february:
Black History Month – Background and Resources
By Schools of Thought Editors, CNN
(CNN) In the early 20th century, there were almost no mentions of the contributions of African-Americans in U.S. history textbooks. That is what inspired historian and educator Dr. Carter G. Woodson to start “Negro History Week” in 1926. Woodson choose the month of February for this focus because it was the birth month of two leaders who fought to end slavery: Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.
In 1976, President Gerald Ford officially recognized the expanded observance as “Black History Month”, calling upon Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
Each year, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the organization started by Woodson in 1915, designates the theme for Black History Month. This year’s theme is “Black Women in American Culture and History”. The theme was chosen, because, as it states on the ASALH website, “To gain an understanding of the history of African American women is to broaden our understanding of a people and the American nation.”
Resources
CNN Student News will feature special show segments focusing on Black History throughout the month. The following is a partial list of Black History Web resources for teachers and parents. Click on the title to go to that site.
CNN Student News Black History Month: Learning Activities
Library of Congress: African American History Month
Smithsonian Education: Black History Month
National Park Service: African American History
National Endowment for the Humanities: Black History Month
National Archives: Black History resources
U.S. Census Bureau: Black History Month 2012
Association for the Study of African American Life and History
Morehouse College: Martin Luther King, Jr. Collection
Jan 17 week
Theme in Literature
HW for Thursday:
Explain a theme in An Imaginary Life.. Your group will present this theme to the class on Thursday. You and your group will want to address the question: What do we do with themes from Literature? If we are to "learn something" what, why, how to we learn from the theme. Analyze Malouf's intent for creating such a story with such a theme.
You'll need page #s for proof of your findings from the novel.
Jan 9 week
Monday: What did you learn about America from Obama's speech?
What is the tone of Obama's speech?
Write 100-200 words typed for Monday.
Week of November 15:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/deb_roy_the_birth_of_a_word.html
1. Read to discuss: A Clean, Well-Lighted Place
1. Finish up Poetry talks.
2. Quiz on Poetry terms.
3. Novel selections and genre
-- Saboteur Read it and respond to these questions to discuss in class.
Short Answer Questions for “Saboteur” by Ha Jin
1. In "Saboteur," the protagonist is victimized by a couple of police officers who arrest him on false charges and release him only when he agrees to sign the incriminating "self-criticism" they have written for him. His revenge is deliberate and ultimately murderous. Given that he thinks the situation is "ridiculous", are Mr. Chiu's acts of retaliation and anger even more unjust than those of the police officers who mistreated him? Does Ha Jin imply that Mr. Chiu's sort of rage is spurred by the particular abuses of power in Chinese society? How might such a story be transposed to an American situation?
2. What distinguishes the acts of revenge in "Saboteur"
3. From the questions Mr. Chiu is asked at the police station in "Saboteur", it is clear that one's profession, work unit, and political status are the most relevant official markers of an individual's identity. To what degree do they also determine a person's private sense of self? Does this story suggest that it is impossible to protect one's privacy or individual rights in Chinese society? How does the bureaucratic nature of life in these stories affect people's relationships with their peers?
4. To paraphrase Shakespeare in A Midsummer’s Night Dream, The path of love is never smooth…Why, for instance, does Ha Jin make the protagonist of "Saboteur" a man who is just returning from his honeymoon? What does his attitude towards his new wife tell us about his character?
5. Discuss the techniques the author uses to develop the tone of the story.
Week of October 24
Send me an email from your newmanstudents.org email by Wednesday. I'll upload you to Managebac website that will store our class calender and assignments.
For Friday, October 28 -- Create a short outline that discusses your and your team's Work in Group to discuss how you designed your city.
How did you decide to design the city?
How did you work together?
Did you model your city after one you know?
What are the features of your city?
Wednesday: Ms. Pullman visit and Share your cities with the class.
Thursday: Literature Intro 1
Corrected: Friday is News around. Monday we will share the cities with each other. Tuesday we will begin presenting our analysis of the poems you chose. Some vocabulary to help you with analysis
Alliteration:
Mimesis
Metaphor
Assonance:
Consonance:
Couplet:
Allegory:
Onamanpoeia:
Friday: News from around the world
Week of October 3
Monday:
Proposals on Restuarant
Tuesday:
Groups for City Building
Wednesday:
Groups for City Building
Thursday:
Groups for City Building
Friday:
Current Events
Week of Sept. 26
Monday
Recap of Friday
Viet Nam
Nigeria
China 2
Tuesday
Reflect on Get to Know a Nation
Wednesday & Thursday
City Building
HW: Write a proposal for our restaurant. and write a justification for why you chose your top three cities.
19
Monday -- Work on Get to Know our Nation
Tuesday -- Work on Get to Know our Nation
Wednesday -- Start presentations
Thursday -- Presentations.
Friday -- Current Events.
Sept 14,
Balance and Technology discussion.
No Homework.
September 12:
1. Revise your draft on an innovated idea for a class project.
2. Watch this video on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/bjnesbitt#p/a/f/2/_A-ZVCjfWf8
-- Respond with your thoughts on this vision...like? dislike? inspired?
Sept 8 -- Respond to four questions about IB Learner Profile
1. What do you need to be a learner? (think characteristics)
2. Do you agree with the list?
3. What is the easiest for you to accomplish?
4. What is the hardest for you to accomplish?
Sept 9 --
One page typed to propose a project to do in class. Tie back to the Learner Profile.