Monday, December 10, 2012

Semester 2 goals

Peaches
Dream Factory
Born To Run
Lord of the Flies

   These are all book I have read in first semester. I feel that my reading pallet is really limited to chick-lit, besides the book my dad made me read (Born to Run). I tend to like non fiction girly books because they give me a story I can relate to. For second semester I want to read so more fiction hopefully. I like the ocasionall fiction book I just could never read all fiction.
   During second semester I am going to read a book about math mr. John gave me. He has been nagging me to read it forever so I am going to set this as my goal so I can hopefully get it read by finals.

Survival ch. 11 focus

    In chapter 11 Ralph loses what minimum control he has left of some boys and Piggy is killed by Jack, Roger, and the tribe.Ralph doesn't have anything to say while the tribe is stoning piggy to death because he personally doesn't want to be stoned to death. Which is understandable but sad because piggy got him through most of the assemblies by helping out with his leadership role.
   With Ralph dead, there is no more education or civilization left on the island. Piggy symbolized being civil and with him gone there is none left. Piggy was smart and helped Ralph lead the island. Now Ralph is all alone on leading the island because everyone likes to do what Jack and the "tribe" do.

Monday, December 3, 2012

reading times

Lord of the Flies
11/30- 120 minutes (page 95-168)

Science Textbook
12/1- 30 minutes (250-255)

Monday, November 26, 2012

Pass..

Im passing on blogs because we had the book discussions.

Biology Book 35 min (page 190-213)
"The Boulevard" 35 min
Lord of the Flies  80 min (page 31-94)

Monday, November 12, 2012

LOTF activity

   When Dr. D set us up for Lord of the Flies, I thought that sense we were somewhat mature ninth graders we would be able to handle this activity well. I was wrong. We all acted like we knew what to do, but we were acting like four year olds. We were yelling and somewhat had an idea or some sense of a structure.
    If we were actually in this scenario If someone didn't take charge soon we would be dead. Nobody seemed to be agreeing so I sacrificed my bod for food so I killed myself. I also didn't want to deal with the chaos of them. Yeah, so I would appreciate it If I was never actually stranded with you guys.

"The Boulevard" 11/8- 50 min
Matched 11/10- 60 min
Lord of the Flies 11/11- 45 min

Total- 155 min


Monday, November 5, 2012

_Matched_ reading post

   What I read in Matched this week was really good. Cassia the main character has been challenged by her grandfather to look beyond what her society consists of.She is just like any other girl there. Cassia is just living her life like any other girl until one day she catches the eye of a special boy. She is blinded of ho her community is so dysfunctional and this guy opens her eyes.
   This happens in many communities today. Although, I think in our present lives it happens the other way around. Where the girl has a boyfriend and he blinds her of noticing her society and its problems. Girls feel like they are falling in love they are blinded by real struggles and things that are happening in their society.
 

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Babysitting

   Having younger siblings has its pros and cons. One minute your just watching TV and your little brother and sister are in another room. Then your moms voice echoes through the house.. "we will be back in a couple of hours". It dawns on you, I have to actually pay a little attention to them now. The job starts out fun and playful then when you start to get annoyed they are bouncing of the walls. You can't get them to calm down.
   5 hours later when your parents get back the house is a reck and you and your siblings have all fallen asleep. If this was another family, different kids, different house, different parents, the house would be spick and span. As the parents walked in the kids would be asleep and they would have their money out ready to pay you. No, instead it's your family, your parents, your siblings so you don't care. There is no money for you at the end of the night so why bother cleaning up.
 

Monday, October 29, 2012

Literary Analysis

       The three stories I read independently were "The Return", "The Sniper", and "Hills Like White Elephants. In "The Return" Wanjiku comes out as a very dynamic character. He comes across dramatic and was described in the story as akin. Wanjiku was a character who argued with himself. Also as he walked there was a cloud of angry dust that would rise and then settle again.
       I choose "The Sniper" as my short Story literary analysis. I am going to focus on the setting. In this short story the setting is particularly important. The sniper is jumping from roof to roof, ally to ally, and running from place to place. He is hiding from shooters, and trying to shoot other hiders. The story took place during June and was at the beleaguered Four Courts.
      "Hills Like White Elephants" is a story where setting is very well portrayed. For example there are multiple paragraphs with descriptive scenes that include the setting in depth. There in the hills across Ebro. In this place the hills are long and white, there is no shade, no trees. The main characters are going to Madrid on a train. While on the train the girl describes the hot, dry, white sun beamed hills as looking like white elephants, hence the name of the title.

