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Dale Kern » Staff Profile

Staff Profile

Greetings!

 

My name is Dale Kern and I’m the High School Social Studies teacher and Senior Advocate. I received my Bachelor of Arts in History from Tennessee State University where I also minored in Political Science. While I was there, the emphasis of my studies centered around eras of social change in US history and the practices implemented by people who sought social justice. I earned my State of Colorado teaching license through the ASPIRE to Teach Alternative Licensure Program at CU Denver.  

 

 The 2023-2024 school year will be my eighth year of teaching and my fifth at Westgate. Before coming to Westgate, I taught US History and Music at Lookout Mountain Youth Services Center in Golden where I worked with at-risk youth who were in the custody of the Division of Youth Services. My time at Lookout gave me experience practicing trauma-informed care and guided me in adopting the principles associated with TIC; safety, choice, collaboration, trustworthiness and empowerment.

 

As a social studies teacher, I believe that it is imperative to not only develop the readiness of my students as critical thinkers and engaged citizens; but to also help facilitate learning experiences where they can find growth and personal enrichment.

 

In my free time I enjoy backpacking, traveling, and snowboarding. I'm also a musician and I play guitar in a few local bands around Northern Colorado. 

 

Classes

Posts

Intro to Philosophy - Week of 2/5 - 2/9

Hey Folks!

This week we continue to talk about fallacies and though experiments.

Have a great week!

Essential Question

Why is it important to understand logical fallacies?

Learning Objectives

Fallacies

Objectives: Understand what a fallacy is and some common types of fallacies. Understand the distinction between a formal fallacy and an informal fallacy.

Though Experiments

Objectives: Understand the concept of a thought experiment. Understand different ways in which philosophers use thought experiments.

 

This Week’s Assignments

  1. Informal Logical Fallacies
  2. Though Experiments

Last Week’s Assignments

  1. Types of Arguments
  2. Logical Connectives and Translation

Contemporary World Issues - 2/5-2/9

Hey Folks! This week we will do a News Review and Analysis for Media Journals on Tuesday. On Thursday we update Topic posts and discuss our individual topics.

Have a great week!

Essential Question

What are the subjective and objective factors that go into the transmission of world events to the public?

This Week’s Assignments

  1. Media Journal
  2. Topic Posts

Last Week’s Assignments

  1. Media Journal
  2. Topic Posts

World History - Week of 2/5 - 2/9

Hey Folks!

This week we finish Topic 8 Crisis and Absolutism. We will have a quiz on Thursday.

Have a great week!

Essential Question:

According to Thomas Hobbes, why was absolute power needed?

Learning Objectives

Topic 8.3 Response to Crisis: Absolutism

Objectives: Describe how France became the greatest power of the seventeenth century. Understand the reasons why Prussia, Austria, and Russia also emerged as great European powers. Summarize the accomplishments of Peter the Great.

Topic 8.4 The World of European Culture

Objectives: Understand how art and literature reflected people’s spiritual perceptions and the human condition. Describe how the artistic movements of Mannerism and the baroque began in Italy and reflected the spiritual perceptions of the time. Learn how mannerism depicted the tensions in society after the Renaissance.

This Week’s Assignments

  1. Topic 8.3 Response to Crisis: Absolutism
  2. Topic 8.4 The World of European Culture
  3. Topic 8 SPICE Chart
  4. Topic 8 Quiz

Last Week’s Assignments

  1. Topic 8.1 Europe in Crisis: The Wars of Religion
  2. Topic 8.2 Social Crises, War, and Revolution
  3. Topic 7 Quiz

US History - Week of 2/5-2/9

Hey Folks!

This week we finish Topic 14 WWII and take a quiz on Tuesday. Wednesday we will begin Topic 15 Post War America.

Have a great week!

Essential Question:

Does the US policy of containment and the notion of self-determination align with our beliefs in freedom and democracy?

Learning Objectives

Topic 14.8 Impact of World War II

Evaluate the goals that Allied leaders set for the postwar world. Describe the steps that the United States and other nations took toward international cooperation. Explain the impact of WWII on the postwar US.

Topic 15.1 The Beginnings of the Cold War

Objectives: Trace the reasons that the wartime alliance between the US and USSR unraveled. Explain how President Truman responded to Soviet aggression in Eastern Europe. Describe the causes and results of Stalin’s blockade of Berlin.

Topic 15.2 The Korean War

Objectives: Explain how Mao Zedong and the communists gained power in China. Describe the causes and the reasons for US involvement in the Korean War. Identify the long-term effects and outcomes of the Korean War.

 

This Week’s Assignments

  1. Topic 14.8 Impact of World War II
  2. Topic 14 Quiz
  3. Topic 15.1 The Beginnings of the Cold War
  4. Topic 15.2 The Korean War

Last Week’s Assignments

  1. Topic 14.7 The Holocaust
  2. Schindler’s List Reflection Questions
  3. Topic 14.6 The Allies Win the War

World History - Week of 1/29-2/2

Hey Folks!

