I have really enjoyed this semester of English. Some of the things we talked about were review, some things we discussed were interesting, and others were.... not so interesting. Saying this, I've had more of a positive experience so far than a negative ones.
My favorite thing we did this year was probably our independent reading. I'm not much of a reader, but I was fortunate enough to get a really interesting book, which was non-fiction, a main unit we focused on for a while. I also really enjoyed doing blogs! :) To me, there are no right or wrong answers when you right blogs, and they're probably some of the more easier assignments we had to do. I also really enjoyed our education presentations. I did a video with three of my friends. Although it was not very good, we learned how to put together a video and we now know what to make improvements on next time we film.
Another thing I loved about English was my class! I feel like it's a lot more entertaining with a group of kids who like discussing topics thoroughly and who are quite humorous! I loved Poetry Wednesdays, because everyone was involved with uncovering the true meaning of a poem, without "beating a meaning out of it," exactly. I also liked reviewing readings that we had to do as homework. Not only because sometimes Mr. Dunn would catch me off guard with a pop quiz to see if I was reading, but because there were some things that I would catch as I read and other people did. It was interesting to see others' point of views of the book, and their opinions as well.
Now, with every pro, there's a con... or something like that. What I mean to say is, this class did contain some things I wasn't fond of. Like any teenager, I HATED essays. I hated them. I HATE THEM! But it's only because they're time consuming and I always mess up on the same things over and over again when I write. I see a pattern in my writing when I look in my folder, and as a suggestion, maybe as a final or something, we could really dig deep into that frequent mistake and write something based around it. My common error was that I'd lose focus while writing a body paragraph. I would really like to practice pulling all of that work together without getting sidetracked.. Just an idea... Just saying.....
I'm having a difficult time thinking about the dislikes of this semester, because I could complain about essays all day. Still, nothing would change if I did that. Some of the books that we read weren't the most entertaining..... I've read better. But COLUMBINE! I loved that book. It did have a strange layout to it, but it made me think about the things that go on at this school. I didn't like the DED's either. It didn't really help me understand the article any more than just reading it would.
Overall, I love this class. It's my favorite. I learn a lot in this class and I enjoy everyone in it. It's a fun class because I feel like we're very productive without a million worksheets and comparison charts and whatnot. :) Just want to thank everyone for making this semester great!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Going Beyond Columbine
There are often a numerous amount of arguments that an author would try making about a nonfiction novel. I argue against this statement. I feel like there was no argument that Dave Cullen was trying to make in Columbine. I believe he wrote this book as a prevention for future mass shootings. People often write about historical massacres to keep them from happening again; it's like learning about the Holocaust. Why? To make sure that people in the generations ahead don't have to go through it. It's needless to say that the Columbine shooting was a huge atrocity all over America, but we can't go back in time and take it back. What we can do is have educational sources to show people signals of depression, anger, etc., like Eric and Dylan suffered from. We can also develop school plans. Today, we have a lock down drill we practice for these cases in particular. Books like Columbine help prepare for tragic shootings so we know what to expect and how to protect students/teachers from being injured/killed again.
I also feel like Cullen wrote the book to show the different signs that people might give off that signals some sort of distorted thinking within a person. Eric and Dylan, the murders of the Columbine shooting, started out with criminal records. They had broke into cars, vandalized houses, and set off/made bombs. All these events were soon put on their records, but were thought of as minor. The boys also kept journals that clearly stated that they would rather die, or they wanted to kill people. Eric kept a blog for a long time, which was updated frequently with threats and new adventures him and Dylan went on. Generally, Eric supplied viewers with new concoctions to make dangerous bombs and with new people added on his "to kill" list.
This link is a news piece from ABC news showing clips of many rescued kids and distraught teens as they were interviewed. Many of the kids thought they had a good idea of who Eric and Dylan were, but the two boys weren't part of the "Trench coat Mafia" like one boy said in the video. Regardless, this video supplies legit information and good clips to give readers a better idea of how the shooting actually went.
