Stop. Look. Listen. What’s going on in Denver?

Representative Colleen Lamonte of the State House 91st District was in our classroom first, second, and third hours on Friday.  You all did well; so did she.  Good exchange of ideas…good discussion.  Challenging questions and thoughtful answers.  I think it was a good day for democracy.

What’s going on in Denver is a good lesson in democracy.

This nation of ours is a mess… and its not getting any better.  Corrupt public policy driven by ignorant and apathetic public interest swirling into dysfunction…unless of course you are have a lot of money: how many of you asked Representative Lamonte what do we do about the cost of higher education?  How many of you are worried about that cost?  How many of you will have children; and if you do, how on earth at this present rate of tuition increases, will they ever see the inside of a college classroom?  This system is broken and it affects us all.  You in particular.  And nobody really knows what to do about it.  Nobody knows how to fight back.

In fact many of you asked that question as well.

Well, high school kids in Denver are providing a lesson in fighting back. They are saying  “NO” to being bricks in a wall.  They are out of class.  They are in the streets.  They are bringing their parents with them.  This is the first amendment, this is the fourteenth amendment in action.

So let’s look!  And let’s learn.

 

 

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Assignments for October 3, 2014

Period #1 – Senior Current Issues…

I’ve signed out a Chrome Cart for first hour only.  Please send one of the students down to the library to pick up the cart in the AM

For the substitute teacher – It’s been pretty cool in class lately.  Please read the previous link concerning Hong Kong and our social networking connections.  Tell the students they can ALL bring their phones  – and any kind of texting or searching or looking for events in progress in Hong Kong is fully acceptable.  Headphones are boxed in front.  Trust them..they are doing good things here.

I was going to show a movie, however they have done such good stuff, I don’t want them to miss an opportunity to check in and see how things went last night in Occupy Central.  So, bring your own phone and have them teach you how to connect.  They know what they are doing…be careful of Shelby however, for obvious reasons.

I would like everybody to read the linked article at some point in the hour – this is the 17 year old kid I was talking about who has taken a leadership role in the student movement.  Make sure not to miss the video within the article.  And here’s an update from Reuters on events currently in play.   Make sure to read this linked article from the Denver Post about the School Board meeting last night in Jeffco, Colorado.

Assignment – due posted to google docs (bobwoodmsu@gmail.com) by 11:59 PM Sunday.  (350 words target) 

Google Docs Question – Do these connections that we’ve made in Hong Kong, or the things that you’ve learned in Denver, make you feel any differently about your ability to successfully take on “the system”.  What do you think are the biggest challenges that your generation must face – and what is to be learned from either or both of these battles in taking them on?  Were there any specific experiences or insights that brought you to your conclusions – provide examples.  And finally, does it matter?  Does any of this really matter?  Can you, can your generation be successful in fostering real reform – or are the mountains too steep to scale? 

Use the questions above as a prompt and go in the direction you feel that you need to go, to make your point.  Do not feel compelled to answer each individual question.  And don’t forget a hard copy written assignment – Meditation in Time Magazine due on Monday beginning of the class period.

Period #2 & #3 – Government

We are watching a movie – The Children’s March” Events of Birmingham in 1963.  A very good movie.  It is located up at the computer or with my seating charters on the front podium.  Make sure everybody knows that they must turn in Civil Rights Timelines the beginning of the period on Monday.  Students are not to be working on Timelines during the movie.  There are a few extra copies…you might want to run down to the copy center and have about twenty more run off.

Period #4 & #5 – Economics

Students are working on a set of Focus Questions – Economic Systems.  We began the assignment yesterday – the Assignment is due turned in at the beginning of the period on Monday.

That’s about it.  I don’t expect that you will have any problems.  If you like Breaking Bad you should find a lot of fans scattered throughout the classes.  People do not need to be out in the hall roaming, regardless of what they say.  I expect all students to be respectful – Please go here to access my Classroom Rules.  If anybody at all is disrespectful or taking advantage of the situation, please leave names I will deal with specific individuals upon my return.

Any questions check next-door with Mr. Barry.  Or call me at 616-402-8668 or email bobwoodmsu@gmail.com

Thanks so much…have fun tuning into Hong Kong.

Bob Wood

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SCI Survey Results

Go here for survey results regarding SCI direction for the Fall semester 2014.

 

Look, if all we do is “Wake People Up” to issues of the world, we are doing something.

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“The World” – Senior Current Issues, SSR and Memiary

Every Tuesday and Thursday for the remainder of the school year during first hour Senior Current Issues we will use the Chrome books for SSR.  We will run an online stopwatch down from 15:00 following the Pledge.2014-ent-header

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SCI – Environment, Education, and Onward

Thank you for stopping by! You should be able to find all the information you need here with us. We do have another online resource that you can use, be sure to Check This Out. That should be enough to get you started and get ready for the steps that come next!

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world’s leading questionnaire tool.

 

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