Humanities 8 Journey

From Apartheid to Cyber-Bullying

2009-04-20T06:54:00.010+07:00

Following our recent studies about Apartheid in South Africa, we now look into the issues of bullying at school and in cyberspace. Share your ideas that relate to the movie 'Odd Girl Out' and/or the CNN report of 2005 about cyber-bullying. The first video clip below has three scenes from 'Odd Girl Out,' followed by the CNN report.

'Odd Girl Out' (3 scenes from the movie)

A TV News Report about Cyber-Bullying

Our Class Novel about South Africa

2009-03-13T18:36:00.035+07:00

As we read 'Waiting for the Rain,' we can share thoughts about this award-winning 'Best Book for Young Adults' here at the blog as well as in our literature circles and class discussions. Publish your comments, including your first name. You can also publish ideas and information you have about South Africa, which might add even more to our understanding of the novel.

Below are some video clips that relate to our study of South Africa. You may need to let the videos 'buffer' through the first time, and then they should run smoothly.

1. From the 1992 documentary, '7-Up South Africa' - here, highlighting two 7-year-old boys, one an Afrikaner and the other a Zulu. Check the connections to the novel, 'Waiting for the Rain.'

2. A scene from the movie, 'The Power of One' - P.K. goes off to an Afrikaner school and listens to a preacher's sermon.

3. Here are scenes from the movie, 'Sarafina!'- tension at the school; Sarafina visits her mother

4. The movie 'Bopha!' has a scene which shows the conflict students had with the language of instruction in the classroom.

5. After becoming a big star in the late 1950's, Miriam Makeba was banned from her home country for 27 years because of her views about apartheid. Here's her 'Click Song,' in which she explains to an audience in the Netherlands a feature of the Xhosa language, one of 10 or so black South African languages. (Miriam Makeba played the part of Sarafina's mother!)

6. Another South African musician who got banned is trumpeter Hugh Masekela, here in concert, performing his song, 'Stimela,' about the train that took black men to work long, hard hours in the mines of South Africa.

7. Remember the movie 'The Color of Friendship' and references to Steve Biko, the black South African activist who was killed in his police prison cell in 1977? The movie 'Cry Freedom' is about the friendship between Biko and newspaper editor Donald Woods. This scene has Biko, played by Hollywood actor Denzel Washington, in court, answering questions about government terrorism and black consciousness.

8. Peter Gabriel, a rock singer from England, performed this song at a 1980 concert in honor of Steve Biko. (According to Rolling Stone Magazine, Peter Gabriel's 1983 music video, 'Sledgehammer,' is still considered one of the top 5 music videos of all time.)

9. Here's Steve Biko himself in 1977, commenting on the situation in South Africa.

10. Johnny Clegg, sometimes called the 'White Zulu,' formed South Africa's first racially mixed music group. He performs his song 'Scatterlings of Africa' in 1987 on French television.

11. 'Gimme Hope, Jo'anna by Eddy Grant is an early music video from 1988 featuring a reggae rhythm. The song was a big dance hit in Europe and North America but was banned in South Africa. What do you think 'Jo'anna' refers to?

12. Here's the movie trailer for the documentary, 'Amandla!' - a look at how music played a major role in the fight against apartheid.

A Hero's Journey

2009-02-19T04:48:00.034+07:00

We'll be looking at what is called the 'hero's journey' as seen in literature, movies, historical events (e.g. South Africa), and even teenage life.

For this post, please do the following:

First, think about your definition of what a hero is - who some of the heroes are that you have encountered, real and/or imaginary, from the past and/or present.

Next, watch the videos below that refer to the 'hero's journey.'

Then, submit your comments - your thoughts about what being a hero means AND what you now understand about 'the hero's journey.'

The person most often associated with discussions about what we call 'the hero's journey' is anthropologist Joseph Campbell. He studied myths and legends across cultures and noted several common patterns. Campbell's thoughts about the hero's journey had a strong influence on the telling of stories in popular culture, including movies such as 'Star Wars,' 'The Matrix' and even 'Shrek.' The narrator in this video is an author who explains Joseph Campbell's ideas about the hero's journey, using 'The Matrix' as an example.

