This I Believe speech

     

"Fail, Learn, Repeat"

         “You can never achieve what you do not try.” This was said by an ordinary person with big dreams. Sometimes we want to give up. Usually because it is too hard or you know it won't work out. I believe that you shouldn't give up. Every time you give up on an opportunity to improve yourself, you also give up on an opportunity to improve others.

          Giving up is something we learn. It is not something we know from birth. Giving up also affects other people in a negative way. If you give up you can pass that vibe to other people and let them think that it's okay to give up too.

          I remember I was in a tennis tournament and I had lost the first set and was down 5-3 in the second set. I felt the drops of sweat on my back and my face. I served with caution for fear of committing a double fault and losing a valuable point in the game. I managed to make a come back from the 5-3 and win 7-5. We played a tiebreaker and I won 10-7.

          I was losing at first but I had won and just like that I had chosen I wasn’t going to lose. I didn’t give up. I learned that everything turns out the way that you think it's going to turn out. If you know you're going to lose then you will lose. Don't give up so fast even if it seems like you're going to fail, don't give up.

Final Reflection

 4/22/16
1 - What are the three most important things you learned this year?
2- What is something we did this year that you think you will remember for the rest of your life?
3- What was the nicest thing someone in our class did for you this year?
4- What is something you taught your teacher or classmates this year?
5- In what area do you feel you made your biggest improvements? What is something you accomplished this year that you are proud of
6- What was the most challenging part of this year for you?
7- What was the best piece of writing that you did this year? Why do you think it is your best?
8- Of the books you read this year, which was your favorite? Why?
9- What advice would you give students who will be in this class next year?

           One of the three most important things that I have learned this year is giving your everything. Putting forth every last effort you have in you. I have tried to put every last effort in me into this class because this class has very high expectations. I respect this because I know Mrs. Larson is trying to push us so that we can be prepared. Respect is also something I was taught. Although I already knew what it was I really knew what it meant in this class. Respect is key in Mrs. Larsons class. Yes, every kid get distracted no matter how "smart" they are. Its natural but there should be more times where you showed respect rather than not. Another quality that was shown to me in this class is persistence. Persistence is a necessary quality that is needed in this class. There are many projects that you need persistence to complete.  

          I think the thing that I did this year that I will remember for the rest of my life is the Edgar Allen Poe play. I had lots of fun and my group really put lots of effort into it. It took creativity, persistence, optimism, and many other qualities. I really enjoyed it because it made me open up to a thing I would of never done on my own. In the end I enjoyed it and it helped me open up to it.

          The nicest thing that someone has done for me this year is to give me help when I need it. To always be there to correct me or to help me when I'm down. This class was tough but this class is like a family. We help each other. We all do. We always have.

          One thing that I taught my classmates this year is that not everything needs to be perfect. It can be perfect to you in your way. In the butterfly project many people said mine looked like a battle ax. It looked fine to me and it had everything it needed. Everyone's butterfly was great in their own way. They all had so much meaning. In that sense it is perfect. This is what I think I taught my classmates

           I think the area I made my biggest improvement is my writing style and my structure. I really think that my style has improved over this year. The way Mrs. Larson has guided me throughout this year was the most helpful. It was the most helpful year because we were able to understand more and take in more. The thing that I am proud of is getting mostly 3's and 4's Mrs. Larson has very high expectations and I respect that that is why I'm proud of getting mostly 3's and 4's.

          The most challenging part of the year was writing the argumentative paper. It was out of my comfort zone because I've never written anything like that. I had to research and find facts that went against my argument. Then, I had to prove why those facts were wrong. It was very challenging but I found it to be necessary later in life becasue that's basically what you have to do in everyday life.

           The best piece of writing that I think I did was my narrative. I think this because I out lots of detail into it, used figurative language such as: metaphors, similes, onomatopoeia, personification, etc. It was also really important to me because I could of died because of it. I was proud of the style I had in it. I was also proud of the structure it had. Overall I was really proud of this piece or writing

          My favorite book that I have read this year is "To Kill A Mockingbird." I really like this book because it shows lots of figurative language, has a life lesson, and it's very interesting. It caught my attention since the beginning. Even though we were annotating and analyzing it was still a great book. I would recommend this book to my peers.

