CSLewis: October 2017

Monday, October 30 ~ Are you ready for your chapter presentation?

Work Day! Prepare your lessons.

Homework: Read Ch.IV on Friendship

Block Day, October 26 ~ I so storge you...for better or for worse.

Warm-up: First take a few minutes to add some ideas to your Journal 24:

Who comes to mind when you think about the power of affection in your own life? Describe.
Do you have any disagreements with Lewis in this chapter?
When Lewis describes the troubles that come from Storge/Affection when it is confused or abused, what examples come to mind from your own life?

After discussing the chapter and J24, add one last reflection:

What wisdom will you take away from this chapter?

Love Languages Test

And just for kicks...here is the quiz to find out your love language (not to be confused with the four loves, but a fun addition to the conversation).
EQ: How can I recognize others' love languages as a tool to enable my own affections towards those that seem in conflict with my own style.

Chapter Projects

For the last three chapters in this book, students will group up to provide engaging lessons for each other. You will work in groups of three, except juniors... Since you all don't have Gentilin's background yet, I'll put you two in a group of four to make up for the lack of training. You will have Monday to formulate your lessons which should be about 35 minutes long (think activities, not lecture eh?).
You should cover:

Key quotes and a summary of the chapter
Interactive methods to help students draw depth and meaning from the text (could be an activity, game, video, discussion, etc...)
Application (Find a way for students to process and record their learning with a walk-away truth or lesson.

DUE Next Week (Friendship on Monday, Eros on Wednesday, Agape on Block)

Tuesday, October 24 ~ The Four Loves, Ch.2

Discuss Ch.2 (J23)

HW: Journal 24 (Chapter 3 Affection)

Click here and record the answers to the numbers 1, 6, 8, 9, 12, 14, 15 & 18)

Heads up! I won't see you tomorrow. Juniors, do you know where to go?

On block, we will discuss Ch.3 and take our love languages test.

Monday, October 23 ~ The Four Loves

First we should discuss J21.

Next, we should get into Ch.2 with J22.

Journal 22: **Edited*** Please click here and record answers to #1-5 & 9.

Journal 23: For this journal, click here. Use these questions as a guide for your thinking. Under each of the three sections, choose one question you deep interesting and worth writing/talking about. Answer one question on paper for each bolded section (Likings and Loves, Nature, and Patriotism). Use the foot notes on this page to help you will the text as well. Your journal should have three brief paragraphs.

Block Day, October 19 ~ Into the wilderness of love...

Hey lookie what I found! A PDF of our text for you.

Some conversation starters...agree or disagree?

Love is a choice, not a feeling.
Real love is permanent.
Lewis says that "Love, having become a god, becomes a demon."
Friendship is a wonderful thing, no doubt, but it is the least necessary of the loves.
It's okay to love someone because you need him/her.
The word love has become diluted in our current culture.
True friendship is based on common interests.
Familiarity breeds affection.
If God is love, is love God? How so?

Lewis' Four Loves

Journal 21

If you could categorize types of love, what categories would you use to divide them?
Record at least three real questions that you have about love.
What would you guess is Lewis' motive in writing on this topic considering he wasn't all that experienced in marriage?

Let's work on the Intro

HW: Journal 22: Chapter 1 - Introduction

1. What was the first distinction Lewis makes in types of human love?     Give his example of each and add an example of your own.
2. Lewis initially did not consider "Need-love" to be a form of love. What reasons led him to reconsider?
3.  Describe the paradox that "man approaches God most nearly when he is in one sense least like God."
4.  Lewis distinguishes between two things, both of which might be called "nearness to God."

(a) nearness by likeness: humans and angels are nearer to God in the sense that they bear more of his image or likeness than do the animals and plants(b) nearness of approach: we are nearest to God when swiftly approaching our final union with God, vision of God and enjoyment of God
Try to contrast the two by completing the chart:

Nearness by likeness	Nearness of approach
1.	1. able to increase
2. given to us by God	2.
3. made without our collaboration or consent	3.
4. likeness of image or portrait	4. union with God in will

5. Lewis (building on Dennis de Rougemont's remark) says that when we make love into a god, it becomes a demon. God is love; but love is not god. Give a real life example.

