1st Quarter Reflections

          I honestly can't believe that this quarter is already coming to an end, when I feel like the quarter has just started. In this 1st quarter I have learned a lot about writing techniques, I learned a lot about Syrian refugees and refugees in general, and now I know how to do little research and get the facts that I want. Some writing techniques that I learned were how to change passive writing into active writing, how to write sensory details, and the steps on how to write a well-written Narative. I learned about how Mawi's life was impacted since he was a refugee, and I also learned how Syrian refugees find safety or seek for refuge. Researching about my banned book and researching about the carnivals from "The Cask Of Amontillado" helped me learn how to research better and in an efficient way.

          One thing that I learned about in this quarter is about some important writing techniques that can really help me through my life. One of the writing techniques that I learned were how to write with sensory details. I learned that sensory details include great detail about the characters, the setting, the plot, the conflict, and the solution. Another writing technique that I learned are the steps on how to write I a well-written and descriptive Narative. To write a good Narative you need to write in 1st person point of view, write it in chronological order, give a lot of details, and most importantly keep revising. A third technique that I learned was how to change passive writing into active writing. The three ways you can change passive writing into active writing is by changing the noun of the word into its verb form, place the noun before the verb, and avoiding forms of the verb to be.

          After reading the book Of Beetles And Angels, and after doing 2 A.O.Ws (Article of the Week) about Syrian refugees, I learned a lot about how being a refugee impacts their lives. I learned how Mawi went from living in a refugee camp in poor conditions to getting help and going to Chicago for a proper education. Mawi made it so far in life, and got a full scholarship to Harvard University. He learned that not judging and treating people by just the way they look can get you far in life. From the A.O.Ws I learned how many of the Syrian refugees that tried to escape ended up stranded, and many of them were not able to seek refuge. I also learned from the A.O.Ws that it was more likely for a man to get their refugee than woman.  

         The banned books project and the research about the carnival helped me to learn how to research in an efficient and better way. Before I completed my banned books project, I used to take a long time looking at many different websites to be able to get some information on my topic. One thing I learned, is that if I'm looking for just one fact or information to not look on many websites and to stay with one website that I pick. I learned that if you through many websites then your just wasting time, knowing that you can get all of your information from just one website. That is what I learned from my banned books project and the cardinal research. I especially learned this from the carnival researching assignment because I stayed on 1 website for my research and I was able to get all of my information from there.

         

Life Lines Poem for OBAA

I was told

"America seems sweet on top, 

But what's sweet on the surface,

is often rotten underneath"

But they told us that 

we could do anything 

if we worked hard,

and treated others with respect

True power comes from

focusing

on what we can give

not just on what we can take

The day comes in each of our lives 

when those around us are asked to testify

and to tell what kind of character

we have demonstrated in our past

For even

the most horrifying memories

are you

And they along with the good memories,

are your life

What one does in youth

one often regrets in old age

So beware

Of the gifts that we can give, 

the greatest is to see beauty

in each other-in essence,

to give beauty to each other.

OBAA Comparison to A.O.W

           An individual from Of Beetles And Angels would be the World Relief Organization, an individual from my article of the week would be the International Organization for Migration. In Of Beetles And Angels, the author states "As part of the resettling process, World Relief would have to identify American sponsors who would find the refugees housing, furniture,jobs, medical treatment, and schools-everything that they would need to get on their feet." This is explaining what the World Relief Organization does for the refugees and how it helps them. In my article the author states "Both Moraes and Doyle say a system of orderly resettlement is the only way Europe will be able to stem the deaths in the Mediterranean and end the grueling treks across the continent." This shows how they plan on helping the refugees by resettling them, which is similar to what World Relief is doing in Of Beetles And Angels.

         An idea from Of Beetles And Angels would be to be kind and respect others no matter how they look like, and an idea from my article of the week would be to make new systems for migrants and refugees. In Of Beetles And Angels, the author states "People always mistreated the angels, my father said, because the angels never look like angels." Mawi is trying to say that many people judge others by the way they look, and then people mistreat them when they judge people. Mawi believes that God sent angels looking like beetles to test people. In my article of the week, the author states "The system has been shaken by the way Syria's war has spiralled, and spreading violence in neighboring Libya and parts of Iraq." There saying that ever since Syria's war and so many refugees have been resettling the system is showing that it isn't working as well as they thought it did. Therefore they believe that there should be a new system for the migrants and refugees.

