In mandarin, we are creating final video projects. The project is an accumulation of everything we have done in mandarin throughout middle school. We are using all of our vocab from the past four years and are creating a 15 minute video. I’m so excited to continue working on it!
In Science, we got into groups and tried to find the top consumer product. For my group project, we chose pencils. We factored in every single thing that goes into getting pencils. We factored in where all of the materials come from, including the transportation that it takes to transport the pencils. We won the contest for who could put the most products. I am very proud of this because I think it was a time where my group and I really factored in a lot of different things. I also think we really thought out of the box, and we came up with a lot of different things.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë:
Reading Jane Eyre was like reading a lively life story. Without a dull moment, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë goes from when Jane is a mistreated orphan living with her cruel aunt Reed, and three spoiled cousins Eliza, Georgiana and John, to going to school at Lowood Institution, to becoming a governess for Mr. Rochester’s Daughter Adele, and then to the tragic but happy love story of Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester. With beautiful language (after reading the book, several complaints were made by my sister about me talking like I was from the 1800’s) Jane Eyre is a story about a girl finding her path through life and finding her true passions. I recommend this book to anyone who is prepared to have a dictionary at hand while reading, and to someone who won’t be afraid reading a book that’s a little bit creepy at some parts, and who likes very deep books that make you think.
The Boy In The Striped Pajamas by John Boyne:
The Boy In The Striped Pajamas by John Boyne is a book that takes place during the time of The Holocaust. It is about an ignorant 9 year old boy named Bruno, being moved from his beautiful home in Berlin, to the Auschwitz concentration camp, for his father is a soldier working there (though Bruno doesn’t know exactly what his father does from day to day). Bruno doesn’t suspect anything horrible going on at the other side of the barb wire fence that separates him from all of the people in the striped pajamas, except for that there are nice people living on the other side that he longed to play with, for he was bored to death.
One day, when Bruno was “exploring” as he likes to call it, walking along the fence, he sees a boy on the other side, wearing striped pajamas. Bruno becomes friends with this boy, and every day he goes back to see him, bearing food, because noticing that his friend is very thin. Bruno has no clue what terrible things going on between Bruno’s father and everyone on the other side of the fence. This is the story of two boys in completely different circumstances becoming friends, despite everything going on around them and forming a friendship that will last forever.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott:
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is a book that never fails to be comforting for it is the wonderful story of four girls living with their mother while their father is at war, each of which finding an unexpected path with an unexpected conclusion, which they never would have expected at the beginning of the book. Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy are four sisters who start out where nothing can bring them apart, but then slowly events happen, and they drift apart. During the final chapter, they come together for a final picnic with their spouses and children for a lovely ending. Each of them are so different, but they manage to love each other so dearly. Meg, a lover of expensive and pretty things. Jo, a tomboy and a lover of literature. Beth, a sweetheart who is nice to everyone and loves everything good. Amy, a “proper” women with good language and a love for money.
No wonder this book is loved by so many people, for the bond of these four sisters is one that everybody cherishes.
The House On Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros:
My Annotations:
“This was the house Papa talked about when he held a lottery ticket and this was the house mama dreamed up in the stories she told us before we went to bed” -pg. 4-5
This shows that this family has a lot of hope and optimism about the future which helps me make a prediction that this family will keep hoping for a brighter future.
“The laundromat downstairs had been boarded up because it had been robbed two days before and the owner had painted on the wood YES WE’RE OPEN not to loose business” -pg. 5
It seems like they don’t live in a very safe place…
“Cathy’s father will have to fly to France one day and find her great great distant grand cousin on her father’s side and inherit the family house. How do I know this is so? She told me so. In the meantime they’ll just need to move a little bit farther north from Mango Street, a little farther away every time people like us keep moving in.” -pg. 15
It looks like Cathy isn’t latino and a lot of the people in this town are, and Cathy’s parents don’t want to be living in a part of town with a lot of latinos. It also implies that Cathy’s parents might be a little bit racist.
“The seventh time we drove into the alley we heard sirens… real quiet at first, but then louder. Louie’s cousin stopped the car right where we were and said, Everybody out of the car.” pg. 29
The fact that someone living in this town stole a car means that he doesn’t have a lot of money. The writer is telling us that this town doesn’t have very much money.
“‘Your mama, that’s who.’
‘My mama? You better not be saying that, Lucy Guerrero. You better not be talking like that…else you can say goodbye to being my friend forever.” -pg. 43-44
Esperanza obviously loves her mom a lot more than her other family members. She has said insulting things about her other family members, but when her friends insult her mom, she won’t be their friend anymore. Why does she love her mom so much more than the rest of her family? Does she just treat her better, or did something happen in the beginning of the book that made her love her mom so much more?
