Week 13Aliens and Social Control

Week 13Aliens and social control

Section 1Vocabulary activity (at home)

Two words in each row are similar. Cross out the odd word.
Use a dictionary and thesaurus to help you.

A / B / C
1 / genre / type / different
2 / ascent / way up / descent
3 / creep / move slowly / fast
4 / immune / protected / vulnerable
5 / fall apart / disintegrate / integrate
6 / barbaric / savage / socialised
7 / short period of time / very long period of time / eons
8 / embarrassment / shame / proud
9 / discord / disagreement / agree
10 / repulsive / pleasant / horrible

Section 2Reading activity(at home – visit Blackboard to listen)

The Theory of Evolution attempts to explain that Earth, animals and people developed very slowly over millions of years. Some creatures are better suited to survive in their environment. Through natural selection,those that are not suitable die. This is often called ‘survival of the fittest’.

Some species are able to change and adapt to their environment. The ‘ascent of man’ for example tries to argue that people originated from apes, with very small changes taking place over millions of years.

Read the story on the next page which uses the Theory of Evolution to explain where all humans come from and why they look the way they do.

People of Earth, do not be afraid. We come in peace - and why not? For we are your cousins; we have been here before.

You will recognize us when we meet, a few hours from now. We are approaching the solar system almost as swiftly as this radio message. Already, your sun dominates the sky ahead of us. It is the sun our ancestors and yours shared ten million years ago. We are men and women as you are; but you have forgotten your history, while we have remembered ours.

We colonized Earth, in the reign of the great reptiles, who were dying when we came and whom we could not save. Your world was a tropical planet then, and we felt that it would make a fair home for our people. We were wrong. Though we were masters of space, we knew so little about climate, about evolution, about genetics...

For millions of summers - there were no winters in those ancient days; the colony flourished. Isolated though it had to be, in a universe where the journey from one star to the next takes years, it kept in touch with its parent civilization. Three or four times in every century, star-ships would call and bring news of the galaxy.

But two million years ago, Earth began to change. For ages it had been a tropical paradise; then the temperature fell, and the ice began to creep down from the poles. As the climate altered, so did the colonists. We realize now that it was a natural adaptation to the end of the long summer, but those who had made Earth their home for so many generations believed that they had been attacked by a strange and repulsive disease. A disease that did not kill, that did no physical harm - but merely disfigured.

Yet some were immune; the change spared them and their children. And so, within a few thousand years, the colony had split into two separate groups - almost two separate species - suspicious and jealous of each other.

The division brought envy, discord, and, ultimately, conflict. As the colony disintegrated and the climate steadily worsened, those who could do so withdrew from Earth. The rest sank into barbarism.

We could have kept in touch, but there is so much to do in a universe of a hundred trillion stars. Until a few years ago, we did not know that any of you had survived. Then we picked up your first radio signals, learned your simple languages, and discovered that you had made the long climb back from savagery. We come to greet you, our long-lost relatives - and to help you.

We have discovered much in the eons since we abandoned Earth. If you wish us to bring back the eternal summer that ruled before the Ice Ages, we can do so. Above all, we have a simple remedy for the offensive yet harmless genetic plague that afflicted so many of the colonists.

Perhaps it has run its course - but if not, we have good news for you. People of Earth, you can rejoin the society of the universe without shame, without embarrassment.

If any of you are still white, we can cure you.

Skin Colour according to the Theory of Evolution

Scientists believe that all people originated from Africa. As different tribes moved across the world, their skin colour adapted to how hot or cold the weather was. The colder the climate, the whiter people became.

Skin colourdepends on the amount of melanin in the skin. Black people have lots of melanin in their skin and white people only a little.

Do black people turn white after several generations in a cold climate? Do white people turn black after several generations in a hotclimate? The theory of Evolution would suggest that skin colourchanges in response to environmental temperature.

Section 3 - These questions are on the Blackboard website, section 3.

You can find the answers there.

What is meant by ‘great reptiles’?

What is meant by 'we colonized earth'?

When is meant by 'the ice began to creep down from the poles’?

What is meant by the 'parent civilisation'?

Why did some of the people begin to change?

What happened when those unaffected by the 'disease' left Earth?

