AHS * HUMANITIES 11
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Daily Blog

Final Book Club Meetign and DP Update Work Time

12/15/2017

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AGENDA

10:15-11:05 AND 12:43-1:35: Book Club Meeting Prep Time  or DP Update/Reflection Work Time​ (guidelines begin on page 2 of that linked doc).  

11:05-11:15 AND 1:35-1:45 BREAK

11:15-12:00 AND 1:45-2:30 Book Club Meeting Time!
​
TICKET OUT THE DOOR: Turn in your book club books! (Stack on Ashley’s desk)

Book Club Meeting Protocol
  1. Discussion Director begin by reading your SUMMARY only. Save questions until the end.
  2. Each person take turns sharing your notes for your assigned role.
  3. Discussion Director facilitate discussion!
  4. Try to address the questions Ashley has for you as shown below.  Hopefully I'll be able to make it around to each group to help you analyze these texts more deeply. 

ASHLEY's DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
TALE FOR THE TIME BEING
1.       On page 205: “Sitting Zazen, washing freezer bags, same thing”(Jiko).  What does this mean and how does it further your understanding of what the point of Zazen is AND how it might relate to the idea of time beings—review the poem at the beginning of Part 1 and the concept of the surfer and wave being the same thing and the idea of Interconnectedness.
2.       Discuss Haruki #1’s letters to his mom.  What do you think about Haruki #1 and the way in which he views war and his ultimate decision to end his life on his own terms.  How does he find a sense of purpose amidst his inevitable death?  Read pages 256-258 again!
a.      Why does he decide to end his own life on his own terms?
b.      Why does he think that authors are heroic?
c.       Lastly, do you think Haruki #1 is the crow that appears in Ruth and Oliver’s yard? Or is it Jiko?
3.       On page 259, the author provides us with yet another clue as to what a time being means.  Read that quote by Dogen Zenji and try to make some sense of it with each other!
4.       What do you think about the way Nao treats her dad on pages 262-263? Do you think he deserves it?
5.       Why are Nao and her dad so obsessed with the falling man from the Twin Towers (page 268)?  Nao asks us, “what would you do?”  Is this too morbid to discuss? What would you do? How does this relate to Haruki #1?
6.       Why does Nao lash out at other people throughout the novel? How does it affect her and how does it relate to Jiko’s lesson about bullying the wave? See page 302 again!
Glass Castle
1.       Discuss the family’s experience in Welch. What lessons does Jeannette learn?
a.       See page 144 and the idea that desperate times turn people into hypocrites—how does that happen with her parents?
b.      What do you think about the way that Jeannette deals with her conflict with Dinitia?  Do you agree that love is the best way to deal with hate? Or do you believe in “an eye for an eye”?
c.       What do the kids learn about how their dad was raised and his relationship with his mom? How does this shed some light on why he is the way he is today? Think about the ACES study we looked at a few weeks ago (Adverse Childhood Experiences).  Do you see some of that study playing out with various characters in this book?  What seems to be the way to avoid repeating the cycle of poverty/abuse etc…..? Perhaps you’ll need to read on to see how Jeannette does it.
2.       What does the section on Welch teach you about the lives of people living in this type of poverty? Does it change your understanding of poverty at all and one’s ability to achieve “the American Dream” (The American Dream is the idea that anyone can go from rags to riches if they just work hard enough).
3.       What is your reaction to their mom’s comment about Uncle Stanley when he sexually assaults Jeannette on page 184?
4.       What do you think about their mom’s decision not to sell the ring on page 186. Would you classify this as “neglect”? Are you judgmental of their mom or do you have compassion for her? Why/Why not?
5.       What does Dinitia’s fate teach us about the cycles of oppression and violence?  (199-203)
6.       How does working for The Wave impact Jeannette? (203-204)
7.       Ultimately, what changes do you see in the kids’ views of their parents throughout their time living in Welch?

INTO THE WILD
1.      What happens with the moose in chapter 16?
What does Chris seem to decide is the secret to a happy life? How is this in contrast to his earlier views? Do you agree or disagree? P. 169
2.  See pages 114-115: How is Chris a paradox? (What does paradox mean??)
3.  Read the quote by Thoreau on page 117.  What do you think is most important: Love, Money, Fame, Truth? What is more important to Chris?
4.       Read the quote by Donald Barthelme on page 145.  What the heck does this mean?  Do you see this psychology in Chris or John Krakauer, the author? How so?

