Knowledge is Power - and Information May Be Powerfully Presented

Have you ever heard of the phrase "Knowledge is Power"? Most people have, and it is usually attributed to Sir Francis Bacon. Actually, he said "Knowledge itself is Power" in one of his Latin writing in 1597. A young secretary who worked for him, named Thomas Hobbes, later wrote a book called Leviathan in 1668, and used the exact phrase in Latin "scientia potentia est," which is translated "knowledge is power" for the first time. If you think about it, taking out the word "itself" is a bit better, perhaps, because it means that not just the knowledge itself, but the fact that people know you have it, or think you have it, that creates the power.

When it comes to informative speaking and writing, keep in mind that you may have an opinion, even a strong one that is expressed powerfully. Information need not be totally neutral or non-persuasive, however you should avoid loaded, or emotional words. You are not "selling" something, but you can give opinions or let the facts speak for themselves. For speaking, the Common Core standard we are primarily addressing (11SL.4) says that you should not only present your clear perspective but talk about alternative or opposing perspectives as well. Don't forget to use a picture or digital image, like a chart or graph, to help your speech, as this helps the informative speech along and means I can score you on the "strategic use of digital media" standard (11SL.5). We will be doing these for a grade (with rubric) on Thursday, but people can practice Tuesday this week.

Here is a list of articles that everyone is using for both informative speaking and writing. For the writing part, the two body paragraphs go like this - the first body paragraph you simply inform me of the contents of the article, and the second you inform me of your opinion about the contents. For more in the second body paragraph, you can tell me about the availability of the product or service, or how widespread a problem is that is discussed in the article. Please see me if you need help - intros and conclusions should be short, sweet, and general in nature. No "works cited" area is needed.

Note that although I gathered these publicly-available articles/links, these were almost all chosen by the students themselves:

Ken            Airplane Crew May Face Increased Melanoma Risk
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQaGxnMjdiX0V0YjQ/view?usp=sharing


Michelle     Hawthorne Berry Tea: A Heart Tonic and More
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQeVhpb2gxZE9vNTQ/view?usp=sharing


Coleen                 Nine Health Benefits of Licorice Root 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQSGtSclhCV25kY0U/view?usp=sharing


Karen                    Hard Lesson in Sleep for Teenagers 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQUTBNbFg2ZDZLVVE/view?usp=sharing


Yumi           What Are the Benefits of Milk Thistle Seed?
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQN3pxNnRzbWlYWXM/view?usp=sharing


Allen                    5 Teas That Melt Fat
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQTEszN1YydTRwWFE/view?usp=sharing


Arielle                 Benefits of Spirulina/How Does Spirulina Work?
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQcFVZYkI2N0g5Rzg/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQRWR5UkJIYUlhRzQ/view?usp=sharing


Calvin                   Why You Should Never Microwave Your Food
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQS2pPWjE1a0xUWDA/view?usp=sharing


Joanna                 Do You Know These Five Skin Facts?
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQdi1nRXJaenR3WDg/view?usp=sharing


Josh            Eat Your Way to a Better Workout
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQSXZLOHVJU0duZVk/view?usp=sharing


George                 12 Natural Ways to Fight a Cold
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQTTlqUjFCVzN6c0E/view?usp=sharing


Kevin                    Is Sugar Toxic?
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQVGVLZnZNSTZRbmM/view?usp=sharing


Paul                     Why Outdoor Workouts Work Better
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQT2tubG5pZzB6LUE/view?usp=sharing


Sharah                  17 Health Benefits of Cayenne Pepper
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQWk5sWUVDMFB6UnM/view?usp=sharing


Claire                  The Importance of a Kidney Cleansing Diet
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQXzdUNm9NcW1CejA/view?usp=sharing


Oscar                    Natural Ways to Treat Arthritis
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQcU5CZ2t1MzlQWFE/view?usp=sharing


Alvyn                    Workout: Tip Up the Intensity
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQSjVuZVB3Ti0zOXc/view?usp=sharing


Jill                5 More Popular Weight Loss Diets Explained
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQWHhmR3BJOVh4V2c/view?usp=sharing


Kate            Green Tea for Weight Loss
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQN1pVV2I1dnpxLVk/view?usp=sharing





For Good Measure - let's include some British Lit students;

Molly                    Superfoods for Superbugs
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQcHFkUHdESUxRTzQ/view?usp=sharing


Gordon                Can Autism Be Prevented
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQSFZqb2o3SnJpblU/view?usp=sharing


Book                     Tai Chi Eases Depression in Elderly
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Q_tPLHIkuQNm5XUVI3cWRUZzA/view?usp=sharing