The Final Project: The Holocaust and Pop Culture

In my eighth grade English class, we spend a semester on an in-depth study of the Holocaust. In order to best teach this subject it is important for students to really understand the history. To make sure that they have a deeper understanding of what happened, we spend a considerable time reading articles and researching information on the official Holocaust Museum Website . My hope is that students will not only become better writers and understand the complexities of the writing process, but also gain a true understanding of the history of genocide throughout the world, our role in that, and a deeper understanding of what the victims went through. Now if I can empower my students to take this a step further and really take action by raising money for victims in Darfur, for example, that would be an added bonus.

Some expectations for this unit are as follows:

1) Students will be expected to blog weekly about information related to the topic of genocide. They can either choose to link articles and respond to them or choose five quotations that pertain to this theme and analyze them.

2) Students will view the documentary One Survivor Remembers and then participate in a service learning project of their choice.

3) Students will be expected to create a poster that highlights ten interesting facts about an Olympic athlete from the Nazi Olympics held in Berlin and include at least one visual aid.

4) Students will study the regions where genocide has occurred and still is occurring in places like Rwanda, Darfur, Burma, and Sri Lanka and compare these to the Holocaust in Europe.

5 ) Students will be expected to research either the position of pro-war or anti-war after viewing and discussing the pros and cons of each.

6) Students will study and analyze protest music from different time periods including the Holocaust and compare/contrast the issues.

7) Students will be expected to create an i-movie showcasing their self-created protest song.

8) Students will be expected to write an 8-10 page research paper on any topic related to genocide.

Activity One:

Before we read the Diary of Anne Frank we spend time in literature circles examining articles on Adolf Hitler, SS Soldiers, concentration camps, the ghettos, people who put their lives at risk to hide these fugitives, as well as Holocaust survivor stories. I have also had them get into small groups and read/discuss young people’s diaries from around the world that were faced with the Holocaust and have them compare them to Anne Frank as well as what it would be like to be a teenager living in these conditions.

We then watch the award-winning documentary film One Survivor Remembers which tells the empowering story of the Holocaust survivor Gerda Weissman Klein. Follow-up questions could be:

1) What kind of inner strength must one possess in order to survive something so tragic?
2) What characteristics do you see in Gerda?

Teaching Tolerance has great materials that they allow you to preview and in most cases get for free. After viewing the movie, they could spend a few days doing the activities explained below.

	In September 2005, Teaching Tolerance released "One Survivor Remembers," a teaching kit built around the incredible life story of Holocaust survivor Gerda Weissman Klein. This lesson is an excerpt from the accompanying teacher's guide. Grades: 8 and up Objectives Students will gain an understanding of the plight of the Jews during the Holocaust Students will understand the dangers of hate and extremism Students will empathize having one's possessions taken away Time and Materials One or two class periods Twenty pounds of flour, sugar or potatoes (optional) Context In the film, Gerda Weissmann recalls being told her family had to leave their home with no more than 20 pounds of belongings, a plight shared by many Jews. On the day the lesson is introduced, 20 pounds of flour, sugar or potatoes may be presented to the class — and passed around for students to hold — as an example of what 20 pounds represents. The One-Day Lesson Ask students to imagine being forced to leave their homes. They are allowed 20 pounds of their most precious possessions. What would they take? What would they be forced to leave behind? How would this make them feel? On what would they base their choices? Would monetary value mean less or more than emotional/personal value? Why? Also discuss the difference between packing for a vacation — the choices being made for a trip in which you plan to return home — compared with being forced from your home, never to return. Other examples — recent devastation by hurricanes in Florida or wild fires in California — might help students understand forced departure, but be careful to distinguish between devastation caused by nature and devastation caused by human hatred. Extending the Lesson Ask students to pose the same scenario to family members or guardians: You are being forced to leave your home and will be allowed to take only 20 pounds of personal belongings. What do you choose and why? Have students record answers, identifying the differences and similarities between their own answers and answers from their loved ones. Then have students write a one-page paper about their family's responses. The teacher also may complete this exercise and share it with the class. After the reports are presented, have students list the range of emotions they and their families experienced during this exercise.

Teaching Tolerance also has a wonderful Service Learning Project that goes along with the movie as well.

