Blog Archives - AHS * HUMANITIES 11

AHS * HUMANITIES 11

Wednesday, February 12th

2/12/2014

Objectives:

Deconstruct "The Amazing Adventures of Phoenix Jones" and compare to "the lesson of the moth"
Review content from our Happiness and Project meaning project in preparation for our final seminar

Agenda:
1. Finish "Happy"

2. Group activity to deconstruct "The Amazing Adventures..."**

Read what class A wrote on your poster
On a separate sheet of paper, build off of their responses- try to offer a new or more in-depth response.
Find TWO more quotes to support your claims, write them down, include the page #.
Be ready to present your ideas to the class.

3. Presentations

4. Group Seminar Prep

**Group Activity Instructions
Create a butcher paper poster that answers your assigned question. Include evidence from the story to support your claims.

Group 1— What similarity do you see between “the lesson of the moth” and these superheroes? Summarize the similarity then include at least 1 quote from the moth and 2 from "Amazing Adventures" to support your claim.

Group 2 What drives the RLSHs? (hint: not all are driven by same thing) Come up with 2 different motivators for the RLSHs and a quote from the story as evidence.

Group 3

How does Phoenix define meaning in his life? Summarize it in your own words and find one quote to support. Is this how you would define meaning/fulfillment in your own?
Re-read the last page of the story (263). Describe Phoenix Jones' response to being unmasked and named. How does this response/attitude illustrate what separates Phoenix from other RLSHs in terms of his fame and resiliency. Do you think he has balanced living a life of meaning with one of happiness in order to not burn out or give up in the face of adversity? Why or why not?

Group 4 Are these superheroes truly heroic in your eyes? Do you see them as superficial and conforming or unique and noble? Find quotes to support BOTH perspectives (heroic and superficial/conforming)

Group 5: Define Karma Yoga. Do the RLSHs aspire for recognition or does the fact that they intentionally hide their identities indicate that they don’t care about rewards? Find at least two quotes to support your claims.
Lastly, is it bad to want recognition? Do you agree with the concept of Karma Yoga?

Tuesday, February 11th

2/11/2014

HAPPY is an award-winning, feature-length documentary that takes us on a journey from the swamps of Louisiana to the slums of Kolkata in search of what really makes people happy. Combining real life stories of people from around the world and powerful interviews with the leading scientists in happiness research, HAPPY brings to life the science and application of the film’s themes.

Objectives:

Determine what is more important to you: Balance or burnout? Being or becoming?
Develop a better understanding of the field of positive psychology and what behaviors and ways of thinking positive psychologists have discovered enhance our personal and collective well-being.

Agenda
1. Review notes from yesterday and where to find instructions for this week's homework
2. Finish yesterday's powerpoint ("lesson of the moth" poem)
3. Watch "Happy" and take notes using this form for a 5 point process grade
4. Discuss the film

JOURNALS will be collected on Thursday, February 20th.
List of required journals

Monday, February 10th

2/10/2014

Today's Objective:

Consider multiple perspectives on happiness

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ABSENT STUDENTS:
Journal #12 is happening today. If you miss class, you need to make it up. Journal #12 requires you take "Cornell notes" on my power point. Please go through all of the powerpoint, watch the video (we didn't get to the second video on Gratitude) linked in it, However, we did not get to the poem, "lesson of the moth" and will cover that tomorrow. On 2/24, when I collect your journals, I will expect complete notes from all of class content.

Lastly, you'll need to get a copy of the assigned reading "The Amazing Adventures of Phoenix Jones" from me upon return.

Resources for today's class:

Powerpoint

Friday, February 7th

2/7/2014

Objectives:

Use evidence to defend your stance on our debate motion
Practice setting aside an opinion to build consensus with others

Agenda
1. Take this survey for Samantha Duncan's Hum 10 Globalization project. Please show her respect by taking this survey seriously as her project is dependent on this data. (Help your fellow Osprey produce beautiful work)

2. Review protocol for the SAC

3. SAC

4. Consensus Building

WRITE THIS ON THE FIRST PAGE OF YOUR PACKET: What is your new consensus thesis statement?

WRITE THIS ON THE LAST EMPTY SPACE OF YOUR PACKET? Which pieces of evidence best support that response from BOTH sides of the debate? This should be the quotes and page #s (it's ok to write "Document B, page 1, paragraph 2"

5. Debrief the SAC and Discuss "August, 2026"

6. Journal #10/11 Social Media Final Journal Response Instructions

Have your SAC prep notes out while you work on the journal response for me to check for a 20 point process grade

7. The Friday Show

Thursday, February 6th

2/6/2014

Announcements
Honors Book Club Fahrenheit seminar reflection due tomorrow via email.
Begin reading Gatsby. Lunch meeting next week on Wed.

Agenda:
1. ~90 minutes: Social Media SAC prep (Step 1 due Friday by the time class starts!)
2. Ted Talk: How to Buy Happiness
3. Journal #10: Title "How to Buy Happiness" Ted Talk

Describe one research study Norton conducted and what the results were from that study.
How can you buy happiness, according to Norton?
Do you buy his data and conclusions? Does this fit with your own perspective or experience?

