Soundtracks of the year

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For my final LA/SS assignment, I will be creating a list of songs that demonstrate the school year and how we feel about it. I chose this over writing a letter to a teacher because this option seems more fun and up my alley, so to speak.

1. Time in a bottle – Jim Croce

We all enjoyed Quicksilver’s moment of glory in X Men: Days of Future Past. But the song that played in the back ground had a certain meaning to it. Jim Croce, the performer of the song, described in his lyrics that he wished days could last forever, and I think that that applies to middle school. The days go by so fast; one minute, we’re sitting in class on the first day of school, wondering when the school year will end, the next, we’re packing up, saying our goodbyes/farewells and going off to summer. Not many realize this, but time can only keep the days going for so long. Eventually, it has to end.

2. Celebration – Kool & the Gang

While the first song may talk about regret and lamentation, this song is the complete opposite. This song talks about how we should embrace the coming change, and even rejoice at the rite of passage we have been handed. This applies to middle school very well. We should celebrate our moving into high school, and enjoy it while it lasts.

3. Stay with Me – Sam Smith

Despite the celebration, there will be some who are reluctant to leave middle school. This song sympathizes with that feeling. This song was written by Sam Smith in honor of his LGBT status and is sung in honor of his former partner, wishing that he could “Stay with[him]”. In middle school, there are some people that are attached to middle school and reluctant to leave, same as how Sam Smith was reluctant to let go of his partner.

4. We Will Rock You – Queen

Sometimes, rock anthems have meaning to them. Such is the case of We Will Rock You, this song describes the life of a man, from young boy to old man. This also applies to us middle schoolers. We are young kids right now, growing into adults, and then to old age, and then death.

5. Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen

This song, again by Queen, talks about how we shouldn’t be stopped of what we want to do in life, instead of just waiting for opportunity. In gamer terms: Sure, be a camper; be someone who waits for opportunity. But if you want to be successful, you do what you can. Rush, storm the front, get out there.

6. Beat it – Michael Jackson

At #6, we have Michael Jackson’s hit single, Beat It. This song may just seem like a song used in discos and clubs, but there is a hidden meaning. In life, fight where you can. But where you can’t, don’t. When you face an opponent you can’t beat, no one will judge you if you run the other way. The path of the least resistance isn’t always the wrong path. Running away is more wise than staying and being humiliated.Screen Shot 2016-06-10 at 1.56.15 PM

 

SML Blog Reflection

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I chose this topic because I like building and armor, and this combines both. I’ve had to change my design several times, before deciding on a sleeve. I am proud of the planning and work I have done so far. I feel somewhat creative. My designs are based off of armor from comics. I can’t really share any specific examples. The structure really helps me, and takes my mind off things that are stressing me out.

 

Civil Rights Reflection Post

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  1. Race is pure opinion. It only defines the physical aspects of us, but that’s where the importance ends. What’s really important is your character. If you are an absolutely horrible person, then you can’t exactly say that people saying rude things about you is completely baseless. If you are a good person, then you shouldn’t let race define you for who you are.
  2. The farthest extent that we usually take ourselves is thoughts. Sometimes we make judgments about a person based on race. Eventually though, those thoughts fade away and we see the person’s character and we see them for what they really are: a human being not unlike us. That, and a mobile structure of bone, blood, muscle, vein, and skin that is eventually going to rot and fall into a hopeless, irreparable pile of mush.

Spring Conferences

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I have a lot of things I need to work on for the future. For future reference, I need to be paying more attention in class. I should be improving my dysgraphia by writing every day. I can also go to Homework Club and start reading books containing more challenging vocabulary. For my Approaches to Learning, I can reflect on my action, take notes on what went wrong, and incorporate that into my next writing piece. I should also bring my water bottle to class to keep hydrated and focused, and I can take a short, 2-minute power walk around the 1st floor, get some “fresh” air, and return to the classroom. I also REALLY need to start getting organised with my work and stop saying “wait” before every question.

LA goals

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Quarter 2

 

Writing Goal: My LA writing goal for quarter 2 is to add words from at least 2 more books to my Wonder Words Wall. My proof of this will be recorded in my Wonder Words Wall Blog post with the text in a different format.

Reading Goal: My LA reading goal for quarter 2 is to have at least 1 book in every column. I know that this will be slightly harder than my writing goal, as it takes me an extremely long time to get through a biography and reading a horror novel results in my booby-trapping my room and building an emergency escape route, but I will at least TRY. Proof will be recorded on my Reading Log.

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Quarter 4

Reading: At least 1 book in every column of semester 2.  Proof: Reading Log.

Writing: To use NoRedInk every day after-school and applying at least 3 of the structures in my writing. Proof: highlighted in Writing pieces and screenshots of NoRedInk.

Reading

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For my reading formative, I picked up on some points but missed out on others. For my writing formative, I had the basic structure but missed out on some components. For my reading summative, I did better, adding more detail into my answers and covering every aspect of the question and scored an ME. f

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Photo on 11-1-2016 at 12.20 PMPhoto on 11-1-2016 at 12.21 PMPhoto on 11-1-2016 at 12.23 PM  For my Reading assessment, I got an ME for my depth and clarity in my explanations. I could have gone a little deeper with my explanations in order to get an EE.