10/24 The Sniper- 15 min

10/22 Hills Like White Elephants- 10 min

10/24 The Return- 26 min

22/28 Matched- page 55-129 (1hour, 30 min)

Monday, October 15, 2012

"To Da-Duh, in Memoriam" character

     In "To Da-Duh, in Memoriam" Da-Duh is the grandmother who is a very diverse character. In this story she is perceived as a kind of stuck up old lady. At the same time though, her granddaughter is pushing her down, figuratively. This story really brings out all the different characteristics of a character.
    Da-Duh is a main character in her memoriam. At the beginning her daughter and granddaughters describe her as some ugly old bag of a grandmother. Then by the end she turns out to be an understanding grandmother. "To Da-Duh, in Memoriam" really captures the essence of how main characters develop overtime.

Quarter 1- participation

   I feel that my participation for quarter one was well. I feel that I have participated in class discussions with well developed ideas. I know that our short store discussions were in depth and I feel I contributed to them. I come to class prepared and ready with pencils paper and my binder. I am particularly bad at remembering my Wordly Wise cards every other Monday.
  I usually stay on task and don't distract others which I can always improve on. I can also improve on remembering my Wordly Wise cards by setting reminders. My note taking is also average which I can improve on by writing down everything.

Reading Times

And Clay Are We Created- 31 min

Dry September- 25 min

Harrison Bergeron- 13 min

Waltz of the Fat Man- 20 min

Matched- page 1-55 (77 min)

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Reading Times

To Build a Fire- 75 min
To Da Duh, in Memoriam- 45 min
A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings- 20 min
A and P- 20 min

Total- 160 min

Sunday, September 30, 2012

"I Am a Writer Who..."

   I am a writer who tells a story. There is a difference between writing a story and telling a story. Telling a good story is all about the detail. If you really want people to read you have to tell them a story that they can relate to. You also need to draw them into the story the first chance you get.
   The fun of telling stories is you get to make them dramatic and detailed. Another aspect of telling a good story is you have to throw the most interesting part of your story at the beginning. Kind of like when you take the first bite of a sundae. You get the whip cream and cherry first because it is the best part. Which makes you want to eat more because the first bite tastes so good.

_Born To Run_ Response #6

   Born To Run ended and I had mixed emotions about it. The book ends at a race in Cooper Canyons. It is really intense, because the ultra-marathoners from the Tarahumarah are supposed to be there. People heard that it is beautiful to watch how fast and far they run. There endurance and speed is impeccable and like no others.
   Some people say that the Tarahumarah runners are a myth. This was the thing Caballo Blanco was trying to figure out. He was looking for this mysterious indian tribe. In the book he found the presence of them but he never actually saw him. He said If they wanted to be found then they would have been seen.

"To Build a Fire"
9/26- 10 min (pages 99-103)
9/27- 25 min (pages 103-111)
9/28- 7 min (pages 111-116)

Born To Bun
9/30- 110 min (pages 241-296)

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

_Born to Run_ Response #5

    Born to Run has gotten really good. The Aztec runners are helping the mexican society learn about there ways. It was really great reading a section that had to do with Kahara talks about how she can't have her baby because of some law they have. Its really sad and i can tell she is very distressed. The book is really interesting at the point Im at.
    In Born to Run I found the part in the book that refers to the title. Eric one of the runners goes to run a 5k and he retells the story of his Run. He said "I felt like I was born to run". I really like the title of this book it really fits in with the story. I am having trouble with coming up with a title to fit my personal literacy narrative.

