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Perfect by Sara Shepard is the PERFECT book to read!! 

Three years ago, five best friends (Ali, Aria, Hanna, Spencer, and Emily) were all living fabulous lives being the "it" girls at Rosewood Day.  One day, everything changed.  When the girls were having a sleepover in Spencer's barn Ali disappears in the middle of the night.  Everyone gives up hope and move on with their lives.  The four ex-best friends separate and Aria moves away.  Years later, the girls have moved on when Aria moves back.  They then find Ali's body and everything changes.  All the girls start receiving texts from an unknown person called A.  This book is all about the girls trying to figure out who A is and doing whatever they can to keep their secrets a secret. Perfect is a great book to read!!

O. Henry Post

Picture: http://www.shirleyassociation.com/NewShirleySite/NonMembers/UnitedStates/OHenry_WilliamSydneyPorter.jpg

• real name is William Sydney Porter
• born in 1862 
• died in 1910
• American writer of short stories
• known for his plot twists and surprise endings
• he wrote at a rate of more that one story per week
• went to jail for 3 years out of a 5 year sentence for embezzling funds from bank
• during the last 10 years of his life he became one of the most popular writers in America
• he published over 500 short stories in dozens of periodicals 
• most famous story "The Gift of the Magi" became a model for stories and movies

Info: Microsoft Student with Encarta Premium

Masque of the Red Death

The Masque of the Red Death: Prospero’s Journey through Life

http://www.getmein.com/DynamicImages/Performers/GMI/the-masque-of-the-red-death.jpg

                The short story, “The Masque of the Red Death” was written by Edgar Allan Poe.  In this story there are seven rooms each room a different color: blue, purple, green, orange, white, violet, and black.  The rooms went from east to west.  They all had a sharp turn so that only one room could be seen at a time.  The blue room was first out of all the rooms.  Blue symbolizes birth, innocence, happiness.   Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death” is a way to symbolize the stages of life!

                Prince Prospero runs through all of the rooms chasing after the masked intruder with a dagger.  As he crosses the floor of each of the rooms, the prince gets closer and closer to his death.   Blue is thought to represent a baby and innocence, which would also be thought of as birth.  Because birth is symbolized with the color blue, Poe put it first to show the beginning.  Blue also can represent the sky and the sky could be thought of as spring.  Spring represents new life and happiness.  So when running through the rooms Prospero started innocent as a baby, but got closer to death as he got closer to the black, final room.  The rooms represent the stages of life, starting as a baby and ending with death, just like what happened with Prospero.    Poe’s use of symbolism makes the story more mystifying and interesting.

                The color blue relates to my life in a few ways.  The obvious reason is everyone was  a baby some time in their life.  The one I will talk about is the day my cousin Jenna was born.  It was six years ago on June 13^th.  My Aunt Ida was pregnant and was expecting a baby girl.  My family and I were spending the night at their house because they live in Davidsonville.  My family was about to leave when Aunt Ida had to go to the hospital.  My family ended up staying another night so my Uncle Ed could go to the hospital while we stayed with Kaitlyn, Julia, and Kyle.  All of us went to the hospital the next day and saw Jenna.  She did have something wrong with her though.  She has to this day a disease called Sturge-Weber and has a Port-wine stain on half of her face.  She was so innocent looking.  That is how my life relates to the symbolism of blue.   The color blue is a very important one because there cannot be an ending till there is a beginning.  When Prospero started he was innocent, just like a baby, and in the end he died just like someone dying at the end of their life.  The whole thing is just like life.  The Masque of the Red Death is just a way to explain the cycle of life and time.

Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe was a great writer.  Last year for school I had to read The Tell Tale Heart by him.  It was about how a guy did not like his neighbors eye so he killed him and put him under the floorboards.  When the police came he took them right above where the guy was laying dead.  He could still hear his heart beating and it drove him mad until he confessed.  I hope to read more of Poe's story and learn more about him.

Edgar Allan Poe Questions

1. Poe was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston.  He died on October 7, 1849.
2. Everyone in his family dying is what influenced his writing.
3. The 5 theories on what caused Poe's death are suicide, murder, cholera, rabies, and influenza.
4. Poe called the state of Virginia home.
5. They think that even thought he lived in Richmond when he was little that Baltimore defines the beginning and end of his life.
6. Poe was kicked out of West Point Military Academy.
7. Poe married Virginia Clemm and she was not even 14.
8. I think the Virginia is too young to get married to someone who is 27 years old.
9. Murders in the Rue Morgue was the first detective story.
10. It was published in January of 1843.

