 in ECOSOC, I can already tell that climate change is effecting crops in Brazil and Uruguay and therefore affecting people’s lives.  If you get a good bit of information from your preliminary review, dig deeper, read more of the piece to get more info and specific info that can help you understand or guess at what your country feels about the topic or what their interest is.

ECOSOC country’s topic 1 Google search terms: “Uruguay’s position environmental migration climate change”

Other terms in this topic: “refugees”,  “internally displaced persons”

Pretty good report on migrants in Southern South America: http://www.refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?page=publisher&docid=3d941f6031&skip=0&publisher=UNHCR&querysi=Uruguay&searchin=title&sort=date

ECOSOC Topic 2 Google search terms: “ECOSOC progress Millennium Development Goals” or “Millennium Development Goals” or add your country’s name to the search terms (MDGs are a huge topic – you can find news and info everywhere)

GA3 Topic 1 Google search terms: “drug control strategy “development as” ” you need the quotes around ‘development as’ or else it will search development of a drug control strategy.

General Assembly Third Committee Topic 1: Read up on ‘development’:  http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/development/index.shtml

GA3 Topic 2 google search terms: “refugees IDPs humanitarian aid” – add your country name to the terms to get specific info on your country.

Excellent resource on refugees in  Brazil: http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e4929a6.html

Excellent resource on internally displaced persons in Mexico: http://www.internal-displacement.org/countries/mexico

Excellent resource on refugees in Uruguay: http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e4930c6.html

HRC Topic 1 search terms: “food as human right” – Add China for great resources

HRC Topic 2 search terms: “filetype:pdf Fully Semi-autonomous Weapons Drones Robots”

Other resources:

Another thing to have a look at is the student forum: http://interconnections21.edublogs.org/student-forum/  You can look on here to see the ‘chatter’ about your topic from the other countries. Eventually, we’ll post our positions on here.

For HW for next week, post 2 questions about your topics – one each topic – that you’d like me to answer. I will respond with an answer to the best of my ability. 

Ok, so some of you need to finish the last assignment – it’s important before you move on. For this week, you all need to skim through the committee background guide – give yourself 15-20 mins for this. We don’t have time for an in-depth reading. Perhaps read the intro and conclusion and quickly glance over the in between stopping to read anything that catches your eye. This will give you the basics of your committee – maybe look for successes and problems with the committee in the past or present.

Next, you need to the same thing for the 1st topic.  However – you need to take this a step further and give the middle parts a closer examination. Make sure you understand the issue and it’s various parts – give yourself 2 hours total. Take note of past actions and resolutions, these will come in handy later. Then, start looking for how the issue relates to your country and what actions your country has taken either at the UN or within another group of countries – give yourself approximately 2-3 hours for this part. Compile a bulleted list of actions and diplomatic comments on the topic. Be sure to summarize or paraphrase and only use quotes for very important or well-stated information. See this link for the differences between quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/owlprint/563/ –> very useful info!  If you have a really hard time with the background guide try this site for background info on your topic: http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/cur.html I know the background documents are hard to understand – they are even for me sometimes!

For next Wednesday by midnight, I need you to post one to two really strong paragraphs explaining the first topic/issue in 1-3 sentences; then follow that with how your country views the issue, things it has done with regard to the issue, and what your country would like to see in the future with regard to the issue. You can follow this guide:

– See more at: http://www.unausa.org/global-classrooms-model-un/how-to-participate/model-un-preparation/position-papers#sthash.1hj4tRAR.dpuf

We are essentially building a position paper. Don’t stress too much – we’ll work on this. You need a good starting point only and we will work on them next time we meet.

Get info on issues here: http://www.unausa.org/global-classrooms-model-un/for-educators/resources/resource-links/issues

Feel free to post any questions you have on the blog and I’ll answer them or help you find info. This has to be done sooner rather than later!

For this week, we are going to start researching our countries. Think ‘identity’ and ‘interests’. Your country’s identity will determine who you associate with at the conference as well as your Member States’ position on a topic. For instance, we talked about the how rising sea levels and climate change will be an important issue for coastal or island nations. In order to discuss these issues, a coastal or island nation would find other nations like itself to work with to combat this problem. Just like you and your friends have common interests and problems, countries have common interests too and they associate with their friends who share their interests and/or problems.

What makes your country what it is? Just like our environments influence us as individuals, the environments of the Member States influence their collective identities. Think more than just physical environment and keep in mind geography, religion, government, economy, wealth, education, infrastructure, (are there roads, water, sanitation?) access to technology & information. If you don’t know what something means, make sure you look it up; post the term on the blog with the definition. In our session on the 24th, aka United Nations Day, we’ll be asking each other questions about our countries.

Here are some helpful resources to aid in your research:

BBC News Country Profiles: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/country_profiles/

CIA World Factbook: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/

Member States of the United Nations – use this to find your Member State’s official Mission website: http://www.un.org/en/members/index.shtml

Your country assignments:

i·den·ti·ty

Understanding identity is key to understanding each other and ourselves as well as the way people organize themselves, negotiate, and problem solve.  In the activity we will do in class, you will identify yourselves and discuss the various ways your identities are shaped and influence your actions and beliefs.

This will establish a base for understanding sovereign nations, international cooperation and systems, and how the systems are organized to address issues of interest of people, groups, nations, and regions. All of these are essential to understanding the UN.

So, for the post, please think about the various identities you have and post a comment with at least 10 ways you identify yourself.  For example, I identify myself as a woman, a female, a teacher, a wife, a sister, a daughter, a world citizen, a Francophile (someone who loves French culture and everything French), a student, straight, white, an American, etc. Therefore, my post would look like:

1. Woman
2. Female
3. Teacher
4. Wife/Partner
5. Sister
6. Daughter
7. World citizen
8. Francophile
9. Student
10. Straight
11. White/Caucasian
12. American
13. Parent
14. Adult
15. Swimmer
16. Athlete

Please post your list by noon next Thursday.

Hello ladies,

Nice work today! I’m excited to be working with you over the next month and a half to prepare for the Teton County Model UN. You all are going to be superstars there, I know it and expect it!  I really like to use blogging when I work with students because it keeps us in great contact and helps everyone to see different perspectives, cut down on work loads, and allows for collaboration. It also helps me help you better because I can see continuously where we need work and where we don’t.

That being said, let’s get started. Over the next week, I want you to read pages 1-19 in the document I gave you and watch this 8 min video on the Model UN: http://youtu.be/dSIieAtUp-k  (If you want you can watch part two: http://youtu.be/X0e4p2Tciew )  You can also click here for the document: Pub_United Nations_Everything U Always wanted to know_E

Then, answer the questions on page 10 and post your responses on the blog.

Additionally, I want you to answer the following questions at the end of your post: 

1. In what 2 main ways can Member States contribute to the UN?
2. What are 3-5 main identifiers for your country? Think location, wealth, religion, etc.
3. How will your knowledge of the importance of identity help you in your preparation for MUN and the conference?

Give them your best shot!

COMMENTS WILL BE DUE BY NOON NEXT THURSDAY.