Freshman, Fresh faces, fresh words...

Snowpocalypse 2k11 tried its best to stop 2nd semester from beginning but I am happy to report that we are back in full effect! Say hello to the spring block class, some new art work, and 6th period's American Dream wordles. (the word collages you see above can be created at wordle.net) In honor of MLK Jr. we decided to focus on one of the best things he left with us that will carry on forever, his words. Each student chose a quote by MLK that connected with them and posted it around the poster you see above, as well as posted a blog on their schoology (pretty much facebook for school, and amazing) what the words meant to them, and our world today. We also got into several great discussions about whether or not Dr. King's dream has been realized, some of the most intriguing responses were but are not limited to: 


                                          "Not everyone wants to see it, but change is happening"


"Maybe, we are living for him, we could be the dream realized" 

                                                          "I think we need to get up and yell come on people, let's do something, let's get this dream moving!" "or, something like that..."


"Yes we can. Yes, we did. Yes, we will keep on doing it."


I can't even really begin to comment on the above statements and how beautiful and raw they each are, because if that is not getting IT then I don't know what getting IT is! And, if you don't get that those words, coming from the youth of today, are the IT then I can't imagine what you think the IT is! (this is what my students would call a Ms. Sanders rant) ("Ms. Sanders you are rantin!")


In other news, block is in between creating Renaissance and Reformation i-movies and building their own Utopian communities. Utopia in greek means "no place" and was used by Thomas More in 1516 to describe his imaginary world/society thus giving the word its more commonly known meaning of a "perfect, ideal place".  After students have  created their Utopian communities they will argue whether or not a utopian society can exist in real life. They have come up with some pretty amazing things so far, I'll let you know what the end results are soon. 


11th grade is currently trudging through Imperialism in the US...you know...that one time in the early 1900s when America tried to take over the world in pursuit of monetary gain and military control. Oh wait, that sounds familiar...eh hem...Anways, students have been defining what exactly words like expansionism, nationalism, militarism, etc. mean and how these ideas effected American society both then, and wait for it, wait for it, now! Tomorrow we will be learning about the buffalo soldiers (African American soldiers who were just as, if not more crucial to the battle at San Jaun hill as ole Teddy Roosevelt's rough riders during the Spanish American war, not to mention their role in the Civil War and Indian Wars) via Bob Marley. We be jammin, and learnin' and quickly moving onto WWI, ohhh the trenches. 


Utopian Communities, WWI trench reenactments, and black history month celebrations coming soon...until then have a great rest of January  and all that jazz...








"If you know your history
Then you would know where you're coming from
Then you wouldn't have to ask me
Who the 'eck do I think I am!"