Mr. Nekrosius's Humanities Blog

Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Salem Witch Trials Newspapers Now Available!

2011-11-15T07:33:00.006-06:00

Students in Mr. Nekrosius's humanities project groups recently researched, wrote, and designed online newspapers about the Salem Witch Trials. To learn more, there is a link to the newspapers below.

For Mr. Nekrosius's humanities classes, here is your blog post assignment:

Choose ONE of the online newspapers created by Mr. Nekrosius's project groups and spend twenty minutes browsing through the various pages (you can find links to the two newspapers here). When have finished reading the newspaper, post a comment in which you write the following:

1.Three things you learned about the trials and/or the people of Salem--be specific, and be thorough.
2. A detailed connection between the events of Salem and the events you studied for your project (or, if you are in Mr. Nekrosius's project group, a connection between something you read and something you wrote for your own article.)
3. One question for an author or one of the designers of the newspapers.

(If you are in Mr. Nekrosius's project groups, you should post on the other class's newspaper.)

Remember:

You should include ONLY your first name and your class period (NO LAST NAMES) at the end of your blog post.

Also, remember to be positive, constructive, and detailed in your responses! Your posts are due Thursday, December 1st.

Tricks and Treats Via 7th Graders at Lab

2011-10-31T09:04:00.010-06:00

Halloween is here again, and along with it a wide array of ghouls, goblins, Gumbies, and goodness knows what else. My advisory put forth a particularly strong showing in the annual 7th grade costume contest, and with various parades, scary music groove-a-thons, and ghost stories happening, this is shaping up to be quite a day here at Lab. Here's a selection of some of the costumes--the creativity and humor of the kids here is so wonderful to see (and there's a great shot of my whole advisory at the bottom):

Seventh Grade Boys Soccer Season Comes To A Close

2011-10-17T18:49:00.008-06:00

This afternoon the seventh grade boys soccer team capped off a wonderful season with a convincing win over Latin. Thanks to the guys for all of their hard work throughout this autumn. They persevered through some difficult stretches, and they all made impressive strides in terms of both skills and fitness. Here are a few pictures to sum up the season . . .

Dunes Day!

2011-10-07T09:01:00.006-06:00

This past Monday the entire 7th grade traveled to the Indiana Dunes to see succession in action and to make observations about biotic and abiotic factors. Their science teachers know more about what that data will become upon analysis. The day itself was beautiful, with blue skies, breezes, and all sorts of interesting flora and fauna to see. Here are a few pictures that tell the tale of the day . . .

2011-09-22T09:50:00.002-06:00

Now that you have read over half of American Born Chinese, you should now be able to see certain themes emerging that appear in all three different story lines within the graphic novel. Your assignment is to describe one of those emerging themes and explain, using specific examples from the text, how you see each of the three story lines embodying or developing that theme. Your post should be at least six sentences long. You may choose to write your answer in paragraph form if you wish. If you are unsure on what the definition of "theme" is, consult your literary term glossary at the back of Social Justice. Your comment is due by the start of class on Wednesday.

Remember--read the post, and then click on the word "comments" just below that post. After you have written your post, add your first name, then "Nekrosius," then your period (so, Frodo Nekrosius 12). Then, select "Anonymous" for your identity and click "publish your comment." Also, remember to click "Publish your comment" twice to be sure that it gets sent to Mr. Nekrosius to moderate.

First Blog Posting Assignment for 2011 -- "The Box"

2011-09-12T05:17:00.002-06:00

We have spent the past week and a half discussing questions surrounding identity. As part of those discussions, we have read several stories, listened to music, performed poetry, written in journals, and created identity collages to express your own unique cultural identifiers. We have also discussed various examples of "the box," which is a metaphor for any obstacles or barriers that might isolate, frustrate, enclose, or sometimes protect someone from a larger world.

