Focus Paper on Grand Conversations Essay Example for Free

Focus Paper on Grand Conversations Essay Grand conversations are effective instruments of instructional design and learning, which may be easily integrated into any type of curriculum content. Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is an excellent example of the book that can be used in elementary school grand conversations. To make grand conversations even more effective and interactive, they may also be combined with shared reading. In grand conversations, elementary school learners develop necessary interactions, which lead them to developing extensive reading and comprehension skills. Focus Paper on Grand Conversations Introduction Grand conversations are effective instruments of instructional design and learning, which may be easily integrated into any type of curriculum content. Grand conversations are particularly important for the development of communicative skills in learners. The use of grand conversations is integrally linked to student-centered approaches, providing students with additional opportunities to speak, express their thoughts and opinions, and study the most problematic curriculum topics in depth. In elementary classroom, grand conversations may be used as the means for studying literary texts and developing extensive connections between literature themes and student realities. Elementary school teachers pay special attention to the development of literacy and communicative skills in young learners. By linking reading to discussion and exploration, education specialists are trying to develop more effective approaches that would motivate young learners to read, and communicate their views in classroom. â€Å"Grand conversations are discussions held by the entire class community. What makes grand conversations different from other forms of whole group activities is that the teacher does not direct grand conversations† (Buis, 2004). Thus, the teacher’s task is to choose the content which is the most appropriate for classroom discussion, and to set the tone of the group conversation, which will further be directed by learners and will help them investigate the plot, the theme, the characters, and the setting of the original text in more detail. Unfortunately, teachers tend to use more traditional standardized strategies in text analysis; a short-lived conversation is a widely acceptable teaching technique that may save time during the lesson but does not improve student knowledge in class. However, it is not enough for a teacher to understand the importance of grand conversations in class; it is essential that elementary school teachers develop effective and multifaceted approaches, to give students an opportunity for practicing their communicational skills. As teachers, we cannot guarantee that our small students will be able to understand all literary implications of particular texts. That is why it is important to develop meaningful chains that would help learners understand the content, the context, and the idea of a literary work. The book to be discussed should be written in simple language and should be close to what children feel, see, and do in their daily lives. â€Å"The book should be enjoyable, of superior literary quality, engage student interests, allow for good discussions and invite students to revisit them over and over again† (Buis, 2004). Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is an excellent example of the book that can be used in elementary school grand conversations. To make grand conversations even more effective and interactive, they may also be combined with shared reading of the most interesting passages. A sample grand conversation may start with a simple question: â€Å"Do you think that Huckleberry Finn could live in our society? † This question may further be extended to discussing the similarities between Huckleberry Finn’s realities (clothes, behaviors, thoughts), and those of contemporary learners. It is expected that students’ answers will not be limited to â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no†, but will encourage other students to express their thoughts and develop reliable connections between their personal experiences and those of a literary character. Children will be free to discuss their best impressions, feelings, or their favorite clothes. It is expected that by the end of the discussion session, children will be able to determine, what makes Huckleberry Finn different from them. Choosing a picture book would also facilitate the discussion and drive learners’ imagination, giving elementary students a special feeling of â€Å"reading joy† (Buis, 2004). As teachers, we should also be prepared to the situation when learners’ experiences and opinions differ and are even be opposite to each other; as a result, we will need to use available instruments for turning this opposition into the subject of a detailed discussion. Grand conversations will further engage all learners into a risk-free environment, and expose them to the world of classic literature through the prism of their most pleasant life experiences. It should be noted that â€Å"participation in a discourse community is crucial for the cultivation of deeper levels of vocabulary knowledge. Language learning is fuelled by students’ curiosity and their desire to connect and communicate with others† (Buis, 2004). For grand conversations to be effective, it is important that the teacher does not limit the discussion to one single interpretation of the book. Children should be encouraged to express their ideas about the plot, the meaning, and the importance of particular passages. Although grand conversations are not directed by the teacher, some scaffolding may be appropriate to motivate and encourage young learners. Traditionally, students are not involved into active group discussions in class; they are used to the situation where teacher carries the main load of talking. As a result, students may be prevented from supporting conversation at deep levels. Several grand conversations will be required to ensure that students have fully understood the meaning of Twain’s text and that they are able to formulate their thoughts as applied to the context, structure, and the meaning of the plot. Every new text distracts students from digging deeper into particular literary elements, but attracts their attention to new events within the story; that is why several literary conversations will help young learners concentrate on particular meaningful elements that will gradually lead them to understanding the real or virtual place of Huckleberry Finn in his and in our time. Conclusion Grand conversations reveal the new facets of elementary students’ communicative skills and abilities. This type of instructional methodology helps revisiting the most interesting literary texts and exploring them through the prism of learners’ personal experiences. In grand conversations, elementary school learners develop necessary interactions, which lead them to developing extensive reading and comprehension skills and provide them with unlimited opportunities for sharing their comments and offering new ideas in classroom-wide discussions. References Buis, K. (2004). Making words stick: strategies that build vocabulary and reading comprehension in the elementary grades. Pembroke Publishers Limited.

