Live Long and Prosper

It's been a great year, everyone.

If you want to pick up final projects, please do so any time before graduation. After that I'll need to clean out my room for the summer, so I can't promise that they won't be (gasp!) discarded.

I hope as you go on to do great and interesting things, you'll keep in touch. Wherever I am, you can find me through email here: smkitsis (at) gmail.com.

Armenian Genocide Reflection

We are going to do our last self-evaluation and reflection of the year (sniff!) electronically, because I would like to share some of your thoughts with the folks at Facing History. You can move forward and back using the links within the survey but if you close the window or use the forward and back buttons within the browser your work will be lost. If you prefer, compose your answers in Microsoft Word and then paste them in. Plan to complete the reflection in one sitting.

Click here to start your reflection.

Candidate Obama on Armenia Issue

Click here for the short video of Barack Obama answering a question about the Armenian genocide while on the campaign trail.

Toolbox for Difference

Click here to watch Samantha Power talk about toolboxes (errr, fannypacks?) for difference.

Teaching Schedule

• Period 1/2 on May 14 & 15: Avetis, Desal, Nell, Britt, Jon, Stephanie
• Period 3 on May 18 & 19: Pat, Max, Julia, Matt
• Period 4 on May 19 & 20: Eva, Christina, Hannah, Amanda, Alex T.
• Period G7 on May 18 & 19: Leah, Carolyn, Alex L., Jocelyn, Paul
• Period G7 on May 20 & 21: Pat, Conor, Deirdre, Amanda
• Period 1/2 on May 20 & 21: Ellery, Sam, Michelle, Tom
• Period 5/6 on May 20 & 21: Andy, Cherelle, Rachel, Sandhya

Memory, History, and Memorials

Click here to visit the online module from Facing History for more readings, questions, and case studies of important monuments and memorials.

Two Extra Credit Opportunities

The Sudanese Education Fund right here in Arlington is presenting an event on Saturday: "Voices of South Sudanese Women." It should be an amazing show and some AHS students have even gotten involved. There is a special rate for students during the matinee performance and it's a great cause. Click here for information.

The other is a conversation with Armenian author Peter Balakian about his new book. This is at the Facing History offices in Brookline at 6.30p on Tuesday, May 19th. They are so, so eager to get you students there. Let me know if you're interested (and how many people, so bring friends and family!) and I can RSVP on your behalf. It's free and should be fascinating. Click here for details.

These are both great opportunities ... and your best bet to raise that fourth term grade, if it needs a little boost.

Class Calendar: May 18th to May 29th

Monday, May 18th (T)
• Class does not meet.

Tuesday, May 19th (W)
• Due: Written response to The Sunflower.
• Class: Socratic seminar on The Sunflower.

Wednesday, May 20th (H)
• Due: Work on memorial project; revise letter to send out; share portfolio with parents.
• Class: Final preparations for Armenia project.

Thursday, May 21st (F)
• Due: Work on memorial project; revise letter to send out; share portfolio with parents.
• Class: Revisiting the scope and sequence; work on memorial project.

Friday, May 22nd (S)
• Due: Memorial project, revised letter, signed portfolio sheet.
• Class: Gallery walk of memorial projects; introduce toolboxes for change.

Monday, May 25th
• No school today.

Tuesday, May 26th (U)
• Due: Online reflection on Armenian genocide project.
• Class: Work on toolboxes for change.

Wednesday, May 27th (M)
• Due: Prepare for final exam if necessary.
• Class: Share toolboxes for change; final thoughts.

Thursday, May 28th (T)
• Class does not meet.

Friday, May 29th (W)
• Exam period for seniors with below a B+ average.

The Sunflower

Click here to see Simon Wiesenthal's obituary in the New York Times.

Reminder: Blog Posts

Don't forget to make your second literature circle blog post (anytime on Wednesday is fine, before or after school). I would recommend using this as an opportunity to discuss thematic connections with your group members in preparation for writing your book reviews, which are due on Friday (again, whether or not you will be in class). 

Have a great week, those of who I won't see until Monday! Well, and those of you I'll see tomorrow, you should have a great week too. 

Class Calendar: May 4th to May 19th

Monday, May 4th (S)
• Due: Work on Armenia materials and literature circle books.
• Class: Create introductory slides for Armenia materials.

Tuesday, May 5th (U)
• Due: Completed Armenia materials ready to present. No late days, please. Read second half of literature circle books with 10 more meaningful, “meaty” sticky or dialectic notes spread throughout the reading.
• Class: Run through and critique of Armenia materials; brief literature circle meetings.