Think back over everything we have read so far for this unit ("Theme for English B," "High Yellow White Trash," "Crickets," the "Phone Booth" poem, "and "Sylvia's Story" from National Public Radio). Your task now is to write and post a comment in this forum in which you describe a connection between TWO of these works, focusing on the role of "the box." Think about how different characters face similar or different challenges. Think about similarities or differences in the kinds of disguises characters wear. Do you think these characters will escape from their boxes?

When you have made a connection between two works, write a post describing that connection. Make sure to mention specific characters/narrators, and to be clear about how the "boxes" they experience are similar. Your post does not have to be long; four or five sentences is plenty. You should feel free to respond to your classmates' posts, as well as to ask your classmates questions.

*** Remember to use your first name, "Nekrosius," and your class period number when you sign your post (do NOT put your last name). Also, if you choose to respond to what another classmate wrote, please do so in a respectful manner.

2010-11-18T13:00:00.003-06:00

Choose ONE of the online newspapers created by Mr. Nekrosius's project groups and spend fifteen minutes browsing through the various pages (you can find links to the two newspapers here). When have finished reading the newspaper, create a post that contains three things you learned from your reading and one question you have for the authors. If you are in Mr. Nekrosius's project groups, you should post on the other class's newspaper.

Remember:

You should include ONLY your first name and your class period (NO LAST NAMES) at the end of your blog post.

Also, remember to be positive and detailed in your responses! Your posts are due Thursday, December 2nd.

American Born Chinese Themes Assignment

2010-09-24T08:29:00.005-06:00

Now that you have read over half of American Born Chinese, you should now be able to see certain themes emerging that appear in all three different story lines within the graphic novel. Your assignment is to describe one of those emerging themes and explain, using specific examples from the text, how you see each of the three story lines embodying or developing that theme. Your post should be at least six sentences long. You may choose to write your answer in paragraph form if you wish. If you are unsure on what the definition of "theme" is, consult your literary term glossary at the back of Social Justice. Your comment is due by the start of class on Wednesday.

Remember--read the post, and then click on the word "comments" just below that post. After you have written your post, add your first name, then "Nekrosius," then your period (so, Frodo Nekrosius 34). Then, select "Anonymous" for your identity and click "publish your comment."

First Blog Post Assignment for 2010 -- "The Box"

2010-09-10T08:43:00.005-06:00

Welcome Back Autumn 2010

2010-09-06T18:46:00.006-06:00

The 2010-11 school year officially begins tomorrow. I'm excited to get back into the classroom and to meet all of my new students. I have had a wonderful summer--I've posted some pictures here of some of my favorite adventures from the past three months--but the weather's getting cooler, soccer practices have already started, and my thoughts turn to the year ahead. We will start off with the identity unit, one of my favorite units to teach, and there's a lot to look forward to. For students and parents who have found there way here, you can look forward to periodic posts and occasional assignments for my advisees and Humanities students. For now, if you have any questions or comments about 7th grade Humanities, me, or anything at all, feel free to post them as comments!

Babysitting for my parents' cows and their puppy in Wisconsin:

A (more or less) successfully built and launched rocket, nicknamed "The Flying Dutchman":

My sister and I brave the dinosaur exhibit at the Wisconsin State Fair:

Beautiful views at Dinosaur National Monument:

Mills Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park:

Go West, Young Seventh Graders!

2010-04-04T20:00:00.009-06:00

This past week my two seventh grade humanities classes have been learning about Lewis and Clark. Having read about, mapped, and discussed the Corps of Discovery, the time came for them to set out on a voyage of their own. So, amidst lovely spring weather, we explored our way over to the Osaka Garden, just south of the Museum of Science and Industry. Along the way they kept maps of our journey, wrote notes about what they saw, and drew pictures of the flora and fauna they encountered. Here are a few pictures of the journey:

