Above and Beyond

Syllabus

Course Overview:

Above and Beyond is a challenging one-semester elective course for seventh and eighth grade students.  Class participants will practice creative, critical, and productive thinking skills and explore a variety of topics in depth such as philosophy, law, and engineering. 

During the first six weeks, students will consider and respond to a variety of philosophical questions.  They will then explore the philosophy of design and construct a variety of products which may include balsa wood towers, gliders, and other items.  Lastly, we will study our legal system and conduct mock trials as we explore our nation’s philosophy of justice.  

When possible, we take field trips to area courthouses to meet lawyers and judges and observe trials, and often invite guest speakers to meet with us on related topics in philosophy, law, and engineering.  Students will also work independently to investigate relevant topics and present their research to their classmates.   

Supplies:

Students will need to bring iPads, pens, and paper to class daily.

Grading Policy: 

Major Grades:  60%, Skills Development:  40%

Retest Policy

Students will be allowed one retest opportunity per test.  The student will only retest sections where a learning goal was not mastered, to earn points back on the test.  To retest, the student must first schedule a re-teach session with the teacher within 24 hours of receiving the test.  After the re-teach session, a date will be set for the retest.  The timeline for this entire process is one week.

Make-Up Policy

Students receive one day for every missed day to turn in make-up work.

Classroom Management  

All students are expected to demonstrate respect for the ideas, rights, and the property of others.  Students are expected to arrive in class prepared to participate in all assigned activities. 

If problems arise, student and teacher will discuss behavior concerns.  If problems continue, parents will be contacted regarding student behavior concerns.  If problems persist, student will receive an office referral.  Serious infractions will result in an immediate office referral.

Teacher:  Carol Reese

E-Mail Address:  creese@eanesisd.net

Phone Number:  732-9240  x 32924

Unit Details

First Unit:  Philosophy

We are beginning our unit on philosophy with a look at fallacies and logic. We will examine the philosophies of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and learn about the culture of Greece in ancient times. This unit may include readings from Plato’s Apology (Greek term for “defense”) relating to Socrates’ statements when he was on trial in Athens. We may also view a short film on Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” and discuss views on reality and illusion.  Students will be taking a look at the ideas and beliefs of more contemporary philosophers in the coming weeks.  All students will be designing Adobe Spark pages for selected philosophers, telling us what their philosophers were thinking and sharing during their lifetimes. “Thought Papers” will be written as responses to philosophical questions such as: 

• Can a person have a thought if s/he doesn’t have the vocabulary to describe it?

• How do you know when you “know” something? 

• Should you be rewarded for your efforts in school, or only on the outcomes of tests? 

• Are impossible things ever possible?

This is just the tip of the iceberg!  Our discussions will be LIVELY!

Students need to bring a pen, paper, and iPad to class each day.

Second Unit:  Philosophy of Engineering Design

We will next work on a unit on engineering, and learn about the various roles of engineers in society.  Students may explore topics such as flight, aircraft design, skyscraper design, and more. Students will have the opportunity to create and design various products throughout the semester.  A possible field trip to meet with engineers will help students learn about additional fields in engineering.  Students may tour facilities such as UT's Engineering Department to learn about their cutting-edge work in various fields of engineering.

Third Unit: Philosophy of Justice

Our unit on law will be our final topic for the semester.  We will define justice, and explore legal scenarios to better understand the complexities of this concept.  Students will examine our court system, conduct a mock trial, and (hopefully) visit a courtroom to see our legal system in action.

I can be reached at 732-9240 x 32924 or by e-mail at creese@eanesisd.net