POL Practice and Critique

Reminders

• Grades will be final as of this afternoon.  Please let me know if you have any questions.
• If you forgot to do it yesterday, email or turn in Starters 9-14 (with the exception of 13)
• POL Schedule.  Again, please talk to me ASAP if you have issues with the schedule.  If you need to switch days, it is YOUR responsibility at this point to find another student to switch with.  If you do this, inform Lori ASAP.  
• Please remember that if you do not pass your POL, you will have to redo on Friday.  Please do not make plans to leave town until after you have passed.

Practice POLs

We will listen to two practice POLs.  After each POL, rank them in each category on the rubric, and write down 1 piece of positive feedback, and 1 thing they need to improve, with a concrete suggestion.

POL Run Throughs

• Get in groups of 3
• One person presents their entire POL.  After the presentation portion, please ask them 4 interview questions of your choosing.
• Score them using the rubric.
• Verbally discuss the strengths of their POL
• Verbally discuss things they need to improve and refine in their POL
• Switch and repeat for the other two people in your group

Finish Preparing

Do whatever you need to do to finish prepping for your POL!  Gather evidence, practice, finish DP, etc.

HOMEWORK

Practice your POL for your family tonight.

POL Prep...continued!

POL Prep Review
Review with Lori what you did over the weekend, what the expectations are for today.

TURN IN STARTERS 9-14 (except for 13)
Last grade of the semester!  Email them to Lori or put them in the mailbox.

POL Prep Activities
You must complete all of the required activities on the list linked above.  If you finish all required activities, please complete as many of the choice activities as you can.  Remember, these are not busy work, they are to prepare you to give an amazing POL!

HOMEWORK
Come to class tomorrow ready to practice your ENTIRE POL.  This means you should have the following things completed:

1. Notecards for presentation (talking about two classes)
2. Evidence for presentation
3. Evidence for interview questions

SNOW DAY! POL Prep for Weekend

Hey everyone!  Hope you all are enjoying the snow day.  Tragically, in order to be ready for your POLs next week, you will need to do the work we were going to do today in class.  Please see below for the activities you need to complete, and what you need to walk into class with on Monday.

Starter 14:

Look over the list of interview questions. 

Which 2 questions do you think would be most difficult for you to answer?  Why?

Which 2 questions do you think would be easiest for you to answer?  Why?

Things to complete in order of importance:

Activities should be completed in the order they are listed!

Content Outlines: Finish them, have them completely ready for Lori to check off on Monday.

Interview Question Evidence: Find evidence for all the interview questions (note what it is on your POL handout).  You will want evidence that you could use for multiple questions (3-5 pieces, maybe?)

Content Question Evidence: Gather evidence for content questions.  Whenever possible, have it on your DP!

Content Question Practice

This weekend, practice the content question answers at least 3 times.  You could do it in front of the mirror, for your parents, for the family dog...just make sure you run through them at least three times.  Try to time yourself.  Answers to each content question should be 3-4 minutes long.

HOMEWORK

• Have content question outlines complete.  I will be checking these for a grade first thing on Monday.
• Have evidence thought through and written down for all of your interview questions.
• Practice content questions at least three times.

POL Prep, Day 1

Starter 13

1. Carefully read through the entire POL Packet.  Highlight, underline, or star at least three things that you think are really important.
2. Write down 2-3 questions you have about this round of POLs.

POL Prep: Schedule

Review the schedule as a class.  It is also linked above.

POL Prep:  Humanities Topic Brainstorm

Brainstorm possible Humanities concepts you could talk about in your POL.

POL Prep: Content Questions

If you have an A (90% or above) in Humanities, use whatever process works for you to create notecards.

If you have a B or below, in Humanities, you must go through the following steps:

1. Freewrite (at least 1/2 page for each class) on the content questions, show Lori
2. Complete POL Outlines for each class
3. Get outlines checked by Lori
4. Create notecards (1 per content question)

Work Time

1. Content questions and notecards
2. Finish DP for Humanities or other classes

HOMEWORK

None, unless we have a snow day!  If we have a snow day, check this DP for what you need to do.  You will need to stay caught up with POL work in order to stay on schedule for next week.

Social Psychology...YEAH!

Starter 12

What do you think is the primary factor in getting people to participate in a violent activity—their inner personality, or their environment?

Give percentages for each, and explain your answer using examples to back up your reasoning.

Situation vs. Disposition Lecture

• Situation vs. Disposition PowerPoint
• Situation vs. Disposition Lecture Notes

Conformity Activities

1. Conformity Activity Instructions
2. Asch Experiment Video is below

HOMEWORK

None!  We'll continue with the wonders of social psychology after break.  :) 

Genocide Quiz 1

Genocide Quiz
Complete quiz and turn in to Lori.

Study Time
Time to study for your other exams this week.

HOMEWORK
None!  Enjoy the night off.

Quiz Review!

Starter 11
Look at the list of things you need to know for the quiz (on your rubric, or on the board).  For each of the 5 major topics:

• Topic Name
• Rank how well you think you know it, on a scale of 1-4 (4 = could take test now, 1 = no idea)
• What’s the best study strategy for you for this topic?

