Learning target:
We're going to take a closer look at symbols and numbers today.
Right away I want us back in our groups from yesterday. Use what you know about the spill and the symbols handout that was your homework, to create a compelling and credible story about the spill. Imagine as a group that you are writing a story that you believe in about the spill. You can build on the basic story you told yesterday if you like. But try to use all the elements from the handout:
• Tell a story of control or a story of decline
• Use a synecdoche or symbol to represent the whole problem
• Use a metaphor in your story
• Try to name a solution that has enough ambiguity that different groups can rally around it
After we've shared these out, I'll give you this article about the 1872 Mining Law to break down for me. I want you to learn more about this law because it's a good candidate for our class to focus on. This article also uses story to convey its message.
After break, we'll switch to numbers. I'll start with a clip from the West Wing that shows how numbers often operate in politics.
Then I'll give you these numbers about the spill situation for you to analyze.
Finally, we need to ask the important question: what symbols and numbers do you believe we should pay attention to? We'll call upon the symbols and numbers you found in your articles over the weekend to finish of our list of choices.
Homework due Wednesday, September 30th
Read this causes handout to prep for Wednesday
- We can identify how symbols operate to influence policy within an op-ed
- We can name the describe how numbers are used to influence the public debate
We're going to take a closer look at symbols and numbers today.
Right away I want us back in our groups from yesterday. Use what you know about the spill and the symbols handout that was your homework, to create a compelling and credible story about the spill. Imagine as a group that you are writing a story that you believe in about the spill. You can build on the basic story you told yesterday if you like. But try to use all the elements from the handout:
• Tell a story of control or a story of decline
• Use a synecdoche or symbol to represent the whole problem
• Use a metaphor in your story
• Try to name a solution that has enough ambiguity that different groups can rally around it
After we've shared these out, I'll give you this article about the 1872 Mining Law to break down for me. I want you to learn more about this law because it's a good candidate for our class to focus on. This article also uses story to convey its message.
After break, we'll switch to numbers. I'll start with a clip from the West Wing that shows how numbers often operate in politics.
Then I'll give you these numbers about the spill situation for you to analyze.
Finally, we need to ask the important question: what symbols and numbers do you believe we should pay attention to? We'll call upon the symbols and numbers you found in your articles over the weekend to finish of our list of choices.
Homework due Wednesday, September 30th
Read this causes handout to prep for Wednesday