Ok so here I go, Mr. R, this is my thesis that I would like to think of as more of a letter to you on how you have inspired me to be a better person, meaning my thoughts on how Anne and Miranda are alike, also how mercy and revenge differ and why some people use one, and lastly my personal growth from being around you and how English class helped me to become a better person.

For a start Anne and Miranda, at first seemed to be the type of girls who hadn’t really out grown 2nd grade and were the girls who liked to be the center of attention. A small glitch in their lives seemed like a big deal, for Miranda it was when her dad had made the storm on the ship out to sea, but for Anne it was more like when she first wasn’t allowed to do some things that her friends could.
Once Anne had faced reality and she wasn’t able to do so much and some of he Jews around her had been taken to concentration camps, and she had to grow up and look out for herself in every way. For Miranda it was after she realized that she had fallen in love with Ferdinand, I think that it was then that she realized that if she wanted to marry him she would have to grow up and not rely on her father all the time.
At the end both girls have matured so much. Miranda grew up as she was going to get married, ok so I know that that mightn’t have been such a big deal in those days but any girl who was married so young must have been very mature for their age, and Anne, her life had become a nightmare, but she was still just as hopeful to have a good life even though she was scared that she might be discovered and sent away everyday.
So this is basically a way of saying that their lives were quite the same as in they both had to suddenly snap into reality if they wanted to have a good future, and that your parents will do the best to look out for you but you have to learn to look out for yourself.

Now onto mercy and revenge, now revenge will usually be used more than revenge because more people in this world now think that just because they did it to me it’s ok to do something just as bad back, when really just because they did it to you it doesn’t make it right. Plus revenge is never ending as if there are two people who just want to take out revenge on each other than the revenge will never end, they will always have to be watching their backs, because neither of them is going to give up.
Another thing is that mercy is not exactly giving up and saying, ok yep you win I won’t do that to you anymore, it’s not for the faint hearted. Anyone who is able to forgive someone is showing that person because they know that what they did was wrong and that if they did it back that would make them only as stupid. My definition of mercy is simply this “mercy is for the people that you are willing to forgive. It’s not a sign of weakness but a sign of the person with more knowledge of life.
Also revenge feels better, because it makes you feel as if that person deserves it. Going to the discussion in class about the death penalty, and how if you murder someone and then you are condemned to death it is the same as revenge. It’s almost like saying you killed that person so now we will kill you. It’s not right but it makes the victims family feel better.
So revenge is easier to do only more planning goes into it only mercy is for those who know about wrong and right and who are willing to forgive. Plus the people who are most likely to use revenge are in my opinion the people that you want to change. I’m not sure if I am right but they would be the first people I would want to change.

So now you get to know all about my personal growth, and yes I know what you’re thinking that this will be rather boring, and ok I admit it is, but I am still writing about it anyway. So the first thing that I learned in you class was how to write very long reflective journals, although they were on boring topics it was a hard thing for me to do as I had never written so much in my life. I was astounded that you could ask an 8th grade class to do that. But sitting here now I think back and wonder how I ever thought that this was hard, because you taught me how to do it so well.
Another thing you taught me how to do was how I could use technology so much better. I now don’t take after my mum, which is good because it means that I am not so “technologically retarded” anymore, I have a better view of technology and how I can use it. You taught me how to blog, and how to use garage band, which I am just so excited about! I can’t wait to use garage band at home now.
Also you have taught me how to think about life. I don’t know how exactly maybe it was the discussion in class about the girl being stoned and how it was their religion, and that got me going. Does religion really exist or does you soul just live on in the hearts of others until no one left alive knows about you and your light in someone else’s heart slowly dies out. I know for a fact that for me this is a very queer thing to think having a religion of my own but I cant help but think about life and how precious it is, and how much I like it no matter how much I don’t want to grow out of 2nd grade. Another reason for my thinking about this may be because if Anne Frank, as she seems like the perfect inspiration because you can see in her diary that even though she was living in total fear of being caught she still loved her life and was thankful for her family, no matter how many hard times she had.

Well this is the end. I really have been inspired this year because if English class and I don’t think that I ever could have learned so much from just one person and only in a year. But most of all I never could have had a more open view of the world. I now think more and more about anything and everything thanks to you. So think of this thesis as more of a thank-you letter to tell you just how much this year and you meant to me.

