Independent writing project

Middle School Manifesto

Middle school is a very important part of life. It prepares you for high school and has very important tests during those 3 years. This will help you throughout the middle school years.

             1.  Study! Study! Study!

  Whenever it’s for a test, your midterm exam, or just because you want to get ahead, studying is important. It helps your grades and it could help you get into the high school of your choice. Study a bit each day, and your grades will go through the roof.

          2.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help

  Have a problem with your homework? Studying for a test? Don’t know what to do for your project? The answer: ask for help. Even if you’re shy, you still need to ask, because nobody else will do it for you. You can still ask your parents, but it’s safer to ask your teacher or your school counselor. If you don’t have time during your school classes, you can always do it during 0 period or lunch.

        3.  The Right Friends, Or the Wrong Friends

  During your middle school years, you’ll meet plenty of new people. If you’re going to make friends, make sure they’re the right ones. If they have similar interests with you and have average or better than average grades, get their phone numbers. If they’re totally different, have grades plummeting, and probably might crash your house during a visit, you better stay far, far away from them. Chances are, they could make you fail in class, or kicked out of school.

                4. Homework!

You know what it is. Every class gives it. So shape up, and do your homework. Don't, and you'll face the consequences, such as giving up the school of your dreams. Homework is 20 percent of your grades, people! If you finish your homework, you'll be going to the best high schools and getting better grades.

           5. Pouring Cats and Dogs

  This may seem silly and absurd, but that changes when you get drenched in the rain forty blocks away from your house. Never forget your umbrella. Whether it's at home or in your locker, never forget it. You’ll end up drenched and cold. A word of advice, if you have any money with you, and you see a 99 cent store, and you don’t have an umbrella (though I advise that you should bring it to prevent it) buy one there if they have one. And keep a backup in your bag just in case.

                  6.  Defeat the Clutter Monster

  This happens all the time. You try to find your paper in your bag, and it’s like finding a needle in a haystack. So organize and clean up. Schedule your available time and sketch in projects and quizzes. Clean out your bag and your locker. Stack your textbooks somewhere safe and nearby. Keep your books in one place. Place your papers and projects somewhere safe from vacuums, pets, and little siblings. It’ll save time and stress. And remember, this goes for everything. Work papers, forms, applications, homework, charts, posters, and home projects.

                  7. Concentration

  This happens to me all the time. You try to work on your homework, and you get distracted. There's an easy solution to your problem. First, do your homework in a quiet room. Then clear away all things that might distract you, such as phones, computers and laptops (Unless you need it for any typing), and any electronic devices that is not academic. And when you're in class, don't take out your phone unless your teacher says it's alright. Plus, try to concentrate at the teacher, no matter how "boring" they are.

                 8. Socialize

  This might not be necessary for all of you. Perhaps you already have tons of friends. But for others, this may be important. People who spend their time studying and not enough talking to friends. I mean, it's nice to know that you study hard, but take time to meet new friends and remember what I said about the friend part. The right friends could help you but make sure you plan time for your studies as well.

New and improved Romeo and Juliet essay

   Characters have a purpose in all books. Without characters, there is no plot or story. In Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, the characters, Romeo and Juliet, are the main characters of the play and there are several supporting characters such as Benvolio, or the Friar. Tybalt's prejudice, Benvolio's peacefulness, and the Friar's kindness help either the love of Romeo and Juliet, or the rivalry between the Capulets and the Montagues.
   Tybalt is the Capulets' kinsman, and his prejudice fuels the anger between the two houses in Verona. For example, in the play, it says: "What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word/As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee" (1.1.71-72). This reveals that Tybalt is too prejudiced to be on friendly terms with the Montagues, and it clouds his judgement as well as starting and enhancing the rivalry of the two houses and the fights that occur in the streets of Verona because it is possible that he starts most of the fights.
   Benvolio is the kinsman of the Montagues and his peacefulness shows the reader that not all of the Montagues despise the Capulets other than Romeo. For example, it says, "Part, fools!/Put up thy swords" (1.1.65-66). This shows that he does not tolerate fights in the public and he tries to stop them so that nobody wouldn't get hurt. Another example is, "I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword,/Or manage it to part these men with me" (1.1.69-70). This shows that he asks people to help him stop fights that occur in the streets and that he may use his swords for moral purposes only.
   The Friar is a preacher in the city of Verona and his kindness helps the romance of Romeo and Juliet progress throughout the book. For example, it says, "In one respect, I'll thy assistant be;/For this alliance may so prove,/To turn your households' rancor to pure love. " (2.3. 97-99). This shows that he believes that the marriage of Romeo and Juliet will show the two houses that they can get along. Another example is, "That cop'st with death himself to 'scape from it;/And if thou darest, I'll give thee remedy" (4.1.76-77). This shows that he feels empathy for Juliet and her desperate attempt to escape from the marriage with County Paris, and he tries to help her so she could be happy again.
   In conclusion, the three characters help to the tragedy of the play because they help the couple through hard times, and they help with the enmity between the Capulets and the Montagues, whether if they rankle it, or if they try to reduce the hatred and fighting between the houses.

