Last day, we discussed the basics of philosophical chairs, which is often used to discuss ethical dilemmas. As I was preparing for today's class, it dawned on me that in order to really have some good conversations, we need to learn about ethics, or the study of right and wrong.
The last unit that we'll be covering this year will simply be called "Ethics." In this unit, we'll be doing a whole bunch of cool things, including: segments of an ethics workbook, Philosophical Chairs, Essay writing, and a research report.
Knowing "right" from "wrong" shows up in all parts of our lives and we see it in many works of art, including film. Check out this scene from The Dark Knight, in which Batman must make a decision whether to kill the Joker or not. What would you do if you were Batman? Why?
This clip really makes me excited to see The Dark Knight Rises, which comes out this summer. What ethical dilemmas can you see Batman facing, just from viewing the trailer alone? What other ethical issues does the movie seem to raise?
Mr. Mac shows the class Batman and Philosophy.
With Mr. Mac's guidance, students work through Chapter One of The Ethics Workbook.
Restitution Lesson (touch toes/downshifting). First, who can remember the four basic emotional needs? Who's responsible for the meeting of your needs? What's the rule about meeting your needs in class?
An overview of Philosophical Chairs.
Article for Tuesday and your job to prepare.
Rest of class time to work on the article/any missed work.
For Friday's Pro-D Day, I learned more about restitution from one of the "gurus" in this field, Joe Shmoji.
Teacher does a quick review of the four basic emotional needs, followed by students identifying the needs from the following clips (what main need does each character have in each scene?):
During class, it is each individual's responsibility to meet his/her own needs in a way that doesn't interfere with others meeting their needs. To help Mr. Mac understand what your basic emotional needs are (individually and as a class), please complete the Needs Inventory (be sure to total them up on side two). Short class discussion to follow.
Participation assessment (for Theories of Relativity unit only).
Reminder: resumes and cover letter due today.
Students use the rest of the time to work on any missing assignments/extension activity (see Mr. Mac).
A great interview scene from The Pursuit of Happyness. What do you think? What skill does Chris use to land the job? What role did his resume and cover letter have in his getting hired?
Theories of Relativity deals homelessness and touches upon unemployment. One of the first steps to getting a job is to write a resume (detailing your qualifications) and a cover letter (explaining why you are a good fit and asking for an interview).
Your mission is to create two resumes (one for use now and one for 10 to 15 years in the future) AND ONE cover letter (for use now). Be sure to follow the proper format and steps as outlined in the handout. Feel free to use the templates found in Microsoft Word. You will receive a total mark /32 for the package. A breakdown of how I will mark these assignments will come on Thursday.
Package due Tuesday, April 24th with 4 classes (including today) to do your work.
Rest of the class, students receive time to work on their assignments, sharing the computer lab with Mr. Hotovy and others (depending upon lab availability).
If you could have three wishes to come true, what would they be? Students take a couple of minutes to quietly write these down, followed by a sharing time with the class.
Students watch a selected Youtube video interviewing a man who is homeless.
Now we what do you think of your wishes? Any changes you'd want to make? How could we help Real LeClair fulfil his wishes?