  • This chapter outlines the relationship that Krakauer had with his own dad--  one where his dad placed SUPER high expectations on him.  What do you think the right balance parents should strike (or teachers for that matter) between having high expectations for children and love/support/understanding?  Do your own parents strike that balance well?
5.    On page 155, Krakauer learns that “mountains make poor receptacles for dreams”. First of all, what does that mean? Second of all, how did hear learn that lesson? What “dreams” was he trying to live out in pursuit of the mountains?



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Work Time!

12/14/2017

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Agenda


  1. ​DP Update and Project Reflection work time
  2. Book Club meeting Prep

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Reflection Time, y'all!!

12/13/2017

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Starter

A few words from Ashley about her appreciation for you all!

​Please take the following survey to evaluate our event last night, this class so far this year and me as a teacher! 
​SURVEY LINK

AGENDA

  1. Event Debrief discussion as a class
  2. Complete the self-assessment rubric AND peer-assessment rubric if you were in a group. This is most definitely your ticket out the door today.
  3. Work Time:
  • Book Club Meeting #3 Prep
  • DP Update and Project Reflection (remember to send me the link by the end of class on Friday)
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Event Day!

12/12/2017

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Starter

  1. What are you excited/nervous about for our event?
  2. What can you do TODAY to feel more dialed?

Agenda

1. Vote: Should we do another mock-event run through?
  • Afternoon class- Harley practice MC-ing??

​2. Work Time
  • Print all documents you need
  • Mount them on black construction paper
  • Practice your spiel
  • Do more research 
  • Make sure you have all the materials you need to set up your project (check with Lydia, Brigid, Alan or Cady if you're not sure about something)
  • Prepare for our final book club meeting on Thursday!
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Day Before Our Event!

12/11/2017

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Michael Jackson Dance Party and Spiel Practice

1. Volunteer to stand up and say why we're doing this event?
2. Boogie down to Michael Jackson's hit beats and practice your spiel some more!
  • Event Planning Committee: Practice saying WHY we're doing this event and the most important thing you've learned throughout this project.

Inspirational Quote

"Always believe in yourself. No matter who's around you being negative or thrusting negative energy at you, totally block it off. Because whatever you believe, you become." - None other than Michael Jackson

Agenda

  1. Let's go over the Daily Goals and Deadlines for Week of Dec. 11th
  2. Work Time/Book Club Meeting Prep Time
  • Do more research to feel dialed on your own knowledge regarding homelessness (see resources listed below this blog post!)
  • Event Planning Committee meet with Ashley!
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Resources to make you more informed for our exhibition!

12/8/2017

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  • ​​ACES Study (Adverse Childhood Experiences)
  • The Cost of Anti-homeless ordinances study from DU's Law School.
  • "On Fleek Resources" document to add resources we find throughout our research.
  • Durango  Homeless Coalition's report ​
  • Homeless Youth in America, Colorado, La Plata County
  • National Network for Youth
  • Cooperation for Supportive Housing email from Katie B. explaining what the next two documents are as well as links to other important docs:
  1. Colorado 2017 Point-in-Time Survey Report on housing
  2. 2016 Colorado Point In Time (PIT) Sub Populations Report (This report shows that on one night in January 2016, 4,467 homeless persons were counted across Colorado.  Of those, 1,416 persons who were homeless have chronic substance abuse conditions.)
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Mock Event Run-Through and Spiel Practice + Book Club Meeting #3

12/8/2017

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3rd period: Project Display

Set-Up/Prep (5 minutes)
  • Set-up a draft of your project with your group!
  • Get out your spiel notes from tomorrow
  • Get your RUBRICS out and set them in front of your project!
Event Planning Committee:
  •  My morning class planners should go to Steve's room and my afternoon class planners should go to my room.
  • I need 1-2 persons in each classroom to do an inventory of needs (easels in particular)
  • The rest of you should walk around, pretend to be community members at our event and ask questions, and GIVE FEEDBACK!!  Divide and conquer.
  • Meal planners (Emery, Tanner): Set up a table for yourselves and be ready to pitch your plan for the meal experience! 

Presentations/Feedback (45 minutes):
  • Present your project and "spiel"
  • Event planning committee will walk around and pretend to be community members and ask about your project as well as  give feedback!

