Reading: “On Life and Work” WELCOME TO THE BEGINNING OF THE END!!!! Read through the article. Highlight/underline ANY CONFUSING parts. Do your best to define the vocabulary words using their CONTEXT. Please highlight any confusing portions. If you don’t understand it, highlight it!!

Opener 1.What is “compassion?” Write these on an opener sheet: 1.What is “compassion?” 2. How do you want to be remembered at Clinton? 3. What are three “real” goals you want to accomplish before you leave? 4. Overall, how do you remember last year’s senior CLASS?

Standards/Objectives 1. Construct a working definition for the word “compassion” 2. Connect Columbine and Newtown school shootings to the concept of “compassion” 3. Describe theories of James Tracy, and how they do not exhibit compassion 4. Connect the theories of James Tracy to people who deny the Holocaust, and Identify a lack of compassion from both Core Standards Addressed: RI.11-12.7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem. SL.11-12.1d. Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions when possible; and determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the investigation or complete the task. W.11-12.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Our next two books Tuesday’s With Morrie by Mitch Albom Night by Elie Wiesel Mitch Albom visits his favorite professor, who is dying from ALS. Morrie reflects on life’s greatest lessons; wants people to learn how to live and how to die from him. Holocaust Survivor Elie Wiesel chronicles his life in a concentration camp. Questions the existence of “God,” and “humanity.”

Empathy and Compassion Empathy: Identification with and understanding of another’s situation, feelings and motives. Compassion: Deep awareness of suffering for another and desire to relieve that suffering. How do these words connect to the theme of David Foster Wallace’s commencement speech that was read at the beginning of the hour? No writing required here; simply hoping to connect the “big ideas” from today’s lesson.

The memoir Night chronicles Wiesel’s experiences in multiple concentration camps. Here is an excerpt in which he questions God. This is a recurring theme of the memoir: the absence of divine intervention and the loss of individual face amidst such atrocities.

“And then I explained to him how naive we were, that the world did know and remain silent. And that is why I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men or women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must – at that moment – become the center of the universe.” This is an excerpt from Elie Wiesel’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech, delivered in Oslo, Norway in 1988.

“There is much to be done, there is much that can be done “There is much to be done, there is much that can be done. One person – a Raoul Wallenberg, an Albert Schweitzer, one person of integrity, can make a difference, a difference of life and death. As long as one dissident is in prison, our freedom will not be true. As long as one child is hungry, our lives will be filled with anguish and shame. What all these victims need above all is to know that they are not alone; that we are not forgetting them, that when their voices are stifled we shall lend them ours, that while their freedom depends on ours, the quality of our freedom depends on theirs.”

Why do people deny the Holocaust? http://dsc.discovery.com /tv- shows/curiosity/topics/eli e-wiesel-denial-of-the- holocaust.htm

Elie Wiesel on Compassion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keLT6bp7wok After the video, you’ll be asked to summarize Wiesel’s message. Your summary must include the key words: Indifference, faith, hope, and youth. Underline these words when you use them. You can write the summary or submit via google documents (or e-mail). Your closure should be sent with this writing as well.

Why Compassion?? Compassion knows no…. Income Race Ethnicity Age Gender Anyone, anywhere, can show compassion.

Exit Slip: “Three Words” Choose three words or phrases that describe three important ideas you learned today. Explain why you chose them and how your three ideas or strategies are important. You can type these on the same document as your summary, or you can write these. In either case, they should be submitted with your summary.