Hannah's English Blog

  Prompt Reflection: AP Language has been both interesting and fun so far! I've really been enjoying the blog posts, as I find writing to be an important hobby of mine in and outside of school. I also really enjoy the environment we have in AP Lang, and I feel as if I've learned a lot in the 4 weeks we've had of school so far. The films we've watched and the notes we take are all very informative, and I've learned lots that I've never even thought of before. For example, I apparently don't live in Atlanta. One thing I need to work on overall is consistency, like doing my blog posts on the day they're assigned.  Summary: In class, we wrote an argument body paragraph after reading the excerpt called Ambush, and wrote about our stance on what we consider to be a "good kill".  Reflection: When we practiced writing argument body paragraphs, I realized I had lots to work on. Not only did I find it hard to differentiate between claims, evidence, and e...

  Prompt Response:  One time I made a claim or opinion, and someone asked me to back it up with evidence, was when I was challenged for my stance on what the best color might be. Spoiler: it's yellow. Favorite colors are a very opinionated question, so I felt a bit of pressure when defending my claim that yellow remains superior, but after explaining my evidence, people eventually agreed and could see my point of view. Yellow brings joy and stands for the basis of all life- the sun. Undeniable evidence as to why yellow stands as a valid option, despite its common hate. Summary: In class, we learned more about the OJ Simpson case, debated whether it was true or not, and then discussed the importance of explaining your evidence. Then, we read and discussed an excerpt from Writable, Ambush , in preparation for our writing on Friday. Reflection: Discussing the importance of explaining your evidence aids in the future in knowing what evidence to use and how to correctly support our...

  Prompt Reflection:  My favorite learning method is class discussions. After that are hands-on activities, and following that... worksheet work. Worksheet work bores me, and while it can sometimes prove to be effective, I wouldn't describe it as real experience/entertainment. Then, hands-on activities. I believe that hands-on activities give me good experience but lack in the entertainment aspect for me. However, when it comes to class discussions, I feel involved, interested, and enjoy interacting with my peers about different topics that interest me. Summary: Today in class, we read over and annotated the 2013 AP Lang FRQ, practicing our skills for making claims and choosing our own positions. Reflection: Practicing our responses for the AP Lang FRQ helps prepare us for when the time comes in May for us to take the actual AP Lang FRQ. I also got to practice my own experience in making claims, which could aid when forming my own argument body paragraphs when supporting my ow...

Prompt Reflection: One thing that I will never fully understand is being a male in our current society. Nothing too complex; I've just recently come to the realization that while I think I understand and I think that I can put myself in the shoes of a male, I'll never fully understand the feeling. Scientifically speaking, the only true thing separating females and males is our hormones and tiny genetic differences. However, I think in the broader scheme of things, I've had to come to terms with the difference in experience imposed on both genders by society... No matter how similar men and women might be, the difference is almost unimaginable. Summary: Today in class we wrote and discussed on writing/forming argument body paragraphs. Reflection: This was good, as knowing how to properly format your argument body paragraphs is imperative when writing important papers. This proved useful in the exercise we took part in later in the week, where we formed our own argument body ...

  Prompt Reflection:  One thing that makes me different from other people is my empathy; I think it's one of my favorite traits of myself. I think it can be a double-edged sword, but it makes me the person I am today. For a while, I struggled with this. There's a thin line between empathy and self-abandonment, and I often find myself teetering, tiptoeing on the edge until stumbling on the other side. I am quick to love, quick to empathize, and even quicker to forgive- even if not always serving me. However, I've been working on it, and I've found out that when done right, the power to forgive can be magical even when not reciprocated. That's what makes me happy, and I'm grateful to have a community filled with that type of love. It's in my earnest hopes that those who haven't been introduced to it are also gifted with the practice of empathy. Summary: Today in class we watched different clips from different movies and TV shows, and took notes on SPACECAT...

  Prompt Response:  Living in Atlanta has influenced the way I see culture through immersion and exposure to a multitude of cultures. One of my favorite things about Atlanta is the diversity. Atlanta is home to numerous cultures, and two of the most beautiful things I was introduced to upon moving here was both the introduction to the wide variety and mix of them that can be found throughout. One key example of this can be seen at school, or even from a simple drive downtown. I think if someone was unfamiliar with Atlanta, I would emphasize to them how important it is to embrace this difference and take them to one of the numerous buzzing third-spaces that can be found everywhere in ATL. My favorite being Ponce City Market. My family, my friend, and my friend's family visited there this summer, and the one way to describe that place is magical. Summary:  Today in class we dissected multiple speeches, and took a deep dive into the "Go Home" speech by Keisha Lance Bottom....

