Nonfiction Blog 12/17/15

The Murder of King Tut
By James Patterson and Martin Dugard
Prompt: Do you like what you're reading? Why or why not?
Pretend you are a famous reporter on TV. Wrote a story about what you've read for the evening news.

Pages 30 - 331

Started

     The Murder of King Tut by James Patterson and Martin Dugard is focusing on King Tut and his death. This story goes back to Ancient Egypt, which interests me. For that reason, I do like what I am reading. Ancient times is where people believe in gods. Gods that have specific jobs and looks. Getting to know King Tut more and what he did during that time, he seems like a God himself. Reading through his lifetime seems pretty interesting based on certain events. While going back to present day, King Tut still ihas an unknown death. Which leads me to my second reason. 

     If you know me, I love mystery books. So happens to be that the book, The Murder of King Tut, is a mystery book as well. Finding out the mystery of King Tut's death and learning history at the same time, it is a win-win. One of the mysteries is that Carter, the man who discovered King Tut's chamber, didn't find Tut's skeleton. He was there, but it wasn't in his tomb. Another mystery, that still lives on today, how did King Tut die? That sort of stuff really grabs me in. So, for that reason, I do like what I am reading.

T.V. News Reporter

     Thank you Chad! I'm here in the Valley of Kings located in egypt where they found something particular. Thousands of years ago, a man named Kng tut was put to rest deep below the sand. It has been a mystery on how he died. Years later, A man named Carter flew off a horse and landed near the entrance of King Tut's Burial Chamber. He enters and finds the tomb of King Tut. King Tut has several tombs, including a solid gold one. Carter opens up the tumbs to find nothing. King Tut's skeleton has dissapeared. Years later, it has been found. Carter has become famous on his discovery. Today, people are still looking for clues on how he died. Back to you!

Blog of the Week 11/30/15

Prompt: Exploring Nonfiction Reader Response

The Murder of King Tut 

By James Patterson and Martin Dugard

Pages 30 - 331

Started

      "The Murder of King Tut," by James Patterson and Martin Dugard is about the mystery of King Tut. King Tut was an Egyptian Pharaoh who was mysteriously killed by an unknown person or disease. King Tut was rested in a Burial Chamber underground near the Valley of Kings . He was sealed with 3 tombs and a solid gold tomb as the final layer. Carter, the person who discovered the Burial Chamber, tries to uncover the mystery of King Tut. 

      A part of the story really caught my eye. That part of the story is, "It had been almost two years since Carter had been thrown from his horse far out in the desert. That lucky fall had changed his life. He had landed hard on the stony soil but was amazed to find himself peering at a deep cleft in the ground." That part of the story was my favorite. This is where the whole story started. Without Carter, the tomb would probably wouldn't be found. Plus, this is where the predictions come in hand and start to read much faster. That is why I chose this part of the story as my favorite.

      This book has taught me a few things. Some are about life and history. Ancient Egypt wasn't really about the Pharaohs and pyramids. Ancient Egypt was about the events that occurred during ancient times. I never know that King Tut was killed by an unknown thing! Ancient Egypt can be a very interesting place and very mysterious. You know how I am with mysteries. back in modern times, we are still trying to uncover the secret of King Tut and his death. So, over 2000 years, the murder of King Tut is still alive today, while King Tut is sitting in his little coffin enjoying life. 

Note* This book is nonfiction. James said in his "About Author" section that he did huge amount of research. No part of the book is just a fictional story.

Commented On

Sumar's Blog

Andrew's Blog 

Max's Blog

Blog of the Week 11/11/15

 Prompt: Theme

Flush by Carl Hiaasen

Page 263-263

Finished

     In the book, Flush by Carl Hiaasen, theme develops by character, conflict, and plot events. Throughout the whole story, theme develops. Some of the themes are abuse of power. You will learn different characters, which are loving or hateful, could develop theme with their abilities and their power.