Salem Witch Trials Newspaper Blog Post

2009-12-17T09:04:00.005-06:00

Little Buddies

2009-12-02T08:36:00.004-06:00

On Monday, November 30th, our advisory joined Ms. Jacobs' advisory on a trip to the nursery school on Woodlawn to meet up with our new little buddies in Ms. Hamburg's class. The seventh graders paired up with little buddies to read stories and play outside. All of the kids (old and young) seemed a bit nervous at first, but everyone quickly became friends. The seventh graders' enthusiasm and kindness toward their little buddies was wonderful to see; we are all looking forward to getting back together with our buddies as soon as possible! Here are some pictures from the first meeting:

7th Grade Boys Soccer Season Comes To A Close

2009-10-23T06:44:00.006-06:00

The seventh grade boys soccer season ended this week. The team finished with an impressive record of ten wins, one loss, and two ties. Highlights of the season included defeating rival Parker twice, defeating Latin at home, tough wins over talented North Shore Country Day and Lake Forest Country Day teams, and a big victory in their rematch at Elgin against the only team to defeat them. The boys worked hard all season and should be proud of what they accomplished. Here are some photos from the year:

The team working hard at conditioning during the last week of summer

Henry and Leo on the bus

The team hanging out on the Montrose turf field

Brownie and James get pumped for the cold weather

The team celebrates a cold, wet win with a cup of hot chocolate

Dunes Day!

2009-10-07T06:46:00.006-06:00

On Monday, October 5th, the entire seventh grade headed to the Indiana dunes to conduct scientific experiments and learn about the concept of succession. The class arrived to find a beautiful early autumn day, with crisp blue skies and warm sun above. The students focused on specific areas of the dunes such as the beach, the cottonwoods, the pine forest, and the hardwoods forest, taking various measurements that they will bring back to their science classes to interpret. In between experiments they found time to chase lizards, toss footballs, and in general have a wonderful afternoon. Here are some pictures from the day (there's also a new picture of my advisory on my homepage):

The grade heading to the beach

Ms. Jacobs assisting with measurements

The path from the beach to the cottonwoods

The entire dunes (plus Carl!)

First Blog Post Assignment of 2009--"The Box"

2009-09-11T06:46:00.007-06:00

We have spent the past week and a half discussing questions surrounding identity. As part of those discussions, we have read several stories, listened to music, performed poetry, written in journals, and created identity collages to express your own unique cultural identifiers. We have also discussed various examples of "the box," which is a metaphor for any obstacles or barriers that might isolate, frustrate, enclose, or sometimes protect someone from a larger world.

Think back over everything we have read so far for this unit ("Theme for English B," "High Yellow White Trash," "American History," "Crickets," the "Phone Booth" poem, "and "Sylvia's Story" from National Public Radio). Your task now is to write and post a comment in this forum in which you describe a connection between TWO of these works, focusing on the role of "the box." Think about how different characters face similar or different challenges. Think about similarities or differences in the kinds of disguises characters wear. Do you think these characters will escape from their boxes?

When you have made a connection between two works, write a post describing that connection. Make sure to mention specific characters/narrators, and to be clear about how the "boxes" they experience are similar. Your post does not have to be long; three or four sentences is plenty. You should feel free to respond to your classmates' posts, as well as to ask your classmates questions.

*** Remember to use your first name, "Nekrosius," and your class period number when you sign your post (do NOT put your last name). Also, if you choose to respond to what another classmate wrote, please do so in a respectful manner.

Back To School

2009-09-01T13:32:00.004-06:00

Hello All,

The weather is (unseasonably) growing cooler, the days are growing shorter, and the soccer team has started practice, all of which means school must be right around the corner. For students and parents who have found there way here prior to the start of school, you can look forward to periodic posts of interest and occasional assignments for my advisees and Humanities students throughout the year. In the meantime, if you have done anything interesting over the summer that you'd like to share, feel free to do so. Among various other travels, I spent a couple of weeks out in New York this summer to catch up with friends and family. Here are some of the better pictures from the trip:

The Brooklyn Bridge, from the Manhattan side

The Gowanus Canal Superfund Site in Brooklyn (it did look like it needed some cleaning up, but it did not look all that fun)

Excellent dinosaur skeleton at the museum of natural history--my favorite museum

Sunset on Long Beach

Exploring the Color Line: Chicago's South Side

2009-03-02T09:38:00.002-06:00

Read the essay and view the attached photo essay in Mother Jones Magazine. Then write a paragraph response in which you connect issues discussed in this article to many of the issues of racial boundaries that we read about and discussed in class in the past few weeks. Write about your own thoughts in response to the information and images you see.

