Self Reliance: November 28, 2018

Focus: What does it mean to be self-reliant, and why did the Transcendentalists value self-reliance

1. Warming up with a satirical criticism of millennials and their lack of self-reliance; creating a "Self-Reliance" post

• Before watching: What does it mean to be self-reliant? Create your own definition.

• While watching: To what extent is the video's criticism accurate? Do you think millennials lack self-reliance? What enables this?

• After watching: Based on your definition, would you describe yourself as self-reliant? Why or why not?

2. Taking time to read "Self-Reliance" and journal/blog

If you finish early, click HERE for a recent article about helicopter parenting.
Reading...

• Read Emerson's "Self-Reliance" (there's a vocab sheet if you're getting stuck).

• Let your eyes skim over the lines that don't interest you as much.

• Let your eyes settle on the lines that resonate with you. Underline them.

Journaling...

• Find 3-5 lines from the essay you appreciate/love/agree with. ENTER THEM IN THE BLOG JOURNAL (the one you kept for ELIC).

• For each line you've chose, reflect and react. You can simply write, you can create a short video, you can draw and upload your drawing, or you can include a combination of photographs and writing. 

• Use your reaction to figure out why you're connecting to the lines you've chosen. Why does this matter to you? Why should this matter to everyone?

• "To speak truly, few adult persons can see nature...The sun illuminates only the eye of the man, but shines into the eye and the heart of the child." -- from Emerson's "Nature"
•  I chose this image of my three-year-old and five-year-old, bundled up in sweaters, jackets, and hats, because they beg me each morning and afternoon to go outside. They enjoy the quiet darkness of a winter morning. They can't wait to kick their legs on the swings in the summer. In the fall, they chase leaves, In the spring, they taste rain and leave sloppy footprints in the leftover snow. When did I stop going outside to play? 

HW:
1.  Assigned book club reading and syllabus-creating for Thursday. Feel free to Google search "Teaching ______ (name of your book)" and utilize activities and questions that are already out there. Just be sure to cite on your syllabus which websites you used.

2. For FRIDAY:

• Prepare your one-minute speech (click below to see the topic you signed up for). PLEASE USE AT LEAST ONE SLIDE OR PROP IN YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT NO MORE THAN THREE.
• 2nd hour: Click HERE for your speech topics.
• 6th hour: Click HERE for your speech topics.

• Finalize your topic for your FINAL SPEECH by entering it here.