Week 1: August 7-9

UPCOMING DUE DATES

Friday 8/16: Last day to submit New Frontier unit work and receive feedback before unit assessment; however, we recommend that you follow the unit calendar and submit work periodically
Tuesday 8/20: New Frontier unit assessment; last day to submit unit work
Tuesday 8/20: Summer reading movie viewing after school (3:30-6) if you do not have access to the movie at home
Wednesday 8/21: Summer reading groupwork review
Thursday 8/22: Summer reading assessment

RECENT HANDOUTS AND PRESENTATIONS

• Syllabus
• New Frontier Unit Plan, Calendar and Assignment Checklist
•  Required reading:
• "Millenials: The New Greatest Generation" by Joel Stein
• "2BR02B" by Kurt Vonnegut
• "The Birthmark" by Nathaniel Hawthorne 
•  Choice reading -- choose one: 
• Is Google Making Us Stupid? by Nicholas Carr 
• Is Facebook Making Us Lonely? by Stephen Marche 
• Trial by Twitter: Was Justice Served in Steubenville by Ariel Levy  NOTE: “Trial by Twitter” discusses the controversial rape trial of high school students in Steubenville this spring – the article focuses more on the aftermath of the rape – the town’s reaction and the trial. But this topic may be distressing to some – please choose accordingly.
• "Homeland Insecurity” by Massimo Calabresi and Michael Crowley 
• “Greenland Melting” by Jeff Goodell 

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 6

• Introductions, getting to know you
  
• Course philosophy (in brief) and procedures
• Intro to New Frontier Unit
• Read "Millenials: The New Greatest Generation" by Joel Stein 
• Track the way that Stein moves through his argument, noting the shifts and turns between argument and counterargument, between claims, reasons, and evidence. Consider why his argument seems to turn on itself -- why he might seem to start with one position about what the Millennials are and then shift to the other side.
• Homework: finish reading the article; consider which of the four major claims in his argument you would like to debate; be prepared to take notes when you get to class tomorrow so that you can join the debate:
• Narcissism, Self-Absorption, Entitlement
• Anti-Establishment and Anti-Authority Attitudes
• Values and Morality
• Relationships and Social Norms

THURSDAY AUGUST 7

• Review Stein article; gather evidence -- his claims, reasons, evidence as well as your reaction to use as your talking points as you debate whether he has it right or wrong about your generation
• Debate!
• Big question for this unit: are we living in a dystopia?

FRIDAY AUGUST 8

• Continue dystopia discussion
• Consider the ways that our society today is facing a new frontier -- one that could lead to a brighter future or utter collapse
• Review background on Kurt Vonnegut
• Begin reading "2BR02B"
• Homework over the weekend -- finish summer reading; note what your book has to say about American society -- opportunities, values, shortcomings, injustices