High school students made this version of the hero's journey based on the movie, 'The Matrix.'

A high school animation tells a story, using details from the hero's journey.

This high school video also looks at 5 movies and elements of the hero's journey in each.

Here's a look at the movie 'Mulan' - explained by a student in connection with the hero's journey from a girl's perspective.

Introduction to - and Perceptions of...Africa!

2009-01-18T11:15:00.032+07:00

"Africa is a strong, beautiful country and has potential to be so much."

As you see from the words above by Angelina Jolie, actress and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, many people have misconceptions about Africa.

Although our Humanities 8 focus will be on the country of South Africa, for this post, you can include your thoughts about Africa in general. Here are some ideas that you can submit:

1. What do you know for sure about Africa? Have you been there?
2. What perceptions do you have about Africa?
3. What would you like to find out more about Africa?

You can also mention any books, movies, people, places and events that connect with Africa.

Below are some videos that give a variety of perspectives about Africa: (You may want the video clips to run through with the buffering that takes place the first time, and after that, you can watch them play smoothly.)

1. Lonely Planet TV begins a journey into Africa with a bungee jump over the Zambezi River in southeastern Africa, followed by whitewater rafting on the Zambezi.

2. Akon sings about his home country of Senegal in West Africa.

3. For Westerners, a place called Timbuktu is associated with being at 'the end of the earth.' However, this video tells us of the proud history of Timbuktu, a city located in the West Africa country of Mali.

4. A slideshow of African masks.

5. A look at a traditional dance of Angola called capoera, now a sport in the Olympics!

6. The British rock singer, Peter Gabriel, teamed up with the famous Senegalese singer, Youssou N'Dour in a 1990 song called, 'Shaking the Tree.'

7. Wangari Maathai, known as the 'tree lady' and winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize, talks about the environmental and political challenges she has had in Kenya, a country in East Africa.

8. A mini-documentary in which the commentator says, 'In Africa, soccer is religion' and how football is being used to help fight against HIV/AIDS in the southern African country of Zambia.

9. A sport you could try in the southwest country of Namibia - sandboarding on the dunes of the Namib Desert!

10. A student presentation of the Barbara Kingsolver novel, 'The Poisonwood Bible' - about an American missionary family's attempts to change the people of the central African country of the Congo.

11. Here's a 2005 BBC report about a child soldier in the east African country of Somalia. Unfortunately, it is a true story. (You might want to read more about child soldiers in Africa, including the award-winning novel 'AK' by Peter Dickinson.)

11. Flying over the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, in a scene from the Academy Award winning movie of 1985, 'Out of Africa.'

12. Here are slideshows of two classes making gypsona masks, connecting to our unit on Africa and personal identity.

Random Thoughts

2009-01-11T12:58:00.004+07:00

So many thoughts can relate to our Humanities blog, so post any ideas and questions you have or theories and philosophies you come across, including contradictions, explanations, ironic moments, insights, and in general, anything that might help us to navigate our way on the journey through Grade 8 - and maybe life itself! Some sample random thoughts from last year are in the comments window. (It's highly recommended that you type your comments in a Word document, and then copy and paste into the blog comments window.)

'The Little Prince' - Our Thoughts about the Ending

2008-11-27T06:43:00.000+07:00

Now that you have read Chapters 24 - 27, what are your thoughts on the conclusion to the story?

First tell us what you think actually happens at the end of the story.
Then get down your reactions to the ending of the story. You can also include your ideas on symbolism, theme, writer's style, and personal connections you can make with the story's ending. Remember to include your name that we know so that we can refer to each other's comments.

'The Little Prince' on YouTube!

2008-11-15T11:10:00.005+07:00

Take a look at any or all of these YouTube videos that relate to our class novel. Your comments can be your reflections on the video clips and/or your reactions to what other people have published. The video clips are short, but you may want the clips to run through with the buffering that takes place the first time, and after that, you can watch them play smoothly. The title or a short description is under each video clip. The comments link appears after the 7th video ('Lil' Prinz'). Remember to include your name that we know so that we can refer to each other's comments.