You many want to write about A Raisin in the Sun, Our America, or any of the articles, stories, and poems we have read. You might also consider the images we discussed such as The Great Migration series from Jacob Lawrence or the photographs in 12 Million Black Voices.

As always, please remember tp sign your post with your first name and class period.

Colonial Project Blog Post Assignment

2009-01-04T15:39:00.010-06:00

For THURSDAY, choose ONE of the online newspapers created by Mr. Nekrosius's project groups and spend fifteen minutes browsing through the various pages (you can find links to the two newspapers here). When have finished reading the newspaper, create a post that contains three things you learned from your reading and one question you have for the authors.

Alternatively, you can choose to write a post on one of the documentaries on Anne Hutchinson produced by Ms. Doyle's project groups. To do so, first view one of the two documentaries, and then write a post containing three things you learned and one question you have for the producers. You can view the documentaries on Ms. Doyle's blog.

Remember:

You should include ONLY your first name and your class period (NO LAST NAMES) at the end of your blog post. All of Mr. Nekrosius's students should post their responses on THIS blog, not Ms. Doyle's.

Also, remember to be positive and detailed in your responses!

The Chief is Resurrected

2008-11-13T16:12:00.003-06:00

The Chief is Resurrected

The Chicago Tribune reports that Chief Illiniwek, the former University of Illinois mascot, has been resurrected by a group of students who have elected a new mascot to perform for students and the University community this year.

Please read the story and respond. Write your first name and class period at the end of your post.

What do you think of this new manifestation of Native American mascots? Should the students be allowed to do this? Is the University responsible? Are they condoning the practice and how does this fit with the NCAA ruling that no teams that host tournament play are allowed to have Native American mascots?

Webquest Blog Post Assignment - Due Monday, 11/17

2008-11-06T09:45:00.002-06:00

Each 7th grade humanities class now has a set of web pages answering specific questions about the American Indian culture they studied. You will need to read/explore at least one web page from each class (one from Ms. Doyle's class and one from Ms. Jacobs' class). Post a response to the webpages on my blog, including information about the following:

1. Write three things you discovered about the cultures explained in BOTH of the web pages.

2. Note at least one similarity or difference from the culture you studied for BOTH web pages.

3. Ask at least one question that you think should be answered about the TWO cultures you read about.

4. Make one comment about the design and layout of the TWO web pages you visited. Be sure your comments are constructive/helpful. Be polite but truthful.

The Democratic Process

2008-11-06T07:00:00.004-06:00

Tuesday night I went down to Grant Park with Charlotte Jacobs, one of the other 7th grade Humanities teachers, to watch the election results come in. The rally was an interesting, at times powerful experience. The crowd, I thought, was excited and positive, but also somewhat anxious. When the jumbotron displayed a leading news network's decision to call the election for Obama, the cheering seemed to contain as much relief as excitement. The jumbotron (pictured below) really held a powerful sway over the crowd. There were several moments where I found myself looking around at the crowd and seeing nearly every face turned upward toward the screen--and those who weren't were busy talking into or tapping away on their cell phones. There was talking, and laughing, and storytelling, but less than I expected. I spoke briefly to several strangers but had no meaningful discussions. I don't know that the digital age is entirely to blame (perhaps my own crankiness at staying out late on a school night played a part, as well) but I did often feel like the constant stream of information fed to us from high above, filtered through arc lights and the constant drone of the helicopters, inserted an odd distance between my focus and the communal experience I had expected.

