Book Worksheet- Schooled (SPOILERS DUH!) (It's been a while)

First things first,
it has been a while since I've posted one of these things, so it might be a bit different, but don't worry. Same format!

Warning Spoiler Alert!
("Duh!")


Main Characters: Capricorn Anderson, Zach Powers

Summary: Capricorn Anderson's parents were with the Peace Corps in Namibia and gave their lives for what they believed in. Capricorn Anderson lives with his only relative, Rain, his grandmother. Cap loves his grandmother dearly and is home schooled by her in Garland Farm, which is owned by Rain. Cap knows nothing about the outside world, he doesn't have friends, never ate pizza, knows nothing about anything. But one day when Rain breaks her hip because she falls off a tree, Cap is forced to live with Mrs. Donnelly, a former resident of Garland Farm, and her daughter, Sophie. Zach Powers is the most popular, coolest kid at school and is liked by everybody. Every year, the 8th grade students target a smart nerd to nominate as 8th grade president as entertainment. The president is a joke and is bullied and is treated very badly. When Zach Powers meets Cap, he knows Cap is the target for the 8th grade president. Hugh Winkleman was originally the target but when Cap shows up, he's second on the list. Hugh supports Cap and is his only friend. Zach and his group including Lena and Naomi, two girls who both like Zach. But everything changes when Cap saves his bus driver who gets a heart attack by driving for the bus. (Cap learned to drive when he was just 8) Suddenly, Cap is a celebrity and Zach's plan backfires. Instead of being the big joke of the year, Cap becomes a star and is treated like a real 8th grade president. Everybody loves him and Naomi starts liking him. People start to turn their backs to Zach and admire Cap. Cap even manages to buy his love, Sophie, a present and sends it to her without her knowing who it is from. Hugh Winkleman separates from Cap and is no longer Cap's friend. He and Zach come up with a plan to hurt Cap physically. But they are only hated even more. People think Cap died from the incident, but the truth is that Rain was healed and took him back home. Everyone is sad and they have a memorial day for him just then Sophie realizes who gave her the gift and takes Cap to the 8th grade dance that is canceled due to money losses. (Cap overused the school money for donations) Everybody is excited that he's back but he only says goodbye to everyone and leaves again. Then surprise, surprise! Rain decides to join the real world. (For Cap's sake) Cap is back to the school and everyone is happy!



1. love

2. Violence is not the answer


3.
Capricorn Anderson:
caring, kind, calm, peaceful

Zach Powers:
unkind, arrogant, angry


3a. I think Hugh Winkleman had a hard time; these were his choices; A. Help Capricorn out and risk himself into becoming the joke of the year or B. Leave Cap to suffer
But in the end, Cap becomes a celebrity and unintentionally says a few words that hurt Hugh deeply. Hugh leaves Cap and is angry with him. I feel bad for Hugh because of the hard decisions he faces. He does not face this decision once, but several times.

4. The most memorable part was when on her driving test, Sophie imagined, instead of her father, Capricorn next to her helping her and then she realizes who sent the gift to her. She starts crying. I chose this scene was because it was very emotional and memorable, I think it was sad because Sophie starts to feel so sorry, she never even said a civil word to Cap, yet he was so kind to her.

5. The author is trying to tell me that peacefulness and complete ignorance of the outside world even though it may be bad is not always good. Cap is raised without knowing anything about the outside world and has a hard time. Just because all he thinks about is being peaceful, sharing, and caring doesn't mean he is perfect. He needs a bit of knowledge about war and violence even though it might not be good. That doesn't mean he should start acting violent.

6. I rate this book 10 because it was very emotional and well written. I loved the ending, the plot, the characters, the character development, and it tugged my heart strings.

7. Beginning: Rain breaks her hip and Cap goes to normal school

Climax: Cap is chosen as 8th grade president and saves his bus driver's life


Ending: Cap is a big celebrity and will keep on attending C Average School.

(SPOILERS) Bridge To Terabithia (Book Worksheet) "Finally!"

Main Characters: Leslie, Jess
Summary: Jess wants to be the fastest kid in his school, and now's his chance because last year's champion, Wayne Pettis is gone. But when a new neighbor, Leslie Burke arrives, everything changes. She wins every race held by the kids in the school. Leslie and Jess quickly become friends and they create their own world in the woods called Terabithia. They are king and queen, the rulers of Terabithia. But when Jess goes on a trip with his favorite teacher, a terrible tragedy happens.

1. friendship

2. You shouldn't judge people.

3. Jess: kind, hopeful, scared
Leslie: cool, kind, brave

3a. I think it was kind of Leslie to comfort Janice Avery, even though Janice bullies Leslie and everybody else so much. When Janice was crying because her two friends spread rumors, Leslie, comforted her by understanding.

4. The part of the story when Leslie died and Jess built a bridge was memorable because it was so sad. I almost cried. Jess built the bridge in memory of Leslie across the stream so that nobody else would ever fall in.

5. The author is trying to tell you that you shouldn't judge people by how they look or by the things they wear. Kids made fun of Leslie because she wore weird clothes and had short hair, but she turned out to be very kind and helpful. Also Janice seemed very mean, but the truth was that she was beat by her father at home.

6. I would rate this book a 10 because it was so meaningful and sad.


7.
Beginning: Leslie moves in and becomes Jess's friend


Climax: Leslie and Jess create Terabithia, their own world.


Ending: Leslie dies when Jess is on a trip with his teacher.

Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception (Book Worksheet)

Main Character: Artemis Fowl
Summary: Artemis Fowl is back to being a criminal again because of the mind wipe that made him forget everything about the existence of fairies and dwarves. Opal Koboi was in coma ever since her plan was foiled by Artemis Fowl and the LEPrecon Police. But while in coma, Opal Koboi had been creating a plan. Opal creates a clone of herself to replace her in the J. Argon Clinic, and leaves to dominate the world. She gets surgery to become a human (remove pointy ears and put in growing genes) and plans to make the "mud" people discover the "regular" (fairy) people and give them weapons to destroy everybody. Then she plans to make herself the ruler of all people. Opal sets up a trap that Captain Holly Short and Commander Julius Root of the LEPrecon police fall for and she has Commander Root killed. But to all the other police officers it looks as though Captain Holly has killed her own commander and she is the suspect of a murder. Commander Root's last command was to save Artemis Fowl, who was being targeted by Opal. When Captain Holly goes to save Artemis, it looks as though she was running away, making her an outlaw. Butler, Artemis Fowl's bodyguard, is seperated from Artemis and has his memory returned by Mulch Diggums as Artemis had planned before the memory wipe. Artemis, Captain Holly, Butler, and Mulch Diggums must save the fairy world before Opal destroys everything.


1. power


2. If you have a gift, don't use it for bad, use it for good.


3. Artemis Fowl: clever, sneaky, intelligent


3a. I think Foaly (a friend of Holly who refused to believe that she shot Julius) is a good friend. Even though the evidence had clearly showed that Holly was shot Julius, he believed that she didn't and checked every single piece of evidence. Because of Foaly's loyalty to his friends, he discovered the truth about Opal Koboi's escape.

4. Julius Root's death was memorable. Opal Koboi was laughing and telling Holly that she had a chance to save Root's life and Root was telling Holly to save Artemis, but it was a trick to make it look like Holly was shooting Commander Root.

This scene was memorable because even though, Julius Root disliked Artemis Fowl, he actually admired his intelligence and quick decisions.



