8 Common Questions Parents Ask Teachers

8 Common Questions Parents Ask Teachers If you really want to make a great impression on the parents, then you must be ready to answer any question they might have for you. Here are 8 of the most common questions teachers receive from parents as well as some advice on how to answer them. 1. How Do I Help My Child With Technology When I Dont Know Anything About It? Many parents are far behind when it comes to staying up-to-date with the latest tech tools. Often, the child is the most tech-savvy member of the household. So, when a parent doesnt know how to help their child with their tech, they might come to you for advice.   What to Say - Tell parents to ask the same questions they would if they werent using technology for their homework. Questions like What are you learning? and What are you trying to accomplish? 2. How Can My Child Be Successful in School? Parents want to know what can they do at home to help their child be successful in school. They might ask for details on how you grade and if there is anything that they can do to make sure their child receives an A.   What to Say - Be truthful, show them how you grade, and share your expectations for your students. Remind them its not all about the grades, but how the child is learning. 3. Is My Child Behaving in School? If a parent asks you this question, you can probably assume that the child has behavioral issues at home as well. These parents often want to know if their childs behavior at home is transferring to their behavior in school. And, though there are instances of children acting out at home and presenting the opposite behavior in school, misbehaved children often act out in both spaces.   What to Say - Tell them how you see it. If they are indeed acting out, then you need to come up with a behavior plan with the parent and the student. There may be something going on at home (divorce, sick relative, etc.) Do not pry, but you can prompt the parent to see if they will tell you. If they are not acting out in school, reassure the parent and tell them they neednt worry.   4. Why Do You Give so Much/so Little Homework Parents will have strong opinions on homework volume no matter how much you give. Be receptive to their feedback, but remember that you are the teacher and it is ultimately up to you to decide what is best for your students and your classroom. What to Say - If a parent asks why you give so much homework, explain to them what their child is working on in school, and why its important to have them reinforce it at night. If a parent asks why their child never gets homework, then explain to them that you dont feel its necessary to bring work home when they could be spending time with their family. 5. What Is the Purpose of the Assignment? This parent question usually arises after a long night of sitting with their frustrated child. You have to remember that the way they pose the question (which is usually out of frustration) may come off as aggressive. Be patient with this parent; they have probably had a long night.   What to Say - Tell them that you are sorry that they may have a hard time and that you are always available via text or email to answer any questions. Make sure to communicate to them the  specific purpose of the assignment and reassure them that next time they have an issue that you are always there to answer their questions. 6. We Are Going on Vacation, Can I Have All of My Childs Homework? Vacations during school time can be hard because a child misses out on a lot of classroom time. It also means that you have to take the extra time to prep all of your lesson plans far ahead of time. Make sure to communicate your policy for vacation homework in the very beginning of the school year and ask that they give you at least one weeks notice. What to Say - Provide the parent with what you can and let them know that their child will likely have other things to make up when they get back. 7. Does My Child Have Friends? The parent just wants to make sure that their child is having a good experience in school and isnt being bullied or excluded.   What to Say - Tell them that you will observe their child and get back to them. Then, make sure that you do that. This will give the chance for you to pinpoint the time of day the child is having difficulty (if any). Then, the parent (and you) can talk to the child and come up with some solutions if need be. 8. Is My Child Turing in Their Homework on Time? Usually, this question comes from parents of 4th and 5th graders because this is the time when students gain more personal responsibility, which can take some adjustment.   What to Say - Offer the parent some insight into what their child is handing in and what they are not. Communicate your rules and expectations are for the student. Talk with the parent about things that they can do at home to help the child maintain responsibility, as well as what they can do in school.

