HOTA Final!

For those who want to get a head start for the final, here are the three prompts you should be prepared to answer:

1. Evaluate the contribution of either Dr Martin Luther King or Malcolm X to the Civil Rights Movement. Refer to specific events.
2. Was the US government supportive of the Civil Rights Movement? Refer to specific events.
3. Evaluate the success of the Civil Rights movement in creating civil and social equality among American citizens?

 Also, be prepared to analyze several Cold War related primary documents.

Friday May 27th

Today we continued our study of the Civil Rights Movement, focusing specifically on the role of the FBI and COINTELPRO. Today we attempted to answer the following question: How did the FBI carry out its war against Black freedom groups?

After examining several FBI documents, wrote group paragraphs to share our answers, and then re-wrote a passage from a U.S. history textbook. Students were shocked to find that there is no mention of FBI involvement at the height of the Civil Rights Movement.

We then pivoted to the more contemporary struggle for social equity, examining statistics from Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow.

Reminder: Be sure to submit all missing or outstanding work! I am available 1st, 2nd, and 5th periods to assist!

Wednesday May 25th

End of the year is fast approaching! Be sure to complete all outstanding assignments. Flex period will be available for you this Thursday AND Friday. I hope y'all take advantage of the additional opportunity!

Today we reviewed expectations for the HOTA history journals due Thursday, June 1st.

Then we finished our Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X dialogues before wrapping up class reviewing The Black Panther Party and the FBI's surveillance of Civil Rights groups under the COINTELPRO program.

Be sure to finish your Civil Rights Movement Maps, due this Friday May 27th.

 

Thursday May 19th

Highlander Folk School, New Market, Tennessee

 Today we completed the SNCC Convention simulation. Our task was to decide upon the next action we should take to advance the struggle for civil rights. The convention featured:

• SNCC advocates for nonviolent civil disobedience
• SNCC advocates for voter registration
• Representatives from the Congress of Racial Equity
• Representatives from the Kennedy Administration
• Civil Rights Veterans such as Ella Baker and Bob Moses

After drafting proposals, students circulated around the room in an effort to build alliances and consensus. Though it was difficult, students ultimately arrived at a sound strategy that closely mirrored what was actually decided upon in August 1961 at the Highlander Folk School. 

Civil rights leaders and organizer meeting and discussing at Highlander Folk School.

 

Tuesday May 17th

We are quickly approaching the end of the year! Friendly reminder to work on all and any outstanding assignments. As always, feel free to visit with me during flex, or after school to review your grade or work.

Today we spent time your work sample grades from the Cold War essays, then quickly jumped back into our study of the Civil Rights Movement. After spending some time learning about the 1956 Southern Manifesto on Integration and the 1961 Freedom Rides, we watched clips from Eyes on the Prize. 

We then begun our Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Convention, reviewing roles and completing internal monologues ahead of our convention on Thursday.

Friday May 13th

Yikes! Friday the 13th. Luckily, all was well in HOTA today.

First we spent time reviewing Jim Crow by analyzing Langston Hughes. "Beaumont to Detriot: 1943."

Students then worked individually to summarize the major events of the Civil Rights Movement between 1942-1960.

We finished class with another clip from Eyes on the Prize and exploring the role of nonviolent civil disobedience during the student sit-ins of the 1960s.

 

Wednesday May 11th

Sorry for the late post! 

Today we took a deeper look into life for African-Americans living under Jim Crow. Specifically, we:

• Examined the difference between de jure and de facto Jim Crow racial segregation,
• Reflected on life in Jim Crow by writing short stories,
• Analyzed how the death of Emmett Till revealed how the very violence of Jim Crow sparked Southern and Northern resistance.

We also watched clips from the fantastic PBS series, Eyes on the Prize (available in class and at the library).

Who Am I? Introduction to the Civil Rights Movement

Today we continued to discuss how individual identities shape the way we understand history. We read through a chapter in Beverly Daniel Tatum's work, "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria," and responded to some quotes from the text.

We then introduced the Civil Rights Movement by dramatizing "separate but equal" learning conditions with a Civil Rights Pre-Test. Much of our introduction centered on the following guiding question of the unit, "What is freedom?"

We watched and discussed this clip from Selma and analyzed "what is freedom" from the perspective of Oprah Winfrey's character. 

 

Civil Rights!

We've now begun our last unit of the year, Civil Rights!

Today we started our study by beginning with the basics: Exploring our identities and the ways society values some identities over others. These conversations are always difficult and require tremendous energy; I appreciate everyone for giving their all in class today!

Our first activities are from Beverly Daniel Tatum's book, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race. 

