Senior Humanities
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Weds- College Essays Day 1

8/31/2022

 
DUE DATES- ON TIME​
  1. Seminar Reflection. DUE: Friday, 9/2, Start of Class

DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)
  1. ​Habits of Highly Cynical People Annotations/Vocab. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Friday, 9/2, Start of Class.
  2. Syllabus signed by you and parent/guardian. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Tuesday, 9/6, Start of Class.
LINK TO SLIDES FROM CLASS (if that format is easier for you to follow!)

Starter- This is Water, by David Foster Wallace (10 min video, 15 total)
  1. Jot down key ideas/takeaways as you watch.  These can be in a list form.
Pair Share
  1. To what extent do you agree with these claims or pieces of advice? Do any ring true for you? Others you know? How so?
  2. Starting college essays today, where you’ll be focusing SOLELY on yourself and your own beliefs/experiences, etc… What is one big idea you can take from his speech to help you with your essay? (post it on board)

Instructions
  1. Log on to Google Classroom
  2. Find the College Essay Assignment under Classwork
  3. Open it and read through silently 
  4. Let’s look at the list of resources on my Documents page (2 minutes)
    • College Essay Guy is amazing!  You need to email to request access to the free guide, but it is worth it! Do it! We’ll check out the various resources he has listed in that guide real quick….

GOAL = Refined 2nd draft of at least one college essay.  
​
Which phrase best describes your current situation in regards to college essay writing?
  1. I haven't started yet, and don't have a clue what the outcome might look like.
  2. I have a prompt and have started writing, but I'm nowhere near done.
  3. I have finished at least one essay, but it would benefit from some more refinement
  4. I have mostly finished my college essays, but still have a few more and/or supplementary writing I can work on and refine.
Write your names on the paper in your corner- we will come back to this tomorrow to help us form some groups!

Narrative Structure- Straightforward, linear story.
  1. Challenges + Effects
    This part gets into specific detail regarding a specific challenge the student has faced, and the various effects of that challenge. Tough stuff you’ve been through. Big experiences. Their subsequent impacts. Various obstacles you’ve had to overcome.
  2. What I Did About Them
    Actions you took to overcome those challenges and their effects, often to meet specific needs. These actions help to illustrate your values and growth.
  3. What I Learned
    Lessons and insights you’ve gained through these experiences. Reflection on how your experiences have shaped you and why that matters. What you will bring to that college because of these experiences.

Montage Structure
  1. A technique that involves creating a new whole from separate fragments (pictures, words, music, etc.). 
  2. A few images tell the whole story. And you can use this technique for your essay. (Example - Bracelets)
  3. Find a focusing lens: You can’t discuss every single aspect of your life; you can, however, show us a few important points through a single lens or metaphor. ​

GOAL TODAY = Lots of brainstorming and ideation
Even if you already have an essay, I can tell you that so many students throw out the drafts they have midway through this semester to start again.  My goal here is to give ALL of you many ideas to return to and to start with, and to make sure that ideas that you have are unique and specific to YOU.

Create a brainstorming document!  If you prefer to do this by hand, grab some paper. Here we go.

Brainstorm 1: Core Values Exercise
  1. Narrow down your values.
  2. Connect your values to your experiences- for each value, come up with an experience or story.

Brainstorm 2: I Love + I Know
Spend one minute making a random list of things you love. If you have a partner nearby, set a timer and speak your list aloud while your partner writes down what you say. Examples: I love ... the ocean. I love ... the way clean laundry smells. I love ... physics. I love ... my grandmother's pupusas, etc. Then switch roles, and you write while your partner makes their list. Here's a video of me doing this one.
After you've done that, spend one minute making a list of things you know a lot about. (Examples: I know a lot about ... board games ... World War II history ... constructed languages, etc.) Again, if you have a partner, take turns talking and writing. Write them here:

Brainstorm 3: Feelings and Needs
Walk through the handout.

