"Weeping Rose" - Picture Poem

"Weeping Rose"

I am a rose

I am a dying rose

I am a thirsty rose

In desperate need of water

Clean, crystal clear water

So that I may grow,

and once again be beautiful

I am a rose

I am a weeping rose sagging to the ground as I slowly wither away

wrinkling and crinkling,

not able to stand much more of this pain

My leaves, my petals they are ripping away as the wind blows

My stem beginning to weaken

I am a rose

I am a vanishing rose

I have very few petals left and my leaves are all gone

Soon I will be just dust in the wind

Soon I will be nothing more than a breeze

Soon I will no longer be a rose

Looking for Alaska 2-26-15

Blog for week of February 23, 2015

Writing Prompt: 1.What does this book remind you of? 2. Is the setting described well enough that you can put a picture in your mind? Why or why not?

Pages read: 56 - 147

          The book Looking for Alaska makes me think of I TV show I used to watch called "Zoey 101." The reason this book reminds me of that is because "Zoey 101" is a TV show that takes place at a boarding school just like the book does. Another reason why this book reminds me of "Zoey 101" is because the TV show is about a girl who goes to a boarding school that used to be only boys and how she makes friends and deals with different problems that she is faced with. Looking for Alaska is pretty much the same way. A difference is: Looking for Alaska follows a boy named Miles instead of a girl named Zoey.

          I feel like the setting is described very well but for some reason I can not always picture the scene in my head. There are many words and sentences that can help a person create an image of the setting or scene. I know that this takes place at a boarding school and author explains the shape of the buildings a few times but when it says something that describes the dorm room as being round I feel like if it were just a little more specific I could capture it perfectly.

          Having to do with the setting, there are some things that I can picture pretty easily. For example, when the book talks about the TV room and the way it looked. That part of the story was very specific and gave me a great image that helped me better understand the story by telling me the conditions of the place.

Commented on: Evie, Devin, Omar

Global Collaboration Reflect 2-20-15

          My level global awareness before entering 7th grade was not high. To me, global awareness means being aware of what is going on around the world. I think this is so because I don't try to know what is happening in the world, therefore I don't know. After entering 7th grade I feel that my global awareness has gotten better. If it weren't for having an article of the week (AOW) I wouldn't have been able to say that!

          After viewing the Indian and Swedish pen pal I know how different and similar things are compared to our life and our school. For example, my school has an A and B team for each grade and the Swedish school had a Red, Yellow, and Orange section in their school. Another difference is, everyone takes their shoes off while in the school. I wish we did that here! I bet their school is way more cleaner because of this. A similarity would be: we both have many classrooms for many different subjects and reasons.

          Since the collaboration my perspective on other cultures has changed a bit. Before, I didn't realize that middle school life in Sweden was very similar to middle school life in America. Different things like that are what have altered my perspective.

          Something shocking thing that I have learned so far is that, as I said earlier, life there doesn't seem that different from life here. I find it a little funny that their school is much bigger and has more classrooms than many other schools that I have seen. They have a wood room (kind of like a wood workshop where you build things), a needle room (a room with a bunch of sewing machines so people can make different things), a home economics class, and so many more. I wonder why they have all of these great things compared to our school.

Looking for Alaska 2/16/15

Writing Prompt: 1. Who is the most important character to you? Why? 2. Why did you choose this to read? Give at least 3 reasons.

Pages Read: 29 - 56

          To me, the most important character in this book is a battle between Alaska Young and Miles "Pudge" Halter. I know that Miles is the main character because the book is speaking in his point of view, or fist person. Even though this is so, I also feel that Alaska Young is an important charter because 1. the book has her name in the title, and 2. This is the girl that Miles is 'in love' with. Also Alaska comes up very frequently in the book.

          I chose this book to read for many reasons. One reason I chose this book to read is because it is by one of my favorite authors. That author is John Green. John Green also wrote Fault in our Stars, Paper Towns, An Abundance of Katherine's, and many more.

          Another reason would be: I have wanted to read this book for a while (because it's by John Green). Not just because it's by John Green but also because I think it sounded interesting. There is a 'before' and 'after' in the book. I just can't wait until I get to the after and find out after what!

          A third reason why I have chosen to read this book is probably because I know other people who have read it and they say it is good. I can't have other people reading and talking about a 'good' book without having the knowledge of what this book actually is! I have to say, those people were right. This book has caught my attention since the beginning. I can't wait to finish it!

Commented on: Mia's Blog, Justin's Blog, Jared's Blog

Poetry Response 2/16/15

Friendship Is The Best Ship Of All by Valerie M

Friendship is priceless,

And can never be forgotten,

Friendship is timeless,

And never rotten,

It takes more than hugs and kisses

To be a real friend,

the nature of friendship,

Requires a blend.