Lessons Learned from Notes to a Native Son Essay -- James Baldwin

Realizing What Society Really Is Born in 1924, James Baldwin grew up in Harlem during harsh racism and the infamous Jim Crow laws. In addition to being surrounded by hate crimes and riots, Baldwin had a rough relationship with his father, who died when Baldwin was only nineteen. Twelve years after his father?s death, Baldwin wrote an essay, entitled ?Notes of a Native Son,? which described the events that took place around the time of his father?s death. Being one of his trademark talents, he also inserted periods of analysis while narrating the story. These insights, often reflections on his life and actions, illustrate the importance of learning to truly understand the society in which one lives in order to react appropriately to one?s current situation in life. James Baldwin noted at the beginning of his essay that he really began thinking about his life and his father?s life when his father passed (63). Just like most rebellious teenagers, he did not always understand his father?s intentions when he was being warned about drugs, white people in general, and other activities that he was specifically warned about and kept away from. Arguments were of course inevitable, and their relationship worsened because James Baldwin kept silent. In fact, the one time that he can remember when they had a real chat together was when his father asked him if he really wanted to write instead of being a preacher, like his father (80). Looking back on his childhood, James Baldwin realized that he did not really take any time to get to know his own father, and once he died it was too late. Baldwin also added some analysis about father and son relationships, noting that ?It seems to be typical of Ameri... ...is a commonplace? (84). Back in the forties and fifties, and still today, life isn?t fair, and there still exists strong hatred between certain groups of people. Denial of the way society was or is prevents people from taking control of their lives and growing to become better people despite their respective situation. Baldwin described that personal growth as a continuing fight against those injustices by pushing for complete equality amongst everyone in one?s own life (84). Hatred and discrimination still exist today, but because so many people fought for equality over the past sixty years, changes have occurred to make the pain of realizing how society really was, and how it has become, more bearable. Works Cited Baldwin, James. ?Notes of a Native Son.? 1955. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 63-84.

Night World : Daughters of Darkness Chapter 8

She waited another hour after he set off down theroad, heading east-doing what, she had no idea. There was nothing that way except two creeks andlots of trees. And her house. She hoped he was goingto try to walk into town, and that he didn't realize how far it was. All right, he's gone, now forget about him. You'vegot a job to do, remember? A slightly dangerous one. And he's not involved. I don't believe he knows anything about what happened to Mrs. B. She got the shovel and started down the road west.As she walked she found that she was able to put Ash out of her mind completely. Because all she could think of was what was waiting ahead. I'm not scared to do it; I'm not scared, I'm notscared†¦. OfcourseI'm scared. But being scared was good, it would make her careful. She would do this job quickly and quietly. In through the gap in the hedge, a little fast work with the shovel, out again before anybody saw her. She tried not to picture what she was going to findwith that shovel if she was right. She approachedBurdock Farm cautiously, going north and then doubling back southeast to come in through the back property. The farmland had gone wild here, taken over by poison oak, beargrass, and dodder, besides the inevitable blackberry bushes and gorse. Tan oaks and chinquapins were moving in. Sometime soon these pastures would be forest. I'm not sure I believe I'm doing this, MaryLynnette thought as she reached the hedge that surrounded the garden. But the strange thing was that she didbelieve it. She was going to vandalize a neighbor's property and probably look at a dead bodyand she was surprisingly cool about it. Scared but not panicked. Maybe there was more hidden inside her than she realized. I may not be who I've always thought I am. The garden was dark and fragrant. It wasn't theirises and daffodils Mrs. B. had planted; it wasn't the fireweed and bleeding heart that were growing wild. It was the goats. Mary-Lynnette stuck to the perimeter of the hedge,eyes on the tall, upright