Brainstorm 4: Essence Objects
Spend at least five minutes naming 10 "essence objects." These are tangible things that represent memories, moments, relationships, or values that are important to you. Briefly say why each one is meaningful (Ex: "The beads on my desk were hand-painted by my friends for my daughter and they represent the love from my community.")
Here are 20 questions to help you brainstorm (again, you can write them below):
  • What’s an object that reminds you of home?
  • What object makes you feel safe?
  • What’s a food that reminds you of your family?
  • What object represents a challenge you’ve faced?
  • What’s a dream or goal you have for the future?
  • What’s something about you that sometimes surprises people?
  • Who are you with and what are you doing when you feel most like yourself?
  • What brings you joy?
  • What’s hanging on your bedroom walls?
  • What are you proud of?
  • What’s an object that reminds you of something that still feels unresolved in your life?
  • What’s an object that represents something you know now that you didn’t know five years ago?
  • What action or gesture represents love to you?
  • What do you like to do that does not involve technology?
  • What will you save for your child someday?
  • What's the most memorable meal you've ever eaten or made?
  • What's in your bag right now? Anything that's always there?
  • What do you like to collect?
  • What have you kept from a trip?
  • What’s something that people associate with you?

Reading Model Essays
  1. Read at least one of these examples.  If you have more time, read more than one, and answer the questions below.
  2. Describe this person in one sentence
  3. What did you learn about the individual?
  4. What type of essay was it? What did you like? Dislike?

Tuesday- Project Tune

8/30/2022

 
DUE DATES- ON TIME
  1. ​Seminar Prewrite. DUE: Monday, 8/29, Start of Class.
  2. Seminar Reflection. DUE: Friday, 9/2, Start of Class

DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)
  1. ​Habits of Highly Cynical People Annotations/Vocab. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Friday, 9/2, Start of Class.
  2. Syllabus signed by you and parent/guardian. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Tuesday, 9/6, Start of Class.
Periods 3 & 4- ALL SENIORS IN COMMONS FOR PROJECT TUNE
Come help us tune our project for this fall!  We need your expertise and input.

Periods 5 & 6- SEMINAR REFLECTION WRITING TIME
​My room will be open for you to work and get help on your seminar reflection, which is due on Friday.

​Seminar Reflection:
Choose any of the seminar questions listed below, and write a 500-750 word response to the question.  Make sure to quote and use evidence from the text.  Feel free to draw on our seminar discussion.  This should be organized in formal academic paragraphs, and proofread before you turn it in to me.  HINT- Write a thesis statement at the top, but don’t worry about writing an introductory paragraph.  Just write your thesis, then jump right into your argument paragraphs.

  1. What is Solnit’s definition of a naïve cynic?  What are the two types (see paragraphs 8 and 11), and what characterizes their thinking?
  2. In this essay, Solnit offers a number of criticisms of naïve cynicism.  What is the most important/cutting critique she offers?  Why?
  3. To what extent is cynicism useful?  Harmful?
  4. What kind of thinking habits do we need to cultivate to move beyond naïve cynicism?
  5. In paragraph 6, Solnit makes a number of points about complexity, uncertainty, and ambiguity.  To what extent are you comfortable with complexity and uncertainty?  Give at least one concrete example.
  6. To what extent are you a naïve cynic?  How much of what Solnit describes rings true to you about yourself?  Explain.
  7. How does this article connect to your education?  To your goals this year in Humanities?  To our class values and behaviors?
  8. If you have a proposal for a different question to address, please let me know- I am open to this, but I need to approve it before you begin!

HONORS:  You have 750-1000 words.  This is your honors application! You must incorporate one of the additional sources linked below, and write a short essay on one of the following, that draws from Solnit’s essay and your second text:

  1. To what extent are you a naïve cynic?  How much of what Solnit describes rings true to you about yourself?  Explain.
  2. What are the larger impacts of the mindset of naive cynicism?  In other words, what are the real consequences?
  3. How do the ideas in the second text you read relate to Solnit’s ideas?  To what extent do the ideas of the two texts reinforce or build on one another?  To what extent are they contradictory?
  4. How can we reduce the prevalence of naïve cynicism?

