Monday, September 14th

Starter 9/14 (In the Google Classroom stream): What have you learned throughout your education about  Christopher Columbus and the "discovery of America"? (HONORS: How would you have answered this before this weekend's reading?)

KEY QUESTION: How is the study of history ideological?

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?

THINK or RESPOND: What are some reasons in favor of celebrating Columbus Day?

Reconsider Columbus Day

Durango and FLC have reconsidered

THINK or RESPOND: Do you think Durango and FLC made the right decision in changing this holiday officially?  Why does it matter?  

***What might one's answer to this question say about their own ideology?

FILM RESPONSE: Tambien la Lluvia/Even the Rain

If you are one of the people that doesn't have a Netflix account, I have created a classroom account. I will be emailing you the log-in. Reach out if this is you and I don't know that!

Questions to THINK about (We will clarify tomorrow in e-class)...

1. What ideology did European explorers bring with them?

2. How did it differ from the ideology of the indigenous peoples that inhabited the lands? (What do we know about this? How do some indigenous belief systems differ from "Western" ones?)

3. Why were these ideologies in conflict?

4. How do we see these ideological conflicts manifest in modern times? Can you think of other examples beyond the Cochabamba protests?

SEE GOOGLE CLASSROOM FOR THE DETAILED ASSIGNMENT! (DUE 11:59 PM Tuesday)

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 in 2000?)
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?

HONORS: Meeting tomorrow during class time! Please watch the film before tomorrow, as it adds a layer to what you read this weekend.

ALL: If you want to work ahead today, you could begin reading and annotating Chapter 1 of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, which will be an assignment due Thursday. This is the reading I gave you a hard copy of last week.

Friday, September 11th

Starter: Take this Google Survey for Student Council! 

The Pathos of Patriotism

Watch this video. How does this video make you feel?  

By decree of the law, today is Patriot Day.

Remembering 9-11

Weekend Homework: Talk to your elders about 9-11. Be an empathetic listener. 

OPTIONAL: Read Osama bin Laden’s open letter to America. Rhetoric! Ideology! Willingness to be Disturbed! Please feel free to add your thoughts and questions to the Google Classroom thread where the assignment is posted. 

GRAB A HARD COPY: Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, Chapter 1 (DUE NEXT THURSDAY)

Thursday, September 10th

Starter (whiteboards): What is something that you LOVE about America?

Norms from my Syllabus

Plus...

• Cameras on in E-class! (unless this is impossible for you tech-wise)

• Please remember to hit "TURN IN" on Google Classroom when you finish an assignment, even if that assignment doesn't require you to turn something in to GC directly. Does this make it disappear from your To-Do list?

Good work interpreting the Childish Gambino work!

Some positives:

• We are thinking deeply about symbolism and how artistic expression can comprise social commentary.

• I saw great use of evidence to support the claims you are making. Many of you quoted the song or supporting work.

• TEA is in effect for most of you: Make a claim! Support it with evidence! Explain your connections!

Some writing tips:

1. Be sure to include citations if you use ideas that you got from somewhere else, even if you don’t quote them directly.

2. It’s okay (and recommended) in these types of academic paragraphs to avoid “I think” and “I believe.” It is usually stronger to state your claims directly.

3. A good way to structure a claim is by using the title and/or author’s name in the subject of the sentence, as in the following examples from your peers.

• Some well-written “interpretive claims” about Childish Gambino:

• Childish Gambino’s “This is America” is a masterful commentary on the racial injustices and targeted gun violence on the black community that flies under the radar of those who take it at face-value.

• The song “This is America” by Childish Gambino depicts life as a black individual in America, as well as the things that distract American citizens from the violence, discrimination, injustice, and darkness that are a part of our present, past, and future. 

Clarifying the PROJECT OVERVIEW

Questions from you guys about the project...

• “I would benefit from verbally talking in class about the project and what it's about.”  Here are some insights from y’all: 

• This project is diving deep into the inner-works of America and how we as individuals interact with America. It is also about rhetoric and ideology, both ours and our countries.

