10. Reflection

It has been a pleasure getting to know you and work with you this semester. I hope your experience has been a positive one and that you have felt challenged but also supported. Please reflect on your time in your English class this year, using the questions below as guidelines.

What have you learned this semester? What literature and/or grammar lessons did you enjoy most? Which did you feel were the most important? In what ways did your experience in this class benefit you?

(Note: Please don't fill your response with fake emotion. Just answer the question honestly by telling what you learned and how it will be useful to you in the future.)

Your response should be 150-200 words and is due no later than 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 3, 2015. You will lose points if your response is under the minimum number of words, if it is late, and/or if it does not reflect your own ideas.

9. Society

"He who is unable to live in society, or has no need because he is sufficient for himself, must be either a beast or a god.” Aristotle

Society is a group of people with common territory, interaction, and culture. While human societies vary in different parts of the world, most of them emphasize the idea that individuals should make certain sacrifices for the common good. Members of societies are expected to follow certain norms, which are guidelines or expectations for behavior. In both The Stranger and A Doll House, we see characters who defy cultural norms.

What do you think are the characteristics of a good member of society? What are some of the norms or expected behaviors in our society? Why do some people rebel against society? Do you have greater respect for those who conform to or those who rebel against society? Why is society so against those who are different?

Please respond in 150-250 words no later than 8:00 a.m. on Friday, May 22. You will lose points if your response is under 150 words, if it is late, and/or if it does not reflect your own ideas.

8. Perception

"There is no truth. There is only perception.” Gustave Flaubert

In this unit, we will be examining how things are not always as they appear, but we will also be exploring why we see things the way we do. Everyone understands the world differently. I want to know how you see the world.

How do you perceive (see) the world? Who or what have been the greatest influences on shaping your understanding of life? How have they shaped your view of life? Has your understanding of the world changed as you have gotten older? Do you think it will continue to change as you get older?

Please respond in 150-250 words no later than 8:00 a.m. on Friday, May 15. You will lose points if your response is under 150 words, if it is late, and/or if it does not reflect your own ideas.

7. Global Events

Read a news article about an important, recent national or global event (dated on or after March 1, 2015). Choose a unique news article; please do not use the same article another student has used. Here are some websites you may use to find an appropriate article:

• http://www.cnn.com/
• http://www.cnn.com/studentnews/
• http://www.npr.org/
• https://news.google.com

Your response must paraphrase the article. Do not copy and paste information. Write a blog response about your article, being sure to include the following points:

* Where and when did the event occur?

* Who was involved?

* What happened? Summarize the events.

* Why did it happen?

* How did it affect people?

* What can we learn about life from the event? and/or How does the event show insight into the human condition?

* Why is it important to be aware of national/global events?

* Include a link to the article you read.

Please answer in 150-250 words. Your response is due no later than 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 2, 2015. You will lose points if your response is under 150 words, if it is late, and/or if it does not reflect your own ideas.

6. Memory

“The stream of thought flows on; but most of its segments fall into the bottomless abyss of oblivion. Of some, no memory survives the instant of their passage. Of others, it is confined to a few moments, hours or days. Others, again, leave vestiges which are indestructible, and by means of which they may be recalled as long as life endures.” William James

Go to the Holocaust Museum website at http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/a2z.php?type=idcard and choose one of the victims/survivors featured there. (Do not choose the same person that another student has chosen.) Read about the victim’s life. In your response, tell about what you learned about the person. (Paraphrase; DO NOT COPY AND PASTE!) In your own words, tell why it is important to remember your person.

Here’s an example for Alexander Bernstein (#32).

Alexander Bernstein was a Jewish pharmacist who died as a result of the Holocaust. He was born in Lithuania, and as an adult, he lived with his wife Jocheved in a town called Siauliai. German troops took over his town in 1941, and Bernstein and his wife were relegated to the ghetto. In 1944, they were put on the last train to the concentration camps. They were separated and sent to separate camps. In 1945, Bernstein died from sickness caused by hunger; no one knows what happened to his wife. I think it is important to remember Holocaust victims like Alexander Bernstein because their lives and dreams were stolen from them. By remembering Bernstein, I can keep a small piece of his life and his dream alive.

Please answer in 100-200 words (note that this is a smaller number of words than usual). Your response is due no later than 8:00 a.m. on Friday, March 20, 2015. You will lose points if your response is under 100 words, if it is late, and/or if it does not reflect your own ideas.

5. Stereotypes

"Everyone is a prisoner of his own experiences. No one can eliminate prejudices - just recognize them." Edward R. Murrow

"It is never too late to give up our prejudices." Henry David Thoreau

Watch this video to learn about the history of prejudice against the Jewish people.

What is a stereotype? How do stereotypes affect the way people are perceived? Why do stereotypes exist? Who creates stereotypes? How are stereotypes passed down between people? Do you think that these stereotypes affect the way people view, behave or perceive themselves? Give examples. How can we try to reduce the negative effects of stereotypes? Explain your thoughts in depth.

Please respond in 150-250 words no later than Friday, March 13, 2015 at 8 a.m. You will lose points if your response is under 150 words, if it is late, and/or if it does not reflect your own ideas.

4. History

“Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” George Santayana

Why is history important? What role does understanding the past play in shaping the future?

Please answer in 150-250 words. Your response is due no later than 8:00 a.m. on Friday, March 6, 2015. You will lose points if your response is under 150 words, if it is late, and/or if it does not reflect your own ideas.