End of the year reflection

Dear Ms Galang&810
This year was incredible with you guys, I've become so close with so many new people who mean the world to me. Everyone in this class was so caring and kind and you guys don't know how thankful i am for that. This was my favorite class out of my experience at William Alexander Middle School, you are all beautiful people who are talented and smart and I wish the best to all of you.
One memory I remember was when we all gathered around the room at the beginning of the year, to get to know eachother more. We all said our names and did a funny move to go along with what you like to do (i think) This is one of my favorite memories, because i got to know more about each one of you, which was great.
Another amazing memory was when we went to the metropolitan museum of art, everything in that museum was so beautiful and fascinating. And then when we went to the Great Lawn to hang out i had so much fun running around with no shoes and just laughing and playing with my friends. A lesson I have learnt was never stop trying, reading romeo&juliet was challenging at some points, because i didn't understand Shakespeare language, however now i even know slang words in it.
A goal i have is to keep reading and to write more poems. I actually love writing poems, and it seems like i can only write sad ones but i still enjoy it. I will continue to work hard in highschool and try to do my best.

My Ideal Bookshelf
1. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
2. The Absolutely True Dairy of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
3. And Then There Were None by Christie Agatha

 

ROMEO&JULIET

POST PERFORMANCE  

Lady Capulet tries to make an effort to reach out to Juliet now that her daughter is at a age to marry, however it's obvious she's closer with the nurse. Even though Lady Capulet is her real mother, the nurse treated her as her own. Lady Capulet can never come close to challenging that. 

What I wanted to communicate about my character in the performance was that, since she didn't really pay attention to Juliet her whole life, now that she was "gone" she was sad and felt horrible. I believe that our performance went pretty well (act 4 scene 5) we all surrounded Juliet and I felt a bond between us all. I think I should of moved more, and looked at the audience more often then just standing there. I also should of slowed down my lines. By reading Romeo&Juliet I learnt more about this play. It was something I've heard about, but haven't actually read or watched anything about it, so it was all new to me. Also for my high school experience i can apply more knowledge about Shakespeare language. 

Final Piece

All she wanted was to have friends

Some to care for her till times to end

She faked a smile from days to weeks

But that’s a secret she will always keep

No one knows she’s hurting inside

Because all the ones she loved left her behind

So she’ll keep going on even though times are tough

Till the day she will finally have enough

Then literary devices I used were rhythm and rhyme, this piece was easy to write for me, because I was having a bad day and I wanted to express my feelings through poetry.

  

He wanted to make her happy, he wanted to be there

But throughout everything it seems she didn’t really care

Words can’t explain how much he loved her so

And as time passed he knew he had to let her go

He will never forget the day he knew she was the one

It’s too late now, she forgot about him and was finally done

The literary device I used for this poem was also rhythm and rhyme, writing this poem was also really easy to write. I have recently found out that it’s easier to write sad poems instead of happy poems for me.

 Sonnet

She saw the boy and fell for him deeply

He would talk to her when no one's around

Work was not needed it became cheaply

But when he's with his friends he makes no sound

She cannot tell him how she really feels

She sees him with her and feels so alone

She tried to fit in and stopped eating meals

It got so bad she would cut to the bone

He was a star but she was just nothing

He did not know she was hurting inside

For now all the words she spoke were cussing

Every night she got home from school and cried

She had to forget him and just move on

Nothing will change for him now that she’s gone

This sonnet did take me a long time, I used the rhyme websites which helped me out a lot, I got stuck trying to figure out what to write in most of the lines too, however overall I’m happy for the final piece.

Imagine growing up with someone who makes you the happiest person alive, from playing with them for hours, to watching them go to college, making such a successful career and then watching them slowly die before you. “Another Sonnet for Stephan” by Alvin Sitomer really touches my heart, because this sonnet throws out amazing examples and leaves you guessing what this relationship could be, such as a mother to son or a girl to a boy.

The line that stood out to me the most was, “The boy, the youth, the man are each now gone, /Except that in my heart they linger on.”  I like this part because it ties the whole piece together. In the first stanza it’s about the boy and the girl playing together when they were young, then in the next it states how he goes to “Penn College” who is very “Enthusiastic, kind, who scores a “ten”” and in the last stanza the poem points out how he was a strong man who is now battling cancer.

