Friday, August 22

Today's Questions:

• What is the difference between a just an unjust law?  
  
• What qualities are necessary for a just classroom?
• What does the Michael Brown police shooting and public reaction suggest about race relations in the U.S. today?

Annotations on Dr. King's letter are due today!!!

Starter: After viewing the images Ashley shows you, react in writing.  If you are stuck, here are some prompts to spur your writing:

• What do you already know about the Michael Brown police shooting?
• What are your thoughts on the photographs? What would it be like to have that going on in Durango?
• Could this happen in Durango?
• Why are people protesting? Do you think they are justified in their protest?
• What do you think about the presence and attitude of the police and National Guard?

Starter Follow-up

• Listen to NPR radio clips
• What does the Michael Brown police shooting and the public's reaction suggest about race relations in the United States today?
• Do you agree that militarization of police is a reality? If so, is that justified?

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Start getting in the habit of checking my dp- you never know when it might "pay" off!
• Honors Application is due 9/8 (pick up your primary source documents for your research)
  
• Link for NEW DEAL timeline for honors 
• Review homework for Monday + permission form for Crash
• Storing binders in my classroom
• Hang onto articles/reading assignments this year
  
• School pictures will be Wed. 8/27
• Honors lunch meeting Wed. 8/27

AGENDA
1. Review what we did yesterday—4 corners prompts, Justice and Civil Disobedience definitions
2.  Time for you to review yesterday's reading and seminar questions (get out your annotations so Ashley can check)
3. Review Seminar Expectations
4. Whole class seminar on Dr. King's letter 

Seminar Questions

• Clarify any confusions still remaining
  
• Share quote selections
• How does Dr. King distinguish between an unjust and just law? 
  
• Do you agree that we have a moral responsibility to obey just laws and disobey unjust laws? 
  
• How do we decide what is just or unjust? 
  
• Would you ever sacrifice your freedom or life in the way MLK and other civil rights activists did? 
  
• Do you believe he deserves to pay for breaking an unjust law? 
  
• Critics of King’s tactics said the fight for desegregation should happen in the courts, not on the streets. Do you agree? Do you trust our “Justice system”?
• King argues freedom is never voluntarily given up by the oppressor.  Do you agree? What other political/social event supports your opinion?  
• Bring in what is happening in Ferguson!  In what ways does or does NOT King's letter offer guidance in how we might react to Ferguson?

5. Go over part of the course syllabus

• Read the introduction and project explanation
  
•  Junior Year expectations (spiel from Ashley)
  
•  Honors application 
  

6.  Free Write
Journal on the three following prompts

• What are your concerns/fears and excitements about Junior Year?  
• What have you learned so far in your HS career to help you excel this year?
• What do you still need improvement on in order to be successful (in Humanities and in general) 

7. Whole Class Discussion on "What makes a just/good classroom"

• What are your concerns/fears and excitements about Junior Year?  What have you learned so far in your HS career to help you excel this year? What do you still need improvement on in order to be successful (in Humanities and in general) 
• What does justice in the classroom look like?
  
• What does project-based learning mean to you?
• What is the role of a teacher in a project-based learning school?
• What is the role of a student?
• What have been your favorite projects and why?
• When is the last time you learned something of value and what conditions (in yourself, in your learning environment, or in your teacher) enabled you to learn it?
• What does close student-teacher relationships mean to you? Do you think it is important?