Senior Humanities
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4- Deep Reading: Data That Matters Intro

10/24/2025

 
DUE DATES- ON TIME​​​​​​​​​​
  1. Deep Reading and Data. DUE: 3:30 pm, Friday 10/31. Google Classroom.
  2. Expert Interview Notes. DUE: Start of Class, Wednesday 11/5. Google Classroom.
​​
DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)​​​​
  1. Annotated Bibliography- Part 1. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Start of Class, Tuesday 10/28. Google Classroom.

Model Analysis: Data That Matters
  1. Read assignment in your Deep Reading and Data assignment (page 3)
  2. Read example
    1. What do you notice about their writing?
    2. After reading this, what are THREE things you need to do to succeed on this part of the assignment?
    3. What do you think will be easy about this for you?
    4. What will be difficult?

Today’s Process:
  1. Find a piece of descriptive data (chart, statistical data, graph, correlation…something with numbers)
  2. Start writing Data That Matters #1 about that piece of descriptive data
  3. Work on paragraphs 1, 2, and 4 in my class. You will have time and support in Kyle’s class to write paragraph 3 (Data Details).

By the time you walk into class Monday, you should have completed:
  1. Reading and taking notes/annotating 3 new academic sources
  2. Lexicon list (words, definitions, sentences)
  3. Draft of at least two paragraphs of Data That Matters #1

3- Deep Reading: 3rd Source + Lexicon List

10/23/2025

 
DUE DATES- ON TIME​​​​​​​​​​
  1. Deep Reading and Data. DUE: 3:30 pm, Friday 10/31. Google Classroom.
  2. Expert Interview Notes. DUE: Start of Class, Wednesday 11/5. Google Classroom.
​​
DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)​​​​
  1. Annotated Bibliography- Part 1. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Start of Class, Tuesday 10/28. Google Classroom.

Starter: Review Work Habits Survey, Set Goals
  1. What patterns/trends do you notice here?
  2. What do we need to do together, as a community, to help people be successful?
  3. What is one individual goal you have for yourself?

Thursday Work Goals
  1. Read and annotate or take notes on all 3 new sources
  2. Complete Lexicon List
    1. 5-10 words that are key to your research/topic
    2. Define them in your own words
    3. Use each word correctly in a sentence you composed

2- Expert Interviews + Reading 2nd Source

10/22/2025

 
DUE DATES- ON TIME​​​​​​​​​​
  1. Senior Project Interview Preparation. DUE: Start of Class, Wednesday 10/22. Google Classroom.
  2. Deep Reading and Data. DUE: 3:30 pm, Friday 10/31. Google Classroom.
​​
DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)​​​​
  1. Annotated Bibliography- Part 1. DUE: Start of Class, Tuesday 10/21. Google Classroom.

Starter
  1. What might you gain by interviewing an expert in your field?
  2. What are two things you hope to learn from your expert that might help you with your thesis research?
  3. What are two things you hope to learn from your expert that might help you with your action project?

Interview Guidelines:
  1. Interview choices--  Who do you want to interview?  Contact all 3, because you never know!!!
  2. Interview contacts- Call or write the email on a DOCUMENT! Show Lori before sending!
    1. Polite salutation
    2. Who you are
    3. Brief explanation of project (topic, research question, project), and what you hope to gain from the interview
    4. What you would like, how long it will take, topic of interview
    5. How they can reach you 
    6. Your deadline/timeframe (needs to be completed by Wednesday, 11/5)
  3. Show Lori when you are done with your questions and email draft/phone script. This is your ticket into Deep Reading Work Time.

Expert Interview Notes
This is what needs to be turned in by Wednesday, 11/5

Done with Questions, and Emailed/Called all 3 of your people?
Work on reading and annotating/notes for your Deep Reading assignment!

Wednesday Work Goals
  1. Interview questions completed and checked by Lori/Jessica
  2. Interview contacts- you have contacted via phone or email 3 people
  3. Read and annotate or take notes 2nd new source

1- Deep Reading Intro

10/21/2025

 
DUE DATES- ON TIME​​​​​​​​​​
  1. Senior Project Interview Preparation. DUE: Start of Class, Wednesday 10/22. Google Classroom.
  2. Deep Reading and Data. DUE: 3:30 pm, Friday 10/31. Google Classroom.
​​
DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)​​​​
  1. Annotated Bibliography- Part 1. DUE: Start of Class, Tuesday 10/21. Google Classroom.