	Teach students how to become active in their communities with service-learning projects. Objectives Students will understand that knowledge and understanding can move us to action Students will critically analyze an issue in their community Students will develop a plan of action for a service-learning project Time and Materials An ongoing class project A planning sheet (PDF) to help guide the project "Ilse, a childhood friend of mine, once found a raspberry in the camp and carried it in her pocket all day to present to me that night on a leaf. Imagine a world in which your entire possession is one raspberry, and you give it to your friend." -- Gerda Weissmann Klein You have no doubt been moved by the film One Survivor Remembers. Now, the question looms: What can I do to make a difference in the world? This lesson introduces a service-learning project on hunger. It is complete with action steps and resources. Gerda Weissmann experienced tremendous hunger during her years in slave-labor camps and along the death march; consequently, ending hunger is a priority for The Gerda and Kurt Klein Foundation. In this service-learning project, students will take action to help end hunger in their own communities. During the discussion and planning, help students understand that small steps matter; no one can overcome a societal problem alone, but everyone can do his or her part. NOTE: This service-learning project focuses on hunger. Treat it as a model. Students may choose other issues to address. Invite students to identify issues beyond hunger in their community as they take action to improve the world. You may brainstorm, in small groups or as a class, 10 issues that students are concerned about. (Examples: homelessness, discrimination, hate crimes, poverty, the elderly, bullying, etc.) Which one seems to garner the most interest? Select one on which to focus. Hunger Service-Learning Project: A Model for Student Action Step 1: Hunger Today In the United States, more than 33 million people and more than one-third of them children experience hunger. Food pantries and food kitchens feed more than 13 million people each month in the United States. Have students explore the websites listed below to find out more facts about hunger (or their chosen issue) in their community, in their state, in their nation and the world. Step 2: Discussion Use the research from Step 1 to discuss the following: Why are there people in this abundant world who are hungry? How many people suffer from hunger in the United States? Who are they? Are numbers rising or declining? What organizations exist to address hunger? Is this adequate? What does the term "food insecurity" mean? Who is affected by food insecurity? What is being done to alleviate hunger in our own community? Is it adequate? Is hunger too large a problem for one person to solve? Does that mean we shouldn't do anything? Step 3: Service-Learning Project Use the accompanying planning sheet to guide the project. Questions for consideration: What can we do to alleviate hunger in our community? How long can we do it? Is our plan a short-term answer or a long-term answer? Who can help us? Step 4: Reflection During and after the project, students may answer the following questions through written reflections, discussions and dialogue with each other and their community: What went well about the project? What can we improve upon next time? What have we learned about hunger? About our community? About ourselves? What is the next step, and how will we take it? Resources Visit The Klein Foundation and click on "How to Take Action" for more service-learning resources addressing hunger. Also visit these websites: Know Hunger America's Second Harvest Oxfam America National Service-Learning Clearinghouse USA Freedom Corps Heifer International Read to Feed

Activity two:

The next project is to have students look at information from the Nazi Olympics. Students analyze and study the opinions of people and analyze the controversy surrounding the Olympics being held in Germany at this time. Students then spend time with a partner looking at an on-line exhibition on the Nazi Olympics looking specifically at the preparations, re-militarization, Nazi propaganda, facade of hospitality, opening of the games, athletic competition, African American athletes, Jewish athletes, and the Nazi control of the Olympics. The follow-up questions would be as follows:

1) Explain in your own words the controversy surrounding the 1936 Olympics being help in Berlin?
2) What were some of the world responses?
3) Do you personally think that the Olympics should have been held in Berlin? Why or why not?
4) How would you feel if you were an African American athlete?
5) How would you feel if you were a Jewish athlete?
6) How would you feel if you were told that you could not participate in the Olympics at all because of your race?
7) Define the term racial hygiene.
8) What was something that interested you that you did not know before?

Students would learn a brief history of The Berlin Olympics as well as the controversy surrounding it, analyze Olympic posters from the time period, as well as famous athletes. Another helpful website is The United States Holocaust Encyclopedia. Students should also listen to the podcast on the previous website. Now that there is a stirring controversy over China hosting the 2008 Olympic Games, Susan Bachrach, a U.S. Holocaust Museum historian, discusses a similar controversy people had with the Berlin Games.

Follow up questions could be:
1) What is the problem with China hosting the 2008 Olympic Games?
2) Compare/Contrast the controversies between the two.

Here is a video clip that looks at the protests of the China Olympics 2008:






Olympic Research Assessment:
They would then get with a partner and they would be expected to choose an Olympic athlete from the Winter Games. Some important athletes are as follows:

1) Herman Goldberg--Baseball Olympian and a Jewish-American
2) Helene Mayer--Fencing Olympian and a Jewish-American
3) Jesse Owens--Track and Field Olympian--African American

They would need to find at least ten interesting facts about them and create a poster that highlights their life and experience at the Nazi Olympics. They should also include at least one visual aid. They would then present their posters in front of the class.

Activity three:

Next, I like to extend this topic to genocide around the world today. I think it would be interesting to show clips from the controversy in Rwanda in 1994. Here are some clips from this:



Not only was this going on in Rwanda, but it is currently going on in many regions throughout the world. After Hitler's Holocaust, the world said never again, but it is clear that this is not the case. My daughter's Montessori teacher is from Sri Lanka. When the Tsunami hit, she was very worried about her relatives because they live in the northern part of Sri Lanka where the government is clearly starving her people. When countries like the United States would send relief packages to Sri Lanka, the supplies were not allowed to go into the northern region. Here is a few video clips of what is happening in Sri Lanka.






Another region that is faced with ethnic cleansing and genocide as we speak is in Burma. Here are some video clips from this region:



After viewing all videos have students discuss and answer these follow up questions:

1) Do you think genocide is a problem that we should concern ourselves with and why?
2) Why do you think the United Nations is not getting involved?
3) Do we have a moral obligation to help these victims? Why or why not?
4) Why does genocide still exist today?

