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This is the eighth grade blog accompanying the website, Step into our classroom by your teacher, Troy White - www.stepintoourclassroom.org. This blog is a resource to help facilitate homework and in-class assignments. I am not alone in blogging, as everyone will be participating in the writing process via your personal blog. Writing is not only an art form, but a means of communication.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Want to learn a lesson the hard way?
THE LESSON
by ROGER McGOUGH
Chaos ruled OK in the classroom
as bravely the teacher walked in
the nooligans ignored him
His voice was lost in the din
‘The theme for today is violence
and homework will be set
I’m going to teach you a lesson
one that you’ll never forget’
He picked on a boy who was shouting
and throttled him then and there
then the girl behind him
(the one with grotty hair)
Then sword in hand he hacked his way
between the chattering rows
‘First come, first severed ’ he declared
‘fingers, feet or toes’
He threw the sword at a latecomer
it struck with deadly aim
then pulling out a shotgun
he continued with his game
The first blast cleared the backrow
(where those who skive hang out)
they collapsed like rubber dinghies
when the plugs pulled out
"Mushrooms" by Silvia Plath
Mushrooms
By Silvia Plath
Overnight, very
Whitely, discreetly,
Very quietly
Our toes, our noses
Take hold on the loam,
Acquire the air.
Nobody sees us,
Stops us, betrays us;
The small grains make room.
Soft fists insist on
Heaving the needles,
The leafy bedding,
Even the paving.
Our hammers, our rams,
Earless and eyeless,
Perfectly voiceless,
Widen the crannies,
Shoulder through holes. We
Diet on water,
On crumbs of shadow,
Bland-mannered, asking
Little or nothing.
So many of us!
So many of us!
We are shelves, we are
Tables, we are meek,
We are edible,
Nudgers and shovers
In spite of ourselves.
Our kind multiplies:
We shall by morning
Inherit the earth.
Our foot's in the door.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Goal!- Kuba
Your Name: Kuba
Title of Book: Goal!
Author: Robert Rigby
Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult
Date of Publication: 2006, 1st of April
Number of Pages: 265
Started (Date you Started to Read): 29 Nov 2011
Finished (Date You Finished Reading): 1 Dec 2011
Book Rating (1-10): 9
Book Review:
Title of Book: Goal!
Author: Robert Rigby
Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult
Date of Publication: 2006, 1st of April
Number of Pages: 265
Started (Date you Started to Read): 29 Nov 2011
Finished (Date You Finished Reading): 1 Dec 2011
Book Rating (1-10): 9
Book Review:
A young mexican called Santiago comes from a poor family that immigrates to Los Angeles. He adores playing football and wants to become a proffesional player. When Santiago plays a game for a local team, Americanitos, Glen Foy, a British scout, spots him and gives him a chance to play in the english Premiership for Newcastle.
Santiago tries his best to get to the team, but it is much tougher in England than in sunny Los Angeles. In addition to that he has sirious asthma issues, that no one except his family knows about. There is no doubt tha Santiago got skill, determination and flair, but does he have enough stanima to play for Newcastle United and make his dreams come true? Find out by reading the book.
The book "Goal!" is based on a movie and I liked both, but I think that the book is a little better. I recommend this book to anyone who likes playing or is interested in football.
