Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness Activities for the Classroom

Visionary Activitiesfor the Classroom

Lesson 2: Worlds of our own MakingLetting our imaginations wander to create worlds we canescape to are often the only ways we can survive a bad,sad or boring situation. Being able to create a place togo to in our mind that is safe and where we are completelyin control is a powerful tool. This refuge, whether itexists in actuality or in our minds provides hope and thatis a great motivation. Visionary Artists have often takenthis idea of escape and creating worlds to an extreme.They transform their environments and create storieswith mind-boggling details, sometimes as a way to survive.Renaldo Kuhler did not create a utopia in Rocaterrania,but he did create an escape. He created a worldthat he could choose every last part of. He has becomeso immersed in the details of this world, that it has oftenseeped in to his own life and reality.Objectives:• Students will research a variety of artists and thinkcritically about questions to pose to the artist.• Students will imagine their own world and detailsabout how it would function.Critical Questions:• Why do people create imaginary worlds toescape to?• What would your imaginary world look like?• What is important to include in your fictional world?• How can you begin creating a bit of this fictionalworld in your reality?Visual References:Various work by Renaldo KuhlerRocaterrania, a film by Brett IngramActivities:1. World of Your Own MakingFine Arts/Language Arts, Grades K-12What would a world of your own making look like? Whatis the political system in your world? Where is this cityor nation located? Is there a primary religion? Who livesthere? Think about some of these details.Create three of the following:a. A short history of your worldb. Some images of the architecture that is in your world.c. Some images and biographies of a few citizens inyour world.d. Some actual objects that come from this world—in the same way that Renaldo Kuhler has createdinstruments, vessels, and clothing that is inspiredby Rocaterrania.e. Some images of the transportation system.f. Some images from the entertainment industry.g. Some explanation of the language.NA-VA.K-4.6, NA-VA.5-8.6 and NA-VA.9-12.6, MakingConnections Between Visual Art and Other DisciplinesNA-ENG.K-12.12, Applying Language Skills2. Interview with an ArtistLanguage Arts, Grades 5-12Why do some artists or writers create these worlds toescape to? How do these created worlds mimic theirreality? How are they different?Research an artist or writer who has created some sortof escape through their work. Create a fictional interviewwith this artist/writer. Think carefully about the questionsyou ask them and respond as they would in their voice.Write this interview as if it were going to be published ina magazine or newspaper article. What images wouldaccompany your interview?Above and Beyond: Write three “letters to the editor”about the article you wrote. Think about different responsesto this article. Write in three different voices.Jeanette Lingardt Listens toPresident Khan’s Speech after hisElection to the Presidencyby Renaldo KuhlerPortrait of Renaldo Kuhlerby Roger ManleyNL-ENG.K-12.1, Reading for PerspectiveNL-ENG.K-12.8, Developing Research SkillsNA-ENG.K-12.12, Applying Language Skills

Lesson 3: Home and SafetyAccording to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, our most basicneeds are physiological. These are the needs requiredfor our survival—breathing, water, food, sleep, clothing,shelter, etc. After these are met comes our need for safety.The need for safety comes from an individual’s yearningfor some element of control and predictability in theirworld. Often safety is associated with our living space, ahome or haven. This can also be expanded to feeling safein our own country, a fact that is not assured everywhere.Looking at the art and stories of Ala Bashir (Saddam Hussein’spersonal physician who described his life as “likeliving on the edge of a knife”) and Alma Carillo, AngelesSegura, Carmela Valdivia and Luz Maria Bucio (immigrantsfrom Mexico, who are still struggling with the needsof safety, security and home), we begin to see how criticalthe feeling of safety is to the human experience.Objectives:• Students will think critically about what “safety”and “home” mean.• Students will brainstorm about what it means tonot have these needs.• Students will discuss the responsibility of a societyto insure these needs for its’ citizens, our responsibilityas humans to insure these needs for others.• Students will think about what would happenif they did not feel safe or have a home.Critical Questions:• How do you define “safety” and “home”?• What happens in a society when these needsare not met?• What would a society need to change to helpits citizens feel safer?• What makes you feel un-safe?• What do you need to feel at home somewhere?• What represents safety to you?Visual References:Torment-Predicament of Manby Ala BashirSuppression-Predicament of Manby Ala BashirJourney by Ala BashirThe Cry by Ala BashirSuppression-Predicament of Manby Ala BashirDeath Lives in the Desert by Luz Maria BucioPrisoner in the Land of Liberty by Angeles SeguraMexican Dream/American Dream by Carmela ValdiviaJourney Without Return by Alma CarilloActivities:1. Personal SafetyFine Arts, Grade 5-12Have a discussion with students about the idea ofsafety. When do students feel safe? When do they feelat home? How does this differ for individuals? Whatcommon threads come up in the discussion? Createa drawing of this safe place. Include details and try tothink about what this feeling of safely looks like. On theother side of the paper, or in a diptych fashion—draw theopposite scenario: a place where you feel un-safe. Accompanythese drawings by written descriptions of thescenes. Which scene is closer to your reality?NA-VA.5-8.3 and NA-VA.9-12.3, Choosing and Evaluating aRange of Subject Matter, Symbols and IdeasNA-VA.5-8.6 and NA-VA.9-12.6, Making ConnectionsBetween Visual Art and Other Disciplines2. Safety and SocietyLanguage Arts/Social Sciences, Grade 5-12To what extent is safety the responsibility of a society?What does your society do to keep the citizen’s safe?Do you think there are more things that could happen tokeep you and your neighbors safe? Write up a plan forthese additional safety measures? What do you need toenact your plan? Money? People? Time? Write an articlefor your local newspaper about what happens and howthings change once this new safety measure you haveproposed is implanted. Explain in your article how thesafety plan works (is it sustainable?) and how you cameup with the idea. Depending on your idea, you mayneed to interview fictional citizens/neighbors. You mayalso need a series of articles to track the progress of thesafety plan. Be sure to include the response of the cityofficials and if they would like to use your safety plan inother neighborhoods.NL-ENG.K-12.1, Reading for PerspectiveNL-ENG.K-12.8, Developing Research SkillsNA-ENG.K-12.12, Applying Language Skills