Activity four:

Holocaust Paeida Seminar Questions
Directions: Choose any of the three questions from below. Prepare a thoughtful response to each question and be prepared to share your responses with the class. Additionally, generate one original question of your own. You will be expected to contribute this question to the class discussion.

1) Can a person be convinced to do things by peer pressure? How did peer pressure influence behavior in Nazi controlled Europe? What are some examples of peer pressure today?

2) Hitler planned to destroy the Jews. Additionally, he planned to oppress all Non-Aryan people; this would have included many whites. How did this attitude and prejudice generate such hatred toward racial and cultural groups? What are the attitudes that create today's prejudices?

3) The Nazi propaganda to communicate their ideals to the German people and to convince them to hate the Jews--particularly with political cartoons. How can public opinion/views be controlled today if only one side of the story were reported or depicted?

4) There were people in Nazi controlled Europe who resisted the politics and efforts of the Nazi government. Discuss consequences a person had to consider before risking his/her life to help the Jews?

5) If a law is perceived as unjust, what are appropriate ways to change it?

6) How do common problems divide people? How do common problems unite people? What are some common problems in society/school that could be solved if people were to work together?

7) Many neighbors, friends, and business partners of European Jews turned them in to the Nazi/Gestapo units. Taking the lives of civilians/non-combatants became routine for the Nazis. Why do you think it became easy for the Nazis to murder, or why it became common for close acquaintances to betray people who were once close to them?

8) Should the topic of the Holocaust be studied in schools today? Why? What value, if any, can be derived from studying an event that happened so long ago?

Activity five:

The first debate that I would like to have the students argue is looking at the reasons they are either pro-war or anti-war. When they have had time to do this, students would be put into small groups to share their opinions. The next assignment would involve extending this idea by looking at and critically analyzing protest music that supports their position and their viewpoints. Once they have had time to watch these pro-war or anti-war videos, they would spend time writing a five paragraph persuasive essay that would convince the class that their position is the right position.

Persuasive Essay Assessment:

___Know your subject. Do not take an issue that you know very little about. Get all the facts first.

___Take a stand. Don't say that you are kinda for it. Too wishy-washy. Make up your mind and then stick with it through your whole paper.

___Give evidence. Give your reader sound reasons to be on your side of things. Don't just say that the other sides are stupid.

___Picture the reader. Get a picture of the reader in your mind. Pretend that he or she does not agree with you. Then, decide how to convince them.

___Offer more than one reason for each major point.

___Keep the big picture in mind. Good persuasive writing helps people make up their minds. think of yourself as a tour guide pointing out the important arguments of the tour of your topic.

___Save your best argument for last. What you say toward the end of your paper is what will stay with the reader.

___Use passion, not emotion. care about your topic, but you still need the force of logic.

___Make sure that your paper has five paragraphs: an introduction, at least three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

___Proper grammar and punctuation.


Anti-War Analysis:

This next clip is of Bob Dylan's song "Masters of War," which when first released, was protesting the Vietnam War. (Eddie Veter from Pearl Jam has done a cover of it, however, I prefer the original). The YouTube video shows how this song definitely transcends time and is most appropriate in relation to how some feel currently about the war in Iraq today. I have also included the lyrics as well.

It would be interesting to have students just read the lyrics alone, and write down any images or thoughts that came to their mind. Then, have them listen to the song with the lyrics and have them note if their views about the lyrics/song changed, and lastly watch the video, and comment on that as well.

Other follow-up questions might be:

1) Who is the speaker?
2)What examples of descriptive imagery did you find?
3)Who are these "Masters of War" and how does the speaker feel about them?

This also lends itself to a deeper teaching of the Holocaust and genocide that we teach in the spring as well. The overarching question that I would like to address to students is what are we not learning from our past that makes us prone to keep repeating it or do you think war is inevitable? Why or why not?

Bob Dylan's Masters of War lyrics

Come you masters of war You that build all the guns You that build the death planes You that build the big bombs You that hide behind walls You that hide behind desks I just want you to know I can see through your masks You that never done nothin' But build to destroy You play with my world Like it's your little toy You put a gun in my hand And you hide from my eyes And you turn and run farther When the fast bullets fly Like Judas of old You lie and deceive A world war can be won You want me to believe But I see through your eyes And I see through your brain Like I see through the water That runs down my drain You fasten the triggers For the others to fire Then you set back and watch When the death count gets higher You hide in your mansion As young people's blood Flows out of their bodies And is buried in the mud You've thrown the worst fear That can ever be hurled Fear to bring children Into the world For threatening my baby Unborn and unnamed You ain't worth the blood That runs in your veins How much do I know To talk out of turn You might say that I'm young You might say I'm unlearned But there's one thing I know Though I'm younger than you Even Jesus would never Forgive what you do Let me ask you one question Is your money that good Will it buy you forgiveness Do you think that it could I think you will find When your death takes its toll All the money you made Will never buy back your soul And I hope that you die And your death'll come soon I will follow your casket In the pale afternoon And I'll watch while you're lowered Down to your deathbed And I'll stand o'er your grave 'Til I'm sure that you're dead

Copyright © 1963; renewed 1991 Special Rider Music

This clip highlights Bright Eyes song When the President Talks to God. This is a anti- war protest song that is aimed at the Bush administration. What I like about this song is that it was created in the 21st century and may have more student appeal. I would have the students do the same activity that they did with "Masters of War" outlined above and then compare/contrast the two songs. It would be a great extension project to my Holocaust unit to have them research protest songs throughout history and then create their own protest song/i-movie and present these in small or large groups. Here are the song lyrics and a video I found.