silhouette of the farmhouse. There were only two windows lit. Please don't let them see me and please don't letme make a noise. Still looking at the house, she walked slowly, taking careful baby steps to the place where the earth was disturbed. The first couple of swipes with the shovel hardly moved the soil. Okay. Put a little conviction in it. And don't watch the house; there's no point. If they look out, they're going to see you, and there's nothing you can do about it. Just as she put her foot on the shovel, somethingwent hooshin the rhododendrons behind her. Crouched over her shovel,Mary-Lynnette froze. Stop worrying, she told herself. That's not the sisters. It's not Ash coming back. That's an animal. She listened. A mournful maaaa came from the goat shed. It wasn't anything. It was a rabbit. Dig! She got out a spadeful of dirt-and then she heardit again. Hoosh. A snuffling sound. Then a rustling. Definitely an animal. But if it was a rabbit, it was an awfully loud one. Who cares what it is? Mary-Lynnette told herself.There aren't any dangerous animalsout here. And I'm not afraid of the dark. It's my natural habitat. I love the night. But tonight, somehow, she felt differently. Maybe it was just the scene with Ash that had shaken her, made her feel confused and discontented. But just now she felt almost as if something was trying to tell her that the dark wasn't any human's natural habitat. That she wasn't built for it, with her weak eyes and her insensitive ears and dull nose. That she didn't belong. Hoosh. I may have rotten hearing, but I can hearthatjustfine. And it's big. Something big's sniffing around in bushes. What kind of big animal could be out here? Itwasn't a deer deer went snort-wheeze. It sounded larger than a coyote, taller. A bear? Then she heard a different sound the vigorousshaking of dry, leathery rhododendron leaves. In the dim light from the house she couldseethe branches churning as something tried to emerge. it's coming out. Mary-Lynnette clutched her shovel and ran. Nottoward the gap in the hedge, not toward the housethey were both too dangerous. She ran to the goat shed. I can defend myself in here-keep it out—hit itwith the shovel†¦. The problem was that she couldn't see from in here.There were two windows in the shed, but between dirt on the glass and the darkness outside, Mary-Lynnette couldn't make out anything. She couldn'teven see the goats, although she could hear them. Don't turn on the penlight. It'll just give awayyour position. Holding absolutely still, she strained tohear any thing from outside. Nothing. Her nostrils were full of goat. The layers of oat straw and decomposing droppings on the floor were smelly, and they kept the shed too warm. Her palms were sweating as she gripped the shovel. I've never hit anybody †¦ not since Mark and Iwere kids fighting †¦ but, heck, I kicked a strangerthis morning†¦ . She hoped the potential for violence would comeout now when she needed it. A goat nudged her shoulder.Mary-Lynnette shrugged it away. The other goat bleated suddenlyand she bit her lip. Oh, God-I heard something out there. The goatheard it, too. She could taste her bitten lip. It was like sucking on a penny. Blood tasted like copper, which, she realizedsuddenly, tasted like fear. Something opened the shed door. What happened then was that Mary-Lynnette Something unholy was after her. Something thatsniffed like an animal but could open doors like ahuman. She couldn't see what it was-just a shadowdarkness against darkness. She didn't think ofturning on the penlight-her only impulse was to smash out with the shovel now, to get ft before ft could get her. She was tingling with the instinct forpure, primordial violence. Instead, she managed to hiss, â€Å"Who is ft? Who'sthere?† A familiar voice said,†Iknew you were going to do this. I've been lookingeverywherefor you.† â€Å"Oh,God, Mark.† Mary-Lynnette sagged against wall of the shed, letting go of the shovel. The goats were both bleating. Mary-Lynnette's earswere ringing. Mark shuffled farther in. â€Å"Jeez, this place smells. What are you doing inhere?† â€Å"Youjerk,†Mary-Lynnette said. â€Å"I almost brained you!† 0†³You said you were forgetting all this crazy stuff. You lied to me.† â€Å"Mark, you don't †¦We can talk later†¦. Did you hearanything out there?† She was trying to gather her thoughts. â€Å"Like what?† He was so calm. It made MaryLynnette feel vaguely foolish. Then his voice sharpened. â€Å"Like a yowling?† â€Å"No. Like a snuffling.† Mary-Lynnette's breath was slowing. â€Å"I didn't hear anything. We'd better get out ofhere. What are we supposed to say if Jade comes out?