YOUTH CRIME BRIEFINGA new sentencing frameworkThe White Paper describes the framework for a‘radical overhaul’ of sentencing for adults, butthere are significant implications for the youthjustice system as well as some specific ideas.A brief outline of proposals for adultsentencesMany of the recommendations of the HallidayReport feature in the White Paper. Proposalsinclude the following:Whilst not sentences as such, the White Paperproposes conditional cautioning (similar to afinal warning but with prosecution followingfrom failure to complete) and deferredcautioning.For those who fail to pay fines, an increase inthe amount to be paid.Introduction of a single community sentencewith the court choosing from a ‘menu’ ofelements that can be included. These elementsclosely reflect the recent changes implementedin youth sentencing and include communitywork, restorative elements, drug testing andtreatment, offending behaviour programmes,intensive supervision, curfews and residencerequirements. This sentence would appear toreplace other orders such as communityrehabilitation orders, community punishmentorders and drug treatment and testing orders. Custody plus. This is a sentence of up to 3months in custody (6 months for consecutivesentences) followed by a period of supervision(within 12 months overall, or 15 months for aconsecutive sentence).Custody minus. This will replace thesuspended sentence and will be available for awide range of offenders. For up to two years,the court could order the same range ofelements as are available under the newcommunity sentence (as above). Failure tocomply would lead to custody.Intermittent custody. This would apply to‘non-dangerous’ offenders and might involvebeing in custody (perhaps open prison oreventually in local community custody centreswithin prison ‘campus style’ sites) at theweekend and being at work or training duringthe week, subjects thus maintaining their home.It is suggested that this would be useful forparents (‘mothers’) of children. Determinate custodial sentences over 12months. This sentence will, for non-dangerousoffenders, result in release at the half way pointfollowed by supervision until the end of thesentence as ordered by the court (withrequirements in line with the elements availablefor the new community sentence). Like custodyplus, this reflects some of the features ofdetention and training orders.Custody for violent and sex offenders.Accompanied by a new Sex Offenders Act thelaw on sexual offences will be reformed(followed by a review of offences against theperson). Where the sentence is not one of lifeimprisonment, those offenders who have beenassessed as dangerous will face a newindeterminate custodial sentence and will onlybe released (after a minimum term) whenassessed as safe to be so. This suggests thatsome could remain in custody for life and, inany event, could remain on licence for life.The White Paper reminds the reader that theMental Health Bill, recently published, providesfor those who have a personality disorder (andare assessed as dangerous) to be detained for anindeterminate period.In support of the new single community orderreplacing the previous range, and the new range ofcustodial sentences, there is a stress on toughenforcement. For breach of the communitysentence there may be a single warning beforecourt proceedings, one outcome of which could becustody even where the original offence would notwarrant it.Sentencing issues for youth justiceDespite the relatively recent youth justice reforms,the White Paper considers that ‘an imaginativerange of community and custodial measures isneeded to provide the right approach to eachyoung offender’.The current range of community sentencesprovides flexibility but, like adult sentences, theGovernment now considers that there is a lack ofpage 7