1st Blog Refection

All together I'm not really that sad about my grade of my blog. I didnt get an A but the grade I did get is much better than the one I was expecting, I'm oretty much new to this whole blogging thing so I guessthis last blog was sort of a warm up. I think I did a few things that were right, I finished most of my blogs, even though I was rushing to get as much as possible before it was due at the last minute. I think I will do a lot better then I did on my last blogs because I know more about what to expect when being assigned blogs. I hope to not procrastinate on my reading of my book. I hope to actually keep all up with all my blogs instead of doing most of them the night before all theblogs are due. My goals this quarter are to take this blog more seriously and hopefully get a better grade on it making my English grade go up. My attitude did change from what it was, at first my attitude about the blog was bad and refusing to do it on time. Now I see that it isnt that bad and I intend to do much, much better then before. "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti seems to be looking pretty interesting, I haven't really began reading it yet, but I'm pretty excited to see what this book has instore for me.

http://animoto.com/play/XmkKVr4cnQ1wGfNGbW78fg

Well this is my book trailer, I threw it together last minute, so the pictures don't really connect to the book but hopefully this will make you want to read the book. I promise this book is better then i make it look.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7942534-half-brother - This website is a good website to get a nice summary of the book. There are also several comments by people who read lots of books and post their opinion of the book.

http://iwasateenagebookgeek.blogspot.com/2011/01/review-half-brother-by-kenneth-oppel.html - This website gives a very detailed review of the book and could better help someone understand what the book is about and could give someone reason to read my book.

http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/index.php?title=Half_Brother_by_Kenneth_Oppel - This site reviews the book well and has some real life connections to the book as in it being based on real research done in the 70's.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/jan/22/half-brother-kenneth-oppel-review - This website has a great summary told from the perspective other more people for a greater range of opinion.

http://www.ourhenhouse.org/2011/07/book-review-half-brother-by-kenneth-oppel/ - This website gives a great summary of the book and has many differents opinions on the book and the things that go on in the book.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign_language - This is a great website on the history on sign language. Sign language was the way Ben was able to communicate with zan.

http://www.npr.org/2008/05/28/90516132/the-chimp-that-learned-sign-language - This wensite is a great wensite that explains a real life experience of a chimp that learned how to communicate through sign language.

http://www.lifeprint/asl101/topics/chimpanzeeandasl.htm - This website is and interesting story and research on the american sign langauge and the chimpanzees that can learn to communicate with people using sign language.

http://www.pigeon.psy.tufts.edu/psych26/language.htm - This website shows more research and more history behind the use of sign language and chimps using it to communicate and how amazing it is that they can adapt to our languauge.

http://www.newportweb.com/thomas/ - This is a website about a specific account where a chimp learned asl which is the american sign languauge.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21569837/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/first-chimp-reported-learn-sign-language-dies/ - This website sad information about the death of the first primate to actually learn the American Sign Langauge.

http://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/CHIMPANZEE This website is a very easy video dictionary that shows different signs for different words in the American Sign Language that Zan wouldve used in my book.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washoe_(chimpanzee) - This website shows the completely story about the first chimp to learn ASL to communicate.

http://www.cwu.edu/~cwuchci/ - This website gives you information on an institute dedicated to the study and research of chimps learning our language.

http://www.primatesworld.com/TalkWithChimps.html - This website is great for research and the study of chimpanzees. It talks a lot about the strive for chimpanzees learning the human language, which is what Ben's dad is trying to find out.

Blog Comments =D

I really like the way you described the connection between the song and the story. I read the same book, as you know, and there are a lot of things that I agree on when it comes to your opinion about the story. I agree with when you say that the story has several fast pace parts that are pretty happy and then there are also lots of low points in the story where you would expect to have some slower, softer music. I enjoyed seeing your opinion of the story and whats kind of music it should have to represent it.

Abbie, LOVE YOU, lol, I love how you described yourself. I think its awesome that you love awkward moments. I think your hilarious and fun to be around =). Sarcasm is one of my favorite pass times. I got a lot out of your post when you described yourself and your book, good post Abbie =).

Classical Connect Blog

http://www.classicalconnection.com/music/2979


This composition reminds me of the book I am reading because it sounds playful and you can see the image of someone or something playing in the back ground. My book is about a family that raises a chimp from being a baby to growing up in a small house with the rest of his family. The chimp was always playful and it reminds me of him playing with the boy that took him in from the wild.

When the story gets serious and the boy might loose his brother and friend when his father's research funding runs out and he can't afford to a raise a chimp at his house because of the expenses. The slower parts of the song can make you feel the sadness and imagine the feeling that Ben feels when he might loose his best friend Zan.