Wednesday, May 6th (M)
• Due: Second literature circle blog post; work on book review (see back of printed calendar!).
• Class: Satire study: The Great Dictator.

Thursday, May 7th (T)
• Class does not meet.

Friday, May 8th (W)
• Due: Literature circle book review.
• Class: Satire study: The Great Dictator, continued.

Monday, May 11th (H)
• Due: Start reading The Sunflower; final Armenia materials submitted electronically.
• Class: Holocaust poetry; prepare writing folders to take home.

Tuesday, May 12th (F)
• Due: Continue reading The Sunflower and work on letter writing assignment.
• Class: Wrap up Holocaust poetry; introduction to memorial assignment.

Wednesday, May 13th (S)
• Due: Letter assignment; bring your journals to be collected for a note check.
• Class: Final preparation of Armenia lessons; self-assessment of group work.

Thursday, May 14th (U)
• Due: Finish reading Book One of The Sunflower (focus on p. 3-55 and p. 76-98).
• Class: Discussion of The Sunflower.

Friday, May 15th (M)
• Due: Written response to The Sunflower; prepare for Socratic seminar.
• Class: Assembly: The Favorite Poem Project.

Monday, May 18th (T)
• Class does not meet.

Tuesday, May 19th (W)
• Due: Written response to The Sunflower; prepare for Socratic seminar.
• Class: Seminar on The Sunflower.

Reminder: Blog Posts

Remember to contribute to your literature circle's blog by Friday. Links are to the left. Email me with any problems.

NOTE: We will finish reading literature circle books -- with ten more notes -- for Tuesday. The Catch-22 group should get as far as they can and still take ten more notes; we'll discuss how much of an extension you need. The other homework for Tuesday -- don't blame me you all have Alcohol Awareness all week long -- is to complete a draft of materials for the Armenian genocide work to bring and share with the class. Email me any slides or documents you want to project or copy when walking us through your materials -- remember, you're both getting feedback and essentially training everyone else to run your session.

Armenian Genocide Group Assignments

The Armenia groups and responsibilities are listed below for your reference:

• Alex L., Eva, Carolyn, Hannah, Leah: engagement strategies and follow up assignments / extension activities for the study guide
  
• Avetis, Christina, Conor, Jocelyn, Pat, Paul: engagement strategies and annotated list of further reading / viewing for the study guide
  
• Alex T., Amanda, Britt, Deirdre, Nell: film and introduction to the film and post-viewing discussion questions for the study guide
  
• Desal, Jon, Julia, Matt, Max, Stephanie: historical context and historical background "memo" to teachers for the study guide
  
• Andy, Michelle, Sandhya, Tom: engagement strategies and thank you notes to Ms. Mazmanian, Fr. Vasken, and Facing History
• Ellery, Cherelle, Rachel, Sam: historical context and an introductory letter to teachers for the study guide
  

I have examples available of study guides for all of the supplemental sections (assignments, further reading, historical background, introduction, etc). Be excited, guys, this is your legacy!

Extras:

• Click here to download an electronic version of the Facing History resource book
• Click here to visit the online version of the iWitness exhibit we saw at the ALMA

Got an extra we should see? Send it to me and I'll add it to the list.

Class Calendar: April 27th to May 4th

Monday, April 27th (M)
• Due: Read (at least!) first half of literature circle books with 10 meaningful, “meaty” sticky or dialectic notes spread throughout the reading.
• Class: Literature circle meetings; Armenia group meetings.

Tuesday, April 28th (T)
• Class does not meet.

Wednesday, April 29th (W)
• Due: Continue reading literature circle books; work on Armenia projects.
• Class: Armenia group work in Media Center.

Thursday, April 30th (H)
• Due: Continue reading literature circle books; work on Armenia projects.
• Class: Armenia group work in classroom.

Friday, May 1st (F)
• Due: Blog post for literature circle books.
• Class: Continuing lesson on Rwanda.

Monday, May 4th (S)
• Due: Completed Armenia materials (both primary and supplementary) ready to present to the class. No late days, please. If you send me what you have I can set up slides, make copies, etc.
• Class: Run through and critique of Armenia materials.

Local Events of Interest

Hey, gang, I wanted to share a couple of really exciting upcoming events with you. If you would like to attend either or both, I would certainly grant some extra credit to sweeten the deal (as with Of Thee I Sing, I'd just ask for a one page reflection on the experience, and maybe to say a few very informal words to the class).