1. Title - "'The Little Prince' and the Complex Semiotic Aspects of Non-Verbal Modern Day Communication'"

2. A scene from the musical version of 'The Little Prince'

3. A scene from the movie, 'The Little Prince' - the fox and stars

4. A scene from the movie, 'The Little Prince' - the fox

5. A scene from the movie, 'The Little Prince' - the snake

6. A scene from the movie, 'The James Dean Story' (James Dean was a famous Hollywood star of the 1950's - he is portrayed by another actor in this movie.)

7. A student rap-video titled, 'Lil' Prinz' - thanks to Mr. Berkhout for recommending this one!

Consumers' Corner

2008-09-20T11:15:00.084+07:00

Consumerism = the belief that the buying and selling of products is beneficial to an economy; a sign of economic strength. That's one definition of consumerism. How does consumerism relate to you? What are some of the products you have bought recently - clothing, tech. devices, cosmetics, etc.? Are there any products you strongly recommend others to buy or not buy? You can also post your ideas about consumerism in general; for example: favorite places to shop in Bangkok, online shopping, getting caught up in materialism, advertising techniques, and ideas for 'ethical consumerism.' Remember to use your first name, that we know, so we can refer to each other's ideas.

Here are some videos related to consumerism that you can also refer to. (You may need to let buffering finish, and then the video will play smoothly):

1. Music Video - 'Money' by Pink Floyd

2. 'Consumerism! The Musical'

3. Video Podcast on Consumerism

4. Two students and their commentaries about materialism at ISB

5. Music Video - 'Made in Thailand' by Carabao

6. Two students wonder if the lyrics to 'Made in Thailand' could be true about Thai consumerism

7. Mini-Documentary - Why People Buy

8. Shopping in Bangkok - Jutujak Weekend Market

9. A Student Video Project - Brand Shopping in Tokyo

10. Three students give their opinions on 'brand shopping'

11. 'Satisfaction' (1965) - a song by the Rolling Stones that was banned in the former Soviet Union

12. Opinions about Online Shopping by Students in Austria

13. On-line Shopping Safety

14. Teens for Safe Cosmetics

15. Thai TV Commercial Smooth-E Face Cream (also titled - 'Materialism')

16. Mini-Documentary: 'No Logo - Brands, Globalization & Resistance'

17. Music Video - 'Fashion Victim' by Green Day

18. Are We Really 'Victims' of Consumerism? - two students' opinions

19. A Message about Ethical Consumerism

20. 'What's Behind the Label?' - A Mini-Documentary from Australia

21. Mac/PC Commercials - two by Apple followed by a Windows reply

22. Two students explain the technique used in the Mac ads

23. Dove Advertising Campaign - Evolution of Beauty (from Apurva)

24. Three students comment on the Dove advertising campaign

25. Two more students on how 'our perception of beauty is distorted' by advertising

26. A Barista's Coffee Shop Dream - by high school students, entered in a film contest

27. The Gospel According to Larry - a visual and musical reflection of the main character's message (created by a h.s. student in the U.S.)

28. Iqbal Masih - Child labor activist and inspiration to young people; a mini-documentary on his life, and a scene from a movie about Iqbal

29. A student's commentary about the story and life of Iqbal

30. Sponge Bob in China - Labor Issues Connected to Consumerism

31. Two students comment on the Sponge Bob in China video

32. Two more students try to figure out the message in Sponge Bob in China video.

33. George Carlin, Comedian - A Rant about American Consumerism

34. Two students give their opinions on George Carlin's rant

35. 'Poddicts' - a story of 'addiction' to iPods; another entry in a film contest

36. The Mountain Kingdom of Bhutan Reacts to the Material World - 'Gross National Happiness' - 2007

37. A Scene from the Musical - 'Cabaret' ('Money')

Socratic Seminar - 'The Dream'

2008-09-06T19:32:00.010+07:00

Now that you have read the short story, 'The Dream,' share your ideas in the form of questions and what you are wondering about in regards to the story. You can refer to other people's ideas, but let's not answer questions here at the blog! We'll use our Socratic Seminar to explore questions and speculations.

