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Plans
February 2 - 6

Links
DLP Explanation
DLP Cover html | pdf
Participation Form
( html | pdf )
Documents
Quia Home
Author's Notes
html | pdf
Pithy Alternative
(html | pdf)
Learning Essay Rubric
html | pdf
Belief Paper 09
(html | pdf)

Extension Paper
html | pdf
 
 
 
 
Readings
On Pleasure
 html | pdf
The Half-Silvered Mirror
Fitzwater Address
 
 



PPP
Epicurianism
( html | pdf )
Stoicism
( html | pdf )

 

 

"We are all drugged by our own frenzy."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

 

 



"We maintain that pleasure is ... freedom from pain in the body and from trouble in the mind."

Epicurus

 

 

 

 



"It is not how much a man has which makes him happy, it is how little he wants."

Seneca

 

 

 

He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you

—Nietzsche

 

 

 



"The opinions of some men only are to be valued, and the opinions of the many are not to be valued. "

Socrates, as quoted by Plato

 

 

" I believe it is better to tell the truth than to lie. I believe that it is better to be free than to be a slave. And I believe that it is better to know than to be ignorant."

H.L.Mencken

 

 



"The perfection of wisdom, and the end of true philosophy is to proportion our wants to our possessions, our ambitions to our capacities, we will then be a happy and a virtuous people. "

Mark Twain

 

 

 

February 2 - 6

 Monday
 Class Activities:  Powerpoint on class culture. WASH on culture. In class reading of Plato's "Allegory of the Cave"
Assignment: Download and read Ayn Rand's "Philosophy, Who Needs It?"( html | pdf ) and write 180 words minimum on a pithy quote 
 
Tuesday
Class Activities: homework check; culture review; line-up and sharing of quotes; large group discussion of quotes
Assignment:Download and read Seneca's "On Philosophy" ( html | pdf ) and write 180 words minimum on a pithy quote 
 
Wednesday
Class Activities:  Homework check; culture activity; line-up and sharing of pithy quotes.
Assignment: Read Cicero's "On Philosophy" html | pdf and write 180 words on a pithy quote.
 
Thursday
 Class Activities: Homework check; line-up and sharing of pithy quotes.
Assignment:Read Nietzsche's "On the Predjudices of Philosophers" html | pdf and write 180 words on a pithy quote.
 
 
Friday
 Class Activities: Homework check; line-up and sharing of allegories
Assignment:Complete survey on Quia Site; complete Documentation of Learning 1 (DLP)

February 9 - 13

 Monday
 Class Activities:  Sharing of survey results; Small group shring of DLP essays; In class reading of Plato's "Allegory of the Cave"
Assignment: Download and read Montaigne's "On Physiognomy" ( html | pdf ) and write 180 words minimum on a pithy quote 
 
Tuesday
Class Activities: homework check; large group sharing of pithies; class reading/discussion of "The Allegory of the Cave"
Assignment:Download and read Montaigne's "To Study Philosophy is to learn to die" ( html | pdf ) and write 180 words minimum on a pithy quote 
 
Wednesday
Class Activities:  Homework check; Large group discussion of pithies; Allegory Details activityline-up and sharing of pithy quotes.
Assignment: Complete allegory application activity html | pdf.
 
Thursday
 Class Activities: Homework check; line-up and sharing of allegory applications
Assignment:Work on development of small group presentation of allegory application
 
 
Friday
 Class Activities: small group presentatons
Assignment:Complete survey on Quia Site; Read Plato's "On Self-Discipline" ( html | pdf ) and write 180 words on a pithy quote.

February 16 - 20

 Monday
 Class Activities:  Sharing of survey results; Small group presentations; Small and large group sharing of pithy quotes
Assignment: Read the first half of "The Apology" from The Trial and Death of Socrates and write 180 words minimum on a pithy quote
 
Tuesday
Class Activities: homework check; large group sharing of pithies
Assignment:Read the second half of "The Apology" from The Trial and Death of Socrates and write 180 words minimum on a pithy quote
 
Wednesday
Class Activities:  Homework check; Large group discussion of pithies;
Assignment: Read "Crito" The Trial and Death of Socrates and write 180 words minimum on a pithy quote
 
Thursday
 Class Activities: Homework check; Sharing of pithies
Assignment:Complete DLP 2 with a narrative essay. Complete the survey on the Quia Site
 
 
Friday
 Class Activities: Class reading of "The Ring of Gyges"; discussion of that puppy.
Assignment: Have fun.

