Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Brit Lit: Readings and Blog Post. Final Week.

Reading 4. Find an article about a topic of your choice and interest.  Be certain it comes from a reliable source.

Choose One of the Four Literacy Strategies and Create a MLA formatted citation for your reading.

1.  Find an article/video/podcast/website related to your design challenge:  mudding signage or thermostat car starter

2.  Use EasyBib.com to create a proper MLA formatted citation for  your article/video/podcast/website.

3.  Complete one of the four literacy strategies to show that you understand the text.

Notice/Wish/Wonder.

Text Connections.

Sketchnotes.

Soundtracking.

Blog post 4.

Production.  What happened?  In what ways did your group execute and in what ways did they not?  Why?  What do you think could have changed the outcome?  What action could you have taken?  When faced with similar sorts of challenges -- difficult tasks, tight deadlines, personal responsibility -- in the future, how might you better ensure a better outcome?

Due. Friday.  May 29.

Brit Lit CPI: Final Essay and Resume 2.0


Essay Topic Choices.


  • Explain what you have learned over your high school career that will stay with you into the future.
  • Thank someone who has had a powerful impact on you.
  • Discuss how a little gesture, event, or item can have a major impact.
Rubric

Design a Resume 2.0.

Demonstrate your skills and talents in a way that people would not expect from a typical resume. What should be included?
Personal contact information.
Education background.
Work history.
Skills and talents.
Personality and sense of self.

Use the examples linked below to inform your own design.

Example 1.  Katie Briggs.

Example 2. Fabio Moderno.

Example 3. Anton Yermolov.

Example 4.  Sara Catanzariti.

Make your resume using Pages, Google Drive OR Piktochart.

Rubric.

Due Tuesday, June 2nd.

Humanities: Final Essay

Humanities: Start Something That Matters Portfolio Final

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Humanities: LNG & Learning to Love You More

Today we'll start with an LNG.

Then you have today to finish up your Learning to Love You More in class.  Tomorrow you will be presenting them PechaKucha style, 20 seconds per slide.

Today I'll also be asking you to put copies of your pictures as JPGs in the Learning to Love You More Photos folder on Google Drive.

ASSESSMENTS.

Blog. 3+ Posts.
Req'd Post.  Learning to Love You More Slide deck with voiceover/narration.  Display your thinking.
Possible Solutions for Voiceover Narration.

1. Record a SoundCloud file.  Embed it on your blog.  Embed your slideshow above it.
2. Add SnagIt to Google Chrome.  Then follow the directions on this video.  It works slick.


3. Record using Keynote and then export it as a QuickTime movie.  Upload the movie to YouTube and embed it OR put it on Google Drive and share it publicly.

Complete.  Learning to Love You More.
Due. Thursday, May 21.

Complete.  Culture & Composition.
Due. ASAP.

Complete.  Little Things Essay.
Due. ASAP.




Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Pop Culture: Pitching Trailers

Today, we hear from two pitch teams.

Each will do its best to convince me that they have the best idea for a film for which we should produce a trailer between now and next Thursday.

I shall raise my eyebrows.

As soon as I pick, we will dive into our DEEP design process.  It will be powerful fierce.

ASSESSMENTS.

Blog. 3+ Posts.
Curate.  2+ Pins.
Be Certain to Put Links to Your Blog Posts and Curations in the Proper Weeks on the Q4 Blog Tracker.  Also make sure you check the rubric for curation.  
Req'd Blog Post.  Discovery Phase for the Trailer.  Brainstorm.  Sketchnote. Storyboard  Get your ideas up there.   Show your work.
Due. Friday, May 22.

Music Culture Project.
Due. ASAP.

Social Media Project. (To Demo Understanding -- Even Though from Last Quarter)

Due. ASAP.

Humanities: Station Day Learning to Love Starting Something That Matters Roots

Stations!

Station 1.  Soundtracking Your Roots.

a. Choose a root from Roots Lists 11- 13

b. Use Beatlab, Garage Band, or another music creation tool to create a song inspired by that root.  Write a brief explanation of your thinking and intention.

OR

b.  Find a song that reminds you of that root.  Write a brief explanation of your thinking and intention.

c.  Post your thinking on your blog.

d. Repeat for at least 3 root words.


Station 2.

Start Something That Matters Visual Self Assessment.

Using our circles, create a visual representation of where you are at in Mycoskie's 6 elements of starting something that matters

Orange: Find Your Story
White: Face Your Fears
Red: Be Resourceful without Resources
Purple: Keep It Simple
Pink: Build Trust
Blue: Giving Is Good Business

Take a picture.  Put it on your blog.  Write a brief explanation of your  thinking.