To me in this poem as I said in my first paragraph about the relationship of these two people, are a boy and a girl who start of as friend and in the end love each other. All in all I loved this whole sonnet, the way it rhymed was great and so were the words, such as “nonchalance, unique, enthusiastic” and more. I do have a few connections with this poem. One of my old friends Cara went to preschool with me, and we would play with each other every day until she moved away. I still speak to her and sometimes we go up to visit but it’s not the same without her here every day.

 I lie awake thinking about you

I wonder if you’re thinking about me too

It hurts to know that you’re gone

So now I’ll be staying up all night long

This was one of my first poems I wrote in my writing notebook. I decided to add it in, because my whole project is one theme, and I think this fits perfectly.

Sonnet

Sonnet

She saw the boy and fell for him deeply
He would talk to her when no one's around
Work was not needed it became cheaply
But when he's with his friends he makes no sound
She cannot tell him how she really feels
She sees him with her and feels so alone
She tried to fit in and stopped eating meals
It got so bad she would cut to the bone
He was a star but she was just nothing
He did not know she was hurting inside
For now all the words she spoke were cussing
She had to forget him and just move on
Nothing will change for him now that shes gone

Extra Credit Macbeth

In Macbeth some scenes were confusing, but i loved the character banquo. When he spit blood on Macbeth, it was very surprising and unexpected.All the characters costumex were amazing and very detailed.
Macduff at the ending killed Macbeth so he could be king. Before Macbeth was king, he killed the king before him so he could be the ruler. The witches were also so amazing and i loved the part with the red cloth and you could see all the dead people. That part was so spooky and amazing. All the actors spoke very clearly and put a lot of emotion into every line. All in all the play was amazing.

Poetry

She just wanted to have friends,
Some who cared for her till times to end. 

She faked a smile from days, to weeks. 

But that's a secret she will always keep. 

No one knows she's hurting inside.

Because all the ones she loved left her behind.

So she'll keep going on even though times are tough, 

Till the day she will finally have enough.

Essay

                Crank by Ellen Hopkins shows readers the dangers, horrors, good and the bads in life.
This book deals with rape, drugs, young pregnancy, daddy issues and more, It has really opened my eyes and showed me what could happen to a foolish teenager, This foolish teenager is named Kristina, but sometimes she calls her self Bree, because of the monster.
                There are two sides of Kristina, the good side and the bad side, but first let me tell you about herself. Kristina is a girl who did well in school, listened to her parents, and did what she was suppose to do. Before she was taken over by the monster, who created Bree. For example, "Flirt with total aplomb, and not only that, but look good doing it. Before Bree i never knew such sheer, depraved forwardness could be so fun. So i went with it, jumped right into the role of shameless flirt." Now let me tell you about her other side, Bree. She's fearful and doesn't care what people think, shes brave and demanding, For example, "Bree open doors Kristina wouldn't dare knock on, like that cute lifeguards, not to mention Adam, But Bree insists on having things all her way. So when Trent and Sarah came trunking up, bickering and tittering and doing all those little cutesy friend-type things, Kristina never minded, Bree wanted to tell them to shut the hell up, go away, let her play." Those are the two different sides of Kristina.
                Kristina has also had daddy issues he was a drug addict and his wife didn't want her children being around him. "Dads vicious slurred epithets came through too loud and too clear. But it is Moms low, level threats I best remember. You do not deserve these children and when i'm through with you in court you'll be lucky to get visitation. I didn't understand the terminology of words like infidelity. Nor the implications of my fathers sundry addictions. I only knew my wicked mother took us far away, kept us far apart." Until today when Kristina has finally seen her father is 8 years. "Daddy?
- I can't believe how much you've grown!
Its been eight years dad. From daddy to dad in thirty seconds. We were strangers after all." This was very difficult for her, she really just wanted her dad to be there for her.
                 Kristina/Bree were between many guys, Adam the first guy she met already had a girlfriend, but she and he both fell in love, For example, "He wanted me. He needed me. He needed more to go to her, let her know he loved her still, I wanted him. I needed him. I wanted him to forget her, needed more to let him tell her he loved her." Adam then calls her to tell her, they should start seeing other people, and that's when Chase and Brendan come into the story. Chase treated Kristina right even though he wasn't her type. For example, "Hey, you're shaking. You're not scared, are you? We don't have to do this, do anything at all. We can just sit and talk if you want." On the other hand Brendan was handsome, funny, seems like a nice boy, but he's not. "My shirt tore open.
 'Wait'
I've waiting for weeks. put up and shut up. Kisses segued to bites. Bruises. Pain rippled through my body.
'Brendan please stop.'
No you promised you damn little tease. Off came my shorts. Down went his zipper. I realized i was in serious trouble,
'I'll scream'" This shows the relationship between each and everyone of her boyfriends.
                In conclusion this book is very graphic, but it teaches me a lesson. It shows the readers what you should and shouldn't do in life. Life will always be hard in some parts, but you have to push through them and get to the good days.

