Wednesday, September 4th

Starter:  Add some thoughts to Journal 9.3 from yesterday.  

Share:  Bret Stephens--Patriotic or Cynical?  What is his point?  

Brainstorm 

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?

3. Why was the Declaration of Independence written?  

The Declaration of Independence

History channel excerpt

Declaration of Independence video (watch preamble)

How does the rhetoric of the Declaration impact you?  

The Ideology of the Declaration of Independence

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

HONORS: Let’s Meet!  

Tuesday, September 3rd

Starter 9.3:  Thinking back to the historical learning from last week….

What does it mean if these histories go untold? What does it mean if they DO get told?  What does it have to do with who WE ARE (America, that is) in the political present?

DISCUSS starter and….

What are the benefits/problems with taking a more cynical view of history? 

What are the benefits/problems with taking a more patriotic view of history?  

Why does it matter in the present?

Have you heard about the 1619 project?  We will be studying pieces of this timely work of history and journalism.  Some folks are not super thrilled about it.  

PSA:  Please catch up your digital comp books! Here is the table of contents on what should be in there by now.  I read them, but I decided not to entire grades yet.  But I will….

HONORS: Please answer my confirmation email, so that I can get Dusty the roster changes.

“America the Beautiful,” (8.23.19) by Bret Stephens 

1st time: Jessica reads it

2nd time: You read and annotate for things that strike you.  Mark passages that will help you discuss the following questions with your peers:

“America the Beautiful” DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• Why did Hamilton Warren open the Verde Valley School?  How does the author use this as a symbol for America? (Why does he call it “surely the most American” boarding school?)
• According to the author, what makes America unique?
• Why does he discuss the atrocities/injustices of the past in conjunction with celebrating foundational principles?  
• What does he want us to see about America?  What is his thesis?
• Would you say Bret Stephens’ view of history is more patriotic or cynical? What is the evidence?
• What questions do you have?

Discussion groups:  Choose a scribe to take notes on your group’s thoughts on this question.  Share your notes with Jessica!

SHARE OUT!

Journal 9.3: 

• What do you personally think of the ideas laid out in the op-ed?  Choose a quote from the reading to agree or disagree with.  
• Why do you think I am having you read this?

This week’s questions:

What were the ideals set forth in the founding of our nation?

To what degree is America living up to those ideals?

How is the study of history an ideological act?

Friday, August 30th

Finish Film and Journal 8.30 (see yesterday's post)

Discuss take-aways:  How did we answer the journal questions?

JIGSAW READING:

Bury My Heart at Wound Knee, Chapter 1

1. Jessica reads the beginning
2. 10 minutes to read your section
3. IN GROUPS:  Determine the following

• Summary of main ideas and historical events
• Decide on a quotation from your section that is worth sharing out with your peers

SHARE OUT!

• What does it mean in the present if this history goes untold?
• What does it mean in the present if this history does get told?

Thursday, August 29th

Tambien la Lluvia

JOURNAL 8.30:  FILM REACTION

PLEASE WRITE DEVELOPED PARAGRAPHS FOR EACH QUESTION. USE EVIDENCE/EXAMPLES FROM THE FILM TO EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWERS

1. How does this film juxtapose historical events to make ideological connections across time?  What are these connections? (How can we view La Conquista on the same ideological timeline as the events in Cochabamba?)
2. Why is this film called Tambien la Lluvia (Even the Rain)? What does this have to do with the ideological conflict portrayed in the movie?

Wednesday, August 28th

Starter 8.28:  Is the United States a democracy or an empire?

Deconstruct….

USA:  Democracy or Empire?

1. Group brainstorm:  Democracies and Empires

Each group should make a copy of this google doc and share it with Jessica.  One copy per group! Make sure all your names are on it!

2. 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?

3.  KEY QUESTION:  What values, assumptions, and beliefs about human life drive each system? (This is the stuff ideology is made of….)

Deconstruct….

Columbus: Hero or Villain?  

1. What do we remember/what have we learned about Columbus throughout our education?

Mine went a little something like this….

2. Columbus Day or Indigenous People’s Day?

What are some reasons in favor of celebrating Columbus Day?

Reconsider Columbus Day

Durango and FLC have reconsidered

If time:  History v. Christopher Columbus

Four Corners: Durango and FLC made the right decision in changing the name of the holiday we celebrate on October 12.
 

JOURNAL 8.28:   How does a person's ideology impact how he or she views the Columbus story (or any historical event for that matter)?

Tuesday, August 27th

Starter 8.27:  Complete this sentence as many ways as you can think of.  Be literal and/or figurative, positive and/or negative.

• America is....

PROJECT LAUNCH! (Let me know if you want me to print you a hard copy of this description.  Otherwise, it can be found under the “PROJECTS” link on my DP for your reference)

So let’s deconstruct a little piece of Americana….

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?

WATCH THE VIDEO
 
4.  Discuss:  Does the video change your interpretation?  How and why?

5. How might ideology impact how we are seeing the song? How we view the American experience?

IN OUR OWN WORDS (Pair Share)  What is ideology?

Monday, August 26th

PM CLASS ONLY: We need to finish this task from Friday!

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 Practice Using it!

Starter 8.23:  How would you classify your own political views? Liberal? Conservative? Other? Where did your political beliefs come from- How did you form the political views you currently hold? To what extent have you felt safe to share your political beliefs in school? Beyond?

SEMINAR!

What kind of classroom environment do we want to create this year?  What kinds of norms and dispositions to we need to achieve it?

This seminar will be a rotating fish bowl.  The seminar itself will be for participation credit rather than a letter grade. The reflection will be the graded part of this assignment.  Please use the seminar to process your thoughts and listen to the ideas of others with an open mind.

Seminar Guidelines

Review Seminar Norms and Conversation Movers

Review Seminar Rubric (ungraded, but we are still looking for the same behaviors)

When you are not active in the inside circle, you should be listening intently, jotting down notes, and processing your own thoughts and perspectives.

Rotating Fish Bowl Style

1. Groups A-B (15 minutes)
2. Groups B-C (15 minutes)
3. Groups C-D (15 minutes)
4. Groups D-A
5. Open Discussion (15 minutes)

SEMINAR GROUPS

Journal 8.26: Seminar Reflection (in Digital Comp Book)

• What are your main take-aways from this seminar?  What new understandings do you have now that you didn't have before?
• What are your wishes and fears about Humanities class this year? What do you want our classroom environment to be like this year?  
• How will you personally contribute to creating this environment?

HONORS Let’s check in at this time!