Looking though lenses is a way in which to find yourself, I believe. You can know more about yourself in the way you view the world, as you would not feel so different as so many people have different views of different things. Because I know my own lens, I can now look at some things in the world through a different lens.

The film “Coach Carter” is about young American men who go to Richmond High School, which is not the best High School to go to. If I were a young Black American man and I watched this film to me it would be more about the race of people to whom I am a part of. Also because my life is just so horrible and that a proven fact would be that I would probably end up wither dead or in jail. How I can change myself to get out of this life and into a better one. But this would only be to someone who does believe and knows that he can do better. Also another form of sub text in this film is how much school actually gives you a life, and even is you want to go to college for sport you still have to work hard academically. Whereas not many of the people from my race would feel the same way.
Another lens to look through at this film is if I were a young black American girl, this film would make perfect sense, as I would know just how bad the life i have is, full of violence and people just not caring I guess the sub text to this film would be that even though I come from a bad background, and so does everyone around me, this film would give a few of those who beilieve in themselves hope to have a better, different life.

I guess that both of these examples are forms of believing in yourself only because you come from a different culture it is either harder or easier to do that. Well yes I know that there are many other things that you can look through different lenses for, but I found these two particularly interesting.

Poetry is all the small things the world has to offer, put in writing as precious as a diamond.

During English this quarter and a little bit of last quarter Mr. R’s 8th Grade English students were participating in a poetry unit. We (the students) were taught the foundations of poetry writing. Each lesson we would write at least 2 poems to be used in our poetry book at the end of the unit. Also during this unit we were involved in an international project known as the “Teen Life” project. This project enabled us to communicate with other students our age around the world. Our task in this project was to write poetry and produce images to help in a presentation that is still in the making.

Whilst doing the poetry book, I was a self-directed learner because I accepted responsibility for my own learning by self-editing, goal setting and reflection of my own work. I self edited all of my poetry after I had written it, and then went over all of my poems plus the new one I had just written in case I suddenly thought up a great line for one of them. I set goals to have just one poem finished, and also for finishing all of my poems for my poetry book. Now I begin to ask myself the what if question, and I think what if I had spent even more time reflecting my poems, I feel as if I could have made them even better.
I demonstrated competency in goal setting, time management and organizational skills by trying my best and being organised. I tried my personal best with all of the poems I did, if I reviewed them and they didn’t have the feel that I wanted them to I changed them sometimes just a few times but others I completely started over. I was organised in that I followed everything that we had to do in order so that I would know exactly what I had done. What if I had tried even harder and taken more time over the weekend to write poetry. What if I was better at setting my goals to have the poetry book finished sooner.
I monitored, adjusted and documented work in progress by keeping all of my work organised, and taking notes. I kept my work organised in my English binder all in one section and also on my thumb drive having a section for poems. I took notes on all the “Tools of poetry” that Mr. R lectured to us. I still actually refer to them.

I was an academic achiever because I demonstrated progress in all curricular areas by progressing towards a goal, and having growth in my essay scores. I progressed towards my goal by pushing myself to do better and work faster and harder. Whilst writing the poetry I could write one poem and get all of my ideas out and then spend a very long time perfecting it, taking parts out, and then thinking of a whole new idea and wanting to try that one out. I have had a growth in my poetry scores as my first poems started out quite badly and then I actually started to understand more about poetry so my grades became better. What if I had researched about poetry before the unit started, I could have been better at the start and improved even more I think, as I would have gotten inspiration from the class about what to write about.
I demonstrated the ability to work both independently and collaboratively by being responsible, sharing ideas, and listening to other people’s ideas. I was responsible most of the time, as Alex and I would share our poetry a lot together. We would give some ideas of how that poem could be better and then listen to each other’s ideas after we had finished reading each other’s. What if I had been responsible all of the time, I don’t think that my poems would have been as good, as Alex is a much better writer than me, and she gave me so many good ideas and helped me out so much that I actually am very glad that I was irresponsible sometimes.
I accessed information from a variety of sources by using the Internet, people (Alex), and books. I used the Internet to research other poets to get inspiration form them. What I really got out of this was how to write a story poem. Alex and I helped each other so much. I actually went over to her house a couple of hours before her party started and we finished all of our poems then. She gave me so much inspiration. I also used books to give me inspiration. I read books from children’s poetry, understanding all of the basics, to a thesaurus, where I got some better words for my poems. What if I had researched more poets to get more inspiration for writing happier poems; I could have had more of a mixture in my book I think.
I demonstrated technological literacy and the use of technology as a tool for the efficient and creative completion of the project by peer-editing, spell checking, and revising. I peer-edited with Alex. We would read each other’s every 5 minutes and help each other then. As for the spell checking my computer did that for me, but I also read through my poetry very carefully just to make sure. I revised my poetry all the time, whenever I had written a new poem I would revise them all. What if I had peer edited with more then 1 person, I think that I could have gotten even more inspiration, and I feel that I could have done so much better.
During this unit I did do most of the work right but I know that I could have done so much better, especially for the poetry book. So I would give myself a 6 out of 10 for this, as I know if I did this again I would do so much better.