“She is in a world we don’t belong anymore. Nenny. Going. Going.” -pg. 63
Did this family used to have more money? Since Esperanza said that Nenny is in a world where they don’t belong anymore, it might mean that they used to be able to think about things that didn’t exist, and dream, and have very happy thoughts, but now that they may not have as much money, they have to stay down to earth and think about things more rationally.
“Aunt Lala said she had found a job for me at peter pan photo finishers on North Broadway where she worked, and how old was I, and to show up tomorrow saying I was one year older, and that was that.” -pg. 65
Earlier in the book, Esperanza’s parents talked about how important it is to have a good education. If she is working, will she still be able to go to school?
“I know that he will have to go away, that he will take a plain to Mexico all the uncles and aunts will be there, and they will have a black and white photo taken in front of the tomb with flowers shaped like spears in a white vase because this is how they send the dead away.” -pg. 68-69
They must have a lot of deaths throughout the year, since she knows exactly what happens when there’s a death in the family.
“She takes her dog Bobo for a walk, and laughs all by herself, that Ruthie.”-pg. 83
There are so many people in this book that, even though they don’t live in a very nice town, they still manage to laugh and have a good time, which I admire.
“She writes poems on little pieces of paper that she folds over and over.” -pg. 105
I’ve noticed that when Esperanza is talking about all of these people, she notices all of the little things that they do. Is that because she watches them, or because she knows them well enough that they tell her?
“Friends and neighbors will say, ‘What happened to that Esperanza? Where did she go with all those books and paper? Why did she march so far away?’ They will not know I have gone away to come back. For the ones I left behind. For the ones who cannot out.-pg. 134
Mango Street has a sentimental beauty. Though it is run down and a lot of things are broken, the people living there make it more than just a run down town. All of the people are so interesting and they each have a unique story, which makes Mango Street special.
I got the feeling that when she said she would come back for the ones who cannot out, she meant that a lot of people come to Mango Street, and can’t leave for whatever reason, almost as if Mango Street is some sort of prison that people get locked up in. I think that all the people who get locked up in Mango Street is what makes Mango Street special.
In Humanities, we have been learning about a lot of poetry. Here are three of my favorite poems that I wrote:
Though we have come far
Though we have come far,
We have much farther to go.
For one’s gender must not decide one’s pay.
Or one’s talent.
For we should come so far,
That we laugh at the insane and distant thought of certain genders having certain jobs
Laugh at the horrid thought of gender inequality
Just being a distant memory
Too far in the past
But something to learn from
While going in the future
For it’s so unbelievable to think,
That there are so many instances where gender is a limit,
And though we’ve come far,
We can’t stop until every gender is equal.
My inspiration behind this poem was I wanted to write a poem that was more of a speech, and less poetic. I decided to write about a topic that I really care about, which is sexism. I think my poem has repetition, and is a narrative poem. I’m really proud of this poem because I think it sends a message.
The Glass Ceiling
They’re standing up there,
Triumphantly
I wonder,
How did this happen?
If I had been born differently, would it be different?
Would I be triumphant?
Instead of sitting here,
Watching their success.
Their happiness.
Their non-existent sorrow.
Why are they standing there?
Not even breaking a sweat,
While I’m down here, sweating hard,
Earning 79 cents to their dollar.
I would raise my voice if I thought it would make any difference.
But as I look up at them, and they work unseeingly, I realize,
They feel no remorse for me,
Or anyone else down here.
They only care for their own prosperity,
That should have been mine.
They say I’m not working hard enough,
Deep down, I’m wondering if it’s true,
If they really are working harder than I am,
And as I sit beneath them,
I ask myself why
I’m looking up at a glass ceiling, while they look at the sky.
My inspiration for this poem was that I really wanted to write a poem about gender inequality. I think it doesn’t have very many elements of poetry, except for imagery. I am very proud of this poem because I think it is very powerful, and I also just really love the way it sounds.
Pages
Pages,
Some of plenty,
Some, quite lacking color,
Some, tasty, deep and meaningful,
All loved
My inspiration behind this poem was I really wanted to write a poem about books, and it happened to be on the same day that we wrote Cinquains, so I decided to write a Cinquain about books. In my poem, there is a lot of repetition. I think my poem turned out very well. I really like how it lists the different qualities of books.
