What I have learned during LA classes

I have learnt many things during Language Arts Classes. Here are some of the more useful and important ones.

1. Analysis of Poetry

Before we had lessons on analyzing poetry, I did not really like poetry and found it a waste of time.

To me, poetry was also boring and I was uninterested in it. Most poems were strange and difficult to understand. But after we started to analyse poetry in class I have started to appreciate poetry more. I now understand the poems better and have begun to realize their hidden meanings and their message. I also know the many aspects of poetry such as the persona, figurative language such as metaphors, alliteration and onomatopoeia, different types of poems such as limericks and haiku, and how the poet uses rhyming, rhythm, syllables among others to make the poem sound better.

2. Current Affairs and Pass-the-Ball Method

After the Current Affairs sessions, I have become more confident in my speech and I feel that I have acquired better presentation skills. I now can speak louder during presentations and I am not as nervous when I speak up during class. I am also better prepared for projects due to the fact that I know that I have the ability to present better and am more confident.

3. Situational Writing

Situational writing lessons have taught me how to write formal letters better and when to use what kind of letter and the proper format. When I have to write a letter to a teacher for example, this skill comes in handy. If I did not know how to write in the proper formal letter format, the teachers may think that I am being rude.

Analysis of "Snapshotland"

Analysis of 'Snapshotland"

What Title means to you

2. A Place where...

-Pictures are always taken

-Many memories

-Everyone has a camera

-The world is a camera

The whole world is just one still picture

An amusement park

Things that catch your attention

4.

• Promised Land
• Koadachrome or sepia
• The time they first appear
• Gingham pinafores
• Permanent delight
• Never passes out of sight
• Even if they don't appear later
• The people are still always there

Features of Language

5.

1. Smooth Sand: Alliteration
2. Smile and Smile and Smile: Repitition
3. Forever...Other: Rhyme
4. Air...there: Rhyme
5. Lavender...Ever: Rhyme

Groups of Words

6.

• Kodachrome, Sepia
• Sandboys, Sandgirls
• Forever, always there
• Never passes out of sight, never stop, nobody, no one

Pattern

7. The whole poem talks about an everlasting world which never ends; words like forever, never stop etc shows this

What the Poem may Mean

8. Heaven; somewhere people go after death; a place where everybody is happy and everything is perfect

Questions

9. a) Persona

b) Spoken to the public in general

c) No emotion

d) It slowly reveals more and more about "Snapshotland" being a heaven

e) Gives snapshotland a happy feeling

Poems

Life is like a Candle:

This is the Compulsory Blog Post on Poetry

Life is like a candle
It burns brightly at the start
Full of passion
And enthusiasm
Illuminating everything from afar

But as its age increases
Its strength decreases
Getting smaller by the hour
The flame dwindling down
Until it is finally snuffed out

Sound Poem:

The ball went "Boing!"

The rubber band went "Poing!"

The car went "Vrooom!"

The bomb went "Booom!"

The dog went "Woof!"

The magician went "Poof!"

The duck went "Quack!"

The hen went "Cluck!"

The chicken went "Peck!"

The bone went "Crack!"

The robin went "Chirp!"

The baby went "Burp!"

Life is like a Credit Card:
You get all the freedom you want
Whatever you need
Whatever you yearn
You can always get it
It does not matter
No one minds
No one cares
No one is there to stop you
But once it reaches
The end of the month
You get the shock of your life
Whatever you had previously done
Now you must pay for
Now it matters
Everyone minds
Everyone cares
Someone will be there to stop you
Then you will start to regret
All the things you had previously done

Poem on Primary School Life:

Secondary School life I may be at now,
but I will never forget Primary
All the fun and games and wow,
there's just too much to say

I had a maths teacher
his name was Mr Goh
he has a funny side to him,
which he will easily enough show

Then there was my Science teacher
she would always frown
and as for the time she did smile...
well that is still unfound

Inventing new sports everyday
Hand tennis, squash and many more
there is just to many to name
of the sports we play

That is my primary school life
which was quite long ago
if I could just go back there
how I miss it so

Brian Jacques' Books

This blog post is dedicated towards explaining the books of Brian Jacques , an author who is most famous for his Redwall series. I have read almost all of his books, and that is why I am conducting research about his books.

The Redwall Adventures

• Redwall
  
• Mossflower
  
• Mattimeo
  
• Mariel of Redwall
  
• Salamandastron
• Martin the Warrior
  
• The Bellmaker
  
• Outcast of Redwall
  
• The Pearls of Lutra
  
• The Long Patrol
• Marlfox
  
• The Legend of Luke
  
• Lord Brocktree
  
• The Taggerung (The only one which I have not read)
  
• Triss
  
• Loamhedge
  
• Rakkety Tam
  
• High Rhulain
  
• Eulalia!
  