This script was from the last video Eric and Dylan shot in their basement. It was roughly 30 minutes before the two boys took their positions in front of Columbine High School to begin the mass shooting.
This is Eric Harris' screen shots of his blog. He made multiple threats to people on here and often told very vulgar information about himself and other people.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Responses to responses?
In blog #4, my class has been asked to respond to other responses of classmates who have commented on questions posted in people's previous blogs. I color coordinated my blog. :) Questions are in black, people's responses are in red, and mine are in blue! Enjoy the slight creativity I have incorporated into my blog this week! ;)
Mykel asked:
What kind of affect does fast food have on your everyday life?
Emily responded:There are so many ways that fast food plays into your everyday life. Whether it is sitting at home watching T.V or driving through town going by all of the restaurants. There have been many times that I have wanted to stop by and grab a bit to eat at one of the fast food places since their food and drinks are so cheep. I try and stop myself by realizing how bad it is for you. It is also very convenient if you are in a hurry and are needing some food just to pull into one of the many restaurants along the side of the road. So yes fast food does effect me everyday, and I know that it effects many other people in the same ways it effects me.
My response:
I do agree with Emily. Fast food is so delicious to me! It's hard to turn it down, especially when in a rush. Because I am an athelete of our high school, we stop to eat almost every time we go to away games or matches. This becomes a problem because we want FAST FOOD! I'm always so hungry after my events so obviously I'm going to buy a nice four dollar meal from McDonalds. This can lead to many issues for me though. I know Emily is a runner and she can relate because we both have to stay in shape for our sports. Eating these kinds of food doesn't help the cause. Sure, the food is quick and tasty, but it's extremely unhealthy and definitely affects my every day life.
Macayla asked:
Have you ever done something just for the popularity?
Sam responded:
I my self have not done something just because I thought it would make me more popular/give me more popularity. Sadly, many people in todays generation do however. I think that they need to realize being yourself will make you a lot more friends than you trying to be someone else or by acting different.
My response:
Sam, I think that's a very good point you brought up about being yourself. Saying this, I feel like everyone has a point in their life when they feel like they want to fit in so bad that they do things they wouldn't normally do to "fit in" or to "be popular." High school might seem like a popularity contest, but it's really not. Nobody really cares about what you wear, who you hang out with, or even what sports you play. I'm not saying I'm innocent of not doing things for popularity before, but as time goes by, you start realizing that you need to let the little things stay little and you need to find happiness within yourself instead of relying on a popular group to make you happy.
Calli asked:
How would you deal with the pain of losing a family member?
Morgan responded:
If I lost a family member, I would be very upset and probably be in a stage of not knowing what to do anymore. Eventually, I would start to accept the fact and move on. It isn't easy losing a loved one, but sometime, you just have to let go and go on with your life. It would be tough, but we have to realize they're in a better place. To deal with the pain, I'd think about all of the good times we had together and then start to move on because there is nothing I could do anymore to make them be with us still.
My response:
I can see what Morgan is saying, but I honestly can say that I don't know what I would do if I lost a family member. Psychiatrists always say that people go through a phase of disbelief, then denial, depression, anger, etc. but I really can't say that stage would come first for myself. I do believe people's grieving processes are different, but I'd probably just have to take things day by day and surround myself with my friends. This is a very difficult question to answer because no one really knows what they'd do until the time comes.
Emily asked:
"When they talked about how kids used their parents to get to go to McDonald's, do you ever remember doing that to your own parents?"
Ben responded:
Yes i do. I would always ask to go to McDonalds because of the Playplace. And then inevitably i would say "im hungry" and we would get food. And thats how McDonald's makes their money.
My Response:
Mykel asked:
What kind of affect does fast food have on your everyday life?
Emily responded:There are so many ways that fast food plays into your everyday life. Whether it is sitting at home watching T.V or driving through town going by all of the restaurants. There have been many times that I have wanted to stop by and grab a bit to eat at one of the fast food places since their food and drinks are so cheep. I try and stop myself by realizing how bad it is for you. It is also very convenient if you are in a hurry and are needing some food just to pull into one of the many restaurants along the side of the road. So yes fast food does effect me everyday, and I know that it effects many other people in the same ways it effects me.