When the president talks to God
Are the conversations brief or long?
Does he ask to rape our women’s' rights
And send poor farm kids off to die?
Does God suggest an oil hike
When the president talks to God?

When the president talks to God
Are the consonants all hard or soft?
Is he resolute all down the line?
Is every issue black or white?
Does what God say ever change his mind
When the president talks to God?

When the president talks to God
Does he fake that drawl or merely nod?
Agree which convicts should be killed?
Where prisons should be built and filled?
Which voter fraud must be concealed
When the president talks to God?

When the president talks to God
I wonder which one plays the better cop
We should find some jobs. the ghetto's broke
No, they're lazy, George, I say we don't
Just give 'em more liquor stores and dirty coke
That's what God recommends

When the president talks to God
Do they drink near beer and go play golf
While they pick which countries to invade
Which Muslim souls still can be saved?
I guess god just calls a spade a spade
When the president talks to God

When the president talks to God
Does he ever think that maybe he's not?
That that voice is just inside his head
When he kneels next to the presidential bed
Does he ever smell his own bullshit
When the president talks to God?

I doubt it

I doubt it

Follow-up Questions:

1) What is the tone of this poem and why?
2) What is the speaker's overall message and more importantly is it effective? Why or why not?
3) What are the speaker's problems with the President?
4) Is this image of the President talking to God useful? Why or why not?
5) How does the poet use repitition to get his point across?


This next clip has to deal with John Lennon's song Merry Christmas, War is Over. I chose this one because I think it would be interesting to have the students analyze the song and the video looking specifically at the irony between the lyrics and the imagery created in the video. What is Lennon trying to tell us?




The next clip is a great duet with Mary Blige and Bonno singing U2's hit One. This song is very powerful and is even more so with the video. The video highlights the horrors of the genocide currently going on in Darfur. It would be useful to have the students analyze the lyrics and video and then compare it to what we studying in our eighth grade English class about the Holocaust.




<




One by U2
Is it getting better
Or do you feel the same
Will it make it easier on you
Now you got someone to blame

You say
One love
One life
When its one need
In the night
Its one love
We get to share it
It leaves you baby
If you don't care for it

Did I disappoint you?
Or leave a bad taste in your mouth?
You act like you never had love
And you want me to go without

Well its too late
Tonight
To drag tha past out
Into the light
Were one
But were not the same
We get to carry each other
Carry each other
One

Have you come here for forgiveness
Have you come tor raise the dead
Havew you come here to play jesus
To the lepers in your head
Did I ask too much
More than a lot
You gave me nothing
Now its all I got
Were one
But were not the same
We hurt each other
Then we do it again

You say
Love is a temple
Love a higher law
Love is a temple
Love the higher law
You ask me to enter
But then you make me crawl
And I cant be holding on
To what you got
When all you got is hurt

One love
One blood
One life
You got to do what you should

One life
With each other
Sisters
Brothers

One life
But were not the same
We get to carry each other
Carry each other

One

One.

Follow-up Questions:

1) Who is the speaker trying to address?
2) How could this song address the theme of genocide?
3) What is the poet's overall message?

Pro-War Analysis:

Here is a song by Toby Keith entitled The American Soldier



I'm just trying to be a father
raise a daughter and a son
be a lover to their mother
everything to everyone

Up and at 'em bright and early
I'm all business in my suit
Yeah, I'm dressed up for success
From my head down to my boots

I don't do it for the money
There's bills that I can't pay
I don't do it for the glory
I just do it anyway

Providing for our future's my responsibility
Yeah I'm real good under pressure
Being all that I can be
I can't call in sick on Mondays
When the weekend's been too strong
I just work straight through the holidays
Sometimes all night long

You can bet that I stand ready
when the wolf growls at the door
Yeah I'm solid, yeah I'm steady
Hey I'm true down to the core

And I will always do my duty
No matter what the price
I've counted up the cost
I know the sacrifice
Oh and I don't wanna die for you
But if dying's asked of me
I'll bear that cross with honor
Cause freedom don't come free

I'm an American soldier
An American
Beside my brothers and my sisters
I will proudly take a stand
When liberty's in jeopardy
I'll always do what's right
I'm out here on the front line
So sleep in peace at night
I'm an American soldier
I'm an American soldier


Yeah an American soldier
An American
Beside my brothers and my sisters
I will proudly take a stand
When liberty's in jeopardy
I'll always do what's right
I'm out here on the front lines
So sleep in peace at night
I'm an American soldier
I'm an American
An American
An American soldier



1) What are the words used to describe the soldiers?
2) What examples of patriotism can you find?
3) Based on this song, what characteristics must a soldier have?
4) What images does Toby Keith create in this song?

