Class Calendar: December 15th to December 23rd

Monday, December 15th (F)
• Due: Literature circle commercials and study guides.
• Class: Share literature circle projects (I’m really looking forward to these!).

Tuesday, December 16th (S)
• Due: Read Ch. 17-19 in The Children of Willesden Lane.
• Class: Debrief last week’s big paper discussions; more music; discuss the audition.

Wednesday, December 17th (U)
• Due: Finish reading The Children of Willesden Lane.
• Class: Socratic seminar on The Children of Willesden Lane. I will provide questions.

Thursday, December 18th (M)
• Due: Work on family story papers. I will collect your books today (please don’t forget; I need to mail these back to Facing History!).
• Class: The music of The Children of Willesden Lane.

Friday, December 19th (T)
• Class does not meet.

Monday, December 22nd (W)
• Due: Draft of family story paper. Remember, no late days on drafts.
• Class: Peer review and sharing.

Tuesday, December 23rd (H)
• Due: Final draft of family story paper.
• Class: Documentary: Into the Arms of Strangers.

Class Calendar: December 8th to December 15th

Monday, December 8th (U)
• Due: Work on literature circle projects and start reading The Children of Willesden Lane.
• Class: Contemporary media literacy and the art of advertising.

Tuesday, December 9th (M)
• Due: Reading assignment #1 (Ch. 1-8) in The Children of Willesden Lane. Allow me to remind you of the high probability of reading quizzes throughout this unit.
• Class: Discussion of the reading; “universe of obligation” and the Kindertransport.

Wednesday, December 10th (W)
• Class does not meet.

Thursday, December 11th (W)
• Due: Bring materials to work on literature circle projects and keep reading Children.
• Class: Group work on literature circle projects.

Friday, December 12th (H)
• Due: Reading assignment #2 (Ch. 8-16) in The Children of Willesden Lane.
• Class: Discussion of the reading; Lisa’s music.

Monday, December 15th (F)
• Due: Literature circle projects are due today! Remember to bring five copies or bring me a “master” in the morning.
• Class: Sharing literature circle books with commercials and readers guides. I’m really looking forward to this!

Ticket to the Pollies

Thanks to Andy for this Daily Show clip on the "Pollies," an award show for and by the people who create political advertising. You can watch the two part coverage here and here.

Class Calendar: December 1st to December 8th

Monday, December 1st (T)
• Class does not meet. Final blog post due today.

Tuesday, December 2nd (W)
• Due: Literature circle books should be completed.
• Class: Propaganda in Nazi Germany.

Wednesday, December 3rd (H)
• Due: Start looking for an article related to your literature circle selection.
• Class: Log election responses; introduce literature circle projects; found poetry.

Thursday, December 4th (F)
• Due: Article to contribute to your literature circle (read and be ready to summarize).
• Class: Work on projects. Bring any materials you need to class.

Friday, December 5th (S)
• Due: Make appropriate progress on your projects and start on The Children of Willesden Lane assignment (due Monday).
• Class: Work on projects.

Monday, December 8th (U)
• Due: First reading assignment for The Children of Willesden Lane due today.
• Class: Discussion of reading and lesson on the Kindertransport.

The Laramie Project: Extra Credit

If you went to see (or worked on!) The Laramie Project and would like to earn extra credit in this class, write a one page (typed, double spaced) reflection on the show. What angle you take is up to you (potential connections to this class?), but I look forward to hearing your reactions ... there's a lot to process with this performance, and writing is a great way to do it.

Deadline is the end of the week: Friday, November 21st.

Kudos to everyone who worked on the show! I went Friday night and was blown away. Thanks for your hard work in bringing this important piece to Arlington High School.

Class Calendar: November 17th to November 26th

Monday, November 17th (M)
• Due: Blog post due at midnight tonight.
• Class: The “mix it up” breakfast with Ms. Konstandakis’s class.

Tuesday, November 18th (T)
• Class does not meet today.

Wednesday, November 19th (W)
• Due: Six more post-it notes in your literature circles; read to assigned point.
• Class: Literature circles meet; photography timeline (1933-1945).

Thursday, November 20th (H)
• Due: Work on next literature circle assignment.
• Class: Documentary: “Chaos and Consent.”