Free Essays on The Euro

It?s coming! It?s Coming! And now its here the Euro Prior to 1999 the EU countries (Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Finland, Germany, Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain) all had their own currencies. That all changed on January 1, 1999 the euro became the official currency; however the transition was not an easy one. The introduction of the euro, Europe?s single currency has been in the planning and preparation stage for over ten years. One of the reasons for such the long wait was the skepticism of the mere idea of a single currency that the euro brought about globally. The idea came about in the early 1970?s but was tabled due to a rise in oil prices. Again in the early 1980?s the idea surfaced again and was agreed upon in 1992 by the Maastricht Treaty. After the agreement there were certain criteria that each country had to adopt, such as a controlled rate of inflation and the debt/GDP ratio. These things had to be accomplished in order be apart of the euro and have a smooth transition to the new currency. From a global aspect there were many doubts about the change in currency. The way businesses conduct themselves, the way people travel and the way corporations and companies invest their money will all be effected. However the bigger question is how it will affect the US, especially in relation to trade. Due to the interdependence of American businesses there already exist a positive relationship between America and Europe, which has helped in the transition. When it comes to trade, cost have been significantly reduced based on an end to currency conversion and the fees that exist from cross-boarder trade. This leads to the ability for large businesses to save money and increase their profits. There is also a benefit for small business based on the opportunity for international trade. In addition there will be a birth of price transparency which will lead to increased competition. Thus consume... Free Essays on The Euro Free Essays on The Euro It?s coming! It?s Coming! And now its here the Euro Prior to 1999 the EU countries (Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Finland, Germany, Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain) all had their own currencies. That all changed on January 1, 1999 the euro became the official currency; however the transition was not an easy one. The introduction of the euro, Europe?s single currency has been in the planning and preparation stage for over ten years. One of the reasons for such the long wait was the skepticism of the mere idea of a single currency that the euro brought about globally. The idea came about in the early 1970?s but was tabled due to a rise in oil prices. Again in the early 1980?s the idea surfaced again and was agreed upon in 1992 by the Maastricht Treaty. After the agreement there were certain criteria that each country had to adopt, such as a controlled rate of inflation and the debt/GDP ratio. These things had to be accomplished in order be apart of the euro and have a smooth transition to the new currency. From a global aspect there were many doubts about the change in currency. The way businesses conduct themselves, the way people travel and the way corporations and companies invest their money will all be effected. However the bigger question is how it will affect the US, especially in relation to trade. Due to the interdependence of American businesses there already exist a positive relationship between America and Europe, which has helped in the transition. When it comes to trade, cost have been significantly reduced based on an end to currency conversion and the fees that exist from cross-boarder trade. This leads to the ability for large businesses to save money and increase their profits. There is also a benefit for small business based on the opportunity for international trade. In addition there will be a birth of price transparency which will lead to increased competition. Thus consume... Free Essays on The Euro Invirtiendo en la bolsa de los valores  ¿Quà © es la bolsa de los valores? La mayorà ­a de la gente tiemblan de miedo a la idea de invertir sus ahorros en la bolsa de valores. Estas personas creen que la bolsa es un tema demasiado complicado para ellos. Estn equivocados. La bolsa de inversiones es simplemente una red organizada para el intercambio de propiedad de las compaà ±Ãƒ ­as pà ºblicas. Todo comienza con una empresa que quiere conseguir fondos para su negocio. Esta corporacià ³n emite acciones lo que representa propiedad verdadera en su negocio. Con el propà ³sito de obtener la mayor cantidad de capital, la compaà ±Ãƒ ­a ofrece sus acciones para vender và ­a un ministerio de comercio que tiene exposicià ³n a una poblacià ³n grande de inversionistas. Entonces, à ©ste ministerio de comercio facilita los cambios de las acciones entre los compradores y vendedores dispuestos. Conceptos importantes Se tiene que dominar algunos conceptos bsicos para comprender como funciona la bolsa y como invertir en ella. Dueà ±o Verdadero. La idea ms importante es que cuando Ud. invierte en una compaà ±Ãƒ ­a Ud. es, en hecho, un dueà ±o parcial de la compaà ±Ãƒ ­a. Esto significa que comparte los à ©xitos y fracasos financieros de la compaà ±Ãƒ ­a. Cuando la compaà ±Ãƒ ­a dà © un paso malo, el valor de su inversià ³n desciende. Cuando se realice una accià ³n positiva, el valor de su inversià ³n aumenta. Riesgo. La prà ³xima idea para captar es que todas las inversiones tienen un elemento de riesgo. Esta realidad deriva del hecho que nada es cierto en los negocios, y su inversià ³n no representa nada ms que participacià ³n en un negocio. La tolerancia de riesgo por parte de un inversionista esta premiada con el potencial de ganancias grandes. Generalmente, a mayor riesgo que acompaà ±a a una inversià ³n, a mayor rendimiento potencial ofrece la inversià ³n. Este rà ©dito es bien merecido porque pone su dinero en mucho peligro por invertir en los valores que no son ...

