End of The Year Reflection (Sad Face) By: Eileen Lee

I really enjoyed spending the year with you guys. You guys have made the year extra (x100) special! I'm going to miss people leaving ISB. This year was my first year in ISB. I thought it would be an awkward year for me, but it was really fun. I hope we can meet again later...somehow... Again, it was awesome being with all the people in 7-7 and 7-8. Have a nice summer vacation!

The Unforgettable Summer of Lise's Family

The Unforgettable Summer of Lise’s Family

Sand Dollar Summer by Kimberly K. Jones

I was first looking for short and deep story, and this book caught me. When I saw this book, I got the feeling that this would be a sad story, but in some parts there were humorous dialogues from the characters, Lise, Free, and their mother. The first main character is Lise, a twelve-year-old girl, who tries to have positive thoughts. Her mother is strong and self-reliant, and she tries to comfort Lise whenever they moved houses by getting a better job. Also her precious brother, Free, at the age of five, has selective mutism, which made him unable to talk. But he could read since he was three, played piano since he was four. He also reads fifth-grade level books and plays chess better than most adults. He is not normal, but Lise and mother love him very much because he’s their family.

My favorite part was when there was a quarrel between Lise’s mother and the doctor. Lise’s mother argued that Free was capable to go to school but the doctor disagreed. Her brother’s mutism was a small hindrance, but because of the family’s love he was capable to attend school. But right after this matter, Lise’s mother fell apart by a car accident. As a result, her family moves to live in a rattletrap house in the beach of Maine. From the characters, Lise and I have most parts in common. She relies on her mother a lot, and I also do. She is not that chatty and doesn’t talk much to people that she doesn’t know or like. Also she often moved to different places because of her mother, and I also did too because of my parents. Lise and my personality and background have some parts in common. If I were the main character, Lise, I would have not only think but also act to be confident with this new place to live. For example, if she were scared from the new place she had to live, I would have tried to be more active in the place to get more self-reliant.

From this book, I picked up a new view towards my parents and siblings. I would try to understand the problems of the circumstance and not grizzle. From this family’s unforgettable summer, I would think about my family too, and love them as much like Lise’s family.

The Past Discovered by Archaeologists by Michelle Jo

The Past Discovered from Archaeologists

People who study prehistory, mainly people and their culture, are archaeologists. They study by different methods and tools. Archeologists are our most important link to the past and essential for human growth and development.

One of those reasons is that they wonder about the past and how it was back then. For instance, they go to the place where sources were found, and the things are separated by written sources or non-written sources. The written sources include books, letters, diaries, and etc. The non-written sources include fossils, artifacts, ruins, and oral traditions. From the Aztec Empire, the Toltec limestone relief sculpture, panel of skulls, and gold nose are some examples of non-written sources.

To follow, their curiosity leads their interest to investigate the histories and cultures that the history left behind. Some of them also investigate to relate to the past, to see the difference from the past to today. This is because the cultures or source of histories can help them develop the sources that are now in present. With this is mind, they can relate to how the present is somehow similar to the past.

In fact, they want to learn about the people in the past, how they made a living, which leads to cultures of the past house building, and our house building today. Looking back at the Neolithic age, they made houses called dugout huts. It was made out of straw and mud. Today, we see apartments made out of concrete. From these facts, archaeologists investigate the development of living.

The last reason that archaeologists investigate the past is to make a better city. City planners use the information from the past to build a further developed city. Their work also helps improve our lives and understandings about the past. For example, to make a better city in CITS, we visited the Beijing city planning exhibition center.

Archaeologists explore the past because they want to study how it was back then, to learn about the people, of curiosity, or perhaps to make a better city. They are our key figure to link the past and present.

The Grievers of Death By: Andrew Yang

The Grievers of Death

The Maze Runner is the first book of a science fiction trilogy written by James Dashner. The Maze Runner has also been directed as a movie that is going to be coming out on the 19^th of September 2014 in the US.

