Songs about America
Here are links to the music videos we have watched and discussed in class this week.
“God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood
“I Am America” by Krista Branch
Text of II Chronicles 7:14—“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land.”
Connections and Curiosities •
“Ain’t I a Woman?” and Course Themes Assignment
1) Read the short speech by Sojourner Truth, Ain’t I a Woman. Identify her main idea and be prepared to discuss how she uses her life experience as evidence for what she is trying to say. See if you can summarize the argument she’s making in your own words.
2) Find and bring to class an news article, cartoon, book, song lyric, comic strip, historical event, children’s story, etc., that deals with the theme of your “expert group.” The themes are equality / inequality, continuity / change, and the individual / society. What you bring in to class may deal with one or both sides of your pair.
Links to the music videos we have watched in class over the past 2 days are available on the page of “Connections and Curiosities,” as well as the text from II Chronicles 7:14 that was in the song by Krista Branch that we saw today.
American Studies Assignments •
First Assignment
Tonight you need to find a news article, editorial cartoon, historical event, song lyric, or cultural image that illustrates some meme about America or an aspect of our “collective memory” as Americans. Print it out and bring the document to class with you tomorrow. Mr. Zecher explained the assignment in more detail to you in class today, so follow his directions on this one.
Review the syllabus and course expectations with a parent or guardian, get a signature, and return it to one of the instructors by Friday, Sept. 10.
American Studies Assignments •
Welcome to the 2010-11 School Year
This trimester I have 2 sections of American Studies and 2 Theatre Arts classes (1 & 2). This home page will be updated once a week (occasionally more often) to summarize what we are doing in all 4 classes. For information on both drama classes, click on the Theatre Arts page (in the list under my chin). American Studies Assignments are all listed on one page, and the Docs and Links pages also contain resources for American Studies students. If you are a student visiting my website for the first time, take a few minutes just to click through several of the pages to see what types of information have been made available to past classes.
Home •
Y’all Come
I’m in my classroom today—Tuesday June 22—finishing up the My America projects. Check your grades online. When you see your My America score entered, you may drop by to pick up your project. I will be here for most of the day, except for an hour or so to run some errands and get lunch from noon to 1PM. So come before noon or after 1PM; I’ll be here at least until 4:00 today. If you can’t make it in today, I’ll be back tomorrow to finish grading your final outlines with Mrs. Woodard, so you could also drop by tomorrow morning.
Home •
Course Evaluation
If you email me a course evaluation before noon on Monday, I will give you up to 20 bonus points in the written work category of your grade—with quizzes, tests, and the film reviews—for answering all of the following questions. If you answer some of them (but not all 10), you will not receive all 20 points, but will get some extra credit based on your feedback.
My email address is .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) .
1) Comment on the workload for the course—watching one film each week as homework, the 4 written reviews, genre group project, Moodle forum posts, etc. Do you think it was too much, too little, just about right for an elective course?
2) What films would you recommend that I keep in the course if it is offered again in the future? (List 3-5 of your favorites)
3) What films do you recommend eliminating from the curriculum? (List 3-5 of the ones you liked the least and/or thought were inferior)
4) Would you recommend more discussion of the films that we watched in class?
5) Comment on the genre group project. Did you think it was a valuable learning experience? Would you recommend some alternative to this group project as a major assignment in the class? Did you have enough time to work together in class on the film lists, the research, and the presentation? What suggestions for the project do you have that would benefit future students in this class?
6) Did the course meet the expectations you had when you signed up for it?
7) What changes would you recommend in the course content, assignments, teaching strategies, class activities, etc.?
8) What suggestions do you have for the teacher to improve the class and help you learn?
9) What was your favorite thing about this class?
10) What was your least favorite thing about the class?
Film Studies •
Final Evidence Outline
Evidence outlines for your final presentation are due tomorrow at the beginning of class. All outlines due tomorrow even if your presentation is scheduled for Thursday.
Here’s a document that will help you put the finishing touches on your outline for the final presentation. Final_Evidence_Outline.pdf
American Studies Assignments •
Final Presentation Outline, Flight
This weekend your reading assignment is to finish the novel, pages 131-181.
Work on your outline for the final group presentation. All evidence outlines are due on Wednesday.
American Studies Assignments •
Flight
Read through page 130 tonight.
Come to class prepared to work more on your final group presentations.
American Studies Assignments •
Flight
Read through page 78 tonight. Expect some sort of quiz or writing prompt about the book tomorrow.
American Studies Assignments •