           The advice I would give to each student in 7th grade is out forward your best effort. You think 7th grade was tough? Just wait until 8th. Even if you feel like giving up, persist. This grade is the one that counts. For high school, for the rest of your life. You need this grade. This is your school now. Make it greater.

         

Morrie Aphorisms Blog-Final Project

'Prompts:
1-   Explain the aphorism in detail. what was Morrie's main message?
2-     Relate the aphorism to a movie, song, historical event, current event, personal experience, etc. and explain in detail how the example you have chosen relates to the aphorism.
3-     Evaluate the aphorism by explaining why you agree/disagree with it. Give specific reasons for your position and specific evidence from the text to support your position.
4-     Take a picture of your aphorism to use as your graphic.
5- Include your own aphorism regarding life.

          "...Love is how you stay alive, even after you are gone." (p.133) This aphorism impacted me a lot. I never really thought about how or who would remember my legacy after I passed away. Now I know love is how I stay alive. This means that the bonds you make with other people is what you will be remembered by. The love you give out and receive is how you will be remembered. This aphorism ties in with many other aphorisms. Morrie main message is that you should give out love and let it come in so that you can not only be remembered, but also so you that your legacy that you have left behind also lives. This is what I think this aphorism means.

          The person I related this aphorism to is Robin Williams. I related this to him because he
made lots of people happy. He was a comedian and played in many movies. There is this one movie that I remember specifically. He was supposedly a doctor, but instead he made children laugh. Those children had cancer. As I remember, he was tried in court for something serious. The chidlren in the hospital went to him to court and as he left he left with a smile. He left with a smile because he saw that the children's hair was growing back. Slowly but surely, their hair began to grow back. Later, he died in jail. All of the children were now cancer free because of his actions. Even though he died he lived in their hearts forever just like how the aphorism states,"...Love is how you stay alive, even after you are gone." (p.133)  

          I agree with the aphorism, "...Love is how you stay alive, even after you are gone." (p.133) I agree with it because its true. Every person is remembered by love. That could either be positive or negative. If you always gave out love and always let it come in you would be remembered in a positive way. If you never gave out love and never let it come in you would be remembered negatively by many people. Maybe your family members wouldn't remember you that negatively. Love always manages to stay alive. This also ties in with the aphorism, "Death ends a life, not a relationship." If you love enough and you let people love you enough you will survive one way or another.

          "If you are true to yourself you will be true to other" (Nicolas Fuentes)

Socratic Seminar Morrie Reflections

5/4/16
Book: "Tuesdays with Morrie"
Prompts:
1.) Explain how the past four Socratic Seminars have influenced your thinking about Tuesdays with Morrie and life in general.

2.) What trends did you notice with yourself and your personal goals for each seminar? How did your personal goal(s) change and what did you actively do to change throughout our last four discussions?

3.) What trends did you notice with the class for each seminar? What did you notice that helped or hindered a specific seminar?

          I think that just the book alone opened up my mind and my heart a great amount. With all of the socratic seminars that we had it opened me up even more. It helped me notice more and more features of the world and what everyone and everything has offer to the world. Now I consider more pieces of nature and how we take it for granted. I see how beautiful everything is and how the wind moves the tree in a rhythm. Morrie is the science behind all of my thinking. He is the one who helped me realize everything. My classmates, as well, were a huge part of it. They helped clarify some aphorisms and many pieces of the book. I think that the socratic seminars were 50% of what got me thinking. It helped me open up in ways I never knew I could.

          The trend with me was that I seemed to, slowly but surely, contribute more to each seminar. The trend with my personal goals did not change at all. My goal for every seminar was to be able to contribute more to the group so I would be able to achieve a four. I tried my best but it always seemed like when the seminar came I had nothing to contribute. The seminars did open my eyes but I think I could of contributed more so I would learn and take more from them. The last seminar I think
was my best seminar because I talked a lot more than all of the others and I had a lot to say.

