The inevitable sounds of second trimester.. the sound of work.

At this point, I am fairly confident that students understand that  there is really no avoiding the reality of challenging work that lies ahead.  It is in the second trimester where so much of the learning process takes flight.  This is the trimester that really tests the mettle, the intestinal fortitude, of students.  It is at this point in the year where those who are truly ready to embrace the arduous path of scholarship begin to ascent and those who were merely trying to fulfill its cliches seem to realize that more commitment is needed.  It is at this point where the maturation process begins to illuminate itself, almost like a self- awakening being of consciousness coming to life...

Or, maybe, it's just colder so that the will to resist is less...

In any event, the work is beginning to become evident and pile up in the lives of our students.  The only path beyond this beast is to be able to plan effectively in a long term setting.  The use of daily planners, online syllabi, and plotting out how work can be completed is the way out of this purgatory of work.  It is through this that some of the most effective habits of high school life will be present. Certainly, this is the case with this week in Social Studies:
Monday- Tuesday:  Howard Zinn Project and Add on Sheets should be near completion.
Tuesday- Students will be asked to either submit work or take an extension until Friday, at which time work can be submitted to me during 5th period lunch.
Wednesday- Discussion of Swami Vivekananda and giving voice to Progressivism.  Students will have homework based on three of Swami's quotations.
Thursday- Reading and Discussion of LeGuin's "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas."  There will be questions regarding the story's connection to Progressivism to be answered from it.
Friday- We will  be reading and discussing Bradbury's "All Summer in a Day."  Our discussion will surround the Progressivist themes in the story.

The work is maintaining its challenging edge, but it is delivering greater ferocity to our students, ones who hope to embrace the torch of scholarship.  It is my hope that they are ready to accept a challenge that defines the very essence of "challenge."

All best.
Mr. Kannan

Zinn Projects Are on the Way!

This week is where the Howard Zinn Assessments take hold. Please remember that all projects and the add- on sheets are due on Tuesday, December 4.


Week of 11.26- 11.30
8.2 Social Studies
Mr. Kannan

Monday:  Introduce Zinn Assessments.	HW:  Be ready to declare your Zinn Assessment choice tomorrow.
Tuesday: Questions on Zinn Assessments.  Declare and begin working on Zinn Assessment.	HW:  Zinn Assessment and Add on Zinn Assessment due on December 4.
Wednesday:   In class work time on Zinn Assessment and Add on Zinn Assessment.	HW:  Zinn Assessment and Add on Zinn Assessment due on December 4.
Thursday:    In class work time on Zinn Assessment and Add on Zinn Assessment.  Conference time with individual students.	HW:  Zinn Assessment and Add on Zinn Assessment due on December 4.
Friday:     In class work time on Zinn Assessment and Add on Zinn Assessment.  Conference time with individual students.	HW:  Zinn Assessment and Add on Zinn Assessment due on December 4.

Possible questions for stakeholders to ask students:

1)  Why have you chosen the task you have?  What about it interested you?

2)  How are you going to "work backwards" in completing the task by Tuesday September 4?  How are you going to make sure that both the Add- On  and the project will be due by Tuesday?

• A schedule might work here.  It could look like this:
• Wednesday, November 28-_________________________ (What will be done)
• Thursday, November 29- ___________________________ (What will be done)
• Friday, November 30- _____________________________ (What will be done)
• Saturday, 12.1 and Sunday 12.2 ______________________ (What will be done- Keeping in mind that Saturday is the placement exam at OPRFHS.)
• Monday, 12.3_________________________ (Final touches added)

3)  Are you working on your own?  (If they give you a name of a student that they are going to be working with, ask yourself- and them- if this collaboration will actually work and work well.)

4)  Are you taking a project to get you the grade or to challenge your abilities?  It's important for students to start distilling between both, if there is a collision between the two.  It's really important for them to talk to you about these things.  Next year, many of your discussions will revolve around grades and risk taking in terms of classes and so on.  It's not a bad dialogue to begin appropriating now.

5)  How can you "like" our work?  What can you do to add something distinctly "you" in it?

These are topics that I will be broaching with your students.  It might not be a bad idea for you to do so, as well.  Greater chances of success lie when they hear both of us speaking the same words, engaging them in the same discussion.

If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Mr. Kannan

Welcome to the "whole year inn," complete with Howard Zinn!

It's Howard Zinn all the way down and I can only wish you the best in dealing with Howard Zinn.
All best.
Mr. Kannan

Week of 11.12- 11.16
8.2 Social Studies
Mr. Kannan

Monday:  Quiz today In class choice:  Work on Zinn reading for tonight independently and silently or meet in “The Place to Be” for Breakout discussion.	HW:  Read Parts IV to VIII in Zinn.  Expect a quiz tomorrow.  Make sure you annotate for required elements.
Tuesday: Time to expect a quiz.  Then, work on tonight’s reading.	HW:  Read parts IX- XIII and annotate for that which is essential.
Wednesday:   Quiz today. Read parts XIV to XVII in class.  Finish for homework.	HW:  Finish XIV to XVII in Zinn tonight.  Expect another quiz tomorrow.
Thursday:   Time to expect a quiz.  Work on Zinn reading for tonight independently and silently or meet in “The Place to Be” for Breakout discussion.	HW:  Finish XVIII to XX tonight.
Friday:  Finish reading Zinn Article.  Annotate for Themes in Progressivism.	HW:  Catch up in all Zinn reading.  Prepare for exam on Zinn next week. (This would mean that all sections have been annotated and that you are clear about essential concepts that should have been annotated in each section.)   It’s about time we threw one out there.   If you are nice, it could be an open note exam.  If not, it is what it is.  Just so you know, your Social Studies teacher does like being told that the New York Yankees is the best baseball team in history.  This would count as being “nice.”

Work for Week of 11.5- 11.9

Click here for Election Extra Credit!  All Election Extra Credit is due on Monday, 11.12.