Monday, December 5, 2011
A Game of Thrones- A Song of Ice and Fire Book Review- Christina
Image of Book: 
Your Name:Christina
Title of Book: A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire
Author: George R. R. Martin
Genre: Fantasy
Date of Publication: 1996
Number of Pages: 674
Started (Date you Started to Read): November 10 2011
Finished (Date You Finished Reading): November 25 2011
Book Rating (1-10): 8
Book Review:
Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, Warden of the North, and Hand of the King Travels south to the King’s Landing, the Capital of the 7 Kingdoms. He takes his daughters Sansa and Arya with him, as Sansa is betrothed to the King’s eldest son, Jofferey. His middle son, Bran, was supposed to go too, but he fell off the roof of the Keep of Winterfell under mysterious circumstances and thus shattered his legs. Robb, his eldest son, stayed behind to serve as lord of Winterfell with his Father gone. Ned’s wife, Catelyn Tully, stays behind as well to look after her sons. Ned must p
Your Name:Christina
Title of Book: A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire
Author: George R. R. Martin
Genre: Fantasy
Date of Publication: 1996
Number of Pages: 674
Started (Date you Started to Read): November 10 2011
Finished (Date You Finished Reading): November 25 2011
Book Rating (1-10): 8
Book Review:
Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, Warden of the North, and Hand of the King Travels south to the King’s Landing, the Capital of the 7 Kingdoms. He takes his daughters Sansa and Arya with him, as Sansa is betrothed to the King’s eldest son, Jofferey. His middle son, Bran, was supposed to go too, but he fell off the roof of the Keep of Winterfell under mysterious circumstances and thus shattered his legs. Robb, his eldest son, stayed behind to serve as lord of Winterfell with his Father gone. Ned’s wife, Catelyn Tully, stays behind as well to look after her sons. Ned must p
War Horse Book Review
Image of Book:
Your Name: Matt Wojcik
Title of Book: War Horse
Author: Michael Morpurgo
Genre: Historical Fiction
Date of Publication: 1982
Number of Pages: 182
Started (Date you Started to Read): 25/11/11
Finished (Date You Finished Reading): -
Book Rating (1-10): 7.8/10
Book Review:
In War Horse, written by Michael Morpurgo, Joey, a brave horse is separated from his owner Albert ( 15 years old ). Joey is sent to serve as a war horse in the First World War. Albert is determined to find Joey and bring him back to their farm.
Before starting this book, I thought it would be as interesting as I found it to be. It’s an adventure story. What I noticed is that in this book, the most important value is friendship. Friendship drives the story line into a strange feeling of you wanting to constantly turn the page.
This is really one of the first books that I read which take place during the First World War so, the physical features of the book do not really remind me of any novels I have read. Of course there is more than just physical features to it. Friendship and loyalty is what makes the book such an amazing read to experience. Most books are about spies, action and not realistic plots which make the books so bizarre. After a while, fake books become tiring. This is when you pick a more realistic novel, like this one. This novel delivers the pure feeling of adventure!
The book itself is very original and enjoyable. As this is historical fiction, it takes place in an actual war. For me, this book is quite special as it is feasible to read in a few evenings and it has on original plot. This story makes you feel something without having a really cheesy storyline about teen spies and how they destroy evil corporations with futuristic gadgets. Consequently, War Horse feels above all friendly and is surely an awesome read!
The Hunger Games-Oksana:D
Book:
Your Name: Oksana
Title of Book: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: Science Fiction
Date of Publication: September 2008
Number of Pages: 454
Started (Date you Started to Read): 21.11.11
Finished (Date You Finished Reading): 3.11.11
9.5
Book Review:
This book is about the time in the future where there is a show where there is only one survivor in the terrible battles.There are 12 districts involving, the district means like states in present time, but in the future it is going though the scale of the richest district- 1 to the poorest district-12. They choose a boy and a girl from each district from about hundreds of names and they can compete at the hunger games. The competitors can be the ages from 12-18. When Katniss’ sister Primrose was called to be one of the competitors at the hunger games, she and her sister came to the ceremony where they would choose the competitors. Unlucky Primrose got called, and Katniss Everdeen was very worried about her, so she volunteers o distribute her sister. Peeta Mellark was another participant from district 12. In the hunger games, there is only one survivor. Only one.
I see this novel is showing that in the future the people are becoming even more crueler and crueler, and they don’t really pay attention that children from ages 12-18
can die, they only care about winning. I see this connection with the world war II, when Hitler's army was killed at the end of the war, and he was sending out young children to war, so others would surrender even though they are children, but it was war, so the children died, and nobody cared, because it was the hard times, and these children weren’t that rich to not to go to war. But if they had to, they had to, same as the Hunger Games.
