Democracy. Philosophy. Sculpture. Dramatic tragedies. The Olympic Games. Many of the fundamental elements of Western culture first arose more than 2000 years ago in ancient Greece.

This course will acquaint the student with some of the ancient Greek contributions to the Western philosophical and scientific tradition. We will examine a broad range of central philosophical themes concerning: nature, law, justice, knowledge, virtue, happiness, and death. There will be a strong emphasis on analyses of arguments found in the texts.

With recent advances in physics (and philosophy), we are finally able to make some headway into some of the most pressing questions of the universe. We will explore such topics as the big bang theory, time travel, relativity, extraterrestrial life, and string theory. We will attempt to answer some big questions such as: Was there a beginning of time? Will there be an end? Is time travel possible?

This course will introduce you to the Western philosophical tradition, through the study of major figures such as Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hume, and Kant. You will get to grips with questions that have been significant to philosophy from its beginnings: questions about the nature of the mind or soul, the existence of God, the foundations of knowledge, ethics and the good life. In the process of evaluating the arguments of these philosophers, you will develop your own philosophical and analytical skills. You will also observe changes of intellectual outlook over time, and the effect of scientific, religious and political concerns on the development of philosophical ideas.

By reading and rereading the passage closely and focusing their reading through a series of questions and discussion about the text, students will be equipped to unpack Dillard's essay. When combined with writing about the passage, students will learn to appreciate how Dillard's writing contains a deeper message and derive satisfaction from the struggle to master complex text. This close reading exemplar is intended to model how teachers can support their students as they undergo the kind of careful reading the Common Core State Standards require. Teachers are encouraged to take these exemplars and modify them to suit the needs of their students. Additional teacher background material: http://teachers.sduhsd.k12.ca.us/lcaston/documents/WeaselsEssayAnal.pdf

Making Evidence-Based Claims ELA/Literacy Units empower students with a critical reading and writing skill at the heart of the Common Core: making evidence-based claims about complex texts. These units are part of the Developing Core Proficiencies Program. This unit develops students€' abilities to make evidence-based claims through activities based on a close reading of an excerpted text from Plato€'s Apology.

These are a set of fictional case studies that are designed to prompt reflection and discussion about issues at the intersection of AI and Ethics. These case studies were developed out of an interdisciplinary workshop series at Princeton University that began in 2017-18. They are the product of a research collaboration between the University Center for Human Values (UCHV) and the Center for Information Technology Policy (CITP) at Princeton. Click the title of each case study to download the full document.

A brief history of conflicting ideas about mankind's relation to the natural environment as exemplified in works of poetry, fiction, and discursive argument from ancient times to the present. What is the overall character of the natural world? Is mankind's relation to it one of stewardship and care, or of hostility and exploitation? Readings include Aristotle, The Book of Genesis, Shakespeare, Descartes, Robinson Crusoe, Swift, Rousseau, Wordsworth, Darwin, Thoreau, Faulkner, and Lovelock's Gaia. This subject offers a broad survey of texts (both literary and philosophical) drawn from the Western tradition and selected to trace the growth of ideas about nature and the natural environment of mankind. The term nature in this context has to do with the varying ways in which the physical world has been conceived as the habitation of mankind, a source of imperatives for the collective organization and conduct of human life. In this sense, nature is less the object of complex scientific investigation than the object of individual experience and direct observation. Using the term "nature" in this sense, we can say that modern reference to "the environment" owes much to three ideas about the relation of mankind to nature. In the first of these, which harks back to ancient medical theories and notions about weather, geographical nature was seen as a neutral agency affecting or transforming agent of mankind's character and institutions. In the second, which derives from religious and classical sources in the Western tradition, the earth was designed as a fit environment for mankind or, at the least, as adequately suited for its abode, and civic or political life was taken to be consonant with the natural world. In the third, which also makes its appearance in the ancient world but becomes important only much later, nature and mankind are regarded as antagonists, and one must conquer the other or be subjugated by it.