Info: http://knowingpoe.thinkport.org/default_flash.asp
http://www.eapoe.org/index.htm
http://www.poemuseum.org/index.php

My friend Kaitlyn and I going to Homecoming!

Welcome Back to my Blog!!!!!!  The first quarter at John Carroll is coming to a close and it was a great way to start off high school.  I have made many friends that I hope to have for a long time.  I have also learned a lot of things.  Starting off quarter 2, we are talking about short stories.  I know some of the terms from my middle school.  I know this is going to be a great quarter!

Teen Drinking Research Paper

Teen Drinking

            Of all the traffic crashes that go on in the world one third of them are because of teens with alcohol.  Many of them, because of those mistakes, end up dying or killing someone.  By making the drinking age higher they will be endangering other people’s lives.  Teens think that drinking is a way to relieve stress and pressure, and many think that they should lower the drinking age to 18, but they should not because it is for their heath and lives.

The legal drinking age is 21, but some people think that it should be lowered to 18.  There are some reasons why they think it should be lowered.  One reason is that some people think that 18 is the age that a person becomes an adult (“Drinking Age”).  They think that they are responsible enough at this age to be able to know when enough is enough. Lowering the age would teach them responsibility (Hanson).  Drinking is unhealthy for teens and can cause serious health issues (O’Connell).  David J. Hanson and William DeJong think that the age should be lowered according to this quote: "What about the fact that those who begin drinking at an early age are more likely to experience drinking problems later in life? This correlation appears to result from pre-existing personality factors that have been identified. In fact, psychologists have been able to observe preschoolers and predict accurately which will begin drinking earlier and will later have problems." (Hanson)  Changing the drinking age do these things, teens still shouldn’t drink.

Keeping the drinking age at 21 would mean that teens in America would be safer.  Keeping the drinking age would mean less alcohol use and less car crashes (Hanson).  It would also eliminate the drinking that goes on at colleges (“Drinking Age”).  If they didn’t keep it the same teens that drink and drive are making the roads dangerous to the people (Hanson).  When teens drink and drive, they are endangering everyone’s lives.   “…there is little argument that raising the drinking age has substantially reduced the number of traffic fatalities among younger drivers…” according to “Drinking Age”.  Keeping the age at 21 will save a lot of people’s lives. 

Drinking can cause many dangers for teens and people around them.  Car crashes are the most noticed death of teen drinking (O’Connell).  Another danger is that drinking at a young age threatens a teen’s long-term development and health (Clark).  The problem gets worse when the drinking starts at a younger age (Clark).  It also leads to brain damage (O’Connell).  According to Connell, “underage alcohol use is also associated with violence, suicide, educational failure, and other behavior problems”.  Teen drinking is dangerous for anyone especially to an underage drinker.

The question that is running through everyone’s mind is why do teens drink.  Teens drink to relieve stress.  They think that when they drink all the stress goes away.  Even though it may relieve stress they should still not do it.  They should not do it because it is bad for them (Clark).  It could cause serious health issues (Clark).   Teens drink for many other reasons.

Other teens drink because of pressure from their peers and from television.  12% of teens said they drink on TV (Clark).  70% said they drank because of peer pressure (Clark).  Teens should not listen to what other people say.  If they know it’s the wrong decision, they should not do it.  Teens should do what they think is right.  That is why teens drink. 

Teens will help keep people around them stay safer if they do not drink.  Not drinking would make the country a better place for everyone.  It would keep them safer.  It would also keep parents from worrying about their kids.  As you can see, there are many reasons why they should not raise the drinking age and not let teens drink. 

Works Cited

Clark, Charles S. "Underage Drinking." CQ Researcher. 13 Mar 1992: 219+. SIRS         

           Researcher. Web. 24 Sep 2010.

"Drinking Age." Gale Student Resources in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Gale Student

Resources In Context. Web. 4 Oct. 2010.

Hanson, David J., and William DeJong. "Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered to

18?." American Teacher.  Nov 2008: 3. SIRS Researcher. Web. 28 Sep 2010.