          The firt seminar there were some gaps in some of my classmates explanation as well with me. We talked mostly about the book and connections that we had made. Aphorisms were a big topic in the first seminar. With each seminar we began to shy away from aphorisms. The second seminar we began to realize that there were gaps and we tried our best to fill them in. The third seminar was one of our best/worst one. It was our best one because we went off topic and started making lots of connections to other people, events, places, etc. It was our worst one because none of us have ever went off topic in a seminar and not everybody made the same connections as other people. The fourth one was I think our best one because we did sometimes go off topic but most of the time we stayed on topic and made a plethora of connections.

Morrie blog

4/28/16
Book: "Tuesdays with Morrie"
Prompt: Based on the 6 Tuesdays you have read about in Tuesdays with Morrie, choose which topic (The World, Feeling Sorry For Yourself, Regrets, Death, Family, or Emotions) that has had the most impact on you or inspired you. On your blog discuss the importance of this topic with your own opinions, including textual evidence (direct quotes) from the book.


          The "Tuesday" I picked was the first one. "We Talk about the World." I picked this one for a variety of reasons. The first reason I picked this chapter was because it had almost all of the life lessons in the other chapter. It talked about how death made a person finally cry for another person. Also, when it talked about how to learn how to give love and bring it in. Another one is how Morrie crys for half the world. When he started to talk about what was happening in Bosnia he almost started to cry. This shows that we should be like Morrie and at least show some compassion towards the people that are suffering. 

          Mitch said that the death of a person could finally make a person cry for another person. "Maybe death is the great equalizer, the one big thing that can finally make strangers shed a tear for one another." This is true. I don't want to believe it because we should always show compassion towards other people, but this is true. The death of someone that you have held close to you can make you shed a tear for them or maybe even a stranger. This is one of the things that impacted me in this chapter.

          Another thing that impacted me was when Morrie said that you should learn to give out love and bring in love. "His voice dropped to a whisper. 'Let it come in. We think we don't deserve love, we think if we let it in we'll become to soft. But a wise man named Levine said it right. 'Love is only a rational act.''" This impacted me very much because it is I have never really thought about love like that. That if we let it in we will become soft, but that isn't always the case. I think "Levine" is right. He did say it right. These are the things that have impacted me the most throughout the story so far.

Tuesdays with Morrie - Bucket List

4/20/16
Prompts:
1.) What are your initial reactions to what you have read in "Tuesdays with Morrie" thus far?
2.) One of the main themes developing in "Tuesdays with Morrie" is not to take your life for granted. Based on this premise, what is your bucketlist?

          I have had many thoughts during this book. It has made me think about the small things in life and to step back now and then and see the big picture. Also, not to take things for granted. What caught my attention the most was the way Morrie speaks. His words hit you like a bulldozer, but as you make sense of them they become clear and understandable. You have to step back for a little and see the big picture. He has his own sort of language like a mix between figurative language and the regular way that someone else would talk. He is a very powerful speaker.

           Something that astonished me was how he was so open. Morrie isn't closed off. He is unique and some of us would consider him weird. I also liked how he advised 9 million people that they shouldn't close themsleves off from the world. They should accept that they are going to die and share it, talk about, laugh with it, mourn with it, be happy with it. You shouldn't just give up, you should not just contine you your daily life but add somethiong extra to it. He talked about his death and death in general. He talked about that he is not just a wave in the ocean, he is the ocean. He says that he will die, but will live on in a different way. Morrie is a very inspiring person and he was right. He stills lives on one way or another.

          I haven't really thought about my bucket-list before except going sky-diving and a few other crazy things. I have taken my very life for granted. Morrie says that you shouldn't take anything for granted. So I guess here goes my bucket-list:

• Sky-diving
• Be one of the few people to go into space as a traveler
• Bungie jumping
• Play in the US Open
• Meet the president
• Meg Messi
• Visit all 50 states of the United States
• Visit all 7 continents 

         

3rd Quarter Reflection

Nicolas Fuentes
4/8/16
Prompts:
1.) In what area do you think you've made your biggest improvements in English Language Arts?
2.) What is something that you have accomplished this quarter that you are proud of?
3.) What has been the most challenging part of 3rd quarter for you and what did/can you do to help overcome this?

