Showing posts with label israel and palestine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label israel and palestine. Show all posts

Friday, June 15, 2018

Semester Finals - Class Recap


Sunset over Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was a great year, everyone! Thank you for your hard work! Photo taken in 2011.

Hi everyone,

Today was our last day of class for the year! We had our final Israel-Palestine peace conference, reflection on the year, and also talked about life and what is coming up for a while. Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
Communication LT 1: I can use language and style that is appropriate to the content area.
Critical Thinking LT 2: I can explain connections between events, issues, problems and concepts.
Knowledge LT 9:  I can explain demographic changes in the world and their effects.
Knowledge LT 19:  I can explain the impacts of nationalism and revolutionary movements. Knowledge LT 21:  I can explain how religious ideas impact the shaping of societies.

Soundtrack: "Thankful" by Kelly Clarkson. Selected for today because I always choose this song for the last day of class, since I am so thankful to get to teach you all. Thank you! Lyrics (some of which I read aloud in class) are here.

AGENDA 6/15/18:
News Brief/Summer Plans – Jalen
Final Presentations
Discussion
Reflection/Adventure

Homework: Read the blog (if you want)! Have a great summer! Let me know if I can help you at any point in the future! I will be at the July 25 at 1:00 PM coffee shop meeting with Mr. Puterbaugh at the Barnes and Noble Starbucks in Tanasbourne, about summer reading (or anything else you want to), if you are going to that! See you in the fall!
---
News Brief/Summer Plans: Jalen had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: BBC.com - Russia denies access to jailed Ukraine film-maker Sentsov. For the last time, we found Russia in the world map and noted this story. Thanks, everyone for doing this all year and getting better at geography in the process! In class, we tallied up the number of times we talked about the different continents throughout the year and talked a bit about why the news tended to be centered in a few different areas.

World Map Topics:

South America - 4

North America - 4

Oceania - 3

Africa - 7

Europe - 17

Asia - 24

Middle East – 19

We talked about why this might be and what we can do to continue to stay informed and engaged about the whole world.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):

I talked in class about the importance of following the news and trying to stay up to date with what is happening in your city, state, country, and world. Knowledge is power! Try to stay plugged in to what is going on, if you can!

Final Presentations/Discussion: As promised, this was the Israel and Palestine peace conference. First, we had speeches and presentations (students that needed to demonstrate a Communication grade) that explained various aspects of the conflict and proposed possible solutions. We then had an in class discussion, first in small groups, and then as a larger class about the prospects for peace. Generally, I thought this was quite good, and students seemed to know their stuff. Thank you for your effort on this! I look forward to reading your papers, as well.

After the final project, as I alluded to all year, we played the Sporcle Country Game for one last time. Your final score as a class was 145 out of 197. Thank you for playing!

Reflection: The last part to the final was a reflection short answer about how the year went in Global Studies - what you learned, what you will put into practice in your life, what you are wanting to study in American Studies or APUSH next year, and what you will remember five years from now. I look forward to reading these!

There is a fair amount of work involved in grading the finals, but the deadline to submit our grades is next Wednesday by 3:00 PM, as a heads up.

Adventure: At the end of class, I talked about having the spirit of curiosity in life and whatever you do - that could involve traveling around the world, or even just going to a local stream and exploring. I showed this video, which I've watched probably a hundred times or more to illustrate this - I hope it is as inspiring to you as it is to me, and a good reminder of so much of what we learned this year:


Thank you all so much for being so wonderful to work with. I truly loved teaching each and every one of you, and I hope you know that I care about you and want you to be successful in the future. Take care of yourselves and I hope to see you around! I am especially excited to be "looping" next year to teach American Studies to most of the class! Have a great summer! :-)
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Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Israel and Palestine, Day 8 - Class Recap


The sun is setting on our school year! This is a collage of photos I took in 2013 at the Eiffel Tower in France.

Dear class,

As it was the last day before finals, I did not assign any new work - it was mostly a study day. Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
Communication LT 1: I can use language and style that is appropriate to the content area.
Critical Thinking LT 2: I can explain connections between events, issues, problems and concepts.
Knowledge LT 9:  I can explain demographic changes in the world and their effects.
Knowledge LT 19:  I can explain the impacts of nationalism and revolutionary movements. Knowledge LT 21:  I can explain how religious ideas impact the shaping of societies.

Soundtrack: "One Day" by Matisyahu. Selected for today because it goes with our Israel and Palestine unit well. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/13/18:
News Brief – Faith
Final Questions?
Clean Up
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog! Your final project for the year is due next class - upload it on Google Classroom (specific guide for what to do here). Finals for your period are Friday at 10:00 AM. Next news brief: Jalen.
---
News Brief: Faith had the news brief today, but was not in class, so I filled in and selected an article about this story to talk about: BBC.com - World Cup 2026: Canada, US & Mexico joint bid wins right to host tournament. We found Russia in the world map (where this vote took place) and discussed what has been happening there recently, especially with the Men's World Cup starting tomorrow. After that, we checked in about what students were up to outside of class.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):


Final Questions/Clean Up: I told the class to start taking down pictures and posters from the bask wall in order to help clean up the classroom for the end of the year. I also gave time to continue working on the final project:


You should already know what learning targets you need to work on. As I have said in class, everyone needs to have their final project address their ideas for a solution for the conflict. If you are writing a paper, it needs to be a minimum of 2.5 pages, typed, double spaced, Times New Roman, size 12 font (yes, you can write more than that if you want). If you are doing a presentation or a speech, it needs to be from 3 to 5 minutes long (no, you may not go longer or shorter than that).

