Critical Thinking Question Post #10

Question 11- Who has “power” in your text? How does that power get shown?

           I am still currently reading the book Just Listen by Sarah Dessen, and in this book, Annabel is still facing problems with her friends. Before her fight with her friends, everything was almost perfect. But now, because of her fight, everything has changed. She is no longer friends with them. And most people ignore her. Everybody thinks Annabel slept with Sophie's boyfriend. That is what Sophie thinks also. 

                          Who has power in my book? I think Sophie has the power. The reason why I think that is because she has the power to bring her friendship with Annabel back together. Annabel tried apologizing but Sophie just won’t listen. If Sophie listened to her, then they would probably be best friends again. If Sophie were friends with Annabel again, then Annabel wouldn't be lonely that much.      

                                              

                Another way you can tell Sophie has the power in the book, is because Sophie bullies Annabel by creating physical fights with her, and going up to her and calling her name like "a bitch". Sophie shouldn't be doing that because Annabel didn't sleep with her boyfriend. So she doesn't have any reason to be saying that to her.

               

                As you can see, in the book Just Listen by Sarah Dessen, the person who has the “power” is Sophie. 

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Critical Thinking Question Reading Response POST #9

Question #8- What really hard things are happening in this text? Are these things happening in the world now? Where?

     I am currently reading the book "Just Listen" by Sarah Dessen. This book is about a girl name Annabel Greene. And everybody thinks she is perfect. She is a model, and has like a perfect family. But her family isn't perfect. Annabel's sister Whitney almost dies because she has a eating disorder. And Annabel has no friends in the beginning of the year because of a fight she and a old best friend had. Nobody's life is perfect you know....
     Some hard problems Annabel is going through right now in the book is having to deal with her sister Whitney and her eating disorder, and being lonely. Annabel found Whitney in the bathroom one day, and Whitney fainted, and Annabel saw how Whitney was super skinny, and her bones were very visible. That scene would always be in Annabel's head. Another hard thing Annabel is going through right now is being lonely. Ever since her ex best friend Sophie accused her of trying to sleep with her boyfriend everything changed. She has no friends. And everybody is ignoring her. Except for this one boy name Owen. Annabel and Owen are starting to be good friends.
     I think maybe its happening in the world. Because like maybe someday in someones life, people are ignoring them and you are lonely. That can happen. And having to deal with someone who has a eating disorder can also happen. So it can like happen everywhere.

Social Awareness Project POST #8

TASK 1
Response on a song:   
  The song "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera is an example of the social issue bullying. The lyrics to this song is powerful and meaningful. You could actually feel and understand how someone would feel when you hear the song.

 "Everyday is so wonderful
And suddenly, it's hard to breathe
Now and then, I get insecure
From all the pain, I'm so ashamed."

The lyrics in my opinion means that everyday it was okay and like great, but then all of a sudden something happens and then everything stops being great it starts being terrible. Then you are in pain, your crying and your not how you used to be before. Maybe someone is making fun of you, and then you start being insecure about yourself.
      This song is really amazing because in the beginning of the song it was about everything changes for someone out of nowhere and how that person who is bullied is down and sad. But then in the next verses it says:

"I am beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring me down
I am beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring me down, oh no
So don't you bring me down today"

Although they are being bullied they are still beautiful. Everybody is beautiful in every way. And all the names or words you are calling someone isn't going to bring them down. Because they are strong. And they know they are beautiful, no matter what other people say to them.
     The song is beautiful. I love it so much. Because the lyrics are so powerful and they are absolutely true. People in the world are being bullied, and they should defiantly look up to this song or another song could be "Mean" by Taylor Swift. Mean is another powerful song that i also love.
   
TASK 2
Orginal Poem and Process:
"That Day"

It all started hat day
That day you called me a name
Then it continued
Everything Changed.

I won't forget that day
I remember it as it were yesterday.
The name calling continued
"Ugly, Dumb, Stupid, Worthless"
Was all I ever heard.

I had no friends
My friends were all gone
I was alone
All by myself.

I just want one friend
One friend that will never leave my side.
One that would stand up for me
Whenever I needed them the most.


It all started hat day
That day you called me a name
Then it continued
Everything Changed.

I will always remember that day.

Process:
     I wrote this poem because I feel bad for all the people who were bullied. I kind of know how they felt at that time. I was bullied like once. But it wasn't that bad, other people had it worse then me. I decided to pick the topic bullying because it was easy to write about. I just imagined how I would feel if that was me. When someone is being bullied, they want someone to be there for them, and i decided to put that part in the poem.

