The Theories Of New Criticism - 1472 Words

During the early part of the 20th century, the formalist theories of New Criticism arose as the preeminent approach to teaching literature in college and high school curricula. Centered on the idea that there is a single, fixed meaning inherent in a literary work, New Criticism is text centered with no consideration given to the author or the reader. The text exists in and of itself, and New Critics advocate methodical and systematic reading, focusing on the structure of the text to define its meaning (Definition, n.d.). Louise Rosenblatt’s groundbreaking work in Literature as Exploration (1938/1995) and later refinement of her original thesis in The Reader, the Text, the Poem (1978), rejects the idea of this single, fixed meaning inherent in the text. It is her theory that the individual creates meaning through a transaction with the text based on personal associations, thus lifting the reader to a prominent, essential position along with the author and the text (Mora Welch, 2014). Known as transactional or reader response theory, Rosenblatt viewed the reader as transacting with a text to create what she called the poem; the meaning that emerges from the transaction at a given time. In Literature as Exploration (1938/1995), she argues that the same personal, social, and cultural factors that affect how a person perceived the world will â€Å"inevitably affect the equation represented by book plus reader† (p. 79). The text, however, is simply a: stimulus activatingShow MoreRelatedC riticism on Moral Development Theories of Piaget, Kohlberg, and Bandura and Providing a New Model for Research in Iranian Students Moral Development5918 Words   |  24 PagesCriticism on moral development theories of Piaget, Kohlberg, and Bandura and providing a new model for research in Iranian students moral development Hossein Lotfabadi, Ph. D.1 Abstract Its been years in the psychology and assessment of moral development that theories of genetic epistemology and social behaviorism (which are based on Piaget, Kohlberg, and Banduras approaches) have been in the center of attention for the psychologists and education experts and have been used by the educationalRead More Verbal Behavior Essay834 Words   |  4 Pagesoperants, and he distinguished the type of consequence for each operant. Furthermore, the theory defines the audience as a discriminative stimulus that will affect language development as it gives the signs of possible rewards or punishment. There was no previous research on the topic, so the lack of data available for writing the book and lack of experiments in the book, and the theory was subject to severe criticism and ignored in the academic community for several decades after it was published (McPhersonRead MoreSocialist Feminist Criticism1164 Words   |  5 PagesSocialist Feminist Criticism: You Dropped the Bomb on Me, Baby Feminism and gender studies have been described as having the ability to challenge literary and culture theory to confront the difficult task of assimilating the findings of an expanding sphere of inquiry (Contemporary Literary Criticism 567). This area of study has taken center stage during the last fifty years, not only in our society, but also in literary criticism. Although the terrain Feminism traverses can hardly be narrowedRead MoreLiterary Criticism Of Literature And Literature873 Words   |  4 Pagesliterature, he or she should think of literary criticism—different critical perspectives. Literary criticism requires readers to analyze literary texts with knowledge of theories. Thus, the next time one reads a text, he or she should first identify the theory that he or she plans to use. The theories represent a set of critical lens that one will use to analyze the text critically. For instance, this paper will focus on the New Criticism theory; it is a theory that r equires readers to focus entirely onRead MoreCommon Criticisms in Psychology Paper1486 Words   |  6 PagesCommon Criticisms in Psychology Paper University of Phoenix August 9, 2009 Common Criticisms in Psychology Paper The artificiality of inventive conditions in experimental environments is a repeated concern. How real can laboratory-based research be? This paper will explain the criticism of artificiality in the discipline of psychology and apply this criticism to at least three sub disciplines within psychology. This paper will also compare and contrast the breakthrough model of scientificRead MoreArchetypal Literary Criticism Essay1614 Words   |  7 Pages In Literary Criticism, there is an idea that believes that Archetypes make up literature’s meaning. The concept of Archetypes in literature has been the subject of extensive examination in Literary Criticism. â€Å"Criticism can be broken down into two broad categories: evaluative and interpretive† (Gardner 1287). The criticism is based on Literary Theory, which is composed of ideas that help interpret, and analyze literature. Everything in literature has a meaning, and many different people cameRead MoreSystem and Change in Industrial