Generalizability of research findings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Generalizability of research findings - Essay Example The dependability of the generalizing aspect is not absolute, statistically it is probable. Since  generalizability needs data on large populations, qualitative research results to the best foundation of generalizability (Ercikan & Roth, 2009). The criteria for evaluating generalizability of qualitative research include various steps. First an ethical research needs to be carried out, and the importance of the research well defined. There should also be coherence and clarity of the report. The methods used in the research should be rigorous and appropriate. It is important to consider the reflexivity and also establish the validity of the research. Lastly, the researcher needs to understand the reliability of the data (Patton, 2004). In conclusion, Qualitative research cannot get described as a unified field. The reviewers are not experts in qualitative research. They also fail to appreciate the set criteria relative to the qualitative approach that has been reported. It is significant that researchers get aware of the tendency and also educate health care researchers about the suitable criteria in evaluating qualitative

Geography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Geography - Essay Example This created tension among Muslims who felt disenfranchised by having to speak a different—â€Å"non-Muslim†Ã¢â‚¬â€language. Hindus are found primarily in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan. Pakistan and the Maldives are home to mostly Muslims, even though a large population also reside in Bangladesh. Buddhists populations are found in Sri Lanka and Bhutan. But they also represent minorities in Nepal and India. The original native languages were impacted by Aryan invaders two centuries B.C. and continued with the British invasion. That influence exists today in the differentiation between the ‘t† and â€Å"d† in Indian English. Since the separation of the region into territories in 1947, South Asia has accepted outside assistance with political and security issues but culturally they interpret this as support of local (ethnic) issues, rather than on a larger scale. But, at the heart is the issue of disrespect of native language and its associated religion and ethnicity. Regardless of the country or the language, the deep and ancient connection between religion and language results in racism and petty local haggling based on tribal custom and values. From the time of the arrival of the first European, the Aboriginal Australians began losing their identity. They were so very much a part of the land, being able to survive without currency, without a written constitution or religion, they were able to live easily in a harsh land. Without the protections provided by law and religion, it was easy for new arrivals to take their land from them and to exploit them as sheepherders and trackers. Some of their practices, such as polygamy, were offensive to new arrivals who took away their rights, and even their children. Many of these new arrivals were criminals cast out from England, and other countries who had no qualms about mistreating the black Aborigine. Until 1967, Aborigines had no citizenship

The Physical Soil Properties Environmental Sciences Essay

The Physical Soil Properties Environmental Sciences Essay Soils are composed of five main components mineral particles derived from rocks by weathering; organic materials humus from dead and decaying plant material; soil water in which nutrient elements are dissolved; soil air both carbon dioxide and oxygen; and living organisms including bacteria that help plant decomposition. Soils differ in their fertility levels, because they have different proportions of these components and because the mineral particles have been affected to different degrees by weathering. Age of soil minerals, prevailing temperatures, rainfall, leaching and soil physico-chemistry are the main factors which determine how much a particular soil will weather (Sinha and Shrivastava, 2000). Soil thus, is important to everyone either directly or indirectly. It is the natural bodies on which agricultural products grow and it has fragile ecosystem (Sinha and Shrivastava, 2000). South Africa ranks among the countries with the highest rate of income inequality in the world (Aliber, 2009). Compared to other middle income countries, it has extremely high levels of absolute poverty and food insecurity threat (FAO, 2009). As part of this, a potential contributor to food security might be small-scale agricultural production. Aliber (2009) indicated that input support targeting smallholder farmers could boost production and food security. Utilisation of uncultivated arable lands and subsistence agriculture might be one option to contribute to incomes and/or savings, as well as to encourage food diversification (Altman et al., 2009). Land with high agricultural suitability is considered to have greater long-term security with regards to both agricultural production and development. From a planning perspective, high agricultural flexibility is therefore considered an appropriate measure of high quality agricultural land that is highly productive and fertile. Only a small proportion of worlds soils have a very good level of fertility, most of which have only good to medium fertility and some have very low fertility, and are often referred to as marginal soils (Ashman and Puri, 2002). Well-known fertile soils are deep alluvial soils formed from river mud, organic matter- rich soils on loess material, nutrient rich Vertisols and volcanic soils (Brady and Weil, 2004). Under poor management, soil fertility can be seriously depleted and soils may become useless for agriculture. 2.2. SOIL PHYSICO-CHEMISTRY Soil is a natural medium on which agricultural products grow and it is dependent on several factors such as fertility to be considered productive (Shah et al., 2011). The fertility of the soil is depended on concentration of soil nutrients, organic and inorganic materials and water. These soil physico-chemical properties are classified as being physical, chemical and biological, which greatly influence soil fertility (Ramaru et al., 2000). To manage soil fertility, knowledge and understanding of these properties is required (as discussed below). 