Monday/Tuesday, March 29th-30th

PROJECT WORK TIME AND CONFERENCES 

A few more project examples for inspiration:

1. Robin's existential animation: When the Stars Look Down On Me, What Do They See?
2. Brianna's digital children's book: A Star's Perspective
3. Mylie's customized surfboard with video poem: Scroll down to see photos of the board and watch the video edited with voiceover of her poem.

PLEASE SIGN UP FOR CONFERENCES!!!!

• Draft of project due by the end of the week.

HONORS:

• "Book Club" on A Tale for the Time Being next Monday. See guidelines here for seminar prep guidelines.
• Final essay due this Friday, April 2nd. See rubric for self-check purposes.

Friday, March 26th

Starter:  Write a focusing question for your project tune that your group could give you feedback on.

SORT INTO GROUPS OF 3(At home learners in one group together)

PROJECT TUNE CRITIQUE

In groups of 3, follow the steps to “tune” each other’s’ project ideas/draft.  Spend around 20 or so minutes on each, give or take.  Be authentic, specific, helpful, and kind.  #goldenrule #ospreysrule

Step 1:  Presenter shares project and focusing question  (3-5 minutes)

PRESENTER:  Describe your project idea and/or share whatever work you have done on it.  Share the perspective you are trying to convey with your project. Share struggles and a focusing question for the group.

TUNERS:  Listen and think of questions you may have about the project

Step 2.  Clarifying Questions (2-3 minutes)

TUNERS:  Ask clarifying questions to better understand the project idea and where the presenter wants to take it, that is, to gain clarity. These questions are to get information about the concrete details of the project.  They are matter of fact, and should not delve into deeper issues.

Examples:

• What materials will you need?

• Will you write that in free verse or another form?

• Will you need permission for that?

 PRESENTERS:  Answer the questions.  Verbally process the details.  Take notes as needed.

Step 3.  Probing Questions (5-7 minutes)

TUNERS:  Ask probing questions that help the presenter process the potentials and possibilities of his or her project ideas. The purpose of probing questions is NOT to give suggestions, but to help the presenters think more deeply about their project and what they are trying to do with it.  Probing questions should be big open-ended questions (think: seminar questions). Write these questions on post-its and hand them to the presenter as you ask them.  Every group member must contribute at least one probing question.  More are encouraged.

Examples:

• What emotional tone are you trying to create with your art?  How do you hope your audience will respond to your piece?

• How can you use community resources and contacts to help you achieve your goals?

• IF NECESSARY:  Why?  (because….)  Why?  (because…)  Why?  Etc.

PRESENTERS:  Answer the questions OR don’t.  Verbally process the details OR just think about them.  Take notes as needed.

Step 4.  Participant Discussion (5-7 minutes)

ALL:  Have an open discussion about the project and share ideas. Address the focusing question and help the presenter get unstuck or figure out his or her direction.  Be thoughtful and intellectual Ospreys.  Presenter should take notes as need.

Step 5.  Rotate and repeat

WORK TIME AND PROJECT CONFERENCES

SCROLL BACK AND LOOK AT MORE PROJECT EXAMPLES!

TURN IN YOUR PROJECT PROPOSAL TODAY!

Thursday, March 25th

STARTER: Dana's Film

What is the perspective here? Her message?

How might we consider this "intertextual"? How do her influences show up?

Digging in to the rubric

Our Goal: Internalize the features of the rubric in order to generate the dopest project possible

Really dig in to the nitty-gritty of the rubric language.  Think about the qualities of projects that would exemplify these standards. 

1. What does thoughtful mean in the context of our project?

2. What does authentic mean in the context of this project?

3. What does it mean for writing and images to "work together cohesively"?

4. What does it mean when a project is "refined to exhibition standards"

5. What does it mean to "exemplify beautiful work"?

6. What are some ways that you be creatively intertextual in this project?

For further depth of understanding of using intertextuality as a literary device, click here.

PROJECT EXAMPLES

Scroll down for Celia's film, Max's poem, Brenden's stencil tag

Jessica's Project "Whichever Road Taken"

• What is my perspective?
• Authentic to me?
• How is this one intertextual? 

Check out these examples from our exhibition a few years ago!

OPTIONAL: Watch Robbie's longer film "I could be the sun"

WORK TIME/CONFERENCES

PROJECT PROPOSAL DUE AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT!

HONORS: Let's conference about your essays!

Tuesday, March 23rd

Starter: SHARE! Did any wisdom about life on Earth reveal itself over your Spring Break?

AGENDA: Pick up where we left off...

1. Final Journal Due tonight at midnight

• Sum up your emerging personal philosophy in 2-3 paragraphs. Use the essential questions of the project to guide your thinking. Include reference to some of the topics/themes that have struck you or influenced your thinking during the course of this project (or at some point in your life).

2. Review Project Rubric and Student Examples

MAX POEM

CELIA SHORT FILM

3. Project Proposal Due Friday before class. We will have a peer "project tuning" session in class on Friday. Please come ready with your project ideas. 

• Review the project description here.

