Makerspace Book Project

For my book project I chose to create a makerspace button. The symbol on the buttone is a raft, and the words are a little difficult to see from the picture, but they say, “Because I’m not alone… maybe I never was.” The main character, Robie, was in a plane crash that left her and the co-piolet, Max,  stuck on a small raft in the middle of the ocean. Max wasn’t much of a talker, and he was mostly very sick. Robie was forced to do most things by herself, and she wasn’t very great at surviving alone. She had trouble finding water and food, and by the end of the book she was starving and severely dehydrated. During Robie’s time on the raft, there was a large leak that was bringing on lots of water. She was forced to push “sleeping” Max off the raft, but made sure he was still floating. A little later after that, Robie loses sight of him and cannot find him anywhere. Robie then finds and island where Max somehow appears. Robie gets rescued by a ship and learns that Max was basically a figment of her imagination. Robie remembers when she pushed Max off the raft and realizes that at the point he was dead. He did save her after the planewreck, but after that he didn’t last long. Robie finds his necklace that had his fingerprint in it of him and his girlfriends from a bag the washed up on shore. She cherishes that necklace forever, which leads her to the quote on the button that says, ” Because I’m not alone… maybe I never was.” Robie knows that Max will always be looking out for her even if he isn’t there, and now she has something to remember him by. All of that time on the raft when she was alone, she still had Max…well… in her mind.

Tiger Loose in Houston? (News Discussion)

On Mother’s day, a nine month old tiger was found roaming around a neighborhood in Houston. After it was seen some people report seeing it get put into a white van by an unknown man. The “Tiger King”star Carol Baskin has set a $5,000 reward to whoever finds the ferocious feline. A few days later the tiger’s owner (Victor Hugo Cuevas) was found, but said he didn’t know where the tiger was now! Carol Baskin stated, “‘I think somebody definitely knows [where he is], and so just a few minutes ago, I actually put out a $5,000 reward for anyone who will turn this cat over to … a sanctuary that is accredited by the Global Federation of Sanctuaries.” Carol also wants to make sure it is clear that they aren’t just going to give the money to someone who wants to just get rid of the cat, but who will work with law enforcement and put an end to this. Police made sure to check Cuevas home to make sure he isn’t harboring anymore wild animals. They didn’t find any more animals, but they did find a large tiger cage in the backyard. Police believe that the tiger hopped the fence to get out. As of now, the tiger still hasn’t been found, but police are still doing all they can to find the tiger.

Tiger found in Houston roaming neighborhood in Highway 6 and Memorial area - ABC7 Chicago

Why do you think Cuevas was keeping the tiger?

Do you think they will find the tiger?

How do you think the tiger escaped?

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/houston-tiger-update-16167813.php

https://abc7chicago.com/tiger-found-in-houston-caught-on-camera-the-loose-memorial/10607090/

The Raft- My Thoughts

For my independent reading book I chose the book The Raft. The story is about a girl that gets into a plane crash and she is forced to survive on a small raft in the ocean. I think the book was pretty good. There were a lot of intersting twists and turns, and at the end there was a big reveal of something I didn’t excpect. The only thing I didn’t really enjoy about this book were parts of the story that didn’t really make sense. The whole beginning of the story was basically irrelavant and really didn’t nessasarily need to be in the story. I also didn’t understand what was happening in some parts. Other than that, I think the book was great! I really love the author S.A Bodeen who wrote this book and many other books that I like Compound and Fallout.

For my book project I chose to do a button from Makerspace. I have already submitted a design and I am waiting to actually make it!

