Case Study (Forecasting and ERP) Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

(Forecasting and ERP) - Case Study Example As taken from the case study, the reason of intermittent demand design is the variation in the customer demand because of the internet. Customers are well aware about the arrival in the market of new models of air-conditioners. COOL Air-Cond. is not financially strong enough to keep a stock of all latest models of the air-conditioners. For measuring the changing customer demands, the Company should approximate the customer requests by the co-efficient of variation of the demand of customers seeking new models. Customer requests for different new models of wide range air-conditioners are the root cause of erratic demand. For this, it is preferable to employ a totally time series approach, which is normally connected to a demand distribution so that stock levels could attain increased percentages of target customers. C. For approximating forecast error rates, Bill should use Croston’s method, which fulfils the intermittent demand needs. It is a relatively correct way in terms of mean square errors when the average demand interval crosses 1.25 review times. It is noticed that forecast perfection in totality is strong to the selection of break-points above 1.25 but very less to values below 1.25 (Boylan & Syntetos, 2008). D. In such a scenario when forecasts can be regularly intermittent, high or low, in the absence of any early pointer, demand distribution measure can be the most suitable alternative. It is because it can help in setting stock levels for achieving high percentages in accurate forecasting. It is done by making distributional assumptions of demand by classifying demand as ABC. For instance, A and B product types could be normally distributed as their demand is forecasted accurately but C product types could be Poisson. In actuality some product types have relatively erratic demand than Poisson, which is scattered. By using the Poisson dispersion index, which is the ratio of

The Film Jurassic Park | Analysis

The Film Jurassic Park | Analysis Oscar nomination To: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The film Jurassic Park has a very captivating plot with a very controversial and strong theme of science versus ethics and is a very strong candidate for an Academy Award and could be nominated for the best film of the year. Jurassic Park is a very deep film, which touches on the morality of scientific discoveries and experiments. It has a really strong theme and message. Jurassic Park is a fantastic film, not just for its thrills and visual effects, but for a plot that is meaningful and entertaining. The main theme, Science versus ethics, is very polemic and not very discussed and touched by the media, making the film even more interesting and captivating. The film does not only entertain the audience but it also makes the viewers think and analyse the ethics behind such a science experiment and discovery. Furthermore the film does not only discuss its theme and makes you think, it also sends a message across successfully: the consequences of the desire of exerting control over nature. As a thriller Steven Spielberg successfully creates suspense making the viewer entertained and thrilled. To create the excruciating suspense required for the plot, Steven Spielberg has used more than just the plot itself but also used effects such as sound, different type of shots and angles, colours and light, which all contributed to build up the tension of the movie. Steven Spielberg has shown in earlier movies directed by him, such as Jaws that he is more than capable of creating suspense and tension in his movies, and with Jurassic Park he proved once again that when it comes to effects he is one step ahead of everyone. The dinosaur, just like the setting, is very realistic, full of details and information, making the movie real and interesting. Even more than a decade later the visual effects remain solidly effective. The sounds used in the film helped to create a suspenseful and adventurous mood across the entire film, making it exiting and not even for a second tedious. The use of light and colours in the movie helps to develop the suspense and mystery already created. In many scenes the light is placed behind the animal or person, creating a silhouette and that creates a mysterious mood, because you can see the person or animal but not clearly. The colours help to create a more realistic scenario, earthy colours such as browns and greens are used often during the film. They also help to expand the mystery of the film as the colours do not give away much information and create an unknown mood of suspense. More over when the director wants the viewer to focus on a specific thing or wants to direct your attention to something he uses bright colours. For example the cars become a focal point and stand out from the setting because of the use of bright colours. The colour of the cars contrasts with the field, making the cars more noticeable. Green is the main colour as it is related to nature. Very often the director uses red details in the scenes, symbo lizing danger, small things such as a scarf that the female main character wears in the beginning of the film or details in the car, creating a mood of danger to the viewers. Moreover, Steven Spielberg also uses different types of shots and camera angles to create the suspense in the film. The shot types and angles, differ from the effects, colours, lights and sounds isnt something that the viewers would pick up on from the first time they watch the movie. Only when one stops to analyse it, does the subconscious pick things up, and without us even noticing it the angles of the camera builds and direct the viewers mood. Steven Spielberg incorporates all types of shots and very successfully creates extremely suspenseful mood in the film. An example of a long shot is when they show the dinosaurs for the first time. The camera shows the setting from far, positioning the characters close to the dinosaur, accentuating and visually stating the size difference between them. The-close up shots and extreme close up shots are used to show details, such as details in the dinosaurs, like its eyes, legs (showing its movement and creating tension), its mouth (creating a fearful mood). The close up shots are also used to create dynamics, for example when the camera zooms in to the big foot print of the Tyrannosaur on the ground full of water and in the water the reflection of the head of one of the characters, again comparing the size of a human to the size of the dinosaur. The use of angles is added to the shots to help to create mood. In Jurassic Park for example, the low angle is often used when shooting a dinosaur. This angle helps to make the dinosaur appear bigger and consequently creating a fearful and scary mood. The eye level from the kids point of view is also used many times throughout the film, making the viewer feel smaller and vulnerable compared with the situation and the dinosaurs, creating a mood of fear and generating suspense. The over the shoulder shots are used to give the viewer the sensation of been present there and been part of the film, making the film even more captivating and entertaining. Steven Spielberg, just like in his previous movies, allows the unknown to build tension and mystery. The movie starts off with an attack, but the trick is, the viewer does not see what has made the, they just know its happening. That builds up tension and curiosity for the viewers. Later on in the film, just before the exposure of the dinosaurs, the main characters are in a car, the woman is wearing a red scarf, symbolizing danger. The guy has seen something and is looking very surprised- the woman hasnt seen it yet and neither have the viewers. The man gently turns the womans head so she can see what he is seeing. The camera focus on the surprised faces but does not reveal what they have seen to the viewer, this builds up tremendous curiosity for the viewers. Then finally, after building up mystery and curiosity, the camera reveal to the viewers what was the cause of the surprise. Another strong element of the film is its characters and the actors who portray them. The characters might not be profoundly deep but their personalities are fully realized thanks not only to the writing, but to the actors who portray them. Joining Goldblum are Sam ONeill as Dr. Alan Grant, Laura Dern as Dr. Ellie Sattler, and Richard Attenborough as park creator John Hammond. Even minor characters are populated with strong actors, including Samuel L. Jackson as a computer guru and Wayne Knight as the villain Newman. No film review or nomination could describe the creativity and effort put in Jurassic Park. The suspense and excitement of the film can