     Before I can tell you about the themes in Flush, here is a summary about the book. A kid named Noah Underwood has a dad who got accused for sinking a ship. It was not his fault though. Noah and his dad knew the sneaky things the ship was doing, which is called the Coral Queen. Noah has to face Dusty and create a plan to defeat him to get his dad's name cleared.

     The book has this character called Dusty Muleman was polluting the ocean, which is the person running the Coral Queen, who has abuse of power. This character is stopping Noah to solve this case. The reason why is because he owns the government, the fire department, and the police. He can't go to the police since they are friends with him, which is a challenge for Noah. Since Dusty runs the whole city, he abuses his power and does illegal activities without getting in trouble. After 263 pages of Noah running around like a chicken with his head cut off, he pulls it off and Dusty got into major trouble. Dusty developed a universal theme. As you can see, theme can be developed by conflict and character.

     Another theme developed is family by plot events. Every time Noah and his family try to rattle out Dusty, Noah and his family loved each other more than ever. Noah and his sister bonded. Now they are very close with each other. Each event they hit, more family time is spent. Once they got the family back together, they were unstoppable. So, maybe each time a problem arises, it would be a good thing to involve your family. They would work together and get along very easily.

     As you can see, theme can develop throughout many different ways. Characters, conflict, and plot can do with theme development. Some themes are love, faith, nature, and more. Every book has a theme, which is a message about life or human nature that the writer shares with the reader.

Commented On:

Nathan's Blog

Marcos's Blog

Jude's Blog

1st Quarter Reflection

     Being a 7th grader that excels in classes can be tough. You have loads of homework, along with a yearlong challenge on the other hand. That is not all. You have to learn strategies to be organized frequently and to get your work done. Having an accelerated class can be challenging, but that is the main point. You will be surprised how much I learned in ELA in just 1 quarter, which is about 2 months worth of 88-minute classes each day.

     A challenge came up during the beginning of school.  The challenge was to read 40 books in a whole school year. For the challenge, you have to read certain types of books to complete it. Today, I read 3 1/2 books this year, which is not a lot. I have been very busy with homework that I haven't had that much time to read. Powerless by Matthew Cody is the one holding me back. This taught me how to keep track of time. There, you can finish your homework before the clock strikes 10:00 PM, which is when the computer turns off.

     Blogs of mine had a big increase over the weeks. Reading books with new vocabulary can cause better writing style and diction. Before, I was so discombobulated about the word diction, along with the word discombobulated. I have written more often and thinking about having a journal at home to write down my thoughts. This relates to my challenge and affecting the way that I write. I think about the benefits on what to add to blogs to make it even better than before. I've decided to go over the limit of 3 paragraphs to make my blog more descriptive.

     Strategies are huge in 7th Grade. Time management and organization should be 2nd nature by now. Annotating is now easier; all I have to do is write down what I think to help me understand the article more. Spending a number of free time effects how my homework is done, which the maximum is 1 hour for me, until I finish. Using folders in your advantage to stay organize and avoid losing files. These strategies had big impacts on how my homework is done and how I should do it.

     As you can see, being a 7th Grader learns a lot in only 2 months. Every day, homework stacks each day with other things as well. All that work is worth it. You really have to manage life to exceed life. Memory plays a lot, which is why we always learn to strengthen our memory. Thank you Mrs. Larson, thank you.

   

Narrative Twist

"Karma"

By: Anthony Barragan

    She left about four o'clock in the morning. Since midnight her husband had been dozing in a deserted little room, in company with three other men whose wives were having a good time. He threw over her shoulders the garments he had brought for them to go home in, modest everyday clothes, whose poverty clashed with the beauty of the ball-dress. She was conscious of this and was anxious to hurry away, so that she should not be noticed by the other women putting on their costly furs. She ran off, but something was missing. When she realized her necklace was gone, Mme. Losiel panicked. Instead of telling her friend, she went to go buy a new necklace. Working hard to give money back to the bank, they ended up poorer than before.