Here are some points you can touch on (maybe you can think of others!):

* questions about some aspect of the story's plot

* questions about vocabulary and/or use of figurative language and symbolism

* questions you would ask the author

And here are some sentence starters you might want to use:

* I'd like to know...
* I'm not sure, but...
* I'm wondering why...
* What puzzles me is...
* I'm confused about...
* I'd like to ask the author...

'Children of Heaven' - Economic Connections

2008-08-28T05:29:00.014+07:00

Share ideas you have about the movie that help us begin our unit on Consumer Economics + Identity.

Here are some points that you can make about the movie:

* What scene(s) in the movie helped you get an idea of economic situations? Give us the details you took note of and your thoughts about these details.
* Do you agree that Ali's family is 'poor'? Please explain.
* How might the title of the movie relate to some economic idea about the lives of Ali and Zahra?
* What connections can you make between the economic situations in the movie and those that you have experienced?

Beijing Olympics 2008 - Different Perspectives!

2008-08-05T03:03:00.056+07:00

The Games Have Begun! Share your ideas on one or more of the following topics:
* Do you plan on keeping up on what's happening during the Olympics? Why or why not?
* What sports are you most interested in? Why?
* What sporting events does your home country hope to do well at?
* Do you think nationalism has a positive or negative effect on the Olympics? Why?
* How much do you think commercialism (e.g. advertising) plays a part in the Olympics?
* What other controversial issues do you know that relate to the Beljing Olympics?
For example, why were there protests during the pre-Olympic torch relay?
(e.g, Check one of the mascots above.)
* Do you think technology has a positive or negative effect on the Olympics?
(e.g., Check the full body swimming suit shown above.)
* Do you think countries that do not allow women on their Olympic teams
should be banned from the games? Why or why not?

You might like to watch some of the following Olympic-related video clips and comment on them, too!

#1 The Olympic Vision & Spirit

#2 Avril Lavigne on the Olympics

#3 Sportsmanship

#4 Coming in Second and Third Place

#5 Opening Ceremony Highlights

#6 Natalie du Toit - South Africa's Olympic Swimmer with Incredible Dreams and Goals!

Welcome Vacation Visitors!

2008-06-09T08:23:00.009+07:00

As you can see from our 'Where in the World' map, since March 2008, we've had folks check out our blog from 6 continents and from a variety of places such as Hawaii, South Africa, Iran, Newfoundland, Australia, Bolivia, India, Japan, and lots of locations in between! Whether you are a former ISB Grade 8 student or someone who has checked out our blog from anywhere in the world, share what you're doing at any time during the next couple of months. You might want to tell us what's happening in your part of the world or simply leave a greeting!

Here are some video clips of unusual experiences. Share some of your unique vacation experiences, too!

Bowling Mishap

Incredible Golf Shot

Street Performance

From Petty Apartheid to Cyber-Bullying!

2008-04-24T20:59:00.019+07:00

'Waiting for the Rain' - The Concluding Impact

2008-03-18T16:45:00.031+07:00

Share your strongest ideas about one or more of the following points:

1. the confrontation Tengo and Frikkie have in the final chapter
2. your understanding of how the story ends
3. the theme (message) of the novel
4. references you can make to the hero's journey
5. connections the story has to our contemporary life

Our Class Novel about South Africa

2008-02-23T12:32:00.036+07:00

As we read 'Waiting for the Rain,' we can share thoughts about this award-winning 'Best Book for Young Adults' here at the blog as well as in our literature circles and class discussions. Publish your comments, including your first name. You can also publish ideas and information you have about South Africa, which might add even more to our understanding of the novel.

Below are some video clips that relate to our study of South Africa. You may need to let the video 'buffer' through the first time, and then it should run smoothly.

1. After becoming a big star in the late 1950's, Miriam Makeba was banned from her home country for 27 years because of her views about Apartheid. Here's her 'Click Song,' in which she explains to an audience in the Netherlands a feature of the Xhosa language, one of 10 or so black South African languages.

2. Another South African musician who got banned from returning home is trumpeter, Hugh Masekela. Here he is in concert, performing his song, 'Stimela,' about the train that took black men to work long, hard hours in the mines of South Africa.

