Last week, Kiera and I went out in search of a new family member...sort of! We have been talking about getting a cat for a while now.
The benefits of getting a cat: they are self-sufficient. They aren't as needy as dogs. They don't bark.
The negatives: They use a smelly litter box.
Since the positives outweighed the negatives, we decided to get a cat. After hours of searching, going from the Houston SPCA to adoption agencies, we found the perfect match! Maverick was a cute, cuddly, gray cat that had the personality of a dog (a big plus for us since we have Macy!). Sure enough, when we brough Maverick home, he and Macy were like best-buds in no time!
The Book of Eli is a sci-fi, fantasy film that stars Denzel Washington in a post-apocalypse scenario. Post-apocalypse refers to anything that takes place after the destruction of the world as we know it. You may be familiar with these types of films such as Terminator Salvation, The Planet of the Apes, and 12 Monkeys.
In The Book of Eli, the apocalypse has taken place after a nuclear war. Literally, the world has been destroyed and most of civilization has been killed. Washington plays Eli, a man who is on a mission from God to protect the last Bible on the earth. During the war, all religious texts had been destroyed (Except for Eli’s). Enter the conflict: The film includes a corrupt leader who desires the Bible from Eli because he believes that it will allow him to control the world as a religious leader.
The film is a contrast of good and evil in many ways. Not only does the plot contrast the two, but the content is also opposite. The movie goes from action-packed scenes of violence, blood, and vulgarity to scenes of peace, faith, and comfort.
I do recommend this movie, however I advise you to receive parental permission before seeing the film. The vulgarity and action can be a bit intense at times, and it is rated R.
Most surprising is the film’s overtly Christian message. Similar to Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, The Book of Eli comes through with a strong message of faith and devotion. Washington, who produced the film, has been a religious leader in Hollywood for years, and his beliefs come through strongly in this film. Consequently, I expect this film will do very well—it’s a people pleaser. The action and violence will please the everyday-movie-goer while the religiously soaked message will please the conservative viewers.
I give The Book of Eli a 7 out of 10 for its well-written plot, positive message, good acting, and surprise ending!
As part of this year's new reading course, the eighth graders will begin reading the novel, Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson. Speak is a powerful novel that investigates some of the inner most sensitive emotions that a high school girl deals with as she struggles with popularity, acceptance, and sexual abuse.
As a pre-reading activity, students need to respond to one of the following four statements with a 500 word journal reflection. Students will post their responses here. These responses should be detailed, rich, and high-quality thinking. There should be a demonstration of serious depth of though
Students who are depressed are simply afraid to deal with their real or perceived problems.
Students should not tell teachers about their personal problems, no matter how serious.
If someone is drunk or high, she or he is not responsible for her or his actions.
Girls are more likely than guys to say they have been sexually harassed.
Due Wednesday. 35 points
Secondly, students will respond to one another on Thursday. These responses should spark a potential discussion over these topics. Don't respond with "that's good," or "I agree." Instead, respond with thoughtful remarks, ask probing questions, or add to the student's journal response with something worth while.
