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.

3. Global Events

Read a news article about an important, recent national or global event (within the last three weeks or less). 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 Friday, February 13, 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.

2. Hero

“More often than not, a hero’s most epic battle is the one you never see; it’s the battle that goes on within him or herself.” Kevin Smith

Heroes are people who we idolize--people who we emulate. A hero typically embodies the values of his or her nation. Gilgamesh was a hero because he organized and protected his city-state. Sundiata was a hero because he was able to unite the tribes of Mali and to lead them both in and out of battle. Achilles was a hero to the Greeks because of his strength, wit, and skill in battle.

What qualities would a hero in our culture embody? Who is an example of a modern hero, and what makes that person a hero? Support your answer with details and explanations.

Here’s an example for you:

In my opinion, a modern hero is someone who stands up for what they believe in and fights for social justice. I think Malala Yousafzai is a hero because she fights for educational equality for females. Even though she is only sixteen, Malala has campaigned to fight laws in Pakistan that would prevent girls from having access to schools. Some Taliban extremists didn’t like this, so they shot her. Malala miraculously survived, and she continues to speak out for educational equality. She has received several awards and accolades; she was even on the cover of Time magazine. Malala is a hero because most people would be too afraid to stand up for their own rights, but she fights for herself and for other young people.

Please answer in 150-250 words. Your response is due no later than 8:00 a.m. on Friday, February 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.

1. Journey

“We don’t receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us.” Marcel Proust

Journeys have been the subjects of stories for thousands of years. An epic narrates the journey of a hero. The hero faces immense challenges, and in the end he or she discovers something about himself or herself and/or about the world.

Describe a journey that you have taken in your life. The journey can literally involve traveling, or it can be more metaphorical (e.g., tell about a challenge you have faced, something new you have experienced, etc.). Describe the journey, but also tell about the wisdom you gained from it--about yourself or about the world or both.

Here’s an example for you:

A few years ago, my friends Erin and Faith decided to take a rock climbing class. I was hesitant because I didn’t think I would be good at it, but they were so excited that I signed up anyway. The class was scary at first. I was always afraid I would fall, and coming down seemed worse than going up! As we learned the techniques, however, I realized I was actually pretty good at climbing. Moreover, I really enjoyed it. I discovered that I liked facing the challenge of getting to the top of the wall. Sometimes I couldn’t make it to the top of a path, but after practicing and trying again and again, I eventually could reach the top--or at least higher than I had the first time. I discovered that it’s ok not to reach a goal, but that I can meet most of my goals if I don’t give up and persevere through difficulties.

Please answer in 150-250 words. Your response is due no later than 8:00 a.m. on Friday, January 30. 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.