Boo!

Our Final Weekend before the end of the world Q1! This will be more hectic than usual, due to the election, pandemic, return of nice weather, college application deadlines, various things. I’ll run through a recap of Q1 things and give you a hint of what we’ll be attempting Q2 (& beyond?). Just try to take some time and enjoy outside over the next week or two. But be careful when interacting with others (especially within closed spaces). COVID19 transmission is rising again and it could get VERY bad before it gets better again.

Please complete & submit Exam 1.2 by 11:59 PM Monday. I'll run through them while following election news on Tuesday. We don't "see" one another until Weds/Thurs, but I will still be available to Zoom/GMeet with you during regular class hours on M & T.  I nixed the Q1 Final Exam, btw. Q2 Exams will be small group affairs. You'll get a previous IB question, deconstruct it, prepare an answer, then present it to the class (slides). It has worked well every other year, so I hope it works this year. MY ToK students are doing presentations next week, which will serve as our practice run-through.

Our final assessment, Seminar 1.9 Reparations, is next Weds/Thurs postponed to a later date - due to the election and immediate aftermath. Please complete the Pre-Work as soon as possible, though. Really think about your response(s)! Also do some of your own research on the issue. We have a unique perspective from Mpls, but it is a topic anyone can relate to, imho. This is usually one of the best seminars, since it hits many issues (past, present & future!), and I hope you are comfortable in sharing your thoughts. While difficult, it is important that we are honest, open, and willing to share & listen. It's the only way we can work to repair/heal.

I got a kick out of your Stream-of-Consciousness note-taking! Some of you just can’t break out of your “formal” student mode. I was looking for your side comments and questions. ANY stream-of-consciousness activity should include some wacky things that pop into your head as you (try to) follow any type of information dump or experience. If you are wondering what I am referring to, ask any of the following: Rachel P, Thea P, Austin C, Zoe H, Luke P, Connor R, Nathaniel G, or Reid W. Kieran P, Eleanor W, and Megan A also have interesting takes. Some of you took fantastic content-based notes (Julianna H, Etta L, Megan T, Grace U, Frank H, Ryan Mu, Tiegan P, Ashley P, Leah S, Alex G, Maddie N, Laura P, and Sam ST), but didn’t share what other thoughts popped into your brain. I am trying to get you to focus on THINKING more than rote memorization. Absorb, learn, and ponder!

Some may be wondering about the Extra Credit not showing up in the gradebook. Allow me to explain how I do this … Extra Credit is invisible to you and is not calculated until the end of the Qtr. As you do it (EC WILs, The MMission Character Web, etc.),I enter it from my end, but you see nothing and it does NOT affect your grade. Next Friday, I add it to your grade calculation. So, your missed WIL remains a ZERO, but your total points for the WIL category will be greater than what you see. THAT is the EC.

I have decided to modify your WILs, which you (hopefully) noticed in the later one(s). I am eliminating 2-3 of the paragraph requirements and will rotate through some different components for one required response, in addition to the typical “WIL question” presented every time. It will be easier for you & me. I still hope you actually take some time to reflect on what was done & what you learned, regardless of whether or not I am formally requesting it in the WIL response. Reflection is a key learning tool (for academics & life!) and can help in many ways.

Beginning next week, we have "official" Asynchronous Days (typically Weds). In place of the generic Attendance Check GForm, I will be using my weekly survey to take attendance on such days. Now, we also cheat a little and I give you other Asynch days, due to the nature of IB (A LOT of reading and collecting thoughts), but remember that I am ALWAYS available and will even offer opportunities to read through docs with me – LIVE! – and follow as I/you/we process things together. Some – many – most(?) may not want to experience my melodious voice as I read historical documents aloud, which is understandable (if not hurtful – I jest), so you can go ahead and read on your own.

