Journal 2

I designed the learning commons as shown in the image attached is because after knowing about what learning common is and what it means to the community having a great learning commons, I imagined a Learning commons where people can study well, enjoy the entertainment provided and have a great place to socialize.

The quiet zone is designed for whoever want to take a rest in an enclosed space with assured privacy. The Music spot is designed for people who likes to play their music louder than normal which sometimes will bother others within the shared public space. The chair will prevent the music to be heard and disturb other people.

The Vending machines with hot and cold meals and beverages are for the people who love to have something to eat every second, however, most learning commons doesn't allow food and drinks so I also wanted a closed area where people can enjoy their food and drinks freely while studying.

The games room is for whoever feels like they want to race with their friends suddenly. There is a time limit to everyone in order to give everyone a chance to play. Booking service should also be applied.

These services are expensive, therefore, some learning commons services can only be used by members, for example, the VR experience lab are only offered to games room members.

On going reading assignment:Non fiction

Anne Frank: The diary of a young girl

1. Write a summary of the book.

           Anne Frank’s parents give her a diary as a present on her thirteenth birthday. Anne named her diary and even treated it as a human. She started to write about daily events, her thoughts, school, and boys, just like what today's teenage girls talk about. However, her life changed a month later. As the rise of Hitler and the things that Nazis had done to the Jews, the Frank family fears their lives.One day Anne’s sister, Margot, is called to meet the authorities, which means that they might found out that they were Jewish. Anne and her family went into hiding. They moved into a little section of Anne's father's office building that is walled off and hidden behind a bookshelf. The little section where the family hide is called the "Secret Annex". The Frank family lives in this Secret Annex for two whole years with Mr. and Mrs. van Daan and their son Peter. Later in the life living in the secret Annex, Mr. Dussel moves in, and Anne had to share her bedroom with him. As Anne’s teenage life is spent hidden in a secret room, tiptoeing everyday worrying about when her family will be discovered and killed, also becoming shell shock from the sounds of bombs and gunfire at night.

 Things start to change when Anne start to hang out with Peter van Daan. She sometimes comes to see Peter Van Daan and find him as a sensitive and caring boy, but their relationship results in being best friends with each other. One of the major changes for Anne is the news that the war is going to end, she hears that personal belongings that hold records of war will be valuable to own , such as her diary. she becomes excited to edit and keep the diary going. Unfortunately, her happiness did not last that long, she start to feel that she's always being criticized. and the diary can not take on the role as a tool or 'friend' to escape reality anymore. Anne's diary ends on 1944 August. It was two months after Anne’s fifteenth birthday. On August 3, two days after her last diary entry, the Secret Annex is raided, all the members of the secret Annex are sent to various concentration camps. Anne's diary collection was never finished. Otto Frank, who was Anne's father was the only survivor.

2 Write an evaluation of the book's purpose. Why did the author write the book? Is the book historically important? Does it give the reader important information? What sort of reader does the book target? Do you think the author may have been biased by personal experience or other factors (explain your answer).

This book holds a very precious value because it's written by a girl who experienced World war II and recorded what it was like to live in an environment where bombs, and gunfire happens every night, deaths everyday and everywhere. This book is historically important since it can be served as a primary source in discovering the thoughts of a Jewish young girl living during war, and overlooking Holocaust from victim's perspective, however, this book is originally as a personal belonging therefore, there's no doubt that journal entries will contain bias

3 Your personal reaction to the book. This can include responding to the author's style, the information included in the book, or as a comparison to material you have studied on the book's topic

        The diary of  Anne Frank is an eye opening book to what it is like to live through war hiding in such a tiny place where she had to share her bedroom with a adult man. In her diary, her thoughts and views about what will happen to her family after the war ends and if they are discovered and send to concentration camps. comparing to the information learnt in Socials or History, I can learn and look more into humanity described in Anne's diaries, also teenagers' development and personal growth during war and experiences of shell shock from bombardment every day. 

On going reading assignment: magazine study

Magazine study

The target demographic is everyone, this magazine includes all kinds of advertisement. Most advertisers covers a variaty of areas including language learning, financial and photography. Each magazine issued have a specific theme, and the information or scientific facts in the articles all connects with the theme. The Magazines are made to attract people to buy it, therefore, having an attractive cover is important. The cover of the March 2008 National Geographic is a dog with a title under saying " inside animal minds", this has been the enquiry for human species for a long time. With this fact, the title can hook a variety of readers. Most of the articles in the magazine are about how the species on earth think and try to create a better earth by inventing, discovering and expanding the world.

        The article the research and the development of LHC(Large hadron collider) which is used to of find the particles that started everything in this world. underground in a french village the physicist and scientists built a massive machine called LHC. The LHC experiment is helping the physicist to figure out the starting point of our universe. The article contains pictures of the Large hadron collider and CMS which is Compact Muon Solenoid which gave the reader a closer look on how huge this project on discussing why this LHC project is improtant. Humans are different than other animals, for which they are the specie that have the most developed interllectual curiosity to understand the mechanism. This article was written and published to expand the readers' knowledge on how humans, as how the magazine cover advertised, have in mind that is so significant and different than the other animals on earth.