On the other hand, when Obama finally took the stage around eleven thirty, the speech he gave transcended that digital divide. People listened, but they listened together, their emotions swelled together, and by the end of the speech the crowd had reached a very different place. We discussed this speech as an example of public speaking in class on Wednesday, looking at how Obama moved from one theme to the next, emphasizing unity, responsibility, and possibility. We discussed the way he modulated his pace and tenor to build those themes into a cohesive message. We discussed his repeated references to Abraham Lincoln and the intent behind such a strategy. And we discussed how this speech in and of itself represents another step in the historical narrative Obama described within that speech. Regardless of where one stands politically, participating in such an event does provide an interesting sense of what it means to be part of a democracy these days--the dangers of too much information mediated by too much flash and dazzle, but also the potential for the personal to reinsert itself into the process at the most crucial moment. I'm glad that I was there on Tuesday evening, and I'm glad that I'm a part of a country where such an event is possible.

Here are some (blurry) photos from the event, in case you weren't able to make it yourself:

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-02T17:04:00.004-06:00

This past Friday a veritable horde of horrors, haunts, and heebie-jeebies descended upon the Lab School for Halloween. Several members of our advisory donned various disguises, ranging from calculators to baseball players to cartoon characters to, well, whatever it was that Dante was supposed to be. My thanks to everyone who dressed up for making this wonderful holiday as special as it was, and also to the parents who helped us start the day off with a seasonal feast--here's a look at the advisees who dressed up (supervised under the watchful eye of the Sheriff of Grammartown):

Special recognition to Eleanor and Julie for their roles in an award-winning group costume of Alice and the March Hare from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.

2008 Relay Races!!!

2008-10-21T08:31:00.006-06:00

Our advisory competed in Monday's third annual advisory relay races, performing impressively in all legs. Special mention goes to Dante for his superhuman effort at crabwalking--jaws were dropping left and right. Although our advisory didn't win, we had one heck of a good time, and I'm particularly proud of the good spirits and good sportsmanship our advisory displayed throughout. Here are some pictures to give you a sense of the action:

AND THEY'RE OFF!!!

Sam carrying a tennis ball on a spoon with total focus

(Blurry because he is crab walking too fast for technology to capture clearly)

A strong finish!

In Whose Honor?

2008-10-10T08:42:00.002-06:00

Write a paragraph response to the movie In Whose Honor? Respond to the following statement: Native American mascots are always a sign of disrespect toward native groups of people. If you agree, give supporting statements from the movie to illustrate your point. If you disagree, use specific examples to show your point. Be sure to follow the "hamburger" method of paragraph writing. Think carefully about your topic sentence and your conclusion.

*** Remember to use your first name, "Nekrosius," and your class period number when you sign your post (do NOT put your last name). Also, if you choose to respond to what another classmate wrote, please do so in a respectful manner.

To The Dunes!!!

2008-10-10T08:18:00.004-06:00

This past Monday the entire seventh grade visited the Indiana Dunes for a science field trip. The weather came through, with light winds and beautiful views of the lake. The kids took several different measurements of humidity, biodiversity, and other metrics across different zones of succession. And along the way, they also ran into some giant insects, sunshine, and an overall wonderful afternoon:

Our Amazing Advisory

2008-09-30T11:18:00.008-06:00

Well, I had hoped to be able to post some pictures of my advisory with the duck trophy from the advisory relay races, but the relays got rained out--stay tuned to results following the rescheduled event on October 20th. In the meantime, though, here are some pictures of my 2008 advisory in all their glory. Truly a talented bunch:

First Blog Assignment of 2008

2008-09-10T09:42:00.004-06:00

(REMEMBER TO PUT YOUR FIRST NAME FOLLOWED BY "NEKROSIUS" AND YOUR CLASS PERIOD NUMBER ON ALL OF YOUR POSTS!!!) We have spent the past week and a half discussing questions surrounding identity. As part of those discussions, we have read several stories, listened to music, performed poetry, written in journals, and created identity collages to express your own unique cultural identifiers. We have also discussed various examples of "the box," which is a metaphor for any obstacles or barriers that might isolate, frustrate, enclose, or sometimes protect someone from a larger world.

