Category: Reading

Capstone #2

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I am now finished with my Capstone interview, which means I am 1/3 done with the Capstone era. I thought of interviewing a few people who specialized in or studied sunsets/sunrises and weather, and soon enough I chose someone who worked at a University, plus they wrote an article I liked.

The first part of the interview process was finding a person and setting it up. After I chose the expert, which was someone named Stephen Cordfidi, I asked Ms. Boyer to email them, requesting the interview. My email looked something like this:

Hello, my name is Jane, and I am a 5th grader at Heathcote Elementary school in Scarsdale, NY. 

I have a simple request. In school, I am studying for a very important project before Middle School. My topic is Sunsets & Sunrises. I wanted to ask if I could possibly interview you for my project? Interviewing someone will help me get the best information for my presentation. 

I understand if you might be busy, -this isn’t a forceful message- though I would appreciate it if we can plan something in an email, phone call, or zoom. 

Thank you, Jane 

After two days, I was excited to find out that they had responded to the email Ms. Boyer sent. We then needed to plan a day to do the interview, which was a struggle.

It was on a Monday that I received their response to the email, and on the following Wednesday, I would have surgery and probably wouldn’t be in school until the next Monday, which was the day Interviewing was due. I was planning on doing my interview the next Monday, (sadly) but thankfully it was changed to the next day, (Tuesday) after that!

Another thing you need to do before an interview is write down interview questions. I had already written mine with my research, though I looked over it to make sure they were good questions. Writing the questions was my favorite part because I had many in mind.

My least favorite part was writing down notes while I was doing the interview. Since Mr. Cordfidi was an advanced expert, he answered the questions in a bit of a confusing, or should I say more advanced way, so it was hard to write down. Also, he spoke really fast and I didn’t have time to get through all the details. I still liked interviewing him though, it helped me get more information about my topic in an ‘advanced’ way.

Keep you posted,

Jane

Capstone #1

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In school, I’m starting a very important project called Capstone, which every 5th Grader in the whole direct has done every year, since 2016. Capstone is a project where you get to choose any topic and research and take notes about it. You also have to interview a person that has to do with your topic -like a professor or someone who specializes in your topic.- Then you gather your information and make a presentation. I feel nervous about doing this project because it is the biggest and most important project before Middle School.

Anyway, for my topic, I chose sunsets and sunrises. I chose this topic because I really am interested in sunsets and sunrises, and I want to know how they are made. At first, when I chose this topic, I thought there weren’t going to be any good resources, but it turns out there is much more than I needed.

After you chose a topic you have to think of a keyword question for your topic and start research in a digital notebook. My question is, “What is the science behind sunsets and sunrises? How do they work?” because I really wanted to know how they work. After I made a digital notebook and wrote down notes from the resources.

I also thought it wasn’t too hard to brainstorm a few sub-questions because I already knew what I was going for. But something that was challenging was finding specific answers from websites, for my sub-questions, because most of the articles were about the same thing.

I am still working on finding someone to interview, but I already found some choices. The way I found someone to interview was, that I found professors or people who are experts in my topic, and I found their email, website, or social media. I found someone from NOAA and wrote an introduction, -which is a request email to interview the person.-

 

Refugee Response Q&A

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Why is Walleed not scared? Why does he not get super frustrated? Does it seem like he doesn’t care?

I think Walleed acts like he isn’t scared because he is probably in shock, and overwhelmed by everything. His family’s apartment was hit by a missile, there were many bombs, they were being shot from their car, and had to walk so many hours. He usually doesn’t get super frustrated when bad things happen because for a long time so many tragic things have happened it probably sucked all the emotion and hope out of him. He probably does care on the inside but he doesn’t want to show emotions. It is very hard for young kids like him to go through all this, it must be hard for him.

I wonder how all of these kids get the confidence to do things, and how they get so brave?

I think how they get that confidence is because they are going through so many serious and life-changing things they need their confidence and hope to keep going. Josef was so desperate to get off the boat to Cuba, that he had the confidence and bravery to slap his dad. Isabel was also very brave to jump off the boat to save a person because her grandmother had died drowning. Mahmoud was brave and confident enough to go from being completely invisible to stay alive to being the opposite of invisible to try and save himself and his family. They are very brave because either way again, they have to experience war and bombs and being close to death, which is how it already makes them even braver. 