          I personally think I have improved in many different areas in English Language Arts. The one that I think I improved most on was my vocabulary. Instead of using words like big and good I use words like supreme and excellent. I use better words to express myself in a more profound way. This helps me like in the narrative paper that we wrote and the argumentative paper that we wrote. This is what i think is my biggest accomplishment in third quarter.

           Something that I have accomplished this quarter that I am proud of is writing my argumentative paper. Even though it was the most challenging for me I am still very proud of it because I put a lot of effort in it. A lot of time was put it in. I extracted facts and details for it and that was hard for me, but I took lots of time to choose correctly. This is what I am proud of.

           The most challenging part of 3rd quarter for me was having to write the argumentative essay. It was hard for me because first off, we had to really investigate our topic. We had to pull key facts that would aid us in writing our research paper. Then, we had to write a argument for the other side and that was like contradicting what I had been researching for days. Finally, we had to piece all of the research together and develop it into a argumentative paper. It was somewhat confusing but then I was able to understand how it all worked. This is what was the most challenging part of 3rd quarter
for me.

       

Book: "Code Talker"
Prompts:
1.) Describe the settings time and place.
2.) Analyze how your feelings change in this story and why.
3.) Explain what kind of reader would like this book.

          The time is 1945. The defeat of the Germans and the Japanese is near. The location of the place I am reading right now is Iwo Jima. The Americans and the Japanese are fighting hard for the island. It is a bloody time for both sides. The Americans shell the island while the Japanese dig their foxholes deeper and deeper in desperation to not lose their island. Bombings are everywhere. Bullets whizzing past each soldier and hitting some. The sound of lead meeting flesh is a horrible sound and then comes the cry for help. The Japanese fighting tooth and nail with some armed with just sharp sticks. Then, as the flag is raised it gives hope to the American soldiers as they persevere.

          My feelings haven't changed drastically during the story. Before I knew the Japanese were cruel and did everything to win. They violated the rules of war like not to shoot a medic during a battle. I never really liked the Japanese. I was disgusted by their methods. As I learned more and more I began to dislike them even more. One day as the author of my book and a couple of friends were walking, they found the food that the U.S sends to Japanese for the poor. They took were using the food that U.S sent them for their soldiers. They let their poor starve. So in the end I still disliked the Japanese, but even more than I did before.

           I think that the type of reader that would enjoy this is a reader that likes to analyze WWII. Also a reader that likes is a first-hand account of what happened during WWII. The reader has to at least have some knowledge or at least the basic events. This would have to interest the reader in order for the reader to enjoy this book.

"Code Talkers" Blog

3/7/16
Prompts:

1.) Summarize what has happened in the book so far.

2.) Identify the protagonist. 
3.) Identify the antagonist. Describe what has happened
that makes you believe they are the main characters?


          The book I am reading is called "Code Talkers" by Joseph Bruchac. This book takes place during the years of WWII. The author is writing about his time when he served as a Navajo code talker so the book is a memoir. When he was a little boy he was sent to an American school. This was a school for just Navajos but they were taught the way of the "white man." Since the teachers were American, the Navajos were discriminated by the teacher. Then, one day, when he was 16, the Marine Corps were recruiting Navajos to aid them in the war effort. He begged his parents, but they told him to wait one more year. When he was 17, he was accepted by the Marine Corps. He became a code talker and him, along with many other Navajos, developed a new code so no one could crack it. He battled many battless. He was wounded as well. Right now I am at the part where they are fighting the Japanese to take over Iwo Jima. This is what I have read so far.

          I think that the protagonist of the story is the author and all the Allied forces. The protagonists are fighting against the Axis forces. The events that have taken place in order for me to know that these are the protagonist are that the author has persevered even in tough times like the time he was wounded. The Allied forces are obviously a protagonist because they are fighting to prevent Adolf Hitler from talking over the world. This is why I think they are protagonist.