My response:
I do agree with Emily. Fast food is so delicious to me! It's hard to turn it down, especially when in a rush. Because I am an athelete of our high school, we stop to eat almost every time we go to away games or matches. This becomes a problem because we want FAST FOOD! I'm always so hungry after my events so obviously I'm going to buy a nice four dollar meal from McDonalds. This can lead to many issues for me though. I know Emily is a runner and she can relate because we both have to stay in shape for our sports. Eating these kinds of food doesn't help the cause. Sure, the food is quick and tasty, but it's extremely unhealthy and definitely affects my every day life.
Macayla asked:
Have you ever done something just for the popularity?
Sam responded:
I my self have not done something just because I thought it would make me more popular/give me more popularity. Sadly, many people in todays generation do however. I think that they need to realize being yourself will make you a lot more friends than you trying to be someone else or by acting different.
My response:
Sam, I think that's a very good point you brought up about being yourself. Saying this, I feel like everyone has a point in their life when they feel like they want to fit in so bad that they do things they wouldn't normally do to "fit in" or to "be popular." High school might seem like a popularity contest, but it's really not. Nobody really cares about what you wear, who you hang out with, or even what sports you play. I'm not saying I'm innocent of not doing things for popularity before, but as time goes by, you start realizing that you need to let the little things stay little and you need to find happiness within yourself instead of relying on a popular group to make you happy.
Calli asked:
How would you deal with the pain of losing a family member?
Morgan responded:
If I lost a family member, I would be very upset and probably be in a stage of not knowing what to do anymore. Eventually, I would start to accept the fact and move on. It isn't easy losing a loved one, but sometime, you just have to let go and go on with your life. It would be tough, but we have to realize they're in a better place. To deal with the pain, I'd think about all of the good times we had together and then start to move on because there is nothing I could do anymore to make them be with us still.
My response:
I can see what Morgan is saying, but I honestly can say that I don't know what I would do if I lost a family member. Psychiatrists always say that people go through a phase of disbelief, then denial, depression, anger, etc. but I really can't say that stage would come first for myself. I do believe people's grieving processes are different, but I'd probably just have to take things day by day and surround myself with my friends. This is a very difficult question to answer because no one really knows what they'd do until the time comes.
Emily asked:
"When they talked about how kids used their parents to get to go to McDonald's, do you ever remember doing that to your own parents?"
Ben responded:
Yes i do. I would always ask to go to McDonalds because of the Playplace. And then inevitably i would say "im hungry" and we would get food. And thats how McDonald's makes their money.
My Response:
Ben, it's funny you say that, because I know kids our age that go to McDonald's just for the play land... STILL. It's kind of ridiculous, but yes, that's how that corporation makes their money. I was never one of those kids who cared for the play land, but I absolutely loved McDonald's food when I was younger, and I still do!! I remember pitching fits and having my sisters join in on it just so we can get a small fry from the McDonald's drive through. I think that all kids have attempted this scheme at least once in their lives!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Blog Post #3: QUOTES!!
In class, we have been practicing DED questions. In my blog, I will continue to ask these questions, only connecting them through interesting quotes throughout the text. In my previous blogs, I've informed readers I am reading the novel, Columbine, by Dave Cullen.
On Calli's blog, she asked:
1. How would you deal with the pain of losing a family member?I would respond to this question with very few correct words to say. I feel like I would probably just take things day by day because there isn't an actual healing process that's the same for everyone. The question is kind of personal, which I understand because Columbine is written in a very personal view. I really don't know what I would do if I lost someone in my family. I can imagine I'd be angry at the person who took them away from me, but everyone's greiving process is different, and I couldn't tell you until I was actually put in that position. Devistated is probably the most accurate word to use to decribe how I'd feel.
- ""The crosses ask an implicit question," Rocky Mountain News columnist Mike Littwin wrote. "Are you ready to forgive?"
- ""There was this one couple, they just poured out their hearts," he recalled. "Their sons used to play with Dylan when the boys were little. They loved Dylan.""
