Quarter 1 Reflection Blog

 We have reached the end of 1st Quarter...can you believe it?! Now take a moment to reflect on what you have learned so far. Some questions to consider:

Where are you in your 40 Book Challenge? How have your blogs been progressing since August? What strategies have benefited you? What have you learned about the world? How have your research skills improved?

Make sure to include a topic sentence and supporting details that fully support your main idea.

          This school year has been moving quite fast, I barely found out that the quarter is close to an end. I'm really proud of what I've accomplished throughout this quarter. For example, In my 40 book challenge I think I am doing pretty well overall. I've read 5 books already which is decently good in my eyes because I'm someone who doesn't read too often. I have stood in fiction genres for quite some time now but I am gradually reading non-fiction genres like, A Child Called "It" and Of Beetles and Angels. These really make me inspired to read more non-fiction books about peoples lives, or just an auto-biography or a biography. 

           In my blogs I believe that I've shown improvement. I say this because I am actually revising as I read and have found a liking to it. Not only does it really help me academically but it helps me to understand my errors and learn from them. If I ddn't learn from my mistakes I wouldn't be as affective as a writer. The writting I would be conveying wouldn't have sense to it or have reason. I'm proud of what I've accomplished in this section especially, the writing portion. Without revising I wouldn't be able to hand in great quality work and have a big impact in my life. I'm going to sum this up by saying I believe that revising is a helpful tool in writing and It'll help in the long run. 

           From the beginning of the school year up till now I have learned so much about current events and things happening around the world. I never would've known about any of this if it wasn't for this class. I mean I could know about but I wouldn't be able to interpret the current event or say anything about. I like that we have to research about it and learn as much as we can about. This has improved my reseaching skills in a large portion. I now know that skimming isn't such a great technique. Every single detail matters in an article and if you miss one part you can be lost in the article. I hope from here on out now that my researching skills are more effective I can now be able to incorporate the information I discover into a great AOW.

Weekly Blog 10-14-15: A Child Called "It"

Contrast

When contrasting things, look closely to find all thing that are different between

them.

• How does what you are reading contrast with a novel you were assigned to read

in school and didn’t like reading.

• Contrast the theme of what you are reading with something you read last

month.

• What would be a good contrast to the setting of what you are reading?

            

            A Child called "It" is a great book which I overall was one of the best books I've read. When I contrast it to a book I didn't enjoy reading like Touching Spirit Bear. I don't really like the content of that book. When I contrast it with A Child Called "It" I look at the genres which is a huge difference. For instance, A Child Called "It" is a memoir. Then in Touching Spirit Bear the book is fiction. These are two seperetate and different genres. One is real (based on a true story) then the other is fake (not real). A child called "It" also has a purpose in the writing it send out a message and shows how a nobody becomes a somebody and overcomes the abuse.

            The theme isn't significantly different in a child called it in contrast to a Of Beetles and Angels. However, the contrast is there because they are not exactly the same. For instance, the theme of A Child Called "It" was a kid who got abused. Then for a Of Beetles and Angels the theme is that it is rough now but it'll all get better type of theme. Both of these books I really enjoyed. For different reasons of course. I really liked A Child Called "It" because of the theme because it made me feel really sad and like I was there in the book. Then for Of Beetles and Angels I liked everything about it the story line, the conflict and the way it is written. Whcih are two different themes to it.

             What would be a good contrast for this book would probably be some kind of fantasy world in another book like basically anything fiction. This book takes place in the US. Not really anything would apply but anything tat doesn't have school, homes and so on and so forth. Lets say that there is a place withourt schools and other places in the US. like third world countries. In A Child Called "It" it is a memoir which is a true story and is a actual place in the real world which makes a harder to contrast. However, you can make some minor differences in it towards another setting.

It'll be worth it, I promise

Right now,

we are among the

poorest

in the land

Todays

small act of

kindness 

can become 

tomorrows whirlwind of

human progress

Who knows what your

future may

bring

Listen to me

my children

It is painful for you now

but believe me,

the day will come when you

will thank me.

We need to

let the outside air

beat on us

You are ready to change

the world

thank you

good luck

and

congratulations 

Refugee Blog

          Mawi is a very strong and determined person who never gave up and continued to strive on. Mawi would never stop trying to be successful because his family made a lot of sacrifices for him and the least he can do is make something out of that. Now onto another brave soul. Adil Mustafa Hamdan he is very similar to Mawi. For instance they both grew up as refugees and have the lived the entire srtruggle. They both had a struggle between their fathers because adils father had died on a journey and he never saw him again. Mawi had lost his dad too but his dad walked out on him. The thing is that Mawis dad did it for him and the family. For these two men they both chose family over anything and then water after which I respect al lot from both of them.

           Mawi and Adil have gone very similar rough events and have had similar ideas. For example, Mawis and adil both wanted to find out a way to be peaceful with everyone . Not to e discriminated by them or not cared for. It must really hurt to be not wanted because of the way you look. I mean they never asked to look they way they do, be judged the way they are or live they way they live. This was brought onto them when they were little they didn't get chose their faith they created it for themselves and now look at Mawi he went to Harvard and well-known around the world. For adil on the other hand didn't get to fulfill coming to America to live the "American Dream" but he was able to keep his life like Mawi which were both gifts to them and these are huge event sin their lives.

