Research Inquiry Project: Topic Exploration

IQ: What would make a good topic for a persuasive research essay? What are the strengths and weaknesses of my synthesis essay?

1. Research survey
2. Introduce Research/Inquiry Project
3. Topic Exploration
4. Review Monolinguism Synthesis

• Arguments for and against
• What do the sources say?
• Review your writing
• Highlight with pink- student's voice
• Highlight with green- the sources
• Highlight with blue- the "connective tissue" where you introduce who/what is being said, context, etc.
• Evaluate the writing: is there a clear, reasoned point? Is the evidence sufficient and convincing? Is there a strong, smooth voice?

HW: Find topic for essay, be reading for Lit Circle next Monday

Socratic Seminar

Goal: To evaluate and analyze a body of criticism of Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s claims about Islam and justify my opinion on these topics in a class Socratic Seminar. To show that I am listening to others by asking questions and building off of their points.

Inquiry Question:  Is Ali justified in her statements that Islam is an inherently violent religion, or if her views promote intolerance and a negative view of Muslims, as her critics claim?

1. Aaron's News Thread
2. Socratic Seminar Guidelines

3. Discussion!
4. Reading Groups: Create reading calendars
5. Wrap-up/Reflection

HW: Read books and practice Vocab from Units 1-3
Respond to Aaron's news thread

Criticism of Ayann Hirsi Ali

How can reading a variety of sources in order to understand the multiple perspectives on Hirsi Ali’s views influence my own opinion about her work?

1. SENIOR PROJECTS!!

• How to write an inquiry question
• Packet materials

2. What's on the table for Quarter 3?

• Synthesis Writing...research paper due at the end of February. Create your own inquiry!
• Outside reading book...your choice of 4 investigative journalism books (could be related to your inquiry question).

3. Multiple Perspectives and Entering the Conversation

1. Idea behind the synthesis essay
2. Start with a question:
1. Is Ali justified in her statements that Islam is an inherently violent religion, or do her views promote intolerance and a negative view of Muslims, as her critics claim?
3. “Listen first”--read sources, take notes on them, raise questions, think about one author would say to another author…
4. Then, respond to that text--agree, disagree, qualify, add on, raise questions
5. Finally, develop your own point of view about the issue at hand
1. Make sure you are going back to the original question as some articles veer off in different directions

4. Start reading Ali criticism: enter the conversation!!

Upcoming:

Next class: Diagnostic Synthesis Essay

Due Friday: Finish reading articles (7 total) and take notes: They Say/I Say

Socratic Seminar on Friday

Welcome to Semester 2!

IQ: How can I explaining the answers to the multiple choice test help me improve my ability to answer questions correctly?

1. YLNT #10: Gabe (check the calendar to see when you're presenting!)

2. Hand back midterms and discuss scores

3. Imagination passage: paraphrase, check for understanding, practice writing explanations

4. Groupwork: Multiple Choice "key"
Each group will tackle a different passage and questions. Fist, "chunk" the text and paraphrase. Then, create an answer key for your section, explaining why each answer is right/wrong. This will be done on a shared document, so you can go back and check your answers later.

Coming Up: Return to Infidel and Intro to Synthesis

Multiple Choice Review

IQ: How can I explain my answers to the multiple choice exam? What kinds of questions are asked, and what are some strategies I can use to tackle this part of the exam?

1. Check in on Infidel

2. Writing warm-up: Argument

3. Review multiple choice

4 Types of MC questions: Meaning & Method

1. Factual
1. Words refer to, allusions, antecedents, pronoun referents
2. Technical
1. Sentence structure, style, grammatical purpose, dominant technique, imagery, point-of-view, organization of passage, narrative progress of passage, conflict, irony, function of…
3. Analytical
1. Rhetorical strategy, shift in development, rhetorical stance, style, metaphor, contrast, comparison, cause/effect, argument, description, narration, specific-general, general-specific, how something is characterized, imagery, passage is primarily concerned with... , function of....
4. Inferential
1. Effect of diction, tone, inferences, effect of description, effect of last paragraph, effect on reader, narrator’s attitude, image suggests, effect of detail, author implies, author most concerned with, symbol

"Samuel Johnson on Pope": Highlight or underline and vocabulary that's unfamiliar. Then, look up the meaning of the words and write in the margins.