“It’s about getting a kid’s voice out there and giving them an audience. If you write an essay and I’m the only one reading it, nothing grows from that. Over time the ideas die.”
Post on Mr. R’s blog.

I was an involved citizen during the “Teen Life” project because I interacted respectfully with people of diverse cultures by getting to know them, being nice, and not judging them on things that they are not good at. I got to know people in my group by talking to them on msn; I also talked to people from other groups as well. I was nice to them and they were nice to me. I had a great time chatting with them and finding out about where they live and what they do. What if I had asked about what I should do to take even more part in the project. I feel as if I could have contributed more, and that we would have had even more information for us to do our project.
I was a critical thinker because I gathered, analysed, and processed information from a variety of sources by going in the Internet, and reading books. I read children’s poetry books to grasp the knowledge of alliteration and rhyme. I also went on the Internet to research for my topic so that I could write a poem about it. What if I had asked people about what to write about and collaborated with my group more, I think that I could have gotten a better result, not to mention that the group would be more open in editing and discussing things.
I was an effective communicator because I demonstrated skills of affective collaboration by working with my group to finish the project, asking questions, and also giving advice. Our group was working and posting on the wiki page, and I would go on every night to see what they had done. I even read a post by Nora and wrote a poem about it. I would ask questions to the group members at school (mainly Alex) to ask them what they had done, we all had written poems and were working on the images. We helped each other to write better poems. What if our group had done even better in asking each other questions and giving positive feedback on the posts we liked and giving them constructive criticism on others. I believe that if I/we had done this, our outcome would have been so much better.
I incorporated/ utilized technology as a tool for communication by posting my poems on the wiki space, and (hopefully) have one of them on the presentation that will be the outcome of this project. I posted three poems in total on the wiki space, and I don’t know how many poems they will put in the presentation, but I assume that they will pick at least two, and the best ones out of all written. What if I had posted more poems with more meaning to them, then maybe the final product will be better as there were more poems to choose out of.
For this part of the project I believe that I did pretty well, I could have done better, but I didn’t so I would give my self and 8 out of 10 for this part of the unit.

Overall I think that this unit and this project were an awesome experience. I met people from all over the world, and I learnt how to write poetry. I would gladly do this unit over and learn from all of the mistakes that I have made to get more out of it.

I figured out:

O, a cherubin
Thou wast that did preserve me. Thou didst smile,
Infusèd with a fortitude from heaven,
When I have decked the sea with drops full salt,
Under my burden groaned, which raised in me
An undergoing stomach to bear up
Against what should ensue.

No my angel
You were the one that kept me going. You smiled with,
Strength you must have gotten from heaven,
When I cried salty tears into the salty sea,
And groaned at out situation,
Your smile lifted up my spirits,
Against what should be going on.

All hail, great master! Grave sir, hail! I come
To answer they best pleasure. Be ‘t to fly,
To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride
On the curled clouds, to thy strong bidding task,
Ariel and all his quality.

Humble greetings master! Worthy sir, greetings! Your
Wish is my command, whatever you wish. If you would like me to
Fly, to swim, to jump into fire, to ride the clouds in the sky,
Ariel and all his abilities.

I didn’t understand:

Thou dost, and think’st it much to tread the ooze
Of the salt deep,
To run upon the sharp wind of the north,
To do me business in the veins o’ th’ earth
when it is baked with frost.

