Creating Your Ideal School

After reading the powerful novel Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and screening the inspiring film Glory Road, and then delving into the brilliant mind of Socrates with "Plato's Allegory of the Cave," we are digging into our creative projects today in the library: making an IDEAL SCHOOL!

Here is the link to the Ideal School mission overview.

And here is a link to an example IDEAL SCHOOL project from one of last year's students.

Be sure to check it out for examples and inspiration, and I am thrilled and excited to see what you come up with!

Peace,

Mr. R

Creating Your Ideal School (and Channeling a little bit o' Socrates)

Today, we chipped deeper into the iceberg!

Way down!

Cracking the dense ice!

Whoa, man, ice chips are flying everywhere!

Another way of saying the above is: we read "Plato's Allegory of the Cave" (which which really spoken by Socrates) and tried to grapple with what Socrates says life is all about.

Here is a link to the reading that we performed aloud and acted out in class today. 

Then, we segued into our IDEAL SCHOOL project, in which each of us will have to decide what core values and ideas matter most when creating and designed a school.

Here is the link to the overview of the IDEAL SCHOOL project. 

Tomorrow and Thursday, we will meet in the library to workshop and create our schools, and we'll continue discussing Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and "Plato's Allegory of the Cave" as we do so.

Our word of the day today is PERFIDIOUS, which means deceitful, as in this example, "The villain was perfidious when he told me that he was only trying to find the secret to my super power."

Our word of the day from yesterday was IMBUE, which is a verb that means to fill completely.

See you tomorrow, and peace!

Mr. R

Poetic Connections

Welcome back! I honestly missed you all very much while I was away on jury duty, and it is great to be diving back into our work together after your screening of the film Glory Road last week.

Today, we engaged in a creative comparison and contrast between the film Glory Road and the novel Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.

Instead of writing an analytical comparison to connect the film and the novel, we worked on creative poems by which to relate two characters and their similarities and differences. As an example, I shared a draft of a poem I wrote connecting T.J. Avery from Roll of Thunder to Bobby Jo Hill in Glory Road. Click hear to read the example that we discussed in class today.

Then, we had on music and you all dove into crafting your own creative connection poems. I loved workshopping these poems with you and having the chance to read and connect!

Tomorrow, we will begin our IDEAL SCHOOL project using our novel, the film, and our own experiences! And a little something extra from our old pal Socrates...

Peace!

Mr. R

Rolling Through Injustice...

Today we discussed Chapter 4 in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and we talked about what we would have done if we were in mam's shoes: would we bring our own children to see Mr. Berry, the burned man, to show our kids what racism looks like? Or would we wait until they were older to show them the terrible force of injustice?

We also had the chance to take the Literacy Test that was given to African-Americans who tried to vote in the 1960's in Louisiana. Click on this link to learn more about the test and how deeply it unjustly kept a civil right from African-Americans. 

Due Monday, be sure to read chapters 5 and 6 in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. If it would be helpful while reading (and I often do this!) try listening to the audio book aloud while you follow along in your book. Here is a link to the free audio version of the novel fro you to listen to while you read!

And here is a photo of some details of some of the characters we've met and discussed thus far:

Our word of the day today is ACCOUNTABLE, which means to be held responsible for...

Have an awesome evening, and peace!

Mr. R

Thunder and the Little Rock 9

Today, we had great conversations about The Logan kids and their decision to fight back against the school bus filled with white students and the bus driver who often tries to run down the Logan children. We talked about what we would have done had we been in the shoes of the Logan children, and predicted what we think will happen because of the hole they dig.

Then, we segued into a clip from the powerful documentary entitled, Eyes on the Prize. We watched s segment that explored and showed us what happened in 1957 when Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas attempted to follow the ruling of Brown vs. Board of Education and desegregate their high school.

We watched the immense courage of the 9 African-American students as they attempted to go to school, and the battle that ensued. Subsequently, we talked about what we felt, learned, and thought.

If you want to watch the clip again, or to watch beyond where we stopped, here is the link to the entire footage from Eyes on the Prize.

Our word of the day today is IRONY, which means the exact opposite of what the words explain, OR a completely unexpected and opposite outcome. The example of IRONY that we explored today is: America's history holds immense irony because this country began with the principle of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness--yet this very freedom has been denied to an entire group (or more) of people.

We also explored how the beauty of America is that it can be changed!

For homework tonight, be sure to read Chapter 4 in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.

Peace!

Mr. R

Poetry That MOVES!

Today, we dove into an activity where your mission was the work as hard as you could to piece together a poem by Langston Hughes that had been cut into single words. (Who would ever do such a thing!?). In the process of working in your teams to reconstruct the poem, you began to see the power of a poem to deliver a striking message about racism and equality.

Here are a few snapshots of your poems in progress as you worked in teams:

After we finished with the time in teams, I shared the actual poem, "I, Too," that Langston Hughes wrote in 1945. (Click on the previous link if you want to read the poem again.) This is a key message in the novel, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry: that equal rights will become a reality--and that people must stand up and fight for those rights. 

For tomorrow, be sure to read Chapter 3 in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. 

Our word of the day today was IMPERTINENT, which means rude. And our word of the day from yesterday was VIABLE, which means possible; able to become a reality. 

Have a great evening, and delve into Chapter 3 and be moved by its power!

Peace,

Mr. R

Your Own Definition of Heroism!

Today in class, we crafted thesis statements that reveal our stance about the similarities and differences between the novel Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and its respective film version. We had a thesis statement on the board and we revised it from an average to a stellar thesis statement, by making sure that it:

1) Is specific!

2) Holds an opinion or presents a case with which another reader can argue! (remember, a thesis statement is not just a re-statement of facts, but a fresh, original, NEW idea that needs support and evidence--film clip of A Few Good Men from September!)

3) References the title and author to which we are referring!

4) Creates a map for the essay!

Then, you each crafted your own thesis statements with these qualities in mind.

Afterwards, we acted out the start of Chapter 12--the final chapter--of our novel.

For tonight, be sure to finishing reading Chapter 12. Tomorrow, we will explore what it means to be heroic. We will think about characters from ROTHMC and also from our other reading and conversation this year.

Here is the guide we'll be using as we work to create our very own definitions of what it means to be heroic. 

I am excited!

Peace,

Mr. R