           The antagonist of this book is the Axis Powers. I think this because they are fighitng so they can take over the world. The events that made me think this is when the American soldiers went to take over Iwo Jima. When they went to the island it seemed like it was deserted. When all of the soldiers went is finally when the Japanese started to attack them. It took days to finally overcome the Japanese because they never surrendered they fought to the very last. They fought with tooth and nail. This is why I think that the Axis Powers are the antagonist.

Life is Beautiful Blog

3/2/16
Prompts:
1.)Based on the Holocaust literature and poems we have read, what connections can we make between Life is Beautiful and our reading?
2.) Analyze how differenences of points of view of characters create suspense or humor
3.) What events, scenes, or situations are similar or different? What is similar or different about the mood or tone of the pieces?
4.) How is life shown as beautiful throughout the film? Pull out at least two examples from different parts of the film and explain your rationale.


          There are many connnections between the Holocaust literature and poems we have read between the film Life is Beautiful. One connenction that I made between both pieces is the how the way that the father and son bonded. In the movie Life is Beautiful Guido is the person that takes care of the son. In Night the father and son bond was where the son took care of the father. The overall idea of the father and son bond is the same, but as you start to disect it becomes different. Guido gives the feeling comedy. In Night its more of a serious tone. This how each piece of literature is similar and different.

           The point of views are very different throughout each piece of work. In Night it was through the perspective of Elie Wiesel. Through his perspective the mood was very serious and somewhat facts. In Life is Beautiful it was told by the perspective of Guido, the main character. It was told through a much more upbeat and comedy perspective. That was one difference.

           One way that life is shown as beautiful is the way that the main character looks at his life. He tends to look on the bright side of things. Like when he was about to get killed. He found a way to make his son laugh even though he was going to die. He died on a happy note. That is one way that life is shown as beautiful.

          Another way that life is shown as beautiful is the way the main person, Guido, treasures his experiences. During the movie his experiences are shown. Like when he first met his wife when she "fell out of the sky." He didn't know that was going to be his wife at first, but it was like love at first sight. He treasured that moment. This is one of the other ways that life is shown as beautiful

         

         
         

"Night" Blog

2/25/16
"Night"  
Prompts: How do Elie's experiences during the Holocaust changed him as a person?


          During the Holocaust, Elie changed in many ways. Physically, emotionally, and mentally. He changed physically by losing weight. This happened to all of the people that were put in the camps. They were given very little to eat. They lost weight and energy at a shocking pace. Thus resulting in not being able to continue on with their life because their basic needs are not met. Elie's father and Elie were both starving. When they ran from Aushwitz to Gleiwitz they barely made it. They almost collapsed. If they did they might of gotten shot or trampled. That could of been the end of him and his father. I guess you could say they changed from taking things for granted to persevere and not stop until they get something.

          Another way he changed was mentally. Before he was put in a concentration camps he was very pious. He devoted his whole life to God. When him and his father were put in the camps he began to push away God. Things got worse and he blamed God for them. He started to think bad thoughts about God like why should I praise him if he does nothing at the sight of many people dying. For example, when the child gets hanged he began somebody said where is God. He said he was hanging from the gallows. This is one a way he changed.

          The last way that he changed was emotionally. During the time he was in the camps he began to think of his father as a burden. He began to think all of these things. He knew that his father was going to die, but he still fed him and took care of him till the end. He thought of leaving, but he never carried out any of these thoughts. In the end, he said that he didn't cry because the conditions he was
put in hardened him. He lacked emotion.

Night Blog

2/18/16
Prompts:
1.) Pick a phrase from what you are reading that made you think. Interpret what the author meant.
2.) Analyze what motivates the authors behavior.

          The book that I'm reading is called "Night" by Elie Wiesel. A phrase that I made me think in the book was, "I had to become a different person. The student of Talmud, the child I was, had been consumed by the flames...my soul had been invaded-and devoured-by the black flame." This quote made me think a good amount. It made me think how we should not take everything for granted. The author, as a child, was very pious. Later, when we has put into a concentration camp, where he experienced many traumatizing moments, he became to take his attention away from God. This was mostly due to the fact that he saw that things were not getting any better. In fact, they were getting worse. This all made me think that we should not take our freedom for granted. Or anything for that matter because it can be taken away from us at any time.

