Chipmunks can be quite dramatic ...

Viral Videos are a media-related cultural phenomenon worth examining: They are a marketer's dream, and ... oh, who am I kidding? They are fun to watch, as we take a break before we get back into writing editorials and opinions.




(19 milion views)



(35 million views)

Famous for being famous?

1. Go ahead and finish up our Truman Webquest from yesterday ... then take a look below.

2. There's no question the impact of reality TV on our culture has been huge; before we move on, let's take a last look at reality TV in this Time Magazine article.

The writer's stance is pretty clear: Please read this article and summarize it in a short essay; take this opportunity to summarize your own thoughts on reality television and its impact on our culture.

3. As budding journalists and keen observers of culture, let's take a look at a phenomenon closely related to the whole reality TV explosion: Being famous for being famous!

This is a serious cultural phenomenon worthy of examination: A quick Google search for the term: famous for being famous produces 53 million search results. That's significant.

As a comparison, searching for ice cream produces 59 million results; A search for santa claus returns 15 million results.

Question: What do the popularity of these people say about our culture? What do you feel about celebrity being achieved - without any actual or substantial achievement involved?

Which celebrities do you personally feel are the most overrated, or have achieved fame without any actual accomplishment?

4. Take a moment and get to know Rod Blagojevich.

Years ago this man would have been banished from public life; now, following a serious scandal, Rod found a home on Trump's reality TV show "Celebrity Apprentice."

Question: Again, put on your cultural observer cap. Does this bother you - the fact this disgraced politician found a home in our living rooms instead of disappearing into the dustbin of history?

Why or why not? It's okay to be opinionated, as we are about to move into examining newspaper editorials and opinions.

Last question: What's the difference between editorials and opinion columns, anyway?

Celebrities say the darndest things!

(1:30 - 2:16) Here is actor Sean Penn suggesting that journalists who criticize Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez should go to jail.




Here's the E-Trade commercial that aired during the SuperBowl ... and angered Linday Lohan. She's now suing the investment company for $100 Million dollars.

Truman Show Thinkquest

Reflecting on the above videos ...

1. As budding journalists, how might you explain to Mr. Penn that jailing journalists for criticizing leaders is a bad thing? Use the First Amendment in your answer.

2. If you take a moment to learn about Mr. Chavez and the charges of a state-controlled media and jailed dissenting journalists, why is Penn's statement deeply ironic?

3. When you first watched the E*Trade video above, did you think they were referring to Lindsay Lohan? Do you feel there is validity to her lawsuit?


Back to Truman ...

The Truman Show raises many deep questions about society, media and culture directly related to our previous and upcoming discussions and projects.

So before we move on, let's take a closer look at this film. Please answer each question thoroughly and thoughtfully: Use Word or paper - your choice. This assignment is due Wednesday March 10 at the start of class.

1. This movie has been called prophetic, in terms of predicting the rise and impact of reality TV on our culture. Do you agree?

2. Is reality TV real? To what extent?

3. When did The Real World first air? How has reality TV changed since this show's debut?

The quotes of the show's producer, Christof, bring up some intense ethical issues. I'm paraphrasing these as closely as possible:

4. "Truman prefers this world; yours is the sick world."

What does this quote tell you about Christof?

5. When asked how Truman has believed his false reality so long, Cristof replies, "People accept the reality with which they are presented."

Do you believe this is the case?

6. How do you feel toward Christof? Why?

7. What do you feel this film is saying about the concept of free will?

8. When Truman reaches the wall, at the end of his traumatic boat ride, he pounds on the wall and weeps. What do you think he is feeling at this moment?

Monday March 8: Frenemies, Immigrants and Liberty

1. Use a thesaurus to find two (2) synonyms for each word:

elect
hyperactive
distracted
putrid
admonitions
clenched
inconsolable

2. Meet the author: Who is Julia Alvarez? (born in 1950)

Write 1 paragraph about her background.