 The main character of The Maze Runner is a boy named Thomas who wakes up in a metal cage like box and is sent to a place called the Glade. He has no memory except for his name. Magical moving walls surround the Glade. These walls protect the Gladers (people that live in the glade) from horrid monsters who reside in the forest on the other side of the wall. One of the scarier monsters is the Grievers-“It looked like an experiment gone terribly wrong—something from a nightmare. Part animal, part machine, the Griever rolled and clicked along the stone pathway. Its body resembled a gigantic slug, sparsely covered in hair and glistening with slime, grotesquely pulsating in and out as it breathed. It had no distinguishable head or tail, but front to end it was at least six feet long, four feet thick.”(Page #112) The pattern created by the walls’ movements was also intended show the Gladers a passcode that they will use to escape from the maze. After the number of patterns that was needed has been recorded, the walls will stop moving, and the evil that lurks outside the wall will be free to room in the Glade. Will Thomas and his friends find out the passcode fast enough before the Grievers slowly kill them off? Or will they die trying?

My favorite character in this series is Teresa, this is because she went through so much to protect Thomas because or her love. Before the memory wipe Thomas and Teresa were dating and after they were in the glade, they still liked each other. The entire time, no matter what she did, she always did it to protect Thomas, all the way until the very end when she paid the ultimate price, her life. When she pretended to betray Thomas and like Aris, she did it so that Thomas would be safe. When she dove and pushed Thomas away from the falling boulder, she did it again so that Thomas would be safe. No matter what Thomas thought of her, everything she did was to protect him, and that’s why Teresa is my favorite character.

I feel like this book would be perfect for those who found The Hunger Games trilogy and The Divergent trilogy fun to read. This is an action packed book that includes suspense and has different surprises around each and every corner. Throughout every chapter, the author always made me think, “What is going to happen next?” I was completely captivated in the plot until the very last word, and that is why this trilogy is also going to be movies just like The Hunger Games and The Divergent.

The Replacement of Cars by Michelle Jo

The Replacement of Cars 

Among all the different ways to travel, cars are the most popular. However, there are many negative aspects to driving cars. What if we turn back the calendar to 150 years before. Can you imagine in a world with horses running in the road? There are several good reasons why horses should replace cars.

One reason that horses are good for us is by decreasing pollution. The horses decrease pollution by replacing cars that produce CO2 (carbon dioxide) in millions of different places. A car can produce around 8.2 kg per one gallon of gasoline. On average, that would be about 16,940 pounds a year.^1. If we replace the car with horses, it would hugely impact upon us by reducing the amount of gasoline produced a year. Horses are also environmentally friendly. For example, while cars produce CO2, horses won’t produce any harmful gas. If cars are replaced, people will not breathe in polluted air.

Horses are also safer because they walk at slower speed than cars.  For example, if cars have traffic accidents, people have to go through many complex procedures afterwards. However, horses wouldn’t make that much problem for health related issues, and there wouldn’t be as many accidents as cars, because they are slower.

The last reason that horses should replace cars is that they are versatile in many different ways. For example, horses would walk around the road, while the cars would be jammed up together. Horses could walk between or around them because they are much thinner than cars. Also, young children could ride horses because horses are easier to manage than cars, and they would need to have licenses after 16. Horses also could travel anywhere, for example they could swim by running through low-level rivers. Therefore they could go through forests.

The negative aspects to driving cars could be improved by riding horses. Horses should replace cars because they are good for us in health care, traffic accidents, and are also versatile in many different ways. This eco-friendly way could be the solution for our earth.

 

Citation

"How Much CO2 Does a Car Produce." - Ask.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 June 2014.

The Shuddering of My Foot by Michelle Jo

THE SHUDDERING OF MY FOOT

The rope was wiggling as my legs shook hard, and I felt like they were rotten! First I thought it would be easy. It wasn’t the DNA bridge, it wasn’t the Zip Line. It was only the first part of the rope course, and I just put my left foot on the rope! In this part, I didn’t feel anything within my legs because I was terrified, but I just went on. My head was blank and my face got as pale as it could, but I moved one step, then the second, by applause of the coaches beside, and my classmates nearby.

