The Diary of Anne Frank

In class, we are reading the drama version of "The Diary of Anne Frank." We are learning about Anne Frank and the Holocaust. Here are some comments from the students about the reading:

• "The story gives me perspective about how other people deal with difficult situations." -Raquel R
• "The play gives new life to the Diary of Anne Frank." -Iyanah B
• "If someone has never been in danger, this story puts them in the shoes of someone who needs help." -Zion G
• "This is a survival story. It teaches skills; you never know if this might happen again." -Nancy A
• "Looking at an event through the eyes of another person gives you an idea of how it was during that situation. It is sad to think that this actually did happen." -Dani G

We've also watched some scenes presented by the

San Juan College theater troupe.

Act 1 (above)

Act 2 (above)

Visit Shmoop and watch this video about the Diary of Anne Frank.

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GUEST BLOGGERS

The Diary Of Anne Frank Movie Review

The Diary Of Anne Frank The Movie (based off the diary writings of Anne Frank) was a movie I would recommend. At first I was skeptical about if they cast well because they weren't how I expected the characters to look and act. But once the story went on you saw each character's personality shine through and it stayed true to her thoughts and read off the real things going through her head with the correct emotion. You can find this movie on Netflix, Amazon...and Youtube! Anne and Peter's relationship was perfectly realistic and captured youth at its finest. It was beautiful because they found love in a world of hate. It also covered the entire Frank family gathered around the the radio listening to Hitler's words of hate to the Jewish society and crying together. Capturing all emotion and hitting all the soft spots of your heart.

-Lucie D.

Two Truths and A Lie

1. When I was in 5th grade I had good grades except for English I had A  D+. It was the worst feeling ever. I did not want to show my parents because I new they would be mad at me. When I got home and showed them, they told me I was not going to have a good summer, and that summer was bad for me.

2. I used to get straight A’s when I was in elementary school and it was really easy for me. When I went to JR high it was so much different. It was a challenge to get a B. I had to work my butt off to make my parents happy. All of my hard work payed off at the end of the school year because I made my parents happy, and I got all B’s.

3. Last summer, I went on vacation. My family and I were hiking and we went through the water instead of the trail. It was all good. We were having fun, but when we got to the top, there was a hole on top of the waterfall. You could not see it because the water was running over it. I accidentally stepped in the hole and I fell ten feet down and hit my leg on a rock. I felt like I was going to die. I prayed to god that I make it out and thanks to god I made it out alive.

-Marcos B

Volunteer

There is so much uncertainty in our world, in our country, and in our communities. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed and powerless when I read the news about terrorism around the world, immigrants (legal and illegal) being separated from their children in our country, and the deterioration of the Oroville Dam spillway here in the Northstate. 

Just this week, less than 30 minutes away, people I know have been forced to evacuate their homes. 200,000 people in Butte County have been displaced and are unsure of their futures. 

All of these events make me feel impotent and helpless. But there is something I can do. There is something all of us can do to have a positive impact on the community around us.

My wife, Ange Bledsoe, has experience with volunteering that she has agreed to share with us.

Volunteering is a great way to connect with your community, provide assistance to people in need, and have new and exciting experiences. Bonus: you get to feel awesome about your good deeds!! Double bonus: making new friends who are like-minded!

Everyone can volunteer, regardless of their age, gender, race, sexual orientation, or other characteristic. Here are a few ways that you (yes YOU!) can get involved.

1. Find out what interests you and if your community offers those services, get involved. For example, maybe you love horses. A simple google search reveals a Butte County non-profit called Handi Riders (http://www.handi-riders.org/) which provides therapeutic services to children and adults with special needs. If you love horses, I just did part of the work for you!

2. Contact local non-profits and ask how you can help. You can do this online, in person, or over the phone. Often times, non-profits don't have a ton of employees so this is a great way to volunteer and gain valuable skills like organizing, answering phones, and basic computer skills.

3. Donate your time once you get connected. Be flexible and willing to help wherever you are needed. You will be appreciated!

4. If you don't have time due to other commitments like school and family, supporting your favorite organization is possible simply by sharing important information with your friends. If you know of events that are happening in the future, use your social media page to promote them.

Do you volunteer? Where? What suggestions do you have for others? Share in the comments section below.

Terrible Things

This week in class we read "Terrible Things." It is an allegory. An allegory is a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. 

Here is an animated version for you to watch.

What do you think is the message here? Share in the comments section.

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GUEST BLOGGERS


Question of the Week

“What’s your all time favorite sport?” Last night I asked my brother Rashad  that question. He answered by saying “basketball”. Then he started to go on and on about it. He started liking basketball at the age of 7. He thought it was cool and interesting to watch. He wanted to try the sport. He started watching youtube videos about Russell Westbrook and his techniques. Then he started to be a good fan of Russell Westbrook. After watching a few videos about Westbrook, the next couple of days he went outside to practice basketball and try to be like Westbrook. He practiced and practiced and practiced until he got Westbrook’s basic moves down. He really wanted to become like that player, so he started to learn more about him.

He got to the point where he wanted to be on a traveling basketball team. So he did. He went to one of the tryouts one day and then gave it his all. He showed all the coaches what he could do and by the time he was done with the day, they already got the email asking him to be on the team. He was so excited. He got to be the number 0, just like Westbrook. The season started and he just became more confident about himself.

-Jada S.

Movie Review 

The Right Stuff

The Right Stuff was a movie about space. These people were trying out to be the first men in space, and there were all these different tasks they had to complete. There were hundreds of people trying out. It was really stressful for them and their family members. There were seven astronauts altogether. There were many side stories as well.

In the beginning there was a really cool intro that gets you interested in the movie. It said there was a demon that lived in the air, and whoever challenged it would die. Their controls would freeze up. The plane would buffet wildly, and they would disintegrate. The air would not move out of the way. The demon lived behind the sound barrier that no man could ever pass, but then eventually a man broke the sound barrier.

-Jesse C.

Book Review

Killing Mr Griffin  (spoilers)

The book Killing Mr Griffin is an amazing thriller written by Lois Duncan. In the story, five kids decide to pull a prank on their English teacher Mr Griffin, but it all goes wrong. Mr Griffin is a very strict teacher with no heart. Thinking it will make him less strict Mark, Jeff, David, Betsy, and Susan decide to scare him. Susan, being the top student, takes a meeting with Mr Griffin. After the meeting he goes outside where the boys put a bag over his head and drive to a location only they know about. While this is happening Susan get’s a ride to the location with Betsy. Once at the location the students blindfold Mr Griffin and disguise their voices. They try to scare Mr Griffin by saying there going to kill them but he doesn't buy it. After a while of conversation Mark announces that he's going to leave him there, and the others have no choice but to do so. It's the next day that Susan decides to check on Mr Griffin and takes Dave along. Upon arriving they realize Mr Griffin is DEAD, and the rest of the book is spent trying to cover their tracks.

-Iyanah B