In Q2, I will again try to have one Seminar per week. You’ll notice we had nine in Q1 (average of 1 per week!), but the schedule was awkward. I’ll do my best to plan things out so there is one per week again, hopefully over the last 2 days of the week. That will leave M&T as check-in, intro, support, etc. Now, I must also confess something. With only a few modification (elimination of material & activities), we covered EVERYTHING I normally go through in a normal Q1. IF you followed along & did everything, you have successfully adapted & will be a stronger student for your sacrifice. If not, that is also OK – this model leaves MUCH to be desired. I’ll pull back a little Q2, as I think we found our groove, but I will be adding some auxiliary content for those who are taking the IB HL History exam or anyone who simply likes the content.

I also want to address Late Work. Seminar Pre-Work will be posted (at least) a week in advance and be due by noon the day before IBA1 meets for the seminar. Sometimes, it will be generic (like the first ones), but I may add more questions. I will post WILs on Weds, with the expectation that they are done & SUBMITTED by Monday. These NEED to be done by those times so I can use them for the seminar and/or refinement of future lessons. I will again offer 1-2 extra credit WILs in case you miss a deadline. I’ll also offer an EC opportunity that will cover a missed Seminar. If you miss a seminar for some reason, do not worry (missing one will NOT destroy your grade – heck missing 2 probably won’t hurt either). But I cannot go back and look for work that was submitted late or forgotten to be submitted in the first place. Think of each assignment as an election ballot that must be turned in on time!

Lastly, we are entering the months of despair. A holiday season without the normal cheer and family gatherings (yes, they’re awkward, but also enriching) will be unusual for many. I am anticipating some (increased?) anxiety/depression/yucks in ALL of us. We have to be honest with one another. If you’re struggling, tell someone! I hope you (now) know you can trust me to be fair & understanding. I am trying to do my best in preparing you for (post-secondary) life after we emerge from this experience. 2020 ends in 2 months, but COVID will affect daily life for at least another year. We’ve lost too many lives already, while some have recovered with ongoing issues. Each of those lives & experiences have affected even more people (some in our own circles, if not ourselves). Remember to take care of yourself, then your family, friends, faith (in any order). We can’t physically lean on one another or even give a hug, but we CAN listen, understand, and offer encouragement/support. Things will get hard(er), but they also get easier. The struggles of a 4yo learning to tie a shoe are similar to you doing an IA or some other big school task. That first paragraph you wrote in 2^nd grade is similar to the college essay you are writing (or have written) now. Meanwhile, your parents/guardians are trying to not only guide & support you, but also figure out how to give you want you want/need! You CAN hug each other!

Seriously – go outside and enjoy the weather over the next 1-2 weeks!

 

 

Exam 1.2 (Keen LAC4&6/Keen HLA 4&5) Prep

I showed you how to Make a Copy of any MSWord/GDocs I upload, namely the Keen HLA Review sheet for his textbook chapters. Remember that if you have great difficulty deciphering the primary sources (Keen LAC), you should use the Keen HLA Textbook as a backup. While the chapter numbers do not align perfectly, the Table of Contents and even a simple word search should help.

Share notes with one another if you feel it helps (collaboration is always a plus). If you have other questions, ask me tomorrow.  IF you have been paying attention in class, I have no doubt that you'll do fine on this exam. If you completed the Pre-Seminar Work BEFORE class on Monday, I emailed the responses to you. If you did NOT complete the work on time, you should have had your own responses sent to you. I’ll resend the link to ALL responses on Tues or Weds. DO NOT process ALL of the keywords in that Keen HLA Review Sheet - I covered the "testable" ones in our review! There are a couple of MC questions set aside to check for deep understanding of the primary courses (Keen LAC), so focus on knowing the material from Unit 02 (pages 135-187). I cut the Keen LAC 7 material from this exam, but we'll start with those readings Q2 (which begins with independence movements).

There are TWO (2) Exam Sections (Complete BOTH within the 50 minutes of the allotted time):

1. Multiple Choice (MC) has 26 questions
2. Short Answer (SA) has 4 Components with a total of 8 questions

I will make the exam LIVE on Weds at 8:30AM. You have to find a 55-minute block of time between then and Monday 11:59 PM in which to complete it. If you need additional time, by all means, take it, but make a note at the beginning of your response: (EXTRA)     This is so we all know how you would fare in a strictly-enforced timed test. Again, this type of exam is for you to develop some skills and me to see if you are trying. Beginning Q2, exams will be small group presentations!

