To me the Civil War was about abolishing racism, and it worked really well to accomplish this goal here in America. Although in Rwanda the case is completely different. Racism thrives in Rwanda. Racism will only thrive if one group of people is made to feel lesser then the opposing group. You put two groups against each other, and they will naturally develop a racist tendency. This is what happened in Rwanda, German scholars went in and did a bunch of different measurements and calculations and split the people into two different groups, Tutsi, and Hutu, making Tutsi better then Hutu. This racism went on for a long time, until the tension between the two grew to tough and the Hutu went on a killing spree. Now the Rwandans are slowly trying to regain their lives, and relearn everything they have thought of the other group.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rw.html

http://www.newsweek.com/2009/09/04/see-baby-discriminate.html


The thought of the Civil War usually makes people think, "oh slavery was abolished, racism diminished..." but yet, most people even though they have unlimited access to an abundance of information on the Internet don't care enough to research what is going on in the world. They just care about their daily lives and continue to live in a naive bliss. When in all actuality people are being murdered, because of racism.

7th!

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/10/04/101004fa_fact_gladwell

1. Summarize the article, and include relevant quotes.

This article is all about revolutions. It starts with a scene from 1960 in North Carolina, and you walk into a restaurant, and you sit at a bar and you order a coffee, only to be told that they don't serve blacks. Then you and your friends create a sit in, this sit in lasts for months, and spreads all up the coast, well up to Texas. It then goes on to say how none of this happened with the help of twitter or facebook and how some revolutions start because of twitter and such.

"Some seventy thousand students eventually took part. Thousands were arrested and untold thousands more radicalized. These events in the early sixties became a civil-rights war that engulfed the South for the rest of the decade—and it happened without e-mail, texting, Facebook, or Twitter."

2. Explain what Constitutional concepts are relevant. Some may be obvious, but others maybe more subtly related. Explain the Constitutional connection in your own words, but also reference the specific Article & Section or Amendment(s).

In the First Amendment it says that one is allowed to have peaceful protests. That is what a sit in is, yet people got arrested and such, this is in direct violation of this.

3. Explain what interests you about this article and/or the Constitutional connections you found.

Its interesting to me because i find it hard to believe that all the things that happened to radiate slavery and racism happened without all the modern tech that we have now. Now it would be so simple to organize something like that. But for it to just happen and for everyone to join in, is SO hard for me to wrap my head around.

# 6?

What stands out to you in your learning?
So far my learning is going really well. Cliche but, i have taken good notes that I can refer to when need be. I am organized and feel prepared. Although I tend to get stressed out from the work load from each teacher, I have managed to stay on top of my work.

What is working well in this class?
I think whats been working well for me so far has been how Randy has given us a writing tip, taught us how to use it, showed us examples, then had critics, and almost in a loop sense, brought it all back to just one idea. He strives to make us better writers by showing us what we can do better on.

What can you do to build upon your successes?
Just constantly try to better each piece of writing or homework assignment I turn it or work on. Constantly look for ways to get the best grade, and always be asking if this is my best work and if I am proud of it or not.

What very specific, concrete & manageable steps can you take to make the most of your opportunities to learn in this class?
Staying on task in class, writing down work in my planner, being organized, talking and asking any questions I have. Ask Randy for help when I need it. Converse with my fellow students on what needs to get done, and how to get it done. If I ever miss class making sure I get the notes or assignments I missed

What are your goals for the next few weeks in class?
Just staying on top of my work and doing well on the mock trial. Also trying to better understand the Federalist papers, since I believe I understand the basic ideas, but I would love to fully comprehend.