 

Born in Blood and Fire Readings

Friendly reminder to complete the Born in Blood and Fire readings about U.S. intervention in Latin America. The readings are: 

• Chapter 8: Pages 257-261 (2nd edition)
• Chapter 8: Pages 264-273 (2nd edition)
• Chapter 9: Pages 297-302 (2nd edition)

 The reading handouts are available in class. 

 

April 25th, 2016

We are now onto our last case study of U.S. involvement in Latin America during the Cold War, Nicaragua.

We will only spend two class periods reviewing the major players of the Nicaraguan Revolution: Augusto Sandino, Daniel Ortega and the Sandinista movement, The Contras (counter-revolutionaries), and the U.S. Government. After learning about the revolution broadly, students analyzed the rhetoric from each perspective deeply in order to complete Character Retrieval Charts and write two-voice poems.

We are zooming through our unit! Today we continued to explore the Cuban Revolution, diving deeply into the major events and goals of the revolutionaries. Specifically, we analyzed excerpts from Fidel Castro's infamous defense, "History Will Absolve Me," before wrapping class up with a short film clip from American Experience's Fidel Castro.

Guiding Question: So how exactly did 18 revolutionaries overthrow the Batista regime in Cuba in the late 1950's?

Tuesday April 19th

Today we wrapped up our (brief) examination of U.S. involvement in Guatemala during the Cold War and turned our attention toward Cuba. What a fascinating time to learn about the Cuban Revolution and Cuba's role in the Cold War, given the recently renewed relationship.

After some review about the 1954 coup in Guatemala, we spent time learning about Cuba pre-Revolution with a "text graffiti" exercise. We wrapped up class with a "Cuban Revolution" Bloc Party. What a blast.  

No homework! If you can, we would love to discuss homework with you during tonight's Homework Summit. Library. 6:30pm.

Friday April 15th

Today we continued learning about the U.S. led coup in Guatemala through the help of prominent Latin American authors Pablo Neruda and Eduardo Galeano. We ended class by listening to a short clip from the "Hearts and Minds" episode from This American Life. You can find these resources posted on the "assignments and worksheets" column on the right hand side of the blog.

Wednesday April 13th

Today we continued to explore the Cold War period, turning our attention to the role of the United States in Central and South America. 

We started by examining this Diego Rivera painting, before diving into a set of CIA documents. Students played detective, piecing together the story of what exactly took place in Guatemala in 1954.

For Friday, please complete the short reading in Born in Blood and Fire Chapter 8, pages 257-261 (second edition). Start at the heading, "Onset of the Cold War," and stop reading once you reach the "Bolivia's National Revolutionary Movement."

Monday April 11th

Welcome back from the long weekend! This week we will continue exploring how the Cold War shaped life in the United States, and then begin examining how the Cold War shaped Central and South America. 

Our goal for Monday is:

• I can describe McCarthyism and the Red Scare and describe how they shaped life in the United States. 

 Homework:

• Be sure to complete and turn in any assignments from the 3rd quarter. 
• Bring Born in Blood and Fire to class Wednesday, you'll need the book to complete in-class assignments.

 Here are the slides from class:

 

Monday April 4th: New Unit! The Cold War

WOW, I cannot believe we're beginning the 4th quarter. This week we will begin our second to last unit, the Cold War.

Today we will begin our unit of the cold war. Our objectives are:

• I can describe the political and ideological conflict between capitalism and communism that led to the beginnings of the Cold War.
• I can identify several key individuals, events, and concepts that shaped the Cold War, including: Atom/Hydrogen Bomb, Berlin Wall, Yalta Conference, USSR, Truman Doctrine, Iron Curtain, Greek Civil War, Joseph Stalin.

Agenda: 

• Review 3rd quarter class survey results
• Introduction to the Cold War
• Cold War Prezi lecture
• The Red Dot Game

 Here are the slides for the class:

Final Project: What should be the U.S. foreign policy doctrine for the War on Terror?

Remember, the final project for our unit is due this Thursday, March 31st. We will spend time working on the project in class on Thursday so please bring what you have worked on, whether it is finished or not.

Here is the link to the assignment if you've missed class. As always, I would love to answer any and all questions you have about it.

Week of March 28th-April 1st

Welcome back from Spring Break! I hope your time away from school was restful and fun!

This week we will wrap up our exploration of U.S. expansionism at the turn of the 20th century. Our goals for this week are:

• Compare and contrast the major U.S. foreign policies of the era, including: the Monroe Doctrine, Open Door Policy, Benevolent Assimilation, The Roosevelt Corollary,  Big Stick Diplomacy, and Dollar Diplomacy.
• Complete our final project: "What should be the doctrine that defines U.S. foreign policy today?"