As wicked dew as e’er my mother brushed
With raven’s feather from unwholesome fen
Drop on you both. A southwest blow on you
And blister you all o’er.

What I want to know is why Prospero didn’t tell Miranda his own daughter about all of this until she was so much older? I thought that she would have grown up knowing.

On February 28th, 5 British embassy staff and their relatives were kidnapped near the Eritrean border whilst they were sleeping. The cars the British were using were burned during the early morning raid on their camp said Ismael Ali Sero head of the Afar region in the north of Ethiopia. He also said that satellite and mobile phones were stolen as well as money.
The group of five were marched about 12-18 miles or 20-30km’s to the Ara-ta military camp were they were seen by a herder who reported the sighting to an unnamed senior Ethiopian official.
Several Ethiopian translators and drivers were also reported missing.
Eritrea has denied that it sent forces to snatch the British in Ethiopia and then bring them to a military camp in Eritrea.

I think that this incident has an impact on the people of the Afar region as this is where they live and now they have a thought that military persons from across the border could come at any time to do something to them too. Also the Afar is an ethnic group who spread out across Eritrea and Djibouti, and the thought of the Eritrean military coming across the border and kidnapping tourists could give them a reason to wonder if Eritrea doesn’t mind them living there.
This could also affect the Ethiopian economy, as not as many tourists will want to come to Ethiopia after what has happened to these five British tourists.

To see the actual article please click here

Note: The actual article will change as it is a current event and it being edited all the time

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. His parents were both professional actors and died before he was three so foster parents John and Frances Allan in Richmond, Virginia raised him. Poe was sent to the best boarding schools and then on to the university of Virginia, as his foster father was a prosperous tobacco exporter. But after a year he was forced to leave university because his foster father refused to pay off his gambling debts.

In 1827 he moved to Boston and enrolled in the United States army, His first collection of poems was published that year. Poe was admitted to the United States Military Academy but was forced to leave because of lack of financial support.

He moved in with his aunt Mrs. Maria Clemm and his cousin Virginia Clemm in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1835 he became the editor of the Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond. He brought his aunt and 12-year-old Virginia with him. He married Virginia in 1836.

After Virginia’s death from tuberculosis in 1847, his life long struggle with alcoholism and depression worsened. He set out for an editing job in Philadelphia, for unknown reasons he stopped in Baltimore and on October 3rd 1849 he was found in a state of semiconsciousness and died 4 days later.

A Dream Within a Dream

By Edgar Allan Poe

Take this kiss upon the brow!

And, in parting from you now,

Thus much let me avow:

You are not wrong who deem

That my days have been a dream;

Yet if hope has flown away

In a night, or in a day,

In a vision, or in none,

Is it therefore the less gone?

All that we see or seem

Is but a dream within a dream.

I stand amid the roar

Of a surf-tormented shore,

And I hold within my hand

Grains of the golden sand– How few!

Yet how they creep

Through my fingers to the deep,

While I weep–while I weep!

O God! Can I not grasp

Them with a tighter clasp?

O God! Can I not save

One from the pitiless wave?

Is all that we see or seem

But a dream within a dream?

I really liked this poem as it gets me thinking what simple things we could do to help someone or something else and also if we really are alive and how do we live our life to all it’s extent. I also enjoyed reading this poem as it has different moods thought out it all and I thought that it had a different feel to it than any other poem I have ever read. I love it how he compares sand and death, as it is different and very unique.

What I didn’t like about this poem was that I feel that he used way too much repetition for me and I did not enjoy that part of it but overall it was a very unique style poem and I really enjoyed reading it.

Some questions I pose here are:

What do you think that Poe is talking about in this poem?

What two things do you think he is comparing in the 2nd stanza?

Does this poem grasp you in a way?

Poe uses personification:

Grains of golden sand— How few!

Yet how they creep

He uses no similes or metaphors.