“Women, like men, should try to do the impossible. And when they fail, their failure should be a challenge to others.”- Amelia Earhart
I’ve always been told that no matter what, I should dream big. As every kid does, I went through the stages of, "I want to be a dinosaur! No! I want to be a princess!" Now I'm more realistic—a doctor, or a teacher. I know I want to be more than a housewife. I am inspired by women such as Amelia Earhart, who had the courage to truly dream big and do the impossible.
When I was younger I went with my Aunt and Uncle so this event all about flying, and they introduced me to Amelia Earhart. I soon forgot all about this amazing women, until last year when my teacher Sarah Barnes had me do this project where I had to research about important women in our past and also in other cultures. I started researching about past women in our history and I stumbled upon Amelia Earhart, and once again I was encouraged to keep researching powerful women. When you look back at women in history you don't find much. But what I did find is fantastic, it’s about women who stood up against what was considered decent, or morally ok. I find it fantastic when a woman will stand up against a man telling her to lower her shirt and raise her skirt, when a woman will stand up for what they believes. For Amelia Earhart that was that men were equal to women. I have always been taught to think for myself and never allow anyone to push me around. As a young girl I always stood up to boys, and I didn’t let them push me around. As I grow up I realize how strong of an individual I am, and how many women had to come before me to allow me the chance to stand up for my rights and ultimately myself.
Although she wasn’t the first or the last of the few powerful and influential women in our history, Amelia Earhart really stood out to me personally. I have always wanted to fly, and I think it is fantastic that Amelia Earhart was able to do what seemed impossible. She was able to fly. She is remembered as the first woman ever to be able to fly. I want to be remembered, not in textbooks, but by someone who I inspire. Some little girl who realized that just because she was a girl didn’t mean she couldn’t beat up the boys. I want to be able to do for someone, what Amelia Earhart did for me. She did not inspire me; she challenged me. She challenged me to be whomever I want and dream to be.

#5

1. What aspect of the American Icons artist statement has been most successful for you? Why?

I believe that the most successful part of this for me has been getting my ideas down. I know they don't make sense to some people, and deffinatly still need rewording and revising but I feel very good about how I expressed what I wanted.

2. What writing tip(s) have been the most helpful? Why?

I know this is almost cheesy, but I really believe that they all really helped, honestly. I feel with each I learned alot about "good" writing from Randy's point of view. But if I am forced to choose one, it would be "The Loop." Mainly because my writing needed a way to tie back in with it self, and it really needed help getting all the ideas to connect. "The Loop" really helped with this.

And...

3. What aspect of the artist statement has been most challenging? Why?
Wording things. I feel that my ideas get lost behind the words. That the reader gets confused and misinterprets things. It is very hard for me to word things so that they don't only just make sense in my head but also in the readers. My mind thinks differently and can connect 100 different points all to one main idea, but some people can't.

4. What writing tip is most challenging? Why?

Probably concerts not pancakes. Mainly because it was hard for me to reword things, so that they followed this rule and still made sense.

5.
My family and past teachers have all supported me throughout every decision I have made. My parents have tried to give me every opportunity possible to achieve in life. They put me through school, and sports, and supported me. They have surrounded me with people who will constantly bring me up, like my teachers and peers.
Last year my teacher Sarah Barnes, also supported me in dreaming big. We were doing a project on Revolutions and my partner and I were assigned Nzinga's Revolution, which is about a woman taking over an African throne and how she supported her country. This project really made me a women activist and really inspired me to reach high when I think of my future. The story of Nzinga was so inspiring and tragic. It was amazing when I was researching about this powerful woman and the struggles she had to face and deal with on a daily basis from men trying to over power her and show her up. When you look back at women in history you don't find much. But what I find is fantastic, it’s about women who stood up against what is currently considered decent, or morally ok. I find it fantastic when a woman will stand up against a man telling her to lower her shirt and raise her skirt. I find it fantastic when a woman will stand up for what she believes, for Amelia Earhart that was that men were equal to women. I have always been taught to think for myself and never allow anyone to push me around. But when you go to third world countries or back a few centuries, you find injustices against women. As a young girl I always stood up to boys, and I didn’t let them push me around. As I grow up I realize how strong of an individual I am, and how many women had to come before me to allow me the chance to stand up for my rights and ultimately myself.

1- I need help wording things and making it flow. Does it flow?
2- I need help with making my verbs and such stronger!!
3

1. Explain why you chose this opening/closing combo.

2. How does it tie together your big ideas?

3. Explain the types of thoughts that you hope your reader has when they are done reading your work.

Beginning:

“Women, like men, should try to do the impossible. And when they fail, their failure should be a challenge to others.”
“That’s impossible” That one line that we have all muttered at some point in our life when someone is trying to push us. In the end, we find that, it wasn’t all that impossible, and that if we really actually tried we get to a point where we succeed. As Amelia Earhart has pointed out, success doesn’t discriminate against genders. It isn’t like men can do better than women; women need to try to do the impossible. They need to just get out there and attempt, and if they fail, keep failing until you have successfully done “the impossible.”

