Senior Humanities
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Project Issue Choice + Stakeholders

10/31/2018

 
ANNOUNCEMENTS:​
  1. Senior Project Research- Don't forget...you should be working on this in your spare time.  You need to have notes on 3 sources, and the MUST be complete before your conference, which is due before Thanksgiving break.  See the resources linked on the Senior Project page of my DP for more details.
  2. Honors Windfall Questions- Remember, you must each add discussion questions for the next chunk of the book!  Our next discussion will be this THURSDAY.

Project Pitches and Choice
We will choose our issue using the following format:
  1. Hear the pitches
  2. Divide and discuss issue and scope
  3. VOTE

​Stakeholder- Brainstorm and Groups
  1. Freewrite:  Make a list of all the stakeholder groups you can think of for our issue.
  2. Fill out this Google Doc with the stakeholders
  3. Find a group of 2-3 people that you work well with.  Sit with them!
Interview Question Brainstorm
  1. Brainstorm in your group:  Interview questions that you think we should ask ALL of the stakeholder groups.  Let’s get a list on the board!
Stakeholder Choices and Research
  1. In your group, choose one stakeholder group to interview (there can be some overlap if all groups are filled, but you must find a second person in that group to interview)
  2. Do a little research, and find some specific people who fit in this group.  These could be personal contacts, people you find on the internet, etc. If you can come up with more than one, GREAT.  Put all you can find into the Stakeholder Spreadsheet.
  3. Create a document, and title it “Stakeholder Interview Questions: _______(name of stakeholder group)”.  Link it to the Stakeholder Spreadsheet.

HOMEWORK- ​Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Project Pitches + Decisions

10/30/2018

 
ANNOUNCEMENTS:​
  1. Senior Project Research- Don't forget...you should be working on this in your spare time.  You need to have notes on 3 sources, and the MUST be complete before your conference, which is due before Thanksgiving break.  See the resources linked on the Senior Project page of my DP for more details.
  2. Honors Windfall Questions- Remember, you must each add discussion questions for the next chunk of the book!  Our next discussion will be this THURSDAY.
​
Starter
  1. Write your group's issue and project title on the board
  2. How much time do you need to dial in your pitches?
  3. Practice your pitches!

Pitches to Class
  1. Take notes on these as they happen.
  2. Order: Drought, Fire, Tourism, River/Water Use, Mental Health, Drug Abuse, Homelessness

Seminar Discussion
  1. Of the issues listed on the whiteboard, which 2 issues are you most passionate about?   Why?
  2. Are there any issues that you think either aren’t truly unsustainable practices or don’t have enough complexity for our class to address in a holistic manner (Think about the 3 spheres?  Any issues you really DO NOT want to work on?
  3. How should we choose the top 2 from our pod? How should we choose the top issue from the entire grade? What is the best process? Do we need more information? If so, how should we gain that knowledge? Do we need more time? Do we just need to vote? If vote, should it be by majority rules? Consensus? What’s the most FAIR way to choose?
  4. Once we decide on our issue, what should our next steps in the project be?  Plan out the next three “phases” or steps in our project. Think about what you learned from Rachel and Andrea, our guest speakers from two weeks ago.  Examples: Research other communities with this issue, research organizations working on the issue in Durango, visit the organization/people most affected, conduct interviews with various stakeholders, etc…

Decide on our TOP TWO, to be pitched again tomorrow.

Work Time- Senior Project Research Part 2

Sustainable Development Project Pitches

10/29/2018

 
ANNOUNCEMENTS:​
  1. Senior Project Research- Don't forget...you should be working on this in your spare time.  You need to have notes on 3 sources, and the MUST be complete before your conference, which is due before Thanksgiving break.  See the resources linked on the Senior Project page of my DP for more details.
  2. Honors Windfall Questions- Remember, you must each add discussion questions for the next chunk of the book!  Our next discussion will be this THURSDAY.
​
Starter-Look back at the writing goals you developed earlier this semester.  At the top of your Sustainable Development Project Proposal Essay, answer the following questions:
  1. Which writing goal would you like me to include on your rubric for this essay?
  2. Write me a paragraph that explains how you have shown growth in this area in this essay.  Give me specific examples from your essay that show growth, and explain how you achieved this.  If you don’t feel like you reached success in this area, talk about why, and what you could do differently in your revisions to achieve growth in this area.
When you are done writing the above at the top of your essay, share it with Lori!

STUDENT HANDOUT: "The Pitches and the Choice"
  • I will go over the process for out pitches and how we will choose our issue of focus.
  • Make a copy of this document and use it for notes this week OR use the hard copy I provide in class.