Why did the two groups become suspicious of each others?

What did the 'disease' do to some of the people who settled on Earth?

In the 'society of the universe,' what colour is everyone?

What is meant by 'we can cure you’?

These questions are not on Blackboard. Please try to answer them and we will discuss your answers in class.

11. Underline anyreferences in the story to the development of Earth.

12. How is the Theory of Evolution used to explain the development of humans?

13. In your own culture, how is the origin of people explained?

14. How might the story alter the way white people see themselves? Think of Western

ideas of technological and political supremacy.

15. How do non-western cultures view the idea that aliens exist?

16. What is meant by genre?

17. To what genre does the Reunion story belong?Identify key words and ideas.

18. What is the main purpose of the story?

LEVEL 2 CERTIFICATE/DIPLOMA FOR IT USERS (CLAiT PLUS)

Unit 7: Website Creation

Scenario

You are going to create a website on alien beliefs.

You are not required to produce any printouts for this assignment.

Website map

TASK 1

In this task you will download and store all the files for your website.

1a)In your working area create a folder for your website called

Aliens(your initials) e.g. AliensSW

b)Within this folder create a sub-folder called images.

2 a) Go to Blackboard, week 13

b) Download the following files and place them in your website

folder Aliens(your initials).

FILENAME / FILE TYPE
one_11 / .txt
two_11 / .txt
three_11 / .txt

c)Download the following images and place in the sub-folder that you created at Step 1b.

FILENAME / FILE TYPE
alien_abductions / .gif
captured / .jpg

d)Download the movie file independence

TASK 2

Create a master page/template.

1 a) Open Dreamweaver. Tell Dreamweaver where your new website is by

going to Site, New Site.

b)Create a new web page.

2Save this web page in your website folder Aliens using the filename Aliens_Master

3 You will now create a table to align the contents of your page. A layout guide is shown below:

Blank / Heading area
Body text area
Blank / Your name

a) Create a table of 2 columns and 3 rows.

b) Set the table properties as follows.

width / 750 pixels
table alignment / left
border / 0
cell padding / 2
cell spacing / 2

c) Set the cell properties as follows:

Column / Width / Horizontal
alignment / Vertical alignment
1st column / 120 pixels / centre / top
2nd column / 550 pixels / left / top

4Create a jump menu in the 1st column, 2nd cell of your table.

Go to Insert, Form Objects, Jump Menu.

Position in jump menu / Text name / Go to URL:
first / Click Me
second / index / index.htm
third / information / information.htm
fourth / thoughts / thoughts.htm
fifth / email / mailto: your email address

Click Select First Item After URL Change

5 Save your master page/template in your website folder Aliensretaining the filename Aliens_Master

TASK 3

1 a) Open a copy of the master page/template Aliens_Master

b) Save this in your website folder Aliens using filename index.htm

c) Title the page: Home

2 In the Heading area key in the text:

Independence Day

3a) Insert the video file Independence Day at the top of the page.

Go to Insert, Media, Plugin. Browse to find the video.

Resize the Plugin to be 320 wide and 240 high.

b)Insert the text file one_11 and place it in the body text area

following the outline shown below:

5Save your web page in your folder retaining the filename index.htm.

TASK 4

In this task you will need to insert several files.

1 a) Open a copy of the master page/templateAliens_Master

b)Save this in your website folder Aliens using the filename information.htm

c) Title the page information

2In the Heading area key in the text:

information about Aliens

3a)Insert the text file two_11 and the image file alien_abductions placing

them in the body text area, following the outline shown below:

4Set the image attributes as follows:

width / 250 pixels
height / 309 pixels
alt text / Aliens Speaking

5Save your web page in your website folder Aliens

retaining the filename information.htm

TASK 5

1 a) Open a copy of the master page/template Aliens_Master

b) Save this in your website folder Aliens using the filename thoughts.htm

c) Title the page Beliefs

2In the Heading area key in the text:What do you believe?

3You are going to create an interactive form. An outline of the form is below:

4 a)Create an interactive form as follows:

start of form / before the text: A Newsweek poll
end of form / after the text: Thank your for your comments
form method / POST
form action / mailto:your email address

5Insert the text file three_11 in the body text area. Separate each paragraph by a clear line space.

