Enjoy this free time to have some rest and have some quality time with your loved ones. Organize yourselves to do the work that you have to do in order to stay in touch with your student's duties so that when you come back to school, it will be easy to keep up!

Take good care of yourselves! 

All the best,

Mrs. Wagnac

What is Black History Month?

The document under study is a video from USA Today, published in February 2021. It is about the evolution of Black History Month, which is celebrated in the USA and in Canada every year in February. We have learned that Carter G. Woodson, an African-American historian was the founder of the concept. He started with the creation of what was called “Negro history week” in the second week of February in 1926. He had two goals in mind: the first one was to prove that the black community played a major role in the US History. Therefore, they should be treated as equal citizen.

(We will continue the study of the video next time. Be ready!)

Homework: Watch the video again and answer the following questions:

- How did the concept start? What were his goals?

- How did the concept evolve?

- Why is Black History Month controversial?

- How is it taught at school?

Be ready for the Final Task : Tuesday, March 4th 

Scenario (role play): We are in 1860 and you are a “Station Master” in the Underground Railroad. You have been invited by the AASS (American Anti-Slavery Association) in New York City to make a speech to encourage black and white people to commit to freeing slaves from the South and fight against slavery.

Be ready for the Reading Comprehension Evaluation on the theme of the chapter on Friday, March 7th.

Enjoy Your Vacation! 😉 

They Lived to Tell the Tale

Frederick Douglass was a former slave who escaped at around 20 years old. He was born in Maryland. He was a former US ambassador in Haiti. He is considered as the father of the black protest movement in the USA. He learned to read by himself. Throughout his life, he was a writer, an abolitionist, a vocal advocate, a social activist for black people’s rights and women’s right to vote. He also was a publisher and published his own newspaper: The North Star.

Text A

This document is an extract from Douglass’ autobiography published in 1845. In this excerpt, he deals with his childhood and explains how he felt dehumanized because he did not know about his age. In fact, slaves were compared to cattle as they were reduced to mere properties for the slave owners. On top of that, ignorance was a tool for the slave masters to have power/sway over the slaves.

Text B

This document is an extract from a speech pronounced by F. Douglass in 1852. Douglass is addressing the hypocrisy of Independence Day while slavery was still prevailing in America at the time. He argued that Black people had no reason to celebrate this festival because they were not respected and had no rights in this country at the time. Moreover, Black people did not feel included in the American values as they did not have the same rights as white people. They were not free to live as they wished to.

Text C

This text is an extract of a speech pronounced by Harriet Tubman. She was a famous abolitionist who played a big role into the escape of hundreds of slaves through the Underground Railroad.  She pronounced this speech in Boston in 1859.

She explains the reason why Black people must stay in America. Indeed, some people wanted to send them back to Africa. However, according to her, it is not a good thing because they had been living in America for a while, therefore their made their lives in America, they belonged to the country. Sending them back to Africa could ruin their lives. She uses a simple metaphor by using the examples of garlic and onions so that her message could be understood by everyone.

To conclude, all the texts are denouncing the atrocities of slavery. However, one is more emotional (text A) and the others are more political (text B and C). Besides, we can feel the anger in the texts and the way they really wanted to share their arguments in a way everyone can understand them. They strongly wanted to put an end to slavery so that it would not happen again.

They Lived to Tell the Tale

Text A

Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in Maryland, USA. Later, he escaped from slavery and became a famous writer and speaker against slavery. He also became a publisher publishing a newspaper for black people: The North Star. Moreover, he also was an activist for women’s right to vote. He is still a reference in the USA for the social movements that fight for more equality, whether it is for gender parity, race relations and minority recognitions.

In F. Douglass’ own words: “knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave”. This text is an excerpt of his autobiography that deals with impose ignorance that slave masters put on slaves. He expresses that this lack of knowledge can be the root to his discontent and his condition. Indeed, ignorance was a tool for slave masters to be able to control their slaves.

Back then, slaves were the properties of their masters. On top of that, they were dehumanized and compared to horses or cattle.  

Text B

This document is a speech pronounced by F. Douglass in 1852. He is denouncing the hypocrisy of the American government. He sheds light on the poor meaning of the celebration of Independent Day in a country where slaves were sentenced to suffer from their unfair conditions. Therefore, Black people had no reason to celebrate this festival because it marked the beginning of the intensification of the system of slavery. Furthermore, the Black people who participated for the independence of the country were betrayed by the Founding Fathers.

Text C

Harriet Tubman was an African-American abolitionist, activist and a former enslaved person. She became a key figure in the Underground Railroad. She helped hundreds of slaves escape to freedom. Later, she worked as a spy and a scout for the Union Army during the Civil War. She also fought for women’s rights to vote.

It is a speech pronounced by H. Tubman in 1859. She explains why black people should not be sent back to Africa because they are rooted/belonged to America. She uses a metaphor referring to onions and garlics comparing them to black people, when they are planted in a soil, they cannot be taken away, the same for black people in America.

To conclude, the three texts deal with racism and injustice in America. They advocate for dignity and the rights of African Americans. Each texts was produced by African American activists and former slaves in the 19^th century.

7 ways education powers a better world.