Our LDI mentoring trip was meant to guide our minds. I went to the rope course on the morning of the second day. There it was, the rope course, 20 feet above. The ground was covered in grass, trees with berries were standing stiff, and big black rocks with rainbow colored pebbles were scattered on the ground. Apple trees covered our mentoring location, and sparrows were chirping around the bright colored mountains.

First I assumed that the rope course would be tough, but then when I looked up at my classmates, Ji Hye, Curtis, and Julia, they were accomplishing it tremendously well, so I supposed again that it could be laid-back.

There, it was our group’s turn, and I was the third to go. In our group there were Ji Hye, Erica, and Jewellee. I was after Erica, my classmate. She was outstanding, because she was wild and tough. So I was full of confidence. Straight away it was my turn to go. When I made my first step it was acceptable, but my second, third, and fourth became harder, because the rope was wiggling as my legs shook.

In the middle of the first part of the rope course, my foot started shuddering, and I felt like I had a spasm in my legs. Then on about the seventh rope I was trapped, and I was not able to hear any uplifting or encouraging words from the coaches, teachers, or classmates. I was frozen in the moment, but I shook my head and tried to look back at the rope and the people calling me. Then again I stepped, one foot, two feet, then three. Again I thought at the ninth rope. Still my legs were quivering but my hands were relaxed and my upper body was comfortable too. I thought because it was near the end, but my legs wouldn’t stop shuddering!

I was near the pole, which looked like an enormous piece of a tree trunk. I headed towards it. Here I was, now holding the coach’s hand, approximately reaching the handle, and as I grabbed the handle that was on the pole, my legs got loose and I flopped down on my knees. I didn’t want to show any weakness, so I stood up immediately. I realized I had accomplished it!

Every part of the rope course had obstacles. By this I knew that every first time you begin things like school, new classes, and jobs, it could be hard. However as you keep going and continue, looking back at this task, it may help you in hardships.

Happy Summer Everyone!

http://geektyrant.com/news/fun-frozen-clip-with-olaf-the-snowman-singing-in-summer

I really enjoyed being classmates with the 7-8 people and being partner classmates with 7-7 people. I wish this year could last forever! Good luck to all those who are moving and have fun in your new home! Happy Summer everyone!

 

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."

-Dr. Seuss

 

Phineas & Ferb

Summer (Where Do We Begin) Lyrics

Source: http://www.elyrics.net/read/p/phineas-&-ferb-lyrics/summer-(where-do-we-begin)-lyrics.html

Summer is runnin' through the sprinklers in your T-shirt, shoes and jeans
Rolling down a grassy hill, yeah, that's what summer means to me
It's true
There's so much more to do

The days are longer
The nights are shorter
The sun is shining
It's noticeably warmer

Summer, every single moment is worth it's weight in gold
Summer, it's like the world's best story and it's waiting to be told
It's ice cream cones and cherry soda dripping down your chin
It's summer, man, where do we begin?

Summer is ponds and pools and garden hoses, tryin' to beat the heat
Summer, bicycles and roller skates and even just bare feet
It's also... Surfing tidal waves, creating nanobots
Or locating Frankenstein's brain
Finding a dodo bird, painting a continent
Or driving our sister insane...
Oh, wait. Maybe we're going too fast.

Summer, it's crickets and cicadas and a glass of lemonade
Summer, it's sitting with your brother in the backyard under the shade of a
Big tree
That's what it means to me

The days are longer
The nights are shorter
The sun is shining
It's noticeably warmer

Summer, every single moment is worth it's weight in gold
Summer, it's like the world's best story and it's waiting to be told
It's ice cream cones and cherry soda dripping down your chin
It's summer, man, where do we begin?
It's summer, man, where do we begin?
It's summer, man, where do we begin?

Summer
Where do we begin?
Summer
Where do we begin?