Nate's 21st Century Communication

 By Nate Feldman    A stigma is a mark of disgrace.  So, when we say that something is a stigma in a certain society, we mean it is something that is viewed as a disgrace or shameful to people there.   In the film Words on Bathroom Walls, both of the main characters, Adam and Maya, are hiding things that may be viewed as stigmas, or stigmatic, to the others.  In the case of Adam, its his schizophrenia.   With Maya, it is the fact that she is from a poor family.  She hides her poverty for fear of being judged, especially by people at her school who are more financially well-off.   For discussion:  1. What are things that you would say are viewed as "stigmas" in your society?   2. Have you ever hidden a fact about yourself to others for fear of being judged?

By Nate Feldman An outcast is a person who is on the outside of mainstream society.  Tragically, many people with mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, are often outcasted due to their condition.   For discussion: 1. What causes people to be outcasted by society?  Do you believe that people with mental illnesses often are outcasted?  In the film, Adam was outcasted by having to leave his school midway through the year and find another school.   2. Put yourself in the situation of Adam's mother and Paul, her boyfriend, in the film.  How do you think a parent in that situation, where a child has a mental illness, feels?  What do you believe the right steps to take in this situation are? 

Schizophrenia is a mental health condition . It affects how a person thinks, feels, and understands the world . People with schizophrenia may see or hear things that are not there. They may have trouble knowing what is real and what is not real. Schizophrenia is not caused by bad behavior or weak character. It is an illness, and people can get treatment and support . Questions: *What do you know about mental health difficulties?   *How do people typically react around people who have mental health difficulties?

By Nate Feldman *Dr. Robotnik's long lost grandfather appears even though the two never met.  Did you ever meet a relative later in life who you didn't know existed? *Shadow wants revenge for a bad thing that happened to Maria.  Sonic wants revenge for a bad thing that happened to Tom.  Did you ever wish to hurt someone else because of a bad thing they did to friends or family?

HAPPY HANUKKAH!  🕎✨🕯️ Sonic 3 Summary  Sonic lives on Earth with his friends Tails and Knuckles. They are heroes and protect the world from danger. Sonic is fast, fun, and likes adventure. One day, a new enemy appears. His name is Shadow . Shadow is very strong and fast, just like Sonic. He escapes from a secret prison where he was locked away for many years. The government is worried about Shadow because he is dangerous. They ask Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles for help. At the same time, Dr. Robotnik comes back. He wants to use Shadow’s power for his own plans. Sonic and his friends must work together to stop Shadow and protect the world.

 By Nate Feldman H.W. Do this week's film review about Jingle Bell Heist.  Similar to what you did last week for Inside Out 2.  Based on discussions with students, and how we previously voted, the three movies I will give as an option for the next film are: 1. Crazy Rich Asians Rachel and her boyfriend Nick travel to Singapore for one of his best friend's wedding only to discover that his family is one of the richest in Asia.   2. Words on Bathroom Walls A romantic but kind of sad story about a boy with schizophrenia who needs to change schools after an accident at his high school.  In his new school, he meets a girl who helps him with homework, but he hides from her his real problems for fear of being judged. 3. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles go on an adventure to stop Shadow, a dark hedgehog with a sad history and Dr. Robotnik and his grandfather.

 By Nate Feldman 1. Clear the way = make space for people to move  2. Smoke and mirrors = creating a fake image  3. mediocre = less than ok, better than horrible (not very good)  4. naughty = bad behavior  5. freaking out = getting very upset and filled with anxiety  6. split the money = share money with another person  7. to frame someone = to make it look like an innocent person committed a crime  8. You've got to be joking = this is ridiculous  9. mate = a British way of saying friend or buddy  10. code red = an emergency situation  11. oh bummer! = damn, what a shame  Activity: make your a conversation with a partner using some of these expressions (ideally 3-5). 