Here is a video in honor of our troops:





Here is another song by Toby Keith, Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue






Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)
Toby Keith

American Girls and American Guys
We’ll always stand up and salute
We’ll always recognize
When we see Old Glory Flying
There’s a lot of men dead
So we can sleep in peace at night
When we lay down our head

My daddy served in the army
Where he lost his right eye
But he flew a flag out in our yard
’til the day that he died
He wanted my mother, and my brother, my sister and me
To grow up and live happy
In the land of the free.

Now this nation that I love
Has fallen under attack
A mighty sucker punch came flyin in
From somewhere in the back
Soon as we could see clearly
Through our big black eye
Man, we lit up your world
Like the 4th of July

Hey Uncle Sam
Put your name at the top of his list
And the Statue of Liberty
Started shakin her fist
And the eagle will fly
And its gonna be hell
When you hear Mother Freedom
Start ringin her bell
It’ll feel like the whole wide world is raining down on you
Aw brought to you Courtesy of the Red White and Blue


Justice will be served
And the battle will rage
This big dog will fight
When you rattle his cage
You’ll be sorry that you messed with
The U.S. of A.
'Cause we'll put a BOOT in your ass
It's the American way

Hey Uncle Sam
Put your name at the top of his list
And the Statue of Liberty
Started shakin’ her fist
And the eagle will fly
Man, it’s gonna be hell
When you hear mother Freedom
Start ringin’ her bell
And it feels like the whole wide world is raining down on you now
Aw brought to you Courtesy of the Red White and Blue

Follow-up Questions:
1) What re-ocurring motifs does Keith use to symbolize patriotism?
2) What is the overall message of this song?
3) What images does he create to support his opinion?

Another patriotic song to have students analyze is the following one, You Do Your Thing, I'll Do Mine by Montgomery Gentry.


Put me on a mountain, way back in the back woods
Put me on a lake with pickin on the line
Put me 'round a campfire cookin' something I just cleaned
You do your thing, I'll do mine

I ain't tradin' in my family's safety
Just to save a little gas
And I'll pray to God any place, any time
And you can bet I'll pick up the phone if Uncle Sam calls me up
You do your thing, I'll do mine

Hey, I'll worry about me
You just worry about you
And I'll believe what I believe
And you believe what you believe too

I ain't gonna spare the rod
Cuz that ain't what my daddy did
And I sure know the difference between wrong and right
You know, to me it's all just common sense
A broken rule, a consequence
You do your thing, I'll do mine

Hey, I'll worry about me
You just worry about you
And I'll believe what I believe
And you believe what you believe too

I'm gonna keep on working hard
Make my money the old-fashioned way
I don't wanna piece of someone else's pie
If I don't get my fill on life I ain't gonna blame no one but me
You do your thing, I'll do mine

You ain't gonna be my judge
Cuz my judge will judge us all one day
You do your thing, I'll do mine

Follow-up Questions

1) What does Gentry mean by "You do your thing, and I'll do mine?" Furthermore, what kind of a world would we live in if people just did whatever they wanted?

2) What are some of his political views brought to light through this song?

I would first ask the class to define protest music in their own words. I would then ask them to share what protest songs or artists they are familiar with, as well as what issues or themes have been explored through the use of protest music.

Once we have had time to critically analyze current day protest music, I would then ask students the following questions:
1) How long has protest music been around?
2) What artists or musicians are you familiar with that protest war, life, being a teenager, etc.

I would then explain that protest music has been documented as early as the 17th century. The reason being is that there have been injustices in our world since the beginning of time. In the 17th century, people were upset about taxes so they were protesting that, during slavery, Negro spirituals were important protests songs, during the Women's suffrage Movement people sang about it, during the 1960's Martin Luther King spoke about the injustices and John Lennon, Bob Dylan, and many others wrote music pushing for equal rights for all.

Next, I would pose the question to students about the Holocaust. Do you think there was protest music then? What would the themes of this music be about. I would then pair them up and have them look at the following website on Holocaust Music

There focus would be the following:
1) What were street songs and what were they protesting about?
2) What were domestic songs and what were they protesting about?
3) What were the songs of the camps and what were they protesting about?
4) Read the list of important people. List three and tell a little bit about their contribution to this time period.
5) Do you think protest songs helped the plight of the victims of the Holocaust? Why or why not?
6) What then are the purposes of protest songs?


Once students finished this, I think the next step would be to introduce protest music looking specifically at it’s purpose and whether or not it has been effective throughout history. One helpful website is The Top Twenty Protest Songs. Another helpful website looks at Vietnam Songs.