Friday, November 21st (F)
• Due: Blog post due at midnight tonight.
• Class: Town hall discussion: “The Nazis Come to Power.”

Monday, November 24th (S)
• Due: Work on next literature circle assignment.
• Class: Propaganda and media literacy.

Tuesday, November 25th (U)
• Due: Six more post-it notes in your literature circles; read to assigned point.
• Class: Literature circles meet.

Wednesday, November 26th (M)
• Due: Work on next literature circle assignment (blog post due midnight on Monday after the vacation, but there’s no need to wait until the last minute!).
• Class: Wrap up propaganda and media literacy.

Class Calendar: November 10th to November 17th

In class, we'll be alternating between literature circle meetings and a whole class study of the Nazi rise to power. Smaller homework assignments will be announced as needed, but your primary responsibility between now and Thanksgiving is to your literature circle book. You've set the specific assignments with your group, but I'll review the basic deadlines here:

• Monday, November 10th: Blog post #1 due by midnight tonight
• Wednesday, November 12th: Six post-its spanning the assigned reading due in class 
• Monday, November 17th: Blog post #2 due by midnight tonight
• Wednesday, November 19th: Six post-its spanning the assigned reading due in class
• Friday, November 21st: Blog post #3 due by midnight tonight
• Tuesday, November 25th: Six post-its spanning the assigned reading due in class; books should be finished unless your group has made other arrangements with me 
• Monday, December 1st: Blog post #4 due by midnight tonight

Click here to review the requirements for blog posts and sticky notes. 

Reading Hitler

Click here for a plain text version of Mein Kampf. Note that you can skim around using the side bar, or use Control-F to search for particular words or phrases.

Click here for a form to record your observations. Save a copy to your folder so you can save your work as you go!

If you have some extra time, click here for Hitler's earliest known political writing.

Note: Homework for Wednesday is to (1) finish anything on today's exercise not completed in class and (2) complete six post-its or double-column note entries for your literature circle book, reading to the agreed upon page.

Acceptance Speech

Any quick Google search will yield plenty of sources for this historic speech. My favorite is the really cool integrated video and transcript site at the New York Times.

Note: Look for his victory speech on election night, not the acceptance of the nomination at the DNC this summer. My apologies!

Then you can click here for transcript and video of McCain's concession speech, which has also gotten rave reviews for its gracious tone.

Update: The Boston Globe has this really cool photo collection of Obama shots. Check out our shiny new President Elect!

Class Calendar: November 3rd to November 10th

Monday, November 3rd (U)
• Due: Good luck with early college admissions! Bring back your graded essays.
• Class: Campaign advertising and literature circle selections.

Tuesday, November 4th
• No classes for students today. Enjoy the day off!

Wednesday, November 5th (M)
• Due: Hope you had a very happy Election Day! If you are not in class, send me your literature circle preferences before class on Wednesday.
• Class: Set up literature circles; final segment of A Class Divided; papers and grades and other first term housekeeping.

Thursday, November 6th (T)
• Class does not meet.

Friday, November 7th (W)
• Due: Reader response paper to Barack Obama’s acceptance speech. See blog for links to video, audio, or text (though I strongly recommend listening or watching for full effect!). Requirements: one page, typed, double spaced, and carefully proofread; use at least two brief quotations. I will leave it to you to determine exactly how you want to respond … rhetorical analysis, thematic analysis, and (meaningful) personal response are all acceptable.
• Class: Share responses; set up literature circles; begin study of the Nazi rise to power.

Monday, November 10th (H)
• Due: First literature circle assignment (to be explained).
• Class: Literature circles meet; continue historical study.

Note: There is no school on Tuesday, November 11th (what’s the deal Tuesdays and November?), so if you are for any reason absent on Monday, check the class blog so as not to fall behind: http://kitsis.blogspot.com.

Class Calendar: October 27th to November 3rd

Monday, October 27th (T)
• Class does not meet today. Enjoy the long weekend!

Tuesday, October 28th (W)
• Due: Email me a sample of your paper using a quotation; bring a draft to class.
• Class: Quotation integration workshop and practice.

Wednesday, October 29th (H)
• Due: Final paper on When the Emperor Was Divine, in perfect MLA format.
• Class: Reading poetry; using “scope and sequence” to frame the internment.

