the slide on one of the walls in our project

English Project Write-up…1

Pictures of our project:

Annes desk that is in the memorial.

This is the railway tracks that people walk on in the memorial.

One of the walls in the memorial. This wall has facts about the war on it.

Another wall in the memorial. This wall has quotes from Annes diary.

This is the entrance of the memorial. It is ment to be like the gas chambers with the shower heads.

this is a top view of the memorial.

~Eslrs that we achieved while doing the project on Anne Frank.

Effective communicator

Collaborate with others in appropriate learning situations to achieve group goal.Example:We all worked together to get all work done in school, in class, and out side of school. We did this for English but we made the model to improve our model building skills.Evaluation:Excellent

Demonstrate the skills of effective collaborationExample:We communicated after school to get more work done and reach our goal. We talked about our ideas, and got what we had to get done, done!Evaluation: Good

Self directed learner.

Demonstrate competency in goal setting, time management, and organizational skills.Example:We planned out a Blue print, and we organized a time to meet after school so we could get things done. We made sure t that we had a majority of the project done by Monday. We also organized who would do what when, so we new what every one had to do.Evaluation:Good

Academic achiever

Demonstrate the ability to work both independently and collaborativelyExample:We all took on our own responsibilities with the writing work, but we all worked together on the visual, and putting it together. Evaluation:Excellent

Critical thinker

Solve problems using a variety of strategiesExample:The Silver paint pen sank into the styrofoam, so then we decided to say that it was engraved like the Vietnam war memorial in
Washington D.C. Then for the other wall we changed pens. We had to do what we could!Evaluation:Good

We all worked together very well from the very beginning. We all pitched in ideas for our memorial, and we all helped assemble it in and out of school hours. Mitchell and Taylor brought all the things to make the model, and Laurent and brought the lap top and assembled the model with Taylor and Mitchell. We all put our heads together to get the model figured out. We had many ideas and great ones at that, so it was hard to know what to do. In the end we finally got some ideas down and all agreed on them. It was the little things that we all came up with, like
Taylor suggested we put down train tracks as you walk through the memorial. Laurent gave us all the idea to put in the gas chambers (showers) in as you walked in. Mitchell came up with the brilliant thing of putting in the desk, and actually making it stay up. Every one wrote something for the written part as well. We all had about 2 things to write about, so it was fair and no one person did all the work, because sometimes that does happen.We all worked really well and we all feel that as a team we were exceptionally strong.

When we first got the choice of the two different projects, our group thought almost straight away that we should do a memorial. In this spectacular memorial we have put many things all with different meanings that all just happen to have something to do with Anne Frank. To be able to create such an extravagant display we have used many things including tooth picks, Styrofoam, paint, paper, and even a laptop. After we had all the materials, it was time to get building. First we got the (already painted) floor and glued the (already painted) walls on it, next we made train tracks with toothpicks, then we made a desk, and finally we put shower heads up to represent the gas chambers.After all the craftsmanship was finished we decided to designate who would write what and who would do certain things over the weekend, for a paradigm we told Taylor to do the ESLR’s, Laurent to do the symbols, and Mitchell to do the summary/grade write up.Since we all (Taylor, Laurent and Mitchell) put such hard work in to this we would definitely give ourselves a good grade. We believe this because we did all the ESLR’s (at least one bullet from each) and put our hearts and souls into completing it. Overall on this project, because of the above reasons, we as a group definitely deserve an A- if not an A.

What it says on the walls:

Black wall:

Who would ever think that so much can go on in the soul of a young girl? I don’t think my opinions are stupid and others do; so it is better to keep them to myself.

I wonder whether you can tell me why it is important that people always try so hard to hide their real feelings?

White wall:

Approximately Six Million Jews were killed.About 220,000 Roma were murdered

Holocaust victims at 9 to 11 million, are just a rough approximate of the number killed

It is estimated that is
Berlin alone, 1600 Jews killed themselves rather then face the feared camps.

1.5 million Children were exterminated in the holocaust.

