Friday, February 22, 2013

Period 4: Revolution! Day 2 - Class Recap

If I were to do the "togetherness" poster, here is a picture that I would choose to talk about. Everyone in the world should be able to appreciate beauty in nature. I took this at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve in 2008.

Hi everyone,

Thanks for another good and interesting class! I am really looking forward to next week and the real start of content for the revolution unit. Until then, here's what we did:

Essential Questions: What brings people together? What tears people apart? - A good example of that in today's class!

Soundtrack: “Get Up, Stand Up” by Bob Marley. Selected for today's class because you were making tough decisions about where you stand in regards to certain issues. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 2/22/13:
News Brief/Blog Recap/Grades
Finish Posters/Present
Feedback
Forced Choice
FORECASTING

Homework: Read the blog! Turn in missing work. Adam, you have the news brief next.
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News Brief: The news brief today was brought in by Maria. She selected this article to talk about: CNN.com - U.S. delegation seeks release of contractor in Cuba. This brought up a LOT of great questions and discussion about Cuba. Normally, I would run with this discussion for as long as it is productive, but I had to cut it short eventually today, due to all the other things we needed to do. We talked about the U.S. policy in regards to Cuban refugees, known as "wet feet, dry feet" and the implications of it. I mentioned the Cuban missile crisis as well. A really, really interesting place in the world, especially as it comes to U.S. relations with, as Cuba is 90 miles away from Miami. Thank you, Maria!

Finish Posters: Again, a lighthearted activity - just to try and remember that not everything in the world is war/genocide/violent revolutions. I appreciated your effort here. We will present them next class - please finish them if they are not already done.

Feedback: After working on the posters and presenting them, I had the class write out some anonymous feedback, since today marked one month and one day since I began to be your teacher for Mrs. DeFrance Gilman (baby Brandt was born a month ago, yesterday). Here's what I asked - again, this activity was done without putting your name on the paper, in the hopes of you feeling like you could be as honest as possible:

1. What do you like about this class and what is this class good at?
2. What does the class need to improve on?
3. What do you like about Mr. Fritz as a teacher?
4. What can Mr. Fritz improve at?

I really value your feedback and we will review it together next week. Thank you for your honest opinion!

Forced Choice: This next section was about choosing yes or no (not maybe or "I don't know") to various different moral and ethical choices (we were able to do about half of this list before the end of class). Here is the list, if you wanted to see them again. Next class, you will be asked to take a stand and talk about why you made a particular choice.

1) Giving up some of our rights (like our phones being listened to without a warrant) is a necessary for our own protection.
2) I would always support my country, whether it’s right or wrong.
3) There is only one correct religion in the world.
4)  Religion is worth fighting for.
5) We have to have violence in order for there to be change and peace in the world.
6) Oppression of any type should not be tolerated anywhere.
7) The government of a country should have the power to make decisions that the majority of the people in it do not support.
8) Under no circumstances should someone take land away from someone else.
9) Someone is always at fault for beginning a conflict.
10) Democracy is the best form of government, no matter where you are in the world.
11) Killing a person for killing somebody else is not right.
12) I would be willing to fight and give my life to stand up to oppression.
13) Being patriotic, means having absolute loyalty to America; no matter what.
14) It is worth it to take the lives of a few to save the lives of many.
15) People in power are always corrupt in some way.

You absolutely have to have your answers for these for next class. Please just try to answer in a way that is true for you - not anyone else.

FORECASTING: My eternal thanks to Mr. Strong for coming in to help out with this. We looked over each of your forecasting sheets (if they haven't already been turned in) and tried to find any errors. Thank you for your patience during this time - even if it was a little too loud at points. I hope you all get the classes that you want for next year!

Have a great weekend. See you next week!

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