This I believe speech

                                  “I Believe in Basketball Being More Than Just a Game”
                                                                  By Jose Carreto

I believe in basketball being more than just a game, everyone who has a passion for basketball knows it's more than just a sport and more than a hobby. All types of people enjoy the game because how it makes them feel and the joy associated with the game. Bleeding, sweating, and getting hurt are just the little things that someone learns while playing the game. The qualities and lessons learned while on the court have helped me understand many individuals and their struggles.

I believe that basketball is more about teamwork. It doesn’t matter who is on the team. Their height, age, race, gender, size and skills don’t matter as long as the individual knows how to play together as a team. A good team is one who actually respects their members on the team and possess the motivation to go all the way. These teams have been known to become amazing teams.

I believe that basketball is about learning who a person really is. One game of basketball can tell you more about a person than anyone can imagine. Bonding becomes a huge part of basketball and you can see the affection they have. Just one game of basketball can tell me about a person’s life. As a pickup game goes on, I learn many things about that individual and choices they make in life. Bonding can help teams who play basketball and can give those with less hope proof that basketball is more than a game.

I believe basketball is a get away from the difficult things in life. Anytime I feel stressed or need to get away, I turn to basketball. Basketball helps me believe in myself and I can take my mind off anything while I’m playing. All you have on the basketball court is yourself and your team nothing else is needed. For hours your mind isn’t focused on anything other than having fun and enjoying the game. Basketball can solve difficulties and problems between people It is a game of skill. I believe basketball can help others get along better, get a better understanding of each other and get through life understanding that together we can make things happen. Basketball is far more than just a game.

Literature Circle/Non-Fiction Article blog

May 11, 2017

The Essential Question that I have about my book is how does Ned impact the Code Talkers? I choose this EQ because in the book Ned did so much for the Code Talkers. In the middle of the book, Ned was the one who gained most of the respect for the Navajos and he was really proud of himself. Even the Sargent put a note on the wall, it said that the “Navajos really earned to be on every battalion to protect and sent out warnings from everywhere”. Also another way Ned impacted the Code Talkers because during the war the people in the army would get supplies from the dead Japanese soldiers. So when the Japan soldiers found out they would hide mini bombs in the supplies that they had so if an American would pick it up it would explode. So When Ned found out he sent a message on the radio

The book Code Talkers, and the article “Navajo Code Talkers and the Unbreakable Code” They both use the same information because they both talk about World War 2 and the Navajo language. In the article, it says “During World War II, the Marine Corps used one of the thousands of languages spoken in the world to create an unbreakable code: Navajo” This quote is talking about the unbreakable code. Again in the article, it says “The Navajo Code Talkers were treated with the utmost respect by their fellow marines. Major Howard Connor; who was the signal officer of the Navajo at Iwo Jima, said, were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima.” This quote is saying how Navajos was a huge advantage in war and how they gain so much respect.

The article “Navajo Code Talkers and the Unbreakable Code” and the book Code Talkers have many differences because the article has a lot more background information the book. Also, another difference is that in the book it’s a story rather than information. Also in the article it says “The Navajo language seemed to be the perfect option as a code because it is not written and very few people who aren’t of Navajo origin can speak it.” and  “However, the Marine Corps took the code to the next level and made it virtually unbreakable by further encoding the language with word substitution.” These two quotes is about how the language started and how it’s giving background Information about the Navajo Language

MLA Citation:

Bruchac, Joseph. Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two. New York: Speak, 2006. Print.

"Navajo Code Talkers and the Unbreakable Code." Central Intelligence Agency. Central        Intelligence Agency, 16 Nov. 2016. Web. 11 May 2017.

Literature Circle Blog

May 5, 2017
Now in the book Ned has been waiting in the war for some time now and the war had been on for a good time so it is time that he gets some action. He has been in his first war but he has friends to back him up. He has some experience in war and has killed some Japanese. Now Ned is at a island (Hawaii) fighting the Japanese and they had made nicknames for many things, almost everything. The bombers were women and the fighters were men. Later the Japanese knew that the Americans and Navajos were taking them away so they had some explosives on them so when someone picked up a knife or a rations some thing would blow up. When Ned found out he sent a message on the radio. Ned was the one who gained most of the respect for the Navajos and he was really proud of himself. Even the Sargent put a note on the wall, it said that the Navajos really earned to be on every battalion to protect and sent out warnings from everywhere. Ned had to go back to share and learn more code that they had been making up, remember that the code is new and only started out with 265 words but now it had doubled.