This week we finish Topic 7 Renaissance and Reformation. We will have a quiz on Tuesday, and then begin Topic 8 Crisis and Absolutism.

Have a great week!

Essential Question:

What are the differences, if any, between a military dictatorship and a king ruling by “divine right”?

Learning Objectives

Topic 7.4 Reformation Ideas Spread

Objectives: Describe the new ideas that Protestant sects embraced. Understand why England formed a new church. Analyze how the Catholic Church reformed itself. Explain why many groups faced persecution

during the Reformation.

Topic 8.1 Europe in Crisis: The Wars of Religion

Objectives: Understand the causes for why religious and political conflicts erupted between Protestants and Catholics in many European nations. Compare and contrast why King Philip II championed Catholic causes throughout his lands, while England became the leader of Protestant nations of Europe. Describe how England defeated Spain at sea.

Topic 8.2 Social Crises, War, and Revolution

Objects: Understand why social, economic, and religious conflicts challenged the established political order throughout Europe. Understand how population decline in Europe and the hysteria of witchcraft trials contributed to economic and social problems in seventeenth-century Europe. Describe how Europeans responded to economic and social problems.

Topic 8.3 Response to Crisis: Absolutism

Objectives: Describe how France became the greatest power of the seventeenth century. Understand the reasons why Prussia, Austria, and Russia also emerged as great European powers. Summarize the accomplishments of Peter the Great.

This Week’s Assignments

  1. Topic 8.1 Europe in Crisis: The Wars of Religion
  2. Topic 8.2 Social Crises, War, and Revolution
  3. Topic 8.3 Response to Crisis: Absolutism

Last Week’s Assignments

  1. Topic 7.4 Reformation Ideas Spread
  2. Topic 7 Spice Chart
  3. Topic 7 Quiz

Intro to Philosophy - Week of 1/29-2/2

Hey Folks!

This week we continue to talk about arguments.

Have a great week!

Essential Question

What are the differences between deductive and non-deductive arguments.

Learning Objectives

Types of Arguments

Objectives: Understand the difference between deductive and non-deductive arguments. Understand the concepts of validity and soundness. Create truth tables.

Logical Connectives and Translation

Objectives: Understand what atomic sentences are and how they are symbolized. Understand what logical connectives are and what the truth tables are for conjunction, negation, disjunction, material conditional, and material biconditional. Understand why the truth tales for these connectives are as they are.

This Week’s Assignments

  1. Types of Arguments
  2. Logical Connectives and Translation

Last Week’s Assignments

  1. What’s Your Reason?
  2. Being a (Nice) Philosopher

Contemporary World Issues - 1/29-2/2

Hey Folks! This week we will do a News Review and Analysis for Media Journals on Tuesday. On Thursday we update Topic posts and discuss our individual topics.

Have a great week!

Essential Question

What are the subjective and objective factors that go into the transmission of world events to the public?

This Week’s Assignments

  1. Media Journal
  2. Topic Posts

Last Week’s Assignments

  1. Media Journal
  2. Topic Posts

US History - Week of 1/29 - 2/2

Hey Folks!

This week we continue with Topic 14 WWII and talk more about the Holocaust.

Have a great week!

Essential Question:

What are some of the factors that possibly led to inaction by the United States in dealing with the Holocaust while it was happening?

Learning Objectives

Topic 14.7 The Holocaust

Objectives: Trace the roots and progress of Hitler’s campaign against the Jews. Explain the goals of Hitler’s “final solution” and the nature of Nazi death camps. Examine how the United States responded to the Holocaust.

Topic 14.6 The Allies Win the War

Objectives: Analyze the planning and impact of the invasion of Normandy. Understand how the Allies achieved final victory in Europe. Explore the reasons president Truman decided to use the atomic bomb against Japan.

Topic 14.8 Impact of World War II

Evaluate the goals that Allied leaders set for the postwar world. Describe the steps that the United States and other nations took toward international cooperation. Explain the impact of WWII on the postwar US.

This Week’s Assignments

  1. Topic 14.7 The Holocaust
  2. Schindler’s List Reflection Questions
  3. Topic 14.6 The Allies Win the War
  4. Topic 14.8 Impact of World War II

Last Week’s Assignments

  1. Topic 14.4 A War on Two Fronts
  2. Topic 14.5 The Home Front

Intro to Philosophy - Week of 1/22-1/26

Hey Folks!

This week we continue to talk about arguments and discourse and go over the “Commandments of Philosophy.”

Have a great week!

Essential Question

What does it mean to be a ‘good philosopher?”

Learning Objectives

Objectives: Develop a better sense of how we employ reasons to defend our beliefs.

Explain the important characteristics of academic discourse for a philosopher.

This Week’s Assignments

  1. What’s Your Reason?
  2. Being a (Nice) Philosopher

Last Week’s Assignments

  1. What’s Your Philosophy?
  2. Claims and Premises

World History 11th - Week of 1/22-1/26

Hey Folks!

