Final Reflection: Years of Experience

1- What are the three most important things you learned this year?

        1. Different Formats of Writing an Essay
        2. Organization 
        3. Finding Key Concepts in Articles/ Books

I learned many things this year, but my top three have got to be the one's I wrote at the top. The first one we learned throughout the year. We learned it while we wrote are SeaWorld/ Blackfish paper,which we took half of third quarter to do. This essay was an argumentative essay, which taught us to write without using a biased tone. That meant we could only use facts we fought of of articles, videos, and the Blackfish Movie. 

The second one which was organization I learned throughout the whole year. I learned to keep many of my things organized, which might I add, I wasn't good at. Mrs and Mr. Larson would always tell us to keep our things organized, because it would help in the long run. It did help me in the long run and it helped me a lot. I was able to find my things quick and easy. When I didn't organize my stuff I wasn't able to find them as quick as I would of if I would have listened. Over countless times of them telling us though I learned to keep my things neat and tidy on my computer. Now I just have to work on my locker.

Finding Key Concepts in Articles/ Books this was developed throughout the entire year. This was developed through our blogs and the countless books we would read in class. We would right notes to keep us on track and blogs to help us understand the books more. After about a week we would start are socratic seminars, which were kind of like little book club moments in are class. This would help us find key concepts that some of us missed. Overall I learned many things in Mrs. Larson's class that I think I wouldn't have been able to learn in any other class. 

2- What is something we did this year that you think you will remember for the rest of your life?

-Holocaust Unit
-Life is Beautiful 
-Night by: Elie Wiesel

I think the thing that had the greatest impact on me would have to be the Holocaust unit we had. This unit was one of the best units we had in class. We learned so much, got to watch one of the best foreign films, and read a true story of a man named Elie Wiesel. During this unit I learned of Hitler, Hitlers regime, and of the Jews pain. My class learned of Hitler through are research for are keynote in class. We also learned of Hitlers Regime and of his propaganda against the Jews through the keynote also. A really interesting thing that we found out in the keynote was that during the Olympics in Germany America had put many colored skin people on the team. The crazy thing was that many of them one gold medals.  

The thing that got me most involved in the is unit had to be the movie and the book. The book was were we learned about how someone that actually went through the holocaust though of it. We got to learn how they suffered through it in there eyes. The movie had to be the best of the three though, I believe everyone loved the movie. The movie was one of the best movies I have ever watched and I believe ever will watch. The film writer turned something that is meant to make everyone feel somber into a funny film and it worked. Overall this unit was one of the best that we had this year.

3- What was the nicest thing someone in our class did for you this year?

-Help With Homework

The nicest thing anyone in the class did for me this year was help me with my homework. Normally I have my sister help me with my homework, but this year my classmates helped me. I would like to thank Maria and Jenna especially for helping me in my homework. They would always be there for me to asked them to check my work or help me in a part I got stuck on. I would also like to thank them for helping me excel in my classes. Thanks Jenna and Maria!

4- What is something you taught your teacher or classmates this year?


-Things turn out better in the end

This is a hard question I am not really sure what I taught my teacher or classmates this year, but if I were to think really hard it would be that everything turns out well in the end. I think I taught my classmates this because as long as you try even a little bit and show you care then everything will turn out good I end. In example would be with my graduation speech I didn't really know it until the day of. I tried to remember it a little , but when I went up there I just knew it. I think  I just knew it because I stared at it for a few minutes everyday in class that week.

5- In what area do you feel you made your biggest improvements? What is something you accomplished this year that you are proud of?

-Punctuation

I think the proudest thing that I have done for me this year was to actually try, and make my punctuation better. Normally I don't put as much effort in punctuation, but Mrs. Larson has taught me that it is an important skill to learn. She has taught me that with out punctuation everyone would read things differently. They would read it as if they didn't know where to start or stop. This would eventually mess up every plot in books. When a monster or new person was revealed it would sound awkward. The person who was reading it wouldn't be surprised or scared. Overall I am proud of myself for learning the importance of punctuation, and for trying to fix my mistakes.

6- What was the most challenging part of this year for you?

-Finishing Homework on Time

The most challenging part of this year for me has got to be finishing your homework on time. I normally at the beginning of the year didn't finish my homework on time, because I would always wait till the last minute. It was really hard for me to do my homework on time mainly because I just wanted to play. Until Abdiel told me his secret, it was to work hard first then play. I never believed this when someone older told me, but when Abdiel walked in class finished with his project a week early I knew they were write. I would like to thank Abdiel for helping me finish my work on time.Overall the most challenging part this year for me was finishing my homework on time, until Abdiel showed me the way.

7- What was the best piece of writing that you did this year? Why do you think it is your best?