          War affects individuals and societies by having to make the individuals resettle and find a new safe place, and the society to make a plan or system for the refugees. In Of Beetles And Angels the author states "But I do remember seeking safety in a Sudanese refugee camp in Umsagata, a small dusty village of straw and mud adobes." This shows how the war affected Mawi and his family into having to move into a whole new place in order to be safe. In the camp, they had a scarce amount of food and supplies, and had a small education. This proves that war also affects your education because, due to the war and having to move into am refugee camp, the kids aren't getting the education they need or the neccesities that they need.

Summer Blog

Beastly
Pages read:102- Finished
Prompt:What are two emotions the character has felt? What has made the character feel this way?
-Write down one word from your reading that you didn't know. What is your guess about what it means? How did you make this guess?

          An emotion that Kyle has felt is loneliness. He feels this way because he has no one in his life besides the maid and tutor that are being paid to live with him. His dad bought him a house, a maid, a tutor, and gave him his credit card. He also feels this way since both of his parents left him to live on his own. He is not allowed to go anywhere besides his house due to the way he looks, and being afraid of what people might do. This causes him to feel even more lonley. He never gets to meet anybody new or talk to people like the way he used to.

          Another emotion that Kyle feels is betrayal. Kyle feels betrayed by his dad because he wants nothing to do with, and since he promised that he would never see or visit him again. His dad only cares about being rich and about being good looking. Kyle had hopes that his dad wouldn't leave his side even since his mom did when he was young. Ever since he turned into a beast, his dad left him alone, and this is why he feels betrayed. He also feels betrayed by his friends, since he overheard them talking about the way they really feel about Kyle.

          A word from my reading that I didn't know before is deafening. This word was used in my text when Kyle says "This was my chance to impress her. But the silence of my stupidity was deafening." I had thought that this word meant ruining the chances of, or making it a less possible chance of it happening the way he wants it to. I believe this is the definition because in these sentences he talks about his chances of impressing her, and then uses a negative tone as if the chances were very slim do to his "silence of stupidity". The dictionary definition is "to make deaf".

Summer blog

Beastly
08-13-15
Pages Read: 0-102

Prompt:-Describe the most important event. Give at least three reasons why it is the most important event.
-Describe something that you have read that is similar to this.
-Predict what will happen next

            I believe that the most important event of this book was when Kyle decides to ditch and embarrass Kendra at the prom, and arrives with Sloane at the prom. This was the most important event because this decision led to Kendra's decision of turning Kyle into a beast. Kendra's intention in this was to make Kyle realize that he shouldn't judge other people or make fun of them just because of how they look. I think this will be the way that Kyle finds true love and realizes that appearances don't matter. That is why I believe that this is the most important event of the book.

             This book reminds me of the story Beauty And The Beast because of the theme and plot of this book. In the story Beauty And The Beast, the prince has to find true love in the appearance of a beast to learn that appearances don't matter in order for him to return to his true form. Kyle has exactly 2 years to find true love in the appearance of a beast or he will remain a beast for life. Kyle has to love the person, and that person has to love him for the way he is and to prove it, they will have to kiss, in order for Kyle to return to his true form.

              I think that Linda will somehow end up being really close to where Kyle lives, and end up having a lot in common. I think that Kyle will end up finding true love with Linda in the first year of his transformation. I believe Linda will be able to see past Kyle's appearance and fall in love with his personality. Hopefully everything will fall into place, and Linda and Kyle will kiss, and then Kyle will return to his true form. Then Kyle will realize that the only thing that matters is true love and personality, but not appearance.

Summer Blog

Paper Towns
Blog #2
Pages Read: 70-200

Prompt:1) What is your favorite part of the book you have been reading? Why?

2) Why do you think the author chose this title for the book?

3) If you were the author how would this book end?

          My favorite part of the book that I am reading was when Margo and Quentin break in to SeaWorld. I really liked this part because Margo and Quentin had a little dance when the music went on. I find it very interesting how they were able to break in, and get out if there, and not end up going to jail. I find it surprising how even though a man had tried before to break in but died while trying, and this didn't even make Margo think twice about breaking in, 

         I think the author chose the title "Paper Towns" for this book because Margo describes the city she lives in like paper towns. By saying paper towns she means fake and that is not something that she likes. I believe that one of the reasons that she runs away is because she does not like the town that she lives in. As she runs away, the mystery begins, and that is the main plot of the book, which is why I believe the author chose "Paper Towns" as the title of the book.

