Interpreting an image

The picture seems to show a separation between two groups of people - the better dressed ones on the upper level, and those on the lower level who seem more rough in appearance.  However, there is a well-lit bridge right in the middle of the picture, with nobody on it.  Because of the ladder on the right-hand side, it seems like both groups will have access to the bridge.  Perhaps it leads them off of this ship into a better life - in America, I'll guess.

Here is a link to more information.

American Foreign Policy 1898-Present

As our class shifts our focus from the domestic issues that enveloped the United States in its young history to America's role in the world from 1898 to the present, it is important for us to have a sense of the major foreign policy concerns facing the United States today. Ultimately, we will be using the history that we learn to understand, judge, and recommend the choices and decisions for the government to follow in its relationships today.

Three important current foreign policy considerations for the United States are the ongoing war in Afghanistan, Iran's potential nuclear programs, nuclear missile tests by North Korea and the civil unrest in Syria. As we move ahead in this unit you will be asked to make specific connections between these events and the events of the past.

In order to set the context for these connections, today your task will be to form a basic understanding of the current status of two of the three events. For each event, you should have a separate blog post. Each post should not just contain reactions to the event but additionally notes and specific details from the stories, articles and videos you see.  Further, you should keep track of any questions that you have about that event.  Click the links below to be taken to the NY TIMES TOPICS site containing current information and updates about each event. We suggest that you begin by reading the overviews that appear at the start of the page and then browse the different articles, videos, graphics, or other multimedia presentations.
The War in Afghanistan
Syria
Iran
North Korea

When you are finished posting on these topics, you should begin your reading for the weekend.  Calendar is posted here on the blog and in the Imperialism/WWI folder on the website.  If you do not have the new binder, the readings are also posted on the website.  Note the journal/notetaking that is required and defined in the footnotes on the calendar.  You do NOT have to complete the corresponding study guides that are also included in the PDF file for the Imperialism reading.

Race Relations Contd...

Greetings all and Happy Second Semester!
Over the last several weeks we've been exploring the implications of race relations and the Civil Rights Movement on the development of American society and how it relates to the idea of "What it Means to be an American".  Over the next few days, we are going to go beyond the 1960's to continue our exploration of how race continues to make an impact on American identity and culture today.
Thus, today in class, your task is to read about several racial incidents that occurred in the United States sometime between 1980 and today.  Skim through all and choose a few to read thoroughly.  Work to get a sense of why these incidents might be considered important.  What kind of impact might they have on the communities in which they took place?  What impact might they have on whites? on African Americans?
Respond to the articles and answer these questions in a detailed, thoughtful post on your blog.  You do not need to respond to each article individually but should use examples from several in your response.
List of links:
Older-
Eleanor Bumpurs
Michael Griffith
Yvonne Smallwood
Edmund Perry
Amadou Diallo
Newer-

Voter ID Laws
Whites Only Sign

Interracial Marriage

Panera Racial Bias

Gingrich v. Williams at S.C. debate

Racial Incident at MSU
Racial Incident at Williams College

More on Emmett Till

Today we learned about the murder of Emmett Till.  If you want to read the Look magazine article containing the confessions, click here.  You may also want to read some of the letters people wrote to the magazine in the aftermath - you'll find them here.

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

Today in class we heard Lincoln's iconic Gettysburg Address.  We wrote responses to it by "transplanting" a phrase from the speech and using it as the start of a new piece of writing (poem, speech, dialogue, etc.).  We did this twice - once to link the speech to ideas and details from the Civil War, another time to whatever personal connections or insights we had to Lincoln's words.  Here is the text of the speech with hyperlinks to what we had to say.  Clicking on the highlighted text will bring you to the blog of that particular student.

The Gettysburg Address:

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal (2).

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Images of Jim

By today you have read through chapter 23 of Twain's novel.  Yesterday in class we explored the nature of the relationship between Huck and Jim.  We wrote about the ways in which it did / didn't change after the events of chapters 14 and 15.

What are your thoughts about Jim at this point in the novel?  What kind of character is he?  How are you picturing him?

In a new post, respond to the following prompts:

1. Generate a list of 7-9 words you would use to describe Jim in terms of his beliefs, actions, and feelings.
2. Generate a list of 3-5 words you would use to describe Jim in terms of his physical appearance.

Next, go to this gallery of images (you might need to use this one).  These come from a variety of sources but are all illustrations of Jim.  Some of them were images included within the text; others were covers or promotional posters.  Browse through the gallery slowly, spending time looking at each image.  Be aware of these issues (take some notes in your notebook - no need to write anything yet):

• Which characters other than Jim appear in the illustration?
• What are they doing?  What is their physical relationship with each other?
• What is Jim doing? 
• Examine the physical details of Jim - his face, especially eyes and mouth; his expression; his arms; his body - what is the image conveying about him?
• Who holds power in this image?  How is it conveyed?
• Is Jim shown through stereotypes?  Which ones?

Now, select one or two of the images that most closely illustrates the words you used in your post.  Cut and paste that image from the "Images of Jim" post above into your blog post and add a short comment explaining the connection.
Then, select one or two of the images that is least similar to your description - the one furthest from your impression of him.  Again, cut and past them into your post and add a commentary.

Lastly, write a response to these questions:

• Which image most faithfully illustrates the novel's text?  How do Mark Twain's words represent Jim - as more of a character, or a caricature?

Occupy Wall Street and Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience"

What would Thoreau think of the "Occupy Wall Street" movement?

We will explore that hypothetical possibility on our discussions later today.  For now, you will take some time to familiarize yourself with this month-old movement that continues to gain more participants, attention, and analysis.  Browse through some of these sites first, then search for recent stories.  Take notes in your journal to help you to participate in the discussion next period.

http://occupywallst.org/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/occupy-wall-street
http://www.cnn.com/
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/o/occupy_wall_street/index.html

and here's a great collection of photos to browse through:
http://70.32.78.35/symu/lee/2011/10/12/ows-new-photos-oct-12/