Comparing Smoky Night and Fly Away Home

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Similarities:

One similarity that was in both Smoky Night and Fly Away Home that really stood out to me, was that they both had envolved animals that symbolized hope, and important life messages and lessons. What I mean by this is in Fly Away Home, the bird gave Andrew hope for a better future and a home, because he lived in an Airport and didn’t have a home, and things weren’t going well for him. And so the bird showed him a mirror of hope because it was like his situation when the bird was trapped and then finally got freed.  It reflects on his situation like someday a door will open for an oppertunity. Andrew thinks that one day he will get an apartment and a better life situation.

In Smoky Night the two cats becoming friends turned into a friendship for not just the cats but people. It also changes the prespective on people, because at first Daniel’s family and the Kim’s weren’t friends, and neither were the cats. Each family hated one another, but after the cats came together in the fire, the two families got to know eachother and started becoming friends. This shows a message that you should not judge someone when you don’t know them.

I think that means a lot because both of the stories had to do with huge life faces and problems, and this type of effect put into the story is a good symbolization of hope and reflects onto messages and friendship.

Differences:

Each Story also has a big difference. In the start, I noticed that each the stories ended very differently. What I mean by this is that, in Smoky Night there was a riot and a fire, but then at the ending of the story it had a happy ending where the two families became friends.

But on the other hand, Fly Away Home had a deeper and not as happy ending. It wasn’t exactly a happy ending, because he was still doing badly in the Airport, but it also was like a cliff hanger to a new oppertunity. I think this because in the story, it showed how the bills were to high to own an apartment, and Andrew was jealous of other people who had homes, but one thing struck me when I looked at the ending. Andrew says: “Sometimes I just want to cry. I think Dad and I will be here forever,”-“Then I remember the bird. It took a while, but a door opened, and when the bird left, it flew free, I know it was singing.” This means a lot, because it was almost like a bad ending, but that part at the end was like Andrew remembering hope, and the bird, and someday he will find a better home and a door will open.

We The People – Stronger- Response

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The name of this song is called Stronger, by the Netflix series, We The People. This song was made by Janelle Monae. By just looking at the name of this song I can already tell it has an important meaning. Here are the lyrics:

Most of my friends want a little peace
Some of my friends want a little solace
Even when we struggle and we get kicked down
We pick each other up with a little polish
All of my friends want a legacy
Don’t wanna be left out
Every time you think we get a little weak
We get a little bit stronger
Ah, we the people, we the people
The people getting stronger
Ah, we the people, we the people
The people getting stronger
Ah, we the people
The people getting stronger
Every time you think we get a little weak
We get a little bit stronger
Some of my friends taught me how to dream
Some of my friends taught me how to fight
Even those times when we don’t agree
We know we all tryna slay the same giant
We don’t want the life without the liberty
Not gonna be left out
Every time you think you got the best of me
We get a little bit stronger
Ah, we the people, we the people (ooh, ooh)
We get a little stronger
Ah, we the people, we the people (my people)
(The people) we get stronger
Ah, we the people (stronger)
I feel stronger
Every time you think we get a little weak
We get a little bit stronger
Now they cast their votes ’cause the people wanna speak
And they check and they balance ’cause the people wanna eat
Want they due process ’cause they seek equality
And we pay for the rules, so the people in the streets
And they love America, where the people wanna be
And they all know their rights from the sea to shining sea
From the states to the ghettos, yeah, the people gonna see
That the people hold the power and together we’re a little bit stronger
Ah, we the people, we the people
We get a little stronger
Ah, we the people, my people getting
We’re stronger
Ah, we the people
The people getting stronger
Every time you think we get a little weak
We turn around and get a little bit stronger
Ah, we the people, we the people (stronger)
The people getting stronger (stronger, stronger)
Ah, we the people, we the people (you can’t, you can’t hold me baby)
The people getting stronger
Ah, we the people (stronger, stronger)
The people getting stronger (oh)
Every time you think we get a little weak
We don’t want the life without the liberty, oh
We don’t want the life without the liberty
——————————————————————————————————————–
I think this song has a deep meaning to me. From listening and watching the video I think it is about how some people don’t have the same rights as others, and they are trying to say that whenever other people are unfair and don’t treat everyone nicely, the message is saying, “Every time you think we get a little weak, we turn around and get a little bit stronger.”
This means a lot and shows how those people who don’t have the same rights as many like people who are Asian, or black, or African, or practice a different religion are being determined and strong. I think the lyrics relates to our study in government because it is about Liberty and freedom, and fairness and this song relates to all of this and shows how people are determined to earn their independence and rights.
When I read the lyrics again it gives me butterflies. I just really love this song. And it makes me feel good because I want everyone to feel good about themselves and be strong and proud, and I also want to make everything equal for everyone.
I think the artist Janelle is trying to say that she isn’t going to give up and let other people let her down. I feel that she is trying to say in the lyrics that the people are getting stronger. Lastly, I think that in general, this gives a bold message. I noticed in the lyrics it said “You can’t hold me baby.” I think that means she is trying to say that people can’t keep her held and unequal to others, the people are going to break free.
In conclusion, I hope this song, lyrics, series, and message spread around the world because it is absolutely wonderful.