Symbolism

We want our audience to leave this memorial with the idea that, as Ann is positioned, that she represents the humanity in all of us, and the horror and marvels humans are capable of. The contrast, from the deafening tracks to hell and the infernal moaning of pain, to Ann. Simply Ann. She represents the light, and hope struggling to shine within this dark and terrifying time. My group’s intentions are that Ann’s diary will spread the voice of so many others that suffered. A light from the dome will spotlight Ann’ desk, (diary). This represents the hope and nature as we will have birds chirping from that opening. The chimneys will also play a big role in the symbolism. On the Concentration camp side, a chimney will be located near the center, a black fearful and miserable one. On the opposite side, the chimney will be centered, (like the other), and be bursting with light and made of red warm bricks, (and bring out the family atmosphere.) A railroad track will circle the desk, to guide the audience around. This track will symbolize the painful journey the Jews were forced to take, only to lead them to their deaths. One side of the wall will be packed with the most meaningful quotes my team and I could find, while the other side will be loaded with the ugly and true facts about the Holocaust. Simultaneously, a PowerPoint will be centered on Ann’s personal life and siblings. This will probably the only piece of technology used, but it will repeat over and over, smoothly. In the alley, one wall will be illustrated with handprints, desperate to leave, and the other, (separated by the showers), will demonstrate a happy warm family. The most powerful symbol within this memorial is most likely to be the diary. Although it is small and innocent, it is at the same time the simplicity of the diary that spreads the power. I truly hope this is the way Ann would have liked her memorial to be, as she grew from her self-centered, princes-like character, to the most supporting and meaningful figure that stood out, shined amongst all others to bring peace to the way she conceived the world. Unfortunately, terror again reins our world, but maybe, another light will shine.

I don’t think my opinions are stupid and others do; so it is better to keep them to myself. (page 102)

What are your thoughts about sharing opinions? Do you agree with Anne, that it is best to keep your opinions to yourself because no one will understand them, or is important to share them nonetheless? For more information on this post, click here.

Dear Anne,

Wow what have you come to poor child? If you have opinions that you yourself believe are good you should always share them, if not with everyone at least share them with someone, maybe Peter or Margot.

Anne if you don’t share your thoughts, than what is the whole point in having thoughts? When you have a thought that you don’t share, someone could do something you don’t like (because you didn’t tell them what you wanted) then you’ll become angry and possibly fight with them. Do you want all of this to happen just because you didn’t share your thoughts?

You said, “Aren’t the grownups idiotic and stupid?” and I couldn’t help but agree; however, grownups aren’t always 100% stupid (my definition of them being stupid doesn’t mean they have an IQ of zero, by the way) and most of the time they do accept your thoughts, and yes sometimes they do decline them, but that should never get you down. One other thing is that a reason the elders in your home at the moment aren’t accepting your thought s or questions is that they are fearful, they are terrified not just for themselves but for you and your sister and everyone else under their care. A reason they are scared is, well just look out your window Anne, there are bombs going off, people being killed, people fighting, and people being taken away to god knows where. So you see Anne it isn’t that the grownups are idiotic it is just that they aren’t thinking straight because the element of fear has struck them tremendously hard.

War Anne, a war is going on right at this moment, and from what I get from your diary entries it doesn’t sound like you get that idea 100%. While a harsh thing like a war is going on it is sometimes hard for people to concentrate, especially older more experienced people like grownups. What I am trying to say here is that right now, at this moment in time your parents don’t have time for all of your questions. Basically, no you shouldn’t keep your thoughts bottled up, but you should only say the ones that are extremely important to you or could make a big change (for the better, not for the worse).

Anne you yourself said, “Even if people are still very young, they shouldn’t be prevented from saying what they think” this is a perfect may to describe freedom of speech and the fact that you should be able to say what you think, so why aren’t you saying what you think? Well me, I think it is because you are too afraid of being judged, you’re too afraid of your own parents disagreeing with your opinion. My point is that you have been blaming your parents for you not being able to give your ideas, but what I think is that it is the fear hidden within you Anne that is stopping you, not the “idiotic and stupid grownups”.

