Final Reflection

Finall Reflection 

Three most important things I learned this year were to always improve your writing, To annotate the articles you read and write down any questions you may have about it, and finally that every book you read has a purpose on why it was written. These things helped me do well in class and in other classes as well.

Something we did this year that I will remember for the rest of my life is that annotating/writing notes on what I read will help me with my work. It helped me remember what the article was about as well as I was able to pull out key facts I needed for an essay. That way I could just look at my annotations and not have too re-read the article top find something. I will always hold on to this because it will help me in life.

The nicest thing someone in our class did for me this year was fill me in with what we were doing when I came back from Mexico. They explained what I needed to do and helped me out when ever I had questions about it.

Something I taught my classmates this year was that keeping their things organized can help them find things easier or write something neater. Helping the teacher and others understand their point in writing.

An area I feel I made the most improvement in was in my writing. I have improved my writing style and wording a lot compared to the beginning of the year. Something I accomplished this year that I am proud of is improving my vocabulary. I have learned many new worlds that I will use in the near future to come.

The most challenging part of this year for me was finding books that interested me for book talks or reflections. It was was hard for me to find books I would enjoy reading since I tend to stick to certain genres of books.

The best piece of writing I did this year was probably my argumentative essay. I think it is my best because I was able to write about something I was was worried about and wanted people to know
about the problem. As well as I was able to write an essay with a nice formal style. I made it look professional, Which I am proud of.

Of the books I have read this year, My favorite was “Shadow and Bone” By Leigh Bardugo. This was my favorite book because it has a lot of magic in it with very active and cheerful characters. As well as it has romance and evil in it. It was just a wonderful book because It had tough characters whom protected each other and never gave up on one another.

The advice I give students who will be in this class next year is to turn in their work on time. Give good quality work as well. It will free their hands and won't stress them out if the have to improve their writing. It will give them time for themselves if they are responsible with their work. I also recommend future students to always be organized with their things and always give your best in this class.

"The most Important thing in Life"

“The Most Important Thing in Life"

I believe that family is the most important thing in one’s own life. It’s the one that truly makes you
who you are. I believe that family is the most important thing in one’s own life because since I can remember my family has always been there for me, helping me achieve my goals and teaching me what they know.

It was a new day in Mexico. I could hear the birds chirping, dogs barking, children playing. It was just a beautiful sunny day. My father was working in the United States for the summer. My mother and I were in my grandma’s backyard. Sitting under the shade of a big tree in the middle of the yard. My siblings were playing on the swing and laughing.

I watched them play, seeing their smile on their small delicate faces. Looking at them got me thinking… How was I when I was a toddler? Unable to take the thought out of my head I turned to my mother and asked her. She smiled and told me about the things I would do when I was younger. I laughed until I had tears running down my cheeks and was out of breathe.

I noticed that my parents were there for me in all the things my mother told me about my childhood. When I took my first steps my parents were there, holding my hand with a smile on their face. They were there to scare the “monsters” away when I had nightmares during stormy nights. When I learned how to ride my bike guess who was there? My parents. When I won my first medal they were there cheering and clapping for me.

Then my siblings tagged along, I became a big sister. I was able to help my parents raise my siblings. Then when my dog Paloma was stolen I was crushed and my siblings were there to comfort me. To cheer me up and help me continue life. It made me realize that I loved them even if they pushed my buttons at times.

I believe that family is the most important thing in one’s own life. Because It has made me who I am and has taught me many things. I ask you all to think back into your younger lives and you will see that your family has been there for you when you were younger.

Counting by 7s and Families with a Missing Piece

Counting by 7s and Families with a Missing Piece 

One of the Essential Questions that my group and I had was to see what had caused the accident that made Willow’s parents died. In the beginning of the book Willow is seen with her friends and Dell Duke. They arrive at Willow’s house and find out that her parents have died. “There’s been an accident.” And after that in whispers comes out the news that the two people I love most in the world are gone forever.” Pg.8 Showing how Willow’s parents have died in an accident. But it is not mentioned on how they died or what had caused the accident, until later on in the book. Where it is revealed that Willow’s parents have died in a car accident. “... he stepped on the accelerator believing he could just glide right through the red signal. Jimmy died on the scene but was still put into an ambulance and taken to the hospital with his wife. Roberta stopped breathing three hours later during emergency surgery.” Pg. 104 Which answered one of the Essential questions we had. The outcome wasn't what I had expected. Since the officers were at the house I thought someone had murdered them. Sadly my group and I found out what had caused the accident.

