Collaborate Constructively

Unlike normal literature circles, which are completed alone, this time we were assigned a partner to complete our literature circles with. I was paired up with Owen, a boy from my group. I liked working as a pair better, as I was able to talk with my partner and get feedback on my work. There are parts of the literature circle in which I understood more clearly than my partner, however my partner better understood other parts. This allowed us to help each other to make our work even better. By working together we had more time to edit and correct our finished work.

A problem my partner and I faced was the fact that we were unable to communicate with one another. Unfortunately we never exchanged phone numbers and we were never online at the same time. If we had been able to talk about our work, and the thinking behind our work, we would have been able to edit and revise our work a lot easier.  In order to solve this problem we left notes and information regarding our work via email and on our actual document.

By completing literature circles with a partner I was able to gain a new perspective on different parts of the book. My partner’s responses helped me to understand the main characters problem and situation even clearer, overall this helped me to better understand the novel.

In conclusion, literature circles are an effective way to work but even more so with a partner to assist. Collaborative efforts really help to improve the overall quality work and allow us to receive positive feedback and suggestions.

URL PICTURE 1 BOOK:http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTbp_NmLmp9e9_EDYamb3BV-z_WAKS4Ln7z1x23I63LQUktNZ_k 

URL 2 PICTURE 2 CHILDREN TALKING: http://www.clipartpal.com/_thumbs/034/1/sal981209bwr_tnb.png

Literature Circle Reflection

            During the first two literature circle discussions for the novel 'The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle' by Avi, my group explored many topics. We used these topics to start discussions.  One of the main topics we explored was the section in the book in which the 'round robin' was found in Ewing's chest, one of the key elements in the book.  This was an important part as it was one of the places in which the story depended on. Without this part being here the whole entire story would have to change. By discussing this and various other topics, I was really able to empathize with the main character, Charlotte Doyle.


            Some reactions I had towards the book was the fact that every chapter ended with some sort of suspense. By the author (Avi) doing this, readers are hooked and want to read on. This also causes readers to make predictions about what will happen next. Another reaction I had was that the author (Avi) uses very descriptive words in order to give readers a picture in their mind. This helps readers to understand the setting and characters even more.


            I predict that Captain Jaggery will cause havoc on the boat and punish those involved in the 'round robin'. Charlotte's outlook on captain Jaggery and her ability to trust him will change dramatically. I also predict that Captain Jaggery will murder someone and then blame the murder on Charlotte. Captain Jaggery will then hold her for trial, accuse her of being guilty (as it states in the introduction) and then attempt to get rid of Charlotte.


            To conclude, Literature circle discussions have helped me grow as a reader in many different ways. They have helped me to feel empathy, relate to any personal incidents, become more aware of the characters and the setting and just understanding the story with greater depth.

SYMMETRY IN KL

I took this picture of my two seater couch with two matching cushions. In this picture the couch has one line of symmetry. It's line of symmetry runs directly through the middle of the couch (top to bottom). The line of symmetry intersects the line between the two seats.

Kuala Selangor Fireflies

                 On the 14th and 15th of October, 6B took a field trip to Kuala Selangor. We made grasshoppers out of leaves, visited an aquarium, saw historical places, planted mangrove saplings and much more. Although these were all fun, I enjoyed the firefly tour the most.

                 I sat, I waited. I saw the others putting their life jackets over their heads. I was becoming more impatient by the second. Lucky for my group and I were towards the front of the line so we didn’t need to wait for much longer. Finally a tall man said one word that put our group out of our misery… “Come”

                At that instance we leapt from our seats and rushed over to the life jacket bench. We were given a certain sized life jacket in which we had to put on in order for us to be allowed on the boat. One of the people who worked there tugged on the cords of our jackets to make sure they were tight enough. Only then were we allowed to walk down to the loading platform.

                At the loading platform a worker guided us to an old canoe-like boat and we were asked to carefully step into the boat. At first the boat rocked uncontrollably and seemed as it was going to tip over but the swaying lessened when the boat driver stepped in. Soon enough we got the okay signal and were pushed away from the shore.

