Unit 1: Look at me Now

How do your appearance and self-image mirror your personality?

Axis 4: Representation of Self and Relationships with Others.

The document under study is a short movie entitled “Aspirational”. The main character is Kirsten Dunst, a famous American movie star who played in several movies, such as Jumanji, Spiderman, Marie-Antoinette… We see her getting outside from her house, waiting for a Uber to meet some friends.

Then, suddenly, a car stops in front of her, 2 young girls who recognize her get off of the car to take pictures of her with her. Unfortunately, the two girls are not really polite as they do not even ask for Dunst’s permission to take pictures with her. Moreover, they do not even interact with her even if Dunst tries to start a conversation with them.

Dunst was shocked, sad and confused because of the selfish/narcissistic behavior of these girls.

Indeed, the girls seem not to care about who is Dunst in real life, they only wanted to post their pictures on their social media to have more followers and impressed their friends on social media. Besides, they also wanted to use Dunst’s fame for their own benefits.

To conclude, the goal/message of this video is to denounce the excess of the use of social media, how people focus more on their image in the virtual world rather than living their lives in the real world.

Homework: Learn the lesson.

Unit 2: Plantation Tourism

Axis 2: Territory and Memory

How can we properly pay tribute to the legacy of slavery through plantation tourism?

Oak Alley Plantation

The document under study is a vlog about Oak Alley Plantation, located Vacherie, Louisiana, nearby the Mississippi River. We can hear a historian telling about the history of the planation. Oak Alley was the biggest and the best sugar plantation in the South. It even had a nickname, which was the “Jewel in the Crown” of the Sugar Bowl. Besides, the landowner was also nicknamed the “King of Sugar”. The plantation was called this way because of the two rows of oak trees in front of the main building. The latter was called the Big House by the slaves in comparison to their small cabins the slave quarters. There were located further away from the Big House. Moreover, the kitchen was separated from the Big House, it was where the slaves would cook for the family of the owner. On top of that, the kitchen was outside the house in case of fire spreading the Big House would be spared. Sugar was an intense crop to cultivate, indeed it would take couple months to grow, then when they would harvest it, they would crush it immediately. Then they would boil it several times to get the sugar.

Homework: Learn the lesson.

 Unit 2: Plantation Tourism

Axis 2: Territory and Memory

How can we properly pay tribute to the legacy of slavery through plantation tourism?

Oak Alley Plantation

The document under study is a vlog about Oak Alley Plantation, located in Vacherie, Louisiana, nearby the Mississippi River. We can hear a historian who is introducing the place. Oak alley plantation was a sugar one. It was known as being the best sugar plantation in Louisiana, and was even nicknamed the “Jewel in the Crown” of the Sugar Bowl. Besides, the landowner was even called “King of Sugar”. To cultivate sugar was very intensive for the slaves: they had to harvest the crop then crush it immediately to turn it into juice. Then it would be boiled several times to get the sugar.

The slave master would live in the Big House with his family. The kitchen was not even in the house in case it would be caught in fire so that the house would be spared. The slaves were the ones who would cook for the family of the owner. There were the slaves quarters, further away from the Big House. There were places where the slaves would live. Usually, their cabins would be smaller than the Big House.

Homework: Learn the lesson.

Unit 2: Plantation Tourism

Axis 2: Territory and Memory

How can we properly pay tribute to the legacy of slavery through plantation tourism?

Oak Alley Plantation

The document under study is vlog made by a historian. It is about Oak Alley Plantation, located in Vacherie, Louisiana, along the Mississippi River. The historian is introducing its history. The name of the plantation comes from the two rows of oak trees in front of the building. The crop that was cultivated there was sugar. The plantation was known as being the best sugar plantation in Louisiana and was nicknamed the “Jewel in the crown” of the Sugar Bowl. On top of that, the landowner was called the “king of Sugar”. Sugar was a very intense labor for slaves as it takes couple months to grow. Besides, the sugar had to be crushed and boiled several times.

On the estate, there is the Big House where the slave owner used to live with his family. The kitchen was out of the house in case it would be caught in fire so that the house would be spared. And further away, there are the slave quarters. There were six of them, behind the kitchen far away from the Big House. Slaves would live in small cabins there made of wood.

Homework: Learn the lesson.

Unit 2: Plantation Tourism

Axis 2: Territory and Memory

How can we properly pay tribute to the legacy of slavery through plantation tourism?

Oak Alley Plantation

The document under study is vlog that deals with the history of Oak Plantation, situated in Vacherie, Louisiana. We learn that it was a sugar plantation. It was also the biggest and known as the best sugar plantation in Louisiana. Indeed, the master was known as the “King of sugar”, and the plantation was described as the “jewel in the crown” of the Sugar Bowl in Louisiana. Besides, the plantation is located nearby the Mississippi River.

The estate was separated in three parts: the Big House which was the house of the master and his family. The kitchen was outside the big house in case it would be caught in fire so that the house would be spared. The slaves were the ones who would cook for the family of the owner. The third part is the slave quarters. There were where the slaves would live away from the Big House. They were living in small cabins smaller than the Big House.

Homework: Learn the lesson.

Teamwork: Advantages and drawbacks

The document under study is a recording about the opinions of three students about teamwork. We can hear about the advantages that are the possibility to make new friends. Moreover, it can help us to improve our self-confidence. Besides, it is easier to speak in a smaller group. Furthermore, it can teach us to be better listeners. On the other hand, there are obstacles/drawbacks/limits to teamwork: indeed, sometimes it can be difficult to agree with everyone. In addition, some people will not make the effort to listen to everyone. At first, it looks really difficult and useless. Eventually, when everyone does some good efforts, we all learn important skills.

Homework: Learn the lesson.

  Teamwork, advantages and drawbacks

The document under study is a recording about the advantages and obstacles of teamwork. The advantages are that teamwork is an opportunity to talk with other students. Moreover, it is possible to make new friends. Besides, it is easier to talk in a small group. Indeed, it also builds your confidence. On top of that, teamwork can teach us to be better listeners.

On the other hand, there can be drawbacks to teamwork, for example people will not always agree with you. In addition, not everyone is listening to one another, therefore, everyone should/has to make efforts to respect one another.

Homework: Learn the lesson.