4. Are you missing other assignments? Journal entries? Take today to get yourself in order! 

5. HONORS 

• Creative Nonfiction Personal Narrative Essay: I did read your essays and give them feedback (on paper). I am in the process of transferring my comments electronically. Reach out to me if you want to conference about your essay in the meantime. I would love to check in with each of you (in person?) as you finalize these. Final draft due April 1st.
• A Tale for the Time Being Book Club now Monday, April 5th (NOTE: This is extended from before!)

Friday, March 12th

WORKSHOP: Let's register to vote with the Colorado Democracy Challenge! Welcome, Paulina and Javier! Go to this link.

From our guests:

The Colorado Democracy Challenge, a nonpartisan voter registration drive, will be holding a virtual session on MARCH 12 in JESSICA'S HUMANITIES CLASS to register and pre-register students to vote! You can pre-register to vote in Colorado if you are 16 or older. This way, you’ll be set and ready to vote when you become eligible. In order to pre-register or register to vote, please remember to bring:

• An ID issued by the state of Colorado, like a license or a permit

OR, if you've never been given one, 

 • the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number

You can take a picture of your ID in preparation for the session, because you only need a number from the ID to register. If you need to use your SSN, ask your guardians for that information in advance!

OPTIONAL HONORS Check-in on A Tale for the Time Being. 

WORK TIME/TO-DO:

1. Catch up your PHILOSOPHY JOURNAL! There will be a total of 15 entries PLUS the FINAL JOURNAL.
2. Turn in any missing assignments before Spring Break!
3. If you have stepped up your game and want to change your Self-Assessment grade for Intellectual Presence and Daily Classwork, please fill out a new rubric and return it to me ASAP. If your self-assessment grade in this category still aligns with your performance, just write me a note saying as much and mark it as done.
4. Think about your Creative Expression Project.
5. HONORS: Get me a draft of your essay on the way out the door! Keep reading A Tale for the Time Being.

Thursday, March 11th

Announcements:

• I am looking to recruit a student to serve on a super dope committee called the SEC (School Excellence Committee). The service would really start next year, but we would love to invite you to the last few meetings that remain in this academic school year as well. It is full of cool people including yours truly;) If you care about your school and want to provide some student voice to ensuring our excellence, reach out to find out more info! 
• REMOTE DAY TOMORROW! Follow Monday schedule (WHOLE POD E-CLASS: Chem @ 9, Precalc @10 Humanities @ 11)
• TOMORROW, we will have a guest workshop with Paulina and Javier from the Colorado Democracy Challenge for the first 20 minutes to learn more about how to fulfill your civic duty and pre-register to vote. Please use this Zoom link @ 11. We will return to my normal Google Meet link after the workshop. To be marked present, you must attend the workshop and my class afterward.

From our guests:

The Colorado Democracy Challenge, a nonpartisan voter registration drive, will be holding a virtual session on MARCH 12 in JESSICA'S HUMANITIES CLASS to register and pre-register students to vote! You can pre-register to vote in Colorado if you are 16 or older. This way, you’ll be set and ready to vote when you become eligible. In order to pre-register or register to vote, please remember to bring:

• An ID issued by the state of Colorado, like a license or a permit

OR, if you've never been given one, 

 • the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number

You can take a picture of your ID in preparation for the session, because you only need a number from the ID to register. If you need to use your SSN, ask your guardians for that information in advance!

REACTIONS TO RICK WARREN'S TED TALK?

FOUR CORNERS:

• A religious worldview gives life more meaning than a scientific worldview.
• Religion and science are inherently incompatible.

FINAL JOURNAL: Personal Philosophy Statement

Sum up your emerging personal philosophy in 2-3 paragraphs. Use the essential questions of the project to guide your thinking.  Include reference to some of the topics/themes that have struck you or influenced your thinking during the course of this project (or at some point in your life).

REVIEW PROJECT: Something to think about over break?

Project Proposal due Wednesday, March 24th

TO-DO:

1. Catch up your PHILOSOPHY JOURNAL! There will be a total of 15 entries PLUS the FINAL JOURNAL.
2. Turn in any missing assignments before Spring Break!
3. If you have stepped up your game and want to change your Self-Assessment grade for Intellectual Presence and Daily Classwork, please fill out a new rubric and return it to me ASAP. If your self-assessment grade in this category still aligns with your performance, just write me a note saying as much and mark it as done.
4. Think about your Creative Expression Project.
5. HONORS: Get me a draft of your essay on the way out the door! Keep reading A Tale for the Time Being.

Tuesday, March 9th

ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT SLC'S?

This week's questions ….

• How does science add perspective the big inquiry question our project is asking?

• How do religion and other forms of spirituality give meaning and purpose to human life?

• Are religion and science compatible or at odds?

Starter 3.9: (UNMUTE OR WRITE IN CHAT): What was something that struck you about Steve's talk yesterday that feels relevant to our project? OR What perspective on our questions does astronomy add for you?

Are religion and science compatible or at odds?

