Tough Teddy

The third week of the semester and we are finally getting into some serious content. In Psychology we did a couple of experiments to model a single-blind study, and dependent vs. independent variables. We did one looking at baseball statistics, and the other by simulating a soda taste test. We also talked a lot about how the brain works. There is a wonderful playlist on the TED Talks website called "How Does My Brain Work?" that gets into some of the new research about the brain. The students really enjoy watching and discussing these clips.

In Ethics class we have started looking at true dilemmas, that is a situation where two things come into conflict and yet both seem to be equally right. The Institute for Global Ethics provides a handy curriculum that uses realistic scenarios, and famous real examples to help students process these ideas. Soon we will be doing our Moral Courage projects. I am told there is a good chance that Robert Shetterley will be visiting our school. I use his website, Americans Who Tell the Truth, for this project and I am hopeful my students can attend a presentation he will be doing.

In my AP U.S. history class, students did presentations that exemplified one of the Multiple Intelligences they had selected. Depending one which one they selected, there was a different assignment associated with it. Some students created original songs, some created brainteasers, some completed surveys and graphs. Still others created abstract and artistic depictions. One student even put me into their art work as representing Dorothy. That provided quite a few laughs! They did a great job explaining how the Populist movement changed history.

(Student artistic depiction)

(Me as Dorothy)

In all U.S. History classes this week we started the Teddy Roosevelt murder simulation. The idea behind it is to find a sneaky way to get students to learn about the Progressive movement. I got the idea from a resource book published in the 1990's for AP U.S. History teachers. I then took it and modified it for my own purposes. It is designed to point the finger at one person, but there are two or three others who are strong possibilities. This activity takes about 4 class periods and includes some role playing. I really enjoy it myself! Students get into the competitive part of trying to find out "Who Done It?" and end up learning about the progressive era. Of course Roosevelt was not murdered in real life, but he was shot and he actually lived. He gave an hour long speech before going to the hospital even!

 

My online class U.S Foreign Policy 1945-present got going this week as well with week 2. VHS is a 15 week straight through course with no breaks. I have students from all over the country and even one in Switzerland this semester. They partake in some simulations through the Choices organization to study about the changes and lessons learned in American Foreign Policy over the last 60 years.

(The home screen for the online class I teach)

My next post will be in two weeks because we are on vacation next week. We don't spend much time on it in the curriculum, but my favorite historical subject (World War One) is coming up after vacation!