From Philosophical Chairs to Arguing Both Sides...

Hello there,

      So we meet again debators.  Now that you all have had a taste of defending a point/perspective in a debate-like activity, let's take our skills to the next level.  Today we are going to do a debate preparation activity called ARGUING BOTH SIDES.  As you enter the room and read this blog post please grab a piece of blank paper and fold it right down the middle from top to bottom.  Across the top please write "Why Cell Phones Should Be banned in School".  Label the left column "Reasons" and the right-hand column "Examples". 

      When you have this set up you are ready for circle.  Please check out the learning targets for the day and figure out how you might want to go about hitting them. 

READING:  I can evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text; assess the reasoning and evidence for relevancy.

WRITING:  I can write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

Yours Truly,

C

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher

School District of Waukesha

Waukesha STEM Academy

Philosophical Chairs: Day 2...

What's up Debaters!?

      All your teachers could not be more impressed by all of you!  From the students who had a chance to speak there voice to the students who did not get a chance to speak, all of you handled yourselves well.  It seems to me you all are natural debaters. 

      Here are your learning targets again for the day.  Please look them over and think of a few ideas as to how we hit those yesterday and how we will hit them today.  Come to circle with 2 ideas. 
Learning Targets:
I can make informed judgements about media. 
I can prepare for and engage in collaborative discussions (large group, small group or partner), clearly expressing my own ideas and building on others’ ideas.
I can sort out relevant information from irrelevant information in written text and in information presented orally.

      Now, down to brass tacks.  I took notes yesterday and made many observations in all three CORE classes.  I posted my notes on blackboard if anyone is interested in seeing those.  Although each CORE had a different experience, here were some common questions:

1. Is there a topic that you would like to revisit? 

2. Are there any topics that have not been discussed that you feel need to be discussed?

3. Is there a topic you would be interested in doing additional research to discover additional information? 

4. Was there anything that was brought forth during debate that you would like to have a chance to rebuttal now? 

5. Is there a debate topic you can think of on your own that you would like to add to the list? 

      Below are the topics for you to see and follow along:

·       STEM Academy should facilitate modules as opposed to direct instruction to encourage the development of self0directed learning and the understanding of concepts.

·       Organ donation should be compulsory for all United States citizens

·       The public's right to know is more important than the privacy of celebrities

·       September 11 should be made a national holiday

·       Middle schools should not have promotion ceremonies

·       Schools should be year round

·       Zoos do more good than harm

·       The United States government should provide free healthcare for all U.S. citizens

·       The United States should significantly expand its use of nuclear power

·       Beauty pageants do more good than harm

·       All Americans should be required to provide one year of national service

·       College athletes should be paid

·       To combat obesity, the government is always looking at policies to encourage people to eat healthier foods while cutting out fatty and sugary items, but what about the idea of food taxes on certain goods?

·       Should Americans carry an identity card with them at all times or is this and invasion of privacy?

·       Should the U.S. government continue to aid other countries or help our own?

·       Should High Schools offer alternate training for those who do not intend on going to college instead of the same education?

      Welcome to round two of Philosophical Chairs.  Remember paraphrasing: Ethos.  Remember thoughtful reflection: Pathos.  Remember textual evidence as well: Logos. 

Sincerely,
C

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher

School District of Waukesha

Waukesha STEM Academy

Philosophical Chairs...

Happy Camel Day Y'all,

      You all know what Ethos, Pathos, and Logos are now.  You all know how to paraphrase written text and verbal conversation.  You all have a basic understanding of what a debate is and what philosophical chairs is as well.  YOU ARE READY! 

      Below you will see the topics and the learning targets for today's game.  Please bring your open mind and open heart to the game today.  Philosophical chairs is not played to belittle anyone, make someone feel inferior, or make someone feel better than someone else.  This game is played to practice the art of persuasion and influence, NOT MANIPULATION!!  This game is played to form thoughts and opinions as well as support them with your credibility, reason, and your feelings.  Feel free to try things out today and make mistakes.  I'm asking you to make mistakes today.  Get out of your comfort zones.  Today is practice.  As long as you participate there is no way you can fail at this. 

