Mrs. C's Senior English Blogs

Moving on

2006-11-14T19:10:00.000-08:00

I am sad to report that due to district filtering, Blogger will no longer be accessible to my students during the school day. Because of that, I am transferring my class blog to another site. Please visit us at

http://mrscaldwell0.edublogs.org

Ghosts, Goblins, and Monsters, Oh My!

2006-10-31T08:26:00.000-08:00

I don't do scary movies.

There, I have said it. I watched Children of the Corn at a 5th grade spend the night party and I was done! I spent the rest of the night in my friend's parents' room.

I don't do haunted houses.

There was one in Gordo, Alabama that I went to once. Just once. I don't care how romantic it might be to do that kind of thing with a date. I was mortified and thought I would never make it out alive.

What is your favorite haunted movie? What is your favorite haunted house? Do you have an experience to share that scared you silly?

Roots of Halloween

2006-10-30T08:32:00.000-08:00

From the site Answers.com, the roots of Halloween come from three basic events:

Samhain. The Celts of modern-day Ireland and the UK two and a half millennia ago braced themselves for winter with this festival, which is pronounced "sowen," literally means "summer's end" and falls on November 1. It heralds the beginning of the dark, cold half of the year. (Its counterpart was Beltane, which kicked off the warm, light half of the year on May 1.) The harvest was gathered in to protect against the wintry blast of the faeries' breath, and Samhain was an occasion for thanksgiving, sacrifices, divination and prayers. In each home the hearth-fire was extinguished the night before and relit on Samhain from the central bonfires of the priestly Druids.

Pomona. She is the Roman goddess of fruit trees and the symbol of abundance. There was a festival dedicated to her worship at the end of autumn, around the time of the big harvest. When the Romans arrived in Britain, in the first century, they melded their customs with those of the Celts whom they conquered.

Feralia. This is the ancient Roman festival of the dead, which was held on February 21 with prayers and sacrifices on behalf of the deceased. The customs of this day were also blended by the Romans with those of Samhain. Feralia was superseded in the Christian Church by All Saints Day, also known as All Hallow's Day or Hallowmas, observed on May 13. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III changed the date to November 1 (though it is still marked in springtime, on the Sunday after Pentecost, by the Eastern Orthodox Church). All Saint's Day was followed by All Soul's Day, established by Saint Odilo of Cluny on November 2 to remember the souls awaiting release from Purgatory. Halloween is a contraction for "Hallow's even" — the evening of All Hallow's Day, i.e., October 31.

The first city to officially celebrate Halloween was Anoka, Minnesota, in 1921.

So, describe for the class your most memorable Halloween or fall tradition. Even if you don't believe in the whole dress-up and get candy part of it, is there something that you or your family does that indicates the end of fall and the beginning of winter?

Ex. Because we did not live in a subdivision, we had to plot our Halloween trick or treat route. There were lots of older people in our church who gave away fruit and baked goods. I would always hit those houses first. I also learned that it was important to spend time chatting with the older people rather than just getting the stash and heading back to the car. Eventually, I would make it to a few other houses before the porch lights began to go out. My parents made sure that we also made pound cakes and took them to widows and widowers in our church during Christmas holidays. I got that time to chat with them again. Since I did not have any living grandparents, I inhereted a large group of "adopted grandparents" through these experiences of taking a little time to talk with them and learn about them.

Living in Excess

2006-10-27T08:34:00.000-07:00

As we all know this week is dedicated to being drug free. The bombardment
of red ribbons when you enter school reminds us everyday that we do not need
to use them. Our school listened to a speaker on Monday who informed the
school that doing drugs the first time is a good experience. However over
an extended period of time they can ruin your life. This is also true of
other things, it goes back to the saying too much of a good thing.
Examples of this can be found all around us. When have you seen a situation
when living in excess has had a negative affect?

Build for the future?

