"Meant To Be" By Lesly Arreci

I believe everything happens for a reason. I believe only God knows why things are meant to happen and if He wants when the time is right you'll know to.

 I remember one day we were in the car and the topic of regrets came up and my mom said, “Everyone has their own flaws and regrets and no matter how bad you mess up I will always be here and support you. Life is too short to be spend regretting the past. Know what you want and go for it, nothing in this world is impossible. There will always be a could have or a would have, pero todo pasa por algo solo Dios sabe porque las cosas pasa, no hay Nadie en esta vida que quedan arreglar algo en el passato".

 Meaning everything happens for a reason only God knows why things happen, there is nobody in this life that doesn't want to go back and change things. As I thought about it more I realized she was right. Along with time comes mistakes that brings wisdom and knowing what and what not to do next time. Without mistakes you can't learn from anything or change it next time around. Your regrets have an everlasting effect that makes you try to be a better person and try harder. Some things just aren't meant to be.

I remember reading this quote but I don't remember where I saw it but it said, “some people come into our lives as a blessing others are a lesson”. I remember this quote because people who come into your life and do damage weren't meant to stay in them, they bring lessons and teach you different things. Your regrets and mistakes make up you. Everything happens for a reason this I believe.

Literature Circle/Non-Fiction Article blog

  In my literature circle I read the book, "Small as an elephant" by Jennifer Richard Jacobson. The article I chose is Neglect: The Quieter Child Abuse by Marie Hartwekl-Walker. My essential question for the book is, Will Jack be able to forgive his mother this time for leaving him? My essential question for the article is, what does neglect do to a child? The article talks about parents neglecting their children. In the book Jack's mother negeclts Jack. She disappears whenever she has her spinning moments, leaving Jack alone to care for himself. In the article Marie Hartwell-Walker a









MLA:
Book: Jacobson, Jennifer Richard. Small as an elephant. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2013. Print.

Website: "Neglect: The Quieter Child Abuse." Psych Central. N.p., 17 July 2016. Web. 12 May 2017.

Small as an elephant Blog

   Jack (being eleven) and his mom go on a camping trip in Maine, but when he wakes up his mom is gone. No note, text, message on his YouPage, no trace of him mom anywhere. Leaving Jack no choice but to wait for his mom to get over her spinning moment and come back he waiting with only a couple dollars he quickly spent on breakfast. When Jack got tired of waiting so he decided to look for his mom on his own making sure not to tell anyone what have happened, if he did he could be separated from his mom and taken by his grandmother who he'd been hiding from. Jack hid his tent in the woods and packed his bag and was on his way to find his mother. Out of money Jack had to collect cans to cash them in for money to feed himself and smashed his pinky

Quarter 3 Reflection

     This past quarter I have felt that I have improved significantly since the beginning of the year by my thinking and strategies skills. Since the beginning of the year I was taught in this class the TIQA format which has not only helped me in this class but all my other classes and while wrighting in general because every paragraph should have a topic sentence, the introduction of a quote then the quote (if needed), after the quote comes analyzing the quote. After the A it begins again with the T being a transition sentence. All through my elementary and middle school experience I was taught a paragraph was 5-6 sentences long. Once I came to this class I was taught a paragraph ended when the topic was finished and the next one started. 

     This quarter out of the books Iv'e read my favorite was Night by Elie Wiesel. It was my favorite because it not only was my favorite subject we have learned about (The Holocaust) but it made me wonder and question a lot of things that never crossed my mind and just seemed normal. For example it made me question God's reasoning on why he does things. Even though I was taught everything happens for a reason I now question what those reasoning are. I also question people ways and how they can be cruel to each other and there hatred for each other when we're all humans. Why should they be put down because of what they look like. I find Elie's story sad and also confused on why wasn't sad when he's father passes or why he blamed his father for not avoiding getting hit.  I find The Holocaust very interesting because of the reasonings Hilter gave to genosi the Jews, Gipsys, and people who argued and didn't agree with Hilter. 

     This quarter I my biggest accomplishment is turining my work on time. At the begging of the year I struggled with it a little but now I have improved on using my time wisely and getting myself back on task. I think the most challenging thing in quarter three was struggling with using my time wisely. I would zone out but I managed to get back on task by not giving up and preserving. 

   

Night Blog

In the book Night the main character and author, Elie Wiesel changes throughout the book. Elie changes on the inside and outside and as a person all together, because of his one year experience in 5 different concentration camps during the Holocaust in WWII. The first concentration camp Elie went to was Birkenau, then Auschwitz, after Buna, next Gleiwitz, finally Buchenwald where American soldiers freed everyone who was held prisoner including Elie.  At the beginning of the book Wiesel states, “During the day I studied the Talmud, and at night I ran to the synagogue to weep over the destruction of the Temple. One day I asked my father to find me a master to guide me in studies of the Cabala.” (Pg. 1) This quote is showing how at the beginning of the book Elie is very pious, and is seeking a mentor to help better understand the Talmud (similar to a bible for people who are Jewish). Elie also studies the Cabala (ancient Jewish tradition) during the day and at night weeps over the ruins of the synagogue Temple (similar to a church for Jewish people to worship their beliefs). Elie was twelve and instead of being out playing with other kids his age he spent his time studying the Talmud and weeping over something he values and truly believes and has faith in, without anyone asking him to. He even seeks a master to get a better understanding and learn more from it all. Elie has faith in God and doesn't question his reasoning for why things happen.


