The Amazing Akira's Third Blog

 AGENDA

• Take a minute
• Blog corrections
• Week 2: QQSL
• Readers Workshop
• iReady

HOMEWORK

• RJ 2.2- Read for 20-30 minutes and record summary (3-word or visual)

    We began class by making our way to our assigned seats. As usual, we write down the agenda and homework for today. Chattered erupted throughout the room, despite the fact that we should be writing what is on the board quietly. I finish up with the work in my binder reminder and continue reading the book I started last night, The Picture of Dorian Gray, which greatly captures my interest.

    Earlier today in first period, I was singing the song, "Luck Be a Lady," into Rin's right ear as a way of serenading them. I remembered how they had to read out their blog and pick who would be the next writer. Hoping my God-sent vocals would hypnotize them into thinking I should be spared the blog for today, I sang loud and proud: "Luck be a lady tonight," over and over again since I didn't know the rest of the lyrics.

    Entering the class, I overheard Rin speaking with Ms. Nakada about their blog. I made my way to the seat behind Rin. I knew they would pick a friend and I was really hoping it would be Eli. Ms. Nakada's booming voice rang throughout the class, asking who hasn't written their blog. I raised my hand high and proud and pointed my finger towards Eli. My heart pounded in my chest, creating ripples of anxiety which move through my body. Rin's curved back turned behind them, their blue eyes and ginger-colored hair shining in the fluorescent light showering the class. Sweat trickled down my eyebrows as the spine holding my body together collapsed in my back, making me melt into myself. I kept myself high, confident that Rin wouldn't pick me and would take the suggestion of picking Eli, my worst enemy. Confidence grew inside me for their eyes kept bouncing back and forth from mine to Eli's. 

    "Akira," they announced. My heart crumbled worse than my spine did previously. Did my singing not work on them? How could this be?!

    "Grrr," I growled, louder than I intended. I packed my stuff up and trudged over to the front desk. I raised my hand far enough for Ms. Nakada to see it. Curiosity swirled in my mind as I began wondering how to start my writing. 

    The song for the week is: "We Shall Overcome," which was widely credited to Pete Seeger. We listened to a podcast discussing the history of the song, its relation to the Civil Rights Movement, and how it evolved over time. We discussed how it brought people through encouraging triumph. Soon after listening to the song, we continued our iReady tests. I took a while to get to it today, because I was too busy writing both the song in my notebook and the blog. A little time was taken for the song part, paving into me bringing out my Chromebook to get to my iReady.

    Our time in class was quieter than usual, until Ms. Nakada announced that she is adding optional vocabulary lessons into iReady. We carried on with our test until it was time to pack up for fourth period. 

Rin's Third Blog

Agenda:

Take a minute

Blog corrections

Week 2 Q.Q.S.L

Reader's workshop

iReady

Homework:

RJ 2.1 - read for 20-30 minutes and record 3-word or visual summary

    Today was just another Tuesday. We walk into the classroom, sit down, and write down the agenda. After everyone writes it down, Ms. Nakada calls Giana up to read their blog, but Giana isn't here, so Ms. Nakada reads the blog instead. Since Giana isn't here, Ms. Nakada gets to pick who's next. She asks everyone who hasn't written a third blog to raise their hands. I think about just not raising mine so I won't have to do the blog, but I know that won't work. I sheepishly raise my hand trying not to look at Ms. Nakada so she won't pick me.

    She picks me.

    I walk over to the blog chair, and there's no computer. I wait a few minutes to try and ask Ms. Nakada for it, and after a few tries she walks over with the blog computer. I rush to write about the beginning of class so I can catch up on the Q.Q.S.L. Our quote this week is from Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr., "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy." We write down the quote and discuss what it means and we also discuss what it means to be an ally.

    After that, we set up our reading journals for the week. Some people go up to Ms. Nakada's book shelves to pick a book to read. As Ms. Nakada is helping people pick out books, I hear everyone start talking to each other and Otem making weird noises.

    Everyone stops talking when Ms. Nakada starts talking about reading journals for this week. She says we can do a 3-word summary or a visual summary instead of both. After that, everyone gets on their chromebooks to finish the iReady quiz. I turn on music while I work on my quiz.

