Week 5 comments

I commented on Kaelyn's blog.
https://ksenglish1.blogspot.com/2016/09/100-word-story.html?showComment=1475186063098#c80864374636750674

I commented on Savannah's blog.
http://savannahenglish1.blogspot.com/2016/09/my-best-friend.html

Week 5 Reading Response

In The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, Christopher has just found out very important information about his mother This information includes why his dad was mad at her and if she is really dead. Christopher has also just found some letters from his supposed "mum" that were hidden from him. I like how another mystery was added to the plot before the first mystery was solved. This makes for a better ending because you find out a bunch of truths all at once.

I also like how the author adds in information that is relevant to the story but also not really. For example, Christopher will be explaining something and for the readers to better understand it, he relates it to a different topic like math or science. It helps me better understand what Christopher is talking about and even his personality. Throughout reading these little facts or explanations, I realize how truly intelligent Christopher is. Also, I see how differently his mind works than mine does.

Love at First Bite

When I was in the third grade, my mom checked me out of school on a Friday afternoon. She didn't tell me where we were going, only that we were getting on a plane. Throughout the entire plane ride, I asked her where we were going and why. She finally caved in and told me that we were flying to Oklahoma to meet a friend. My naive, third-grade self believed this was true, so when we got off of the plane I didn't ask any more questions.

My mom drove the rental car to someone's house, who I believed was the friend she told me about. Instead, I walked into the home to find a bunch of lab puppies. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, there was so many! My mom said that one was ours and we were going to take it home. The lady who owned all of these puppies handed me one. Immediately the puppy was biting my fingers, but gently. This puppy was so loving, yet playful. I knew that this was the perfect dog for me. It was love at first bite.

Comments for Week 4

I commented on Sarah's blog.
https://sarahcenglish1.blogspot.com/2016/09/the-selection-americas-personality.html?showComment=1474552808611#c3247730292483566082

I commented on Caroline's blog.
https://caroline-english1.blogspot.com/2016/09/dear-10-year-old.html?showComment=1474552675340

Dear 10 year old

 Dear 10 year old,

Don't copy what others are doing or have because you think it's cool. Take what that person does and make it your own. No one should be exactly like another person. It's okay to have something similar to someone. For example, if you and one of your friends have the same necklace, don't wear it because they have it, wear it because you like it. Also, if someone that you think is cool is acting bratty, don't act like them. It definitely won't make you cool.

Don't try to make yourself any older than you already are. Enjoy what age you are now, because you'll never be that age again. If you act older, you'll never know what it feels like to be young. Also, don't wear makeup until you need to. For example, a dance is a good opportunity for some mascara or lip stick, but not school. No cares what you look like with or without makeup. Why are you trying to impress people?

Q1 Week 4 We Were Liars

In We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, Cadence has just been told the truths about what happened after her accident. She seems to just have learned this information, like the reader. I don't like how the author decides to state the truth instead of slowing developing it, like the rest of the book did. It seemed almost like the author was focused throughout the book, but when the author got to the end, they were just trying to finish the book as fast as possible. The end is the most important part, so it should've been the best described part of the book.

Towards the end of the book, I started to become very confused. A lot of information regarding the truth about the characters was piled into less than a hundred pages. I felt like I didn't have enough time to fully grasp what was going on. There also wasn't much explanation as to what the truth really meant or why it was happening. I really wish the author put more details about what was happening at the end so that I wouldn't still be confused after I finished the book.

Week 3 Comments

I commented on Sarah Collier's blog.
https://sarahcenglish1.blogspot.com/2016/09/911.html

I commented on Jack Campbell's blog.
https://jackcenglish1blog.blogspot.com/2016/09/reading-response-to-firm.html

Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina was a very powerful hurricane that affected tons of innocent lives in New Orleans and the Gulf Shores area. History's article, Hurricane Katrina, says that the hurricane started in the Bahamas on August 23, 2005. It finally made it to New Orleans 5 days later. New Orleans wasn't supposed to get a lot of flooding because of the levees, but Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne didn't hold back. This lead to the horrible flooding of most of New Orleans.

People in New Orleans were not expecting this and were definitely not prepared, says History's article, Hurricane Katrina. Most people had to be evacuated from their homes and most people lost everything. This is like the events that took place just a couple of weeks ago in Louisiana, but less traumatic. No one was prepared for this, not even the government, but everyone was willing to help out. Everyone that was affected ran out of food and water, had to find shelter on roofs or even the super dome, and some people resulted to stealing. This article says that 30% of New Orlean's population was in poverty before, it only got way worse after.

http://www.history.com/topics/hurricane-katrina

Q1 Week 3 We Were Liars

Where I left off in We Were Liars, Cadence has come back to the island and is learning some of the truths in her family. She is just now starting to see there a bigger problems in her family. I really like how there is a lot of mystery happening right now in the book. When you're reading it, you are eagerly waiting to see what the truth is. The author really draws you in by adding new things to question about the Sin-Clairs often.

I also like how you start to catch the real personalities of the characters through out the book. For example, throughout the book, you find out that Gat has a lot of things to question about himself too. You wonder, does Gat love Cadence or does he actually have a girlfriend back home? The author also pulls you in by making some of the characters know something about one character that you and that character don't know. For example, all of the relatives know something about Cadence's accident that she doesn't remember. Will we ever find out what that is?

Comments for 9/1/16 and 9/8/16

9/1/16
I commented on Kaelyn and Sarah's blogs.
https://ksenglish1.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-selection-this-novel-girl-named.html

http://sarahcenglish1.blogspot.com/2016/08/free-post-aunts-birthday.html

9/8/16
I commented on Kaelyn and Danny's blogs.

https://ksenglish1.blogspot.com/2016/09/friends.html?showComment=1473168974929#c2719933818666290687

https://english1danny.blogspot.com/2016/09/this-weekend.html?showComment=1473169163697#c2815457325334759290

Long Distance Call

My dad went on a three week long trip to Africa to hunt. Sometimes we don't get to call him for a couple days. Two days ago we got a call from him and it was really surprising and great. He hadn't been able to call for a whole three days so I had lots of things to tell him. My mom, brother, and I were all sitting in the living room watching tv and all of a sudden we heard my mom's phone ring and an unknown caller was on the screen. We knew it was my dad.

We put him on speaker and gathered around the phone eagerly. We missed him so much that just a couple minutes of calling him made us all very happy. As the conversation came to an end after just 3 or 4 minutes, we felt satisfied. We said everything we needed to say quickly so there was room for laughs. Talking to someone for just a couple of minutes makes a huge difference.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart 9/6/16 post

I have noticed a lot of interesting things while reading We Were Liars by E. Lockhart including the way the author writes. The author seems to over exaggerate events that happen by a mile. For example, when Cadence's father leaves her and her mother, Cadence says that he pulled out a gun and shot her in the chest. She was not actually shot, she was just feeling overwhelmingly hurt by her disloyal father. The author also said that after Cadence was shot, her heart fell into the garden. This is obviously not true because she continues to live after this event without any physical injuries.

I have noticed in We Were Liars, that a lot of tragic and hurtful things are happening to Cadence but she doesn't show that it's bothering her. Her family doesn't see any pain in her either. This bothers me because I share everything with my family and friends, and she should too. When I read this book, I continuously wonder why she isn't sharing anything with her family about how she is feeling. Would the family not care? Or would the family not understand?

I commented on Sarah Collier's blog post.
http://sarahcenglish1.blogspot.com/2016/08/free-post-aunts-birthday.html

I commented on Kaelyn Smith's blog post.
http://ksenglish1.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-selection-this-novel-girl-named.html