Ferguson Missouri Shooting Overview

We are using the ongoing situation in Ferguson Missouri as a vignette in which to analyze the difference between subjectivity (opinions, emotions) and objectivity (facts) it is important to break down the major aspects of this situation: 

Alleged Crime --->  Police Response ---> Police Encounter --->

Shooting Incident ---> Public Response to Shooting / Protest --->

Police Response to Public Response / Riot --->

Post Incident Investigation (Local / State / Federal) --->

Public Response to Grand Jury --->

Discussion Considerations: 

• Role of Leaders 
• Family
• Community
• Local / State / Federal

• Role of Media 
• Reporting News or Making News
• Subjective Reporting versus Objective Reporting
• Impact of Social Media
• What Would You Do Differently?
• 
  

Developing an Aptitude for Objectivity...Going from what you feel towards what you know

WORD BANK / CONCEPT BANK:  

OBJECTIVE              OPINION VERSUS FACT       ANALYSIS
RACE                         ROLE OF POLICE                   PROTEST     MEDIA / PRESS        PERCEPTION VERSUS REALITY
RACISM                     ABUSE OF POWER                RIOTING     FAIR and BALANCED REPORTING                      LEADERSHIP
SUBJECTIVE

Definitions:

• Subjective: placing excessive emphasis on one's mood, attitudes, and opinions.  

• Objective: not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice, based on facts, unbiased.

Task: Discuss the meaning of the words and concepts above. 


Food for Thought: This is foundational to start our journey on developing an aptitude for looking at each situation objectively and developing the ability to simultaneously maintain a balance between intellect and emotions.  

CASE STUDY: 

MICHAEL BROWN

FERGUSON, MISSOURI

DARREL WILSON

Task:  Take out your notebook and think about these three words and write what you know about them.  

We talk about different Roles, Rights, and Responsibilities...What About Citizenship?

In our last class, we talked about the different roles you may find yourself in and how you may have varying RIGHTS and RESPONSIBILITIES to each role. 

Let's watch a video (Citizenship 101) about citizenship, it is like a 1940's newsreel and a bit corny (attempt at humor), but it makes the point. Lets watch: 

After watching the video, ask yourself these questions, as they pertain to being a good citizen in your community in and out of school:

• When was the last time you picked up a piece of trash? (Picking up after yourself doesn't count because that is what you are supposed to do.)
• When was the last time you recycled anything?
• When was the last time you participated in community service?
• When was the last time you held the door for somebody?
• When was the last time you helped somebody who was elderly, that wasn't a relative? (What would you want someone to do for your Grandmother or Grandfather???)
• Offer to Help them cross the street
• Offer to help them carry something
• Shovel their walk or take their garbage can out or in without looking for money
•  How informed are you about what is going on in your house, school, neighborhood, city, state, and the nation?
• During class do you pay attention or do you zone out? Do you distract (goof around, flirt, talk, use phone, listen to music) others in class or in group work; or do you contribute and set the example?

CLASS WORK: We will review the JROTC class (PPT) on Citizenship and Responsibility.

YOUR HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: Hold a door open for somebody today / tonight. Or pick up some trash to make an area look better. Do something to help someone out in your community?

High School and Innovation... What Could The Future Hold

Cadet Keen at US Navy  Sub School

As we finished the movie, October Sky, we saw how Homer Hickam, who came from humble beginnings, but had a passion for rocketry. He and his fellow "Rocket Boys" developed the ability to plan, design, and launch rockets. They accomplished this at a time where many of the countries in the world at that time could not accomplish what they did in a poor West Virginia coal mining community. 

As we reflect on our focus on innovation (STEM-Social topics), student creativity (passion and interest), and increased "student centered learning" let us take a look at the future. 

Watch this video about Innovation High  

Classroom Assignment to be completed by the beginning of your class period on Monday, November 18: 

1. Watch all three videos (33 mins in total): 

Video 1. Innovation High School (above video / 22 minutes)  

Video 2. Watch the video: Invisible Bike Helmet from Sweden  (3.5 mins)

Video 3. Watch the video:  How Gardening Involves Interdisciplinary Learning (7 mins)

2. After watching the videos, make a blog entry (Comments section) commenting on the following: 

A. How Brien McMahon could move more towards innovative learning in the near future? ( Make specific recommendations)

B. What have YOU  learned about innovation so far?

C. What have you learned about yourself from working on your Big Idea project so far...?

Ensure your comment blog entry addresses all three areas listed (A,B, C) above after watching the videos (Videos 1,2,3). 

BIG IDEA TIME...TIME TO DELIVER !!!

TIME TO ACTUALLY GET STARTED ON YOUR BIG IDEA PROJECT!!! You are going to actually give "birth" to your big idea that is going to have an impact on the world... home... school... neighborhood...community...church...team...organization...city... state... country...or the globe.

This project is YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW YOURSELF HOW AWESOME YOU ARE.  

Class Activity: Based on our last class and blog entry, you were tasked to be ready to state your innovative big idea in today's class. 

1. Look at the whiteboard in the front of the class, and you will see five different colored papers with an innovation category (STEM-Social) written on each. 

Innovation Categories and Corresponding Colors: 

Science: Red, Technology: Orange, Engineering: Blue, Math: Brown

Social: Green

2. Take two minutes and confirm what category you are curious or passionate about (this guidance is not new to you). Go to the back of the room and take a small colored piece of paper associated with the innovation category your big idea originates from and return to your seats. 

3. Teacher will groups students by their innovation category (colored piece of paper) into small fishbowl (circular) groups. 

Group interaction: 

Small Group: One person at a time presents their "big idea" to your group and each person provides feedback, not agreement or disagreement to their idea. They rotate until each person has presented their idea and received & provided feedback. 

Large Group (Class): Once small group interaction is done then, they will each present their idea to the entire class which provides their idea to exposure to the potential collaboration with other ideas from other categories. 

4. Each student will write their big idea on their colored piece of paper and turn it into teacher by the end of class. 

The Big Idea Journey has begun, you have taken the first step....