 

The Raft by S.A. Bodeen

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12987986-the-raft

Free Choice (Author’s Style Open Ended)

In The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd’s writing style is eloquent because of her use of diction, tone and mood, and point of view. For example, in chapter six Lily says, “I could feel the questions gathering in him, knew I could not face them”(105). Here, it shows Kidd’s writing style because she eloquently states what Lily is thinking; it is very clear and concise. This quote also shows that point of view is important in her writing style because it gives the reader different ways to get information. You can see what Lily is feeling and seeing exactly so the reader may get incorrect and correct information.  Another example is when Lily is in the kitchen with June and Lily writes, “June stared at me. Waiting. Her lips pinched tight along her teeth” (105). Here, Kidd uses eloquent language by describing clearly what June is doing and what she looks like. This quote also shows how Kidd’s use of diction helps with her eloquent writing style because she uses words that can distinctly explain and describe situations. It also shows tone and mood by explaining Lily’s opinion and how she sees June. She clearly explains how mean she looks to Lily and, thus, sets the tone of the story. Overall, Kidd’s eloquent style helps for readers to be able to clearly see what is going on in their heads. They can understand what is going on without having to really search for the meaning in the text. 

Dusty with a Chance of Grasshoppers (Achieve News Discussion)

During the Dust Bowl, large parts of the US were facing huge amounts of destruction and devastation. The Dust Bowl spanned from eastern Colorado to the southern plains of the US. Normally the plains were covered in beautiful green grass and a bright blue sky that went for miles, but after WWI wheat prices skyrocketed and all that grass was turned to dirt. The plains suffered a major drought and caused all of the dirt and debris to be carried up into dust storms. For most people this storm was awful, but jackrabbits and grasshoppers thrived in it. The Dust bowl drove hoards of jackrabbits into towns and they feasted on the remaining rations. Jackrabbits weren’t necessarily new in these places, but there began to be overwhelming numbers of them. In some parts of Kansas people paid about four cents for every rabbit to be “taken care of.” Some people banged pots and pans to try and get rid of them too. Grasshoppers on the other hand… they may have been even worse. A certain type of fungi that controlled numbers of grasshoppers couldn’t survive the harsh conditions. Grasshoppers were forced to go to the towns. They would eat fence posts, garden tools, clothing, and even the skin and hair of cows. There were so many of them that they crowded the streets and many people ran over them creating a slick walkway. People tried flamethrowers and dynamite, but those barely worked most of the time. Officials used poison which seemed to help a lot more. First, they learned where the grasshoppers were moving so they could spray paint those areas. Next, they mixed the poison with sugar and sawdust to hope they would come and swallow it. Many planes and trucks went around spreading the concoction around migration routes. This method proved to be very effective and killed billions of grasshoppers. Yes, the grasshoppers were gone, but the stench was horrendous! Many people had to leave town just to get away from the smell. But hey… at least the grasshoppers and jackrabbits were gone.

In your opinion, which one is A dust storm is seen passing over homes in a rural areaworse: the jackrabbits or grasshoppers? Why?

Would you have moved away until the grasshoppers and jackrabbits left, or would you have stayed? Why or why not?

What other ways of getting rid of the grasshoppers could they have tried?

https://portal.achieve3000.com/kb/lesson/?lid=19427&step=11&c=202&sc=1834&oid=0&ot=0&asn=

 

 

 

Independent Book Choice (The Raft)

My book that I chose is called The Raft. The Raft is written by S.A. Bodeen who also has written many other books that I like. She has written books like Compund and Fallout that I love, so that is a big reason why I am reading this book! The book is about a girl who is on a plane ride coming home from vacation. The plane crashes in the middle of an ocean, and she is forced to survive on a small raft in the ocean. I love scary and survival type books like these that get your blood pumping! So far it is moving pretty quickly, and it has been keeping my attention for a while. I am super excited to see what happens next!

Amazon.com: The Raft (8601420087729): S.A. Bodeen: Books

News Discussion (EC)