only be seen by watching the film. Steven Spielberg successfully put all the elements that makes a good movie together effectively, and the result is a master piece. Steven Spielberg besides making the viewer question the films message of ethics and science also makes the viewer question: how did he do it ? He brought the dream to life and made the film unbelievably real and taking ordinary humans closer to an imaginary world were dinosaurs exist. Even though Jurassic Park isnt a kids movie, it evokes a childlike sense of wonder. However, besides the magical part of the movie linking the viewer with their childhood, Jurassic Park is a serious movie, with a strong message. So for me Jurassic park deserves to be the Movie of the year. Nanook of the north: An overview Nanook of the north: An overview The film â€Å"Nanook of the North† is described as one of the first ever documentaries ever made. The filming of this controversial early documentary took place from August 1920 until August 1921. I find this film highly informative, even though Robert J. Flaherty, the producer and director of this film, altered and staged some things that were quite different in reality, a subject that has brought this film some criticism. For example, Nanooks name was really Allakariallak and his â€Å"family† wasnt really his family. So in a way, they were all actors and actresses in their own right, performing their â€Å"lives during the hunt† in front of the camera. Other things that Flaherty decided to change is that he wanted to document this Inuit â€Å"family† as they were back in the older days. While Allakariallak really hunted with a gun, Flaherty persuaded him to hunt in the same methods used by his ancestors so the viewers of this documentary would witness the lives of the Inuit in the Artic before they were influenced by the Europeans.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But it was making those criticized changes that made this film so much more informational in a certain sense. Europeans were already pretty familiar with how their society lived, because, well, they were living it. But by making the Inuit individuals in this film portray how they used to live makes the viewers experience a culture as it once was. This film includes demonstrating a variety of the Inuit ways, such as accurately displaying the ancestral customs of how they hunt, fish, and build igloos, while showing how an Inuit family survived their constant battles with nature without the aid of European instruments.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This film, although entertaining and informational as most modern documentaries, makes me ponder and not completely sure of my decision on whether I should consider this film as an official first documentary or not. I believe official documentaries are supposed to portray something in a certain time period given that time, along with explanations of whats happening or has happened and what not. In other words, I think it would have been more completely accurate if Robert J. Flaherty showed how Allakariallak lived for real, giving viewers the idea of an Inuit familys life after European influence, instead of how his recent ancestors lived. The reason why I think this would be that even though the limited technology that was available to him back then would not allow him to film things in a completely detailed and definite way (for example, the igloo had to be constructed in a special way so Flahertys camera could capture everything inside correctly), â€Å"Nanook of the North† was altered in far too many aspects to completely accurately show how the Inuit lived in the early twentieth century, if that was Flahertys goal. It was made in a way as to make it seems that Nanook (Allakariallak)s daily life was so much more harsh than it is in real life. In one of the scenes in the film, he is seen laughing at a phonograph and biting into a record as if the objects were strange and foreign to him, and that he had never seen them before. However, it became known later that not only had Allakariallak seen phonographs before, but he was a frequent visitor to a trading post, and owned a snowmobile. This information about his life raises much controversy over whether this be regarded as a true official documentary or not.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But on the other hand, as I explained above, this film being altered made it more of a documentary of how the Inuits ancestors used to live and survive in the Artic. It showed how they made their living off the land, hunting seals and walruses with a spear, rope, and other handmade hunting weapons. How they intelligently constructed igloos to sleep in during their hunts, and how amazing it was that so many people could fit into a seemingly tiny kayak. How during their struggles with the long hunt, their stomachs could no longer bear the waiting of nourishment, so they had to eat their fill raw. These, among many other things, did correctly show the more ancient ways of the Inuit, which is likely how the film obtained its success. It showed a different way to address their life, while not as much as a gentle walk in the park as a traditional typical European life, did not fail to show even without words that it was teamwork and the bond of the family that kept ever ything swinging in the right way, even in times where things would get more difficult than they would like.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As for my final opinion on whether â€Å"Nanook of the North† rightly fully earns the title as one of the first developed documentaries, I am still debating this. In a certain sense, as I explained above, it was both accurate about the life of the Inuit and inaccurate about their life at the same time. So I suppose this inspirational story in my opinion as of now, it seemed as if â€Å"Nanook of the North† was more of how a documentary should supposedly be, recording real life, but in a fictitious setting, or in a setting that wasnt true or present at that time. So Im not going to call this an official documentary, but neither am I going to say that its not either. Im going to refer to it as a â€Å"serious Mockumentary†.

Saint Augustine Essay -- Biography

Many consider Saint Augustine of Hippo a main figure in the development of orthodox Christian doctrine during the early Christian Church. Augustine was born in Northern Africa in AD 354. His father was a pagan and his mother a Christian. Though his parents were not extremely well to do, they had enough money to allow Augustine to obtain an education in the liberal arts. This education will eventually affect how he sees Christianity, especially concerning the use of neo-Platonic ideas in Christian theology. Augustine converted to orthodox Christianity late in life. He struggled with the many earthly things he needed to give up for a complete conversion of body, mind, and soul. It is in Confessions that Augustine shows the world this struggle with and eventual conversion to orthodox Christianity. Though the conversion did not come easily, Christianity held a variety of appealing ideas for Augustine that influenced how he viewed the world in which he lived. In turn, the late conversion of Augustine allowed for his non-Christian experiences and study to have a strong effect on how he viewed orthodox Christianity and the number of heresy-sects of Christianity that continued to thrive during his lifetime. His education also created a unique view for Augustine concerning the use of pagan philosophies in Christian doctrine. Finally, all of the experiences and views of Saint Augustine eventually had a profound influence on orthodox Christian doctrine and philosophy. Augustine was actually born a Christian and taught Christian doctrine by his mother Monica while still young. However, born Christian and not interested in pagan religions, Augustine was also not particularly interested in orthodox Christianity either. He ... ...that it is God's mercy that will save him, nothing else will. Because of this belief, God's mercy becomes an important aspect of orthodox Christian belief. Augustine found Christianity appealing on many levels, though the main attraction was the ability to use logic to understand religion. Augustine also understood that God's words came in many forms, and he was not afraid to search out pagan ideas that fit into Christianity. Augustine is often seen as a major contributing force to the doctrine of orthodox Christianity. His learning and life experiences influenced his ideas about God, Christ, and religion. In turn, it is these ideas that have a long and lasting impact on orthodox Christianity. Both Catholics and Protestants believe that Augustine was correct in his views on orthodox Christian doctrine. His ideas are still used today to study Christianity.