Hi everyone,
My name is Hannah and I am 13 years old. I am Australian but am now living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and have been for the past 6 months. I have 2 sisters Kaitlyn and Matilda and my parents’ names are Melanie and Paul.
My sporting hobbies include volleyball, basketball and touch rugby. But the sports I love to watch in T.V. with my father are rugby union, the cricket and rugby league. Some of my other hobbies include reading, going to the beach, dancing, listening to music just to name a few. My favourite authors are Anthony Horrowitz and Christopher Paolini. My favourite bands are Simple Plan, INXS, AC/DC, The Corrs and Nickleback.
I have a very large extended family on my mothers side which I live to hang around with every Christmas, but I couldn’t this Christmas. Many of my cousins are close to my age so we have loads of fun and keep the adults busy.
Most people who know me would say that I am very shy and introverted. I would say that most of the time too except for sometimes when I show my extroverted side, which is mainly around family.
I hate public speaking (or just speaking to a group of people in general), people wasting water, as I know what it’s like to live in drought, waking up early to go to school and not going places during the holidays.
Whilst in this international community I would like to find out as much culture and history as possible from here and the surrounding countries. I would like to sightsee here and in the other countries. The countries I would really like to go to when I am older are the U.S., England, South Africa, Tanzania, a train ride across Russia, France and New Zealand. I love to learn about different countries and hope to go to at least one of these countries some day. I would also like to climb mount. Kinabalu too.
I have found my new school much harder than my old school as there are smaller classes and it is easier to teach but also because they give you so much more freedom. I still like the school though because it is better here and I will have a more sufficient education than in Australia, but in the end I am doing my HSC in Australia and that’s ok I guess.
In my condominium in the international community I share a room with my sister, which I am not used too but it has worked out well so far. Our condo here is much smaller than my house in Australia and the view is ok I suppose. I like the weather where I am and am getting used to it.
Some issues that concern me today are underaged drinking and global warming. I find it sick and wrong how many young people think that it is cool. I don’t find it great. Also global warming is a major issue that will affect our grandchildren, and it is up to us to stop it or explain to our grandchildren why we did not do anything about it.
Well that pretty much sums up the little there is to know about myself and I hope to get to know you people out there.

Emotion: Fear

Sophie: Oh there you are. I was wondering how late you were gonna be today.
Evie: I had to wait for my brother and dad to get ready. Hope that’s ok with you.
Sophie: (sarcastic) Of course it is! (whisper) Yeah right!
(Awkward Pause)
Evie: So…let’s get started. Ok then, you four go over there and start practicing your passes. You six go shoot some hoops, hmm…oh and you… you pump up some balls, they are way too soft!!
Sophie: Excuse me!
Evie: Yeah what?
Sophie: I am the team leader. Remember the coach changed leaders! So stop bossing everyone around and… hmm… let me think…you can pump up those balls yourself!! Oh no, I forgot, you can’t because…
Evie: You’re the new captain? How can you be the new captain? I’m way better than you and…and you’ve only been playing this sport for a year. I’ve played this sport since 1st grade!!
Sophie: So, you think you’re better than me, do you? You have to be kidding me, the coach hated you and thought I was much better anyways. So it was meant to be like this and you can do nothing about it! Oh and by the way…
Evie: WHAT NOW?
Sophie: I’m really sure the coach will agree with me…
Evie: Agree with you on what?
Sophie: We don’t need boring, forever late losers like you on this team so get lost! (Turns around) WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!! THERE’S NOTHING TO SEE HERE!!!!
(Evie wakes up confused)
Jake: (Knocks on the door) Hey, can I come in?
Evie: Huh, what?(comes back to earth) ‘course
Jake: WOW, look at you, you look terrible! What happened? Seems like you had a fight or something!
Evie: Well…yeah kinda.
Jake: WHAT!! Someone came in here? A stranger? Oh no, I’d better call the police!
Evie: Calm down, Jake…no one came in here…except you… oh and stop looking in my diary. Anyways, I had a really bad dream involving a teammate of mine.
Jake: What’s your teammate’s name?
Evie: Sophie…you know her?
Jake: Well…let me think…she’s in our grade…she eats at our table…I went out with her…but then she dumped me…still friends…yeah, I think I know her. What about her?
Evie: You dated her? How could you have dated that pest? She’s a living nightmare.
Jake: You know, when I dated her, she was really nice, kind, sweet, polite (Starts to have a flashback but suddenly comes back)…But what about her?
Evie: She’s…
Jake: WAIT, I know, she’s your new best friend!!
Evie: Huh, Not exactly what I was going to say…but let me tell you that her being my new best friend would have been a really really bad nightmare!!…and all that stuff you said about her being nice and polite…well she certainly isn’t that now…she’s really annoying and I hate her! (Is really angry)
Jake: Anyways, what happened in your dream?
Evie: Well, she took my place as the team captain and… and she also said that she wanted to kick me off the team.
Jake: She thinks you are not good enough?
Evie: I don’t know…but ever since I joined the team, we have won every single tournament.
Jake: Hey don’t worry…you’re the best player I have ever seen! Remember your first day of school? Remember how you beat everyone else in our grade and even some of the high schoolers!
Evie: Those were some good times.
Jake: See, why would she want to kick a fantastic player like you off the team?
Evie: Because she hates me more than anything!
Jake: And she’s willing to hurt the team’s chances of winning because she doesn’t like you?
Evie: Well, according to the dream she didn’t seem to care
Jake: Wait, you can’t be serious…you actually think that a dream saying you got kicked out of the team may come true?
Evie: Umm…I don’t know…maybe this dream is a warning and it is telling me that…
Voice: Hurry up and get ready! You don’t want to be late for training do you?
Jake: Well this is getting really ridiculous…I’d better go…see you later then, ok? And stop worrying, everything is going to be fine!(He exits)
(Evie is still worried but gets ready)
Evie: I really hope none of this will come true!
(Evie leaves)
(Few minutes later in the gym, Sophie is waiting)
(Evie rushes in)
Sophie: Oh there you are, I was wondering how late you were gonna be today.
Evie: I had to wait for my brother and my dad to get ready. Hope that’s ok with you.
Sophie: (sarcastic) Of course it is (whispers) Yeah right!
(Awkward pause)
Evie: So…let’s get started. Ok then, you four go over there and start practicing your passes. You six go shoot some hoops, hmm…oh and you… you pump up some balls, they are way too soft!!
Sophie: Excuse me!
Evie: Yeah what? (Worried look)
~END~
By Arathi, Daniel and Hannah.

