Chapter 1: The War Zone

"The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry."

- Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

War is hell. And for the brave soldiers who fight to preserve and defend freedom and democracy -- sometimes that means you must be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. As we begin our year-long Dream Rush narrative, you'll find yourselves on the front lines of battles both at home and abroad, warring against foes that come both in the forms of invading armies and in the enemies of outdated social norms which are systematically designed to strip individuals of their inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Prepare for battle. You are now entering the war zone.

• 1.2 "Standardized Racism in the SAT?" (❎ Level 1)

Ok, so we all can agree that redlining is awful. But what about standardized testing? Believe it or not, even the most highly respected of America's educational institutions might just be hiding a painful secret and a deeply racist past. If you'd like to know more about the shady history of the SAT exam, check out this article, and create a short reflection in which you discuss your personal reactions to this bombshell of a revelation.

• 1.3 "This is America" (❎ Level 1)

A Raisin in the Sun was first produced in 1959 -- nearly sixty years ago today! Yet the cultural struggles of poor, predominantly black communities that the play addresses seem to be just as palpable and relevant in today's pop culture and rhetoric as they were more than half a century ago. Check out this think piece on Childish Gambino's groundbreaking music video, "This Is America, or check out this breakdown of the video's many symbols, then take some time to reflect on how the everyday struggles of black Americans have escalated, worsened, or improved since Lorraine Hansberry first put pen to paper.

What might the Narrator of Invisible Man say about this video? Create a short reflection in which you synthesize the evidence that you've collected and discuss at your findings.

• 1.4 "Black Lives Matter" (❎ Level 1)

By their own website's biography, Black Lives Matter is "an international activist movement, originating in the African-American community, that campaigns against violence and systemic racism towards black people." Is this movement exactly what it claims to be? Or is there merit to the arguments of the movement's critics, who claim that BLM is needlessly stoking the fires of racial division by perpetuating a false narrative of persecution that might actually be making the issue worse? Take some time to explore the BLM website, as well as any other critical viewpoints you may encounter on the web. Then create a short reflection in which you synthesize the evidence that you've collected and reflect on your findings.

• 1.5 "Just Do It" (❎ Level 1)

In September of 2018, multi-billion-dollar corporate sports juggernaut Nike -- official uniform supplier for the National Football League -- launched a new advertising campaign featuring former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, the player behind the National Anthem protests that have been at the center of the league's controversial news headlines for the past two seasons. If you can find the password to unlock this secret challenge, you'll have the option to write your blog post reflecting on the question hidden inside.

TYCOONS: Getting in the Game (❎ Level 2)

In the Spring of 2018, Mr. Meehan was interviewed on episode 42 of the Well PlayED podcast, hosted by Michael Matera, author of the book eXPlore Like a Pirate: Gamification and Game-Inspired Course Design to Engage, Enrich and Elevate Your Learners. And in the Summer of 2018, Mr. Meehan was interviewed on episode 32 of the Professor Game podcast, hosted by Rob Alvarez. The show has featured such gamification luminaries as Yu-Kai Chou and Dr. Richard Bartle. If you've ever shopped on Amazon or played Fortnite, these guys are some of the pioneers in game design who helped make those experiences so enjoyable.

For this side expedition, listen to either podcast in its entirety (30 minutes - it's in the link and on iTunes and Sound Cloud) AND have a parent, sibling, or family member do the same. Then interview your family member and discuss your experiences as a player in this "living video game," along with their impressions, reactions, and thoughts. Write a blog post about your shared conversation of at least three paragraphs in length, or record an impromptu family podcast of your own (.mp3 or .m4a format) and upload the file to your Google Site.