Themes in To Kill a Mockingbird

To kill a Mockingbird is a book about the injustice it was happened in the South of the United in 1930-1935. Some major themes in this book are:
- Inequality of race.
- Sticking to what you believe.
- Having a pride.
- What most people like is not always the good decision.
- Never give up even though people are against you.
- Having a self-control in front of a difficult situation.
- Having a self-esteem.

The author reveal those themes by showing the obstacle each people have to affront. For example, Scout doesn't have a self-control when her cousin, Francie, called her "nigger love". Atticus, Scout's father, is a person very decent because he doesn't show any fear in front of the difficult trial which wanting for him in summer. However, he has a lower self-esteem because he is so sure to loose the trial.

The lesson the characters learn is what most people like is not always the good decision because in Maycomb, people accused Tom Robinson unfair without hearing what he has to say. All that because he is a black man. For example, Scout asks her father how he was defending a man who most people don't like him and find him guilty.

I think that Harper Lee wants us to learn how abstruse condition black people and everyone who defends black people have so much to overcome.

Test Prep Action Plan

My goals for the test prep are to learn deeply about vocabularies and figurative language (idioms and puns). For now, I am reading a lot and I hope that it will improve my vocabulary when I will stay the test. Also, I study the vocabulary books and write some word in the index card.

The types of questions are on the 8th Grade ELA are inference question, nonfiction article, main idea, conclude, graphic organized and short and long essay. To improve the questions/passages, I should read more and do a lot of practice at home. Get more help at advisory and after school.

To My Parent: What I've Learned so far in ELA

Dear Grandpa,

Salut, Grandpa! How are you doing? This year, I learn so much that I am sure you will be proud of me like I am proud of myself. You will not imagine how many pages in English I could read by myself without any help. Of course, I use dictionary as you advance me. I am not good in vocabulary yet, but I am doing my best for learning so fast I could. You know how I feel about ELA.

However, this year, ELA is so fun because we are using computer in class. Did you read my essay I send to you about Barack Obama and Abraham Lincoln. I love that essay. For me it is the prove that I do understand politic now. I have a good interest about politic this year because we did study a lot about the Election Presidential 2008. One of the best election in United States.

Now we are studied, To Kill a Mockingbird. The cool thing is that we have a web side called ning.com, where we pretend to be a character in the book and write journal about what we read each day to school. I am Atticus, the father of the main character. He is a lawyer and he is defending a black man in 1930's. I am very happy to be him because he is the one who make a big different in the book. I strongly recommend this book to you so we could do a book club about it. The web side is very super, you should read what the students post. It is very surprising and funny how the students include me understand a 10th grade book. Our teachers are proud of us.

Take care of yourself and Grandma too. I miss you so much. Don't eat to much meat. You know how it is bad for your health. lollllllll

love and kissssssssssssssssssss

sincerely,
Your Love.

Child Labor or Povery?

Originally post on the "339 Hardline.com"
Child Labor or Poverty?


Child Labor or Poverty? We don't ever ask that question. Education is a luxury that many families can't afford. In Zambia, for example, in Southern Africa, 80% of the population live in abysmal despair and abject poverty. Most parents cannot afford to educate their children, and consequently, they put them to work to have one fewer mouth to feed. The International Labor Organisation (ILO) puts the number of children working in the world at 350 million. Some are exploited by unscrupulous bosses, while others help their parents in the fields. Even though child labor is illegal, it is common in Zambia.

According to a German NGO (nongovernmental organization) that defends children, "Many children are working in the fields. All the major farms are fenced and guarded and behind those fences there live families with children working in the fields. The entrance is more like an to a prison than a farm-the prison of poverty. The children working there will never get out. Getting no education, they'll be condemned to a life of non-qualified work." Those farms are sort of work camps, but the families aren't separated. They can spend the little tiny time they have together, however, all the children work in the fields and don't go to school. They won't get in there.

In a depot of cotton, among the workers are lots of teenagers. Instead of being in class, they're carrying on their back 50 pound sacks. Schools complain about truancy (students who don't go to school) but parents need the money. Farmers even come to pick the kids up. They're happy to be fed, and don't realize that missing school means a change of one day having a qualified job. 8 out of 10 Zambians live or survive because of the land (ILO).

In a farm, a group of chidren of 5 to 10 years old are heading for a spot where clay bricks are drying in the sun. Their job is to transport the bricks, which are being used to build a storehouse. On a weekday which kids should be in school, they are providing cheap labor. For pay they are given a little food.


