Day 1: Creating the X-Ray

Today, all teams received their posters to complete the life-size "X-Ray" portrait of their assigned economist. The life-size poster is known as an "X-Ray," because like an actual x-ray that allows doctors to see within the inside of a human being, X-Ray posters allow students to see within their actual economist, that is, their life and economic ideas.

The purpose of this assignment is to give the students the opportunity to delve deep into the ideas, life, and character of a particular economist who has shaped the economic system or belief of today. It gives students the opportunity to work in teams collaboratively, research, and learn to complete part of a major project or task.
Students have the opportunity to study the following economists: Ronald Reagan, Adam Smith, Karl Marx, John Nash, Eugene Slutsky, Paul Baran, David Ricardo, and Thomas Malthus.

Each team member has an assigned task or job; they are either an Actor (actual economist), Historian, Reporter, or Public Relations officer. Below are the roles, and the jobs of each team member:

Actor--will act the role of the Economist during the conference this Tuesday, Oct. 2. He/she must become familiar with the actual economist by doing research, and writing a biography in the first person.

Historian--is primarily in charge of completing the X-Ray poster of the economist. This person is also in charge of maintaining notes during the conference, and later sharing with the group during the conference on Tuesday, Oct. 2.

Reporter--will be composing a list of questions and answers for the other economists during the conference. The reporter is in charge of doing detailed research, and becoming extremely familiar with the life and economic ideas of the economists at the conference.

Public Relations Officer--will not only help the Historian finish the X-Ray poster, but will also do research on each of the philosophers. Will compose notes and materials to use to help support the Economist (actor) during the conference.

All groups were able to complete an outline and begin to design their actual economist on their poster sheet. They also began to label the parts of the body. For homework tonight, Actors had to finish their biography, which is due tomorrow. Reporters must finish their questions, which are also due tomorrow. Half the period tomorrow will be devoted for groups to continue to work on their X-Ray posters.

[Pictures above show actual teams using their fellow members to draw outlines of their bodies for their X-Ray posters. Pic. 1: Brandi Gerardo & Elyse Alvarez draw the outline of their partner; Pic. 2: Dominique begins to draw the outline for her team's X-Ray using her partner, Curtis Choi as an example; Pic. 3: Victoria Cabot lays on top of the poster as her teammates draw her outline for their X-Ray poster.]