Week Twenty-Three - Letters!

This Week

This week students are working on finishing up their letters. There aren't any pictures to show because each day has featured students working hard to craft their arguments and match their evidence to their reasoning. I've been conferencing with students individually each day as they need help and students have been given time to peer edit/critique. Today is the "big day" when they actually submit their letters. I will be doing my best to grade them over the weekend, but as this is one of the most complex pieces of writing they will do all year, I do ask you to be patient as I grade these 90 letters!

One student I wanted to highlight this week is Kayla Cindric, whose letter is looking awesome! It has a clear thesis and the evidence is very detailed. All of the evidence supports her reasoning, and it's exactly what I'm looking for when I grade this project - great work Kayla!

In terms of revisions once I do get through the letters, I explained to the students that my hope is that all of them will meet every aspect of the rubric that is necessary in order for them to get a 100%. If they do not, they will be able to revise up to a 90%. The rationale for this is that I want students to put forth their best effort on the first draft, and while I always want them to be able to revise up to an 'A', earning an A on the first time around is different than earning it on the second, third, fourth, or fifth draft, hence the difference between a 100% and a 90%.

As long as students follow my syllabus for how to revise work, they may continue revising up to the final week before the end of the quarter. If you have any questions about my revision policy, please feel free to reach out to me. My dream is that it won't be necessary because everyone will earn 100%!

Upcoming Week

Next week students will be working on their posters (finally!) Ms. Reid and I will be helping them turn their ideas into reality as they go through the process of creating an image, tracing it, carving it, inking it, and adding text.  If you'd like to see how the process works and what the end result looks like, check out this video ~

As a follow up to our unit on Bosnia, check out what's happened just today with some of those accused of committing genocide during the Srebrenica massacre in this BBC story.

Have a great weekend!

~Mr. Grieve

PS - Someone gave me an idea for how my beard could be trimmed if we reach that $1,000 mark...

Not sure it would look good on me or not... but I guess that's not really the point.

Week Twenty-Two: Letters and Posters

This Week

Communication was this week's theme. Students focused this week on crafting their arguments for their letters and beginning to use visual metaphors to represent their views on the conflicts and genocides they are studying through their artwork.

In class today students were given an opportunity to work on their posters while I met with students individually to go over their thesis statements and check their evidence to see whether or not they are on the right path. With 90 students, getting this done in two days has proved impossible, so I'm asking any students who did not get a chance to meet with me one on one today or yesterday to email me their thesis statements and their evidence so I can provide them with feedback via email or in person next week.  If students do not take advantage of this opportunity, their final grade on the letter project will be jeopardized!

Additionally, students worked on crafting visual metaphors for their posters. Below are some of the drafts. One of the reasons why I'm excited about this blog is that it gives parents (for the first time) a chance to see how these posters go from early ideas and evolve into their final drafts. If you'd like to see some posters from previous years, please check out the Conflict and Genocide Poster Project page on the DRSS website. It's hard to believe, but eventually their posters will go from the ideas, below, to awesome works of art!

Can you guess what this poster will be about?

Or this one?

What's the metaphor here? Or how can it be made into a better metaphor?

Upcoming Week

Next week we will continue working on letters and posters, so there will be little new content. One thing I did want to encourage students to consider (and perhaps have parents "push") is thinking about trying to enter the posters into one of two contests. For those students whose topics are the Holocaust or the Bosnian Genocide, I'd like to make you aware of two very cool opportunities:

If you're doing a poster on the Holocaust, consider entering the Max May Memorial art competition. The theme this year is "Seventy years after the end of the Holocaust and World War II - still learning about prejudice and racism." Click here for more information.

If you're doing the Bosnian Genocide, consider the competition below celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords. This is kind of a big deal, so would be cool if someone from my class entered! Contest information can be found here.

Last year, Shari Gordnier won the Max May Memorial Art Competition, so this is something that I definitely want to have students enter again this year!

Shari Gordnier received her award for placing first in the Max May Memorial Art Contest at Beth Jacob Synagogue. She was recognized during the Yom Hashoah ceremony, which occurs each year in remembrance of the victims of the Holocaust.

One last thing - I've told students that if they can figure out a way to raise money through our posters then I will let them shave my beard. It's gotten a lot longer than it was in the photo above....

How much is my beard worth? I think at least $1,000!

Here's my challenge ~
If students can use their posters to raise $1,000 for an international aid organization that helps people in conflict zones, I will let them trim my beard however they want during lunch one day this year and keep it like that for the rest of the school day. 

If they raise $1,500 I'll keep it like that for the remainder of the school day the following day (1.5 days). 

If they raise $2,000 I'll keep it like that for 2.5 school days (and so on for every $500 increment).

***Challenges must be approved by Mr. Grieve and the efforts must meaningfully integrate the posters that students will create so we can draw attention to past and ongoing conflicts and genocides around the world.

