Archive for December, 2011

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Webquest of Solutions


2011
12.23

Posted in Cures for Heartbreak, Independent Reading | No Comments »

For my third genre post while reading Cures for Heartbreak by Margo Rabb, I have chosen to create a Web Quest. I chose this piece because the main character, Mia, has many problems and thinks about what she can do to fix them. I believe searching on the Internet for solutions is something she would do. By the end of reading the names of these 10 websites, you should know how careful and thoughtful Mia is of herself and her loved ones.

http://www.funeralplan.com/funeralplan/about/whattodo.html – I chose this website about planning funerals shortly after a loved one dies because Mia wasn’t sure what to do when her mother passed away. She should look at this site because she needed help planning the funeral; her father was lazy.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2320479_cope-after-losing-mom.html – This website is helps someone when they lose a mother. Mia desperately needed a website like this when she’s lost and confused after her mother’s unexpected death.

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/25-top-heart-healthy-foods – After her father had his heart attack, Mia becomes increasingly worried about his health. She wants to make sure he doesn’t slip away. She’s already lost her mother and can’t seem to imagine life without her father.

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/actintime/haws/quiz.htm – Again, after her dad’s heart attack, she worries about her own health. She wonders if she has increased risk of a heart attack later in life. I think she would visit this website to find out.

http://teenadvice.about.com/od/loveanddating/Relationships_Love_Dating.htm – Mia would look at this website because for a while she’s obsessed with finding “true love”. She wants someone new in her life because she feels like she has no one.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/stepmonster/200910/the-real-reason-kids-and-adults-hate-stepmom-part-2 – When she learns that her father is getting remarried, Mia hates the idea, but also wants her dad to be happy again. She would visit this site because it explains reasons that kids hate step-parents and she wants to get over that feeling.

http://www.terpparent.umd.edu/educating_parents/articles/?article=25 – This website is about adjusting when an older sibling goes away to college. This is another difficult adjustment that Mia has to make. She would visit this site when Alex goes away to college.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiking – Mia would visit this site about hiking because she lied to someone about her hiking experience to impress him. She agreed to go hiking with him and now needs to act like she knows what she’s doing!

http://outdoorswithdave.com/hiking/hiking-boot-reviews – After she figured out more about hiking, Mia needed to buy a pair hiking boots. She wanted to find just the right pair, so she would search them on the Internet!

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/336097/jewish/Secrets-to-a-Successful-Second-Marriage.htm – This last site that I think Mia would visit is about remarriages. In the novel, she is having a difficult time dealing with her father’s remarriage after her mother’s death. I think she would visit this site to learn more and feel better about it.

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“I Am No One”


2011
12.22

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I am currently reading Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson for a class assignment, but I also find it to be very intriguing. I think lots of people can connect with different aspects of Melinda, and I’ve chosen to write a poem through Melinda’s eyes. I think all of us have felt clanless at some time, just like her. I titled the poem “I Am No One” because that’s how Melinda views herself. She is an outcast in her school life. I hope that readers better understand what she thinks of herself and the trauma that she experienced.

 

I Am No One

 

Though my conscience shouldn’t wilt,

I still feel the guilt.

I feel I did what was right,

As I remember what happened that night.

 

It started out as innocent fun,

Drinks came into play.

Then I wanted to run,

But was too afraid of what others would say.

 

He came to me,

Why me, I don’t want to hear.

I was excited and happy,

It soon changed to fear.

 

Too drunk to make him stop,

Or even realize what was happening.

I called the cops,

Now words that people say sting.

 

I can’t tell a soul,

no one will understand.

Everyone around me seems so cold.

Can’t they see that I was attacked by a man?

 

I’m alone in life,

not at peace with myself.

This incident has put me through strife.

There’s no way this can be good for my health.

 

I can’t talk to my Mom and Dad,

Ex-friends are out of the question

They just think I’m bad.

I decide it’s not worth the mention.

 

To be alone is the worst feeling,

I have no one.

And here praying for help I’m kneeling.

I am no one.

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Dear Abby…


2011
12.08

Posted in Cures for Heartbreak, Independent Reading | No Comments »

I am currently reading Cures for Heartbreak by Margo Rabb. For my genre piece, I chose to do a Dear Abby newspaper column. I chose this type of genre piece because the main character in my book, Mia, is lost and confused at this time in her life. I believe this is something she might do. I think it would help her cope with her loss and even anger she is feeling at this point in the book. This will help explain just how Mia is feeling and how she deals with her problems.

