Blog Archives - AHS * HUMANITIES 11

AHS * HUMANITIES 11

Thursday, 10/29

10/28/2015

Starter #34
Respond to this rhetoric in at least 100 words.
Questions to spur your thinking: What ideologies do you hear articulated in this video? What is your reaction to the main speaker’s rhetoric? What elements of his speech are persuasive? What pieces of evidence does he use? What PATHOS- emotional appeals—does he make? Overall, are you moved by his speech?

Class Biz

Test Corrections (see page 1 only) due Tuesday (End of class)
Office hours Monday 7th period (please get a pass from me if you plan on coming and check in with your exploratory teacher first)
Honors lunch meeting next week: Thursday
Essay refinements AND Writing Growth DP page due 1 week after conference

Today's Goals
1. Be able to define rhetoric and give examples of rhetorical discourse.
2. Understand and apply the three main "vertices" of the Rhetorical Triangle.
3. Identify they ways in which the 3 ideologies of justice we’ve studied so far (security, liberty and equality) appear in the founding documents of the United States include the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Agenda
1. (Slides 1-20 only): Powerpoint--Rhetoric: "The Art of Persuasion" (Taking notes is strongly encouraged. You'll need to apply these ideas to your op-ed article and visual projects)

2. Pair share

What do you remember about the American Revolution? What have you learned about it in your schooling?
Why was the Declaration of Independence written? Upon what ideologies was the Revolution based?

3. Video: Crash Course US History and It's Too Late to Apologize
Discuss:

What ideology is reflected in the way the story of the Revolution is usually told?
What was the role of rhetoric in the American Revolution?
What was the exigency (urgency/demand/need) of writing the Declaration of Independence?

4. Complete this: The Ideology of the Declaration of Independence

Declaration Preamble
Why did the Founding Fathers write the Declaration?
A Significant Omission

*Audience Adaptation: Adapting (changing) your phrasing, tone, word choice and even overall message in order to more effectively persuade your intended audience. For instance, a politician would speak very differently to a group of teenagers about freedom of speech in schools than he/she would a group of conservative school board members.

5. If done early, make sure you have done the following:

Completed Tuesday’s google classroom posts (1 of your own + 2 responses to classmates)
Completed the survey from Tuesday’s dp blog
Test corrections or essay refinements or Writing Growth DP

Tuesday, 10/27

10/27/2015

Today's Goals:
1. Be able to define rhetoric and respond to an example of rhetorical discourse
2. Learn more about what's going on in the world today and begin to brainstorm topics for your op-ed

Starter #33
Watch this Simplified explanation of the Syrian Refugee Crisis and evaluate the rhetoric in the video:

What emotional appeals does the "author" make?
What is one piece of evidence he uses to defend his perspective?
Do you think other European countries (and the U.S.) should take in more refugees?

CLASS BIZ

Test Correction Instructions (see page 1 only)
Office hours for test help: Tuesday 3:15-4:15, Thursday, 7:45-8:15, Monday during Exploratory

Agenda
1. Gain more understanding as a whole class on the History of Syrian War (5 minutes)

2. Google Classroom Current Events Seminar Work Time (45 minutes) + Honors conferences

Read the articles and posts of at least 2 students and write your own response and/or pose a question to further the discussion
Try to critique the rhetoric in the articles you read (what types of rhetoric do you notice? What evidence is missing? etc...

3 Moral Philosophy exams (Ashley will pass them back and go over test correction instructions)

4. Take THIS SURVEY (embedded below yesterday's blog too) to let me know how this class is going for you.

Monday, 10/26

10/26/2015

Starter #32
Agree or Disagree? "International borders are morally wrong" (Why or why not?)

Class Biz

Honors Conferences (please sign up)
Essay conferences: Thane- 6th period? Rylan, 7th period
This week's homework: Essay refinements, writing growth page, test corrections

AGENDA
Learning Goals:

Understand the guidelines for our project and begin brainstorming ideas for possible research topics that involve a controversy between security/liberty/equality.
Understand a basic definition of rhetoric and critique examples of rhetoric in the media

1. Pair-Share starter
2. Morality and Politics of Justice project description
3. Introduction to RHETORIC (A-D below)
A. How does this video make you feel?

B. Discuss the last time someone persuaded you to do something, buy something, or believe something. What did that person do that was convincing?
-OR-
Discuss the last time you persuaded someone. How did you convince your “audience”?