Step 1 Develop Pitches: With your focus group, draft  a 5-minute pitch, which you'll deliver to the class.  You are highly encouraged to engage the class with interactive elements, visuals, or other techniques!  Think of a catchy project title!
  • What is the problem? How is it related to sustainability?
  • What are the consequences of NOT addressing this problem?
  • Why is this the most important issue we choose?? You can choose the angle you take to answer this question, but here are some options:
    • Convince us this is the biggest problem or most unsustainable issue in our community
    • Convince us this is the issue we can make the most difference on
    • Convince us there is a ton of political and social mobility on this issue
    • Convince us that you are passionate enough about this to inspire us for the next four weeks or so!

Pitch Development Tasks:
  1. Catchy Project Title
  2. Develop visuals/slides
  3. Hook/interactive element?
  4. Practice pitch at least twice all the way through in preparation for tomorrow.

Deliver Pitches: I'll draw group names out of a hat to decide the order we present, and will announce the order before the end of class.  Be ready for tomorrow!  If we have people done today who are ready to go, we may do 1 or 2 today.

MLA Citations + Proposal Critiques

10/25/2018

 
Starter: MLA In Text Citation POP QUIZ!
For each of the examples on the quiz, show me how you would cite them in-text.

Review Starter Quiz Results!
Let's see how you did and review some of the most common pitfalls.

MLA In Text Citation Review...
See the resources Lori gives you for a review of MLA In-Text Citations.  See the DOCUMENTS page for more resources.  When in doubt, check Purdue OWL or Columbia College guides.

Critique of Proposals
Trade your proposal with someone!  They should read through it and comment, focusing on the following things:
  1. Does their introduction convince you that this issue is relevant and important?
  2. Do they have a clear thesis statement that answers the question, "What needs to be sustained holistically in our community?
  3. In Part 2, do they address all three spheres of sustainability (economic, social/cultural, environmental)?  If not, which do they need to expand?  Give suggestions here!
  4. By the end of Part 2, do you clearly understand what the problem is, and how it manifests in Durango?
  5. See any personal opinion or editorializing in Part 2?  Cross it out!
  6. In Part 3, do they make a strong argument for why we should choose this issue?  What could make their argument stronger?
  7. In Part 3, do they address the potential consequences of NOT addressing this issue?  

WORK TIME!
  1. Sustainable Development Proposal
  2. Senior Project Phase 2 Research
  3. Conference with Lori as needed!

HOMEWORK
  1. Sustainable Development Proposal- Due PRINTED and SHARED at the start of class Monday.  PRINT BEFORE CLASS!!!
  2. Senior Project Phase 2 Research and Conference- Due by the end of the school day on November 16.  Remember, you cannot have the conference until the research is complete!  See the Senior Project page to find links for these requirements.

Proposal Essay Work Time

10/24/2018

 
ANNOUCEMENTS AND REMINDERS...
  1. Sign up for a Senior Project Teacher Conference!  You can find the link to do this on the Senior Project page of my DP.  Put your name under the best teacher for your project topic, then contact them individually to arrange a time and date.

Proposal Writing Time
  • Let's get this sucker done!  Critique tomorrow...

HOMEWORK:
​Keep working on that draft of your proposal essay- it is due on MONDAY.

Write, write, write those proposals!

10/23/2018

 
ANNOUCEMENTS AND REMINDERS...
  1. Sign up for a Senior Project Teacher Conference!  You can find the link to do this on the Senior Project page of my DP.  Put your name under the best teacher for your project topic, then contact them individually to arrange a time and date.

Starter
  1. What questions do you have about the format for the proposal essay? Anything?  No question too big or too small...
  2. Rate your confidence in your ability to set up (introduce) quotes perfectly in a persuasive essay ​​​ 
    1. 0: NO CLUE
    2. 1: I have an idea, but I know I mess it up all the time
    3. 2: I have it pretty close but could use a quick refresher
    4. 3: I'm a golden god/goddess when it comes to introducing quotes and do not need any help on this. 
  3. If you selected 3, please be ready to prove your golden god/goddess status with evidence from a piece of writing (prior to a teacher's feedback).

Setting up Quotes Workshop
  • If you selected 2, you can simply take a look at the above linked resource on your own and get to writing
  • If you selected 0 or 1, you need to tune into Ashley's brief workshop
  • If you selected 3 and successfully defended yourself, go forth and write that proposal!

Proposal Writing Time
  • Sign up for a conference with Ashley if needed!

Honors: Windfall Discussion
Let's meet at the start of 6th period to discuss this book!  Woo hoo!

HOMEWORK:
Keep working on that proposal!

Sustainable Development- Essay Writing

10/22/2018

 
Announcements

  1. Sign up for a Senior Project Teacher Conference!  You can find the link to do this on the Senior Project page of my DP.  Put your name under the best teacher for your project topic, then contact them individually to arrange a time and date.
  2. HONORS- We will have our first discussion in class tomorrow.  Make sure that you are through Part 1 of the book by then!