O’Connell, Mary Ellen. "Underage drinking." Issues in Science and Technology 21.2      
           (2005): 82+. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 15 Sept. 2010.

Teen Drinking Notes Article 3

Hanson, David J., and William DeJong. "Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered to 18?." American Teacher.
             Nov 2008: 3. SIRS Researcher. Web. 28 Sep 2010 

Drinking Age?

18

• Issue licenses to 18-20 year olds 
• Have to take a course on alcohol education
• Cannot have a violation in alcohol laws
• Teach kids like teaching them how to drive
• Teaches responsibility

21

• Lowered alcohol use
• Lowered car crashes 
• Unsafe for the roads and people on it
• Unhealthy
• Teens drink heavily

Teen Drinking Notes Article 2

Clark, Charles S. "Underage Drinking." CQ Researcher. 13 Mar 1992: 219+. SIRS         

           Researcher. Web. 24 Sep 2010.

·       Picture: http://www.ehow.com/facts_6946192_teenage-binge-drinking.html

              “It is a common belief--among adults as well as teenagers-- that alcohol is an aphrodisiac.”

·         “Physiologically, experts note, drinking has the opposite effect, though psychologically it clearly helps loosen inhibitions.”

·         Teens with parents who drink excessively are more likely to drink than teens whose parents don’t.

·         “In a survey conducted for the surgeon general's office last year”

·         “41 percent of the young people polled said they drank when they were upset”

·         “25 percent drank because they were bored and 25 percent drank to feel high.” (1991)

·         Teens drink to deal with problems, relieve stress, and eliminate the pressure from peers.

·             “ Schoolmates and friends drinking: 70% 
     Parents drinking: 48% 
     A desire to be grown up: 29% 
     Brothers, sisters and other relatives drinking: 14% 
     Seeing people drink on TV programs: 12% 
     A desire for prestige: 10% 
     Advertising of alcoholic beverages: 8% 
     Don't know: 2% 

     Source: The Roper Organization, 1990”

·         When they raised the drinking age to 21 many there were a lot less deaths from DUI.

·         Most people commonly think that teens drink because of what they see on TV.

·         But really most teens drink because of peer pressure, and seeing parents drink is the most common.

Article 1 Notes

Info:
O'Connell, Mary Ellen. "Underage drinking." Issues in Science and Technology 21.2      
           (2005): 82+. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 15 Sept. 2010.

Picture: http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/2k6/underage/underage.htm

·         Car crashes are the most noticed death from teen drinking.

·         Drinking at a young age threaten teens long term development and heath.

·         One third of traffic tragedies is with teens is associated with alcohol.

·         “The social cost of underage drinking has been estimated at $53 billion including $19 billion from traffic crashes and $29 billion from violent crime.”

·         Heavy alcohol use leads to brain damage.

·         Drinking is more popular with teens then smoking and illegal drugs.

·         “More girls than boys begin drinking at a very early age, and although the boys soon catch up, the number of girls who drink—and drink heavily—is close to the number of boys.”

·         White teens are more likely to drink then African American or Hispanic people. 

·         “Underage alcohol use is also associated with violence, suicide, educational failure, and other behavior problems.”

·         The problem gets worse when the drinking starts at a younger age.

Research Questions

For my research paper, I am writing about Teen Drinking.  Here are some of the questions I have on the subject.

1.  Why do teens drink?
2.  Around what age does a teen start testing alcohol?
3.  How do teens behavior change while drinking?

Social Issue Paragraph

Teen Drinking

Dramarama by E. Lockhart

Teen drinking is a serious issue that most kids our age think to try, but they shouldn’t because it is bad for our heath and lives.  My search terms were:

·         “Underage drinking is linked to injury and risky behavior”

·         “Brain Developing and Alcohol Abuse”

·         “Drinking and Driving”

·         “Suicide”

·         “Behavior”

·         “Other Risks”

·         “Academic Performance”

In this article about teen drinking I learned that about 5,000 kids under 21 die every year because of underage drinking.  Also that exposure to drinking at a young age can increase the likelihood of alcohol addiction and that alcohol use interacts with conditions like stress contributes to 300 teen suicides a year.  I think that teens should not drink because it will eventually control your life and you won’t be able to do anything with your life.  Information: http://www.dontserveteens.gov/dangers.html

Picture: http://www.brandchampionsblog.com/.a/6a00e54ef2b6e2883300e5542472c58834-800wi

My Letter!

