Catherine Called Birdy

Based in Medieval Britain, Catherine Called Birdy, by Karen Cushman is about a young girl having to deal with gender unequality, social ranking and powerlessness. Back then, people did not have rights to do hardly anything. It was cruel and unfair times. Catherine faces the various problems and laws an average person would, except with a different voice.

Mystery Bags!

This was a very intresting activity where we had to use the items in an unknown bag to figure out what kind of a person owns the bag. We cannot jump to conclusions as there are many possibilities.

My group had got a bad containing items such as an Animal Book for kids, Gum, Ear Rings, A Mirror Lip Gloss and A Picture. One fact we can say is that the owner is a female. She probably has kids trying to learn foreign languages, this can be proven by the kid books in Chinese and Greek. Another fact we can say is that, she has been to Hong Kong. Looking at the Tooth Paste and Brush from a chinese hotel and a map of Hong Kong, it is also a posibility that the Chinese kid book links to this.

It starts of confusing but as more evidence of the owner starts showing, it becomes more and more obvious. It cannot always lead us to the exact person, but it can be close enough to make an estimate. But by looking at the pound sticker and the Hong Kong map, I had a feeling it would be Mrs. P. I was right.

What I thought. (Shmuel's POV)

What or who is that?

Should I stay?

I hope he's not a spy!

I want my Mama.

Is he going to kill me?

Is he a friend?

As I walk closer, I grew more excited, more anxious, more scared. But something about him makes me feel safe. I don't know what though. All the other's all give me stomach aches. He's so fat, so clean, so lively.

Maybe I should just walk away. Or maybe I should stay and face him. Whatever I choose, 'm still heading towards him, my feet...they're dragging me. I think he sees me too. Maybe I'll sit. Yeah, maybe I will.

10 Questions

1) How did Hitler gain power and convince other nations to help him?

2)What does the holocaust mean?

3)When was the first concentration camp built and used?

4) What did the meaning Ghetto meant back then?

5) What kind of people were Hitler targeting?

6) Name 3 killing centers?

7) What do you see in this picture? Go to this link and look at the first picture: Killing Centers

8) How did other countries such as France, England, America etc. response to this murders/execution?

9) What does the word "Aryanization" mean?

10) Why did Hitler decide to kill Jews and everyone who was not "perfect"?

The Void (band)

The International School of Kuala Lumpur provides an exceptional education that challenges each student to (slilence) develop the attitudes, skills, knowledge and understanding to become a highly successful, spirited, socially responsible global citizen.

The Void, is one of the most powerful tool that authors musician can use to keep things exciting and or mysterious. Adding a void makes people guess in suspense or think hard about what's going to happen. If an author does that, it makes the reader continuoslly reading. The Void creates tension and is almost always used.

A composer can build a piece up to where it begins to become very powerful but then suddenly stops, giving the effect of tension and finishes the long or short slience with a strong ending to give the release.

The Black Spot

1) Black Spot, it should be called this because the black spot was repeated many times and was very crucial to the stiry. The story seems to be making the black spot it's main character.

2) I thought someone with the black spot would die or leave town, while reading I noticed that everyone was nervous and afraid. People were hoping that they or their friends and close ones were not picked. There is also a sense of tension.

3) I knew that it was meant to keep the reader guessing, thinking and wanting. It worked. This story really uses "The Void".

4) At first, I just thought that we were going to reenact the story. But when I red the sentence written on it, I was thinkng of hundreds of different things that could be in it.

5) I was still guessing what were we going to do and what were to happen to the people who got the black spot.

6) I still don't understand the consequences of getting the black spot in the village. I'm guessing that people throw stones at you and all but that sounds unreasonable for a really strict tradition to be silly.

7) My predictions were not entirely correct but I knew that something bad was going to happen. Even though I knew there was something wrong, I still did not stop guessing.

8) Maybe to give someone better prediction, the author should have wrote a sentence saying something about to people talking about what happened last time and what happened to them but without giving the story away.

9) So the reader wil keep reading, "The Void" is a tool that would be seen in almost every book, movie, etc.

10)

a. Makes the reader look for the title and wonder why there isn't.

b. Makes the reader want and jump to the conclusion as quickly as possible.

c. The reader will keep thinking throughout the book as it gives clues piece by piece.

d. Students ask one another and themselves what is about to happen.

e. Questions popping into minds, flooded with guesses.

f. Trying to wait for 5. Not knowing what happened. These all keeps me gessing.

“unexpected, the moment of serendipity.”

Steve McCurry, one of the best photographers in the world, has an exquisite and unique taste for pictures. Born in Philadelphia, in 1950, he graduated from the College of Arts and Architecture at the Pennsylvania State University. He had been working for newspapers for two years but then left for India to freelance in photography. This is when he started taking pictures of conflict. His work reflects the ethics of everything; his photos are sometimes happy but often they show sadness. He travels the world searching for the “unexpected, the moment of serendipity."

This picture shows more than a woman, it shows a woman in the dark streets. You might think that there is nothing special about that. But imagine all the men that are outside in the light and freedom. The Shadow is a symbol of loneliness while the light and the green door represents happiness and freedom. Unfortunately, this woman has to live in darkness. Maybe because she is an outlaw, maybe she doesn’t have money, maybe she doesn’t have anything.

His pictures have meaning. And that is what makes him so famous for all the years. He has many pictures to do with real life situations, fun, culture and life. If a picture tells a thousand stories, Steve McCurry’s pictures tell a million.