5. The author is trying to tell you that if you were born with talent or a gift, you should use it for good and not bad. Artemis originally used his genius for stealing and getting money, but after he met fairies, he changed and began doing good. Opal was using her genius for evil and therefore, she was caught and arrested. Good is better motivation than bad. Artemis had noticed that himself.


6. I would rate this book a 8 because the plot was interesting with lots of actions and cool parts, but it was a bit shallow.


7.
Beginning: Opal escapes the hospital and kills Julius Root

Climax: Mulch, Artemis, Holly, and Butler try to stop Opal and succeed

Ending: Holly quits LEPrecon police and becomes a detective with her partner, Mulch.

Book Worksheet- For Those of You Who Don't Know

Main Character(s):

Summary:

1. Write one word that best describes the story.

2. Write one sentence that best describes the story.

3. Describe the main character(s) with at least three adjectives each.

3a. Write about any character. (Doesn't have to be favorite)

4. Draw a part of the story that you think is the most memorable or impressive on a separate piece of paper (or on the back). Write one sentence why you chose that scene.

5. What is the author trying to tell you?

6. Rate this book from one to ten. Why did you rate it so?

7. Label the story graph below with the beginning, climax, and ending. Write one sentence for each part of the story. (I couldn't put the graph up)

 Beginning

Climax

Ending

Sign Language at its Finest

Students from Ukraine made electronic gloves that not

 only keep your hands warm, but they turn sign language 

into actually speech. This can let deaf people talk 

with people who don't know sign language and let deaf people talk using phones. 

The gloves are part of a project called Enable Talk that won first place at this year's Microsoft Imagine Cup. Microsoft Imagine Cup is a competition that invites teams of high-school, college, and university students from all around the world to create new problem-solving technologies. The Ukrainian team created these gloves that have sensors that can tell how the wearer's fingers are flexing and moving. The gloves send information to a phone , which will translate the signs into text or spoken words. I think this is a really brilliant idea and I think it deserved 1st place. 

Replay (Book Worksheet)

(Book by: Sharon Creech, one of my favorite authors)
Main Character: Leo (fog boy, the sardine)

Summary: Leo is a dreamer, he wants to become a famous actor make his parents proud. When Leo is given a small part, the old crone, in the school play, he doesn't care and dreams about being called on to stage in Broadway. Leo's father had been feeling down and sad every since his heart attack, but Leo secretly reads Leo's father's autobiography written at the age of 13. Leo reads about how is father once had a younger sister that he loved and how he was happy when he tap danced. Leo learns that even the smallest part that might seem extra, is indeed important.

1. part

2. Everyone has a role that is important for the role, but everybody chooses their own role.

3. Leo: curious, imaginative, wishing

3a. I think Leo's father was very sad at first because he couldn't do anything after the heart attack, but watching his children achieve the goals he had once wished to achieve must have made him proud of his children. They (including Leo) all become what he had once wanted to become; athletes, actors, singers. When Leo was reading his father's autobiography, he read about how his father wished to become a singer or an athlete. Leo's father had cheered all his children on at their soccer, football matches and at their plays or school stages.

4. The part when Leo cheered up all his siblings when they were all injured was very memorable. Leo told each of his siblings that that they did great and that their dad was very proud of them and that their dad was cheering them on, smiling. All the siblings were happy and glad. I think Leo was very kind to make all his siblings feel better.

5. I think that the author is trying to tell you that everybody has a part that is important to the world and that life is like a play but not like a play at the same time, you have a part of the play, but you choose the part, but there is no script, you have to improvise.

6.  I would rate this book a 10. I liked the plot and theme. The ending was brilliant, it had the script of the play that Leo was a part of.


7.
Beginning: Leo gets a small part in the school play.

Climax: Leo's siblings are all hurt and severely injured from soccer, football, and choir.

Ending: Leo and everybody else does their part well in the school play and all of Leo's relatives and family members cheer for him.

Island of the Blue Dolphins (Book Worksheet)

Main Characters: Karana
Summary: Karana and her brother lived in the Island of the Blue Dolphins. Their father was the chief of the island. One day, Aleutian sea-otter hunters came and made a deal with their father. But the Aleutians did not keep their promises and they killed the chief. After the new chief went to explore another island, he came back with men in boats and promised that they would be taken some where else. But Karana and her brother Ramo stayed behind alone. Ramo was killed by wild dogs and Karana swore to kill the dogs that killed her brother. After a while she felt very lonely and tried to get off the island on a canoe but failed. Karana must learn to live alone for 18 years on this island. Karana makes new friends and faces many challenges, but in the end, she is saved by Aleuts.

1. people

2. Nobody can live alone without other people.

3. Karana: brave, sad, lonely, smart

3a. I think Karana was really brave to face those wild dogs and make weapons of her own. It is Karana's culture that women are not to make weapons. It is said that if a woman makes a weapon or tries to use one, it will break when they are in most danger. Karana was very afraid that rocks might fall from the heavens and crush her when she made weapons like her father had once said, but she still did for her own safety. I also think that Karana was brave enough to face the wild dogs. They are merciless and move in packs. She had even known that they killed her brother and that they can kill her. I think that Karana was very strong, because some people might have died, from loneliness, and from everything that Karana had experienced during those harsh 18 years.

4. The scene when Karana did not kill the leader of the pack when it was wounded and saved its life instead was very memorable. It showed how lonely Karana was- that she would not kill the very dog that killed her brother and was trying to kill her next. She made him her pet, and they quickly became friends.

This scene made me think that even if you have supplies, shelter, and food, you can't live without company.

5. The author is trying to tell you that you can't live without people. Even though, Karana had a lot of pets, after she met the Aleut girl, she was extremely lonely, and she was very sad.

6. I would rate this book a 10 because I really think it had a lot of meaning.

7.
Beginning: Karana and her brother remain behind at the Island of the Blue Dolphins while everybody else leaves, but Karana's brother is killed by wild dogs.

Middle: Karana is very lonely and makes friends with many animals

Ending: Karana is saved by Aleuts.

Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code (Book Worksheet)

Main Characters: Artemis Fowl

Summary: Artemis Fowl plans to end his criminal career after one more thing- sell his self-made super computer to Jon Spiro, a very dangerous man, for tons of gold. But Artemis's meeting with Spiro is a trap and Jon Spiro steals the cube. Artemis's best friend and guardian, Butler is severely injured and is killed. But with fairy magic, Artemis gets the captain fairy of LEPrecon police, Captain Holly Short, to help him bring Butler back. With the C Cube in the hands of Spiro, Jon Spiro can end up ruling the world, both fairies and people. But luckily, Artemis still has time because of the eternity code he had made in the C Cube's software. Artemis, Butler's sister, Captain Holly Short, and Mulch Diggums work together (although Mulch Diggums is a criminal and will be arrested afterwards) Artemis, Butler and all the non-fairies must be mind wiped after this last mission so that they will not remember the existence of fairies. But in exchange of letting Mulch stay out of prison, Artemis makes Mulch give him a token that would make Artemis remember the existence of fairies again.

1. power
2. Money, gold, and power is not every thing.

3. Artemis Fowl: Clever, sneaky, intelligent,

3a. Captain Holly Short is very kind to actually help save Butler. Although it is because Butler had helped the LEPrecon police.  I don't think anybody else would have helped and risked everything, their job and life. But Captain Holly Short took the risk to help a friend.