We are asynchronous on Weds (please make sure you complete the Attendance Check-In!) and we still meet on Thurs/Fri! I will confirm that a Letter of Recommendation was uploaded on Weds. We should cover Seminar 1.9 Reparations expectations. I will also answer any Exam topic questions you may have lingering before you tackle it. I can also address any additional questions or concerns you have about this exam, extra credit, etc.

If you are having tech difficulties, contact the MPS IT Gurus - they can help! If you are freaking out over college application, the election, the pandemic, etc. ... BREATHE! Well, not on or around anyone else, but you know that by now, I hope. Things have a crazy way of working out. We sometimes don't get what we want, but other opportunities arise and I genuinely believe that 

Las Casas

Seminar 1.7 focused on Las Casas. Seminar 1.8 will explore Keen’s take on Spanish Colonial government & policy. I hope you read EVERYTHING (pp 135- 187) for this unit (thus far). It is the foundation upon which I built Exam 1.2.

You started off by exploring the following in your Study Groups: 

• Dig into WHO & WHAT he was …
• MANY did NOT address "What were his beliefs?" question - do it now
• What changed - why did he change - how did he change & did he succeed?
• Explore your perception of his Legacy - did anyone read more about him?
• What about his character - can you develop a consensus? If so, what is it? If not …
• What is the progression of Spanish Colonial Policy regarding Los Indigenes? (Keen)
• What changed - why did it change - how did it change & did the change(s) work?

As a class, we then approached the following: 

• What is his legacy?
• Is he a hero? What evidence supports this?
• Is he simply a bad guy? What evidence supports this?
• How does (y)our (Historiographic?) Study of Las Casas project him?
• Did you get multiple perspectives of Las Casas (from the assigned readings)?
• Regarding The Mission, did you make any connections with ... Rodrigo (DeNiro) & Las Casas?

I'm going to ask that you read a little more about the Black Legend via Wikipedia and/or this shorter explanation. You should also watch the last five minutes of John Green's Crash Course US History 01 "The Black Legend, Native Americans, & Spaniards": (https://youtu.be/6E9WU9TGrec?t=349)

What he did for the indigenous population of the Americas was profound - he worked tirelessly to free them from slavery and improve their lives...from HIS perspective.  He wanted to convert them all, which had a definite impact on their culture & civilization.  While he wanted to give the land back and allow them to rule themselves, he also wanted to convert them...ALL of them to Christianity.  Furthermore, when removing the labor supply from a system designed around slavery (Encomienda), it simply shifts the focus to other groups - namely, West Africans.  So, even though he could not have imagined it, the "humanization" of the indigenous populations of the Americas contributed to the African Slave Trade, perhaps even inspiring it. While his BFF (Charles) had his back, Las Casas was more interested in preserving and expanding the power of the (Catholic) Church. Yes, Las Casas was more morally centered than his contemporaries on this and other issues, but he was not infallible.

Also know (some of) the role & influence of the Pope on political and economic affairs. Las Casas outmaneuvered the Holy Roman Emperor by getting the Pope “on his side” when Charles would not listen. This then affected what Spain did (& had a subsequent effect on Portuguese America, as well). 

As an aside, I hope you are working to draw original connections with your own analyses of what we do in this course. Step into the role of a historian while also maintaining your role as a learner...learn to learn again. Explore, consider, and follow kernels to ideas and concepts that may be new to all of us.

Spirits, Demons, Elections, Grades & Other Seasonal Things

Whoever decided to place Halloween, Elections and the end of a grading term all within the same 1-week window is a sadist. Oh, and add the ACT two weeks before that week!