Step 1:
Where did the Aztecs originally live? The ancient Aztecs originally lived in Atzlan.
What prompted them to relocate? Huitzilopochtli told Tenoch (in a dream) that they had to relocate.
Where did they end up and why? They ended up in the valley of Mexico called Anahuac. They ended up there because Tenoch had a vision that Huitzilopochtli told him to take his people to the middle of Lake Texcoco on a swampy island. There he was told to look out for an eagle with a snake in his beak on a cactus, and this is where he was told to build his city and thank Huitzilopochtli with human sacrifices for his great idea. This city was called Tenochtitlán
Step 2:
The Aztecs ended up in the middle of a lake and built their new capital Tenochtitlan. What were the pros and cons of settling in the middle of a lake?
Pros:
Lots of food due to fishing.
Easier to defend when being invaded.
More land space due to the chinampa.
Fertile soil to grow crops.
It is the centre of all trade.
Cons:
Difficult to trade because they have to travel father.
Can only use the islands resources.
Not very good hygiene.
Limited space for living.

Step 3:
Which gods were worshiped? Chalchiuhtlicue the water goddess, Tlaloc was the eighth ruler of the days and the ninth lord of the night, Quetzalcoatl god of the morning and evening star, Tezcatlipoca the god of the Great Bear consultation, Huitzilopochtli the sun and war god and Xipe – Totec the god of spring.
The pyramids were built for what purpose? The pyramids are also called temples and were used to worship the gods and also to sacrifice to them.

Step 4:
Who are the different members of Aztec society? There are three different members of Aztec society the slaves, the commoners and the nobles.
What are their roles? The slaves; the children of poor parents could be soled as slaves and they could also buy their freedom back.
The commoners had the most amount of people; they were engaged in common trade and agriculture. They worked their land in family units, and were allowed to keep what they grew. They were also given lifelong ownership of their land, but the lowest group of commoners were not allowed to own their land.
The nobles were born noble, were a priest or earned their rank. The nobles had a leader and he was that leader until he died.

Step 5:
The Aztecs have a spoken language.
What was it called? The Aztecs language was called the Nahuatl.
Did they use any other forms of communication? The Aztecs also used pictures called glyphs instead of only writing.