4. The scene in which Artemis finds contact lenses with a layer of mirrors on them is awesome because I think that was a very good idea. The fairy police need to see the eyes of a person in order to mesmerize them, but Artemis used special lenses to block that. Mesmerizing can make people tell the truth. The LEPrecon think that they are smart because they aren't letting Artemis use sunglasses (another way to block mesmerization) but Artemis had a super secret plan.

I think that was pretty clever and cool.


5. The author is trying to tell you that just because you have a lot of money and power, you aren't always happy. Money and power isn't everything. Artemis's father realizes that when he is being tortured by the Mafiya. Artemis's father says that he would rather be poor and have a happy family relationship.

6. I would rate this book a 8 because it was a lot of action and fantasy/sci-fi.
I read this because I am reading this series. But I like the plot and ending.

7.
Beginning: The C-Cube is stolen by Jon Spiro and Butler almost dies.

Climax: Artemis, his fairy friends, and Butler's sister get the C-Cube back thanks to Artemis's geniusness.

Ending: Artemis gets mind wiped, but leaves a token that will bring back his memory.

21 things to do when Life Gives You Lemons

When Life Gives You Lemons...

1. ask for limes

2. throw them at people

3. give it back to life

4. drink orange juice

5. eat a lime

6. make limeade

7. got milk?

8. throw them out

9. sell the lemons to a stranger

10. walk your dog

11. if you don't have a dog, get one

12. get a cat

13. place them in your refridge.

14. rater

15. make lemon pie

16. make key- whatever- pie

17. cut it open with a knife

18. ask for even more limes

19. make a list of 21 things to do when life gives you lemons

20. make lemonade (wait. Why is this lime color?)

21. ask for some sugar and water to make the lemonade!



conclusion: when life gives you lemons:

don't eat them.




got milk?

Lego Mindstorms EV3

Generation 2

Generation 1

Generation 3

Generation 4

15 years ago the first Lego Mindstorms Robotics Invention System was released. You could put together motorized creations that can be programmed to do what you want. The online Mindstorms community has more than 17,000 different designs. On September 1st the most recently upgraded Mindstorms kit will be released. The EV3. The price will be $350. 594 pieces.

UPGRADES

1. Intelligence Upgrade

The "heart" of the new EV3 is an upgraded advanced processing brick. The 300 megahertz processor runs 10 times faster then the previous one from Mindstorms 2.0. The new brick can now monitor more sensors spontaneously. Because the system also has 64 megabytes of RAM, the response time of the brick is much quicker. Also, the brick has 16 megabytes of storage.

2. Sensor Upgrade
The EV3 robots can now navigate independently.
Designers added an infrared proximity sensor in the eyes (ultrasonic sensor) so that the robots can follow things, attack, or run away from something.

3. Motor Upgrade
Each Mindstorms set comes with 3 motors. Two big ones (170 rpm) with double-sided output drives and the two sides can do different things. The third motor is smaller and rotates at 250 rpm and is used for firing small little red balls or "flicking fingers".

4. Control Upgrade
The heart of the EV3 has a bluetooth radios letting you control and program your robot through an iOS or Android app. You can also connect a WiFi radio by a USB port on the processing brick.

5. Expansion Upgrade
For complex, large creations, you can connect four processing bricks together and the one "master" brick can send commands to the other bricks like "pinch together a thumb and forefinger"



I think this new set is pretty cool. I have the Mindstorms 2.0 and I there were a lot of major improvements like the remote control and faster motors. The Mindstorms EV3 has a lot of things that the previous Mindstorms sets didn't have.

Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident (Book Worksheet)

Main Character: Artemis Fowl

Summary: Artemis Fowl's dad is captured by the Mafiya in Russia. The Mafiya are holding Artemis Fowl's dad as hostage. When Artemis receives a mysterious email with a video of his dad pleading for help, he goes to save him but is stopped by the LEPrecon fairy police. They think that Artemis was behind a recent crime, but he wasn't. Artemis must help the fairy police in order to save the city as well as his dad.


1. respect

2. Everyone has at least one bad thing about them and a good thing about them, so you shouldn't judge somebody by only looking at their bad thing.

3. Artemis: smart, clever, sneaky

3a. I think Artemis can be lonely sometimes because he is so smart and different from everyone else. He hangs out with his butler. In  the beginning of the story, Artemis, was brought to the counselor and was asked if he respected anybody and he didn't answer.

4.  The part of the story when Artemis is brought to the counselor for the second time was memorable. This is because when the counselor asked him if he found anybody worthy of his respect, he said that he did.

5. The author is trying to tell you that you shouldn't look down to people just because they aren't as smart as you or can't do something you can do. Artemis didn't respect anybody and thought he was great. But after making friends with a lot of people and making mistakes, he learned to respect people.

6. I would rate this book a 6-7 because it was shallow and it mostly just had a lot of action. I liked the idea of mixing fantasy and sci-fi together.


7.

Beginning: Artemis goes to save his dad but is stopped by the LEPrecon fairy police.



Climax: LEP and Artemis team up to stop Opal and Cudgeon, two evil people trying to take over the city.


Ending: After Opal and Cudgeon are defeated, LEPrecon fairy police helps Artemis save his father who was held hostage for a ransom.

Mini Pencil Art

Miniature art has been around for a while now. The word miniature actually comes from the Latin verb miniare, which means to color with red lead paint. Medieval scribes used red lead to decorate capital letters of manuscripts with small, detailed, miniature scenes. This art took a lot of concentration, endurance, and a careful hand. Dalton Ghetti also works with miniature art. Ghetti carves the tips of graphite pencils into detailed sculptures of people, animals, and objects. Ghetti uses just three tools, a razor blade, a sewing needle, and a sculpting knife. (Surprisingly, no magnifying glass!) Because Dalton Ghetti grew up in Brazil, he learned to sharpen pencils by hand, and his mother (who was a seamstress) taught him how to use a needle. Ghetti finds most of his pencils on the streets or in the trash, but some of his friends lend him pencils. Most of his creations take at least months to finish. Ghetti has to have concentration to carve these miniature sculptures. When asked the question, why do you carve pencils, Ghetti answers that his motivation comes from all of the other miniature worlds of nature like insects and plants. After more than 20 years, his collection of miniature pencil art shows his hard working nature.

SherLEECH Holmes

Leech

Saola "Asian Unicorn"

The International Union for Conservation of Nature says that researchers don't even know about 15 percent of mammals enough to even determine if they are threatened by extinction or not. Many animals are still unknown to humans. Researchers try to track rare species by using footprints, dung, and motion-sensitive cameras, but the work is laborious, especially when researchers are working in dense rain forest. The Saola is a deer like animal with the nickname, "Asian Unicorn", it has two straight horns on its head. Researchers first saw these horns in hunters' homes in 1992, but ever since then they only found remains of Saola's and never a living one in the wild. Tom Gilbert, a geneticist University of Copenhagen, discovered an effective way to track rare species. Gilbert got this idea when a colleague that was monitoring rare tapirs in Malaysia was bit by a terrestrial leech and wondered if the blood inside the leech can be used for DNA analysis . Tom Gilbert tested his new idea by feeding 40 different leeches goat blood. After he ground them into a paste he saw that every one of the ground leeches contained goat DNA even after 4 months. (2010) Gilbert tried this new method on 25 leeches that had been captured in Vietnam. 21 leeches contained DNA from different mammals and two of theme were extremely rare. Although there was no evidence of the Saola, Gilbert had found the DNA of the Annamite striped rabbit. Scientists had seen this animals only once in a Laotian food market in 1995 but it was never seen since. Tom Gilbert is now analyzing blood DNA of leeches from countries all over the world including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Madagascar. I think that this idea was really creative and great.