Work Time: For the rest of class, we worked on the final assignment - whether that is a speech, paper, or a combination of the two. To help with this, I passed out a paper copy of this recent New York Times Upfront article:


Some other resources we have been using in class to help prepare for the final project are:


There is a few pages of timeline and introduction in that, and then the characters start talking on page 229.

The two characters in the reading were David (representing Israel) and Daud (representing Palestine). I wanted students to partner up and go through the reading together. Here is the assignment that goes with the reading, to note each perspective and help you prepare for your final assignment:

Google Drive - David and Daud TMEE Assignment

Another resource is this timeline of the conflict:

Google Drive: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Timeline

Thank you for your hard work on the final project! See you next class, for finals!
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Monday, June 11, 2018

Israel and Palestine, Day 7 - Class Recap


Mt. Hood. We are almost to the end of the school year, everyone! The climb is close to being done!

Hi everyone,

We are so close to the end of the year! Hooray! There is plenty to prepare for the next week with finals, so keep working hard, please. Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
Communication LT 1: I can use language and style that is appropriate to the content area.
Critical Thinking LT 2: I can explain connections between events, issues, problems and concepts.
Knowledge LT 9:  I can explain demographic changes in the world and their effects.
Knowledge LT 19:  I can explain the impacts of nationalism and revolutionary movements. Knowledge LT 21:  I can explain how religious ideas impact the shaping of societies.

Soundtrack: "City of Blinding Lights" by U2. Selected for today because of Jerusalem being a city that is so contested due to major religions. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/11/18:
News Brief – Grace
Final Questions?
Chromebook Check
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog! Keep working on your final project for the year (specific guide for what to do here). APUSH Meeting S117 on Thursday 6/14 at 2:45. Get your summer homework and handouts if you are taking APUSH. News news brief: Faith.
---
News Brief: Grace had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: LATimes.com - Here's what you need to know about the Trump-Kim summit in Singapore. We found Singapore in our world map packet and talked about this major news of the day (the meeting starts at 6 PM tonight our time)! It will be interesting to see what happens, for sure.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):


Final Questions: Yet again, I went over in class what the expectation is going to be on the day of the final, as well as what students should be writing/talking about:


I'm going to keep it simple and have students just focus on this. You should already know what learning targets you need to work on. As I have said in class, everyone needs to have their final project address their ideas for a solution for the conflict. If you are writing a paper, it needs to be a minimum of 2.5 pages, typed, double spaced, Times New Roman, size 12 font (yes, you can write more than that if you want). If you are doing a presentation or a speech, it needs to be from 3 to 5 minutes long (no, you may not go longer or shorter than that).

Chromebook Check: For a quick behavior target assessment (on managing your responsibilities as a student), I asked students to bring their electronic devices to work on the final in class. It seemed like just about everyone was prepared and able to do this - thank you!

Work Time: For the rest of class, we worked on the final assignment - whether that is a speech, paper, or a combination of the two. To help with this, I passed out a paper copy of this recent New York Times Upfront article:


Some other resources we have been using in class to help prepare for the final project are:


There is a few pages of timeline and introduction in that, and then the characters start talking on page 229.

The two characters in the reading were David (representing Israel) and Daud (representing Palestine). I wanted students to partner up and go through the reading together. Here is the assignment that goes with the reading, to note each perspective and help you prepare for your final assignment:

Google Drive - David and Daud TMEE Assignment

Another resource is this timeline of the conflict:

Google Drive: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Timeline

Thank you for your hard work on the final project! Keep it up!
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Thursday, June 7, 2018

Israel and Palestine, Day 6 - Class Recap


This week is the graduation ceremony for the seniors at Westview! Therefore, a sunset picture above the clouds is appropriate. I took this on the way from California to Portland in 2007.

Hi everyone,

I hope you are feeling more clear about what to do for the final and feeling good about the end of the year! Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
Communication LT 1: I can use language and style that is appropriate to the content area.
Critical Thinking LT 2: I can explain connections between events, issues, problems and concepts.
Knowledge LT 9:  I can explain demographic changes in the world and their effects.
Knowledge LT 19:  I can explain the impacts of nationalism and revolutionary movements. Knowledge LT 21:  I can explain how religious ideas impact the shaping of societies.

Soundtrack: "Good Life" by OneRepublic. Selected for today because all people want is a Good Life, even in Israel and Palestine! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/7/18:
News Brief – Jordan H.
Check In
Final Questions?
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog! All late/missing/revised work due this Friday. Bring your Chromebook charged and ready to work next class! Keep working on your final project for the year (specific guide for what to do here). Next news brief: Grace.
---
News Brief: Jordan H. had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: BBC.com - Dutch queen's sister found dead at Buenos Aires home. We found the Netherlands in the world map and talked about what happened in this article (related to the Check In section below) before moving on to check in about the weekend.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):


Check In: After the news brief, I had students turn to each other and check in about how the end of the year was feeling, in terms of stress and finals. It's important to take care of one another during stressful times! I had a few students share out about how they were doing, too. Please know that I am here for you! Let me know how I can support you, both now and into the future! Yes, I will still be that teacher in four years, saying hello to you when I see you in the halls!