I found an article titled "Families with a Missing Piece" by Hello Grief and noticed that it related to Willow Chance from the book titled Counting by 7s. First of all In the article one man shares his story on how he lost his mother at a very young age. According to the article "Families with a Missing Piece it says"  “Gary Jahnke, 31, of Hastings, Minn. was 13 when his mother died of cancer. “I gave up on my good grades and drooped out of high school.” As you can see this man lost his mother at a very young age just like Willow whom lost her parents at age 12. Both Willow and Gary dropped out of school and were depressed for some time. In the book Counting by 7s it says “The next morning Willow told Mai that she wasn’t going to school. She didn’t say “ever again,” but Mai thought that’show it sounded.” Pg.130 As you can clearly see, Willow and Gary both had stopped going to school and had shut out the world around them for awhile. These are some ways that the article and book are similar to one another.

Even though I found similarities between Willow and the article, I also found differences. One of these differences is that Willow lost her parents to a car accident while the parents in the article commit suicide or die due to cancer. According to the article it says “He lost both his parents to cancer before he was 13.” This article has many stories of kids losing their kids to cancer. According to the article it said “Children whose parents commit suicide, for instance, are three times as likely to commit suicide later on in their lives.” As you can see Willow lost her parents due to a car accident while in the article most of the kids loose their parents to cancer or suicide. As well as Willow didn’t commit suicide and kept living. While in the article it says that most of the kids commit suicide later on in their life. These are some of the ways that the article and the book are different.


MLA: Sloan, Holly Goldberg. Counting by 7s. NY, NY: Puffin , an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), 2014. Print. 

"FAmilies with a Missing Piece ." Hello Grief. 2010. Accessed May 11, 2017. http://www.hellogrief.org/families-with-a-missing-piece/.

Counting by 7s

Counting by 7s

The book I'm currently reading is Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan. So far in the book a 12 year old girl named Willow Chance. Willow starts middle school and she is a very smart girl for her age. She is accused of cheating on a state test because she got a perfect score. Though she didn't she meets with a counselor named Dell Duke and makes a friend named Mai and her brother. One day after Dell takes them to eat ice cream they take Willow home to find that her parents have died in a car crash. Willow is left shattered and gets taken to a place where she would be safe until she got a home. Mai later ends up in hospital and escapes going to the library. Later on she is found and is approved to stay with Mai and her family temporarily and is living with them for now. 

The most important event that has happened in the book so far is that Willow lost her parents to a car accident "... he stepped on the accelerator believing he could just glide right through the red signal. Jimmy died on the scene but was still put into an ambulance and taken to the hospital with his wife. Roberta stopped breathing three hours later during emergency surgery." Pg 104 Showing how Willow had lost her parents to a car accident and was left emotionally shattered. She changed after that occurred, she wasn't the same. "I sit on the front steps. The tears will not stop. And I almost never cry. But I'm not myself. I will forever be someone else now." Pg.110 This accident made Willow change and shut out the world. This accident made Willow end up without parents for the second time. "I'm an only child. I'm adopted. And I'm different. As in strange." Pg.9 Willow had been put up for adoption by her real parents. Making her loose them and then her foster parents adopted her but she lost them as well. She lost her parents for the second time and it was painful for her.  

The thing that I have learned about life from what I am reading is that I should appreciate and love those around me. I learned this because seeing Willow loose her parents made me see that I am lucky to have my parents and siblings with me. That I should love them while I have them with me. That I shouldn't take them for granted. This is something that I have learned from the book I am reading. As well as that I should be who I am and not anyone bring me down. Just like how Willow doesn't kids from her school or principal bring her down when she gets accused of cheating.

3rd Quarter Reflection blog

3rd Quarter Reflection blog 

The area I think I made my biggest improvement in English Language Arts this quarter is in using the vocabulary words we got and using them outside of class. When I'm reading I see some words like weariness or morale and I know what they mean. Before I didin't know what those words were and It made me slow down on my reading. I guess you can say that it improved my reading skills. Now I use the vocabulary words when I speak to someone or use them in my writing for other classes. I wouldn't use the new vocab words in my writing or speaking before until now. Which I like because it makes my writing look more professional than before.

Something that I accomplished this quarter that I am proud of is getting all my vocabulary/root words correct all quarter. Last quarter in one of the vocabulary test I got one word wrong. I put the same definition letter for two words and ended up forgetting one of the definitions. But I knew it was the other definition but for some silly reason I put a different letter and got it wrong. Which is why now I double check my test before turning it in. My goal is to continue to get all my vocab tests correct until the end of the year.