Practical Life Exercises in Montessori and Development of Social Skills

â€Å"We can imagine an adult’s society organized as constructive society on the same lines as children’s that is on lines with this natural society of cohesion. Attachment to other people is the first stage which brings all men to work for a common ideal. It would be good for men if society could be constructed like this but we cannot command this. It must come from nature. If nature is the basis the construction will be superior, but without this basis there can only be an artificial construction which breaks down easily. † (The Child, Society and the World,  p 24, Chap III) Maria Montessori termed a child as a â€Å"Spiritual embryo†, which is in the embryonic stage of the future fully transformed adult. A society is a group of adults, while a group of children can be termed as an embryonic stage of the future society. A group of children is nothing but a school or a place where children spend time together. Hence, Montessori termed social development as possibly the most important element in her schools. Her emphasis on children being allowed the freedom to work alone and to develop concentration did not mean that she underestimated the importance of social development. Instead what she saw was that it was precisely because the children were allowed to work in such freedom that they then displayed their innate social cohesion. She saw that true discipline and harmony was something that came from within and was not something that could be enforced. â€Å"The children then are orderly and have a harmonious discipline. A discipline in which each has different interests. It is different from the discipline of a soldier, with his forced obedience, when we all have to do the same thing at the moment. This is a social discipline and it brings people into harmony with each other. † (The Child, Society and the World, p 24, Chap III) Dr. Montessori designed her environment as a miniature of the world outside. She provided social exposures in all angles to a child in her environment. â€Å"There is a great sense of community within the Montessori classroom, where children of differing ages work together in an atmosphere of cooperation rather than competitiveness. There is respect for the environment and for he individuals within it, which comes through experience of freedom within the community. † (The Essential Montessori: An Introduction to the Woman, the Writings, the Method, and the Movement, Elizibeth. G. Hainstock, Plume publishers-Penguin Group) A child when enters a Montessori environment, will be in a pre-normalized state, with fear, anxiety, confused and other not so well felt condition. Pre-normalized child can be brought to normalized state by giving him purpo seful work, through structured environment. What is this purposeful work and how is a structured environment defined? A child will have certain inner urge for certain kind of the work according to which, she will be prompted to focus her attention on certain elements in her environment, for a certain period of time. These periods are termed as sensitive period. There are six of these sensitive periods Sensitivity to Order: The Child shows the need for order in several ways like seeing things in accustomed places. Learning through their five senses: The child has a natural curiosity to explore things around him, feeling them with his five senses. Sensitivity to small objects:. The sensitivity to small details holds the child’s attention for an extended period, fostering the ability to focus. Sensitivity to language: The Absorbent Mind of the small child makes an intellectual achievement unconsciously under the guidance of a special â€Å"sensitivity† that enables it to select certain sounds from all the other phenomena in the environment. Sensitivity to co-ordination of movement: In this period, the child has an involuntary inclination to perform and repeat movement purely for the sake of gaining greater and more precise control. Sensitivity to social aspect of life: Children pay special attention to other children of their own age. The work of Sensitive period enables recognizable affections and friendships to develop. In this way, the child learns to be part of a group. Sensitive periods provide children a natural tendency to learn. The stages of learning exist for which there should be corresponding educational environments and appropriately trained teachers to â€Å"prepare the environment. † The child learns independently using the components of the environment and the teacher guides and observes the child who chooses his activities. The teacher is the link between the child and the environment. The learning environment cultivates individualization, freedom of choice, concentration, independence, problem solving abilities, social interaction, interdisciplinary breadth and competency in basic skills. The Montessori classroom is a â€Å"living room† for children. Children choose their activities from open shelves with self-correcting materials and work in distinct work areas – on tables or on the mats on the floor. Over a period of time, the children develop into a â€Å"normalized community† working with high concentration and few interruptions. An environment includes the following components: 1. Practical Life Exercises 2. Sensorial Education 3. Language Development 4. Arithmetic 5. Cultural Education Montessori Practical Life Exercises (PLE) is seen as the cornerstone of the Montessori method. These exercises provide the opportunity for purposeful work; assist young children in their development- physically, cognitively, socially and emotionally. PLE are designed to teach children life skills as these help children develop intelligent and be in responsible contact with their surroundings. These enhance the children's control over their movements, exercising the muscles of the whole body with understanding and willed purposes. The materials given will be familiar, tempting and is food for the sensitivity of the child. â€Å"An isolated individual cannot develop his individuality. He must put himself in relationship with his environment and within the reach of the events and the life of his times. † (http://www. montessori-namta. org/NAMTA/PDF%20files/Outcomes. pdf, Child’s Instinct to Work, Maria Montessori) A Montessori Practical Life Exercise area is prepared in such a way that, a bit of everything is put into it. This particular area is dynamic and varies from school to school and place to place. It depends on the interest and the creativity of the adult and also reflects the cultural practices of that particular place. â€Å"The objects which we use for practical life, have no scientific significance; they are the objects in use, where the child lives and which he sees being used in his home; they are made, however in sizes adapted to the little man. Montessori Maria, The Discovery of the child, Pg 108, 2006) Evidently, a Montessori environment is a miniature of the society outside, where a child is exposed to the similar things that he finds in the world outside. The way a child works with these material and with the other kids is nothing but a mini community created inside the Montessori environment. Practical life exercises are designed to teach children life skills. The practica l life area is of great importance in the Montessori classroom, yet it is the least standardized since almost all the materials are teacher made or assembled. The Practical Activities allow the child to try doing what adults all around may be seen doing each and everyday – for example, dressing one-self, cleaning then home, and greeting people. In addition to giving the child an opportunity for self-development, these activities provide an orientation to the customs of the child’s particular society. These precise contents of the Practical Activities should therefore differ from culture to culture. † (Getmann David, Basic Montessori: learning activities for under-five, St. Martin's Press, 1987) Principles of the Montessori Practical Life Materials †¢ Each material must have a definite purpose and be meaningful to the child †¢ The difficulty or the error that the child is to discover and understand must be isolated in a single piece material. †¢ The materials progress from simple to more complex in design and usage. †¢ The materials are designed to prepare the child indirectly for future learning. †¢ The materials begin as concrete expressions of an idea and gradually become more abstract. Montessori materials are designed for auto-educative and the control of error lies in the materials themselves rather than in the teacher. The control of error guides the child in the use of the materials and permits him to recognize his own mistakes. Addition to the above principle, the following points must be considered when preparing the practical life exercises. †¢ Materials are kept together in a small basket or on a tray. It should be grouped and kept together according to the level of development to which they correspond. They must be taken from and returned to its original place. †¢ Materials are kept within their reach. †¢ Materials must be of the right size, weight, clean and intact. †¢ Materials are identical among themselves with exception of the variable quality which they possess. †¢ Materials must be attractive in colour, brightness and proportion †¢ Materials should be limited in quantity. â€Å"Te teacher superintends, it is true: but it is things of various kinds, which call to children of various ages. Truly the brilliance, the colours, the beauty of gaily decorated objects are none other than voices, which call the attention of the child to themselves and urge him to do something. Those objects possess an eloquence which no mistress can ever attain to. â€Å"Take