Eli & Rami's Third Blog (and Hopefully Our Last)

 Agenda:

Take a minute

Blog corrections

Reader's workshop

Week 4: Q.Q.S.L

I.O. & B.A. Essays

HW/ RJ 4.3 Read or spend 20-30 minutes on IXL or iReady. Record minutes/summary.

Rami: We are very saddened to have to do the blog on this fateful day. Hopefully, this will be the last time Eli or I will have to write and read this god-awful thing.

We enter class only to learn that no one was selected for the blog. I immediately assumed Eli would be selected, after all he was missing on his day to do the blog so the responsibility fell on Ms. Nakada to fill in for that day. When she asked anyone left to raise their hands, I look around the room to find I was the only one who had raised my hand. I tried to reason that Eli hadn't done the blog yet, but we ended up getting selected to do the first dual-blog.

Eli: I am in fact absolutely devastated having to do this blog. I had evaded it for two days and sadly today I was called out by peers. I walked up here feeling betrayed. I will never forgive you all.

Rami: The class reads over the poem of the week called "Hanging Fire" by Audre Lorde.

People notice jealous tones from the poem and that the girl, who narrates it. She thinks she'll die young.

She states that her skin had betrayed her, which could pertain to race or skin conditions. The lines also help us infer that the girl may be feeling lonely, or that 'Momma' may be feeling depressed and struggling to let go of her daughter as she grows older.

The poem could be talking about how it feels to be a teenager, teenage drama, and feeling alone.

People start pulling out their Chromebooks to work on their essays. By now you should have a heading, and at some point in the introduction, you should say what the title is about.

The end! Please don't make me do this again.

Ms. Nakada's Third Blog

Agenda
take a minute
blog - corrections
reader's workshop
Week 4: Q.Q.S.L.

I.O.&B.A. Essays

HW: R.J 4.1 Read or spend 20-30 minutes on IXL or iReady Record minutes/summary.

Once we got in the class, we then briefly discussed the upcoming Super Bowl and this weekend's games. There are some big fans out there and hopefully it was be a good game. Juan read his blog. Then, Eli was chosen but he had to go to the library, so I picked up the blogging role. After we finished our agendas, we took a minute. Once we corrected the blog, we set up our reading journals for the week and either read or did IXL or iReady. 

Next, we took out our English notebooks and wrote week 4 Q.Q.S.L. The quote was: "It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love and protect one another. We have nothing to lose but our chains." Assata Shakur. We discussed her involvement with the Black Panther Party and the events that led to her being on the FBI's most wanted list. Then, we discussed the question: How can we work toward a more just world? 

After that, we worked on our I.O.&.B.A. Essays. We went through evidence from the articles and started our draft submissions. In the end, the bell rang, so we packed up and left.

Juan's Third Blog

Agenda:

Take a minute

Blog corrections

Readers Workshop

Week 3 Quiz

I.O. & B.A. essays

HW: Have a restful weekend!

    I walked to my seat and pulled out my RJ and binder reminder from my backpack to start writing the daily agenda that was written on the board, thinking I would not be next to write the blog. But as Riley finished reading their blog, Ms. Nakada asked everyone who hadn't written their third blog to raise their hand. I slowly raised my right hand and looked around the room. I was the only one with a hand raised. I accepted that I had to write the blog and began to pack up when Charles shouted across the room or from wherever he was to choose him, because I was the last writer and could choose anyone. I didn't know it at the time, but Charles' secret plan was to choose Ronan to write the blog next for whatever reason. I didn't really know who to pick so I agreed that I could choose Charles. Ronan went berserk as he whispered to me to not choose Charles because then he would have to write the blog after, until Leo told me Rami hasn't gone either. Ronan being relieved, went back to reading his book.

       Once I walked up to the desk, I pulled out my RJ and binder reminder, because Ms. Nakada was going around checking our reading journals and checking if we got our i-Ready slips signed. Then, it was time for reader's workshop which I spent half of writing this. After a while, Ms. Nakada told us to take out our Chromebooks to do the Week 3 Quiz on Schoology. I finished pretty quickly because I only got stumped on one question because I had not remembered what Ralph Waldo Emerson had said and that we needed to write what he said. Ms. Nakada then told us we could continue working on our ACE sheets we were working on the day before. I finished with thirteen minutes of class left, wondering what to write next. I'm pretty sure we finished everything on the agenda for today.