I thought I'd share a selfie from inside my home without a functioning furnace. Worst thing is that I have frozen little piggies if I am not wearing slippers or thick socks, even though I tend to walk around the house like Reuben coaches girls soccer games. While the girls lost (putting up an admirable fight and certainly made me proud in doing so), the boys are choosing to host SLP at 5PM on Tuesday Wednesday due (partially) to the weather forecast. We may need an orange ball. 😖 If we win, we either host SW or visit Wayzata on Thursday Friday (time TBD). Meanwhile, I don't get a new furnace installed until Tues Oct 27th.

As for class, I have created the IBA Contact/Study Groups. I bolded one person (or 2 in the larger groups of 6 - which will self-determine sub-groups of 3) as my main go-to contact. These will also be your Small Discussion Groups, which will then be combined/split to form the Split-Class Groups (of approx 10ish students each). IBA2 has to split into the Small Groups of 3, from which I'll make the 3 larger groups of 10. We'll try them out Q2, when I also plan to roll out some other modifications.

As for what remains through Q1, please make sure you do EVERYTHING in the GooClass "To-Do" Topic:

WIL 1.5 Legacy should be done, but I will read them through Weds.

Biography of America 03 Video Lecture & Note-taking Exercise. It's 26 mins, consider speeding it up, but I want you to take notes - READ & FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS! We will go over them at some point over the next crazy 3 weeks.

Seminar 1.7 Las Casas has readings by & about Las Casas, as well as primary sources from Keen (LAC 4 & LAC 6). If you have difficulty with the primary sources from Keen LAC, you should skim through chapters 4 & 5 from his textbook (Keen HLA). You were also to watch The Mission. The Pre-Work is due now, but the DEADLINE is noon Weds. An extra credit assignment for The Mission will be posted tomorrow - please only do it if you are REALLY struggling with missing work! 

Seminar 1.8 Exam 1.2 Review has MANY little things, since it is a review of sorts for Exam 1.2. You have to read some things from the GREEN booklet, watch (or re-watch) some Crash Course vids, and complete the Pre-Work by 6PM Sunday. We'll process these things in class on Mon & Tues, so you will (hopefully) do MUCH better on Exam 1.2 on Thurs/Fri. Please do NOT cheat by asking or offering insight. It's icky, shady, and violates the honor code.

WIL 1.6 Slavery will be posted on Oct 28 at 8:30 AM & it is due by 6PM Sun Nov 1st.

Seminar 1.9 (Slavery &) Reparations will be posted on Friday Oct 23rd at 1PM. You will have to read two short (4 pages total) documents, but I am asking you to conduct some of your own research. The Pre-Work is due by 6PM Sun Nov 1st.

There will be some sort of Final Exam on Mon 11-2/Tues 11-3. The idea is to put you into your small groups and you will be assigned a previous IB question (or something similar) to deconstruct, prepare an answer, then share your answer in notes & a brief presentation. IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION HERE!!! Look below:

The election is Tuesday Nov 3rd - VOTE! IF you are an IBA4 or IBA5 students and you are serving as an election judge, you need to let me know ASAP. I will place you into a group (or groups) of peers in a similar situation & you will complete your Final Exam on Monday AFTERNOON/EVENING in a 90-minute block DETERMINED BY YOUR GROUP. Election Day is a loooooonnng day for EVERYONE, so be prepared to be exhausted on Weds. We may probably will not have a full picture of the results until a few days weeks later ... UNLESS it is a blowout. 

Seminar 1.9 (Slavery &) Reparations will take place on Weds 11-4/Thurs 11-5. Yes, we will debrief the election, but this topic is usually VERY interesting & insightful. It's timing is planned as a Q1 summative and serves as a foundation for what and how we frame future topics. I LOVE this topic and it is something I have been doing for over 10 years now.

Lastly - I signed EVERYONE up for a FREE New York Times account. Check your MPS email. It used to be limited to 10 students last year. My nemesis, Elizabeth Stockbridge, figured this whole thing out last year - but it looks to be unlimited now. It runs through Sept 2021. Enjoy!

Oh yeah - Aliens.

The Mission ...

