Independent service learning

For my independent service learning hours I baby-sat for my next door neighbors and for my grandparents. I also participated in the Big brother/sister program. I helped a little girl (whose name I will not mention) learn how to remember her ABC's. I also participated in a alumni performance for my old school.

Motifs from Of Mice and Men (grade this)

After Reading the book and viewing the movie Of Mice and Men I have come to the conclusion that there are many occurring motifs. The motifs range from things like strengths and weaknesses of a character, death, loneliness, and even the corruptive power of women (as some people view it). For those of you who don’t know what a motif is a motif is something that occurs multiple times over a period of time. The book Of Mice and Men takes you on an emotional roller coaster within every page featuring motifs.


Could you imagine hardly being able to remember what you are told or the things you do. Well, one of the main characters Lennie was faced with mental retardation. He couldn’t do a lot of things by himself, but when it came down to working it was a no problem to him at all. Lennie had the strength of two men, and the mind- set of a toddler. George (another main character in Of Mice and Men) looked after Lennie. When Lennie got into a lot of trouble in which George bailed him out. Lennie was a very peaceful character until someone threatens George or when George gives him the word. In one part of the book/movie a young man named Cruley starts to slap him around. At first Lennie balled up into a ball, crying out for help, but then George gave him the word; he crushed Cruleys’ whole hand within his bare hand. Throughout the book/movie Lennie was faced with not knowing his own strength and having a weakness to mental retardation.
Death was also a motif featured in the book/movie. It seemed that every time something was going right a death occurs. It started off with the death of the mice that Lennie tried to keep in his pocket, and then it went to the killing of Candy’s dog. From the killing of Candy's dog to Lennies’ puppy, then the sudden death of Cruely’s wife, all the way down to the killing of Lennie himself. At first I stopped and asked myself why would the Author of the book put so many deaths in one little book? Then it dawned on me that the author might be trying to leave the reader thinking. Maybe the author wants us to question whether or not death can be a good thing along with a bad thing. Just think about it when Cruely’s wife died it was tragic for Cruely, but at the same time I think it was a relief. Because of the fact that Cruely’s wife was dead he didn’t have to worry about her cheating on him, or spending too much time in the barn or on the field. It was also a relief for the workers to know that they didn’t have to look over their shoulder as much trying to see if she was around. Another good/ bad death was the death of Lennie. I know that it was hard for people to say good-bye to their favorite character but in a way it was also a relief for George, although it tore him up inside. George was free to do as he pleased without having to look after Lennie, but at the same time miss him.

Another question that the author has me asking is “is it true what people say about females? I mean do we really have a corruptive power?” In the book/movie the only female in the book was said to have been a whore. They called her a whore because
she was always around the workers on the farm, instead of being with her husband is in the house. But did the workers ever stop to think that maybe she was lonely. Lonely because eof the fact that she had no friends, and no life. Yes, it’s true that she was always around the workers and yes, it was true that she flirted occasionally, but those were some of the very few things that she could do. I mean she couldn’t really stand her husband and who wants to sit in the house all day everyday, I know I wouldn’t. I truly don’t believe that Cruley’s wife wasn’t a whore. I think she was just lonely. And as far as the corruptive power of women, I believe that we do have a power, but not all of us it for evil.

In conclusion as I stated before there are many occurring motifs. They range from strengths and weaknesses to the “ corruptive power of women”. The book/movie “Of mice and Men” is a book that will leave you guessing and questioning so many things. It will also have your excitement at an all time high. I loved the book and the movie, but I would have to say that I liked the book better. I would recommend this book to people who can read on the lines and between the lines.

Bloom's Taxonomy Questions

English Lesson Plans: "Two Kinds"

Objective:The objective of this lesson was for students to try and come to an understanding of why they are forced to do things at time that they don't want to do. 

Materials:The only materials that the students need were their textbooks and a piece of paper.

  

Activity:First the students were to read aloud from page 99 to page 101. Then the students were to describe the characters mother based on what they had just read. After that the students were to create a list of things that they are forced to do when they don't want to do it. We had a group discussion on whether on not they think that in the long run the things that they are forced to do will come in handy.