9/18- 30 min (pages 118-132)
9/22- 130 min (pages 133-241)

Sunday, September 23, 2012

My Cross Country Nightmare

     When I started running in 7th grade It was fun. I actually enjoyed practices. I would get a little nervous for meets but it was still fun.
    In my first meet I got second. My dad freaked out, he was so proud of me. Then the pressure started and I hate pressure. I would get second in every race and the pressure would get more intense. The next season was 8th grade and it was ridiculously intense. I was expected to do good, but i wasn't really following through. My dad was getting really aggravating he was putting so much pressure on me. He would get mad at me and say that I was not trying my hardest. In actuality I was burning out.
    The last race I ran with the varsity and we ran 3 miles. I beat a couple of the girls going to state, and for the first time in a while running felt good. I should have gone to state, but I honestly didn't want to. All that pressure would have torn me apart.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Litteracy Narrative

  In the beginning process of brainstorming for this narrative I was a little stumped. I thought to myself I honestly haven't read or written anything that has impacted my perspective on the subject. Then I remembered the Story Corps essay we wrote in 7th grade. Immediately I started remembering about that paper. I got excites, I was ready to start writing.
 Starting the narrative I thought about the sample narrative we read in class. With this in mind I began typing a vivid opening sentence. It was a flashback. Then as the process of writing the first draft went on I thought about adding in direct quotes and the short sentences to end. I got so caught up in the actually story that I forgot we had to tie the essay back to how it influenced our reading and writing life. Now this took me some time. I realize that it's only the first draft so it wont be perfect, but I finally think I got it.

_Born To Run_ Response #4

  I started Born To Run, and my dad is very excited about it. Last year he really wanted me to read it. He even promised me that he would give me $100 if I read it and wrote a summary about it. I hate reading so much that I didn't even do it. I guess now looking back I should have. It is actually interesting, but a little hard to read.
 My dad likes to incentivise me with stuff. He does it all the time and its actually good stuff. For me to get my  ears pierced I had to win first in a track race. My brother got 10 bouncy balls for trying sushi. For every 5K I run I get $100. My dad is also a big runner. He really likes for me to run on the CC team which I did in middle school, but Im not doing it in high school. He was very disappointed.

9/12- 80 min (pages 15-73)
9/13- 35 min (pages 73-91)
9/16- 35 min (pages 91-117)

Monday, September 10, 2012

Comment Responses

    In one of my reading responses, Gabriel was wondering what I thought about my book. I would like to answer by saying its not a great story to follow. Although it is lacking a good overall story it has some well descriptor scenes. Katie and Porscha showed a concern for the tree falling in my backyard. I do appreciate it, but there was nothing to worry about because the tree would not have damaged anything.
    In some peoples comments on my In defense of food, a students manifesto post they implied that I needed to open my stomach which i understand. I would just like to clear up that I like many types of food I just don't always eat so healthy. I feel as if commenting on peoples blogs is sometimes uncomfortable if you can't relate to what they are blogging about. If that seems to be the case i guess you have to ask them a question.
   

_Dream Factory_ response #3

    This time when I read Dream Factory it was pretty much the same as last. Ella is trying to decide between two guys that she really likes. She is having a hard time deciding between the two because they are both her friends. Considering the fact that both guys are cute there is nothing that differs between them. At the end of the book she chooses neither guys to focus on herself.
    This can occur to girls in high school. Sometimes they can really like a guy, but then a guy comes along who really likes her. Then they have to choose between the two guys. It can bring stress to their life. The guys can pressure the girl to choose them and it can be hard. I understand how this can feel because as you get older, you have to make more decisions for yourself. I also started a new book, Born to Run.

Dream Factory
9/5- 50 min (pages 154-196)
9/6- 85 min (pages 197-254)
Born to Run
9/8- 20 min (pages 1-14)

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

_Dream Factory_ response #2

      Over the so called break I tried to enjoy my book, Dream Factory. As some of you may know my house is not the quietest and best place to settle down and get caught up in a book. Most of the time there are children running back and forth down the halls and my mother is running after them with a distinct visage warning them to stop. Most of the time they don't listen. Even though there is a great amount of chaos in my house I manage to get the reading requirement done.
     In Dream Factory to boys are upset because they were left out of the Cinderellabration. This makes me realize that people get left out of things all the time. It also hurts peoples feelings. Boys and Girls are age need to be aware of who they are leaving out of a certain situation. If they're not careful it could really upset someone.