† Mary-Lynnette didn't know how to answer that. Mark was in a different world, a happy, shiny world where the worst that could happen tonight was embarrassment. Finally she said â€Å"Mark, listen to me. I'm your sister. I don't have any reason to lie to you, or playtricks on you, or put down somebody you like. AndI don't just jump to conclusions; I don't imagine things. But I'm telling you, absolutely seriously,that there is something weird going on with these girls.† Mark opened his mouth, but she went on relentlessly. â€Å"So now there are only two things you can believe, and one is that I'm completely out of mymind, and the other is that it's true. Do you really think I'm crazy?† She was thinking of the past as she said it, of allthe nights they'd held on to each other when their mother wassick, of the books she'd read out loud tohim, of the times she'd put Band-Aids on his scrapes and extra cookies in his lunch. And somehow, even though it was dark, she could sense that Mark was remembering, too. They'd shared so much. They would always be connected. Finally Mark said quietly, â€Å"You're not crazy.† â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"But I don't know what to think. Jade wouldn't hurtanybody. I justknow that. And since I met her , .†Hepaused. â€Å"Mare, it's like now I know why I'm alive.She's different from any girl I've ever known. She's ____ she's so brave, and so funny, and so †¦ herself.† And I thought it was the blond hair, MaryLynnette thought. Shows how shallow I am. She was moved and surprised by the change in Mark-but mostly she was frightened. Frightenedsick. Her cranky, cynical brother had found somebody to care about at last †¦ and the girl was probably descended from Lucrezia Borgia. And now, even though she couldn't see him, shecould hear earnest appeal in his voice. â€Å"Mare, can't we just go home?† Mary-Lynnette felt sicker. She broke off and they both snapped their heads to look at the shed window. Outside a light had gone on. â€Å"Shut the door,† Mary-Lynnette hissed, in a tone that made Mark dose the door to the shed instantly. â€Å"And be quiet,- she added, grabbing his arm and pulling him next to the wall. She looked cautiously out the window. Rowan came out of the back door first, followedbyjade,followed by Kestrel. Kestrel had a shovel. Oh. My. God. â€Å"What's happening?† Mark said, trying to get alook. Mary-Lynnette damped a hand over his mouth.What was happening was that the girls were digging up the garden again. She didn't see anything wrapped in garbage bags this time. So what were they doing? Destroying the evidence? Were they going to take it into the houseand burn it, chop it up? Her heart was pounding madly. Mark had scooted up and was looking out. MaryLynnette heard him take a breath-and then choke. Maybe he was trying to think of an innocent explanation for this. She squeezed his shoulder. They both watched as the girls took turns with theshovel. Mary-Lynnette was impressed all over againat how strong they were. Jade looked so fragile. Every time one of the sisters glanced around the garden, Mary-Lynnette's heart skipped a beat. Don't see us, don't hear us, don't catch us, she thought. When a respectable mound of dirt had piled up, Rowan and Kestrel reached into the hole. They lifted out the long garbage-bagged bundle Mary-Lynnettehad seen before. It seemed to be stiff-and surpris ingly light. For the first time, Mary-Lynnette wondered if it was too light to be a body. Or too stiff †¦ how longdid rigor mortis last? Mark's breathing was irregular, almost wheezing.The girls were carrying the bundle to the gap inthe hedge. Mark cursed. Mary-Lynnette's brain was racing. She hissed,†Mark, stay here. I'm going to follow them-â€Å" â€Å"I'm going with you!† â€Å"You have to tell Dad if anything happens to me-â€Å" â€Å"I'm going withyou.† There wasn't time to argue. And something inside Mary-Lynnette was glad to have Mark's strength to back her. She gasped, â€Å"Come on, then. And don't make asound.