3. Peter Gabriel, a rock singer from England, performed this song 'Biko' in a 1980 concert. The song is about Steve Biko, a black South African activist who was killed in his police prison cell in 1977.

4. Here are two video clips from the 1992 movie, 'Sarafina!'. The story was originally on stage as a musical and then made into a movie. It's the story of a girl from Soweto who has dreams of becoming a star, but she is living during the student uprisings in Soweto of the late 1970's.

First Scene from the movie, 'Sarafina!': Opening to the movie...

Second Scene from the movie, 'Sarafina!' - Tensions at the school; planning an end-of-year school play...

5. Johnny Clegg, sometimes called the 'white Zulu,' formed South Africa's first racially mixed music group. He performs his song 'Scatterlings of Africa' in 1987 on French television.

6. 'Gimme Hope Jo'anna by Eddy Grant is an early music video from 1988. With its reggae rhythm, it was a big hit in Europe and North America. The song was banned in South Africa. What do you think 'Jo'anna' refers to? Maybe someone can give us the lyrics along with some comments?!

7. Here's a music video for the song 'Vulindlela' by Brenda Fassie, who was called the 'Queen of Township Music.' This particular song has such a catchy beat that supposedly, even P.W. Botha, a prime minister during the time of Apartheid, found himself dancing to the song during his retirement years in the 1990's!

8. When apartheid officially ended in 1994 and Nelson Mandela was elected president, a new national anthem needed to be composed. Here's one version of the new national anthem with Xhosa and English lyrics. What South African languages are missing?

9. This is a 2006 music video by Bok van Blerk. The song is titled 'De la Rey.' It was a big hit in South Africa, especially for Afrikaners because it memorializes one of their famous army generals of the 1899 Anglo-Boer War.

Grade 8 Journey to Lan Na!

2008-01-27T08:02:00.002+07:00

(Now that we are back from our journey to Chiang Mai, record your comments on the experience you had. What images and memories do you have that stand out strongest? What did you learn most from the trip?)
On Monday, Feb. 11, we're off to 'A Million Rice Fields' - as the Chiang Mai kingdom was called 500 years ago! Submit your comments here to share questions, expectations and experiences that relate to our class trip. We'll have a class trip meeting on Tues., Feb. 5, but what questions would you like answered? What expectations do you have for the trip and the activities you've chosen? After we return from Chiang Mai, be ready to share your experiences and reflections - a photo gallery will be included!

Below are some related videos from YouTube. Hit play, let the videos buffer through, and then they run smoothly.

If you signed up for rock climbing, you might like to check out this video clip of Chris Sharma rock climbing at the age of 15. He first started climbing when he was 12 years old, and now at the age of 26, he is considered the best in the world!

For those of you going to Khun Lek's Elephant Nature Park, here's a YouTube video that shows some of the 'hands on' action that you will have.

A Hero's Journey

2008-01-21T04:46:00.003+07:00

We'll be looking at what is called the 'hero's journey' as seen in literature, movies, historical events, and even teenage life. But first, what's your definition of a hero? Who are some of the heroes that you have encountered, real and/or imaginary?

Here's the music video that got us going on this topic, 'My Hero' by
the Foo Fighters. (Hit play, let the video 'buffer' through, and then it will play smoothly.)

Some high school students made this version of the hero's journey from the movie,
'The Matrix.'

Introduction to Africa...

2008-01-10T16:22:00.007+07:00

As you see from the words of Angelina Jolie, actress and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, many people have misconceptions about this part of the world:
"Africa is a strong, beautiful country and has potential to be so much."
Although our focus will be on the country of South Africa, you can include your thoughts about Africa in general. Here are some ideas that you can submit for this post:
1. What perceptions do you have about Africa?
2. What do you know for sure about Africa?
3. What would you like to find out about Africa?
You can mention any books, movies, people, places and events that connect with Africa.

As you might know, South Africa is the host of the next World Cup of football. Here's a video in which one of the commentators says, 'In Africa, soccer is religion.' The video is a mini-documentary about how soccer is being used to help fight against HIV/AIDS in the southern African country of Zambia.