Ms. Nakada asked if anyone wanted to share what paragraph they used to show fleeing home from their ACE's then what people chose for finding home. Many people had different paragraphs they chose to show fleeing and finding. With five minutes left in class, we started to clean up and pack up. The bell rang, and we leave class to go to science.

Riley's Third Blog

Agenda

Take a minute

Blog: corrections

Reader's Workshop

I.O.&.B.A. Essays

HW: RJ 3.4 Read for 20-30 minutes and record 3-word or visual summary

It was a cold, chilly morning as everyone walked into English class and sat down to write down the agenda. It had rained the night before, so I was already feeling the chill in my bones, especially after being out all morning. After I wrote the agenda down, I took a minute to think about something, which was nothing, but nothing is always something. And then my mental peace was shattered as Ms. Nakada announced that it was time for Emily to read her blog. She read her blog, and as she finished, she scanned the room to choose her next victim. I tried to not make eye contact, but of course, I looked up, and straight into Emily's gaze, and she smiled and pointed at me. I sighed and packed up all of my stuff and headed up to the desk of dread. 

As I started to write, Ms. Nakada told us she would pass out our i-Ready scores. When she finished that, she told us all to get out our reading journals so that we could update our reading scores chart. Then it was time for Reader's Workshop, and I realize I'm having a hard time keeping up with the class, because my hands are so cold that my fingers are nearly frozen stiff and I can't type without having to move my hand for every letter. The class is silent as everyone somehow reads loudly, with the rustling of papers and shoes shuffling on the floor, and random thuds on the floor. 

When the reader's workshop is over, Ms. Nakada tells everyone to take out the A.C.E that we all worked on yesterday and share what they wrote. The room fills with random voices as everyone discusses what they wrote (Ronan, why do you talk so loud?).

At this point, I'm not sure what to do, since my partner is the table plant that is crawling with ants. For a second I consider explaining my work to The Plant, but then I remember that today I swore to myself I would stop talking to inanimate objects, so I turn away and type as fast as my frozen fingers would let me. Ms. Nakada says something that I couldn't hear because nobody really stopped talking, so now I'm just staring blankly at the screen, thinking randomly about the concept of life. Ms. Nakada hands out some papers and asks everyone to read and discuss it. 5 hours seemed to pass before Ms. Nakada addressed the class again and asked for everyone's opinion. I didn't get a paper, but I think I could tell that the paper was about immigrants, how they flee, and what they do when they get to another country. Ms. Nakada asks everyone to read the next paper to themselves. The room fills with silence as every one loudly reads silently again. I catch an ant on my pencil, who seems to be gnawing on my eraser. Ms. Nakada then asks everyone to compare the two articles, and then she pulls up an app with random facts on it. Next, she pulls up a map that shows red circles in different areas of the world, and when you clicked on them it would show you what happened there and where all of the refugees fled. Then, Ms. Nakada announces she would be assigning us another A.C.E., and she said we could use our Q.Q.S.L. notes or the articles as evidence or citations. The prompt is to explain one example for why they are fleeing. Somebody coughs a really loud cough. And again. Tali steps out of the classroom to cough a furious rage of coughs, and then comes back inside ever-so-innocently. More coughs from the back of the room. Ms. Nakada lectures us on coughing manners. 

The bell finally rings. Everyone packs up and heads to fourth period. 

:)

Emily's Third Blog

 AGENDA 

take a minute

blog corrections

readers workshop

Week 3 Q Q S L 

I. O. & B. A. essays

HW: RJ 3.3 Read for 20-30 minutes - record 3-word or visual summary

I walked into English class already accepting the fate that I would be chosen for today's blog. Everyone sat down, pulled out their binder reminders, and started writing down the agenda. After we listened to peaceful music for today's take a minute, Violette came up to read the blog she wrote yesterday. After she read it she raised her arm up and pointed her finger towards me. I already had my things packed up in my bag because at Nutrition she told me she was going to choose me to write today's blog. I walked over to the lonely desk and put my backpack down. Ms. Nakada told everyone to take out their Reading Journals for her to check. As Ms. Nakada went around making sure everyone has been reading these past few days, we took time to do Readers Workshop. 