Journal 1

Journal one

      Aesop's fables had been the book I remembered for years. It is a book that stayed with me and taught me morals and conscience.  The book that held on to my attention was Aesop's fables, I use to love story books with many different stories in them, and Aesop's fables was one of them. Since the book was so well known, even if I finished reading and rarely go back through it again, it still stayed in my memory for a long time. What made the book so unforgettable was the morals the fables taught me. The most interesting part of the book is that most of the characters in each story are animals. After reading the stories, an image of different characteristics of different animals are printed. for example, foxes are always the most greedy one out of all, and sheep are always the innocent one.In other words, the book is full of metaphors. however, since I was too young when i first read the book, I did not understand the morals that the story teaches, but since it's a book, it built my literacy, and also started to develop my critical thinking while thinking about what will happen next in the story. 

On going reading assignment: Banned Books

1.Choose 2 or 3 of the books on this list and research why these titles were challenged.


Chapters from My Diary
By Leon Trotsky
It was challenged because of  the involvement of political bias,  the author was a  Russian communist.


Goosebumps and Fear Street book series
Challenged because it contains violence and a lack of respect for parental authority.

2 Do you notice any trends?
Most challenged books contain violence, and reflection on sexual assault, child abuse, family conflict.

3 Choose 10 novels from the list and check our catalogue to see if we have any of these books. Have you read any of the books on the list?

Of Mice and men by John Steinbeck

         Waging War from Canada By Mike Pearson
         This non-fiction book argues that Canada is an ideal launching pad for international terrorism              against the United States.

A Jest of God By Margaret Laurence
A novel that depicts the unhappy life of an elementary schoolteacher in small-town Manitoba.  

A Little Piece of Ground By Elizabeth Laird
Novel about a 12-year-old Palestinian boy living in an Israeli-occupied area. 

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain
Classic novel set in the southern United States.

And Tango Makes Three By Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell (2005)
Children’s book about penguins.

Ani Croche and La course a l’amour By Bertrand Gauthier
Two books for young people. 

Antigone By Sophocles
Ancient Greek tragedy. 

Asha’s Mums By Rosamund Elwin and Michele Paulse
A children’s story book that depicts same-sex parents. 

Baby Be-Bop by Francesco Lia Block
Bad Medicine: A Judge’s Struggle for Justice in a First Nations Community

I haven't read any of the challenged work listed above.

4 Choose one of the books that you have not read before and read it.
     Of Mice and men by John Steinbeck

 5 Having read one of the books from a banned book list, offer a brief summary of the book.
     The book Of mice and men is about the two workers finding jobs during the great depression, a time when no one is able to get a permanent job. The two main characters George and Lennie are like the other workers, they too travel town to town to find jobs. George was the one who had to take care of Lennie and keep his out of trouble. At their new work place, the ranch owned by Curley's father, the two met Candy, Slim and crooks. At first, things were peaceful. Until one day Curley wasn't in a great mood and saw Lennie was laughing, thinking about the ranch he and George will own some day in the future, but Curley thought Lennie was laughing at him, Curley's mind went loose and hit Lennie, Lennie fought back by grabbing Curley's hand and crushed it. Later on, the scene changes to a morning, Lennie is wit ha dead puppy, apparently, Lennie killed the puppy. This is when Curley's wife comes in and started talking about how soft things feels great to touch. Curley's wife then invite Lennie to feel her hair, but Lennie couldn't control his strength and started messing around with the girl's hair too hard. Curley's wife started to struggle, in an accident, Lennie broke her neck and killed her. Lennie noticed that he had done a bad thing and remembered to go into the woods George told him to go if he gets into any trouble, and in the woods, George killed Lennie so he won't get killed by the other men working on the ranch with the guilt of a murderer.

 6 In more detail, write about the areas of the novel that you think raised concern. Why do you suppose the book was on the list? Do you think the reasons for the challenge were legitimate?
      The part of this book that raised concern is the language and truth that was reflected through the book which was the social issues. People lives in great depression period don't like reading books that truthfully reflect how they live day by day. It's logical that this kind of book will be challenged book during the 1930's.  It's challenged nowadays is because the book is said to be too "negative" and "dark." because it contains too much sensational language.

