Block 3 - Final Discussion Assignment for The Element

Below is the most famous TED Talk of all time.  It just so happens to feature Ken Robinson, the author of our book.

For part of the final discussion grade, watch the video (we will also watch it during class) and then make THREE connections between his talk and his key ideas in The Element.

Tip - Make sure you put your three connections in three separate comment boxes that way students can respond to each of them.  Thanks

Then leave TWO responses to the connections of your classmates.  This will be worth a total of 50 points.  I left a connection as an example of what will earn full credit.

  

Discussion Starter for "Young Goodman Brown"

Brown sure could have used this in the story, couldn't he?

After reading the story, go here and look at the themes I listed. For one theme, leave two examples of the theme shown through plot, character, setting, or symbolism.


Finally, later today or tonight, choose one of the options below (either from Reflecting and Relating or Evaluating) to write a short paragraph on in the comments section of the blog.  Then please leave feedback to two paragraphs from your peers.  We will use this to develop a discussion later this week.

Reflecting and Relating

So, the big idea is . . .

A conclusion I’m drawing is . . .

This is relevant to my life because . . .

Evaluating

I like/don’t like                         because . . .

This could be more effective if . . .

The most important message is . . . 

Wednesday's Assignment

Don't forget to finish watching Simon Sinek's TED Talk.





Then go to the Padlet below and post two connections between Sinek's talk and The Dip.  Remember, no stealing from anyone else.  No paraphrasing their thoughts.  Make a new connection no one else thought of.  Be original.  Or click here to go to the actual site.

Created with Padlet

Then begin your rough draft on the final paper for The Dip. I shared this assignment with you on Drive.  I'll embed below the Storify document that you can pursue for possible sources.  Remember, you can use any other sources we've previously read in class for this paper.  Likewise, if you do some original research and find other sources, you may use them as well.

Turkey Break Assignment

Watch this video and complete the assignment.  I promise you it's worth your time.  I cannot wait to see what you guys think!!!

So in summary, there will be three things for you to do with this TED Ed video.

First, watch the video and answer the "Think" questions.  You can actually answer the questions as you watch the video if you want.

Second, read the two articles under the "Dig Deeper" category and choose one of the prompts to write a one page response on for Monday.

Finally, watch the short video under the ". . . And Finally" category.  Then choose two of the questions to respond to in the comments section of this blog post.

Thanks!

Thoughts to discuss on Wednesday

Sorry that I can't be in class today (Kenzie woke up sick, so I had to stay home).

I was so fired up about The Dip last night that I typed these up while I was at UND last night.

Here are some thoughts to discuss in class Wednesday -

*When do people quit running the Boston marathon? Ask me about this. I have a great Mr. Geiser story for you.  I'll share this in the comments section below.

* Godin faced the mother of all dips when he began publishing.  (And this reminds me of Riley's comment about knowing whether to quit or suffer through it).  He published his first book the first time he contacted a publisher.  However, the next 900 tries at publishing 9 different novels failed.  Then on his 901st attempt, he sold his second novel.  That is one bada(* dip!

* Ask about Godin's take on why there is no such thing as writer's block.  I'll share this in the comments section below.

*  Godin said something really interesting on the podcast, "be willing to be bad at something before you'll be really good as something."  How does this relate to the dip? Do you have any examples to share? (this runs counter to what gets celebrated in our culture, though.  For we always celebrate the "overnight" success.  But when you talk to most "overnight" successes, you realize they have been toiling away in obscurity for 10 years before they became an "overnight"success.  That's one reason shows like America's Got Talent and The Voice are so popular.)

*  Here is a bit of advice on how to smash a dip.  This comes from Dave Ramsey, and it's advice he gives to all of his new hires: "find out what a year's worth of work looks like.  Then do it in 90 days.  When you work that insanely hard, something good is definitely going to happen."  That is an almost guaranteed way to survive the dip.

*  Godin said, "If you don't know what the Dip is, it looks a lot like failure." Ask about this in class. What do you think he means about that?  How are quitting and failure related? How are they different?

*  Finally, he offered this great nugget - think of someone you greatly admire and look up to, someone you wouldn't mind being like in 15 years.  Then think of yourself now.  Then compare yourself again to that person and all they have accomplished.  The difference between where you are now and where they are is the dip (well, it's probably a whole lot of dips).  Let's go through this exercise in class.

*  What other take aways or observations or applications to real life do you have from The Dip so
far?

Please respond to two of these in comments section below.  THEN leave feedback to two responses from me or your classmates.

Thanks.  Have a great break.  Text or email me any questions.

Remember to do the Turkey Break Assignment for Monday and to finish The Dip as well.

Tuesday Discussion

First, choose one of these discussion points to respond to in a brief, college level paragraph.  Then leave responses to two of your classmates.  Leave this in the comments section below at the end of this post.

Here are the discussion points:

Explain what it means to quit something successfully.

Take a shot at explaining what you think ‘the dip’ means.  Define it for us.

The mass market is dying.  Why is this good for you?

What’s the difference between strategic quitting and plain quitting?

Now, do the same for the discussion points below from the second reading (pages 25-55).  ONLY THIS TIME - leave responses to four of your classmates.  Leave this in the comments section below at the end of this post.

“It’s the incredibly difficult challenges (the Dips) that give you the opportunity to pull ahead.”  Write about a dip that you have worked through that now gives you the opportunity to pull ahead.

Why is the The Dip the reason you’re here?

What is the simple solution Godin offers to getting out of a cul-de-sac?

Which of the 8 Dip curves have you encountered?

Was there a time you didn’t quite and, thus, you had to settle for being mediocre? Briefly explain.

What is the opposite of quitting?  Do you agree with this?



*** I have provided two examples of my own for you in the comments section below.

*** You should be able to log in with your myprowler account so it will log you in with your Google profile.

*** Finally, you might wish to type your discussion points in World or Drive and then copy and past them into the comments section just in case something happens.  If you do it in Word or Drive you won't lose it.

Thanks!

Intro Assignment to The Dip

Check your Gmail or go see below for our first assignment regarding The Dip.