Final Questions: Yet again, I went over in class what the expectation is going to be on the day of the final, as well as what students should be writing/talking about:


I'm going to keep it simple and have students just focus on this. You should already know what learning targets you need to work on. As I have said in class, everyone needs to have their final project address their ideas for a solution for the conflict. If you are writing a paper, it needs to be a minimum of 2.5 pages, typed, double spaced, Times New Roman, size 12 font (yes, you can write more than that if you want). If you are doing a presentation or a speech, it needs to be from 3 to 5 minutes long (no, you may not go longer or shorter than that).

Work Time: For the rest of class, we worked on the final assignment - whether that is a speech, paper, or a combination of the two. To help with this, I passed out a paper copy of this recent New York Times Upfront article:


Some other resources we have been using in class to help prepare for the final project are:


There is a few pages of timeline and introduction in that, and then the characters start talking on page 229.

The two characters in the reading were David (representing Israel) and Daud (representing Palestine). I wanted students to partner up and go through the reading together. Here is the assignment that goes with the reading, to note each perspective and help you prepare for your final assignment:

Google Drive - David and Daud TMEE Assignment

Another resource is this timeline of the conflict:

Google Drive: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Timeline

Thank you for your hard work on the final project! Keep it up!

Finally, at the end of class, I showed this update that fellow Global Studies teacher Mr. Yoder put together about the children (now adults!) from Promises:


So crazy to see them all now! Have a great weekend, everyone!
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Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Israel and Palestine, Day 5 - Class Recap


I have not been to Israel/Palestine, but I have been to Jordan, which is right across the border. This is the famous Monastery in the ancient city of Petra. Photo taken in 2014.

Dear class,

Today was our last real day of new content in the class, with a look at an excerpt from a book about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
Communication LT 1: I can use language and style that is appropriate to the content area.
Critical Thinking LT 2: I can explain connections between events, issues, problems and concepts.
Knowledge LT 9: I can explain demographic changes in the world and their effects.
Knowledge LT 19: I can explain the impacts of nationalism and revolutionary movements. Knowledge LT 21: I can explain how religious ideas impact the shaping of societies.

Soundtrack: "I Want It That Way" by Backstreet Boys. Selected for today because each side in the conflict wants in their way. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/5/18:
News Brief – Devin
Final Roles
A City Divided
Through Middle Eastern Eyes

Homework: Read the blog! All late/missing/revised work due by this Friday. Keep working on your final project for the year (specific guide for what to do here). Next news brief: Jordan H.
---
News Brief: Devin had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: BBC.com - Iran to boost uranium enrichment if nuclear deal fails. We found Iran in the world map and talked about this news story for a bit, before moving on.

The next news brief was assigned to Jordan H.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):


Final Roles: Speaking of the final project, this form clarifies what the expectation is going to be on the day of the final, as well as what students should be writing/talking about:


I'm going to keep it simple and have students just focus on this. You should already know what learning targets you need to work on. As I have said in class, everyone needs to have their final project address their ideas for a solution for the conflict. If you are writing a paper, it needs to be a minimum of 2.5 pages, typed, double spaced, Times New Roman, size 12 font (yes, you can write more than that if you want). If you are doing a presentation or a speech, it needs to be from 3 to 5 minutes long (no, you may not go longer or shorter than that).

A City Divided: After the news brief, we watched a few videos from VICE News, which help explain what is going on in Jerusalem and the West Bank right now. The first was from the HBO version of the show (Season 6, Episode 2), which a preview can be found here.

Next, we looked more into Jerusalem:


We also watched the last five minutes of this video, which has to do with violence in the West Bank:


After watching "Promises" last class, this was intended to be an update about what is currently happening in the region. 

Through Middle Eastern Eyes: This was an excerpt from a book, which I made a class set of. The two characters are representing the perspectives of Israel and Palestine. Here's the online version if you want to keep working on this at home:


There is a few pages of timeline and introduction in that, and then the characters start talking on page 229.

The two characters in the reading were David (representing Israel) and Daud (representing Palestine). I wanted students to partner up and go through the reading together. Here is the assignment that goes with the reading, to note each perspective and help you prepare for your final assignment:


We will continue this next class. See you then!
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Friday, June 1, 2018

Israel and Palestine, Day 4 - Class Recap


The Embassy of Palestine, in Bogota, Colombia. I got yelled at right after I took this picture. Photo taken in 2009.

Hi everyone,

Almost there to the end of the semester! Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
Communication LT 1: I can use language and style that is appropriate to the content area.
Critical Thinking LT 2: I can explain connections between events, issues, problems and concepts.
Knowledge LT 9:  I can explain demographic changes in the world and their effects.
Knowledge LT 19:  I can explain the impacts of nationalism and revolutionary movements.
Knowledge LT 21:  I can explain how religious ideas impact the shaping of societies.

