Monday, May 25, 2020

Christmas Plays and Holiday Favorites

Whether you are looking for a play to attend or directing a Christmas pageant at your local church, a festival of lights celebration, or a school winter production starring mitten-clad kindergarten kids, there are some good  plays out there to fit your needs.  An Internet search for Christmas Plays for Youth, in fact, turns up a wide variety of scripts for purchase as well as scripts for free. Holiday Favorites Over the years, Hollywood has produced countless holiday movies and television specials, many of which have been so beloved (and profitable) that amateur and professional theaters have adapted them for the stage. Some of the more popular holiday classics include: A Miracle on 34th StreetA Christmas StoryIt’s a Wonderful LifeMadeline’s Christmas Some people love to watch and re-watch the same holiday stories, but if you are up for something new, take a look at the next two titles. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever The Best Christmas Pageant Everbegan as a novel by Barbara Robinson. In Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, it goes by the title  The Worst Kids in the World.  Those kids are the Herdmans and they cause nothing but trouble for the adult organizers of the annual Christmas Pageant. The  book is filled with raucous, funny, outrageous characters - most of whom happen to be kids. So, it is not surprising that did not take long for this story to be adapt for the stage. Samuel French offers the script as a one-act play that runs approximately 60 minutes.  There are 27 or more roles and the play can be done completely with young performers, but it is really great when adults play the adults and kids play the kids. Heres a link to a video of the full movie version of  The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. If you want to see and hear the script for a stage production, click here.   ​The  Last Night of Ballyhoo This play by Alfred Uhry is suitable for older students to perform or discuss. It takes place over the Christmas season in 1939, but the characters are from a Jewish family in the South that actually has a Christmas tree in their home. Read more about  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹The  Last Night of Ballyhoo  here. The  Favorite Holiday Favorite: A Christmas Carol There have been hundreds of adaptations of this Charles Dickens’ Christmas classic. I confess, that I have seen so many different productions, television movies, and cartoon-versions that I have almost gotten tired of the story. Almost. The thing about A Christmas Carol is that the narrative is so tightly crafted, Dickens’ prose so smooth, and the end result of Scrooge’s transformation so heartwarming, that it is  easy to understand why Hollywood and regional theaters repeatedly keep the material in the holiday festivities. Wikipedia has an enormous list of the many incarnations of A Christmas Carol. However, the  last time I checked, they left out the important early adaptations, written during Charles Dickens’ lifetime. For example, there’s no mention of C. Z. Barnett’s adaptation: A Christmas Carol or The Miser’s Warning. This two-act play was performed a mere two months after the publication of Dickens’ holiday novel. In fact, it was the only adaptation sanctioned by the author. (This is amusing since Barnett’s take does not add a great deal of sensationalism to the text to appeal to its Victorian audiences). Archive.org offers a wonderfully presentation of the first edition of Barnett’s version. Plays for Young Audiences offers a PDF of a script of  A Christmas Carol! Being a purist, however, I’m more interested a faithful adaptation of A Christmas Carol. such as Patrick Stewart’s famous one-man show in which he simply reads from the text – and brilliantly performs each character. Care to try performing it yourself? Visit our Classic Literature Guide site and read the original Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, unabridged in all its holiday glory.

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Effective Science Teaching - 1225 Words

Science is, by its nature, inquiry based and science knowledge is built through processes in which discoveries of the natural world are made (Abruscato, 2000). It utilizes discovery and scientific thinking process to explore and learn knowledge and skills. Learning by doing is the new efficient method in teaching science. For kindergarten, this method leads to better understanding of science concepts and builds skills that children will use in future life .What a child can do with assistance now, they can later do on their own (Vygotsky, 1978). John Dewey (1916) stated that children must be engaged in an active quest for learning and new ideas. Inquiry is important in educating kindergarteners because it not only keeps them interested in lessons but also helps them retain more information when performing exploration and investigation. Children are naturally motivated to learn and actively seek out information to help their understanding (Piaget, 1950).The success of students who par ticipate in hands- on inquiry activities suggests that if students have first hands experience with science, concepts are easier to understand and apply and students are generally more favorable to science and have better understanding of the nature of science .Within a conceptual framework, inquiry learning and active learner involvement can lead to important outcomes in the classroom. In kindergarten, students who are actively making observations, collecting results and drawingShow MoreRelatedJean Piaget‚Äà ´s theory of child development along with effective learning methods and teaching strategies used in secondary school classrooms with particular attention paid to science5758 Words   |  24 Pagesï » ¿Section A- Literature Review Jean Piaget’s theory of child development along with effective learning methods and teaching strategies used in secondary school classrooms with particular attention paid to science A child’s developing mind1,2,3 Without a doubt, Jean Piaget (1896-1980) was one of the most influential child psychologists. In his day he was at the forefront of research into child psychology and even today, his word is cited by many in the profession. 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Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Identity by Religion - 786 Words

