Learning target:
Yesterday, we talked about causes. Today we're talking about effects and how "effects" become "interests" that shape the political dynamics of an issue. We'll be using the handout on Interests that I passed out as a reference.
Our starter for today is going to a round of Four Corners. The debate about how to address gun violence in our country is perhaps THE classic case about how differential interests shape the political dynamics on an issue. Yesterday's tragic shooting in Oregon shines a light again on these dynamics: the vast majority of people favor recent proposals for background checks and other strategies to limit access to certain types of weapons. But a concentrated minority, led by the National Rifle Association, has effectively blocked and in many cases rolled back gun control legislation. I want us to talk about these dynamics a bit as an introduction to the topic of "interests."
I'll show you this letter sent a couple of years ago by the sheriff in Oregon who is now the chief law enforcement officer on the scene in Oregon. This letter raises is of states' rights and federalism that we are now super-familiar with.
We'll also watch a bit of President Obama's press conference yesterday in which he talks about political dynamics of this issue. Also, directly relevant to the content of our class.
Then, you'll tell me how last night's reading applies to the issue of gun violence. You don't need me to break this down for you. You can do this for each other.
I want to reinforce how we've been doing two things this week. One, we've been using our sharpest critical minds to deconstruct the rhetoric around the river spill by looking at symbols, numbers, causes, and now interests. BUT, we're not just sitting on the sidelines and analyzing the debate. We're making choices about what rhetoric we believe and accept as a class. We're using this information to create our own story. We're not outside the polis. We're in the arena, figuring out how to take action. Remember, the polis is messy and we have to embrace getting dirty.
From here, I'll break you into two groups to look at how different interests affect the river issue. One group will fill out this handout about concentrated and diffused interests. The other will fill out this handout about public vs. special interests.
After break, you'll share out and we'll work on constructing a preliminary political story that explains the dynamics around the pollution issue.
We'll end class with a feedback circle. I'll show you this breakdown of what we did this week and ask you what was most valuable and least valuable. I'll also go over the coming week. We have a guest speaker, Aaron Kimple, from the Mountains Studies Institute coming in first thing Monday morning to talk about pollution on the lower Animas. You should use the scientific questions I gave you last week to ask him questions.
I also want feedback and questions on the gradebook, the number of handouts I'm using, and how you'd like me to organize the white boards.
I will also go over the homework assignment. I want to make sure everyone is clear about what's expected over the weekend.
Finally, the exit ticket is filling out this Google Survey about several housekeeping items that we need to deal with.
Homework due Monday, October 5th
Based on your response in the Google Survey, I will assign you one of the 11th Grade StoryCorps interviews to listen to. I will email you the link to your assignment on Friday afternoon. You will need to listen to the interview and fill out this worksheet. On Monday, we're going to use your notes to refine our story about pollution in the river and start to draft a mission for our action project.
- We can analyze interests to understand the political dynamics of an issue
- We can describe how stakeholders can strategically represent interests to change the dynamics of an issue
Yesterday, we talked about causes. Today we're talking about effects and how "effects" become "interests" that shape the political dynamics of an issue. We'll be using the handout on Interests that I passed out as a reference.
Our starter for today is going to a round of Four Corners. The debate about how to address gun violence in our country is perhaps THE classic case about how differential interests shape the political dynamics on an issue. Yesterday's tragic shooting in Oregon shines a light again on these dynamics: the vast majority of people favor recent proposals for background checks and other strategies to limit access to certain types of weapons. But a concentrated minority, led by the National Rifle Association, has effectively blocked and in many cases rolled back gun control legislation. I want us to talk about these dynamics a bit as an introduction to the topic of "interests."
I'll show you this letter sent a couple of years ago by the sheriff in Oregon who is now the chief law enforcement officer on the scene in Oregon. This letter raises is of states' rights and federalism that we are now super-familiar with.
We'll also watch a bit of President Obama's press conference yesterday in which he talks about political dynamics of this issue. Also, directly relevant to the content of our class.
Then, you'll tell me how last night's reading applies to the issue of gun violence. You don't need me to break this down for you. You can do this for each other.
I want to reinforce how we've been doing two things this week. One, we've been using our sharpest critical minds to deconstruct the rhetoric around the river spill by looking at symbols, numbers, causes, and now interests. BUT, we're not just sitting on the sidelines and analyzing the debate. We're making choices about what rhetoric we believe and accept as a class. We're using this information to create our own story. We're not outside the polis. We're in the arena, figuring out how to take action. Remember, the polis is messy and we have to embrace getting dirty.
From here, I'll break you into two groups to look at how different interests affect the river issue. One group will fill out this handout about concentrated and diffused interests. The other will fill out this handout about public vs. special interests.
After break, you'll share out and we'll work on constructing a preliminary political story that explains the dynamics around the pollution issue.
We'll end class with a feedback circle. I'll show you this breakdown of what we did this week and ask you what was most valuable and least valuable. I'll also go over the coming week. We have a guest speaker, Aaron Kimple, from the Mountains Studies Institute coming in first thing Monday morning to talk about pollution on the lower Animas. You should use the scientific questions I gave you last week to ask him questions.
I also want feedback and questions on the gradebook, the number of handouts I'm using, and how you'd like me to organize the white boards.
I will also go over the homework assignment. I want to make sure everyone is clear about what's expected over the weekend.
Finally, the exit ticket is filling out this Google Survey about several housekeeping items that we need to deal with.
Homework due Monday, October 5th
Based on your response in the Google Survey, I will assign you one of the 11th Grade StoryCorps interviews to listen to. I will email you the link to your assignment on Friday afternoon. You will need to listen to the interview and fill out this worksheet. On Monday, we're going to use your notes to refine our story about pollution in the river and start to draft a mission for our action project.