End:

Although She wasn’t the first or the last of the few powerful and influential women in our history, Amelia Earhart personally really stood out to me. I am a dreamer, I have always wanted to fly, and I think it is fantastic that Amelia Earhart was able to follow her dream and do the impossible. She was able to fly.. She was the first woman ever to be able to fly. Now that was impossible. I want to be remembered, maybe not in text books, but at least by someone. Some little girl who realized that just because she was a girl didn’t mean she couldn’t beat up the boys. I want to be able to do for someone- what Amelia Earhart did for me. She did not inspire me; she challenged me. She challenged me to be whom ever I want and dream to be.

2-
My big ideas are that everyone should try to do the impossible, and that gender shouldn't hold anyone back. I believe that these encompass those ideas because they are about who inspired mean how i want want to inspire others.

3- i hope that they are empowered to change themselves or to better themselves and reach for the goal that we all have and are afraid to grasp.

Part 1

Sarah Barnes, and my mom and sister.

Both are really amazing people in my life, they have supported me from day one and have always believed in me. They are really strong women in my life personally and I look up and admire them. As I grow up an face struggles daily, I am constantly remind of them. Sarah, my teacher last year, was fantastic, she always told me stories of women in our histories past, and even men who did wonderful things and how the influenced our world today. I loved hearing all the stories she had to share, even the ones about her personally. It was wonderful knowing that even though she had to face difficult struggles, that she could over come them and be such a wonderful person to everyone she met.

My Mom and Sister, are another set of women in my life that I find myself looking up too. They are strong Christians, and are supportive of me in everything I do. My Mom and my Sister are brave and outgoing, they have strong values and they have always known what is right. I know i am lucky to have so many amazing people in my life constantly looking out for me, but these are two who will always have my back no matter what i've done. To me personally they are someone to look up too.

Part 2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nzinga_of_Ndongo_and_Matamba
Resource: Website
Description/ Explanation: This website was very helpful to me last year when I was learning about Nzinga, one of the original women who inspired me.

http://www.ameliaearhart.com/
Resource: Website
Description/ Explanation: This website is ALL about Amilea Earhart, and her life story. This was also a wonderful website for me when I was learning about her.

Women, like men, should try to do the impossible. And when they fail, their failure should be a challenge to others.
Resource: a quote from Amelia Earhart
Description: this is why she is my icon, she believed fully that women and men were equal. She just did what she wanted to do, and she totally devoted her life to it. That's what I find so spectacular about this single woman.

This is my sister- Elly, my mom- Jo, and my dad- Bill. These are the people who have always inspired me to be the best person I can be. They pushed me to become who I want to be. They always believed in me and have always told me to be who every I want, and to dream big. They always gave me the best chances they could to become what ever I want. They are not important to American culture in a public way, but they uphold the ideals of American culture. Which is important to me, because they push me to be more then a house wife. They push me to strive to take a hold of the opportunities that comes with being part of an American. These people inspire me everyday, they have raised me and taught me to become who I am.



This is Amelia Earhart. To me personally she represents my ablitily to be who ever and what ever I would ever want to be. All my life I have always been told to dream big, because there are no boundaries when it came to who I wanted to become, Amelia was one of the first girls to dream HUGE and archive what she wanted. She is important to the American culture because of what she did, she was looked down on because she was a women and then she showed up all the men and few an airplane and dreamed huge, when she was shuned by the men. I have always learned about how men in the past changed life, and I was always upset because the women never entered into our history. Then I learned about her in class one day and I strived to know more and more about inspirational women.

1. What does this Icon represent to you? Why?
2. Who and what was important to this Icon? Why?
3. How did this Icon become important in American culture?
4. How did this Icon become important to you?
5. Who and what did this Icon inspire?
6. Create your own question....