Projects (repository)





Your Life on Earth: Philosophizing Purpose and Place in the #21C

“Tiger got to hunt, bird got to fly;/ Man got to sit and wonder 'why, why, why?'/Tiger got to sleep, bird got to land;/Man got to tell himself he understand.” -Kurt Vonnegut, Cat’s Cradle



ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
  • What is the purpose of (your/human) existence?
  • What does it mean to live a meaningful life?  AND  What gives your life meaning?
  • How do you characterize your (ethical) relationship with Earth/place/resources?
  • How does your “intertextual” experience  impact your personal philosophy?
  • META-Question:  How are these questions shaping up in the #21C?




The “Existential Crisis”
It is quite normal at your age (and mine) to question the purpose of your existence and the meaning of human life on Earth.  Sometimes, these “existential questions” can cause deep angst in the human mind, an interesting phenomenon often referred to as an “existential crisis.”  I prefer to spin the experience not as a crisis, but rather as an existential opportunity.  The purpose of this project is to explore meaning and existence through the Humanities lenses of philosophy and literary studies in the hopes of arriving at some personal answers about our lives here on planet Earth.  Although we may not arrive at certain answers, asking the questions in the first place just might be part of what it means to be human.


The Content:  Topics to Explore
  • Happiness and Meaning
  • Existentialism (and the “existential crisis”)
  • Aristotle’s Eudaimonia
  • Transcendentalism
  • Religion and Spirituality
  • Hózhó: Navajo philosophy
  • Humanism
  • Success and ambition
  • Alone v. Lonely: The role of  social media in our lives
  • Gratitude
  • Interconnectedness and Community
  • Sense of Place
  • Environmental Ethics
Texts
  • Novel: Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
    • (Plus Honors:  The Stranger by Albert Camus, A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki, and Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko)
  • Films: Harold and Maude, Into the Wild, and other short films
  • Other texts:  Stories, TED talks, Non-fiction readings, Poetry, Videos, Guest Speakers, and MORE!
  • And of course, the texts we create as we go…


Major Assignments:
Digital Comp Book of daily starters and journal entries
Socratic Seminar: Harold and Maude
Literature Circle: Into the Wild
Final Personal Philosophy Project and Reflection


The Project:  A 21st Century Expression of Personal Philosophy
  • Self-designed and personalized
  • Words and images that together form a cohesive message
  • Inspired by intertextual influences from our project AND your own life
  • 300-10,000 words
  • Answers one or more of the essential questions
  • Audience: All-school exhibition coffeehouse format PLUS Digital sharing? (This we will develop together, my dear digital natives!)
  • Possible Genres (or invent your own)
    • Personal essay, narrative story, or other prose genre?  (letter to self or another? )
    • Illuminated “Sense of Place” Essay
    • Short film (a la Sellers)
    • Multimedia narrative (think Chopsticks)
    • Multimedia verse (with poet’s statement for illumination and word count)
    • Songs/poems made into videos
    • Fine art with personal statement shared on social media cleverly
    • Digital Art (photo essay, animation, photoshop, illustrator)
    • Children’s Book
    • Collage (how do you make it #21C?)
    • Kinetic Text (with voiceover?)
    • NOTE: If your project emphasizes the visual, you may satisfy the textual requirement with an artist’s statement written in prose or verse


Personal Philosophy Project Due Dates (subject to change)
March 8: “Draft” of project due for critique
March 15: Final Project, completed
March 17: Reflection
***We are going to exhibit these projects at All-School Exhibition (4/28) in a coffeehouse format


CLICK HERE FOR GOOGLE FOLDER OF RESOURCES FOR I-CONTROVERSY PROJECT

Deconstructing America:  Rhetoric, Ideology, and the Democratic Experiment


http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QWXq50JfLrU/TTVUAd-WyGI/AAAAAAAADHg/6V-JDSsxuyc/s400/MLK6.jpg
America is so vast that almost everything said about it is likely to be true, and the opposite is probably equally true.”  -James T. Farrell

America, in addition to being a geographic location and a political entity, can be thought of as a set of ideas, or ideologies, that are subjective, dynamic, and always evolving.  Ideologies are the frameworks through which human beings interpret their world; our perspectives, choices, and experiences are largely shaped by our own ideological identities.  In this project,  we will examine our ideological experience as Americans and how we arrive at our political views.  We will look closely at political discourse--with special attention this year to the election--in an effort to deconstruct the ideas upon which American society is based.  A necessary part of this process will be examining our own ideas about America and being willing to have those ideas challenged by perspectives that differ from our own.  The United States of America is--and has always been--an ideologically diverse nation. Can we ever come to an absolute truth about what America is meant to be, with her beautifully multifaceted nature?  She contains so many meanings for so many people.  Is hers a story of pain and oppression, or is it the success story of the most persevering people in the history of humankind?  Could both be true?  A deconstructionist would say yes...
Ideology is primarily transmitted by language, and as such, by the exchange of ideas that is constantly occurring in our lives through interpersonal communication and consumption of media. Throughout the project, we will study the art of Rhetoric, one of the pillars of the humanities throughout the history of Western education.  Rhetoric, although its meaning is complex, can be roughly defined as symbolic expression designed to modify the perspective of its audience, ie. language and images that seek to persuade, animate, motivate, etc.  It is often taught in college composition classes as argumentative writing and expression.  In order to craft effective arguments, you must first understand issues in complex and nuanced ways; therefore, we will spend time digging into the diversity of opinions on American politics before ultimately originating your own rhetorical discourse that reflects your perspective on an issue that is important to you as a young American.  In order for democracy to work, we must learn how to disagree civilly, argue effectively, and compromise when necessary.  The goal of this project is not merely that you learn to defend your positions with solid argumentation, but that you show the complexity of your understanding by building common ground with your audience.
Essential Questions
  • What ideologies are central to the American experience and how do Americans divide up politically?
  • What is the relationship between ideology and rhetoric?
  • What do I believe about America, and how has my political ideology been formed by my value systems, my experiences, and my encounters with rhetorical discourse?
  • What do people who disagree with me believe about America and how has their ideology been influenced by these forces?
  • What important rhetorical contributions can I make to the conversation that is playing out in our democracy?  
The Project:  I-Controversy

