Investigative Journalism - Deportation

            Deportation is a very serious matter, it can take any family member/friend away from you and you won’t be able to see them unless you cross into their country.    Deportation is an ancient practice, one of the earliest stories of deportation was about Khosrau I, Sassanid King of Persia, he deported 292,000 citizens, slaves, and conquered people to the new city of Ctesiphon in 542 C.E.  All countries around the world reserve the right to deport people without right of abode, even those citizens  who are longtime residents and/or have permanent residency.

            An example about deportation is from Donald Trump, he said this when he was interviewed about criminal illegal immigrants, “What we are going to do is get the people that are criminal and have criminal records, gang members, drug dealers, where a lot of these people, probably 2 million, it could be even 3 million, we are getting them out of our country or we are going to incarcerate”.  This quote helps because it gives his point of view of what Donald Trump thinks about those criminal immigrants, deportation is happening everywhere but mostly in the United States with president-elect Trump wanting to deport all of the gang bangers and criminals.

            Sergio Martinez an immigrant from Mexico says this when he thinks of Trump becoming the presidential the United States, “I still cannot believe it. Sometimes, I'm like, 'No, there's no way.' Just waiting for something. But no, it's real.”  Sergio Martinez has a temporary permission to stay and work in the U.S. under a program for children of undocumented immigrants, but Sergio fears that he could be deported under the presidency of Donald Trump.  This quote gives the reader information that most undocumented immigrants are fearing for their lives with Donald Trump becoming president, they don't want to be deported to their country and be far from family and friends

Nonfiction Reader Response

1) Lately I've been this book called Sammy Sosa by Arlene Molzahn.  This book is a biography of the well known baseball player Sammy Sosa.  This book gives a brief history of Sammy's career, Sammy Sosa grew up in a small town in the Dominican Republic and found the sport of baseball through a wealthy man that came to the Dominican Republic to build a factory and sell shoes.  Sammy was on many teams such as the Texas Ranger, the Chicago White Sox, and most famously; the Chicago Cubs.  Sammy Sosa had a wonderful career and was adored by many baseball fans around the world.

2) "Sammy had another slow start in 1998. But he soon recovered.  Sammy hit 20 home runs during the month of June.  This number was a record for the most home runs in one month". I find this passage very interesting because it's gives the reader a idea on how good of a baseball player Sammy Sosa was and why he was loved by many fans around the world.

3) Some things that I learned while reading Sammy Sosa by Arlene Molzahn was when Sammy was on the Texas Rangers, I've already known that Sammy was on the Chicago White Sox then later trade to the Chicago Cubs but I've never known that Sammy once played for the Texas Rangers.  Another thing I've learned and I'll never forget is that Sammy scored a record of 20 home runs in one month, that's impressive.  One last thing I've learned is that Sammy wasn't introduced to baseball until one random man taught Sammy and saw potential in Sammy, Sammy then grew up to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame!

Thanksgiving Gratitude Blog

One thing I'm very thankful for is my family.  Many children and adults don't have family to comfort them, and I'm very lucky to have one.  Having a family helps me so much with issues and other stuff. Children around the world don't get to have the feeling of love and comfort by their family, so I'm very thankful for that.  Another thing I'm grateful for is my house, I get the feeling of safety.  Many people around the world don't to live in a house and feel safety,  these people are living on the streets, and under bridges.

Another thing I'm thankful for is an education because many children around the world don't have enough money to pay to go to school.  School isn't a given, some people are killed for wanting a tuition, just like Malala Yousefzai.  Something else I'm grateful for is food on my plate everyday, many people starve all around the world every day.  I get to eat everyday because of my parents and I take it for granted but now I see that many children are malnourished, wanting to eat a meal so they don't pass away.

Peer's Important Article Review

I've learned so much from our gallery walk with my peers telling me about articles such as New Zealand and how they had a earth quake that killed a total of 2 people. This earth quake cost the country a lot of money to be able to rebuild.  OR when I learned about how guns make you more dangerous, you are twice as likely to kill someone rather than someone without a gun.  I learned about how some of Trump's supporters are making racial slurs to other people of color, Trump wants them to stop because this can lead to bullying and I don't think Trump wants more bullying.

I've also learned many other things such as how insects get into your home, and how it's bad for your health.  I learned how kids in South Africa and South Asia, and how they're being affected by the air pollution.  Schools are being built right next to these factories so that means 600,000 kids die of air pollution every year.  

Presidential Election Reflection

Some of you will be voting for the next election are you excited? why or why not?

Im not that excited because I'm not voting because I'm going to barely be 17 years old.  I won't be voting next election so I'll just watch and hope for the best.

“The Chicago Cubs head to the World Series!”

The curse of the billy goat is broken!  The Chicago Cubs are heading to the World Series for the first time in 71 years.  Just like how the famous Harry Caray once said “Someday, the Chicago Cubs are going to be in the World Series”.  If the Cubs win the Worlvd Series, it’ll be their third title, tying with the White Sox (city rivalry).  This “curse” began with the mayor of Michigan, he came to Cubs game with his pet goat.  Evidently Wrigley security guards denied to let them in so the mayor supposedly put a curse on the Cubs.  Cubs fans really want this W (win), so they could have their third World Series title lots of fans actually died waiting to see.  The Cubs are going to play the Cleveland Indians, and Game 1 is on October 25th, 7:00 P.M

Revision of 1st quarter of 8th Grade

For the first couple of days in 8th grade, I think I was doing alright, but since we started getting homework.  I’ve been on a very bad slump, I need to start doing my homework if I want to have the successful life I’ve always wanted.  The homework stresses me out sometimes because back then in other grades they were barely any homework, I get why there's so much homework and it’s to get us ready for high school because we’re not that far from high school homework.