• Rhetoric in American politics

• I think that we will be exploring political parties, our own political views, polarization (opposition, disagreements, right and left, etc.), history, and why things are the ways that they are. I think that it will also prove us empathetic and humane, because we will do work to see another's point of view on something we don't feel good about. It will bring together humanity again, maybe even if just a little.

• Having to see both sides of one of the issues and writing about it and sort off agreeing in a way seems super tough. It's hard to see a different perspective when you only think the way you view/see it is correct. I do think it is gonna be very interesting and spark lots of thoughts and conversations around certain topics. 

• The main purpose for this project is to help us each get a better understanding of what our opinions and standpoints are on certain issues, and to teach us how to civilly argue those viewpoints with others.

• I think this project is about connecting with your own ideology and how it is affected by rhetoric. I think this means trying to decipher the way we go about understanding things, especially controversial ideas around us.

• How much of this is studying history, politics, or present events?

• For the empathy interviews do you need to choose someone who knows a lot about the topic or just a little bit about the topic?

• Will we be able to talk to community members/people outside of our class to get an additional perspective?

• Would we ever consider doing a socially distanced, outside exhibition?

• When will we choose the question we want to study?

• What will be the final product? 

• “Looking at the project options, what is an op-ed?”

• Will we be doing a hands-on project?

• How long will this project be?

• How many points will this be worth?

• How do you make change in the world without getting stuck on politics?

• None yet, although I'm sure I will have some later as time goes on. KEEP ‘EM COMING!

USA: Democracy or Empire

Agree/Disagree protocol to replace Four Corners

• For this one, hold up Green for Democracy, Red for Empire, Both for Both!

Share Out

1. What are the characteristics of each?

2. Which characteristics of each do we see in the USA?  

3. What are our points of disagreement?  

4. Is this question a false dichotomy?  Could democracy be compatible with empire?

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

WHAT IS IDEOLOGY AGAIN?  

Who can articulate a definition?

Ideology permeates many aspects of human life....

HARD COPIES OF READINGS FOR NEXT WEEK

Due next Thursday, Chapter 1 of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

HONORS only: Chapter 1 of A People's History of the United States

Tuesday, September 8th

Welcome to E-Class! (Let’s call it this!)

Starter: Please take the micro-survey in Google Classroom! Doing the starter will also count as attendance for E-class, so it's important to log on and do it at the beginning of class!

Agenda:

1. Logistics and Class BIZ

1. DAILY AGENDAS ON MY DP: Check it out! I still use my DP! For the most detailed look at any given day, this is still where to find the rundown. Likewise, if you are learning from home, this will be a good way to follow along. There is a good chance that many of us will be learning from home at some point this year, so it’s good to get in the habit of going to my DP for daily agendas and links that put the assignment in context.

2. GOOGLE CLASSROOM: 

1. Assignments: TO-DO list and TURN IN. Please try to remember to mark things as turned in by hitting “TURN IN” or “SUBMIT” even if it is something you gave me in class as paper. This will help me a ton with record keeping.

2. Announcements, surveys, quizzes, etc. 

3. Questions threads for sharing ideas and “discussing” topics

4. I am still learning! Whoop!

3. ONLINE LEARNING

1. My class meets at 11 on Mondays and Tuesdays. We will always use the same link on the banner of my Google Classroom. I have added these meetings to Google Calendar so they should also show up in your calendar! Wow what a Google life we are living!  THESE SESSIONS ARE NOT OPTIONAL. Attendance will be taken.

2. Oftentimes I will use the online meeting to give instructions for the independent work I would like you to do. Other times, we will have breakout group work or discussion during this time.

3. Please use the comment function in Google Meet to ask (appropriate) questions about the work and the topic at hand. Please do not use it for shenanigans. Save that for NEST meetings;)

4. Be attentive and respectful and present. Keep yourself muted unless the class situation calls for you to use your voice.

4. OFFICE HOURS: Monday and Tuesday 1-3pm

1. Sign-up for Office Hours by sending me an email saying that you want to check in or meet. I will be using this time to meet with other groups of students as well, so it helps to have a heads up if you need to check in.