- "Length of severity and exposure increased their odds of mental health trouble down the road, but long-term responses were highly varied, depending on each individual. Some kids who had been in the library during the shootings would turn out fine, while others who had been off to Wendy's would be traumatized for years."
On Calli's blog, she asked:
1. How would you deal with the pain of losing a family member?I would respond to this question with very few correct words to say. I feel like I would probably just take things day by day because there isn't an actual healing process that's the same for everyone. The question is kind of personal, which I understand because Columbine is written in a very personal view. I really don't know what I would do if I lost someone in my family. I can imagine I'd be angry at the person who took them away from me, but everyone's greiving process is different, and I couldn't tell you until I was actually put in that position. Devistated is probably the most accurate word to use to decribe how I'd feel.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Spicing up my page!!... and more about Columbine
I am obviously not creative enough to do all the cool things Ben Pellow does on his blog, so I made a cute little template and BAM, I'm done. :) I think the orange color really does make the meaning behind my words pop, if that's even possible.
As I read further into Columbine, I start to notice a pattern within the text. Dave Cullen, the author, seems to go back and fourth between a storyline of what actually happened and insights of people involved or affected by this tragedy. Basically, everyone local around Littleton, Colorado was affected extremely. There was an extreme amount of tension within the community. No one knew how to feel; whether to be angry, upset, or not show any emotion at all were actual decisions people were making. The entire town of Littleton was in complete shreds from this horrible incident. Cullen continued to acknowledge all the ones lost in the accident as well. Many funerals were set up and attended.
Cullen described Eric and Dylan's anger towards the world in a very perplexed way. He made it appear that they were normal kids, but also included the signs they showed at a young age that many murderers portray. I have only read to the fourth section of the book, but at the very end of the third section, the detectives find that Dylan and Eric actually start telling why they wanted to kill in their journals they wrote in. Dave Cullen also included that the media was much to blame for all the rumors that supposedly "spoke the truth" to the world. The media would put small pieces of information together to make one big theory as to why the boys killed, how they killed, and who was involved. Saying this, the small parts of their stories might be true, but the big picture they put together completely manipulated what actually happened. The one thing that stuck out to me is that the TV stations, newspapers, talk shows, etc. made Dylan and Eric out to be goth, gay boys in a "trench coat mafia" when this wasn't the case at all. Dylan and Eric were not goth. The boys were not gay either. They both did wear black trench coats, but the media drew conclusions that they were part of the mafia because they wore them, which they weren't apart of either. This just comes to show how the media can mess up all information by simply throwing random facts together.
Not much else was pointed out as far as I've read that I haven't already said. Cullen does a great job really elaborating the story and telling the stories of the young people involved at the time. It really is something that others would have to read to enjoy it. The book is written completely different than any book I have ever read, so it's difficult at times to keep up. Overall, I still enjoy reading this book, and I definitely recommend it to anyone.
Level 2:
As I read further into Columbine, I start to notice a pattern within the text. Dave Cullen, the author, seems to go back and fourth between a storyline of what actually happened and insights of people involved or affected by this tragedy. Basically, everyone local around Littleton, Colorado was affected extremely. There was an extreme amount of tension within the community. No one knew how to feel; whether to be angry, upset, or not show any emotion at all were actual decisions people were making. The entire town of Littleton was in complete shreds from this horrible incident. Cullen continued to acknowledge all the ones lost in the accident as well. Many funerals were set up and attended.
Cullen described Eric and Dylan's anger towards the world in a very perplexed way. He made it appear that they were normal kids, but also included the signs they showed at a young age that many murderers portray. I have only read to the fourth section of the book, but at the very end of the third section, the detectives find that Dylan and Eric actually start telling why they wanted to kill in their journals they wrote in. Dave Cullen also included that the media was much to blame for all the rumors that supposedly "spoke the truth" to the world. The media would put small pieces of information together to make one big theory as to why the boys killed, how they killed, and who was involved. Saying this, the small parts of their stories might be true, but the big picture they put together completely manipulated what actually happened. The one thing that stuck out to me is that the TV stations, newspapers, talk shows, etc. made Dylan and Eric out to be goth, gay boys in a "trench coat mafia" when this wasn't the case at all. Dylan and Eric were not goth. The boys were not gay either. They both did wear black trench coats, but the media drew conclusions that they were part of the mafia because they wore them, which they weren't apart of either. This just comes to show how the media can mess up all information by simply throwing random facts together.
