Past the Life Philosophy

Now that everyone has turned in his or her life philosophy paper, I look forward to reading them. While I'm working on that, we are reading the novel, Ordinary People. Already, we are finishing chapter 9, and will have a t/f quiz on chapters 1-9 next week, early.
This unit includes a major group and research project. This is big. HUGE. Ultimately, students will be presenting findings to the class in a 30 minute presentation. To be successful, collaboration my also be successful. Work together toward the common goal. Achieve more than you could by yourself.

Transcending to the test and Dark Romantics

In mid Thoreau and with voting yesterday, I posed Thoreau's statement after our discussion on "Walden": That government which governs best, governs least. Students reacted with their opinions about that thought and applied it to the day at hand. Our "Walden" discussion clarified answers to questions, compared mankind to elements of observed nature, such as the ant battle between ants of two colors, that was brutal (can we say "civil war"?), and spun into provoking comments about man's nature. I liked how Chris put it: man's "refined brutality".
The test is moved to this Friday. Students went home to read Thoreau's biography and complete some last questions on "Walden" before we watch the Dark Romantic's, Nathaniel Hawthorne, story, "Rappuccini's Daughter". IF a student misses a day, the text is available on-line from a link on my web page. Here we will see what happens when man tries to play God and control nature.