ROGATE 8: Thinking deeper about First Amendment rights

Religion. Speech. Press. Assembly. Petition.

What lingering questions do you have about the five freedoms? What are you still wondering? Think beyond the surface, and go deeper with your questioning. Avoid simple questions and answers.

For example, perhaps you're still thinking about Commonwealth v. Twitchell or the limits of free speech. Perhaps you want to know more about famous examples of young people exercising freedom of expression and/or having their rights violated or ignored. Maybe you want to look further into how art has been used as not only a means of expression, but protest. Please do not limit yourselves to my examples.

For this blog post, I would like you to ask and (attempt to) answer your own question. You do not need an actual, concrete answer (there may not be one), but you do need to do some research. Even though we studied America's First Amendment, feel free to expand your thinking and questioning outside of the United States. Write at least 3 paragraphs and include your sources via hyperlink or footnote. I look forward to reading your questions and thoughts! (We will work on this in class on Monday and Tuesday.)

GT Seminar I: The Ethics of Social Media After Death

After watching Adam Ostrow's TED talk, "After your final status update" and reading Cyberspace When You're Dead from the New York Times Magazine, you should have a better-formed opinion of our ongoing discussion of the ethics of social media after death. Adam Ostrow asks, "What happens to our online personality after we die? Could it...live on?" Should it live on? What should happen to our social media accounts and blogs after we die? Should our families get to be in charge of our internet identities?

In a few paragraphs, address these ethical questions and respond to 2-3 of the points made in the article and/or the TED talk. Be sure to quote directly from the article when you reference it. Feel free to reference anything from the Mashable articles we read last week as well.

GT Seminar 1: 20% Project

Write a blog post about your plan for your first 20% project of the year. Include a link to your video! (Access it by logging in to our gmail account.) Describe what you want to learn about and why you chose your topic. Also include:

• Materials you anticipate needing and using

• Anticipated roadblocks/obstacles/barriers

• List of people (be specific as you can) whom you can consult for this project

Important announcement for ROGATE 7 & 8

Edmodo is down and in the event that it's not up again by tonight, please have your presentations saved elsewhere. You can email them to me or save them to Google Docs.

Looking forward to your presentations!

GT Seminar I: Chris Langan: "The smartest man in America"

After reading all about Chris Langan and his background in Outliers and watching his appearance on the game show 1 vs. 100, write a blog post in which you answer the question: Is Chris Langan successful? (Be sure to include your personal definition of succcess!)

ROGATE 8: Grades!

View my presentation from yesterday about traditional grading vs. standards-based grading and write a blog post in which you discuss your opinion. 

Be sure to address the following:

What is the purpose of grades?
What is your opinion of the current system? (numbers and letters, 100 point scale)
Do you think that the current, traditional grading system accurately represents your learning and knowledge?
Do you think we should keep the current grading system, transfer to a standards-based grading system, or use some combination of both?

ROGATE 8: Creativity in American Schools: What is going on?!

After watching Sir Ken Robinson's TED talk addressing the idea that schools kill creativity and reading Newsweek's The Creativity Crisis, I'm sure you have an opinion on the topic of creativity in schools today. In fact, I believe you have the best perspective, since you're all students. In a blog post, reflect on what we watched, read, and discussed. There's so much more to talk about related to this topic! What's your take on the idea that creativity in schools has been lost? Have you experienced this? What do you think the effects could be in the future? Write at least two paragraphs and reference both the talk and the article, as well as personal experiences.

I'll miss you guys while at I'm at the Google Teacher Academy and I can't wait to tell you all about my experience. Enjoy your four day weekend and I'll see you Tuesday!

GT Seminar I: The Kindergarten Debate

Sam Wang, an associate professor of molecular biology and neuroscience at Princeton and Sandra Aamodt, former editor in chief of Nature Neuroscience are the authors of Welcome to Your Child’s Brain: How the Mind Grows From Conception to College. They recently collaborated on an opinion piece titled "Delay Kindergarten at Your Child’s Peril" in New York Times.

Read the piece and compare their findings to those of Malcolm Gladwell in chapter one of Outliers. Decide whose side you are on in terms of when a child should begin kindergarten. Do you agree with Gladwell's concept of "accumulative advantage" or do you agree with Wang and Aamodt's theory that starting school late can actually be a disadvantage? Write a blog post in which you discuss your opinion and support your claim with examples and specific references to both texts. As with all assignments, you may include outside research as well.

