Miners work inside the Gold King Mine, near Silverton, Colorado, in 1899. - Source: https://www.cpr.org/news/story/gold-king-mine-1887-claim-private-profits-and-social-costs#sthash.sy0zsmvG.dpuf


Goals for today

• Refine a list of questions to guide our #AnimasRiverSpill project
• Understand the difference between perspective and bias and evaluate the perspective and/or biases of various "voices from the Animas"
• Understand the StoryCorps' mission and relate it to our work at hand

Today's Pre-Starter Logistics
1. Turn in the signed last page of your syllabus

***Those that are already done with these tech logistics, please read the Wikipedia page on the Gold King Mine spill, in particular, the section on the background.  What new information does this provide that you didn't already know?  If time, click on the links at the bottom of the page and read up!

2. Bookmark my DP:  jessicaahs11.blogspot.com
3. Create a Google Doc called "FirstName LastName Digital Comp Book."  Share it with me, giving me at least commenting rights.  You will begin to use these for most daily work, starters, freewrites, and note-taking.  I will try to highlight entries in the digital comp in light blue on my DP.  Also, see the Table of Contents when you are absent or behind.
4. Join my Google Classroom! 

• Log-on to classroom.google.com (or click Google Apps symbol in top right corner of Googleland, scroll down to "More" and find "Classroom")  and join my classroom by entering code t59dlf (to do this, click the + sign on the top right corner of your google classroom start page)
• Test run:  Can you post something in the stream?  What does it look like when you turn something in?
• Complete the Google Form assignment through Google Classroom
• Turn in your "Tell Me a Little Bit About Yourself" through Google Classroom if you have not done so already

Starter 8.31:  What perspective on the Animas River Spill is being satirized/exaggerated in this clip?  What is your personal reaction to this clip?

• Conan O'Brien's satire of the Animas River spill. Warning: There is some strong language here. Earmuffs, kids
• SATIRE: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.

Project: "Lives Streaming: Voices from the Animas"
Gold King Mine (Map, date of establishment: 1894)

TAKE SEMINAR PREP NOTES IN DIGITAL COMP BOOK: Here is a template to organize your notes in the coming days. Cut and paste its contents into your Digital Comp Book. Feel free to take notes differently if you are so inclined. Let me know if you want a printed version of this.

Review Brainstorm
1.  How are the two cartoon engaged in political discourse with each other?

2.  What are the people saying? What were some of the perspectives your group talked about?
3.  Get with your group again too try to refine some of the inquiry questions that shook out of this brainstorm.  Your questions seemed to deal with the following areas....

• Questions that deal with FUTURE IMPLICATIONS:  resolution and future prevention
• Questions that deal with CAUSE and “Could it have been prevented?”
• Questions that deal with SAFETY of the river, human health implications
• Questions that deal with IMPACT, ecological and economic
• Questions that would benefit from historical context of the mine

IN SAME GROUPS:  How can we phrase these as open-ended inquiry questions?  As a group, fill out this Google Form with 3-5 refined questions that you would like to see guide our study.

Perspective vs. Bias: Analyzing Dan Olson's commentary on the #AnimasRiverSpill

Distinguishing between perspective and bias

Perspective

• Definition: a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view
• Synonyms: outlook, view, viewpoint, point of view, POV, standpoint, position
• Etymology: perspicere ‎(“to inspect, look through”),  from per- ‎(“through”) + specere ‎(“to look at”)

Bias

• Definition: prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.
• Synonyms:  prejudice, partiality, partisanship, favoritism, unfairness, one-sidedness
• Etymology: 1520s, from French biais "slant, slope, oblique," also figuratively, "expedient, means"

Evaluating perspective (and bias?) in Dan Olson’s MSNBC Interview

(Dan Olson is Executive Director of San Juan Citizen’s Alliance in Durango-  they are an environmental advocacy organization)

1. Watch Dan’s interview on MSNBC

• Discuss with a partner: What is his perspective on the river situation?  Does he seem biased?  How so? Which of the above political cartoons do you think more accurately represents Dan's bias?

2. After the video, read this critique of Dan Olson’s message.  

• Discuss with a partner: Do you feel that the author of the critique made valid points? Does the author's bias seem to match one of the political cartoons?  Do you find yourself agreeing more with Dan Olson or with the critique?

Diving in to Storycorps
1. Review the StoryCorps mission. 
2. What do we mean by "empathetic listening"?
3.  Sample episode of podcast:  Listen Closely
4.  FREEWRITE in digital comp book, labeling the entry "Storycorps Freewrite 8.31" (prompt below)

HOMEWORK: 
Storycorps Freewrite 8.31 (in comp book):  

• How does this episode fulfill or exemplify the Storycorps mission?
• What is your personal reaction to listening to this episode of Storycorps?
• How might this relate to our project?

 OPTIONAL

• Consume media about the Animas River
• Listen to more Storycorps interviews
• Check out Honors to see if you are interested

Goals for the Day

• Think deeply about the purpose of education and how you want to engage with yours this year
• Preview and generate questions around our first inquiry project
• Exhale....happy weekend!

