This blog is designed to share the learning that is taking place in our eighth grade classrooms at International School Bangkok. Please check this site periodically to see our updated topics and share your comments with us!
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!
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.
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
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.
(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.
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.'
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
Choose a posted topic on the left. Click on the comments link. The comment window opens. Read what other people are thinking. Click the button next to 'Name/URL' and type in your name (URL not needed). Type in your comments, checking for spelling, grammar and other conventions. (It's highly recommended that you type your comments in a Word document, and then copy and paste into the blog comments window.) Then click 'Publish Your Comment.' We hope this blog adds another dimension to your journey this year!
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! 