TASK 3
Scenes/ Situations: 

• Bakery
• Train Station
• Greenwood Cemetery
• Homeless person
• Cats/Raccoons are loose

Entry about having cats and raccoon's loose:

     Having cats and raccoons loose on the streets is a very serious problem in my opinion. For example if you get attacked by a raccoon you can get seriously hurt. A lot of people have been attacked by them. Cats can also attack and scratch/hurt you. Being near wildlife animals can be dangerous. You should stay away from stray animals. Raccoons can cause diseases. Animals can have rabies. And you can get infected with it too! Being scratched by a animal can get you rabies. And if you do get bitten by a animal you should go to the doctors. Down my block, there is like a big field where its full of grass, and next to the field there are stray cats, and sometimes in the night I see raccoons. There are no lights so when I walk up my block I can't really see. That is really dangerous because there could be a raccoon and I wont know that. So to solve this problem, someone should out lights around that place. Also vet people or the animal shelter should come and collect the cats. See if they are dangerous or hurt, and if they aren't they could be some ones new pet.

Bibliography:

• "TeensHealth." Rabies. N.po, n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012.<http://kidshealth.org/teen/infections/bacterial_viral/rabies.html>.
•  "Beautiful Lyrics." MetroLyrics. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012.
• <http://www.metrolyrics.com/beautiful I-Iyrics-christina-aguilera.html>
• "Raccoons and Rabies." Raccoons and Rabies. N.p., n.d. Web. 25
• Nov. 2012. <http://www.achd.net/raccoon/raccoonsrabies.htm>.htm>

Blog Post #7 Hurricane Sandy Reading Response

     Hurricane Sandy brought/caused a lot of harm and tragedy to New York. This storm happened on Oct 29th to Oct. 30th 2012. Hurricane Sandy was much worse the Hurricane Irene! Hurricane Sandy had picked up a lot of speed when it reached the Atlantic Ocean. This storm caused about 100 deaths in the United States. Many homes still have no power. 

     After Hurricane Sandy left, the after math of the storm was terrible! Schools were destroyed,closed for a while and some are being used as shelter, trains were flooded and stopped working for a few days, buses weren't running for days also, houses were destroyed and people were left homeless, trees fell, fires were caused, power went out and much more damage. Hurricane Sandy was very harmful but other hurricanes were much more powerful. In the article "After the Devastation, a Daunting Recovery" from The New York Times President Obama said: 

“This is going to take some time,” he said. “It is not going to be easy for these communities to recover.”

What President Obama said is true. Getting everything back to how it was before isn't going to be easy, but I'm sure we'll get through it together. 

      My family in New Jersey lost their power for days, and they suffered a lot. They still  have a home though, and they got their power back recently. In my home we didn't lose power, and we had enough food. But most families weren't that lucky. People who were in Zone A had to evacuate their homes and go to a shelter or another house, and in some places the Zone B had to do the same. 

     Hurricane Sandy was a big deal, a HUGE deal! President Obama went to New Jersey to see how they were and help families. This storm was taken very seriously and that's a good thing. about 7,000 trees were broken down/knocked down in city parks due to the strong winds we had. Which is why they closed all city parks so no one can be harmed. Also the Halloween Parade was canceled! More then 16,000 airplane flights were canceled. The article "After the Devastation, a Daunting Recovery" from The New York Times Mayor Bloomberg said:

“To describe it as looking like pictures we have seen at the end of World War II is not overstating it,” the mayor said.

As you can see, Hurricane Sandy was very very very bad!

     Hurricane Sandy was a enormous storm. It caused a lot of deaths and harm to many people. My school was closed for a week because the train stations weren't working and so many people couldn't come to school and some homes could have been destroyed so we didn't go back to school until Nov. 5th 2012. Many homes were destroyed, the art teacher in my school, home got destroyed. He has a 5 yr old daughter and my school is helping them out by being generous and giving them stuff that they would need. My class is also doing a bake sale to earn money for the people who need it and who have suffered the most. In the article I learned that the president and the mayor made good decisions during the storm. For example Mayor Bloomberg closed schools for a week because he knew it wasn't safe.