 

Personal Narrative Reflection – The View From The Top

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Question 1: What writing techniques/strategies did you use most effectively in this piece? Provide at least two examples from your narrative.

I feel like I used a lot of detail, and a strategy for that was I used good dialogue with actions and I also described things very detailed. An example for this is in the text I described what the mountains looked like by saying, “It looked as if the farthest mountains were dipped in forest green paint and smudged to make a tree-looking texture.”

An example of dialogue was when I said, “I am not!” I think that it would have been different if I just put, “I am not!” But since I put, “I am not!” It made the tone sound different. Then I put actions at the end of when I said something, to make the reader able to imagine the scene. For example, it says in the texts: ““I…Don’t want to go first either.” I shook my head, grabbing onto the wood railings of the platform.” After a character states something, I put their action afterwards so you can imagine what’s happening while reading. 

Question 2: What are some areas in your writing that you still want to improve?

To be honest I would like the improve the ending when I go on the zipline because it just doesn’t sound right to me. I like it, and It’s not that it is bad, or wrong, it just feels too descriptive and long but it is a good ending. I don’t know, sometimes I just get the feeling it is just, ‘too much.’

I like my story a lot in general, but I feel sometimes it’s just too much. I also have another ending that I really like but I decided to choose a different one, but it’s hard to choose which one I like better so I stuck with this one.

Question 3: What is something you are most proud of in this piece?

I am most proud of how I remembered and wrote the story so well it ended up feeling like yesterday after I wrote it!

It took a while to get the final piece, and it also took a lot of remembering to do because the story was a bit ago, though I did remember a lot. Mainly I like my story so much because it was very realistic and detailed. And for the process of getting it so descriptive, I had to remember a lot of the details to make the story as great as I can get it.

 

 

Wild Born – Book Ideas

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I think that in the book Wild Born, Conor and Abeke are very attached to their spirit animals. I think this because, for example in the text, it shows how Conor and his wolf Briggan always play together, and are very social with each other, unlike Rollan and Meilin, because their spirit animals aren’t that close to them. Conor also had a vision about the spirit animals, which means he is already connected. 

Another example is, on the journey to find Arax, Meilin’s spirit animal, Jhi, is a bit anti-social, and when Meilin was training and trying to connect with Jhi, she didn’t do well, unlike Conor who did very well. 

Rollan also isn’t that social with his spirit animal because they fight a lot, and his bird Essix likes to fly away for a long time and be away from him a lot. 

A reason why Abeke is very close to her spirit animal Uraza is that Abeke can connect well with her, and they have the same traits. Another reason is when Abeke and Uraza were spying on unknown men from ships on the island, they could connect very well. They connect very well and act similarly in general. 

The View From The Top

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The View From The Top 

By Jane 

Prologue

“Mountain ziplining?” I said with a confused look, turning my head to them in the front seat. My parents had told me we were going Mountain ziplining, in a wildlife resort in the rainforest mountains of the Dominican Republic. We came to the Dominican Republic for vacation, but I had no idea we were going Mountain ziplining. “But mom, I’m scared of ziplining!” I said in surprise, crossing my arms and slumping back in my seat. “And I’m afraid of heights too!”I tried to protest with her to drive the car around, but she refused. Then my dad added, “Too late,” In a teasing voice. And soon enough we drove into the driveway of the resort. 

