Civil Rights, Day 8 - Class Recap

This is the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, which is not too far outside of Los Angeles. One of the topics that students have chosen to do an activist project on is climate change. Photo taken in 2008.

Dear students,

Welcome to another week! The sun has broken through the clouds - it is going to be a bright sunny day! Here's the recap for today:

Learning Targets Addressed:
SS.HS.KN.ALT.17: I can explain the process of change and continuity in a society, place or region.
SS.HS.KN.ALT.19: I can explain the role and impacts of social hierarchies.
SS.HS.CO.ALT.01: I can organize ideas in a logically sequenced manner and in a way that is appropriate to the content area.

Soundtrack: "More Than A Feeling" by Boston. Selected because you should have more than just a feeling about your activist project - you should want to act and do something! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 4/7/14:
News Brief
Library Research

Homework: Have elements 5+6 done for activism project (everything should be finished for putting together in a brochure or poster next class - the project is due on Friday). Read the blog! Next news brief: Dhruv.

News Brief: Cesar selected this news story to talk about: CNN.com - Take CIA Out of Loop on Torture Report. We talked a little about some of these techniques that have been used to interrogate suspects in the past, like waterboarding, which sounds totally awful.

Library Research: We used the computers in the library to try and find sources of information for the project (remember that you need three total, cited in MLA format on a separate sheet of paper). Hopefully, everyone is feeling good about working on the elements of the project. There will be poster paper and printer paper in the room, as well.

Please be sure to work on the activist project over the weekend and come back ready to try and finish it in class on Wednesday. Let me know if you need any help with this at all. Again, this is due in class this Friday. Thank you!

Civil Rights, Day 7 - Class Recap

Something I am passionate about (relating the activist project) is promoting women's soccer, ever since one of my friends in high school played at the University of Portland. This is a photo of the season opening "tifo" display in the crowd last season for the Portland Thorns professional soccer team.

Hi everyone,

Welcome to another class recap! Back in the full swing of things after the break. Here's what we did today:

Learning Targets Addressed:
SS.HS.KN.ALT.17: I can explain the process of change and continuity in a society, place or region.
SS.HS.KN.ALT.19: I can explain the role and impacts of social hierarchies.
SS.HS.CO.ALT.01: I can organize ideas in a logically sequenced manner and in a way that is appropriate to the content area.

Soundtrack: “Comin’ From Where I’m From” by Anthony Hamilton. Selected because your activist project should explain why you are passionate about changing something - coming from where you're from. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 4/3/14:
News Brief
Finish The Differences Between Us
Library Research

Homework: Have elements 3 + 4 (along with 1 + 2) done for your activism project. Read the blog! Next news brief: Cesar.

News Brief: Allison had the news brief today and talked about this story: CNN.com - Fort Hood shooting: 'Texans' hearts are once again very heavy'. This is obviously such a awful story. Especially with the great news that no U.S. soldiers died in combat in the month of March, 2014 - the first time in a very long time.

After the news brief section, I passed back a proficiency grade from the Early Struggles readings. Those are in the gradebook now. Please ask if you are at all confused by what you got and why! I would love to explain in person.

Finish The Differences Between Us: If you missed class, here is the link to watch the part of the Race: The Power of Illusion documentary, titled "The Difference Between Us." MSU.edu - Race: Power of an Illusion.

The film guide that went along with this is here (keep for future reference): Google Drive - The Differences Between Us Film Questions.

I enjoyed our talk after the documentary about it. Like I said, I think it is a pretty powerful way to think about the concept of race - in that biologically, it does not exist, but socially, it has a huge impact on our day to day experience.

Library Research: The rest of the class was devoted to library research on the activism project. I tried to get around to every student to check in about where everyone was at. There were some really great ideas! Remember that you need to have three sources, cited in MLA format. I also want you to propose (you do not actually have to do it) a plan of action of how you might actually be able to help further your cause.

Please let me know if I can help with this process! See you next class!

Civil Rights, Day 6 - Class Recap

Sand on a beach near Waldport, at the Oregon Coast. I went on a day trip during Spring Break and really liked how the sand looked like a fingerprint design, so I took a quick snap on my iPhone.

Hello class,

It was so great to see everyone again! I hope that you all had a restful and enjoyable Spring Break. I am certainly excited to get back to class! Here's what we did today:

Learning Targets Addressed:
SS.HS.KN.ALT.17: I can explain the process of change and continuity in a society, place or region.
SS.HS.KN.ALT.19: I can explain the role and impacts of social hierarchies.
SS.HS.CO.ALT.01: I can organize ideas in a logically sequenced manner and in a way that is appropriate to the content area.

Soundtrack: “Welcome Back" by Ma$e. For obvious reasons. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 4/1/14:
Spring Break Recap
News Brief
Physical Traits
The Differences Between Us

Homework: Have elements 1+2 done for activism project. Read the blog! Next news brief: Allison.

Spring Break Recap: To start the class, I had students go talk with the person on the opposite side of the room, as if it were a mirror image. I just wanted you to check in about how Spring Break went and if anything interesting or noteworthy happened. Then we came back together as a class and I asked if there were any especially fun activities anyone did.

News Brief: Next, we turned to the news and this story that Rachel brought in for us: CNN.com - Police: NY man, 86, shoots grandson, girlfriend before taking own life.

Physical Traits: To get back into thinking about race and civil rights, I asked the class to brainstorm physical differences aside from race and gender. We came up with a list that looked something like:

Hair color
Eye color
Blood Type
Ability to curl tongue
Hand preference

To show how different those classifications were, I had everyone stand up and try to classify themselves based on these characteristics. The point here was that (obviously) the groups changed for each question. So why is race so important in our society as a definition?

The Differences Between Us: A few things here. First, I talked about the importance of equity work and study to me, as a white male teacher. I realize right off the bat that the color of my skin influences the ways in which students see me. I also wanted to acknowledge that racism and negative social outcomes based on race are still very much an issue - that ignoring race does a huge disservice to the problem.

I also talked a bit about the term "people of color," which I have been using in class. I showed this recent NPR article about the history with referring to, well, people of color: NPR.org - The Journey From 'Colored' To 'Minorities' To 'People Of Color'. It appears there is an interesting discussion of the term in the comments, as well.

After that, I introduced the first episode of Race: The Power of An Illusion - The Differences Between Us. Here are the questions to go along with the documentary:

Google Drive: The Differences Between Us Film Questions

If you missed class, or wanted to see the documentary again, we made it to about 43 minutes in, here: MSU.edu - Race: Power of Illusion.

Next class, we will finish this, then go to the library to work on research for your activism project. Remember, please have parts 1 and 2 done!