Relations Analysis990 Words   |  4 Pages I am often bombarded with conflicting theories and reasons for the emergence and importance of this field. Edmond Heery outlines and analyses the justaposition of two different views of modeling this vast and often debated area of industrial relations. His article looks at two types of model building in IR. First, the traditional model of systems-thinking set forth by John Dunlop, one of the pioneers of IR theory. Introduced in 1958, Dunlop’s system theory of IR tries to provide tools to understandRead MoreMatthew Arnold as a Poet and Critic1500 Words   |  6 PagesPoet and Critic The word criticism is derived from a Greek word that means judgment. So, criticism is basically the exercise of judgment, and literary criticism is, therefore, the exercise of judgment on works of literature. From this, it is clear that the nature of literary criticism is to examine a work of literature, and its function is to identify its points of excellence and its inadequacies, and finally to evaluate its artistic worth. Literary criticism concerns itself with askingRead MoreEssay on Why Is Freud Criticized?1143 Words   |  5 Pagesrenowned psychologists known for his most controversial theories in the history of psychology. He is also believed to be the father of modern psychiatry and psychology. His works are read widely and are criticized as well. He has left behind numerous theories regarding human mind and behavior out of which some are commonly accepted and some are widely debated. The question after that arises now is â€Å"Why did Freud’s theories get many criticisms?† Freud was in his day an answer to many of society’sRead MorePositivist Theories Of Law And Morality1660 Words   |  7 PagesPositivist theories of law can be described as â€Å"those who understand the law to be a particular sort of social ordering, a certain kind of social technology by which individuals who live together can coordinate their behaviour and resolve disputes.† Positivist theories also state that there is no necessary connection between law and morality and rejects the idea of a higher law. Classical legal positivism was first founded by Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832). Bentham’s aim was to provide an alternative

Conan OBrien Commencement Speech Analysis - 1733 Words

ENGL101 Final May 15, 2012 Invention Conan O’Brien gave his commencement speech at Dartmouth in 2011, congratulating the graduating class and imparting a few words of wisdom.During his speech, he appealed mostly to pathos and ethos, being as this was a commencement speech, there wasn’t very much need to appeal to logos using stats or facts. He used pathos to appeal to the graduating students by telling about his falling out with NBC and how he came back to fame with his talk show on TBS. He said â€Å"I am here to tell you that whatever you think your dream is now, it will probably change. And that’s okay.† When saying that, he was telling them that it’s okay to be faced with failure or a change of plans, that it’s not the end of the†¦show more content†¦After joking for a bit and really , his audience’s attention and loosening up, he went into the ending of the body of his speech and continued into the conclusion with what you would normally expect from a c ommencement speech; life lessons and a few personal stories. Although he did give some good advice, he said â€Å"another hallmark of great commencement speeches is deep, profound advice like ‘reach for the stars.’ Well today, I am not going to waste your time with empty clichà ©s.† Instead of using old clichà ©s and timeless words of advice such as â€Å"reach for the stars† he gave more practical advice, like the advice that your dreams will change some time or another, and â€Å"that’s okay.† He concluded his speech by quoting himself from his last program on NBC, by saying â€Å"Work Hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen.† I feel that this quote is pretty much self-explanatory, but very true. Style Being true to himself, Conan used humor all throughout his speech, undoubtedly keeping the audience’s attention through the whole speech. Being a comedian and television talk show host, Conan has become well known as a comedian, so the use of humor during his speech was appropriate, and was effective in being enjoyable and keeping his audience’s attention. Through his use of humor and movement, the speech seemed less of a deep, heart-felt speech, but more of a conversational, relaxing and enjoyable speech. He related to the graduating class by jokingly

Pastoral Leaders