The road to a happy life,

May sometimes make us stumble.

But to have a friend to give us a hand,

Teaches us to be humble.

Good friends are hard to find,

Hard to lose,

And impossible to forget,

But when they fly away,

Your anger turns to regret

Sometimes in life, we need a special person

To listen while we talk.

A special person who will not discourage or judge,

But encourage us as we walk.

Friends are there

To help you along,

The journey through friendship,

Is always long.

In life,

There are big ships,

And there are small ships,

But the best ship of all,

Is friendship.

This poem is about friendship. It's about the importance of friendship and why friendship is an amazing thing. It talks about the ups and downs of friendship and how it is all worth it. In the end friendship is the most wonderful thing of all.

I think the author write this poem because she had a best friend in her life. I believe that the probably thought all of these things apply to her friendship and many others, too. Not only will it apply to other people and their friendship, it will connect with them because of this. I also think that the author may have wrote this specifically to connect with people and may not apply to their life at all.

While reading I thought of me and my best friend. Here is a picture of two best friends. I feel this picture relates to the poem well.

This poem reminds me of me and all of my closest friends. When I first read this poem it mainly reminded me of my most close best friend. This poem also made me think of all of the people in the world that have close and best friends.

Looking for Alaska 2/9/15 Minor Spoilers may be included

Blog for week of February 9, 2015

Minor Spoilers may be included (last paragraph)

Writing Prompt: 1. If the author were here, what would you say and ask him/her? 2. What are two emotions the main character has felt? What made the main character feel this way?

Pages Read: 0 - 29

          If the author (John Green) were here to answer questions about the book (Looking for Alaska), I would ask him: Why did you decide to write this book? I am wondering this because I am also wondering (and going to ask him): Does this book have anything connection to your life? Like Edgar Allen Poe, John Green's life might have an effected this book. I would also ask him: What was the first book you wrote? and Was this the first, second, third book you wrote?

          I would tell John Green that I know that I will very much enjoy this book. I have not read it yet but so far I am enjoying it. For some reason I think that all his book are going to be great because he is the author of Fault in our Stars. I would also tell him that he is a very good author and I hope he continues to write more books. A series perhaps? Speaking of that, I would ask him: Are in going to write another book?, Are you in the process of writing a new book?, and Will you ever write a book series, such as the Hunger Games?

          So far the main character in my book is Miles Halter, also known as "Pudge". One emotion that Miles has felt is fear. When he was going through a type of initiation he was taped from wrists to shoulders and ankles to thighs. After this he was thrown into the lake! Being taped, wearing nothing but your underwear, and drowning would fear anyone. A second emotion Miles has experienced is an emotion close to love. There is this girl named Alaska. Miles think Alaska is the prettiest girl he is ever met. It says so many times in the book.

The reason I chose this picture is because in the story, Miles became friends with people who smoke and this causes Miles to smoke even though his parents told him not to.

Commented on: Joseph G, Giovanna G, Jared A

Book Talk 2/2/15

Blog for week of February 2, 2015


VIDEO

Transcript:

I will be telling you about the book Pride and Prodigious and Zombies Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith. Considering this book is about zombies I would say that the genre would be horror and/or thriller. This book takes place a long time ago in Regency England. Regency England took place 1811- 1820. There are many important characters in this story. There is Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Bennet, Elizabeth Bennet, Mary Bennet, Kitty Bennet, Lydia Bennet, Jane Bennet, Master Hawksworth, and Dr. Keckilpenny. Of course there are more important characters, but these are the main important characters I guess you would say. As the story goes on it focuses more on Elizabeth Bennet, as it tells her crazy journey of becoming a zombie slayer, Master Hawsworth, as it slowly lets out his dark secrets, and Dr. Kekilpenny, as it shows the madness behind his crazy ideas. All of the Bennet sisters, Elizabeth, Mary, Jane, Kitty, and Lydia, have to set aside their learning of being young, pretty, polite ladies, and gain the knowledge of being zombie slayers. This is not something that they are used to and it is a difficult challenge that they have to overcome, and their mother, Mrs. Bennet, is not accepting this very well. This book is quite detailed on the decayed looks that the zombies create. The book is so descriptive on those parts that you can almost picture exactly what the zombie would look like.

I really like this book because before this I hadn't ever read a book in this genre and now I hope to explore more books like this one. I think I will remember all of the zombie battles and the hidden romance that is clearly happening. I would recommend this book to my friend Celeste because, like me, she enjoys things like the TV show "The Walking Dead" (which is about zombies) and basically things that would fall into that category. If you are into zombies or horror or distasteful things, then I think that this would be a book might be something that you would enjoy. So, if you think it is it's Pride and Prodigious and Zombies Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith.









Commented on Mia's Blog, Jared's Blog, Emily's Blog