Brianna Lopez 7 March 2013 Identity by Religion Religion is a worldwide practice that has taken a huge part in all human cultures. One of the earliest recollections of religion came from the Ancient Egyptian that believed in Polytheistic Religion, which praised a variety of gods. Another religion that has been with us since the times of the bible is the Judaism belief. A variety of other religions have formed since then, but not all religions believe in a god. If there is one thing we have in common is believing and following those morals and values through faith. There are many factors that identify and shape who we become. Therefore, I believe, religion is sought to be one major factor that shapes our character throughout our whole†¦show more content†¦When a movie was shown for a lesson, the student would always let the teacher know and she will be excused. This honesty that her parents strictly enforce is an important factor that shapes one identity. Religion encourages us to have faith in a God w ho will lead us to do great thing in life. Faith is a key point when relating to religion; due to the fact that it’s the only way a person can identify their belief. No field of study can prove that one religion is more correct than the other and that is why faith is one of the strongest factors that affect identity. With such diverse beliefs it is difficult not to be labeled as having no beliefs, even Atheism is a belief. With each religion there is a community of people that share the same faith and belief. In that community of people there are common morals and beliefs that they share, aside from their belief in God. Moses introduced the 10 commandments to his people and those are common morals we as people still use today and believe in, though they have been modernized. Mormons don’t believe it is right to consume alcohol and prohibits insobriety, with faith in God they believe that intoxication can never overcome them; this alone shapes a huge majority of their l ife. People gather in churches once a week or more to empower their faith in their beliefs. Muslims is a great example of this. At a specific time of day Muslims kneel downShow MoreRelatedReligion and Identity1954 Words   |  8 Pages Unit 9 Project Religion and Identity Sushane Mason Kaplan University HU320-01 Professor Paul Forrey January 13, 2013 The question often arrived what is religion? There are more than one answer to this depending on one’s culture, identity, ethics and beliefs. Religion can be found in different cultures and throughout the whole period of human history. 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Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Gas Station Financial Model