Question: Write an essay on Pastoral leaders. Answer: Pastoral leaders are individuals who are knowledgeable in theology and religious doctrine. They are vested with the responsibility of leading individuals to the path of faith. Spiritual thoughts remove evil thoughts from the minds of people and help bring in a sense of peace, happiness and positivism. Pastoral leaders organize marriages, religious program and even preside over funerals. This essay focuses on discussing the responsibility of Pastoral Leaders in catering to the spiritual needs of the common layman. Keywords: Pastoral leaders, Spirituality, Baptism, Theological thoughts, reducing stress Introduction Pastoral leaders are individuals who show the world the path of spirituality. The word pastor has been derived from the Latin word pastor means shepherds. Pastoral leaders are mainly the spiritual leaders and practioners of Christian Theology. This essay provides an in-depth discussion about the responsibilities and the duties of the leaders. Along with these, the researcher has also discussed the importance of spiritual activity and its effect in the 21st century. Discussion Pastoral care is the ancient model which helps to find out the emotional and traditional form within a culture or tradition. Pastoral leaders are mainly followers of Christian theology. The pastoral leaders are invested with instilling a sense of calmness among the people. They help to cure the problem of souls with the help of spirituality. Priests and bishops of the churches are mainly looked upon as pastoral leaders. The main function of a pastoral leader is to preach messages at churches and to provide enlightening sermons. Pastoral leaders are also involved in different activities like marriages, funerals and different type of other religious activities. Pastoral leaders are responsible for teaching human beings about the need of the spiritual thoughts and behavior. The main preaching lesson of the leaders is to spread the necessity and importance of worship. They help in strengthening the faith of the individual. Pastorals mainly prepare the regular worship models which include sermons and messages. Sermons mainly include long hours of reading spiritual books. Confessions are also another important function of the pastoral leaders and they help in maintaining a spiritual balance within individuals. Pastoral leaders also suggest penance to the individuals so that they can show a sense of remorse for their sins and sin no more in future. Pastoral leaders are also an important member of the council. They give support to the members of the church by giving them new ideas and show them different paths. Pastoral leaders often offer advice to the council of the church when they face challenges due to changes in rules and regulations of the churches. The leaders also solve the problem among the couples before their marriage and give them advice regarding nuptial bliss. Pastorals also have the qualities like kindness, passion, and empathy. Pastorals leaders follow the biblical principles. Biblical principles are based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. The principle guides individuals regarding their activities in life and the path they should follow to lead a Christian life. The principle always remains focused on helping others and preaches kindness to all. Individual should prohibit themselves from consuming bacon and are asked not to hurt other individuals. It also guides an individual to offer prayers to God and enlighten themselves with spiritual thoughts. Baptism is a sacrament performed by the pastoral leaders. Baptism is a ritual which is practiced by the Christians. With the h elp of holy water, the evil thoughts are being removed from an individual. Pastorals leaders are highly knowledgeable and have gathered all the religious speeches which have been discussed in the Bible. They communicate with God through knowledge and spiritual thoughts. It has been believed that pastoral leaders are to be regarded as the messengers of God who have come with the mission to removes the problems of every individual with the help of spirituals speeches and practices. Theological understanding of the pastoral leaders helps them to teach and spread spiritual needs among the individuals. Worship knowledge and scripture knowledge of the leaders has made them an icon in Christianity. Meeting the spiritual needs of the individuals is also a challenge for the pastoral leaders. Spiritual leaders engage themselves in increasing the faith of Jesus in human beings. This is a serious challenge for the spiritual leaders. Pastoral leaders organize holy meets to spread the importance of spirituality. They give spiritual speeches to the people along with its detailed analysis. This helps people to understand the importance of the spiritual activities. Spiritual leaders also organize different surveys in Australia so as to gather awareness about the spiritual need of the people and act accordingly. The surveys will help the spiritual leaders gather knowledge about how to present their thoughts to the people. Even technology has been used by the pastoral leaders to share their spiritual thoughts. In order to reach out to a larger group of the audience, Spiritual leaders have shared their thoughts with the help of media and technology. Along with technology television, too has helped the leaders to share their thoughts. Pastoral leaders also share that love is life. People should love others and should not hate each other. Love is the best way to spread peace