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For my Writing Assessment, I was pretty good at organising my writing to the point that it makes sense to the reader. I could’ve done better on usage of persuasive grammer.

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The final book club discussion went really well. We all discussed the book and what happened without going off topic too many times. We also discussed possible scenarios for its sequel, The Lord of Opium. We also developed a suitable way of speaking in the book club,  by placing our pencil or another one of our belongings into the middle of the table, which indicates that said person has something to add, say or comment. However, this was flawed, as too many people would put in their pencils into the middle, making it confusing.

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For my video, I could tweak it a little bit. For starters, my pictures weren’t as good as they could have been. They didn’t show all the events. I could’ve added more pictures to show the minor events in my film.

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Overall, my brainframe was pretty good, but I could have added more sub-context bubbles in it.

 

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My writing was good, with correct uses of ellipses and quotation marks. I focused on key concepts in my writing and brought out the topics that were most significant. However, I forgot to add a citations page and didn’t convey a certain emotion in my writing. Throughout the course of my writing, I didn’t add much variation in my tone.

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Wonder Words Wall

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Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

conglomerate: a thing consisting of a number of different and distinct parts or items that are grouped together.

waterfowl: large aquatic birds.

homicide: the police department that deals with the crime of murder.

avant-garde: new and experimental ideas and methods in art, music, or literature.

lubricant: a substance used for lubricating an engine or component, such as oil or grease.

Savoir faire: the ability to act or speak appropriately in social situations.

salmonella: a bacterium that occurs mainly in the gut, especially a serotype causing food poisoning.

Eon: an indefinite and very long period of time.

Big Nate by Lincoln Pierce

Hornswoggled – get the better of (someone) by cheating or deception

Posse – a group of people who have a common characteristic or occupation.

Meteorologist – A person who studies the atmosphere.

Petition – a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity.

Dismal – causing a mood of gloom or depression.

Varicose vein – veins that have become enlarged and twisted.

Ben Franklin – a major figure in US history. A comic, diplomat, and inventor and one of the Founding Fathers.

Ailurophobia – The fear of cats

Sandbagged – The act of undermining someone else’s opinion subtly, yet in a public area, to make him/her appear foolish.

Civil War by Jack Kirby

Genocide – the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular nation or ethnic group.

Apocalypse – The end of the world.

Tranquillizer – A drug taken to reduce tension/anxiety.

Fascism – an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization.

Sociopath – a person with a personality disorder manifesting itself in extreme antisocial attitudes and behaviour.

I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Telekinesis: The ability to move objects without contact.

Guardian Angel by Robert Muchamore

Guardian Angel: a spirit that is thought to watch over and protect a person or place.

Ranch: a large farm, especially in North America or Australia, where cattle or other animals are bred.

IV: Intravenous Therapy, involving situated, performed, or occurring within or entering by way of a vein.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Mutation: the changing of the structure of a gene

Lamb to the slaughter:  doing something without realizing the danger.

Hearing Aids: a small amplifying device which fits on the ear, worn by a partially deaf person.

The Martian by Andy Weir

Schiaparelli Crater: An impact crater on Mars named after Giovanni Schiaparelli.

EVA: Any activity done by an astronaut outside of any breathable atmosphere.

JPL: A Laboratory owned by Caltech designed to construct and operate spacecrafts.

 

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Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Direwolf: An extinct breed of wolf and a relative of the Grey Wolf.

Black Friday by Robert Muchamore

Black Friday: The day after Thanksgiving, marking the beginning of Christmas shopping.

Suicide Bombing: A bombing that kills the victims as well as the perpetrator.

Lone Wolf by Robert Muchamore

Drug Dealer: A person who sells drugs to buyers, usually under false pretences.

Cocaine: A Class A drug, in the form of white powder. Usually snorted or injected.

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

Public key (code): A type of encryption known to the public.

Cryptography: the art of writing or solving codes.

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The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Greasers: a young man with long hair belonging to a motorcycle gang, typically popular in the 1950s.

Madras: a strong cotton fabric with colourful stripes or checks.

Hydrogen peroxide: a colourless viscous unstable liquid with strong oxidizing properties, used in some disinfectants and bleaches.

Electric chair: a chair in which convicted criminals are executed by electrocution, especially in parts of the US.

Rumble: a street fight between gangs or large groups.

Cigarette: a thin cylinder of finely cut tobacco rolled in paper for smoking.

Social Outcast: someone who is rejected from society.

Switchblade: a knife with a blade that springs out from the handle when a button is pressed.

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Reading Reflection: the Long Haul

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The Long Haul is the 9th and latest instalment in the diary of a wimpy kid series. Greg Heffley, along with his brothers and father, are forced into going on a road trip by their mother, which quickly turns to be a disaster. This taught me one thing: never go on a road trip, especially with a family of five.

Reading Reflection: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series franchise. Harry Potter and his ragtag group of friends narrowly escape a crashed wedding which was invaded by death eaters and then go on a camping trip to destroy the horcruxes of Voldemort, in order to kill him. This book taught me one thing: it’s one thing to say you’re going to fight, and it’s another to actually fight.