I Survived - The Shark Attacks of 1916 (10/27/14)

I Survived - the Shark Attacks of 1916

By: Lauren Tarshis

Writing Prompt:  Describe the setting – when and where what you are reading takes place

May Contain Spoilers

The shark attacks of 1916 took place in 1916 in Elm Hills, New Jersey. This takes place at a beach very close to Elm Hills. A shark goes to the beach and swims there. The only thing is, the shark doesn't only swim there... he feasts there. This shocking news has gotten the whole city talking about these shark attacks and the shark in general. Stay away from Matawan Creek

This story is about a boy named Chet coming face-to-face with a bloodthirsty shark. He's very daring just to go to the beach when he knows there has been a recent shark attack there. Chet will have to face some consequences because of his actions. These actions were very poor actions and shouldn't have made that decision. Chet had a choice though, he didn't have to go down there. 

Chet made a very poor decision. He may be the new popular one, but was it worth it. Was it really worth it to go down there and get his leg hurt (I'm not going to what happens to his leg). He's on crutches now. He would be considered as disabled now. For what cause??? Now he can't do as many things as other people can. But the only thing he can do is heal and try.

Find Out What Happens to Chet Reading:

I Survived - The Shark Attacks of 1916

Between a Rock and A Hard Place Part 2 (10/20/14)

Prompt: List at least three problems the characters faced? Which was the most life
changing? Explain

Pages Read: 351 (all)

Book: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Warning: May Contain Spoilers

     Today, I've finished the book, "Between a Rock and a Hard Place." This book is about how a man named Aron Ralston went hiking in a Canyon in Utah. He didn't tell anyone where he was going, or what he was doing. He faced three major problems in this story. That's what I'm going to be telling you about.

     Aron Ralston (the author and the character in the story) went on a hiking trip in Utah and fell into a canyon. When he was grappling down the canyon, an 800 pound boulder fell on his arm (problem 1). He was trapped down there. He tried to chip away parts of the boulder to free his arm with a knife, but he eventually dropped the knife (problem 2). Now, this is a true story, and everyone need food and water to survive. Aron had a water container, but then dropped it (problem 3). He was stuck down in that canyon for 127 Hours. He eventually, had to get out. So he decided to cut his arm off.

    Today, Aron has a pickaxe for an arm (since he doesn't have an arm anymore) and went to climb many mountains and overcame his fear of ever hiking again. This story is very inspirational because it shows how he has the perseverance and determination to get out of the canyon. He also overcame his fear of ever hiking again. Aron and many other people can learn something from this book, and most likely have learned something from this book. BE CAREFUL!!!

The Lady or the Tiger? (10/20/14)

"The Lady... or the Tiger?"

Blog by: Sonny S.

Story by: Frank Stockton

In this blog, I will be sharing what I think the ending should be to "The Lady or the Tiger?" This short story originally takes place in 3rd person... but I will be changing it into 1st person... just for the extra suspense.

    Every single heart in the amphitheater completely stopped beating... every breathe was held. I didn't know which door to choose. I honestly don't even know why I'm here, but I'm here. I bet it was that beautiful princess. But that king brought me here... WAIT! That's why... he caught me looking at that princess. Ugh, I don't know which door to choose. 

    I was walking along the streets in my olden times, and seen a beautiful young lady. She seemed like she was very nice. So I was there, just glancing at her from the corner of my eye. It was at that moment when I saw the King, I was assuming it was her father based on their interactions. So that was the princess I was staring at, I was lingering around her. I think he noticed me... and maybe that's why I'm here.

     So I look back at her and her father. I don't know what door to choose! I know there is a lady, and a tiger. So which door should I choose? I go to the door on the left, and open it... but the right door opens? It's pitch black behind the door, and can't see in. I can't hear anything either. I see a lady coming out. I was really confused. Then I realized... I should've died. But then, the princess sees me with a very viscous look. I see her giving a command to her guards, then she points at me... and then, I feel sick.

    I go along with my day. I'm now getting married. I look at the crowd attending to this occasion. She thought this contingency would never ever happen. She thought that her immense tiger would come out of that door, and relentlessly kill me. No mercy at all! I knew this, I seen it in her eyes. But I also didn't just see it in her eyes... I seen her at my wedding! I sprang up from my knees, and I immediately made a run for it. The king made his decision to kill my future wife, my lover. There was only one way to stop him... and that was at her execution.

I'm at my lovers (the maiden) execution. I have a best friend named Arno. He is a master assassin. My plan is to turn this party around. Arno already lives where this execution is taking place... it is in Paris. So I travel to Paris. It takes place right in front of Notre Dame de Paris. Arno takes on more than around 10 guards at once. He starts this right away. He successfully kills the king... the princess is placed in jail... and me, well... I'm now the King of Rome, and Arno is my knight... and my lover, she's my queen.

1st Quater Reflections (10/13/14)

1st Quarter Reflection

By: Sonny S.

10/17/14

          Today is Friday the 17th, and it is the last day of the quarter. My school has pushed their limits to the actual limit. We are always so concentrated in class, but I'm okay with it. So anyways, I'm super excited because today is Friday, and I get to go home for the weekend. But I will miss 1st quarter because the quarters went by super fast. But we did learn a lot. Here are some things that I learned in my Lit. Studies Class.

Article of the Week (AoW)

          In my Lit. Class, I've learned how to annotate and proof read. Annotating is a huge part of one of my skills. If you can annotate, you're going to know where all the important parts of the story you read are. This can impact your life enormously! You can use this reading newspapers... all kinds of stuff like that. So now you can know what to do in case something involving that newspaper story pops up!