and happiness. Pastoral leaders also do not encourage fear. They identify fear as a poison for the human beings. Racism is the manifestation for fear and violence. Pastoral leaders also say that God lies within every individual and so people should not hate each other. Kindness will help an individual to remove the evil among them and this will lead to a better world. People should avoid crime and maintain peace. Individuals cannot change their past so they should not think about the past. Instead they should think about the present which will help them to lead a better future. Pastoral leaders fill the mind of the people with spiritual thoughts. They give information about the qualities which a human being should adopt in acquiring a holistic life style. They help in arousing spiritual thoughts n the mind of the people. Christian disciples always follow the rules and regulations which are given by the pastoral leaders. They practice religious education and helps in creating a Diocesan ministry. They also ask human beings to come and follow the spiritual thoughts of the God. Pastors time is valuable in terms of quantity, flexibility, and expertise. Pastors are the head of the ministries a decade ago and have been burdened with a number of responsibilities. Pastors have a hectic work schedule, and this affects the performance of the pastors highly. The skill level of all the pastors differs from individual to individual. However, the pastors are knowledgeable with all the important issues which are required to bring in a sense of spirituality. Pastoral leaders spend a lot of time in spreading information about the importance of faith across the world. Pastoral leaders also discuss about the strength of an individual. They also encourage individuals to make their life with the help of hard work and different activities. Skills and talents of an individual are also enhanced with counseling provided by the pastoral leaders. This will help the individuals to reach their goal in an effective way. Pastoral leaders are of the view that it the thought of an indi vidual which determines his actions. . Therefore, the leaders ask individuals to spend time in the thoughts of Jesus. This will reduce tension of the individuals and they will be able to lead a happy life. All these shows that the pastoral leaders are always engaged in making the life of human beings better and happy with the help of spiritual thoughts. Conclusion Pastoral leaders are qualified individual having knowledge of spirituality. Pastoral leaders protect the church from different challenges and gives easy solutions. The leaders are active throughout the year and organize different rites and rituals. They also practice baptism to bring in the life of Jesus among individuals. However the work lives of the leaders is hectic, and this affects their performance. References Amariglio, J., Cullenberg, S.E. Ruccio, D.F. 2013,Theological Studies, Economics and Knowledge,1st edn, Routledge, Hoboken. Block, D.I. 2014,By the River Chebar : Historical, Literary, and Theological Studies in the Book of Ezekiel,James Clarke Co, Havertown. Bonneau, S.G. 2015, "Ex Theological Studies: how the First Amendment framed nonrepresentational art",The Columbia Journal of Law the Arts,vol. 39, no. 2, pp. 195. Elkington, R. 2013, "Adversity in pastoral leadership: Are pastors leaving the ministry in record numbers, and if so, why?",Verbum et Ecclesia,vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 1. LaMothe, R. 2012, "Broken and Empty: Pastoral Leadership as Embodying Radical Courage, Humility, Compassion, and Hope",Pastoral Psychology,vol. 61, no. 4, pp. 451-466. McKenna, R.B., Yost, P.R. Boyd, T.N. 2012, "Leadership development and clergy: understanding the events and lessons that shape pastoral leaders",Journal of Psychology and Theology,vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 179. Nichols, A. 2016;,The Poet as Believer: A Theological Study of Paul Claudel,Routledge Ltd, GB. Office, E. 2014, "HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies Volume 70, Issue 3",HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies,vol. 70, no. 3. Pembroke, N. 2016;,Renewing Pastoral Practice: Trinitarian Perspectives on Pastoral Care and Counselling,Ashgate Publishing Ltd, GB. Sam, E.A. 2016, "Social projection and paradox of values of Theological Studies ",SHS Web of Conferences,vol. 26, pp. 01115. Smit, G.H. 2015, "Pastoral ministry in a missional age: Towards a practical theological understanding of missional pastoral care",Verbum et Ecclesia,vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 1. Thesnaar, C.H. 2012, "The pastoral church as a space for healing and reconciliation",Nederduitse Gereformeerde Teologiese Tydskrif,vol. 51, no. 3. Yatsevich, M.U. 2012, "Methodological Aspects of the Power Discourse in Theological Studies Philosophy",European Researcher,vol. 31, no. 10, pp. 1694-1698. Young, J.W. Firmin, M.W. 2014, "Qualitative Perspectives toward Relational Connection in Pastoral Ministry",The Qualitative Report,vol. 19, no. 47, pp. 1.