 ... is proving to be more difficult (even impossible) to watch from home. If you have a Mac or Windows machine, you are probably OK, so long as you download & install VLC Media Player. Those with Chromebooks should make sure your device is up-to-date and install VLC via the Chrome Web Store - READ & FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. I am trying to upload another version of the film to GooClass, but it may also not be playable. We have to figure out a solution for other things moving forward. If you solved this conundrum (Mac, Windows & Chromebook), share your knowledge with me & others!

UPDATE 1: I DID find a FREE version via YouTube! Check the GooClass for the link.

Remember that I am available for 1-on-1 meetings regarding Exam 1.1 analysis & advice. Just pop in during your scheduled hour and we can bounce ideas back and forth. If you missed it today, consider popping in tomorrow. Shoot me an email in the AM and we can schedule a Zoom.

UPDATE 2: After some conversations with a handful of your peers, I think we have ideas to share. I will update the blog after every M/T and Th/F seminar lesson. I will also add either a midweek (Weds) or Weekend post. These will be summaries of main ideas, any notes, and major takeaways. As you read/review them, you should take a minute or two in order to simply reflect on how you can justify or disprove (?), or even develop an original analysis & synthesis of content in developing a new "take" on the material. This would also come into play when writing your WIL. take one extra minute (really - just one more minute) to reflect on what we did & what you learned by doing those things. MOve that info from short-term into long term memory, while reinforcing connections and relevancy. Lastly - READ THE QUESTION. Thoroughly. Put a PAUSE on panic mode and work through the exam as it is presented. There are often times when you can use info from a previous question to help guide an answer in a later query. We have one more exam like this, after which the remaining are group dissection of the question & answer production, followed by a presentation. We may have one more MC exam in Q2 or Q3, just to keep you on your toes and see if you have taken steps to improve your test-taking performance.

I'll be reading WIL 1.4 and writing Letters of Rec over the next 2 days. You should catch up in your classes, enjoy the outdoors, and solve any tech issues you may have. The next 4.5 months will be ... challenging. 

Ends & Means

 Machiavelli introduced and explored justifications for his driving political philosophy, which has dominated politics for the past 500 years. I have always been intrigued by the fact that much of our culture and historical determinacy was driven and authored by people not much older than you. When you consider life expectancy and the concept of hereditary rule, teenagers drove much of our collective history (and culture). And those were mostly boys. Let that sink in and scare you.

Machiavelli was an Italian political advisor who also happened to be a pretty popular satirist. It makes our understanding of his book, The Prince, a little more complex than simply reading and considering his theses. Was he being genuine? Was he applying for a job (basically advising NOT to trust advisers!)? Was he mocking the whole political system in Renaissance Italy? Whatever the truth is, we walk away with these guiding principles/arguments:

• A Prince must be cruel
• Cruelty to insure order
• Better to be feared
• Fear must NOT inspire hatred
• Leaders must be wise and use cruelty sparingly.
• It is a means to an end
• Keep People and Property safe and prosperous.

It kinda reads like a manual for the Dark Side of the Force. 

The underlying takeaway will help us explore a topic to be explored in Q2/Q3: Is/was the motivation for US (military) intervention throughout the world beginning in 1898...economic interests, rather than political/national "security" from external threats?

First Keen Analysis

 You were to have read Colonial Foundations (Skidmore & Smith MLA) & Hispanic Background (Keen LAC). Skidmore was simply a foundation for the next few weeks, while Keen was our first jump into primary source interpretation, analysis & extrapolation/application. I really appreciate everyone who is giving me as much as they can – the stuff we have been doing now (& through Q1) lay a foundation upon which we build a bigger picture and awareness of not only Latin American history, but even the world in which we find ourselves today.

Regarding El Cid, you should have picked up the conflict of the Spanish Reconquista of the Iberian peninsula vs the Muslim Moors. The conflict was a political & religious affair, with Catholic Spain emerging as a unified entity – politically under the marriage of Ferdinand & Isabell, as well as spiritually under Catholic dogma. We also see how local leaders can interpret & apply their own rules (& ethos?) onto the regions under their direct control. El Cid was more fair than his contemporaries, but perhaps not as fair as we would expect from a person, especially today. It reminds us of the “Morality Through Time & Place” WIL.  When conquering a territory, the vanquished could be treated with different levels of retribution: killing them, banishment, conversion or even taxation.

