Avery's English Blog

  Response: A phrase that I use a lot is I love you. I say it to all of my friends and my family. Usually I use it in replacement of saying goodbye. I like to say it because I think it lets the person know that I really care about them. I also think I started saying it a lot because my dad goes on lots of work trips, and I used to be scared that his plane would crash during his flight. So whenever he would leave, I would always tell him I loved him, in case I didn't see him again. It then became a habit. Summary: We did a lesson in our workbook on our vocab. Then we answered questions to practice using the words we learned. Reflection: I learned lots of new words.

Response:  A time when my heart and mind seemed to want two different things was when I was deciding if I was going to leave my summer camp. I had been going to the same camp for 8 years and I was on staff this year. However the experience being on staff was terrible and I was debating between going home or staying. My mind said that it would be best for me to leave, but my heart was telling me to stay because leaving meant I would not be able to come back the next year, and I had an emotional attachment to camp. Ultimately I chose to leave because I did not think it was okay the way I was being treated and thought it was important to do what was best for me. Summary:  This lesson we read another Emily Dickinson poem. We also covered healthy vs unhealthy ways to get over someone. Reflection:  I thought this poem was kind of confusing but I liked the conflict between the heart and the mind.

Response:  My mom has left a lasting impact on my life. She is my biggest supporter and is always there for me. I carry her with me always in all the decisions I make. If I ever don't know how to go about a situation, she is always the first person I call. I try to do things the way I think she would do them because she is such a role model for me. Summary: This lesson we illustrated a heart based on one of Emily Dickinson's poems. This heart was split into two sides to represent the conflict between the heart and the mind. Reflection: I thought that this activity was fun and engaging.

  Response: A time when overthinking or doubting myself affected the way I handled a situation was in volleyball. Often I get in my head because I feel pressure to perform well. When I repeatedly mess up I start to feel overwhelmed and begin doubting myself. When this starts happening, I usually start playing worse because I'm so focused on trying to be perfect. I've also found I get angry with myself very quickly when I make mistakes, which usually leads to overthinking. Summary : Today we read another poem by Emily Dickinson. This poem covered how it feels to lose one's mind, and how this feeling is similar to being buried alive. Reflection: I thought that this poem was a little confusing, but I did find that I was able to relate to it.

 Prompt Response: One thing that makes me different from other people is that I really like math. I've never been good at any other subject in particular except for math. Most people find it boring or confusing, however I really enjoy it. I think I like it so much because there is always a definite answer. Meaning that your answer can only ever be wrong or right. Whereas in literature, answers to questions are often left up to interpretation which I find difficult. Summary: Today we began learning about Emily Dickinson and her poems. We also discussed how to read and analyze a poem, as well as how poetry differs from other writing styles. Reflection: I thought that this lesson was interesting, however I don't really like poetry.

Response: I would really like to go to Europe with my friends. I'm not sure if I would like backpacking but I definitely want to go for around a month and visit all the countries. Another option that I would love would be to study abroad in Europe for a semester. I just think that it's so beautiful there and it would be really cool to be immersed in another culture for a while. If none of these things happen I would at least like to go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower. Summary: In today's lesson people presented their Origin myth posters. Reflection: I thought that many of the stories were very interesting. Throughout the presentations, it was also very clear that there was a common theme of nature.

The most creative thing I have ever made was a photo Ferris wheel out of popsicle sticks. I made it for Father's day to give to my dad. It stands out as my best work because it took more than a week and was also fully functional. The process of making the Ferris wheel was very meticulous and took lots of close attention to detail. It also had a lot of sentimental value because it contained pictures of our family.

One question I have about life is whether or not we actually have free will or if life is planned out for us. Another question I have is whether or not there is a multiverse. These questions matter to me because it's somewhat reassuring that life could already be planned out because then technically, I can make no wrong decisions. I think the idea of a multiverse is just really interesting, especially because it is very possible that it exists. Quantum physics supports the idea of a multiverse and there is so much we don't know about the world that it's not close to impossible.

 Creating my own origin Myth revealed that cultures use storytelling to try and make sense of frightening natural phenomena that people did not yet understand. Cultures also used stories to explain concepts because they were able to embed lessons into the stories which grew into communal values. In my story, I used animals as my central characters to make the story seem similar to mirror the common theme in origin myths of connection to nature. The lesson in my story was that rather than arguing, people should work together. I showed this lesson by having the animals argue with each other and then being faced with a consequence.

Prompt Response: A meaningful object in my life is my dog's old squeaky toy. It's a toy dinosaur with a flamingo floaty that I picked out for him when I was 13. It was his favorite toy and I had always been happy that I was the one that got it for him. When he passed away last Christmas, I kept the toy in my room because it felt really special to me. We now have a new dog who plays with all his old toys, but I keep the dinosaur. Summary: Today we read an origin myth about the creation of the Earth. This myth described a creator, the child of the son, who created everything; as well as how the "First People" eventually got to Earth. Reflection:  I thought that the lesson today was really interesting, especially because the story was so similar to the Bible.

Prompt Response:  One time I felt connected to nature, like the kinship in Native American Myths was when I raised caterpillars intro butterflies. I was 12 and received a kit for my birthday to "hatch" butterflies. After around a week the butterflies hatched. I thought that the butterflies were so beautiful and I didn't want to release them. My connection was not as strong or intense as the kinship in Native American myths, however I did feel a strange relationship with the butterflies since I had taken care of them for so long. Summary:  Our lesson today was an introduction to Native American Literature. We discussed vocab terms as well as commonalities among Native American stories. Reflection:  I learned some common misconceptions about Native Americans. For example, I have always imagined them in traditional tribal wear, however I now know that they are more regularly seen as everyday people, and aren't easily identifiable.

 This year there are lots of things I want to accomplish. I would like to get all A's in my classes, especially in my AP courses. I would also like to be able to play volleyball again in the spring. Lastly, I want to minimize my absences.