1/10 HOMEWORK: Finish reading book group books and read your exam review (posted on the Other Voices page) and come with questions. In class: StoryCorps presentations, plus the exam review (see the Other Voices page). We also did some clarifying of the concept of double-consciousness and course recommendations.
1/9: StoryCorps presentations
1/8: Homework: Anyone who was scheduled to present (1/4, 1/5, 1/8, 1/9) should be ready to go tomorrow. If you want to use a chrome book on the final exam, let me know ASAP. We worked in reading groups: see "OV Reading Groups #4 (with Round House)" attached below.
1/3: HOMEWORK: Continue reading your book group book and finish the work on Dubois. in class: presentations in C Block, plus starting work on Dubois (see "OV Chap 1 The Souls of Black Folk" and "OV response to Dubois" attached below).
1/2: We looked at the 14th and 15th Amendments (attached below).
1/1: The presentation schedule is attached on the StoryCorps page
12/20: B BLOCK: Please see "Finishing Vowell and book group #3" attached below. HAVE A WONDERFUL BREAK!
12/19: C Block: Please start by meeting in the groups you talked in yesterday and talk through what you heard, what you learned, what interested you. The focus should be on the complexities of the Trail of Tears, of the Vowells' discussions about the past and their relationship to it, an about what all this has to do with search for equality and identity in American history. Add to yesterday's notes (shared with me) 5-8 of the most interesting things you talked about and 3-5 of the best connections to class. PLEASE hand in the notecards at the end of this discussion. Then, return to the podcast, click on the Act Two banner and press play (it should start you at 33:58). This section starts by focusing Andrew Jackson, then shifts to Oklahoma, to their own family history and finally to the conclusion where Vowell tries to figure out what all this means. Take notes and what you are finished, in your journals, reflect on what you have heard (strive to fill at least a page and a half). Please finish this for homework if you do not finish in class. Also, you should be reading so that you can discuss with your book groups tomorrow.
B Block: Please continue to listen to this episode of This American Life ( if you did not get to listen to the Prologue yesterday, start there. If you did, click on the Act One banner and then press play (the banner should turn from blue to orange when you do this, and it will take you to the right place). This episode DOES have a transcript, so if you would like to follow along, open a second tab or window to the same site and click on "transcript" right underneath the audio link so you can access the transcript in one window and the audio in the other. This is a "road trip" episode about the Trail of Tears and its effects on who we are today - or as Ira Glass says in the Prologue, "...besides repeating it to someone else, what are you supposed to do with history? Especially history as ambiguous as that of our beloved United States of America, a history that's alternatively murderous and heroic, money grubbing and idealistic. " Sarah Vowell (who some of you will recognize from The Incredibles and some of you will recognize from Ms Marshall's American Lit) is the main storyteller for the hour. Please listen to Act 1 and take notes that relate to Ira Glass' question and to our search for identity and equality and the messiness of seeking those. After you've finished Act 1, please reflect on the back of the notecard (fill the back). Then, please meet in the groups you talked in yesterday and talk through what you heard, what you learned, what interested you. The focus should be on the complexities of the Trail of Tears, of the Vowells' discussions about the past and their relationship to it, an about what all this has to do with search for equality and identity in American history. Add to yesterday's notes 5-8 (shared with me) of the most interesting things you talked about and 3-5 of the best connections to class. Then, return to the podcast, click on the Act Two banner and press play (it should start you at 33:58). This section starts by focusing Andrew Jackson, then shifts to Oklahoma, to their own family history and finally to the conclusion where Vowell tries to figure out what all this means. Take notes and what you are finished, in your journals, reflect on what you have heard (strive to fill at least a page and a half). PLEASE hand in the notecards at the end of class. Please finish this for homework if you do not finish in class. Also, you should be reading so that you can discuss with your book groups tomorrow.
12/18: Make sure you look for your block and follow those instructions.
