The Outsiders: Johnny

In the book The Outsiders, Johnny Cade has "a nervous, suspicious look in his eyes, and that beating he got from the Socs didn't help matters. He was the gang's pet, everyone's kid brother…He would have run away a million times if we hadn't been there. If it hadn't been for the gang, Johnny would never have known what love and affection are." (page 14) Throughout  the book, Johnny and his ideas about things change. Johnny is definitely dynamic.

One of the first things that changed about Johnny was his idea about hiding from the police. After Dally updates Johnny about the police situation, we read that  "Johnny had been quietly finishing his fifth barbecue sandwich, but now he announced: 'We're goin' back and turn ourselves in.'... And I don't aim to stay in that church all my life'" (page 77). This is the point where Johnny's ideas change. He would rather turn himself in that hide for the rest of his life.

Johnny asked about his parents when Dally told them what was going on back at home. "'My parents,' Johnny repeated doggedly, 'did they ask about me?'" (page78) Then later in the hospital he didn't even want to see his mom before he died. "A nurse appeared in the doorway. 'Johnny,' she said quietly, 'your mother's here to see you.' Johnny opened his eyes. At first they were wide with surprise, then they darkened. 'I don't want to see her,' he said firmly. 'She's your mother.' 'I said I don't want to see her.' His voice was rising. 'She's probably come to tell me about all the trouble I'm causing her and about how glad her and the old man'll be when I'm dead. Well tell her to leave me alone. For once'-his voice broke-'for once just to leave me alone.'" (page 107-108) His mom must've been really mean to him for not wanting to see her before he died. Another reason for this change was probably the fact that his parents didn't ask about him when he was gone. Even if my mom was mean to me I would've wanted to see her.

In the beginning, Johnny would have run from a dangerous situation and situations that he could've gotten caught for things he did. But he decided to stop running and save the kids in the church when it was on fire even though someone could've recognized him. "'I bet we started it,' I said to Johnny. 'We must have dropped a lighted cigarette or something.'…'Hey Ponyboy.' I looked around, startled. I hadn't realized Johnny had been right behind me all the way." (page 81)

Johnny was very brave throughout this book. He wanted to turn himself in after hiding. He also sacrificed himself for those kids in the church. I can see why Johnny didn't want to see his mom before he died. Because he changed a lot throughout the book, Johnny is dynamic.

The Outsiders: Poem

Author's Note: This is a response explaining why the poem relates to The Outsiders. Please give feedback on organization.

Nothing Gold Can Stay.

In the Outsiders, I think that some of the kids are growing up too fast. The Gold refers to childhood. Darry has to take care of Soda and Ponyboy because his parents died. Some of the other gang members have to take care of themselves because either their parents died or don't care. That's how the poem relates to The Outsiders.

The Outsiders: Conflict

One of the conflicts in the outsiders is that  Johnny killed Bob. Ponyboy and Johnny had to run away to an old church so they wouldn't get caught. Ponyboy's brothers a worried about him. Ponyboy and Johnny had to cut their hair and Ponyboy doesn't like it. Now the Socs are at war with the Greasers.

The Outsiders: Ponyboy

What does Ponyboy look like? He has light brown almost red hair and wears it longer than most boys wear it. He also has greenish gray eyes (page 5). What do we know about his home life/social group? He is a greaser. His home life is pretty good (page 5 and 6). They get along at home except for the fact that  Darry treats him like he's si instead of fourteen (page 6). Does this person seem like a good person or bad person? Good person because he doesn't want to hurt anybody. Do you think this person is misjudged? Yes because he's smarter than everyone thinks (page 7). What do you think will happen to this character? I think that Ponyboy will want to go home soon because he keeps thinking about home.

Tell-Tale Heart

In the Tell-Tale Heart, the narrator claims he isn't insane. There are things he uses to back his argument, but some of them aren't very convincing. I think the narrator is insane.

First, he doesn't like the eye this old man has. His solution: Kill the old man. Why is that not crazy? Second, it took him a whole hour to put his head through the door. "Ha! would a madman have been so wise as this." Once he killed the man, he chopped him up and hid him under the floorboards. Then, he started hearing sounds and when it was too much to bear he called the officers villains and told them to rip up the floorboards. "Villains!" I shrieked, "dissemble no more! I admit the deed! --tear up the planks! here, here! --It is the beating of his hideous heart!"

