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In Grade 7 I studied the difference between the uses of Colons vs. semicolons. Firstly, colons are to introduce a list of things or to introduce a dependent clause (sentence) that helps/builds on the preceding clause. For example, "there are three primary colours: red, blue, and yellow." The colons is used here are to introduce a list of items that explain on the preceding clause, specifying exactly what the three primary colors are. On the other hand, semicolons are used to separate closely related sentences, either when the joining word is left out or when words like 'however' are used." For instance, "The sun was shining brightly; the birds were chirping in the trees." The semicolon acts as a connector, replacing a conjunction like "and" or "but," maintaining the flow between the two related sentences. Both colons and semicolons play significant roles in writing by adding clarity and cohesion.

Here's an Example in short paragraph form:

Waking up early is a good thing to do; it allows you to be organized and ready to leave the house. However, it's important to have something to eat first: like fruits, cereal, eggs, or dairy. Then, you can leave the house feeling good and ready for the rest of the day!

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Theme :

Character analysis:

Author's Craft:

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Picture this.Glass shattering, bricks flying in every direction as buildings crumbled down. Frantically looking around to find family members, hoping the place you call home is still there. Hearing the screams and cries of children who have been separated from their mothers and fathers.  The piercing sounds of bombs dropping, shaking the ground beneath your feet. The suffocating stench of sulphur wrapped around one's lung trying to hold their breath while manoeuvring through the fallen debris, twisting and turning at every corner avoiding the fire droppings in the path .With this in mind I ask you think of the following points: how are children who have experienced such horrid events expected to not have psychological problems, live with PTSD, and continue to live with anxiety and depression.

Firstly,  According to the War and Children | American Journal of Psychiatry Residents' Journal  “ Over one billion children worldwide inhabit countries or territories torn apart by armed conflict, war, or terrorism (1)” Children exposed to war manifest a higher rate of mental disorders compared with children in the general population (5) This shows us the detrimental effects of war. For example, the long-term effects that it brings with children include long-term depression, suicide attempts and increasing the risk for various long-term chronic illnesses.

The second effect of war on children has been found in children experiencing PTSD.  Did you know that,  “Conflict and war may damage a child’s environment and subsequently impair a child’s ability to recover from a traumatic event. For example, the 1989–2004 Liberian civil war damaged infrastructure such as schools and health services, which impaired Liberia’s ability to treat injuries or address concerns (3). Because of this, children with less accessibility to health care services, schools and basic needs are greatly impacted causing less resilience towards having a positive relationship between family members.In addition parents use more punitive and less resilient attitudes increasing the level; of distress in children.

Lastly, as stated by Save the Children a worldwide organization dedicated to helping kids in need. This organization shares that every child deserves to live in a safe, happy and healthy environment. Unfortunately, one in every six children around the world which roughly estimates to 449 million children are living in war zones growing up in extremely insecure and frightening situations that could harm them for life. According to the World Health Organization, “one in five (22%) people who have experienced war or other conflicts in the previous 10 years, will have depression and anxiety.” Most adults find it difficult to recognize children in distress. Therefore using community-wide screening will help identify children and families at high risk trauma-related psychological distress. Prior to psychological distress, The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that in situations of armed conflict, "Around 10 percent of the people who experience traumatic events will have serious mental health problems, and another 10 percent will develop behaviour that will hinder their ability to function effectively in society."

With all of this in mind,  don’t you think it is our responsibility to create a world where no child has to experience such horrid moments in their life.  How can we sit here worrying about grades and fighting over the most irrelevant things when a child somewhere out there has to go through such trauma?  Whose responsibility is it to create a society that is just for all, safe for all and most importantly, one that is avoiding all costs of destructive ideologies for the sake of children losing their lives or worse yet, having to live their entire life with the traumatic horrors of war?  I ask you today to think about this before you complain about anything else.  I ask you to think about the children living in war-enraged environments, struggling just to survive.

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Personal Narrative: My First Time Giving A Speech

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What people don’t realize is the moment your teacher asks you to give a speech in front of the whole class. You start to shake as every limb of your body tenses up. There I was in grade 3 having a great day until my teacher announced the most dreadful project in school. The speech. As I try to sleep at night, my body is anxious with every nerve cell exploding. My mom says it is going to be okay, I believe it will be the opposite of that.