In the fall of 2020, we finally got the news that a vaccine will be coming out for COVID-19! Finally, after an entire year of COVID, it will all be over soon. Although it sounds so amazing, vaccinating the whole world has proven to be very difficult. It has been difficult to be able to ship the vaccine all over the world too. Vaccines also cost money, so wealthier countries are getting it way earlier than poorer countries. Towards the beginning of COVID, wealthier countries made sure that once the US came out with the vaccine, they would get it first. Many nations even helped to pay for the materials if they could be first in line fr the first doses. As COVID continued, wealthy countries kept buying more and more doses, and since they didn’t know if they would work the first time they bought more and more. In June 2020, the World Health Organization launched a program call COVAX. This helped to make sure that the vaccine was being evenly distributed and not just given to the wealthier nations. There is also another problem that has come up with the vaccine, supply. Since the vaccine is so popular right now, the supply of it is running very low. This has caused many countries to have to compete to get the vaccine. Many wealthier countries are having trouble making appointments to get the vaccine because supply is so limited. Some wealthy countries have said that they can donate vaccines to developing countries. Some researchers say it could be years to get the whole world vaccinated, so it may be a while till any country can donate anything. The US has been able to give the vaccine to a quarter of the population, while some countries are just getting started. Health experts really want to get as many people as they can be vaccinated before a bunch of new strains of COVID come. If it takes too long, the vaccine may stop being effective after a while. Many experts say that widespread immunizations are the only way that COVID can be stopped.

The COVID vaccine challenges that lie ahead

If you were given the chance to get vaccinated, would you? And why?

Do you have any other ideas of how to distribute the vaccine more fairly? If so what are they?

What is your opinion on wealthier countries getting the vaccine first? Do you think this is good or bad?

 

https://portal.achieve3000.com/kb/lesson/?lid=19864&step=11&c=176&sc=0&oid=152&ot=5&asn=1
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03334-w

Working With Music: Does It help?

As you work on assignments, listening to music can help or hinder you from doing well. For some people, it can be very beneficial to have some kind of background noise as they work, and sometimes it doesn’t help at all. It can be very fun to have some kind of music playing to get the creative juices flowing. Listening to music can have very different effects on people. It just matters how you learn. Most people’s brains love music, and the music you listen to while you work can boost your mood and make you feel confident. On the other hand, loud music with lyrics that makes you want to lipsync to can interfere with a brain’s memory. If you are doing math or doing things that require extensive use of the brain, loud music may not be the right thing for you. There are some exceptions to listening to loud music like while you doing things that may need more creativity. You could be designing something or working on an art project. Using those high-energy tunes may help you to come up with interesting ideas. You could also be a person who likes to sit in a quiet corner in silence while you work, and that’s great too! You can always put in “music breaks” for yourself to give a reward for when you do well. If you have a very noisy room, you can always just listen to some calm music or white noise. Make sure you are listening to the right music for your studying needs. Try different tempos, genres, and volumes to see how well you can recall information while studying. You should also make sure you like the music you listen to because studies have shown that if you listen to music you dislike, your brain doesn’t function as well. It may take lots of trial and error, but I’m sure you will be able to find the right music for you!

What kind of music helps you to study best? Students of all ages love listening to tunes while studying. Research shows that listening to music while studying can affect learning.

Does music even help you when you study?

Why do you think different kinds of music can affect how we work?

Achieve Link and Image link: https://portal.achieve3000.com/kb/lesson/?lid=19861&step=10&c=222&sc=1954&oid=904&ot=5&asn=1

Sara Hall’s Diary (Book Project)

Dear Diary,

I really need a job. Right now I am working at a diner that has minimum wage and I am living with a roommate who is an actual pig. I don’t know how I am going to keep up with all of my bills and expenses if I keep going the way I am. I have a college degree in business, but no one is hiring at the moment! I have been looking everywhere to find an “okay” job with “okay” pay. I have a job interview lined up in the next few days, but I don’t really think I will get it because the guy on the phone didn’t seem very enthusiastic about me. I don’t really know what is going to happen to be honest. I guess if all else fails I could see if I can move back in with my parents. My dad is kind of sick right now, so I could take him to appointments instead of leaving it up to my mom.

Dear Diary,

I just went into this interview with this really creepy boss. I really don’t think he was actually going to give me the job anyway, so I don’t even know what the point was. After my interview, I  met this rather tall guy who asked for my business card. I actually might be getting a good job somewhere! He said he will try really hard to at least get me an interview. The job was for a business called Stanhope and Sons in New York.  For now, I am still living in my old stuffy apartment with my ignorant roommate. Hopefully, I can get out of here soon.

