You need Courage to Stand Up to Oppression

                Standing up to oppression takes immense courage because you can risk your life and be hung like Thomas Baker, and other brave people. In the Middle Ages, John Ball, Thomas Baker and other people thought that they deserved more freedom and rights in life so the people joined together to overthrow the king. Thomas Baker, a baker was really mad because of the new poll tax created by King Richard 2 so he said something like "Why should I pay you? It's time that I should be treated better." and he was the one who actually started the Peasant Revolt in 1381. It must have took him immense amount of courage to stand up against the king and to risk his life but he is remembered as a "notable". For a modern day example would be Spanish workers standing up against the new government's cutbacks and attack on rights. The law that the new government created allowed employers to have huge power and to release employers at a low cost. So millions of people started to protest on the streets and created a demonstration which drew large support from the young people. They were successful and managed to let the government consider the demands of the people and the strengths of the workers.

http://www.ituc-csi.org/spanish-workers-stand-up-against.html?lang=en

1066: Who had the best claim?

Duke William has the best claim to be King because he has more evidence to be king than the other people. The evidence that Duke William had was the support from the Pope, Edward the Confessor who promised to name him as his successor, and Harold Godwinson agreed to help him become King of England but he betrayed Duke William. Nobody except for Duke William has a famous person supporting him like the Pope and lot's of people would support Duke William because if the Pope agrees to help Duke, then lot's of people will follow him. Although Harold Godwinson is a strong English leader approved by the Witan, he was an "oath-breaker" which makes him not trustworthy. Harald Hardrada was a powerful king with a large army and had support of Tostig, Harold Godwinson's brother and that his ancestors ruled England but just because his ancestors ruled England doesn't mean that he get's to lead England at 1066.  So by judging all the reasons from the three men, I would be think that Duke William has the best claim to be the king of England.

Value's and Choices Document

Q1. Think about a time you witnessed bullying/ostracism/peer pressure/exclusion/discrimination/violence. How did you respond? How do you wish you had responded? What stopped you from responding that way?

 A1: I have witnessed discrimination before in my life. When I was in fifth grade, while my friends and I were finished with recess, a female assistant teacher started to shout at a boy for not following her orders like when recess time was over, he still played. When another girl was still playing around with her jump ropes, the assistant teacher told her to come and line up behind the other people in a kind and soft tone. I didn't understand why she treated the boys like slaves and treated the girls like daughters. So when all of my peers and friends were sitting down in a line, I stood up and said "Why are you treating us boys like slaves and the girls like daughters Ms. __________? I don't understand. You are not following one of the three "melawati ways". " My speech grabbed all of the audience's attention as the assistant teacher went speechless. After school, I told my parents about the assistant teacher about her sexual discrimination to others. Then, my mom decided to contact the principal and other people. (Sorry but that's what I all remember about). After 2 years later, my brother had the SAME incident as what I had before so he told my mom and she had to report her again to the faculty and the staff at ISKL. Fortunately, the assistant teacher was fired and another teacher replaced her. Anyway back to the questions. "How do you wish you had responded? ". I wish I had told the principal and my teachers about this because if I had done that before, the assistant teacher could've been fired and my brother wouldn't have to experience the pain, torture, etc from her. "What stopped you from responding that way?". I was afraid that if the assistant teacher found out that it was me who told the teachers and the other staff members, I would be in big trouble.

1.Where have we seen examples of bullying/ostracism/exclusion occurring in texts studied so far this year- factual as well as fictional?

 This year, the Holocaust unit, the "Hunger Games" book, the "Shadow of the Minotaur" book shows ostracism and bullying. For example, in the Holocaust unit, the Jewish people were "bullied" by the Nazi and the anti-Jewish people. In the Kristallnacht, the Nazi and the anti-Jewish people "bullied" the Jews by throwing stones at their businesses, killing them, burning holy buildings,etc. The "Hunger Games" book shows some ostracism. For example, the other districts in the book ostracised District 12 because they thought that District 12 was a poor district and that they might win the Hunger Games. In the "Shadow of the Minotaur" book, Steve Adams bullies Phoenix by using violence,etc. 

1.Select one line/phrase/group of sentences that are significant to you. Explain why.