Soundtrack: "Put Everything Aside" by E-Z and Tailsman. Listen to the song here. Selected for today because a former student sent it to me as a comment on the blog a while back. He helpfully translated the lyrics, which definitely relate to our work in trying to come to a solution for Israel and Palestine!

AGENDA 6/1/18:
News Brief – Cole
College Credit Updates
Finish Promises
Review

Homework: Read the blog! Know your grade (updated on StudentVUE) and how to improve it by next Friday, if possible. Keep working on your final project for the year (specific guide for what to do here). Next news brief: Devin.
---
News Brief: Cole had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CBSNews.com - Canada, Mexico, EU retaliate against U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs. We found Canada n the world map packet and talked about this story for a bit, before moving on.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):


The next news brief was assigned to Devin.

College Credit Updates: As a reminder, if you earned college credit via Willamette Promise from the Country Profile Project, your $30 fee is due by June 15th. Here is the link to do this:


If you would like to decline the college credit, you need to fill out this form and give it to me:


Please e-mail me if you have any questions or concerns regarding this process!

Finish Promises: Next, we finished watching the Promises (2001) documentary, about Israeli and Palestinian children. Here's a link to the note taking guide we are filling out as we watch:


Here's a link to a stream online for the documentary (this quality isn't very good, but it's better than nothing): Veoh.com - Promises Streaming.

Review: After the film, we discussed the documentary and the roles of the children involved with it. Keep these notes to work on your final project!

Final Roles: Speaking of the final project, this is a form that clarifies what the expectation is going to be on the day of the final, as well as what students should be writing/talking about:


I'm going to keep it simple and have students just focus on this. You should already know what learning targets you need to work on. As I have said in class, everyone needs to have their final project address their ideas for a solution for the conflict. If you are writing a paper, it needs to be a minimum of 2.5 pages, typed, double spaced, Times New Roman, size 12 font (yes, you can write more than that if you want). If you are doing a presentation or a speech, it needs to be from 3 to 5 minutes long (no, you may not go longer or shorter than that).

Another resource is this timeline of the conflict:


Let me know if you have any questions about what you need to do! Not much longer to go until finals! You can do this! :-)
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Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Israel and Palestine, Day 3 - Class Recap


My view of Mt. Hood and Lost Lake on final approach into Portland International Airport on Memorial Day weekend in 2015.

Dear class,

Hello again! I hope you are rested up and ready to finish the year strong. Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
Communication LT 1: I can use language and style that is appropriate to the content area.
Critical Thinking LT 2: I can explain connections between events, issues, problems and concepts.
Knowledge LT 9: I can explain demographic changes in the world and their effects.
Knowledge LT 19: I can explain the impacts of nationalism and revolutionary movements. Knowledge LT 21: I can explain how religious ideas impact the shaping of societies.

Soundtrack: "Making Memories" by Rush. Selected for today because of the long Memorial Day weekend, and making sure we keep memories alive. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 5/30/18:
News Brief – Anagha
Promises

Homework: Read the blog! Know your grade (updated on StudentVUE) and how to improve it, if possible. All late/missing work is due by next Friday. Keep working on your final project for the year (overview here). Next news brief: Cole.
---
News Brief: Anagha had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: Gizmodo.com - Papua New Guinea to Block Facebook for a Month, Might Launch State-Run Alternative. We found Papua New Guinea in the world map packet and talked about recent issues with Facebook. We also checked in about the weekend and what people were up to.

The next news brief was assigned to Cole.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):


Promises: Next, we watched the first part of the Promises (2001) documentary, about Israeli and Palestinian children. Here's a link to the note taking guide we are filling out as we watch:


Yes, it is old (about the time you were born)! It is also an incredibly well done look at life for the children in the region and really helps people understand what is going on. We will finish watching this next class.

For homework, you need to be continuing to work on your final project on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Here is the information you need for that:


Another resource is this timeline of the conflict:


Let me know if you have any questions about what you need to do! Not long now until the end of the year!
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Friday, May 25, 2018

Israel and Palestine, Day 2 - Class Recap


I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend, everyone! Photo is of the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn, Oregon. Taken in 2015.

Hi everyone,

We are into our last stretch for the school year! Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
Communication LT 1: I can use language and style that is appropriate to the content area.
Critical Thinking LT 2: I can explain connections between events, issues, problems and concepts.
Knowledge LT 9: I can explain demographic changes in the world and their effects.
Knowledge LT 19: I can explain the impacts of nationalism and revolutionary movements. Knowledge LT 21: I can explain how religious ideas impact the shaping of societies.

Soundtrack: "Look Into My Eyes" by Outlandish. Selected for today because of the obvious connection in the lyrics of the song to the Palestinian view of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

AGENDA 5/25/18:
News Brief – Neel
Perspectives
Final Project Options
Timeline Review

Homework: Read the blog! Know your grade (updated on StudentVUE) and how to improve it, if possible. Keep working on your final project for the year (overview here). All late work or revisions due by next Friday. Next news brief: Anagha.
---
News Brief: Neel had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - Trump says North Korea summit talks continue: 'Could even be the 12th'. We found North Korea in our world map packet and noted we did a news brief story on it again.