         If I was the author of this book I would give it a happy ending. I would have Quentin, Ben, and Radar find Margo, and convince her to come back home. I would have Margos parents change the way they act around Margo and have them understand each other so they could have a better relationship. Ben would have an awesome time at prom with Lacey and end up having a lot of common interests. Margo and Quentin would go to prom together and end up having a really good relationship together. 

Summer blog

Paper Towns,

Blog #1

Pages Read: 0-70

Prompt:List Three new vocabulary words from your reading. What can you tell about them from their structure? What can you tell about them from their context?

          A word that I came across my reading that I didn't know before was unprecedented. The author uses this word when he says "She was unprecedented in every way...". From its context and structure of the word I can tell this is an adjective describing Margo. Learning this word is important because it describes Margo, and she is one of the main characters, and if know some of her characteristics, then that will help think of why she makes future decisions. The dictionary definition of unprecedented is "never known before or experienced". 

          Another word that was used in the reading that I didn't know before was incontestably. The author uses this word when he says " I was incontestably in love with her...". From its context and structure, I can also tell that this was another adjective describing the love of Quentin for Margo. Learning this word is also important, because it could help me learn how strong or what type of love Quentin has for Margo. The dictionary definition of incontestably is "not open to dispute".

           A third word that I didn't know before reading this was Impoverished. The author uses this word when he says "...and the dreams of impoverished children." From its structure and context, I can tell this was yet another adjective describing the children. Learning this word can help me get an idea of what kind of dreams these children would have if they are impoverished. The dictionary definition of impoverished is "deprived of strength, vitality, and creativeness, etc."

"Paradox and Dream" Reflection

Paradox: "Fortunes are spent getting cats out of trees and dogs out of sewer pipes: but a girl screaming for help in the street draws only slammed doors, closed windows, and silence."

            This quote means that most people ignore when someone is in trouble or yelling for help, and don't take the time to at least help the person in trouble. You see dogs and cats are always getting rescued, yet people can' take their time to help out a person in need or in danger. Firefighters even spend their time getting a cat out of a tree, while they could be helping other people in need, because there is always someone around you that is in real need of help. Most of the time people will ignore the fact that someone is screaming because they think they are just playing, when in reality they are in danger and could be getting hurt.

               I feel like I can relate to this because I have seen it. There was actual footage of a girl getting run over, and many people passed by her including cars and did nothing about, like if there was no one there. We can also see this in movies a lot of the times when someone is screaming for help, yet people think they are just playing. We also see in movies firefighters getting cats out of trees, and this is also portrayed in children's books. 

Paradox: "We truly believe to be natural born mechanics and do-it-yourself-ers."

                This quote means that many people think they can do anything without reading the instructions or by getting help from others. Many people think that they can fix anything by themselves without having to pay for help or by simply reading the instructions. They always end up making things worse, even thought people still believe that they can do everything by theirselves. This quote is portrayed in a lot of movies where they end up making everything worse and failing at doing it by urself. 

                  I can relate to this quote because I have seen it, and it is in my family. My mom's side of the family is all about doing everything by themselves. My uncle put his own table together because he didn't want any help to do it or to have to pay to have it be done. They try to fix everything before their only option to fix it is to pay for help. My mom also doesn't like following the instructions for baking or cooking and she estimates the measurements for the ingredients. I also saw this in a t.v show where a mom wanted to put together a swing and slide set by herself, and she turned out breaking some of the parts, so in the end she had to pay more to replace the parts and pay to put the swing and slide set together.

Symbolistic Object

           An object that I feel that represents me is Tigger from Winnie the Pooh. Tigger is a charcter but also an object because I have him as a stuffed animal. Tigger symbolizes me because he is always so hyper and loves to have fun. This is just one of the similarities that me and Tigger share. Also Tiger symbolizes happiness, which I symbolize too because when ever someone is gloomy, I love to cheer them up and change the subject. This is just like Tigger. Tigger never likes feeling melancholy, just like me.