Student outcome: I believe that even though at times it did get noisy that the students understood what the lesson was about.

Service Learning Idea

Empire of the Sun

Service Learning

Looking forward

This week in service learning we will continue to work on the projects that we started last week. Looking through donated books, magazines,putting stickers on the books and writing to publishers.

Service Learning week 4

Week 4:

This week in service learning we started to do 4 things. Some people were assigned to look through the books that were donated to us. Others had to start writing to publishing companies asking if they would donate books to our school. The other two groups had to put  stickers on the books ( the stickers marked that they belonged to the library), and the others went through the magazines to see if they were sent to the school or if they were from somewhere else.

Service Learning week 3

Week 3:

The second week that we meet we picked roles for the people in the group, The group leader is Christiana. The recorder is Ashleigh. I am going to be the person who meets with Dr. Davidson. The rest of the group have to find information on some of the books, and start writing letters to publishers.  At the end of the meeting we decided to go to a program that would be held at one of the libraries.

Service Learning week 2

Week 2:

The first week of service learning we got together and discussed what we would be doing for the day. We had decided to go through the books that were donated to the school. The books are really old, and they all talk about history. And I can't forget to mention the fact that most of them are grade school books. After we went through the books we put together a list of books that we would like to see in the school library. 

Service Learning week 1

For service learning in school I joined the library group. In this group we are required to look through the library to what we have. Then we have to make a list of what we want in our school library. After we make our list we have to write a proposal and get a brief overview of the books to show to the principal. If we get the okay from the principal we have to write letters to publishers to ask for samples of books.   

Service learning ideas

For a service learning idea me and a few others decided that we wanted to try and help out the Salvation Army, by donating clothes and volunteering. But as we started getting information we realized that we couldn't go out of school during school hours to help out, and during the weekends some people have to work. So instead of doing that we decided to work with the library group in school.
While working in the library at our school we will learn how to organize the books and, how to get grants for new books in our school. The whole idea of this group is to show students how to run the school library next year when our librarian is suppose to leave.

Service learning

Right now my school is working on service learning projects. We are in the process of picking groups of people ( from 10- 15 people). After we get the groups together we are to figure out what we will be working on. It is not exactly sure how many hours we have to serve

Pictures from my topic for N.H.D.

The Men of the Mason sign.

The Order of the Eastern Star sign

Another picture of the Order of the Eastern Star sign

The women at the bottom of this picture represent what the O.E.S sign stands for.

This is a picture of Prince Hall( the founder of the Men of the Mason)

The Stress Factor is Over

Paper everywhere, scissor. Glue, rough draft after rough draft, and finally it all stops. Teachers and especially students rejoice when they here those five words: National History Day is Over! What seemed like an eternity of work for a five-minute documentary, or a one thousand five hundred-word essay, and lets not forget an exhibit board is over. Two months of dedication, blood, sweat, and arguments all for one “ special” day National History Day. A day where everything has to be perfect, or we’ll blame it on someone else.
Every student (well almost every student) who actually came to school today is in red white and blue and is sitting in a class room waiting for their turned to be tested on their knowledge on their project. What will happen, who will win, no one knows it’s all up to the judges to decide. Pick a topic any topic, you name it we just might have it. The Constitution, The World Trade Center, Abortion, Yellow Fever, or even Tattoos’. Get background information, you know primary and secondary sources. Write your thesis and then pick how your going to present your topic. And lets not forget convincing your history teacher that your topic connects to this year’s theme.

All of that hard works comes down to this. Your sitting in your classroom and the phone wrongs, you get a little nervous, and then an announcement is made “Due to the weather conditions students will be let out at 11:40. On one hand you’re happy, but on the other hand you’re mad because the only reason that you came to school was because of N.H.D. Then the teacher finishes the announcement, “ I guess N.H.D. will be continued on Monday”. You are free to go.

N.H.D reflection

N.H.D this year was just as stressful as it was last year. Even though I had one other person in the group with me this year instead of last year when I had two partners. I must admit that it was more stressful then last year because of the simple fact that Ms. Klose had more people that she had to help then last year. Although I got my project done just in the knick of time I found it quit difficult to get my board together because of the shortness of supplies. In the beginning
it was plenty of glue and scissors but as the weeks went past the supplies started to disappear making it difficult to get things done. I am glad that N.H.D is finally over, and now I don't have to worry about interviews, papers, designing a board, or getting things printed out.