     Three vocabulary words I chose is Wreathed which means a Japanese aircraft loaded with explosives and making a deliberate suicidal crash on an enemy target. The other vocab word is Banzai which means form of greeting Japanese emperor. And the final word is Cherokee which means a member of an American Indian people of the southeastern US, now living on reservations in Oklahoma and North Carolina. I can about these words that most of them are either native Americans words or Japanese words. Also I can tell by the context clues because you can tell by the way the words are, like Cherokee it sounds Native American.

     Three Questions I have is How did Ned feel after the bombardment because he saw so many deaths, so I got curious how did he feel when saw the deaths that happened. Another question I have is How did Ned feel after he graduated Coding School. I asked this question because enlisting in the military was Ned’s dream and going to Coding school must've been a dream. Another question is How did Ned feel when he got sent to Hawaii. I asked this question because Hawaii is the first place he got shipped out to while he was in the military, so he must have felt so many mixed emotions going through him when he found out he was going.

I commented on Dena's blog

3rd Quarter Refelection

I think I accomplished many things this quarter. I think one thing I am most accomplished this quarter is the quality of my blogs. The reason why I feel accomplished about the quality of my blogs. when we first started the blogs the quality of my blogs was kinda bad and ok so it was in the middle, so now I guess it got better because I improved on my grammar and my spelling.

I think I made a lot of improvements this quarter. One improvement is my grammar because every week we would have a set of words and a set of root words. That helped me a lot because every week I have to study and learn the words. Another improvement is reading my book because, every once in awhile I would read my book but not as much as I should be, but now I started to read more, and started like to read now.

The most challenging part in Quarter 3 is doing my homework. The reason doing my is challenging is because sometimes I would get lazy to do it or sometimes I just didn’t to do it. I overcame this because I started getting bad grades, and I had to stay in working lunch all the time. So I got bored of it so that changed my mind and started to do my homework

Night Blog

Elie’s experiences during the Holocaust changed him as a person because in the beginning of the story Ellie was very pious but he changes throughout the book. In the beginning of the story in page 3 it's says “By day I studied Talmud and by night I would run to the synagogue to weep over the destruction of the temple.” This quote is showing how he is pious in the beginning of the book because, Elie is saying how everyday he would study the Talmud, and everyday he would cry because of the destruction of the synagogue. Another reason that shows he is pious in the book because, in the book it says “Thus began my initiation. Together we would read,over and over again, the same page of the Zohar. Not to learn it by heart but to discover within the very essence of divinity.” This quote also shows Elie is pious because it’s showing how much he wants to learn the Zohar and how much he is interested in his culture.

Elie’s experience changed in the middle of the book because he is starting to question, and trying to figure out if his god is real. He starts to question his god because in the book it says “Yes man is stronger, greater than God. When Adam and Eve deceived you, you chased them from paradise.” This quote is showing how Elie is questioning his god because, Elie is basically yelling at his god that why won’t he save them from the killing, and the people that being burned in crematory. Another reason is because in the book it says “You brought down the Flood. When Sodom lost your favor, You caused the heavens to rain down fire and damnation. But look at these men whom you have betrayed, allowing them to be tortured, slaughtered, gassed, and burned, what do they do? They prey before You! They praise Your name!” At this point Elie is starting to think god is not real, because he is so mad at god that he doesn't want to believe anymore because he is saying why doesn't god save the people that are being gassed, burned, and slaughtered.

Elie’s experience changed in the end of the book because at the end of the book he starts not believing god. He starts not to believe god because in the book it says “Where is He? Here He is - He is hanging here on the gallows…” This quote is basically showing  how Elie is saying how God is dead, and he won’t do anything. Another reason is that in the book it says ““I was angry with him, for now knowing how to avoid Idek’s outbreak. That is what concentration camp life had made of me.” In this quote Elie is starting to believe God is not fair.