Dear Diary,

I got the job! After the awful interview I had with the creepy boss, I went to another interview at Stanhope! They gave me an already paid plane ticket and an amazing hotel room to stay in. They called me back weeks later to give me the job. I am an editor for any employee emails and writing they do. Today was full of a lot of training videos and articles. I met my coworkers named Jules, Sylvie, and Sam. They are generally pretty nice people. It does seem like they are very competitive and focused on their jobs. They informed me that when I am working here, this job will be my whole life. I will probably be working till two or three in the morning mostly. I will also be working pretty closely with Vincent(the person that offered me the job.) I am very excited for this new beginning of my life that is full of work and amazing pay! Later tonight I am going to go out and buy a bunch of new office clothing with the welcome bonus they gave us.

Dear Diary,

It has been a few months since I got my job, and I am still at Stanhope. My coworkers weren’t joking when they said that it will be a ton of work, but now that I am doing well they have been kind of cold to me. I have become really good friends with my coworker, Lucy. No one really likes Lucy being around because of how witty she is. She wants to keep our friendship a secret because she doesn’t want to ruin my reputation at the company. I have gone out after work with her and been to her house, and she is truly a very wonderful person! I don’t even know how people don’t like her!

Dear Diary,

I had just gone out on a business trip to Seattle, but when I got back to New York I learned that Lucy was dead. This was a complete shock to me because the coroner said that it was a suicide! She seemed so happy, I never even knew that something was even going on. I talked to Vincent and he told me to go help Lucy’s mom pack up Lucy’s house and pick up any company papers. When I got to Lucy’s house, her mom was having a lot of trouble coming to terms with Lucy’s death. She was sure that Lucy would have never killed herself willingly for multiple reasons. She said that the note that “Lucy” left isn’t something she would have ever said, her closet was a complete mess when Lucy was very organized, and her kitchen was all messed up. It just didn’t add up. A little after Lucy’s death, my coworkers started to be really rude to me. I kept getting in trouble because of mistakes I knew I didn’t make. I had a feeling that some other people wanted to get me fired, so they messed up some of my work. After 4 years of working at Stanhope, I had been fired for something I didn’t even do! I have to change how I live back to being poor again. I am going to lose a bunch of my money I have saved because I don’t have a job now. I moved into a shared apartment with, guess what, another terrible roommate. I have just got a new job that will help a little until I can put a plan I have into action.

Dear Diary,

This week has been so nice. After my last entry, I put my plan into action. It took me a while to gain enough money to even be able to do something. My plan was simple, just fake my own death, start over on life, and then get my revenge on Stanford and Sons. Now that I think of it, it wasn’t that simple. I got an old beat-up car and gave my roommate the next month’s rent. I made a fake account for my “aunt” to tell my roommate that Sara Hall was dead. I tried my best to stay off the grid for a while; I didn’t use credit cards, and I removed the SIM card from my phone. I drove in my car for a while to an old diner that was hiring. I interviewed with a guy for maybe three seconds, and then he gave me a job. The pay wasn’t that bad, in fact, one night I got 780 dollars! I asked some customers that I trusted where I could get a fake ID and passport. They told me a guy sold them at a sleazy tattoo shop. I had to pay a lot of money to get some random lady’s information. I also got a crazy makeover that made me look like the person I was pretending to be. I stayed at my job for a little longer until I had enough money to continue. Once I went back to New York, I got another job at Stanhope in the IT department. I am so surprised nobody even recognized me even though I have had multiple close encounters with my former colleagues. I decided to play around with the elevator and set up a fake “escape room.” I would change all the controls to a handheld device where I could access it remotely, and hinder any of their chances of escaping. I also added a bunch of “clues” that did absolutely nothing to help them get out. Once I was done setting that up, I sent a text to have all of my former co-workers come to a “team-building exercise” on the top floor of the building. They got stuck in the elevator for at least three days. Now I am at the beach relaxing in the sun and just playing around with the controls. I couldn’t see what was happening to them, it isn’t like they are all dead now, right?