The next news brief was assigned to Anagha.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):


Perspectives: After the news brief, I played this music video, which was the soundtrack for today: "Look Into My Eyes" by Outlandish.


We looked at some of the lyrics to the song, including these lines:

See I've known terror for quite some time
57 years so cruel
Terror breathes the air I breathe
It's the checkpoint on my way to school
Terror is the robbery of my land
And the torture of my mother
The imprisonment of my innocent father
The bullet in my baby brother
The bulldozers and the tanks
The gases and the guns
The bombs that fall outside my door
All due to your funds
You blame me for defending myself
Against the ways of my enemies
I'm terrorized in my own land (what)
And I'm the terrorist?

This song was obviously a Palestinian viewpoint on the war. The other perspective is that of the Israelis, which was demonstrated in this overview video that we watched in class as well (starting from around 7 minutes in):


If you would like to see a similar video from the Palestinian perspective, here it is:


I also shared this story by the Washington Post on what it looks like for the Palestinians that commute to Israel: WashingtonPost.com - A Palestinian’s daily commute through an Israeli checkpoint.

The point here was to learn more about the perspective of each side. Our final project is a simulated peace conference, and it does no good to simply yell at the other side and demand concessions. You have to truly understand each side and what they want, in order to compromise and find a solution that might work.

Final Project Options: At this point in class, I passed out this paper, which goes over a variety of different ways to improve (or maintain) your grade on the five different proficiency learning targets that the final has as available options:


The really important part here is knowing your grade in the class, so that you know what would help improve your grade for finals, or maintain the grade that you want.

Timeline Review: The rest of class was devoted to reading through an in class set of this reading, thinking about how you are going to construct your final presentation or writing:


As students were doing this independently, I talked with everyone in the class about what their current grade is, what learning targets they should focus on for the final, and how they might be able to demonstrate proficiency. I know it seems like the final is a long way away, but there really is not much time left. There is lots of work to do during this time!

Keep working hard! We are almost done! :-)
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Monday, May 21, 2018

Israel and Palestine, Day 1 - Class Recap


A sign that was in the hotel I stayed at in 2014 in Amman, Jordan, which was hosting refugees from the ongoing battles in the Gaza Strip.

Hi everyone,

Today, we started work on our final unit for the year, on Israel and Palestine (due to me being out the next two days, so you will still have time to work on the demographics unit). Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
Communication LT 2: I can use language and style that is appropriate to the content area.
Critical Thinking LT 2: I can explain connections between events, issues, problems and concepts.
Knowledge LT 9: I can explain demographic changes in the world and their effects.
Knowledge LT 19: I can explain the impacts of nationalism and revolutionary movements. Knowledge LT 21: I can explain how religious ideas impact the shaping of societies.

Soundtrack: "Battlefield" by Jordin Sparks. Selected for today because the end of the year feels like a battle, and because the country of Israel is seen as a battlefield by many. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 5/21/18:
News Brief – Trent
The Lesson of War
Brainstorm
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Homework: Read the blog! Know your grade and how to improve it, if possible. Next class, we will have a work day on the Demographics unit! Next news brief: Jackson.
---
News Brief: Trent had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about:  BBC.com - Venezuela election: Fourteen ambassadors recalled after Maduro win. We found Venezuela in the world map packet and talked about this story for a bit, before moving on.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):

The next news brief was assigned to Jackson.

Westview Wildcat News is here to watch if you missed class or wanted to see it again:



There was a special bonus video today, as well:


Finally, we talked about some updates regarding what I have been up to since we last met! Specifically:

1) I talked about the Country Profile Project grades and status in terms of college credit, as well as some major updates in terms of knowing how credit is earned and such. Stay tuned, as I try and work through all of the issues and get you the information I know you are all wanting!

2) Next year, I will have a new role at Westview! Last week, I interviewed for and was offered the new position of Freshmen Success Coordinator, which is what I will devote about half of my time to. This sounds very much like the type of work that I did with tutoring/mentoring in the Step Up program at Marshall and Madison in Portland before arriving back at Westview. This is a Teacher On Special Assignment (TOSA) position that every high school in the area is creating due to incoming Measure 98 funding. Learn more here, if you are interested: https://highschoolsuccess.org/measure98/

You might be interested to hear that the position is modeled after the pioneering work of Chicago Public Schools in increasing freshmen core class credit attainment, which correlates highly with graduation rates. In fact, it sounds like I might be flown out to Chicago in October to witness Freshmen Success Teaming first hand! Here is one of the studies out of Chicago we have been asked to read in advance of starting: https://ncs.uchicago.edu/sites/ncs.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/tools/NCS_FOT_Toolkit_URAD_SetA_What_Matters.pdf

What this means for you as students: next year, I will only be teaching three classes of American Studies (meaning, I will still be your teacher if you forecast for that class). I will not be teaching other classes here.

Anyway, thank you for your patience with me, as I unexpectedly have trainings on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week that I will be out of the building! You will have Sherri Kurczewski as your guest teacher for both days, which will be focused on demographics.

