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Quarter 1 / August 15 - October 14, 2022
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WeekDatesUnitSkillsOSEU StandardsLinks to LessonLinks to Resources
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18/15-8/29Unit 1: Introductions, establishing class culture, and identification of starting pointsLesson plans / Semester 1 / 2022-2023 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nsxRkaWsJyGf5fNcnwuLoQbJsRbsmbIO5aZTGBHOc8w/edit?usp=sharing
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Students and teacher will begin to form a learning community
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Students submit general information about themselves, their families, school likes/dislikes, hopes for the course, advice for the teacher
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Students learn about their teacher by a "Who is Dave" exercise
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Students respond to an anonymous, comprensive survey of their opinions and attitudes on a wide variety of of topics. Discussion of these results achieves 3 goals: (1) for students to personally begin thinking about a wide variety of issues and their views on them; for students & teacher to get a sense of students' "starting points" with regard to these issues; (3) for students to get a sense of the overall direction of the course and topics to be addressed
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As a follow-up to the above, students state their current understanding of selected terms & concepts taken from the anonymous survey--without any research, such as decent job, peer pressure, self-esteem, cheating, abortion, homosexuality, role model, compassion, racism, and conscience. This exercise also helps establish their "starting points" to these and other topics to be addressed.
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2Again, as a follow-up to the above, students identify and write about major areas of concerns they have as teenagers--either for teens in general or for themselves in particular
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8/31-11/15Unit 2: What does it mean to be "human"?Sept 8: Quiz #1: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdSGy3fejWBGdsZuzS-gUJMNhXtasgk3lX3K1rK3Wa37316fw/viewform?usp=sf_link
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Topic: Traits at the core of what it means to be human: (a) a sense of a "higher power"/God/gods; (b) ability to ask existential questions; (c) freedom; (d) conscienceSept 14: Quiz #2: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe9wjIxe12_uW688S2sDV3L_oG3fd8_Q_PG6QsT4ik4mJ_6kA/viewform?usp=sf_link
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Topic: freedom. Q: What is the difference between "external" and "internal" freedom? What are blocks to each of these?Oct 13: Mid-term exam: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScB9RooS-CnV-915VyKGLXvF9yrAQ5CubLVSGB8hAAlrnevAg/viewform?usp=sf_link
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Topic: free will v. determinism. Q: To what extent are our actions truly free? To what extent are our actions determined by outside factors? How can one achieve greater freedom in one's life?Nov 15: Mid 2nd-quarter exam: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchQXO6UZYDHy-G9n90LwyKUgOBFdd_ECbUnu8vTucBHAVG6A/viewform?usp=sf_link
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Maslow's "Hierarchy of Human Needs". Q: How can this theory help to identify stages in a life-long endeavor to become more genuinely and fully human? What are the stages he identifies along the way that lead to this aspiration?
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origins of right/wrong, conscience
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Topic: nature v. nurture. Q: Do we, as humans, have an essential "human nature"? To what extent are we the product of our human "hature"? To what extent are we the product of "nurture," i.e., our initial home environment, our education, our experiences, etc.?
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Topic: "traits of moral maturation". Q: What is the difference between "moral maturation" and "moral maturity"? What are particular ways we grow from being "less mature" in that area to "more mature"? These include focusing on ourselves to focusing on others; blaming others to taking responsibility for our actions; viewing challenges not as road blocks but as speed bumps; needing immediate, concrete rewards to accepting delayed and (often) intangible rewards; and (for the religious) developing beliefs and practices not out of early programming but out of freedom.
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Quarter 2 / October 17 - December 12, 2022
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Topic: the origins of conscience. Q: At what age do infants show signs of a sense of right/wrong, good/bad?
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Topc: "pathos" terms: apathy, sympathy, empathy. Q: How does empathy play a critical role in human development?
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Lawrence Kohlberg's "Stages of Moral Development". Q: How does an examination of our motives/reasons for action help explain moral development?
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11/16 - 12/12 (to be continued 2nd semester)Unit 3: "Personal" moral issues
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Topic: human sexuality: factual diagnostic. Q: What are the basic facts regarding human sexuality?
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Topic: human sexuality: personal opinion. Q: What are students' views on a variety of topics related to sexuality?
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Topic: sexual orientation. Q: What is meant by "sexual orientation"--what it is, and what it is not; Lakota tradition of "two-spirit" people
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Topic: gender/gender roles. Q: What do we mean by "gender"? "gender roles"?
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December 12: Semester exam (revised & shortened due to weather-related scheduling changes): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfdTm64FaecrDAw-pYNxX_2l0A3u86N8KMxP4da9KXIdMsSpg/viewform?usp=sf_link
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Quarter 3 / January 4 - March 2, 2023
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WeekDatesUnitSkillsOSEU StandardsLinks to LessonLinks to Resources
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1/4/23 (cont) - 3/27Unit 3: "Personal" moral issues (continued) and their relation to general topics in ethics2nd semster lesson plans (not yet separated from 1st semester): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nsxRkaWsJyGf5fNcnwuLoQbJsRbsmbIO5aZTGBHOc8w/edit?usp=sharing
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Topic: moral/non-moral in the news. Q: How can students distinguish types of moral/non-moral issues in ordinary, everyday news?
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Topic: absoute v. relative. Q: Are tjhere any absolutes in ethics? or are all issues (merely) relative (to a particular situation)?
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Topic: natural law. Q: Is there anything inherent in human that inclines them to the good?
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Topic: legal v. moral. Q: Is legality the same as morality? Can something be legal, but considered immoral? Moral, but illegal?
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Topic: teens & the media. Q: To what extent are teens using/abusing media? Are teens harmed from their use of the media? An anonymous survey will be used to gauge teen use of media.
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Topic: pornography. To what extent do teens view pornography? What are the effects of porn on teenagers--brain development, morals, etc?
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Topic: teens & the media. Q: How can teens explore the topic of media use through a project/presentation (individual or partner)?
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2/21/23-4/24/23
Unit 4: "Social" moral issuesTopic: the "consistent ethic of life." What does this concept mean, essentially? How did it come about? In what context?
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Topic: kinship & compassion. What is the role of "kinship" in forming community?
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Topic: abortion. Q: What is it? What are the physical components? legal? moral?
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Quarter 4 / March 5 - May 16, 2023
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Topic: eugenics. Q: What is meant by "engenics"? When was it popularly used in the U.S.? What are the ethical implications of eugenics?
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Topic: genetic engineering. Q: What is "genetic engineering"? How can it be used for good/desirable results? For results more questionable?
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Topic: Euthanasia. What is "euthanasia" and "physician-assisted suicide"? What are the legal boundaries to these practices? What are the ethical implications of their use? Can they be morally justified? If so, under what conditions?
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Topic: capital punishment. What is CP? What are reasons for/against it? What are the current legal boundaries for its use? What are the ethical implications regarding CP?Exam: April 3: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdE8a9rbfZOc3f4gLkgOc0ElgZJKz0QU3o4aRbErZrlTUlqzg/viewform?usp=sf_link
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Topic: matters related to war & peace (just war, pacifism, conscientious objector). Is war ever morally allowable? If so, under what conditions? What is the role of individual conscience in determining one's stance on war? What decision do 18-year-old males have to make with regard to Selective Service?
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214/24/23-5/16/23Unit 5: Personal Synthesis
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22Topic: "Hand of cards" exercise.Q: What can, and can we not, change about our life? What attitude ought we take toward the things we cannot change?
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