History of Special Education free essay sample

However, the differences among most students are reasonably minute and it allows for those children to be taught in a general education program. On the other hand, exceptional students differ from the norm and require special individualized attention called special education. Special education pertains to the teaching of students with unique requirements in a way that tackles each student’s individual needs and differences. We will write a custom essay sample on History of Special Education or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Although, special education is necessity for disabled children, there have been huge obstacles in the history of special education.For nearly 200 years following the United States being established in 1776, nothing was done to precede the privileges of its exceptional students. Actually, more than 4. 5 million students were deprived of a sufficient education. Overall, children with disabilities were denied the right to attend public schools. The children that had mild to moderate disabilities were more likely to dropping out because there was no special individualized teaching that would meet the disabled student’s needs and differences.Therefore, that left parents with disabled children only had two options: to keep their children at home with them or to have them institutionalized. These children were described as incorrigible, backward, steamer children, and truant. By the 1920s some cities, not many, created special classed for students deemed unsuitable for regular classes with â€Å"normal† students. The history of special education really blasted off after World War II when many parent advocacy groups formed to help pave the right for disabled children to receive a quality education.The first group to surface was the American Association on Mental Deficiency; their first convention was held in 1947. Next, many other advocacy groups were formed after the Civil Rights Movement and the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling which unmitigated equal defense under the law to minorities, lined the approach for related gains for those with disabilities. Several of the parent associations that were created due to civil rights movement were the Muscular Dystrophy Association, John F. Kennedy’s Panel on Mental Retardation and the United Cerebral Palsy Association.In 1965, congress created a Bureau of Education for the Handicapped that is currently identified as the Office of Special Education Programs. It is obvious that change takes time however, creating this bureau meant that a change was about to place. The Bureau of Education for the Handicapped main focus in 1965 was to get schooling for children with disabilities mandated by federal and state law. In 1972, two Supreme Court decisions were made whish finalized the right for children with disabilities to have equal rights to a quality education as their nondisabled peers.The two important Supreme Court cases were PARC vs. Pennsylvania and Mills vs. DC Department of Education. During this time, there were no existing federal law that mandates this position; some students began going to school as a result to this judge ruling. In 1973, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Section 504 was passed into statute. This nationwide law confined qualified students from discrimination based upon their disability. This law was passed with minute elaboration. The majority of teachers and principals were not alerted that this also pertained to public schools.This law should have included some specifications and better clarification so that special education blasted off quicker. In 1974, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) were passed. This law allowed all parents to have access to personal identifiable information sustained or composed used by a school district regarding their child. Overall, schools must have written authorization from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a students education record. In 1975, the Education for all Handicapped Children Act (EACHA) is passed.Currently this law is called Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This law mandated all schools provide education to students commonly within the ages of 3 and 21 with disabilities. States and school districts locate, recognize, and assess all students with disabilities not considering the severity of their disability. Every student receiving services have an unique education program which dictates the detailed special education and associated services to be provided to tackle his or her needs.Also, to the maximum extent appropriate children with disabilities must be educated with children who are not disabled. The target of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was to facilitate federal funds to maintain state and local efforts to teach children with disabilities and to reduce financial damages triggered by more special education responsibilities. It was not the goals of Congress to cover all the expenses of a free, apposite public schooling for students with disabilities.In 1977, the final federal regulations of Education for All Handicapped Children Act or Individuals with Disabilities Education Act are released and require school districts to adhere to a set of regulations when providing education to children with disabilities. The new rules were to supply a collection of regulations in which school districts are required to abide by when issuing an education to students with disabilities. In 1990, the Education for all Handicapped Children Act was changed to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This amendment allowed for several alterations to the previous law. An important change was the additional transition services for students with disabilities. At this point, school districts were mandated to view results and supporting children with disabilities in switching from high school to postsecondary life. Although the history of special education has come a long way, there are still many challenges with special education. Some of the current issues are feelings of isolation, lack of administrative support, too little time with students, and a teacher shortage.Recruiting talented teachers is imperative in order to provide a high quality programs necessary for students with disabilities. The design of special education in many schools leads to increased isolation. Teachers become isolated from the teams and collaborative structured models of education in the 21st century when they go in their classroom and shut their doors. Teachers of students with disabilities must also have the ability to connect to resources and supports like technology.Also, more teachers are needed in the special education classroom so that the students receive the utmost quality education. A future challenge with special education would be bridging the gap between children with disabilities and technology. Everyday this world becoming more technology savvy and it is becoming essential for everyone to be able to operate and use computers, as well as, other technology. Many schools are not teaching the exceptional students how to use computers and using computers have become essential in order to survive in today’s world.Yes, I understand that there may be more important things to teach children with disabilities. However, they should at least be introduced technology to an extent. All in all, the history of special education has advanced severely in the last century. Special education still has a lot of challenges but, it is great to look back to where special education has come from. There have been many acts like, IDEA that have contributed to the advancement of special education and allowed for a better education for disabled children.