Think back over everything we have read so far for this unit ("Theme for English B," "High Yellow White Trash," "Black, White, and Jewish," "Those Who Don't," "Sylvia's Story" from National Public Radio, "Alone and All Together," and "Two Kinds"). Your task now is to write and post a comment in this forum in which you describe a connection between TWO of these works, focusing on the role of "the box." Think about how different characters face similar or different challenges. Think about similarities or differences in the kinds of disguises characters wear. Do you think these characters will escape from their boxes?

When you have made a connection between two works, write a post describing that connection. Make sure to mention specific characters/narrators, and to be clear about how the "boxes" they experience are similar. Your post does not have to be long; three or four sentences is plenty. You should feel free to respond to your classmates' posts, as well as to ask your classmates questions.

*** Remember to use your first name, "Nekrosius," and your class period number when you sign your post (do NOT put your last name). Also, if you choose to respond to what another classmate wrote, please do so in a respectful manner.

Ready for Fall 2008!

2008-08-30T12:28:00.005-06:00

Well, it's been far too long since I posted here--one of my goals for this school year is to keep a more active record of the goings-on in 7th grade Humanities. It has been a wonderful summer, to be sure. I fished for northern pike and walleye in the wilds of Ontario. I drove and camped throughout northern Wisconsin and the Porcupine Mountains of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. I spent two weeks backpacking through the mountains of Peru, culminating in a trip along the Inca Trail that ended at the ruins of Maccu Picchu. I read many wonderful books, spent time with family and friends, and participated in valuable professional development meetings with my fellow Humanities teachers. All in all, a great three months. There are still a few days of summer left, but my thoughts are already turning toward the classroom and all of the exciting reading, writing, and discussing that lies ahead. I'm really looking forward to meeting all of my new students and to getting back into the energy and flow of classes.

Throughout the year ahead, I will periodically ask my students to post questions and responses on this blog. I will also post items of interest and ideas, so please do check in occasionally to see what's new. This blog is public, so all comments and questions from anyone--not just students--are welcome. In the meantime, here are a few pictures from the summer to start the year:

The car ferry to Madeline Island, one of the Apostle Islands at the northern tip of Wisconsin on beautiful (but chilly!) Lake Superior

Rushing water on the Presque Isle River in the Porcupine Mountains

Foot-sore and overwhelmed at Maccu Picchu

See you on September 8th!

Extra! Extra! Salem Witch Trials Newspaper Blog Post!

2008-01-03T16:09:00.000-06:00

Choose ONE of the online newspapers created by Ms. Mannering's project groups and spend fifteen minutes browsing through the various pages (you can find the period 3-4 newspaper HERE and the period 8-9 newspaper HERE). When have finished reading the newspaper, create a post that contains three things you learned from your reading and one question you have for the authors.

Remember:

You should include ONLY your first name and your class period (NO LAST NAMES) at the end of your blog post.

Also, remember to be positive and detailed in your responses!

The Trial of Anne Hutchinson, Or, A Seventh Grade Adventure

2007-12-07T16:40:00.000-06:00

Wow, you turn your back for one second, and a month goes by without a blog post. The seventh grade humanities students haven't been sleeping on the job, though. During that time they've been busy with this and that, especially with a comparison/contrast paper looking at the reality of Pocahontas and Disney's depiction of her as a movie character. Lately, though, we've been focusing on a big group project where a mix of my students and students from other humanities classes have been reenacting the trial of Anne Hutchinson. Hutchinson, an outspoken advocate of women's rights and independent thought, found herself at odds with the Puritan ministers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630's. After a dramatic trial in which she defended herself fiercely, Hutchinson was banished from the colony altogether.