me† they say â€Å"See that I am not damaged, put me in my place. † And the action carried out at the instigation of things gives the child that lively satisfaction, that access of energy, which prepares him for the more difficult work of intellectual development. (Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child, pg 110) Practical Life Exercises are meant to resemble everyday activities and all materials will be familiar, real, breakable, and functional. The materials will also be related to the child’s time and culture. In order to allow the child to fully finish the exercise and to therefore finish the full cycle of the activity, the material will be complete. In the environment, the Directress may wan t to color code the materials as well as arrange the materials based on difficulties in order to facilitate the classification and arrangements of the work by the children. The attractiveness will also be at utmost importance as Montessori believed that the child must be offered what is most beautiful and pleasing to the eye so as to help the child enter into a â€Å"more refined and subtle world†. Activities: All the activities given will have certain Direct aims and certain Indirect aims. Direct aims are those, where the child learns to do the particular activity and the purpose of the activity is served. Where as indirect aims are those, where child learns many more things from the activity. There are four major categories in Practical Life Exercises. They are 1. Exercises that help in the development of Motor skills: 1. Rolling and unrolling: The child will be presented to roll and unroll different types of mats- this helps him in being independent and also social skill of winding up and completing a the full job is indirectly presented 2. Carrying: Activities like carrying the mat, chair, table and tray are presented to the child. The direct aims of these activities are, development of motor skills where as the indirect aims are, the child is made to learn social skills like carrying things without hurting others, without making much noise and with graceful movements. These social skills are indirectly presented to the children through these activities. 3. Spooning: Here, the child learns to transfer beans from one bowl to another, one bowl to two equal bowls, to two unequal bowls, to three equal bowls, to three unequal bowls and to another identical bowl with the indicator line. The child learns to transfer beans but the social skills like holding the spoon gracefully, transferring it without spilling much and without making much noise. This gives the child confidence to be independent in the school, at home and also at the social gatherings 4. Dry Pouring: Presentations given here are pouring the dry beans from one jug to another jug, bowls in the same manner as said above. Here the child learns the pouring of dry beans along with the social skills of holding a jug, carrying the jug with bowls, pouring things without making much noise and with minimum spilling. 5. Wet Pouring: Here again the child will be doing the same activities as above but with the liquid and funneling also will be introduced. Child will be presented with and apron to wear and a plastic mat to work on, which gives him an idea of difference between the dry and the wet activity. Wearing an apron and the responsibility of wiping the spilt liquid enhances his independence and an awareness of the environment this increases his confidence and also owning thre responsibility. 6. Transferring, Pegging and Folding: Child will be exposed to things like tweezers, tongs, chop sticks, etc, and also to sorting and differentiating. Pegging with paper clips, cloth clips and peg board are also introduced. The child’s social skills of using these objects in a graceful manner are enhanced. The child learns to unfold and fold the napkins in five different ways. The napkins are unfolded and folded with gentleness of touch and the evenness of pressure. This gives the child an exposure to the social skills like folding and unfolding the different variety of cloths. 2. Exercises for the care for the environment: The activities like Sweeping, Opening and closing of different types of bottles, boxes, unlocking and locking locks, latches etc, treading the bead, tearing and cutting papers, polishing, etc are presented. These activities help the child in dealing with the above mentioned things, so that his ability to be independent is enhanced. . Exercises for the care for self: The child is thought washing his hands, face etc, also the different dressing frames are given to work with so that he can be self dependent. He can be independent enough to tie his own bow, button his own shirt, tie his own lace and zip and unzip his bag by himself. 4. Exercises to develop social grace and courtesy: The child is thought to greet, interrupt, invite and offer a seat, a glass of water, scissors, pen, and other day to day useful items. Children are made to play silence game, where their love towards silence is discovered. Waling on the line enhances the balance and the grace in walking. Apart form these activities; any activity that the directress feels appropriate is also given. The activities and the materials thus help the child in the overall development also the way, child interacts with the other children and adult inside the environment is also favorable for his the social development. Kids in the Montessori environment are vertical grouped where children of different ages are put together. There will be no uniformity in their age-wise activities. This gives them an experience of diversification, but in a single environment. The purpose behind keeping only one set of each activity in a Montessori environment is also to make the children work as a social group. Any child, who wants to work with the material, will have to wait if it is being used by some other child. This builds a concept of co-existence. Dr. Montessori many times illustrated that, in her environment children work as a group rather as an individual. She gives an instance for this. Once in her environment, children heard the sound of some precession and rushed to the window to watch it. Only one boy who was working with some material could not wind up so fast and go with them. His eyes were filled with tears, seeing which all the other kids rushed to him and helped him in winding up and all of them enjoyed the show together. This shows that in a Montessori school even though the kids work individually, they exist as a group or a community and work together for the good of the whole. This is so evident that the child in a Montessori environment is a microcosm of the society. And the reality of this society lies in unity and coherence, respect and love. Children learn to use the knowledge they have gained in an appropriate way in an appropriate environment. Dr. Montessori says â€Å"One ought to each everything, one ought to connect everything with life, but there ought not to be suppressed, by directing them ourselves one y one, the action which children have learnt to carry out and to place in practical life. This assigning of their proper places to action is one of the most important things which the child has to do. † (Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child, Pg 120) Conclusion: The practical life exercises are the beginning activities which improve motor control, eye hand coordination and concentration. The practical life exercises include environment care, pouring, polishing, washing, and serving. Children love these Practical Life Exercises and are also taught good work habits by being encouraged to complete the whole task, see that all materials needed are arranged in order, and make sure the entire exercise is a vailable for use by the next child. Teaching the children to be thoughtful of the rights of other children, they are prepared for a successful citizenship and career. The practical life activities contribute invaluably to the development of the whole person with inner discipline, self direction and a high degree of concentration. † http://montessoriclc. net/education/practical-life/ Thus the Practical Life Exercises not only develops the child’s academic ability but also enhances the child’s social ability. The child in a Montessori environment is not isolated with the syllabus but he is prepared to face the society outside, exposed to the materials and the environment similar to what he finds out side the school. With these activities child is given the concept of hard work, self help and owning the responsibility and above all they will know how and when to apply what they have learnt. The children own their environment and take up the responsibility of setting it and cleaning it up. They get united with children of different age groups and through these activities and the concept of coherence, love and unity is established. â€Å"A society seems to be more united by the absorbent mind than does by the conscious mind. The manner of its construction is observable and may be compared to the work of the cells in the growth of an organism. It seems clear that society goes through an embryonic phase which we can follow among little children in the course of their development. It is interesting to see how, little by little, these become aware of forming a community which behaves as such. They come to feel part of a group to which their activity contributes. And not only do they begin to take an interest in this, but work on it profoundly, as one may say, in their hearts. Once they have reached this level, the children no longer at thoughtlessly, but put the group first and try to benefit for its benefit. This unity born among children, which is produced by a spontaneous need, directed by an unconscious power, and vitalized