Thursday, October 30th (F)
• Due: Review choice books on blog. If you are absent from class today, email me your preferences or risk a random assignment! Sorry for any confusion; we're not ready to pick books yet. Take the night off!! Catch up on college apps and election coverage; get to sleep early.
• Class: Wrapping up our look at identity with “A Class Divided”; choice book options.

Friday, October 31st (S)
• Due: Reaction to “A Class Divided” (see above).
• Class: Wrap up “A Class Divided”; presidential campaign ads.

Monday, November 3rd (U)
• Due: Analysis of advertising (details to come). Get those early college applications out the door already! Bring back your GRADED college essay to include in your writing folder.
• Class: Presidential campaign ads; propaganda and history.

Note: Have a spooky (and safe!) Halloween. There are no classes on Tuesday, November 4th, so if you are for any reason absent on Monday, check the calendar on the blog so as not to fall behind: http://kitsis.blogspot.com.

Homework: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack

Note: If you were absent from class and need to catch up, click here to go to the Frontline video. We watched all of Chapter One and the first six minutes of Chapter Two (16 minutes in total).

Jane Elliott created privileges for her third-graders: things like extra recess time, getting to go back for seconds at lunch, and being first in line were fitting rewards for her eight year olds.

To explore what kinds of privileges exist in the adult world, read Peggy McIntosh's classic article "Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack." (You will need Adobe Reader to view this file; you can download it for free, or click here for a web version.)

Pay special attention to McIntosh's checklist. Use the checklist as a basis for self-reflection, asking "Can you count on this?" A "yes" answer scores 1 point. For a "no," subtract 1 point. Score nothing for "does not apply to me." The higher the score, the greater the degree of privilege one has in the context of living in the United States today.

After you have (1) read the article and (2) scored yourself on the checklist, then (3) write a journal entry about your reactions.

Were you surprised by your score, or did it confirm what you already knew? Why is privilege normally invisible and what does it feel like to make it visible? Do you agree with McIntosh's argument that the word "privilege" is misleading? If you have read the article before, have your opinions changed since the first time you encountered it?

This assignment is due on Thursday. The updated calendar is below.

A Word A Day

Do you know this website? It's often too obscure to be good for SAT skills, but why learn useful vocabulary when you can learn awesome vocabulary? This week's theme covers my all time favorite vocabulary topic: words that mean one thing ... and its opposite.

When you sanction a project, do you approve of it or disapprove? Should one be commended for oversight (watchful care) or reprimanded for oversight (error or omission)? When you resign from a job, do you leave it or re-join (re-sign) it?

When a proposal gets tabled, is it being brought forward for discussion or being laid aside? Depends on which side of the pond you're at. If the former, you're in the UK; if the latter, you're in the US.

I call them fence-sitters. They sit on fences, ready to say one thing or its opposite depending on which side they appear at. I'm not talking about politicians. These are words, known by many names: autoantonym, contranym, self-antonym, enantiodromic, amphibolous, janus word, and so on.

Sometimes it's a result of two distinct words evolving into the same form (cleave from Old English cleofian and cleofan) but often a single word develops a split personality and takes on two contradictory senses. All of us have a bit of yin and yang and these words are no exception.

This week's first word is cleave. Check out Anu Garg's site here.

Class Calendar: October 20th to October 27th

Note: Please note update to next week's assignments!

Monday, October 20th (H)
• Due: Read “When the Emperor Was Divine” (p. 49-105) in When the Emperor Was Divine, taking notes using the study questions as a guide.
• Class: Character identity charts; discussion of the novel; background packets.

Tuesday, October 21st (F)
• Due: Continue reading When the Emperor Was Divine.
• Class: Virtual “field trip” to the Smithsonian Museum.

Wednesday, October 22nd (S)
• Due: Finish reading When the Emperor Was Divine, taking notes on study questions.
• Class: Debrief on Tuesday’s “field trip”; contemporary connections; discussion of When the Emperor Was Divine. Add to character charts as necessary.

Note: Shortened period for Health & Safety Awareness Day.

Thursday, October 23rd (U)
• Due: Prepare a “micro-theme.” Review historical background packet.
• Class: Newspaper editorials; discussion and development of paper topics.

Friday, October 24th (M)
• Due: Rough draft of paper for peer review. Please bring three copies (hard copy, in your hand when you enter class) so we can work in small groups rather than pairs.
• Class: Peer revision of papers, with a mini-lesson on quotation integration.