     

Revised Reading Response POST #6

      In life sometimes we don't appreciate who we are and the people in our lives. The story " The Drummer Boy of Shiloh" written by Ray Bradbury, is about a boy named Joby, and he learns to appreciate being the drummer boy at the Battle of Shiloh. He also learns to love the drum. He didn't appreciate the drum before, but then someone made him change his mind about the drum and being the drummer boy.
     In the beginning of the book, Joby hated the drum. I don't think he wanted to have that drum at all. I don't think he didn't want to be the drummer boy either. On page 51 of the short story, he said,

"But without these last, the boy felt his family move yet farther off in the dark, as if those great prairie-burning trains had chanted them away, never to return-- leaving him with this drum which was worse than a toy in the game to be played tomorrow or someday much too soon."

Joby said the drum was worse then a toy. As you can see, Joby didn't really appreciate/like the drum. But i think it was because he didn't know the real meaning of the drum.  He also misses his family, maybe the reason why he doesn't appreciate the drum and being the drummer boy is because hes homesick. Being homesick can make you change your feelings about things. And thats probably why Joby hates the drum.  That's my opinion.

       Joby hated the drum, but then someone came along and made him appreciate the drum and being the drummer boy. He made Joby change his feelings by telling him he has a important role in the war.  That someone who did all those stuff was The General. On page 53 of the short story the general said

"You boy," the general said quietly. "You are the heart of the army. Think about that. You are the heart of the army. Listen to me now"

The general saying that made Joby love the drum. It made him feel better, special and important. Joby now feels like he is part if the army and he belongs to be with them. Thanks to the general, Joby like the drum and likes being the drummer boy.
      Throughout the book, Joby learned to appreciate being the drummer boy and his drum. In this story, Joby had some help learning to appreciate the drum and being the drummer boy. Not everyone has someone in their lives that will help them learn. Some people are lucky and some are not.  Joby was lucky in this case. He had the general. The general gave Joby a speech about how the drummer boy was a important role in the battle because he is the one that leads the army. The beat that Joby plays on the drum controls the soldiers, if he plays fast, the soldiers would go fast, if he played slow, then they would go slow. At the moment, when the general told him that, he changed his mind about the drum and being the drummer boy. He LOVED THEM! I would like the meet the general, if he was actually real because he seems like a very helpful person who would be giving you advice whenever you need it. And he would always be there for you when you need him. Plus he would help you learn new things like he did with Joby. At the end of the story, Joby doesn't think the drum is worse than a toy, he thinks its much better than a toy

Blog Post #5 : Lock and Key

     Everyone needs a friend. Someone who they can reach out to when you need help. In the book Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen, the main character Ruby was used to looking out for herself when she was living with her mother, since her sister Cora left for college. Ruby's mother was always doing drugs and drinking. But she still managed to pay the money to keep living in the house. Ruby didn't have a lot of friends, she had a best friend named Peyton, and a boyfriend named Marshall. Ruby's mother then disappears and Ruby manages to live by herself for 2 weeks until she got caught  Since Ruby is 17 years old, she got sent to live with her sister Cora and her husband. Then Ruby's life changes. she goes to a new school, and meets new people. Ruby and Cora were close when they were little, but then Cora left and they grew apart. But throughout the book, Ruby's relationships with her sister, and friends change.
     In the beginning of the book, Ruby has moved in with Cora after all the drama with her mother, she then meets her new neighbor whose name is Nate. Nate is taking Cora to her new school Perkins Day every morning. Each time they are together, they get closer and closer. Before Ruby wouldn't count Nate as a friend because she didn't want to have any friends. but then since they got closer, she considered him as a friend. Nate has been there for Ruby whenever she needed him. When Ruby fainted after she was with Peyton, Nate was the one who went to go find her. Instead of her best friend looking for her, it was Nate. Nate was so nice to her, helping her in anyway he can. Ruby's relationship with Nate did change throughout the book. They started off as strangers, then friends, then close friends, and then they went out. They were perfect together but Nate's problems with his father got in the way, and he ended up leaving to go live with his mother in Arizona. But they still keep in touch with each other, so they will be friends forever! <3
          Ruby's relationship with Cora also changed. Before when they were little, they were close. Since their mother didn't take care of them, Cora was in charge of Ruby. But then she left to go to college, and then they just grew apart. Ruby's mother told Ruby that Cora just forgot about them, and didn't care anymore. But that isn't true. And when Cora got married, she delivered the invitation to her mom personally, but Ruby didn't hear about the wedding, she never saw it or anything. But Cora explained everything to her. She didn't forget about them, she tried to take Ruby with her so they could be together but the mom didn't let her. So she made them move a lot so Cora wouldn't find them. Ruby learned the truth about what happened, she now didn't believe the lies that her mom told her. Ruby's relationship with Cora changed in the book, since they are living together, they are getting closer and closer. 
      Peyton, and Marshall were friends with Ruby since the beginning of high school at Jackson's. Ruby hated to leave them, but she had to because she had no other choice. None of Ruby's friends know about what is going on in her family. They are all just spreading rumors at her old school. I think Ruby is ashamed to tell her friends. Or maybe she just doesn't want anybody to know because it's none of their business. Ruby would have never guessed that they would betray her. Ruby caught them sleeping together, and that's how there relationship ended. Ruby's relationship changed with Peyton and Marshall because they started off as friends and ended up not being friends at the end.
     In the end, Ruby learned to count on her friends/siblings and she also learned who her real friends were. Ruby lost some friends along the way, but she gained some new ones. She also learned the truth about how her mother was a liar. She lied about Cora, but she learned the truth. Imagine if she didn't!? She would have just been living in a lie, but good thing Cora talked to her about it. I think Ruby also learned that sometimes you have to ask for help even though you think you don't need it. Because she thought she would be able to live by herself even though she had no money, clean water, a dirty place, no clean clothes and no food. If the landlords didn't find Ruby alone, then i have no idea how Ruby would be.