Butterfly Project

"A Letter to Daddy"

Momma told me to write to you today,
but I had no time. New children arrived
with the latest transport, and
I had to play with them.
I didn’t notice time pass.

I live better these days.
I sleep on my own mattress on the floor,
so I will not fall down.
At least I don’t have much work to fix up my bed,
and in the morning I see the sky from my window.

I was coughing a bit, but I don’t want to get sick,
for I am happy when I can run in the courtyard.
Tonight there will be a gathering
like the ones at Scout camp in the summer.

We will sing songs we know,
a girl will play the accordion.
I know you wonder how we fare here,
and you would surely like to be with us now.

And something else, Daddy. Come soon
and have a more cheerful face!
When you are unhappy, Momma is sad,
and then I miss the sparkle in her eyes.

You promised to bring me books
because, truly, I have nothing to read.
So please, come tomorrow, right before dusk.
I will surely be grateful for this.

Now I must stop. Momma sends you her love.
I will rejoice when I hear your footsteps
in the hall. Until you are with us again,
I send you my greetings and kisses.

-Your faithful son.

I commented on Dena's blog

I commented on Joseph's blog

I commented on Aine's blog

I commented on Lizbeth's blog

I commented on America's blog

Berlin Memorial Activity Blog

February 9, 2017

I learned many things such as how Hitler came to power, about Anne Frank and her family. What I really liked that I learned is how Hitler made a lot rules and restrictions for the Jewish people. He made over 400 laws such as Jews can't buy books, Jews are not allowed to have pets, Jews to declare all assets etc…They are a lot more things I learned about the Holocaust but those are just a few I wanted to say.

I think the monument was built to remember the Jewish people who died in the Holocaust. Also I think it was built to what Hitler did to Jewish people, and how he seperated so many families from each other. Also I think it was built for the people who walks by the people can remember on what happened in the past and so they can learn about the holocaust and the people who died.

I noticed that the laws in the beginning of the years when Hitler came to power he made a lot of laws. He did this because he wanted to gain more fame and power. I also noticed he made a lot law's/restrictions such as Jews can’t go to school, Jews can’t buy books etc… He did this because he didn’t want the Jews to be smart or have knowledge. Another thing I noticed is that Hitler made a law that Jews couldn’t eat eggs. He did this is because eggs had a lot of protein and that’s how people get healthy, and Jews can make a lot of meals with eggs.

A restriction I would have a trouble is not having any pets. I would have trouble with this is because pets like dogs or cats can entertain someone because you can play around with them.

Quarter 2 Reflection

January 20, 2017
I think I accomplished many things this quarter. I think one thing I am most accomplished this quarter is the quality of my blogs. The reason why I feel accomplished about the quality of my blogs. when we first started the blogs the quality of my blogs was kinda bad and ok so it was in the middle, so now I guess it got better because I improved on my grammar and my spelling.

I think I made a lot of improvements this quarter. One improvement is my grammar because every week we would have a set of words and a set of root words. That helped me a lot because every week I have to study and learn the words. Another improvement is reading my book because, every once in awhile I would read my book but not as much as I should be.

The most challenging part in Quarter 2 is doing my homework. The reason doing my is challenging is because sometimes I would get lazy to do it or sometimes I just don't want it. I overcame this because I started getting bad grades, and I had to stay in working lunch all the time. So I got bored of it so that changed my mind and started to do my homework

Book Talk

January 17, 2017
The book I am currently reading is called A Child Called It, it is written by Dave Pelzer and the genre is biography, autobiography, and children's literature. The setting in this book is in California but spends most of his time in the garage or his basement. Also many scenes has taken place at his school, The main character is name Dave Pelzer. The mood of this is sad and depressing because he is always getting abused by his mom and he is always upset. I think the theme of this book is him telling about his life.

The thing I liked the most about this book is about how he tells his story. The reason I like the way he tells his story is because, he tells his story well detailed. Also when he explains his story he gets graphic because he would explain how his mom would beat him and starve him. I would recommend this to people who loves drama and mystery. I think the viewer should go out and get this book because it is a really good and interesting.