4th/6th Periods

1. Debrief how 3rd period went as a whole class
2. Project work time
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Project Spiels + Reading Time + Project Work Time

12/7/2017

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Agenda for my afternoon class while you're in Steve's room 3rd period!

WORK TIME! (Your choice)
  1. Project work time
  2. Book club reading time

Agenda for my morning class

Book Club Reading Time: 30 minutes

1. Read for tomorrow's book club meeting
​2. Complete your required role by 2nd half of class tomorrow!

Reminder for tomorrow

  1. 3rd period tomorrow will be a project walk through.  My afternoon class will be set up in Steve's class and my morning class in my room.  The Event Planning Committee will walk around and ask you about your project. You'll be able to say your spiel, present it and field questions as well as receive feedback from them.  Be ready to have a tangible draft to show right at the beginning of 3rd period tomorrow.
  2. Here is our checklist to be ready for exhibition!
  3. Here is the itinerary for our event!

Develop your project Spiel and practice it!

  1. What is the most interesting thing you could tell someone about what you learned during this project?  How does this connect to your project?
  2. Brainstorm 3-5 questions that you think someone might ask you at exhibition. Write these on the white board!
  3. Write your "spiel" for what you'll say when people approach you at exhibition! (Event Planning Committee, think about how you'd explain WHAT were doing, WHY we're doing it!
How to write your spiel:
NOTE: * AVOID SAYING we're trying to CHANGE people's perceptions. Rather, frame it as trying to create an opportunity to learn about multiple perspectives regarding homelessness and create mutual understanding and respect throughout our community.
  1. Name and handshake
  2. Project overview (a few sentences!): What you produced, what you are trying to achieve with your project and WHY!
  3. ​Most interesting thing you learned during this project and how it connects to your project.

Practice
  1. In groups of 3, practice saying your spiel 3 times!  
  2. Give each other feedback!  How was the  delivery, tone, volume, eye contact, clarity of message?
  3. Ask each other at least 5 questions from the question bank!  Take turns asking/answering.

Project Work Time!

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Book Club Prep+Project Work Time  AND Book Club Meeting #2

12/6/2017

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ANNOUNCEMENT:  Book Club Meeting #3 is cancelled!  Last book club meeting will be next Thur. 12/14!
​
Mari from Food Not Bombs will be here from 9:50-10:10 and 10:15-10:35!!

3rd and 5th Periods: Work Time

Quiet Work Time!
  • Book Club Prep
  • Project Work Time

4th and 6th periods: Book Club Meeting #2

Book Club Meeting Protocol
  1. Discussion Director begin by reading your SUMMARY only. Save questions until the end.
  2. Each person take turns sharing your notes for your assigned role.
  3. Discussion Director facilitate discussion!
  4. Try to address the questions Ashley has for you as shown below.  Hopefully I'll be able to make it around to each group to help you analyze these texts more deeply. 