-Blackfish Argumentative Essay

The best writing I believe that I wrote this year has got to be my argumentative essay. I really liked this essay because at the beginning I didn't really care about it, then people started to check it. They helped me to improve my writing and after they read it again they thought it was one of the best ones I ever did. 

8- Of the books you read this year, which was your favorite? Why?

-Zombie Chasers

I read many books this year, but if I were to pick one it would have to be Zombie Chasers book 2. This is a book meant for 12 year old, but I really enjoyed it because sometimes you have to just chill. Usually my classmates in Mrs.Larson's class read big books, then when we grab a small book it's kind of weird because we are so use to the big ones. Once in a while you have to read a small book and once you read through it you feel so mellow.

9- What advice would you give students who will be in this class next year?

If I were to give advice for the incoming 8th graders it would just be to work hard then play. The kids may hear this a lot, but it actually works. Once you do all of your homework and everything else you will feel much better than if you wait till like 9 o'clock. I would also tell them to have fun in Mrs.Larson's class once you loosen up your experience will greatly improve.

Tuesdays With Morrie: Aphorism Project/ May 7,2015

Date:04/13/201

Tuesdays with Morrie

By: Mitch Albom

"There is no foundation, no secure ground, upon which people may stand today if it

isn’t the family. (p. 91)"

Explain the aphorism in detail. what was Morrie's main message?

"There is no foundation, no secure ground, upon which people may stand today if it

isn’t the family." This quote is basically saying that nobody or anything will always have your back, unless if it's family. The only thing that will actually help you and in life is your family, because no matter what, you will always love each other. Morrie tries to say this in many ways while he is talking to Mitch, he mentions it when he talks about his family. Mitch also mentions it a little, because in his flashbacks he would sometimes talk about his family, and how he had so much fun in the good old days. I believe the main reason Morrie said this was because he knew Mitch wasn't close with his family. He thought that if he could talk about his family and how they always helped him, he would be able to get Mitch to open up. Eventually it ended up working and he got Mitch to open up more about his family.

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.

This aphorism is just like an episode of Lab Rats that I have watched in recent time. It was all based on how these two brothers weren't friends anymore because he tried to kill his children. Until the evil brother that tried to kill the kids gave up his evil ways and helped save the kids life. The good brother wasn't ready to forgive him though, until they bonded again over something they both loved. Even though the good brother thought he could do it without out his brother helping him. He wouldn't have been able to save the kids without him .The moral of the story in this case was that family will always be part of you even if they tried to kill your children, then save them. I picked this example because even though the good brother thought he didn't need his brother, his brother was there to help him in anything even if they didn't want him to. 

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.

I agree with my aphorism because in everyday life you have a family. Also You will never stop having a family, they might have died but you still have a family. They will always have your back no matter what happens. My aunt and my mom have been in a feud for awhile now, but they both still find the time to help each other. They find the time to help each other when they are in need because they are family.

Take a picture of your aphorism to use as your graphic.

My Aphorism: Family will always be the one thing you know will have your back. 

Which Tuesday did I like best?

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 blogdiscuss the importance of this topic with your own opinions, including textual evidence (direct quotes) from the book. 

If I were to pick any of the 6 Tuesdays it would have to be the 6th Tuesday, because it taught me how to detach myself. I sometimes let out emotion, but other times I don't. I don't let people know me the way they should, when I should let them. To detach means to "you don't let the experience penetrate you. On the contrary you, you let it penetrate you fully. That's how you are able to leave it". What Morrie is a saying is that you have to let the emotion take control of you, but then you have to let it go. You have to understand the emotion fully to be able to let go of it.

When Morrie first talked about it I didn't really understand, but as you read more you begin to understand what it means. He mentions a part about envy "' That's envy, I'm going to separate from it now.' And walk away."' Morrie mentions it a few more times throughout the book, but once you understand it you start to think of it more. Then once you try it you understand that it works at it should be used. Morrie also learned that 

At the end of the 6th Tuesday there was a little talk about how Morrie doesn't want to leave this world in horror or in any emotion. Morrie wants to lave as peaceful as he can so he has to detach when he feels he might die. " I don't want to leave the world in a state of fright," This really shows that Morrie wants to lave the world as he came in it, peacefully. He wants to be able to leave with no thoughts, just himself.

Tuesdays With Morrie By: Mitch Albom / Week 04/23/2015

What are your initial reactions to what you have read in Tuesdays with Morrie thus far? One of the main themes developing in Tuesdays with Morrie is not to take your life for granted. Based on this premise, what is on your Bucketlist? You can write a paragraph leading up to a bulleted list of what you would like to do/accomplish in your life.