What are the biggest questions you still have about Deogratias?  List 3-4.

Deogratias Discussion

In groups of 6, you will be discussing Deogratias to prepare for your quiz.  You need to choose a facilitator who will ask questions and keep the discussion on topic.  Take notes if you need them!  You must answer all the questions below, but you should also feel free to discuss other questions you have.

1. Summarize the plot of Deogratias.  What are the most important events, and in what order do they occur?
2. What is the significance of Deogratias turning into a dog?  (This question is KEY!  Think about what it might symbolize…look beyond the literal!)
3. What is this book trying to say about genocide?  What is the message?
4. What does this book have to say about the role of foreigners in Africa?  How are they characterized?
5. Who is the person in this book with the most guilt?  In other words, who is the most responsible for what happened to Venetia, Benina, Apollinaria, and Deogratias?
6. How does the message of this book apply to your own life?

Quiz Study Time

Time to study!  Use whatever strategies you think are appropriate- flashcards, rewriting notes, group discussion, concept maps, whatever works! 

This is your last time to get clarification from Lori about concepts you are confused about, so ask her questions as well if you are still struggling to understand.

HOMEWORK

Study for QUIZ tomorrow!  See post from last Wednesday for details on what to study.

Finish In Class Essay

In Class Essay
Finish it!  When you're done, read it out-loud to yourself, have a classmate proofread it, print, and turn it in.

HOMEWORK
Study for QUIZ on Tuesday!  See Wednesday's post for details and resources.

In Class Essay

Writewritewritewritewritewrite.

Work on your in-class essay on the question:  How did imperialism and social Darwinism contribute to the Rwandan genocide.

You will have two hours to complete this assignment on Friday.  It is due by the end of class on Friday.

HOMEWORK
Study for QUIZ next Tuesday.  See yesterday's post for details and resources.

Quiz Review, Movie, Outlining

Sometimes in April
Finish watching the movie.

Starter 10

1. What does "Sometimes in April" have to say about justice and healing after genocide?
2. What do you think would need to happen for a country to heal after a genocide?  List at least 3 things, and explain why you think they would help.

Quiz Topic Review:  QUIZ ON TUESDAY, 12/11

On your Genocide Content Rubric, look at the "Got It!" column that is shaded in.  You should ONLY be studying from this column!  Here are the categories you'll be tested on, and some of the class activities and handouts you probably want to use to study from.

1. Rwandan History (timeline in my classroom, WWtIY)
2. Imperialism and Social Darwinism, Bullet Points 1 and 2 only.  (Imperialism Motives, Social Darwinism)
3. Propaganda and the Media (Propaganda Messages)
4. Deogratias (we'll do some discussion and activities on Monday to prep for this)
5. International Involvement, Bullet Point 1 only.  (Ghosts of Rwanda)

Outlining Time!

Look over the Timed Writing Rubric and my Outlining Tips for some possible approaches to this paper. 

HOMEWORK:

Finish your outline for the in-class writing on Thursday and Friday.

Lori Out Sick

Hey guys, sorry to bail on you today.  My cold got worse instead of better, so I'm home with whiny cats today.  Here are some things you should know....

Seminar
We'll do the Deogratias seminar on Wednesday.  I'll be back tomorrow, so plan on it!  If you haven't finished your seminar prewrite, you've got one more night.

WWtIY Comprehension Corrections
These are still due on Wednesday at the start of class.  You may email them to me or have a hard copy to turn into the mailbox.  Do NOT plan on using the first 5 minutes of class for this!

In Class Writing
We'll do the in-class writing on Thursday and Friday.  There will be NO homework on those days- I only want you writing during class.

Quiz Review
I'll give you guys a quiz overview tomorrow.  The quiz will be next Tuesday, so you should still have plenty of time to study.

Hope you guys are enjoying the movie- we will finish it on Monday of next week.

Lori

Deogratias and Thesis Statements

Starter 9

1. What is the message of this cartoon?

2. To what degree do you think this is accurate?  Explain, drawing on your knowledge of the past and the present.

Deogratias

Read the excerpts from WWtIY called "Dogs of Rwanda."  Then answer the following questions in about 3-5 sentences each:

1. How does this connect to Deogratias?
2. What new insight does this give you into Deogratias' character?
3. What does it tell you about the role and status of dogs in Rwandan society?

Deogratias Seminar Prewrite

Choose TWO of the following questions to answer in typed paragraphs.  You will need this with you at the start of class tomorrow:

1. What makes Deogratias go crazy?  Think about what he did, and what was done to him.
2. What was the significance of Deogratias turning into a dog?
3. Who is the person in this book who should take the most blame?  In other words, who is most responsible for what happened to Benina, Venetia, and Apollinaria?  Why?
4. What is this book trying to say about genocide?  (Hint: go deeper than "it's bad"!)
5. How does the message of this book apply to your own life?

WWtIY: Part 4.  Flipping the Question and Finding Evidence

Participate in a short workshop on how to flip an in class writing question into a thesis statement.  Then work on finding evidence from Social Darwinism and from WWtIY to support your thesis statement.

HOMEWORK

Finish Deogratias Seminar Prewrite.  It must be TYPED!  DUE: Start of class, Tuesday.