               The oars were moving swift and strong, causing our boat to gently glide along the river. The Berembang trees were glistening with blazing white Christmas lights. As we approached one of the Berembang trees I noticed that they were not Christmas lights, they were in fact fireflies! The boat driver grabbed a firefly off one of the Berembang trees, then held it cupped in his hand for all to see. The firefly was small and tiny, just about the size of a grain of rice. After observing it, the boat driver placed it back on a leaf and we continued on.

             We passed by a dozen trees before the boat driver started to sail the other way. As we had passed all the firefly filled trees, I decided to lay back and enjoy the night sky. The moon was shining brightly and the stars twinkled in the sky, reminding me of the beautiful fireflies we had just seen.

Finally we returned to the loading platform and exited the boat. I looked back at the experience. I learnt that the Malaysian name for fireflies is “Kelip-Kelip” which means ‘To twinkle’. I also learnt that the firefly is not actually a fly, it is a long bodied beetle. In Malaysia, the Kuala Selangor fireflies are considered the 8th wonder of the world!

           This was truly a magical and memorable experience of a lifetime!

 

Picture 1 URL: http://www.zunal.com/myaccount/uploads/firefly(2).jpg

 Picture 2 URL: http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt229/sps_09/fireflies3321.jpg

A Time When I Showed Courage

             Many people have different opinions on what courage is. Some think that courage is what you show when you embark on a death- defying journey, while for others it is simply giving a speech in front of the class. Whichever way you think of it most everybody has faced some sort of courage in their lives. From minor courage to major courage, courage helps people to develop and discover new things they never knew about themselves.
              Well I showed courage on a theme park ride, although that may not sound so courageous, it was for me. Me + 119metres high drop = A very nervous Stephanie! I encountered my fear at Dreamworld at the Gold Coast in Australia. The ride was called “The Big Drop, an 119metres high (39 storey’s) tall pole that carried its victims to the top and then plummeted to the ground at an unexpected time, giving the ride a shocking edge to it. “The Big Drop” was one of Dreamworlds “Big 6 Thrill Rides”, the most thrilling rides Dreamworld; this told me that this ride was not for the fainthearted.

              Now it’s time for me to tell you all about my “courageous” experience from my point of view!

I stood in the queue, the large pole towered over me, scaring me even more. From where I was standing the pole seemed to go on forever, ducking into the clouds. My mind raced with thoughts and questions like, “ What if it something goes wrong” or “What if the pole falls over” and many more stupid yet possible things. As I progressed towards the door the screaming grew louder and louder, I could hear the fear in others as they came plummeting to the ground. I continued to follow the line until I noticed that I was next. I knew that I must face my fears, whether or not I liked it! Finally the doors opened, my body tingled with fear as I made my way towards the seat. I was doomed! I buckled the shiny metal seat belt, just in time for the lady to pull the harness over my shoulders. I was locked in, there would be no turning back now! Suddenly I felt the chairs rise, up and up and up until we had a bird's eye view of Dreamworld and its surroundings. For a second the fear seemed to melt away from me, it did not seem scary at all, that is until we suddenly stopped. My heartbeat quickened, skipping a beat or two. I felt even more fear than I did before. I must have been at the top of the pole for about 30 seconds, suspense seemed to strangle me, I was freaked out. But I knew that things that come up always need to come DOWN…………………….!
             All of a sudden the brakes let go of us. We were falling! Every second seemed quicker than the last as the cart had gained speed as it descended. It felt as if you were flying or skydiving. As soon as I got used to the falling I was actually having a lot of fun. But of course the fun did not last long enough as the chairs came to a halt, a halt so firm and steady it felt as if it shook my body apart. The cart slowly moved back into the pace we started, the harnesses were released, I was allowed to un -fasten my seat belt and went to join the queue for another ride.
             I learnt that if you do not show enough courage to do something or to try something then you won’t know what you are missing out on. By me showing courage I discovered something new that I found fun and enjoying.

Picture 1(Giant Drop Logo)URL :http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a6/Giant_Drop_Logo.jpg/250px-Giant_Drop_Logo.jpg

Picture 2(Giant Drop Seats)URL:http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2007/06/24/va1237253344332/Giant-Drop-5538514.jpg

Picture 3(Giant Drop Tower)URL:http://database.thrillnetwork.com/dbgallery/photos.php/ip_6223/dreamworld/giant_drop5314.jpg

How can understanding the past, help us to understand our world?