We will also spend time discussing the Belgium Terror Attacks with these resources:

President Obama's remarks 
Associated Press article (adapted) 

Here is where you can find the slides for class:

 

Final Project!

Calling HOTA scholars! To wrap up our unit about U.S. imperialism at the turn of the 20th century, you are asked to write your own foreign policy doctrine. 

Here is the assignment. 
It is due Thursday, March 31st.

United States foreign policy is arguably as contentious of a topic today as it was nearly a century ago. The U.S. led War in Afghanistan, the War against ISIS, and the War on Terror dominate the news headlines, yet the United States is also intimately involved in the political and economic affairs of dozens of countries throughout the world. The United States continued influence on the affairs of other countries have led some to charge that U.S. foreign policies represents a new form of American Imperialism.

You, Cleveland High School 6th period IB HOTA experts, have an opportunity to weigh in on this contentious debate. Our Representative to the United States House of Representatives, Earl Blumenauer, is asking you for your advice before the current session of the United States Congress adjourns. He has powerful connections in Washington, D.C. and wants to make sure that U.S. foreign policy is guided by the sound thinking of IB HOTA students at Cleveland.

As always, reach out to me with any questions or ideas. I am confident you will do well if you review your notes, graphic organizers, and readings from the unit.

Week of March 14th-18th

One more week until Spring Break, what a great time for a break from school. You've been working hard in and out of school, whether that means taking part in Fiddler on the Roof, Choir concerts, basketball, baseball, track, working after school or on the weekends, and of course, homework for other classes.

This week we will wrap up our exploration of U.S. expansionism at the turn of the 20th century. Our goals for this week are:

• (Wrap up) Analyze the causes and consequences of the Spanish-American War
• Compare and contrast the major U.S. foreign policies of the era, including: the Monroe Doctrine, Open Door Policy, Benevolent Assimilation, The Roosevelt Corollary,  Big Stick Diplomacy, and Dollar Diplomacy.
• Analyze the role U.S. foreign policy in the construction of the Panama Canal.

Also, be sure to complete any outstanding homework. For many of you, this means finishing your:

• Unsung (S)heros project
• Clarion Op-Ed about U.S. expansionism
• Political and Economic Motivations Graphic Organizer

Here are the slides from class:

  

Homework

Here is a friendly reminder about the homework you should work on this week.

• Unsung (S)heros Project
• The Political Motivations for U.S. intervention graphic organizer
• The Economic Motivations for U.S. intervention graphic organizer
• The Clarion Op-Ed

All these assignments are available on the blog (check the right side of the blog). As always, I am available for any questions or clarifications!

Week of March 7th-11th

It's Versus Week! Be sure to show your Cleveland spirit, I definitely will.

This week is dedicated to applying what we know about the political and economic motivations behind U.S. foreign policy. To do this we'll take a deeper look into the Spanish-American war (1898).


Our objective this week is:

• Analyze the cause and consequences of the Spanish-American war. 

Also, be sure to turn all outstanding homework. This includes the Unsung (S)hero project and the political and economic motivations graphic organizers (reading packets available in class).


Here are the slides for the week:

Homework: Op-Ed to the Clarion!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Here is a summary of the homework:

The Assignment:
Write an argumentative (take a side) op-ed (opinion essay) to the school newspaper, the Clarion, arguing for or against contemporary (current) interventionist (expansionist) foreign policies dilemmas that considers past political, ideological, and economic motives. 

Your op-ed should include the following components:

• An introduction that summarizes the current foreign policy dilemma and why students should care;
• Your argument for or against foreign policy intervention (expansionism) and explanation of your motives (values and beliefs) why;
• Draw connections between the dilemma you choose and consider (reflect deeply about) at least two political, ideological, or economic motives we've studied thus far in our unit ("where have we learned this lesson before?");
• A conclusion that summarizes what you learned about the current foreign policy dilemma, and  what you want students to do after they read your op-ed.

Here is the link to the assignment and rubric with an example.

As always, this is your opportunity to show what you've learned about U.S. Imperialism between 1890-1914 but also learn about important current policy dilemmas the United States faces today. Feel free to contact me with any questions.  

Savage Acts

Today in class we will be watching clips from "Savage Acts: Wars, Fairs, and Empire." Below is the trailer. Unfortunately the video is hard to find. If you missed class, let me know and I will find a solution that works!

New Homework Policy!

Building on our recent homework conversations in class, here below is our new class policy:

For major assignments (assessments, tests, projects):

• If missing or incomplete after 3 weeks, you'll receive a score of 50% until it is completed.

For daily practice assignments (homework):

• If missing or incomplete after 3 weeks, you'll receive a score of 1 (out of 4) until it is complete.

As always, this can be adjusted case by case depending on need. Let me know if you need an accommodation, or have any questions.