Essay Preparation
  1. ​Write your name and topic on the board
  2. Form small groups with people who are doing the same or similarly themed topics-- ideally no smaller than 3 and no bigger than 5 people per group.
  3. Discuss in your groups:
    1. Your strongest piece of evidence
    2. Your biggest takeaway about this issue
    3. Gaps or holes in each other’s research and suggest ways to fill those holes
  4. Share resources with each other to help essay

Essay Writing
  1. Begin essays-- outline, write, whatever you need to do to get started! 
  2. We will do a peer critique day for whatever you have done on Thursday, and I will be doing some writing workshops on setting up/following up quotes and MLA citations on Tuesday and Thursday.
  3. FINAL DRAFTS are due at the start of class on Monday, 10/29.  PRINTED before class, please!

HOMEWORK
Work on essay.  DUE: Start of class Monday, 10/29.  Print before class.

Sustainable Dev- Issue Proposal Research

10/19/2018

 
Senior Project
  1. Go to the Senior Project Page.
  2. Under Phase 1, click on the link for "Fall Teacher Conference Sign Up."
  3. Put your name under the teacher that is most appropriate for your project
  4. Send an email to that teacher (yes, do it right now), scheduling a conference for sometime before Thanksgiving break.  Remember, you must have your reflection and some research and notes done BEFORE your conference!
  5. Now, click on the link that says "Fall Teacher Conference Guidelines".  I will have a stack of these on the front table (1 per student).  If you lose yours, you are responsible for printing a new one.  This must be turned in to me before you leave school on Friday, 11/16.

Issue Proposal Research:
Complete Issue Proposal Research Notes.

Please make sure that they are in the REQUIRED FORMAT for each source.  Look at page 2 of the handout linked above for these elements!

HOMEWORK:
  1. Research Notes- Finish research notes for sustainable development issue proposal.  DUE: Monday, Start of Class.

Senior Project Discussion + Next Steps

10/18/2018

 
Senior Project Phase One Peer Discussions Protocol
  1. Share your brainstorm notes with me!
  2. Sit in your assigned groups.
  3. Look at Senior Project Brainstorm Discussions handout for your protocol
  4. Follow these steps until everyone in your group has discussed their ideas!

 Senior Project Guidelines for Next Steps
  1. Go to the "Senior Project" tab on my DP (under "more)
  2. Find the "Senior Project Discussion and Next Steps" link- OPEN IT UP!
  3. Make note of the link to schedule a conference. You'll need that later!
  4. We'll read through the  guidelines for next steps, then have time to work on them.

Honors Folks- Let's meet briefly to talk about the academic journal requirement for you guys.  You will need your computer and your library card (don't have yours?  Borrow one from someone else for today!).

Step 1: Align your research topic to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Targets!
  1. Go to the UN Development Goals website
  2. Click on the Goal that you think most aligns with your topic
  3. Scroll down to the tab for "targets" and click on that (note that the other resources on this page can be used as one of your sources! Especially the "Why it Matters" pdf further down)
  4. Read the various bullet points and decide which one most relates to your chosen research topic
  5. At the top of your research notes, type the following bullet points:
    1. Your issue
    2. ​The relevant United Nations GOAL
    3. The relevant United Nations TARGET

STEP 2: Sustainable Development Research Notes Work Time!
Get those notes written!

HOMEWORK:
  1. Senior Project: Work on research and notes, schedule conference.  DUE: Friday, November 16 by End of Day
  2. Sustainable Dev Research Notes: Finish notes for all five of your sources.  DUE: Monday, 10/22, Start of Class

Sustainable Development Research Notes + Sherpa Presentation

10/17/2018

 
Starter
Turn and chat-- what issue have you chosen for your research and WHY?  If you're stuck, what are you considering? Help each other pick a topic!

9:40-10:12  AND 10:15-10:45 Guest Speaker!!
Andrea Hoffmeier from the Sherpa Sustainability Institute

Research work time!
  • Remember you need to take notes on 5 sources.  Honors-- one source needs to be from a scholarly article!
  • Those of you studying the train, definitely check out thes

Links Rachel shared yesterday: 
  • City of Durango’s Sustainablity Website
  • City of Durango’s STARS Community Website
  • Association for the Advance of Sustainability in Higher Education 
  • UN Development Goals
  • Paris Climate Targets
  • STARS

Resources on the Train (Shared by Rachel)
  • Google Doc Folder of resources and meeting notes from the Save Our Town, Green the Train group
  • Nathan Morris: nathan@webservicesmanagement.com
  • Laurie Dickson: laurie@fourcore.org

HOMEWORK
-Research Notes, Due MONDAY at the start of class.
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  • Course Overview
  • Daily Lessons
  • Resources
  • Senior Project
    • 2019 Award Finalists
    • 2018 Award Finalists >
      • Early Senior Theses and TED Talks
  • Honors