The document under study is a web article from Knowledge Hut website, published on February 5^th 2016. It deals with how education powers the world.

Indeed, we have learned that education brings self-confidence to complete our goals in life and a sense of pride as students we did a long way to aim at where are at today.

In this article, education is defined as being a fundamental right. Moreover, it is not only something we practice at school, it is a process that happens at any age and anywhere. Besides, it helps people to become better citizens to improve the places where they live. It can also develop the economy of a country.

The 7 ways education makes the world a better place are that first, education spreads awareness. Secondly, it helps us stand our ground and fight for what is right. Thirdly, it powers progress. Fourthly, it gives us a healthier lifestyle. Fifthly, it helps us becoming more productive. Sixthly, it helps us connect internationally and finally, it empowers people.

Homework: Learn your lesson.

Be ready to select one reason and justify your choice. Be ready to share your arguments with your classmates.

Enjoy your Vacation! 😉

Indian Educational Divide

The document under study is an article from the Guardian published on January 30^th, 2020. It deals with a seven-year-old girl named Janhavi Kumari who is alone in a school in a small village in India. Moreover, we know that the school is a tiny one with only two teachers and one cook. It is a state school, which means that it is financed by the government.

The seven-year-old girl comes from a poor family therefore, her parents cannot afford to pay the school fees to send her in a private school. Nevertheless, even if she is the only student in this school, going there will be the only way for her to receive an education and someday to have better prospects in life.

Nowadays, more and more rich Indian people do not trust schools financed by the government and prefer to send their children to private institutions, even if these schools offer products to help students to study in good conditions, rich parents are not convinced to leave their children there.

Another possible reason why wealthy people refuse to let their children go to those schools is that they do not want to see their children hanging out with children belonging to the lowest caste. In fact, they do not want their children to rub shoulders with “Dalit kids”.

Homework: Learn the lesson.

Debating Time: In groups, imagine why state schools tend to be losing their appeal/attractivity in some parts of the world and discuss the potential risks in terms of access to knwoledge.

A spokesperson from your group will have to list orally the elements you would have discussed about. 

 (At the following of what we did last time)

Throughout the trailer, he is called by his name “Solomon” and a free man, these callings really represented him. However, the slave owners called him “boy”, “servant”, “a slave” and “Georgia runaway”. These nicknames dehumanize him and deprive him from his real identity. In fact, his identity is denied.

When he was living in New Work, he had a happy life with his family. He was living by his passion: music. Nevertheless, when he was unfairly sent in the South, he became angry as he was deceived, in fact he was drugged against this will to be kidnapped and sold into slavery. Indeed, he was a victim of an unfair situation. Above all, he was determined to go back to where he belonged. Eventually, 12 years later who could be free again.

Homework: Learn the lesson.

 (At the following of waht we did lats time)

Throughout the trailer, he is called by his name “Solomon”, “a free man” these callings were his real identity. However, throughout the trailer, he was also called by pejorative nicknames, such as “boy”, “ a Georgian runaway”, “freak”, “a slave”, which dehumanized Solomon and deprived him from his real identity.

Beforehand, he had a great life with his family in the North and he was living by his passion, music. Nevertheless, he was deceived as he was drugged against his will to be kidnapped to be sold into slavery. He was beaten up and mistreated. He refused this situation that he found it unfair. He missed his family and his home. He wanted to go back to the North where he belonged. In fact, he felt betrayed by society because he believed in the American Dream in which everyone can succeed and achieve their dreams. Eventually, he lived as a slave for 12 years.

Homework: Learn the lesson.

 Opening the door of science to Girls

The document under study is an extract of a speech pronounced/delivered by the chief of the United Nations in February 2020. He speaks about the importance of educating young girls. More precisely, he thinks that it is paramount to reach gender parity in STEM studies (STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). In fact, according to him, it is important to reach gender parity in this filed in order to move forward because girls can also bring a lot to this field. It is a necessity to suppress the male-dominated culture in science in order to give the girls an opportunity to build these new skills to take an active part in tomorrow’s society. It is a good thing to have a right balance in this field in order for everyone to have a chance to succeed in life. Moreover, girls can be a real benefit for the society. Therefore, it is important to fight against the existing barriers that prevent girls from choosing careers based on STEM.

Homework: Learn the lesson.

 Unequal Access to Knowledge

Why is it important to invest in girls’ education?

The document under study is an infographic published in 2014, it from UNICEF. It deals with the evolution of gender parity at school in sub-Saharan Africa.

It is striking/astonishing/surprising to see that, throughout the school years, there are less and less girls enrolled in school.

If girls would stay at school longer, they will have a chance to marry years later. They would not die during pregnancy or childbirth. Moreover, their children would have fewer children therefore, they would be more healthier and they would be able to go to better schools, even universities to have better job prospects.

In fact, the reasons for gender inequality are because of social and structural barriers that stereotype and discriminate girls.  On top of that, girls are often more exposed to sexual violence. Besides, the lack of sanitary facilities can also be a big issue for girls. On a financial level, parents would prefer to pay school fees for their sons rather than for their daughters. To finish with, young girls are forced into early child marriage, as their parents cannot take care of them, so they end up marrying older men to take care of them.

Homework: Learn the lesson.