Dear Abby,

About a year ago, my mother died. I’ve been a wreck since then and failing my classes. What a mess I’ve been! Until recently, even though she’s completely different than me, I’ve at least had my sister Alex for support. A couple of weeks ago she left for college. I was all alone with my awkward father, lost in the world. Then he had a heart attack. A million things flashed through my mind when this happened. Would my dad die? Would I become an orphan? What would become of me? Thankfully, he recovered, but his health is suffering. I had no friends, no one to rely on in my time of need. Now I have one friend who actually took the time to know me since my mother passed away. Kelsey is a blessing. She knows what I’m going through because she never sees her parents either.

My father is dating a strange woman named Sylvia, and I don’t know what to make of her. She’s psychic and collects all sorts of weird things. I feel conflicted about my father seeing other people. I know my mom would want him to be happy, but a little part of me wants to hate her for thinking she can take my mother’s place. They are getting married next month, and I hate it. I hate her! She means well, but I can’t seem to get used to the fact that my dad has moved on, because I haven’t. Please help!

Sincerely,

Stuck in the past (Mia)

 

Dear “Stuck in the past”

First of all, I’m sorry for your loss. I understand that it’s tough to lose a parent and come close to losing the other. I would start by telling your father how you feel about Sylvia. Tell him that you’re not comfortable with him getting married so soon after your mother’s death. Make sure he understands this. You mean more to him than you think you do. If talking to your father is too hard at the moment, it may help to talk to Alex and Kelsey about this. Rehearse what you might say to your father. I’m sure they’d be glad to help, and maybe Alex is feeling the same way as you are at this troubling time.

If you can, step into your father’s shoes. It was probably even harder for him to accept your mother’s death than it was for you. He just wants to be happy again and provide a family for you. Give Sylvia a chance. I know step mothers don’t always work out so well, but try to learn to love her. She needs time to get used to all of this just as much as you do. If you feel comfortable enough, talk to her about taking your mother’s place. I’m sure she has some big shoes to fill! Try to be supportive of your father on the wedding day. It will be all for the better later.

Sincerely,

Abby

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Critical Thinking and Reading – Pop Culture Reflection


2011
12.07

Posted in Cyberjournal | 2 Comments »

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been working on a Critical Thinking and Reading presentation of Pop Culture with Natalie D, Jessica K, and Cheyenne G. Throughout this process, I learned not only about pop culture and its effects on young adults, but about myself and the importance of working well with others.

About Pop Culture itself, I learned that it goes much further than just the celebrities, clothes, and movies. It’s also how icons act and how much they influence teens. I didn’t realize how much young adults as myself rely on the examples that popular celebrities expose. It’s been quite insightful and made me think deeper about the principles of our nation.  I enjoyed researching this topic – it was actually entertaining while learning. I wouldn’t go back and change topics if I could. As far as our amount of research went, I think we did a good job finding a broad range of information, dealing with both the problems and good parts of pop culture influence.

I also thought our visual argument was impressive. We worked hard, and all were a part of making it. I was in charge of getting our group members some time to work on it outside of school, which I think was a good idea because it allowed us to carefully detail our poster. Even though we used our time in class very efficiently, I think our poster turned out much better because we had that extra time to work. The main focus of our visual was the United States map that showed pop culture words “taking over” the nation. That went along with our claim that young adults are no longer shaping themselves based on their own experiences and feelings, but on the examples that celebrities give. We also talked and showed how pop culture is spread by modern day technology, using Facebook and texting and TV. Another important part of our presentation was the lyrics to “Skyscraper” by Demi Lovato. I think teens are able to relate to that because many young adults suffer from the pressure of fitting in, being pretty or skinny, and depression. I think that song gives hope and influences young adults with similar problems to do the same. This was also my favorite part of our visual because I think it was a creative idea and really gave different perspectives on pop culture.

On a scale of 1 – 10, I would rate myself a 9. I believe that I put time and effort into our presentation and did the work I volunteered to do well. I took responsibility and offered help when another group member may have needed it. For our presentation, I was in charge of talking about obsessive disorders that people have with celebrities, and how pop culture is a big part of everyday life. I feel the presentation went pretty well overall, but we could’ve rehearsed a little more. I feel that we all knew what we were talking about, but were a little nervous. My favorite part of the presentation was talking about Celebrity Worship Syndrome and Gagonorrhea. I enjoyed this because I don’t think many people realized that so many people have unhealthy obsessions with celebrities.

My favorite presentation that I observed was the Money presentation. I thought they did a great job presenting and had a nice, organized yet informative visual. I could tell that most of the presenters had taken their role seriously and prepared well. I learned that teen spending is becoming a huge issue and not many teens are earning their own money and relying on their parents for just about everything. My favorite visual argument was the Social Networking. I liked their idea of having a Facebook page displaying all of their information and the border of an iPod. It was very creative! I think all presentations were well thought out and presented nicely. Parts of all of them were interesting to me.