 "In most cases where children get picked on, it is because they aren't good at sports or they read too much or they wear the wrong clothes or they are in a different race" This is significant to me because this phrase clearly shows that who bullies bully at. It is important to me because I have to be aware that I have to be sporty, and read little books to not get bullied next time.


How is ostracism different from other forms of bullying? When does ostracizing or excluding someone from a group become part of bullying?

Ostracism is different from other forms of bullying because if you are being ostracized, it can change your mood, more aggression, etc. For example, victims of social exclusion can feel more negatively than other people. The victims can be more angry and more sad than other non-victimized people. In most cases, if you have the angry and sad feelings, you might have more aggression. If you have aggression, you might be a bully. Ostracizing or excluding someone from a group can become a part of bullying when it happens to you or someone else.


2.What surprised you?


What surprised me about this video was that how a popular girl in her school wanted to be friends with Eve S although she was being bullied a lot. Most of the people wouldn't want to be friends with a person being bullied but the popular kid stepped up and changed Eve S's life.


3. How does Eve’s story relate to bullying? Was she bullied? Did she bully? How would you explain her behavior?( perpetrator/bystander/victim?). make sure you justify( back up your answer.


Eve's story relates to bullying because she was being bullied by other people. She didn't bully anyone and she was being bullied at school. Her behavior would be considered as a perpetrator, and a victim. She is considered to be a victim because she used to be bullied at school with 2 other people. Since she mocked the girl by reading her diary, she is considered to be a perpetrator. 


4. How did Eve’s need to belong affect the way she responded when another girl was being mocked? Why does her response still trouble her? How do you like to think you would have responded to the incident?


I think that she badly wanted to join in the group so she didn't think her actions through enough until she found out what she did. The response troubled her because she knows that she did a bad thing by laughing at the girl's diary. I would have responded by stop laughing and saying to the girls that what they are doing is a bad thing. 


5. Eve concludes “Often being accepted by others is more satisfying than being accepted by oneself, even though the satisfaction does not last.’ What does she mean?


I think that Eve is trying to say that it's feels more comfortable and feels better if you are being accepted by others than accepting yourself. 

Rescuers

Schindler’s List

 What makes a person “heroic?” 

A "heroic" person does a selfless act . Not because it benefits the individual or that they had to do it but because they cared enough and chose to. A "heroic" person also might risk their lives by doing good deeds. By doing good deeds, like helping an elderly walk across a street, you can still be a hero for helping them out. 


Does a hero possess certain qualities? 


I would say a hero doesn't possess certain qualities because a strength, powers, costumes,etc but they need the willingness to help others in need. Not all heroes have powers, strength, speed, agility, costumes,etc. For example my mom was my hero. She helped me by making me escape from wild dogs and she didn't use strength, agility, costumes,etc. 


Or is a hero defined by his or her actions? 


A hero is defined by his or her actions because if you do something that saved their lives or helped them, they will think of you as their "savior" , but if you do something evil to them, they will think that you are a bad person like a villain. 


Was Schindler a hero?


I would think Schindler is considered to be a hero because he saved the Jewish people by stopping a train and put them into a safe camp. Schindler is a hero to the Jewish people because by making camps for them, they can be safe from the Nazis. Schindler also used a lot of money to help the Jewish people which is what a hero would do. "This time Schlinder was not concerned with making a profit. Indeed he now spent enormous sums of money to keep his workers safe. He began by turning his factory into an official subcamp of a newly constructed labor camp at Plazow." So this is why Schindler is considered to be a hero.

A Poem by Sonia Weitz

Which Sonia Weitz poem did you choose?


The poem that I chose written by Sonia Weitz is "Victory". 


 How can you make a personal connection to the poem?


The main personal connection that I can make to the poem is that I also spent a happy moment with my dad like Sonia Weitz and how she danced with her father in Aushwitz, the concentration camp. Last year ago, I was happy spending time with my father playing tennis. It was fun playing against a hard opponent as he would make me run around the court by using his precise accuracy to hit from left to right, up to down,etc. By playing tennis with my dad, I can have a better relationship and a bond with my dad just like Sonia Weitz. So this is my connection which relates to Sonia Weitz's happy moment.