List of Top 5 Rare Animals:

1. Thylacine

The striped meat-eating Tasmanian tiger was a marsupial the size of a large dog. Though experts agree the last one died in a zoo in 1936, some people have hope.

2. Javan Rhino

This animal may be extinct because it is hunted so much.

But scientists estimate that about 50 might survive on the western tip of Java.

3. Saola

Scientist think that about a couple dozen to a few hundred of these rare animals live in the Annamite mountains of Vietnam and Laos.

4. Greater Bamboo Lemur

Even though the name might be "Greater" Bamboo Lemur, this creature weighs only five pounds. Researchers think that about 100-160 of these small creatures live in the bamboo forests of Madagascar.

5. Annamite Striped Rabbit

Researchers think that these rabbits are hiding in the same areas as the Saola.

(Annamite Mountains- Annamite Striped Rabbit)

Sources: Popsci 

THIS is an article writing piece- meaning that I read articles and write stuff about it

Bike Accident

Only 1 percent of the United States population uses bikes as a mode of transportation. Netherlands's population is 1/18 of the United State's population, but 26 percent of Netherlands population uses bikes as a mode of transportation. Because there are so many people use bikes, a Dutch company called TNO is creating a car airbag that deploys outside the vehicle to decrease bicyclist accidents. When the car hits something, the airbag (which is under the hood of the car) will inflate and make a cushion around parts of the windshield which will cushion the bicyclist. During tests last November, engineers used a drove a track guided car into bicycles with dummies on them. The car drove at 25 mph, the average speed of most bike accidents. Accelerometers were put in the dummy's head and neck and pressure sensors were inside the dummy's limbs. These sensors indicated brain damage and broken bones without the airbag. Dummies that were cushioned by the airbag had less injuries up to 45 percent of the time. I think this is a good idea but what about the driver of the car? Is there an airbag inside of the car too?

Sources: popsci??

Ender's Game (BEST BOOK EVER) (Book Worksheet)

Main Character: Ender

Summary: In the future, there is a war with humans and creatures called buggers. Ender is a 6 year old genius. The military needs a genius commander to win the war, they recruit Ender and Ender gets many enemies on the way to victory. After Ender graduates battle school, Ender goes into Command School. In Command School, Ender plays a strategy game to help him train and become a commander, but when the day of his final test and he succeeds he learns that the game was actually real and that he was commanding real ships. Thanks to Ender the people won the war. But Ender believes that buggers aren't to different from people and he is sorry that he killed so many of them. In the future, Ender writes two books about buggers and how they are not evil, it's just that they didn't understand and also about his evil brother who has a lot of power over the world. 

1.  understand

2. You fear what you can't understand.

3. Ender: genius, awesome, lonely, happy, sad, (Ender feels) guilty

3a. I think Ender was very angry when he learned that he had killed so many pilots and buggers. Ender must of been afraid of himself and how he had killed so many people and things. Ender didn't really know how powerful he was and he was scared of his own power unlike Peter, Ender's brother, who used this power to take control over most of the world.


4. The part when Peter told Ender that he loved him and that he was sorry was memorable because it shows that Peter is not heartless and evil, and that he can be good, but he thinks he has no choice. Although he actually does.

5. The author is trying to tell you that when people don't understand something, they fear it. The people didn't understand the buggers and so they thought that the buggers were trying to kill them. But actually, the people will never really know. Ender was the closest to understanding buggers.

6. I would rate this book a 10 because this book is just awesome! Nothing else to say.

But, if I were to say something: I loved the plot, ending, beginning, characters, story, idea, author, just everything.


7.
Beginning: Ender is recruited to battle school

Climax: Ender goes to command school

Ending: Ender wins the war

The Witches of Worm (Book Worksheet)

Main Character: Jessica

Summary: Jessica finds a baby cat in a cave and brings it to her neighbor, Mrs. Fortune, a cat-loving strange old woman. Mrs. Fortune tells Jessica to keep it and something makes Jessica look after the small cat. Jessica is interested in books about witches and magic but is forbidden to read them by her mother. With here father gone, and her mother having dinner dates with her boyfriend, Alan, Jessica only has her cat, Worm. All of Jessica's friends seemed to have left her. Jessica starts to do bad things that hurt other people but she thinks that it is Worm's fault and that he was the reason why she was doing these things. She can hear Worm talking to her. When she is caught doing these things, she would act innocent and she would get away everything. After Jessica breaks her old friend's trumpet and is caught, she talks with Mrs. Fortune (who had saw her pushing the trumpet out the window) She then begins to think that Worm is a demon and that a witch sent him. Jessica tries to destroy the demon but not worm, but she fails because Worm ran away but Worm dies from a fall. Jessica is very sorry and thinks that she is the witch. Then her friend reassures her that she is not a witch because Jessica was crying over Worm's death and witches don't cry.

1. friend

2. Only a true friend will stay with you

3. Jessica: Sorrowful, hurt, lonely

3a. I think Jessica must of been surprised and scared at the same time when she acted innocent and pretended she didn't remember anything and was passing out because people believed her. I don't think Jessica thought it would work at first but when it did I think she was surprised. I think she felt a bit guilty about using this to get away with things.

4. A memorable scene from the story was Jessica imagined that Worm was back alive in her dream. This shows that because Jessica believed that Worm was talking and that he was a demon, he was to her, but once she started to think differently, she dreamed that Worm didn't die and that the demon did instead.

5. The author is trying to tell you that whatever you believe is true to you. Jessica believed in witches and so they were real to her. If you believe in ghosts, you feel like you see them everywhere.

6. I would rate this book a 10 because I really loved the ending where Worm came back alive and you can either think that Worm actually did come a live or it was actually a dream.

7.
Beginning: Jessica finds Worm and takes care of him.

Climax: Worm talks to Jessica and Jessica starts to do bad things to other people because of Worm.

Ending: Jessica is very sad because Worm dies from a fall and stops believing in demons and witches.

Ice Cream Personality

 Although you might think that you choose random ice cream flavors to eat, Dr.Alan Hirsh (founder of Chicago-based Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation) thinks differently. Dr. Alan Hirsh conducted a study for Baskin Robbins during the National Ice Cream month (July). Dr. Alan believes that your choice of ice cream flavor can show your personality.

Here are flavors and their personalities:

Vanilla: An impulsive person and an idealist. You are a pessimist.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: You are competitive and ambitious.

Very Berry Strawberry: You are tolerant, devoted and an shy.

Rocky Road: Aggressive and engaging. You are a good listener.

 Mint Chocolate Chip: You are argumentative and very frugal.

Chocolate Chip: You are generous and competent.

People that enjoy exotic and strange flavors like Jamoca and Pralines 'n Cream are scrupulous, conscientious, and moral perfectionists.

I personally like vanilla. What flavor do you like? 

