“This is a project that benefited from online space and from people being able to curate and slow down the conversation from a gut response through the lens of the computer screen.”
SHOW NOTES
Josh and Andrea continue the PBL Project Blitz series where once a month, they highlight a PBL project by veterans in the PBL classroom.
In this episode of the PBL Project Blitz series, our hosts are joined by John Brewer (@mrbrewerenglish) from the Academy @ Shawnee (@ShawneeAcademy) in Louisville, KY to discuss his project called “A Dream (Still) Deferred”. This project goes deep to tackle some moral realities and problems that exist in our world today. In this three-part project, students analyzed the idea of humanizing language to evaluate and address some of the polarities that exist between people and groups. As John describes, this project took a life of its own as the real-world application and demand for the end product became clear as his students tackled tough, real-world issues through literature and first-hand accounts.
School: Academy @ Shawnee-Louisville, KY (@Shawnee Academy)
PBL UNIT OVERVIEW:
PBL Unit Name: The Two Americas: Using Language to Humanize or Polarize
Grade: 11th Grade English
Summary: This is a three unit project with the goal of exploring the power of language to humanize or polarize and the history of systemic racism in Louisville KY. Part 1: A Dream (Still) Deferred | Part 2: Redlining in Louisville | Part 3: Taking on ‘The Wall Between‘ Us-Humanizing Language
Standards & Skills: English-use of language, literature-study of A Dream Deferred
Entry Event: Baldwin v. Buckley Debate
Driving Question: How can we as citizens use humanizing language to depolarize political discourse?
Community Partners: University of Louisville Professors, Jefferson County Public Schools Equity Department
Student End Product: Audio recordings where students discuss moral problems and cultivate an understanding of how to utilize humanizing language in their discussion. The future goal is to share these recordings publicly.
Stay tuned for more awesome projects as the PBL Project Blitz series continues every month!
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