            Tigger also symbolizes hope in many ways and situations. He symbolizes hope because he shows hope to others that are feeling gloomy and like they are about to give up. This also symbolizes me because like I said I love to cheer people up when they are feeling gloomy. I make them feel better and I show them the better side of the situation, like Tigger does.

I commented on Lilly's , Siari's, Jared's, Evie's, and Giovanna's Blog.

Final Reflection Blog

Final Reflective Blog for this year
5-13-15

            The three most important things I learned this year were how to write a proper summary, how to write a proper paragraph, and how to write a proper essay or argumentative paper. I thought that I knew how to write all of these kinds of writing, but being in this class has helped me how to make each of these writings even better and proper. Before entering this class I thought that a summary was written with a copious amount of detail and with evidence, but now I have learned the right way to do it. I also have learned that each paragraph should be based on one topic and supporting details. I also learned how to find strong arguments and evidence to support for an argumentative essay.

                Something I did in this class that I would remember for the rest of my life is the Argumentative unit, because I learned about Death With Dignity. Death With Dignity is something that I learned about and that I am very compassionate about and I feel like it is something that I would know forever and that I would want it to be legal in my state. I feel like the argumentative unit not only helped me write better argumentative essays but helped me see why it is important to be ale to respect people's choice and not to judge them on their decisions, because they are the ones that know what they are going through and why they are making that decision.

                 The nicest thing anyone ever did for me in this class is help me understand, complete, and review something. I felt like it was very kind of them to do to take their time to help me. Someone helped me with my argumentative essay and my blogs. I am not so good in grammar, and helping me out with my mistakes was very benign of them to do. Even when they weren't done with their write up, they still took their time to help me out.

             Something I taught my classmates and my teacher this year in this class was about all my A.O.Ws that I talked about. One of the A.O.Ws that I taught them was about a man who is trying to raise awareness for wildlife, and has turned poachers that were selling baby gorillas into farmers, so they wouldn't have to sell baby gorillas any more. He even created a tour company to raise even more money for poachers and for their country. I feel like every time we do a gallery walk for the A.O.Ws I learn something from my classmates and they learn something from me, as well as my teacher.

             I feel that I made the biggest improvements on my writing. I used to write summaries with evidence and a lot of detail, and now I have accomplished how to write a proper summary. I also accomplished to write a paragraph with thought and detail. Writing on blogger daily has helped me improve my writing and grammar. Practicing on NoRedInk has also helped me make a big improvement on my grammar.

             The most challenging part of this class this year was time management. I struggled with managing my time. I also struggled a lot with deciding when to complete work and assignments. That is why I would always have to be completing all of my work and assignments the day before it is due. I guess that being in this class might have been a struggle but it did help me a lot with learning how to manage my time, even thought I struggled the most with that.

               The best piece of writing that I completed this year was my argumentative letter that I wrote for Death With Dignity. I feel like it was my best piece of writing because I was compassionate about the subject, I put a lot of effort into it, and I felt like I was pretty convincing with my evidence and my essay. I am very compassionate about this subject because my grandpa died because of cancer, and I feel like if he had this option he could have died peacefully instead of with pain. Therefore I want others to be able to have this option, so I worked really hard to try to convince our governor.

              My favorite books that I have read this year was The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, and Alabama Moon. I loved The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time because it was really good and there was a lot of conflict and a mystery in the book. I may have read this book a long time ago, but I still remember most of the plot. Alabama Moon was also one of my favorites because it reminded me of Hatchet and because it was filled with action and conflict.

             I would tell the kids entering this class next year to be able to mange your time correctly, and to create a schedule of when you want to be completing your stuff. I would also tell them to try their best and to never give up. Once you are able to manage your time correctly, I feel like you are able to do a great job in this class. Creating a schedule of when you want to complete work each week also ties in with managing time. There will be times where you might struggle a lot, but just keep your heads up and try your best!

                 

Of Mice And Men: Movie Vs. Book

Of Mice And Men
5-12-15
Prompt: Section 3, Movie Ending Vs. Book Ending

                   The flashback from the end of the scene in the movie shows how Lennie and George walk into the sunset. I think the director decided to end the movie with a flashback instead of how the book ended to show George and Lennie's connection and to show how even if things didn't end well they still lived a good life together.I feel like this left the audience very gloomy and confused because they would want to know what George decides to do and how will live on. I think that the feeling at the end of the book is different because it tells you that he ends up going with the rest of crew/people, and that wouldn't leave you that much confused as in the movie.