The most challenging part of 3rd Quarter for me was using the vocabulary words outside of class. I would learn them but wouldn't really use them in my writing or speaking. It was hard for me to use them because I wouldn't know how or when to use them. (I didn't know how to put them in a sentence that would end up making sense.) But with time I used them little by little until they became a part of me.

Of the books I have read this quarter Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo has been my favorite because it has romance and magic in it. It got my attention and made me get attached to some of the characters. I got fouled by one of the characters and thought they were actually kind. But it turned out to be the enemy. Which was surprising. This book takes place in a time period where there are kings and queens. With powerful Grisha who help fight and protect. Then the romance between some of the characters is surprising.

Life is Beautiful

Life is Beautiful 

Based on the Holocaust literature and poetry we have read I saw some connections between life is Beautiful and our reading from the book Night. First of all, in both stories there was a family who was captured and taken to the concentration camp. ( Elie and his family as well as Guido and his family.) Once both families were taken to the camps they were separated. The males and females went separate ways. leaving Elie with his father and Guido with his son Joshua. 

In the end from both Night and Life is Beautiful Elie and Joshua survived the Holocaust and were freed by the Russians. They both had lost their father in the end. Which was very sad because they were so close to their freedom. But I guess some sacrifices had to be done in order for Elie and Joshua to survive. Both the book Night and the film Life is beautiful showed strong characters who didn't give up. Elie didn't give up nor did Joshua's father. They gave it their best until their last breathe. Which showed the audience that they should stay strong at all times and not give up. 

Ortho I really didn't expect Guido, one of the main characters to die in the film. Since he is one of the main characters in the film I never expected for him to get killed. When he turned the corner in the concentration camp and the Nazi shot Guido I was surprised. But I wasn't sad because I thought that Guido had been shot on the shoulder or leg or side and had faked his death. (Pretended to be dead). That once the Nazis fled with the others that Guido would get up and go for his son. But it never happened. It just showed Joshua and his mother Dora together again in the end. At least Josh was united with his mother again. 

Something that was different from the book Night and the film was that the book didn't show humor. The book was more serious and sad than the film. In the book it shows from the start how the Nazis started to take over little by little in different areas. While in the film it shows the people having fun and living their life in a peaceful and happy way. Even when Guido and his family got cent to the concentration camp the humor didn't die. Guide kept a positive attitude and kept his son happy and safe. 

Something that is similar about the mood was that in the begging of the lessons and movie it showed the audience the happy side of the Jewish people. Of when they were together and were treated like actual people. Before they got their rights taken away and they went go through a living hell. As well as the tone of the characters of the book Night and life is Beautiful was cheerful and full of hope in the begging. But still kept the main characters strong as the time went by. 

Life is shown as beautiful throughout the film because Guido always found a way to make the people around him/his son smile and forget about the bad things. He kept a positive mood and told his son that it was a game and that he needed to hide and stay quiet in order to win a tank. Which was a good way to save his son's life even though Guido didn't survive. The other way the movie shows humor is by having Guido be silly with others to make them smile as well. To make them happy again and have a better day. Or at least for most aside from the guy that kept getting his hat taken away and future wife away by Guido. 

Night

Elie's experiences during the Holocaust changed him as a person in some ways. It changed his personality. The way it changed his personality was that Wiesel stopped caring for others. In the beginning Elie and his sister help out the Jewish police bring water to the little kids. According to Wiesel “Water! Mummy! Water” The Jewish police from the ghetto were able to go and fill a few jugs secretly. Since my sister and I were destined for the last convoy and we were still allowed to move about, we helped them as well as we could” (Page 14). Showing how in the beginning Elie helps others because of his kindness and trust. But then later on in the book Elie doesn't even offer to help the other Jews that were with him. Such as when an old man was killed by his own son for a piece of bread. Elie watched but he didn't do anything to help the old man. According to the book Night by Elie Wiesel it says "Meir. Meir, my boy! Don't you recognize me? I'm your father . . . you're hurting me . . . you're killing your father! I've got some bread . . . For you too . . . For you too . . . He collapsed" (Page 96). This shows how Wiesel's personality has changed because he did nothing to help the poor man. He just watched without feeling sorry for him. Without caring that the man would die. He stopped caring and trusting others and became silent and shut down.

