The next section of our Colonial Lit unit gave us a different perspective. We dove in to an excerpt by Olaudah Equiano about his experience as a slave after he was kidnapped from Nigeria and sent to Barbados as part of the Atlantic Slave Trade. We examined his text for ethos, pathos, and logos as he sought to persuade his audience of "nominal Christians" that their actions did not align with their beliefs. Even though the slave trade ended in 1809, the lasting effects of slavery can still be felt. We read "My Sojourn in the Lands of My Ancestors" by Maya Angelou as she detailed her trip to a small town called Dunkwa in Ghana. Unsure whether she would be accepted by the Ghanaians and other Africans, on her trip she proved that despite the intervening years of forced separation and cruelty, she could still return home and be not only recognized, but accepted. Finally, we brought it all the way to present day and listened to a few news stories from NPR about Georgetown University ("Starting School at the University that Enslaved Her Ancestors") ("Georgetown University to Offer Slave Descendants Preferential Admissions"). In 1838, the nascent university was struggling financially, so two Jesuit priests in the administration sold 272 men, women, and children to keep the university afloat. Today, they are acknowledging their tarnished history and attempting to make reparations for their past actions by offering preferential admission to the descendants of those 272 people. There are many differing opinions about this solution, including among the descendants themselves. After some additional research, the students will be arguing whether this is sufficient restitution. Read the NY Times article here! Let's see what the students think! Featured Student Work!A few weeks ago, the students wrote their own creation myths and trickster tales. Take a look at some of the stories, along with a comic drawn by Christie W. to complement her story!
And here are last week's Caption Contest winners! P1
“Wait, can you go back? I wanted mustard.” - Sammy B. “Add this to our collection of worldwide hotdogs.” - Jake E. “These hot dogs are on point.” - Emily N. ”Where’s my drink?” - Michael R. P2 “Top dogs.” - Cavin K. “When your manager says its time to take the business to a higher level.” - Sam T. P3 “When traveling, we only eat food from the top of the food pyramid.” - Grace H. “Yeah. I don’t think Chad would’ve climbed up there just for you.” - August P. “And here I thought they weren’t going to make me work for food.” - Kalan S. P4 “Nothing stands between me and food.” - Jasmine C. “Bob, I said I wanted mustard.” - Christina R. Women: “At what angle must I go up to get a hotdog?” Man: “Not sure but you’re most certainly an acute angle.” *women walks away* - Destiny M.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
AboutCheck back periodically for updates about what we've been working on in class and to see featured student work! Archives
September 2019
Categories |