                    The book ends with  Carlson saying "Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin' them two guys." I feel like this line tells us that Carlson never really saw the connection between George and Lennie and thought that George didn't really care about Lennie. I think this because if he said that then he doesn't think that George is melancholy about what he did to Lennie. This quote probably leaves the reader feeling mad, but at the same time really gloomy. I felt mad because Carlson didn't feel the least bit sad about Lennie dying and how he didn't realize that Goerge was upset because of that. I also felt gloomy because of what George did to Lennie, and I was so sad that Lennie had to die.

                    I honestly loved this book so much, and thought it was one of the best books I have read, but I got furious at the ends of the book. I really liked how the author showed the relationship of George and Lennie as a love and hate sort of relationship. I also thought it was better that the author decided to make Lennie and George and friends and not related to each other, because I feel like if they were at all related they would act differently around each other and they would have a different kind of relationship. The most profound impact or intense emotion that the book gave me was when George shot Lennie in the back of his head. I was so dismal yet so mad, because I really wanted the dream to happen for George, Lennie and Candy. I would recommend this book to everyone one because it was just so good and I loved it!

                     
             

A.O.W Impressions Blog

          From this week's A.O.W gallery walk, I feel like I have learned a plethora amount of information. One of the articles that I learned about this week was about the Baltimore Riot. Another article that I learned about this week was about a man who saved a baby gorilla from poachers, and in return gave the poachers a better life than poaching. 

       The A.O.W on the Baltimore Riot was about a mother who got furious with her child and punished him because he was looting and getting involved with the Baltimore Riot. She was named "Mother of the year". I personally think that she does deserve this title, because not any mother would have the bravery to do this when everyone is watching her. Many parents don't even care what their children are up to. She showed she is not one of these parents. I think after this many parents would get inspired. Parents should get an inspiration from this, and start caring more about what their children are up to.

        The other A.O.W was about the man who saved a baby gorilla from poachers, and transformed poachers into farmers. He pretended to be a buyer of the gorilla to be able to put the poachers to jail. Then he felt bad for the poachers because they were only doing this to be able to live their lives. He divided $2000 between the poachers so they could start a farm. These poachers were very successful. He later started a tour company to be able to raise more money. This man wants to raise awareness about working together to be able to save wildlife. I think this really caught the attention of a copious amount of people, and they should at least try to make a difference.

Conflict Blog for OMAM

Of Mice And Men
4/30/15
Pages read: 80-Finished

Prompt: From your brainstorming session, choose at least two conflicts to explore more in depth in this blog. Be sure to include textual evidence and support and also identify the effect that the conflict has had on the plot so far. 

                 One of the conflicts that were apart of the plot of this book were Man Vs. Society. We are shown this by the way George and Lennie have to live. Also by the way people treat Lennie. No one really understands Lennie and why he acts like this. This book shows this type of conflict with Crooks. Crooks, being an African-American gets treated differently, and unfair due to his race and skin color. Lennie, not being understood affects the plot because people won't understand and think he does what he does out of purpose. Crooks being an African-American affects the plot because it affects the way people treat him, and the way he acts towards other people.

            Another type of conflict that was shown throughout this book was Man vs. Man. We are shown this by the arguments and Lennie and George have. This affects the plot of the book because it affects the relationship between George and Lennie, and how they act towards each other. Also Curly and George show conflict. It may not be shown explicitly, but we can definitely sense conflict between them. This affects the way Curly and George act towards each other. Lennie and Curly have a physical conflict in a part of this book. This affects the way Curly will see Lennie as, and the way Curly will act towards Lennie.

           One of the other conflicts that were shown throughout this book was Man Vs. Self. This type of conflict was kind of shown through George. George feels responsible for Lennie. This affects the plot because George doesn't want to feel guilty if something were to happen to Lennie. Therefore he will try his best and give up a plethora amount of stuff he could have had if it wasn't for Lennie. 

Dream Blog for OMAM

Prompt: Based on your brainstorming via Edmodo, write a short poem elaborating on your dream and/or why dreams or visions are an important part of life.

