Wednesday, August 31

Deconstruct….

Key Question

USA:  Democracy or Empire?

Goals

• Identify the characteristics of democracies and empires.
• Deconstruct the question:  Is the U.S.A. a democracy or an empire?
• Begin exploring the foundational ideologies of the U.S.

AGENDA
Starter 8.31:  Is the United States a democracy or an empire?


Business:

• Please fill out this Google doc with your parents' contact info.
• Modified schedule today!
• Turn in info sheet (Tell Me About U) and signed syllabus letter

Pair Share Starter


Group brainstorm:  Democracies and Empires

Share Out

• Which characteristics of each do we see in the USA?  
• Do we all agree about which we are?  What are our points of disagreement? (Four corners?)
• Is this question a false dichotomy?  Could democracy be compatible with empire?

Once upon a time, the United States were colonies of another empire...
DISCUSS:

1. What do you remember about the American Revolution?  What have you learned about it in your education?
2. What are some of the ideals upon which the Revolution was based?

2. Why was the Declaration of Independence written?  

History channel excerpt

Declaration of Independence video (watch preamble)

How does the rhetoric of the Declaration impact you as an American?  

The Ideology of the Declaration of Independence

• Declaration Preamble
• Why did the Founding Fathers write the Declaration?

Tuesday August 30

Today's Goals

• Begin to think about the ideas that America is made of
• "Deconstruct" a text
• Preview our first project and the content of first semester

AGENDA

Starter 8.30 (in Digital Comp Book):  

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

WHAT IS “DECONSTRUCTION”?  (A good explanation of deconstruction...)

PROJECT LAUNCH!
Deconstructing America: Rhetoric, Ideology, and the Democratic Experiment


For your review:
AM Class Values and Norms
PM Class Values and Norms

Monday, August 29

Today's Goals

• Re-integrate into the classroom atmosphere and learn a little bit about this course
• Evaluate Krishnamurti's philosophical perspective on education
• Think deeply about the purpose of education and how you want to engage with yours this year

AGENDA

Starter 8.29 (on the back of the Krishnamurti reading):  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?

Review "The Function of Education" by Krishnamurti

• Review your annotations and if you didn't already, mark quotes that stand out to you as thought-provoking, interesting, inspiring, or with which you strongly disagree.
• Notes any questions/confusions you have about the reading
• 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.

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?
• What push backs/challenges do you have for the author? With which ideas do you disagree or find problematic?
• 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?
• What kind of learning environment do we want to have this year?

Small Group Brainstorm

• What are the values and 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?
• Norms v. Values Distinction Norms: Socially-accepted codes of conduct set by a community/group/society Values: Beliefs an individual has to guide his/her behavior

Whole group share-out: Let's winnow these into a list of classroom values and norms!

(Can someone scribe on a Google Doc?)

Course Description from Syllabus

Business

(Must have a computer to complete the following tasks. If you do not have one with you, please do the following some time before class tomorrow. If you do not have a computer yet, please see Dusty.)

1. Join my Google Classroom!  I will be communicating with you through this Google App. It can be found on your App gadget by scrolling down to the bottom.

Sign up and join my class with this code:  ioc4yo

(New students:  your email is firstinitial.lastname18@animashighschool.com.  As in j.mccallum18@animashighschool.com.  Password: animas2018)

2. Bookmark my webpage!  

3. 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.

DUE WEDNESDAY:

• 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

If you are interested in Honors, please review the Honors syllabus and come to an informational meeting Thursday, September 1.

Thursday, August 25

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

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

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

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.
• Try to identify the author's thesis: What does Krishnamurti claim the purpose of education is?
• Be prepared to share your selections and make meaning together.

"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.

Write your name on paper and leave it in my classroom. We will return to the ideas contained in this reading on Monday.

Yay camping!

Walt Says...

Have you reckon'd a thousand acres much? have you reckon'd the earth much?

Have you practis'd so long to learn to read?

Have you felt so proud to get at the meaning of poems?

Stop this day and night with me and you shall possess the origin of all poems,
You shall possess the good of the earth and sun, (there are millions of suns left,)
You shall no longer take things at second or third hand, nor look through the eyes of the dead, nor feed on the spectres in books,
You shall not look through my eyes either, nor take things from me,
You shall listen to all sides and filter them from your self.