Outside Reading

 I read an article from the October issue of Seventeen magazine about America Ferrera. This article was written by Jane Nussbaum on pages 126-131. For those of you who don't know, America Ferrera is the star on the show Ugly Betty (playing Betty) and a star in the movie's of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. She is also a girl who is as real as it gets. She likes to turn down party invites and hang out with her sister, friends and boyfriend Ryan Piers Williams. America's parents came to the United States from Honduras before she was born. But once her father left, her mother raised the six children alone. They lived in California's San Fernando Valley and had to fight hard to pursue their dreams of acting while promising to keep their grades up. America also had to work extra hard to convince the movie industry that she was star material. Before America entered the set of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants she decided that she'd act professional and not be the girls best friend. But that changed when she met the girls and started hanging out with them. She discovered new friendships with her fellow actors and encountered new personalities. America has also learned a lot through her past experiences and because of her experiences she has a lot of advice to offer.

Codi and Hallie

In the book Animal Dreams, Codi and Hallie differ in many ways. Although they are sisters, each of them have their own unique traits. Hallie is adventurous and travels to Nicaragua to help the families grow crops more efficiently. Codi moves back to her original town and is considered more self-centered and lacks self-confidence. "No, that was Hallie. She's the one that has such a soft heart. We've always been real different that way. She'd cry if she stepped on a bug." I drained my beer. "She's still like that, except now she cries about bag ladies. I swear. She gives them quarters and then wishes she'd give them a dollar."(pg.29). Hallie is more determined and has her mind set on what she wants to do. Codi is lost and unsure of her outlook on life. She is yet to discover her true self. "I am the sister who didn't go to war. I can only tell you my side of the story. Hallie is the one who went south, with her pickup truck and her crop-disease books and her heart dead set on a new world."(pg.7). These sisters may seem very different, but they do share some of the same qualities. Both girls are very tall and went through some of the same experiences. "The height, at least, wasn't lost on Hallie and me. We turned out to be six feet on average--Hallie one inch over, and I, one under."(pg.46). They also are very smart, caring and industrious. Codi and Hallie differ in many ways but also are alike. The relationship between them is strong but distant since they are living far away from each other.

Bubble Map

Math doesn't Suck by Danica McKellar

Algebra is a language of math that uses different elements to symbolize "math sentences". Danica explains algebra in a way that interests females. In the chapter entitled Who's the cute new Foreign exchange Student, an excerpt read "Say you get one of those 'free gift' with purchase of makeup bag. There are a bunch of lipsticks included in the bag, but you don't know exactly how many. Now let's say you give your bag to me, and I magically make the amount of lipsticks double, then I take three lipsticks out of the bag, and hand it back". In another chapter entitled Romeo and Juliet, there was a chart relating English to Math language. The chart states the math symbol and the english definition. 

English Math

of (only when surrounded                                              x (multiplication)

immediately by 2 numbers)

per, quotient, a     / (division)

sum, and, total, more than     + (addition)

difference, less than     - (subtraction)

is, are     = (equals sign)

what, how much      x or y or m, etc.

My interest for math is held by the way the author relates algebra to a female teenager. I would recommend this book to other female teenagers. It relates math to female interests and presents it in a humorous and appealing way.

Adjective Paragraph

I am an interesting person and I love to have a good time. I have the most fun dressing up in wacky clothes and going out in public. It's embarrassing but it's so much fun. I also enjoy taking crazy pictures with my friends. That always seems to amuse us. I also love editing pictures on the computer and putting funny captions on them. For me, it doesn't take much effort to have fun.