Grace's English I Blog

Why is Music Important? - Ethan Human Nature - Landry

  During last year's flood, our power had gone out. My family didn't worry because we were used to the power being out. Earlier that day, I had gotten a text from a friend that lives in my neighborhood, saying that there were some men going around trying to rob empty houses. I didn't think anything of the text because something like that had never happened in our neighborhood before. I remember it being pretty dark outside, so it must have been around eight pm. I was sitting on the couch with my dog when I heard a bang on the door. Then I saw a shadow pop up in front of the door, along with more banging. My mom rushed my sister and I into her room, while my dad went to investigate.    My mom manually set off the alarm in an attempt to scare away the attempted burglar. I was supposed to call 911. It was my first time every having to call the police. My sister was freaking out, and I was shaking holding the dog. It took the police almost twenty minutes to get to our house, d

   Human nature can be a very controversial topic. I believe that no one is perfect, but there is such a thing as crossing the line. Humans have so much power in the world, that sometimes it can lead to bad choices. I believe that the way you are raised is the way you will behave as an adult. Children are extremely innocent, so it is very important they have good role models to look up to. However, this is not always the case. Some humans are exposed to violence and hatred later in their life, which leads to bad decisions. This cannot be stopped, but if a child grew up with good role models, they would have a better chance at making good choices later in life. Humans can also be grateful, loving, and kind. Some people are born with a contagious goodness that they spread around to the rest of the world. These types of people are the ones I would want to be friends with.    My personal beliefs about human nature are most likely due to my family. My parents influence my decisions and be

Q1: Week 8- Fall Break - Juliana Fall Break - Katie

   Out of all of the short stories we have read, I find A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings  by Gabriel Garcia Marquez to be the strangest. Like most children's stories,  A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings  has a very simple plot. Basically, a poor family finds an angel lying on the shore. The angel becomes like a circus animal to the rest of the town. One day the angel finds the strength to fly away. Due to its lack of plot, this story has a very interesting and significant mood. The atmosphere is dark and gloomy. The weather, colors, and life of the characters all portray a depressing mood. The only light in the story is the angel itself. I feel like the ending could have been more powerful. I was not shocked by the angel's departure, and I was let down at how anticlimactic the story was.     A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings also has some different characters. Pelayo and Elisenda are very greedy and unkind to the innocent angel. They treat him like a circus animal, and even

   Fall break was a new thing for me this year. At my old school we had Columbus Day off, but not two days! I was so excited to have a break from the business of school. My life has been non-stop as we approach the end of the first quarter. I have been so busy with after school sports and homework it was definitely time to sleep in. My little sister was jealous since she still had school.   On Thursday I slept in until about 9 am. Later that day, my mom and I went shopping. First, we picked up my sister's halloween costume. Then, we went shopping for shoes. After no luck at DSW, we went to the mall. Luckily I found some perfect shoes at Dillards, so we celebrated with lunch and cookies. Friday was my day to relax. I slept in late and had Mexican for dinner. On Saturday, I finished my homework and went to my friend's house. I hadn't seen her in awhile, so it was good to catch up. We babysat her little sister while her mom was out. Overall, my fall break was very relaxing an

Short Story - Ellie Flash Story - Landry

   Lilly was nervous for her first day of sixth grade. She had to leave all of her friends behind in Denver, and was worried about making new ones in Los Angeles. Hopefully everyone was nice to her.    Jim was so excited for his first day of sixth grade. He was in middle school now. His brother told Jim all about his awesome middle school experiences. Jim rushed outside just in time to catch the bus.    Lilly walked into her homeroom teacher's classroom five minutes early. She figured it would be good to introduce herself. Mrs. Cunningham was hidden behind at least 40 textbooks. They were labeled "Life Science." Lilly sighed, she hated life science.    Jim waltzed into Mrs. Cunningham's class a minute after the bell rang. His brother had the same sixth grade teacher. He knew she wasn't strict. Jim was laughing with his friends, when he noticed an unfamiliar face sitting next to the window. He walked toward the girl.    Lilly took out her notebook while Mrs. Cu

   I am currently reading "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson. This novel is about a girl named Melinda, who is narrating her life. Melinda is outcast in school and by her friends, but it is not mentioned why. In a way, this book could be classified as a mystery to the reader. The plot map of "Speak" is very interesting. Anderson does not write chapters, rather she splits different instances in Melinda's life into groups and titles them. Melinda experiences many of the things a normal ninth grade girl would, but the reader is puzzled by how she approaches these events. The tone of the story is extremely sad and dismal, however the reader does not know why Melinda acts in such a way.    You could ask many questions about this book because as the reader, you must infer what has happened to Melinda. Some level one questions that could be asked are, "Why do Melinda's parents ignore her?" or "Does Melinda want a better life?" Level two questions