ROGATE 7: Being Yourself

Go to the link below to access my Google form. Please answer the questions honestly, thoughtfully, and thoroughly. No one will see your responses except me.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dEJlZTRaeWd4WE1fTVJBZzNGY1hyUUE6MQ#gid=0

ROGATE 7: Gardner and Gregorc Learning Style Tests

It's time for your first real blog post. 

Review your learning style test results (both Gardner and Gregorc). What did you learn about yourself? How could this (new) knowledge help you in school?

Identify 3 people you admire. Then make an educated guess about what learning styles they may have. (Include Gregorc's and Gardner's terminology.)

After you write your post, check out your classmates' posts and find 2 people who have the same learning styles as you do. Comment meaningfully on their posts. At the end of your blog post, tell me whose blogs you commented on.

ROGATE 8: Learning Style Test Results

Review your learning style test results (both Gardner and Gregorc). 

What will you take away from the two learning style tests? What did you learn about yourself? How could this (new) knowledge help you in school?

Identify 3 people you admire. Then make an educated guess about what learning styles they may have. (Include Gregorc's and Gardner's terminology.)

After you write your post, check out your classmates' posts and find 2 people who have the same learning styles as you do. Comment meaningfully on their posts. 

GT Seminar I - All About Being Gifted

Write a post in which you discuss the ups and downs of being gifted and well as the myths and truths about gifted people. You must include personal experiences to support your points. You must also incorporate research from any and all the websites listed below. This means citing your source(s)! You can write, for example, "According to the National Association for Gifted Children...".

You should link to your sources. Do this by clicking the Link button atop your post window. You can display certain words as the hyperlink. For example, here's a picture of a terrifying clown on a small bicycle.This blog post is your first real grade of the course. Be thorough and aim for 2-3 ups, 2-3 downs, 2-3 myths, and 2-3 truths. I'm looking forward to reading what you write!

http://www.byrdseed.com/asynchrony-and-x-men/ 

http://www.nagc.org/commonmyths.aspx 

http://school.familyeducation.com/gifted-education/parenting/38662.html

http://school.familyeducation.com/gifted-education/parenting/38662.html

ROGATE 7 First Post!

Write an introductory post about yourself. This should be written in paragraphs. Include your first name, grade, favorite classes in school, favorite things to learn about (not just in school), hobbies, family, what you might want to be when you grow up, and what makes you happy. I can't wait to read your first post!

ROGATE 8: Ups & Downs and Myths & Truths of Being Gifted

Write a post in which you discuss the ups and downs of being gifted and well as the myths and truths about gifted people. You must include personal experiences to support your points. You must also incorporate research from any and all the websites listed below. This means citing your source(s)! You can write, for example, "According to the National Association for Gifted Children...".

You should link to your sources. Do this by clicking the Link button atop your post window. You can display certain words as the hyperlink. For example, here's a picture of Boo the dog.

This blog post is your first grade of the course. Be thorough and aim for 2-3 ups, 2-3 downs, 2-3 myths, and 2-3 truths. I'm looking forward to reading what you write!

http://www.byrdseed.com/asynchrony-and-x-men/

http://www.nagc.org/commonmyths.aspx

http://school.familyeducation.com/gifted-education/parenting/38662.html

GT Seminar I: First Post

It's time for your first post!

Be sure to include: name and grade, write about yourself (include 10 likes and 10 dislikes). What was the highlight of your summer? Which Gifted & Talented Seminar I units(s) are you looking forward to the most?

ROGATE 8 - First Post!

Write an introductory post about yourself. Include:

- first name

- grade

- favorite subjects in school

- favorite topics to learn about (not just in school)

- what you do in your free time

- what you want to be when you grow up :)

- what makes you happy

ROGATE: Last blog post of the school year

This is it! You made it! You're days away from becoming a high school student! Take a few minutes to reflect on this past year. Include:

• What was your favorite part of ROGATE class?
• What was your favorite lesson/unit/project in ROGATE?
• How can blogs be used more effectively in my future Gifted classes?
• Are you taking the Gifted & Talented Seminar I with me next year?
• What will you miss most about middle school?
• What questions/fears do you have about high school? (Maybe I can help!)
• What are your plans for the summer?

GT Seminar I: 30 Days - Living on Minimum Wage

After watching Morgan Spurlock's 30 Days: Minimum Wage, respond to the following questions in a blog post.

1) What surprised you when watching this episode? Feel free to describe multiple surprises.

2) Do you think this was a realistic portrayal of living life on minimum wage? Why or why not?

3) Overall, what did you learn from viewing this episode?