Going to school brings me fear every day. I hope we are not doing anything related to the speech. I'd rather take a million tests than wait for my teacher to say "Let's start researching."As I sit down to work on my laptop, the screen seems to taunt me, reminding me of everything that can go wrong. But as I search for the perfect spirit animal for my speech, I can feel the weight of my fear slowly lifting. I chose the bear, a creature that is fierce and resilient, hoping that it will give me the strength to overcome my fears and speak out with courage.

As my head drops to the pillow, I close my eyes.

I find myself in a strange place, surrounded by murmurs of applause. I look around and see myself standing on a stage, facing an audience. Could it really be me up there? I try to focus on the faces of the people in the crowd, but they seem indistinct, almost blurry. Suddenly, I realize that the audience is my class, and I am holding cue cards in my hands. I feel trapped as if I am inside a box. My teacher had warned us about this feeling, but I never thought it would be this overwhelming. I start to read my speech from the cue cards, but my head begins to spin and I can't seem to focus on the words. The class starts laughing, and I feel my cheeks burn with embarrassment. I gasp for air, leaping out of my bed and hoping that this is just a bad dream. But the voice in my head tells me that it's not. You can't do it, the voice taunts me. I look around desperately, trying to find the source of the voice. But all I see are the same old buildings outside. You will never be who you want to be, the voice continues, echoing in my head. I try to shake off the feeling and force myself to sleep, hoping to wake up from this nightmare.

The next month of school was gruelling and nerve-wracking. Each day brought me closer to the dreaded day of my presentation.

As parents started to file into the classroom a lot of them waved to me and started talking.

“Hey Curtis, you’re going to do a good job out there.” Deven’s mom screamed out as she vigorously waved her hand in the air while manoeuvring the crowd to find her seat.

I forced a smile as I timidly waved back to her. Did she have to be so obvious? I thought to myself. Trying to avoid eye contact. I quickly turned away pretending I had to talk to my teacher.

Finally, the day arrived and as I entered the classroom, it had transformed into an auditorium, with my classmate's parents proudly seated in a semi-circle around the speaker like the wall was closing in on every side of me. Their smiles taunted me as if to say Good luck, you'll need it. But it was the voice in my head that was the most damaging: You're going to embarrass yourself. You're not good enough. My heart pounded so loudly, that I thought it would burst from my chest. Watching my classmates confidently deliver their speeches, I wished I could disappear into thin air.

My parents walk in as my classmate finishes his speech.

“Curtis, don't be scared. We are looking forward to hearing your speech.” My mom slowly stumbled while saying her words.

My stillness is hanging by a thread, on the verge of shattering into a million pieces. And just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, my mother decided to add a little more pressure. Thanks a lot, Mom!

The moment had arrived with all my hard work and preparation. But as I approached the podium, a voice inside my head screamed for me to back away, to save myself from certain humiliation. Don't do it, the voice pleaded. You don't want to embarrass yourself. But I refused to listen, and with every step, every nerve and muscle in my body was on the verge of exploding.  What do you think you're doing? NO, NO! the voice continued. But I forced it out of my head and stepped onto the podium. Don't you DARE! the voice screamed once more. And then, with a deep breath, I silenced it forever, and spoke with passion and conviction, delivering a performance that left the audience captivated. It was the moment that changed everything, the moment that proved that I was capable of achieving greatness, and nothing could have stood in my way.

To see what techniques I used to write this piece. Press this Link! https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BTPICShjqPRpbZyKat4izBdwGJ1QRuNXa96iyuh9zP4/edit

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As a reader, how did you demonstrate an understanding of Analyzing Parts of a Story in Relation to the Whole? Please provide an example of a book or a text that you have recently read.

This part of the story reveals the problem. On page 92, 93 Ms.Rawle is assuming that Jordan and Drew are being antisocial and using the excuse of the weather outside.  This part shows a disconnect between the student and the teacher. “ You don't associate with the other kids”. This dialogue shows the unhealthy relationship that Jordan has with his teacher.

