The Power of Words

For this assignment, you are preparing for a Socratic Seminar. A Socratic seminar is a formal discussion, based on a text, series of texts, or big idea(s), in which the leader asks open-ended questions.  Within the context of the discussion, you will listen closely to the comments of others, thinking critically for yourself, and articulate your own thoughts as well as responding to the thoughts of others. This is not only an exercise in critical thinking but critically listening as well. Through the Socratic, we hope to understand the Power of Words and how words can positively or negatively impact issues that are affecting our world today. 

In order to prepare for the Socratic Seminar, you are going to be looking at various social injustices around the world. You will be reading articles, watching videos, and looking at photographs that will help you understand the theme of this unit which is the "power of words."

Using this reserach to base our dicussion, you will be creating questions and creating topics of discussion for our Socratic Seminar. The issues that you learn about and the injustices that are found throughout the world will help to serve as evidence to strengthen your argument. 

Consider the following enduring questions from this unit as you learn about the different injustices around the world:

• How do people use language to understand, prevent, overcome, and/or respond to an injustice?

• How do I use language to effectively communicate my message? (either written or oral)

For this portion of the Socratic Seminar, you will visit various websites, read or view the information that is provided and evaluate how it relates to our theme of the power of words and makes a statement about social injustices around the world. While you should skim through every link that is provided, you need to answer the following questions for at least 3 social injustices (including photographs). Make notes for each of the websites you visit and note the following information:

1. What is the article, video or picture about?
2. What does the author of the piece assume that the reader/audience knows about the subject?
3. What aspect of society is the article, video, or picture seeking to change?
4. What is the purpose of this article, video, or picture?
5. What is the message of the article, video, or picture?
6. What do I need to know more about in order to have a better understanding of this article, video, or picture?

For photographs, consider the following questions (be sure to include identifying information about the photographs):

1. What is in the foreground or front of the photograph? What is in the back of the photograph?
2. What is the focus of the photograph?
3. What is the perspective of the photograph?
4. What is the attitude of the photographer to the subject?
5. What is the message of the photograph?

Links:

https://www.worldvision.org/refugees-news-stories/syria-refugee-crisis-faq-war-affecting-children

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-07/confronting-mortality:-ben-quilty-confronts-the-syrian-exodus/7995244

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/fullpage/isis-trail-terror-isis-threat-us-25053190

https://www.buzzfeed.com/lynzybilling/these-are-the-most-powerful-photographs-of-the-syrian-refuge?utm_term=.bad4xjQQ1#.shL1vW33V

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/11/07/iraqi-military-mass-grave-mosul/93424848/

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2016/11/07/world/europe/07reuters-britain-eu-may-bill.html?src=me

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/29/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-women.html?src=mv

http://money.cnn.com/2016/11/02/technology/octane-ai-bot-startup/index.html?iid=ob_homepage_tech_pool

http://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2016/11/06/mosul-iraq-battle-inside-isis-offensive-damon-pkg.cnn (GRAPHIC VIDEO - 1st video of ISIS attack)

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/07/politics/nato-cyber-centre-international-law/index.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/08/us/mental-health-parity.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fhealth&action=click&contentCollection=health&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/07/arts/television/after-bill-cosby-states-shift-sexual-assault-statutes-of-limitations.html?ref=todayspaper

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/07/us/politics/under-the-din-of-the-presidential-race-lies-a-once-and-future-threat-cyberwarfare.html?ref=todayspaper

http://www.npr.org/2014/08/29/344327996/fergusons-protests-fade-but-locals-wonder-about-the-way-forward

http://newamericamedia.org/2014/12/community-police-relations---not-just-a-black-urban-issue.php

Questions for you to think about in context of what you would do and how you think others would react based on your research:

Why do people sometimes hurt each other? How do they justify doing so?

WHat things in yoru life would you refuse to give up even if your life was threatened?

Would you speak up if you saw someone being treated in a manner that you felt was inhumane? Why or why not?