Friday, January 20, 2017

Quarter 2 Reflections

*In what area do you think you made your biggest improvements in English Language Arts?

I think the area that I have improved in is writing blogs. I think I improved in this area because we've been writing blogs many times and I've been learning how to cope with errors and how to fix them. I know how to filter out any unnecessary information in a blog that is sticking to only one specific topic. I now know when too much is too much, (as in too much information), along with knowing when there's not much information. I make sure that there aren't any errors in my sentences, so I look out for grammar errors, punctuations, spelling errors,and  capitalization errors.

*What is something that you accomplished since the new year that you are proud of?

I've accomplished writing a nonfiction assessment blog reading only around 52 pages. It was very hard for me because I couldn't find enough information at first. Although, after rereading those 50+ pages, I've noticed much more information and I gathered everything up. After I got all my information, I put it all together and typed in into a blog. I then posted it and the results I received a good score. I am proud of myself because of that one task. It was hard in my opinion. I'm glad I got a good score. 

*What has been the most challenging part of 2nd Quarter for you and what did/can you do to help overcome this?

The most challenging part of 2nd quarter was when I had to do a nonfiction blog about a book. I only read about 52 pages, so I couldn't really gather any more information. It was anti-climactic to me, because I, as I mentioned earlier, only read about 52 pages. I drained out whatever I could out of that book and put it into the 3 paragraph blog I was assigned to do. It was by far the most hardest assigned I have had. When I overcame this, I reread each 52 pages, trying to find something different. I gathered all the information I could, and that is what gave me a good grade in that blog. I'd like to say I'm actually proud.

Friday, January 13, 2017

Book Talk

The title of the book I am reading at the moment is called The Boy Who Dared: A novel based on the true story of a Hitler Youth, written by Susan Campbell Bartoletti. The genre of this book is Historical Fiction.



Summary


This story takes place in Luisenweg, Hamburg, 1928. The main character of the book is a boy named Helmuth Hübener, who is 13 years old at the moment of my book. Helmuth is Aryan. He has two older brothers named Gerhard and Hans, and a mother named Mutti. Helmuth has no present father, as well as his brothers. His two older brothers have the same father, while he has a different father. Helmuth is going through a conflict with the Germans and Hitler. Many Germans believe that the reason for families' who are unemployed is because of the Jews. Germans are blaming the Jews, in which affects Helmuth because he has no problems with Jewish people, and he is very religious. Germans call Jews traitors who want to destroy Germany. Adolf Hitler is putting thoughts like those inside the Germans' minds, making almost all the German citizens turn their backs of every Jew known to man.

The mood of this book has got to be sad. Most of the Germans are  criticizing the Jews, and Helmuth doesn't like how this problem is happening because he has a friend who is Jewish. The Jews are losing business due to the lack of customers, because Hitler told the Germans not to shop at Jewish stores. Now, the theme of this book is about bravery. Helmuth shows bravery by standing up to the discrimination of the Jews. He sacrifices his beliefs to Hitler just to protect himself and his family.


Review

I like this book a lot because it is based on a true story about a Hitler Youth. This book shows a perspective from a child who is in Hitler Youth. What I remember most about the book is Hugo Hübener. He is the man that Helmuth's mother had fallen in love with. Hugo was somewhat 'addicted' to Hitler and defended Hitler whenever Helmuth's brother had made a rude comment. To me it was very funny because Hugo has never met Hitler at all, and he thinks Hitler is the coolest most smartest guy of the Fatherland. I recommend this book to teens that have an interest in learning the history about Hitler and the Nazis and how everything worked because this book provides a perspective about a kid who was involved in Hitler Youth. Th viewer of this book talk should go and read this book for many reasons. This book shows you what Hitle Youth is. It'll actually inform you about the days of Hitler and what goes on in that era. For sure the book will open your eyes and make you see German history and Jewish history differently as it did to me. I surely recommend the book to the viewer, but if German history isn't the viewer's type of interest, then it's a loss.