Ashley's Discussion Questions

Tale for Time Being (roughly pages 100-204)- Part II
  1. p. 109- Epigraph to part 2—how does this quote relate to Ruth as she reads Nao’s diary? What about you? Do you better understand yourself through novels’ characters or project your own perspectives/experiences onto those of characters’ lives?
  2. On page 112- the man describing losing his family in the Tsunami says that the past life “was a dream.  This is the reality. Everything is gone. We need to wake up and understand that.”
    1.   How does Ruth and Nao need to wake up to the reality? What past are they clinging onto and how does that negatively impact their happiness in the NOOOOOOOWWWW?
    2. Why is that so hard for people to be more present-minded?
  3. Read pages 114-115 What does she mean by the question “What is the half-life of information” and how does technology, the internet, social media affect our ability to a) be present b) remember and focus on important information?  c) our memory and attention spans? And d) our own sense of importance and self-worth? 
    1. Stories fade away, we fade away, how will people remember us? How is Instagram and social media a response to existential angst?  I post therefore I am.
    2. Think about how Nao talks about her own blog and how no one really read it on page 125 especially coupled with her line on page 127—“maybe this is how it is when you die.  Your inbox stays empty”
  4. At one point in the novel (121) Oliver says it is not surprising the kids bully Nao, look at our politicians. Do you think we live in a bully culture? If so, WHY?  Why do humans bully each other, the environment, whales? See page 117 bombing of the whales.
  5. Read the dream Ruth has about Jiko on page 122-123à What do you think this dream MEANS and how does it relate to the theme of TIME and/or to the Buddhist concepts of formlessness and non-being? 
  6. Personal choice in Japan v. US: Do you think the US is much different to how Nao describes her choices in Japan on page 13?  This also raises the question about fate v. free will. Which do you believe in more?
  7. Another belief in Buddhism is that of interconnectedness—that all things are connected.  How does the author develop this theme throughout the novel?  Read page 145 again about the nuclear fallout from the nuclear power plant meltdown in Japan.  In general, how does the Tsunami serve as a “vehicle” for the author to integrate the theme of interconnectedness?
  8. On pages 164-167, Nao shares some of the prayers she learns from Jiko—Expressing gratitude is an important element of Buddhism as well. What do you think about these prayers as a way to express gratitude and what is Nao’s reaction to the prayers?
  9. On pages 168-170, Jiko asks Nao if she is very angry.  Why does she do this?  Also, in general, what do you think about the way Jiko helps Nao understand herself throughout the novel ?  Think about the beach scene where she asks Nao to battle the wave……….That scene is on pages 192-195.  What does Jiko mean by comparing the wave and the surfer?
  10. How does the disappearance of the essay about Jiko on page 173 relate to Schrodinger’s cat? e
  11. WHAT is up with the Crows/Ravens in the novel??
  12. On pages 180-181 Nao explains her debate with Jiko about the intrinsic nature of humans—are we mostly GOOD or EVIL? What do you think?
  13. Also, on page 181, Nao explains the instructions for sitting Zazen.  What does Zazen have to do with the theme of “attention” and time? Also, how does it help Nao?  Have you ever practiced meditation? What are the benefits of meditation?  There is a TED Talk and a lot of research about how meditation can help people be more present-minded AND how those who live more in the moment and don’t let their mind wander are actually happier.  What do you think?

Glass Castle
  1. Why does Billy claim he raped Jeanette? (page 87).
  2. On page 103, the kids learn another lesson from their parents, that they should “refuse to surrender to fear”.  In what ways do people surrender to fear- and what does that even mean. Do you agree with the advice?
  3. On page 104, their mom passes on another lesson—to shun materialism and not be superficial.  Do you agree? In what ways are we/you a bit attached to materialism or superficial things? Does that affect your happiness at all? Also, do you think their mom lives true to this lesson throughout the book?
4.Page 111- mom justifies shoplifting.  Do you think it is morally acceptable for this family to shoplift? Why or why not? What would Kant, Bentham, or Rawls say?

Into the Wild
Ch. 7
1.How does the quote on page 61 help explain Chris’s own psychology?
2.See page 64: What is Chris’s relationship with his dad like?  How would that affect him?
Ch. 8
  1. What are the similarities and differences between Chris and Waterman and Rosellin (see page 85
Ch. 9
  1. What about between Chris and Everett Ruess in chapter 9?
  2. Do you see any element of hypocrisy in Chris’s character? What do you make of his decision to carve/graffiti his name on page 89 in spite of his desire to get rid of his ego and find solitude?
  3. What do you think of Chris, Krakauer and Everett’s rashness and risk-taking behavior? Is such extreme drive natural or is this a response to something about our culture or their own upbringing? Are they driven by some skeletons? Are they adrenalin junkies/addicts? Trying to escape something?
  4. See page 97—Do you think solitude is important for us to experiencing in order for us to live more meaningful lives? 
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Reading and Work Time

12/5/2017

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Extra Credit Opportunity

Dec. 7th at 7:30AM is the date when the Joint Session will reconvene to discuss the relocation of the camp for the homeless. It will follow up the October 19th session when the City’s summary on the subject is expected by the commissioners.  @Commissioners Meeting room on 2nd and 11th Avenue!

For 15 extra credit points: Send me an email after the meeting with a summary of the meeting and a QUOTE by someone there that you found interesting AND a SELFIE of yourself at the meeting

Today's Goal

  1. Decide whether or not you think Utah is a good model for Colorado to follow in eliminating homelessness.
  2. Create beautiful projects and a beautiful/inspiring event!

Agenda

  1. Book Club Reading Time (30 minutes)
  2. Reminder on this week's goals!
  3. Project Work Time + conferences
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    Ashley Carruth

    Humanities 11 Teacher at Animas High School

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  • Advisory