Hello everyone! :)
Since our group was done with reading our book, we were given to read an awesome article called "The Fun They All Had" written by Isaac Asimov! All four of us (Shelly, Sky, Tudor, and I) had the same job which was to summarize this short story/article. This is my summary + what I really think about the article! :)
This article took place in the future but people also talked about the past. There was one girl called Margie. She was nice but she hated school. Margie had a grandpa who told her that stories were once printed on paper and there were teachers that were humans! Well it's easy for us to believe that humans were teachers because they really our at this time but for Margie's time, robots took over education. There was also one boy called Tommy who said that writing 'real' books that look like the books we have today is a waste. Tommy, and so as Margie, thought that only machines were smart and that humans were stupid. I can bet that some people would even get offended if they heard this. Logically...we are pretty smart since we are the ones who actually made the machines and robots. Margie however, still hated school even if it was real school we all go to, or a robot that just gives you homework and 'nice or bad comments about your work. She said that school is a waste of time in life and that it's stupid. When her grandpa told her that he found a book about school - this was her response. "School? What's there to write about school? I hate school...it's boring" Not so nice of her to say that but that's just her opinion about it. The mechanical teacher/robot was giving her tests all the time and there was more and more of them every week. Margie failed every time because she was bored of school and to me, it seemed like she was bored of life. She only liked computers, robots, and all the other machines. I guess that if you're surrounded by machines and robots who tell you what to do every day, you don't socialize that well. When Margie's robot broke, she was fully hoping that the man who tried to fix the robot would not succeed so she has free time. When the man fixed it, Margie was pretty sad. My impression of Margie till now is that she has no inspiration in life except robots. When Margie said she hates school and doesn't understand at all why would anybody in this world like to write about school, Tommy replied "Because it's not like our kind of school. That school people wrote about was centuries ago!" This sentence tells us that they are definitely in future, far away. Just later in the day, Tommy was trying to explain to Margie that a men really can be a teacher and that Margie should learn more about the past if she wants to have this conversation with him. Margie was totally confused and still couldn't believe that a man was teaching some students the same thing. Margie had no idea what a class looked like, if there is one person in the classroom or if there are more. She also had no idea that kids went to a different building to learn instead of staying at home. The way Margie,Tommy,and all the other kids from the future learn is really similar to home-school except a robot did everything not a human teacher.
After all this time, Margie got interested in school and the past. She got inspiration which means she also got better grades. She asked Tommy to read the book about school, that she said she hated so much, after school. Well at least after the robot tells her what's for homework and that she's free. I was really surprised by the fact Margie was actually willing to learn something new...about school! Wow that really did surprise me. Margie finally got the idea of why Tommy and her grandpa though the school i the old time, before, was good. She thought about the fun they all had playing together in the backyard on the breaks, working together, making friends, laughing in classes and having real teachers with real feelings that would actually give you a great comment with an expression! Margie wished she could go back in time and try learning in our schools. Of course, she still liked the robots way but the public school sounded much more interesting for her now than they were before.
After reading this article and also discussing about it in class with Ms. Stanisic, I realized how the school helps you socialize in life. Only with robots, you'd most likely not have any friends or not so many friends in life since you have nowhere to meet them. I'm imagining that robot way of learning but I'm actually pretty grateful for what I have in this school - Great friends, awesome teachers, fun projects and experiments, and much more. If I was to choose between ISB or any other 'normal' school and the robots that teach you everything, I'd definitely choose ISB. It's only my opinion though. You as a reader, can have a total different opinion but it really doesn't matter. Everybody's different and that's what makes us humans unique. If we were programmed/robots, we would have no feelings at all and have no social life. Imagine a world without friends...so lonely, dark, and sad, isn't it? This article was pretty interesting and I think that all of this could possibly happen in ten or fifteen years..if people are willing to pay for everything, Except if the government is paying for the robots which would be much easier. Now I have a question for you. What do you think about the different ways of educating the kids and what do you prefer: Ordinary school or robots? Feel free to say it in a comment! :)
Monday, June 2, 2014
The Fun They Had by Isaac Asimov
This week since my group finished the book we read a short story called The Fun They Had . I know this has nothing to do with Hollis woods but I have no idea were else to post this. This is my summary of the short story.
The Fun They Had is based in the future where there is a robotic teacher for only one student. The two characters in this story are Margie and Tommy. Tommy had found a real book (And apparently in the future it is unusual to see a real paper book and it is also never used) about school in the past, or for us it would be the present day. Margie thought that it was interesting that kids went to school together, learnt the same things (Oh my gosh what a surprise (Note the sarcasm please)) and the kids were taught by humans. The story ended with Margie wondering what it was like in the past.
What I know for sure is that I don't want our future to be like that because no matter how hard school can be you actually have friends and you actually have a real person to teach you instead of a robot that can glitch and start attacking you... Can we all promise to keep it this way?
The Fun They Had is based in the future where there is a robotic teacher for only one student. The two characters in this story are Margie and Tommy. Tommy had found a real book (And apparently in the future it is unusual to see a real paper book and it is also never used) about school in the past, or for us it would be the present day. Margie thought that it was interesting that kids went to school together, learnt the same things (Oh my gosh what a surprise (Note the sarcasm please)) and the kids were taught by humans. The story ended with Margie wondering what it was like in the past.