C Block: We're going to spend the next few days thinking about identity and equality and American Indians. To start, please read this article about the history of the word racism. You'll see that the article centers around the movement in this country to "save" the American Indian by assimilating them. As you read, please take notes about what strikes you as important for you to know, given our purpose (equality and identity) AND connections to your book groups books (pay special attention to the idea of being separated from family and culture). After you've finished, on the front of the notecard: write a reflection about what you've read, making solid connections to class, to prior knowledge, to your book group books, etc (Fill the front of the card). Then, please talk with 2-3 people near you about what you read (these do NOT have to be people in your book groups), share what you found most interesting, clear up any confusions, etc. One person in each group please open a google docs, include each group member's name and share with me the 6-8 best ideas from your discussion. Please start to listen to this episode of This American Life This episode DOES have a transcript, so if you would like to follow along, open a second tab or window to the same site and click on "transcript" right underneath the audio link so you can access the transcript in one window and the audio in the other. This is a "road trip" episode about the Trail of Tears and its effects on who we are today - or as Ira Glass says in the Prologue, "...besides repeating it to someone else, what are you supposed to do with history? Especially history as ambiguous as that of our beloved United States of America, a history that's alternatively murderous and heroic, money grubbing and idealistic." Sarah Vowell (who some of you will recognize from The Incredibles and some of you will recognize from Ms Marshall's American Lit) is the main storyteller for the hour. Please listen to Act 1 and take notes that relate to Ira Glass' question and to our search for identity and equality and the messiness of seeking those. After you've finished Act 1, please reflect on the back of the notecard (fill the back). Do not turn these in on Monday. Finish this for homework if you run out of time in class. PLEASE BRING HEADPHONES TOMORROW AS WELL.
B Block: We're going to spend the next few days thinking about identity and equality and American Indians. To start, please read this article about the history of the word racism. You'll see that the article centers around the movement in this country to "save" the American Indian by assimilating them. As you read, please take notes about what strikes you as important for you to know, given our purpose (equality and identity) AND connections to your book groups books (pay special attention to the idea of being separated from family and culture). After you've finished, on the front of the notecard: write a reflection about what you've read, making solid connections to class, to prior knowledge, to your book group books, etc (Fill the front of the card). Then, please talk with 2-3 people near you about what you read (these do NOT have to be people in your book groups), share what you found most interesting, clear up any confusions, etc. One person in each group please open a google docs, include each group member's name and share with me the 6-8 best ideas from your discussion. IF there is time, please start to listen to this episode of This American Life (the prologue is only 5 minutes long, so you might be able to get that out of the way today). This episode DOES have a transcript, so if you would like to follow along, open a second tab or window to the same site and click on "transcript" right underneath the audio link so you can access the transcript in one window and the audio in the other. This is a "road trip" episode about the Trail of Tears and its effects on who we are today (ors Ira Glass says in the Prologue, "...besides repeating it to someone else, what are you supposed to do with history? Especially history as ambiguous as that of our beloved United States of America, a history that's alternatively murderous and heroic, money grubbing and idealistic." Don't go beyond the Prologue today, as you won't have time. PLEASE BRING HEADPHONES TOMORROW AS WELL.
12/15: See "OV Reading Groups #2 (with Round House)" for details.
12/14: HOMEWORK: read your book groups book and write a reflection tonight to bring to class tomorrow.
We watched an excerpt from The African-Americans: Many Rivers to Cross: Episode 4). You can watch it here (start at 15:30 and watch until 45:00 - after Marcus Garvey's boat leaves). This excerpt gives context for Song of Solomon and deals with issues that are cut across all of the books. Watch for: Booker T Washington and W.E.B. Dubois, pay attention to the crafting of identity (by both whites and blacks), the need for models, the use of photography, film, etc. to provide models, people who craft their own identities and the effects, Marcus Garvey and his movement.
12/12: HOMEWORK: StoryCorps papers due by Thursday. Presentations start this week. Independent reading for Friday. In class, see "OV Reconstruction Amendments" attached below.
12/11: HOMEWORK: StoryCorps papers due by Thursday. Presentations start this week. Independent reading for Friday. In class, see "OV Reconstruction Amendments" attached below.
12/8: Independent reading groups.
12/7: Go to the StoryCorps page for instructions.
12/6: HOMEWORK: Continue to work on whichever you did not work on in class (StoryCorps or reading). Remember that drafts are due tomorrow.
In class: Continue to work in class on either the StoryCorps assignment or your independent reading (PLEASE do NOT share with me until tomorrow's class). Everyone needs a draft of the StoryCorps project (shared with me and with your response group) by tomorrow, If you are listening to interviews (did not do you own), you should strive to have as close to a complete draft of the essay as you can (this is NOT a change - the original due date often final was Monday, so in fact you are behind). If you conducted your own, your drafts should be a complete outline of your presentation (including the selection of the clip and the connections to class). Share this with me and with your response group on Thursday.