Additional Resources:
  • For 'Millenials,' A Tide of Cynicism and a Partisan Gap
  • We Must Fight Political Cynicism in the Media
  • Cynicism, Irony, and Politics
  • Reconsidering Political Cynicism and Political Involvement
  • The Relationship of Entertaining Political News Use to Political Cynicism and Mistrust
  • Substance Matters: How News Content Can Reduce Political Cynicism
  • Cynicism Isn’t As Smart As We Think It Is
  • The Inevitable Cynicism of Youth
  • Combating Cynicism

Monday- Cynical Seminar + Reflection

8/29/2022

 
DUE DATES- ON TIME
  1. ​Seminar Prewrite. DUE: Monday, 8/29, Start of Class.
  2. Seminar Reflection. DUE: Friday, 9/2, Start of Class

DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)
  1. ​Habits of Highly Cynical People Annotations/Vocab. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Friday, 9/2, Start of Class.
  2. Syllabus signed by you and parent/guardian. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Tuesday, 9/6, Start of Class.
Seminar Style:
  1. 2 circles with extra chairs in the middle OR one big group
  2. We’ll switch once, 30 minutes in (could also switch every 10-15 minutes…give kids the choice)
  3. Feel free to jump into chairs in the middle at any point- for 30 seconds or the whole seminar, it doesn’t matter
  4. Note-taking is highly encouraged!

Seminar Questions
Opening Questions
  1. What is Solnit’s definition of a naïve cynic?  What are the two types (see paragraphs 8 and 11), and what characterizes their thinking?

Core Questions
  1. In paragraph 6, Solnit talks about now naïve cynicism “…flattens out the past and the future, and because it reduces the motivation to participate in public life, public discourse, and even intelligent conversation that distinguishes shades of gray, ambiguities and ambivalences, uncertainties, unknowns, and opportunities.”  What does she mean here?  How does the attitude of naïve cynicism do this?
  2. Is there a difference between cynicism and skepticism?  What is it?
  3. In paragraph 7, Solnit offers a number of criticisms of naïve cynicism.  What is the most important/cutting critique she offers in this paragraph?  Why?
  4. In paragraph 7, she says, “The openness of hope of dangerous.”  What does this mean?  Do you agree?
  5. What point is she trying to make with the OWS example on page 3?  How convincing is this example?
  6. What point is she trying to make with the climate change example on pages 3-5?  How convincing is this example?
  7. In paragraph 20, Solnit says, “Accommodating change and uncertainty requires a looser sense of self…”  What does she mean by this? 
  8. To what extent is cynicism useful?  Harmful?  What is a healthy level of cynicism?
  9. What motivates/causes this attitude of naïve cynicism?
  10. What kind of thinking habits do we need to cultivate to move beyond naïve cynicism?
  11. How do we see naïve cynicism playing out in this election (think about BOTH parties!)?

Personal Questions
  1. In paragraph 6, Solnit makes a number of points about complexity, uncertainty, and ambiguity.  To what extent are you comfortable with complexity and uncertainty?  Give a concrete example.
  2. To what extent are you a naïve cynic?  How much of what Solnit describes rings true to you about yourself?  Explain.
  3. How does this article connect to your education?  To your goals this year in Humanities?  To our class values and behaviors?
  4. If we acknowledge naïve cynicism, can we remove it from our classroom?  Do we want to?  How?

Seminar Reflection:
Choose any of the seminar questions listed below, and write a 500-750 word response to the question.  Make sure to quote and use evidence from the text.  Feel free to draw on our seminar discussion.  This should be organized in formal academic paragraphs, and proofread before you turn it in to me.  HINT- Write a thesis statement at the top, but don’t worry about writing an introductory paragraph.  Just write your thesis, then jump right into your argument paragraphs.

  1. What is Solnit’s definition of a naïve cynic?  What are the two types (see paragraphs 8 and 11), and what characterizes their thinking?
  2. In this essay, Solnit offers a number of criticisms of naïve cynicism.  What is the most important/cutting critique she offers?  Why?
  3. To what extent is cynicism useful?  Harmful?
  4. What kind of thinking habits do we need to cultivate to move beyond naïve cynicism?
  5. In paragraph 6, Solnit makes a number of points about complexity, uncertainty, and ambiguity.  To what extent are you comfortable with complexity and uncertainty?  Give at least one concrete example.
  6. To what extent are you a naïve cynic?  How much of what Solnit describes rings true to you about yourself?  Explain.
  7. How does this article connect to your education?  To your goals this year in Humanities?  To our class values and behaviors?
  8. If you have a proposal for a different question to address, please let me know- I am open to this, but I need to approve it before you begin!