March 2 - 6

 Monday
 Class Activities:  Small lgroup reading of "The Ring of Gyges"; discussion: ppp on the four schools of philosophy.
Assignment: Read "Euthyphro" in The Trial and Death of Socrates and write 180 word minimum on a pithy quote or alternative (html | pdf)
 
Tuesday
Class Activities: homework check; large group sharing of pithies; ppp on the allegory of the cave.
Assignment:Read Plato's "On Democracy" ( html | pdf ) and list and explain five characteristics of a democracy that exist in America today.
 
Wednesday

Class Activities:  Homework check; small and large group discussion of lists.
Assignment: Read HLMencken's "Last Words" ( html | pdf ) and write 180 words on a pithy quote or alternative. 

Thursday 

Class Activities: Homework check; Sharing of pithies
Assignment:Read Voltaire's "On Democracy" ( html | pdf ) and write 180 words or alternative.
 

 
Friday
 Class Activities: Discussion of writings.
Assignment: Complete DLP 3 for Monday, and also complete a survey on Quia.

March 9 - 13

 Monday
 Class Activities:  Large and small group sharing of writings; Sharing of survey results; Powerpoint on Reading Dialogues
Assignment: Download the information on Writing Dialogues (html | pdf) and write an original diaogue.
 
Tuesday
Class Activities: homework check; sharing of dialogues: PPP on the Dialectic method
Assignment:Revise and expand your dialogue to incorporate a more complex argument
 
Wednesday

Class Activities: Sharing of dialogues; group revision
Assignment: Revise dialogues

Thursday 

Class Activities: Work on dialogue revisions
Assignment:Work on dialogues

 
Friday
 Class Activities: Presentations of Dialogues
Assignment: Complete DLP 4 for Monday, and also complete a survey on Quia.

March 16 - 20

 Monday
 Class Activities:  Sharing of survey results; Powerpoint on Epicurus: Class reading and discussion of Epicurus' "On Pleasure"
Assignment: Download "Principal Doctrines" html | pdf and write down the six with which you most agree.
 
Tuesday
Class Activities: Jigsaw on Principal Doctrines
Assignment:Download Seneca's "On One's Reading" html | pdf and write 180 words on a pithy quote or alternative
 
Wednesday

Class Activities: Class discussion of writings; PPP on Stoicism
Assignment: Download Seneca's "On Good as Attained by Reason" html | pdf and write 180 words on a pithy quote or alternative

Thursday 

Class Activities:Small and large group discussion of writings
Assignment:Download Seneca's "On Acceptance and Fate" html | pdf and write 180 words on a pithy quote or alternative

 
Friday
 Class Activities: Small and large group discussions of writings
Assignment: Complete DLP 4 for Monday, and complete a survey on Quia.Also, choose a topic for the Belief Paper assignment. (See links)

March 23 - 27

 Monday
 Class Activities:  Sharing of survey results; Examples and Allegories
Assignment: Work on Belief paper
 
Tuesday
Class Activities: Work on Belief paper
Assignment:Work on Belief paper
 
Wednesday

Class Activities: Work on Belief paper
Assignment: Work on Belief paper: Rough draft due tomorrow

Thursday 

Class Activities:small group sharing of belief papers
Assignment:Revise Belief papers for final draft shsaring tomorrow

 
Friday
 Class Activities: Sharing of final drafts
Assignment: Complete a survey on Quia; Read Cicero's "The Six Mistakes of Man"  ( html | pdf ) and write about the one(s) you think most poignant.

March 30 - April 3

 Monday
 Class Activities:  Sharing of survey results; Discussion of the Six Mistakes of Man; Sharing of Belief papers
Assignment: Read Sir Francis Bacon's "Of Adversity" html | pdf and write 180 words minimum on a pithy quote or alternative
 
Tuesday
Class Activities: Work on Belief paper
Assignment:Read Sir Francis Bacon's "Of Anger" html | pdf and write 180 words minimum on a pithy quote or alternative
 
Wednesday

Class Activities: Work on Belief paper
Assignment: Read Sir Francis Bacon's "Of Envy" html | pdf and write 180 words minimum on a pithy quote or alternative

Thursday 

Class Activities:small group sharing of belief papers
Assignment:Read Sir Francis Bacon's "Of Revenge" html | pdf and write 180 words minimum on a pithy quote or alternative

 
Friday

 Class Activities: Sharing of final drafts
Assignment: Complete a survey on Quia; NO DLP ASSIGNED!!