These lesson plans delve deep into the pivotal event of the 1878 Fireburn, a very significant labor uprising in the Virgin Islands, rooted in struggles for human and labor rights. The Fireburn remains a testament in Virign Islands history of the courage of estate laborers such as Mary Thomas, Axeline Salomon, Mathilde McBean, and Susanna Abramson. The students will be taken through the socio-political landscape of the former Danish West Indies through interactive activities, multimedia resources, and critical discussions that understand the events leading up to the uprising and its profound aftermath. This module is to be designed with the purpose of educating but, at the same time, encouraging pride and recognition from those who sacrificed so much by standing up against their own oppression and daring to imagine a more equitable life,, giving way to the current freedoms that exist today in the Virgin Islands of the United States. 

A  lesson plan on Hubert Harrison is available, with sections adapted for use with students in grades 2–5, 6–12, and beyond.An engaging and accessible introduction to Hubert Harrison is the goal of this lesson plan for children in grades 2–5, which incorporates interactive storytelling, creative exercises, and fundamental terminology. Younger students have a deeper understanding of Harrison's life and work during the Harlem Renaissance and his Caribbean / Danish West Indian heritage.The 6th–12th grade lesson plan delves deeply into Harrison's activist and scholarly endeavors. Analytical and critical thinking skills are developed through activities such as evaluating sources, giving speeches on civic responsibility, and conducting research. This section is designed to encourage older students to dig further into the complicated lives of historical figures and the contexts in which they lived, and to draw parallels between past and present issues.In addition to studying Harrison, this lesson plan provides students with a deeper understanding of how their actions can lead to societal shifts. 

This lesson is intended for classrooms that want to show the entire How AI Works video series in a single day. It is not intended to be taught in sequence with the other lessons in this unit, which introduces each video one day at a time.

Students follow along with each video by matching vocabulary from the video, then answering a reflection question about each video. The lesson plan and slides are very sparse and open-ended to allow for improvisation and customization to fit your classroom.

This short educational film highlights the work of Senator Theovald Moorehead in the US Virgin Islands and his activism to promote a happy island for all, not just for tourists. The film cautions against the gentrification and tourism-dominated space on St. John, which has resulted in the loss of deep culture. The documentary is structured to educate and engage the community. It features Virgin Islanders discussing Senator Moorehead's life and work, analyzing his vision for St. John, and inspiring their fellow Virgin Islanders to dream and create a better future for their island.

This course is an introduction to many of the central issues in a branch of philosophy called philosophy of mind.

This course is an introduction to problems about creativity as it pervades human experience and behavior. Questions about imagination and innovation are studied in relation to the history of philosophy as well as more recent work in philosophy, affective psychology, cognitive studies, and art theory. Readings and guidance are aligned with the student's focus of interest.

This lesson centers around the How AI Works: Privacy and the Future of Work video from the How AI Works video series. Watch this video first before exploring the lesson plan.

In small groups, students conduct research using articles and videos that expose ethical pitfalls in an artificial intelligence area of their choice. Afterward, each group develops at least one solution-oriented principle that addresses their chosen area. These principles are then assembled into a class-wide “Our AI Code of Ethics” resource (e.g. a slide presentation, document, or webpage) for AI creators and legislators everywhere.

This lesson can be taught on its own, or as part of a 7-lesson sequence on How AI Works. Duration: 45 minutes

ASF presented a virtual conversation between artists Jeanette Ehlers and La Vaughn Belle on “Race in the Colonial Past and Present,” moderated by Ursula Lindqvist, exploring the history of Denmark's colonial presence in the mid-17th century and how it has since affected representation.
In 2018, Virgin Islands artist La Vaughn Belle and Danish artist Jeannette Ehlers created the monumental public sculpture entitled I AM QUEEN MARY, the first collaborative sculpture to memorialize Denmark’s colonial impact in the Caribbean and those who fought against it. In this program, listen to the two artists discuss colonialism and how commemorative representations can impact the public discourse surrounding Danish colonial history. What do these representations mean for people of African descent living in the Nordic Countries? What do they mean to the Virgin Islands? And how can they intervene in the historic, current and future relationship between Denmark and the Virgin Islands?

Reexamination of the Insular Cases

Decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in the first decade of the 20th century, the Insular Cases are a series of decisions that established the status of the residents of territories which had recently been acquired by the United States during and immediately after the Spanish-American War. These cases remain the basis for the relationship between the territories and the rest of the United States.1 Many attorneys in the territories say the Insular Cases are the reason they went to law school. However, the Insular Cases are much less well known outside of the territories and are not included in some law school curricula.