• Doomwyte
  
• The Sable Queen
  

Redwall Picture Books

• The Great Redwall Feast
  
• A Redwall Winter's Tale
  
• The Redwall Cookbook
  

Adaptations of Redwall

• Redwall Graphic Novel
  

• Redwall: The Legend of Redwall Abbey (An Opera)

Redwall Non fiction

• Redwall Map and the Redwall Riddler
• Redwall Abbey
• Friend and Foe
  

Tribes of Redwall
This series contains a wealth of information on the different types of animals in the Redwall books

• Badgers
• Otters
• Mice
• Hares
• Squirrels

The Flying Dutchman

The Flying Dutchman is based on the folklore legend of the Flying Dutchman, a phantom ship cursed to roam the seas for all eternity

• Castaways of the Flying Dutchman
  
• The Angel's Command
  
• Voyage of Slaves
  

Urso Brunov

Urso Brunov is a series of picturebooks about a tribe of tiny bears, called the Brunov.

• The Tale of Urso Brunov: Little Father of All Bears
  
• Urso Brunov and the White Emperor
  

Other Works

Brian has also worked on a number of other projects, such as:

• Seven Strange and Ghostly Tales; a collection of campfire stories
  
• The Ribbajack: And Other Curious Yarns; six short horror and suspense stories
  
• Songs from Redwall; 47 songs from the various Redwall stories

Two Good Thieves-Thoughts about Book

This June Holidays, I read the book "Two Good Thieves" by Daniel Finn. In brief, the book is about two thieves, who, as the cover says, are good. They are Demi and Baz. They steal from people for a woman called Fay. Then, they steal a priceless ring from a very important woman, and this results in them being caught up in a conspiracy that risks their lives. I feel that this book is similar to Village by the Sea in a number of ways. Firstly, the theme of contrast between the rich and the poor. Demi and Baz live in a slum called the Barrio, which is a dangerous place to be. You have to be tough to survive. A few train stops ahead, and you will reach the luxury of a sprawling city, with shopping centers and huge mansions. At the end of the book, the entire Barrio gets destroyed, to be changed into a whole new, clean office block. When the son of the police captain pays a visit upon Demi and Baz, there is an instantly noticeable difference between the three people. Two are ragged, scruffy children, while the other is a smart young man, prim and proper.
But, what I am most intrigued by is the corruption and treachery present in the entire city. It is a dog-eat-dog world, where you either be strong and live, or be weak and die. Demi and Baz are prime examples; being so poor that they are forced to turn to stealing to earn their keep. Overall, I feel that this book is great, comparable to Village by the Sea.

Lesson 1.My Favorite Poem and its use of figurative language

Touched by An Angel by Maya Angelou

We, unaccustomed to courage
exiles from delight
live coiled in shells of loneliness
until love leaves its high holy temple
and comes into our sight
to liberate us into life.

Love arrives
and in its train come ecstasies
old memories of pleasure
ancient histories of pain.
Yet if we are bold,
love strikes away the chains of fear
from our souls.

We are weaned from our timidity
In the flush of love's light
we dare be brave
And suddenly we see
that love costs all we are
and will ever be.
Yet it is only love
which sets us free.

1.Figurative Language;
coiled in shells of loneliness
love leaves its high holy temple
chains of fear
All of these are personification figurative language
The poet chose to use this type of figurative language as for number 1 and 3, it is used to emphasize on the greatness or severity of loneliness and fear. It is also used to express the high and mighty home of love and how awe-inspiring it is, which is the case in number 2.

2.Why I like it;
It expresses a lot about how we are trapped by the troubles of the world such as fear and loneliness and how it causes us to be deprived of joy and happiness. But then love, in its high exalted position, will eventually come down and save us all. This fits the expression "Love triumphs over all" and shows how great love can be. It also shows that when love comes, it brings about fond memories and happy times. It also can pull us up from our despair and help us in times of need. Thus, I like this poem as it tells us how when love comes, joyfulness will soon follow.

Village by the Sea- Special Qualities of Hari and Lila and Characteristics of and Adventure Story

Here are the Special Qualities of Hari and Lila:
Hari
-Able to Adapt
-Strength of Character
-Positive
-Not Fussy
-Courageous
-Inquisitive
-Lucky
-Determined
-Persevering
-Hardworking
-Strong-willed
-Resilient

Lila
-Inquisitive
-Calm
-Courageous
-Hardworking
-Persevering
-Lucky
-Thrifty
-Does not complain
-Optimistic
-Caring
-Spiritual
-Not affected by problems
-Takes Charge
-Responsible
-Pragmatic
-Down-to-Earth

Here are the Characteristics of an Adventure Story:
Protagonist
-Saves someone
-Faces problems
-Has thoughts and feelings

Adventure
-Unexpected
-Action-Packed

Events
-Vivid detail
-Not mundane

Story
-Longer
-Exciting
-Suspense
-Twists
-Heightened Reality