It also changed the way Elie is with his father throughout the book. In the beginning Elie was with his dad and wanted to be with him. He didn't want to lose him. According to Wiesel “My hand shifted on my father’s arm. I had one thought - not to lose him. Not to be left alone” (27). Showing how Elie didn't want to lose his father and be alone. Wiesel still cared for his father when they had been taken to the concentration camp. Later on in the book Elie doesn't care about his father. He does want his father to be alive anymore. He wanted him dead so that he wouldn't have to struggle to care for him.According to Wiesel “I went to look for him. But at the same moment this thought came into my mind: “Don’t let me find him! If only I could get rid of this dead weight, so that I could use all my strength to struggle for my own survival, and worry about myself” (101). As you can see Elie changed the way he was with his father. He went from caring and loving his father to wishing death upon him.

Eliezer’s beliefs changed as well. Before he got out into the concentration camps he believed in God. But then once he is in the concentration camps he stops believing in him. According to Wiesel “One day I asked my father to find me a master who could guide me in my studies of Kabbalah” (Page 3 online book). This shows how in the beginning Elie believed in God and loved him. That he was interested in learning more about God and the Kabbalah. He even asked his father to find a master who would guide him with his studies. But then later on in the book when Elie is at the concentration camps he stops believing in God. According to Wiesel“Why should I bless his name? The Eternal Lord of the universe, the All-Powerful and Terrible, was silent. What had I to thank Him for?” (Page 31). This shows how Elie slowly stops believing in God because God didn't help him and let the Nazis hurt him and the others.

Making Elie struggle to maintain his faith and continue living. As Elie is entering the camp and sees the furnace. He loses faith. According to Wiesel “Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul …” (Page 32). Elie admits it himself. He says that he will never forget to see how his faith was consumed by the flames and the moments that murdered his god. He lost faith and stopped believed in god. When they are running in the cold snow to get away from the Russians he wants to die. According to Wiesel “The idea of dying, of ceasing to be, began to fascinate me. To no longer exist. To no longer feel the excruciating pain of my foot. To no longer feel anything, neither fatigue nor cold, nothing. To break rank, to let myself slide to the side of the road… My father's presence was the only thing that stopped me” (Page 87 online book). Elie wishes to die. It was a struggle for Elie to mantis his faith because if it wouldn't of been for his father and the idea of soon being free, then Eliezer would of given up and died. These are some of the ways Elie’s experiences during the Holocaust changed him as a person.

Wiesel, Elie. Night. New York, NY: Bantam , 1982 . Print.

Butterfly Projct

"Theresientstadt's Hospital"

Once, happier people lived here

in the gray building.

Now, death moves silently toward those other creatures,

those with typhoid, who moan and writhe

in their own diarrhea,

who lie here and don’t understand

why they are being fed bread and margarine.

I enter and become silent.

“You shiny new doorknobs,

you pretty painted walls in the bright ward,

can you make up for the stench of excrement?

Can you appease the hunger of those who are ashamed of their underwear,

and brought here to die,

day by day?’

The paint looks at me

and doesn’t answer.

“Why? I don’t understand why!”

It seems the doorknob would say,

when it opened for me,

a free soul, with a full stomach.

“I can tell you

and then you will come to me!”

Anonymous

I commented on 
Emilio's blog
Hazelle's blog
 Eduardo's blog
 Christian's blog
 Tammi's blog. 

Berlin Memorial

Today I learned that the Jewish people weren't aloud to go to the beach during 1933. Since Hitler has passed a decree and had take away most of th rights the Jews had. I also learned that Jews couldn't buy most of the basic food there was such as eggs and beef. Then as the years went on Jews weren't even allowed to have pets. Probably because the Nazi were afraid of getting attacked from a pet(such as a dog). In 7/27/1939 Once a Jewish passed away his/her final testament were no longer valid. Which is sad because what if the family of that person was in need of money (since many of them were unemployed due to Hitler) or clothing or a home and the he/she wanted to give their struggling family something. But now it was no longer valid and the Nazi would keep the stuff and leave the fmaily to struggle.

 I think this monument was built so that the Nazis could make the Jewish people struggle. Struggle to survive during that time. So that the Nazis could keep the Jewish things. I think the monument was built so that the Nazis and Hitler could feel like they had power over the jewish. Power over kind people that couldn't/didn't fight back. Yet the Nazis didn't feel any sympathy or sorrow for the Jews when they would kill them. This is why I think the monument was built, because the Nazis couldn't make the Jews struggle and so that they could feel like they had power.

The thing I noticed about the number of laws passed in certain years was that the Jew's human rights were being taken away. Such as the ability to teach in schools, if you were Jew you weren't aloud to teach anymore. As the years went the Jewish freedom was being taken away. They couldn't go to to shop at any time, no pets aloud, couldn't buy basic foods, could be fired, couldn't own a radio anymore, couldn't have a phone etc. The Jews couldn't even atten to the same schools as the "Aryans". Sooner or later the Jews would of been restricted to breathe the same air that the others breathed in. Thankfully they were freed.