Question: Discuss about the Gas Station Financial Model. Answer: Introduction: Pattack Gas Station will be retailing gasoline; petrol, diesel and motor vehicle lubricants to ensure we offer the best to our esteemed customers. It will run a convenience store, vulcanizing services, car wash and garage for automated wheel balancing, alignment and other related automobile repair services. Employees at Pattack gas station will offer high quality services to all customers. This will be facilitated by the application of the Customer Relationship management software which will enable us to manage one on one relationship with our customers no matter how large the number may grow. Customers will also be involved while making business decisions which may affect them either directly or indirectly. Gas Station facilities Pattack gas station facility area will sit on a space of 3000m2. The facility will be a one storey building with electric rooms. The storey building will have one office room, one hall which will host the convenience store and toilets for both male and females. The gas station will have two islands with canopies. One will have 3 petrol filling stations and another with 2 diesel filling stations. There will be two underground tanks; one will be the storage for the petrol filling tanks while one will be separated into two parts; diesel and unleaded 91 in one and the other part for unleaded 95. Pattack Gas Station will have 9 car parking lots at the filling area, 4 car parks in front of the convenience store building. The will be 2 car entrances and 1 exit which connects directly to the road network infrastructure. Green grass will surround the gas station. Products and Services Pattack gas station has designed products and services which will meet demand of our customers. The product and services offered will also maximize profits of the gas station. Pattack will retail gas in form of diesel and petrol. It will also offer automotive services such as repairs, car wash and general car maintenance. The gas station will also provide wheel alignment, wheel balancing and vulcanizing services to our esteemed customers. The convenience store at the gas station facility will sell groceries, soft drinks and snacks. Risks and Constraints Gas stations are very prone to losses in terms of fire. Many banks and lenders are not willing to finance such start-ups since the risks involved are too major (Corn, 1996). This brings the finance constraint. The risks involved are too big that workers are not willing to risk their lives to work as pump attendants. This brings in labor constraints in the business which is very detrimental to the performance of any business. Personnel plan Pattack gas station is expected to create a lot of employment opportunities for the region. The gas station has two departments which all require a subsequent number of employees. The gas station and automobile services department is expected to employ around twenty employees. Eight employees will be in-charge of the fuel pumps while the rest will be working at the garage, car wash and automobile services station. The convenient store on the other hand will employ around twelve employees. There will be four cashiers and eight shop attendants to man the store. This expects to be a total of around 32 employees in Pattack gas station. Capital Investment The initial capital investment required to finance Pattack gas station startup is $3,855,647.34. This money will be raised from investing $1,400,000 of personal savings, guaranteeing a loan of $1,500,000 with personal assets. In addition, an interest free loan of $1,000,000 from family members will be obtained to be repaid within the first one year of business. The table containing the capital investment requirements is contained in the Appendix. Sales Forecast The sales forecast of the gas station is based on data gathered with reference to similar business in Pitt street Sidney, Australia. The position of the gas station is strategic and it will attract many clients together with our exemplary services which will help increase our income. Fuel sale profits Below is a projection of sales for Pattack gas station based on a similar business within the location. According to the current market price fuel and the expected services to be offered, below are the estimated sales for Pattack gas station. This is in comparison to the type of products and services we will be offering. First year in business.- $250,000 Second year .-$700,000 Third year .- $1,500,000 The fuel sales are forecasted to increase as the gas station remains in operation due to increase in the number of customers. However these projections will only be realized on the assumption that there will not be another gas station within 15,000km offering similar services to our facility. Convenience store The convenience store will serve as the supermarket or the main shopping centre for the region. Its sales will increase steadily as the neighborhood gets used to the new supermarket. It will offer both consumer goods for the population around the store and snacks to sell to fueling customers. The sales projections for the next three years: First year in business.- $500,000 Second year .-$850,000 Third year .- $1,700,000 The sales forecast for the convenience store are seen to double in the third year since the store is expected to be the main shopping centre for the area. Garage costs As the gas station remains in operation, its services such as the cash wash, automobile centre and the garage will gain additional customers. The quality of services offered in these departments will cater for all the clients needs. The sales will increase as the centre gains customers. The projected sales for the next four quarters are: First quarter in operation.- $50,000 Second quarter .-$250,000 Third quarter .- $400,000 Fourth quarter -$750,000 Maintenance cost The gas station is prone to depreciation due to adverse weather conditions. Wear and tear will be repaired at an expense borne to the gas station (Costello, 2010). The gas station will be maintained by a property management company to ensure all conditions in terms of cleanliness and physical structures are in good shape. Financial Plan Pattack gas station has established a financial plan which will aim at maximizing profits in the gas station together with the convenient store. The plan ensures the two sectors generate enough income from the basic fueling and auto-services products and the complimentary services. The gas station will be divided into two sectors; the gas station facility and the convenience store. The gas station financial income will be from retailing vehicle gas products, providing automotive services such as wheel balancing and alignment and the car wash. The convenience store will retail consumer goods and soft drinks and also be in charge of the parking space in the facility. Payment will be based on the customers preference. There will be payment in cash, POS machine, mobile money, online payment portal and Visa. This will make payment of services easier for all clients in the facility (Fletcher et al, 1996). Constraints for Financial model Lack of ample marketing will be the main source of loss of income to the facility. Inflation in the economy will greatly affect the business since it is also dependent on the economy (Frikha et al, 2013). Oil is a very rare commodity. Increase in prices occurs randomly which greatly affects the profitability of the gas station. The physical situation of the gas station will also affect its ability to earn financial income through attracting customers. Break-even Analysis Break even is where the gas station will be able to meet its current daily expenditure. The gas station must be able to pay its debt and other miscellaneous expenses without obtaining external financing (Marsh, 1975). Daily expenses that the gas station will face include payment of salaries to the personnel and meeting of miscellaneous expenses such as maintenance and repair costs. The convenience store should also be able to replenish its current stock for it to be deemed as to have broken even. Break even analysis table is contained in the appendix. Projected Profit and Loss During the first year of operation, the gas station will not realize the projected profits since it will be starting its operation. However, as the gas station continues to be in operation, the number of clients will increase thus increase in sales which will directly increase the business overall profitability (Smith, 2015). The table showing profit projections for the next 3 years is contained in the Appendix. Projected Cash Flow Calculation of NPV and IRR NPV and IRR Analysis Assume an Interest rate of 10% Year 0 1 2 3 $ 000 Cash flow (300) 110 450 850 PV factor 100% 91% 83% 75% PV of cash flow (300) 100.1 373 500 Cumulative PV (300) (190) 260 1110 Net Present Value 0 (200) 73 200 In this case the gas station will start to generate positive Net present value on the third year in business. However, the gas station business will not be ranked using IRR although the higher the rate the more suitable the business is to undertake. References Corn, J. (1996). The Gas Station in America . John A. Jakle , Keith A. Sculle.Winterthur Portfolio,31(1), 92-98. https://dx.doi.org/10.1086/wp.31.1.4618539 Costello, K. (2010). How Regulators Should Use Natural Gas Price Forecasts.The Electricity Journal,23(7), 54-64. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tej.2010.07.001 Fletcher, I., Cox, C., Arden, W., Doonan, A. (1996). Modelling of a two-stage high-pressure gas reduction station.Applied Mathematical Modelling,20(10), 741-749. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0307-904x(96)00071-6 Frikha, N. Lemaire, V. (2013). Joint Modelling of Gas Spot Prices.Applied Mathematical Finance,20(1), 69-93. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1350486x.2012.658220 Lamme, A., Jakle, J., Sculle, K. (1996). The Gas Station in America.Geographical Review,86(1), 122. https://dx.doi.org/10.2307/215152 Marsh, P. (1975). Financial Modelling.Managerial Finance,1(2), 146-154. https://dx.doi.org/10.1108/eb013354 Smith, K. (2015). The Financial Economic Risk in Financial Engineering Models.Wilmott,2015(79), 50-55. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/wilm.10447 Waterman, M. (1948). Financial Management of Gas and Electric Utilities by the Securities and Exchange Commission.The Journal Of Finance,3(1), 41. https://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2975443.