This week we continue with

Have a great week!

Essential Question:

How were religion and government connected in the Roman empire?

Learning Objectives

Topic 1.4 The Development of Christianity

Understand how Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire and eventually became the state religion of Rome. Describe why prior to Christianity, Roman religion involved the worship of a number of gods and goddesses and the belief that Rome had earned the favor of the gods. Trace the changes through which despite early Christian persecution, Christianity grew in importance and spread throughout the Roman Empire.

Topic 1.5 Decline and Fall of Rome

Explain how two strong emperors temporarily revived the Roman Empire and how Germanic tribes from central Europe helped bring it to an end. Describe how political upheavals, the plague, and the division of the empire led to its decline. Explain how the migration of Germanic tribes helped bring an end to the Roman Empire.

This Week’s Assignments

  1. Topic 1.4 The Development of Christianity
  2. Topic 1.5 Decline and Fall of Rome
  3. Topic 1 Spice Chart
  4. Topic 1 Quiz

Last Week’s Assignments

  1. Topic 1.3 Roman Culture and Society
  2. Gladiator Viewing Questions

Contemporary World Issues - Week of 1/22-1/26

Hey Folks! This week we will do a News Review and Analysis for Media Journals on Tuesday. On Thursday we update Topic posts and discuss our individual topics.

Have a great week!

Essential Question

What are the subjective and objective factors that go into the transmission of world events to the public?

This Week’s Assignments

  1. Media Journal
  2. Topic Posts

Last Week’s Assignments

  1. Media Journal
  2. Topic Posts

World History - Week of 1/22-1/26

Hey Folks!

This week we finish Topic 7 Renaissance and Reformation. We will have a quiz on Tuesday, and then begin Topic 8 Crisis and Absolutism.

Have a great week!

Essential Question:

What are the differences, if any, between a military dictatorship and a king ruling by “divine right”?

Learning Objectives

Topic 7.4 Reformation Ideas Spread

Objectives: Describe the new ideas that Protestant sects embraced. Understand why England formed a new church. Analyze how the Catholic Church reformed itself. Explain why many groups faced persecution

during the Reformation.

Topic 8.1 Europe in Crisis: The Wars of Religion

Objectives: Understand the causes for why religious and political conflicts erupted between Protestants and Catholics in many European nations. Compare and contrast why King Philip II championed Catholic causes throughout his lands, while England became the leader of Protestant nations of Europe. Describe how England defeated Spain at sea.

Topic 8.2 Social Crises, War, and Revolution

Objects: Understand why social, economic, and religious conflicts challenged the established political order throughout Europe. Understand how population decline in Europe and the hysteria of witchcraft trials contributed to economic and social problems in seventeenth-century Europe. Describe how Europeans responded to economic and social problems.

This Week’s Assignments

  1. Topic 7.4 Reformation Ideas Spread
  2. Topic 7 Spice Chart
  3. Topic 7 Quiz
  4. Topic 8.1 Europe in Crisis: The Wars of Religion
  5. Topic 8.2 Social Crises, War, and Revolution

Last Week’s Assignments

  1. Topic 7.3 The Protestant Reformation
  2. Topic 7.4 Reformation Ideas Spread

US History - Week of 1/22-1/26

Hey Folks!

This week we continue with Topic 14 WWII and talk about the Holocaust.

Have a great week!

Essential Question:

What are some of the factors that possibly led to inaction by the United States in dealing with the Holocaust while it was happening?

Learning Objectives

Topic 14.7 The Holocaust

Objectives: Trace the roots and progress of Hitler’s campaign against the Jews. Explain the goals of Hitler’s “final solution” and the nature of Nazi death camps. Examine how the United States responded to the Holocaust.

This Week’s Assignments

  1. Topic 14.7 The Holocaust
  2. Schindler’s List Viewing Questions

Last Week’s Assignments

  1. Topic 14.4 A War on Two Fronts
  2. Topic 14.5 The Home Front

Intro to Philosophy - Week of 1/17 - 1/19

Hey Folks!

This week we continue to talk about arguments and discourse and go over the “Commandments of Philosophy.”

Have a great week!

Essential Question

What does it mean to be a ‘good philosopher?”

Learning Objectives

Objectives: Develop a better sense of how we employ reasons to defend our beliefs.

Explain the important characteristics of academic discourse for a philosopher.

This Week’s Assignments

  1. What’s Your Reason?
  2. Being a (Nice) Philosopher

Last Week’s Assignments

  1. What’s Your Philosophy?
  2. Claims and Premises

Contemporary World Issues - Week of 1/17-1/19

Hey Folks!

This week we will do a News Review and Analysis for Media Journals on Tuesday. On Thursday we update Topic posts and discuss our individual topics.

Have a great week!

Essential Question

What are the subjective and objective factors that go into the transmission of world events to the public?

This Week’s Assignments

  1. Media Journal
  2. Topic Posts

Last Week’s Assignments

  1. Media Journal
  2. Topic Posts