Chapter 1: Arrival 

I opened the car door and waited for my twin sister Natalie to come out of the car, then my little brother Alex. I looked around, we seemed to be at the top of a mountain, and the parking lot was right at the cliff, but rocks were blocking the edge so you didn’t fall off. I peered down to take a look. I saw a platform attached to the cliff that was attached to more lines in the air, which led to farther platforms. I narrowed my eyes to look farther away from the platform. In the middle of the rainforests were a rocky, bushy range, and in the distance was the rainforest directly away from where we were. It looked as if the farthest mountains were dipped in forest green paint and smudged to make a tree-looking texture, though the rocky hills in front almost looked dead.  I switched my gaze away from the distance. That must be the end of the zipline. I gulped when I saw another platform to the left on the other side of the cliff, but it was different from the others because it was attached to the ground level we were on, and there was a room on top of the platform that said: “Gear room.” 

Chapter 2: Gear Ready

After we checked in a few people took us to the platform at the end to get our gear on, and then we could go hiking to the start platform. They gave us a harness and helmet. My sister, brother, and I sat on a bench against the wall of the gear room. Then while we were waiting for the people to come, a thought popped up in my head. What if I fall on the zipline? I seemed more nervous now, and the rest of the people had finally come and put their gear on. Suddenly my sister asked in a teasing voice, “You look nervous. Are you scared?” both my brother and her grinned. “I am not!” I crossed my arms. But really, I was. Then I sat up and narrowed my eyes at my siblings, for a few seconds actually, but then I noticed they weren’t even looking at me, but they just stared at the spot I was sitting on. That was when I realized there was a huge brown cricket on the wall I was leaning against, right over where I was! We all screamed and pushed, running away from the bench into the gear room with the tourists, tour guides, and my parents. Anyway, the platform scared me because there was no barrier between the platform and the drop into the depths of the rainforest. It scared Natalie too, I could tell. I couldn’t tell how Alex thought, but since Natalie is my twin sister, I kind of just know by the look of her face, or I just do. I pushed my siblings aside and went to stand next to my parents, butterflies starting to swarm inside my stomach. I squeezed my mom’s hand once the tour guide said that we had to go to the starting platform. The tour guide’s all had bright red shirts on with the company’s logo and very dark chocolate-colored skin. Everyone was ready, and we walked around the gear room, off the platform, and down a narrow pathway on a rocky hill. 

Chapter 3: The Hike

The rocky hill we had to hike on went far into the valley, and closer to the rainforest away from the cliff.  It felt like we had been walking for hours, in the burning hot sun. I looked up at the sizzling hot blue sky. I almost stumbled down the rocks at the end, on the highest hill, so my mom had to hold my hand and drag me up. After we had got up everything looked like a dry, bushy landscape with huge trees and mountains in the far distance. It was so far out, that even the pathway was overgrown, and we had to step over some bushes. Suddenly when we got up a very high hill leading over to more trees, rocks, and jungle, someone in the front of the group screamed, “Snake!” I gasped as people started to crowd around a rocky, ferny patch of grass. The farther we walked, the wilder and jungle-ish it looked. “Snake?” I looked at my mom with a worried face and then questioned her. “Don’t worry honey, nothing is going to hurt you.” She reassured me while walking through the crowd. She knew I worried a lot. “Haha, it’s just a snake!” My brother laughed at me as we were passing the spot where the slim and small black and red snake lay, the tour guide pushing it away with a hiking stick.“Ooh, It’s going to bite you!” I grinned at him as he shrieked and turned his head behind him to see it.“Ughh, I’m so hot.” Natalie groaned, complaining in the background. “Yeah, same.” Alex and I both agreed, walking over to her. 