• What do religion and science have in common?
• Where is the tension between them?
• Do you buy into the idea from the "Meaning of Life in a Formula" reading of the "Non-overlapping magisteria" (NOMA)?

Stephen Jay Gould's "NOMA" Non-overlapping Magisteria

(OPTIONAL EXTENSION) Read Gould's original article (linked) for more depth of information!

(From Wikikpedia) Non-overlapping magisteria (NOMA) is the view advocated by Stephen Jay Gould that science and religion each represent different areas of inquiry, fact vs. values, so there is a difference between the "nets" [1] over which they have "a legitimate magisterium, or domain of teaching authority," and the two domains do not overlap.[2] He suggests, with examples, that "NOMA enjoys strong and fully explicit support, even from the primary cultural stereotypes of hard-line traditionalism" and that it is "a sound position of general consensus, established by long struggle among people of goodwill in both magisteria."[1] Still, there continues to be disagreement over where the boundaries between the two magisteria should be.[3]

Quote from Gould:  "Our failure to discern a universal good does not record any lack of insight or ingenuity, but merely demonstrates that nature contains no moral messages framed in human terms. Morality is a subject for philosophers, theologians, students of the humanities, indeed for all thinking people. The answers will not be read passively from nature; they do not, and cannot, arise from the data of science. The factual state of the world does not teach us how we, with our powers for good and evil, should alter or preserve it in the most ethical manner"

JOURNAL #14:

a. Are religion and science compatible?  Can they work together to illuminate meaning in our lives?  Or do they contradict each other?

b. What role does science play in your own personal search for meaning?

c. (OPTIONAL) React to Gould's ideas in the optional reading.

PLEASE WATCH THIS TED TALK BEFORE CLASS ON THURSDAY:

Watch Rick Warren's TED Talk"A Life of Purpose"
THINK ABOUT THESE QUESTIONS:

1. How does his faith give him purpose?
2. Are his arguments convincing?
3. Even if you are not religious, what can we learn from his example?

JOURNAL #15 (DUE THURSDAY)

a. How do religion and other forms of spirituality give meaning and purpose to human life? Use evidence from Rick Warren's TED Talk and/or your personal experiences and observations.

b. What role do religion and spirituality play in your own personal search for meaning?

Monday, March 8th

SLC's are tomorrow! Let us know what questions you have.....

• Spring 2021 SLC Overview

Welcome to our illustrious guest speaker, Master Stargazer Steve Smith! 

THE QUESTION: What, if anything, does science have to ‘tell’ us about the meaning of life?

Check out Steve's agenda here!

Friday, March 5th

TED TALK, David Steindl-Rast: Want to be happy? Be grateful.

Thank You Notes for Westminster Village OR your own interviewee

Let's practice gratitude RIGHT NOW! 

Please express your gratitude AND get specific about some major things you are taking away from the experience of the interview. Gratitude is part of how we return the favor that these folks did for us. Let them know how it impacted you!

WORK TIME

• Thank you notes
• Harold and Maude analysis
• Journal #13: Gratitude
• Honors: A Tale for the Time Being Check-in
• Review SLC Protocol
• If you are ahead, you could do the reading for Monday's class: "The Meaning of Life in a Formula"

Thursday, March 4th

Starter 3.4: Desiderata (a recommendation from Sherry and Betty)

Debrief Interview Experience

1. Highlights: What were some moments that stand out?
2. Takeaways: What did we learn? What insights did we gain?
3. Feedback: Roses and Thorns. How can Jessica improve this part of the project for the future?

TO DO

1. Finish Reflection assignment. (due tonight)
2. Finish Harold and Maude Film Analysis (due tomorrow)

TOMORROW.....Thank you notes! Tomorrow we will be expressing our gratitude and mailing old school thank you cards to our interview subjects. If you would like to BYO, by all means:) At home learners, please do this on your own. I will email the address!

Tuesday, March 2nd

INTERVIEWS WITH WESTMINSTER VILLAGE (OR YOUR OWN FAM/FRIEND)

Please go directly to your interview! See Google Classroom for guidelines and schedules.

Monday, March 1st

TODAY'S AGENDA:

Prepare for tomorrow's interviews with Westminster Village. If you are interviewing someone else, please try to do so before Thursday so you are on point with the debrief and reflection.

1. See your groups and Google Meet links in the schedule doc in Google Classroom.
2. Let's go over the guidelines for the interviews.
3. Tomorrow: Be on time! BE EARLY! Go straight to your Meet link. Don't come to class first!
4. If you are not participating, please fill out the survey in the Google Classroom with your interview plans. THIS WILL COUNT AS TOMORROW'S ATTENDANCE.
5. Reflection due Thursday
6. Is everyone clear on logistics?
7. TEST! Go in really quickly with your group and make sure the link works!

Finish up your interpretive claim and analysis paragraphs for Harold and Maude.

• Conference with me today if you need help on this assignment. Ask for an extension if you need a few extra days.

HONORS: Peer Critique on Personal Narrative (please do this before next Monday!)

Read Part 1 (through 108) in A Tale for the Time Being by Thursday night. We will have a plot coaching check in on Friday in class.