Dreams

Some can be unreachable

Others are destined to be

Some don't require much

Others require hard work

Everyone has one

For it resembles hope

It resembles chance

and it resembles effort

Without Dreams

you don't have a goal

no point in life

no trying

Of Mice And Men blog for 4/20/15

Of Mice And Men
4/22/15
Pages Read: 0-38


            The ranch and Bunkhouse from where George and Lennie work seems dirty and not taken care of properly, but pretty big. The author described the bunkhouse to be a long and rectangular building. The author states "Inside, the walls were whitewashed and unpainted." As you can tell it seems the people who are in charge of the bunkhouse don't really care if the bunkhouse looks neat or taken care of. George also notices a can to remove lice, bugs, or insects from the beds. George worries if he may be sleeping with these kinds of bugs/insects.

             In chapter 2 we were introduced to many new characters that are involved in the book. One of the characters we were introduced to was Slim. Slim seems like a benign person, and has already been making conversations with George. Curley seems to have made a bad impression on George and Lennie. Curley seems to be the opposite of benign. Curley's wife seems to be seductive and tricky, at least George thinks she is just being tricky. These are just of the few characters that I was able to tell how they are by their first impression.

           I think Curly's wife doesn't have a special name for her in the book because that's how it was back then, and how they would call each other's wives like if they were own'ed by their husband. Many people back then would call each other by their last name, or if they were a wife, then like Curly's wife is called. I think this was just common back then, and people thought it was formal to call women that way.

Weekly Blog for 4/13/15

Alabama Moon
4/15/15
Pages Read: 200-Finished

Prompt: Describe the main characters.

            The first main character is Moon, and he is brave, smart, and grateful. Moon is not afraid of living in the forest and is willing to do anything to survive. Even though Moon never went to school, he still knows the basic needs of education and is pretty good educated for his age. Moon doesn't ask much for a living. He only asks for not to be alone. He doesn't care if he lives in the forest and owns a small amount of things, as long as he is surviving and not alone he doesn't mind. He prefers to have friends than to be rich. He likes to be very independent and hates when people tell him what to do.

            Another important character in the book is Kit. Kit wants to be just like Moon, he is very dependent though due to his sickness. Kit wants and loves to live in the forest with Moon. Kit depends a lot on doctors and someone to tell him what to do. Kit won't survive much without his medicine, and that is why Kit is unable to live with Moon in the forest. Kit is very benign to people and doesn't care much of what people think about him or assumer about him.

          Another important character in this book is Hal. Hal could be mean sometimes and at other times could have a lot of generosity. Hal doesn't mind speaking out aloud about other people, and is very outgoing. He doesn't feel afraid speaking about what he thinks is right, or just in general about what he thinks about other people. At other times Hal can be very caring and nice when he is happy. Hal is also a lot like Moon when it comes to being independent and hating when people tell them what to do.

I commented on Mia's, Emily's, and Siari's Blog.

Poetry Reflection Blog

         In my life, poetry does have some importance. I read poetry a lot when I am mad, sad, discombobulated or stressed out. Poetry helps me relax myself and get mind off things to be able to understand and think about the poem that I am reading. Sometimes I get befuddled when I am reading poems, and this may be the cause of me giving up on the meaning or moral of the poem. Poetry helps me concentrate, and give me motivation towards anything. Poetry may even influence me to try out new things even if I feel the experience won't be good.

        I think poetry does belong to everyone, even if some people may get very befuddled while reading poems. I think that there is a least one poem that sticks out to everyone, and a poem that they can relate to. Poetry belonging to everyone doesn't have to mean necessarily that everyone reads or likes it. To me it simply means that everyone can relate to a poem and be able to express their thoughts as they read throughout the poem. There is at least one poem that every one can like. Many people can like funny, sad, happy, or any genre out there, and poems are made out of every genre out there too.

       The life experiences that a poet has had or has lived through can affect the diction, theme, and the genre they write about. If someone has gone through some bad stuff, then they will most likely think about all the bad stuff, and leave out the good stuff in life. This may cause someone to just focus on writing about bad stuff. On the other hand if someone had a good childhood and life, they will focus on all the good stuff in their life and not think about the bad stuff. Edgar Allan Poe had a dark life, leading him to write most of his poems about scary and bad topics.