Chapter 4: What It Feels Like To Fly

After a bit more hiking, we finally reached an open platform on top of a big bushy, rocky hill with many trees. To get on top, we had to climb up huge slippery boulders and rocks. It was very steep, and the cliffside was carved into small holes and caves within the rocks. There was an amazing view at the top. On the cliff, there was a small platform with a line attached, which was the zipline. There were also wood bars around it so you don’t fall. I could see the beautiful rainforest in the distance. Unfortunately, it was high. Very high. And we were at the front of the line. “That looks steep.” I stuttered, I looked down the cliffside, butterflies were now filling up my stomach and making me feel sick. I felt like I wanted to just run back to the beach at our vacation house downtown. “Who wants to go first?” My dad cheerfully asked us, standing near the main tour guide. But we all backed away when one tour guide tried to strap my harness to a rope. “One of you has to do it.” My mom said with an impatient but calm voice, then added, “Hurry up and choose, because we are holding up the line.” She looked at us with a serious face. “Uhm…” Natalie stood frozen. “I don’t want to go first!” Alex started to cry. We all huddled together at the edge of the back of the platform, leaning against the wood railings. “You’re taking up too much time.” My mom started to get angry. “I…Don’t want to go first either.” I shook my head, grabbing onto the wood railings of the platform. My sister and brother did the same. “Jane, why don’t you go?” My dad tried to encourage me. “Come on, it isn’t scary.” He told me nicely, trying to gently push me to the edge of the platform so they could strap me. No! Not ever! I waited for all my siblings to go first. After they went, I still refused to go. “Wait!” I hesitated, panicking, but it was too late, they already strapped my harness to the rope. For a second it felt like the world had paused, I was looking down at the trenching cliff, wondering if I was about to fall to death. I thought about all the times I was too scared to go on a zipline, too scared to even go past tree level at camp. Too scared to even make an effort in doing it, and even trying. The next thing I know, I was squeezing my eyes closed as the tour guide pushed me off the platform. I felt so tense, I thought I was going to fall. I went down super fast, the wind brushing through my hair. It felt weird, for a second I wondered if I was falling, but it felt different. There was a feeling that felt good, I felt free, not hot and nauseous anymore. I peaked my eyes open to see I was holding onto the rope, and I wasn’t falling till my debts, I was flying. Zip Lining. I gazed around me, watching as the thin line brought me through the air, turns, down, and up, over what is now a beautiful forest green rainforest and ferns, flowers, and the highest trees I’ve ever seen. I passed rivers, beautiful, and peaceful wildlife. I could see high mountains in the distance, I could hear birds chirping and the sounds of the rainforest. “Woohoo!” I yelled out and stopped holding onto the rope, it was the best feeling ever. A big smile formed on my face.

I looked back at the platform on the cliff in the distance, then turned my head back. The zipline slowly took me through the wind and over the peaceful rainforest. I reached my foot out as it brushed against the top of a huge tree. I looked into the distance at the setting sun and the pink and orange cloudy sky. It was so peaceful, such a special feeling. closed my eyes and thought for a moment. I wasn’t scared. And this isn’t scary. I am not scared. And I will never be scared. I slowly closed my eyes as the soft breeze brushed against me. I wasn’t falling, I wasn’t dying, I wasn’t scared.I am not falling, I am not dying, I am not scared, and now, I am not scared of ziplining. Not now, not ever. It was like my fears were left behind me, or left on the ground as I soar up and through the sky. 

 

Wild Born – Brandon Mull – Meilin’s Character Traits

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I am reading the book Wild Born, and I think that one of the main characters, Meilin, is very brave and determined. I think this because she is determined to train to fight the Devourers who attacked Zhong, shown in the book. A reason for this is that she had said in the book when the attack took place, “Father, I don’t want to go!” “Please let me defend our home!” 

I realized this shows that she would do anything to save her home, and she is determined, brave, and willing enough to try and fight for Zhong. She is strong and a good fighter, but she obeyed her father, and was forced by Greencloaks to leave Zhong because she is the general’s daughter, and she summoned one of the fallen four great spirit animals. 

Soon enough she realizes it is a good cause that she went with the Greencloaks to Sunset tower to train, which the purpose for this was so that she is ready to fight for Erdas. 

Another reason she is determined to train and fight for Erdas and Zhong is that while some of the other chosen ones of the four were complaining and not being serious about having to train, she said in the text, “This is a poor hour for humor.” “Zhong is under heavy attack. The Greencloaks smuggled me away as my father fought to defend our city.” And much more continents were under attack, and she was serious and determined about training while the others weren’t. 

Another reason why she is very determined about training to get ready to fight is that she also said, “Look. Every minute we are stuck here in training is another minute my father and his army have to struggle without us.” She is also very serious about training with her spirit animal panda, Jhi, though Jhi isn’t serious.

This shows she is very determined and cares a lot. She is also very brave because she is willing to do anything for her father and Zhong, and all of Erdas.