How to Write a Sample Essay For Book Scholarship

How to Write a Sample Essay For Book ScholarshipAs a gifted scholar who has been awarded a scholarship by the University of California to help finance her upcoming graduation, I am very interested in what the program requires for my sample essay for a book scholarship. In addition, as a high school student who wants to earn my Bachelor's degree, I want to know how my parents feel about me receiving this gift from the University of California.My friends, family and I spent countless hours researching academic writing and essays, searching for the perfect sample essay for a book scholarship. We searched through business school textbooks, English books, and other academic materials to find the one best fit for our needs. After many hours of research, we found a small sample essay, but it was much too simple.Thankfully, after months of research, we found a sample essay from another student who wrote about his plan to leave his abusive relationship. It was the perfect sample essay for a b ook scholarship.In researching college essays, I discovered that there are several ways to write a sample essay for a book scholarship. There is a 'don't sell yourself short' style of essay that was introduced by an award-winning essayist in a Washington Post column.The writer advises that the essay must not only highlight the writer's personal feelings but also explain why they are important. For example, a woman's love for her children is beyond question, but if her opinion is being questioned, it must be answered. A young woman's life purpose is much different than an older man's goal in life.Another style of essay is a 'big picture' essay, where the writer must include all aspects of the student's career. It should not be merely about their schoolwork, but must include life experiences that reflect on the student's overall worth. You have probably read this style ofessay before, but it is the exact style you want to use when looking for a sample essay for a book scholarship.As m uch as you may want to believe that the University of California is the only educational institution that will award the Nobel Prize to a student for winning the Humanitarian of the Year award, you can apply to dozens of other schools for sample essays for a book scholarship. The best thing you can do is to start early, and many research programs. If you attend a competitive school, you may not be able to submit your sample essay for a book scholarship until your senior year, but it is still best to send in the application as early as possible.With a little research, you can get a sample essay for a book scholarship that will stand out above the others. It will be written specifically for you, the student with a bright future ahead of him or her.

Shel Silverstein Biography Essay Example

Shel Silverstein: Biography Paper Shel Silverstein Shel Silverstein has been recognized as one of the most talented and successful authors for poetry of his time. Shel grew up learning more talents than most of the other children. His career was full of success; many believe he was born with the natural ability to write. He had a strong sense of humor that greatly influenced his writing. Sheldon Allan Silverstein, usually known as Shel, was born in Chicago on September 25, 1930. Shel was not like the other children. â€Å"When I was a kid,† he told publishers Weekly in 1975, â€Å"I would much rather have been a good baseball player or a hit with the girls. But I couldn’t play ball. I couldn’t dance. So I started to draw and to write. I was lucky that I didn’t have anyone to copy, be impressed by. I had developed my own style. † Shel grew up learning many talents such as playing the guitar, drawing cartoons and writing songs. He spent his childhood in Chicago where his relatives resided. When Shel was 21, he became an aspiring cartoonist and joined the newspaper staff for Stars and Stripes. He was drafted in 1952 and served until 1955. When he began working there, it became very apparent that he had never had a job like this; it gave him excellent experience. We will write a custom essay sample on Shel Silverstein: Biography specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Shel Silverstein: Biography specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Shel Silverstein: Biography specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This job was supposed to be very serious, but knowing Silverstein, he had to add his own witty humor. Later on his life, he