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Pop Culture Presentation


2011
12.05

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For my Critical Reading and Thinking presentation, I chose to study Pop Culture because I feel that it affects young adults more than anyone else. The way we shape our lives is more dependent on pop culture icons than anything or anyone else. For this project, I worked with Natalie D, Cheyenne G, and Jessica K.  

Written Informative Essay:

What is pop culture? Pop culture influences teens so they are no longer shaping themselves based on their own experiences and beliefs, but rather mimic stars and how they look.

Pop culture is everything surrounding Hollywood and the media. It is modern clothing, music, movies, and literature. It’s celebrities, how they act, and how they influence and affect others. For example, teens are persuaded a lot by television commercials. Like, Ashton Kutcher advertising the Nikon camera or Taylor Swift advertising Covergirl. Also, we’ve realized that pop culture is very opinionated and everyone has different takes on what happens.

The technology of today has allowed pop culture to spread very quickly. These methods include texting, Facebook and other social media sites. “Nearly 72% of young adults and teens use social networking sites” (Porterfield). “83% of young adults with cell phones text on a regular basis”(http://www.frankwbaker.com/mediause.htm).

Young adults these days, no longer make their own true identities. Most teens feel like they have to look and dress like stars to be comfortable and confident about themselves.

Some issues surrounding pop culture include that people think they need to have money to be happy and successful, have a bad boy image to be popular, and be paper thin to be counted as pretty. This can lead to problems like eating disorders, particularly in girls. Young adults believe everything they see on TV and think they need to be exactly like the stars. This makes some kids feel insecure about themselves.

Some teens even go to the extremes of becoming obsessed with their favorite celebrities. This is sometimes called Celebrity Worship Syndrome. A specific example of this disease is Gagonorrhea, the unhealthy obsession of Lady Gaga.

Celebrities are role models, even if they’re not good examples. But sometimes stars promoting things such as going green , stop bullying, and supporting charities, are very helpful to society. Some of these good examples is Michelle Obama and her healthy living campaign. Another is when pop culture icons come together to help with disaster relief, such as when the Haiti earthquake hit, many offered their support.

There’s not really one single solution to fix the problems in pop culture. If one celebrity changes, Hollywood isn’t going to change. Only the person with their own issues can change themselves and how they view themselves. It’s important to understand that not everyone is a celebrity and can’t act the way they do.

Visual Argument:

On our visual argument, our main point was the map of the United States with pop culture icons written in it, such as Harry Potter, Lady Gaga, and Justin Bieber. This shows just how much pop culture is engulfing the nation, especially teens. A pump is attached to show pressures and problems of pop culture, such as eating disorders and fitting in. We also wrote the lyrics to “Skyscraper” by Demi Lovato, which talks about her struggles with eating disorders, cutting herself, and her triumphs over those problems. We included this because it’s important to understand that celebrities have problems too and are able to get over them and move on, a much needed example to young adults.  Also, pop culture is able to spread more quickly throughout the world because of social networking sites such as Facebook, and texting. That is why we drew part of a Facebook profile and wrote a text conversation between two girls talking about a popular subject, Twilight, which is one of the pop culture phenomena gripping the nation. Finally, we have a TV showing the ill-valued, yet popular show “Jersey Shore”.  This represents the bad examples that many celebrities show young people, especially on TV.

 

Works Cited

Ellis, Blake. “Donations Raised for Haiti Relief Efforts Top $355 Million – Jan. 22, 2010.” CNNMoney – Business, Financial and Personal Finance News. CNN Money, 22 Jan. 2010. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. <http://money.cnn.com/2010/01/22/news/international/haiti_donations/index.htm>.

Gray, Keturah. “Celebrity Worship Syndrome Abounds – ABC News.” ABCNews.com: Daily News, Breaking News and Video Broadcasts – ABC News. ABC News. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. <http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=101029>.

“Media Use Statistics                                          Resources on Media Habits of Children.” Media Literacy Clearinghouse: Resources for K-12 Educators. The Nielsen Company. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. <http://www.frankwbaker.com/mediause.htm>.

“Michelle Obama Stars in Disney ‘Healthy Living’ Ad Campaign – USATODAY.com.” News, Travel, Weather, Entertainment, Sports, Technology, U.S. & World – USATODAY.com. USA Today, 30 Sept. 2010. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. <http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/fitness/2010-09-30-michelle-obama_N.htm>.

“Nikon Press Center.” Nikon Pressroom. Nikon Press Center, 25 Mar. 2008. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. <http://press.nikonusa.com/2008/03/ashton_kutcher_stars_in_new_ad.php>.

Vaneza. “Taylor Swift | Covergirl | Ad Campaign | MyFDB.com.” Fashion News | MyFDB.com. MYFDB, 25 Apr. 2011. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. <http://blog.myfdb.com/2011/04/taylor-swift-is-much-cuter-than-covergirl/>.