by a social spirit, is a phenomenon needing a name, and I call it ‘cohesion in the social unit’. † (Mari Montessori, The Absorbent Mind, Pg 240) Dr . Montessori always believed in a healthy society not only with intellectual richness but also with a lot of harmony, peace, unity and love. In her opinion, the first step in building a healthy society is building a harmonious and lovable environment in the schools. Thus she designed her environment as a miniature of the society and the child in the environment as a microcosm of the whole society who represents the community or the world he lives in, who co-exists with the people around, owns the responsibility of protecting the world he live in, who moves forward coherently and with a lot of love and respect to each other. Every man in a boat race rows his hardest for the boat, knowing the full well that this will bring him neither personal glory nor special reward. If this become the rule in every social undertaking, from these which embrace the whole country down to a smallest industrial console and if all were moved by the wish to bring honor to his group, rather than to himself, then the whole human family will be reborn. This integration of individual with his group must be cultivated in the schools† (Maria Montessori, The Absorbent mind, Pg 243) Bibliography |Sl. no |Name of the author |Name of the book |Publication and year | |1. |Montessori Maria |The Child Society and the World |Montessori- Pierson Publishing Company,| | | | |2008 | |2. Montessori Maria |The Absorbent Mind |Kalakshetra Publications, | | | | |1949 | |3. |Montessori Maria |The Discovery of the Child |Kalakshetra Publications, | | | | |1949 | |4. Hainstock. G. Elizibeth |The Essential Montessori: An Introduction to |Clio press, Oxford, England, 1989 | | | |the Woman, the Writings, the Method, and the | | | | |Movement | | |5. Getmann David |Basic Montessori: learning activities for |St. Martin's Press, 1987 | | | |under-five | | Websites (http://www. montessori-namta. org/NAMTA/PDF%20files/Outcomes. pdf, Child’s Instinct to Work, Maria Montessori) http://montessoriclc. net/education/practical-life/

Kellogg Case Study Essay

Qualitative research establishes a conversation with consumers. It prompts consumer reaction to, for example, a new product idea and helps researchers understand what they think of it, how it makes them feel, why they find it interesting or not. Qualitative research may be obtained through focus groups, where a  moderator captures feedback from a group of six or seven  consumers to the ideas shown to them. Those ideas may take  the format of drawings or having new food prototypes to taste. Quantitative research may use questionnaires administered to large numbers of respondents. This allows statistical analysis, such as the calculation of a mean score or percentages. It aims to give a representative picture of what consumers think of a new product idea or a new (real) food. It may involve the use of scales, so numbers get associated with a particular meaning – for  example, on a evaluation scale of 1 to 7, where 1 means ‘very poor’ and 7 means ‘excel lent’. Crucially those numbers need to be interpreted to enable the business to understand the  consumer’s overall response. In addition, Kellogg’s used secondary research which is existing research that has already been collected by other organisations. Sources of secondary data include books, journals, the internet and government statistics. Market research agencies collect a range of data which they process and use to provide organisations like Kellogg’s with research. The benefits of secondary research are that it is quicker and often less expensive than primary, although it may not always be completely related to the needs of a specific project. Information gathering –  discovery to selection For Kellogg’s, the order in which the information is gathered is as important as the type of information being gathered. In order to develop the new Crunchy Nut Bites, Kellogg’s undertook four distinct stages of research. Stage 1: Discovery Initial research aimed to identify a set of new food ideas that would be  suitable for developing a new Crunchy Nut product. Secondary research from Mintel and Datamonitor was used to  find out about innovation trends in the cereal market. It was also used to find out about new products, flavours and foods from around the world. Food developers at Kellogg’s used this  information to come up with a number of new food ideas. Focus groups were used to provide qualitative research. These were used to show consumers the new food ideas in the form of a number of different (real) food prototypes, including a mini crispy lattice product and a nutty triangle. The focus groups captured the attitudes and feelings of consumers towards the new foods. This primary research helped Kellogg’s to find out how new product suggestions could be developed and still fit in with the Crunchy Nut brand. It helped Kellogg’s to establish what consumers were looking for in terms of potential new flavours and textures. The results allowed Kellogg’s to discard some ideas. Other ideas were appealing for consumers but needed refining and further development. At the end of this stage, Kellogg’s had a number of new food ideas that all seemed to appeal to consumers. Stage 2: Selecting the best idea This stage aimed to select the best idea arising from the stage 1 research. Kellogg’s put the ideas from the focus group on boards. The boards had pictures showing product ideas and a description of what the new product would be like. These boards were then shown to a large group of representative consumers in a  quantitative survey. They were asked to rate those ideas against a number of scales, so Kellogg’s could identify which product ideas consumers liked best or disliked. The quantitative data created specific statistical information that indicated that a new Crunchy Nut Bites idea was perceived as the most appealing amongst all the ideas tested. †¢ It established what proportion of people liked the new product idea enough to buy it. †¢ It also identified those product ideas that had the best or least sales potential. Information gathering –  development to launch Stage 3: Crafting the idea into a complete new product Once the best idea had been selected from stage 2, Kellogg’s needed to make this idea become a real product. The Crunchy Nut Bites food prototype recipe was refined using the feedback from another qualitative and quantitative survey. The qualitative research helped Kellogg’s food technologists to explore the taste and texture of the new food idea in more detail. Kellogg’s needed to understand the ‘eating experience’ of the consumer before a decision could be made about how to develop the recipe in more detail. Following this stage, four product recipes were developed and these prototypes were then tested with representative groups of consumers in a quantitative survey to  see which product consumers preferred. This enabled Kellogg’s to select the best one. Also, at this stage, the pack design for the new Crunchy Nut Bites was developed. Several designs were developed aimed at giving the new product the same look and feel as the rest of the Crunchy Nut family. The packaging designs were tested with  consumers, which enabled Kellogg’s to select the final packaging design for Crunchy Nut Bites Stage 4: Forecasting sales for the new Crunchy Nut Bites At Kellogg’s, every product has to undergo one final test prior to a new product launch. This is called the ‘In Home Usage Test’. The consumers are given the product to try for several days and this enables Kellogg’s to capture how consumers interact with the product for the first time. At the end of the trial, consumers complete a report on what they thought of the food in the form of a questionnaire. This final survey measures how appealing the new product is to consumers and how likely they would be to buy it in real life. The data collected also helped to calculate a sales forecast for the new product for the first and second year in market. The forecast was used by the finance department to set budgets, organise the supply chain and to schedule food production. Once the data  was analysed and the product concept tested, Kellogg’s was able to make the strategic decision to go ahead with the new product. Production could then take place. Conclusion Kellogg’s used market research throughout the whole development process for a new product for the Crunchy Nut range, from the initial idea to the planning of production and delivery. During the earlier stages of research, consumer responses helped Kellogg’s to explore lots of different ideas in an open way. It then crafted some ideas in more detail and screened those ideas with consumers to select the one which seemed to have the highest appeal. The idea became real by testing several recipes, refining the food prototype selected and developing the design for packaging. Once the food and packaging elements for the new product had been developed, the whole product was tested with consumers to ensure it met their needs. The data also provided a sales forecast to predict the first two years of sales of Crunchy Nut Bites. Crunchy Nut Bites has extended the Crunchy Nut family of products. In doing so it has brought new consumers to the brand and  increased its consumption. Kellogg’s launched Crunchy Nut Bites in September 2008. Sales data shows it was one of the best  performing brands to launch in the breakfast cereal category with a sales value of  £6.9 million in its first full year of sales.* This illustrates that the detailed market research undertaken during the planning stages was valuable. It helped to ensure that the product extension hit the spot with consumers straight away.