2. Catch me on the Google Chat function! This is a nice way to carry on a dialogue about your work and your thoughts, even if it is outside official office hours. 

5. SYLLABUS: Any immediate questions?

1. Get letter signed today if you haven’t done so already. Turn in to GC or hand me the paper in class tomorrow.

2. One addition to Materials: dry-erase markers were not listed! Please procure yourself some personal markers in addition to a binder and writing utensils.

3. We will chat a bit more about class norms in person on Thursday.

 

2. Today’s Tasks: See Google Classroom for these assignments

1. If you haven’t finished the Childish Gambino response, it is due today! 

2. Mini-Quiz on Project Overview: Due today

3. USA: Democracy or Empire?  Due Thursday before class

3. Honors Meeting

1. Join Google Classroom and send me an email answering “Why Honors?” if you haven’t already. Once you have done so, I will let Dusty know to switch you to the Honors roster.

2. Syllabus: What questions do we have?

3. Assignments will be posted in the Honors GC. You can turn them in there as well. This system is new for me, so I count on your feedback to guide me.

4. Meetings: Monday or Tuesday afternoons, not every week, but relatively frequently at first. Please let me know if you have other class conflicts at this time (ie. Online Calculus)

5. I will try to have some hard copies of the readings on in-person days. Please let me know if you don’t have a printer and prefer the readings this way.

6. Second Semester: Rethinking some structures, but will still have a literary focus.

Friday, September 4th

Starter: “America Is” (whiteboards)

(Please add these to GC to share with all juniors peers.)

Analysis: 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. Share out:  What meaning do we find?  What do the people in the song believe about America?

Watch video and discuss:  Does the video change your interpretation?  How and why?

How about this perspective on America?

Childish Gambino, “This is America”

Homework

1. Read at least the first page of the project description:  PROJECT OVERVIEW

2. If you think you might be interested in Honors, please read my Honors syllabus and be prepared to attend an informational meeting at the end of e-class Tuesday 9.8.

3. Get syllabus letter signed and upload a pic into Google Classroom!

4. Childish Gambino analysis paragraph: Submit in Google Classroom!

1. WRITE A FULL PARAGRAPH WITH EVIDENCE!  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?

2. Recommended: Explore additional analysis of this song and its symbols to aid in your paragraph. Here are a few, but feel free to Google on! And if you use information from the article, attempt to cite it to the best of your ability!

• https://www.npr.org/2018/05/07/609150167/donald-glovers-this-is-america-holds-ugly-truths-to-be-self-evident

• https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/39966/1/childish-gambino-this-is-america-meaning-jim-crow-dancing-liberty

• https://time.com/5267890/childish-gambino-this-is-america-meaning/

Welcome back, juniors!!!

 Intros

• Name
• What are you excited about?
• What is something that is confusing you, disturbing you, or amazing you about life in America right now? 

​

Who am I, Jessica, your teacher?  Questions for me?

​

A note on junior year:  Best year of your life so far?  

• "There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so." --Hamlet

• THIS IS YOUR EDUCATION!!!  

“A single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.”

~ Henry David Thoreau

“Willing to Be Disturbed”

Spirit Read and Seminar

1. Read "Willing to be Disturbed" by Margaret Wheatley:

2. Mark lines that stand out

3. Identify the main argument/thesis of this writing

4. THINK or WRITE:  In what ways do you need to "be disturbed"? What ideas/beliefs/identities do you cling to that you could be challenged on?

5. THINK OR WRITE:  Why am I having you read this?

Let’s go outside!

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. 

Seminar: 

• How can cultivating our “willingness to be disturbed” help us navigate our moment? 

• In what ways do we need to embrace uncertainty?

• What do we want to create together from this year’s experience?

• What happens if we are again thrust into the unknown?

• How will we carry our classroom culture into virtual space?

THIS IS OURS TO DO TOGETHER.

There is so much I don’t know, you guys.

What questions do we have at this point?

Homework: (in flex?)

1. Join my Google Classroom! 7zqr2p2 

2. Respond to the posted prompt once you have joined.  (America is….)

3. Read my syllabus and jot down any questions you have.