Fat Boy Chronicles

·       Book: Fat Boy chronicles 

      Prompt:   Write a post about predictions where you suggest future plot events and/or ask questions you have about what you have read so far.  

                    In the book The Fat Boy Chronicles Jimmy is a freshmen in high school. He is being bullied because he is over weight, and it is based off of a kid who went to Mason High School. He wanted a weight lifting set for Christmas and has just gotten it. So I think that Jimmy will start and loose weight by using the gym set, even though it seems like he is beginning to loose interest in trying to loose weight. Paul is one of Jimmy's friends and his father tears him down. I also predict that Paul, Jimmy's friend will begin to stop talking to him over time because his father is pushing him over the edge, and will cut himself off from the rest of the world. 

              In the book Allen (another over weight kid) and Jimmy are picked on so they go to the principle and talk to him (Mr. Gardener) about what is happening. I have is how come the Principle hasn't done anything even though he promised he would keep an eye out for Jimmy?In the book, a kid named Spencer is a friend of Jimmy's and had made the JV soccer team (he is a freshmen so it is a big deal to him) and is starting to sit at the "jocks" table, though he still sticks up for Jimmy. I also am curious about weather or not Spencer will still stick up for Jimmy even though he is becoming more and more disconnected with Allen and Jimmy. If you are interested in reading The Fat Boy Chronicle then you can click on the hyperlink. 

Aerospace Orion

Grannt Bell 4

·             Writing Prompt: Write a letter to the author about your thoughts/opinions on the book/article.

                     After reading the Magazine called Aerospace, the article I am commenting on is about how the missions for Orion. It is the new space capsule for NASA. I like how they are trying to move forward with the space program after the space shuttle program ended. The only problem is that the program is moving to slow. The first crew launch for the Orion craft is for 2021. By this point other nations will begin to catch up with the USA when the USA is going to have it's first crew launch. For the past few decades NASA has been leading in space innovation and now that the space shuttle program is over, NASA has been doing non-man missions now for the past few years, while other nations like China and Russia begin to catch up to us. Also when an idea for the space program comes around, you see it not work out after one administration comes to an end.   

                   The other problem with the SLS (Space Launch System, the name of the rocket on Orion) is that there is no planned goals for it. You have some mission outlines, but traditionally the rocket is given a clear purpose. An example would be the Saturn V, which was used to get the US to the moon. While with the SLS there is no clear goal. You can see this because of the mission outline. The first mission is to go around the moon then to go to a asteroid. But this doesn't give a clear goal for the rocket rather a series of missions for the rocket. But I do like how the wanting of exploration with the rocket to further our knowledge about manned space exploration. In conclusion I think that the space program needs a more clear path for SLS and move along faster then they are doing so right now. 

I Am Malala

    11/4/14

       

     Grannt 
       
       For me the central idea for my book, I am Malala  is struggle. I have seen this throughout the text that for Malala and all of those around her It's all about the struggle. Malala is a girl in Pakistan and her struggle is her fight for education. Her father is owner of a school and he is struggling to keep it alive. A picture is shown to give you an idea of what these characters look like. The struggle of the characters changes throughout the story of Malala's life. Like seen when she is having to choose if she should still go to school even when the Taliban are threatening her indirectly. Her father has to go through the struggle of his life dream (which is the school) or his own life when the it becomes dangerous to have a school when the Taliban are going around and killing people who don't follow there ways. 
      I like how the article about how poor children struggle more then those who have money in school. It also talks about how collages are charging a higher rate at an increasingly fast rate. This causes those student to not be able to afforded collage, or have to drop out because the loans are too high. You can see connections to the story about Malala and how she fights for education. This would lead her to search for opportunities for herself in order to improve her life through education. Both of the pieces have an emphasis on the importance of education. Both talk about the struggle for those who aren't necessarily going to get the higher education like they should be given. In Pakistan it is for girls above the age of 10, while in the article it is for people who are trying to go to collage.

       

Grannt's third post on the Color of Water

·        10/16/14

         Book: The Color of Water

     Grannt 

     Prompt: Make a text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world connection to the book (You could easily write a paragraph on each and create links to other sites, videos, etc).

    

                 A text to self connection between me and The Color of Water is the fact me and Ruth are both Jewish. This will give me a deeper connection to the book. I get the connection by seeing things in my Jewish life, and seeing in the book. When I see things like how Ruth speaks Yiddish, and how my grandmother speaks Yiddish as well, I can fee the connection to Ruth as is with my grandmother. I could also have a connection with Ruth in the fact that she has strong morals just like the Rabbi at my Synagogue.

               

               I also have a connection with James in the book because I too was curious about my heritage.  You could see this when James is asking questions to his mom about where she is from and what happened to her family members. I did the same thing with my parents when I was young. The difference is that when I ask, I got a very detailed responds from both my parents. This connection allows me to get a deeper feel for the character of James, along with the books as a whole. 

       -Grannt Bell 4 

  

1984

Grannt Epstein

•  Describe the setting of the novel.  Include details about the time and place as well as lines from the book that include good imagery.  

                  In the book 1984, George Orwell talks about how life is in the totalitarian state of Oceania in London after a nuclear war. The main characters name is Winston Smith. You are not allowed to keep a journal, yet Winston does. London is a gloomy place in this timeline. Winston begins to question the role of government in his journal. Also the mentality of the people is different as children are interested in hangings. " ' They're dissipation that they couldn't see the hanging'..... 'Want to see the hanging! Chanted the little girl,"(pg 23). 

g               Also you see the mentality of the government with the slogan of "War is peace, freedom is slavery". This shows how the government is taking control of the people by changing the way they think. And Winston is beginning to question all of it. This is a brave think of him to do, when the thought police is watching you even in your house. The houses are very plain and in bad condition because they were made in the 1930's. I find the book to be really good. 

g

- -Grannt Epstein 

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Grannt Epstein

         Book/Magazine: October 2014:  Astronomy Magazine

         Prompt:

  What have you learned? Discuss new ideas, concepts, or facts you have gained by reading.

             There are many things that I learned when I read the October edition of Astronomy. Some of the things I have learned is that Titan (one of Saturn's largest moons) has a different history than the history of Saturn. This may suggest that Titan formed by itself, in the earlier times of the solar system, and was caught by Saturn's gravity. A NASA article is shown http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Titan, this is giving more information on the topic. 

              Also other interesting information about Titan is coming out. Scientist may think that Titan may have waves. "Now scientists say they may have seen short lived structures atop a sea- surface waves," (pg 14). This shows how the scientists think that they have seen a small island appear and disappear because of the waves on Titan. This is intersecting because we have only seen waves on our planet.