On TV5.org, a French website, a teacher names Emmanuel Kapichila said, "It's obvious. Whenever a pupil is absent, I know that he or she is working somewhere. Even if they tell me some story when they came back, I know that he or she was working on a farm." However he knows why they're working rather than coming to school. Three quarters of his students don't get enough to eat. One quarter are more or less getting enough to eat, but the other three quarters really don't get enough. Poverty forces the parents to put their children to work. Kilida, a 13 years old girl, said, "I work so I can buy soap." She has to work days for a bar of soap. Two days laboring in a field for soap. The kids work 6 or 7 days a week, and, in the harvest time 10 to 14 hours a day.


All children have his dream job - taxi driver, teacher, doctor, pilot... - serious dream and they are also intelligent. However, without education, they will remain poor.

Reader Reponse Journal #8

Someone To Love Me
by Anne Schraff


Cindy is a freshman at Bluford High School. She has a low self-esteem because Raffie, her mother's boyfriend, and other people like to say that she is ugly. The relation between her and her mother is more and more worst because her mother passes all her night her new boyfriend. Cindy feels really lonely. I think that loneliness would make her do something very grief she would regret all her life because she starts to hanging out with Bobby Wallace, a ex-boyfriend of a friend of hers, Jamee. They are not together anymore because he used to beat Jamee so badly that she had to go to Cindy's place to clear herself up before going home.
I think that Cindy is acting very naive by going out with Bobby because he says sweet words or words she wants to hear. I could never go out with a boy I know he use to beat my best friend. However, I could not blame her because she needs company and she thinks that Bobby could be that friend. And also never in her life a boy has never look at her like Bobby does. This mistake would remember her that sometimes boys don't mean what they say.

Reader Response Journal #7

To Kill A Mockingbird
By Harper Lee


This book is very dramatic by the way the author saying things. I really don't know what would happen in that book for certain because everything is not confusing, but it is difficult to predict what would happen next. Scout is a very intelligent little girl and I think that she would be very helpful to her father in some point. Maybe by the fact that Atticus, her father, would defend a black man.
I think that the tittle of this book is also relating by that the accusation of that black man. To kill a Mockingbird for me mean to kill those who are not good for nothing, however, make people talking. However we are not so far in this book for us to understand the tittle.

Reader Response Journal #6

Encyclopedia and the Case of the Sleeping Dog
by Donald J. Sobol

The end of this book is very funny because you have all the clues in front of you to solve a case of code and when you are torturing your mind to know the person and you can't. In the end, the way they coded the code on the paper sheet was very easy, however, you need to pay attention because all words or names you hear are very hopeful to solve the case. I think that the author gave Encyclopedia nickname to Leroy to show how smart he is and how a little boy could help his father solve a case he could not solve in his own. I also think that Encyclopedia is a special children because he is a good detective and could think very harder and smarter than a kid of his age.

Listening Passage: Mona Lisa

One possible identity of Mona Lisa is that he could be Leonardo Da Vinci himself because according to one theory they match perfectly. For example, according to the study of Dr. Swatch, a scientist, the self-portrait of Leonardo Da Vince and Mona Lisa match and found out that they have the same shades and match perfectly.

Character Unit Intro

I think that people sometimes change and sometimes not because some people do believe that what they do is right even though most of people disagree with them, however, some people do change when others do reproach them about their negative acts. For example, in Monster, the main character does change in the end because he knew that he was changed for could affect his life and he become aware of his acts. Also, in A Tree Growing in Brooklyn, Francie changes more mature when her dad died and she needs to work to help her mother takes care of the family. In the other hands, some people don't change like my brother who needs to learn to be patient. Also the AKA group who didn't change their mind about racism.

Election Reflection

This election was one of the interesting election in the history of the United States of America. The especial interesting about this election is the fact that American people didn't care about the race of the candidates, but for what they believe and would accomplish for America. However, the most attractive point in this election is that a African-American won the election who would change so many for kids in this country. He is the good example for all especially for young people because he make them have a interesting for politic and moreover young people believe in him by voting so many than precedents Election Presidential. Obama open a door for young people in politic that we hope would never close. He shows that everyone could dream higher and make a change in this country. By following his steps, everything seem easier, but we have a lot to work out.

"Ghost Story: Haunted Street"

In a small town far far away from the modernisation. There was a street forbidding by the habitants long long time ago. According to them, when you're walking on that street, you could hear voice behind you and moreover don't you ever look behind. Some people say that if you look behind, a wrinkle face like black eyes appear just in front of your face and screams, "COME WITH MEEEEE!!!!!" The street has mysterious kind of spider webs, rats, owls and especial strange voice come from a house.