Why you should listen to him:
Michael I. Norton is an Associate Professor of Business Administration in the Marketing Unit and Marvin Bower Fellow at the Harvard Business School. He holds a B.A. in Psychology and English from Williams and a Ph.D. in Psychology from Princeton. Prior to joining HBS, Professor Norton was a Fellow at the MIT Media Lab and MIT’s Sloan School of Management. His work has been published in a number of leading academic journals, including Science, the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Psychological Science, and the Annual Review of Psychology, and has been covered in media outlets such as the Economist, the Financial Times, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post.

His research has twice been featured in the New York Times Magazine Year in Ideas issue, in 2007 (Ambiguity Promotes Liking) and 2009 (The Counterfeit Self). His “The IKEA Effect: When Labor Leads to Love” was featured in Harvard Business Review‘s Breakthrough Ideas for 2009.

Wednesday, February 5th

2/5/2014

Objectives:

Deconstruct "Franny"
Evaluate various perspectives on the affect of social media on our happiness and meaning in life.

Announcements:
Osprey week meetings today during advisory

Agenda:

Class A ONLY: 1. Speed Dating discussions on "Franny".

One question per date.
Go to the recommended pages and re-read key passages to form your answers!
Use textual evidence to support your claim
If you're stuck, write down questions for the whole class/Ashley
If you finish early, share your reaction to the story or move on to the next question.

2. Whole Class Discussion on "Franny"

3. Journal #9
What role does social media (facebook, twitter, instagram, snapchat, etc...) play in your life and what is your perspective on the impact it has on the quality of your life?

4. Go over SAC instructions

5. Begin reading and gathering evidence

Tuesday, February 4th

2/4/2014

Objectives:

Synthesize the 5 different perspectives on success and come up with your own definition
Understand social and historical context to J.D. Salinger's life and writings
Deconstruct various themes within "Franny"

AGENDA
A. Listen to Alain de Bottom's Success Podcast: "What's a Kinder Way to Frame Success?"

Context to Alain de Bottom:

Alain de Botton is a Swiss/British writer, philosopher, television presenter and entrepreneur, resident in the United Kingdom.
Frenetic: fast and energetic in a rather wild and uncontrolled way.

B. Journal #8: Respond to these three questions
1. While listening, take notes on Alain's main points about mainstream definitions of success compared to how he suggests we should redefine success on our own terms.

2. Which of the podcasts most connected with you?

3. If you had to distill your own definition of success into a "question- title" for this podcast series (like these examples) what would it be?

For your reference- brief summaries of main points of each podcast:

Tony Robbins - don't let your story define you, follow your passion as drive is the key to success
Angela Duckworth- grit is the key to success, growth mindset helps one have grit
Ron Gutman- Smiling makes one appear more successful and there is a correlation between one's smile and one's success in life
Mike Rowe- Don't follow your passion if it makes you unhappy; ideal is to blend what makes you happy with what makes money; people with dirty jobs are perhaps the most successful
Alain de Bottom- Our current definition of successful sets people up as winners or losers so we should redefine success in a way that is kinder and more compassionate. You can't be successful in all realms of our lives. You have to make a choice between being successful in work or life. We must make a choice as to in which realm of our life we want to be successful. It is a personal choice-- must decide for yourself. There shouldn't be a one-size fits all definition of success.

C. Finish Salinger

D. Read these questions on "Franny" and prepare responses to the questions.

Monday, February 3rd

2/3/2014

Mike Rowe is an American media personality, actor and amateur comedian best known as the host of the Discovery Channel series Dirty Jobs. He can also be heard as narrator on a variety of series and has appeared in recurring commercials for Ford Motor Company.

Today's Objectives:

Evaluate yet another definition of success with the ultimate goal of forming your own definition of success as a way for living a happier/meaningful life.
Understand the social, cultural and historical context relevant to J.D. Salinger, author of "Franny".

Agenda:
1. Take Yearbook Survey
2. Homework for the week!
3. Watch a video clip from Mike Rowe's t.v. show "Dirty Jobs"
4. Listen to Success Podcast #4: Mike Rowe "Are People with Dirty Jobs the most Successful?" + Journal #7

Instructions for Journal #7:

What was the main point of Angela Duckworth's success podcast about grit and growth mindset?
What was the main point of the Smile podcast by Ron Gutman?
Respond to Mike Rowe's perspective on success: What line(s) stand out to you? How does he define success, according to people who do "dirty jobs"? Do you agree? Why/why not?

5. Watch ~45-60 minutes of Salinger

6. Work Time Options:

Finish reading and annotating "Franny" for tomorrow
Show Ashley annotations for Friday's readings if you were gone on Friday
Honors: Begin reading "Gatsby

Honors Book Club Deadline Reminders
Friday, February 14th: Complete project proposal
Friday, February 28th: Seminar prep due and seminar (in class)
Monday, March 3rd (via email submission): Seminar reflection
Friday, March 21st: Gatsby project due (If you really need an extension you can have one until at the latest, the 4th BUT highly discouraged due to workload of first week back from spring break!)

Honors Independent Study Deadline Reminders

Tuesday, February 25th: Exhibition 7-8:30 at FLC
(Turn in your completed and refined documentation binder and your final project)
Monday, March 3rd: DP Update and Reflection

EXTENDED DEADLINE FOR READING "FRANNY"

2/1/2014

See- it pays to check my beautiful DP

You have until Tuesday to read "Franny" because on Monday we will be watching the documentary on J.D. Salinger (of which we watched the trailer in class on Friday)