How to Develop High School Science Fair Projects 3 Key Tips

How to Develop High School Science Fair Projects 3 Key Tips SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Interested in science? Science fair is a great way to pursue your interest in science. It can help you figure out if you’re interested in a career in research. It’s also a good activity for your college application, especially if you win awards. I should know! I placed 3rd in my state science fair and won an award from NASA #sciencenerd #brushingdirtoffmyshoulders. What exactly is science fair? How do you compete and win? In this guide, I’ll explain exactly what you need to do to develop winning high school science fair projects and why you should consider participating in this challenging but fun extracurricular. What Is Science Fair? Science Fair is a competition at which students (in grades 6-12) present the results of a scientific experiment thatthey conducted. The experiment must fall into one of the following categories (this may vary slightly depending onthe state you live in): Animal Biology Animal Physiology Behavioral / Social Science Biochemistry / Molecular Biology Chemistry Earth/Space Sciences Ecology Engineering Applications Engineering Research Environmental Management Mathematics Computer Science Microbiology Pharmacology Physics Plant Biology Plant Physiology There are two levels of science fair competition, middle school (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12). I’m going to focus on high school science fair competitions, but much of my advice holds true for middle school science fair competitions as well. Some high schools conduct an in-school science fairthenadvance their winners to the county or regional science fair.This varies by state. Some states have regional science fairs (where several counties are grouped into one competition) while other states have individual county science fairs. Some such as California have a mix of regional and county science fairs. The winners of the county or regional science fair then advance on to the state science fair. Each state hosts their own science fair and selects winners. Who Can Compete in High School Science Fair? Any high school student with a project idea that fits into one of the above categories can compete in science fairs!However, each high school is only allowed a specific number of entries into the regional or county science fair.This may vary slightly from region to region.The maximum number of entries per school into the RegionalScience Fair is usually around 13. Most high schools host a school-wide science fair to decide who they’ll send to the RegionalScience Fair.Small schools may just send all interested students (without hosting a school-wide science fair) if they have less than 13 projects to send. How Do You Sign Up for Science Fair? Talk to your guidance counselor about how to sign up to compete in science fair.Usually, one of the science teachers at your high school will be in charge of science fair for your school. Ask your guidance counselor who that person is, then check with that person to learn what you need to do to sign up.You’ll likely need to have a good idea of what your project will be when yousign up! You should sign up as soon as you can.If you’re a Freshman, sign up as soon as you start school.If you’re a Sophomore, Junior, or Senior, you also should sign up at the start of the school year, or sign up at the end of the previous school year to compete the following year. Deadlines will vary from school to school andregionto region.The important thing is to sign up as soon as you decide you want to compete in the science fair; depending on your project idea, you might need special approval before you can sign up or start your experiment. How to Develop High School Science Fair Projects When brainstorming science fair project ideas, I recommend starting with the science fair competition categories (see above).Are any of the areas of particular interest to you?Is there a burning question you had in one of your science classes that you’d like to try and answer? Was there a recent scientific discovery that you found interesting? What was interesting about it? Is there something else you’d like to test that’s related to that discovery? Is there a problem you have, or you see in the world? Do you have an idea of how to fix it?For example, I’d always been interested in how oil spills were cleaned up. I knew bacteria and fungi were sometimes used to clean up oil spills, and I wanted to know which was faster at cleaning up oil spills.That ultimately was the topic of my science fair project. If all of this is drawing a blank, I recommend reading some articles on Science Daily to see if you find anything interesting.Why is it interesting? Do you want to know something more? Once you have your basic project concept, read each of the three considerations below to make sure it's a top-notch idea. Consideration #1: Is it a Good Science Fair Project Idea? What makes a good science fair project idea? I'm defining "good" in this context as a project that will grab the attention of judges and give you a better chance of winning awards. A good science fair project idea will meet the following qualifications: Be unique. Try to come up with an original concept. How do you test the originality of your concept? Do a Google search for your potential idea. If you come up with 5 or more exact matches for your idea, consider picking a different one. If you come up with less than 5 matches,you might have a good project idea! Beapplicable in some way. Try to come up with aproject that will be useful to the world. For example, the results of my project (whether bacteria or fungi cleaned up oil faster) would help in the event of future oil spills. Someone could use the results of my experiment and clean up an oil spill more efficiently. Projects don't need to change the world, but it is helpful if the results of the experiment mean something. As another example, let's look at anaward-winning project from 2015.For this project, the student took chicken breasts and sutured them together in 3 different ways. The student then ran a test to see which of the 3 sutures held together longest under heavy weight. The results of this experiment apply tothe field of medicine. A surgeonmay choose to use the suture technique that held together the longest in lieu of the other suture techniques. What's an example of a non-applicable project? In my middle school science class, we conducted an experiment to see if ketchup or mustard would run down an incline faster. This experiment really had no application to the real world. Consideration #2: Is the Project Idea Feasible? After doing this preliminary round of brainstorming, start to think about feasibility.Can you realistically conduct this experiment with the resources you have at yourdisposal and in the given time frame (likely a month or two - depending on how early you start)? Next, create a basic schedule so you stay on track.I recommend that you conduct yourexperiment and finish it at least 2 weeks before the science fair.You need time to organize the data, write up the results, get the board made, etc. (I’ll discuss this more in-depth below.) For resources, do you have access to a lab through your high school? If you don’t, consider reaching out to local community college professors or to local scientists to see if someone would be willing to be your mentor for your science fair project and let you use their facilities.The mentor would be there to oversee your use of their facilities. It’s doubtful a lab would let you use their facilities without a supervisor. For example, for my project, I needed an incubator thatneither my school nor I had. Luckily, my uncle worked at the local community college and was able to get me access to a mentor and the incubator at the lab. Also, make sure that whatever project you choose you can complete withinyour given time frame.For example, don’t plan to measure how bird population size changes over 5 years after the introduction of a predator species.This is a terrible idea for 2 reasons.One, you don’t have 5 years to conduct an experiment to present at the science fair.Two, you definitely wouldn’t be allowed to introduce a predator into the wild. Some