HONORS:  You have 750-1000 words.  This is your honors application! You must incorporate one of the additional sources linked below, and write a short essay on one of the following, that draws from Solnit’s essay and your second text:

  1. To what extent are you a naïve cynic?  How much of what Solnit describes rings true to you about yourself?  Explain.
  2. What are the larger impacts of the mindset of naive cynicism?  In other words, what are the real consequences?
  3. How do the ideas in the second text you read relate to Solnit’s ideas?  To what extent do the ideas of the two texts reinforce or build on one another?  To what extent are they contradictory?
  4. How can we reduce the prevalence of naïve cynicism?

Additional Resources:
  • For 'Millenials,' A Tide of Cynicism and a Partisan Gap
  • We Must Fight Political Cynicism in the Media
  • Cynicism, Irony, and Politics
  • Reconsidering Political Cynicism and Political Involvement
  • The Relationship of Entertaining Political News Use to Political Cynicism and Mistrust
  • Substance Matters: How News Content Can Reduce Political Cynicism
  • Cynicism Isn’t As Smart As We Think It Is
  • The Inevitable Cynicism of Youth
  • Combating Cynicism

Friday- Coaching + Seminar Prewrite

8/26/2022

 
DUE DATES- ON TIME
  1. Syllabus signed by you and parent/guardian. DUE: Monday, 8/29, Start of Class.
  2. ​Seminar Prewrite. DUE: Monday, 8/29, Start of Class.

DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)
  1. ​Habits of Highly Cynical People Annotations/Vocab. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Friday, 9/2, Start of Class.
Announce- 
  1. Modified Schedule Next Tuesday (periods 3-4 all together, periods 5-6 work time in Lori’s room)

Starter 3- Seminar Norms
  1. What needs to happen for a class to have a successful seminar?  What behaviors do you need to see, and what kind of thinking and preparation need to occur?
  2. Do you prefer to have seminars graded or ungraded?  Why?  If graded, what kind of grading system makes sense?

Highly Cynical Coaching : In your small groups, do the following
  1. Summarize the main point of this article.  What, in 1-2 sentences, is it saying?
  2. Go paragraph by paragraph.  Pay special attention to paragraphs 3-7, 20, 23
    1. Summarize main idea
    2. Answer questions/clarify meaning
    3. Share favorite sentences or thought provoking sentences
  3. Have your group write two thought-provoking seminar questions on an index card and give them to me.

Seminar Prewrite
Answer at least two of the questions below.  Must be typed!
  1. What is Solnit’s definition of a naïve cynic?  What are the two types (see paragraphs 8 and 11), and what characterizes their thinking?
  2. To what extent are you a naïve cynic?  How much of what Solnit describes rings true to you about yourself?  Explain.
  3. In paragraph 6, Solnit makes a number of points about complexity, uncertainty, and ambiguity.  To what extent are you comfortable with complexity and uncertainty?  Give a concrete example.
  4. In paragraph 7, Solnit offers a number of criticisms of naïve cynicism.  What is the most important/cutting critique she offers in this paragraph?  Why?
  5. In paragraph 20, Solnit says, “Accommodating change and uncertainty requires a looser sense of self…”  What does she mean by this? 
  6. To what extent is cynicism useful?  Harmful?
  7. What kind of thinking habits do we need to cultivate to move beyond naïve cynicism?
  8. How does this article connect to your education?  To your goals this year in Humanities?

Thursday- Class Behaviors + Reading/Annotating

8/25/2022

 
DUE DATES- ON TIME

  1. Syllabus signed by you and parent/guardian. DUE: Monday, 8/29, Start of Class.
  2. ​Habits of Highly Cynical People Annotations/Vocab. DUE: Friday, 8/26, Start of Class.
Announce- 
  1. Colorado Youth Congress
  2. Interested in organizing for change and social justice (past = mental health and racial justice, but re-evaluating this year)
  3. Application due Friday- written or video
  4. $500 stipend for participation!
  5. See details and link to application

Set Up Starters
Create a Google Doc labeled with “Full Name- Humanities Starters,” and share it with me.  Make sure to give me permission to comment!
  1. Every starter should be clearly labeled with the Starter # and date.
  2. Newest starter goes at the TOP of the page
  3. If you would like to copy the questions from my DP every day you can, but I don't require the questions be there as long as they are clearly labeled with the number and date!