MoviE ZonE!

2007-12-19T17:58:00.000+07:00

Comment here on any good (or dreadfully awful) movies that you see at a theater or at home. In addition to your opinions, try to include some interesting insights about the movie, perhaps some background details, your thoughts on the theme to a movie and connections to topics we cover in Humanities. Here's an example:

'Napoleon Dynamite'

Movie Review: Some people love this movie and others hate it, but if you like unique and quirky movies, you'll probably watch this over and over like I did. Napoleon is a high school student, the stereotypical nerd, but he comes off as being a new kind of hero who does what he can to help his friend, Pedro, become school president.

Of course, you can tell us more than this if you like, but don't give away too much of the plot that would spoil the ending!

If you have the 'embed' code at YouTube for a particular movie that you are reviewing, pass it along, and we'll include the video clip at this blog post! As with other video clips at the blog, when you hit play, let the video clip 'buffer' through the first time, then it will play smoothly.

First is a montage of video for the movie, 'Napoleon Dynamite.'

Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the making of 'Ratatouille' - mentioned in a recent comment.

Learn by Podcasting!

2007-12-15T08:54:00.000+07:00

Think about podcasting, creating audio and/or video files. Be ready to connect a podcast idea to what we are studying in Humanities - as part of an assignment or your chance to earn extra credit. Some possibilities include recording your thoughts about a book you have read or expressing your take on a current event in the news. Below are a few examples of podcast files that were done for chapters 1 - 3 of 'The Little Prince.' Feel free to post your comments about these chapter recordings, or share your ideas about possible podcasts for second semester!

'The Little Prince' Ch. I (3 recordings)

'The Little Prince' Ch. II (2 recordings)

'The Little Prince' Ch. III (3 recordings)

'The Little Prince' - Our Thoughts about the Ending

2007-12-03T15:15:00.005+07:00

'The Little Prince' on YouTube!

2007-11-23T15:46:00.004+07:00

Take a look at any or all of these YouTube videos that relate to our class novel. Your comments can be your reflections on the video clips and/or your reactions to what other people have published. The video clips are short, but you may want the clips to run through with the buffering that takes place the first time, and after that, you can watch them play smoothly. The title or a short description is under each video clip. The comments link appears after the 7th video ('Lil' Prinz'). Remember to include your name that we know so that we can refer to each other's comments.

1. Title - "'The Little Prince' and the Complex Semiotic Aspects of Non-Verbal Modern Day Communication'"

2. A scene from the musical version of 'The Little Prince'

3. A scene from the movie, 'The Little Prince' - the fox and stars

4. A scene from the movie, 'The Little Prince' - the fox

5. A scene from the movie, 'The Little Prince' - the snake

6. A scene from the movie, 'The James Dean Story' (James Dean was a famous Hollywood star of the 1950's - he is portrayed by another actor in this movie.)

7. A student video titled, 'Lil' Prinz' - thanks to Mr. Berkhout for recommending this one!

Random Thoughts

2007-11-21T18:45:00.000+07:00

So many thoughts can relate to our Humanities blog, so post any ideas and questions you have or theories and philosophies you come across, including contradictions, explanations, ironic moments, insights, and in general, anything that might help us to navigate our way on the journey through Grade 8 - and maybe life itself! For this post, you can identify yourself as 'anonymous' or create a nickname for yourself.

Suggestion Box

2007-11-21T18:35:00.001+07:00

So, what would you like to see at our blog site? Be ready to help manage the site during the course of the year, but here's your direct chance to let us know of any neat ideas for topics, layout, images for the blog. You can also use this 'Suggestion Box' for ideas you have for class activities; for example, a different way to do seating arrangements. For this post, you can identify yourself as 'anonymous' or create a nickname for yourself.

Consumers' Corner

2007-11-21T18:23:00.000+07:00

What are some of the products you have bought recently - clothing, tech. devices, etc.? Are there any products you strongly recommend others to buy or not buy? You can also post your ideas about consumerism in general; for example: favorite places to shop in Bangkok, getting caught up in materialism, advertising techniques, and ideas for 'ethical consumerism.' Remember to use your name that we know so that we can refer to each other's ideas.