† She was worried they might have already lost the sisters–it was such a dark night. But when she and Mark squeezed through the gap in the rhododendron bushes, she saw a light ahead. A tiny, bobbing white light. The sisters were using a flashlight. Keep quiet, move carefully. Mary-Lynnette didn'tdare say it out loud to Mark, but she kept thinking it over and over, like a mantra. Her whole consciousness was fixed on the little shaft of light that was leading them, like a comet's tail in the darkness. The light took them south, into a stand of Douglasfir. It wasn't long before they were walking into forest. Where are they going? Mary-Lynnette thought. She could feel fine tremors in her muscles as she tried to move as quickly as possible without making a sound. They were lucky–the floor of this forest was carpeted with needles from Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine. The needles were fragrant and slightly damp and they muffled footsteps. Mary-Lynnette could hardly hear Mark walking behind her except when he hurt himself. They went on for what seemed like forever. It was pitch dark and Mary-Lynnette very quickly lost any sense of where they were. Or how they were going to get back. Oh, God, I was crazy to do this-and to bring Markalong, too. We're out in the middle of the woodswith three crazy girls†¦. The light had stopped. Mary-Lynnette stopped, holding out an arm thatMark immediately ran into. She was staring at thelight, trying to make sure it really wasn't moving away. No. It was steady. It was pointed at the ground. â€Å"Let's get loser,† Mark whispered, putting his lips against Mary-Lynnette's ear. She nodded and began to creep toward the light, as slowly and silently asshe knew how. Every few steps she paused and stood absolutely still, waiting to see if the light was going to turn her way. It didn't. She got down and crawled the last ten feet to the edge of the clearing where the girls had stopped. Once there, she had a good view of what they were doing. Digging. Kestrel had shoveled the pine needles aside and was working on a hole. Mary-Lynnette felt Mark crawl up beside her,crushing sword fern and woodfem. She could feel his chest heaving. She knew he saw what she saw. I'm so sorry. Oh, Mark, I'm so sorry. There was no way to deny it now. Mary-Lynnetteknew. She didn't even need to look in the bag. How am I going to find this place again? When I bring the sheriff back, how am I going to remember it? It's like a maze in one of those computer fantasy games-Mixed Evergreen Forest in every direction,and nothing to distinguish any bit of it from any other bit. She chewed her lip. The bed of moist needles she was lying on was soft and springy-actually comfortable. They could wait here for a long time, until the sisters left, and then mark the trees somehow. Takephotographs. Tie their socks to branches. In the clearing the flashlight beam showed a hand putting down the shovel. Then Rowan and Kestrellifted the garbage-bagged bundle-Jade must beholding the flashlight, Mary-Lynnette thought-and lowered it into the hole. Good. Now cover it up and leave. The beam showed Rowan bending to pick up the shovel again. She began quickly covering the hole with dirt. Mary-Lynnette was happy. Over soon, she thought, and let out a soft breath of relief. And in that instant everything in the clearingchanged. The flashlight beam swung wildly. Mary-Lynnette flattened herself, feeling her eyes widen. She could see a silhouette against the light-golden hair haloed around the face. Kestrel. Kestrel was standing, facing Mark and Mary-Lynnette, her body tense and still. Listening. Listening. Mary-Lynnette lay absolutely motionless, mouthopen, trying to breathe without making a soundThere were things crawling in the soft, springy needlebed under her. Centipedes and millipedes. She didn'tdare move even when she felt something tickle acrossher back under her shirt. Her own ears rang from listening. But the forest was silent †¦ eerily dent. All Mary-Lynnette couldhear was her own heart pounding wildly in herchest-although ft felt as if it were in her throat, too.It made her head bob with its rhythm. She was afraid. And it wasn't just fear. It was something shecouldn't remember experiencing since she was nineor ten. Ghost fear. The fear of something you're not even sure exists. Somehow, watching Kestrel's silhouette In the dark woods, Mary-Lynnette was afraid of monsters.She had aterrible,terrible feeling. Oh, please–I shouldn't have brought Mark here. It was then that she realized that Mark's breathing was making a noise. Just a faint sound, not a whistling, more like a cat purring. It was the sound he'd made as a kid when his lungs were bad. Kestrel stiffened, her head turning, as if to locate a noise. Oh, Mark, no. Don't breathe. Hold your breath-Everything happened very fast. Kestrel sprang forward. Mary-Lynnette saw her silhouette come running and jumping with unbelievable speed. Toofast-nobody moves thatfast .. . nobody human†¦. What are these girls? Her vision came in flashes,as if she were under a strobe light. Kestrel jumping. Dark trees all around. A moth caught in the beam. Kestrel coming down. Protect mark†¦ A deer. Kestrel was coming down on a deer. Mary-Lynnette's mind was filled with jumbled, careening images. Images that didn't make sense. She had a wild