2006-10-26T08:37:00.000-07:00

The issue in New York City over the possible reason to interrupt the construction currently taking place at Ground Zero is all over the news. This controversy really made me think.... I know it is important to "build for the future" but would it make the families and friends of the 9/11 victims get more closure if some time was taken to consider the human remains that have recently been discovered? Having never been in a situation such as the one these individuals who lost loved ones in the 9/11 attacks are in, I cannot say whether bringing up the past of what they had to deal with 5 years ago would be a beneficial thing or a tormenting thing. What are your thoughts?

War.... what is it good for?

2006-10-25T05:57:00.000-07:00

With all of the different things happening in the world, the Iraqi War, the genocide in Sudan, North Korea testing nuclear weapons, many people wonder, when is it just to go to war?

So what are your thoughts?
When is it our place to go to war?
Or more importantly, when is it our responsibility to go to war?

One mankind

2006-10-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

This weekend Mtn Brook High School and Fairfield prep came together to perform an absolutely spectacular performance of To Kill A Mocking Bird. The central theme behind this performance is the racial issues between blacks and whites. Both theater teachers wanted to get these two schools together, neither one containing any race other than white or black, to show them that the only difference is the color of skin. Garth Brooks, a famous country singer, wrote a famous song called "We Shall Be Free" containing these lyrics, "
And when money talks for the very last timeAnd nobody walks a step behind When there's only one race and that's mankind..."

Tell of a time you have heard of or have judged someone based on their skin color or ethnicity, but realized your judgment was wrong and that there is only one race being mankind.-JMM

A New Era Begins

2006-10-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

The blog is more yours now because your fellow students are creating the posts. You will still be responsible to comment. I am especially looking for intelligent comments that address the post. Keep in mind that you may not always like or agree with what the post says, but it is your responsibility to comment in a mature manner that addresses the issue not the writer. Here goes...

Such things our parents do remember, but of such things we never ask. Through growth and time, our most prominent, yet neglected heroes have been the guardians of our lives.

If you were to ask what you can give back to your elders, most people would simply tell you to lend them an ear. Surely, you must think, this can be easy and smoothly followed through. On the contrary, easy does not define their lives as difficulty does embody it. Generation upon generation and still we’ve nothing to inquire of upon our preceding bloodlines. The genetics of our nature and the family with whom we have grown are falling leaves from the tree of which we blossomed.

Who is to decide which stories and traditions carry forth or die as promptly as they were made? For whom shall we reiterate such history and impress upon the significance of our pasts?

Remember, so as not to forget, not only for ones self but for the sake of those to come.

Epic journeys are not solely found in books or movies. Somewhere, someone had to live those stories in one form or another. Perhaps, they may not have slain a dragon or tamed a wild, snarling beast in real life, but inside themselves they did just that. Accordingly, someone on the outskirts of this journey observed and absorbed the notorious event. Hence, from then on the story was written and rewritten, until finally the story was no more the story it was to begin with.

Most of you probably know a story or two about an elder in your family. Maybe your grandfather served in the military or your grandmother was a famous designer. Whatever story that may be, interview him/her and summarize in your own words, with the exception of direct quotes, what that story was. Briefly explain which parts you think might fit into the different phases of a hero’s journey. You might possibly find out some things you didn’t know…

On the off chance that you do not have an older family member with such exciting tales, or if you just don’t want to do that, here is another option. As I mentioned above, each epic tale had to come from somewhere. Pick a well known story or fairytale and read it a few times. After that, put it into a different perspective. Knowing that most of what is written is not realistic, compare the fiction to the fact. What story might have prompted this tale? What might have really happened that was embellished so and turned into such a far fetched idea? In other words, just how big was the big fish and just how small was Thumbelina?

2006-10-19T14:02:00.000-07:00

So many of you are wondering... What has happened to our blog? Why are we not blogging?