#TimeToShaveTheBeard

~Mr. Grieve

Week Twenty-One - Guest Speaker Week

This Week

 

This week has proven to be an exciting one, and we still have one more day! The theme of this week is listening. I was up in front of the class very little this week as students were fortunate enough to be able to hear from three different speakers provide three different perspectives on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. This is such an important topic, as the past truly is prologue to the present reality that is Israel/Palestine today. Thanks so much to all of my speakers for coming in and presenting their perspectives and their wealth of knowledge about this conflict. You can see some pictures from their visits below and what they talked about below.

Today, Park University Instructor Safa Suleiman came to speak with the students and present the Palestinian perspective on the conflict, sharing her views on why she believes there should be a one-state solution to the conflict.

Also today, former U.S. Representative, Steve Austria, came to discuss the importance of voicing your opinions to your Members of Congress and talk about his experiences while in Congress, which included meeting with the King of Jordan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during his travels to the Middle East.

On Tuesday, Former Montgomery County Assistant Prosecutor, Angela Frydman, came and spoke about her passion for the State of Israel and why she believes a two-state solution must take place through negotiations.

On Thursday, students will begin to process all that we have heard and discuss the role that historical primary documents (such as the Balfour Declaration or UN Security Council Resolution 242) continue to play in shaping peoples' views about the conflict and how it should be resolved. Students will be reconsidering their positions this weekend and are being asked to think through what it is, exactly, that they want to see happen to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and how they want their Members of Congress to make that reality happen.

As I tell the students, "I don't care what you think, I care how you think," so my goal is only to make sure that their letters are rational, well-reasoned, and historically accurate. The resolution to the conflict is entirely up to them!

Upcoming Week

 

For homework this weekend, students have to create their thesis statements for their letters, which they will turn in on Tuesday when we return at the beginning of class. At this point they can still change their minds, however they should be close to forming their opinions. Next week is a short one, and we will use it to finish up the remaining content we can cover and then begin writing our letters.

Also, over the weekend, I'm asking students to keep in mind why they're off on Monday, and I would ask all of the parents, as well, to consider the fact that we are getting a day off to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life and remember the sacrifices (and ultimate sacrifice) he made for peace. In light of this, I'd encourage you to read some of his words from one of his most famous speeches, which we've been reading in portions throughout the year. I think a great way to celebrate this day would be to read the portion from this famous essay, the World House Essay, which talks about how to bring an end to war and violence. It starts halfway down page 10 of the document.

Have a thoughtful weekend and please talk through this conflict with your sons and daughters. They're slowly becoming experts on this issue now!

I'll leave you with a favorite quote of mine from MLK Jr. ~

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

Week Twenty

This Week...

This week was brutal! From the bitter cold to the cancellations, I realize it was a difficult week for many. In light of that, I'm keeping this update short.

On Monday: We had class and began watching a documentary about the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Promises.

Tuesday-Thursday: Plan E took over and while I believe students had their assignments with plenty of time, I recognize that there is a lack of coordination between teachers during Plan E days and that assignments back up quickly. In light of this, I am extending the due date for all Plan E assignments to next Monday, 1/20/15.

Friday: We caught up with and clarified what I had assigned during Plan E days and had some great discussions about the conflict and the assignment I gave students yesterday. Each class' discussion was unique and insightful.

Upcoming Week

Obviously, the biggest disappointment was that our first-ever Israeli-Palestinian Peace Conference was cancelled! I was extremely bummed, but am happy to report that at least the Israeli and Palestinian guests I had lined up were able to reschedule for next Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Also, next Wednesday we will have former U.S. Congressman Steve Austria come speak to the students as well, so that's a plus! Students can get the "US" perspective straight from a former US Representative, which is an amazing opportunity. Let's hope the bitter cold is done, *knock on wood*!

Have a great weekend, stay warm, and email me with any questions you may have. Don't forget that teachers have a work day next Friday, so there will be no school that day.

~Mr. Grieve

Plan E (Already!)

Students and Parents,

Unfortunately our Israeli-Palestinian Peace Conference for tomorrow will be cancelled. I am sad, but am happy to report that two of the speakers, Angela Frydman and Safa Suleiman, have already been rescheduled for next Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Also, next Wednesday we are scheduled to have former US Congressman Steve Austria speak to the students. This marks a first visit from a former US Representative to DRSS, so I am excited to have the students hear from and interact with him!

The good news to report is that tomorrow's assignment has already been posted if you just can't contain your excitement and/or get to sleep tonight, so feel free to get a jump start.

As always, email me with any questions and have a great day tomorrow!

~Mr. Grieve

1/7/15 - Pilot Problems

All,

I am having Pilot Live problems. As a result, there will be no Pilot Live session for class today. Please complete the assignments as listed on my Pilot News Feed today. Please email me if you have any questions at arch.grieve@wright.edu.

Have a great day,

~Mr. Grieve

Plan E!

Students and Parents,

Please check my Pilot Page for Plan E instructions. I did not have a Pilot Live session, but assignments have been posted since 5:30AM.

Thanks, and enjoy the "day off"!

~Mr. Grieve