The restriction I think I would of had the most trouble with would be having be forced to work. I would struggle with this because I really don't like it when I'm forced to do things. I don't like being bossed around by cruel people. I especially hate it when people think that they are better than others and step over them like if they were nothing. Even though we are all humans. I'm stubborn and if I don't like the way you treat others then I won't help you nor respect you. I feel like I would explode with anger due to the Nazis and I would end up planning a plane to take over them and make them surrender. Or attack one of them get their weapon get myself free, free the others and get everyone together to right back. Or just end up getting killed and having to stop living the rest of my life trapped with no freedom and being forced to work and be treated horribly.

2nd Quarter reflection

The Area I think I made the biggest improvement this quarter in English Language Art is in developing my writing skills. Before I would write in a very formal and strict style. But as time went on this quarter I have noticed that I have become more open in my writing and use personal thoughts or feelings in the correct time (or when im aloud to include my personal thoughts or feelings.) Now I don't make my writing that boring. I am glad I have a ELA teacher like Ms.Larson, because she has helped me improve in my writing. She is preparing very well for high school.

One thing I have accomplished this new year that I am proud of is riding a horse once again in Mexico. Riding it and remembering how good it feels to have the wind brushing at my hair as the horse galloped. I am proud of getting to ride a horse once again and having it dance at the Mexican Music. Feeling the dynamite flowing through your veins as the horse dances to that music. Making you excited and cheerful. I am proud of accomplishing that this year.

The most challenging part of 2nd quarter for me was trying to improve my handwriting. I use to write good but I didn't like my handwriting. So I had decided to improve it but it was hard. Since I kept going back to writing the usual way I write. But now I have improved it and it looks better and more formal. I wrote a lot in Mexico in an old notebook of mine. I would write about things that fought my attention. For writing a lot it made me practice on my lettering and improved my writing. I am proud of overcoming this challenge.

Of the books I have read 'Skinny' by Donna Conner was my favorite. It was my favorite because it shows a strong female character that overcomes her challenges and accomplishes her goal. As well as it has a little love story in it too which made me read more into it. This book made me notice that goals can be accomplished even when it seems hard to believe. All you have to do is know that it is possible, work hard to accomplish it and have fun while you are at it. I am really hoping to read and find more books like this one.

Book talk

Skinny by: Donna Cooner 

The book I read over winter break is titled Skinny by Donna Cooner it's genre is fantasy. This book takes place in Texas and it's about a high school girl named Ever Davies. Ever is a girl that went through a tough time. She has a stepmom and stepsisters and her real dad as a family. She lost her mother due to being over weight/obsessed at a very young age. She would get ignored and laughed at by many due to her becoming obese after her mother's death. Which made her go into a depressed mood. She finds a solution to calm the sad beast inside her by eating. She soon becomes obsessed herself and elda up weighing 302 pounds. She ends up hating herself and her appearance. Everyone avoids Ever and don't speak to her because they don't like her. They don't want to end up like her. She only has a guy friend who she calls Rat, who stays by her sad and supports her.

When Ever turns 15 she notices that she is harming herself by eating to much. She then decides to loose weight and get a surgery done to her that makes her stomach the size of an egg. It's a though process for Ever since she can't eat chocolate or other fatty foods. Ever is supported by her best guy friend who she calls "Rat". He helps her exercise and stay healthy. She becomes excited knowing that when she looses weight she won't be judged in front of poeple and will be able to sing on stage again. Rat makes her laugh and keeps her happy. Ever becomes happy knowing that guys start to like her and talk to her. That girls start to hang out with her. She gets happy that she has friends now. By the time the fall ball arrives Ever weighs 203 pounds. She gets asked to the fall ball by the most popular guy in school, she hangs out with the popular kids now... she thinks everything is perfect but a big turn happens that makes her relize that she is walking on the wrong path.

Later Ever discovers who she really is and what she likes. A lot of exciting things happen to her and she gets rid of the voice she hears in her head. She moves on over what other people say and she starts to like her appearance and moves on. Ever and her stepsisters don't get along much in the beginning, but later throughout the story Ever and her stepsister Briella become friends. The lesson this book gives you is that you shouldn't let people bring you down, that you always have to be strong and do what you love. That you should always be on the right path and don't let others push you into the wrong one.

I rocommend this book to anyone that is interested in books that are full of excitement, romance, friendships, drama and most important full of strength. Full of a girl that is strong and goes through a lot and doesn't let poeple bring her down.