I don't think he was very calm. Especially near the end. He is definitely insane.

Patriot's Pen

There are many reasons I am proud of our country. One reason is that we help other countries. Another reason is that we have medical associations like Red Cross. Lastly, we have the freedom to vote and to practice the religion of our choice.

Short story conclusion

Author's Note: This is me conclusion for my short story. I think it is a good conclusion. Please comment on my transitions.

Frank moved his small cheese business to Wisconsin with hope of more customers. The cheese was delivered faster and was less expensive. Eventually more customers came. Soon, a new building began its construction across the street. Frank wondered what it was. Then, a sign was put up . It read: "Bill's Cheese Shack Coming Soon."

Short story hook

Owning a cheese business can be hard work. Especially when you have too much cheese and not enough customers. This problem could arise if your cheese castle is in England because Wisconsin is the cheese state. This is Frank the munchkin's problem.

Casey at the Bat

Reporter Jim Smith interviews Mudville's Casey after the Mudville nine lost their game.

Jim: So Casey, during the ninth inning a conflict arose, correct?

Casey: Yeah. Cooney and Barrows both got out at first. We had only one out left and the score was four to two. We were losing.

Jim: What were you thinking when Flynn was on third and Blake was on second?

Casey: I was surprised at first. Then I realized that I would have to hit a home run to win the game. I was confident I could do it.

Jim: Why did you not try to hit the first or the second pitch?

Casey: I got to prideful.

Jim: Was the climax of this game was when you struck out?

Casey: Yup. After that I couldn’t go back and try to hit it again.

Jim: Your problem really never got solved, right?

Casey: Except for the fact that we lost.

Jim: Thank you for your time.

Casey: Sure.

conflict

climax

resolution

Awesome Birds

Bob was my grandma's Parrot. He was big, smart, and very funny. My grandma would take him through the drive through at McDonald's and when they asked her what she wanted Bob would say, "French fries." One thing not to wear around Bob is a baseball hat or any hat with a button on top. He will come over to you and rip the button of the hat off with his beak. He once ripped a rivet on my dad's jeans off. Whenever my grandma would answer the phone and say hello, Bob would say, "Hello" like he was on the other end. While she is talking Bob would go, "Uh-huh," "I see," or "Oh." When I was over at her house I would stand behind the door to Bob's room and quickly open the door and say, "Peek-a-boo," and then shut the door again. After a few times of that, when I would open the door he would say peek-a-boo at the same time as me. Sometimes when I would open the door and say, "Hi Bob," he would say it too. A few years ago my grandma had to get rid of him because he started to only like my grandpa and he was getting kind of mean. Soon after, they got Pete and Joe, two other parrots. They aren't as smart as Bob, but they are still pretty cool. Then they got rid of Joe. I don't remember why they did. Pete comes out of his cage in the bird room sometimes. We bring him down in the basement and he walks along the top of the couch while we have dinner and watch TV. I think my grandma's parrots are really cool.

Burning response

Author’s Note: In our responses to the prairie we were supposed to state our opinion as to whether or not we should continue with controlled burns and whether or not we should fight to stop wild fires.

Should we continue with controlled burns?

I think we should continue with controlled burns. These prescribed fires reduce the excessive amount of brush and shrubs which are fuel for wild fires to spread. If we didn't manage the excess brush and shrubs as often, it would be hard to control accidental fires when they happen. Also the burns encourage the growth of native plant life by eliminating any hindrances and returning vital nutrients to the ground.

Should we fight to stop wildfires?

I think we should fight to stop wildfires because they're dangerous. Wildfires can kill people, animals, and destroy property. Preventing wildfires isn't that hard either. Just be careful when using fire when you're outside or near a wooded area.

"SmokeyBear.com - Get Your Smokey On - Only You Can Prevent Wildfires." SmokeyBear.com - Get Your Smokey On - Only You Can Prevent Wildfires. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2011. http://www.smokeybear.com/

To Kill a Mockingbird

Author's Note: I just finished the book To Kill a Mockingbird in book club. I wrote a summative piece on the book and talked about the social injustice in the book.