C. Examples of Persuasion:

Tyler Durden's Speech

What is his message?
Is it convincing? Why?

Persuasive messages demand a response: Critique of the creepy anti-obamacare ads

D. DEFINITION OF RHETORIC
Rhetoric is symbolic expression (including, but not limited to, language) intended to modify
(ideologically or emotionally) the perspective (the ideas and/or feelings) of its audience.

4. Ted Talk: The Moral roots of Liberals and Conservative

5. POST TO Google Classroom

Ashley will explain the assignment
Time to find articles

FRIDAY, 10/23

10/23/2015

The Night Ashley Spent in Jail??!!

"Today, you are the greatest group of philosophers! Today, you were meant to ace this exam. This is your time! I'm sick of hearing how complicated Immanuel Kant's ideas are. You are all brilliant and are no match for his fancy word choice and categorical imperatives. Now go out there and ace that exam!"

Class Biz: ALEC AND RYLAN: CONFERENCE TODAY! (Rylan in class, Alec at lunch)
Homework: Essay refinements/writing growth DP

Agenda
1. Watch the inspirational video
2. Last minute Q and A
3. Exam

Thursday, 10/22

10/22/2015

Starter #31
Come up with your own moral dilemma that you think is really important either in your own life or in our political life and argue what the most just course of action to take would be from one of the philosophies' perspectives.

Class Biz

Literary Analysis Conferences
How did SLC's go last night?

Resources for the exam prep:

checklist for the test
Note-taking form
MORAL/POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY POWERPOINT
Jeopardy Powerpoint from today

Agenda
1. Who came up with their own dilemma? Share it with us!
2. Jeopardy
Jeopardy Rules:

5 teams
Come up with a team name
1 note-taker
All teams must deliberate and record their answer when it is NOT their turn because Ashley will call on you next to answer. If you didn't have an answer written down, she won't accept it.
Spokesperson must rotate each round
Double Jeopardy at the end: Can wager as many points as you want toward the final answer

3. Work time

Quiz each other
Review the readings, your notes, or the powerpoint slides
Make flash cards if that's useful
Work on essay refinements and Writing Growth DP page

Wednesday, October 21st

10/21/2015

STARTER: Free write!

Class Biz

Conference schedule
Who went to Half the Sky? Reactions due via email on Friday

Agenda
Today's learning goal: Synthesize the various philosophies and apply them to various moral dilemmas

1. Read and complete this checklist for test review.

Then, flip through your note-taking form and highlight or mark sections you need the most help with.

2. Small group activity (2-4 people): "Practice Application" Activity: Discuss the various social/political dilemmas through the lens of each philosophy

Notetaker: create a google doc for your group's answers and share with group members and Ashley

3. Whole class discussion on the "practice application" activity + philosophies in general

4. Time to study independently or in small groups
RECOMMENDATIONS: Make flash-cards on the key terms
Use the powerpoint, note-taking form and this checklist for test review to guide your flashcards

Tuesday, October 20th

10/20/2015

Starter #29
Make Rawls' "Veil of Ignorance" your own! Own this. Internalize it. Don't just be a parrot regurgitating word-for-word the definition!

"But HOW, Ashley?!" You ask in an exasperated tone.

Well, dear students-- apply the Veil of Ignorance to your own life by answering these three prompts:

What gifts/talents/resources were you born with or have access to that not all people in this world have?
How do those gifts (or lack thereof), etc... make you biased when deciding what is or is not fair? What would you need to "be ignorant" of if you were to step into the Veil of Ignorance to decide what is or is not fair?
How does doing this challenge some of your core beliefs on certain issues? Think about taxes, abortion, scholarship opportunities, salaries for teachers v. salaries for doctors v salaries for celebrities, etc...