In Mandarin, the 8th graders sent us letters. For the past few classes, we have been working on responding to t
heir letters. We wrote letters responding to their questions, and even asking some new questions. We even made envelopes! I have had a lot of fun with this project, and am looking forward to doing more projects like it.
Here is the letter that I was responding to:
你好！我叫谢天乐。你的名字是什么？我十三岁。你呢？我的生日是五月三十日。你的生日是几月几日？我最喜欢蓝色。你最喜欢什么颜色？我的家有六个人。我有三个妈妈，一个哥哥，一个弟弟，和一个妹妹 (和我)。我的弟弟三岁，我的妹妹六岁，我的哥哥十五岁。我喜欢打乒乓球，踢足球，打网球，和滑雪。你喜欢什么运动？我也喜欢跑步和骑自行车。我不喜欢打篮球。我说英文和一点儿中文，你呢？我是美国人，你呢？我喜欢冰淇淋和蛋糕，你呢？我有金色的头发。我有蓝色的眼睛。我很短。你呢？你的春假好吗？你的春假什么样？我去了Colorado。我做滑雪。你喜欢滑雪？我很喜欢滑雪。
再见，
谢天乐
Here’s the letter that I wrote:
你好谢天乐！
我叫马一格。我今年十二岁。我的生日是二十七日十月。我最喜欢蓝色，绿色，和红色。我不喜欢黄色和咖啡色。
我的家有四个人。我有一个妈妈，一个爸爸和一个妹妹。我的妹妹今年九岁。我的妹妹的生日十二十日十二月。我的妹妹最喜欢粉红色。
我在JJJL6班。我有七的朋友。我的朋友是Mabel, Io, Emma D, Tilda, Stella, Zoe, Dora, Piper,和Olivia B。
Mabel有咖啡色的头发。她有咖啡色的眼睛。Io有咖啡色和红色的头发。她有咖啡色的眼睛。Emma有咖啡色的头发。她有绿色的眼睛。Tilda有金色的头发。她有蓝色的眼睛。Stella有金色的头发。她有蓝色的眼睛。Zoe有咖啡色的头发。她有咖啡色的眼睛。Dora有咖啡色的头发。她有咖啡色的眼睛。Piper有咖啡色的头发。她有咖啡色的眼睛。Olivia有咖啡色的头发。她有咖啡色的眼睛。
我有两个狗。我两个狗叫Mocha和Ginger。Mocha今年三岁。Ginger今年一岁。Mocha是黑色和Ginger是咖啡色。她们很可爱。我爱我的两狗。
我最喜欢打篮球，游泳和跑步和打排球。我不喜欢打乒乓球。
我最喜欢狗，猫和金鱼和猫。你爱你不爱宠物？
我说英文和一点中文。我是美国人。我爱沙拉，牛奶，饼干和饺子。我爱中国菜。你爱不爱中国菜？
我有金色的头发和蓝色的眼睛。
再见！
马一格
In Science we did a project where we recorded how much of each food group we eat. The food groups are Grain, Protein, Dairy, Fruits and Vegetables. After we recorded our eating habits, we all tried to change our eating habits so that we were eating better. After, we recorded how much of each food we were eating and turned the before and after into a pie chart.
In Humanities, we did a project that I really enjoyed. We all got into groups and chose one famous women from the middle ages, and made a presentation about them. I got to be the leader of that group, and I think I did better as a leader. My group did Trotula. Trotula was a famous doctor in the middle ages, who specializes in midwifery and gynecology. I worked with Marlowe and Stella, and we decided to do a play. I was very proud of this project because I think that we found a way to make the play funny, but also teach the audience something. Here is the script for the play that Marlowe, Stella and I wrote:
Narrator: Trotula was a very famous doctor in the middle ages. She lived for approximately 40 years, from 1050-1090. She was born as a noble, where she was expected to be waited on, and try on gowns, but she wanted to do more.
(Trotula and her dad are sitting at the table)
Trotula’s Dad: Trotula, it’s time for you to go get fitted for your gown. Your appointment started 5 minutes ago.
Trotula: No! I was hoping to go take a tour of the University of Salerno. I want to be a doctor!
Trotula’s Dad: (Laughs) Oh Trotula. You were always such a jester.
Trotula: No I’m serious. I actually want to be a doctor.
Trotula’s Dad: Fine You may go do your little tour, but be back by supper.
Narrator: It was hard for Trotula to be a doctor, because people didn’t believe that Trotula would follow through with her dreams.
(Trotula is at the University of Salerno)
Trotula I’m so excited to take the tour of the University of Salerno! I wonder where the tour guide is?