    After everyone works on the quiz for a bit, the bell rings, and we go to fourth period.

Giana's Third Blog

 Agenda:

-take a minute

-blog corrections

-reader's workshop I.O&B.A/ iReady

-RJ check

-Week 1 Quiz

HW- Enjoy the 3 day weekend!

    Today started as any normal Friday. We walked into the class after waiting for Ms. Nakada at the door. Everyone wrote down the agenda for today when they got settled into their seats. After the meditation video was stopped, Marcus was called up to read his amazing blog. Then, he chose me to be the next writer. I want to thank Charles for wishing me good luck  🔥. Ms. Nakada then talked about checking our reading journals and how there should be clear visuals for each part of the book. Then, the class became silent as they were on their computers taking the iReady test. 

After many minutes of not talking, Ms. Nakada says that she will be opening the Week 1 quiz. She gave us the option to continue the iReady test, or take a break and start the quiz. After many more minutes of silence, the bell rings, and it is time to go to fourth period.

Marcus' Third Blog

 Agenda

Take a minute

Blog Corrections

Reader's Workshop 

Inside Out and Back Again Part 4

HW: RJ 1.4 Inside Out and Back Again Part 4

Today's start was nothing out of the ordinary. When we got to English class, we wrote our agenda's and  listened to Tali read her blog before doing blog corrections. By the time she finished reading, she was unsure of who to pick. She just asked who hadn't done the blog a third time yet. No one really knew so Ms. Nakada read out the names of the people that did complete a third blog and told them to sit down. I, unfortunately, wasn't one of the names. I prepared by putting my materials back in my bag just in case I got picked, though I didn't actually think I would. And of course I ended up having to do the blog. Alejandro was disappointed that I got picked as I dragged my bag towards the seat, isolated and alone. 

I kind of forgot what Ms. Nakada said, but I'm assuming everyone is working on their drawings in their reading journals for Part 3 of Inside Out and Back Again. All the students are deeply focused in their drawings as the room is close-to-silent. Students like Akira, Noa, and Declan shared what they wrote and drew. Pink Boy, cowboys, school, bathroom stalls, the pulling of arm hair, all important events of the third part. I drew an airplane flying over Alabama where bullies lie below. We talk about how Ha adjusts to the problems at school, using her brother Vu Lee in one of the instances. Part 4 is our homework tonight and we then shift to a discussion about the amethyst ring that is lost that may symbolize their father could be gone. Also, all the changes and new things Ha has experienced in her incredibly eventful year. 

Ms. Nakada has everyone take out their chromebooks to take the IReady. NOOOOOOO! I thought she said the AR test for the book but I guess I must've misheard. I gave Ms. Nakada my money for pizza and I now this is probably all the writing I can get in today. Oh well. 

Tali's Third Blog

AGENDA

take a minute

blog corrections

week 1: QQSL

readers workshop: IO & BA 

HW: RJ 1.3 IO & BA  part III

Today was like any other day, except it wasn't any other day. It was the day that Jessica decided to announce that my birthday was yesterday to the class in yesterday's blog. Which means that yesterday was my birthday. And tomorrow will be the day after the day that Jessica announced that my birthday had passed. Tomorrow will also be the day after the day after my birthday. And the day after tomorrow will be the day after the day after the day that I turned fourteen. And so on. 

After Jessica read her blog and Ms. Nakada corrected its few mistakes, we pulled out our English Notebooks to write the lines of the day. The poem was "The Summer Day" by Mary Oliver. If we look at the poem from a shallow level, simply, it is about a grasshopper. However, we went deeper into the meaning of the poem and how Mary Oliver was observing such tiny details about the grasshopper. Then the poem went even deeper about the meaning of the world, and and praying, being blessed. We talked about idle hours, and what we do with them. We all wrote down "tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life." We talked about how you can share one, small moment with the world. For example, Mary Oliver wrote a poem about a grasshopper she spent her idle, precious, minutes observing. 