Our assignment:

“Please re-read the November 7th, 1942 post (page 43) Pay particular attention to the last page 46. I would like you to write a few paragraphs (300 words min.) about your thoughts and feelings on what she says. Can you relate? If so how? Please use quotes to explain your ideas. In what ways are you similar? How are you different?“

While reading the November 7^th journal I was thinking to myself, “wow what a brat, how can she talk about her parents that way?” After a somewhat long time of thinking I then realized that in this entry Anne is not all that different from me, a paradigm of this would be when Anne talked about looking at the pictures in Margot’s book and then having her mum, dad, and sister (Margot) all yell at her for not giving it back straight away, I would have done the exact same thing if I was interested in a certain picture; however, I don’t think my parents would have reacted like that, and I would have told my sister to just please wait a second.

A difference I have with Anne is that in arguments I think me and my siblings are treated equally (in our parents view), whereas Anne believes her parents are always against her. A second difference I have with Anne is that she sees her mother as a failed parent that just likes to annoy her, while I believe my mother to be a great role model that leaves me something to believe in. Another difference I have with Anne on the topic of our parents is that she hates her mum and loves her dad while I love both of my parents deeply.

Although Anne and I have few similarities, we do still have a few. For example when Anne said that she and Margot were complete opposites, I can completely relate to that with my brother. Even though my brother and I aren’t complete opposites, we almost are (which in my opinion is what Anne and Margot are). Because of this I can sort of see what Anne is talking about when she says that she always clashes with her sister for I am exactly the same with my brother.

Over all me and Anne have lots of differences, but I think we are very similar especially when it comes to siblings.

“Margot and I began to pack some of our most vital belongings into a school satchel. The first thing I put in was this diary, then hair curlers, handkerchiefs, schoolbooks, a comb, old letters; I put in the craziest things with the idea that we were going into hiding. But I’m not sorry, memories mean more to me than dresses.” –Anne frank

Now the question is raised, if you were in such a situation as Anne and Margot Frank, what would you pack and why? To get the idea of our assignment, click here.

Yes I am with Anne there are defenatly more important things than clothes, so here are most of the things I would pack

Well the first thing in my satchel would be a laptop. I would take a laptop because it would enable me to keep writing every day without having a messy pile of paper, also seeing as I don’t know where I am going I might not be able to go outside so a laptop would keep me occupied through those long boring days. Since I don’t know where I am going I also don’t know if there is electricity so if I cant power up my laptop I will have to have something else, that something else would be a book (maybe four or five) and a journal, because a book will keep me occupied (without a laptop) and a journal will enable me to write down all of my crazy adventures and or controversies and just share my thoughts

Sticking to the topic, “what would I bring”, I would bring an old photo album. I would do this to make sure I remember what life is truly like outside the hiding spot, and to ensure that I remember all that is important to me, including family, friends and just plainly life itself.

My hand-phone is something I would definitaly take to this special hiding space. This is a necessity because I could call anyone I wanted to, so I wouldn’t forget about them or if I got sick of the people I was in hiding with my hand-phone would enable me to call someone else to talk too. My hand-phone is also good because it has a clock so you can always tell the time, it has a calendar so I can tell what date it is. Lastly my hand-phone also has games and an array of different music for when I get extremely bored.

laptop hand phone

books journal

Bravery (over all) is the ability to face your fears and other daunting things you may come across; however, someone who is courageous (which is a special type of bravery) is usually a role model and is always willing to take risks for the greater good even if it puts themselves in some kind of horrifyingly immense danger. Courage, basically is just a simple quality of mind or a kind of gut feeling that facilitates a person to face his or her own fears against their own will. It is terrific if someone has good courage, because having good courage regularly alters people’s minds so that they do things they usually wouldn’t do. In my head Courage is its own type of bravery, although it is like many of its synonyms (eg fearlessness and heroism) it is still slightly different, for instance if someone is a hero they do something heroic maybe only once but if someone is courageous they will they will do things sometimes they really don’t want to do every single day. In conclusion courage is a type of bravery that lets people who have it face the toughest of fears and helps them do certain things they were scared of doing before.

If you want to find a definition of Courage click here