8/30- 45 min (pages 63-90)
9/2- 60 min (pages 90-134)
9/3- 35 min (pages 134- 153)

Monday, September 3, 2012

Isaac the hurricane

     My brother and I were sitting in the floor of my mom and dads room when the hurricane was at its worst. We were sitting in front of their sliding glass door, and I know thats not the safest place to be. We were watching this tree in our backyard that was just about to fall. The wind was blowing the tree back and forth so hard it was almost touching the ground. We knew it was about to fall we were having so much fun laughing about it.
     Thomas and I were planning the whole thing out, if the tree started falling we were gonna jump up and run out the door. A branch fell off and so Thomas screamed like a little girl and I hit him.. on accident. He wasn't hurt though he just started laughing. We were so sure that the tree was gonna fall. By the end of the hurricane though, it never fell.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

_Dream Factory_ response #1

    My outside book I am reading right now is Dream Factory. Like most books It is starting out slow. Dream Factory Is the kind of book where it opens into a scene and you have no idea whats going on, who the characters are, and whats about to happen. I have read 60 minutes in the book, and 63 pages. So far the main character named Ella is the character Cinderella in Disney Land. She is facing the struggles of braking in her 4th Prince Charming in one month. I know it sounds like a cheesy book, but its actually quite interesting. Each chapter goes back and forth from Ella and Luke's point of view.
  Towards the end of the 60 pages I have read Ella id doubting herself of being able to be in a relationship. She doesn't want to believe that she is capable of carrying the responsibility. Luke and Ella's friend Amy are trying to help her find herself and regain her confidence. After all she is Cinderella, so there has got to be a Prince Charming.

Peaches
8/20- 65 min (pages 1-49)
Dream Factory
8/22- 35 min (pages 1-26)
8/25- 50 min (pages 26-63)
 
 

Saturday, August 25, 2012

In defense of school lunches, a students manifesto

     From my position of being a student, I think our school should allow students to bring their own lunches. I think it is ridiculous that we are not allowed, because the pros out way the cons. For example If you bring your lunch you most likely will not be hungry because you bring what you like to eat. I know that if I am hungry I can definitely not focus, and sometimes this happens to me because I don't like what they have to offer. Also it would be cheaper for the school, because they wouldn't have too cook as much food.
     The cons of this situation though would be that the school would have to figure out what to do with the cost of the school lunches. Also their might be more trash around the school, because of the wrappers from the lunches students brought. These were the only cons I could think about, but if you have any more please comment them. I know many students have heir own opinions about bringing lunch to school.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

_In Defense of Food_ response

     The book In Defense of Food was not particularly my style of reading. The book was very informational which is good, but it didn't have something that the readers could connect to that would make them want to read more. I like books that I can relate to, so thats why I dint like In Defense of Food. Honestly I dreaded reading this book, but it made me realize that natural food is the best type of food for you. Natural food is better than vitamins, and its way better than processed food. 
     This book is good for school lunch programs, because like Episcopal most schools are focussing on healthier lunches for their students. I know Episcopal has put forth a great effort with this, like changing from white bread to wheat bread, processed to fresh, and getting Chef Pat has taken out most of the processed stuff out of our lunches. In Defense of Food mainly focusses on the western diet, what it consists of and how it affects people. The way we are producing food today is all about producing more of it faster. This is really taking the nutrients out of the natural foods. For example you would have to eat about 5 apples today to get the same nutrients that an apple had 10 years ago.

Freshman Year

     This first year of high school I expect their to be a lot of home work, freedom, and commitment. Im not so excited for the home work aspect of high school, but I understand its nescessary to learn the curriculum. Im enjoy the freedom in high school like tutorial, it feels good when your teachers can trust you. I think everyone understands that there will be more commitment and responsibilities involved, and that we have to be more mature. 
     My goals for freshman year are to have good impressions on my teachers, be organized, and make a 3.5 grade average. All throughout high school I think its important for myself to obtain at least a 3.5 grade average so I can have as many college options as possible. My goals, my organization, and my commitment will hopefully keep me on track through the next four years. I don't expect it to be easy, but it should be manageable. Im ready to take on the journey of high school.