thought that it wasn't Kestrel at all, but one of those raptor dinosaurs she'd seen at the movies. Because Kestrel moved like that. Or maybe ftwasn't a deer-but Mary-Lynnette could seethe white at its throat, as pure as a lace ruffle at the throat of a young girl. She could see itsliquid black eyes. The deer screamed. Disbelief. I can't be seeing this†¦. The deer was on the ground, delicate legs thrashing. And Kestrel was tangled with it. Her face buriedin the white of its throat. Her arms around it. The deer screamed again. Wrenched violently.Seemed to be having convulsions. The flashlight beam was all over the place. Then it dropped. At the very edge of the light, Mary-Lynnette could see two other figures join Kestrel.They were all holding the deer. There was one last spasm and it stopped fighting. Everything went still. Mary-Lynnette could see Jade's hair, so fine that individual strands caught the light against the background of darkness. In the silent Bearing the three figures cradled thedeer. Huddling over it. Shoulders moving rhythmically. Mary-Lynnette couldn't see exactly what theywere doing, but the general scene wasf,miliar.She'd seen it on dozens of nature documentaries. About wild dogs or lionesses or wolves. The pack hadhunted and now ft wasfeeding. I have always tried†¦ to bea very good observer. And now, I have to believe my own eyes†¦ . Beside her, Mark's breath wassobbing. Oh, God, let me get him out of here. Please justlet us get out. It was as if she'd been suddenly released from paralysis. Her lip was bleeding again-she must havebitten down on it while she was watchingthe deer.Copperbloodfear filled her mouth. â€Å"Come on,† shegasped almost soundlessly, wiggling backward. Twigs and needles raked her stomachas her T-shirt rode up. She grabbed Mark's arm.†Come onl† Instead, Mark lurched to his feet. â€Å"Mark!† She wrenched herself to her knees andtried to drag him down. He pulled away. Hetook a step toward theclearing. No â€Å"Jade!† He was heading for the clearing. No, Mary-Lynnette thought again, andthen shewas moving after him. They were caught now, andit really didn't matter what he did. Butshe wantedto bewith him. â€Å"Jade!† Mark said and he grabbed the flashlight.He turned it directly on the little huddle at the edgeof the clearing. Three faces turned toward him. Mary-Lynnette's mind reeled. It was one thing toguess what the girls were doing; it was another thingto seeit. Those three beautiful faces, white in the flashlight beam †¦with what looked like smearedlipstick on their mouths and chins. Cardinal red, thimbleberry color. But it wasn't lipstick or burst thimbleberries. It wasblood, and the deer's white neck was stained with it. Eating the deer, they're really eating the deer;oh, God, they're really doing it†¦. Some part of her mind-the part that had absorbedhorror movies-expected the three girls to hiss and cringe away from the light. To block it out with bloodstained hands while making savage faces. It didn't happen. There were no animal noises, nodemon voices, no contortions. Instead, as Mary-Lynnette stood frozen in an agonyof horror, and Mark stood trying to get a normal breath, Jade straightened up. And said, â€Å"What are you guys doing out here?† In a puzzled, vaguely annoyed voice. The way youwould speak to some boy who keeps following you everywhere and asking you for a date. Mary-Lynnette felt her mind spinning off. There was a long silence. Then Rowan and Kestrelstood up. Mark was breathing heavily, moving the flashlight from one of the girls to another, but always coming back to Jade. â€Å"What areyoudoing out here; that's the question!† he said raggedly. The flashlight whipped to the hole, then back tothe girls. â€Å"What are you doing?† â€Å"I asked you first,† Jade said, frowning. If ft hadJust been her, Mary-Lynnette would have started towonder if things were so awful after all. if maybethey weren't in terrible danger. But Rowan and Kestrel were looking at each other,and then at Mark and Mary-Lynnette. And their ex pressions made Mary-Lynnette's throat close. â€Å"You shouldn't have followed us,† Rowan said.She looked grave and sad. â€Å"They shouldn't have beenableto,† Kestrel said.She looked grim. â€Å"It's because they smell like goats,† Jade said. â€Å"What are you doing?†Mark shouted again, almostsobbing. Mary-Lynnette wanted to reach for him, butshe couldn't move. Jade wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.†Well, can't youtell?†She turned to her sisters.†Now what are we supposed todo?† There was a silence. Then Kestrel said, â€Å"We don'thave a choice. We havetokill them.†

Analysis Of Magnetic Resonance Imaging ( Mri ) Based Three...