1. For each question: first, identify the type of question
2. Share your answers out loud and discuss any ones that you have different responses for. Don’t just go with the majority--make sure everyone understands why the group believes what it believes.
3. Write the final answers for the group on a new piece of paper.
4. After 15 minutes, we will correct the responses. Whichever group has the most number correct wins!

5. Correct the rest of the exam...how did you do??

Next Class: Multiple Choice Exam

Welcome Back! Infidel, Part II

IQ: What do the passages I chose say about Ali's intellectual and spiritual development over the course of the text?

1. Check-in: Welcome Back!

2. Get into small groups (3-4 students) to discuss Infidel. 

• Structure of Infidel: Part I vs. Part II: How does the structure of the novel help shape the book as a whole? Why go into so much detail about childhood/adolescence? Do you think it is relevant? 
• Small Group Discussion: Save the Last Word: Directions: Groups of 4, student A presents significant quote and explains it for 2 mins. Next 3 members add on for 1 min each. Finally, the original speaker responds for 1 minute. Then student B presents his or her quote for 2 minutes, and so on. Choose a timekeeper to keep the group on track. 

Two rounds:

(1) Ayaan’s change in beliefs

(2) Holland’s treatment of refugees.  

Turn in your passages at the end of the period.

HW: Multiple Choice Diagnostic: Complete over the weekend. Time yourself: 1 hour.


Upcoming:
Tuesday: Review MC, Rhetorical Analysis, Argument
Thursday: MC Exam (part of midterm)

Midterm: Thursday, January 18th 8:00-9:30
Rhetorical Analysis & Argument

Infidel Part 1

IQ: What are the central ideas of Infidel and how are they developed over the course of Part 1?

1. YLNT #7: Chloe

2. The Tragedy of the Commons...explained on Ted Ed!

3. Infidel discussion

• Go over 6-7: add to your questions in a different color
• Work on chapters 8-9 in small groups
• Whole group: what are you noticing regarding Ali's message about Islam? How does she present this message? 

HW over break: Finish Infidel and complete passage analysis of Part II on Classroom

Hardin vs. Singer

IQ: who has a more effective argument: Singer or Hardin?

1. Vocab Unit 3 Quiz

2. Review Classic and Rogerian Arguments (classroom)

3. Discuss Hardin

What is his claim?

What do you think? Is he convincing?

Breakdown his argument by creating an outline. Look for the following:

Claim: the thesis or main point of the argument--what the author’s position is

Points: the main reasons why the claim is true--the reasoning

Evidence: the facts, numbers, specialized knowledge, expert opinion, anecdotal evidence, valid/reliable evidence to support the points

Counterclaim: the opposing point of view (what the other side believes)

Refutation: why the counterclaim is wrong

4. Let's go back to Singer
1) What are the main strategies he uses to create his argument?
2) How does he augment his argument in the second half of the essay?
3) Is this effective? Why or why not?

4.What are the similarities between Hardin and Singer's approach? How are they different? Which do you think is more effective and why?

HW: Singer Solution Essay and read the next two chapters of Infidel. We will complete the questions for chapters 8 and 9 in class on Friday.

Types of Reasoning: Logical and Moral

IQ: how can I evaluate the effectiveness of Hardin’s and Singer’s arguments by comparing and contrasting the techniques they use to persuade?

Opener: YLNT Reminder: 2 articles, max!

1. Infidel

• Break into groups: discuss questions
• Each group reports out

2. Review types of reasoning--handout

3. Discuss Hardin article

1. Questions in pairs
2. What did you think?
3. Convinced?

4. Breakdown arguments in groups. Look for the following elements of classic arguments. Where do they appear in each essay? Is the arrangement effective? Why or why not? Which types of reasonings do you see?

