Week of October 4, Not in Our School

Hi everyone,

This week we are going to learn about Not in Our Schools and Not in Our Town.

First off, please watch this video that they made about our class and our partnership with St Luke's, two years ago:


If it doesn't work that way, please click on this link to watch the film.

Now visit our the Not in our Schools website.

1. Sign up for the Not in our School newsletter (there is a place to sign up on the right side of the page).
2. Read "About Not in Our School" at the top right of the page.
3. Click on "What do you say?" (top right of the page). Watch the video, and answer the question of the month, in Google Docs, as Blog 2. 
4. Post your answer in two places: on our blog as a comment, and on the Not in Our School page for "What do you say?", where it says "Post your reply".

Now visit the Not in Our Town website.

1. Click on the picture for "act" in the yellow bar in the middle of the page. Register on the site and read how you can take action. Do one of the actions.
2. Go back to the home page for Not in Our Town.
3. Read one of the stories or watch a film on that page.
4. In Blog 2, write your reaction to this piece.
5. Then post your reaction in two places: on our blog as a comment, and on the NIOT page where they ask for comments (below the video or article).

Week of September 27, All about the Human Rights Class

Hi everyone,

This first week, you will be learning about the work we did last year in our Human Rights Class as well as the work we will be doing in the coming year.

First please watch the video below, made by First Person American:

What's Your Story? 2012 from First Person American on Vimeo.

Now go to the website for Concern Worldwide (click on the link). Visit the website and find an article or issue of interest to you. Read about it carefully.

Please sign in using a gmail account. If you don't have one, you need to get one. Write your username and password someplace safe.

Now open Google Docs. Create a document called "Reaction to Day 1", and answer the questions below:

1. How did it feel to watch these films and why?
2. Who welcomed you when you came to this country? How would you thank them?
3. What issue did you read about on Concern's website?
4. How would you like to help this organization?

Now post your answers to the comments section of our blog.

Finally, read two posts from your classmates and write back to them, telling them what you learned from their posts.

First Person American Photos!

Hi everyone,

Congratulations! Today was wonderful!! I'm so proud of you all!

Here are photos:

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AaOWLZk1YtFHg0

Enjoy!!

Ms Mann

No Place for Hate and St Luke's photos

Hi everyone,

Click on the link below to see photos from the No Place for Hate Awards and our trip to St. Luke's.

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AaOWLZk1YtFHdM

Enjoy!

Ms Mann

Week of May 21, First Person American Assembly and Final stuff

Hi everyone,

For next week, please correct and revise your written welcoming activity. This story (along with your Welcoming Story) will be featured in a book. Therefore, the final written welcoming activity must be absolutely perfect. No spelling mistakes, grammar mistakes, format mistakes are allowed. 

Use the following criteria for evaluation:

1. Does it address all the points? (see previous blog post for a list of required points)

2. Does it have spelling errors?

3. Does it have grammar mistakes?

4. Is it formatted correctly with the following?

  - Use proper heading (students name, date)

  - Use proper title of the story

  - Use paragraph breaks

  - Use proper capitalization

  - Use an easy to read font (for example Arial, Times New Roman)

  - Double space your writing

You must use at least 2 peers and 1 adult to proofread your activity.

Email your final story (PERFECT FORMATTING, NO ERRORS, ALL POINTS INCLUDED) to irinalee@gmail.comand christidc@gmail.com. Include Ms. Mann in the cc (jmann6@schools.nyc.gov)

Part 2:

Think about how you will encourage and engage the students present at the assembly. You will be leading break-out sessions with other students. Your job will be to lead students unfamiliar with our Welcoming Stories workshop, to encourage them to share their story, and to educate them on how they can be welcoming to others. Prepare to be an inspiring leader.

Part 3 ONLY for Assembly Performers (Kanto, Christian, Renan): 

Prepare for our final Welcoming Stories school assembly presentation. On June 1, you will be presenting an abbreviated version of your welcoming story and how you were welcoming. Important: Use a timer when rehearsing. Time yourself!! Your presentation must be within 4-5 minutes. You should be practice rehearsing your story every single day, multiple times daily. Rehearse at least out-loud at home, in front of your friends, in front of your family, in the mirror, etc. Try to keep track of how many times you rehearse. Aim to rehearse a minimum of 100 times between now and June 1st (or 7-10 times daily). This will help you be successful on stage at the final school assembly. Preparation is key. 

Week of May 17, Our Welcoming Activities

Hi everyone,

Now that you've had the opportunity to reflect on your own story, you used your experience to help another newcomer by being welcoming. You understand their situation, and you know what they're going through. It was your turn to be the welcoming person. You had the ability and knowledge to make a difference in their life. 

Use last week's notes on welcoming tips to help you be welcoming. 

In Google Docs, write a 500-word reflection that includes the following points: 
1. Introduce the person you met this week
2. Briefly tell their story and how hearing their story made you feel
3. Describe how you plan on being welcoming to this person

Now post your reflection to our class blog.


Please note that tomorrow we will continue to be filmed and photographed for our First Person American Project!  You need to wear a solid color, not black!!!

Week of May 10, FPA, Radio Rookies, Finals

Hi everyone,

Today we will prepare for being filmed tomorrow, learn about Radio Rookies, and then work on our finals.


1.  First Person American: make sure your statements are ready:

My name is ___ I'm from ____(your country)

1. What I learned from the Welcoming Stories workshop is...

2. Sharing my Welcoming Story was important to me because...

3. I will be more welcoming to others by ....

Wardrobe Requirements: Please wear tops in solid colors. DO NOT wear black clothes or clothes with busy patterns (stripes, shiny, small patterns, text on your shirts, etc).  

2. Radio Rookies


Next year, there is a chance we will be involved with this incredible program.  Please visit this website and listen to This story "Half of my Family is Illegal"


Here is a website with more information about the girl who wrote this story.


I met her at an event on Tuesday afternoon. I told her we'd write her with our reactions to her piece.


In Google Docs, please answer the questions below:


1. What is your opinion of her Radio Rookie piece and why?
2. What did you learn from her story?
3. What questions do you have for her?


Then post your answers to our blog as a comment. I will email her with the link to our blog so she can read your posts.


Now listen to this piece called "Mind the Gap in Crown Heights":




Answer these questions in Google Docs:


1. What is your opinion of her Radio Rookie piece and why?
2. What did you learn from their story?
3. What does this story teach us about stereotypes and prejudice?


Post your answers to our blog as a comment.


When you finish getting this ready, please prepare your final:

Options:

• Artwork (painting, sculpture, drawing, etc.) with a typed explanation of the art and how it is promoting human rights
• Subway poster for human rights, using text, images, quotes, drawings, symbols, etc.
• A song, that you perform for the class, with a typed lyric sheet (I will copy it for everyone)
• A poem that you read to the class, with a typed sheet (I will copy it for everyone)
• A graphic story (cartoon) promoting human rights
• A slide show or short film promoting human rights
• A skit about human rights with a typed script

Guidelines:

• Follow the conventions of standard written English.  In other words, watch your grammar, spelling, punctuation, and proofread!
• Make sure your work clearly promotes human rights
• Make sure your refer to the UDHR.
• You must pick an aspect of human rights you care about.
• You must include facts/statistics about this human right.