became a songwriter and his music was put in a country album. One could often find Silverstein in Greenwich Village, Key West, Martha’s Vineyard, and Sausalito, California. He continued to create plays, songs, poems, stories, and drawings up until his death in May of 1999. Shel Silverstein had many famous books in his career. He was known for his amazing ability to make words rhyme. His first collection of poems was published in 1974. In 1964, he published The Giving Tree, which is still a classic today. In 1981, A Light in the Attic was published, following Falling Up in 1996. They both hit the best sellers list and stayed on The New York Times Best Sellers List for many months. A Light in the Attic shattered all previous records with its 182-week time span. Shel’s stories are classics in the poetry world. Many children are exposed to his books for their introduction to poetry. Even after Shel’s death, his books continued to sell. He is also known for having a successful career in song writing. He was able to take the credit for the Unicorn Song and I’m Checking Out, which were nominated for an academy award in 1991. In 1984, Shel won a Grammy for the Best Children’s Album for Where the Sidewalk Ends. Shel than became part of the staff at Playboy. He was hired by Hugh Hefner to draw cartoons and write poems for the magazine. Shel won a lot of awards when he was alive, more than most authors. In 1974, he won the New York Times Outstanding Book Award for Where the Sidewalk Ends. In 1981, he won the Michigan Young Readers Award, also for Where the Sidewalk Ends. The Missing Piece Meets the Big O won the International Reading Associations Children’s Choice Award in 1982. In 1983, Light in the Attic won the Buckeye award. Light in the Attic and Where the Sidewalk Ends won the George G. Stone award in 1984. Overall, Sheldon Silverstein’s life was very successful. His family was very supportive of what he wanted to do, even starting with his childhood. He won many awards and accomplished great things in the poetry world. His ideas were witty and brilliant. He will always be known in history for the way he presented his life. Shel Silverstein lived by the motto, â€Å"have a good time. †

Horrifying Hammerhead Worm Facts

Horrifying Hammerhead Worm Facts The hammerhead worm (Bipalium sp.) is a terrifying and toxic terrestrial flatworm. Its both a predator and a cannibal, and is basically a large planarian that lives on land. While the distinctive-looking worms dont pose a direct threat to human beings, they are an invasive species that eradicates earthworms. Fast Facts: Hammerhead Worm Scientific Name: Bipalium sp.Other Names: Broadhead planarian, landchovyDistinguishing Features: Large terrestrial planarian with a spade-shaped head and ventral foot or creeping soleAverage Size: Over 20 cm in length (B. kewense)Diet: Carnivorous, known to eat earthworms and each otherLifespan: Potentially immortalHabitat: Distributed worldwide, preferring humid, warm habitatsConservation Status: Not evaluatedKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: PlatyhelminthesClass: RhabditophoraOrder: TricladidaFamily: GeoplanidaeFun Fact: The hammerhead worm is one of very few terrestrial invertebrates known to produce tetrodotoxin. Description The most distinctive features of the hammerhead worm are its fan-shaped or spade-like head and long, flattened body. The underside of the planarian has a large creeping sole used for locomotion. Species are differentiated by the shape of the head, size, coloration, and stripe pattern. The terrestrial planarians are earth-colored, found in shades of gray, brown, gold, and green. Small hammerhead worms include B. adventitium, which ranges from 5 to 8  cm (2.0 to 3.1  in) in length. In contrast, adult B. kewense worms can exceed 20 cm in length. The hammerhead worm has a long, flattened body and a broad head. up close with nature / Getty Images Distribution and Habitat Hammerhead worms are native to tropical and subtropical regions, but have become invasive worldwide. It is believed the planarians were accidentally distributed on rooted horticultural plants. Because hammerhead worms require humidity, they are uncommon in desert and mountain biomes. Diet Bipalium worms are carnivores, known to prey on earthworms, slugs, insect larvae, and each other. The worms detect prey using chemoreceptors located under the head or ventral groove. A hammerhead worm tracks its prey, pushes it against a surface, and entangles it in slimy secretions. Once the prey is mostly immobilized, the worm extends is pharynx out from its body and secretes digestive enzymes. It sucks liquefied tissue into its branched gut using cilia. When digestion is complete, the worms mouth also serves as its anus. Hammerhead worms store food in vacuoles in their digestive epithelium. A worm can survive several weeks on its reserves and will cannibalize its own tissues for food. Bipalium kewense capturing an earthworm. Researchers believe the planarian secretes a toxin to immobilize its prey.   