I normally wouldn't even be close to reading these type of books. I have always wanted to, but every time I go to find one I end up picking a fantasy book instead. I was really looking for word to this book when our teacher told us we were going to read it in class. Once we started reading it I was hooked, this book is so entertaining there is just something about it that makes it entertaining for me.

What I have read so far has taught me many things, it has taught me many different life lessons. One of the more talked about life lessons is that you shouldn't take life for granted. Everybody always has something they want to do before they die. What Morrie wanted to do was to tell people his story and help further research in ALS. They were many other simply things he wanted to do before he died, which was kind of his bucketlist. This brings us to my bucketlist.

Bucketlist~

Graduate from High school ,College, and University
Skydive
Street race
Run over roofs
Go hunting
Have a family
Go to Britain
Own a house
Play beer pong in college
Read 100,000 books
Work at google
Be homeless for a week

Life is Beautiful

Based on the Holocaust literature and poetry we have read, what connections can be made between Life is Beautiful and our reading?  What events, scenes, or situations are similar or different? What is similar or different about the mood or tone of the pieces?

Night by: Elie Wiesel and Life is beautiful both had a handful of connections and differences. These differences and connections help show the true nature of what the Holocaust was. In both stories there was a father son connection that was evidently broken by death, by showing these father son connections it showed how the holocaust can rip families apart. In Night it was the connection with Elie and his father that helped you understand how the holocaust can really break people down to just give up. In Life is Beautiful there were many instances were Guido risked his life to save his sons which showed the connection Guido had with his son. Guido helped show how the holocaust can make you do crazy things for your family. In both stories they showed how the holocaust affects families and make them do irrational things.

The two stories were also very different because in Life is Beautiful the story was trying to have a more happy but at times serious tone. In Night they had a serious and sad tone throughout the book. In Life is Beautiful they try to have a more uplifting tone with how Guido would protect his son Joshua. Guido would protect his son by making up a game that would protect his innocents and help him live with the little food they gave them. In Night the father wasn't really taking care of his son the son was taking care of  this father. Elie would take care of  his father by giving him extra food and giving him the will to keep going.

Lastly the biggest difference through both Night and Life is Beautiful was the connection that each family would have. In Night Elie and his family stayed together until they got to the concentration camp then they complete got separated and couldn't talk to each other again. Before they went to the concentration camps though there family would take care of each other, except Elies dad. Elies dad would always be working on religious things. In Life is Beautiful Guido and his family kept in touch. Guido would send signals to his wife any way he could. This showed that they cared for each other even if they knew they might not make it.

Night 03/23/2015

Title: Night
Author: Elie Wiesel
Pages:0-finished
Prompt: How do Elie's experiences during the holocaust change him as a person?

The book Night by: Elie Wiesel is about Elie's experience through the holocaust. He touches upon most of his experiences that truly left in impact on him. If you were to look at him from the beginning of the book, you would notice that he was very religious. Elie was a very religious as a child he would spend his time praying to God "one day as I prayed at dusk". This shows that he would pray everyday  to prove himself to God. Another example is that Elie would try to find a person to teach him the Kabbalah which he should not learn till he is around 30 years old. His father would always tell him he was to young when he would ask for a master to teach him, until Elie found one on his own. This also tells us that he was very religious as a young boy. Later in the book you notice that he starts to loss his faith in God drastically when he says "Why do I pray?", "Why do I breath?", and "Why should I bless his name?" This not only tells us he is losing faith but it shows he wonders why should he even live. He thinks living while he is being tortured is a waste.

Elie Wiesel does a good job staying alive in the concentration camps, but he still changes drastically in appearance. In the beginning he is a young health boy, but after he is a skinny teenager. Elie is also very changed mentally from the loss of his father and from all the deaths he witnessed. One that scared him was of his father dyeing slowly with no help from the other Jews or guards. The last words his father told him were "Eliezer.." and Elie had not answered him or even helped him. After the day his father was taken to the crematory. The only words he could think of was "free at last!"

This brings another change into the book because more then half of the book there were mentions of sons leaving fathers to die.Each time Elie heard one of these stories he would only hope that he would never do that to his father. He mentioned several times about how his father is the only thing that keeps him going. There were little parts were he would regret it though, he would hope his father would die so he could be free. Then when that day came that his father died he wouldn't even pray for his father. He wouldn't even weep, but it was because he couldn't. There were no more tears for him to shed for his father and "it pained" him. This shows us that in the end he didn't feel much for his father just pain and relief at the same time. Overall Elie changed physically, mentally, and religiously.

"Yes, That's The Way Things Are" By: Koleba ~Butterfly Project

Comments:
Citlalli, Steven, and Jesus