The house belongs to a death old man who never liked anything in his life. All his family died and he was the only one who was in life. People say that he killed his two children and his wife and drank their blood because they mysteriously disappeared one day. When he was in life, he liked staring at people and said that he would come in the night to your house and drank your blood. One day, when the cat of one of his neighbors missed. After a long day of searching everywhere, his neighbor found his cat hung in his veranda. Because he was so mean, when he dead no one knew and his body stayed for years in his house.

He sought revenge and haunted everyone who pass by his street because no one was there when he died. He said that no one we would live in peace again in that street and his house who use to be hims. Since that time, no one walked on that street and people who did never come back home.

Reader Reponse Journal #5

"The Pact"
By Drs. Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt
pg 87 - 96

When Rameck said to his friends one day that he was thinking about going to college, they started laughing at him. Now, he is to college and he should be proud of himself because he proved to them that he could do better than what they thought of him. Rameck, George and Sam made it to college. They are each the first person to graduate to college in their family. In my point of view, I think that they are good example for young people, in particularly Rameck's friends because when RameckRameck is someone who is not believing in himself. he doesn't have a good self-esteem just like me. Also like Rameck, I want to have a good future but I am sometime scared about what I have to strive to have it. For example, to choose a high school, you want to choose a good high school to have challenges that would unveil your true self. However, I think that he should not destroy hid life by thinking like that because if he made to college, he could do better.

George is someone optimist like Francie in A Tree Growing in Brooklyn. They are both living in a poor situation but never give up to accomplish their dreams. George is someone very straight even for himself despite he lives in a bad neighborhood. He found a way to stay out of trouble by hanging out with young person in his neighborhood and in school by hanging out who students who like school but in the same time fun. By hanging out with people like that he was not like most of young residents in his neighborhood. George sounds sometimes like my English teacher when he gives advices to his friends because he believes that his friends could do better and also believes that everything is possible just like my English teacher.

Reader Reponse Journal #4

"The Pact"
By Drs. Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt
pg 87 - 96

Sam is a very confusing person who knows what is wrong but still doing not because he is afraid of his friends but because he scares about what his friends would think about if he declines the offers to go robbing. I am something like that, I don't want to tell that truth about how I feel to my brothers because they would think that I am a mommy baby Which I am not, so I get to lie sometime to look tough in front of them about my family. However, I know I am making a mistake because they will not worry about me and that what I really need. This book is similar to "Speak", Melinda didn't want to show her feelings to anyone even her parents and days pass and she realized that she could not live anymore better in this situation.

Now I begin to understand the book better. Indeed, the book is about three young boys who live in the same situation and they make a pact (where the tittle of this book comes from) that they would do anything to make their life better in the right way. The names of the authors begin with Drs., this must mean that they overcame the difficult obstacles of their life and became doctors. For me it is making a little sense now, they can count to they family because all their family get it is a little piece of advices, but all three young boys together it would make a sense because they have the same age, the same life, the same experience, and the same way to think. It should be not easy for them to still of their pact but they can take care to each other better than their family because they are almost similar.

I think that this pact should be helpful for young people who live in the same situation like them to get out of trouble in their neighborhood. I predict that Sam would find his way out of his confusion because he has two good and determined friends.

Reader Reponse Journal #3

The Pact
by Drs. sampson Davis, George Jenkins, Rameck Hunt
pg 75-86

Rameck is a smart boy, but who does not the value he has. However, I think the way he behaves is almost normal because when you live in a ghetto, you want to be and look cool which make you doing some mistakes that you will regret one day if you not really think about your life. This is Rameck's case, he and his friends (boys like he says) jumped a man almost dying at a schoolyard. I really don't know why Rameck took off the knife and menaced the man. However, I think that he was trying to have more respect in front his boys. The consequence of his action was three days in juvenile-detention, but he and his boys got lucky that the victim didn't show up to the court three times and the jury threw the case.

I wonder why his boys wanted him to say that he was him who had the knife. They are boys, right? I thought that boys were supposing hold each other hands and go together no matter what. That remember me my sister. When she and I did something together which turned bad later, she is always putting the blame on me when my mom reprimands us. The same thing happen to everyone, someone have to betray you, but you need to look up to see the ball coming so you can kick it back. Like my English teacher always says, "We learn more in our worse experience so we could do better the next time." I think that she is right because Rameck realizes that his boys are not really some kind of friends, but they are trouble makers.

I hope that Rameck will be more friend with Sam and George because they are both in the same situation like him, but they realized that the trouble makers' life they used to be is not a life for them. I predict that Rameck will take in consideration his Grandmother advices more seriously. Why does Rameck's mother continue to take drug if she wants to show a good example for his son?