The Lesson of War: To start the Israel and Palestine unit, we watched this video, about children on both sides of the recent war in the Gaza Strip:

  
60 Minutes - The Lesson of War from The Center Mind-Body Medicine on Vimeo.

I asked students to take notes during this, on what we learned and what questions we still have about the conflict.

Brainstorm: After the video, we brainstormed the conflict in Israel and Palestine by noting what we did know at this point, and questions we still had to learn the answers to.

Here is what the class was able to brainstorm and note:


We have lots to learn about, which is good!

The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: This was a PowerPoint that I went through with the class. I decided to be nice and pre-print all of the notes to hand out, because I know that it has been a challenging last few months, and I wanted to give everyone a break. I did want to make sure everyone focused on the images and words in the presentation, too. Here's the PowerPoint, for those who missed class:


And here are the pre-printed notes that I handed out:


After the presentation, I talked a bit about at what your final project will be, which is a simulation on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. We went through this in class a bit, but basically, you can pick any (or all) of the five learning targets listed at the top of this post to show proficiency on, by either writing a paper to be turned in on finals day, or creating a presentation (which might also involve writing a paper), if you are in big time need of improving your grade. 

There were lots of questions here, which was good. Hopefully, students are starting to understand what I am going to be looking for!

Finally, at the end of class, we watched a VOX video on Israel and Palestine, which does a really good job at explaining a large amount of details about the conflict in 10 minutes. I know this was a lot at once, so turning the captions on is definitely a good idea:


This should give you a solid framework with which to start thinking about how you want to do your final project, and what you should focus on! We will continue to be investigating this in the next few classes. Thanks for your focus today! :-)
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Monday, June 19, 2017

Semester Finals, Day 1 - Class Recap


This past weekend was Father's Day! Here I am with my dad, mom, and both sets of my grandparents, in 2007.

Dear class,

One more day left of the school year together! Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
Communication LT 1: I can use language and style that is appropriate to the content area.
Critical Thinking LT 2: I can explain connections between events, issues, problems and concepts.
Knowledge LT 9:  I can explain demographic changes in the world and their effects.
Knowledge LT 19:  I can explain the impacts of nationalism and revolutionary movements. Knowledge LT 21:  I can explain how religious ideas impact the shaping of societies.

Soundtrack: "Give Peace A Chance" by John Lennon. Selected for today for obvious reasons, as we are working on the prospects of Israeli-Palestinian peace. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/19/17:
News Brief – Eric C.
Final Presentations
Discussion
Reflection

Homework: Read the blog! Next news brief: Alexander C.
---
News Brief: Eric C. had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: BBC.com - Finsbury Park attack: Theresa May condemns 'sickening' terror attack. We found the United Kingdom in the world map and discussed this most recent terrorist attack on Muslims, which came after Ramadan prayers at a London mosque. After that, we checked in about the weekend and what students were up to outside of class.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):


Final Project/Discussion: As promised, this was the Israel and Palestine Peace Conference. First, we had speeches (students that needed to demonstrate a Communication grade) that explained various aspects of the conflict and proposed possible solutions. We then had a great in class conversation with everyone about their thoughts on how to create peace in Israel and Palestine. Generally, I thought this was quite good, and students seemed to know their stuff. Thank you for your effort on this! I look forward to reading your papers, as well.

See you on Wednesday, for our final class of the year! It will be shortened, but we have lots of good stuff to get to in order to close out the year together well. :-)
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Thursday, June 15, 2017

Israel and Palestine, Day 8 - Class Recap


The sun is setting on our school year! This is a collage of photos I took in 2013 at the Eiffel Tower in France.

Dear class,

As it was the day before finals week, I did not assign any new work - it was mostly a study day. Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
Communication LT 1: I can use language and style that is appropriate to the content area.
Critical Thinking LT 2: I can explain connections between events, issues, problems and concepts.
Knowledge LT 9:  I can explain demographic changes in the world and their effects.
Knowledge LT 19:  I can explain the impacts of nationalism and revolutionary movements. Knowledge LT 21:  I can explain how religious ideas impact the shaping of societies.

Soundtrack: "One Day" by Matisyahu. Selected for today because it goes with our Israel and Palestine unit well. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/15/17:
News Brief – Sava
Final Questions
Clean Up
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog! Your final project for the year is due next class - upload it on Google Classroom (specific guide for what to do here). Finals for your period are Monday at 9:19 AM. Next news brief: Eric C.
---
News Brief: Sava had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - Amid diplomatic crisis Pentagon agrees $12 billion jet deal with Qatar. We found Qatar in the world map and discussed what has been happening there recently (a lot!). After that, we checked in about the weekend and what students were up to outside of class.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):


Final Questions/Clean Up: I told the class to start taking down pictures and posters from the bask wall in order to help clean up the classroom for the end of the year. I also gave time to continue working on Through Middle Eastern Eyes and anything else related to the final. This was an excerpt from a book, which I made a class set of. The two characters are representing the perspectives of Israel and Palestine. Here's the online version if you want to keep working on this at home:


There is a few pages of timeline and introduction in that, and then the characters start talking on page 229. The two characters in the reading were David (representing Israel) and Daud (representing Palestine). I wanted students to partner up and go through the reading together. Here is the assignment that goes with the reading, to note each perspective and help you prepare for your final assignment:


Work Time: The rest of class was set aside for the final project. I was checking in with every student as to which learning targets they wanted to be graded on for the final. Speaking of the final project, this form clarifies what the expectation is going to be on the day of the final, as well as what students should be writing/talking about:


I'm going to keep it simple and have students just focus on this. You should already know what learning targets you need to work on. Use the chart at the top of the second page to focus your writing/speech notes on the specific issues in the conflict. I know there were a lot of questions on this - please let me know if I can continue clearing this up.