Monday, October 27th (T)
• Class does not meet today.

Tuesday, October 28th (W)
• Due: Email me a passage from your paper that incorporates a quotation from the novel. If you have any particular questions about a section, that would be a good one to use. You can paste it right into the body of the email. Send to skitsis@arlington.k12.ma.us. Then bring a clean copy of your draft to class (work on it over the weekend, please!).
• Class: Workshop on integrating quotations.

Wednesday, October 29th (H)
• Due: Revised paper on When the Emperor Was Divine.
• Class: Poetry lesson; using the “scope and sequence” to frame the internment.

A Trip to the Museum

Today we'll be visiting the Smithsonian online exhibit, A More Perfect Union. Select the "media rich" version from the introductory screen. Be sure to "walk through" the full exhibit and click on items to see more details.

Click here to download a template you can use to take notes. Print it out or type in it directly; I'll collect it at the end of the period.

Finally, the Japanese American National Museum has extensive online collections. If you finish your visit to the Smithsonian and have extra time in the period, check out a collection that interests you at the JANM to add to your observations (choose from photos, letters, etc).

If you finish finish all that and still want more ... please read the Densho Project's article on the Loyalty Oath. It's excellent.

Bonus: Author Interview

Click here for a fascinating interview with the author of When the Emperor Was Divine.

And while we're on the subject of bonus material, this New York Times article makes some interesting parallels between the novel and contemporary American society. It's called "One Family's Story of Persecution Resonates in the Post-9/11 World" and is actually from the education section of the paper.

Reading for Friday

I'm not sure why it was broken before but here is the historical reading for Friday with hyperlinks to video and other primary source documents. If you prefer to print a .pdf of the document, click here.

You may want to take some notes on the questions that follow the reading; I'll expect you to be able to comment on them at the beginning of class.

See you on Friday!

Class Calendar: October 13th to October 20th

Monday, October 13th
• No school today. Enjoy the long weekend!

Tuesday, October 14th (U)
• Due: Revised college essay (review assessment criteria to make sure you have everything); read packet from class on pre-internment Japanese American experience.
• Class: Ms. Kitsis reveals the secrets of life, the universe, and everything.

Wednesday, October 15th (M)
• Due: Read “Train” (p. 23-48) in When the Emperor Was Divine, taking notes using the study questions as a guide.
• Class: Discuss the reading; analyze a government propaganda film.

Thursday, October 16th (T)
• Class does not meet.

Friday, October 17th (W)
• Due: Online historical background reading (see blog for link). Keep reading the novel.
• Class: Reader’s theater exercise and discussion.

Monday, October 20th (H)
• Due: Read “When the Emperor Was Divine” (p. 49-105) in When the Emperor Was Divine, taking notes using the study questions as a guide.
• Class: Discussion and historical context.

David Raikow on Sudan

David Raikow will be speaking at the First Parish Church in Arlington at 7.00p on Monday, October 13th on "Conflict in Context: the Recent History of War in Sudan, and the Role of the International Community."

Extra credit (and extra karma) is available for anyone who would like to attend and report back to the class!

Tutorial on Quotation Marks

We talked briefly in class about quotation marks but many of you would benefit from a little more review.

I highly recommend this handout on quotation marks prepared by the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University.

Check your comprehension by trying this online exercise and then check yourself against the answers.

Facial Tissues

Are a beautiful thing to have in cold and flu season, don't you think?

Enrichment Opportunities

There are several exciting opportunities this month to enrich yourself (and if you come back and share it with us, possibly your grade!).

• Thursday, October 16th, 7p, Robbins Library: From War to Hope. A presentation on Arlington's sister city in El Salvador. Free and open to the public. Visit their website and see the brochure on my bulletin board for more information.
  
• Sunday, October 19th, 3p, Southern Sudanese Community Center in Arlington: Francis Bok. The author of Escape From Slavery (an amazing memoir!) is speaking right here in Arlington. I'm hoping we'll get to read his book this spring ... don't miss the chance to see him in person.
  
• Thursday, November 6th, Robbins Library: Lion's Club Speech Contest. Prepare a five minute speech to earn fame and extra credit. You need to sign up with Ms. Walsh in advance ... let me know and I can pass on the word, or see her directly over in Downs House.

