Unit 0 calendar: when each block runs
| Block | A rotation | B rotation |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation | Thu Aug 6 | Fri Aug 7 |
| Block 1 | Mon Aug 10 | Tue Aug 11 |
| Block 2 | Wed Aug 12 | Thu Aug 13 |
| Block 3 | Fri Aug 14 | Mon Aug 17 |
| Block 4 | Tue Aug 18 | Wed Aug 19 |
| Block 5 | Thu Aug 20 | Fri Aug 21 |
| Block 6 | Fri Aug 28 | Thu Aug 27 |
| Block 7 | Tue Sep 1 | Mon Aug 31 |
Your section follows one rotation, A or B. Check which one you are in and read that column.
Anchor question
How do scientists know what they know, and how should we know what we know?
The anchor skill for the whole year is OPVL: Origin, Purpose, Value, Limitations. We learn it here first, on contested topics you already have opinions about, and we come back to it in every later unit at increasing difficulty.
The other big move is the AI Documentation Protocol: AI is treated as a source, OPVL'd like any other, and documented in a structured template that goes with every deliverable. The aim is not to police AI use but to build the metacognitive habit that makes AI use valuable instead of dangerous.
The first day, then the seven blocks
Orientation, Syllabus, and Getting to Know Each Other
The first day: introductions, how the course runs, and practical set-up. No content and nothing to submit.
A: Thu Aug 6 · B: Fri Aug 7
Block 1: Welcome + How We Work
The course's central question; the rubric introduced; first group OPVL on three sources.
A: Mon Aug 10 · B: Tue Aug 11
Block 2: OPVL Across Source Types
OPVL extended to a peer-reviewed paper: Lovelock 1965 on detecting life by atmospheric chemistry. Observation vs. inference; specific-Limitation practice.
A: Wed Aug 12 · B: Thu Aug 13
Block 3: AI as a Source + Documentation Protocol
Why AI is just another source. First full pass at the AI Documentation Template.
A: Fri Aug 14 · B: Mon Aug 17
Block 4: Source Dossier Launch
The unit project is introduced and you choose your contested topic. Brief walked through end to end, topics pressure-tested in pairs, topic locked, first source started. Both traditional OPVLs are homework for Block 5.
A: Tue Aug 18 · B: Wed Aug 19
Block 5: Dossier Work Day 2
AI source OPVL'd + first AI Documentation Template entry completed. Cross-source synthesis drafted.
A: Thu Aug 20 · B: Fri Aug 21
Block 6: Dossier Work Day 3 + Rehearsal
Last class time on the Source Dossier. Paired defense rehearsal with peer feedback before the Block 7 defenses.
A: Fri Aug 28 · B: Thu Aug 27
Block 7: Defenses + Unit Close
Source Dossier due at the start. Final defenses (5-min talks or alt formats) + unit reflection + preview of Unit 1.
A: Tue Sep 1 · B: Mon Aug 31
Assessment
Resources for this unit
Two texts, one topic
Two short pieces on why a growing city floods more. Read in Block 1.
Source Dossier: Annotated Exemplar
A strong (not perfect) dossier on an off-list topic, with notes on why each move earns its band. One flaw is planted: find it.
OPVL Framework
The four-question framework + reference templates for the six source types you'll see most often.
AI Documentation Protocol
The template, the failure modes specific to AI, and three worked examples.
The Rubric
K/U / T/T / C across all four bands, plus the AI Documentation requirement.
U0 EAL Pre-Teach
15-term vocabulary handout with sentence stems: source / evidence / OPVL / claim / documentation. Multilingual reference linked.
How This Class Works
Every routine in this course (bell ringers, Power Notes, OPVL, defenses): what each produces and where it runs.