GT Seminar I: Waste Land documentary

Now that we have finished watching Waste Land as an introduction to our Hunger, Poverty, and War unit, I'd like you to respond to the film. In a blog post about, address the following:

-Discuss your overall reaction to the film.

-Though I told you (briefly) about what Waste Land is about, describe what you thought about the film in the beginning and how your opinion changed throughout the film. If it did not change, note that.

-In what specific ways do you think Vik Muñiz help the people of Jardim Gramacho?-Did the film make you think about how much garbage you produce on a daily basis? Do you think you will change the way in which you consume and dispose of goods as a result of watching this film?

-What other areas of society (American or otherwise) could be highlighted in Vik Muñiz's artistic way?

I look forward to reading your responses!

GT Seminar I: A photographic look at poverty

Scroll through, view, and read each of the 3 photo essays below. Then, choose 3 photos that are most memorable to you. Save them from the site, upload them to your blog (giving credit to the source), and write a personal reaction to each.


http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2012/02/slum_life.html

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/07/poverty_within_white_south_afr.html

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/02/portraits_from_the_congo.html

ROGATE: 20% Project

You will document your 20% Project progress weekly. Start today by including what your project is about, what you've accomplished so far (even if you don't feel like it's a lot), any obstacles you've discovered, and lastly, what you will do next.

GT Seminar 2: DAY O' QUOTES!

In a blog post, write about the following:

1) Discuss your opinion/reaction of the two quotes that were presented in class yesterday, "No man is an island" (John Donne) and "Hell is other people" (Jean-Paul Sartre).

2) Then, search the internet for 2 additional quotes, one that relates to LONELINESS and one that relates to HAPPINESS. You can either agree or disagree with these quotes. Write an explanation of what the quotes mean to you and how they relate to your outlook on life.

ROGATE: Waste Land documentary

In a blog post about Waste Land, address the following:

Discuss your overall reaction to the film. Though I told you (briefly) about what Waste Land is about, describe what you thought about the film in the beginning and how your opinion changed throughout the film. If it did not change, note that.

In what ways did Vik Muñiz help the people of Jardim Gramacho?

Do you agree that it's better to have the "honest" job at the landfill than the alternative, "dishonest" jobs mentioned in the film? Or do you think that having a job that society considers degrading is not worth it at all?

Did the film make you think about how much garbage you produce on a daily basis? Do you think you will change the way in which you consume and dispose of goods as a result of watching this film?

What other areas of society (American or otherwise) could be highlighted in Vik Muñiz's artistic way?

GT Seminar 2: On the topic of loneliness with Ezra Klein and Roger Ebert

After reading "Being fully human online" by Ezra Klein, and the two blog entries about loneliness by Roger Ebert (here and here), write a personal reaction to the pieces.

In your post, reflect on each of the readings individually. Then, reflect on the concept of loneliness and relate it back to yourself. Have you ever felt lonely? If so, what have you done to "cure" your loneliness? Do you use the internet as a place to round out who you are? How? To socialize? To inform? To learn? To communicate? Overall, do you think the internet is isolating us or bringing us closer together?

Ebert says, "What do lonely people desire? Companionship. Love. Recognition. Entertainment. Camaraderie. Distraction. Encouragement. Change. Feedback. Someone once said the fundamental reason we get married is because have a universal human need for a witness. All of these are possibilities. But what all lonely people share is a desire not to be -- or at least not to feel -- alone." Do you agree? Have you seen examples of this in your life experiences?

Boo!

GT Seminar II: Life in a Day documentary

After watching Life in a Day, blog about the film, making sure to:

-introduce how the film was made (re-explain what I told you/research it)
-include which scenes were most memorable to you
-include which scene(s) caused you to have a positive emotional reaction
-include which scene(s) caused you to have a negative emotional reaction
-answer the question of "What does it mean to be human?" informed by the film
-include any patterns of humanity that you saw
-include any juxtapositions that you saw (remember: juxtaposition is when you place two things side by side for purposes of compare and contrast)
-include any other comments or critiques you have about the film
-include whether or not you would recommend this film to a friend (why or why not)

GT Seminar 1: Terri Schiavo, a Bioethics case study

For your next blog post, you will write about all that you learned about the Terri Schiavo bioethical case study.

-summarize what you learned about the case study (give background information about what happened, referencing major points on the timeline)

-provide your answer to the following ethical question: Do you believe that the decision to disconnect Terri Schiavo from life-support was justified or not? Provide evidence to support your claim (research of facts from articles, medical journals, etc.)