1. Unit 1: Individuals and Communities
“What we map changes the life we lead.” - John Green

2. Essential Questions
How does each of us experience the world uniquely, AND… how then do we make sense of it together as a larger community?
Insert a map of your country.

3. Enduring Understandings
We each experience the world in our own individual ways, making a shared “truth” of community/humanity difficult to agree upon. AND… “Truth” is more diverse and rich than it often seems.
Insert a picture of one of the geographic features of your country.

4. THEME of the unit
How we/you/I experience the world. Our personal truths in the context of a larger, more dynamic world than the one we imagine we have control over.
Insert a picture illustrating a season in your country.

5. Mapping our way…
This class will be an effort to broaden your “personal map” through reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking. At the same time, we will focus on building a learning community – in this class, in the IB programme, at Palmer, and in the larger world.
Insert a picture of an animal and/or plant found in your country.

7. Works we’ll study “This is Water” by David Foster Wallace (video)
“Where I’m From” (poem) and Introduction by George Ella Lyon
“The Unexpected Lessons of Mexican Food” by Armando Montano (personal essay)
“Into Late September Shadows” by Kathryn Eastburn (column)
“The Dry Sea” by Tessa Cheek (photo/essay)
Whatever my piece ends up being by Erica Rewey (not sure yet)
“Happy Graduation, Despite the Circumstances” by John Green (graduation speech)
Add key points in the history of your country to the timeline.

8. What are we going to do with the texts?
Study them for content and craft.
Attempt to answer the question: How do authors use language to convey meaning?
Use them as “mentor texts” to improve our understanding of topics, to hone our individual styles and voices, and to respond to what we’ve learned.
Written Task 1: ANYTHING BUT AN ESSAY
words
Rationale ( words)

9. Before we view our first text…
To what degree to you agree with the following statements? 1 = not at all, 2 = maybe sure, 3 = yeah, probably … 4 = totally
The stuff that we write down on paper can actually change the actual world in which we actually live.
The way we perceive (or map) the world can actually change the world.
A map is a tool to show you where you might go.
I feel like I belong to a community.

10. Before we view our first text…
To what degree to you agree with the following statements? 1 = not at all, 2 = maybe sure, 3 = yeah, probably … 4 = totally
IB is a “learning community.”
Education is a series of hurdles to get through in order to achieve “adulthood.”
Learning a little about something makes me want to learn more about it.
It’s totally stylish to wear sneakers with a suit.

11. We’re going to start with…
The Nerd’s Guide to Learning Everything Online
by John Green (TED)
Based on the title, what inferences can you make about the talk?
Based on the author, what inferences can you make about the talk?
While JG is speaking, take notes on anything that seems particularly important/interesting to you.

12. “The Nerd’s guide to learning everything online” by John Green
Turn to a partner and summarize (don’t make judgments, just recap) the message of the presentation. Decide on a one-to-two-sentence response. Write it in your notebook. What does John Green want us to know/learn/do based on his presentation? How do you know? What’s your evaluation of his speech? Do you believe him/support his assertion? Why or why not?

13. After we’ve seen the video…
Go back to your anticipatory set… Go through it again. Feel free to jot notes down as you re-answer the questions.

14. How about now???
Write about the communities that you currently belong to… What communities would you like to belong to? (remember, you rarely go to the places that aren’t on your personal map)