Add form items according to the following table, placing them where shown in the outline on the previous page.

The field settings for radio buttons and drop down selection may be

selected or not selected.

Type / Name / Field settings
hidden field / recipient / your email address
single line text field / name / width = 20
radio button / age / value = under 20
radio button / age / value = 21-35
radio button / age / value = 36 – 50
radio button / age / value = over 50
drop down selection / belief / options
Of course I do
I think so
I’m not sure
I don’t think so
Load of rubbish
text area / address / 8 lines of 40 characters, scrolling
single line text field / email / width = 40
submit button / submit / value = send
reset button / reset / value = start again!

6 Save your web page in your website folder Aliens

7Load your website in a browser and check all the links work.

Section 4Video activity

UFO stands for Unidentified Flying Object. Many people around the world believe that UFOs are aliens from other planets. Many people claim they have been abducted by aliens and experimented on. Some people believe that world governments are secretly negotiating with alien civilisations.

How many Americans believe in UFOs and alien abduction?

Who are the aliens abducting?

How do the aliens communicate?

What happens to the girl Arial when she is abducted?

What happens to Arial’s mum when she is abducted?

What is meant by hardcore believer?

What is a hybrid?

What is meant by scientists scoff at the idea of aliens?

Why are some people wearing ‘thought-screen’ helmets?

Why do you think so many Americans believe in alien invasion and of being controlled by aliens?

Discussion Questions

Is a belief in aliens a substitute for religious belief?

Can you believe in aliens and God?

Think about what religion does. Think about different cultural backgrounds which are secular.

Consider the Raelians at

Section 5Create a website on Arthur C. Clarke and science fiction

1.You need to create a website with five pages:

mastercreate a master-page which will be used for all the other pages

indexfirst page with information and images about science fiction

alienssecond page with information about aliens

arthurthird page with information and images about Arthur C Clarke

reunionaudio video-file of Reunion with script of story

2.Design your master-page below. You will need to create a table which includes spaces for:

a jump menu with links to each page
a title at the top of each page using CSS
the main body to include writing and images
a footer with a link to your email address

3.Open the folder ALIENS in Dreamweaver as a New Site. All the writing and images have been prepared for you.

Section 6Writing activity(at home) Choose one option to write about.

1.Imagine you are listening to the message from the aliens. Describe their ship landing on Earth and what they look like. Write about your thoughts, feelings, worries, hopes. How will people around the world react to alien visitors?

2.Copy and paste the Reunionstory into Microsoft Word. Rewrite the story in the 1st person, singular, and from a male or female point of view, e.g.

People of Earth, do not be afraid. We come in peace - and why not? For we are your cousins; we have been here before.

People of Earth, do not be afraid. I come in peace - and why not? For I am your cousin; I have been here before.

3.Some people claim to have seen UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects)

such as flying saucers. Do you believe them? Do you think there is intelligent life on other planets?

4.Use the internet to find further information about Aliens. Write about what you found.

5.To what extent can we argue that religious belief is similar to a belief in aliens?

List how they are similar and how they are different.

6.Choose your own subject and write about it.

plan your writing on the next page

There are 4 basic stages when writing:

1.Plan2. Write3. Read Aloud4. Rewrite

1. PlanWrite down a topic idea for each paragraph and key words

2. WriteWriting a paragraph has three parts

What is the topic sentence?
The topic sentence is the first sentence in a paragraph. It introduces the main idea of the paragraph. Each paragraph should have only one idea.

What are supporting sentences?
They come after the topic sentence. They describe and give examples to develop the main idea of the paragraph.

What is the closing sentence?
The closing sentence is the last sentence in a paragraph. It restates the main idea of your paragraph. Sometimes you can repeat the topic sentence but in different words.

3. Read AloudBy reading aloud you are more likely to find mistakes

4. RewriteAlways check your work and rewrite

S. Woulds

Week 13Aliens and social control

word / syllables / 1st try / 2nd try / 3rd try / 4th try
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S. Woulds

Week 13Aliens and social control

Section 7Crossword activity to develop English (at home)

Answers to Section 7

S. Woulds