    She came to know the heavy work of the house, the hateful duties of the kitchen. She washed the plates, wearing out her pink nails on the coarse pottery and the bottoms of pans. She washed the dirty linen, the shirts and dish-cloths, and hung them out to dry on a string; every morning she took the dustbin down into the street and carried up the water, stopping on each landing to get her breath. And, clad like a poor woman, she went to the fruiterer, to the grocer, to the butcher, a basket on her arm, haggling, insulted, fighting for every wretched halfpenny of her money.

    10 years later, Mme. Loisel bumped into her friend , Mme. Foriester, who was the one who let Mme. Loisel borrow that necklace. She noticed how nice Mme. Foriester was dressed, Mme. Foriester didn’t noticed Mme. Loisel from her looks until she reminded her who she was. Mme. Losiel told her the truth, the necklace was fake.

Mme. Loisel thought, “I am going to steal the necklace that was supposed to be mine…” 

    She asked Mme. Foriester to “borrow” it. Mme. Foriester agreed and gave it to Mme. Loisel and says, “Make sure you don’t lose it!’ She laughed and walked away.

Mme. Loisel ran off and told her husband the great news that she has the REAL necklace. Mme. Loisel told him the story about the necklace.  He was thrilled. They returned the necklace and went to go find a fake replica. After hundreds and hundreds of stores, the Loisel Family found the necklace. Without thinking, they purchased the necklace and gave it to Mme. Foriester who was in the store. Leaving the store, a voice said, “Thank you for shopping at Mme. Foriester's Fab Jewelz!” As they left, they restart their lives rich and wealthy, but didn’t know how their future was going to change.

    Back at Mme. Foriester’s Fab Jewelz, Mme. Foriester saw the Loisel Family running off happily, which she never saw.

    “Something suspicious is happening here, I should go check to see if my necklace was still there…” Mme. Foriester mumbled.

    As she was walking toward the pillar the necklace was there, she noticed that it was missing. She rushed toward the register to see today’s purchases, they saw Mme. Loisel’s name under, “Classic Paste Diamond Necklace.” She was angry. Angry how the Loisel family tricked her. Mme. Foriester contacted the police immediately.

    Before they could buy anything, the police surrounded the theifs and sent them to prison. Not just any prison, Mme. Foriester’s Junky Jail. There, they were treated badly and surrounded by violent men. Staring at their every movement.

    “At least it is better than our home right now!” Mme. Loisel said to cheer up Mr. Loisel. 

    Mr. Loisel said in a depressed voice, “ I… was the one… who was so nice… and so thoughtful… to buy those tickets… -” He paused, “-it was my fault.”

    Crying by the corner of the cell, a policeman opened the cell. 

    “Alright you are fr-” He said, but cut off by Mme. Loisel, 

    “Oh thank you for letting me free from that, that… MONSTER!” 

    “Not you, him, the one that is crying. You were the one who make this plan, who made the decision, Mr. Loisel here was not part of your “gang”,” he said, “I have orders from Mme. Foriester to give the money to Mr. Loisel to restart his life fresh and clean. He doesn’t deserve a wife like you.”

    A big bang was made by the bars as they clashed into each other. 

    “Wait! What about me!” Mme. Loisel screamed from the top of her lungs. 

    “ I don’t think you want to live with a, “Monster”!” Mr. Loisel said in a sassy way. 

    Now, the husband lives in an expensive apartment on floor 57, with the items and furniture that Mme. Loisel ever wished. 

    “Man, what has life become? I lost a wife, I lost money, had hard labor, what next?” He said softly.

    Everyday, he sits by the grand window, looking at the prison Mme. Loisel is in, or Mme. Bel is at. Mr. Loisel couldn’t handle long-distance relationships, so he got divorced. As he waits, years past, waiting for Mme. Bel to look out her window.

Commented on:

Marcos's Blog

Max's Blog

Sofia's Blog

Blog of the Week Oct. 26, 2015

Prompt: How elements of a story interacts with one another.

Focusing on setting and characters.

