Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate

May 21, 2023, 1-3pm

Teacher: Ewing

Teacher: Melissa Ewing

Course: AP French Language and Culture: Boston et Lyon font face au réchauffement climatique

Essential Questions: How can interpersonal, international, and interlingual correspondence deepen our sense of care and responsibility for one another and the world we share?  How does the way we experience global warming in our own cities impact our sense of urgency? How do cultural differences impact our sense of responsibility for the greater good? 

This year, students used FlipGrid to virtually connect with an exchange school, Lycée Saint Marc, in Lyon, France where they engaged in asynchronous video conversation about the impact of climate change in both cities. Here the emphasis was on both the collective and individual efforts to address global warming. The personal insights and stories shared deepened students’ appreciation of the various ways climate change impacts us. The students also exchanged handwritten letters that they scanned and incorporated into their advocacy posters.

Economics students asked:

Why is the “American Dream” about social mobility and not social justice?

They interviewed people across Boston about whether the American Dream exists.

Click here to view their work.

French students asked:

How has the presence of Haitian Temporary Protected Status recipients enriched our city culturally and economically? What losses could we endure if we do not defend their future here?

They developed monologues inspired by their interviews with Haitian TPS recipients and area allies.

English students asked:

Is the American Dream achievable for all? What are the experiences of people facing inequality in areas of intersection?

They produced creative work that engages with these questions.