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) based three dimensional reconstruction has been used successfully to evaluate the female pelvic floor muscles and tissues in women with and without pelvic floor dysfunction [1, 2]. Furthermore, MR based 3D reconstructed models have been used to generate finite-element and element free computational models suitable for simulating vaginal child-birth [3, 4], offering insight into risk factors for childbirth related pelvic floor injury. The Finite Element Method has also been used to evaluate anterior vaginal wall support, and the mechanisms underlying cystocele formation [5]. Precise segmentation of pelvic magnetic resonance images (MRI) is an important step in building the three-dimensional (3D) reconstructed structural models suitable for computational analysis. Segmentation consists of outlining each organ or tissue of interest from the underlying grayscale images on each slice in the dataset. The 3D reconstructed models are currently generated from manually segmented label-maps, which currently require multiple hours of tedious manual segmentation to produce each reconstructed 3D model. This manual segmentation bottleneck limits the number of computational models that can be reliably produced in a timely manner, thereby limiting the number of study subjects available for the kind of statistical comparisons that can potentially lead to clinically meaningful insight. In addition, the structures of the female pelvic floor are very complexShow MoreRelatedSinus And Skull Base Surgery1628 Words   |  7 Pagessurrounding FESS have resulted in intra-operative Image-Guidance Systems (IGS) to improve outcomes in complex skull base procedures. A principal limitation of the endoscopic endonasal approach is the availability of only a two-dimensional view, with surgeons instead localising instruments based partly on their depth of penetration and tactile sensation. The restricted nat ure of the sinonasal tract and the complex arrangement of adjacent vital structures (carotid artery, optic nerve, dura mater and brain), aRead MoreAnalysis : Convolution Of Kernel Matrixes 1949 Words   |  8 PagesMatrixes Abstract I. INTRODUCTION Medical imaging is a technique used to recreate images coming from different devices. These visualizations of the interior structure of the body are of great importance in regards to the medical field, because these images are used for diagnosing or treating several diseases. In addition, medical imaging is a powerful tool that helps to in analyzing mechanical and chemical properties of an organ or tissue. In fact, medical imaging made it possible to identify diverseRead MoreComputer Aided Diagnosis Systems For Infectious Diseases Essay1998 Words   |  8 Pagesradiology spanning from development of computer aided diagnosis systems for infectious diseases to general image analysis techniques in MRI, CT, PET, and histology images, and development of image enhancement and reconstruction methods both in clinical, pre-clinical, and technical fields [11-65]. His works appeared in top-tier journals such as Nature Communications, IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging, Journal of Virology, J ournal of Pathology, and MICCAI. Related to tasks of specific aim 2 and 3, Dr. BagciRead MoreThe Definite Haemodynamic Diagnosis Of Pulmonary Hypertension7200 Words   |  29 Pagesand cost implications diagnostic algorithms have been devised that combines clinical assessment, non-imaging cardio-respiratory assessment and non-invasive imaging in patients suspected of having pulmonary hypertension. The initial aim is to establish a tentative diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension, to assess its severity and to identify the underlying aetiology. Subsequently non-invasive imaging techniques are used in monitoring disease progression as well as response to treatment in patients with