Starter 8.28 (on paper):  What kind of student do you want to be this year?  How do you want to engage with your education?  What do you want junior year to be like for you and for our class?


"The Function of Education":  Spirit Read
1.  Everyone participates at least once.  You can speak more than once.
2.  Read a word, phrase, or sentence.
3.  No commentary or opinions.
4.  When possible, try to connect with what was just read.
5.  Give all voices a chance.
6.  Pauses can be powerful.
7.  Repeating words and phrases is fine.



Discuss

• What did you find to be the thesis?
• What struck you most about this reading?  What questions does it stir in you?  Do you agree with Krishnamurti's perspective on the function of education?  Why or why not?
• Does Animas create an environment where this is possible? 
• What has to be true to foster an environment like the one he is talking about?

Feedback circle!

• What kind of learning environment do we want to have this year?
• What are the norms we want to uphold in order to create an ideal classroom environment where everyone can learn and work toward being the best version of themselves?
• (Can someone scribe on board and on a Google Doc?)

Storycorps Project Preview:  Voices of the Animas



Student Brainstorm Group Activity
Make a copy of this document and share with each member of your group
Title it: "Group Brainstorm Activity_Group Members' Names"
Share it with Jessica too


Whole Class Synthesis:  What perspectives shook out of the brainstorms?  What questions do we want to answer?


Exit Ticket (on same paper as starter):
A Rose
A Thorn
Questions about the project or the course?


If time, listen to Storycorps podcast?

Weekend Homework:

• Syllabus sheet signed by you and parents)
• Tell me about you info sheet (Turn in on Google Classroom if you can)
• Google classroom/Digital Comp Book (if you can)
• Preview Honors (if you want)
• Optional:  Consume more media on the #AnimasRiverSpill

YAY JUNIOR YEAR! Let's Deconstruct America!

Today's Goals

• Re-integrate into the classroom atmosphere
• Learn about this course and understand the idea of "deconstruction"
• Think deeply about the purpose of education and how you want to engage with yours this year

Introductions

1. Let's help the new Ospreys feel welcome!

• Name
• Spirit Animal OR Theme Song
• Why did you choose Animas?  

2. Who am I, Jessica, your teacher?  Questions for me?

A note on junior year:  Best year of your life so far?  
"For there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so."
--Hamlet


Course Description from Syllabus: Deconstructing America

Business (to be done when you have your computer, but feel free to set these up tonight at home)....

If you don't have a computer yet, they are coming.  They will be ready Monday.
Join my Google Classroom!  Sign up and join my class with this code:  t59dlf
(New students:  your email is firstinitial.lastname17@animashighschool.com.  As in j.mccallum17@animashighschool.com.  Password: animas2017)

Bookmark my webpage!

Digital Comp Book Set-up

1.  Create a new Google doc and name it:  FirstName LastName Digital Comp Book 

2.  Share the document with me at jessica.mccallum@animashighschool.com.  Make sure you give me editing power!

3.  Each entry should be labeled so that it is clear to me which entry goes with which prompt.

4.  Master document on my Resources page to keep up with prompts

5.  You are responsible for all starters and entries, even if you are absent

6.  Feel free to add images, links, and other digital content in your responses!
7.  Chat with me if you prefer to keep your comp book on the Earth instead of in the Cloud.

Let's do some deconstructing....
Starter 8.27 (in Digital Comp Book, or on paper if you don't have a computer yet):  Complete this sentence as many ways as you can think of.  Be literal and/or figurative, positive and/or negative.

• America is....

Pink Houses

Listen once without video and answer prompt questions 

1.  Do you think that John Cougar Mellencamp’s tone is more patriotic or cynical?  Explain why you think so, using evidence.

2.  Make an interpretive claim about this song using evidence. What is he saying?  What is the message?  What do you think this song is trying to express about America?

3.  Group share/interpretation:  What meaning do we find?  What do the people in the song believe about America?

4.  DECONSTRUCTION?  (A good explanation of deconstruction...)

Discuss:  Does the video change your interpretation?  How and why?

 

Big Question:  What is the function of education?  Your own?  For the human race?

THIS IS YOUR EDUCATION!!!  We are going to be doing this together.





HOMEWORK:  
FOR TOMORROW
Read and annotate "The Function of Education" by Krishnamurti

• Mark quotes that stand out to you as thought-provoking, interesting, inspiring or with which you strongly disagree.
• Identify the author's thesis: What does Krishnamurti claim the purpose of education is?
• Be prepared to share your selections and explain what the quotes mean to you and why you chose them.

DUE MONDAY:

• READ SYLLABUS THOROUGHLY AND SHARE WITH PARENT/GUARDIAN...Last page signed by you and your parents.
• Add your parents' names and emails to this Google Form.
• Tell me a little bit about yourself (Turn in electronically to Google classroom or in my inbox on paper.)
• If you are interested in Honors, please review the Honors tab on my DP and come to an informational meeting next Wednesday, September 2.