To Kill a Mockingbird

Hey, everyone! Today, I'm going to be talking about a book I just finished reading for my English class. It's called To Kill a Mockingbird and I have blogged about it before. I'm making this blog because it was a very interesting story and I wanted to share my opinion about the entire book with you. The beginning of the book was a little dry and not that interesting, but once you get to the end, it get's more and more interesting because of all the activities that happened throughout the book. So, I'm going to be sharing a summary of the main parts of  the book with you. The main characters were: Scout Finch (narrator), Jeremy Finch (brother of Scout) Atticus Finch (father of both Jem and Scout, works as a Lawyer), Tom Robinson (an African-American man who was convicted of a serious crime), Boo Radley (the neighbor who never came out of his house), and Bob Ewell (a mean, poor man). The book was written in the 1960's, in Alabama. It took place in Maycomb, which is a small town in the time of the Great Depression. In Maycomb, everyone knew each other and the kids really wanted to know what Boo Radley, the strange neighbor, looked like. Scout had a hard time in school because kids made fun of her dad, who was defending a black man in his next trial. The book has a few offensive words, but it was used in history, and it's important to know the type of language that was used back then for racism. There are a lot of life lessons that Atticus teaches his kids. They are at a stage where they are growing up and getting to experience real world activities. I don't want to spoil the book if you have not read it, so I will tell you about each character's characteristics. Scout is a six-year-old girl who is intelligent, funny, a tomboy, she can read at a young age, and is also very interested in her family backgrounds. Jem is a young boy who is more mature than Scout and is also very protective, and independent. Atticus is a lawyer and very protective of his children and is also very respectful to everyone, even if they are not to him. Tom Robinson is a black man and is very family oriented and is also very caring because he helped Mayella Ewell. Mayella convicted Tom of raping her even though he did not. And lastly, Bob Ewell is Mayella's father and is a lazy, evil, and rude man who tried to kill Atticus and Tom.

So, I hope you enjoyed reading my blog this weekand if you haven't read the book, you should read it because a lot of interesting things happen!

Testing Week

Hey guys! Today, I'm going to be telling you about my week. This week in school is when we are taking the end of the year tests. Which means waking up earlier in the morning and studying all the time. This whole week and last week I have been going on the practice test website to study for math and science. We just finished taking the English part of the test and I'm glad we are, because I had to write and read so many complicated text. Overall, the English test was hard and challenging. On Thursday and Friday we are going to be taking the Math part and I feel pretty confident about it. I'm very good at math and I have been studying hard, so I hope I will get a good grade. A few weeks later, we are going to be taking the science exam and I'm very nervous for that. I have a feeling it's going to be really difficult and complicated. So. even though this whole testing thing is stressful, it's all worth it at the end when you get your results. I hope you enjoyed reading my blog and could relate, if your also taking these big tests.

Diy Starbucks Drink

Hey, everyone! Today in my blog, I will be showing you a quick and easy Starbucks Java Chip frappuccino recipe. This drink is also known as the double chocolate chip frappaccino. If you love a sweet and chocolaty drink, then this is the drink for you and I suggest you make it. I have made this before using the recipe below, and it taste the same as the one from Starbucks! So, I'm gonna show you how to make your own Java Chip Frappuccino, which saves your money as well.

The ingredients your will need are 4 tablespoons chocolate syrup, 4 tablespoons chocolate chips or chunks, 3 cups freshly brewed coffee (optional), milk, ice, and whipped cream for the top. By the way, the amount of ingredients can be different depending on how much or how many people your making it for.

After you gather all your ingredients, mix the ice, chocolate syrup, milk, chocolate chips, and the coffee together in a blender. Make sure its thick and creamy at the end. Next, pour your mixture into however many glasses you need. Top with whipped cream and and chocolate syrup or chocolate powder for extra flavor.

 Again, if you really like chocolate and you have a sweet tooth, then you should definitely try this drink and it's really refreshing to on hot days. I hope you enjoyed this recipe and try making it for yourself!

My Bucket List

Hey, everyone! Today, I'm going to be doing something different. I'm going to be telling you guys a few things that are on my bucket list. A bucket list is a list of accomplishments and experiences that someone wants to achieve before they die or become old. I got this blog idea from my friend, Alisa. Having a bucket list and setting goals for your life is very fun and important. So, now I'm going to telling you a few things that I want to achieve before I get older.

1. I want to travel to different countries and go around the world with my friends. It expresses you to a lot of different cultures and also you get to meet a lot of people. Some places I would like to go are; Italy, England, and Greece. These are my top favorite because they all have so many different things to do and a lot of beautiful sceneries.

2. Learning a new language. This one is my favorite because, learning a new language is challenging, but at the end, you can speak to someone in a foreign country. It's also good to learn how to speak all sorts of different languages from around the world.

3. Trying a new sport. If you know me, you know that I don't do a lot of sports. Besides in physical education at school when we play a little basketball and soccer. But I want to have a goal in learning a sport so I can play it all the time. Like I love soccer, so I can join a team and do it every week. Since I have school and a lot of work, it's hard to fit in another activity, so I'll have to wait for the summer times.

