Faith's English Blog

Today Mr. Rease was not here, so a substitute teacher and Ms. Cook was present instead. Our assignment was to complete 14 questions about an article about videogame addiction, and then write a paragraph making our own claim about for or against video game usage. I think that was what it was about, I dont really remember if that's true or not because I didn't get to complete the paragraph in time. However I do remember learning that 88% of US youths aged 8-18 were addicted to video games or play them. It was either the first fact or the other that they said. 

Today we didn't do anything in class because were expecting there to be another program like yesterday. There was, but only the seniors were invited to watch it. But then so we stayed in class and had a free day. At first we were going to start the lesson since there was an hour left, but because me and some of our classmates convinced the teacher to not do so with a paragraph, we got to have a free day. I hope I get footage of the performance that happened in the cafeteria or gym today soon. I wonder if it is a continuation of the Anti Teen Drunk Driving skit/movie from yesterday.

I believe we should get a free day in class period for 3 reasons. One, so I can use some of my time to relax and take a break from the math class I just left. Secondly, because I would like to utilize some of the time to finish work from other classes. And lastly, because we've never had a free period in this class before so it would be nice to experience it at least once. Those are the reasons why I believe we should get a free day in this class period.

Today we didn't really have 2nd block because within the first few minutes of it we were called to the gym. Then we were redirected to the back parking lot, where we met a movie scene. We stood outside watching the film live for almost the whole block and then we went to 3rd period shortly after. The film was about what happens when you drink and drive and showed the effects of it in the moment the crash happens. In my opinion, it was very realistic minus some of the acting.

Today we viewed 7 of our classmates presentations about black owned businesses. Then we were shown the racial income disparity in the black communities of Atlanta compared to all other races. After that, we watched a video about the black upper class and took some notes about it. It was actually interesting to watch because I enjoyed seeing the black women be successful. The way the system is designed does not allow us to get far in life, but they did despite that and I thought that was amazing.

Today was our first day back from the 4 day break. We were instructed to write a sentence for 15 vocabulary words in Lesson 4, and then complete exercises 1-3. After the class period ended we went to 3rd period and then we went to A Lunch. After A Lunch we went back to 3rd period. After 3rd period we went back to 4th period. And after 4th period we went home.

Today for our bellringer we had to write briefly about our favorite character, and how we identify with them. I don't have one at the moment so I picked a character from one of my favorite k-dramas, Gihun from Squid Game. Secondly, we discussed words that were offensive to us and Mr. Rease said that a word that was offensive to him was the word Nigger. After that, we read a poem about someone recalling a time when he was 8 years old and was called that word in a discriminatory way. We were to write a narrative on illuminate in the point of view of the little boy writing in his diary about the situation. However some people did not finish theirs because the class period ended.

I don't have a favorite character at the moment, so I randomly picked a character from one of my favorite K-dramas that I know, Gihun from Squid Games. Seong Gihun is the main character/protagonist of the Korean Netflix drama show Squid Game. Squid Game is about a bunch of people, including the main character who enter a series of games in order to win a cash prize. Gihun plays the games as player 456 and wins them all. I do not identify with this character because I don't share the same confidence in winning games as he did. I would love to win a bunch of money by playing games. But if my life is on the line while playing those games, I'm out. It would be extremely embarrassing to die a death like that and not get any money in the end. The main character had plot armor on him, which is of course why he survived all the games and won the prize. However, it won't go like that for everyone.

 Today Mr. Rease was not here, and we were instructed to use the class time to work on our project due Friday.  We have to include 10 Black Owned Businesses, their information, and what they offer inside the google slides or powerpoint we are making. I used my class time to work my project and some stuff from AP US History. When the period was over, I spent sometime in 3rd period for a couple of minutes and then went to A Lunch. And for lunch I had a hot pocket and some water.

Today we had a Junior teacher(?) named Ms. Cook teach us today. We wrote a paragraph for the bellringer on the board, which asked about what the word oppression is and to list some examples of it. After we answered that question, we analyzed a poem by Langston Hughes called "Harlem". We then had a few discussions around discrimination and oppression, and were given candy. I picked the midnight milky way in the bag. It's been a while since I had those and they were very good. Then we wrote on a heart shaped paper what our dreams were. We did nothing for the last 20 minutes of class I worked on my classwork/homework from Geometry, and my slides for the project due on Friday. I'm already on my 4th out of 10 slides.

For today's bellringer we were asked to write what our pledge would be to the African-American culture. I wrote that I pledged to take pride in my culture and respect all the other cultures in the African diaspora. We then watched a short biography about Maya Angelou, and analyzed a poem she made called "The Black Family Pledge". Then on the back of it we wrote 5 issues we see in the black community today. One of the issues I wrote down was black people calling other black people "white" for having interests, music, or a way of dressing that is not "typically black".

Today in class we did a bench mark the whole period. After that we went to our 3rd block period. At lunch, they were serving chicken and waffles with syrup and this sandwich with cheese in it. I had chosen the sandwich because I already had french toast and syrup this morning. However, the sandwich was hard, cold and inedible, so I ended up eating some of my friends chicken with ketchup. After lunch and 3rd block ended, I used the time I had in the gym to finish up some of my AP US History and American Lit & Comp assignments. Then after that I took the bus home.

In the beginning of class, there was a fight that occurred in the hallway. The details of it are unknown. All period, we were doing 10 more quotes of the Emily Dickinson Analysis Test and it's due today. While we were doing so, the teacher played a 27 minute video about Emily Dickinson on the board. I put in my headphones to listen to some instrumentals which helped me focus on doing the assignment more. I believe I shall have it completed by tonight.

Today we were told to sign in to Illuminate and do this 20 question test. Each question had a quote and we were supposed to anaylze them by writing the quote, topic, analysis, conflict and theme. The most tricky part for me is figuring out how to make the analysis abd the conflict different without making it the same thing . I didn't finish analyzing 10 quotes, so I plan on doing so when I get home. I wish we had an extra day to do this assignment because I'm not great at analyzing literary texts.

  The unfinished one pager assignment I was planning to redo and turn in tomorrow. Here are my four quotations since I erased some of it:  "He kindly stopped for me —" "Or rather — He passed Us" "The Dews drew quivering and Chill " "The Cornice — in the Ground —"

Today we worked on an assignment based on Lesson 3 in the red vocabulary book. We wrote down the vocab words and their definitions on pages 17-18 in our notes, completed excercises one through three and then turned it in. After that we were given time to work on our one pager project. I'm positive I will be able to finish it by tonight, or by 2nd period tommorrow. After that, we were dismissed to go to 3rd period.

In class today we took our second vocabulary quiz. It was interrupted by a lockdown drill that lasted for seven minutes. When it was completed, we resumed the test and finished it. After that we worked on our one pagers until the period was over, and were told to complete it by next tuesday. Today I was just working on my sketch/plan for it, but over the weekend I plan to gradually get it done, and then make finishing touches on Monday.

T oday I had to go to the Junior conference meeting, and the waiting time to meet with the counselor was long, so I wasn't able to complete whatever assignment or activity in class we had for today. However I was available for the short film recommended by one of my classmates, called "Less Than Human". I can't really come up with a theme for it. Though I think that it was about two people who had been shunned to the outskirts of normal society and wish to go back. Their form appeared like rotting and severely injured corpses that a normal human would not be able to survive through for long. They pretty much looked like they were one of those undead creatures, rather than human. Their physical forms emphasized the title of "Less Than Human".