WARNING: The lesson plans listed here are to give you a good idea of what's coming up in the near future. They are not absolute guarantees, and the further into the future they go, the less likely they are to be accurate. Things come up unexpectedly; sometimes it takes more or less time to cover a unit, sometimes there's a snow day, and sometimes I just change things to suit your and my schedules better. The best advice I can give you is that the closer the plan is to the CURRENT DATE, the more likely it is to be correct. Check with me if you have any questions.
Week of September 11, 2006
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| Introduction to
Logic and argumentation.
Book of the Week: State of Fear by A.J.Jacobs
|
All this week, study packet on logic. We'll be working straight through and doing all the exercises together. Just keep up. | See Tuesday. | See Tuesday. | See Tuesday. |
Week of September 18, 2006
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| Logic
packet: Reading, discussing, and working through exercises.
Book of the Week: Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
|
Logic
packet: Reading, discussing, and working through exercises. |
Logic packet: Reading, discussing, and working through exercises. |
Venn
diagrams, review of logic, and introduction to Rationalist Epistemology. |
Act 80 |
Week of October 2, 2006
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| Discussion of
Descartes' "wax example." Also mind / body dualism and a priori vs.
a posteriori Book of the Week: Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
|
Descartes' proof of the existence of
God--the ontological proof. Hand out reading supplements from Plato and Descartes. |
Finish and review Rationalist Epistemology. |
Watch videos on rationalist epistemology today and tomorrow. |
See Thursday. |
Week of October 16, 2006
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
Finishing up with empirical
epistemology--logical positivism, Chomsky, and Kant. Book of the Week: 1984
George Orwell
|
Review of Rational
and Empirical Epistemology.
|
Short answer test on epistemology. You may bring a 4X6 "cheat sheet." | Introduction to the next unit: Ontology. |
Esssay due on epistemology (100 pts.)
|
Week of October 23, 2006
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
Discussion of Ontology chapter all
this week. Essays on epistemology due today (100 pts.) Book of the Week: Brave New World
Aldous Huxley
|
Discussion of Ontology chapter all this week. We can't be sure where we'll be on any given day (as you well know), but keep reading ahead. | Discussion of Ontology chapter all this week. We can't be sure where we'll be on any given day (as you well know), but keep reading ahead. | Discussion of Ontology chapter all this week. We can't be sure where we'll be on any given day (as you well know), but keep reading ahead. | Conclusion to Ontology chapter. Test early next week. |
Week of October 30, 2006
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
Beginning the discussion of religion
in the text. Book of the Week: Dracula
Bram Stoker
|
Continue religion discussion--proofs
of the existence of God. |
Test on Ontology Distribute secondary readings on religion. |
Religious existentialism: Sartre and Kierkegaard. |
Religious faith and the problem of
reason.
|
Week of November 6, 2006
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
Arguments for and against the
teleological proof of God. Book of the Week:
The Lessons of History
|
Week of November 13, 2006
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
No School Book of the Week:
The Stranger
|
Discussion of religious mysticism
and why it is subversive of the established order. HW: Read "Religious Existentialism" for tomorrow. |
Discussion of Kierkegaard and
religious existentialism. HW: Read first article in packet about religion and suffering. |
Discussion of first article in packet. |
Video on the "theodicy" issue.
|
Week of November 27, 2006
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
No School Book of the Week:
The Golden Compass,
etc.
|
Two days this week: to the library
to do research for our religion presentation. Actual days of activities dependent on library availability. |
Two days this week: to the library to do research for our religion presentation. | Two days this week: Reading and discussing William James's article on religion. | Two days this week: Reading and discussing William James's article on religion. |
Week of December 4, 2006
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
Review of chapter and outside
readings on religion. Book of the Week: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
|
Test on religion. As always, you may have a 4 x 6 notecard with you. |
Begin discussion of freedom and
will. General ideas and big questions first. HW: Begin reading chapter on Freedom and Will. |
Both days, discussion of freedom and will, following chapter in text. | Both days, discussion of freedom and will, following chapter in text. |
Week of December 11, 2006
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
Religion reports by Madaline Kanode
and Brittaney Kanode. Book of the Week: The Divine Comedy by Dante (This is NOT a book of the week; it is a book for your lifetime.)
|
Religion reports by Carol Fouad and Israh Khadr | Religion reports by Ranee Shah and Xander Weidenbaum |
Religion reports by Maya Wilson and
Steve Kozak |
Religion reports by Liz Mason and Nancy Khalil. |
Week of December 18, 2006
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
Religion reports by Amber Bittiger
and Kofo Ojo Book of the Week: Marley and Me by John Grogan. If you love dogs (and who doesn't), this is the national bestseller that lives up to its reputation.
|
Religion reports by Christina Kim and Brian Lee. | Finishing any reports we might have left over. | Coloring and Games. Bring your crayons, markers, board games. | No School |
Week of January 1, 2007
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
No School Book of the Week: The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. Yes, The Hobbit, the beginning of what was arguably the greatest fantasy fiction ever written. If you haven't read it, you're in for a rare treat. |
Back to our discussion of Freedom and Will. Make sure you've been reading in the text. | Freedom and will all this week. I will hand out supplementary reading(s) on Friday. | Freedom and will all this week. I will hand out supplementary reading(s) on Friday. | Freedom and will all this week. I will hand out supplementary reading(s) on Friday. |
Week of January 8, 2007
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
Discussion of perverse freedom and
the conclusion of the text. HW: Read "The Dilemma of Determinism" by William James Book of the Week: Eats, Shoots and Leaves, by Lynn Truss. |
Discussion of
James's article on free will |
Discussion of
James's article on free will HW: Read "Religion and the Modern Mind" by W.T. Stace. |
Discussion of Stace's article on free will |
Discussion of Stace's article on free will
|
Week of January 15, 2007
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
No School: Act 80 Book of the Week: To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee. |
Opening discussion on issues of ethics. | Review for Free
Will test on Thursday. Continuation of ethics discussion: Thrasymachus, Socrates, and Republic. |
Free will test. 10 questions, short answer. |
For those who are still in class and not on the Macbeth trip, reading the chapter on ethics.
|
Week of March 26, 2007
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| Continue
presentations on ethics. Book of the Week: The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver |
Finish
presentations on ethics. Begin reading chapter in text on criticisms of traditional ethical theories. |
Discussion of criticisms of traditional ethical theories. | Discussion of criticisms of traditional ethical theories. | Discussion of
criticisms of traditional ethical theories.
|
Week of April 2, 2007
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| Conclusion of
discussion on ecology and ethics.
|
To be announced | To be announced | No School |
No School |