The writing is really good, detailed, The elements that i like about this book, is that something you predict about this book, doesn’t happen what you think it is. There are no elements I don’t like about this book, but except the fact that they are children dying and nobody cares, but it is fiction.
Your Name: Oksana
Title of Book: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: Science Fiction
Date of Publication: September 2008
Number of Pages: 454
Started (Date you Started to Read): 21.11.11
Finished (Date You Finished Reading): 3.11.11
9.5Book Review:
This book is about the time in the future where there is a show where there is only one survivor in the terrible battles.There are 12 districts involving, the district means like states in present time, but in the future it is going though the scale of the richest district- 1 to the poorest district-12. They choose a boy and a girl from each district from about hundreds of names and they can compete at the hunger games. The competitors can be the ages from 12-18. When Katniss’ sister Primrose was called to be one of the competitors at the hunger games, she and her sister came to the ceremony where they would choose the competitors. Unlucky Primrose got called, and Katniss Everdeen was very worried about her, so she volunteers o distribute her sister. Peeta Mellark was another participant from district 12. In the hunger games, there is only one survivor. Only one.
I see this novel is showing that in the future the people are becoming even more crueler and crueler, and they don’t really pay attention that children from ages 12-18
can die, they only care about winning. I see this connection with the world war II, when Hitler's army was killed at the end of the war, and he was sending out young children to war, so others would surrender even though they are children, but it was war, so the children died, and nobody cared, because it was the hard times, and these children weren’t that rich to not to go to war. But if they had to, they had to, same as the Hunger Games.
The writing is really good, detailed, The elements that i like about this book, is that something you predict about this book, doesn’t happen what you think it is. There are no elements I don’t like about this book, but except the fact that they are children dying and nobody cares, but it is fiction.
The Hunger Games Book Review- Oleksiy
Your Name: Oleksiy
Title of Book: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: Young-adult, science-fiction
Date of Publication: September, 2008
Title of Book: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: Young-adult, science-fiction
Date of Publication: September, 2008
Title of Book: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: Young-adult, science-fiction
Date of Publication: September, 2008
Number of Pages: 454
Started (Date you Started to Read): 17.11.11
Finished (Date You Finished Reading): 20.11.11
Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: Young-adult, science-fiction
Date of Publication: September, 2008
Number of Pages: 454
Started (Date you Started to Read): 17.11.11
Finished (Date You Finished Reading): 20.11.11
Book Review:
Book Review- “The Hunger Games”’ by Suzanne Collins (finished)
Book Review- “The Hunger Games”’ by Suzanne Collins (finished)
“The Hunger Games” by Susan Collins is a young-adult science fiction novel. The book is told in present tense (first person) through the book’s main protagonist Katniss Everdeen. The author of the book, Suzanne Collins is a famous American novelist, who writes books for young-adult readers. Her father was an American military specialist in the Air Force, who taught Suzanne Collins of different aspects of life in the battlefield. That is probably what made her want to write such a serious novel.
The novel takes place in a nearby future, on the land that was once North America. A country called Panem has 12 districts. The government called ‘The Capitol‘ chooses a boy and a girl from each district, to participate in a terrifying TV show called “The Hunger Games”, where they have to kill each other, until one of them stays alive and wins. Katniss and Peeta are chosen from district 12, and they have to do everything to survive the “Hunger Games”.
The author’s style is informal, since the book is written in first person, through a teenager female Katniss. Because of this, the thinking and the speaking of Katniss in the book sounds like it’s a teenager’s speech and thoughts.
The main themes in the book is death, loss, love and courage. The author constantly uses literary devices, like characterization, word choice, dialogue, imagery, metaphor, etc.
I would definitely recommend this book for reading. Specifically, to teenagers (age 13-17).
Oleksiy 8F
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Nothing But the Truth - Paired Reading
George & Matt
Anton & Anton
Oksana & Chris
Jakub and Oli
Oleksiy & Natasha
Anton & Anton
Oksana & Chris
Jakub and Oli
Oleksiy & Natasha
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