After a few minutes of reading, Ms. Nakada turned the Song of the Week on, "Immigrants: We Get the Job Done" K'naan, feat. Residente, Riz MC, and Snow Tha Product. We talked about the meaning of "Look how far I've come" and how it is literally how far I've come, but also mentally. Ms. Nakada's favorite line was "It's America's ghostwriters, the credit's only borrowed" Next, we wrote down the title of this weeks lines, "Home" Warsan Shire. The most famous line is "No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark." We listened to the poem soaking it in, and understanding its depth. 

Then, Ms. Nakada passed out papers for an ACE. Everyone silently worked on their two ACE's that represents Fleeing and Finding Home in the book Inside Out & Back Again. After having time to work on the ACEs, we packed up. The bell rang, and Ms. Nakada released us to go to fourth period. 

Violette's Third Blog

Agenda 

 take a minute 

 blog corrections 

 reader's workshop 

 week 3 QQSL 

Inside Out and Back Again essays 

HW: RJ 3.2 read for 20 to 30 minutes- record 3 word or visual summary 

    After nutrition, we walked into class and took out our binder reminders to write down the agenda. Then, Zurie came up to read her blog. Her throat was hurting though, so she stopped half way and let Ms. Nakada finish reading it. Then, no one could remember if they had done a blog or not, so Ms. Nakada made us all stand up, and she read out the names of people who had done the blog. I was not one of these people, so Zurie chose me. 

     After that, the class became super quiet because we were all reading. Ms. Nakada then had to remind a few people to take the week 2 quiz. We then, took out our English notebooks and talked about this week's song and lines. The song this week is called "Immigrants: We Get the Job Done" by K'naan, feat. Residente, Riz MC, and Snow Tna Product. The song is about the problems that immigrants go through in places like America and Great Britain. She then let us watch the video but made us promise not to get her fired. Then, the bell rang. The End  

Zurie's Other Other Blog

Agenda:

-Take a minute

- Blog corrections

- Reader's workshop

- Week 3: Q Q S L

- I.O. & B.A. essays

Homework:

RJ 3.1 Read for 20-30 minutes- record 3 work or visual summary.

The class walked after a wet and windy nutrition, and everyone sat down in their seats. After everyone took a minute to write the homework and agenda, Ms. Nakada explained how everyone should be finishing their second book of the year. After everyone finished writing, Ms. Nakada read her blog and so kindly chose me because I politely asked her to. Then, Ms. Nakada started to write out her reading journal for the week. 

The class was quiet, but once in a while I could hear someone clearing their throat... Tali... Giana... Then, out of nowhere, Charles appeared next to me, asking for lead for his pencil. The class randomly started talking while Ms. Nakada was checking everyone's reading journals, and according to Marcus, Omar said something funny that made him laugh. Otem walked by me and asked how my blog is going and I told him that it's going horrible because I honestly can't even see what I'm writing. Marcus whispered my name and looked at me like he was about to tickle both my feet at the same time. Marcus whispered my name again, and he looked like he was rabid or something. Now I'm kind of lost and I have no clue what people are doing anymore. While I'm thinking about what to write about next, I hear Marcus loudly cough on Alejandro. 

Half-way through the class, we finally started to write our week three quote and question. Our quote of the week is, "We welcome refuges not because they are, American [...] but because we are American."-Krish O'Mara Vignarajah. While reading the quote, Ms. Nakada explained what [...] is for, and it means that there are more words to the quote that weren't put in. Lucas explains how he thinks that the quote explains how we are American and that we should help people, but Ms. Nakada explains how the history of America hasn't exactly shown that. She also told us how we have rejected many refugees in the past, such as important historical figures like Anne Frank during the holocaust. Ms. Nakada explains how we have a stable enough country to help other countries with refugees. 

We then started to answer the question of the week, which was: How should countries respond to those seeking asylum? Akira shares how an example of countries responding to those seeking asylum would be the sponsors in Inside Out & Back Again. Before class ended, Ms. Nakada started to explain the Inside Out & Back Again essay that we will be doing. Our essay prompt was to consider the meaning of the novel's title, Inside Out & Back Again. We also have to think about how this title is related to the experience of fleeing and finding a home. Ms. Nakada explained how our essay should be separated into different parts. 

With three big whole minutes left to spare... I finished I think! I patiently waited for the bell to ring. While I was waiting, Noa came up to me asking me how the blog was going, and I told her that it was going bad because I don't know how to answer that question. After a long three minutes, the bell finally rang.