project ideas will require a much larger time commitment that others. Take this into consideration when picking your project.How much time do you have in your schedule to dedicate to science fair? Some projects might only take a single day or weekend.For example, if your experiment wasdetermining which acidic fruit could conduct the most electricity, you could do it in a day. All you would need to do is buy the fruit and buy an electrical conductivity meter. Stick the meter in the fruit and write down the results. Others require you to do something every day for several weeks or months.For example, if your experiment was determining whether fungi or bacteria is better at cleaning up an oil spill, you’ll need a lot more time and advanced planning. You’ll need to monitor your Petri dishes on a daily basis for several weeks to track the progress. Consideration #3: Does Your Project Follow Science Fair Rules? My next point is aboutfeasibility. What experiments are you allowed to do for science fair?Most states have rules regarding the types of science fair experiments students can conduct. Beyond having to fit your experiment into one of their categories (as I mentioned above), you have to obey certain rules about the use of animals, humans, animal tissue, human tissue, hazardous materials, and/or microbes in your experiment.The use of these things isnot prohibited (I used microbes in my experiment). However, you need to get approval in certain cases. These rules will vary by state, so find your state’s and county’s science fair rules by searching Google for â€Å"[State Name] Science Fair Rules† or â€Å"[County Name] County Science Fair Rules.† If one of the potential experiment ideas that you brainstormed passes each of the considerations mentioned (i.e. you have the resources to complete the experiment in the time allowed without breaking any rules), then you should next try to nail down more specificcomponents of the experiment. How to Go From an Idea to Reality Once you've come up with a good science fair project idea that's feasible and doesn't break any rules, how do you take it from an idea to reality? Start by trying to phrase the idea as a question.All experiments should answer a question. What is the question you're trying to answer? For my experiment (on bacteria and fungi cleaning up oil spills), my question was "do bacteria or fungi clean up oil spills faster?" Once you have your question, try to figure out what your independent variable, dependent variable, and controlshould be for your experiment. The independent variable is what you change in the experiment, and the dependent variable is what changes as a result of the change you made. For my experiment, the independent variable is whether bacteria or fungi is used. The dependent variable is how much oil was cleaned up.The control is what you use as the standard of comparison for your other samples. It ensures the reliability of your test by showing nothing else was affecting the results. For example, in my experiment, the control was simply oil in a Petri dish with nothing else. If oil had dissipated from that control Petri dish, I would know there was something else affecting the cleanup of oil. After figuring out your variables, try to figure out how you will measure the results.This can often be the trickiest part of planning your experiment. For my experiment, I checked the Petri dishes once per week for 2 months. At each visit, I put the Petri dishes on a grid and countedthe number of grids that didn't have oil in them. This was not a perfect measurement, but I didn't have any better tools at my disposal. If you're having trouble coming up with the question, variables, or measurement for your project idea, consider talking to your science teacher(s). Theywill likely have advice on what question, variables, and measurements to use. These teachers have seen many years worth of science fair projects and will know if your project is feasible and can give you advice on how to best execute the project. You can alsoresearch similar projects online with a simple Google search. See how those experiments were conducted and if you could do something similar. Once you come up with your idea, you need to get it approved by your science fair coordinator before starting the experiment.Your science fair coordinator is likely one of the science teachers at your school. Ask your science teacher or your counselor who the science fair coordinator is.The coordinatorwill know if you need to submit paperwork before starting your project or if you can get started without further paperwork. How to Present Your Science Fair Project At the science fair, you'll be expected to have a board that presents the results of your experiment and a packet that is basically a printed version of your board. On the day of the science fair, you'll spend most of the time standing next to your board waiting for a judge to approach you. The judges are typically volunteers with a science background (former science teachers or scientists). You will present your entire experiment to the judges, and then they will typically ask you a few questions about your experiment (I'll discuss this more in-depth below). You'll likely go through this process more than once. At some science fairs, you present to each judge individually (most fairs have at least 3 judges per category). Also, some science fairs have additional judges from companies that give out supplemental awards. For example, at my state science fair, NASA sent their own judge that, separate from the state judges, heard presentations and asked questions. You might also be asked about your experiment by parents and fellow science fair competitors. What Should You Include on Your Science Fair Board? I've includedanexample of a science fairboard below to demonstrate how your board should look. The actual topic of this board is a little too juvenile for a high school science fair (it was probably presented at a middle school science fair), but the visual presentation of the board is the same as you'd expect atthe high school level. Flickr/Oddharmonic Before we dive into the content of the board, you should make sure the board is visually appealing. Make sure it isn't too cluttered. Make sure to include some pictures or graphics (I'll discuss this more below). Your board's appearance will be the first impression people have of your experiment, so make sure it's a good first impression. At the top of your board, you should have the title of the experiment. It can be something clever like the one in the picture (the experiment was trying to find out if shampoo helped carnations hold color dye better) or it can be more basic (i.e. Does Shampoo Help Carnations Hold Dye?). The front page of your presentation packet should be a cover page with your experiment name and your name. In the following section, Ilistwhat you should include inboth your board and in your packet. Examples (using the carnation experiment) are highlighted in blue: Problem (or Experimental Question):What was the question you were trying to answer with your experiment? Does shampoo help carnations hold color dye better than acetone? Hypothesis: What did you think the answer to that question is? I think shampoo will help carnations hold color dye better than acetone. Materials:What did you use to conduct your experiment? 24 carnations, Dove brand shampoo, red color dye, acetone, a measuring cup, etc. Variable:What was the independent variable, dependent variable, control? As I said before, the independent variable is what you change. The dependent variable is what changes because of it. The independent variable iswhether acetone or shampoo was used. The dependent variable is the color of the carnations. Procedure:What steps did you follow to conduct the experiment (be as detailed as possible). 1. Place 2 carnations into a vase with 2 ml of shampoo, 2 ml of red dye, and 2 ml of water. 