Romeo and Juliet Final assignment essay

   Characters have a purpose in all books, without characters, there is no plot for the story. In Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet are the main characters of the play. Tybalt's prejudice, Benvolio's peacefulness, and the Friar's kindness help the love of Romeo and Juliet or the rivalry between the Capulets and the Montagues.
   Tybalt's prejudice fuels the anger between the two houses in Verona. For example, in the play, it says, "What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee" (1.1.71-72). This shows that Tybalt does not like Montagues, and he is prejudiced to see if they are evil, and his prejudice clouds his sight as well as fueling the anger and hatred between the Capulets and the Montagues and starts fights between the two houses.
   Benvolio's peacefulness shows the readers that not all Montagues hate the Capulets other than Romeo. For example, it says, "Part fools! Put up your swords" (1.1.65-66 ). This shows that he does not tolerate fights in the streets of Verona and he stops it because of that. Another example is, "I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword, or manage it to part these men with me" (1.1.69-70). This show that he uses his sword only to stop fights between the two houses and he tries to keep it peaceful, and asks people to help him, whether they are his enemy or not.
   The Friar's kindness helps the love between Romeo and Juliet. For example, it says, "In one respect, I'll thy assistant be" (2.3.97). This shows that he believes that their marriage will show the lords that they can get along, and they will accept each other. Another example is "That cop'st with death himself to 'scape from it, and if thou darest, I'll give thee remedy" (4.1.76-77). This means that he feels sympathy for Juliet's broken heart, so he tries to help her.
   In conclusion, the three characters help to the tragedy of the play because they help the couple through hard times, and they help with the enmity between the Capulets and the Montagues, whether if they rankle it, or if they try to reduce the hatred and fighting between the houses.

Outline of Romeo and Juliet essay

Intro: Characteers have a purpose, without characters, you cannot have a plot
Thesis: In Romeo and Juliet, Tybalt's prejudice, Benvolio's peacefulness and the Friar's kindness helps either the love of Romeo and Juliet, or the rivalry of the Capulets and the Montagues.

Paragraph 1: Tybalt
His prejudice fuels the anger between the Capulets and the Montagues.
Eample: He hates peace and all Montagues.
This shows that he is prejudiced to see if the Montagues are deemed nice, and he causes fights in Verona.

Paragraph 2: Benvolio
His peacefulness shows the reader that not all of the characters hate the Capulets,
Example: He draws his sword to stop fights.
Example: He calls Tybalt to help him stop the fight in the streets of Verona.
This shows that he does not want fights between the two houses, and that he only takes out his sword to stop others from fighting.

Paragraph 3: Friar Lawrence
His kindness helps the love of Romeo and Juliet.
Example: He is the one that lets Romeo and Juliet get married.
Example: He creates a potion for Juliet so that she can avoid getting married to Paris.
This shows that the Friar wants to help the couple so that the houses could resolve their problems without violence.

Conclusion:
They helped to the tragedy of the play because they help the couple through their love and they help with the hatred between the two houses of the Capulets and the Montagues.