             War effects individuals and societies in different ways but the main way is negatively. When people go to war they are happy for fighting for whats right. What if they aren't fighting for what's right they are just doing a mindless war because of hatrid and because they can. They don't even care to notice all the innocent people having to leave where they are from, their home country just because people actions it is so messed up. It really messes up the society and anyone who is in the area when the war is happening. It is just so unfair I believe that there are many other ways to settle things and violence and ignorance isn't one of them. Which leads me to say war effects everyone and anything in its own specific ways.

Summer Reading Blog #4

                                 The City of Ember

                                     By: Jeanne DuPrau

Contrast

When contrasting things, look closely to find all thing that are different between

them.

• How does what you are reading contrast with a novel you were assigned to read

in school and didn’t like reading.

• Contrast the theme of what you are reading with something you read last

month.

• What would be a good contrast to the setting of what you are reading?

                This novel "The City of Ember" is different from a book that I didn't like and was assigned to me from school because it is based off of something that could really happen. I'm not saying that this book is realistic fiction but it is a certain possibility. Another reason why this book is different from a book I didn't like from school is because we don't necessarily pick what kind of topic and book  we want to read. For instance, we are assigned a book called "Touching Spirit Bear" which is a book I really enjoyed. After that I was given a larger variety of books and chose "The City of Ember" which was a book I was interested in. That is the big difference. We aren't able to view the book before it's assigned so we go into a book without having an idea what is happening. 

                The theme of this book is more of a crisis and last resort, but in the other book i read last month was about love and hate and new beginnings. What the name of that book was "Of Mice and Men". Those are two completely different themes of books which is what I like to do. I enjoy going from one topic to another instead of staying along the lines of one topic with another. Although I really loved the book "Of Mice and Men" it is a major difference in theme. I also read a book called "I Even Funnier" which had the theme of funny. In the book I'm reading that is extremely different because the book is pretty serious and interesting. These are entirely different books that'll never fit in the same column.

                 A good contrast of the setting that we are reading is Berwyn. Ember is an entirely different location and the way it is much more different than Berwyn. For example, in Berwyn we all go to school until we are 23-24 and in Ember it is when they are 12. In Berwyn we have a lot of food and markets everywhere. In Ember there is barely any food and not many places to get them from. One of the key things that Berwyn has that Ember doesn't is light and power. Ember doesn't have any of that. In "The city of Ember they have a broken generator that if they don't fix in time they will have a full city black out. That is what they have many of there workers doing is trying to save and conserve the "The City of Ember".

Summer Reading Blog #3

                                   The City of Ember
                                                           By: Jeanne DuPrau



Define

When defining something, look at it carefully and identify the qualities that make it

meaningful.

• Define what makes an interesting story or poem.

• Define what is needed to make a good setting.

• Define what is needed for a reader to be able to relate to a character?

 

             What makes an interesting story or poem is a great plot. I say the plot makes a story or poem interesting because without the plot there wouldn't be a great ending or resolution. Also dialogue is always interesting because that is where you get all the great imagery from characters. The dialogue is what keeps me interested. Although, that is nothing more than a opinion people might halve the same feelings towards what makes a story or poem interesting. Another thing that makes a poem or story interesting is the title or then cover. I say the title because that is what mainly draws people in when they see nothing other than that. The cover on the other hand, brings everyone in. Without a cover or title people might not be interested on reading the story or poem.

             What is needed to make a good setting is mainly the way either the narrator or the characters explain it. The ways characters explains the book is always the best way because you get the imagery from it and feel like you are there. I guess the narrator could explain it but it isn't really the same when the characters explain it. It is all about the perspective that makes a good setting but, that is my opinion. What also makes a really good setting is some kind of plot to it. If there is no plot to a setting it isn't really intriguing whatsoever. Those are the main things that make a good setting interesting.

              What is needed for a reader to be able to relate to a character is relatable traits. I know that is rather obvious to be able to relate to a character but that is what is needed. For example if a character plays sports, has a hobby, or where the character is located. All of these option are relatable to many people already but it is not specific enough. What is needed is to narrow down the options so the character can reach out to a certain audience. Now to keep all of the traits the same but to be more specific. The character now plays baseball, collects baseball cards and lives is in Boston, Massachusetts. Now people can relate to the character and it reaches out to only a certain variety of the readers.

Summer Reading Blog #2

                        The Time Machine 
                                             By: H. G. Wells

Writing Prompt:

• Explain what kind of reader would like this book most.

• Explain why somebody should or should not read this?

• How would you explain the plot of this story to somebody interested in reading

it? 

               What kind of reader that will enjoy this book the most would probably be a patient reader. I say this because in the beginning of what I've read it didn't become that interesting. Although, this book requires people to think which many people might enjoy, I enjoy that myself. For instance in the book it has many things I didn't even know what they were talking about. Therefore, I looked everything up I had questions about and it all made sense on how the time machine might work. If you are into those kind of requirements to understand this book than this book is a great selection for those readers. 

               The reason why people should read this book is because how intriguing this book is. For instance this isn't really likely to actually happen. I don't think we will actually have to fight off a whole bunch of creatures who live underground to get our time machine but that is why it is interesting. If they didn't end up loosing their time machine there wouldn't be a plot in this book. That is why it is interesting because of the whole plot of them losing the time machine and and having to take it back from evil creatures from the future. 

               I think the plot is clever but also predictable in a novel like this. Usually in books that are in the future or taken back in time the characters ended up losing something important and end up taking it back. However, if it wasn't for the plot I may not have enjoyed this book as much as I did. I am into unique plots but kind of original to keep the value of reading involved. Anyways, that is basically the plot. A bunch of evil creatures that live underground are surrounding the time machine. Then the characters in the book have to get it back to get back to their regular time period.