Among the Hidden (Book Worksheet)

Main Characters: Luke, Jennifer
Summary: There is a new Population Rule in which each family can't have more than 2 kids. Luke is one of the lonely "shadow children". Shadow children are illegal, but families keep third children and hide them. Some of the children are caught by the Population Police and the family that keep the children must pay a large fee. Luke never went outside to meet anyone and besides his immediate family, he never met a person before. One day, Luke discovers a face in the window of his neighbor's house where he knew 2 boys lived in. He learns that there was also a third child in the other house who was a girl. Luke sneaks into his neighbor's house and meets Jen(Jennifer). Jen trusts Luke and tells him about a plan she is willing to risk her life for- a plan in which hundreds of shadow children are going to march to the government and protest for the rights that everybody else has. Luke is afraid and decides not to go. After the day of the plan passes, Luke gets worried and goes to Jen's house. Luke is caught by Jen's father and learns that Jen's own father works for the Population Police. Jen's father tells Luke that Jen and forty other shadow children have been shot down. Jen's father tells Luke to hide when more Population Policemen come to investigate. Jen's father then offers Luke a fake ID card so that he can live as somebody else and not be "illegal". Luke says goodbye to his family and becomes a new person- Lee Grant.

1. me

2. You are special because you are you and not me (I am special because I am me and not you)

3. Luke: scared, worried, kind
Jennifer: determined, proud, stubborn

3a. I think Jen was inspiring for some shadow children because of her determination to carry out her plan and show the government who's boss. Jen didn't listen to any of the pleads to not do the dangerous plans, instead she just kept on encouraging other people to help her with the plan. Jen didn't even care when Luke said that he wouldn't be part of the plan. I was very sad when Jen died.



4. The scene in which Jen's father told Luke to escape out of the secret closet backdoor was impressive. Jen's father had actually lied and only said that to make Luke go to the back of the closet.

I think that it was impressive because Jen's father didn't panic and just easily lied to make Luke hide in the back of the closet and I also think that Jen's father was very clever to do that.

5. The author was trying to tell you that you have to say what you want to say and believe what you want to believe even if you are at gunpoint or have a knife to your throat, just like Jen did. She believed that shadow children should be treated like everybody else.

6. I would rate this book a 9 because I liked the plot and the ending because it made me want to read the next book in the series. I didn't give it a ten because the idea was used in many books I read, for example, The Giver by Lois Lowry.

7.
Beginning: Luke meets Jen and learns about her plan to rally all the Shadow Children.


Climax: Jen dies and Luke is offered a fake ID card.

Ending: Luke leaves his family and becomes a new person, Lee Grant.

super secret message

the end

I.Q: The White House (Book Worksheet)

Main Characters: Quest, Angela

Summary: Angela had always believed that her mother was killed from a bomb but discovers the truth with her stepbrother, Quest as they get involved in the Secret Service and Israeli Mossad. Angela learns that her mother faked her own death and is currently an undercover agent trying to act like her twin sister- a former and now deceased terrorist. Angela's mother, Malak discovered that there is a ghost cell made by terrorist groups that is planning to take over the world. With the help of a group called SOS (Some old Spooks), Angela, and Q, Malak works to protect the president and to destroy the ghost cell. 

1. careful

2. Be precise and careful.

3. 
Quest: clever, confused, sneaky, intelligent, observant, brave
Angela: kind, smart, quick, brave

3a. I think Q is very observant because he was the only one that noticed that Wayne Arbuckle's (a disguised terrorist) face kept on slipping as if it were a mask. This caused Q to get suspicious and look around even more carefully. When the President asked the two kids, Angela and Q if they recognized a special watch on somebody, Q easily answered with a full description and he was complimented by the president for being observant. When the two kids were forced into the library by a terrorist with a hostage, Q noticed somethings that ended up saving his life. I think Q's observantness is very helpful to the SOS team. Q has a knack for seeing things that others don't. This may be the reason why he wants to become a magician or the reason he is observant may be because he wants to become a magician.

4. A memorable scene from the book was when Q and Angela found the secret passages in the White House and went to find a terrorist that was holding P.K. (President's Kid) as hostage. Nervous, the two kids went after a terrorist cook who had a knife and was threatening to kill P.K.
This scene showed a lot of courage in the two kids.

5. The author is trying to tell you that your parents love you and that they would give up anything they have for you like Angela's and Q's parents.

6. I would rate this book a 7 because the book had an interesting plot and storyline but the story barely had any meaning. It was a rather fast and shallow book. I did like the story though.


7.
Beginning:
Angela and Q are invited to the White House so that their parents, a band called Match, can perform.


Middle: While Malak is working undercover, Angela and Q must find the "moles" or terrorists, in the White House.


Ending: Malak, Angela, and Q save the President's children.

The Lava Walk

2012, a video of a man walking over lava, was posted on YouTube. Many people didn't think this was real or possible. They thought it was a illusion or trick. A geologist says that although walking across lava is possible, you shouldn't try it because it is very dangerous. If you slip you will fall into the molten lava that have temperatures from 700°C to 1200°C, which could cause the water inside our bodies to vaporize and "explode from the inside" Erik Klemetti(an Assistant Professor of Geology at Ohio's Denison University) studied this video very closely and came up with a theory which he posted on his volcano "Eruptions blog"
Erik Klemetti says that walking across lava is technically possible but he says that the attempt is very "idiotic". This feat was possible because the lava had a dark crust moving on top of the flow. The lava appeared rather stony, hard, and rough. Although it might not seem like so, lava is viscous unlike water. When researches have to study lava samples, the lava can be resistant and hard to scoop up out of flows. This man's astonishing feat was aided by the fact that the lava was rather cool and slow. Klemetti says this kind of lava is called a'a lava; a cool and oozing kind of lava. Although a'a lava is cooler then other types, it is still extremely hot. The man in the video is nicknamed, the "lava art craft worker" Walking around lava or being near lava can be very hot, even if the lava flow is small. This short clip was filmed on one of the most active volcanoes in the world, Mt. Edna in Sicily. Although the crust might look hard, it can be very deceptive, the crust can actually be very thin. The "lava art craft worker" might have survived the walk across lava, but  at 0:08 in the video, you can see that in his last step, his foot slightly caught on fire. This man was lucky to survive this stunt. Even though walking across lava might sound cool, it's not. In fact, it's really hot! (unintended pun) Don't try this at home or anywhere else!
Links to check out:
scienceblogs.com/eruptions
www.wired.com/wiredscience/eruptions/
and sources:
http://www.dogonews.com/2013/7/1/video-of-the-week-it-is-possible-to-walk-on-lava
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/man-walks-on-flowing-lava-lives-to-post-it-to-youtube

Turtle Guide

Each year, volunteers from the Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire make sure that all the newly born loggerhead sea turtles make their way to the ocean. This year, when the 112 small baby turtles hatched on the Caribbean Islands, people noticed that the turtles were hatching far away from the ocean, near the airport. Because the loggerheads use moonlight as their guide, they can get confused with all the flashing lights in the airport and the moon and end up going in the wrong direction. A couple years ago, the innocent group of turtles were killed on the road because they were misled by lights other than the moon. To make sure this won't happen again, the volunteers from the Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire watched the eggs when they began to hatch. When the July 1st, the day the turtles would be going into water finally came, the  volunteers created a human wall around all the small turtles to block out all light besides moonlight. Because these volunteers created this wall, all the baby turtles survived and got to the ocean. Loggerhead sea turtles are one of the many endangered species; many of the baby loggerheads that only hatch every 2 or 3 years die from land animals and older adult loggerheads are preyed upon by larger animals (For example: sharks.). There are also many unintentional deaths caused by fishing trawls. Protect the turtles!