 

April 6 - 10

 Monday
 Class Activities:  Sharing of survey results; Sharing of Belief papers
Assignment: Read first half of Bacon's "Idols of the Mind" html | pdf and give 2 mordern day examples of Idols of the Cave and Idols of the tribe.
 
Tuesday
Class Activities: Sharing of Belief papers
Assignment:Read the second half of Bacon's "Idols of the Mind" and define and write down 2 examples of each Idols of the Marketplace and Idol of the Theater.
 
Wednesday

Class Activities: Discussion of the Idols
Assignment: Create a scenario for one of the idols which would illustrate their effect in society today.

Thursday 

Class Activities:Small and large group sharing of Idols examples
Assignment:Read Sir Francis Bacon's "Of Revenge" html | pdf and write 180 words minimum on a pithy quote or alternative

 
Friday
 Class Activities: No School — teacher workshop
Assignment: Complete a survey on Quia; NO DLP ASSIGNED!!

 

April 13 - 17

 Monday
 Class Activities:  Sharing of survey results; Sharing of Belief papers
Assignment: Read Montaigne's "Of Liars"  html | pdf and write 185 words minimum on a pithy quote or alternative.
 
Tuesday
Class Activities: writing prompt; small and large group sharings of writings
Assignment:Read Montaigne's "On Cruelty"  html | pdf and write 185 words minimum on a pithy quote or alternative.
 
Wednesday

Class Activities: writing prompt: small and large group  discussions of writings
Assignment: Read Montaigne's "Of Drunkenness"  html | pdf and write 185 words minimum on a pithy quote or alternative.

Thursday 

Class Activities:Writing prompt: Small and large group sharing of writings
Assignment:Read Montaigne's "Of Cannibals"  html | pdf and write 185 words minimum on a pithy quote or alternative.

 
Friday
 Class Activities: Discussion of readings
Assignment: Complete a survey on Quia; write DLP with narrative for Monday after vacation.

 

April 27 - May 1

 Monday
 Class Activities:  Sharing of survey results; Class reading of "The Half-Silvered Mirror" and discussion
Assignment: Read Voltaire's "On Ancient Philosophy" html | pdf and "On Beauty" html | pdf and write down an annotated quote from each to share
Tuesday
Class Activities: writing prompt; small and large group sharings of writings
Assignment:Read Voltaire's "On Character" html | pdf , "On Destiny" html | pdf and "On Charlatans" html | pdf and write down an annotated quote from each to share
 
Wednesday

Class Activities: writing prompt: small and large group  discussions of writings
Assignment: Read Voltaire's "On Envy" html | pdf , "On Luxury" html | pdf and "On Prejudices" html | pdf and write down an annotated quote from each to share

Thursday

Class Activities: Writing prompt: Small and large group sharing of writings
Assignment:Read Voltaire's "On Superstition" html | pdf , "On the Limits of the Human Mind html | pdf " and "On Tolerance" html | pdf and write down an annotated quote from each to share


Friday

 Class Activities: Discussion of readings
Assignment: Complete a survey on Quia; Complete a DLP with narrative for Monday.

 

May 4 - 8

 Monday
 Class Activities:  Sharing of survey results; Sharing of DLP narratives
Assignment: Read Emerson's "Self-Reliance", part 1  html | pdf and write 180 words minimum on a ithy quote or alternative.
 
Tuesday
Class Activities: writing prompt; small and large group sharings of writings
Assignment:Read Emerson's "Self-Reliance", part 2 html | pdf and write 180 words minimum on a ithy quate or alternative.
 
Wednesday

Class Activities: writing prompt: small and large group  discussions of writings
Assignment: Read Emerson's "Illusions" html | pdf and write 180 words minimum on a ithy quate or alternative.

Thursday 

Class Activities:Writing prompt: Small and large group sharing of writings
Assignment:Read Emerson's "Circles" html | pdf and write 180 words minimum on a ithy quate or alternative.

 
Friday

 Class Activities: Discussion of pithy quotes
Assignment: Complete a survey on Quia; Complete the following Nature Object activity:

Natural Object Assignment

The transcendentalist believed that god was within each person and within nature. Emerson wrote that nature corresponds to our minds point for point and that all natural facts become universal truths.

To test this theory, go outside and find a natural object that you think contains a universal truth and can bring to class. In class, we will place the objects in the center of the room and each student will choose a natural object not his own but in which he can find a truth. Then the natural facts "owner" will share the fact and truth he found in the object.

