Wednesday, September 4th

Essential Question: What is the individual's role in creating a just society?

Learning Goals

• Clarify Dr. King's definition of just v. unjust laws
• Understand the historical context for the play (both when the play was actually written (1971) and for Thoreau's life
  
• Explore the role of the individual in creating a just society

Starter:  
Review Dr. King's letter

• Highlight a section/quote that strikes you as powerful/inspiring/convincing
  
• Highlight the line that best describes Dr. King's distinction b/w a just law and unjust law
  
• Highlight the lines where King defends his methods as a way to negotiate
• Mark any words or ideas that you don't understand

Agenda
1. Class Seminar on on Dr. King's Letters
SEMINAR RUBRIC (just to review, this is not graded)

• 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?  

2. Go over the Morality and Politics of Justice Project Syllabus and Example Student Project Reflection

3. Respond to this quote from the first page of The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail:

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured, or far away"


4. Ashley's PPT introduction of The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail

5. Read pages v-vi and go over the list of characters in the play and stage directions  (METACOGNITION SPIEL FROM ASHLEY)

6. Assign student roles and read aloud pages 1-14
 Reading Schedule and Annotation Instructions for TNTSJ


Homework See the Homework/Calendar page!