What I know for sure is that I don't want our future to be like that because no matter how hard school can be you actually have friends and you actually have a real person to teach you instead of a robot that can glitch and start attacking you... Can we all promise to keep it this way?
Pictures of Hollis woods
Hannah
Literary Luminary
Pictures of Hollis woods
166/166
Page:147
Paragraph:3
1. The snow was so dry I could hear the creaking of my footsteps as I went past the Holly bushes. No one could guess they were there, mounded up like soft white pillows, and the river in front of me had disappeared.
I like this paragraph because it reminds me of one day in winter the snow was so dry, and it was so much like it sounds in the book. And i like it because it sounds so peaceful and pretty.
Page: 155
Paragraph: 3
2. I brushed him away, trudging along through the trees listening to the call of the crows, the screech of blue jays, and all the time I was listening for that buzzing sound of the snowmobile, telling myself had made the whole thing up, telling myself it wasn't Steven.
I like this paragraph because it sounds so peaceful and interesting. It made me want to read on and made me excited.
3. Josie doesn't remember exactly who I am anymore. She loves me, though, I know that, and always reaches up to my cheek. Sometimes I wear her brown hat with the veil, and then I see the regnition in her eyes. "Hollis," she says. "You saved my life." Maybe she doesn't know why, but she still says it, and I always tell her it was the other way around.
I like this paragraph because its sweet and sad at the same time. And it makes me wonder. If someone special to me wont remember me. And its very touching.
Literary Luminary
Pictures of Hollis woods
166/166
Page:147
Paragraph:3
1. The snow was so dry I could hear the creaking of my footsteps as I went past the Holly bushes. No one could guess they were there, mounded up like soft white pillows, and the river in front of me had disappeared.
I like this paragraph because it reminds me of one day in winter the snow was so dry, and it was so much like it sounds in the book. And i like it because it sounds so peaceful and pretty.
Page: 155
Paragraph: 3
2. I brushed him away, trudging along through the trees listening to the call of the crows, the screech of blue jays, and all the time I was listening for that buzzing sound of the snowmobile, telling myself had made the whole thing up, telling myself it wasn't Steven.
I like this paragraph because it sounds so peaceful and interesting. It made me want to read on and made me excited.
3. Josie doesn't remember exactly who I am anymore. She loves me, though, I know that, and always reaches up to my cheek. Sometimes I wear her brown hat with the veil, and then I see the regnition in her eyes. "Hollis," she says. "You saved my life." Maybe she doesn't know why, but she still says it, and I always tell her it was the other way around.
I like this paragraph because its sweet and sad at the same time. And it makes me wonder. If someone special to me wont remember me. And its very touching.
Pictures of Hollis Woods- Nina: Discussion Director
Nina Lazarevic
Discussion Director
This week we have finished our book. We have read all 166 pages. Therefore, this is the last literature circle blog post for this year. My job was to be the discussion director, so here are some questions I have come up with.
Questions:
1. Why did Hollis think she was the cause of Stevens and Old Mans fight?
Hollis thought she was the cause of Stevens and Old Man's fight because Izzy had told her that their fights had gotten worse this summer.
2. Why did the Old Man always blame Steven instead of Hollis?
The Old Man had always blamed Steven instead of Hollis because he had thought that she could do no wrong in his eyes. She was perfect.
3. Why did Hollis not want to go back to Stevens and the Old Man's house?
Hollis did not want to go back to Stevens and the Old Man's house because she thought she was the reason that Steven and the Old Man were arguing, and by going with them she would just cause them more problems.
4. In Chapter 16, Hollis finally decides to call Beatrice. Why?
Hollis finally decided to call Beatrice so that she could come back and take care of Josie.
Hollis decides to call Beatrice because
5. How did you feel about the ending of the book? What were your thoughts about how the book ended?
Erika: I did not really care about how the book was really going to end, but I am glad that Hollis finally found a loving and nurturing family.
Kristina: I was also glad that Hollis found a good family and that we have finished this book, so that we could go on to a new one.
Hannah: My opinion on this book was that it was okay, although sometimes it was a bit or quite boring, I too am glad that Hollis now has a family.
Ana Marija: I liked the ending of the book because Hollis finally found a family that will take good care of her as well as a family that she can love and enjoy spending time with.
Me: This book was not my favorite book because of some parts that perhaps were a bit too detailed as well as boring, but I enjoyed reading the end of the book when Hollis finally found a family that will be her greatest support in every possible way.
Discussion Director
This week we have finished our book. We have read all 166 pages. Therefore, this is the last literature circle blog post for this year. My job was to be the discussion director, so here are some questions I have come up with.
1. Why did Hollis think she was the cause of Stevens and Old Mans fight?
Hollis thought she was the cause of Stevens and Old Man's fight because Izzy had told her that their fights had gotten worse this summer.