We next opened our reading journals and talked about what happened in Part II of Inside Out & Back Again. Ha's family's journey was harsh, and uncomfortable, and they lost a chick, but one "tent city" and cowboy later, they ended up in Alabama with a sponsor. The room became silent as everyone read more of IO & BA. 

Ms. Nakada broke the silence with an exciting announcement. We could buy pizza and donuts for tomorrow! Many people walked up to her and placed their orders, and the room became abuzz. 

With that, the bell rang, and class was over. 

- Tali 

Jessica's Third Blog

Agenda:

take a minute

blog corrections

week 1: Q Q S L

reader's workshop IO & BA

HW: RJ 1.2 IO & BA part II

The day started off like any other would. The only difference was today wasn't like any other. It is Tali's birthday! Happy birthday! Well, I guess happy day after your birthday by the time this is read. Anyway, we came in and sat down and Sammy read the blog I could feel the dread creep up inside me. I knew there couldn't be many people left to go. Sure enough there wasn't so I was picked.

As I walked to the front Ms. Nakada started to correct the blog with the class. After the blog was corrected we did the song of the week, "Shallow," by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. We talked about the different things shallow could mean. We talked about how water can be shallow and people can too. We decided that this song meant it in the metaphorical sense of shallow water. The song talks about going deep instead of staying shallow. It talks about taking risks.

Next, we look at part two of Inside Out and Back Again called "At Sea." This part is mainly about their travels on the boat and where they land directly after. They go to a refugee camp which Ha, the main character, called "tent cities." The class was quiet as everyone worked on their drawings representing part two.

We worked on our drawings or read for the rest of class. Then, the bell rang and it was off to fourth period. 

Spectacular Sad Sammy's Third Blog

 Agenda 

- Take a minute

- Blog corrections 

- Spring syllabus 

- Week 1 QQSL

- Reader's workshop IO&BA 

Homework: RJ 1.1 IO&BA  PART ONE

We walk into this depressing class, getting into our new assign seats. I walk over to mine not knowing I would be chosen to do the blog. Why me? I'm an innocent little kid. We take a minute and write the agenda down right after the minute we read Janeth's blog and fix some grammar mistakes. After Ms. Nakada passes out the spring syllabus, and talks about how this is our last semester of eighth grade, we look over the syllabus talking about what we will be doing. A few minutes after, we talk about what Shakespearean story we will be doing and reading for Drama and English. It says Midsummer Night's Dream, and the class corrects how we will be doing a musical again. Then, the students in Drama corrects everyone else that we will be doing both musical and Shakespearean play. We read it a bit more and some student said how we have cursive in the syllabus, which is our signature. 

Soon after, we take out our English notebooks, we write our first QQSL of the year, we do what we usually do going to the table of contents, writing what page it is, and flip the pages to a new fresh one. We out our heading and we read both quotes, "Write on your heart that everyday is the best day in the year." and "Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could." both by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Today feels the opposite because I have to write the blog for this class. We talk about how it can impact our lives and what it does to us, how it's not always the best but maybe it will be tomorrow. We talk about it a little more and then we write our question down on our notebooks, which is, "What are you excited about in 2024." Most of the classes responses were about how excited and anxious they were about high school and if they got into the one they wanted. They also talk about the Dodgers season, which I'm so excited about since Shohei Ohtani, and someone else I do not recall, finally being on the Dodgers team, the amount of money he's getting is ridiculous. Anyways, the class laughs at something I was not really paying attention to, but I heard how Lucas might be driving soon.  

While they laugh Ms. Nakada turns to the reading journal and ask how many books we have done. I heard someone say thirteen, wow. We turn to the new page for our reading journals so we can start reading Inside Out and Back Again. We write it down and go back to what we used to do, we review part one of the book so we can refresh and remember once again. Ms. Nakada says that we have to write a three word summary of part one and draw a visual summary. The class goes silent, pages flipping back and forth, the clock is ticking, the footsteps coming from Ms. Nakada walking around watching us so we don't escape this prison. Seconds turn into minutes without us realizing, then with that loud noise, my head converts it to word, it was Ms. Nakada, she tells us to put effort into this. Then, after the long hours pass, the alarm. All the prisoners run out of the prison. Someone bails us all out, thank you.