2.2.1. Physical soil properties (i) Soil texture Soil texture refers to the relative proportions of the various size groups of individual particles or grains in a soil (Rowell, 1994). It is dependent on the mixture of the different particle sizes present in the soil. Based on these different sizes, soil particles are classified as sand (0.05- 2mm), silt (0.002-0,5mm) and clay ( Clay particles hold larger quantities of water and nutrients, because of their large surface areas (Brady and Weil, 1999). This property causes the swelling and shrinking of clay soils, but only those with smectitic group of clay minerals. The large surface area of clay particles gives nutrients numerous binding sites especially when the surface charge density is high, which is part of the reason that fine textured soils have such high abilities to retain nutrients (Velde, 1995). The pores between clay particles are very small and complex, so movement of both air and water is very slow (Brady and Weil, 1999). Clay particles are negatively charged because of their mineralogical composition. Soils with such particles usually have high CEC and can retain water and plant nutrients; thus such soils are considered to be fertile and good for plant growth (Brady and Weil, 1999). The knowledge of the proportions of different-sized particles in soils is critical to understand soil behavior and their management. Since sand particles are relatively large, so are the voids between them, which promote free drainage of water and entry of air into the soil (Brady and Weil, 2002). The implication of free drainage in sandy soil is that soil nutrients are easily washed down into the soil and become inaccessible for use by plants (Brady and Weil, 2002). Sandy soils are considered non-cohesive and because of their large size, have low specific surface areas and thus have low nutrient retention capacity (Rowell, 1994). Sand particles can hold little water due to low specific surface area and are prone to drought, therefore have a very low CEC and fertility status (Petersen et al., 1996). The pores between silt particles are much smaller than those in sand, so silt retains more water and nutrients (Rowell, 1994). Soils dominated by silt particles therefore have a higher fertility status than sandy soils and provides favorable conditions for plant growth when other growth factors are favorable (Miller and Donahue, 1992). (ii) Soil structure The term soil structure refers to the arrangement of soil particles into aggregates (Six et al., 2000). Soil structure is affected by biological activities, organic matter, and cultivation practices (Rowell, 1994). It influences soil water movement and retention, erosion, nutrient recycling, sealing and crusting of the soil surface, together with aeration and soils structural stability, root penetration and crop yield (Lupwayi et al., 2001). Soil structure can be platy, prismatic, granular, crumbly, columnar and blocky (RCEP, 1996). An ideal soil structure for plant growth is often described as granular or crumb-like, because it provides good movement for air and water through a variety of different pore sizes and it also affects root penetration (RCEP, 1996). An ideal soil structure is also stable and resistant to erosion (Duiker et al., 2003). Organic matter and humification processes improve structural stability, and can rebuild degraded soil structures (Brady and Weil, 1999). Therefore it is vital to return or add organic material to the soil and to maintain its biological activity in order to enhance soil structure for plant growth. Favorable soil structure and high aggregate stability are therefore vital to improving soil fertility, increasing agronomic productivity, enhancing porosity and decreasing erodibility. (iii) Water retention capacity Water holding capacity refers to the quantity of water that the soil is capable of storing for use by plants (Brady and Weil, 1999). Soil water is held in, and flows through pore spaces in soils. Soil water can be described into the following stages: gravitational, capillary, and hygroscopic, based upon the energy with which water is held by the soil solids, which in turn governs their behavior and availability to plants (Rowell, 1994). Water holding capacity is an important factor in the choice of plants or crops to be grown and in the design and management of irrigation systems (Brady and Weil, 1999). The total amount of water available to plants growing in field soils is a function of the rooting depth of the plant and sum of the water held between field capacity and wilting percentage in each of the horizons explored by the roots (Brady and Weil, 1999). Field capacity is the amount of soil moisture or water content held in soil after excess water has drained away and the rate of downward movement has materially decreased, which usually takes place within 2-3 days after a rain or irrigation in pervious soils of uniform structure and texture (Govers, 2002). The ability of the soil to provide water for plants is an important fertility characteristic (RCEP, 1996). The capacity for water storage varies, depending on soil properties such as organic matter, soil texture, bulk density, and soil structure (RCEP, 1996). This is explained by the degree of soil compaction, where problems will arise if excessive compaction occurs which would results in increased bulk density, a decrease in porosity and aeration and poor water drainage (Gregory et al., 2006), all resulting in poor plant growth. (iv) Electrical Conductivity (EC) Soil electrical conductivity (EC), is the ability of soil to conduct electrical current (Doerge, 1999). EC is expressed in milliSiemens per meter (mS/m) or cm (cm/m). Traditionally, soil scientists used EC to estimate soil salinity (Doerge, 1999). EC measurements also have the potential for estimating variation in some of the soil physical properties such as soil moisture and porosity, in a field where soil salinity is not a problem (Farahani and Buchleiter, 2004). Soil salinity refers to the presence of major dissolved inorganic solutes in the soil aqueous phase, which consist of soluble and readily dissolvable salts including charged species (e.g., Na+, K+, Mg+2, Ca+2, Clà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, HCO3à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, NO3à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, SO4à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢2 and CO3à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢2), non-ionic solutes, and ions that combine to form ion pairs (Smith and Doran, 1996). Salt tolerances are usually given in terms of the stage of plant growth over a range of electrical conductivity (EC) levels. EC greater than 4dS/m are considered saline (Munshower, 1994). Salt sensitive plants may be affected by conductivities below 4dS/m and salt tolerant species may not be impacted by concentrations of up to twice this maximum agricultural tolerance limit (Munshower, 1994). Electrical conductivity is the ability of a solution to transmit an electrical current. The conduction of electricity in soil takes place through the moisture-filled pores that occur between individual soil particles. Therefore, the EC of soil is determined by the following soil properties (Doerge, 1999): . Porosity, where the greater soil porosity, the more easily electricity is conducted. Soil with high clay content has higher porosity than sandier soil. Compaction normally increases soil EC. . Water content, dry soil is much lower in conductivity than moist soil. . Salinity level, increasing concentration of electrolytes (salts) in soil water will dramatically increase soil EC. . Cation exchange capacity (CEC), mineral soil containing high levels of organic matter (humus) and/or 2:1 clay minerals such as montmorillonite, illite, or vermiculite have a much higher ability to retain positively charged ions (such as Ca, Mg, K, Na, NH4, or H) than soil lacking these constituents. The presence of these ions in the moisture-filled soil pores will enhance soil EC in the same way that salinity does. . Temperature, as temperature decreases toward the freezing point of water, soil EC decreases slightly. Below freezing, soil pores become increasingly insulated from each other and overall soil EC declines rapidly. Plants are detrimentally affected, both physically and chemically, by excess salts in some soils and by high levels of exchangeable Na in others. Soils with an accumulation of exchangeable Na are often characterized by poor tilth and low permeability and therefore low soil fertility status, making them unfavorable for plant growth (Munshower, 1994). (v) Bulk Density (BD) Soil bulk density is defined as the mass of dry soil (g) per unit volume (cm3) and is routinely used as a measure of soil compaction (Gregory et al., 2006). The total volume includes particle volume, inter-particle void volume and internal pore volume (Gregory et al., 2006). Bulk density takes into account solid space as well as pore space (Greenland, 1998). Thus soils that are porous or well-aggregated (e.g. clay soil) will have lower bulk densities than soils that are not aggregated (sand) (Greenland, 1998). Plant roots cannot penetrate compacted soil as freely as they would in non-compacted soil, which limits their access to water and nutrients present in sub-soil and inhibits their growth (Hagan et al., 2010). Compacted soil requires more frequent applications of irrigation and fertilizer to sustain plant growth, which can increase runoff and nutrient levels in runoff (Gregory et al., 2006). The bulk density of soil depends greatly on the soils mineral make up and the degree of compaction. High bulk density usually indicate a poorer environment for root growth, reduced aeration and undesirable changes in hydrologic function, such as reduced infiltration (Brady and Weil, 1999). The presence of soil organic matter, which is considerably lighter than mineral soil, can help decrease bulk density and thereby enhancing soil fertility (Hagan et al., 2010). 2.2.2. Soil Chemical properties Soil chemical properties which include the concentrations of nutrients, cations, anions, ion exchange reactions and redox properties, but for the purpose of this study focus will be based on properties that have an implication on soil fertility including: (i) Soil pH Soil pH is an important soil property that affects several soil reactions and processes and is defined as a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of the soil (Bohn, 2001). It has considerable effect on soil processes including ion exchange reactions and nutrient availability (Rowell, 1994). Soil pH is measured on a scale of 0 to 14, where a pH of 7.0 is considered neutral, readings higher than 7.0 are alkaline, and readings lower than 7.0 are considered acidic (McGuiness, 1993). Most plants are tolerant of a pH range of 5.5-6.5 which is near neutral pH range (Bohn, 2001). Soil pH is one of the most important characteristics of soil fertility, because it has a direct impact on nutrient availability and plant growth. Most nutrients are more soluble in acid soils than in neutral or slightly alkaline soils (Bohn, 2001). In strongly acidic soils the availability of macronutrients (Ca, Mg, K, P, N and S) as well as molybdenum and boron is reduced. In contrast, availability of micronutrient cations (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and Al) is increased by low soil pH, even to the extent of toxicity of higher plants and microorganisms (Bohn, 2001). The pH of a soil is also reported to affect so many other soil properties (Brady and Weil, 1999), including nutrient availability, effects on soil organisms, fungi thrive in acidic soils, CEC and plant preferences of either acidic or alkaline soils. Most plants prefer alkaline soils, but there are a few which need acidic soils and will die if placed in an alkaline environment (Brady and Weil, 1999). (ii) Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) Cation exchange capacity is defined as the sum of the total of the exchangeable cations that a soil can hold or adsorb (Brady and Weil, 1999). A cation is a positively charged ion and most nutrients cations are: Ca2+, Mg2+, K +, NH4+, Zn2+, Cu2+, and Mn2+. These cations are in the soil solution and are in dynamic equilibrium with the cations adsorbed on the surface of clay and organic matter (Brady and Weil, 1999). Clay and organic matter are the main sources of CEC (Peinemann et al., 2002). The more clay and organic matter (humus) a soil contains, the higher its