2. Place another 2 carnations into a separate vase with 2 ml of acetone, 2 ml of red dye, and 2 ml of water. Data/Graphs:What data did you collect? Can you present it as a table or graph? (If you can, you should.) After two days, the carnations in the shampoo mixture were pink, and the carnations in the acetone mixture were red. Conclusion:What were the results of the experiment? I found that the carnations absorbed the dye better with acetone than with shampoo. The carnations in the acetone mixture turned a deep red while the carnations in the shampoo mixture only became a light pink. As I said above, when presenting your experiment, you’ll be asked questions about your experiment. How can you best prepare for these questions? Most importantly, know your project details inside and out. Know how your project results applyto the real world.For example, if your experiment is which fruit has the most conductivity, you could discuss how viable an option fruit is as a source of alternative energy (even if it’s not).Even if your experiment would not be realistic in the real world, it is great to show that your knowledge of science goes beyond your project. Brainstorm what questions you might be asked. Some examples include:How did you come up with the idea for your experiment?What did you use as your control? What do your results tell you? Then, try to answer all of the questions you’ve brainstormed.Write your answers down.Perfect them.This way you’ll be prepared to eloquently answer the questions you’re asked. What Are the Benefits of Participatingin Science Fair? Competing in science fair has many benefits. Through science fair, you'll get to meet like-minded students who are interested in science. If you get to go on to county/regional/state competitions, you'll make science-interested friends from other schools as well! Science fair is a great opportunityto test out whether you’d like to pursue a career in scientific research. It's great to try and find your passion in high school so you don't waste time and money during college trying to figure out what you want to major in.By doing science fair, hopefully, you'll find out if science isa subject you want to continue studying or not. If you compete in science fair, you can potentially be recognized for your scientific ability by receivingawards from your school, county, region, state, or other science fair sponsors (such as NASA). If you win an award, it looks great onyour college application. Colleges love to see students who were recognized for their talents!Additionally, science fair is a free experience that won’t cost you anything other than time and maybe a little money for supplies for your experiment.I highly recommend competing in science fair if you’re interested! There are a couple of cons to competing in science fair. Science fair can be extremely time-consuming. Ifyou're worried about not having enough time, I recommend doing a more manageable project (an experiment that can be completed in a shorter time frame). Sciencefair projects do not need to take a lot of time. Just because an experiment doesn't require a lot of time doesn't make it any less sophisticated than other more time-consuming projects. Also, some studentsfind science fair boringif they don't care that much about science. I still think it's valuable to try science fair once if you have any interest in science. If you find science fair boring then, at least, you figured out science is probably not your desired career path, and you can move on to exploring your other interests. What’s Next? Interested in learning more about other extracurricular activities? Learn about Model UN and how to join your high school newspaper. Looking for something to do this summer? Check out the Emory Pre-College Program and the Boston University Summer Challenge! Looking to get started on SAT/ACT preparation? Check out our ultimate SAT/ACT study guideschedule and plan! Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Must-Know Tennis Terms in French

Must-Know Tennis Terms in French Whether you love playing tennis or watching the major international tournaments, you need to know tennis terminology  to fully appreciate the games. Why in French? Well, if youre witnessing the prestigious French Open,  created in 1891 and now  held annually  over late May and early June at the Stade Roland-Garros in Paris, you wont miss a play or aside if you understand the players and commentators. Or maybe you want to read tennis analysis in a major French publication. If you know the lingo, you win again. The French Open and the Grand Slam Where does the French Open fit into the scheme of major international tournaments? Most importantly, its the  second major  tennis tournament comprising the global Grand Chelem (Grand Slam)  each year; the other three, in chronological order, are the  Australian Open, the  U.S. Open,  and  Wimbledon.  The  Grand Slam  tournaments, called  majors, are the worlds four most important tennis  events, each held over two grueling weeks and each offering the most prize money, attention, ranking points, and more. Tennis Singles Stars As of 2017, the winningest mens Grand Slam player of all time is Roger Federer of Switzerland who has won 19 majors: the Australian Open five times, the French Open once, Wimbledon eight times, and the US Open five times. Spains Rafael Nadal comes in second with 15 title wins, and American Pete Sampras is third with 14. Australian Margaret Court, now in her 70s, still holds the distinction of the most majors singles titles with 24: 11 wins at Australian Opens, five at the French Open, three at Wimbledon, and five at the US Open. American Serena Williams follows at 23. Steffi  Graf  of Germany  won 22 Grand Slam singles titles, and  in 1988, this phenomenal player  became the first and only tennis player (male or female) to achieve the  Golden Slam  by winning all four Grand Slam singles titles and the Olympic gold medal in the same calendar year. She is also the only tennis player to have won each Grand Slam event at least four times. With records like this, its easy to see why tennis can be an exciting sport for both players and spectators. To understand the action, here, for your edification and enjoyment, are the top tennis terms in the French language. The World of Tennis, in French le tennis   tennis(le tournoi de) Roland-Garros, les Internationaux de France   French Open(le tournoi de tennis de) Wimbledon   Wimbledonun Grand Chelem a  Grand Slamsimple messieurs   mens singlessimple dames   womens singlesdouble messieurs   mens doublesdouble dames   womens doubles The People of Tennis   un arbitre a  refereeune invitation a  wild cardun joueur de tennis a  tennis playerun juge de ligne a  line judgele serveur the  serverle ramasseur de balles the  Ã‚  ball boyla tà ªte de sà ©rie the  seed, seeded playerla tà ªte de sà ©rie numà ©ro un the  top seed, number one seedla tà ªte de sà ©rie numà ©ro deux the  number two seed Tennis Courts and Equipment la balle de tennis the  tennis ballle carrà © de service the  service boxle choix de cà ´tà ©s the  choice of sidesle choix de service  Ã‚  the choice of servicele couloir  Ã‚  the alley, the tramlinesle court the  courtun court de terre battue a  clay courtun court en dur   a hard courtun court en gazon a  grass courtle filet the  netla ligne de fond the  baselinela ligne de service the  service linela raquette the tennis racket Tennis Serves and Shots un ace an  aceun amorti a  drop shotla balle de service a  service ballun coup a  strokele coup droit the  forehandla deuxià ¨me balle the  second serveune double faute a  double faultun effet a  spinune faute a  fault, error, outun let a  letle lift a  topspinun lob a  lobun revers a  backhandun revers deux mains a  two-handed backhandle service the  serve,  serviceun  slice a  sliceun smash a  smashune volà ©e a  volley Tennis Scoring rien, zà ©ro   lovequinze   fifteentrente   thirtyquarante   fortyA / quinze A   all / fifteen allpartout / quinze partout   all / fifteen allà ©galità ©   deuceavantage service   ad-in, advantage inavantage dehors   ad-out, advantage outla balle de break   break pointla balle de jeu   game pointla balle de match   match pointla balle de set   set pointune dà ©cision   callle jeu   gameun jeu dà ©cisif   tie-breakerjeu, set, match   game, set, matchle match the  matchout   outle set, la manche   setsur la ligne   on the line The Action donner de leffet ( une balle)   to put spin (on a ball)à ªtre au service   to have the service, to be servingfrapper   to hitjouer   to playprendre le service de quelquun   to break someones serveservir   to servetenir le score   to keep the score