           There have been many things that have motivated the author during this period in his life. One of those things, although it had a very negative impact, was leaving God behind. During his time in the concentration camp he experienced horrible things such as: his father getting slapped and beaten, getting whipped, seeing a hanging of a child, and much more. In time he began to seperate from God because he didn't think that he was there for them, that he abandoned them and left them for dead Every event that happened seperated him from God more and more.

"Forgotten" Butterfly Project

I commented on: Evie's, Omar's, James's, and Joseph's

AoW Impressions Blog

2/16/16
Prompt: Today you were educated by your peers as to different topics focusing on the Holocaust.  Now take a moment to reflect upon your impressions of what you have learned from the array of articles in at least two well written paragraphs, using evidence from your graphic organizer.


          I learned many things during the AoW gallery walk. It was filled with many emotions due to the fact that the Holocaust is a topic when many people were killed in inhuman ways. In the long run I learned many new things that pertained tothe Holocaust.

          One of the things that I learned was about a Holocaust survivor that is teaching many kids about his experiences. Although there are many people that teach the Holocaust to kids this teacher struck me as different. He seemed to actually strike people at the heart, not that the other survivors haven't, but he made other kids think differently. He made them think about their actions and what they shouldn't take for granted. 

           The author also thinks that nobody should hate someone. Even if they have done something horrible to you. If you hate somebody that has done something bad to you that makes you lower than they are. Hitler did something bad to the survivor and the survivor teaches that he does not hate Hitler because then he would be as low as Hitler. 

            Another thing I learned that is happening right now is there is one last Nazi in the U.S. There is a Nazi hunter that is fighting against the Nazi. Right now there is an active court case against the Nazi. The Nazi was a bodyguard for a concentration camp. Everyone thinks that he will die in New York due to his age. Since they think this the decided to not send him back to Germany. These are all the things I learned during the AoW gallery walk.

Berlin Memorial Blog

2/4/16
Prompts:
1- What did you learn?
2- Why do you think this monument was built?
3- What did you notice about the number of laws passed in certain years?
4- Which restrictions do you think you would have the most trouble dealing with and why?


          I learned many things during the Berlin Memorial activity. I learned that almost all of the Jews entertainment was taken away. Such as being able to go to sports clubs, movies, car clubs, swimming pools, being able to play with other kids that are not Jewish, use the beach, and choir clubs. Jews were discriminated and were not able to go into other places where Jews were not present. Their rights were taken away. Their belonings were taken away. Their pets were taken away and in the end their lives were taken away. They were wiped from the face of the Earth. They had always been a target for centuries, but it was Hitler that got everybody going. He turned everybody against the Jews.  This is what I learned.                                                                                                                      

           I think the Berlin Memorial was built to recognize the Jews and their hardships. It was also to show how they were treated during the many years of war. How, one by one, their rights, entertainment, and belongings were taken from them. To show how they were treated unfairly.  This is why I think the memorial was built.

           I noticed that in the beginning most of the Jews entertainment was taken from them. Tnrough the years 1933 and 1938 all of their entertainment. Then, came the loss of job. After delcaring your belongings and the Star of David. No food and water. Finally, destroying all of the evidence of ever killing 6 million Jews and 5 million other races.

            I think the most trouble I would have with any of the restriction is being restricted from milk or eggs. I know this is not a basic essential in the human life, but milk and eggs symbolize food. I can not live without food for maybe one week. I don't think anyone can live without food for one week. This must of been horrible for the Jews and I take this basic essential for granted. I know this is one of the restrictions I would have a problem with.
         
       

       

2nd Quarter Reflection

1/22/16

Prompts:

1.) Of the books you have read this quarter, which was your favorite? Why?
2.) In what area do you think you made your biggest improvements in English Language Arts? 
3.) What is something you have accomplished since the new year that you are proud of?
4.) Where are you in your 40 Book Challenge? 
5.) What has been the most challenging part of 2nd Quarter for you and what did/can you do to help overcome this?
6.) How have your blogs been progressing since August? 