The Museum of Fine Arts is sponsoring an Armenian film festival. Click here to see the line up. The documentaries seem most relevant to our studies, dealing with relations between Turkey and Armenia, but as we have been generally studying Armenian culture, you could attend any of these. Tickets are $10 for students.

The second is a speaking engagement with a man named Leopold Engleitner, who is 103 years old*:

... born 1905, who experienced World Wars I and II and found the extraordinary courage to refuse to serve in Hitler’s army. He suffered unspeakable cruelty in three concentration camps, and on release weighed less than 62 pounds. Astoundingly, he could easily have had his freedom: all he had to do was sign a paper renouncing his religious convictions as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He refused to do it.

This event is free and open to the public, May 4, 2009, 5:30 PM, at Harvard University in Science Center C at 1 Oxford Street. Click here for the website for Unbroken Will, the name of the book and documentary about Mr. Engleitner's experiences.

*Yes, really.

Vacation Reminders

Remember to read halfway through your literature circle text before returning from vacation (you've had the books for about a week already, so this should not be a tall order!). I'll be looking for ten "meaty" sticky or dialectic notes on the day you return from break.

Feel free to use the comments space on this post to communicate with your group members about how far to read. Have a great vacation, and those of you who are heading far and away, travel safely and bring back lots of pictures!

Literature Circle Choices

If you will be out on Thursday please review the following choices tonight and email me your preferences:

• After Long Silence by Helen Fremont
• All But My Life by Gerda Weissmann Klein
• Escape From Slavery by Francis Bok
• Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
• Forgotten Fire by Adam bagdasarian
• Hiroshima by John Hersey
• Imagining Argentina by Lawrence Thornton
• Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro
• Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson
• Sunday at the Pool in Kigali by Gil Courtemanche
• Survival in Auschwitz by Primo Levi
• The Nazi Officer's Wife: How One Jewish Woman Survived the Holocaust by Edith H. Beer and Susan Dworkin
• The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

Books that are significantly longer (they’re great, but read at your own risk):

• Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
• Eleni by Nicholas Gage
• The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
• We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda by Philip Gourevitch

Field Trip Reminder

Just a quick reminder, we'll be leaving school immediately after first period tomorrow so be ready to go in the front lobby at 9.05a sharp! Bring your journal, something to write with, and some money for lunch. It should be a fascinating visit.

Class Calendar: April 6th to April 17th

Monday, April 6th (S)
• Due: First blog post on Night.
• Class: Second lesson on Bosnia; brief debrief on Mrs. Mazmanian’s visit.

Note: I need remaining permission slips right away or I can’t take you on the trip!

Tuesday, April 7th (U)
• Due: In your journal, brainstorm ideas for Armenia project and write a brief reflection on Mrs. Mazmanian’s visit to class.
• Class: Second lesson on Armenia; selection of literature circle texts (last round!).

Wednesday, April 8th (M)
• Due: Second blog post on Night (by Thursday night is fine).
• Class: Field trip to the Armenian Museum and Library of America. Don’t forget to bring some lunch money and your project journal!

Thursday, April 9th (T)
• Class does not meet.

Friday, April 10th
• No school today. Enjoy the long weekend!

Monday, April 13th (W)
• Due: Start reading literature circle book.
• Class: Second lesson on Iraq.

Tuesday, April 14th (H)
• Due: Work on Armenia project (to be determined); keep reading literature circle book.
• Class: Work on Armenia project.

Wednesday, April 15th (F)
• Due: Work on Armenia project (to be determined); keep reading literature circle book.
• Class: Work on Armenia project.

Thursday, April 16th (S)
• Due: Read to assigned spot in literature circle book, with five sticky or dialectic notes.
• Class: Literature circle meetings; lesson on Darfur.

Friday, April 17th (U)
• Due: To be determined.
• Class: Lesson on Darfur (continued).

Note: We’ll be reading to chosen places in literature circle books (with ten more sticky or dialectic notes) over the vacation, due on the Monday we return from vacation.

Obama and Armenian Genocide

Hey, all. I stumbled across a few more interesting pieces on President Obama and the Armenian genocide over the weekend ... there's lots out there. I wanted to share with you this letter he wrote as Senator of Illinois to Secretary Rice about the State Department's decision to recall the Ambassador to Armenia for using the word "genocide" to describe the events of 1915. It's powerfully written and touches on many of the themes we've been exploring. Check it out!