3. Sometimes the title of a work gives big clues to its theme. Think Night.

What do you think a fictional work by Alvarez titled "Liberty" might be about?

What about a poem titled "Exile?"

4. Imagine you are forced to leave home suddenly.

What are the top three things you would want to bring with you and why?

What will you miss most about your home?

5. Genre refers to the kind, or type, of literature.

What tools and techniques do you think the writer of a short story uses to convey the message of theme?

What about a poem: What tools and techniques would be used to convey theme here?

And nonfiction (like a newspaper article): How would theme be conveyed in a factual article?

6. Many of you are using the term "frenemies" to describe the theme of Unit 4. Define this term.

7. What challenges might immigrants face when coming to this country? Use the concept of "frenemies" in your answer.

8. Draw a picture of what liberty means to you. Try and capture this theme in a piece of art you create. See Mr. Bank for crayons.

9. When you are finished, read Liberty on page 296, and answer the six questions on page 303.

Freshman Lit: Mini Quest: Troubles in Ireland

Before reading the nonfiction items in our text ...

> A Country Divided pg. 282

> Lives in the Crossfire pg. 286

> Internment pg. 289

> Peace Isn't Impossible pg. 290

... take a moment and complete this mini webquest.

1. What is a primary source? Give an example

2. What is a secondary source? Give an example

Use the following words in an original sentence:

3. intolerance

4.negotiations

5. designate

6. absorb

7. reunification

8. divergent

9. coerced

10. abhor

11. optimist

12. condone

13. Answer this question thoughtfully and in detail:

Why is there fighting in Northern Ireland?

When did this conflict start, and why?

Who is fighting who?

What role does religion play in the conflict?

Freshman Writing Workshop: Theme (3.3.10)

Background: Universal Themes

There are universal concerns and experiences that tie us together as humans - across time, place and culture. These themes find expression in the artwork and literature of various cultures.

One of the themes we are studying in Collection 4 is the often-blurred line between Friends and Enemies: Frienimies, as you guys have taken to calling it.

From Irish snipers on rooftops, to soldiers in the 1950s Korean conflict, loyalties become divided between duty and honor, and family and friendships.

Writing Workshop Part 1: Pre-Write

Use the graphic organizer I've handed out (or print out this one) and fill out the following informational chart (add two rows at the bottom - add rows E and F).

Fill it out with this information:

The Sniper . Cranes

Main Character:
Character's Conflict:
Character's Motives:
What Character Learns:
How Conflict is Resolved:
Statement of Theme:


Fill in your organizer, and show me your work before continuing.


Writing Workshop Part 2: Comparing Themes Across Different Works

Now it's time to compare and contrast the themes of Sniper and Cranes.

Step 1: Gather information. Done! We just did this with our graphic organizer. Nice ...

Step 2: Meet the Block Method. This is where you first write a paragraph about one story, then write a second paragraph about the second story. The paragraphs sit on top of each other, like blocks. You build your essay like you are building a story out of Legos.

So your essay will follow this format:

Introduction: First tell the reader what works you are comparing - title, author, background info, etc. Also, start out with your thesis statement in this first intro paragraph.

Body: Write on The Sniper (block 1), then write on Cranes (block 2). Use your guide! Each "block" should contain:

Main Character
Character's Conflict
Character's Motives
What Character Learns
How Conflict is Resolved
Statement of Theme

**note on theme - you need a full sentence: themes can't be summed up adequately with a single word.

Conclusion: Sum up your major points, and introduce a new thought.

Tips: Provide examples, details and quotations to support your thesis.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

look! look! pay attention here!

Story should be structured like:

Intro

Sniper block

Cranes block

Conclusion

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Editing Process: When you are done writing, turn in your paper and begin the peer editing process. We are going to swap papers with each other, and grade according to our checklists.

Turn in your work: Once our final paper is written, turn in three things to me:

Your 1. graphic organizer
2. edited copy
3. final copy - all stapled together.


(all ideas taken from your Holt textbook; see page 260 and 280 for clarification/magnification).