CEC and the greater the potential fertility of that soil. CEC varies according to the type of clay. It is highest in montmorillonite clay, lowest in heavily weathered kaolinite clay and slightly higher in the less weathered illite clay (Peinemann et al., 2002). Sand particles have no capacity to exchange cations because it has no electrical charge (Brady and Weil, 1999). CEC is used as a measure of soil nutrient retention capacity, and the capacity to protect groundwater from cation contamination (Brady and Weil, 1999). It buffers fluctuations in nutrient availability and soil pH (Bergaya and Vayer, 1997). Plants obtain many of their nutrients from soil by an electrochemical process called cation exchange. This process is the key to understanding soil fertility (Rowell, 1994). Nutrients that are held by charges on a soil are termed exchangeable as they become readily available to plants (Rowell, 1994).The higher the CEC of a soil, the more nutrients it is likely to hold and the higher will be its fertility level (Fullen and Catt, 2004). Factors affecting cation exchange capacity The factors affecting cation exchange capacity include the following (Brady and Weil 1999), soil texture, soil humus content, nature of clay and soil reaction. Soil texture influences the CEC of soils in a way that it increases when soils percentage of clay increases i.e. the finer the soil texture, the higher the CEC as indicated in Table 2. CEC depends on the nature of clay minerals present, since each mineral has its own capacity to exchange and hold cations e.g. the CEC of a soil dominated by vermiculite is much higher than the CEC of another soil dominated by kaolinite, as vermiculite is high activity clay unlike kaolinte which is low activity clay. When the pH of soil increases, more H+ ions dissociate from the clay minerals especially kaolinite, thus the CEC of soil dominated by kaolinite also increases. CEC varies according to the type of soil. Humus, the end product of decomposed organic matter, has the highest CEC value because organic matter colloids have large quantities of negative charges. Humus has a CEC two to five times greater than montmorillonite clay and up to 30 times greater than kaolinite clay, so is very important in improving soil fertility. Table 2.1: CEC values for different soil textures (Brady and Weil, 1999) Soil texture CEC range (meq/100g soil) Sand 2-4 Sandy loam 2-12 Loam 7-16 Silt loam 9-26 Clay, clay loam 4-60 (iii) Organic Matter The importance of soil organic matter in relation to soil fertility and physical condition is widely recognized in agriculture. However, organic matter contributes to the fertility or productivity of the soil through its positive effects on the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil (Rowell, 1994), as follows: physical stabilizes soil structure, improves water holding characteristics, lowers bulk density, dark color may alter thermal properties; chemical higher CEC, acts as a pH buffer, ties up metals, interacts with biological supplies energy and body-building constituents for soil organisms, increases microbial populations and their activities, source and sink for nutrients, ecosystem resilience, affects soil enzymes. Soil organic matter consists of a wide range of organic substances, including living organisms, carboneous remains of organisms which once occupied the soil, and organic compounds produced by current and past metabolism of the soil (Brady and Weil, 1999). Soil organic matter plays a critical role in soil processes and is a key element of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) (Brady and Weil, 2004). Organic matter is widely considered to be the single most important indicator of soil fertility and productivity (Rowell, 1994). It consists primarily of decayed or decaying plant and animal residues and is a very important soil component. Benefits of Organic matter in soil according to Ashman and Puri, (2002) include: increasing the soils cation exchange capacity and acting as food for soil organisms from bacteria to worms and is an important component in the nutrient and carbon cycles. Organic matter, like clay, has a high surface area and is negatively charged with a high CEC, making it an excellent supplier of nutrients to plants. In addition, as organic matter decomposes, it releases nutrients such as N, P and S that are bound in the organic matters structure, essentially imitating a slow release fertilizer (Myers, 1995). Organic matter can also hold large amounts of water, which helps nutrients move from soil to plant roots (Mikkuta, 2004). An important characteristic of organic matter in soil fertility is C: N ratio. The C: N ratio in organic matter of arable surface horizons commonly ranges from 8:1 to 15:1, the median being near 12:1 (Brady and Weil, 1999). The C:N ratio in organic residues applied to soils is important for two reasons: intense competition among the micro-organisms for available soil nitrogen which occurs when residues having a high C:N ratio are added to soils and it also helps determine their rate of decay and the rate at which nitrogen is made available to plants (Brady and Weil, 1999). (iv) Plant Nutrients Plants require 13 plant nutrients (Table 2.2) (micro and macro nutrients) for their growth. Each is equally important to the plant, yet each is required in vastly different amounts (Ronen, 2007). Essential elements are chemical elements that plants need in order to complete their normal life cycle (Scoones and Toulhim, 1998). The functions of these elements in the plant cannot be fulfilled by another, thus making each element essential for plant growth and development (Scoones and Toulhim, 1998). Essential nutrients are divided into macro and micronutrients as illustrated in Table 3. Macronutrients are those that are required in relatively high quantities for plant growth and can be distinguish into two sub groups, primary and secondary ones, (Uchida and Silva, 2000). The primary macro-elements are most frequently required for plant growth and also needed in the greatest total quantity by plants. For most crops, secondary macro nutrients are needed in lesser amounts than the primary nutrients. The second group of plant nutrients which are micronutrients are needed only in trace amounts (Scoones and Toulhim, 1998). These