 Nick and Sophia hear about a gala where the Sterlings will attend.  Mr and Mrs Sterling do not like each other.  So, Nick pretends to be interested in Mrs Sterling to go to their bedroom and find about the code to the safe box.  Mrs Sterling is attracted to Nick. 1. Did you ever pretend to be attracted to someone to get something?  Was anyone ever attracted to you for something?

By Nate Feldman Sophia works at a department store during the Christmas season.  Her mom is in the hospital (with cancer I believe).  Nick works at a phone store.  He installed the security cameras in Sophia's store, so he is able to monitor everything.  He sees Sophia stealing money, and he blackmails her, asking her to steal things from the store for him, or else he will show her boss the video of her stealing money.   Both Nick and Sophia are going through financial difficulties.  Nick is divorced, and he lives with one of his friends in a shared flat.  He has a daughter, Brianna, who his wife says he must do a better job of taking care of or else she will move way.  Sophia needs to pay expensive medical bills for her mother's health.  Besides the job at the store, she works at a bar.   Sophia knows that Mr. Sterling, her manager, keeps money in a safe in his office, and she is finding a way to get the code so they can break...

 By Nate Feldman 1. Jingle Bell Heist (2025)   Two people try to rob fancy stores during the Christmas season, but they end up falling in love. 2. Crazy Rich Asians (2018)  Rachel and her boyfriend Nick go to Singapore for his best friend's wedding.  She learns that his family is very rich, and she must deal with his family.  3. Words on Bathroom Walls (2020) A high school student with schizophrenia must learn to manage his illness while trying to make his dreams of going to culinary school (a school for chefs) happen.  

By Nate Feldman Class Objective: Discuss themes of Inside Out 2, finish the movie Homework: Write a film review of Inside Out 2.  It doesn't have to be more than 100 words.  You can write more if you feel moved to.  Write about themes, how you felt about the film, was it entertaining etc.  Give it stars, like four stars or three stars ****.   Film summary: Riley continues to hang out with Val and the older girls, hoping to impress them.  She wakes up very early in the morning to practice hockey, just like Val does.  She is so desperate to impress them that she pretends to hate a band she and her friends liked in middle school, which she still likes but is too afraid to admit.  This creates a "Sar-chasm" in her mind.  Chasm means a big space for those who aren't familiar with the word.  Sarcasm is when you say something where the meaning is the opposite of what you are actually saying. Meanwhile, Joy and the other emotions find their...

  By Nate Feldman Inside Out 2 takes place many years after the original film.  Riley, the girl whose inside emotions we learned about in the first film, is now becoming a teenager and will enter high school next year.  She still loves hockey, and she is going to attend hockey camp with her best friends Grace and Brie.  This is supposed to be a fun experience with her friends, but there are things complicating this. Riley is entering puberty, so now she has new emotions, most notably anxiety.  Anxiety, which is an orange creature, makes Riley afraid of everything.  Also, Riley wants to impress the hockey team captain, Val Ortiz, who is Riley's hero.   Also, Riley learned that her best friends won't go to high school with her, which makes her so sad.  And, when she gets to camp, she abandons them to hang out with Val, because anxiety told her she needs to do this if she wants to be successful.   Questions for warm-up discussion: 1. W...

By Nate Feldman For the first movie, we will pick between the following choices: 1. Inside Out 2 (2024): Riley is now a teenager and is about to enter high school.  She wants to impress girls from the high school varsity hockey team at a hockey camp.  But, now she has new emotions as she becomes older, most notably anxiety.  Can she learn to control this emotion? 2. Elemental (2023): In a world where different elements (air, earth, water, and fire) live, the communities are separated.  But Ember, fire, and Wade, water, meet and begin to have feelings for one another.  Is it possible for water and fire to fall in love? 3. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2025): Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, must present Shadow, a hedgehog with anger, as well as Dr. Robotnik and his grandfather from destroying the world.  4. The Hunger Games (2012): In the country of Panem, young children are sent to an arena to fight to the death in an event called "The Hunger Games."  One of thos...