"Reading Response: Questioning"

"Policy before Politics" Scholastic News

3 Skinny Questions:
- What the first question was about?

- Where the second presidential debate took place?

- What is the Obama's plan for health care?


3 Fat Questions:
- Why does the author describe the second presidential debate as a dark and stormy night?

- What does the author mean when he says, "The wind and rain didn't dampen the spirits of the two main contenders for President as they outlined their policy differences before an audience of undecided voters gathered at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee." ?

- Why does Brokaw try to rush the candidates along to get to the last topic of the night–foreign policy?

I think that Brokaw tried to rush the candidates along to get to the last topic of the night-foreign policy because every time one candidate was answer a question, he tries to provoke the other candidate by something he said before. For example, the candidates found it tough to keep within the agreed two-minute time limit. Also, each candidate would to be clearly about what they will do if they are President. Moreover, there was not so much time left for the debate.

'RAFT: This Land Is Your Land'

Question:

How does the information in the box "A Day in the Life (of me)" help the reader understand the article?

The information in the box "A Day in the Life (of me)" help the reader understand the article by showing the same routine she gets to do to occupy her days all day long. For example, she listed all what she does and gives hours and activities she does. Also, the list is so naturally by the way she put some hours in two possibilities that could mean that she really doesn't know the exact hour some time. Moreover, the list is to 6:30 in the morning through 10:00 in the night which equivalent to a one whole day.

Reader Reponse Journal #2

Out Of Bounds
By Beverley Naidoo
Pg 16 - 41

Beverley would have in a few days his tenth birthday, but no one really stays in consideration because they have to move because of the apartheid, and they have so much more to care about than his birthday. Beverly and his family or in particularly black people in South Africa are victims of the beginning of apartheid. I know a lot about apartheid that make me really anxious and mad every time I think about it because I find that unacceptable that some people left their land to another people's land and take over their country and moreover their life. I like the way the author writes in their natal language because it shows the black people culture living in South Africa and give a little hope that those pervert white people could not take that away from them.

Beverley's mom is almost like my mom (mother way) because I remember that some time I couldn't play with my friends because I need to stay look over my sister while she was doing some works and it is the case with Beverley. I know what you feel when you did your plans of the day and someone just blows your day. However, Richard, Beverley's uncle, is someone I really admire and appreciate to have in my book because he is perseverance person. He says and fight for something is not favorable for all. The author describes Richard like a very special person because he wants to show the admiration and what good example Richard was for him. Beverley's story is similar story with the slavery except that the white people took over a country that was not for them.

Apartheid remember me about the first essay of the week in my class in the beginning of the school. We studied Nelson Mandela the leader of the anti-apartheid. I think that Richard would have trouble because like Mandela, he wants the equality of race. But something really bother me, if he wants the equality of race, why is he making the difference about mix people and black people? I think that a kind of a little discrimination. We should be equal no matter the skin color.

This book is related to "Anne Frank's Diary" because their both memoir and show how the discrimination affects some people. Why Beverley's mom does not want to do the costumer of cowboy for her son if she does that for whites kids? I don't like that fact that you could do something for the others but not not for your family. She should do one for her son because her son wants one and it makes him very jealous to see her do the costumer for the other kids. I little kind of agree with her because she needs money to take care of the family.

I think that Beverley would join his uncle on his action with his friends because hi life is changed more worse than before because the government says that they get to leave Jonesburg, the city he really loves, for white people and go to a town that only Colored people live there. I find that so unfair because the government should not tell you where you should live. The author starts the book about the story of Veronica, a little white girl. I think that he tries to show the life of the apartheid in both races because it is not all white people who like apartheid. Maybe he wants to show the fight of some white people who help them during that nasty period.

Reader Reponse Journal #1

The 7 habits of High Effective Teens
By Sean Covey
Pg 20 - 29

Sean Covey is an author who make me really think about my life. His short stories make me realize about what I did wrong before and how I could make up with that. The brilliant story I read today was about two brothers fighting in the same company in France. One of the brother asked permission to go bring his brother's body back to the side. The officer said to him it is not necessary to risk his life for someone who is dead. When the officer gave his permission, the brother went and brought the body of his brother and said, "My brother before dying said to me he knew I was coming for him. You see, I didn't risk my life for nothing."

This story reflects to life even though we are not in the same situation. Almost every day in my life, I am taking some risks to do something. For example, I could get an accident this morning while I was coming to school. What I mean is that in some way, I am taking the risk to have a education. I think this story is concerning everyone no matter who you are. We take risks every days and we can live without taking some risk if we would to succeed in our life.