micronutrients are required in very small amounts, but they are just as important to plant development and profitable crop production as the major nutrients (Ronen, 2007). Classification Element Function in plant growth Source Deficiency symptoms and toxicities Macro nutrients Primary Nitrogen (N) Chlorophyll and Protein formation Air/Soil, applied fertilisers Slow growth, stunted plants, chlorosis, low protein content Phosphorus (P) Photosynthesis, Stimulates early growth and root formation, hastens maturity Soil and applied fertilisers Slow growth, delayed crop maturity, purplish green coloration of leaves Potassium (K) Photosynthesis and nzyme activity, starch and sugar formation, root growth Soil and applied fertilisers Slow growth, Reduced disease or pest resistance, development of white and yellow spots on leaves Macro nutrients secondary Calcium (Ca) Cell growth and component of cell wall Soil Weakened stems, death of plants growing points, abnormal dark green appearance on foliage Magnesium (Mg) Enzyme activation, photosynthesis and influence Nitrogen metabolism Soil Interveinal chlorosis in older leaves, curling of leaves, stunted growth, Sulfur (S) Amino acids, proteins and nodule formation Soil and animal manure Interveinal chlorosis on corn leaves, retarded growth, delayed maturity and light green to yellowish color in young leaves Micronutrients essential Iron (Fe) Photosynthesis, chlorophyll synthesis, constituent of various enzymes and proteins Soil Interveinal chlorosis, yellowing of leaves between veins, twig dieback, death of entire limp or plants Manganese (Mn) Enzyme activation, metabolism of nitrogen and organic acids, formation of vitamins and breakdown of carbohydrates Soil Interveinal chlorosis of young leaves, gradation of pale green coloration with darker color next to veins Zinc (Zn) Enzymes and auxins component, protein synthesis, used in formation of growth hormones Soil Mottled leaves, dieback twigs, decrease in stem length Copper (Cu) Enzyme activation, catalyst for respiration Soil Stunted growth, poor pigmentation, wilting of leaves Boron (B) Reproduction Soil Thickened, curled, wilted and chlorotic leaves; reduced flowering Molybdenum (Mo) Nitrogen fixation; nitrate reduction and plant growth Soil Stunting and lack of vigor (induced by nitrogen deficiency), scorching, cupping or rolling of leaves Chlorine (Cl) Root growth, photosynthetic reactions Soil Wilting followed by chlorosis, excessive branching of lateral roots, bronzing of leaves Additional nutrients Carbon (C) Constituent of carbohydrates and photosynthesis Air/ Organic matter Hydrogen (H) Maintains osmotic balance and constituent of carbohydrates Water/Organic matter Oxygen (O) Constituent of carbohydrates and necessary for respiration Air/Water/ Organic matter Table 2.2: Essential plant elements, their sources and role in plants (Ronen,2007) Deficiency of any of these essential nutrients will retard plant development (Brady and Weil, 2004). Deficiencies and toxicities of nutrients in soil present unfavorable conditions for plant growth, such as: poor growth, yellowing of the leaves and possibly the death of the plant as illustrated in Table 3 (Ahmed et al., 1997). Therefore proper nutrient management is required to achieve maximum plant growth, maximum economic and growth response by the crop, and also for minimum environmental impact. In addition to the nutrients listed above, plants require carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, which are extracted from air and water to make up the bulk of plant weight (Brady and Weil, 1999). Achieving balance between the nutrient requirements of plants and the nutrient reserves in soils is essential for maintaining soil fertility and high yields, preventing environmental contamination and degradation, and sustaining agricultural production over the long term. 2.2.3. Soil Biological properties (i) Soil organisms Soil organisms include mostly microscopic living organisms such as bacteria and fungi which are the foundation of a healthy soil because they are the primary decomposer of organic matter (Brady and Weil, 1999). Soil organisms are grouped into two namely soil microorganisms and soil macro organisms (Table 2.3). Table 2.3: Soil Macro and microorganisms and their role in plant and soil (Brady and Weil, 1999) Classification Organisms Function in plant and/or soil Source Microorganisms Bacteria Decomposition of organic matter Soil surface and humus particles Actinomycetes Source of protein and enhance soil fertility Surface layers of grass lands Fungi Fix atmospheric nitrogen and enhance soil fertility Soil (without organic matter) Algae Add organic matter to soil, improve aeration of swamp soils, and fix atmospheric nitrogen Moist soils Macro-organisms Nematodes They can be applied to crops in large quantities as a biological insecticide Soil and plant roots Earthworms Enhance soil fertility and structural stability Aerated soils Ants and termites Soil development Dominant in tropical soils Soil can contain millions of organisms that feed off decaying material such as old plant material, mulch unprocessed compost (Ashman and Puri, 2002), Microorganisms constitute Soil organic matter is the main food and energy source of soil microorganisms (Ashman and Puri, 2002). Through decomposition of organic matter, microorganisms take up their food elements. Organic matter also serves as a source of energy for both macro and micro organisms and helps in performing various beneficial functions in soil, resulting in highly productive soil (Mikutta et al., 2004). Macro-organisms such as insects, other arthropods, earthworms and nematodes live in the soil and have an important influence on soil fertility (Amezketa, 1999). They ingest soil material and relocate plant material and form burrows. The effects of these activities are variable. Macro-organisms improve aeration, porosity, infiltration, aggregate stability, litter mixing, improved N and C stabilization, C turnover and carbonate reduction and N mineralization, nutrient availability and metal mobility (Amezketa, 1999; Winsome and McColl, 1998 and Brown et al., 2000). The various groups of soil organisms do not live independently of each other, but form an interlocked system more or less in equilibrium with the environment (Brady and Weil, 1999). Their activity in soil depend on moisture content, temperature, soil enzymes, dissolution of soil minerals and breakdown of toxic chemicals. All have a tremendous role in the development of soil fertility (Alam, 2001). Their actions involve the formation of structural systems of the soils which help in the increase of agricultural productivity (Alam, 2001). 