Authors Note

This issue happens everyday to many people, they take advantage of their friends, and abuse the situation. Soon little by little no one would want to be around you, if you're going to keep treating the one you love like that. 

I decided to write this book, because i feel like this is a situation that could happen to you and your friends. I want readers to understand that is problem is wrong, if they have dealt with it, or done it to other people. If people treat you like this, they're not worth your time and you deserve so much better. 

Synthesis page!!

Social Awareness

Social Issues List:

• ·    Bullying – at school
• ·        Sexism/ harassment
• ·        Ageism – at home 

 Elaboration on Sexism

   I've been to Prospect Park many times. I have felt very safe in this park, it’s soothing and it’s great to see how many people go there on their free time, from playing a sport to a hang out with all of your friends. However, there are also bad things that happen in this park too. I have recently been violated by someone I didn't know. It was about 5:00 pm and it was just getting dark, I was running alone around the park, when I hear a whistle. I knew it was to me, because there was no one else around. I quickly sped up my pace to make sure they didn’t follow. This was horrifying, and a scary experience that made me feel less safe.

I believe this was very wrong and unfair to many women and I for many reasons. For example women shouldn’t be treated like objects, and be taken advantage of. Many women feel uncomfortable to go out in public, because of might/will happen. No one should ever be worried or scared to go somewhere, everyone should be free and not have to cover up. Things should change so women don’t have to be harassed and mistreated by men.

Social Awareness Project - #4

            For my response I read the poem “No Christmas for My Children.” By Dimitri Shostakovich. This poem talks about the stress and wordiness people go through from being homeless. In the poem its Christmas day, her children didn't receive any gifts, no friends to play with, no smiles on Christmas morning and no money, but even though she can’t buy her children everything, but she will always love them.

            In the poem, the last sentence “For me I have no pity, My sorrow stronger proves, Because for my sweet children I've nothing but my love.” This shows even though she can’t give her children all they desire, she will love them, and that’s what matters. Family will be there with you from thick and thin.

The main character is poor; she can’t buy her children any Christmas presents. However, that’s not the main problem, being homeless is a very strong topic that many people could be embarrassed to talk about. If we share more about this topic, maybe more will open up and not have to hide. This makes me feel happy, that people will write about topics like this. It shows readers what happens in the world. Some parents might hide the horrible things that happen and only show the good things, their children might grow up not knowing the bad parts. Poems like these change people prospective in life. 

Social Awareness Project #6:

         For this part I’m writing about the American flag with justice words on it. I feel like people want these words to be seen more often. Since the American Flag is such an important part to America, maybe some want these words to be just as important. Some of the words I saw were the KKK, names of generals, Freedom and more. These words have a special meaning to them and so does the American Flag. If you put both together, you can see a whole different understanding of both pieces.

Non-Fiction

In the articles "How I Saved My Grandfather" by Mackenzie Carro states hows Kenneth saved his Grandfathers life with a device he created. He then thought about other families who go through this, and made a goal to protect the million Alzheimer's patients out there.
        Kenneth's Grandfather suffers from Alzheimer's. "A condition that permanently affects a persons memory, thinking and judgement." Patients become confused as a result from the illness, and can't remember how to do certain things. If found wandering into the streets, they cant remember how to get back home. Also another detail is, "My grandfather began wandering at night. My aunt, who takes care of him, exhausted herself trying to stay awake to keep an eye on him. He once wandered onto an interstate highway, if he hadn't been found by a police man, he could have been killed." This shows how scary life can be.
        Kenneth wanted to stop worrying about his grandfather, so he built the SafeWander. This device is, "A sensor placed on the patient's foot or sock. When the patient stands up, a small wireless circuit on the sensor sends an alert to the caregiver's smartphone. The caregiver will hear the alert, wake up, and stop the patient from leaving the house." This is a fantastic idea, because it still means the caregiver can get some sleep, and not have to stay awake. Its also fast and simple. This also shows how great technology is, it created a huge impact to this world.
       In conclusion this changed my thinking alot, because it shows me what kids can do, one day i would like to help change the world too.