Announcements:
  1. Reminder: Interview Prep work for Wednesday

Starter:  Independent Work Survey
Take the survey linked above!   We'll review the results as a class, and then in pairs you'll discuss the following things:
  1. What is your biggest anticipated difficulty in working independently on your research thesis?  Help each other develop potential strategies for overcoming your difficulties.
  2. What is your biggest anticipated strength in working independently on your thesis?

Quick Poll: Who is…
  1. Keeping their topic, but revising their question?
  2. Keeping their topic and their question?
  3. Switching topics entirely?

Intro Assignment: Deep Reading + Data That Matters
This is the next phase of research. If you are going to switch topics entirely, you may want to backtrack and do a little of the foundational knowledge research (run your new question through the two ChatGPT prompts, and get a sense of the three more important things you need to know before you start researching).

​TODAY’S GOALS:
  1. Finish finding and saving AT LEAST 3 new relevant academic sources.  Make sure you are finding some sources with quantitative data!
  2. Read and annotate 1st new source​​

3- Annotated Bib- Part 1

10/16/2025

 
DUE DATES- ON TIME​​​​​​​​​​
  1. Annotated Bibliography- Part 1. DUE: Start of Class, Tuesday 10/21. Google Classroom.
  2. Senior Project Interview Preparation. DUE: Start of Class, Wednesday 10/22. Google Classroom.
​​
DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)​​​​
  1. Foundational Research Notes. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Start of Class, Monday 10/20. Google Classroom.

Starter: Strategies for Reading a Scholarly Article
  1. Read over the handout
  2. In your notes, list 5 things you learned about the process of reading a scholarly article 
  3. Look at one of the articles you found yesterday. 
    1. Find all the sections
    2. Are there any differences in labeling? Anything missing/added?
    3. Read the abstract, and rate this article’s usefulness on a scale of 1-4, with 4 being most useful.

Quick Review of some Research Tools
  1. Elicit (Research AI)
    1. Everyone make an account for this right now (sign in with school gmail)
    2. Show how to use search engine (research question, part of a research question)
    3. Can filter by full pdf, but ALSO try Google scholar for titles of articles that aren’t linked in full here!
    4. Read summaries and abstracts to see if they are applicable.
    5. Save them to your Google Drive folder!
  2. Google Scholar
    1. This searches peer reviewed academic papers
    2. Versions with a full pdf you can see in the right column
    3. Click the “cite” button under an article for perfectly cited sources!

Work Time Goals- By the START of class tomorrow:
  1. Found all 5 of the articles you are going to read for this assignment
  2. Completed Annotated Bibliography entries for at least 3 of them (more is better!

Senior Project- Poster Critique + Interview Prep

10/15/2025

 
DUE DATES- ON TIME​​​​​​​​​​
  1. Annotated Bibliography- Part 1. DUE: Start of Class, Tuesday 10/21. Google Classroom.
  2. Senior Project Interview Preparation. DUE: Start of Class, Wednesday 10/22. Google Classroom.
​​
DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)​​​​
  1. Seminar Reflection. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Start of Class Thursday 10/16. Google Classroom.
  2. Foundational Research Notes. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Start of Class, Monday 10/20. Google Classroom.

Explore Senior Projects (15 min)
  1. Go to one or more of these class websites and find projects in fields you are most interested in pursuing for your own project- most of these websites have organization by topic/field, so check that out.
  2. Be ready to share out two projects you like and why, as well as one thing this process has made you think of for your own project.
    1. Senior projects 2018  
    2. Senior Project 2019  
    3. Senior Project 2020 
    4. Senior Project 2021 (Check out the FINALISTS tab!)
    5. Senior Project 2022
    6. Senior Project 2024
    7. Senior Project Award Finalists- 2025, 2024, 2023
Share out!