Decade Project Assessment:
They could present this information by way of our class wiki. They would need to include visual aids as well. It would be their choice in how to highlight this information to the class. They would also be reminded that they are to be the experts of this decade, so make sure that they know enough. Essentially the overarching goal would be to see if their views changed or stayed the same regarding protest music’s ability to change society on a local, global, or international level. Here is my movie protesting the Holocaust.

___Have you included historical background about your decade?

___What were some of the big problems of the decade?

___What were society's values at the time?

___How did this affect protest music?

___Make sure to include two images

Activity six:

The last project that students would explore is looking at ways in which teenagers can protest. What are the issues that they would like to see changed such as bullying, peer pressure, society's view of body image, drug use, ageism, too much homework, etc. After we had time to share what the class believes are the “real” teen issues, they would then choose one to focus on for their project.

I would then spend time showing students how to use i-movie: how to upload images, upload music, and also how to use the special effects.

Protest Song Assessment:
Once they have written their song, the next step would to create an i-movie about that highlights the important points in your song. Students would be expected to choose images that they think best highlight their position. Expectation checklist is as follows:

___What is your protest song about? Give a brief summary about your topic and why you are passionate about it.

___Opening Title: What is the title of your protest song? Put some thought into this. My Protest Song is not acceptable. Be creative!

___Is your slideshow approximately one minute long? Anything longer can lose the interest of your audience.

___Have you chosen at least ten images/clips for your i-movie that are appropriate and evoke emotion in the viewer. When looking for clips and images keep this in mind.

___Have you used at least three picture effects?

___Have you included your protest song as the background music of your movie?

___Is your presentation thoughtful and organized?

___End Credits: Have you given credit for the sources borrowed as discussed in class?




Activity Seven:

Once we have done some collaborative research and discussion, students are asked to choose a topic that interests them about the Holocaust and write an eight to ten page research paper. I explain to students that they will be doing research which requires them to include a works cited page and also go through what a reliable source and a non-reliable source is by giving tangible examples of both.

Each day, by the end of class, it is their responsibility to complete five note-cards of information. At the end of the week, I check to see that students have completed 25 of them completely and correctly. Once they have fifty note-cards, they can then begin writing their paper. They must follow the five paragraph essay format.

Their introduction must start out with an attention getter. I explain to students that this can be a quotation that relates to your topic, a statistic, a story, or even an open ended series of questions. The importance of it is to catch the attention of the person reading your paper and motivate them to learn more. The next part of the introduction is the thesis statement. Students are taught that this is what your paper is going to cover and needs to be specific. We then go through some specific examples so they understand what I am asking of them. I remind them that to start a sentence with "I think" or "I feel" would not be effective and teach them ways to avoid this.

The next series of paragraphs are what we consider to be the body of your paper. Each paragraph here starts with a topic sentence. A topic sentence is a sentence that tells the reader what your paragraph is going to cover. I then explain that students should have at least three citations per paragraph. I explain next how to cite their information by way of MLA. the next part of the paragraph then is the closing sentence and wraps up your thoughts. I also explain that each body paragraph should have one transition that ties their ideas together.
Lastly, I explain what a good conclusion has. I explain that the first thing that you need to do is restate your thesis which means say it in a different way. I explain that the purpose of this is like a road map for your readers and signals to them that your paper is about to conclude.
Next, you summarize your main points briefly, and then end with a memorable statement. I explain to the students that you want the reader to take time to ponder your paper and thoughts and it is similar to the thesis statement. You can end with an overarching question or a quotation.

Once they understand the format, they can move on to choosing their topic. Some of the topics that students have chosen in the past are Adolf Hitler, Auschwitz, the gas chambers, medical experiments, Henrich Heimmler, companies that supported the Nazi regime, Holocaust survivors, people in hiding, Anne Frank, SS soldiers, Aryan Supremacy, gestapo, ethnic cleansing, the Third Reich, Hitler Youth, death camps, Women of the Holocaust, Euthanasia, the Nuremberg Laws, as well as extend it to genocide in Darfur, Burma, Rwanda just to name a few. Once students have chosen their topic, the next step is to narrow their research. I have students write an outline of the specific things they want to research about their topic. Once they have checked their outline with me, the next step is to begin their research. Our librarian has put together a lot of helpful sites for students to begin research.

Once they have written their rough draft, we have a peer-editing workshop where they have two people in the class edit their paper. One person is just looking for the mechanics of the essay and the other person looks more at your ideas, organization of your thoughts, etc. The next step then is to type their rough draft. Once they have finished writing their research paper, I think that it would be beneficial to have them do an extension project where they would create an i-movie based on their research and present these in small groups. They could first give the group a brief synopsis about their paper and then share their movie. They could explain to their group why they chose their topic, as well as what interested them in their research. Once the rest of the group had a chance to view their movie, it would be effective to have an open forum where they dialogue about the tone of the movie, what they thought the creator’s message was, and whether or not their portrayal was effective. Since students have an array of topics, it would be great for them to learn what others studied as well.

Assessment for Persuasive Essay:

Introduction
___Does your research paper have an attention getter?