Lots of cool happenings ... there won't be many more opportunities for extra credit this fall so take advantage while you can. And as always, if there's an event in the community you think we should know about ... share the word.

Speaker Preparation

In order to prepare for our speaker on Wednesday, please review the following documents:

• The Genocide Convention, which you are already familiar with
  
• The U.N.'s page on frequently asked questions about the International Criminal Court
  
• For more on the Criminal Court, see the I.C.C.'s own information page
  
• Read about the Nuremberg Principles that evolved out of the Nuremberg Trials following WWII

We'll be joining Mr. McCarthy's class. You don't need to commit these documents to memory, but do prepare yourself mentally to ask a question or two!

Class Calendar: October 6th to October 14th

Monday, October 6th (T)
• No class today.

Tuesday, October 7th (W)
• Due: Congratulations on surviving the SATs one more (hopefully last) time!
• Class: Housekeeping. Understanding the Executive Order.

Wednesday, October 8th (H)
• Due: Prepare for today’s speaker by reviewing documents posted to class blog.
• Class: David Raikow (and Mr. McCarthy’s class!) will be visiting us today. Be ready to ask questions and make us look good.

Thursday, October 9th (F)
• Due: Read “Evacuation Order No. 19” (p. 3-22) in When the Emperor Was Divine and take notes using the study questions as a guide.
• Class: I’ll be out of school today. Those of you who are here will be taking a closer look at civil liberties issues raised in the novel and by the historical period.

Friday, October 10th (S)
• Due: Nothing today but keep working since there’s lots to do for Tuesday.
• Class: Discussion of “Evacuation Order No. 19” and discussion of preexisting racism (“Prelude to the Evacuation: The Early Years”).

Monday, October 13th
• No school today. Enjoy the long weekend!

Tuesday, October 14th (U)
• Due: Revised college essay and read “Train” (p. 23-48) in When the Emperor Was Divine, taking notes using the study questions as a guide.
• Class: Discussion of the reading; analysis of a government video.

The Bear That Wasn't

You're not a bear! You're a silly man, who needs a shave and wears a fur coat! You know you want to watch it again ...

Class Calendar: September 29th to October 6th

Monday, September 29th (H)
• Due: Draft of college essay.
• Class: Peer review(s) of college essays; return essays on First They Killed My Father.

Tuesday, September 30th (F)
• Due: Nothing today! Keep studying the vocabulary words.
• Class: Review vocabulary with substitute; practice SAT questions. If you are out for the holiday, just be sure you’re ready for the quiz on Friday.

Wednesday, October 1st (S)
• Due: Draft of college essay in hard copy to me (typed, double spaced, include question or prompt, proofread). Keep all drafts and editing sheets as you go.
• Class: Debrief on Weimar Republic; introduction to identity.

Thursday, October 2nd (U)
• Due: Make progress towards Friday deadlines.
• Class: Debrief on identity charts; The Bear That Wasn’t.

Friday, October 3rd (M)
• Due: Practice faux SAT prompt; study for vocabulary quiz. Click here if you need the prompt.
• Class: Quiz on remaining “Route 66” words; peer review of homework essays; “Little Boxes” by Anthony Wright.

Good luck to those of you taking the SATs this weekend!

Monday, October 6th (T)
• Due: This was a light week due to the holiday and upcoming SATs. Take advantage of the situation by getting some of your college application paperwork in order! We’ll be starting a new unit at a brisk pace on Monday so make the most of this weekend; I don’t pass up the opportunity to give you homework very often.
• Class: Introduction to When The Emperor Was Divine.

Understanding the Weimar Republic

Click here to go to the Facing History online module for the Weimar Republic. Where it says "If your teacher has created a page for you to view ..." enter my last name and you're ready to go! If you finish reviewing the artifacts I have suggested, continue exploring on your own.

What Your Test Scores Tell Colleges

Apparently, not that much. Click here to read coverage by the New York Times of a commission of college admissions officers calling for less reliance on SAT and ACT scores.

Class Calendar: September 22nd to September 29th

Monday, September 22nd (S)
• Due: Work on photo project; read college admissions sample essays.
• Class: Mock admissions panel.

