Week 6 -- Challenging Assumptions

Skill Focus:  Notice the assumptions made by yourself and others.

We want to think on a deeper level, finding the assumptions of authors and of people, asking ourselves if we agree, and challenging the assumptions if we don't.  (Not in an arrogant manner, but in a humble, truth-seeking manner.)

Lecture:  We started by discussing what assumptions are then we talked about the assumption that Padme in the Star Wars movie "Return of the Sith" died from a broken heart.  We read an article written by a fan that challenged this assumption and gave his reasons for his point of view that Darth Sidious (Senator Palpatine/Emporer) was the one that caused Padme to die by taking her life force and using it to save Aniken/Darth Vader's life.  http://www.retrozap.com/padme-didnt-die-of-a-broken-heart/

Activity:  We played with logic puzzles.  http://www.logic-puzzles.org/index.php  
We also played with some logic puzzles by Lewis Carroll who not only wrote Alice in Wonderland, but also was a professor of mathematics at Oxford University in England.  http://www.math.hawaii.edu/~hile/math100/logice.htm

Document Study:  Annotation.

• Give your document a title.
• Summarize what is happening and what truths are being shared
• Definitions:  take the time to look up words you do not know and words that you would like more insight to.
• Write your thoughts about the importance and meaning of what you are reading.  How does/can it impact you and your life?
• Write your commentary.   What are your insights goals, and inspiration as you are reading?
• Character Profile:  If you're reading about a person or several people, you can do a character map of them.  Write/draw them in the center of a page and then write or draw things that you learn from them, things that happen to them, their character traits/flaws, etc.
• Story Map:  If you're reading about an event or series of events you can make a story map that shows/maps the sequence of events.

HOMEWORK:

• Core Book Studies according to your goal.  Must include at least one equation AND at least one annotation per study to count.
• Math lessons according to your goal
• Write daily in Log Book
• Come to class prepared to share a pattern and your I Wonders
• WHAT IS YOUR SCIENCE PROJECT GOING TO BE?
• Noah -- it's your turn to do a presentation on October 29th
•  Start reading Phantom Tollbooth.  It's due November 5th.
• Don't forget about the movie requirement and memorizing the Characteristics of a Scientist requirement.