       
I commented on Joseph's, Lilly's, and Jared's blog

Nonsense Poem- "Wolfion"

I commented on Lilian's, Justin's, and Evie's blog

Found Poem "Chicago"

         "Chicago"

            "Chicago"                   

Distinctive                                                              This poem is about being interested in                   Eyes                                                                   discovering what is going on around us. It is about 

                  Don't remember                              learning how the world or city around us works. 

       Much About                                              Trying to discover what place you want, in the world

                  You                                                 or your city. Discovering that what you do does have 

About what I do                                               a big affect on you, or the places, and people around 

                             Looking out                         us. Making decisions is a big part of growing up, and 

                         For                                          what we will be in this world is the biggest choice we 

    The                                                               will have to make.

           Affection

                     Is All

Interesting when       At work

I commented on Diana's, Mia's, and Saul's blog

Spine Poem

                  

            I wanted to create a poem that would portray the way that life is, the world we live in. We are just a little planet at the corner of the universe. We measure our lives with years and days of happiness or filled with dismal, and this is Nothing But the Truth. Life is a long journey, and we as kids are just beginning. We are A Long Way Gone from the end of our journey in life. We are Almost Home, we are almost at the part of our lives when we know how our life is going to carry out.

I commented on Omar's, Rebecca's, and Sebastian's blog

Two Voice Poem for Blog

Alabama Moon
3-16-15
Pages Read: 60-100

Moon                                         Both                                      Hal

I have lived alone                                                                                            I have faced things by
                                                                                                                         myself
                                                                  We have been alone
I can beat up someone twice                                                                           I can beat someone
myself                                                                                                               else up
                                                                   We are strong
I like to get things done                                                                                   I don't ask for help
by myself                          
                                                                  We are independent
My parents died                                                                                            I did not get raised
as I grew up                                                                                                    by my parents
                                                                  We have losses
I loved my parents                                                                                        I don't know my parents

I was raised in the wild                                                                                I was raised in a prison
 
I experienced nature                                                                                    I experienced foster living

I slept in a cave-like                                                                                 I slept on a bunk bed
shelter                                                         We have a roof

I hunted for food                                                                                     I had food made for me

I have made an escape plan                                                                    I am stuck here in these two
                                                                                                                places

I have lasted long in the cold                                                                 I have my necessities

My dad gave me an education                                                                I was taught in a school

I know how to build a fire                                                                    I am not allowed to go near fires

I have a big and set goal                                                                       I have not thought about goals

My first shower wasn't until                                                                 My obligation is to take a
 I was 10                                                                                               shower, every morning
                                                                We are Different,
                                                                     yet alike

I commented on Sammie's, Devin's, and Sonny's blog


                                             

ThingLink Interactive Poem

I commented on Emily's, Giovanna's, and Yareli's blog

3rd Quarter Reflections

3rd Quarter Reflection

      I can't believe that 3rd quarter is over,and 4th quarter is on it's way. I think this quarter I have improved mostly on my writing. Honestly, the hardest thing this quarter for me has been time management. I believe that doing gallery walks, and A.O.Ws have benefited me by helping me be aware of what is going on in this world. This quarter has really helped, yet also has challenged me.

       Writing poems, blogs, and practicing on NoRedInk has helped increase my writing skills in general. Writing poems has increased my writing skills with the way I write and thinking more about the subject. Writing blogs has improved my writing because it has gotten me used to writing daily. Practicing on NoRedInk has helped me a lot with grammar or conjunctions in my writing.

       Time Management has been very challenging this quarter with turning and doing my work on time. Leaving school for a little bit over a week, got me behind in my school work. When I came back I had a lot of work to do. I wasn't good handling the work the work I needed to do, and the work I had missed. I tried catching up with all my work, but I was getting even more behind than I already was. This taught me a very valuable lesson about managing my time. 

      Completing A.O.Ws, and gallery walks daily has helped me be aware of what is going on around the World, and not just where I live. The A.O.Ws has made me look into ISIS, Measles, and many things happening around the world. They help me reflect on what I have learned about. The gallery walks helped me learn about different topics and subjects around the world that I have not heard about.