Topic Choice:  Framing the Binary, Choosing Sides

In the spirit of deconstruction, we will work with two-sided issues that appear to be in binary opposition; (in order to find shades of gray, you must first start with black and white).  You may choose one of the yes/no controversial questions from the procon.org website, from Intelligence Squared debates, or you may choose your own “left v. right” issue--with my approval--that you glean from the political climate. Your main issue must be framed as a binary (yes/no question) and involve a clash of ideology or value systems (ie. differing assumptions about what America means and/or what is best for her).
Part 1 – Your connection to the controversy. (750 Words Min., First Person)
  • Thesis Generator: How have you come to hold your opinion on your topic? What people have you known or life experiences have you had that have shaped your perspective on your topic?
    • You do not need outside sources for this section unless you have already been personally shaped by one.  Your evidence in this section should come from your personal experience.
    • Be creative and narrative with this part!

Part 2 – Look carefully at the pro side. (750 Words Min., Third Person, 3 Sources Min.)

  • Thesis Generator:  Overall, where is the pro side coming from?  What is driving this side of the argument?
    • In this section, be sure to present the best arguments for the pro side, and analyze those arguments using some criteria, framework, or classification system.  For example, you might look at the ideological and factual arguments (logos) separately; or, you might focus your analysis on the quality or character of the sources (ethos); or you might demonstrate how each part of the argument boils down to some foundational American ideal.  
  • Min. Requirements: Proper in-text citation and use of quotes, use of 3rd person argumentative style of writing, works cited page, at least one reference to an ideological stance or American value you see connected to the arguments on this side.

Part 3 – Look carefully at the con side. (750 Words Min., Third Person, 3 Sources Min.)

  • Thesis Generator:  Overall, where is the con side coming from?  What is driving this side of the argument?
    • In this section, be sure to present the best arguments for the con side, and analyze those arguments using some criteria, framework, or classification system.  For example, you might look at the ideological and factual arguments separately; or, you might focus your analysis on the quality or character of the sources; or you might demonstrate how each part of the argument boils down to some foundational American ideal.  
  • Min. Requirements: Proper in-text citation and use of quotes, use of 3rd person argumentative style of writing, works cited page, at least one reference to an ideological stance or American value you see connected to the arguments on this side.

Part 4 – Reconstructing America:  Building Common Ground and Offering Solutions

"As long as the differences and diversities of mankind exist, democracy must allow for compromise, for accommodation, and for the recognition of differences." -Eugene McCarthy
You will craft an argument that seeks to communicate your ideology to its audience, while offering a spirit-of-compromise solution and/or establishing common ground with an audience that might disagree with you.  The idea here is to demonstrate our learning about the complexity of political issues, while staying true to our own political identities and expressing ourselves with rhetorical artistry.

We will exhibit these projects in the form of a performance exhibition with an audience response component that seeks to build a dialogue based in understanding and common ground.  This year, I want you guys to have some input on what this exhibition looks like.  In years past, we have done it on the stage at the ACT or the intimate venue of IAM Music, but I am excited to shape it with you this year.

Project Options
  • Speech or TED Talk
  • Open Letter
  • Op-Ed (for publication and to be read aloud)
  • Spoken Word Poem
  • Video
  • Song or Rap
  • Debate (partner project)

Your piece should….
  • make a significant contribution to the conversation surrounding your issue, successfully employing the Four A’s of rhetoric:  Argument, Appeals, Arrangement, and Aesthetics.
  • make connections to the underlying American values that impact perspectives on your issue.
  • demonstrate that thorough research was done and that you understand opposing viewpoints.
  • build common ground AND/OR offer a solution that considers both sides of the argument.
  • demonstrate skillful use of ethos, pathos and logos.
  • avoid logical fallacies.
  • exemplify beautiful work.

Part 5: Reflection-  Use any or all of the following questions to guide you, or run another idea by me. (750 Words Min., First Person)

  • Now that you have looked at both sides more deeply, how and why has your perspective shifted?  
  • What do you now understand about your own values that you didn’t before?
  • What do you understand about the “other side’s” values that you didn’t before?
  • What have you learned about democracy after completing this project?
  • How have your political views changed as a result of this project?