For Friday's book group meetings, you must come with a reflection (at least a page long) of the reading AND list of questions/things you ant to talk about. SOME students (in past classes) have found it easier to write a paragraph refection after each chapter , so their final reflection is composed of these paragraphs. You do NOT have to do it that way. It's an option. I'll ask you to share these with me on Friday.
12/5: HOMEWORK: Work on whichever assignment (StoryCorps or book group reading) that you did not work on in class.
First - go to the StoryCorps page to read the explanation of how to work on your project. Then, for more information, see "B+C Blocks StoryCorps and book group" attached below.
12/4: HOMEWORK: Between now and Thursday, everybody reread the requirements for the StoryCorps project and the grading criteria. If you conducted an interview, listen to it again, this time thinking about our purpose and the requirements of the oral presentation, Take notes (focused on those requirements and the purpose) and start to identify possibilities for the excerpt you will play in class. If you DID NOT conduct an interview (OR did not get one I could access to me), it is your task to listen and take notes on three interviews (two must be Wachusett interviews. There's a link on the StoryCorps page). As you are taking notes, remember the purpose an requirements. Listen for patterns and/or connections you hear between the interviews, connections to our class, our cornerstone quotes, etc. The more you have, the easier it will be to write the reflection. Bring notes to class on Thursday.
Please see "B + C start independent reading..." attached below. Reading for Friday (check with group members for the assignment.
12/1: HOMEWORK: Finish the reading and reflection if you did not do so in class. Work on your StoryCorps project this weekend. All interviews must be uploaded (see instructions on the grading criteria handout) by Monday. In class, please read the excerpt of the chapter from Ecstatic Nation (scanned in copies are on the Ecstatic Nation page, link below). As you read, mark up the text, highlighting the 10-15 most important ideas. After you have read, reflect (on Google Docs, shared with me)on what you read, how it informs, changes, deepens, etc. your understanding of the Civil War era, of U.S - American Indian relations, etc. Please also write about how this chapter illustrates the need for equality ( and the barriers to it) and the connection between identity and equality. Strive for a page of reflection.
11/30: HOMEWORK: Finish the reading and reflection if you did not do so in class. Work on your StoryCorps project this weekend. All interviews must be uploaded (see instructions on the grading criteria handout) by Monday. In class, please read the excerpt of the chapter from Ecstatic Nation (scanned in copies are on the Ecstatic Nation page, link below). As you read, mark up the text, highlighting the 10-15 most important ideas. After you have read, reflect (on Google Docs, shared with me)on what you read, how it informs, changes, deepens, etc. your understanding of the Civil War era, of U.S - American Indian relations, etc. Please also write about how this chapter illustrates the need for equality ( and the barriers to it) and the connection between identity and equality. Strive for a page of reflection.
11/29: HOMEWORK: read the grading criteria for the StoryCorps project (posted on the StoryCorps page) and email me with questions. Also, if you did not finish the reflection after listening to "The Spin" please do that and share it with me.
C Block: Please see "Civil War Podcasts Day 2" )attached below) for complete instructions. Check my comments on your google docs first. Here's Uncivil: "The Spin and write a one page reflection - see "Civil War Podcasts Day 2" for focus and some questions.). If you are finished, please read this piece in the NYT's and tell me what you think matters about it in the reflection you have already shared with me.
B Block: Please see "Civil War Podcasts Day 2" (attached below) for instructions. You are meeting in groups first - share your insights about the podcasts you listened to and then share mist important ideas in a Google doc with everyone in your group and me. Here's Uncivil: "The Spin .
11/28: Podcasts for you to split up in your groups of three: Uncivil "The Raid". Stuff You Missed "Robert Smalls From Contraband to Congress",and Stuff You Missed: "Civil War Medicine: Mary Edwards Walker." B Block - for instructions see the B Block instructions in "Civil War Podcasts" attached below.
C Block - for instructions, see the C Block instructions on "Civil War Podcasts" attached below. C Block - here's Uncivil: "The Spin."
11/27: We began our study of equality by looking at the Dred Scott Case. If you were out, please watch this and take notes (hand those in for a grade). I also introduced the book choices for the book group readings. H credit: Song of Solomon, Black Ice CPA credit: either of the honors books and The Hate U Give.