As we wrap up our latest family activity tomorrow (Thurs, 4/24), let me describe our final family activity which I alluded to in class a week or two ago. This will involve each family making up questions for the final exam. More specifically, I want each family to make up FOUR short-answer questions on anything we have covered in this class over the course of the semester, focusing especially on lecture material, which would also include whatever lecture notes I posted on the blog. Not only do I want the questions but also what you consider the appropriate answers. PLEASE AVOID OPEN-ENDED, ESSAY-TYPE QUESTIONS. They should be direct, objective questions (see samples below). I will try to accept at least two questions from each family, for which participating family members will get 9 points (which brings us up to 25 activity points total). For each additional question I accept, that family will earn a bonus point. PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT MORE THAN FOUR QUESTIONS; I WILL ONLY CONSIDER THE FIRST FOUR. I will need these questions NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, MAY 2ND, especially if we decide to have the final on the day of our last regular class meeting, Thurs., May 8th.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS (and expected answers):
1. Soon after Malcolm hooks up with Shorty in Boston, he gets a "conk." What is that, and why is Malcolm so critical of it? (2 points)
ANSWER: It is an awful, burning concoction you put in your hair to straighten the kinks. Malcolm criticized it because he believed it was all about imitating whites.
2. What did Malcolm X mean by referring to the assassination of President Kennedy as a case of "the chickens coming home to roost?" (1 point)
ANSWER: that Pres. Kennedy was killed because of a "climate of hate and violence" his administration helped foster (for example, by supporting assassination plots against foreign leaders).
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Just a reminder: Next Tuesday, Apr. 29 I will give you an IN-CLASS essay. It might be helpful to briefly review your notes and bring them and your books along, since it will be open notebook, open book.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
New Family Activity & Extra Credit Opportunity
As promised yesterday, I am posting a description of a new family activity which we will get into tomorrow. Also remember to begin reading Dyson's book, Making Malcolm.
FAMILY ACTIVITY: At the end of Chapter 6, "A New Spirit of Resistance: Malcolm and Martin on Children and Youth," Lewis Baldwin observes that: "The ideas, activities, and contributions of Malcolm and Martin are not being properly taught in schools. Consequently, youngsters from the pre-school to the college level are deprived of important lessons from the two men about social evil and how it might be challenged and transcended." (p. 240) In this context, I want each family to address the question of how Malcolm in particular should be taught, especially to younger children in elementary school. You should consider any personal experiences you have had or have heard of about how Malcolm has been taught and how your approach might be similar or different. I want each family to write up a ONE-PAGE summary of your ideas to turn in to me and to present to the class next Tuesday (4/22). I will give you some time tomorrow to discuss this in class with your family members. This is worth 5 activity points.
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EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY: For 3 extra credit points, you can attend Tim Tyson's talk tomorrow (Thurs. 4/17, 11AM, McMillan Theater, CLB) on the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In addition to attending, I want you to post a one or two-paragraph comment on the talk, identifying any aspect of it that you found interesting and insightful, and tie it in to any aspect of our course. Basically, I just want to see evidence that you attended and thought about the talk in terms of our class.
FAMILY ACTIVITY: At the end of Chapter 6, "A New Spirit of Resistance: Malcolm and Martin on Children and Youth," Lewis Baldwin observes that: "The ideas, activities, and contributions of Malcolm and Martin are not being properly taught in schools. Consequently, youngsters from the pre-school to the college level are deprived of important lessons from the two men about social evil and how it might be challenged and transcended." (p. 240) In this context, I want each family to address the question of how Malcolm in particular should be taught, especially to younger children in elementary school. You should consider any personal experiences you have had or have heard of about how Malcolm has been taught and how your approach might be similar or different. I want each family to write up a ONE-PAGE summary of your ideas to turn in to me and to present to the class next Tuesday (4/22). I will give you some time tomorrow to discuss this in class with your family members. This is worth 5 activity points.
______________________
EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY: For 3 extra credit points, you can attend Tim Tyson's talk tomorrow (Thurs. 4/17, 11AM, McMillan Theater, CLB) on the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In addition to attending, I want you to post a one or two-paragraph comment on the talk, identifying any aspect of it that you found interesting and insightful, and tie it in to any aspect of our course. Basically, I just want to see evidence that you attended and thought about the talk in terms of our class.
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