·       STEM Academy should facilitate modules as opposed to direct instruction to encourage the development of self0directed learning and the understanding of concepts.

·       Organ donation should be compulsory for all United States citizens

·       The public's right to know is more important than the privacy of celebrities

·       September 11 should be made a national holiday

·       Middle schools should not have promotion ceremonies

·       Schools should be year round

·       Zoos do more good than harm

·       The United States government should provide free healthcare for all U.S. citizens

·       The United States should significantly expand its use of nuclear power

·       Beauty pageants do more good than harm

·       All Americans should be required to provide one year of national service

·       College athletes should be paid

·       To combat obesity, the government is always looking at policies to encourage people to eat healthier foods while cutting out fatty and sugary items, but what about the idea of food taxes on certain goods?

·       Should Americans carry an identity card with them at all times or is this and invasion of privacy?

·       Should the U.S. government continue to aid other countries or help our own?

·       Should High Schools offer alternate training for those who do not intend on going to college instead of the same education?

Learning Targets:
I can make informed judgements about media. 
I can prepare for and engage in collaborative discussions (large group, small group or partner), clearly expressing my own ideas and building on others’ ideas.
I can sort out relevant information from irrelevant information in written text and in information presented orally.

Yours truly,

C

The Declaration of Independence...

Happy Monday,

      To start out our day together please click on the link below.  All of you have probably seen this brainpop already.  Great!!  Please arrange yourselves in groups of 3 or 4 for this activity.  Assign one person to be the "driver".  The "driver" will be using their computer to take the graded quiz and print it when the group is finished.

The Declaration of Independence

1.  Take the graded quiz 
2.  When finished, put all your names on the quiz in order to get credit.
3.  Print your results and hand in to Mr. C. 
Special Note:  All groups that score a 9 or 10 will receive a small treat tomorrow in class.  Good luck! 

Try to have some fun with the activity and test your knowledge.  Those who finish early... would you be so kind as to Google what the following items mean.
- Tory
- Delegate
- Equality
- Prose
-Treason
-Sedition
Yours Truly,
C
P.S. Here are our learning targets for the day...
History:  I can identify the significant people and events that tell the story of the United States.

Writing: I can draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection and research.

Reading: I can analyze connections and distinctions made between people, ideas or events.

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher

School District of Waukesha

Waukesha STEM Academy

Guest Teacher, Letters, and LIBERTY Part 2...

Hey gang,

      Like I said earlier this week, you have a guest teacher today.  Treat him/her better then you treat me and help out.  I will be at the reading convention all day trying to get some great new ideas to share with all of you. 

      There are two things to accomplish today before the end of class.  One is we have to begin to think about writing a formal or professional letter.  We will be writing letters to each other as part of the project to wrap up the American Revolution and as part of our debating process.  The second thing we will accomplish today is to revisit the video we started on Tuesday, "LIBERTY!".  Each CORE is starting in a different spot.  If your CORE finishes part one of LIBERTY!, move on to part two.  In part two it mentions the events that led up to the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE: how it progressed and who wrote it. 

Formal Letter Module
This link is the link to get into the module.  Here is the breadcrumb trail:
bb9 - hist lit - Exp Col Am Rev - Go Public - Writing a Professional Letter

Do your best,
C

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher

School District of Waukesha

Waukesha STEM Academy

The Declaration of Independence: Ethos, Pathos, Logos...

Happy History to you all,

      The Declaration of Independence is one of the three major documents that helped to create this country.  We are going to practice out skills as a LITERATE HISTORIAN in order to take a step back into our country's birth.  We will try to think, FOR OURSELVES, and figure out why this one document was so successful at achieving the goal its writers set out to achieve.  We will also walk away with a better understanding of Tools of Persuasion: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos.

Learning Targets Today:
Reading...I can analyze the structure of text and its role in developing key concepts.
Reading...I can determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze it by summarizing the key supporting details and main ideas


Tim and Moby's take on the Dec. of Ind.

The Real Deal

Ethos Pathos Logos Revisited

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher

School District of Waukesha

Waukesha STEM Academy

Liberty Part 1...

Good Day,

      Liberty is defined as follows...  Liberty is a contested moral and political principle that seeks to identify the condition in which human beings are able to govern themselves.