At the end of the quarter, I think I left a slightly poor effort.  I know this is not my best so for the 2nd quarter, I’ll do my best on completing homework and studying more to get the grades to start my way onto high school.  One way I can start improving is that I can have a 30 minute break when I get home, get a snack, then start to do my homework in my living room, by myself.

I think I've did good on my blogs lately, we're barely started the year so I think I'm doing good for what I'm at right now.  One strategy that help me was the 5w’s, it helps you to make sure you give information so the reader isn't confused.  My writing has progressed a lot, Mrs. Larson really cares about how you're doing and requires her students to try their best, I know I did better than last year.  My goals for the next three quarters is too improve my work and help my vocabulary so I can be smart as I can.

The Giver Book Essay

(Part 1) While reading the book The Giver by Lois Lowry, I've found some events to compare from the book to the film such as when  Jonas was selected in the ceremony of 12 to be the next “Receiver of Memory”. Ive managed to find this quote “We failed in our last selection,' The Chief Elder said, solemnly. 'It was ten years ago', when Jonas was just a toddler”, this quote helps compare the book and film because the film also had a ceremony and a speech.  Another event I found to contrast while watching the film was when Jonas took away Gabriel so they wouldn't kill him. This quote helps to picture the moment “Things could change, Gabe. Things could be different. I don't know how, but there must be some way for things to be different. There could be colors.  And grandparents. And everybody would have memories. You know about memories”, I can contrast from the film and the book because in the book, Gabriel is staying in their dwelling but in the movie Gabriel is in the nurturing center.

(Part 2) From reading The Giver by Lois Lowry, I've seen how the ending of the books is portrayed in the film.  The ending of the book is very detailed and you picture almost every moment but I felt that in the film, it was rushed.  This quote might help picture the moment “For the first time, he heard something that he knew to be music. He heard people singing. Behind him, across vast distances of space and time, from the place he had left, he thought he heard music too. But perhaps, it was only an echo”. This quote gives the reader a picture to see that moment at the end of the book, the book ending was better because of all of the detail. Another way I found that the book ending is portrayed in the film is when they were talking about Rosemary “You suggested, Jonas, that perhaps she wasn't brave enough? I don't know about bravery: what it is, what it means. I do know that I sat here numb with horror. Wretched with helplessness. And I listened as Rosemary told them that she would prefer to inject herself”, this moment is portrayed very well in the film because they do have some sort of a “memory” about Rosemary with those memories that made her release herself.

(Part 3) I think the film made me understand more about the ending of the story because I got to visually see what happened.  The film also gave a bigger impact because you could actually hear them speak so you can hear their emotions more, the film is a better understanding for the ending of the story.

Theme and how Jonas is a Dynamic character

From reading the book The Giver by Lois Lowry, I’ve concluded the Jonas (main character) is very dynamic.  For one way I can show Jonas’s relationship between pain and pleasure is when “The sound of Jonas’s shuddering breaths.  He was struggling not to cry” This quote shows how Jonas.  Changed from being very shy and quiet in the beginning of the book now, where he's very talkative and shows emotions and feelings. Another reason that shows how dynamic Jonas is when this happened "now he understood the joy of being an individual,special and unique and proud", this quote shows how Jonas has changed when he was given his job.  Because before he felt like the same as other people with no differences.

While reading the book The Giver by Lois Lowry, the theme turns out to be “Relationship between pain and pleasure” because Jonas can show emotions like this quote “Overwhelmed by pain, he lay there in the fearsome stench for hours”, this quote shows how Jonas can be very emotional.  Jonas can show true emotions because of the memories that The Giver gave to him, this is why I feel that the theme is “Relationship between pain and pleasure”. Another way the theme is "

Signposts for "The Giver"

Tough questions

Why is it rude to give compliments in a perfect world? Pg. 20

Guiding Question: What does this question make me wonder about?

While reading The Giver by Lois Lowry, I've been asking a lot of questions like Why is it rude to give compliments? In chapter 3, Lily complimented the newchild and Jonas wanted Lily to be chastised, this is what happened, "Isn't he cute? ... He didn't like it that she had mentioned his eyes. He waited for his father to chastise Lily".  This quote makes me think about how this world isn't that perfect, if this was a "perfect world" you should be able to give compliments and not be chastised. This relates on the part when Lily gives the compliment and after that, Jonas waits for his father to chastise Lily.  This quote makes me also think that Lily is just trying to be nice while everyone else in the community is being different.  I mean different as in being quiet or not being respectful/considerate.


Memory Moment

Chief Elder recalls on a the failure 10 years ago. Pg.61

Guiding Question: Why might this memory be important?

While reading The Giver by Lois Lowry, There has been memories like When The Cheif Elder recalls on the failure 10 years ago. In chapter 8 The Cheif Elder recalls on the failure, this memory is important to the reader because they need to know what happened to the failure that happened 10 years so then we can know how Jonas became the new "Receiver of Memory".  This is what happened, "We failed in our last selection,' The Cheif Elder said, solemnly. 'It was ten years ago', when Jonas was just a toddler", this quote makes me think about how the failure was so important to the elders that they didn't want another one to occur with Jonas so they took some time thinking of who to pick to be the next "Receiver of Memory".

Welcome to My Blog! - First Blog

Welcome to my blog! I'm in the 8th grade.

In my free time I play video games with my friends.  I want to be an astronaut one day or be able to study space, I like space because there's so much we haven't discovered yet.

Astronaut is space