Reflection

             I really liked the museum we went to, it had such amazing art and cool stuff to look at, but what caught my eye was the gay portion of the museum. Many people don't respect others that like the same gender. For example, "Inspired by other liberation movements of the era, new groups, including the Gay Liberation Front, the Gay Activists Alliance, Radicalesbians organized to protest and exert political pressure." This shows that many people had to protest to get what they wanted.
             Also another thing i learnt was, "Gay activism has continued to evolve as LGBT New Yorkers have overcome barriers and confronted new ones. Discrimination, hate crimes, bullying, and homophobia persists." Also, "The resistance of the Ancient Order of Hibernians to allowing gay groups to march in the annual St. Patrick's Day parade." Im glad people let them do this, no one should ever be put down on who you are. In conclusion i loved going to this museum, it was a great experience.

13 Reasons Why

               

The book "13 reasons why" by Jay Asher is about tapes Hannah Baker made, for reasons why she committed suicide. The tapes she made were for people, in each tape she talks about what the person did to make her want to die. This book teaches people or kids whats happening in the world, and not everything is perfect.
           One story that Hannah told was with Marcus. Marcus treated her like she was nothing and left here to wait at Rosie's alone. For example, "When fifteen minutes are up, you have the permission to order a shake. Because fifteen minutes is ten minutes longer than it should take even the slowest person to walk there from school. Somebody.... isn't coming." Then Marcus finally shows up and acts like a complete jerk. "Don't worry you said. And maybe you knew your time was short because you hand immediately slid up from my thigh. All the way up." These quotes show what can happen in every teens life.
           Another story Hannah told was about Courtney, Courtney Crimsen, everyone loves her shes pretty and popular and sweet, but its all an act. For example, "You turned around to face the front of the room. And when class was over you left. It wasn't until i stepped into the hall on my way to second period that i thought, Wait a sec. She didn't say goodbye." Courtney would make people believe that they were friends, when really she just wanted everyone to like her. Courtney only talked to Hannah when she needed something. "We should go together you said. And you tilted your head to the side, flashed your smile and-though i'm probably imagining this-i think i even saw you bat your eyes" These quotes show that you will meet fake friends, and you should never trust them.
            One of the last stories Hannah told was about her teacher, Mr.Porter. She turned to him for help, she was giving life one more chance but he didn't understand, he didn't try. For example, "Because i need to get on with things, Mr. Porter. If nothings going to change, then i'd better get on with it, right? - Hannah what are you talking about? I'm talking about my life Mr.Porter, - Hannah, wait. I'm walking down the hall, his door is closed behind me. It's staying closed, he's not coming." This quote shows that Mr.Porter didn't care.
             In conclusion, no this book shouldn't be banned it teaches the readers whats happening in the world. This book can make people uncomfortable, but if it does don't read it.

blog post sage

wonderful reading response

        "The reason why we broke up" is a book that walks you through a letter that Min writes to her ex boyfriend Ed. In he beginning of the book she explains to him that she loved him but at the end she felt betrayed and hurt.
       
          Min is different than most girls, whenever Ed said something mean to her or said something rude about her friends, she would confront him about it and not hid it. Ed on the other hand is the star football player, he would always tell Min all about his past girlfriends, and how he would have to buy them flowers everytime he said something to hurt their feelings. This is why Mins extremely surprised when he asked for her number. for example, "Who were you to do that, who was i saying yes?" This evidence shows that Mins surprised that he wanted to ask her out, and not anyone else.
       
          Mins and Eds love relationship is very meaningful, they share a lot of memories together, and she tells him most of her feelings. For example, "I have never seen anything so beautiful as you in your underwear," pg 200. This evidence shows that they would rather be with eachother than anyone else. Also another example is, "What might have happened with this thing from the park where i loved you Ed, so much."  This evidence shows that Min shares her feelings with Ed, in the letter she wrote to him.

           Min and Eds hate relationship is very disappointing. Min really thought that Ed loved her, even if he said he does he was seeing another girl while still with Min. For example "I do Min, but Annette, you know, she lives right nearby." This evidence shows that Ed was seeing Annette while still with Min. Also another example of what Ed said to Min is, "I did love you, i do. But then at night Annette would knock on my window and it was just like something else." This evidence shows that Ed treats Min really badly.

            In conclusion Ed shouldn't of done that to Min, all she wanted was to actually feel loved, ED didn't deserve her because shes her own person and is outgoing.