(Trotula sees tour guide)
Trotula: Oh, I was looking for the-
Tour guide: Ma’am, your husband will be back in a few hours, if you want you can wait here.
Trotula: No, I’m here for the tour!
(Tour guide looks at list)
Tour guide: Oh! You’re Trotula? Come right this way.
Narrator: When Trotula got into the University of Salerno she took a lot of courses on Midwifery and Gynecology.
(Trotula is sitting in class surrounded by boys)
Teacher: Many Midwifes learned their professions from their own mothers with knowledge passed down from generation to generation. Frequently, a midwife attended as many as three hundred births each year.
Narrator: She also read a lot of books by famous physicians, such as Hippocrates.
(Trotula reading a book by Hippocrates for whole scene)
Hippocrates: Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity
Trotula: I could have thought of that!
Narrator: At the University of Salerno, Trotula met a man named John Platearius, who was also a doctor. She married him and had two kids named Matteo and John Junior. Usually, when women had kids, it held them back in their career, but for Trotula it did the opposite. Trotula kept practicing medicine and treating patients.
(Trotula is sitting in a chair helping a patient)
(The patient is coughing)
Trotula: You must use water to clean your hands, five times a day. John Junior, would you go get the soap please?
(John Junior goes and brings back a bar of soap and gives it to the patient)
Patient: Oh! I’ve never heard that before! Whose advice is it to wash your hands?
Trotula: It was my idea. Washing your hands takes the germs away, which keeps you healthy!
Patient: Um… Okay… I guess I’ll wash my hands five times a day? Thank you?
Narrator: When Trotula’s sons grew up, they too were interested in medicine and were proud of their parents. Trotula then wrote very useful books including The Compounding of Medicine and The Diseases of Women and Their Cure. These books were read by tons of people. Trotula inspired generations of women to become doctors.
(Inspired women is reading Trotula’s book for whole scene)
Trotula: “when you visit a patient you need to ask where they have a pain, you need to take their pulse, you need to touch their forehead to see whether there is a fever and you need to ask whether they have shivers. Look at the expression on their faces and see and feel whether the abdomen is treatable , whether there is ease in urination, and give to each patient great attention.”
Inspired women: Wow! Trotula’s a genius!
Narrator: Lots of women to come went to the University of Salerno, and were not discriminated against as women.
Inspired Women: Greetings! I’m here for the-
Tour guide: Oh! You’re here for the tour! Come right this way!
Narrator: Trotula died of an unknown cause, but her ideas and knowledge lives on!
In this post, I am going to show you what I have learned in Mandarin this quarter. This will include links to Quizlet, Youtube and some pictures of sentences/phrases I have written in Mandarin.
Here is the link to a set on Quizlet. The first link is to a set that has a lot of countries and how to say them in Chinese. The second link is my personal set that shows what I’ve learned through the course of the quarter. You can do Flashcards, Learn, Speller, Test, Scatter or Space Race to study.
Here are two pictures of some of the work I’ve been doing over the quarter. 
Here is a link to a youtube video on a channel called Growing Up With Chinese. It shows you how to say different phrases in Chinese.
This is me and my group at the blacksmith shop
This year, the sixth and fifth grade went to Ashokan. We got to do lots of cool things like blacksmith, we went on a ropes course, we went canoeing and we got to make forts out of materials we find in the wild. When we went canoeing I learned that team work really matters if you want to be successful. I also learned that when you are making a fort, you need to make it element proof. Ashokan was different from last year because we got to do different cool things. We got more freedom. Overall, Ashokan was a big success.
Every summer is unique. Even if you go to the same place every year, no summer can be the same.
Greece was a part of my summer, that was unique to me. When I was there, I felt like I was on another planet. It was so different from any other place I’ve ever been. When I was there I went hiking, swimming, snorkeling, zip lining, site-seeing and much more. One of the highlights of the trip was hiking. The nice thing about some of the mountains in Greece is that they have no trees so for the whole hike up, my family and I could see down to the ocean.
Another big part of summer was going to Nantucket. I got to see my grandparents a lot, which was really fun. I went windsurfing, I learned how to drive a motor boat, and I went for lots of bike rides. I loved the bike rides because most of my bike rides were on the beach, which was really cool. Another fun part about Nantucket was seashell collecting. It’s nice to collect seashells because now I can look at them and remember all of the great times I had in Nantucket.
Summer went bye so fast. One day, I’m going on a trip to Greece and the next day it’s the day before the first day of school.