___Does your paper have a solid thesis statement as discussed in class?

Body

___Do you have clear and concise topic sentences?
___Do you have three citations per body paragraph? Are they cited properly?
___Do you use transitions to tie your thoughts together?
___Do you have closing sentences in all of your body paragraphs?
___Do your ideas follow a logical order?
___Is your paper organized?
___Do you have original ideas?
___Do you pay attention to word choice?

Conclusion
___Have you restated your thesis statement?
___have you briefly summarized your main points?
___Did you end your paper with a memorable statement

Mechanics

___Are all of your words spelled correctly?

____Is your paper neat?


Works Cited
__Have you cited your information properly within your paper following the MLA format?
__Is your works cited page done correctly following MLA standards and do you have it in alphabetical order by the last name of the author?

The Masquerade

If there is one thing that is clear to me after reading the assigned articles on immigration and popular culture, it is that we are all on a similar quest searching for many of the same things: identity, validation, importance, and acceptance. It is not by way of accident that popular culture mirrors history through music, television, plays, especially during times of social upheaval. It is at times of war, during the Civil Rights Movement, immigration laws, that inspire all people to act in some way. It seems only natural that the artists, musicians, playwrights, and spiritual gurus would focus their talents on creating social, economic, and political change. It is in one way something that unifies a group or groups of people around a common purpose and serves for historians a documentation of that time period.

With that said, I do believe that change is sometimes needed. In order to assimilate our beliefs with that of another, we sometimes need to participate in the masquerade. From our birth until our death, we are trying to find our niche, our place in this world. It is a constant struggle, a constant journey where we are trying to find out who we are, what we stand for in all facets of our lives. This is when we may also experiment with masking our identities to try on the identity of another. In many ways this might be looked at as a form of escapism or teenage angst or rebellion. The same cultural quest that began in the 1920's with gangster films to the cultural search for acceptance by the Puerto Ricans in the West End Story is still ever present in society today. Race matters. The way in which we learn about others cultural beliefs and life experiences that may differ from ours matters. It is truly finding that bridge between the two that many of the hippies of the 60's were trying to forge. We still see this 60's ideal in our entertainment industry today where people try to educate the public on issues like the genocide in Darfur with bands like U2 at the forefront. We see this with Madonna as referred to in the article we just read by using henna on her hands in one of her videos. We see it with certain actresses such as Madonna and Britney Spears wearing the red string on their wrist that symbolizes the Kaballah. These are very public figures that in a way are either on a spiritual journey finding out who they are or what they stand for or even another subtle example of cultural assimilation.

One of the many parts of the articles assigned that I was not familiar was that of minstrels. I have heard of the term "black face"before and only recently learned more about it in another class. I did find it interesting that Jewish people used this form of entertainment to assimilate with white culture. Again, just another example how we mask our true identities to fit in. What is clear is that every immigrant needed their niche to feel like they belonged in American society. Some associated with crime, opening their own store, and acting in minstrels. Being of Italian heritage and being very familiar with the mafia as portrayed by Hollywood (even though I am related to mafia members in New York) I was shocked that the Jewish mafia was so prevalent. I guess growing up when people referred to the mafia, I just automatically thought Italian.

Equally intriguing was the way in which movies were censored in the past. The control that certain organizations had over media and what was produced was mind boggling. The idea that the gangster "hero" was not allowed to be glamorized too much and must face a tragic fate seems too contrived or better yet too predictable. Even so, my love of mafia movies such as the Godfather, Scarface, American Gangster, The Sopranos comes from this fascination of this type of urban lifestyle that seems so far removed from my rural farm community I grew up in. More than that, I like to analyze the human character and the flaws we all possess. The masks we see the actors wearing in the movies are the masks we still see today. We see this with our students as they try to form their own identities many times trying on different cultural masks as a way to express themselves and find their niche. Instead of understanding that this type of cultural masquerade is a way for people, including young people to explore their own views in regards to culture, we tend to discredit the behavior as not being authentic. It is because of this, that I hope that through this racial masquerade it will give us the tools necessary to be more open-minded and tolerant to other cultural beliefs and customs. In doing this, I believe we will become a better and stronger country that our children and grandchildren can be proud of.

Modified Lesson from National Geographic

After reading the assigned lesson, I believe that a few changes or additions could be made due to the area in which I teach. In regards to cultural perspectives in relation to race specifically, it would be hard to make any connections because my school is primarily white. I believe it would be interesting to have students do the lesson as is, but adding a second part that looks at specific cultural capital from other cultures. Students could then research their importance in relation to their culture of origin. This would hopefully give the student population where I teach a broader understanding of the diversity they should already be familiar.

Another interesting addition might be to have students bring in media representations that they love. They could bring in their favorite movies, bands, songs, television shows, celebrities and compare/contrast the different medias brought into the classroom. Then, we could have a good discussion about what these things say about our culture, society, and more importantly what we value.