The Sheep that Cried Wolf (by a text message)

       Soon, the sheep in Switzerland will be texting each other all the time! A team of researchers and scientists are trying to create a collar that can monitor a sheep's heart rate and send a urgent message when there is a spike(in the heart rate) while fighting off the wolf that caused the spike. Although testing is still in early stages, so far, scientists have developed a collar with a heart-rate monitors. They put the test collar on sheep and scared the sheep with dogs. The sheep heart rate's rose quickly. The team plans to find a way to make the collar send a text message to the shepherd. They also plan to add a device that scares the wolf off with a noisemaker or a type of spray while the shepherd or whoever is in charge of the flock comes to rescue the sheep. I think that this idea can be used for other things besides protecting sheep. For example you might get a phone call when there is somebody trying to break into your house. I think it is a good idea that can be used for many things because regular alarms that beep sometimes doesn't work. But a person is more likely to respond to a text message or phone call than to a lot of "beeping" noises.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Book Worksheet)

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
By Mark Twain
Main Characters: Tom Sawyer, Aunt Polly
Summary: Tom Sawyer is a clever young boy known for his pranks and tricks. He lives with his Aunt Polly and Tom's younger half brother, Sid. Tom is in love with Becky Thatcher. He shows off to her but he accidentally reveals that he liked Amy Lawrence before. One day, to take away his warts, Tom decides to take the dead cat he found to the graveyard at midnight with his friend Huckleberry Finn and wait for the devil to come and take the cat and the warts away. Tom and Huck find 3 people instead at the graveyard, Muff Potter (a drunk man), Injun Joe, and Dr. Robinson. Injun Joe stabs Dr.Robinson to death while Muff Potter is knocked out. Then Injun Joe takes the knife and puts it in Muff Potter's hand. When Muff Potter woke up, he saw the knife in his hand and the dead body. Injun Joe lies to Muff Potter that he did it. Muff Potter believes Injun Joe. Joe Harper, Huck, and Tom decided that they wanted to be pirates. They ran off into the forests and stayed like that for days. Tom didn't want Aunt Polly to be grieving for him, thinking he was dead, so he went to her house secretly and left a secret message. But Aunt Polly didn't get to see the message. After a while Joe and Huck wanted to go home because they were homesick and tired of fishing and playing all day. Then Tom told them the reason why they should stay. It was because they wanted to make their parents or relatives miss them than they all come out the last day. When the gang came back home on the day of their funeral, everyone was surprised and treated them as heroes. When Tom and Huck explore the a "haunted" house they discover Injun Joe and another buff man talking about a hidden treasure. They almost catch Tom and Huck but the two kids are saved by the creaky stairs. Becky Thatcher forgave Tom and they were good friends again. When all the kids get together secretly, they all decided explore a cave. Becky and Tom get lost in the cave and are separated from the others. The other kids don't realize. When Becky's mom realizes that her daughter was lost many people are sent to the cave to begin hunting for the two kids. Tom meets Injun Joe, who is sleeping in the cave. When they are finally found, the Judge puts up a big metal door to block the cave's entrance. Finally, Tom announces that Injun Joe, the murderer, is in the cave. When the Judge opens up the cave, Injun Joe, dead, was laying on the ground in front of the door. After Injun Joe's body is cleared out. Huck and Tom go to find the hidden treasure that they believe Injun Joe was looking for in the cave. They become rich from the treasure which was $12,000.




1. clever

2. Everybody has a different way of showing love.


3. Tom: clever, proud, immature
Aunt Polly, loving, caring, kind

3a.

4. A memorable scene from the story was when Tom made almost every kid in his town help him paint his fence. After Aunt Polly gave him the punishment and he started to paint, Ben Rogers who was eating an apple, came by. Tom started to make it seem like painting the fence was fun. When Ben asked why he was working, Tom said that it wasn't work. Tom made it seem so interesting that Ben offered his apple to try painting the fence. Tom convinced many kids to paint the fence for him. After Tom was finished, he had many things that kids gave to him to try washing the fence.

I chose this scene because it was very funny and it showed that Tom was good with words and is a good persuader, it also showed that Tom was very convincing.

5. I think the author is trying to tell us to have fun in our life. When we are children, we have big imaginations and we love to play. I think the author is telling us to play while we are children because once we become adults, we're to busy for playing and imagination nonsense. Tom really didn't waste his childhood, he was a pirate, a robber, and he even found treasure. In the end of the book it says that the story ends because Tom would become a man and writing about a man would be boring.



6. I would rate this book a 10 because it was very well written. The characters were realistic and interesting. The plot was intriguing and the story was clever and funny.


7.
Beginning: Tom and Huck see Injun Joe murdering Dr.Robinson and framing Muff Potter.



Climax: Tom, Joe, and Huck run away to be pirates and come back on their funerals



Ending: Tom and Becky Thatcher, who like each other, get lost in a cave and find Injun Joe, scared they run away and are saved while Injun Joe dies in the cave searching for a treasure that is found by Tom and Huck who later on become rich(from the treasure).

Texting Makes You More Truthful

 People are more honest when they are texting. Psychologists did a research on 600 different iPhone users. Fred Conrad and his colleagues asked questions to the people. The iPhone users had to answer the questions by voice (calling) or by texting. The people that answered by texting were more truthful about answering the questions. The questions, for example, were about how much they exercised or how much alcohol they drink. The people who texted were also more precise and specific. While the people who answered the questions with their voice rounded numbers, the people who texted used exact numbers. Psychologist Fred Conrad thinks that people think about their answers more carefully when texting and that people don't care much about looking good to the person asking questions. Researchers plan to use texting as a technique in the future for conducting surveys. I think that another reason people might be more honest because they think that their text will be inside the memory of a phone forever while a person who asks questions and receives answers can forget things. I also think it is scary that people are more truthful in texting than actually talking. This shows that people have changed a lot and that more and more people are texting. (I learned this from research) People spend about 1- 1 and a half hours a day on texting and about 2.5 hours on social media. If people aren't even honest while they are talking, they next thing you know, everybody will be texting even if they are right next to each other. I think texting wastes time, phones were made so that you can talk to someone far away by calling, but now it is a texting device.

The Ghost Army

During World War II, the United States Army created a group of soldiers called the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops. 1,100 soldiers, (artists, designers, or actors) had a mission to confuse the enemy with fakes. These men were unofficially called the "Ghost Army". In 1994, when soldiers were moving through Europe, the Ghost Army sent fake radio messages for the Germans to overhear. They sewed different shoulder patches onto their uniforms to look like a lot of different units of soldiers. Speakers were set up to broadcast recordings of marching soldiers and trucks driving so that it sounded like a lot of American soldiers were coming. They made inflatable rubber tanks (like the picture above) truck, and weapons for spy planes to see from the air. Nobody knew about the Ghost Army until 1996 because the mission was top secret. I think that the whole Ghost Army idea was brilliant and clever. I also wonder who thought of the idea to trick all the enemy soldiers by using fakes. (After some research, I learned that it was Ralph Ingersoll who came up with this idea.) I think that it is possible that other countries have made a Ghost Army and that two countries can fool each other. I think a flaw to the Ghost Army is that the enemy might take the risk of attacking the Ghost Army. Most likely, they will soon realize that these people are no soldiers and they will know that they are fakes. But the Ghost Army was lucky and the enemy didn't take the risk of attacking. I wonder if America or another country will use a Ghost Army in the future.


Source(s): http://www.ghostarmy.org/ and the magazine called "Muse"

It's Back!

