Seminar:  Civil Disobedience and Non-Violent Direct Action

Seminar Synthesis Essay
(due Tuesday, October 14) 

Starter 10.8:  According to Dr. King, what is the difference between a just law and an unjust law?  How are we as citizens supposed to know the difference between the two?

MLK's steps for a non-violent campaign for social change
1. collection of facts (to determine whether injustices exist)
2. negotiation
3. self-purification (when we acknowledge internally that personal sacrifices are needed for the sake of progress)
4. direct action

Discuss:  What are the similarities between Thoreau's and MLK's theories?  What differences do we see?

Occupy Wall Street

Wikipedia Page
Occupy Wall Street

1. What are the elements of our government/society that the Occupy Wall Street movement is protesting and trying to change?
2.  Connect the Occupy Wall Street movement to specific elements of Thoreau's philosophy.
3.  Do you believe that the Occupy Wall Street movement can be an effective method to bring about change?  In what ways could it be successful?  What are its limitations?

WORK TIME:

1. Do further research on Occupy Wall Street!

2. Seminar Prep

Seminar Rubric 

Seminar Prep

Answer the following questions thoughtfully in preparation for tomorrow’s seminar.  Due tomorrow at the beginning of seminar.  (If you do not complete the prep, you cannot get an A on the seminar!)

1. Do you agree with Thoreau’s (and MLK's) view of government and the role of an individual in creating a just society?  Why or why not?  Explain your answer thoroughly.

2. Are “civil disobedience” and "non-violent direct action" sound methods for promoting social change?  In what ways are these methodologies effective?  What are the flaws?  Is there a better way?

3. What would Thoreau say to the Occupy Wall Street protesters?  What advice would you give to them?

4. Can individuals change the government?  Why or why not?  If so, how?  If not, is democracy possible?

5. Write an original probing seminar question.

Starter 10.7:  Step back and reflect (for SLC prep)
Freewrite:  How are your academic performance and community involvement this year impacting your personal journey?

Did you sign up for SLC's?  Please do so today!!

Take a few minutes to look over the SLC description and note any questions you have.



Civil Disobedience

Today Goal:
Understand some basic principles and methodologies of civil disobedience and be able to cite historical examples



Groups present their pieces of the jigsaw
1.  The "gist" of your section
2.  Share one quote that you find most important and explain its significance

By Popular Demand!  Jessica's Powerpoint on Civil Disobedience 


Research Historical and Current Examples
Know the Definition and find examples of....
1. Sit-ins
2. Walkouts
3. Strikes/Sit-downs
4. Protests/Demonstration
5. Boycotts


HOMEWORK
Finish reading and annotating MLK "Letter from a Birmingham Jail"

THE BIG QUESTIONS

1. Are “civil disobedience” and "non-violent direct action" sound methods for promoting social change?  In what ways are these methodologies effective?  What are the flaws?  Is there a better way?

2. Can individual citizens change the government?  Why or why not?  If so, how?  If not, is democracy possible?

Goal for the Day:
Understand Thoreau's argument for resistance to civil government


Starter 10.6

Is Civil Disobedience an effective way for the people in a democracy to change their government/society?

Meanwhile, in Jefferson County....
Some highlights from public participation at the JeffCo School Board meeting:  http://www.jeffcopublicschools.org/board/20141002JPSBoardMtgStreampt1of5.mp4

15:30

25:30

SLC Prep and Schedule


Civil Disobedience Jigsaw Seminar Coaching

Groups/Sections

1.  Part 1, ¶ 1-2

Lacey

Vivi

Alicia

Hayden

2.  Part 1, ¶ 3-5

Will

Lia

Sonya

Duncan

3.  Part 1, ¶ 6-7

Lyle

Noah

Lawson

Sam S

4.  Part 1, ¶ 8-9

Ellen

Max

Chris

Nicholas

5.  Part 2, ¶ 1-3

Sam D

Josh

Charles

Bryce

6.  Part 2, ¶ 4-5

Devin

Becca

Cameron

Rowan

7.  Part 2 ¶ 6,8/Part 3 ¶1

Ellie

Daniel

Bekah

1.  Summarize your assigned section.   Write a bulleted list of main points (paraphrased).

2.  Analyze Thoreau’s use of rhetoric using the concepts we have studied.  Find 3 examples of language that demonstrate the characteristics of rhetorical discourse.  (Look for appeals, arguments, fallacies, doublespeak, etc.)

3.  Choose 2 quotes from your assigned section that you feel are important to his argument and explain their significance.

4.  Add your findings from 1-3 to the Google Doc.

5.  Present your analysis to your classmates.

HOMEWORK:  
As individuals, add 2-3 comments to the Google Doc in the margins.  You should “annotate” Thoreau’s ideas and quotes.  

FOR WEDNESDAY:  Read and annotate Martin Luther King Jr's "Letter From a Birmingham Jail" for the seminar.

Walt Says....
We also ascend dazzling and tremendous as the sun,
We found our own O my soul in the calm and cool of the
Day-break.

My voice goes after what my eyes cannot reach,
With the twirl of my tongue I encompass worlds and volumes

Of worlds.

Starter 10.3:  Instagram #transcendentalism.  
Upload your photo into your digital comp book (if you can) or email it to me if your comp book isn't digital.  If people don't have phones, pair up and help each other out!



Put yesterday's transcendental #'s into this Google doc.


Discuss:  Do we see elements of transcendentalism in current American ideology?


Mexican-American War Powerpoint (for your review)

Review Whitman and Douglass 
TURN IN PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS!


Four Corners:  Civil Disobedience

• That government is best which governs least.
• You should go along with the law as long as the majority of people support that law.
• It is okay to break a law that you find morally unjust.
• It is okay to not pay taxes if you disagree with how the government spends them.
• Standing by and tolerating injustice is as bad as perpetuating injustice.
• Non-violent action is an effective way to promote social change.

Exit Ticket:  On one side of the card, explain your understanding of transcendentalism.  On the other, write one question that you have about this week's content.

HOMEWORK
Read and Annotate "Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau (due Monday)

Starter 10.2:  Read the following verse from Walt and reflect about the ideology contained therein.  (What does Walt value/believe?)

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. 

Mini-Lecture:  American Transcendentalism

Resource:  Tenets of transcendentalism

(If this philosophy resonates with you, look into it further.  It is certainly an ideology that you could choose to represent in your rhetoric project.)

Assignment:  Transcendentalist Thoughts

Discuss:  Do we still see transcendental ideology in the American experience today?

• Brainstorm examples

HOMEWORK
Read and Annotate "Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau (due Monday)
This is a seminar text, so I expect you to annotate accordingly. 

Starter 10.1:  How do you see the idea of “manifest destiny” in contemporary American ideology?


President Obama and American leadership:  "That's how we roll"

• My email from the White House:  American Progress?

Goals for the Day

• Contextualize the Mexican-American War by exploring the ideological climate of the times
• Analyze the rhetoric of conflicting media sources during the Mexican-American War

Crash Course US History:  War and Expansion

Mexican-American War  Primary Source Analysis:  Walt Whitman and Frederick Douglass

NO HOMEWORK (if you finish in class)


If there is time...

Preview Thoreau and transcendentalists

• Transcendentalism:  a new ideology for a new kind of country…
• Thoreau protested the Mexican-American War by refusing to pay his taxes.