Powerless by Matthew Cody

Page 128 Halfway

     In the book Powerless, Bud and Clay becomes more violent than they normally do. Back at the Bus Stop, they are less likely to use their powers against other people. That is because of a rule of superpowers and to avoid to be seen using the powers. The rule is to not let adults know. So, the bus stops are normally in front of houses, so they are less likely to use their powers. Since the Superheroes has a treehouse as a headquarters, the super-bullies (Super-villains in the story) has a junk yard as their headquarters, which seems odd since one of the bullies powers is stench. Anyways, as Daniel and the Super-friends flew Daniel back home, they spotted trouble in the yard. Villains won this time because of the rule of the adults. Since they are in their headquarters, they feel stronger than before. That is how setting effects character and how confident they are. 

     On the other hand, Superheroes could be powerful than before, or just a regular human being. Being alone makes Daniel a bit more alert with his surroundings. With that "power", Daniel could defend himself way better and smarter to get out of situations. On one risky move, he was sitting on a bench in a museum reading a book. A couple of seconds later, Clay and Bud starts to bully Daniel. Daniel makes a move to get out of the room and ends up falling off a cliff. Nice move, Daniel. As you could see here, he had the guts to shove the bullies out of his way and makes a run for it. If there was his super-friends with him, that would never happen. As you can see, Daniel has new characteristic, and it's brave. That setting was a perfect moment for Daniel to be courageous and to get out of that situation.

     As you have seen, character can change by the setting. Either alone or at your favorite place, mood changes, emotions changes, and personality could change. So, the elements and order of the story changes pretty much characterization, but you just have to imagine it to make it real. 

Will you want to ride them? Is it because the scenery?

Commented On:
Nathan's Blog
Andrew's Blog
Marcos's Blog

Blog for the Week 10/12/15

Prompt: Describe the setting time and place. Draw it. What have you learned about life from what you're reading?

Powerless by Matthew Cody

Page 57, Started

    In the book Powerless, Daniel runs into trouble in his new town. As he meets his new neighbors, Daniel discovered something odd around him. A blink of an eye, teens are gone. They seem like they have some sort of superpower. Daniel digs deeper to discover the secrets of Noble Green.

    This books shows me how mysterious life is. You never know what is beneath you, neither what walks the lands before you. This book makes you think differently. Is there a superhuman running around this town, or a hero that can make a difference? This book shows how life changes over the years, along with the future. The next thing you know, we are going to live in a different planet with new resources. That is what I learned in only 57 pages.

    In Noble Green, Daniel meets his new friends, along with his bully to greet him. At school, a field trip was planned for the following day. As they went on the school field trip, his bully mistakenly made Daniel fall off a cliff. Thinking how he is going to die, a superhero floats him back up to the surface safe and sound.

Drawing

Commented on
Sofia's Blog
Nathan's Blog
Andrew's Blog

Banned Books Blog

Captain Underpants 

By Dav Pilkey

Commented on: 

Nathan's Blog

Andrew's Blog

Robert's Blog

Sofia's Blog

Amilee's Blog

Citlalli's Blog

Sources:

"About Banned & Challenged Books." American Library Association. American Library                          Association, 2015. Web. 8 Oct. 2105. <http://www.ala.org/bbooks/about>.

American Library Association. "Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read." Banned &        Challenged Books. American Library Association, 2015. Web. 8 Oct. 2015.                                          <http://www.ala.org/bbooks/bannedbooksweek>

Banned Books Week. "About." Banned Books Wek. Andi Sporkin, Millie Davis, 2015. Web. 8 Oct.                2015. <http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/about>

Top Ten Book Blog

1: The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein

     The Missing Piece is about an incomplete circle running around trying to find his missing piece. He trips over obstacles and discover triangles that doesn't fit, but he never gave up. The reason why I love this book so much because of the illustrations and the wording. I love the adventure the Missing Piece goes into and the ending. I even sang a song when I was reading a part that is repeated. To describe how much I love this book, I can't say. Speechless I am, that is how much I love this book.