Poster Expectations (50 min)
Using a piece of butcher paper, you have 1 period to create a poster that includes the following. We will do a gallery walk critique among ourselves, and then these will be available for faculty to critique on Monday as well. 
  1. Overview or summary of topic (this should be the same larger topic for thesis and action project, but can be different focuses within that topic)
  2. Current thesis research question (questions that you are still wondering after you read your resource)
  3. 2 project ideas (these could be variations on a theme)
  4. 1 opportunity for collaboration with a peer, local organization, or other local person.
  5. 1 organization that is working on this topic (local, global or national)
  6. A visual image
  7. A reflection, what is your level of excitement about this project? Explain in 2 sentences.
  8. Next Steps (at least three)- What do you want to look into further? What would be helpful to further hone and shape your ideas?

Gallery Walk Critique (35 min)
Group posters roughly by topic
  1. Social Science
  2. Literature/Arts
  3. Science
  4. Other?
Now is the time to walk around and give feedback to people’s ideas. Using post it notes, leave the following feedback for 5-8 people.
  1. What questions does this inspire in you?
  2. What ideas could you add?
  3. Any community connections or project ideas?
  4. What revisions or concerns do you have?

Interview Pre-Work- Have completed by next WEDS.
Make a list of the following:
  1. A list of 3 people (1 local, 1 reach, 1 other) who might be helpful to talk to you about your thesis topic and/or your project ideas
  2. Contact information for these people- emails, phone numbers
  3. A list of potential questions you might want to ask them (3-5 questions per person)

2- Annotated Bib Part 1

10/14/2025

 
DUE DATES- ON TIME​​​​​​​​​​
  1. Annotated Bibliography- Part 1. DUE: Start of Class, Tuesday 10/21. Google Classroom.
​​
DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)​​​​
  1. Seminar Reflection. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Start of Class Thursday 10/16. Google Classroom.
  2. Foundational Research Notes. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Start of Class, Monday 10/20. Google Classroom.

SLC Conversation
  1. Any student who has SLCs this Thursday has an email from me with the conversation guide that will be used during SLC. You should review it and make sure they are prepared to guide this conversation on Thursday.

Starter-  Research Quote
Read the quote linked above.  As you read it, make mental notes of sentences or ideas that strike or surprise you. 

When you are done reading, respond in writing on your starter document to the following questions:
  1. What does this professor identify as the thing that hurts much non-fiction writing?  Do you agree or disagree with her assessment?
  2. What sentence in this piece most stood out to you?  Copy it, and explain why it strikes you, and what it makes you think.
  3. Are you guilty of the bad habit she discusses in the second to last paragraph?  If not, how do you avoid this?  If you are, how could you avoid this mindset in the next few months?

Research Strategies
  1. Create a folder in your Google drive, label it Senior Thesis Research.  Put all articles and texts here!
  2. Elicit (Research AI)
    1. Everyone make an account for this right now (sign in with school gmail)
    2. Show how to use search engine (research question, part of a research question)
    3. Can filter by full pdf, but ALSO try Google scholar for titles of articles that aren’t linked in full here!
    4. Read summaries and abstracts to see if they are applicable.
    5. Save them to your Google Drive folder!
  3. Google Scholar
    1. This searches peer reviewed academic papers
    2. Versions with a full pdf you can see in the right column
    3. Click the “cite” button under an article for perfectly cited sources!
  4. Gemini (embedded AI in Chrome)
    1. Ask it to give you academic research on (your question).
    2. See the AI summary, and click on the links that pop up to the right
    3. This is less reliable, but can sometimes find good sources that are reliable, but not peer-reviewed journal articles. 
  5. Can’t find the full text?  TWO OPTIONS…(well, 3, but one is more high effort)
    1. Step 1- Try other sources. If you found it on Elicit, try Google Scholar
    2. Step 2- Save it and go to Reed Library. If it’s not in either of those places, save the citation information, and save it for a trip to Reed Library at Fort Lewis
    3. Step 3- Academic Black Market. Email Lori the DOI and citation information (title, author, journal, date), and she will use her black market ring of professors to help find it.
  6. KEY TIP- Refine your search terms as you find the academic vocabulary you need (Ex: fashion self expression → fashion semiotics)

Citation Resources
Remember…garbage in, garbage out…
  1. Mybib.com- the best citation generator I’ve seen
  2. Google Scholar- Click the “cite” button below the article
  3. Citation generator in Google docs