703 Churchville Road

Bel Air, MD 21014

3 September 2010

Dear Sadie Paulson,

My name is Megan B, and I really enjoyed reading Dramarama by E. Lockhart. I am 14 and I am a freshman at John Carroll. I just moved to Fallston. You know what it’s like having to get used to a new environment going to Wildewood for a whole summer. Your summer was filled with so much drama. It’s pretty hard to compete with yours, but I still had a good one. During my summer vacation, I went to Ocean City and Virginia. Most of my summer, I was with my friends. Your friends seem like they would be fun to hang out with. When I was with my friends, we did a lot of things. We did stuff like one time my friend Brooke, our sisters, and I went around my old school and just took silly pictures all over the place (look at the picture of us). It was so much fun. I could tell from your book that you had a lot of fun with your friends just like I had with my friends.

Dramarama was a really good book. I think it’s cool how different life is at your house and school compared to Wildewood. Wildewood is loud and dramatic, while your hometown is boring and nontheatrical. I also like how you handled the situation with Demi and Lyle at the end of the story. Demi was really talented and he deserved to be there. It took a lot of guts to help a friend out that way. It was the right thing to do.

E. Lockhart was a really good writer. She made the book come alive because she put a real life situation into this book. Everyone gets jealous of other people just like you did in the book. I think she could have used more descriptive words. For instance instead of saying ran, she could have said rushed or hustled. Other than that I felt like I could step into your shoes.

I really want to know what happens after the books ends. Do you, Demi, and Lyle stay in touch after you meet in New York? Do you ever find love? Is it with Theo? Do you ever become anything in the world of Broadway? These questions ran through my mind the second I finished reading the final word.

There were many social issues in this book. One was how you got jealous of the other people’s talents at Wildewood. Another was how everyone was kind of racist against Demi because he was black and gay. I think you could raise self-awareness about this by showing people how it feels to be on the other side of the words. Make them know how it feels to be made fun of. I could also start a website or a blog about teen racism. Were all people and just because we look different doesn’t mean we deserve to be treated differently.

I hope one day this letter gets to you and you get the chance to answer me. I think you should still try to pursue your career in singing and acting. Everyone should try to fulfill their dreams. Thank you for listening.

Sincerely,

Megan B.

My Summer Reading!

Over the summer I read Dramarama  by E. Lockhart

These were some of the questions I had to answer about this book:


1. Who is the main character and what is that character’s personality like? Type a complete sentence or two that include three different adjectives that describe your character.



2. Most good stories have a beginning, middle, and end. Type a complete sentence for each of these three parts that summarizes what happens.


3. Think about the experiences that the main character has and the changes that she or he experiences by the end of the story. In a complete sentence or two, describe what you think the author is trying to say about life.



The Issues:



1. Explain how one of these issues affects the character(s) in the story. Write three complete sentences – either three different ways that one character is affected, or one way each that three different characters are affected.


2. In complete sentences, describe two specific events that make the book’s social issue(s) seem real and important. How does the author make a big issue immediate and personal?


 
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All About Me!

 My friends Brooke, Nikki, and I at our middle school graduation!

Megan’s Unique Profile

Hey, my name is Megan B. I’m 14 and my birthday is on February 11, 1996. I went to Mountain Christian School for 9 years. I have two siblings going to Mountain. My sister, Lauren, is in 8th and my brother, Matthew, is in 4th. My parent’s names are Theresa and David B. My mom is an Ultrasound Technician. My dad is a CPA. I have two cats Logan is 2 and Hobo is around 17. I love playing basketball, drawing, and painting. My favorite band is A Rocket to the Moon and the Script. My favorite song is Secrets by OneRepublic and Like We Used To by A Rocket to the Moon. During the school year, I want to join the photography club and tryout for the basketball team. My goal in high school is try my hardest in everything I do. I love my friends. My best friends are Brooke, Kaitlyn, and Ashley. Brooke goes to Bel Air High School. Kaitlyn goes to Archbishop Spalding. Ashley goes to John Carroll. I love everyone and everything in my life!!!