Station 3.

Learning to Love You More Rationales.

Work on your brief paragraphs explaining your Learning to Love You More assignments.

Station 4.

Learning to Love You More Slide Deck Design Work

More on this when I post the blog post in a minute!

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Humanities: Starting Something That Matters



Watch at least three of the following videos featuring Blake Mycoskie as he discusses social entrepreneurship and the idea of starting something that matters.  We'll be affinity mapping this, looking for trends across the videos and determining what his message appears to be.








Want a more detailed and fantastic presentation from Mycoskie?


All of this is leading up to our Humanities final which we will be discussing in class today and for which you will be getting an information handout and rubric next week.

ASSESSMENTS.

Blog. 3+ Posts.
Req'd Post.  Learning to Love You More Progress.  Show Your Work.
Due. Friday.  May 15.

Complete. Learning to Love You More
Design Slide Deck.
Complete Assignments.
Due. Thursday.  May 21.  Installation in the building.
Bring artifacts of your assignments to share.

AP Lit: Watchmen Film DT Challenge Discovery Update

Here's the results of Tuesday's work on Watchmen.  

Jacob and Michaela have started work on the script and story.  We made big progress in class on Tuesday toward that story and it is exciting stuff.   Here are the notes.

Basically, six childhood friends reach adolescence and each puts on his/her own "mask" to survive that transition.  In so doing, the friendships dissolve.  Only one friend stays true to herself but finds herself disconnected from everyone else.  This causes her tremendous pain and she realizes the only way for her to be happy is to bring them together.  She writes them a letter that suggests she's about to take her own life, but in reality, it is just a device to bring them all together again and to rekindle those friends.  But to keep those five together, she must disappear, sacrificing herself for the happiness of the others.

Lots of specifics to work out still but there's the gist.

Each of the six has a correlation to one of the central figures of Watchmen.  The Comedian's correlate is the girl who remains true, much as Eddie is the most honest and forthright of the Minutemen -- despite his other misgivings.

More today . . .

And remember, this week is also Empathy phase.  Talk to potential viewers.  Now that we have a story shaping up, find out what early adolescence was like for them.  What sorts of masks have people had to wear?  How might we integrate the stories and experiences of those around us into our film to demonstrate an understanding of our viewership?  To give them a film to which they can relate and also that can challenge their thinking -- as Watchmen challenges our own.






Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Brit Lit CPI: Experiment Phase of Design Challenge

We'll start today with our third reading related to our design challenges.

You may choose from the following or find your own.

History of the Stop Sign's Design.  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/magazine/stop-sign.html?_r=0

Emotionally Intelligent Signage. http://www.danpink.com/2012/04/textbook-example-of-emotionally-intelligent-signage/

More Durable Signage Material Available. (Note: This is an ad disguised as an article.  http://graphicdisplayusa.com/en/articles/durable-dibond-helps-new-sign-maker-fulfill-premium-outdoor-signage-art-niche/)

The Internet of Things is Bigger than We Imagine.  http://www.wired.com/2014/11/the-internet-of-things-bigger/

BMW iRemote App Wins Big at Electronics Show http://www.bmwblog.com/2014/11/12/bmw-remote-app-winner-ces-innovation-awards-2015/

Challenges & Troubles with Internet Wired Protection Systems http://www.forbes.com/sites/ianmorris/2015/02/17/this-google-nest-protect-video-is-like-a-dystopian-nightmare/

Choose One of the Four Literacy Strategies and Create a MLA formatted citation for your reading.

1.  Find an article/video/podcast/website related to your design challenge:  mudding signage or thermostat car starter

2.  Use EasyBib.com to create a proper MLA formatted citation for  your article/video/podcast/website.

3.  Complete one of the four literacy strategies to show that you understand the text.

Notice/Wish/Wonder.

Text Connections.

Sketchnotes.

Soundtracking.

ASSESSMENT
Reading 3.
Due.  Friday.  May 15.

Blog Post 3.  Experiment thinking.  If you had $10,000 to create your design, how would you spend the money?  What would the solution look like?  Then shift your thinking: if you only had $10 to create your design, how would you use it?  What would the solution look like?

Due. Friday. May 15.

Design Project.  Working Prototype.
Due. Tuesday, May 26.


Humanities: Learning to Love You More Stations

Tuesday!  Station work!

New vocab roots as well!  Roots 13!

We'll use the station work to make progress toward our installation of Learning to Love You More on Thursday, May 21st.

Station 1.
Assignment #10.  Make a Flier of Your Day.