2. Why did the Old Man always blame Steven instead of Hollis?
The Old Man had always blamed Steven instead of Hollis because he had thought that she could do no wrong in his eyes. She was perfect.
3. Why did Hollis not want to go back to Stevens and the Old Man's house?
Hollis did not want to go back to Stevens and the Old Man's house because she thought she was the reason that Steven and the Old Man were arguing, and by going with them she would just cause them more problems.
4. In Chapter 16, Hollis finally decides to call Beatrice. Why?
Hollis finally decided to call Beatrice so that she could come back and take care of Josie.
Hollis decides to call Beatrice because
5. How did you feel about the ending of the book? What were your thoughts about how the book ended?
Erika: I did not really care about how the book was really going to end, but I am glad that Hollis finally found a loving and nurturing family.
Kristina: I was also glad that Hollis found a good family and that we have finished this book, so that we could go on to a new one.
Hannah: My opinion on this book was that it was okay, although sometimes it was a bit or quite boring, I too am glad that Hollis now has a family.
Ana Marija: I liked the ending of the book because Hollis finally found a family that will take good care of her as well as a family that she can love and enjoy spending time with.
Me: This book was not my favorite book because of some parts that perhaps were a bit too detailed as well as boring, but I enjoyed reading the end of the book when Hollis finally found a family that will be her greatest support in every possible way.
Hey guys,
This week I was the travel tracer. I was going to make a map of everywhere Josie and Hollis went, but I did not have time. But I did write where the action begins, the key events, where the events ended. I hope this blog post makes you think even more deeply about the life of Hollis woods.
Where the action began:
The whole thing started when Hollis first went to live with the Regans. but later the other half of the story started when Hollis went to live at Josie's house after she ran away from the Regans.
Key events:
The first key event (throughout the whole book) is when the accident happened on the old mans mountain. Another event is when Josie and Hollis ran away together to the old mans summer house.
How the events ended:
The accident in the old mans mountain ended when Stevens parents found out and he was sent to the hospital. Shortly after that is when Hollis ran away from the Regans. The event where Hollis and Josie ran away ended when Josie went back to live with Beatrice in her own home, and Hollis went back to live with the Regans and be part of their family again.
I hope you liked this blog post! Thanks for reading!
-Erika Anne Brotzen-
(AKA Firestar)
This week I was the travel tracer. I was going to make a map of everywhere Josie and Hollis went, but I did not have time. But I did write where the action begins, the key events, where the events ended. I hope this blog post makes you think even more deeply about the life of Hollis woods.
Where the action began:
The whole thing started when Hollis first went to live with the Regans. but later the other half of the story started when Hollis went to live at Josie's house after she ran away from the Regans.
Key events:
The first key event (throughout the whole book) is when the accident happened on the old mans mountain. Another event is when Josie and Hollis ran away together to the old mans summer house.
How the events ended:
The accident in the old mans mountain ended when Stevens parents found out and he was sent to the hospital. Shortly after that is when Hollis ran away from the Regans. The event where Hollis and Josie ran away ended when Josie went back to live with Beatrice in her own home, and Hollis went back to live with the Regans and be part of their family again.
I hope you liked this blog post! Thanks for reading!
-Erika Anne Brotzen-
(AKA Firestar)
Illustrator
This is my drawing of Hollis Woods and her baby sister called Christina. I drew this drawing because little Christina reminds me of my cousin when she was a baby. She is still little, but when she was a baby she was so cute! And Hollis's sister is cute too. Or at least my imagined picture of her is.
So, that is why I drew this picture.
Pictures of Hollis Woods
Ana Marija
Connector
I, along with my literature circles group, have read all 166 pages of the novel Pictures of Hollis Woods, by Patricia Reilly Giff. My task for this literature circles meeting was connector. The connection I have to this novel, is not one that can only be made in the 22 pages but, one that can be made all throughout the novel. I, just as Hollis Woods does, love to draw. Sometimes I would draw for entertainment purposes, while during other times I would draw a place or event, so that I would have it forever with me, and so to speak have it permanently engraved in my memory.An example of something that I did draw, in order to keep it with me forever, was my tenth birthday. My tenth birthday was a very special event because my whole family got together and attended the, in my opinion, spectacular celebration.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Travel Tracer
Hey guys! I read until the end so there might be spoilers, if you haven't read until the end.
Where the actions begins: The action begins on old man's mountain, where Hollis Woods and Steven had an accident about a year ago. It was a car crash. Steven was driving a truck and it tipped over. He broke his back, and Hollis ran away after that.
Where the key events happened: The key events happened on old man's mountain. There, Hollis found Steven after running away, and moved back into their house.
Then, the action ends in (guess where): Old man's mountain, where Hollis now lives with her new family and baby sister called Christina.
Where the actions begins: The action begins on old man's mountain, where Hollis Woods and Steven had an accident about a year ago. It was a car crash. Steven was driving a truck and it tipped over. He broke his back, and Hollis ran away after that.
Where the key events happened: The key events happened on old man's mountain. There, Hollis found Steven after running away, and moved back into their house.
Then, the action ends in (guess where): Old man's mountain, where Hollis now lives with her new family and baby sister called Christina.
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