          Prompt Response: The most creative thing I think I've ever made is the paper mache turtle that sits on a table in my room. I designed it to hold all my jewelry and it's tied together to open and close shut like a trapdoor. The reason why I believe this might be one of the most creative things I've done is because I made it from scratch. Majority of the creative things I do is inspired by another work of art, which is not to diminish or take away from those pieces either, but I do think that's what set the turtle apart for me. It wasn't 100% original, I saw someone do paper mache one day and just decided I wanted to too. Something about building something and crafting it out of cardboard just makes me so happy, and it was even more fun to paint it any design I wanted to afterwards. Especially because it even serves a purpose.   Summary: Today in class we took notes on SPACE-CAT along with analyzing a Presidential Speech from Donald Trump regarding ...

  Prompt Response:       One time I felt completely lost was after I took an attachment test online. Yes, I know, on surface it sounds stupid, and YES it is just some online personality attachment quiz. However, in the summer of 2024, I conducted a research paper on attachment styles and both how they form and how they might affect you later down the line. One way I conducted my research was by scouring through countless websites and scores and looking for the most effecient way of determining attachment. While there are tell-tale signs, this website was one of my biggest tools as it's results have credibility and logic behind them. So, I based my "diagnosis"- if you will- on my results. Turns out I had a disorganized attachment style. Which I guess looking back is fine, but in the moment, I had no idea how to fix it, and all I knew was that it was bad, and that people with this attachment style tend to manipulate and control. " Am I like that?"  was my first th...

  Prompt Response:        One thing that I believed in as a child was the tooth fairy. I believed in the tooth fairy up until I was around 9 years old. I think I believed in this story tale for so long half because of how gullible I was at the age and also due to the fact that I didn't start experiencing the effects of the tooth fairy until I lost my first tooth at the ripe age of 7. Everyone else in my class had been losing their teeth since their early 6's, so little me felt extremely behind. To my disappointment though, after suffering through the pain of pulling out my first ever tooth, I anticipated at LEAST a dollar awaiting me the next morning. I was greeted with a single quarter. The tooth fairy had robbed me! After that, I shamed the tooth fairy until my parents finally gave the gig up. Summary:    Today in class we went over creating claims, and supporting claims with a certain criteria list. One that creates certain conditions that have to b...

      Prompt Response:  One argument or disagreement that I wish I could've handled differently was a recent argument with my mom. It was silly, and in truth, I still believe it was not my fault. She had misplaced an article of clothing, and after looking relentlessly for it, the only conclusion that she could come up with is that I must've stolen it. So, she came to me, and she blamed me for stealing her shirt. Looking back, I got very defensive and I think I tried to fight her annoyance with even more annoyance which now I realize I could've handled differently. My goal then had been to prove myself innocent, but I did so through blame, which only worsened our situation. If I could change what I did differently I would take the three methods we learned from Chapters 1-3 of  Thank you Arguing- Blame, Values, and Choices. Then, I think I would've approached her with choice instead of blame for a more receptive and productive response.    Summary: ...

  Prompt Response:      One time I can recall myself persuading someone was when I was 11 years old, and I was trying to convince my mom to buy me an iPad for Christmas. I believe I used all 3; Ethos, Pathos, and Logos when convincing her. My argument was built on proving that an iPad is less of a want, but a necessity, and to do so I first conveyed the logical thought process behind buying me an iPad. Homework would be done easier, and it was needed for easier, more complex methods of note taking. Then, I convinced her through Pathos with my little 11 year old tears. I told her that all the other kids have iPads, and that me not having one put me at a disadvantage academically. Finally, to really sell the deal I brought up my friends who did in fact have an iPad, and compared their success rates to mine, and how having an iPad might've contributed to that. I think logos was the most effective method in convincing her to buy it for me, as she cares the most about my ...

Prompt Response:   One issue or topic that I think I'll have to stand up and debate most often with society is casual forms of discrimination. Unfortunately, in American society, lots of our structures and our culture is rooted in racism. With the introduction of social media, both blatant and casual forms of racism spread with ease, and many aren't aware of the consequences this has on our modern day generation. I believe that we as a society are unaware of the power our words carry, and as a POC I have firsthand with experience with this. Whether it be society, friends, family, or even myself, I think we all as a collective have lots of room to grow in this aspect, and I believe it all starts with accountability. So, as I grow older, and I find new ways to spread my voice and opinion I hope to play my own special role in helping spread love and equality for all. Summary: Today in class we looked deeper into the meaning of Pathos, Ethos, and Logos to get a thorough understandi...

 Prompt: Three goals that I want to achieve this year are receiving all A's in all my classes, being put in a place of leadership for one of my outside school activities, and I also hope to gain a better relationship with my counselor- Dr. Bucovaz. All of these goals I think are things that will further my own personal growth in life, which is part of the reason why I have my mindset on them. Junior year is known to be a big year for highschoolers, and I'm very excited to get the opportunity to push myself into a new becoming and see just how far I can go. Specifically being in a place of leadership, this year I get the opportunity to be a cheerleader! So, leadership has been a big thing I'm trying to work on.