1: the quality or state of being free:

a : the power to do as one pleases

 b : freedom from physical restraint

c : freedom from arbitrary or despotic control

d : the positive enjoyment of various social, political, or economic rights and privileges

e : the power of choice

2a : a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant : privilege

b : permission especially to go freely within specified limits

      Please open to a fresh sheet of notes in your Me Book.  Leave a spot at the top and write the learning targets there before we begin.  After you have the learning targets in your Me Book use the definition from above to define LIBERTY in your own words. 

History:  I can identify the significant people and events that tell the story of the United States. Writing: I can draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection and research. Reading: I can analyze connections and distinctions made between people, ideas or events.

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
School District of Waukesha

Waukesha STEM Academy

Learning Modules...

Hi guys and gals,

      I will not be with you today so you will have to facilitate the leading of your own learning.  By now all of you are aware of the two learning modules that are posted in Bb9.  One is on Ethos, Pathos, and Logos: The Three Pillars of Persuasion.  The other is on Perfect Paragraphs, Paraphrasing, and Paragraph Mapping.  Those of you who make it to the final activity of the Perfect Paragraphs, Paraphrasing, and Paragraph Mapping may use the work we did last Friday to help you paraphrase and paragraph map.  The papers we used for our energizer last Friday can be found on the front table.  The link provided in this post will give you another perspective on the 3 Pillars of Persuasion. 

 ETHOS PATHOS LOGOS

Sincerely,
C

 From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher

School District of Waukesha

Waukesha STEM Academy

The Perfect Paragraph...

Hey Y'all,

      High Five Friday!!  Think back to yesterday.  A paraphrase is a restatement of the meaning of a text or passage using other words. The term "paraphrase" derives via Latin paraphrasis "additional manner of expression". 
      The huge nugget below is brought to us by our own Nick Kopp.  Check out what he thinks about "perfect paragraphs".  Once you have an understanding of what a "perfect paragraph" is, and believe you can PARAPHRASE what a perfect paragraph is, meet in circle. 

The Greek definition of a paragraph is "to write beside" or "written beside". A paragraph consists of more than one sentence. A perfect paragraph will have more than 8 sentences at the least. Not every paragraph will have this but perfect paragraphs will have a topic sentence which simply states what your paragraph is about so the reader has a main idea of your paragraph. This is almost like giving your reader clues to what they are about to read or like giving them schema. Next should be your supporting sentences. These are like the building blocks or supporting blocks these should be detailed sentences with lots of information, descriptions, facts, figures and any other ways to support your main idea. Last but definitely not least is your conclusion sentences should be the cherry on top. This should restate your topic sentence. This should have more detail than your topic sentence because it should be more interesting. Once again this is a perfect paragraph and not every paragraph in a published article is perfect. 

-Nick Kopp, Core 3

Historical Literacy

 

Reading...I can analyze the structure of text and its role in developing key concepts.
Reading...I can determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze it by summarizing the key supporting details and main ideas.

Sincerely,
C

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher

School District of Waukesha

Waukesha STEM Academy

Paraphrasing...

Good day to you all,

      Read the paragraphs found below.  Survey them.  Read them.  WE WILL REVIEW THEM TOGETHER.  Just be ready with a thought when you come to circle. 
     
      A paraphrase (/ˈpærəfreɪz/) is a restatement of the meaning of a text or passage using other words. The term "paraphrase" derives via Latin paraphrasis from Greek παράφρασις, meaning "additional manner of expression". The act of paraphrasing is also called "paraphrasis".
      A paraphrase typically explains or clarifies the text that is being paraphrased. For example, "The signal was red" might be paraphrased as "The train was not allowed to proceed." When accompanying the original statement, a paraphrase is usually introduced with a verbum dicendi​—​a declaratory expression to signal the transition to the paraphrase. For example, in "The signal was red, that is, the train was not allowed to proceed," the that is signals the paraphrase that follows.

See Terms of use for details.  Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.

Reading...I can analyze the structure of text and its role in developing key concepts.
Reading...I can determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze it by summarizing the key supporting details and main ideas.

PARAPHRASING


From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
School District of Waukesha
Waukesha STEM Academy