Step 6:
How did the Aztecs grow food and what was their main crop? Their main crop was cornmeal and they grew food by keeping their crops in a small land area to grow these places are also known as “gardens”.
Did they trade and with whom? Yes they traded with different tribes for sacrificial things.
Did they have a currency (money)? Yes their currency was called Hoe (because of the shape) and was used extensively by all classes of Aztec society; it was all made of thin copper, of standard size and weight.
Their hoe money ‘ survived Cortez. Each is approximately 6.5″ long, 2″ wide and 1.5mm thick.

Step 7:
Discuss the Impact of Spanish Contact 1519 from both the Aztec point of view and the Spanish point of view. From the Aztec emperor Moctezuma the 2nd’s point of view Cortez was a white god who had left them in the 10th century and had come back just as prophesized, but after this Cortez left someone else in charge a man named Pedro de Alvarado treated the Aztecs very badly and this lead to a revolt to whom Cortez was caught inn the middle of.
But from the Spanish point of view they really didn’t have any idea of what was going on when they first went into Tenochtitlan, but after they were showered with gifts from the emperor they had a greed that could not be satisfied. They then tried to take over the empire, although it took many years the Spanish finally conquered the mighty Aztec empire.

Step 8:
Discuss La Malinche or Dona Marina. Debate her positive/negative impact on Mexico past and present. Dona Maria’s impact was as some people think positive because she helped save many people of the Indian race to not allow them to be killed by Cortez, but on the other hand many also think that she was not a heroine because it was she who gave Cortes help in the fall of the Aztec empire.
What does the term Mestizo refers to? A person of mixed racial ancestry.
What influences remain today from Aztec culture of the past? The Aztec influence is still very great as there are still the festivals and they sell the corn they do not barter, there markets are still the same and so is their weaving.

Who are the Aztecs?The Aztecs were a civilization that came from the region of Aztlan in northern Mexico and left their homeland sometime during the 12th or 13th century AD.

What made them a civilization? The leader of this expedition south had a dream that the god Huitzilopochtli told him to find a place where an eagle was sitting on a cactus with a snake in its beak and here they would build their temple to him. This is how the Aztec civilization was built until Cortez came in the 15th century and thus there was a downfall.

Is there evidence today of Aztec influence? Yes the Aztec influence is still very great as there are still the festivals and they sell the corn they do not barter, there markets are still the same and so is their weaving.

Dear Anne,
I am writing this long after you are gone. When you referred to your opinions in your diary I immediately thought that you were right and that, that is the way adults think of us.
I think that you did the right thing by only writing them down in your diary and I would have done the exact thing. This lets your emotions out without letting anyone know about it I think it is a very effective way. This also shows in your writing that it is not hard for you to tell others or just write something down. I could never personally do this, as I have not ever had the need because these things that stay inside me give me lots of strength and help me keep going.
I believe that you were right to talk to yourself about what you believe and personally I do this all the time there is nothing wrong with it. I also imagine that you probably realize that everyone in the annex with you feels this way about you only because they want you to change your ways for you to become more of a young woman just like you want. I realize now that if they had come right out and told you that you would have handled it like a young girl and there would have been a tantrum. This I have never felt but from the descriptions of you family this is what they could have been doing.
As I am at a new school in Malaysia I feel that I can’t trust anyone not even my parents because this environment isn’t the one that I am comfortable with and I think that it has taken you up until then to see that. Your parents have changed and you have never seen them like this and you also don’t even want to be near them as they might just blow your head off.
Then all of a sudden you find a place in Peter Van Daan to tell him your opinions, and he listens. I think that this has made you feel very strong and secure in yourself. Peter also helped you to feel like your opinions were not bad at all. He listened to you when no one else would, he made you feel again and stop being depressed. I think that you have made a very good decision about this. I would have done the same it doesn’t mean its right it means that you went with your gut instinct. I love that!
I think that letting out your opinions that some people would agree and some wouldn’t but there will always be that one person that thinks he or she has a right to disagree and make a big deal about it. This will make most people feel uncomfortable and I think that this is why most people would not share their opinions and those who are brave and realize that this will always be the case they are the ones who tell their opinions to a wide audience and are not embarrassed when someone says that they disagree.
At this point I will end.
But until we meet
Hannah