Station 2.
Assignment #51.  Describe What to Do with Your Body When You Die.

Station 3.
Assignment #54.  Draw the News.

Station 4.
Assignment #53.  Give Advice to Yourself in the Past.

The beauty of the above four assignments?  They can all be completed in class.  On Thursday, we'll bring in some materials to tackle more ambitious assignments.

On Thursday, I also want to meet with the fidget team.

Tomorrow, we further explore Start Something that Matters.  You can learn more about TOMS and Blake Mycoskie's ideas here.

ASSESSMENT.

Blog.  3+ Posts.
Req'd Post.  Learning to Love You More: Show Your Work.
Due. Friday.  May 15.

Learning to Love You More.
Due.

Monday, May 11, 2015

AP Lit: Watchmen Discovery Phase Continues

Here we go folks . . . 21 days and we'll have a movie.

Today we dove into possibilities for this film and signing up for production teams.

Suit Up Sessions



We agreed on no central protagonist, multiple layers, original song to tie things together but not a music video, use of flashbacks and some sort of event or experience that unites all characters

I was playing around with ideas after school on Monday




Blog.  3+ Posts.
Req'd Post.  Empathy Phase.  Talk to potential users of our film.  Rather than ask for what they look for in a film, find out which themes and ideas might best relate to them.  What would they find interesting to explore and compel them to keep watching?   How might we use the big ideas of our work to engage audience  and how might our devices enhance those big ideas?
Due. Friday.  May 15.

Pop Culture: Film Trailers

Today we explore the underappreciated world of film trailers.

We'll explore a couple of articles and examples in the service of playing with film trailer design.

Both articles are on the Flight307 Pop Culture Pinterest board.

A Good Day to Die Hard was not a good movie.  But it makes a darn fine tool for learning how to edit a trailer.
http://www.filmeducation.org/teachingtrailers/secondary/make_a_trailer/

We had talked about making a short film as a class; I would like to throw on the table a proposal that instead we make a film trailer.

ASSESSMENT.

Blog. 3+ Posts.
Curate. 2+ Pins.
Req'd Post.  Credit Roll of Your Life.  Imagine your life as a film.  Create the credit roll.  (It needn't be an actual scrolling piece of film -- though that would kinda neat as well.) Who would get credit? What sorts of jobs and roles would they get credit for?  What order would you put it in?

We'll do a little brainstorming in class to get these ideas cooking.
Due.  Friday, May 15th.


Complete. Music Culture.
Due. Wednesday, May 13th.



Sunday, May 10, 2015

Humanities: Learning to Love You More Rubric

Learning to Love You More: The Website 
Due. Thursday.  May 21st.  INSTALLATION.

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Humanities: Little Things Essay Workshop

Today, we'll start with Roots Quiz 12.

Then. . .

Stations . . non rotating . . choices . . . follow the sketchnotes below to help you with the process . .  starts with a description of each station and then the process follow below.

Stations.








Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Pop Culture: Nate Underkuffler & Transition to Film Culture

Tuesday we Skyped with music editor/film composer Nate Underkuffler who shared his work process and what it's like to work in the Hollywood film industry.

We also shared brief reminders of the music culture project due next Wednesday.

Answer One or More of these Essential Questions . . .
How does music culture affect you?
How do you affect music culture?
How does music culture affect society?
How does society affect music culture?

A few folks in attendance last week put these ideas on the table. . .

Soundtrack of Your Life.  What are the songs that have shaped your life?  Spotify or YouTube Playlist.  Cover art.  Rationales for each choice.  Share to the world.

Workout Playlist.  What songs should people listen to while working out?  What type of work out?  When exactly should they listen?  YouTube or Spotify Playlist.  Cover art.  Rationales for each choice.  Share to the world.

Music Video.  Create a music video for a song.  Preferably an original song by a local/student performer.  Publish the video on YouTube or Vimeo.  Rationale explaining the intentions and design of the video.

How else might you demonstrate answers to one or more of the above?

ASSESSMENTS.

Blog. 3+ Posts
Curate.  2+ Pins
Req'd Post. Five Image Story.  Tell a story in only five images.  It must relate a beginning, middle and end. It must include at least one character.  It must involve some sort of conflict.  You may take original photos or use found images from the web.    Explain your story.
Due. Friday, May 8

Music Culture Project.
Due. Wednesday, May 13.

Looking forward.. .

Film/Television Culture Project.
Due.  Friday, May 29

Final.  For Seniors.  Due June 1.

For Underclassmen. TBA.