When I read To Kill a Mockingbird, the mistreatment of others because they're different, kept reoccurring. Whether it was because of their skin color or because of their unusual behavior, I felt this demonstrated social injustice.

Tom Robinson was mistreated. Nobody believed his story because he was an African American. In fact they believed the opposite in spite of credible evidence. When he went to prison, he was shot and killed. If it was a white man, he probably wouldn't have been killed. If they didn't want him to escape, they could have just shot him in the leg.

People started to judge Arthur (Boo) Radley because of his behavior. They stayed away because they feared him. People also made assumptions about him. This book made me realize how different things are today. People are less likely to be mistreated because of their differences or skin color largely due to education. I feel this makes the world a better place.

If it were my home.

I compared the U.S., Australia, and Bolivia. Out of those three I chose Australia. If I were to live in Bolivia, I would make almost 90% less money than living in Australia. If I lived in the U.S. instead of Australia, I would be three times more likely to have HIV/AIDS. I would have a 40% more chance at being employed in Australia compared to the U.S. In Bolivia, I would have a 50% more chance at being unemployed that in Australia. That is why I would want to live in Australia rather than the U.S. or Bolivia.

To Kill a Mockingbird Ch. 22,23,24

The killing of Tom Robinson at the jail was not necessary. If they wanted him not to escape they could have shot him just in the leg. They didn't need to put seventeen bullets through him. A white man would not have been killed. This is just another example of the discrimination toward the African Americans that has been displayed throughout the book. I don't understand why they treated the African Americans differently. A person's character is far more important than what's on the outside. Boo Radley is another example of this. He showed good character when he put the blanket around Scout. Yet he is treated poorly because he appears differently than others.

To Kill a Mockingbird ch. 17 and 18

Atticus displayed skill during the trial. He remained calm and polite. Yet, at the same time, Atticus was clever. He indirectly made Mr. Ewell expose things he was trying to hide like being left handed and his true thoughts about the African Americans.
 
Atticus was compassionate toward Mayella. He was doing his job but he felt bad for her, her condition, and because of the likely truth of her attack. In the book it said his stomach hurt even though he had really accomplished what he meant to. That is because the truth was sad for Mayella.
 
Atticus just seemed to be able to read the character and true feelings of people, especially those in contrast to upstanding character like that of his own.

Chosen

Chosen is a book by Ted Dekker. It is the first out of six in the Lost Books series.
 
On the other Earth there are seven forests surrounded by desert. The Horde lives in the desert and they are people who used to be forest dwellers but turned into people called scabs by a disease. If you don't bathe in the special lakes of the seven forests everyday you could become a scab. If you don't bathe for one day your skin starts to flake and pain starts in the joints. Miss a second day and your eyes start to gray and the pain get worse. A third bathless day and the disease takes over. Once a scab you fear the water and have no intent of going back to the forests. The Horde wants to destroy the forests.
 
Johnis lives in the middle forest with his dad and sister. His mom was taken by the Horde when she was trying to get part of a catalina cactus to cure Johnis because he was sick. All that was found of her was some blood in the sand and her sandals. Johnis is now chosen to be one of the four new recruits for the Forest Guard. The Forest Guard protects the forests from attacks from the Horde. These new recruits will be special Forest Guards. Johnis doesn't think he's much of a hero but Thomas Hunter, the supreme commander, thinks different. Johnis thinks with his heart. That's exactly what Thomas is looking for. He is sent out on a mission to test the skills and teamwork of him and three others that were chosen.
 
To find out how their mission goes and what the Horde is planning you'll have to read the book.

Blood Red Horse

I recently finished a book called Blood Red Horse. It is the first in the trilogy. I have already read the last two. The second is Green Jasper and the third is Blaze of Silver. I wrote about Blaze of Silver on the bottom post.
 
In Blood Red Horse Will is going to become a knight. He goes to the stud to get a Great Horse he will use on the Crusades. The stud is where Will's father, Sir Thomas, keeps his horses. They are managed by Keeper John. The one that catches Will's eye is a small chestnut stallion. Keeper John told Will that the horse's name was Hosanna and that it will not make a good war horse but he lets him take it anyway and after much training, he and Hosanna become very good friends.
 
