Wednesday, September 30th

Starter #18

1. Take the following quiz about political ideology:  Political Type
2. Explain your results- what did the quiz tell you?  Did anything here surprise you?  
3. What do you think is the most important political issue facing our country today?  Why?

Class Biz

• Go over details for the retreat tomorrow
• Who is in cars? Who is on the bus?

• Bring a blanket and warm layers and sunglasses to class FRIDAY for outside reading time!

Agenda
1. Define Transcendentalism as a class

2. Whole class discussion (BIG QUESTION HERE: To what extent do you agree with Thoreau's philosophies? Does he serve as a good model for the role we as individuals should play in creating a just society?)

• How did John die (p. 48)?
  
• What do you think about his views on education and the role of the teacher?  To what extent should experience and our own mind be our primary teacher? To what extent should teachers and religious leaders be viewed as Authorities? (In essence, to what extent do you agree with Thoreau's views about education?)
• What are his views of traditional religion? What quotes best capture his philosophy of transcendentalism?
• (p. 33-34) Should we value nature and animals as we do humans? Should they be a part of our sphere of moral concern?
• (p. 35) Here Thoreau distinguishes between "being" and "living". What is the difference and what do you tend towards in your own life?
• On page 39, why would Henry tell Ellen to ask Edmund to explain transcendentalism?
• On page 40, Henry claims to be free despite being in jail.  How is he free? How is that a transcendetalist belief?
• On page 62, Henry summons the Battle of Concord- WHY? (READ THIS PAGE)
• On last page of Act 1, Henry accuses Waldo- WHY? How does their relationship shift here?

TRANSITION!-- Gaining clarity on political ideologies and media bias
1. What news sources seem to represent the left (liberal thought) v. the right (conservative thought)? List of news sources and the political ideology of their consumers
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2. Listen to part of this Freakonomics Podcast: How biased is your media?