I am going to be doing "Article Writing" again. Check out my older posts if you haven't already. Article Writing is when you read an article and you write about it. (Pretty self explanatory)

Sherlock Holmes (Book Worksheet (Edited for Mr.Holmes))

The Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes
By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Main Characters: Sherlock Holmes



1. Write one word that best describes the character(it's actually supposed to be story)

genius


4. Most memorable/impressive CASE.

The Greek Interpreter was a very impressive case.

I found it memorable because of the introduction of Sherlock's brother, Mycroft. Mycroft Holmes is even more of a genius then Sherlock. But Mycroft doesn't want to become a detective. I think this was a quite difficult mystery to solve and yet Sherlock did it. It was very interesting to me. Also Sherlock and Mycroft was observing people and they analyzed that a man was a widower, had children, and was from the military and that he also had fought in India.

I would rate this book a 10 because I love the  geniusness (is that word?) of Mr.Sherlock Holmes. I found it quite intriguing. I think the author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle must also be a genius to have come up with this amazing character. I love how the story is written in Watson's point of view. Sherlock Holmes can merely look at someone and tell everything about them, and in the end, it all makes sense if you listen to how he got to a conclusion.

A Single Shard (Book Worksheet) + Book Worksheet Update

(IMPORTANT Update: New part to the book assignment- write about one character.(does not have to be favorite character))


A Single Shard

By: Linda Sue Park

Main Characters: Crane-man, Min, Tree-ear

Summary: An orphan in Korea named Tree-ear lived with his friend, Crane-man under a bridge that was in the town called Ch'ulp'o. Ch'ulp'o is known for the potters in the town who make beautiful celadon ware. Tree-ear is intrigued by the work of one of the best potters in the village, Min. Tree-ear keeps on watching Min working on pots. Tree-ear accidentally breaks one of Min's creations. Instead of paying Min, Tree-ear offers to work for Min. Min makes Tree-ear cut wood, and dig up clay but never actually pottery. After Tree-ear worked for the broken creation, he asks Min if he could keep on working. Tree-ear asks Min why Min can't teach him pottery, Min grows angry and says that potters only teach their son pottery. In rage, Min says that his only son, Hyun-gu One day, out of curiosity, Tree-ear follows another potter, Kang, whose skill is not as great as Min's but is decent. Tree-ear spy's on this potter and sees that Kang had developed a whole new style that is quite beautiful. It is an inlay design. Tree-ear knows not to tell Min. If you were chosen for the royal commission, your work would be sent to the king. Getting the royal commission was Min's life's desire. Tree-ear knows that Kang's new style will definitely get him the royal commission. After the emissary comes to look at all the potters' works. He looks longest at Kang's new design and Min's beautiful work. After choosing Kang for the royal commission, the emissary who admired Min's work, gave him a second chance to make something with the new design. Tree-ear is sent on a mission to go to Songdo, a town far away from Ch'ulp'o. Tree-ear is attacked by robbers on the way and Min's work is flung over a cliff. Tree-ear is horrified and goes down the cliff to find small pieces of the celadon. The largest shard is the size of his palm. Tree-ear is determined to deliver this single shard (title) to the emissary. The emissary admires even this small piece of work and immediately orders for the royal commission to be for Min. Min finally decides to teach Tree-ear pottery and treat him like a son. While Tree-ear was on the trip, Crane-man had died because he had fell into the river when a man crossed the bridge. Min's wife gives Tree-ear a new name, Hyun-Pil.

1. line

2. There are always consequences for actions, whether the consequence is good or bad.

3. Crane-man: Wise, caring, proud
Min: Proud, sad, hard-working
Tree-ear: hopeful, brave, determined

3a. (look at the update)

I think Tree-ear is a rather determined person. Even in the beginningIf I were in his situation, where the pot was smashed by robbers and I was throwing up all over the place, I wouldn't have gone down the cliff with hope to check if they really were smashed like Tree-ear did. I would of mourned for the pots. Tree-ear thought of jumping off the cliff. But he didn't. I think that it is possible that I might of(if I was Tree-ear), because in Tree-ear's position, there was no easy way out of this situation. I wouldn't have been surprised if Tree-ear actually took a leap of faith. Tree-ear went down with hope that I don't know how he got and he found the biggest piece and decided to take it to the emissary. I think that took a LOT of determination and courage. Think about the things that could happen. What if you were rejected or accused of stealing your master's (Min's) pots by the emissary? Tree-ear was brave.

4. The scene in which Min explains to Tree-ear how Crane-man died was very memorable. It was very sad, a farmer crossed the bridge and Crane-man was pushed into the cold water. The shock was too great for his heart and he died. When Crane-man's body was found, he was clutching the small monkey that Tree-ear had made him. (Note: Crane man had one good leg and the other leg was broken) Then Tree-ear said, "Wherever you are now, I hope you are walking on two good legs." and he cried.

This was a strong sign of friendship between Tree-ear and Crane-man, I noted that Crane-man called Tree-ear little monkey a lot: Crane-man was clutching the monkey (Also in the end of the book is a small note by the author that talks about a inlay celadon pottery that an unknown maker known as the "Thousand Cranes Vase" It was dated during the time of Tree-ear! I think the author is saying that Tree-ear made (although I know it is not true) the celadon pot)

5. The author is trying to tell you to never give up. Tree-ear didn't give up even when all the pots were shattered all over the floor. Min didn't give up when his inlay design didn't come out right. Crane-man didn't give up when his newly made sandals for Tree-ear didn't fit. So don't give up!

6. I would rate this book a 10 because I really liked the ending. (Meaning the small note at the end. Look at 4.) I also liked the plot.

7.
Beginning: Tree-ear begins to work for Min.

Middle: Tree-ear is sent on a mission to deliver the pots and they are smashed by robbed.

Ending: Min gets the royal commission and Tree-ear is treated as his son, meaning he will learn pottery.

The Giver (Book Worksheet)

The Giver
By: Lois Lowry
Main Characters: Jonas, The Giver

Summary: In the future, everything is perfect. No war, no hunger, no pain, but no love or warmth- everybody is assigned to a job when they turn 12. Jonas is a boy who is about to turn 12 and receive his assignment. When he is chosen as the Receiver- the one person who is supposed to be wise and honored- he is scared and confused. The people who gave him the job told him he needs bravery and that it will be painful. The Giver gives Jonas memories of times when there was war, hunger and also happiness, love. Jonas is getting all these memories, colors. Not only are they bad but they are good too. Jonas wants others to feel it to, but it is now gone. Jonas wanted to leave this world of sameness. Jonas leaves with Gabriel, a Newborn who is to be Released. Jonas goes away from all the sameness to a world of everything.

1. different

2. A world with pain and love/warmth is better than a world without both.

3. Jonas: confused, thoughtful, different
  The Giver: wise, thoughtful, happy

4. I think the part in which Jonas and Gabriel hear music, people singing, something that was also forgotten was memorable. The Giver said that his favorite memory was music and when he was about to give it to Jonas, Jonas said, "No. You keep it." The Giver and Jonas both had the memory of music.

I found this memorable because I think it was very kind of Jonas to let the Giver keep that memory, the part in which Jonas heard music was also memorable because it was the end.


5. The author is trying to "give" you the message that even if pain is bad and it hurts, we would have love. People took away all that to make things perfect and easy for them, but in order to know what is good, there needs to be a bad. When Jonas asks his parents, "Do you love me?" They say, "Precision of language please. The word "love" is very generalized and is so meaningless that it's become almost obsolete."