How do you analyze an author's craft?  Provide evidence from a text that captured your attention in doing so.

The author uses similies and metaphors to help me as a reader to feel the character's sense of being isolated and not supported. “This is how I feel every single day of my life like I'm falling without a parachute.” This metaphor shows the feeling of never feeling included.

How did you determine the theme?  Provide evidence to support your ideas from any of the books or texts that you have read this year.  Make sure to share the name of the book and the author.

A theme in this story is not fitting in. Jordan is thinking “Looks like a doll aisle of old toys “R” US!” He shares Jordan says “I just want to go back home, Drew.”This dialogues show Jordan's struggles to fit in at his new school while trying to stay true to his own roots. Another theme that comes through is his internal conflicts and external interactions with friends from his old neighbourhood and new school.

When comparing and contrasting, what two books did you find shared the same themes and how did they differ?

This year I read the book "King of Jam Sandwiches" by Eric Walters and while comparing it to, New Kid, I saw a lot of similarities in theme and differences. Firstly, both of the books explore themes of identity,a sense of  belonging, and personal growth. Both Jordan in "New Kid" and Robbie in "King of Jam Sandwiches" navigate their sense of self and strive to find their place in the world. A common theme is the importance of friendship and support in overcoming challenges. However, "New Kid" focuses on fitting into a mostly white private school, while "King of Jam Sandwiches" deals with handling a parent's mental illness in a working-class neighbourhood. These different settings highlight the unique experiences and resilience of the main characters.

My writing has become more concise and focused on clear claims. Previously, my paragraphs were often too long and repetitive, lacking a clear claim. For example, instead of writing, "In my opinion, I think that the author wanted to write it this way because it creates a sense of tension like 'What is going on?' How did her parents change their mind for Doris to have a dog of her choice?" I now write, "The author creates tension and surprise by showing Doris's parents' empathy and allowing her to have the dog." This edited version is shorter but still clearly states the claim, and is more engaging to the reader. By focusing on this writing technique, my writing has become more interesting and easier for readers to understand.

Lastly,  when thinking about real life situations, how do you see yourself transferring what you have learned this year to your everyday life?

Telling a story to family and friends is similar to writing a small and engaging paragraph. The key to both is to be brief and get to the point quickly, focusing on the highlights. For instance, if I were sharing about my vacation in Hawaii, I would avoid mentioning minor details like the plane ride or a chat with a waiter. Instead, I would highlight the best parts, such as the delicious food we enjoyed or our exciting activities. This makes sure the story flows well and keeps your audience engaged.

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Theme:

The novel King Of Jam Sandwiches highlights the importance of making sacrifices for the greater good of the family. Robbie, the main character, grows up in an environment where he constantly worries about his father's health. Therefore, he does everything in his power to make his father's life much easier, from waking up to comfort him in the middle of the night to doing household chores and working at a butcher shop to earn extra money. This is further demonstrated in Chapter 7 when Robbie is hesitant to join the basketball team knowing it would be tricky to balance practice times with his job. Usually, Robbie would have declined the offer even if his heart said otherwise. However, with some encouragement from his friend Harmony, he finally accepts the offer. This story emphasizes the value of standing up for your family, even when it's not easy. Family will always come first.

Character Analysis:

In the novel the main character Robbie changes his personality and traits significantly. In the beginning, Robbie struggles with the negative attitude of his father. Dealing with it was always hard and the effects on him were scarred for life. He was a shy kid, never asked for help and liked to keep things to himself. When he meets Harmony, she changes his perspective on life, and he learns the importance of caring for your loved ones even when times are rough. Robbies complete thoughts on life change now having someone he can relate to and knows will be there when he needs help. He turns into an empathetic kid who doesn't back down to anything. In life when you have a problem, always think about the people that can make it a bit better.

Authors Craft:

The author: Eric Walters uses different techniques to add depth and detail in the book The King Of Jam Sandwiches. He uses sensory imagery to make the reader experience all the senses the character is feeling. For example, when he says "My legs were shaking like they were going to break off". This indicates the anxiety the main character was going through rather than saying "I was feeling anxiety". The author's smart idea of using this technique helped me to further understand the story.