 Ellie is kind of like Will's sister. She was taken in by Sir Thomas because her mom died. She loved Hosanna. Will's older brother Gavin thinks differently.
"I thought it was a destrier you were after, Will," Gavin hooted at his brother. "This horse is a midget."
 
"Size isn't everything," said William coldly.
 
They start to prepare for the crusades. To know if the De Granvilles survive the crusade, if Gavin changes his mind about Hosanna, and if Hosanna will be okay during the unexpected turn of events, you'll have to read the book.

Academy 21 and Standard classes

Academy 21 is a class with a project based learning style. We do projects on topics of our choice. I chose to do a project on Yo-yos. We try to incorporate science, social studies, math, and language arts into our projects. Academy 21 is similar to and different from regular classes on the core subjects. I will explain why.

   

In Academy 21 as well as regular math classes, assessments or quizzes are taken every few days to track progress. By the end of the year, we also learn the same general science and social studies concepts as the standard classes. Lastly, writing assignments take place in both types of classes.
 
Academy 21 are also very different from the typical classes. We do an online math program called Aleks that lets you learn at your own pace by giving explanations if you don't understand the topic. In a regular class, everyone works on the same thing and gets the same homework even if they already understand the concept. In a typical science or social studies class, everyone gets assigned the same projects and other work by the teacher. However, in the Academy, we just have to incorporate the subjects into our projects that we picked. For example, in my yo-yo project I related Newton's first law, the law of inertia, to the way the yo-yo works. I also included the history of the yo-yo covering the social studies portion. Lastly, a language arts class will have to write about what the teacher tells them. On the other hand, in the Academy we write about topics of our choice and may use creative methods of presenting them.
 
As you can see, there are many similar characteristics between Academy 21 and standard classes, and there are also many differences between the two. Both learning styles are effective even though they are conducted in different ways.

Zip Line

When I went to the Wilderness in the Dells with my mom, dad, and brother, I rode the new zip line with my mom. We made our reservations in advance. Like a month and a half in advance. I couldn't wait.

When we got to the zip line desk to check in, we were weighed, signed a form, and went to the area where we get suited up. My mom and I walked in to the room. There was a bench lining each wall. Above each bench were about ten hooks. On each hook was what looked like rock climbing harnesses and karabiners. On a shelf on one wall was a bunch of things that looked like triple pulleys. There were about eight other people that were going to ride the zip line too. Two guides came in and helped us get our gear on.

Once we were ready, we went outside and climbed up the first tower. It was 6 stories high! That's 60 feet high. One of the guides attached his pulley to the line, hooked the karabiners to it, and jumped off. He went zooming to the next platform. Once he got there he unhooked himself from the line and hooked himself to the rail on the tower. The second guide came up to the top and hooked onto the rail. They do this so they won't fall, because at the very top, there are only three sides. One side is open.

The second guide hooked up someone's pulley to the line and off they went. After a few people went, it was my turn. Once I jumped off, I wasn't as scared as I was just standing there. I came in to the second tower at just the right speed. When everyone got there, the first guide took off down the next "zip". The second guide asked who wanted to go first. I waited till someone said that they'd do it before I said I would go second because I still didn't want to go first.

For the next three "zips" I looked around while I was riding. At one point we were 115 feet in the air over a canyon. 

On the second to last "zip," there was a bobcat in a tree with a motion sensor. When I went past it, it snarled at me. The last "zip" was the longest, stretching from one tower to the next at a 900 foot distance. That's three football fields long. At one point before the canyon, you are about 15 feet above the ground. 

That ride was incredible. I thought the canyon zip line tour was extraordinary. I would ride it again anytime.

Pappajohn Sculpture Park

My parents, cousin, brother, and I visited the John And Mary PAPPAJOHN Sculpture Park when we went to Iowa. Some of the sculptures were really amazing. At the same time, some were pretty weird. Most of the art pieces that were named had names that didn't even go with the piece. I've never understood public art. That made it an interesting experience. Here are some pictures of sculptures and what I thought about them. (Click the title of the sculpture park to go to the site).