Well, if it was just because you wanted the points, this may not be a conselation. I want to take the blog and grow its potential. So far you have been diligently commenting and responding to my ideas and thoughts. I usually tried to link it to the class topics. I really loved some of your requests and suggestions regarding the blog. Here are a few that I plan to use to make it better:

I think a neat added dimension might include actually discussing some of the posts and responses in class.

We have to involve every topic we discuss on the blog in the classroom discussion; the blog allows for students to form a defendable position, so that we can have a reasonable and productive discussion in the class.

However, the people who blog first often have their blogs copied in different words.

I think a new dimension we need to add is maybe where students can post topics.

One thing I would like to see is some students being able to contribute posts to the blog.

We will definitely be discussing the blog posts, and I will try to do a better job of integrating your responses and thoughts into my lessons.

I will make sure that duplicate responses do not get points. As a matter of fact, responses that have not at least been proofread before you publish them, may not be put on the blog. Please self-check spelling and major errors.

Finally, the big change... I am going to be allowing student posting. For a few weeks I will ask particular people to help me with the posting responsibilities, and then I will open it up to whole classes. This is going to be an exciting endeavor.

A New Direction

2006-10-19T13:45:00.000-07:00

So many of you are wondering... What has happened to our blog? Why are we not blogging?

Well, if it was just because you wanted the points, this may not be a conselation. I want to take the blog and grow its potential. So far you have been diligently commenting and responding to my ideas and thoughts. I usually tried to link it to the class topics. I really loved some of your requests and suggestions regarding the blog. Here are a few that I plan to use to make it better:

I think a neat added dimension might include actually discussing some of the posts and responses in class.

We have to involve every topic we discuss on the blog in the classroom discussion; the blog allows for students to form a defendable position, so that we can have a reasonable and productive discussion in the class.

However, the people who blog first often have their blogs copied in different words.

I think a new dimension we need to add is maybe where students can post topics.

One thing I would like to see is some students being able to contribute posts to the blog.

We will definitely be discussing the blog posts, and I will try to do a better job of integrating your responses and thoughts into my lessons.

I will make sure that duplicate responses do not get points. As a matter of fact, responses that have not at least been proofread before you publish them, may not be put on the blog. Please self-check spelling and major errors.

Finally, the big change... I am going to be allowing student posting. For a few weeks I will ask particular people to help me with the posting responsibilities, and then I will open it up to more classes. You will get a grade for creating the post and additional points for a post that generates lots of comments and discourse. Of course, this is not your personal diary, so we would have some guidelines to creating a blog-worthy post. I am very excited to see what you guys can do.

Look for this to happen as soon as next week!

No blogs this week

2006-10-19T07:54:00.000-07:00

I am playing catch-up this week. No blog comments will be graded this week. Don't worry, it will be back bigger and better 2nd nine weeks!!!

BONUS BLOG!

2006-10-12T08:59:00.000-07:00

Here is your chance to make up 5 points for first nine weeks. Weigh in on the following:

1. Did the review process and the group PowerPoints on the wiki help you in studying for the exam?

2. Was there any part of the exam on which you would have liked more review?

3. Do you feel that this exam covered our nine-weeks sufficiently?

4. We begin literature next nine weeks. What is your favorite part about studying literature and your least favorite part about studying literature?

Blogging so far

2006-10-04T21:06:00.000-07:00

Thursday I will be speaking to teachers from fourty schools across the state. Many of them will want to know why I use blogs and how they help in my classroom. Take a moment to think of the previous posts and the comments generated. Please answer these questions based on your opinon (not what you think I want to hear)

What do you think are the biggest advantages of having a class blog?
What has been your favorite post?
What would you like to see as an added dimension to the blogging experience?
If you had to defend using the blog as an educational experience to our school board, what would you say are the benefits for our class?

A Sad State of Affairs

2006-10-03T07:41:00.000-07:00

In the hero's journey, the teen years signify the initiation. It is a maturing process. Schools are the location for most of this process. Because of schools in the news, I feel it is necessary to reflect.