Blog Post #4 The Drummer Boy of Shiloh

     In life sometimes we don't appreciate who we are and the people in our lives. The story " The Drummer Boy of Shiloh" written by Ray Bradbury, is about a boy named Joby, and he learns to appreciate being the drummer boy at the Battle of Shiloh. He also learns to love the drum. He didn't appreciate the drum before, but then someone made him change his mind about the drum and being the drummer boy.
     In the beginning of the book, Joby hated the drum. I don't think he wanted to have that drum at all. I don't think he didn't want to be the drummer boy either. On page 51 of the short story, he said,

"But without these last, the boy felt his family move yet farther off in the dark, as if those great prairie-burning trains had chanted them away, never to return-- leaving him with this drum which was worse than a toy in the game to be played tomorrow or someday much too soon."

Joby said the drum was worse then a toy. As you can see, Joby didn't really appreciate/like the drum. He also misses his family, maybe the reason why he doesn't appreciate the drum and being the drummer boy is because hes homesick. That's my opinion.

       Joby hated the drum, but then someone came along and made him appreciate the drum and being the drummer boy. That someone was The General. On page 53 of the short story the general said

"You boy," the general said quietly. "You are the heart of the army. Think about that. You are the heart of the army. Listen to me now"

The general saying that made Joby love the drum. It made him feel better, special and important. Joby now feels like he is part if the army and he belongs to be with them. Thanks to the general, Joby like the drum and likes being the drummer boy.
      Throughout the book, Joby learned to appreciate being the drummer boy and his drum. In this story, Joby had some help learning to appreciate the drum and being the drummer boy. Not everyone has someone in their lives that will help them learn. Joby was lucky that he had the general. The general gave Joby a speech about how the drummer boy was a important role in the battle because he is the one that leads the army. The beat that Joby plays on the drum controls the soldiers, if he plays fast, the soldiers would go fast, if he played slow, then they would go slow. At the moment, when the general told him that, he changed his mind about the drum and being the drummer boy. He LOVED THEM! I would like the meet the general, if he was real because he seems like a helpful person who would be giving you advice whenever you need it. and he would help you learn new things like he did with Joby. At the end of the story, Joby doesn't think the drum is worse than a toy, he thinks its much better than a toy.