Brit Lit CPI: Reading and Research; Discovery & Empathy Phase

Today . . .
Thermostat research 

Wiring Video for auto cool Honeywell Thermostat

Different forms of saving your animals from heat stroke

An article/visual about animal cruelty in hot cars



Mudding Research 
The cost of illegal mudding

The few people who take advantage of mudding

A list of the “legal” off-roading areas. 
1.  Find an article/video/podcast/website related to your design challenge:  mudding signage or thermostat car starter

2.  Use EasyBib.com to create a proper MLA formatted citation for  your article/video/podcast/website.

3.  Complete one of the four literacy strategies to show that you understand the text.

Notice/Wish/Wonder.

Text Connections.

Sketchnotes.

Soundtracking.

4.  Put your work in your Brit Lit IN folder.

ASSSESSMENTS.

Blog Post 2. Empathy Conversation.  Talk with someone who would be an invested user of your design.  Find out what bugs them about the current situation.  And find out what would excite them about a new design.

For example, what really bothers game wardens about current sign posts?  And what features could new signage have that would get them excited?
Due. Friday. May 8th.

Reading 2.  See above.
Due. Friday. May 8th.


Monday, May 4, 2015

AP Lit: Test & Watchmen & Poet-Trees Set Free

For a tiny class of four, we sure did a lot of doing today in AP Lit.

Here's what everyone needs to know . . .

1.  Test.  Wednesday.  UMF.  North Dining Hall.  Be there by 7:30 - 7:45.  Test at 8.  Boom.  Rock it.  HARD.

2. Poet-trees set free.  We'd really like to release the poet-trees into the wild for people to discover on nature trails and walking paths around our community i.e. Bonney Woods, Flint Woods, Whistle Stop, etc.   Not permanently, but perhaps for a week or two?

We came up with a great list today and need to strategize on how to get them out there, so long as all of the Poet-Trees crew is in agreement.  We also thought it would be great fun to encourage poet-trees selfies so we can see who finds them all.  Maybe we could make some rustic signage.

Also, mark your calendars for 7 a.m. Sunday, May 31st.  Tentative plans for a fully voluntary hike up Tumbledown to plant a Poet-Tree in the wee morning hours.


2.  Read Watchmen.  Chapter 4 by Thursday/Friday.   COMPLETE Watchmen for next week: Wed, the 13th, we will talk openly about the whole book.  Friday, the 15th, everyone should have completed the text.

Why is that so important?  Because  . . .

3. We are making a short film inspired by Watchmen.  Due date. Upload date.  World premiere date.  (Red Carpet Event Date?)  June 1st.

How might we demonstrate the themes, devices, characters and intentions of Watchmen through an original film inspired by the work?

To do so, we must identify Moore & Gibbons' techniques, the themes,  characters, the literary devices, the symbols, the imagery, the visual devices, the layers of allusions, the layers of text, and more.

To those ends, this is a design challenge so . . .

DISCOVERY PHASE!!!!

Blog: 3+ Posts
Req'd Post:  DISCOVERY PHASE.  Watchmen film project.  Based on what we've read so far, unpack the text.  What themes emerge already? Symbolism?  Techniques?  Colors? Devices?  Go nuts.  Explore the text.   What seems like it NEEDS to be there?  What feels indisposable at this juncture?  What could it do without?

Sketchnote it?  Mind map it?  Free write it?
Due.  Friday, May 8th.




Brit Lit. Experimenting and Adventure Gridding

Last week, we talked about Baltimore rather than work on our design challenge.  This was a good thing.  A powerful conversation.

And today we need to get on point with our design work.

We'll jump right into today with low-res model making.   You'll have access to all of the materials in the room to experiment with various designs for land owner signage and for the thermostat car starter.
At 1:15 we will complete the Adventure Grid and make our map for the rest of the year.

Reading 2.
Wednesday, you will be researching a 2nd article on your topic, reading and responding.  As we go through this project, you should be thinking about a wide variety of topics that fall under your project.

For example, car starter thermostat:  animal cruelty, innovations in car accessories, internet of things, entrepreneurship, kickstarter, little bits cloud bit, new wireless car accessories,

Mudding: land owner rights, land damage from ATVs, responsible trail use, innovative signage, property damage from vehicles, QR codes, game warden concerns,

Blog Post 2. Also, by Friday, you need to have had a conversation with a stakeholder/user of your design.  For example, a pet owner or mechanic (preferably one with experience with remote car starters).  Someone who has posted land or who often rides on posted land.    Find out what bugs them about the current situation and what excites them about your possible solution.  Find out what features they might like to see.