The Little Prince: Chapters X - XV

2007-11-20T21:52:00.001+07:00

Character Connection: These chapters are about six adults that the little prince met before his journey took him to Earth. He tells the pilot about the unusual behavior of these adults, giving readers ideas of personalities we meet in our own lives. For this post, include your thoughts about one of the characters mentioned in these chapters and try to make connections with real life. Or, you can follow up a post by another student and make reference to it with your own opinion of that student's ideas. Please include your name that we know so that we can refer to each other's comments.

The Little Prince

2007-05-14T08:08:00.000+07:00

Now that you have read Chapters 24 - 27, what are your thoughts on the conclusion to the story?

First tell us what you think actually happens at the end of the story.
Then get down your reactions to the ending of the story. You can also include your ideas on symbols, personal connections and writer's style. For this posting, include your name.

Grade 5 - Grade 8 Connections

2007-01-21T16:49:00.000+07:00

Welcome to our class blog, students in Mr. Bookhamer's Grade 5 class! These Grade 5 students would like Grade 8 students to help them out on their upcoming transition to Middle School. Grade 8 students can reply directly to any questions and/or concerns that the Grade 5 students post or go ahead and share some experiences that you can recall you had on your journey to Middle School.

Consumers' Corner

2007-01-21T16:31:00.000+07:00

What are some of the products you have bought recently - clothing, tech. devices, etc.? Are there any products you strongly recommend others to buy - or not buy? You can also post your ideas about consumerism in general, for example: favorite places to shop in Bangkok, getting caught up in materialism, advertising techniques, ideas for 'ethical consumerism.'

Our New Year Resolutions

2007-01-21T16:14:00.000+07:00

Making resolutions for the new year is a custom in many cultures. Looking back on the past and looking further into the new year, what's a promise you are making to yourself about what you would like to do better at?

Hero's Journey

2006-11-24T08:08:00.000+07:00

What's your definition of a hero? Who are some of the heroes that you have encountered? We'll be looking at what is called the hero's journey as seen in literature, movies and teenage life!

Introduction to Africa

2006-11-18T12:26:00.000+07:00

Although our focus is going to be on the country of South Africa, let's start by getting an idea of what you think about Africa in general, and what you would like to find out. You can also share any connections you have about Africa or any perceptions you might have that we can later prove or disprove. As you can see from the words of actress and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, Angelina Jolie, many people have misconceptions about Africa: "Africa is a stong, beautiful country and has potential to be so much." What might be some other misconceptions that people have about Africa? For this posting, add your first name to your comment as this is an assigned posting.

Class Novel - Waiting for the Rain

2006-11-18T11:48:00.000+07:00

We'll be reading an award-winning,'Best Book for Young Adults.' However, we'll be wanting to find out what your thoughts and opinions are about this novel in our literature circles during class discussions as well as here at our blog. Post your comments, including your first name. You might want to start by connecting the novel title and cover illustration with the photograph, 'South Africa, 1981' by Chris Steele-Perkins.

Quotable Quotes!

2006-11-18T11:27:00.000+07:00

Sometimes a good quotation can really make your day or inspire you to move ahead after facing an obstacle. For instance, one of my favorite quotes is:

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

William Shakespeare

What are some quotations that you find inspiring, humorous, or otherwise worthy of sharing?

Random Thoughts

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Suggestion Box

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MoviE ZonE

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Comment here on any good (or dreadfully awful) movies that you see at a theater or at home. In addition to your opinions, try to include some interesting insights about the movie, perhaps some background details or your thoughts on the theme to a movie. Think Reading Dialogue Journal entry, but get down your ideas about movies! Here's an example:

'Napoleon Dynamite'

Movie Review: Some people love this movie and others hate it, but if you like unique and quirky movies, you'll probably watch this over and over like I did. Napoleon is a high school student, the sterotypical nerd, but he comes off as being a new kind of hero who does what he can to help his friend, Pedro, become school president.

Of course, you can tell us more than this if you like, but don't give away too much of the plot to spoil the ending!