Blog Post #3 Can't Get There From Here

     I have finished reading the book Can't Get There From Here written by Todd Strasser. This book is about 8 kids who are living in the streets. Most of them ran away from home because they didn't like there life at home. The character's names are Rainbow, 2moro, Maybe, Maggot, Tears, OG, Jewel and Country Club. Those aren't their real names but that is what they call each other. They are their nicknames. The theme in this book for me is that living in the streets isn't easy, and so you have to appreciate what you have at home. The title of the book really is a good title for this book because it relates to the whole book and also to my theme.
     One way the book connects to my theme and to the title is because in the book, it said how each day they had to go looking for food. They didn't have no money so they couldn't just go to a store and buy whatever they wanted. Some times they tried to jump people so they could take what ever they had.But most of the times they had to ask the people who are walking in the streets for some spare change. And they would be lucky if the person was kind enough to give them some money. For example on pages 4-7, Maggot, Rainbow, 2moro and Maybe were in front of a Deli called "Good Life", and they saw a man, who was walking unsteadily, and he was drunk, since he was probably at a party since its New Years. Maggot and 2moro thought it was a perfect way to steal his belongings even though he was very big and had muscles. They failed to jump him because the man wasn't that drunk and he fought back to them. The guy was about to hit 2moro and really hurt her until maybe stopped him. Maybe told him he shouldn't hit a girl, saying that they didn't mean it, they only wanted money. Then the drunk guy said they should have just asked, and walked away throwing a handful of change saying "Happy New Year".
      Another way it connects to the theme and title is because the streets are a dangerous place to live in, and there are diseases that you could get and die, so its better to stay home where its safe, or a community home or just somewhere safe. 3 of the 8 kids died, and a dog of theirs also died.. Country Club, (real name is Alexander Wittelson) died at the age of 22 because of liver failure due to chronic alcohol poisoning. 2moro, real name Angel Perez, died at the age of 15, because of strangulation. Rainbow, real name Mary Ellen Golding died at the age 16, because she committed suicide. And
OG's puppy, Lightning, died at 14 months because of malnutrition. On page 173, Maybe said:

"Country Club, 2Moro, and Rainbow were dead. OG was close to dead. Maybe Jewel was as good as dead. And that proved one thing. You couldn't live on the streets."

   I love this book! It's so good and its very realistic. In my opinion,i think your home is the perfect place to stay. This book is a good way to show us that life on the streets isn’t easy and that everyday is a bigger and more difficult challenge when you don’t have a home. The theme could relate to someone who doesn’t appreciate the life they have in a warm home, with food, clean clothes on their back, and an opportunity to be in school, and to consider that many kids don’t have a home, or a good life. Most of the kids in this book had a good reason to run away from home, but maybe running away wasn't a good choice. Maybe there was a better choice or maybe not...



    

Blog Post #2 Favorite Reading Responses

     One of my favorite reading responses is by Helen Albornoz. Helen did a response on the book Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez.  The reason why i liked her response, was because she told the readers only the important parts of the story. She didn't go into all the details, she only wrote down the important ones. Also when Helen wrote the problems that Anita had, she gave her opinion. She told the readers that Anita would get through that problem because Anita is strong, and she promised herself she wouldn't cry. Helen made the book seem very interesting, and i now want to read the book.

    

      My second favorite reading response is by Romiya Siddique. Romiya wrote a response on the book Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass. Romiya wrote about how the 3 main characters in the book were different. She mentioned that Ally is a type of girl who doesn't care about what others think about her. She could do anything without worrying what the people would say about her. Another character is the opposite of her. Bree, she only cared about boys and her appearance. the 3rd main character is named Jack. Jack has a very low self esteem in himself. In Romiya's response, she said that she can relate to jack. I like how she actually relates to someone in the book, and mentions it in the response.Relating to a character in your book is a good thing, because it shows that you could actually understand how the person is feeling.

Blog Post #1 Make Lemonade Reading Response:

     The book Make Lemonade written by Virginia Euwer Wolff is a very inspirational book. In this book, there was 2 main characters. One was a 17 year old teenage mother, named Jolly. And the 2nd main character is named La Vaughn. La Vaughn is 14,  and she is trying to save up money for college, so that's why she takes a job as a babysitter from Jolly. Throughout the book  Jolly's and La Vaughn's friendship grows.
     Jolly has a lot of problems in her life. One problem is that she cant provide a good home for her kids. Her house is so filthy, and not a good home for kids. Jolly works hard in her job trying to earn money to support her family and to pay La Vaughn for taking care of her kids. Jeremy and Jilly both have different fathers, and they both left Jolly, leaving her 2 kids to manage on her own. 
     La Vaughn didn't know what she was getting into when she took the job as a babysitter. She thought it was going easy, since she already had a babysitting job before. She didn't know she would be doing a lot of hard work. She ended up potty training Jeremy, cleaning the house, and babysitting for more hours,even though she wasn't getting paid. One day Jolly lost her job, and she wanted to go look for another one, so Jolly took care of her kids for free. The only reason she took the job in the first place was so she can earn money to go to college.
     La Vaughn ended up doing a lot for Jolly. For example, she made Jolly take health classes, in case something happens to her kids. That ended up being very useful because, her daughter Jilly was once close to dying until Jolly saved her life. Another example is that La Vaughn helped Jolly get back into high school since she never graduated. And since there is a day care inside the school, Jolly wont have to be paying anybody to take care of her kids.