Top 10 Book List Challenge (10/13/14)

1) The Call of the Wild by Jack London

   The Call of the Wild is my favorite book because of the word choice and because the book also has a mixture of my favorite genres. The word choice helps you imagine the scenes that are happening in the book. This book deals with action, and adventure. The book also deals with survival skills since it takes place in the Arctic. This book changed me so much because of the hard times people can put animals through. I hate the fact that humans don't understand what they can put dogs though. I love the fact that dogs will not give up no matter what nature turns their way.

2) White Fang by Jack London
   White Fang is a really great book because of the the amount of skill you need to survive and live. These wolves need to grow and thrive.  These wolves need to learn to love. And this taught me that any animal can be family. This has also taught me that all animals have a life. People should treat animals with respect, and stop fearing them.

3) Pinocchio by C. Collodi
   Pinocchio is a really great book because of the way Pinocchio tries so hard to become a real boy. I love the characters he meets, and I love the fact that he doesn't give up. He really and truly wants to become a real boy.



4) Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
   Treasure Island is an exciting book because of the action the book has. This book will also put you through a bit of suspense, and thats what I like about this book. You really can't predict what can happen, and what can go horribly wrong.



5) Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
   Oliver Twist is a book where you will be cheering, and standing up on your feet, hoping for something. You will be very anxious to read the next page sometimes. This book has some awesome pros, but some majorly bad cons. This is what I like about the book.



6) Moby Dick by Herman Melville
   Everyone knows the story of Moby Dick, but I don't think you'll know this one. This story is a great story of how a man wants to take down a giant whale named Moby Dick. Moby Dick stole his leg, and now he has a peg. I like how the old man tries his hardest to get what he deserves.

7) Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
   Black Beauty is a black beauty. This horse is awesome because of the life she's been through, and how well she is. She has awesome behavior and is has manners. Like, a horse has awesome manners!  






8) The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
   The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are very fascinating. I like how he is always curios. But, Finn is a poor boy. His imagination is too big for reality. Not until he was adopted. He can make those imaginations come true if he works hard enough. That's what I like about this book, how you can make an imagination come true, if you do something in return. 




9) The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
   Tom is a mischievous character with a wild imagination. Tom is a trouble-maker and one of the first mistakes he made, he had to paint a fence. I like how this book is realistic with consequences. 





10) The Cay by Theodore Taylor
   The Cay is an amazing book on how a boy (Phillip) is lost at sea, and is rescued by a black man named Timothy. Phillip (the boy) wasn't raised around black men. So he thought it was kinda strange. Timothy also has a cat named Stew. The 3 of them are on a raft sailing to a cay. But, then, Phillip goes blind. 

127 Hours - Characterization (10/14/14)

127 Hours (Characterization)

by: Aron Ralston
blog by: Sonny S.

Aron Ralston shows who he is by mostly his word choice. He also shows who he is by what his hobbies are, and what he likes to do. He can be smart, and he could also be... well, not so wise. But that's not why I'm typing this blog. It's not to debate on if he is wise or not, it's to show you what it's like to see characterization.

There are two parts of characterization. There is direct characterization, and there is indirect characterization. I will explain these now. Direct characterization is when the author of the story directly states that this person is like or likes... whatever. Indirect characterization is when the author tries to hide what the person looks like or how they act. They do this by using speeches or other kinds or actions.

In the book, "127 Hours," Aron Ralston introduces himself by using mostly indirect characterization. But the book itself gives one of his hobbies away. Aron shows his hobbies directly, but himself is indirectly. The book is has another name which is, "Between a Rock and a Hard Place." The illustration on the cover also gives away that same hobby I was talking about... but I haven't told you what it was. He likes to explore the world, or... climb the world I should say. He likes to all kinds of climbing, rock climbing, mountain climbing. This book takes place in Utah where the Canyonlands are. He goes rock climbing. He climbs down into a mountain. So that is one of his hobbies. But he will never explore the world the same when something happens. Read the book, "Between a Rock and a Hard Place" to find out what happens to Aron himself.

127 Hours (10/14/14)

This May Or May Not Spoil the Book "127 Hours"

"127 Hours"

by: Aron Ralston
blog by: Sonny S.

On page 179

          127 hours is a book about a man who goes hiking. A man named Aron Ralston (also the author of this book) went on a hiking trip without anyone knowing where he was going. He was going to go hiking at the bottom of a canyon at Utah in the canyon-lands. His goal was to explore the bottom of a canyon in Utah. Also, Aron has decided to grapple down the canyon.

Aron lost his arm by having to cut it off while on this trip. He was trapped for 127 hours before he had to do something with his arm. Aron had to get a pickaxe for an arm and climbed many mountains. But this one was his problem. He needed the pickaxe because he was stuck, and now he has it.

So I think Aron made a very poor decision because he didn't tell anyone where he was going when anything can happen. Something did happen that day. Unfortunately an 800-pound boulder fell on Aron's arm. He eventually had to chip the boulder away and get out... but how. If you want to find out what he did... read the book, "Between a Rock and a Hard Place" or you can watch the documentary, "127 Hours."

          

          

Aron Ralston (9/29/14)

Spoiler Alert!

In the book, “‘Between a Rock and a Hard Place”, Aron Ralston shows how he fell into a canyon which causes a problem for him and explains what e had to do to survive. This book discusses that Aron Ralston himself fell into a canyon in Utah and a 800-pound boulder became loose and fell onto Aron's arm. In fact, Aron has a pickaxe for a hand still to this day because he had to cut his own arm off. Aron survived after 127 hours, which is how long he was in the canyon. Now, there is a documentary called, "127 Hours"  that people can watch about Aron.