Class Biz

Today's Writing conferences

Agenda
Today's Learning goals:

Make personal meaning of the Veil of Ignorance
Evaluate the differences between Utilitarianism and Deontology
Learn how to struggle with difficult content as you begin to understand Deontology

1. Pair Share the starter

2. Watch this video about Utilitarianism v. Deontology

Here's another Video of the difference between Deontology and Utilitarianism if you need more examples/explanations

3. Finish the powerpoint (Slides on Deontology)

4. Time to finish reading or reviewing chapter 6 required pages

5. Study group time to complete questions on chapter 6

6. Go over questions remaining about Deontology as a whole class

Monday, 10/19

10/19/2015

Today's Learning Goals

Evaluate the pros and cons of John Rawl's philosophy called Justice as Fairness
Contrast his philosophy to communism and the egalitarian nightmare of "Harrison Bergeron"

STARTER #28
Review the powerpoint slides #13-26 (definitions of Welfare, Liberty and Equality/Fairness through the slides on Rawls' Justice as Fairness explained)

To help you retain this information, write a "reaction" to the ideas we've studied so far in moral philosophy-- some things to consider for your reaction:

Which philosophy or "approaches" do you find yourself agreeing with the most? Why?
Pick a moral dilemma or current political issue and solve it from the perspective of a Utilitarian (either Bentham or J.S. Mills), a Libertarian or John Rawls.
What questions do you still have about the content we've covered so far?
Draw an image that captures these two ideas from Utilitarianism: 1. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few 2. The ends (outcomes) justify the means (methods/actions to achieve the outcome)

Class Biz

Today's writing conference schedule (Sign up Honors students and Dylan, Alec and Thane)
This week's deadlines/assignments (hmwk/cal page)
SLC's on Wednesday! Do you know your time slot? Do your parents?

Agenda
Today's Learning Goals

Evaluate the pros and cons of John Rawl's philosophy called Justice as Fairness
Contrast his philosophy to communism and the egalitarian nightmare of "Harrison Bergeron"

1. Go over questions y'all have about the philosophies thus far

2. Study group time for Ch. 6 (First, silently re-read your group's notes for the previous chapters, then, together, complete the discussion questions for chapter 6)

3. Understanding Rawls' philosophy (see slides 27-32)

4. If time: Morality and Politics of Justice Project Overview: Where are we going with all this?

5. Last 10 minutes: Take this survey about our school culture for me pretty pretty please!!!

Friday, 10/16

10/16/2015

Today's Goals:

Understand John Rawls' Philosophy of "Justice as Fairness" and the ideas of the veil of ignorance, the difference principle, the equality principle and the liberty principle and moral arbitrariness

Starter #27
1.Do you believe that your achievements in life are due exclusively to your hard work alone and within your control? Why or why not?

2. According to philosopher John Rawls, it’s not fair if the children of poor parents have much lower prospects in life than the children of rich parents simply because of the family they were born into; therefore, steep inheritance taxes are justified.
That means that those who were born to rich parents should pay a tax to help the government redistribute their wealth to those who are not?
Do you agree? Why or why not?

Agenda
1. With a partner: Discuss your starter responses
Then, discuss this quote that explains Rawls' "Difference Principle": What does it mean and how does it apply to the starter?
"Those who have been favored by nature may gain from their fortune only on terms that improve the situation of those who have lost out"- Rawls

2. Study group on chapter 3

3. The following should be done IN YOUR STARTERS:
React to THIS ARTICLE: "The Government is Literally Going to Make America Stupid by Starving the Poor":

Briefly summarize the thesis (main argument) of this article
React to the ideas here: Think critically! Do you agree? Do you disagree? How do the moral philosophies we've studied help inform your understanding of this article? What would a Libertarian reply in response to this author's perspective? What would John Rawls say? What would Jeremy Bentham say? What would J.S. Mill say?
Feel free to discuss with your study group afterwards

4. Time to read chapter 6 pages 140-142, 151-159 (that's for Monday) and pages 103-124 of Chapter 5 (for Tuesday)

Thursday, October 15th

10/15/2015

Today's Goals:
Understand Michael Sandel's framework for justice
Understand difference between Mills and Bentham's Utilitarianism
Understand the basic principles of Libertarianism

Starter #26:
Should the government legalize narcotics? After all, some adults want to use drugs privately. Shouldn't they be allowed to? Defend your response and try to incorporate a moral philosophy to support your reasoning? Utilitarianism or Libertarianism

Class Biz

Today's conferences!
Interested in more discussion/info on these philosophies: watch our author's class lectures! Here is his lecture on Libertarianism

Agenda
1. Moral Philosophies Power Point presentation + Moral Philosophy Note-Taking Form to prepare for next week's exam (covering the slides on Utilitarianism and Libertarianism)
(Framework-Rawls' Justice as Fairness)

2. Time to read (either "review" ch. 3 or read ahead to ch. 6)