See you next class for finals! Wow! :-)
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Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Israel and Palestine, Day 7 - Class Recap


Mt. Hood. We are almost to the end of the school year, everyone! The climb is close to being done!

Hi everyone,

We are so close to the end of the year! Hooray! There is plenty to prepare for next week with finals, so keep working hard, please. Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
Communication LT 1: I can use language and style that is appropriate to the content area.
Critical Thinking LT 2: I can explain connections between events, issues, problems and concepts.
Knowledge LT 9:  I can explain demographic changes in the world and their effects.
Knowledge LT 19:  I can explain the impacts of nationalism and revolutionary movements. Knowledge LT 21:  I can explain how religious ideas impact the shaping of societies.

Soundtrack: "City of Blinding Lights" by U2. Selected for today because of Jerusalem being a city that is so contested due to major religions. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/13/17:
News Brief – Carson
Final Questions?
Finish TMEE
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog! Keep working on your final project for the year (specific guide for what to do here). Next news brief: Sava.
---
News Brief: Carson had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: WashingtonPost.com - Suspected North Korean drone photographed advanced U.S. missile defense site, report says. We discussed what has been happening recently in North Korea and found it in our world map packet before moving on for the day.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):


Final Questions/Finish Through Middle Eastern Eyes: This was an excerpt from a book, which I made a class set of. The two characters are representing the perspectives of Israel and Palestine. Here's the online version if you want to keep working on this at home:


There is a few pages of timeline and introduction in that, and then the characters start talking on page 229. The two characters in the reading were David (representing Israel) and Daud (representing Palestine). I wanted students to partner up and go through the reading together. Here is the assignment that goes with the reading, to note each perspective and help you prepare for your final assignment:


Work Time: The rest of class was set aside for the final project. I was checking in with every student as to which learning targets they wanted to be graded on for the final. Speaking of the final project, this form clarifies what the expectation is going to be on the day of the final, as well as what students should be writing/talking about:


I'm going to keep it simple and have students just focus on this. You should already know what learning targets you need to work on. Use the chart at the top of the second page to focus your writing/speech notes on the specific issues in the conflict. I know there were a lot of questions on this - please let me know if I can continue clearing this up. Continue working hard on your final for next week!
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Friday, June 9, 2017

Israel and Palestine, Day 6 - Class Recap


This weekend is the graduation ceremony for the seniors at Westview! Therefore, a sunset picture above the clouds is appropriate. I took this on the way from California to Portland in 2007.

Hi everyone,

I hope you are feeling more clear about what to do for the final. Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
Communication LT 1: I can use language and style that is appropriate to the content area.
Critical Thinking LT 2: I can explain connections between events, issues, problems and concepts.
Knowledge LT 9:  I can explain demographic changes in the world and their effects.
Knowledge LT 19:  I can explain the impacts of nationalism and revolutionary movements. Knowledge LT 21:  I can explain how religious ideas impact the shaping of societies.

Soundtrack: "Good Life" by OneRepublic. Selected for today because all people want is a Good Life, even in Israel and Palestine! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/9/17:
News Brief – Chris
Check In
Final Questions?
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog! All late/missing/revised work due today (Friday) by 3:00 PM. Keep working on your final project for the year (specific guide for what to do here). Next news brief: Carson.
---
News Brief: Chris had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: NYTimes.com - Theresa May, Despite U.K. Election Setback, Will Form a Minority Government. We found the United Kingdom in the world map and talked about what happened in the election (which I was paying very close attention to, as a British citizen!) before moving on to check in about the weekend.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):


Check In: After the news brief, I had students turn to each other and check in about how the end of the year was feeling, in terms of stress and finals. It's important to take care of one another during stressful times! I had a few students share out about how they were doing, too. Please know that I am here for you! Let me know how I can support you, both now and into the future! Yes, I will still be that teacher in four years, saying hello to you when I see you in the halls!

Final Questions: Yet again, I went over in class what the expectation is going to be on the day of the final, as well as what students should be writing/talking about:


I'm going to keep it simple and have students just focus on this. You should already know what learning targets you need to work on. Use the chart at the top of the second page to focus your writing/speech notes on the specific issues in the conflict. I know there were a lot of questions on this - please let me know if I can continue clearing this up!

Work Time: For the rest of class, we worked on the final assignment - whether that is a speech, paper, or a combination of the two. If you have a Modern World History textbook or atlas, please bring it back to school ASAP!

Thanks, everyone! Keep working hard on this! Almost there!
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Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Israel and Palestine, Day 5 - Class Recap


I have not been to Israel/Palestine, but I have been to Jordan, which is right across the border. This is the famous Monastery in the ancient city of Petra. Photo taken in 2014.