4. Getting rid of my fear of heights. This one may be common, but I have a goal to make sure it happens. Like I would be so happy if I could go on all the roller coasters at Six Flags, and not be terrified. Getting rid of a fear is important and it shows that you have courage. Going on the huge roller coasters seems very thrilling and exciting, so I can't wait to ride them all with my friends.

That were all my goals and bucket lists for now. Once I get older, I'll probably add a few more stuff on there. Experiencing new things throughout your life if very fun and important, so I'm gonna try to make all this stuff on the list happen. Hope you enjoyed reading my blog, and if you haven't made your bucket list, you should start!

Advice for middle school

Hey, everyone! Today, I'm going to give you all advice about middle school. I decided to do this, because it's almost the end of the middle school years for me, and throughout the three years I have learned and experienced a lot of amazing things. If you are reading this and entering middle school, I hope this helps you and gets you prepared. Also, if you are graduating this year, you can probably relate to the advice I'm going to give you. So, basically, middle school is a time in your education when you learn to become a young adult and you get ready for high school. There will be a lot more homework, respect, and responsibilities. For me, middle school was the best three years of my life. I have met a lot of different kinds of people and I'm learning so many things that I didn't know before. It seems stressful at times, but there always up's and down's.

The first advice is to always obey the rules and try not to get involved in trouble. This is important when it come to peer pressure and other stuff. So make sure you have good friends and follow all the rules and dress codes, even though it may be difficult sometimes.
Another important advice that I have learned is to avoid drama and don't start spreading rumors. It's better not to get involved in that stuff because it can lead into trouble. Just try to focus on your school work and choose your friends wisely. Choosing friends wisely is important in middle school and throughout your life, because there's a less chance you'll start drama and you can tell them anything, and trusting people is very important too.

Lastly, academic skills are extremely important when taking challenging classes or getting good grades. Always stay on track in class, take notes, make sure to ask a lot of questions, always participate, and study hard for your tests. It's also important to not procrastinate during the night or week of your test.

I hope you enjoyed reading my blog and I hope it was helpful to you. Middle school is very fun and I have learned so many different things and became a much more responsible person.

Nowruz - Persian New Year

Hey, everyone! Today, I'm going to be talking about the traditional celebration of Nowruz. For those who do not know what Nowruz is, it is the Persian New Year and also the first day of Spring. It is celebrated throughout Central Asia and the Middle East. It is a thirteen-day festival celebrated by Iranian's all around the world! In Farsi, Nowruz means "new day", and it includes many days of preparation. My family likes to do spring cleaning a couple days before Nowruz so that everything is ready and the table looks nice. Last Saturday, my family and I celebrated the New Year by being all together and talking about the new year. We also exchanged gifts in a tradition of Nowruz.

Now, I'm going to be talking about the most important tradition for Nowruz, which is the table display called Haftsin. In Farsi, Haftsin means " Seven S's". These seven items on the table have spiritual symbols and all represent important things. The first item on the table is Sabzeh, which is grass or wheat growing from a dish, and it symbolizes rebirth. The second item is Samanu, a sweet pudding made from wheat germ, which symbolizes affluence. The third item is Senjed, the dried fruit of the oleaster tree, symbolizing love. The fourth item is Sir, gloves of garlic, symbolizing medicine. The fifth item is a Seeb, which is a red apple, symbolizing beauty and health. The sixth item is Somaq, which is sumaq berries, symbolizing sunrise. And the seventh item on the table is Serkeh, which is vinegar, symbolizing patience and age. As you can tell, all these seven items start with an S! Other items on the table included a Sonbol, which symbolizes the coming of Spring, or Sekkeh (coins) symbolizing wealth and success, a mirror, colorful eggs, and a bowl of goldfish.
Lastly, the dancing and singing figure, known as Hajji Firuz, is an announcer for the Persian New Year. He is represented as bringing blessing and happiness for the spring time.

I hope you enjoyed reading my blog and learned more about the Iranian celebration of Nowruz, and hope you had a great new year!

Photo Credit- http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cFwSQ_7e-iI/VQxsWfBEezI/AAAAAAAAF7Q/rf8kfiqtccU/s1600

High School

Hey, guys! This week I'm going to be writing about going to high school. I thought of this because I am in 8th grade and middle school is almost over. As middle school went by, I have become a more intelligent and responsible person. I have a lot more knowledge of what is going on in the world and I also learned so many different things in school. I have made some wonderful friends and met a lot of great teachers as well. Going to high school, I feel like there will be many different types of teachers and people. The dress code will be more "high school" appropriate and you will become a more independent person. Some things I'm excited about high school are meeting new people, being in a larger school, choosing the subjects I'm interested in, learning new material, and growing up into a young adult. Although you have a lot more freedom, it also means more responsibilities. I also have fears such as getting lost, having very hard work, getting bullied and not being with any of my friends. A lot of people say that some older kids pick on the younger kids, but I think if I hang out with my good friends, I will be just fine. Another advice is to just be yourself and don't let anyone tell you what to wear or how to act. It's also good to stay away from peer pressure because it may not lead to good things. So, in conclusion, I think high school will be a challenging but a very good experience for me becoming a young adult. I will have to be more organized and always focus on my school work to be successful in life.

I hope you enjoyed my blog! - Mona