Syllabus

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work,

but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea."

- Antoine de Saint-Exupery -

Welcome to our Team!

We all have questions about how and why the world is the way it is. Learning how to analyze and research these questions is at the heart of this year's curriculum. Our primary goal is to support and strengthen students' critical thinking and analytical skills. These skills can be applied to our rigorous academic environment here at High Tech High, their collegiate career, and beyond into their professional endeavors. This year, we hope to explore the great questions of life by integrating activities, field experiences, and readings that support student growth in analyzing the complexity (and simplicity) of life. We emphasize the application of knowledge and skills by supporting students in community projects and outreach.

Team Essential Questions

Throughout the year we will work together to explore the following questions:

• 1. How can I use my individual interests and talent to understand and create change in the community, the country, and world?

  2. How do we use the scientific method and habits of a mathematician to formulate ideas, solve problems, and build a better understanding of our world?

Working within our Team: Our Expectations

In general, we have the following expectations for student conduct:

• 1. Respect yourself, your classmates, and your environment by using positive language, being an active participant, listening attentively, and helping out.

  2. Come to school prepared with paper and writing utensils. You should also have a binder to hold all project papers and assignments.

  3. Please be flexible! All dates and assignments are subject to change due to the nature of project-based learning.

  4. Keep up with current events by reading national newspapers and distinguished journals.

Design Teams and Collaborating

Students will be primarily working in “design teams” throughout the school year. Working within a group can be challenging but at the same time extremely rewarding. Learning how to communicate and collaborate with a group teaches the “soft skills” that studies have shown to be a pivotal part to being successful in college and in a career. Students will not be assessed based on their team's performance but rather on their individual contributions within the team.

Tracking Student Progress

Final grades for projects are determined by the following four categories:

• • Benchmarks and Process (25%) - students demonstrate the ability to meet deadlines and spend time and effort on each draft.

  • Collaboration and Critique (25%) - students demonstrate their growth as leaders by working with others in a professional manner and providing kind, specific, and helpful feedback.

  • Final Product and Presentations (25%) - students demonstrate their personal and academic growth and the impact that their projects have on themselves and the community.

  • Assessment and Reflection (25%) - students demonstrate their understanding of topics covered and thoughtfully reflect on their growth through assessment activities such as: tests, quizzes, written and oral reflections.

Challenge Yourself!

Challenge options are not to be viewed as additional work but rather a deeper level of work. Challenge work is our opportunity to celebrate student strengths. Students who have completed assignments/classwork may opt to complete a challenge option for their project and/or classroom task. Guidelines for these projects will be pre-determined and expanded upon by the students accepting the challenge. We strongly encourage students to propose challenge options and work with others to complete the expanded assignment.

Presence, Punctuality, and Late Work Protocol

If an absence is necessary, please notify the school and bring an official note explaining the absence. It is the student's responsibility to make up missed work, please contact teammates and check the team DP. Please notify us if the student will miss more than three consecutive days. Working as a team means that everyone must communicate and fulfill their responsibilities on time. Collaboration is at the heart of what we do and every individual's contribution is necessary for the team to succeed.

Family Support

• • Dig Deeper! If you ask, “What did you do in school today?” and receive the response, “Nothing”

    • Keep asking follow-up questions: Check the agenda and ask questions about the schedule or notes. What is one thing you did today? What is one new idea you had today? What is one question you wanted to ask today or did ask?

  • Check our DP’s often for updates on daily agendas, projects and due dates

  • Check PowerSchool often

  • Volunteer to be a TEAM PARENT!

    • Drive on field trips, help us find guest speakers, organize parties, food sales, etc.

  • Email us if you have questions, concerns, or updates on interesting conversations you had with your student.

Course Content

Please note that because we try to personalize projects and the nature of project-based learning, topics, readings, due dates, and projects are subject to change depending on student interest and current events. Refer to our Digital Portfolios (DPs) for updates on projects and an in-depth project description with homework and due dates. Projects will be integrated and (when appropriate) will incorporate elements of Math, Science, and Humanities (US History, Geography, and Literature). By the end of the year, student progress will be tracked based on the student's individual ability to demonstrate an understanding of the following content:

SEMESTER ONE PROJECTS

We, Too, Sing America (August 29 - September 9)

We will create “I am” poems in which we take how people perceive us and translate it into who we actually are. Using powerful historical examples of identity poems, students will practice figurative language and reflection through poetry.

• • Readings: "I, Too" by Langston Hughes, "America" by Walt Whitman, "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou, "My Name" excerpt from House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, and other poems and excerpts

  • Academic Content: Analyzing Poetry, Figurative Language, Poetry Writing

  • Student Development: Academic and Personal Goal Setting

You’ve Gotta Fight, For Your Rights... (September 12 - October 13: School Election Day!)

Part I: We will run an election campaign for a candidate for Student Senate. We will work in campaign teams to organize and implement a successful campaign while analyzing current primary candidates’ campaigns.

You’ve Gotta Fight, For Your Rights...Part II (October 17 - (November 8 Election Day) - January 20)

Part II: We will get actively involved in the campaigns by researching a domestic issue that we care deeply about. Students will then work in groups of 3 to create a video or photo documentary about the issue. We will host an all-school election that models itself after the real national election. Informing students on the issues and hosting them in a voting session. This project will have two due dates - one will be November 7 and 8 as an info session for voters and January 20 for the video documentaries that will be submitted to CSPAN. We will enter these documentaries in a CSPAN Student Cam contest.

• • Readings: Revolution by Deborah Wiles, various newspaper and journal articles regarding the election, excerpts from the Constitution and Bill of Rights, excerpts from various texts

  • Academic Content: Political Campaigns, Constitution (USA and others), Democracy, Marketing Campaign, History of the American political system, History of Voting Rights, Founding philosophies of the USA, American Revolution and Civil Rights landmark cases

  • Student Development: Group Collaboration, Persuasive Techniques, Civic Engagement

SEMESTER TWO PROJECTS

Model United Nations (Spring Semester)

You have just been appointed as Ambassador to the United Nations from your respective country. There are many important issues that need to be addressed and resolved. Your mission is to collaborate with colleagues from other nations to resolve these challenging problems. You will meet with the other delegates for three days to debate and resolve these critical world issues.

• • Readings: Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, Declaration of Human Rights, founding documents for UN, articles from journals and newspapers

  • Academic Content: WWII and the development of international organizations, UN organization, analysis of modern global issues

• Student Development: Framing an argument, negotiation techniques, Constructing an Argumentative Essay, responding to unexpected events