The group has worked hard at exploring Hutchinson's beliefs, the conflict between the covenant of grace and the covenant of works, and the social and political attitudes of colonial America. They have memorized lines, struggled with costume decisions, battled with cameras and movie software, argued with each other, and overall, done a splendid job throughout. Here is a picture that gives a sense of what they've been up to (it's a bit blurry, but then, the whole project has gone by in a blur, so perhaps it's appropriate):

Webquest Blog Post Assignment - Due Monday, October 29th

2007-10-25T08:16:00.000-06:00

Each 7th grade humanities class now has a set of web pages answering specific questions about the American Indian culture they studied. You will need to read/explore at least one web page from each class (one from Ms. Mannering's class and one from Ms. Jacobs' class). Post a response to the webpages on my blog, including information about the following:

1. Write three things you discovered about the cultures explained in the web pages.

2. Note at least one similarity or difference from the culture you studied.

3. Ask at least one question that you think should be answered about the cultures you read about.

4. Make one comment about the design and layout of the web page you visited. Be sure your comment is constructive/helpful. Be polite but truthful.

Optional Blog Posting

2007-10-09T20:14:00.000-06:00

Below, I have posted an editorial cartoon from 1871, illustrated by Thomas Nast. The caption at the bottom reads:

""Move on!" Has the Native American no rights that the naturalized American is bound to respect?"

This is a tricky cartoon to get, as the characters at the polling station (where people would vote) are visual stereotypes of various ethnic groups who had recently come to America.

What do you think the artist wants his audience to think when they see this cartoon? Remember, the cartoon was published in 1871. Look at the image closely for clues as to the author's opinions and refer to those close as evidence for your own argument regarding what you think the cartoon is about.

First Blog Posting Assignment: Thinking Inside, Outside, and All Around the Box

2007-09-18T11:24:00.000-06:00

(REMEMBER TO PUT YOUR FIRST NAME AND LAST INITIAL ON YOUR POST!!!) We have spent the past week and a half discussing questions surrounding identity. As part of those discussions, we you have read several stories, listened to music, performed poetry, written in journals, and created identity collages to express your own unique cultural identifiers. We have also discussed various examples of "the box," which is a metaphor for any obstacles or barriers that might isolate, frustrate, enclose, or sometimes protect someone from a larger world.

Think back over everything we have read so far for this unit ("Theme for English B," "High Yellow White Trash," "Black, White, and Jewish," "Those Who Don't," "Sylvia's Story" from National Public Radio, "Alone and All Together," and "Two Kinds"). your task now is to write and post a comment in this forum in which you describe a connection between TWO of these works, focusing on the role of "the box." Think about how different characters face similar or different challenges. Think about similarities or differences in the kinds of disguises characters wear. Do you think these characters will escape from their boxes?

When you have made a connection between two works, write a post describing that connection. Make sure to mention specific characters/narrators, and to be clear about how the "boxes" they experience are similar. Your post does not have to be long; three or four sentences is plenty. You should feel free to respond to your classmates' posts, as well as to ask your classmates questions.

*** Remember to use your first name and last initial when you sign your post. Also, if you choose to respond to what another classmate wrote, please do so in a respectful manner.

Human Knot Pictures

2007-09-16T19:53:00.000-06:00

This past Friday, our advisory conquered an extremely difficult teamworking challenge--they untangled the Nekrosius Advisory Human Knot! With communication, cajoling, and a fair amount of both literal and interpersonal flexibility, the students went from a hopelessly tangled collection of hand-joined individuals to two interlocking rings of classmates. Tough to describe, really--I'll let the pictures tell the tale:

First, our Friday advisory breakfast:

Second, they all join hands and contemplate the task of unraveling themselves:

Chaos ensues:

At long last, they achieve their goal!

What A Neat Bunch Of Kids -- Plus, A Bonus Picture of a Giant Insect

2007-09-12T19:13:00.000-06:00

Here is the first of what will eventually become several pictures of my 2007-08 advisory class. Note the entirely genuine expression of surprise on all of their faces. You can already tell it is going to be a fantastic year!

Also, here is a picture of a praying mantis that a student found ambling about on Kenwood Mall. Truly an impressive specimen. After some friendly hellos and a bit of arm-crawling, our emerald friend was released back into the wilds of Hyde Park.