                       Many people question as to why people study the past, thinking "It’s old" or "What use is it to us?" Little do they know that the past is one of the many keys to the future, helping us to understand how the world has changed since our ancestors inhabited the earth? Some call the past a puzzle, others a mystery but social scientists think that the past is an important part in showing the change in appearance, knowledge and our sense of community, proving progress from then to now. This blog post is all about 'How can understanding the past help us to understand our world?'                        
                 
       You may wonder why certain items look the way they do. Well some things are based on ancient hominid tools. Referring to the book ‘History Alive! The Modern World’ the item 1.9 Cave Art Tools, the short, white, carved stone with the reddish brown tip looks similar to the modern day palette knife. A palette knife is used to mix and apply paint to a desired surface, a similar purpose to what we think the early hominids used this tool for.  This proves that understanding the past helps us to understand the world around us.        

The past is strongly related to the future. Yes that may sound strange but its true! Social scientists are able to study past civilizations and find out why they became extinct. They can make inferences and observations about a civilization and see if our own civilization is headed down the same route. They can use clues from the past to help support their thinking and knowledge.  Archaeologists unite with the past through the discovery of artifacts. These artifacts created by our ancestors help to inform us about the history of mankind. For instance, language, literature, art, war, farming, hunting , shelter and religious beliefs .  The more we know about our past, the more we are able to understand how we as humans are linked in some manner, not just now, but in the past and also how we will join with each other in time to come. Knowing and understanding what happened in the past can help to further our knowledge about our world and its’ sustainable future.

Social Scientists

Archaeologists in Pompeii, Italy

       Out of the three social scientists, Geographer, Archaeologist and Historian I would most like to be a Archaeologist. I would like to be a Archaeologist because I like to actually feel/touch and see the real tools/clothing/treasures that our ancestors owned .  

The three reasons I think I would be good at being a Archaeologist is,

1. I love to dig in the ground! When I was younger I loved to make mud pies and mud cookies!

2. Seeing things up close excites me. I would rather touch and feel things than read or see it.


3. I would call myself observant. So I would think that skill would help me in the job. 
URL1http://www.crystalinks.com/archaeology306.jpg

URL 2   http://uk.cainer.com/gifs/cartoons/cartoon091009.jpg 

Welcome to the Far Out World of Stephanie

Welcome,

     My name is Stephanie and I am from Australia. My family is composed of five people (including me). My mother is a P.E teacher at the Elementry campus. My dad has a job that has somthing to do with mining! My brother Bryce is 8 years old and is in the third grade. Also our maid Ani is a honorary member of our family. She has lived with us for about 7 years.
   

I have alot of favourite things! If I were to list all of them you would be here for hours. So this is a shortend version! My favorite food is Italian pizza (from Italy!) because it has that wood oven taste!  One of my favorite hobbies is ballet. I enjoy ballet because it allows me to relax. Speaking about relaxing another way I feel relaxed is when I am reading. My Favourite book series are 'The Hunger Games'. My favorite colours are Pink, Purple and Blue. I like these colours because they make me feel joyous.
     

My friends would say I am fun because I can always crack a joke or make everybody laugh when they need it. My family would call me loving because I always try to make them happy and feel loved. I would call myself persistent because I try to keep going until I succeed. 
      

My goal for Humanities is that my writing skills will improve and that my knowledge on ancient civilizations will also lengthen. This is my goal because I feel I can improve on my writing skills and history/geography is fairly new to me!


More random facts about me:
I love to play wii (it's so realistic!)
I adore Club Penguin (Its so cute and fun!)
I think Gus is cute (my guinea pig!)
I find acting/singing fun (I get to be me!)
My friends are awesome (LOL!)
     

            My blog is a place where people can share, discuss and talk about things (academic stuff and other fun stuff to)

If there are any ideas you have (poll topics, you tube videos etc) just post it!

Also to be able to see the poll you need to click and drag your cursor over the words! 

Hope to hear from you soon

Stephanie