Reading response: "Breeding Pigeons on Rooftops, and Crossing Racial Lines"

   This article is about people who breed pigeons on their rooftops and some people race with their pigeons. According to the article, Delroy Sampson had spent 50 years to take care of pigeons, and choreographs them by using a stick from a flag. Few people breed pigeons these days, and according to the article,"there are no more than 300 pigeon fliers left in the city." Another pigeon breeder is Aaron Marshall, who was hooked when he was seven. He was taught to keep new birds in the coop for four weeks and let them out when they are hungry, which teaches the birds to be trained to return. It also said that the pigeon taught Aaron empathy.
   Some pigeon breeders started by being inspired by other pigeon breeders. For example, Ike Jones helped George Coppola, who was an Italian rooftop breeder in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Jones said,"He had electricity and running water, and I only had a box made of scrap wood. On Sunday his wife would cook spaghetti and meatballs and I would eat with them because I was always there." Mr. Sampson started his hobby of pigeon flying when he was a 10-year-old immigrant when he saw the Walt Disney movie "The Pigeon That Worked a Miracle".  Later, he fell under the influence of Joe LaRocca, who is the president of a pigeon racing club.After learning the basics of raising pigeons, Mr. LaRocca and his colleague talked to his mother about pigeon flying.
   Mr. Marshall, now 56 and a maintenance worker, tells the NY Times that breeding pigeons makes you "experience what it is to having a living thing...It shows you how good you are at caring caring for it when it comes back. What good is it for a child to have a violent video game compared to having a living, breathing, loving animal that needs your compassion and care? If I hadn't been on the roof who knows what kind of trouble I would have gotten into."
  Cited Page
   Berger, Joseph. "Breed Pigeons on Rooftops, and Crossing Racial Lines." New York Times on the Web 03 April 2013. N.Y./ Region. 04 April 2013 <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/04/nyregion/breeding-pigeons-on-rooftops-and-blurring-racial-lines.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0>.

Reading response: The Sliver Bowl

   Everyone has heard of curses and kingdoms, and magic. The Silver Bowl by Diane Stanley is about a girl named Molly who sees visions, and they always come true. When Molly works as she polishes the castle's silver pieces, and she finds the king's ceremonial hand basin. Whenever Molly touches the hand basin, the silver warms, and the design in the bowl show a vision that only Molly sees. She finds out that 100 curses had been befallen on the royal family of Westria. With her friends, Tobias and Winifred, she tries to stop the curses before they kill the last heirs of the kingdom.
  In the book, Molly is mistreated by the other workers of the castle because she is just a scullery maid, and they couldn't care less about her. But throughout the book, she finds she has these abilities for a reason, and in the end, she comes out rich and a lady in the royal court. Turns out that she and her friend Tobias are so rich, they don't know what to do with all that money. This relates to bullying because some people who are bullied might be the ones who the bullies work for in the near future. It shows that because most of the servants despise Molly, but at the end of the book, she becomes a lady in the court because of her good deeds to her kingdom, such as saving Prince Alaric, who is now the king of Westria.
   In conclusion, The Silver Bowl relates to bullying because of the mistreatment to Molly since she is a scullery maid, and in the end, the other servants now work for her other than her companion, Tobias. This relates to bullying because people get bullied, but in the future, the victims would be in a higher status then the bullies that tease him or her.

Reading Response: From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, The War, and a Dog Named Lava

  This book is about how a marine named Jay Kopelman in Iraq, and how he tried to get a stray puppy named Lava back to the United States during a war in 2004. In the book, him and other fellow Marines learn the lessons about life and war while trying to get Lava to the United States. The book is written in many different perspectives like Jay Kopelman. In the book, many other people such as journalist Anne and several soldiers in the base at Iraq. Throughout the book, the author Jay talks about his feelings about war, life, and death, as well as his time of taking care of Lava and his time during the war. He also writes the difficult process of getting Lava to a safe place, and to avoid letting him roam the streets, where dogs eating corpses is typical. Some of them include getting Lava a passport, vaccinations, and to sneak him onto a plane to America.
   This book also includes the soldier's doubts about taking care of Lava when military laws forbid soldiers taking care of stray animals other than their dags that are trained to sniff out bombs and such. In the book, it also says that death in the war wasn't very rewarding, and that they don't get respect. Instead, they are taken and examined for any strapped bombs, and then sent to a camouflage refrigerator. He also says that either if you are an enemy to them or not, once you're dead, you're no longer dangerous to those people.
   I like how in the book, he talks about his theories of war and the rescuing of Lava, as well as his affection for the dog throughout the book. It shows that no matter how rough the war is, the caring for Lava can keep you sane and happy, sometimes.