Starter 1- Values
  1. What are three values you have that guide how you make choices and live your life? List them.
  2. What do you do in your life that concretely shows these values?  Give a specific behavior or an example that you do that shows these!
    1. ​Example: Community- I try to organize at least one multi-day river trip every summer for multiple families- this really helps build community for myself and my kids. I am also joining the local theatre community by doing more auditions, and putting myself out there.
    2. Example: Efficiency- I have systems and routines for everything that are designed to reduce the time things take to complete, so that I have more time for the things I love.

Revisit Values, Add Behaviors 
Yesterday we talked about what we value as a class.  Today, we’ll make it a little more concrete.  

Values mean nothing until the rubber hits the road.  Unless you show it in action, can you really say that you truly value it?
  1. Values listed on boards
  2. Students in pairs
  3. We value __________, so we____________
  4. Brainstorm together for a few minutes.  Then hit at LEAST 3 of the values on the board and finish the sentences!
Come back together, gallery walk.  Put a star next to the sentences that really stand out to you.  Lori will compile the top choices!

Habits of Highly Cynical People- Read and Annotate
Before we start reading, let’s answer questions from yesterday, and look at our annotations/vocabulary so far.  

Read and annotate this article—it will be the basis for a Socratic seminar that is connected to our critical thinking goals for the course this year.  Make sure to mark:
  1. Places where you are confused
  2. Important or beautiful sentences/ideas
  3. Vocab (look it up!)
  4. Questions you have ​

You have the rest of class to finish this- if you don't finish in class, you will need to complete it for homework.

Weds- Set Up and Class Values

8/22/2022

 
DUE DATES- ON TIME

  1. Syllabus signed by you and parent/guardian. DUE: Monday, 8/29, Start of Class.
  2. ​Habits of Highly Cynical People Annotations/Vocab. DUE: Friday, 8/26, Start of Class.
Gold Medal Olympic Event (20-30 min)
  1. Brainstorm event
  2. Pose activity
  3. Silent deconstruction/reflection
  4. Group discussion
  5. Takeaways

Set Up Starters (10 min)
Every student creates a Google Doc labeled with “Full Name Humanities Starters,” and shares it with me.  Make sure to give me permission to comment!
  1. Every starter should be clearly labeled with the Starter # and date
  2. Newest starter goes at the TOP of the page

Starter 1- Basic Set Up (20 min)
Syllabus: Go to Lori’s DP, and find the Syllabus page.  Read closely!  Then explore the rest of Lori’s DP.  

Bookmark it!
  1. What are you most excited about for Humanities this year?
  2. What are you apprehensive/nervous about?  What can I do to help alleviate those fears?
  3. What questions do you have?  List them!

Pair/share, try to answer each other’s questions.  Then come back as a whole class, I will answer any remaining questions.  

Join Google Classroom.

Our Class Values (45 min)
This will ultimately end in a class constitution of sorts.  What do we value?
  1. Line up by birthday
  2. Count off by 4.
  3. Split into groups, go into different corners of the classroom
  4. 5 min- brainstorm on sticky notes things that you value (one item per sticky)
  5. 10 min- group, combine, winnow.  Get to 4 that your group agrees on.
  6. Merge with another group.
  7. 10 min- Share your qualities, group, combine, winnow.  Get to 4.
  8. Merge two big groups.
  9. 10 min- Both groups share their qualities.  Combine where appropriate/easy.
  10. Get to a final class list if possible!
  11. Debrief the process if time
    1. How did you make decisions?
    2. How did that decision making process change as you went from small groups to the whole class?
    3. How did it feel when one of the things you valued didn’t make the cut?
    4. Were you surprised at any of the values of your classmates?  Why?

Habits of Highly Cynical People  (rest of class)
Introduce annotation rubric

Introduce methods of annotation
  1. On text (make sure to do vocab as well!)
  2. On Google Classroom document

Read and annotate this article—it will be the basis for a Socratic seminar that is connected to our critical thinking goals for the course this year.  Make sure to mark:
  1. Places where you are confused
  2. Important or beautiful sentences/ideas
  3. Vocab (look it up!)
  4. Questions you have
  5. HINT- You should probably look up a definition for cynical!!!
You’ll have time to finish reading and annotating in class tomorrow, so no need to do this for homework.

​

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  • Course Overview
  • Daily Lessons
  • Resources
  • Senior Project
    • 2019 Award Finalists
    • 2018 Award Finalists >
      • Early Senior Theses and TED Talks
  • Honors