2: Flush by Carl Hiaasen


     Flush is a book about a boy named Noah whose father was accused of sinking a ship. The ship's, Coral Queen, owner should be arrested as well for dumping human waste into the ocean. Noah and his family faces problems and the government as they come over their house. The reason why I loved this book so much is because of the character, Noah. He really stood up to people and his father for what was right. Heroic we should call Noah.






3: Field Trip Mysteries by Steve Brezenoff
Field Trip Mysteries is about a group of friends that solves mysteries on field trips. Sneaky students who pass teachers and discover the bandit. This book has been one of my personal favorite books I've ever read. The characters are so clever and always on the edge of my seat as I read, and it's weird how they are so different, yet same.

4: Diary of a Wimpy Kid  by Jeff Kinney
Greg is one of the unpopular boys who wants to be popular. With his friend, Rowley, tries to survive school such as Valentines Day, Girlfriends, Betrayal, and more. Greg is just like me, but Greg is not that shy. I could easily relate what happens in the book in my life. That is why it ranked #4 on my list.

5: Powerless by Matthew Cody
"Noble Green is the safest place on earth," Daniel, a new resident in the town, rolls into a funky town where something fishy is going on. He goes deeper into the question and tries to get to the bottom of this. Supposedly, there are superheroes running around and making that place as safe as it can. For some reason, once they turn 13, they have no clue that they are superheroes and has lost their power. I never knew how much I love superhero books. The plot is interesting and the characters are too. It makes me wonder about the world and the secrets it hides.





6: Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey
Two boys, or shall I say Troublemakers, hypnotize their principal into thinking that he is a superhero called Captain Underpants. Villains arise and battle with Captain Underpants, but he is not a real superhero. So, the troublemakers has to watch the principal along with helping him. As a child, I've always love this book. It is silly and creative, just how I love children books.

7: Big Nate by Lincoln Pierce
Nate Write has a school to handle. There are principals to avoid, bullies, girls, and his very own locker. As Nate goes on an adventure with his friends, he finds himself in trouble. This is one of my favorites because it is just like Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Captain Underpants. There is something about this book that I can't put my finger on it, but I just really love the books.




8: The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
Alright, all time classic The Cat in the Hat ends up in my list. The book is about brother and sister, along with a fish, having a rainy day at their home. Out of nowhere, a Cat with a Hat walks in and cheers them up. Let me just make this clear, the illustrations are phenomenal. This is one of the main reason why I started to draw. Seuss let his mind free and drew as best as he can and not worrying on what people think about it.

9: The Weenie Series  by David Lubar
This book has mini stories inside. Some are horror, some are warped, until it comes to a main chapter, which is the title. There is no way how I can explain it more since it is just short stories into one and different on each book. I love these books because of the short stories. I find them surprising and very interesting, along with the most clever/hateful ending. Sometimes, I wish the chapter never ended.










10: Red Scarf Girl by Ji-li Jiang
     A simple girl who is doing well in school is turned down by the economy and school. Ji-li faces police arresting their family, humiliation at school, and suicide. Jiang Ji-li figures out why and tries to stop it. I love it how the author puts her life story into a well-done book story. It also teaches you how the Cultural Revolution was like in China, which I thought it was pretty cool.









Commented on Nathan's Blog
Commented on Sam's Blog
Commented on Andrew's Blog

All About Me

All About Me!

     Hi! My name is Anthony. I live in Illinois as a job as a 7th Grader. I have 2 sisters and a Mom and a Dad. We get along, most of the times. One of the things I do at home is to draw. I could draw cartoons such as Minions, Spongebob, and more! Of course, it;s not as good as the picture listed below.

     I’ve always wanted to go to London. Not to see Big Ben, it’s an event. Little gamer me wants to go to Minecon at least once. Minecon is similar to Comic-con, but it’s a Minecraft event. 

     I have heard that our generation is being tested in technology, but I don’t think that is true. Although, I am pretty good at making Tech-Like Projects, if I say so myself. I’ve won awards throughout my tech abilities. So, I am pretty good at it.

     That is pretty much me. Of course, there is more, but those are the main things about me.