Do not go out with a truth in mind and then look for something which "proves it". Instead, go out with a clear mind and look around nature until the truth appears to you.

Please take this seriously. Allow your mind to flow into nature, and and nature into your mind.

Be legendary!!

 

May 11 - 15

 Monday
 Class Activities:  Sharing of survey results; Sharing ofNatural Objects
Assignment: Read Montaigne's "On the Education of Children" html | pdf and write 180 words minimum on a pithy quote or complete an alternative choice.
 
Tuesday
Class Activities: writing prompt; small and large group sharings of writings
Assignment:Read Emerson's "American  Scholar" html | pdf and write 180 words minimum on a ithy quate or alternative.
 
Wednesday

Class Activities: writing prompt: small and large group  discussions of writings
Assignment: Read John Taylor Gatto's "Acceptance Speech: NYC Teacher  of the Year" html | pdf and write 180 words minimum on a ithy quate or alternative.

Thursday 

Class Activities:Writing prompt: Small and large group sharing of writings
Assignment:Read Edmundson's "On the Uses of a Liberal Education" html | pdf and write 180 words minimum on a ithy quate or alternative.

 
Friday

 Class Activities: Discussion of pithy quotes
Assignment: Complete a survey on Quia; No other homework. Have a great prom.

'

May 18 - 22

 Monday
 Class Activities:  Sharing of survey results; Discussion of Siddhartha
Assignment: Read chapters 1 and 2 of Siddhartha and write down 2 quotes for class discussion.
 
Tuesday
Class Activities: writing prompt; small and large group sharings of writings
Assignment:Read chapters 3 and 4 of Siddhartha and write down 2 quotes for class discussion.
 
Wednesday

Class Activities: writing prompt: small and large group  discussions of writings
Assignment: Read chapters 5 and 6 of Siddhartha and write down 2 quotes for class discussion.

Thursday 

Class Activities:Writing prompt: Small and large group sharing of writings
Assignment:Read chapters 7 and 8 of Siddhartha and write down 2 quotes for class discussion.

 
Friday

 Class Activities: Discussion of pithy quotes
Assignment: Complete a survey on Quia; Read chapters 9 and 10 of Siddhartha and write down 2 quotes for class discussion.

 

May 26 - 29

 Monday
 
Class Activities: Sharing of surveys; small and large group sharings of writings
Assignment:Read chapters 11 and 12 of Siddhartha and write down 2 quotes for class discussion.
 
Tuesday
Class Activities: Sharing of surveys; small and large group sharings of writings
Assignment:Read chapters 11 and 12 of Siddhartha and write down 2 quotes for class discussion.
 
Wednesday

Class Activities: Books out: Nine Stories: small and large group  discussions of writings
Assignment: Read "Teddy" in Nine Stories and write down a quote for discussion and a question for the class

Thursday 

Class Activities:Writing prompt: Small and large group sharing of writings
Assignment:Read Forster's "What I Believe" html | pdf and write down a quote for discussion and a question for the class .

 
Friday

 Class Activities: Discussion of pithy quotes
Assignment: Complete a survey on Quia; Complete DLP with narrative for Monday

 

June 1 - 5

 Monday
 Class Activities:  Sharing of survey results; Class reading and discussion of Goethe's "The Stages of Man's Mind"
Assignment: Read Rand's "The Defense of Howard Rourke" html | pdf and  write down a quote and a question for discussion.
 
Tuesday
Class Activities: Discussion of writings
Assignment:Read Persig's "Arete, Quality and the Good" html | pdf and  write down a quote and a question for discussion
 
Wednesday

Class Activities: writing prompt: Discussion of quotations.
Assignment:Begin work on Final Paper Assignment html | pdf

Thursday 

Class Activities:Work time on paper.
Assignment:Work on final paper.

 
Friday

 Class Activities: Work time on paper
Assignment: Work on final paper' First draft due on Monday. Complete survey.

 

June 8 - 12

 Monday
 
Class Activities: Sharing of surveys; sharing of first drafts
Assignment:Work on final paper; Complete class evaluation survey and technology evaluation survey on Quia site.
 
Tuesday
Class Activities: Sharing of survey results; Work time on final paper
Assignment:Final papers due tomorrow.
 
Wednesday

Class Activities: Class sharing of final papers
Assignment: None

Thursday 

Class Activities:Class sharing of final papers
Assignment:None

 
Friday

 Class Activities: Class sharing of final papers
Assignment: The course is over.