Research Goals for Today
  1. Find at least 3 sources that are reliable and relevant
  2. Complete annotated bibliography entries for TWO of your sources. Read carefully!
    1. Remember, AI use for composing any part of these is FORBIDDEN (except for finding sources)

Annotated Bibliography- Part 1

10/13/2025

 
DUE DATES- ON TIME​​​​​​​​​​
  1. Annotated Bibliography- Part 1. DUE: Start of Class, Tuesday 10/21. Google Classroom.
​​
DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)​​​​
  1. Seminar Reflection. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Start of Class Thursday 10/16. Google Classroom.
  2. Foundational Research Notes. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Start of Class, Monday 10/20. Google Classroom.

Announcements
  1. Wednesday Schedule- Lori’s pod: Kyle 2nd, Lori 3rd and 4th, Jessica’s Pod: Jessica 2nd and 3rd, Kyle 4th.
  2. SLCs on Thursday- Make sure you know when you are scheduled!

Starter
  1. Where are you with your topic? Do you need to substantially revise your question? Keep going with the same question? Switch topics entirely?
  2. Take the Google Form- Writing Skills Needs. This will help us know where you feel like you need quick review vs. in-depth instruction.  

Overview of this Semester’s Process:
  1. Initial Research (Now - October 24)
    1. Gather sources, evaluate them, so some initial connecting and thinking about them
  2. Initial Conclusions/Evaluation (Oct 27-31)
    1. Take a week to do some writing about where we are with our conclusions. What do we know? What do we still need to do?
    2. Decide if you want to: Stay with this question, stay with this topic but revise your question, switch topics entirely.
  3. More Research + Prepare for your Defense/Prototypes (Nov 3-7)
    1. A deeper dive- add to your annotated bibliography
    2. Write your one pager for the Thesis Defenses
  4. Thesis Defenses + Project Prototypes (Nov 10-21)
    1. Thesis Defense- Present your initial conclusions, and talk about what you know, what you still need to figure out, and where you want to go from here. Get advice and guidance from panels on revisions to your question/thesis, future research angles, and resources.
    2. Project Prototypes- When you are not presenting or paneling, you will be working on very specific project tasks during core class time- this will be our test of whether 
  5. Research + Writing and Content Workshops (Dec 1-19)
    1. For these 3 weeks, you will be continuing to research, but will also be doing targeted writing workshops for specific instruction in small groups, and will be doing content specific instruction in small groups with other students studying similar topics.

Semester 2 Rough Outline
  1. POLS
  2. Thesis Outlines
  3. Thesis Drafts- RD due February 13
  4. Mini-TED Talks + Project Weeks (2 weeks, end of February)
  5. Thesis Revisions- Final Due March 13 
  6. Spring Break!
  7. Thesis Reflection + Senior Project Cohorts (1 week)
  8. TED Talk Prep + Thesis Revisions (1 week)
  9. TED Talk Prep + Thesis Revisions + Start TED Talks (1 week)
  10. TED Talks + Senior Project (1 week)
  11. Senior Project + Exhibition (3 Weeks)
  12. TPOL Prep + TPOLs + Graduation (1 week)

Annotated Bibliography Introduction
This is the first step of your research process. In this step, we go beyond foundational research, and start to seek out sources that help us answer our research questions. 

Review types of sources + what goes into each source’s notes- look at the example.  For the example:
  1. What do you notice about the summary?
  2. What do you notice about the analysis?
  3. What do you notice about the evidence?
​
These are due on FRIDAY at the end of class!

We will do a more in-depth research lesson and show you some resources tomorrow for this- for now, use the magic of google to find some initial sources.

You will have today, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday to complete this. You should probably assign yourself some reading as homework this week.

Foundational Thesis Research

10/9/2025

 
DUE DATES- ON TIME​​​​​​​​​​
  1. Foundational Research Notes. DUE: End of Class, Friday 10/10. Google Classroom.
​​
DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)​​​​
  1. Seminar Reflection. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Start of Class Thursday 10/9. Google Classroom.

Starter- Engagement Survey
This is a metric we are using to gauge how well AHS is doing at engaging our students- this will give our school important data about where we are doing well, and where we need to improve. Please answer each question honestly, and with your best assessment of how you feel/behave generally speaking, most of the time.