In light of recent tragic school shootings, this post requires reflection and careful consideration. Please read the following excerpt from an article put out today in response to the Pennsylvania school shooting and respond:

A study of subsequent shootings in the months after Columbine found that "all involved white kids in small towns," Fox said. "The copycat effect would be most pronounced when there is a similarity between the perpetrator and the ones they are idolizing and modeling.

"Ninety-nine point nine percent of schoolchildren identified with the victims," Fox said. "But a small percentage identified with the shooters because, not only did they get even with bullies and nasty teachers, but they got famous for it."
Fox, the author of "The Will to Kill: Explaining Senseless Murder" and "Extreme Killing: Understanding Serial and Mass Murder," said schools carry a symbolic power as targets.

"If you want to find young kids and get even with society — a school is an ideal place for doing that," he said. "They represent a place where people may have felt unhappy, their self-esteem was threatened, where they were bullied, and where they decide to get revenge."

The majority of attackers in school settings are motivated by revenge, according to the 2002 "Safe School Initiative," the Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Education, which examined targeted school violence between 1974 and 2000.
......
Prothrow-Smith said, "You've got a socially toxic environment that glamorizes guns and violence."

Video games, television, films and news constantly project images of people "justifying their wrongs or emotions with violence," she said. "You mix guns in a culture where people are not good at handling difficult emotions like anger, fear, guilt and grief ... and you have a toxic social environment."

Advocates of wider gun controls argue that the availability of guns has made it easier for people to commit murder in schools.

"It is extremely easy, whether you are a juvenile or a convicted felon or a domestic abuser, to purchase a firearm legally or illegally," Peter Hamm of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence told Reuters.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003286261_schoolsafety03.html

Do you think schools are this toxic social environment? What contributes to this problem? How do you feel about the safety of our school? There are many issues at hand here including firearms, revenge, teen suicide, the media, video games, etc. Respond to this article and the state of affairs regarding one of these topics.

The Blog is Back

2006-10-02T16:33:00.000-07:00

Ok, the blog is back from filterland. Thankfully, it was only down over the weekend and did not affect us too much.

As I sit on my couch and type this on my laptop, I am making an observation. In my bedroom sits my son playing Lego Star Wars II on the Xbox. Trey is age 6. On the TV is a special edition of Jeopardy (Back to School Week). The three contestants are each no older than age 11. Our society is filled with tools, accessories, and gadgets that are geared to the tweens and even younger. How do you feel about this? Do you think that young people are forced or encouraged to grow up too early? What has changed since you were that age or since your parents were that age? Explain your thoughts.

It's Friday!!!

2006-09-29T06:39:00.000-07:00

Updates:

Vocabulary quiz postponed until Tuesday because of Jewish holiday travel and the football game in Florence.
Revisions for the college essay are due into Turnitin.com by Sunday night at midnight. Be sure to consult my school website under 1st Nine Weeks Essay Links.

Since traveling is on my mind (I will be going to Mississippi to visit my mom this afternoon), this post deals with travel. Describe for me a memorable road trip. We will be discussing the Hero's Journey next week. Tell about a journey you took that is burned (for a good or bad reason) into your memory forever.

Your personal archetypes

2006-09-26T20:51:00.000-07:00

Can you identify with any of the archetypes we are studying? Give some examples of archetypes that exist in your life. Of course, as Jung says, you may not be concious of these... but let's try!

Collective Unconcious

2006-09-26T07:10:00.000-07:00

Jung believed that we all contribute to the collective unconcious. Here are some quotes from Carl Jung:

We cannot change anything unless we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses.
Carl Jung
As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.
Carl Jung, "Memories, Dreams, Reflections", 1962
The least of things with a meaning is worth more in life than the greatest of things without it.
Carl Jung, "Modern Man in Search of a Soul"
(www.quoteland.com)

Jung used the following method to interpret dreams:

In order to interpret a dream, Jung used the process of amplification. In essence, amplification involves elaborating on a dream image in order to determine its significance through direct and indirect association. This is achieved by gaining an insight into the dreamer's:

(1) personal associations with the image (direct association). In order to discover the feelings evoked by a particular dream image or symbol. The meaning and significance of a particular word or image can vary greatly between individuals depending on the effect it has had on his/her life.
(2) The cultural significance of the image,
(3) as well as drawing parallels from the symbolism contained in folklore, history, fairytales, religion, mythology, rituals etc (archetypes).
(http://www.kevinwilson.info/dream/jung.php)

So here is the big question. Have you ever had a weird dream that you are willing to share (change the names to protect the innocent)? Write a summary of it and consult this online dream interpretation site to see if you can then interpret your dream. Come on... it will be fun!

Moving on

2006-09-25T07:41:00.000-07:00

Well, we have passed the hump and are moving on towards the latter half of the first nine weeks. Don't forget some important deadlines:

Narrative 2nd draft due tomorrow!!!!
Revisions of College essay due Sunday by midnight!!!

Here is your question for today-
Who is your hero? Do you have one? Do you believe in heroes? What movies or TV shows have you seen that exemplify heroic characters?

The South

2006-09-22T08:16:00.000-07:00

Since we are suppose to "Change the Channel on Hoover" over to CMT (no more MTV!), I want your thoughts. The South is associated with several stereotypes such as country music, rednecks, fried food, and mud ridin'.

What is your favorite thing about living in the South? Explain your answer and give specifics.

The Narrative Essay Evolves

2006-09-20T08:34:00.000-07:00

So today we did Peer Response Groups. This is the first time I have assigned this type of narrative essay and the first time I have used groups for peer response.

How did you think it went?
Were the responses helpful, vague, a little of both?
What did you learn about your essay?
Has this assignment gotten any better since your first FREAK OUT about its challenging nature and impossible task?

What do you need further instruction with in order to complete your next draft?

Thoughts on ending The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

2006-09-19T06:56:00.000-07:00

As you wrap up reading our outside novel (reading quiz Thursday on the rest of the book), many topics come into question. Christopher is a unique character with unique abilities. Think about him as you read the following topics. Respond to one, explain your position, and explain how it relates to Christopher and how it relates to life in general.

There is no such thing as normal when it comes to human beings.
White lies are aas immoral as outright lies.
It is always wrong for parents to seperate.
Violence can be a reasonable response to an unreasonable situation.

Vocabulary

2006-09-18T07:21:00.000-07:00

Impress me with your skills with vocabulary. Articulate a short paragraph using as many of Unit 3's vocabulary words as you can. It is imperitive that they are used correctly and in a unique way. A feckless response may be easier, but it is likely to make me distraught The CLASS with the best posts will get a special "snack" one day in class.

You will have this week to comment with your best reply and then we will have a vote next week. (Tip: Practice it in Word and copy/paste)

Yawn

2006-09-14T23:28:00.000-07:00

So I am sitting in a hotel room in North Carolina at 1 AM and blogging. That is dedication. Thanks for all of the great comments from yesterday. Keep it up.

Here is the real question. You have a very tough assignment ahead of you with this narrative essay. What are your concerns? What is the toughest part of the assignment? What do you need further explanation to do? Have you started drafting yet? Also, if you find any good examples of narratives told in a voice other than the authors, add the link here.

Have a great weekend.

Lessons in life

2006-09-13T14:05:00.000-07:00

Your narrative has to have a point, a reason for telling the story. Call it a moral, a theme, or a lesson. You have all heard these all of your life. Maybe they were considered cliche's or adages, but they are still good advice today. Give us your best lesson in a phrase or sentence. Explain it. Yes, this only requires a small amount of writing. Jump on it 7th period!

ex. Pretty is as pretty does.

This was something my mom would tell me when I was jealous or angry about some mean girl getting all of the boys. Mom explained that actions make someone beautiful. I did not agree at the time, but eventually people mature and mom was right.