Dear class,

Today was our last real day of new content in the class, with a look at an excerpt from a book about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
Communication LT 1: I can use language and style that is appropriate to the content area.
Critical Thinking LT 2: I can explain connections between events, issues, problems and concepts.
Knowledge LT 9: I can explain demographic changes in the world and their effects.
Knowledge LT 19: I can explain the impacts of nationalism and revolutionary movements. Knowledge LT 21: I can explain how religious ideas impact the shaping of societies.

Soundtrack: "I Want It That Way" by Backstreet Boys. Selected for today because each side in the conflict wants in their way. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/7/17:
News Brief – Deeksha
Final Roles
A City Divided
Through Middle Eastern Eyes

Homework: Read the blog! All late/missing/revised work due by Friday (next class!). Keep working on your final project for the year (specific guide for what to do here). Next news brief: Chris.
---
News Brief: Deeksha had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: BBC.com - Burmese military plane vanishes over Andaman Sea. We found Myanmar (also known as Burma) in the world map and talked about this news story for a bit, before moving on.

The next news brief was assigned to Chris.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):


Final Roles: Speaking of the final project, this form clarifies what the expectation is going to be on the day of the final, as well as what students should be writing/talking about:


I'm going to keep it simple and have students just focus on this. You should already know what learning targets you need to work on. Use the chart at the top of the second page to focus your writing/speech notes on the specific issues in the conflict. I know there were a lot of questions on this - please let me know how I can continue clearing this up!

A City Divided: After the news brief, we watched two more videos from VICE News, which help explain what is going on in Jerusalem and the West Bank right now. The first was Jerusalem:


We also watched the last five minutes of this video, which has to do with violence in the West Bank:


After watching "Promises" last week, this was intended to be an update about what is currently happening in the region. 

Through Middle Eastern Eyes: This was an excerpt from a book, which I made a class set of. The two characters are representing the perspectives of Israel and Palestine. Here's the online version if you want to keep working on this at home:


There is a few pages of timeline and introduction in that, and then the characters start talking on page 229.

The two characters in the reading were David (representing Israel) and Daud (representing Palestine). I wanted students to partner up and go through the reading together. Here is the assignment that goes with the reading, to note each perspective and help you prepare for your final assignment:


We will continue this next class. See you then!
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Monday, June 5, 2017

Israel and Palestine, Day 4 - Class Recap


The Embassy of Palestine, in Bogota, Colombia. I got yelled at right after I took this picture. Photo taken in 2009.

Hi everyone,

Another week together! Next week will be our last full one of the year, with plenty to do to prepare for the final. Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
Communication LT 1: I can use language and style that is appropriate to the content area.
Critical Thinking LT 2: I can explain connections between events, issues, problems and concepts.
Knowledge LT 9:  I can explain demographic changes in the world and their effects.
Knowledge LT 19:  I can explain the impacts of nationalism and revolutionary movements.
Knowledge LT 21:  I can explain how religious ideas impact the shaping of societies.

Soundtrack: "Put Everything Aside" by E-Z and Tailsman. Listen to the song here. Selected for today because a former student sent it to me as a comment on the blog last year. He helpfully translated the lyrics, which definitely relate to our work in trying to come to a solution for Israel and Palestine!

AGENDA 6/5/17:
Wildcat News Brief – Tyler
Finish Promises
Epilogue/Discuss
Final Roles

Homework: Read the blog! Know your grade (updated on StudentVUE) and how to improve it by this Friday, if possible. Keep working on your final project for the year (specific guide for what to do here). Next news brief: Deeksha.
---
News Brief: Tyler had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: BBC.com - Philippines police identify Manila casino killer. We found the Philippines in the world map packet and talked about this story, which was initially thought to be an act of terrorism, but it looks like that is not the case.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):


The next news brief was assigned to Deeksha.

Finally, we also watched Westview Wildcat news today. If you missed class or wanted to see it again, here it is:



 Finish Promises: Next, we finished watching the Promises (2001) documentary, about Israeli and Palestinian children. Here's a link to the note taking guide we are filling out as we watch:


Here's a link to a stream online for the documentary (this quality isn't very good, but it's better than nothing): Veoh.com - Promises Streaming.

Epilogue/Discuss: After the documentary, I showed an epilogue that catches up with a few of them in 2004. How crazy is it about Faraj and where he ended up?

I also showed this link, which is a more recent interview with Sanabel: An Update from Sanabel. I'm glad that she is happy students are still learning about the conflict and thinking of ways to solve it!

Here's an update from Faraj, as well: Promises: An Interview with Faraj Adnan.

We discussed the documentary and the roles of the children involved with it. Keep these notes to work on your final project!

Final Roles: Speaking of the final project, this is a form that clarifies what the expectation is going to be on the day of the final, as well as what students should be writing/talking about:


I'm going to keep it simple and have students just focus on this. You should already know what learning targets you need to work on. Use the chart at the top of the second page to focus your writing/speech notes on the specific issues in the conflict.

Another resource is this timeline of the conflict:


Let me know if you have any questions about what you need to do! Not much longer to go until finals! You can do this! :-)
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