Q4 week 5 comments

Danny: https://english1danny.blogspot.com/2017/04/hits-and-misses.html?showComment=1493048832041#c976349482072431437

Sutter: https://sutterenglish1.blogspot.com/2017/04/anticipating-our-next-book.html?showComment=1493062898191#c1080058768649428400

2. If you are in a position of power, you are happy. 4. Who we are--our essential character and temperament--is fixed and unchangeable.

I strongly disagree that if you are in a position of power, you are happy. Most of the time, this power comes with little amounts of time for any chance of happiness. If, say a powerful job position took up most of a man's life, he might not have much time for his family or any hobbies he enjoys. Being well-rounded in life is important, and if power takes up too much of that time, there will not be enough time for true happiness.

I disagree that our essential character and temperament is fixed and unchangeable. I believe that our experiences and adventures shape us. I also believe that the people we meet along our way impact our lives. With effort and determination, people can even change themselves instead of relying on other people and places for that to happen.

Hits and Misses

The school year along with English class is almost over. Throughout the year in English, we have completed multiple writing assignments. Of these assignments, I have achieved great success as well as failures. I feel quite successful on most blog posts and my personal narrative. I had the easiest time writing all of these assignments. 

Though I have been successful in these assignments, I have experienced some writing failures as well. For example, my research paper was not as easy for me as I would have hoped. The end result was pretty good, but I had a few struggles along the way. I hope to learn and grow from this experience and turn failures like my research paper into successes like my personal narrative. 

Q4 week 4 comments

DJ: https://djsbloge1.blogspot.com/2017/04/384-why-do-i-play-sports.html?showComment=1491915329458#c4627095775511621320

Jack: https://jackcenglish1blog.blogspot.com/2017/04/what-do-older-generations-misunderstand.html?showComment=1491915604743#c750559398531798172

What does family mean?

There are over 7,000 languages spoken in the world and over 7,000 ways to say family. To me, family is everything. Family is the ones who are there for you no matter what. Family is the ones who have seen you at your highest and lowest points and love you unconditionally. Family is the ones that you can come to with anything.

Family is commonly defined as your parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. While all of these people take up a significant role in my life, my heart, and in my family, my family does not only consist of those connected to me by blood. My family is also my friends, those who choose to be a part of my life. My family is made up of those who care about me most and those who I love with all my heart as well.

Reading strategies/challenges

When reading Purple Hibiscus, I have found that annotating has contributed significantly to my overall understanding. It has helped me to catch important phrases that I may have missed otherwise. It has also help me to define the writer’s style and which writing techniques she uses. It has also helped me to look up unknown words that help me understand a certain passage better.

Some challenges I have found are that sometimes I may be looking in too closely that I miss the overall picture. I am so focused on the small details that I do not stop to see the entire painting. Though, it helps me to talk about the book with my group to see what they noticed and I did not. I take what they have found and compare it with what I found and connect everything. This helps me because for the next night’s reading, I will learn what I should and should not be looking out for.

Q4 week 2

Sophia: https://sophia-english1.blogspot.com/2017/03/political-post.html?showComment=1490795765092#c5779067983069040866

Kaelyn: https://ksenglish1.blogspot.com/2017/03/political-article-gun-control.html?showComment=1490796010193#c7023940829860776330

political post-human trafficking

In "When Sex Trafficking Goes Unnoticed in America", Alvarez defines human trafficking as a form of modern-day slavery. It is a system in which boys and girls are taken as sex slaves. It is harder for victims to obtain justice in this situation because the police have trouble separating victims from offenders.This is because victims are forced to be offenders. Officers are trying their best to crack down on pimps and some people are even creating transitional homes for victims of sex trafficking.

I definitely think human trafficking is an issue that needs more public awareness. I think we also need more safe places for victims of trafficking and cops should apply more focus to preventing this event. For the most part, teaching potential victims to defend themselves and how to watch out for predators is very important in preventing cases of trafficking. Since taking a self defense class and seeing Caged No More, I have taken a strong interest in learning about human trafficking. I think it is important to spread awareness especially for girls around my age. I have been reading about this topic and came about this source and found it filled with information and quite interesting.

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/02/how-sex-trafficking-goes-unnoticed-in-america/470166/

Q4 week 1 comments

Hudson: https://huds0ngenglish.blogspot.com/2017/03/free-post-beauty-and-beast.html?showComment=1490103254097#c8934148420910949367

Ricky: https://rickyenglish1.blogspot.com/2017/03/free-post_20.html?showComment=1490103371818#c8983684730624744766

Learning Reflection

Throughout my experience as a ninth grader so far, I have learned that when I truly apply myself and work my hardest, I can create great pieces of writing. The same rules apply for myself as a student overall. When I am productive and try my best to be successful, I usually am. As a reader, I have found that once I find a book or series that I enjoy, it is hard for me to put that book down. Though, it is difficult for me to make it through a book I am not as fond of.

I have found that when I begin my homework early and get it all done as quickly as possible is when I am most productive. Getting it all over with and doing it with a snack is when I am most productive. It is beneficial to me to study when I make little rewards for myself. For example, I will study for 30 minutes and then grab a small snack and take a little break. Setting goals for myself and getting things done as soon as possible is how I work best.

Free post-my room

My room. A place to call mine. A place of privacy where I sleep, do homework, talk to friends, and relax. A place I've experienced happiness as well as despair. A place where I have grown up.

A teenager's room is special because its one of the few things that is actually theirs and not their parents'. It's a place that probably has changed over time just as they have changed with age. The walls of a teen's room have probably seen the room owner's times of happy, sorrow, anger, and many more. And their floors have felt the weight of various friends and family. Someone's room is significant because it is something to call theirs and is unique to them.

Q3 Week 7

Sophia: https://sophia-english1.blogspot.com/2017/02/mardi-gras-break.html?showComment=1488986299347#c803945907247747956

Jack: https://jackcenglish1blog.blogspot.com/2017/02/louisiana-traditions.html?showComment=1488986596191#c1828164911386411264

Analyze a song

"One True God" by Steven Curtis Chapman

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/stevencurtischapman/onetruegod.html

In the song "One True God', Chapman uses an anaphora when repeatedly saying "one" or "the one" when referring to God. This repetition contributes to the overall message of the song that there is only one real god, and that is Jesus.  In "One True God", Chapman also uses a euphony when he sings "a song that lights up the stars". This provides not only a pleasing sound but a pleasing sight as well. This euphony allows us to see and hear this pleasant description, which makes the song seem that much more satisfying.

Chapman uses multiple metaphors to prove God's greatness. For example, he compares God to the sun when he says "One light of the world". This supports Chapman's message that God is the one and only power and that he is above all others. Personification is used when Chapman writes "One breath that gives life". This proves that God can do anything possible easily because he is the supreme power. Overall, Chapman compares God to other great things to prove his power and uses repetition and pleasant sounds to show that he is really the one true God.

Free post-Poem

White, frosty droplets continue to

fall on my face. Covered in warmth

I keep going. Every turn creates

a tornado, a hurricane of clouds.

Or at least it looks that way. It felt as

cold as Alaskan winds blowing at your

face while inside the Arctic Ocean. It was

really cold. And the flurries were coming

faster. So, I kept on until finding that small

cabin. That warm, wood-filled cabin.

After stripping off layer after layer, I plop

into the nearest chair and finally relax. And

once that toasty mug filled with chocolaty-goodness

and white cream was in my stomach, the room was

warmer and the crackle of the fire sounded much

more soothing.