   At the end of the book Elie loses faith in God. While Elie is in a concentration camp he says, “‘Blessed the Name of the Eternal!’ Why, but why should I bless Him? In every fiber I rebelled. Because He had thousands of children burned in His pits? Because He kept six crematories working night and day, on Sunday and feast day? Because in His great might he created Auschwitz, Birkenau, Buna, and so many factories of death? How could I say to Him: ‘blessed art Thou, Eternal, Master of the Universe, Who chose us among races to be torched day and night, to see our fathers, our mothers, our brothers, end up in the crematory? Praised be Thy Holy Name, Thou Who hast chosen us to be butchered on Thine altar?” (P. 64). This quote is showing Elie's lose of faith in God. Elie no longer has faith because he doesn't accept God's silence anymore. Elie is mad at God for not doing anything to stop the torture and deaths that were happening in the concentration camps. Since Elie has been in several concentration camps where he has been beaten, starved, seen innocent lives being taken and death all around. Elie doesn't have faith because God hasn't been there for Elie when he was he truly needed Him.

  Elie also changes by, his father son bond he has with his father. At the beginning of the book when they are taken to the first concentration camp and were being told what line to go into Elie says, “The baton pointed to the left. I took half a step forward. I first wanted to see where they would send my father. Were he have gone to the right, I would have run after him” (P. 32).  This quote is showing how much Elie cares for his father because even though he didn't know which line lead to death he would still go to be with his father. He would risk getting in trouble by the guards and going to the line that lead to the crematory to not be separated with his father. At the end of the book when Elie wakes and sees another sick person on what once was his father bed meaning his father had passed Elie says, “I did not weep, and it pained me that I could not weep. But I was out of tears. And deep inside me, if I could have searched the recesses of feeble conscience, I might have found something like: Free at last!” (P. 112) This quote is showing that deep down Elie was glad his father wasn't there to be a burden to him. Elie had to care for him and give pieces of his food that he could have eaten. Elie had weight lifted off his shoulder to not have to care for his father and only focus on caring for himself.

Butterfly Project

"Homesick"

I've lived in the ghetto here for more than a year,
In Terezin, in the black town now, And when I remember my old house so dear,
I can love it more than I did, somehow.

Ah, home, home,
Why did they tear me away?
Here the weak die as easy as a ferather
And when they die, they die forever.

I'd like to go back home again,
It makes me think of sweet spring flowers.
Before, when I used to live at home,
It seemed so dear and fair.

I remember now those golden days . . .
But maybe I'll be going there soon again.

People walk along the street,
You see at once on each you meet
That there's ghetto here,
A place of evil and of fear.
There's little to eat and much to want,
Where bit by bit, it's horror to live.
But no one must give up!
The world turns and times change.

Yet we all hope the time will come
When we'll go home again.
Now I know how dear it is
And often I remember it.

                                 ~ Anonymous

I commented on Angel's Blog, Dena's Blog, Jaqlyn's Blog, Jorge's Blog , and Jason's Blog.

Berlin Memoral Blog

From the Berlin Memorial Activity, I learned that after Hitler came into power in 1933 he made over 400 laws towards Jews to prohibit them from their privileges. Some of theses laws include curfew, not allowed to buy certain foods, what they can't attend, not allowed to go to school, could be kicked out of there homes at any time, etc. I also learned Hitler tried to cover everything he did/ordered to be done in 1945. This Included laws that were passed and Jews that were still alive to be set free from concentration camps. 

   I think the Berlin Memorial monument was built to remember and never forget what happened. It’s important to remember and teach history to not repeat itself. It's a way to show Jew’s respect for what happened. The monument shows that what happened is still there and will never be forgotten. 

  I noticed that each year in The Holocaust there are different numbers of laws past. The years that have the most law's past are 1933, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1942. Other years like 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1940, 1943, 1944 are years that only a couple laws were passed. Up until 1945 when Hitler passed the law that all the laws against Jews would be destroyed to cover up what he did. I think the years with the only a couple laws passed were because Hitler was planning his final plan. 

  The restriction that I would have the most trouble dealing with is the prohibition of having pets. I have two little adorable dogs I would miss extremely. They are always there to greet me whenever i get home and they listen well. 

  

Quarter 2 Reflection

 
          Quarter two went by so fast. I cant believe we're going to be graduating soon. Form quarter two I feel like I have done the most imporovent in vocabulary and my blogs. Before I was just familiar with very vaug words, but now instead of just using my vocabulary in ELA I notice myself saying vocabulary words outside of ELA and school. My blogs are improving, with more detail and deeper thinking.


           Since the new year I have accomplished noticing when I'm not on task and gettting back on task that I'm proud of. I am also on my 5th book on my 20 book challenge. I haven't really been reading a whole lot lately but I plan on improving that by 3rd quarter. Other goals that I have for 3rd quarter other than reading more is to do my work earlyier than it's due so I don't have to worry about it other than doing it a day before it's due.


         The most challenging thing in Quarter 2 for me was keeping up with everything. Meaning all the work turning in on time with quality. Listening and staying focus in class as well as making sure all my homework along with my other homework for other classes were finished by the next day. I overcame this by doing all my work fixing if needed, getting better at listening and staying on task, and doing my homework. I want to still improve on that for quarter three.
 

Book Talk

   "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by, John Boyne is about Bruce who moves away with his family because of his fathers job and meets a boy in stripped pajamas. This was during The Holocaust when Jews were put into concentration camps. Bruce who wants to be an explorer sees the camp from his bedroom window and finds the boy. Bruce is clueless of what is going on. When the boy in stripped pajamas father goes missing Bruce is willing to help find him.


   I like this book because The Holocaust interests me and because it has a sad ending and I sometimes get emotional and atacked to characters. I remember the ending mostly. I would recommend this book to people who are interested in The Holocaust and people should read it because it is a very interesting and sad book.