"The Pianist" - Period 1

The motion picture, The Pianist is the true story of Wladyslaw Szpilman who was the most accomplished piano player in all of Poland, if not Europe, in the 1930s. This film does an excellent job of explaining why it became impossible for the Jewish people living in Europe to escape the Nazis and what happened to them during the Holocaust. Post a reflective comment about the film and respond to at least one other student’s comment. Post is due at the end of the day.

"The Pianist" - Period 5

The motion picture, The Pianist is the true story of Wladyslaw Szpilman who was the most accomplished piano player in all of Poland, if not Europe, in the 1930s. This film does an excellent job of explaining why it became impossible for the Jewish people living in Europe to escape the Nazis and what happened to them during the Holocaust. Post a reflective comment about the film and respond to at least one other student’s comment. Post is due at the end of the day.

Period 1 - "The Milgram Experiment"

Milgram has defined obedience as “the psychological mechanism that links individual action to political purpose.” What do you think encourages obedience? Is it fear of punishment? A desire to please? A need to go along with the group? A belief in authority? As some students watched the film Obedience, some laughed. How do you account for that laughter? Is it because something was funny or was there another reason? Those who study human behavior say that laughter can be a way of relieving tension, showing embarrassment or expressing relief that someone else is “on the spot.” Which explanation is most appropriate in this case? How did the volunteers act as they administered the shocks? What did they say? What pressures were placed on them as the experiment continued? How did they decide whether to stop? Did you identify with any of the volunteers you observed in Obedience? Post your reflective comment by the end of the weekend and be sure to make a comment to another student’s post.

Period 5 - "The Milgram Experiment"

Milgram has defined obedience as “the psychological mechanism that links individual action to political purpose.” What do you think encourages obedience? Is it fear of punishment? A desire to please? A need to go along with the group? A belief in authority? As some students watched the film Obedience, some laughed. How do you account for that laughter? Is it because something was funny or was there another reason? Those who study human behavior say that laughter can be a way of relieving tension, showing embarrassment or expressing relief that someone else is “on the spot.” Which explanation is most appropriate in this case? How did the volunteers act as they administered the shocks? What did they say? What pressures were placed on them as the experiment continued? How did they decide whether to stop? Did you identify with any of the volunteers you observed in Obedience? Post your reflective comment by the end of the weekend and be sure to make a comment to another student’s post.

Period 1 - "The Belonging"

Today you read the "Belonging" in class. Please answer the following questions:

How important is it to you to "look right?" To "act right?" To "fit in?" How do you feel when you don't belong? How does it affect your self-esteem? When in a child's development is he or she most vulnerable to issues related to "in" and "out" group behavior? Are adolescents more or less vulnerable than young children? Would you have joined the Hitler Youth if you lived in Germany at the time? Why or why not?

Period - 5 "The Belonging"

Today you read the "Belonging" in class. Pleasse answer the following questions:

How important is it to you to "look right?" To "act right?" To "fit in?" How do you feel when you don't belong? How does it affect your self-esteem? When in a child's development is he or she most vulnerable to issues related to "in" and "out" group behavior? Are adolescents more or less vulnerable than young children? Would you have joined the Hitler Youth if you lived in Germany at the time? Why or why not?