Survivors Ready!

Today's class was really fun. I enjoyed watching our final actors take the stage and give a grand performance. Gilmer grilled Tom Robinson in his cross-examination. He made it seem like Tom felt better than Mayella because he felt sorry for her because no one around the house (Mr. Ewell and the children) didn't seem to help her. This is a big no-no because black people aren't supposed to feel sorry for white people. That would mean that they're on the same level, which we know was not the case in the 1930's. Tom Robinson could do nothing but tell the truth--his truth. Will the jury believe him? We'll keep reading to find out. Tomorrow, we're going to be reading Atticus' final statement to the court.

After our role play, we had our Survivor Paragraph Challenge. This was really fun. I wasn't sure if it was going to work out well, but I was glad to see that it did. All teams were really engaged and I was excited to see that all of you were just as excited about it as I was. We'll add on paragraph points to the winning team at the end of the week. The main thing to take away from all this--watch for those clues that let you know what you're looking at. Here are some hints:

TS:
--Has the author's name and the title of the book
--Has a subject and a topic

CD:
--Evidence that is factual-based or quotes

CM:
--Begins with "This shows that"
--Explains, analyzes, and observes the evidence

CS:
--Has transitional phrases like "Overall, In conclusion, Therefore, All in all..."
--Wraps everything up AND adds a new idea

After our Survivor Paragraph Challenge, we began writing our paragraphs. Our prompt was on the back of the Chapter 19 packet about why Gilmer calls Tom Robinson "boy" seven times throughout the text. Why does he only call him that and no one else? This is a way of making Tom feel inferior, childish, irresponsible, unaware, unable to have a say, etc. Construct your paragraph around these ideas and you'll make a great paragraph.

Here are the paragraphs from the Survivor Paragraph Challenge as a guide for an awesome paragraph. I've left them split into their TS, CD, CM, CS so you can see the transitions between each part.

One Direction

One Direction is the most successful band that ever lived.

Their first album, Up All Night (2011), topped charts worldwide and marked the first time a debut album by a British group came number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. They were inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records as a result.

This shows that they have reached a fan base across international borders. Their number one hit, “What Makes You Beautiful,” is able to enter into any fan’s heart and make them feel “beautiful.”

In conclusion, One Direction has reached record international fame and fortune because of their ability to relate their songs to people all over the world.

Break Ups

Breaking up with someone is probably one of life’s biggest heartaches.

Susie Orbach, a British psychotherapist, has argued that the dissolution of dating and cohabiting relationships can be as painful as or more painful than divorce because these non-marital relationships are less socially recognized.

This shows that breakups among teens, especially in high school, are extremely painful because there is no outlet to grieve. Because breakups are so much more common during high school, the pain is intensified when one does see an ex with another.

Overall, breakups cause serious grief within individuals, which could be a cause for why most people agree that high school years are some of the best and worst times of your life.

Video Games

Halo 4 is the greatest video game ever created.

Halo 4 grossed US$220 million on its launch day, with an estimated $300 million opening week, marking a new record for the franchise. Microsoft also partnered with PepsiCo so players would be able to redeem codes online by purchasing Mountain Dew and Doritos.

While Halo 4 debuted at the top of the UK Video Games Chart and became the eighteenth biggest ever launch in the UK, it failed to beat week one sales of Halo 3 and Halo: Reach; however, they only failed to beat games of their own trilogy, which shows the success of the entire franchise.

Therefore, Halo 4 is another successful piece to the Halo franchise where gamers from all over the world can continue on the trilogy’s journey with Master Chief.

Body Image

Body image refers to a person's feelings of the physical appearance and sexual attractiveness of his or her own body.

Body image can have a wide range of psychological effects and physical effects. According to Dr. Aric Sigman, a British Biologist, some women who see underweight women will have an immediate change in brain chemistry which diminishes self-esteem and can increase self-loathing. Commentators note that people who have a low body image will try to alter their bodies in some way, such as by dieting or undergoing cosmetic surgery.

This shows that body image is not only how a person feels about themselves, but that it is also dependent on a person’s view of the society around them. This may possibly skew a person’s perception of themselves in a negative light when it wouldn’t have changed otherwise.

In conclusion, body image is a serious topic, especially for women, in which society and the media might need to reevaluate the standards of beauty.

The Patriots

Bill Belichick is the reason for the Patriots becoming one of the best football teams in the NFL.

Under Belichick, the Patriots have gone 139–53–0 in twelve seasons. Belichick is far and away the winningest coach in Patriots history; his 139 wins with the franchise are more than double those of runner-up Mike Holovak. He also sports a 16–6 record in the playoffs, and 3–2 in Super Bowls. Belichick has led the Patriots to eight division titles, including five consecutive titles from 2003 to 2007 (and only missed the playoffs on tiebreakers in 2002 and 2008).

This shows that Belichick is a committed coach to his team and dedicates his life to producing the best football players in the NFL. While most coaches dress professionally to every football game, Belichick’s signature look is wearing a cut-off sweatshirt. Some people may view this as a joke, but this demonstrates his lack of attention to appearance and his commitment to what is really important—the game.

Therefore, though Bill Belichick may be an unconventional coach, he has lead his team to countless victories and now remains one of the most respected coaches in the NFL.

TKAM

In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus is a hero.

In his closing arguments defending Tom Robinson he said, “In the name of God, believe him” (5).

This shows that Atticus defended a black man in court and urged the jury to do the right thing. He believed in equality for all men, regardless of the prejudices around Maycomb.

Overall, Atticus was a hero because he was an example of a liberal, honest man in a time where racial prejudices ruled the South.

House on Mango Street

In Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street, Esperanza is a free-spirited girl.

In the last vignette, Esperanza says, “One day I will say goodbye to Mango. I am too strong for her to keep me here forever.”

This shows that Esperanza never felt like she belonged on Mango Street. She always felt her spirit was caged in the small street. She needed to leave in order to find her freedom.

In conclusion, Esperanza is unlike most of the other women in her life, because she refuses to accept the cage around her gender.

Please look these over as a way of familiarizing yourself with the expectations that I and Mr. Hannah have for you.

DEETS:

In-class:

--Finish Chapter 19 Role Play

--Grade Actors

--Survivor Paragraph Challenge

--Write paragraph

HW:

--Finish writing your paragraph

--Read and annotate Chapter 20 (DO NOT do the Reading Questions)

--Video Actors--MAKE YOUR VIDEOS. We WILL be watching them TOMORROW.