Bloom's Taxonomy Q/A

1) What happened when Bigger left the pool- hall after he cut the middle of the pool- table?

A= After Bigger left the pool-hall he went home to get ready for his job interview the next day.

2) Can you write in your own words how you think Bigger felt when he pulled up in front of Jan?

A= I think that when Bigger pulled up in front of Jan he was in total Aw, and didn't know what to expect. 

3)What questions would you ask of Mary if you had a chance to meet her?

A= If I could ask Mary a question I would ask: What effect on your life made you want to become a communist.

4) What do you see as another possible outcome for Jan?

A= I believe that Jan will come out and say that him and Mary were dating, and I also that he will tell the police that he left Mary with Bigger.

5) How many ways can you see this book ending?

A= I could se this book ending in many different ways, but the main way I see this book ending  is Bigger going to jail.I think that Bigger will end up in jail because he was the last person to have seen Mary alive and the father and mother don't know about Jan. But then again I also think that Jan will come out and confess that him and Mary had something going on, and he might become a suspect in the case. 

6) What do you think about the book so far?

A= Native Son is a good book (so I was told), but I find it hard trying to keep up , not because of the language but because I don't really like it. 

Richard Wrights' Native Son

In english class we were asked to create chapters inside of chapters that are located in Native Son. Then we were asked to blog three of the paragraphs that we found inside of the book and give an description of the "Paragraph". 

Chapter 1: You can't win

Pages:1-13

The first chapter that was chose starts at page 1 and ends at page 13. We chose to call it " You can't win". This Chapter demonstrates the struggle of success for Bigger, with his problems of being cool along with struggles that an African American young man faces today. Bigger is signaled to get up and face he world, from the ringing of the alarm clock to the chaos with the rat.  

I believe that Wright is using Bigger as an example for all of the other young black men and what they have to go through everyday that they wake up. He is showing the struggle that families go through.

Chapter 2: Reality

Pages:14-23

The second chapter starts at page 14 and ends at page 23. This one is titled "Reality", 

this chapter is named reality because it shows how life is during the 1930's. It's a case of Man vs. Society. Bigger and Gus are faced to believe that this is how things are going to be.In this part of the book Bigger and Gus are sitting outside of the pool hall looking at a plan in the sky, as it is writing things in the air. Then they begin to play games like what it would be like if they (blacks) were in power.

I think that Richard Wright put this in the book to show the way that blacks lived in the 30's. This part of the book is very eye opening from the way that they talk about blacks not being able to be apart of the government and not being equal with the whites.

Chapter 3: What

Pages:66-80

One of the last few chapters that we did starts at page 66 and ends at page 80. It is called "What?". This chapter is about Bigger getting to know Marry an what she is about. He was taken off guard when she asked him to go some where totally different from where she told her dad she was going. Many things ran through his mind but he couldn't make sense of any of it.  

Problems Teenagers Face

N.H.D links for " Not so secret socities"

http://www.oescal.org/2007/2007WhatisOES.htm
http://hn.bigchalk.com/hnweb/hn/do/results?set=search
http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/symbols/bldefseasternstar.htm
http://www.vantine.com/content/view/44/186/
http://www.masonicworld.com/education/files/artjun02/WOMEN-IN.htm

N.H.D

N.H.D stands for National History Day. National History Day is a nation wide competition between schools. My school make s it mandatory to compete during each year, even though most schools don't have to do it. Each year has a different theme. This year the Theme is Conflict and Compromise. The object of the competition is topic a topic that relates to the theme and make either a paper, documentary, or an exhibit to show all of your information on your topic. You will be judged and asked questions. Your have to show that you have a understanding of your topic. You must have primary and secondary sources from at least 30 places (books, websites, newspapers, etc.) Yes, the process is very stressful but in the end it's usually worth it.

Geometry Project on Aristotle

This is a brief view of my power point on Aristotle