The next reading was about Ferdinand & Isabella. While you picked up on their characteristics (as presented by the Jesuit priest), you need to look at the question: Compare the descriptions of Ferdinand & Isabella. In this case, you should have picked up how Ferdinand was depicted as honorable, intelligent, kind, and skilled (& experienced?) in war. Meanwhile, while Isabella was described as educated, she was also presented as “modest in appearance” and educated, she was also jealous of her husband (for what we are never told). This is a clear “framing of the narrative y a (male) priest. In actuality, Isabella was the more powerful (more land & wealth) and certainly more decisive when it came to issuing orders and enforcing them. You’ll see how she was responsible for the cessation of native enslavement and was the true symbol of Spain (its positives and even many ills).

The Spanish Inquisition was a spiritual purging of Spain. Non-Catholics were exiled, converted, or killed. Many Jewish residents DID convert, but these conversos were never fully accepted into an integrated Spanish society. Anti-semitism runs deep, far, and has been around for, well, forever. Jewish people are blamed for the death of Jesus – even Jewish people today! It’s the “sins-of-the-father” philosophy that perpetuates hatred across time and place. These conversos never really had a chance to live and thrive within Spain proper, so many/most actually ventured to New Spain to not only seek wealth but opportunity – economic, social & political. While still loyal and subject to Spanish authority, they were now much further away, where the distinction between “true” Catholic vs a Converso was blurred – especially when so many indigenous peoples are being actively converted.

Our last one was the analysis of the Spanish Character – as presented by an Italian within the Spanish Court (govt). Remember that Italians were generally not fond of their Spanish overlords, but nevertheless respected their supremacy. It did NOT lead to actual respect as a people, however. Spaniards were stereotyped to be unedumacated (therefore unskilled), lazy, thieves and arrogant – which resulted in a nation that remained undeveloped. By the way, many of these same stereotypes played out during the Great Recession – Global Financial Crisis of 2008+. Let’s wait and see how they are depicted when we emerge from the current financial ruin – caused by the “China Virus” and/or foolishness on the part of political leaders and ignorant followers.

By the way, the exam will not go LIVE until you are scheduled to be in class (as stated in the directions).

Lastly - you NEED to have your camera ON during class! Dr. Palmer will be sending an email with the policy and expectations.

Finding a Groove

I think most of you are finally figuring things out. Some of you are still struggling (you are not alone!) and may need some help recovering from some slip-ups. I added some EXTRA CREDIT opportunities that will pop up over the remaining weeks. If you are struggling with anything, you should stick around at the end of class and ask! I usually leave you with 30-45 minutes remaining in our block to ask or simply share some thoughts. Don't waste those opportunities!

WILs should be in a 5-paragraph format (especially if you are struggling to go deep and provide a thorough analysis of your week as a history student). Once you get the hang of it, you can start adapting it to your own style & needs. Ask other students what they do - some are quite ingenious & creative! 

Please complete the Seminar Pre-Work BEFORE the actual seminar - shoot for the afternoon prior to the A day, but I will still check it at 8PM before your day's seminar. I NEED that work completed so I can get an understanding of what is misunderstood, unknown, or even what interests you.

You hear or see the word EXAM and you instantly freak out. If you have read, watched, and done everything, you will be fine. If you have skipped over some things, glossed over others or never quite understood (after being engaged in class), then you need to revisit the material(s). Regardless, I have included a recap of questions & notes for material included in Exam 1.1. I have also removed the Q1 Final Exam, and will simply add Seminar 1.9 Reparations as an exam, as well as a seminar. PLAN TO CONTRIBUTE!

I have pasted an image of the remaining Q1 schedule below. Remember that EVERYTHING is accessible (& submitted) via the Google Classroom. Files (readings, videos, worksheets, etc.) are ALL included within the posted assignment, under the assignment directions.