Jean-Lou Justine​, Leigh Winsor, Delphine Gey, Pierre Gros, and Jessica Thà ©venot Toxicity While some types of worms are edible, the hammerhead worm is not among them. The planarian contains the potent neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin. The toxin is found in pufferfish, the blue-ringed octopus, and rough-skinned newts, but not in a terrestrial invertebrate prior to its discovery in the hammerhead worm. The worm can use the toxin to immobilize prey and deter predators. Behavior Hammerhead worms have been mistakenly called hammerhead slugs because they move in a slug-like fashion. They use cilia on their creeping sole to glide over a strip of mucus. The worms have also been observed lowering themselves down a string of mucus. Land planarians are photo-negative and need high humidity. So, the animals usually move and feed at night. They prefer cool, damp places, typically residing under rocks, logs, or shrubs. Reproduction The worms are hermaphrodites, with each individual possessing both testes and ovaries. A hammerhead worm can exchange gametes with another worm via its secretions. Fertilized eggs develop inside the body and are shed as egg capsules. After about three weeks, the eggs hatch and the worms mature. In some species, juveniles have different coloration from adults. However, asexual reproduction is much more common than sexual reproduction. Hammerhead worms, like other planaria, are essentially immortal. Usually, a worm reproduces via fragmentation, leaving behind a tail tip stuck to a leaf or other substrate, which then develops into an adult. If the worm is cut into pieces, each section can regenerate into a fully-developed organism within a few weeks. Injured worms rapidly regenerate damaged tissue. Conservation Status None of the species of hammerhead worm have been evaluated for the IUCN Red List, but there is no evidence their numbers are threatened. Land planarians are widely distributed in their natural tropical and subtropical habitats and have extended worldwide. Once established in a greenhouse, the animals disperse into the surrounding region. In cold areas, the worms are able to survive freezing by seeking protected locations. Economic Importance At one time, researchers were concerned terrestrial planarians might damage plants. Over time, they were deemed harmless to greenery, but then a more insidious threat appeared. Hammerhead worms can exterminate earthworm populations. Earthworms are important because they aerate and fertilize soil. While some methods used to control slugs also work on the flatworms, hammerhead worms are considered a threatening invasive species. Their effect on ecosystems has yet to be fully understood. Sources Ducey, P. K.; Cerqua, J.; West, L. J.; Warner, M. (2006). Eberle, Mark E, ed. Rare Egg Capsule Production in the Invasive Terrestrial Planarian Bipalium Kewense. The Southwestern Naturalist. 51 (2): 252. doi:10.1894/0038-4909(2006)51[252:RECPIT]2.0.CO;2Ducey, P. K.; West, L. J.; Shaw, G.; De Lisle, J. (2005). Reproductive ecology and evolution in the invasive terrestrial planarian Bipalium adventitium across North America. Pedobiologia. 49 (4): 367. doi:10.1016/j.pedobi.2005.04.002Ducey, P. K.; Messere, M.; Lapoint, K.; Noce, S. (1999). Lumbricid Prey and Potential Herpetofaunal Predators of the Invading Terrestrial Flatworm Bipalium adventitium (Turbellaria: Tricladida: Terricola). The American Midland Naturalist. 141 (2): 305. doi:10.1674/0003-0031(1999)141[0305:LPAPHP]2.0.CO;2Ogren, R. E. (1995). Predation behaviour of land planarians. Hydrobiologia. 305: 105–111. doi:10.1007/BF00036370Stokes, A. N.; Ducey, P. K.; Neuman-Lee, L.; Hanifin, C. T.; French, S. S.; Pfrender, M. E.; Brodie, E. D.; Brodie Jr., E. D. (2014). Confirmation and Distribution of Tetrodotoxin for the First Time in Terrestrial Invertebrates: Two Terrestrial Flatworm Species (Bipalium adventitium and Bipalium kewense). PLoS ONE. 9 (6): e100718. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0100718