Claim: the thesis or main point of the argument--what the author’s position is

Points: the main reasons why the claim is true--the reasoning

Evidence: the facts, numbers, specialized knowledge, expert opinion, anecdotal evidence, valid/reliable evidence to support the points

Counterclaim: the opposing point of view (what the other side believes)

Refutation: why the counterclaim is wrong

HW:  

Infidel chapters 6 and 7 with questions (classroom) due Wednesday

Study for Vocab Quiz on Wednesday

Singer Argumentative Essay: Read the prompt carefully--what exactly is it asking you to do? How is it different from the “Incentives for Charity” prompt that you did?

This will not be an “authentic” AP experience since we have spent several class periods thinking and debating this topic. Therefore, you can spend more time on this essay and try to tackle some of the complexities of writing arguments that we discussed (such as weighing both sides, going deeper in your analysis of the pros and cons, strong voice, etc.) You should have much fodder now! Essay due on Friday!

Saving Lives with Types of Reasoning

IQ: How do we construct sound arguments?

1. Moral dilemmas and saving lives: what would you do?

• Go to kahoot.it
• Respond to scenarios
• Discuss

2. Justice: the moral side of murder

• 2 types of moral reasoning:
• Consequentialist: the end result justifies the decision (also called utilitarianism)
• Categorical: about the intrinsic quality of the act itself, regardless of consequences

3. Check for understanding: Incentives for Charity

Donating to charity is a valuable act that people do out of the goodness of their hearts. Oftentimes, organizations will offer incentives or small prizes to people in return for their donation to a good cause. For example, schools might give a pizza party or bonus points in return for students bringing in donations to a food bank. Offering these incentives tends to increase the number of people who participate in the charity drive.

→ Group A) How would a consequentialist reasoner (end result) think about this issue? Would they support or not support offering incentives for donating to charities?

→  Group B) How would a categorical moral reasoner (quality of act itself) think about this issue? Would they support or not support offering incentives for donating to charities?

4. In-class reading: Peter Singer's Solution to World Poverty

• Peter Singer: a utilitarian philosopher at Princeton
• Outline his argument: what are his main points?

HW: Read and annotate Hardin's "Lifeboat Ethics." Use the questions provided to guide your annotations.

Intro to Infidel

Intro to Infidel: Questions/issues to consider before reading:

1. What is it like for Muslims to live in primarily non-Muslim countries?
2. Terms to be aware of: arranged marriages, refugee camps, etc.
1. Muslim Brotherhood--what are known facts about this organization?
2. Excision, FGM, FC--what is it? Why is it practiced? Why is it controversial?
3. * There is a graphic description of this practice described in Chapter 2. You may skip reading this if it is too disturbing for you. We will discuss the practice in light of Ali’s story on Friday.

Chapters 1-5 Assignment:

Each of you will be assigned a chapter/country from Part I

a. Somalia (Mogadishu and the small village they went to before they left)--Ch. 1 and 2 (Beverly, Grace B, Maya B, Alex, Chloe, Callie)

b. Saudi Arabia--Ch. 3 (Alec, Maya E, Liam, Matt, Kaia)

c. Ethiopia--Ch. 4 (Lily, Gabe, Abbie, Eero, Margaret)

d. Kenya--Ch. 5  (Aaron, Caleb, Grace S, Eriksen, Hannah)

b. For each country- clearly answer the following questions on the googledoc that is posted on classroom. We will have a class discussion on Friday:

a. Why were they there?

b. What type of gov’t did the country have at the time? How did the authorities in power treat their people?

c. What language did they speak there?

d. What did Ayaan think of the place?

e. What did Ma think of the place?

f. What type of religion was practiced there? What were the values and beliefs of that religion? How was it practiced? (Zealously, loosely, different levels of adherence for different religions?)

g. What were the major self-realizations that Ayaan had while she was there?