6. I would rate this book a 10+ if possible because it had such meaning and I loved it. It had a wonderful plot, beginning and ending.

7.
Beginning: Jonas is chosen as the Receiver.


Climax: Jonas learns love and pain.


Ending: Jonas runs from the world of sameness to a world of love and pain.

The Hunger Games (Book Worksheet)

The Hunger Games

By: Suzanne Collins

Main Characters: Katnis Everdeen, Peeta Mellark 

Summary:

In the future, there are 12 districts, the 13th was destroyed in a rebellion against the Capitol. Panem, the Capitol, forces each district to send one boy and one girl to fight to the death against all the other children from different districts live on TV. Panem made districts do this to say that the Capitol had all the power and that if the districts were to start a rebellion again, they would be destroyed. When Katniss's sister, Prim, is chosen by the Capitol to compete in the games, Katniss Everdeen from District 12 steps up to take her place. Katniss surprises everybody including herself and becomes a different person. People start to admire her and she becomes a contender. The other boy from her district, Peeta Mellark, says he loves her and that he had a crush on her ever since he saw her. He does this to get sponsors and also because it is true. Katniss must act as though she loves him back to get even more sponsors although she doesn't really love him. Soon they are the "star-crossed lovers" In the games, Katniss becomes allies with a girl name Rue. When Rue dies, Katniss is determined to win for herself, family and friends. There is a rule change that two people from the same district can win together. Katniss finds Peeta and they work together. When they all the last two, the rule changes back saying that only one can win. Katniss thinks that Panem needs a victor no matter what so she and Peeta prepare to die. At the last moment they are announced victors of the Hunger Games. But the two people are in trouble. They must keep on acting in order to stay alive. 

1. power

2. Making the right choices and decisions can change and end your life.


3.
Katniss Everdeen: brave, thoughtful, kind
Peeta Mellark: clever, caring, thoughtful


4. I think the scene in which Katniss tells the Avox that she should have tried to save her was memorable. The the Avox taps her lips with her fingers then points to Katniss's chest. Katniss interprets as- you should have ended up as an Avox too.

I chose this scene because I think the Avox was saving that she forgave her and good luck, it was memorable.

5. The author was trying to tell us about war and that people can do anything to survive. I also think the Hunger Games was a message to us that we could become like that one day and we should make the right decisions. Some of the children in other districts called Career Tributes prepare for this annual event. They train to fight and to kill. They aren't hesitant about killing somebody. They don't think twice before they do it.


6. I would rate this book a 9. The book was interesting. But I don't think I would read the next book. The plot was very different from other books but I think that it could of been better. I liked the ending though.
I think another reason why I might of disliked the book was because I watched the movie first.


7.
Beginning: Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark become tributes and Peeta says he loves her.


Climax: Katniss Everdeen is determined to win and finds Peeta to work with him while acting as though she loves him back.


Ending: They win together and must continue acting in order to live.

Uglies (Book Worksheet)

Uglies

By: Scott Westerfeld

Main Characters: Tally, Shay

Summary: In the future, in order to prevent people from being prejudice from other's looks, there is a new law in which you must go through an operation (when you turn 16) to become "pretty" which makes you "perfect" like all the other pretties. Before you go through that operation, you are an "ugly." Tally is an Ugly who will soon become a Pretty. Her best friend, Peris, became a Pretty first and is now living in New Pretty Town. The Uglies are separated from the Pretties and so, Tally can no longer see Peris until she become a Pretty. Tally wants to see her best friend so badly, she secretly goes into the town and crashes a party, meeting her best friend and also making one too. On the way out, Tally meets Shay, a girl who has the same birthday as her, meaning they will both go through the operation on the same day. They quickly become friends, but Shay doesn't want to become a Pretty. Shay runs away and on the day Tally is supposed to become a Pretty, she is given a choice to either turn her friend in, or never become a pretty. Tally goes on a mission to find out where the runaway Uglies go, but instead learns the new side of becoming a Pretty. Tally reaches a town called Smoke and finds that there is a whole different world where people don't become Pretty, meaning there are no Uglies or Pretties. Tally learns that becoming a Pretty doesn't only change how you look, but how you think too. Tally accidentally signals the Specials (a group of Pretties who were trying to find Smoke for a long time) and betrays all her new friends that she made at Smoke. Shay is forced to become a Pretty and Tally decides to help out in a medical experiment and she goes to become a Pretty.


1. think

2. Different can be good, even if it means being ugly.

3. Tally: loyal, thoughtful, understanding
Shay: rebellious, different, arrogant


4.  I think a memorable part of the story was when Tally told David, her friend, the truth about why she was there in Smoke and when Tally decided to help out in the medical experiment. She plucked up a lot of courage for that.

I chose the scene because it left me thinking that Tally was very brave.


5. I think the author is trying to tell us that it doesn't matter what you look like. Shay liked how she looked like and she disliked the idea of the operation. She thought that it was the exact opposite, instead of making you stunning and attractive, it made you boring, dull, and like everybody else in New Pretty Town. She wanted to stay as she was.

6. I would rate this book a 10, because it left me with a cliffhanger, making me want to read the next book in the series. I liked the plot and the idea of Uglies and Pretties.

7.

Beginning:
Tally sneaks to New Pretty Town to meet Peris and finds Shay on the way back.


Climax:
Shay runs away and Tally is forced to either find Shay or never become a Pretty and stay Ugly.


Ending:
Tally learns the truth about becoming a Pretty and betrays all her new friends in Smoke, on accident, making her want to fix something, so she decides to help out on an important medical experiment.

The Big Wave (Book Worksheet)

The Big Wave

By: Pearl S. Buck

Main Characters: Kino, Jiya, Kino's father
Summary:
Kino and his friend Jiya live in Japan where earthquakes and tsunamis are frequent. Kino's father is a farmer while Jiya's father is a fishermen. Jiya's father and family is taken by the "Big Wave," a tsunami. Jiya stays with Kino's family and is offered a choice to live with either a wealthy man who lives on an island safe from the coming tsunamis or with Kino's rather poor, family. Jiya chooses to live with Kino's family. A long time later when Kino and Jiya are both older men, people begin to build houses again near the shore the tsunami had once washed away. Jiya marries Kino's sister, Setsu. Kino builds a new house on the spot where his old house once stood and starts a new life.


1. live

2. Have courage and live your life

3. Kino: thoughtful, kind, afraid

Jiya: afraid, brave, sorrowful

Kino's father: wise, kind, thoughtful

4. A memorable part was when Jiya and Kino were inside the Old Gentleman's house examining it to see if Jiya would want to live in it or not. Jiya was looking around at all the things and the Old Gentlemen repeatedly saying how poor Kino's family is and that Jiya should live with him. Then Jiya's face turns red and he shouts "no" in a rather harsh way.

This was memorable because I think it took courage to stand up to that man who was offering Jiya anything he wanted, it must have been very tempting.

5. The author was trying to tell us that fear should not get in our journey of life. We should put down things that have already passed. What good would it have been if Jiya mourned for his brother and his parents for the rest of his life? Jiya moved on and lived his life. That doesn't mean who forgot them, he simply moved on.

6. I would rate this book a 10 because it had a lot of meaning.


7.

Beginning:
Jiya's family is taken by the Big Wave.


Climax:
Jiya refuses to live with the Old Gentleman and continues living with Kino's family.


Ending:
Jiya moves on and restarts his life.