Foundations Research
We are going to spend the next few days building on the Chat GPT exercise we started yesterday, where we plugged in our research questions and asked ChatGPT to help identify some specific areas that you need to understand.

This is also going to be an exercise in note-taking for you. How do you successfully take notes about concepts you want to learn?

Step 1: Open the document that should be title “Your Name- Fall Thesis Research”

NOTE: Sign into ChatGPT when you use it, so it retains your conversations.

By the end of the day on Friday:
  • Reflection Questions: Answered all the reflection questions to the best of your ability at this point. These should in full sentences.

  • Revised Research Question: Revised your research question and written it below the reflection questions. This should be clearly labeled as Revised Research Question.

  • Define Key Terms: Defined all key terms

  • Foundational Concept Notes
    1. Choose 4-5 of the most important foundational concepts (want help prioritizing? Check with your teacher!)
    2. Read the source Chat GPT provided after the second prompt. If you need to supplement with other sources, do so. Wikipedia and such things are fine here.
    3. Take notes (I recommend by hand for better retention). Your notes must include the following for each of the 4-5 foundational concepts.  Here’s one option for notes if you want more structure: Cornell Notes Template + Example
      1. Title (Foundational Concept)
      2. Title of source + url
      3. Main ideas (in your own words)
      4. 1-2 Specific examples of the concept
      5. Definitions of any unfamiliar terms
      6. 3-4 sentences about how this concept connects to your thesis question and research. 

If your research question was substantially revised after our conference and the ChatGPT reflection questions, you may want to re-run that new question through the Chat GPT prompt to get appropriate and relevant foundational knowledge concepts. 

Seminar Reflection + Grade Check

10/8/2025

 
DUE DATES- ON TIME​​​​​​​​​​
  1. Seminar Reflection. DUE: Start of Class Thursday 10/9. Google Classroom.
​
DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)​​​
  1. Willing to Be Disturbed: Read and Annotate. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Tuesday, 10/7, Start of Class.
  2. ​Methods of Fixation of Belief: Read and Annotate. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Wednesday 10/8, Start of Class (2nd period). 

Grade Checks
  1. Go to the tab labeled 12- SLC Grade Check. 
  2. Open your Infinite Campus
  3. Do what it tells you- I should have an email from every one of you. If I don't have it, you will not be dismissed for lunch.

Seminar Reflection 
Read the directions carefully, and actively use your notecatcher from yesterday to help you complete this!  This is due at the end of class. ]

Seminar Questions you can use:
​
Core Interpretive Questions – Analyzing Ideas
  1. Why does Peirce think the method of tenacity is ultimately unsustainable? Do you agree?
  2. In what ways does the method of authority still operate in modern society? Can you give examples?
  3. Peirce critiques the “agreeable to reason” (a priori) method as unreliable. Why does he believe this?
  4. Is Peirce more concerned with what we believe, or how we come to believe it? How do you know?

Application & Contemporary Connections
  1. How can Peirce’s four methods of fixing belief be seen in current debates over science, politics, or social media?
  2. Which method of fixing belief do you think most people in our society rely on today, and why?
  3. Have you ever realized that one of your beliefs came from authority, tenacity, or “agreeable to reason” rather than from evidence? What did you do about it?
  4. Is it ever ethical to use the method of authority or tenacity to preserve a belief if it produces social stability or personal comfort?

Closing & Reflective Questions – Personal Philosophy
  1. Do you think it’s possible — or even desirable — for everyone to adopt the scientific method for all their beliefs? Why or why not?
  2. If Peirce is right that how we form beliefs is more important than which beliefs we hold, what does that mean for how we should approach learning in school? For your senior thesis and project?
  3. How might your own approach to forming beliefs change after reading this text?

Seminar Reflection Rubric
See this for how we will be grading your seminar reflection. 
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  • Daily Lessons
  • Course Overview
  • Resources
  • Senior Project Exemplars
    • 2025 Award Finalists
    • 2024 Award Finalists
    • 2023 Award Finalists
    • 2019 Award Finalists
    • 2018 Award Finalists
    • Early Senior Theses and TED Talks