"Who are you?"

We've jumped down the rabbit hole and have begun our adventures with Alice in Wonderland. This classic provides many interesting themes for class discussion - the foremost one being the idea of finding one's identity. These early teen years are often confusing and frustrating due to all the changes going on not only physically but mentally and emotionally. Lewis Carroll's story is full of life lessons presented in a nonsensical manner. We're having fun with it. Please let me know if your child will be attending the GVT production on Sunday, March 24 at 2:30 pm. Student tickets will be paid for by GES. Adult tickets are $15 and senior (over 60) tickets are $13. I will be making the final reservations tomorrow Monday, February 25.


This Friday is the GES Social Studies Fair. We'll spend this week presenting student projects to the class and tweaking them as needed. All projects should be completed and brought to class tomorrow. Please plan to visit the fair on Friday and support the students by appreciating all their hard work.

March dates to remember:

• Friday, March 1 - GES Social Studies Fair
• Friday, March 15 - Visit to the North House
• Friday, March 22 - Taco lunch fundraiser
• Saturday, March 30 - Yard sale fundraiser

I've attached the rest of the student I Am poems below. Enjoy.

Mrs. J

I Am Poem

Character :Emma

I am the girl who was left behind

I wonder what freedom is like

I hear the drop the drops of the rain

I see the home that I have in my dream

I want to see the faces of past

I am the girl who was left behind

I pretend to act like I’m brave when I am not

I feel the warmth of embrace

I touch the cloud overflowing with rain

I worry to never see freedom

I cry for the tears that have been shed

I am the girl who was left behind

I understand money runs the world

I say run for the horizon

I dream of my past

I try to understand what I can

I hope to go someday

I am the girl who was left behind

By: Victoria

                         WILL

                              by Wood, Cody

                        Day Of Tears by Julius Lester

          I am a dreamer and respectful

          I wonder if I will see my sister one more time

          I hear words that hurt me inside

          I see people get whipped

          I want to be free

          I am a dreamer and respectful

          I pretend I’m ok

          I feel sad and hurt

          I touch my scars

          I worry I will never be free

          I cry that I will be whipped

          I am a dreamer and respectful

          I understand I will never be free

          I say that there should not be slavery

          I dream I will be free

          I try to be hopeful

          I am a dreamer and respectful

                               

I am observant and powerless.                               

   I wonder what freedom sounds like.                             

    I hear the unjustified abuse of the victims of malice.

      I see the brutal, unhuman mess of a world.

        I want a solution.

          I am observant and powerless.

           I pretend I am free.

             I feel the ache from the lack of compassion.

               I touch liberty, though it is just out of my grasp.

               I worry about tomorrow.

             I cry about bondage.

           I am observant and powerless.

         I understand that I shouldn’t understand much.

       I say people should all be respected.

     I dream for freedom to a happy life.

   I try to be content.

  I hope that sometime I will have a reason to be content.

                                   I am observant and powerless.

CHARACTER: Frederick Douglass

                   BOOK: Narrative of Frederick Douglass

                   AUTHOR: Frederick Douglass

I am charitable and answerable.

I wonder why there is enslavement.

I hear god’s tears.

I see god crying.

I want to be free.

I am charitable and answerable.

I pretend I am free.

I feel connected.

I touch hearts.

I worry about Sara.

I cry about being sold.

I am charitable and answerable.

I understand I am needed.

I say I will be free someday

I dream of being free

I try to please Master Butler

I hope to be free

I am charitable and answerable                             Baylor

I Am Emma

Day of Tears, Julius Lester

By Casey

I am hopeful and quaint,

I wonder about the ongoing trades,

I hear the arguments in my head,

I see the faith in others,

I want to stay hidden in a crowd,

I am hopeful and quaint.

I pretend that i'm invisible sometimes,

I feel what others feel,

I touch hopes that were already gone,

I worry about what isn't real,

I cry the unfairness of the grand scheme of things,

I am hopeful and quaint.

I understand that i’m not exactly perfect,

I say get the joke,

I dream that it will be different some day,

I try to help the best I can,

I hope for unreal ideas,

I am hopeful and quaint.

Sampson

Day of Tears

Julius Lester

I am loyal and trusting.

I wonder what would happen if I escaped.

I hear people talking about escaping.

I see Charles talking to Emma

I want my son to be proud of me

I am loyal and trusting

I pretend I am free and with my son

I feel like I’ll be free if I’m loyal

I touch freedom

I worry what will happen to Charles

I cry that Charles left

I am loyal and trusting

I understand why Charles set the barn on fire

I say the best way to survive is to be loyal

I dream I will be free and happy

I try to stay loyal

I hope to be free

I am loyal and trusting

Mason,

Jones