Tuesday, September 23rd (U)
• Due: Photo project on Jewish life before WWII (two printed photos, two photo worksheets, one with locale research, one family photo, one reader response paper; please do not staple your work yet).
• Class: Share, discuss, journal on photo projects.

Wednesday, September 24th (M)
• Due: Work on college admissions essay; study vocabulary.
• Class: Grammar review; introduction to the Weimar Republic.

Thursday, September 25th (T)
• Class does not meet.

Friday, September 26th (W)
• Due: Come prepared for quiz on second 22 words on “Route 66.”
• Class: Activity: “Voices of the Weimar Republic.”

Monday, September 29th (H)
• Due: Rough draft of college essay (at least one draft, type your work, include the original prompt or question).
• Class: Peer feedback on college admissions essays.

Class Calendar: September 15th to September 22nd

Monday, September 15th (M)
• Due: Lemkin and the Genocide Convention (reading and response).
• Class: Scope and sequence for the class; wrapping up Lemkin and the Genocide Convention; setting up writing folders; introduction to identity.

Tuesday, September 16th (T)
• Class does not meet.

Wednesday, September 17th (W)
• Due: Work on vignettes; study vocabulary.
• Class: Timeline of Holocaust; introduction to Jewish life photo project.

Thursday, September 18th (H)
• Due: Work on vignettes; study vocabulary.
• Class: Work on Jewish life photo project in the computer lab (Room 321).

Friday, September 19th (F)
• Due: Five vignettes in preparation for the college essay.
• Class: What colleges are looking for; share vignettes; short vocabulary review.

Monday, September 22nd (S)
• Due: Study for vocabulary quiz over the first 22 words on “Route 66.” Read and mark up sample college essays; be ready to accept or decline and say why.
• Class: Vocabulary quiz; admissions committee.

Note: Photo project on Jewish life before WWII due on Tuesday (two printed photos, two photo worksheets, one with locale research, one family photo, one reader response paper; please do not staple your work yet).

Photo Project: Resources

You'll want to use the following links for this week's photo project on Jewish life in Europe before World War II.

Click here to access the USHMM's photography archive.

Click here to go to a timeline of major events of WWII.

This is a fascinating project but has several steps, so read the directions carefully and ask me if you have any questions!

Summer Reading: Audio Enrichment

I'm still trying to get the school computer set up with the right software to hear these extra goodies!

In the meantime, click here to listen to an NPR interview with Loung Ung, author of First They Killed My Father.

Click here to go to a story about Art Spiegelman, including a clip of his father, Vladek.

Class Calendar: September 8th to September 15th

Monday, September 8th (W)
• Due: Letter to Ms. Kitsis.
• Class: Finish introductory surveys; make name tags; review and model Socratic seminar strategies and language for disagreeing.

Note: I’ll be collecting signature pages from the syllabus; please bring those in as soon as possible (and no later than the end of the week for full credit).

Tuesday, September 9th (H)
• Due: Prepare for essay on First They Killed My Father.
• Class: Essay on First They Killed My Father. Let me know if you require extra time or other accommodations according to your ed plan; otherwise we’ll finish before the bell.

Wednesday, September 10th (F)
• Due: Review Maus for Socratic seminar on Wednesday.
• Class: Scope and sequence of the course; small group follow up discussions of First They Killed My Father.

Thursday, September 11th (S)
• Due: Bring your notes (to be collected) for Socratic seminar on Maus and a copy of the book if you have it. (And let me know too if you would like to borrow one!)
• Class: Socratic seminar on Maus.

Friday, September 12th (U)
• Due: Vocabulary and SAT exercises.
• Class: Timeline of the Holocaust; introduction to “Totally Unofficial: Raphael Lemkin and the Genocide Convention.”

Monday, September 15th (M)
• Due: Reading and response to Lemkin.
• Class: Defining genocide; introduction to the college essay.

Summer Reading

Click here to view the summer reading information page! You'll need Adobe Reader to see the brochures.

We will write an essay on First They Killed My Father on Tuesday. The guiding question from the brochure follows:

"How does pain and despair shape the main character?"

Next week we will prepare for a graded discussion of Maus.

Reminder: Don't forget those letters to me and signature forms from you parents or guardians.

Welcome Back to School

Welcome! I'm glad you stopped by. More content for each class is coming soon, so please check back ...