Homework

Friendly Reminder: Homework and Late Work

This Friday you will be handing in the graphic organizers for the political motivations and economic motivations of U.S. expansionism. The reading packs for both assignments are available in class. Let me know if you have any questions.  

I'll be submitting your mid-term grades tomorrow as well. Be sure to review your grade and complete any missing assignments. 

Media Matters! Links for good, fair, and accurate reporting

Here are some suggested sites I go to when searching for news:

• Democracy Now!
• FAIR
• Columbia Journalism Review 
• ProPublica 

To be clear, I am not suggesting that these news sites do not have bias. Instead, these sites offer extensive, in-depth research, and fair reporting. If you have any sites you'd like me to take a look at, feel free to let me know. 

Week of February 29th-March 4th

This week we are continuing to explore U.S. Imperialism between 1890-1914.


Our objectives this week are:

• Determine the economic motivations for U.S. expansionism;
• Examine the role of "Yellow Journalism;" 
• Consider the arguments for and against U.S. expansionism from influential U.S. leaders.

We will also spend additional time reviewing the unit and the final project. 

Here are the slides for the week:

Homework Suvey

I have heard grumblings of struggles with homework around school. I believe this is an important issue that we should openly discuss in class. This comes down to equity and ensuring that all students have opportunities to succeed in school. To help inform our discussions, please take some time to complete the Homework Survey below:

 

Week of February 22nd-26th

This week we'll be starting our new unit: What Makes America Modern? U.S. Imperialism 1890-1914. To start the week we'll consider "when is war just?" and review basic concepts related to U.S. foreign policy. 

Our objectives this week are:

• Define "U.S. foreign policy," "expansionism," "imperialism," "colonialism," and "empire."
• Describe how the rise of nationalism, social Darwinism, and jingoism fueled U.S. expansionism.

 We will also spend time reviewing the unit and the final project. 

Here are the slides for the week:

  

Week of February 15th-19th

This week we'll complete our unit about The Changing Role of Women in the United States. 

On Wednesday we'll review how feminism is affecting the current presidential debates. More importantly, you'll present your Unsung (S)heros projects in small groups.
 

Reminder: Your Unsung (S)hero mini-biographies are due Friday, February 17th. You'll be presenting your work in class. Be prepared to share, and learn about the many Unsung (S)hero's in our history.

Reminder: Final Project

Reminder: Unsung (S)heros Final Project

Your final project for our Women's History unit is due Wednesday, February 17th in class.

Be sure to review the assignment handout and rubric, and complete the OPVL graphic organizer for your primary source.

Finally, we'll be discussing your projects in class. Be ready to share:

• Why you chose your woman or group of women,
• Explain why you believe they are an "unsung (s)hero,"
• How your "unsung (s)hero" advances feminism.

Enjoy the long weekend!
 

Week of February 8th-12th

This week we'll wrap up our unit about The Changing Role of Women in the United States. Here's what we'll accomplish:

• Analyze the ratification of the 19th amendment and early 20th century Suffrage Movement.
• Evaluate how Feminism changed over the course of U.S. History
• Argue how gender and sexual identities shaped the experience of women.
• Reflect on issues women face in society today.

Reminder: Your Unsung (S)hero mini-biographies are due Friday, February 12th. You'll be presenting your work in class. Be prepared to share, and learn about the many Unsung (S)hero's in our history.

Here are the slides for Monday (February 8th):


Here are the slides for Wednesday (February 10th):


Here are the slides for Friday (February 12th):

Ain't I A Woman

Alice Walker reads Sojourner Truth's famous speech, "Ain't I A Woman."

The distinguished and award winning writer and activist Alice Walker reads aloud Sorjourner Truth's "Ain't I A Woman." Below is the video shown in class:

 

Week of February 1st-5th

This week we will continue to explore Women in United States history. This week we will:

• Describe the importance of the Seneca Falls Convention.
• Explore how gender and sexual identities influenced the experience of women in United States history.
• Analyze primary sources using the Origin, Purpose, Value, and Limitations (OPVL) format. 
• Analyze how women led social change during the 19th and 20th centuries. 

Here are the slides for Tuesday, (February 2nd):


 

Here are the slides for Thursday, (February 4th): 

Below is the link to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's TEDx Talk, "We Should All Be Feminists."

As you watch, consider the following questions:

• Why does Adichie suggest that feminism and feminist are negative terms?

• Why does Adichie call herself a "happy African feminist?"

• What does Adichie mean when she quotes Nigerian Nobel Peace Laureate Wangari Maathai "the higher up you go, the fewer women there are."

• According to Acichie, how have relations between women and men changed over time? What has not changed?