2007-2008 Humanities - Welcome Back!

2007-08-31T10:14:00.000-06:00

Well, summer has finally started to wind down, the nights have just a bit of crispness to them, and the school year is right around the corner (or, by the time most of you read this, it has already arrived). I'm writing to welcome all new students, parents, and friends to the 2007-2008 school year in the humanities. We have all sorts of interesting, challenging, engaging work ahead of us. For right now, though, the task at hand is to say hello and to introduce you to this blog, where I will occasionally ask you to post or respond to posts about classroom material. All voices are welcome--just be aware that this is an open forum, so what you post can be viewed not only by your classmates but by pretty much anybody. So put your best foot forward. Write thoughtfully, respond to your classmates with curiosity and respect, and always feel free to ask questions.

I will sometimes post interesting cartoons, pictures, or other miscellanea here as well, so do check in periodically to see what's new. For now, I will start the year off with a picture so that you can get a sense of how I spent my summer. I basically spent my whole summer traveling, camping, and reading as many books as I could. This is a picture of one place I visited--does this look familiar to anybody? I'm really excited about the upcoming year and can't wait to meet all of you--see you soon!

The Dangers of the Internet

2007-04-29T19:59:00.000-06:00

Hopefully, by now you have all had some experience with good and not-so-good internet sources during your research. Just in case the hazards of point and click research haven't hit home, though, here's a reminder:

2007-02-12T08:42:00.000-06:00

For all of you who love big words, here's one of my favorites. The cartoon isn't the funniest in the entire world, but on the other hand, I don't know that a big-word-spouting t-rex needs that great of a punchline.

It's also worth noting that there's an example of irony here--the cartoonist apparently knows how to use big words like "sesquipedalian," but not that "alright" is actually the improper form of the two separate words "all right."

Keep on integrating those vocab words into classroom conversation!

Pictures from Concord Bridge

2007-02-07T08:42:00.000-06:00

No posts necessary--I just thought that for those of you who were interested, I'd post some pictures a friend of mine took while he and I were visiting the bridge in Concord, Massachusetts, where some of the first shots were fired in the Revolutionary War.

Tim O'Brien and Joseph Martin - Same Battle, Different Wars?

2007-02-01T21:09:00.000-06:00

By now, you should have finished reading A Young Patriot, as well as the two Tim O'Brien pieces. The two works present very different perspectives on what war means; A Young Patriot tells the story of the American Revolution in broad strokes, while O'Brien tells a much more personal story. Spend a few minutes considering what the two different pieces have in common and where they differ in terms of what they say about war in general, and then post a comment sharing your thoughts with your classmates.

Some questions to help you get started: How do the two works give depth to one another? Or, in other words, what can you learn about one work by reading the other? After reading both, how has your understanding of war changed?

2007-01-28T16:40:00.000-06:00

I'm a big believer in the power of cartoons to impart a quick change of perspective. Get Fuzzy, by Darby Conley, happens to be one of my favorites that I check daily. This Sunday strip should serve as a reminder for us to be careful how we phrase our questions--unless you are specific, you just might end having to listen to a teacher's long-winded, incredibly detailed answer that doesn't come near what you wanted to learn in the first place.

Hello and Welcome

2007-01-28T16:33:00.000-06:00

Hello, everybody. And by everybody, I mean Mr. Nekrosius's seventh grade humanities students at the University of Chicago Lab School, and anybody else who happens to drop in.

By now you should be used to posting responses to questions assigned in class; we'll continue to have those kinds of assignments in this new forum, and I look forward to seeing the same depth of thought, intellectual curiosity, and mutual respect that you have displayed in all your other endeavors show up in these posts.

I will also periodically post brief questions, ideas, or information related to class here--you should all feel free to respond if you wish, or to propose independent postings of your own. This blog is a place for us to engage in a different kind of conversation than those we have in class. Let's make the most of it.

Mr. Nekrosius