Bring in Da Noise

In reading the article, Bring in Da Noise, Bring in DuBois: Infusing an African-American Educational Ideology into the Urban Discourse, I found the message to be clear: educational reform is needed. Not educational reform like the No Child Left Behind Act, but real educational reform that allows all students, regardless of race, to be given access to the same quality education. As a student teacher in the 1990s in an inner city middle school in Minneaoplis, I was appalled and angered by the lack of resources these children were given. When I walked into the classroom, I noticed that there were not even enough desks or chairs, not enough books for the students to learn, and they were packed forty in a classroom with no windows or adequate room. This to me was a disgrace, and could see from the faces of many of the students that were in the class that they agreed with me. From their perspective, it was clear that the educational system didn't care for them.

Which led me to the article recently published in the Atlantic Monthly by Matt Miller, titled First Kill All The School Boards. In order to eradicate failing schools, we must first eradicate school boards. In his article, he looked specifically at other countries that educational systems thrived and so did the students. He found that in these schools, they trained their teachers as well as they trained their military, and clearly believed in the importance of a good education. They also had national standards that everyone followed which added to consistency in all curricular areas regardless of what school students went to. We live in a nation that should be able to grant the best education for ALL students, and yet we are still mediocre at best. My question to you is why are we so behind compared to other countries?

The Future of Race

In the article the Future of Race: Identity, Discourse, and the Rise of Computer-mediated Public Spheres, by Dara N. Byrne, I was unaware of these racial online websites such as Asian Avenue, Black Planet, or MiGente which appeals to younger generations of Asians, African Americans, and Latinos. This seems to be somewhat of an underground movement that allows Asians, African Americans, and Latinos to talk openly and freely about issues that they and their communities are concerned with. I think that this is a great forum for youth to have in order to make sense of the world and who they are.

Furthermore, I found it particularly interesting that most topics discussed among these youth were broken down into the following categories: relationships, heritage/identity, religion/spirituality, current events, and finance. According to Byrne's article, the most popular threads are relationships and heritage/identity. Since teenagers by nature tend to be very ego-centric, I found it hopeful that issues such as race/heritage made the top of the list. I think in order to change society and move in the right direction, we need to address these issues openly using these chat rooms as a place to hopefully vent and then organize for change.

We see this movement in action specifically in Barack Obama's presidential campaign and how the ineternet has made an impact in allowing his message of change to reach millions of people in a fast and efficient manner. If he can succeed to not only get the young voters to hear his message and then act on it by voting, this could not only be a historical moment in history for race, but for the technology age as well.

Pop Videos..

After watching Lil Kim's video I was somewhat appalled eventhough I know that she is the type of singer that likes to push the envelope. All I kept thinking to myself is that my daughter some day will probably be watching videos like this. Knowing that they are not going to go away any time soon, it is my job as a parent then to teach my daughter how to look at media through a critical lens.

In Fiona Apple's video, she too, was using her sexuality to sell her music. Although this one was sexually charged, I did not find this one to be in my face as much as Lil Kim's.

Lastly, Avril Levine's video seemed to be the most traditional. Girl likes boy. Boy messes up. Girl moves on. This to me was a more wholesome view of teenage love.

In all, I believe that a women can be strong and in charge of her sexuality without throwing it out there in such a negative way.

Growing up Barbie

As a child growing up in the 70's I am one of those generations like many others that played with the barbie doll. Like Speigel's article clearly points out, barbie symbolized female bonding and role play in the fantasy world. I never looked at barbie as a sex object, granted I understand that no one can fit the body image that barbie portrays. However, as a young child who loved to play barbies, I can't say that I felt that barbie gave me a poor self image. In my quest to better understand this view, I asked my eight year old daughter to share with me what she thinks of the barbie doll. She, too saw barbie the same way that I did. She looked at the barbie doll as role playing much that she would do with any of her other dolls. She also enjoys going to everything girl which is a barbie website. As far as I am concerned barbie is not a threat to young girls at all.

Juno

Last night, my husband and I went to see the movie Juno. I wasn't sure what to expect, but from every person that I had spoken to that had seen the movie stated how great it was. People said that you will laugh and cry and appreciate the twin city references.

Suprisingly enough, all of these people were right. I have not been to a movie in a long time that has touched me on so many different levels all at the same time. The movie was truly a raw look at what it would be like if you were a teen facing pregnancy. Not only was it a real portrayal of youth, but also the awkwardness of the teen years, and your first "true" love. More than that, it also delved into relationships such as family, single parenthood, cliques in school and exposed vulnerability.

It also made a great point of revealing this notion that rich suburbanites have such a perfect and happy life really breaking that stereotype and really presenting people with real problems. I was very much touched with the stepmother and the father of Juno who were completely supportive of her from the start. One scene in the movie where the father is speaking to his wife in private and says,"how could this have happened? Substance abuse, DWI, expulsion would have been easier to deal with, and his wife says, It happened because when teenagers are bored, they have sex." Furthermore, they were at her side supporting her throughout the process and allowed her to come to the conclusion on her own on whether to have an abortion, give it up for adoption, or keep it. I thought that this was something very admirable that too often you do not see. We are used to more judgement and ridicule from a society that does not take the time to think about what people may be going through in this situaton. Overall, it is definitely a must see if you haven't seen it already. Here is the Juno trailer.