Not much else was pointed out as far as I've read that I haven't already said. Cullen does a great job really elaborating the story and telling the stories of the young people involved at the time. It really is something that others would have to read to enjoy it. The book is written completely different than any book I have ever read, so it's difficult at times to keep up. Overall, I still enjoy reading this book, and I definitely recommend it to anyone.
Level 2:
- What was going on in Eric and Dylan's heads as they began the shooting?
- Who/what triggered all the anger built up in Eric and Dylan?
- How did the students approach the situation right off hand?
- When did all the students start going back to Columbine High School?
- Where was Eric and Dylan while planning this attack?
Level 3:
- How would you have handled the after affects of the shooting?
- Do you think that you would want to stay in Littleton, Colorado after something this serious happened?
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
All about ME! :)... and Columbine.
I'm McKena Miller! I am a sophomore at Carbondale High School and a student in Mr. Dunn's English II class. I started blogging for this class in particular! My blogging experience for the next few weeks will consist of my thoughts, views, and the story line of my non-fiction book I'm reading, "Columbine".
"Columbine" by Dave Cullen, is an in depth overview of the mass murder than took place over a decade ago in Jefferson County, Colorado. This school is located just outside Denver. It was so close to the Rocky Mountains that students could see them! This book is written in sort of a newspaper styled layout and is full of information as far as personal experiences and just the bits and pieces of what the press received after this event. The first section of the book I have read consists of a bit of background on the teenage murderers, Dylan and Eric. I have also read about many teachers, students, and other personal experiences of those who endured the pain caused at Columbine High School. I have read a few chapters into the second section of this book, which further elaborates of Eric and Dylan's plans, setups, and actual step by step of what actually happened. Intertwined into the scene by scene text, there are many interviews and insides to certain people involved in the shooting. As anyone could image, all were full of fear and sadness from losing loved ones or the thought of losing loved ones.
A main point that "Columbine" makes clear is the reason for publishing a book like this. Cullen wrote this book not to fill the young minds with ideas, but to make sure that this issue does not have to happen again. His text also includes the state of minds the young killers were in. Many questions had to be analyzed; why they did it, how they did it, who all was involved, and what they used were all statements up in the air at the time of writing this novel. Dave Cullen states in his book that he would explain the answers to all these frequently asked questions.
I have enjoyed reading the book thus far and can't wait to read more!!
"Columbine" by Dave Cullen, is an in depth overview of the mass murder than took place over a decade ago in Jefferson County, Colorado. This school is located just outside Denver. It was so close to the Rocky Mountains that students could see them! This book is written in sort of a newspaper styled layout and is full of information as far as personal experiences and just the bits and pieces of what the press received after this event. The first section of the book I have read consists of a bit of background on the teenage murderers, Dylan and Eric. I have also read about many teachers, students, and other personal experiences of those who endured the pain caused at Columbine High School. I have read a few chapters into the second section of this book, which further elaborates of Eric and Dylan's plans, setups, and actual step by step of what actually happened. Intertwined into the scene by scene text, there are many interviews and insides to certain people involved in the shooting. As anyone could image, all were full of fear and sadness from losing loved ones or the thought of losing loved ones.
A main point that "Columbine" makes clear is the reason for publishing a book like this. Cullen wrote this book not to fill the young minds with ideas, but to make sure that this issue does not have to happen again. His text also includes the state of minds the young killers were in. Many questions had to be analyzed; why they did it, how they did it, who all was involved, and what they used were all statements up in the air at the time of writing this novel. Dave Cullen states in his book that he would explain the answers to all these frequently asked questions.
I have enjoyed reading the book thus far and can't wait to read more!!
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