7.) What strategies have benefited you? 
8.) What have you learned about the world? 

9.)  How have your research skills improved?

          I have read many books during my time in 8th grade. I have read the "The Maze Runner Series: The Scorch Trials," "Paper Towns," "Holes," "To Kill A Mockingbird," and I am currently reading "Code Talker" by Joseph Bruchac. "Code Talker" is about a Navajo Marine that enlists in the army at age 17. He then becomes a code talker and helps make a code that nobody can break. 

          "Code Talker" is my favorite book so far because it goes into detail of the authors experiences and the hardships of WWII. He goes into detail of taking over a Japanese island and how the Japanese booby trapped leftover guns or rations. He also explains how the Americans dicriminated them for not speaking english, but then they realized that their language is almost impossible to decipher. The book gets really interesting and these are the reasons that I like this book.

           I think my biggest improvement has been displayed in my writing. For example, in an argumentative paper you can say I, me, or my or else this will show that your paper is opinionated. In a narrative it is good to paint a picture in the readers head because then they may be able to relate or keep reading your story. To do this it is best to include figurative language such as onomatopoeia, smilies, metaphors, and sensory details.

           Something that I have accomplished in the new year is passing the first test of the CPS high schools. I am proud of this because a public school will expose me to other people from all sorts of places and will give me more resources to learn from. 

          I am not to far in my 40-book challenge, but I am hoping to get farther with Battle of the Books. So far I have read, "The Maze Runner Series: The Scorch Trials," "The Maze Runner Series: The Death Cure," "Paper Towns," "Holes," and "To Kill A Mockingbird." So in total I have read 5 books and one in progress. By the end of March I am hoping to have read 9 books.

          The most challenging part of eigth grade was writing my narrative. I think this was the most challenging pieces of writing because it made me think back in a life and write about a memory I have never written about. Also, it required me to paint a clear picture in the readers head.

          Some strategies that I have benefited from are using figurative language such as onomatopoeia, similes, metaphors, and sensory details. All of these strategies contributed to my success for my narrative paper. Withotut them I wouldn't be able to show the reader how I felt during the entire story.

           One thing I have learned about the world is that history is repeating itself. I know this because there is a certain group that believes in a certain religion, ISIS, that wants everybody to believe in their religion and only their religion. This is exactly what the caused WWII. The Nazi's wanted everyone to believe in their religion all around the world. This could lead to WWIII.

           My researching skills have increased a lot. I know only to take key details and not the entire story. I also know that as I am researching I should develop more questions because I am learning new concepts. This helps me in many years ahead me because I still have many years ahead of researching and exploring.  

          

  

TKAM Comparative Analysis

1/21/16

Prompt: 1.) What do you think is the most impotant difference between the written and filmed version? Provide evidence with specific details.

2.) How would you prove or disprove that one version of To Kill A Mockingbird is more affective in delivering its meassage than the other? Be sure to provide specific pieces of evidence to support your opinion.

          I think the most important difference in the written version and filmed version of To Kill A Mockingbird is that Dill and Scout don't meet Dolphus Raymond. I think this is important because Dolphus Raymond really exposes the true Maycomb. He exposes the true heart of Maycomb. In the book he tells Dill and Scout that he tells him his secret. His secret is pretending to be drunk while being nice to black people. He does this because he says that its easier for people to understand something when they have a reason. This was crucial because this relates to the everybody that has ever lived. Many people do not understand somebody's motive without a reason for their motive and that was crucial in a the book.

          I would say that the book was more effective in delivering its message because there were more occasions where the characters displayed more acts of empathy such as where Uncle Jack shows empathy after hitting Scout. He talks to her and he realizes that what he did was wrong and he finally put himself in Scouts shoes. He did this when he told her that he should've of listened to her side of the story too. This is one way that empathy is better conveyed in the book.

          Another way that empathy is better shown in the book is when Scout says, "I think there is just one type of folks. Folks." This shows that Scout is starting to better understand the world and put herself in other people shoes. This does not happen in the movie. This shows that there are more acts of empathy in the book than there in the movie.