This is the first sculpture we looked at. It is untitled.
It makes me think of a man doing the splits.

 

This one is very tall and made of stainless steel.
When I walked up to it I suddenly felt smaller.
It is also untitled. 



This one is called Back of a Snowman (white).
There isn't anything on the other side so I don't know why it's the back.
It made me think of a snowman without the middle section.



Here is the mysterious evil twin (I just call it that).
As you can guess, it is called Back of a Snowman (black).
Again, it has nothing on the other side.
It didn't make me think of a snowman because snow isn't supposed to be black.
See...told you it was mysterious.



Here is Ancient Forest.
He is actually made of Bronze that is painted like wood.
I thought he was actual wood.
He, like the white snowman, has a sibling.



This is Juno.
Juno is also made of bronze.
I think Juno is the younger brother of Ancient Forest.



This is the Spider.
It really made me think of a spider as soon a I saw it.
It is made of bronze.



Say hi to Willy.
I think it looks really cool because of all the geometric shapes.
Don't ask me why it's called Willy.
It is made of bronze. 





Modular Piece is the name of this one.
It looks like a whole bunch of boxes just put together.
It is made of painted steel.





Here is T8.
Do you see the "T" and "8"?
It is made of painted steel.
I took a few more pictures of this one.





Here is a closer view.





This is underneeth.





This is Decoy.
It is made of iron.
I don't know why it's called Decoy.
I think it looks like a duck decoy for hunting. 





I'm in the black sweatshirt.
My brother is in the back.
My cousin is on the right.



This is called Three Dancing Figures (version C).
It is made of painted aluminum.
They all have two hands but you can't see the second red one.



Here is Nomade.
He is sitting down holding his legs up to his chest.
I'm sitting like him.
He is painted steel.



This is the inside of the head.



This is Moonrise east. August.
He is painted aluminum, steel.
It looks like a Charlie Brown character.





These are all about the Park.



Rocks

Rocks are used in many different ways.

· Some people wear rocks (diamonds) 

· Some people sleep on rocks 

· Other people worship rocks. 

· We mine for rocks that have high value. 

· Big rocks are thrown into water to make a splash 

· Smooth rocks are thrown onto water with the intent of skipping them across (That's not always the easiest thing to do though) 

· Rocks are collected 

· Rocks are used as tools 

· Buildings can be built of rocks 

· You can write with rocks 

· We eat rocks (salt) 

· Our games involve rocks (rock, paper, scissors) 

These are some of the many uses for rocks.

Mustaches

Mustaches are hairy facial features worn by men. Mustaches are found between the mouth and the nose. They are usually worn with beards. Mustaches can either make you look very handsome or they can look very unattractive. This hairy feature comes in various sizes and shapes from small and bushy to long and curly. Mustaches aren't always hairy. Some can be liquid, like a milk mustache. Others aren't even real. Wearing mustaches has been a reflection of factors such as climate, custom, religious belief, and personal taste.

Blaze of Silver

I just finished the book called Blaze of Silver by K.M. Grant. It is the third book in the De Granville Trilogy. The first book is called Blood Red Horse and the second is Green Jasper. To tell the truth, I haven't read the first book yet because last year people summarized it for me, but I'm going to read it next.

In the beginning, a stranger comes to Hartslove (the castle) with a horse. Sir Thomas was in charge of the castle but he died in the first book. His son is Will who has become a knight and has also been on crusade. Ellie's mother died long ago so Sir Thomas took her in. Will and Ellie don't know if they can trust the stranger. Little do they know that he is an assassin named Amal sent by the Old Man of the Mountains, who is an enemy to them and the Saracens. They let Amal stay at the castle for a while. Will kept a close eye on him because of his suspicions. Will’s horse, Hosanna, could tell that Amal was bad news.

At the same time, their king, Richard, is being held for ransom by the leader of Germany The people at Hartslove are trying to accumulate enough silver to pay the ransom because he is a beloved king. The journey to Germany is very long and dangerous.

To figure out what they do with Amal, his plan, and the king, you’ll have to read the book.