2.3. SOIL CLAY MINERALOGY The clay fraction of soil is dominated by clay minerals which control important soil chemical properties including sorption characteristics of soils (Dixon and Schulze, 2002). Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic compounds, with defined chemical and physical properties (Velde, 1995). Minerals that are formed in the depths of a volcano are called primary minerals (Pal et al., 2000). Feldspar, biotite, quartz and hornblende are examples of primary minerals. These minerals and the rocks made from them are often not stable when exposed to the weathering agents at the surface of the earth (Dixon and Schulze, 2002). These rocks are broken down (weathered) continuously into small pieces by exposure to physical and chemical weathering processes (Dixon and Schulze, 2002). Some of the elements that are released during weathering, reform and crystallise in a different structure forming secondary minerals (Melo et al., 2002). Secondary minerals tend to be much smaller in particle size than primary minerals, and are most commonly found in the clay fraction of soils (Guggenheim and Martin, 1995). Soil clay fractions often contain a wide range of secondary minerals such as kaolinite, montmorillonite and aluminum hydrous oxides, whereas the sand or silt particles of soils are dominated by relatively inert primary minerals. The clay fraction is usually dominated by secondary minerals which are more chemically active and contribute the most to soil fertility (Melo et al., 2002). Two major secondary mineral groups, clay minerals and hydrous

Concert Review and Bio: Tchaikovsky Essay -- essays research papers

Classical Concert   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Who likes classical music anyway? That is a question that you may have found me asking a few months ago. As I have listened to the music in class and on my CD that came with the text book, I have noticed that I am growing a little bit more fond of this style of music. I had never really given it a chance until I started attending my younger sister’s concerts and really paying attention to the music. I have realized that classical music isn’t half bad. modern rock is still the music for me, but I have really learned to like and respect classical music over the last few months. The last classical concert I attended was a Christmas themed concert last week. Along with Christmas favorites and carols, they played a song called Trepak, by Tchaikovsky. I had heard of Tchaikovsky before, but had never seen any of his music performed live.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My first impression of the concert was that the players were all dressed in black slacks or skirts and white tops. Some of them were wearing festive Santa Clause style hats and some even had garland wrapped around their instruments. The orchestra played first. They were all seated in a very specific order, facing the audience with the conductor standing on a podium in front of them. As they began to play I was very impressed with the level of skill that they played with, being only in high school. It sounded as if I was listening to a...

Activity Essay

Another strength of mine is knowing my audience. When reading to say an older crowd they probably wouldn’t like a lot of loud sound effects like a fire truck or a police car. When reading to a younger crowd say for example â€Å"the car came to a screeching holt† making a sound of a car coming to a sudden stop would not be bad at all and It will keep your young listeners entertained. Critical thinking can be a hard concept to grasp because your just not letting your pen or pencil flow freely you have to think and analyze your answer. One of my strengths in critical thinking is to be able to take notes while reading so when it comes to the questions at the end I can tell myself that the answer is in my notes somewhere so I know I should find it. A weakness of mine is that I get lazy and I wont turn back to my notes to actually find the answer I might just fill in whatever I feel is correct. Another one of my weaknesses is sometimes I may not read the question all the way through and because of that I wont get the exact answer that I need and I wind up not caring anymore. The writing process in my opinion is the most important part of writing without it your paper would probably make no sense and have a lot of mistakes. Strength of mine in the writing process is that I like to plan my writing carefully before just jumping into a paper. A weakness in this area is that I hate the revising and editing portion and I know its something that I need to work on if I want to have a great paper. Another strength is when I write the paper I try to get it exactly how I want it the 1st time so the second time through I just have to add a couple words or periods here or there. Spelling and grammar everyone’s favorite part of a paper without it nobody would ever understand what you were trying to say. If you leave your paper with a lot of sentence fragments and run-ons nobody will bother to pick up anything you have written. Strength of mine in this area is I typically read over a sentence aloud twice to make sure it makes sense and it’s not a run-on. A weakness of mine is that I am not a very good speller without word and spell check all my teachers would probably look at me like I was crazy and its something that I have got to work on. Another weakness is sometimes I may forget a comma or a period or put a period where a question mark should go and if you give that paper to a newspaper or magazine they will hand it right back to you. Writing has a lot of components and some of the most important ones are rhetorical knowledge, critical thinking, reading and writing; writing processes; and knowledge of conventions. Even though every one has there own strengths and weaknesses you can always get your strengths stronger and your weaknesses stronger also.