How did it make you feel?


The poem made me feel very awkward and strange Sonia Weitz said that she couldn't see the ugly barracks, and there was no hunger and no fear. "The ugly barracks disappeared. There was no hunger...and no fear." Sadness also was a feeling because in the poem, she said that she was condemned to die and that her father might possibly die. " Little one, let us dance, We may not have another chance... And me, a child... condemned to die." I also felt happy and joyful that Sonia Weitz could have a good time with her father before anything bad happens later and I also could tell how happy Sonia Weitz was because she couldn't see the barracks, and that she wasn't hungry and scared. 


The annotations on the "Victory" poem by Sonia Weitz included some questions, messages, symbolism,etc. In the beginning, I had a question which was "Why did Sonia Weitz call this poem the Victory?". My group members provided me the answer which was that maybe Sonia Weitz called the moment of happiness the "victory" so I was able to understand it clearly. Towards the middle section, I had questions like "Why does she say My lovely father (once big and strong)?" I asked this question to my group members but didn't get a lot of help on it. There was some messages in the poem which were shown towards the end of the poem. "There are no tools to measure love and only fools would fail to scale your victory." I think this is some kind of message but I can't seem to get the message... There weren't any figurative language like similes. I like how Sonia Weitz used a creative way to attract peoples attention at the end of the poem which shape like tiny little feathers falling. So I think that "Victory" is a good poem to read.

Germany 1918-1933

What conditions were present that allowed Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party to take control of Germany in 1933? 


The economic situation, the death of president of the Weimar Republic, the treaty of Versailles, etc were some of the conditions which allowed Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party to take control of Germany in 1933. The economic situation was a great opportunity for Adolf Hitler to gain control because since the people were frustrated, Adolf Hitler said to everyone that he would make things better for everyone so most of the people trusted him. To Hitler, this depression was like a gift because for every problem the Nazi Party had come up with an explanation or promise. Hitler came to power as chancellor and after the death of Hindenburg he managed to bribe other parties or terrorizing them. This enabling act made him legal dictator of Germany for the next 4 years.  The First World War and the Treaty of Versailles depressed the citizens of Germany because it symbolized the humiliation and the defeat. Since Hitler's viciousness and development appealed, so the people gave him support. Hitler promised to get rid of the Treaty. The Treaty of Versailles made a contract for Germany which made living in Germany very hard. The people of Germany were poor and where upset with the Treaty. They wanted someone to help them out of the hole they were in. .Hitler offered them everything the people wanted. Later the people of Germany where brain washed with posters, radio, newspapers and leaflets. Due to Hitler's speeches which were strong and effective, the Germans liked the idea of having one strong leader. So overall Hitler come to power in many ways.  

Restrictive Laws in Nazi Germany

1.  Who could now be defined as a "Jew"?


People who had three or four Jewish grandparents were defined as a Jew regardless of whether that person recognized himself or herself as a Jew or is part of the Jewish religious community. Even people with Jewish grandparents who had changed religions to Christianity were defined as Jews.


2.  What was meant by "Aryanizing" Jewish Businesses?


 "Aryanizing" Jewish Businesses meant Jewish laborers and managers were set free and the possession of the property of most Jewish businesses was taken over by non-Jewish Germans who bought them at bargain prices fixed by Nazis. 


3.  How were Jews who were professionals (lawyers, doctors etc.) restricted?


Jews who were professionals like lawyers, doctors,etc were restricted for example, Jewish doctors were forbidden to treat non-Jews, and Jewish lawyers were not authorized to practice law.


4.  What did Jewish identity cards need to include now?


Jews identity cards needed to include special identifying marks to theirs: a red "J" stamped on them and new middle names for all the Jews who did not control recognizably "Jewish" first names -- "Israel" for males, "Sara" for females.This kind of system allowed the police to identify Jews easily.


5.  What was the "Law for the Protection of the Hereditary Health of the German People" (sum up in your own words)?


The "Law for the Protection of the Hereditary Health of the German People" needs all destined marriage partners to accomplish from the public health power a certificate of fitness to marry. These certificates are unacceptable to those suffering from "hereditary illnesses" and other deadly diseases and those attempting to marry in misbehavior of the Nuremberg Laws.