Weekly Blog 10/27/14

The Boy On The Wooden Box 

By: Leon Leyson

Pages 57-110

Question Prompt: 

Describe something you have read that is similar to this.

             The Diary Of Anne Frank is a book that is similar to this book because they both have the same over all time period. The time period in the books is during the time of the Holocaust. The Holocaust was the time when Jews were being treated harshly and were being discriminated just because of their religion. 

            Both books were also written by the point of view of a kid. Leon Leyson was 12 years old and Anne Frank was 14-16 years old throughout the book. They both put their thoughts and feelings into the book and what is was like for them during the Holocaust. They also mentioned what their family was going through. 

         They also both mentioned their secret hiding places. During the time of the Holocaust it was common for Jews to have a safe place to go or stay to hide from the soldiers. Anne Frank's hiding place was in what is like an apartment. She stayed in it with her family. After Leon Leyson was force to move into the ghetto, he and his family helped set up a hiding place in their 1-room living space. That hiding place was when the soldiers came to take them to their new home(aka death). 

WANTED: GESTAPO MEMBERS REWARD: $1,000 for each man

     GESTAPO members are German secret police members wanted for being cruel and harsh against all Jews. They beat the Jews and invade their homes to take their jewelry and money. Gestapo members must be stopped at once.

      A Gestapo member was recently caught attacking a Jew in a book. He broke into their family's home and demanded riches. The gestapo member harshly beat the main character's father right before his very eyes. After they beat him in front of his family,  they took him off to jail.

     This was the time of the Holocaust. The main character's father was innocent. He never did anything to the Gestapo members, they just didn't like him because he was Jewish. What the gestapo did to him is an act of discrimination.

     Gestapo members cannot be easily spotted. They might have their uniform as shown above, or they might be undercover. Since they are the German secret police, they will most likely have a german accent when they talk. If you spot a GESTAPO, please call this number 7777777770 for a reward.

WARNING: DO NOT ACTUALLY CALL THAT NUMBER! IT IS FAKE!

The Lady or the Tiger?

"Every heart stopped beating, every breath was held, every eye was fixed immovably upon that man. Without the slightest hesitation, he went to the door on the right, and opened it."

       Out came the most ferocious, brutal, blood-thirstiest tiger ever. The tiger moved slowly towards the man. Just as the tiger was about to devour the man the princess gave a signal to a good friend and there was a loud screech. The other door had opened, the door with the lady behind it had opened.

       The savage creature quickly turned his head and locked his eyes on the lady. The lady then did the worst thing you could do when face to face with a wild animal. She screamed and started to run around the arena. It didn't take long for the tiger to catch up to her. He quickly took her life while the man stood there, astonished.

       After the tiger did what he did to the lady, people captured the animal and put it in a cage. The king declared that the man was innocent and that the lady was guilty of something. He didn't know what for, but he knew she was guilty of something. The princess then came running towards the man delighted. She no longer had to worry about the man's death or the lady's cause of jealously towards her. She in fact got what she wanted one way or another.

1st Quarter Reflections

     

          It is the last day of the quarter and it has gone by fast. Some days faster than others, but every day I learned something new. I can't wait for the second quarter!!

         Reading for the 40 Book Challenge has been fun because before this, I didn't really know which books were good and I didn't read as much as I am right now. I have read The Giver and the second book to it called Son. I really enjoyed reading both of those books because it was fun, weird, and exciting being able to experience their world in the book. 

         I've learned a new strategy like annotating. Annotating has really helped me by being able to express my thinking while I am reading. I used to just hold the questions and/or comments in my head. That was painful because when I would finish reading the story and/or article I would forget what i am going to say or talk about. I would then have to go back and skim the story/article to trigger my memory.

         I've also learned how to make an essential question. Making an essential question has helped me learn better because I use that question to help guide my learning. Whenever I read something I am constantly thinking about the essential question and how it relates to what I am reading.

       Also, the most important thing to me that I learn to do was to write a topic sentence. Writing a topic sentence has helped me by being able to get the main idea and points of the article into one sentence. I used to write many sentences trying to get all of the information in, now I can to that by writing an essential question. 

Weekly Blog 10/20/14

The Boy On The Wooden Box 
By: Leon Leyson
Pages 5-57
Question Prompt:
Blog based upon the characterization and how the conflict develops the character's character.


               The characterization in the book The Boy On The Wooden Box is both indirect and direct. The text explains on how the story is direct by stating that, "My parents were honest, hardworking people who never expected anything they did not earn." This qualifies as direct characterization because the author is telling you that his parents were honest and hardworking people.

                 On the other hand, the book The Boy On The Wooden Box explains that it can also be indirect. The story explains on how it is indirect because in the text it stated, " I remember David telling me that when I was a baby, he would rock the cradle if I was crying." This quote from the text proves that the story is indirect because the author is telling you what David did and how through his actions we are able to tell that he is loving.

                 The conflict in the story develops the main character by making him more aware that he has to take action. The conflict in the story is that the Germans are invading Jews' homes and treating them harshly. The main character's father got taken by the Germans. He then realized that he had to take action and could not just sit around waiting for the Germans to be defeated.

Weekly Blog 10/13/14

Anne Frank The Diary of a Young Girl
Pages 1-126
Question Prompt:

Pretend you are the friend of one of the characters. Write him or her a letter.

         Dear Anne Frank,
                                                                                   

                How are you doing? I bet you are doing awesome since you have such a secretive place to hide. I wish I had a place like your to hide in. I got to go into a underground shed that is very crowded and very uncomfortable. I miss being able to go to school. Do you wish to go to school also? I bet you do. I still do my work but when I don't understand something, I really don't have anybody to ask for help, you probably have your dad or sister help you. 


               What does your "secret annexe" look like? Is it big? As I mentioned earlier I got a underground shed. It is not very big and it is smelly. I also don't have a proper bed. I sleep in a hay stack, it is very prickly but oddly warm. Do you have a bed? Is it big? I at least don't have to share my hay stack. That sounded very selfish but I need my personal space. I am down here with 2 other families of 3. They have only boys in their family so I don't have a girl to talk to. Who are you in your hiding place with? Are there any girls for you to talk with? If you do then you are lucky, unlike me. Please try to write back as soon as you can. 

                                                                          From your good friend, 

                                                                                                              Paulina