6. Why is it that natural loves at their best stand in greatest danger of blasphemy?

7. Lewis cautions against becoming either an idolater or a debunker of natural human love. He gives examples of each. Would you characterize 21^st century American society as predominantly idolaters or debunkers of love? How would you characterize yourself?

Wednesday, October 18 ~ The Toast and next steps

Today we will finally discuss the Toast. What questions would you like to start with?

Why The Four Loves?

HW: Get your books ready!

PS. Here is a basic rubric for your STL Final Writing:

MLA Format/G.U.M. = 25% (12 pts.)
Organization/Structure/clarity = 25% (12 pts.)
Content (Depth of thought) = 50% (26 pts.)
50 pts.

Tuesday, October 17 ~ Finally, that toast.

Discuss "Screwtape Proposes a Toast"

**Just in case I end up getting a sub, use the time for the lower two items. We can discuss the Toast on Wednesday.

Look at Course Outline and decide on next book. I suggest either Out of the Silent Planet (first of the science trilogy) or The Four Loves.

Writing time.

Monday, October 16 ~ Cheers to the end of our diabolical epistles!

First, Pablo must finish Letter 31.

Discuss J20 about the Toast.

Time left is for working on your 2-3 page assessment.

Letters back.

Block Day, October 11 & 12 ~ Bottom's up for a tasty Wormwood

Journal Check (while you prepare your discussions)

Student-Led Discussions on letters 26-31

Give a quick review, highlighting any key quotes.
Facilitate discussion based on a few of your questions
15-20 mins each.

Journal 20: After reading "Screwtape Proposes a Toast" (Due Monday)
*Lewis makes major digs on democracy, education and the idea of Christian Socialism. What examples from society now do you see of the cost of the "I'm as good as you" attitude? Do you agree/disagree with him? Based on your reading of The Abolition of Man, do you think Lewis really believes this, or is this a line from a lying devil?

Here is a presentation explaining the key contributors.

Here is a sweet TED Talk about the concept.

Final Essay Options:

Analysis: Compose a 2-3 page essay, examining a letter of you deem as particularly relevant to people today. Cite specific lines to help explain what the temptation is and elaborate why you believe it is so easily followed, how it plays out, and what you or others can do to avoid it.

Creative: Compose a 2-3 page letter in which a guardian angel is being advised by an Archangel in leading someone to trust the reality and character of Christ. You can create the names and topics of advice.

Due Wednesday, October 18 (50 points-Grade based on strength of argument and clarity of writing. MLA please!)

Tuesday, October 10 ~ Almost done!

Today is a quiet work day.

You should focus on journals and finishing the text up to the end of Letter 31.

Journal 1
Journal 2
Journal 3
Journal 4
Journal 5
Journal 6
Journal 7
Journal 8
Journal 9
Journal 10
Journal 11
Journal 12
Journal 13
Journal 14
Journal 15
Journal 16
Journal 17
Journal 18
Journal 19

J19: Read the last chapters. For each, name the letter and write at least one discussion question for each.

Monday, October 9 ~ Only a few more letters...

J17: Review your discussion questions for Letters 23-26.

J18: Tonight we read Letters 26-29 creating a Letter title and discussion question for each.

Heads up, this long weekend, you will need to write a two-page paper discussing what you believe to be the most relevant letter. Start thinking about which letter you are interested in writing about.

Wednesday, Sept.4 ~ Letters and More Letters...

Review J16 (Letters 19-20)

Continue the process for Letter 21 tonight and prepare your hard copy letter.

Here is a fun example.
Your letter should be around 500-700 words long (1-2 pages) and focus on a specific temptation or two.

Tuesday, October 3 ~ Strange Conversations

How's the letter coming? (Due block day)

Review J15

Journal 16: Read Letters 19 & 20. Write a discussion question for each.

Monday, October 2 ~ Catch up day

Today we will have a work day to...

Finish all journals
Write a diabolical letter to share with your fellow classmates (Due on block day)

CSLewis