I commented on Jeremiah's, Siari's, and Sam T's Blog

Extended Metaphor

     Friends or Family

Two places to go, both very different

Should I go to the mall, or camping

I thought about some fun with friends at the mall
But I was also looking for adventure, so I thought about camping

Camping sounded relaxing and refreshing

But I wouldn't get to see my friends

The Mall sounded more convivial

So both were similar in their own ways

I decided to choose to go to the Mall

Because I wasn’t gonna have another chance with my friends

I knew my family would be upset, but I will always have them

I went to the mall, and I knew I made the right choice

The mall lead to more opportunities

More choices to make

It lead to more chances with my friends

This kept my friendship together

I commented on Diana's , Jeremiah's , and

Bio-Poem for Week 3-9

Alabama Moon by: Watt Key

3-9-15

Pages Read: 45-60

Moon

Brave, Confident, Independent, Radical

A Character in Moon's story

Lover of Independency, nature, and his family
Who notices how his plans fell apart when he met a stranger
Who feels the pain and loneliness
Who learns about survival in the forest at age 10
Who says "Dear Pap, I think the Law is after me now"
Who used to think that it is impossible for a 10 year old t survive alone but now knows it is
Major character in Alabama Moon 
A book that teaches you about independency

I commented on Sam T's, Evie's, and Diana's Blog

Weekly Blog for week 1-26-15

Alabama Moon
1-28-15
Pages Read: 0-45

Prompt: Describe the setting’s time and place. Draw it.
Explain how you have been surprised by what you are reading.
Tell me about the main character. What kind of person is he/she?

         Moon and his dad lived in the forest in the middle of Alabama. They lived in a dwelling that doesn't look much like shelter. This is so the government will not find out where they live. They live in a forest that not much people live in. Their dwelling they lived in has few windows, and the windows were very narrow. They have lived in the woods for as long as Moon can remember. They set out traps in the forest to catch food. Moon's dad has taught him everything he needs to know to survive.

        I think it is very surprising how Moon has never gone to school, and how they live in the forest. Moon is 10 years old and has never been a student at a school or has also never been in any kind of school. Moon's dad has taught him to read, to write, and basic knowledge. They live mainly in the forest and almost never go out to town. The only times they have gone to town, is when they have run out of supplies, or have an errand to run. 

         The main character, Moon is very brave and feels very confident of himself. He is not afraid of living alone in the forest even after what happened to his father. He had the chance to live in a shelter, but he refused and ran away. Someone who were to do this is very brave. He states "Sure I know how to read. I can whip somebody three times my size, too. And I know everything I need to know to live on my own." This makes me believe that Moon is very confident about himself.

Article of The Week Impressions Blog

        I believe that the gallery walk on the A.O.Ws helped me learn about what is going on in the world. One of the subjects I learned more about was on VideoGames.  Another subject I learned more about was on Measles and how they are spreading around the World. A third subject that I learned about in this gallery walk was on Bullying. This gallery walk has made my knowledge on these subjects increased by a lot.

        I learned about how VideoGames are actually a good influence on kids, by being involved in this gallery walk. I learned how VideoGames help increase the chance of you making better decisions. I also learned that playing video games can help broad in your interests. Another thing I learned is that when kids play violent video games, or regular video games, it decreases the chance of you becoming a bully.

         I learned about how Measles are spreading wide very quickly, by being a part of this gallery walk. I learned that Measles are spreading around the World, or over 100 countries. I also learned that only 81% of the population in the U.S.A is vaccinated with the Measles vaccination. Most adults did not get this vaccine back then, since measles were less common back then. Another thing I learned was that there have been over 32,480 cases of Measles in Europe, and the number is growing.

        Last of all, I learned about a Columbian Tribe that is facing extinction, by being involved in this gallery walk. This Columbian Tribe is facing extinction due to increased violence in the tribe. I learned that the number of murders in this tribe has increased by 63%. Lastly I learned that 33 members of the tribe were killed in two days alone.



     

Picture Poem

Paradise

I see the water sparkling through my eyes

  It is something I do not despise

        it gives me the feeling of relaxation

I could see the trees reflection

Through the shiny water

   The day was quite hotter

For as the lights are acting as the sun

   I guess I was just in the mood for some fun

As the breeze blows through my hair

The water so refreshing, it is rare

    I ask myself “Is this real or am I just dreaming”

For I feel unreal, but I am still gleaming