 7 In 350-500 words, argue for or against including the book in our school collection.

      Challenged books usually contain restricted materials, for example, violence and political bias.
In the book, there were two scenes that involve the use of a gun to kill either animal or human. people might think this should not be read by teenagers and see it as the propaganda of euthanasia, but if people look closely at the scene where George kills Lennie, it's way of letting Lennie free, but George did it in a sinful way. Lennie should be considered innocent since he suffers a mental disorder and involuntarily killed Curley's wife, but the other men in the ranch consider him as a 'sinister' because he killed a person. George's action in killing Lennie can also be understood from the view that the guilt that has been applied on Lennie is now transferred on to George. The second reason why this book is often challenged is because of the vulgarity and  language in the book. The book has many typical western American dialect, ranch farmers in the 1930's talk with swearing languages, but having languages like that does not mean that it has to be banned. In other cases, it is a great tool for the readers to create connections with the people at that time. The true reflection of how people talk and live in that time period. If it's included in the school collection, the book will be a 'textbook' for students to understand humanities and social issues. The last  reason why the book is challenged is the description of racism and unfair treatment of women. Crooks, the only African American working on the ranch, are not involved in any of the activities that the other men do, he always work alone, and he himself told Lennie that the other men said that he stinks, however, he's the only one who could read. Irony is hidden in this, and this allows readers to think deeply into the words of the true meaning of human equality.

Learning Commons assignment

What is The Learning Commons?

1. Researching

Using LISTA, (Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts) find an article to read on “the learning commons”

Write the bibliographic information below:

Steele                   _, Ryan. “The Journey from library to learning commons.” Teacher librarian _
               Author Last Name      First Name Article Title Journal Title/Name

_42__ _3_.               _12-17_____.
Volume Issue         Pages

Please write a 1 page summary of the article that you’ve read.  Explain how it relates to the learning commons model and what you’ve learned about the idea of a learning commons from reading the article.

Article summary

The author told a series of steps he or she went through on the way of creating a learning commons. Painting the walls with brighter colors, using new and useful furniture, establishing a "Maker-space" where the tables and chairs can be recreated by students, Green screens and other new technology such as kindles, a creative area such as Lego wall. From the understanding of the article, a learning commons should provide a series of learning activities, the learning activities could be shown in ways of reading, have a freedom to write, or draw. It could also be a place where students can stay for socializing and studying in spare blocks. Keeping the learning commons tidy and organized is also important. A tidy place will give people a good mood. A good learning commons should also have enough supplies for everyone, believing that they will return everything back, this establishes a trust bridge between the users and the librarians. Moreover, the new technology had to be accessible for everyone in the learning commons. Overall, the learning commons is a place where interaction, friendship, learning and entertainment happen. People can enjoy things that they might not have time to do at home or other places, it’s also a place in school or community where new innovation of education is adapted to everyone.

2.  Reading/ Synthesizing

Find the book The Learning Commons: Seven Simple Steps to Transform your Library by Pamela Colburn Harland.

Scan through the book.  Using the steps outlined by Harland, create a chart that presents a report card for how our library is doing.  

The Steps	What We’re Already Doing	How we can Improve
User- centered	Clean workshops for the users great resources	Textbook section in the library for students to use in the library only.
Flexible	Having a library wiki	Making the physical and virtual spaces have a more scalable and sustainable change.
Join resources	Having been able to join the efficient resources for students to use	Access to computers, iPad and more, creating a student and technology interaction
Remove barriers	Collaboration breaks-the sticky notes	Creating a password protected with access to electronic resources for users.
Trust your users	Accessible tools and supplies for users.	Keep a box where students can access the tools or stationaries they need
publicize	Having simple newsletter template	Having monthly reports
Repetitive questions	Collecting questions and answering them	Creating handout for FAQ

3.  Listening / Thinking

Please go to the following site episode of CBC’s The Current: “Designing Libraries that are Relevant in the Digital Age”

http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2014/10/20/designing-libraries-in-the-21st-century-new-headline-just-a-holder/

Listen to the first 10 minutes of the podcast and answer the following questions:

1. How does Morton Schmidt describe the modern library? What are some of the features?

Morton Schmidt thinks modern library is Very different, it’s a gathering place for people, they should have the space to  socialize, and share knowledge with each other. Morton Schmidt thinks the library is important as a church, or a community center. It’s a place to find comfort. Some of the features in a well designed modern library are workshops where people can do things may not be able to do in other places of the city.

2. Why does Schmidt think we still need libraries?  What does he compare them to?

People talking to each other the communication could not be reached on web. Still some people want a place where books are gathered, noncommercial, he compared to life how we need to bring the knowledge we own to life every day.

3. Why is light so important to his design on the library?

The old traditional libraries are dusty , old and dark which made it dull to stay in. The light is so important in his design is the purpose of getting people to feel and connected to nature.

4. Describe what is meant by democratic architecture. 

Design for everyone, open and accessible for everyone, drawing attention to people in every cultural group.

4. Reflecting

Given your new knowledge of the idea of a LEARNING COMMONS, write a thoughtful paragraph reflecting on the changes to libraries over your time in school.  Which changes have been both necessary and successful and which aspects of the library should stay the same.

Through the three years studying in Fleetwood Park Secondary, I’ve seen a lot of changes being done to the learning commons. The walls are repainted, and the carpets are changed. The book shelves are replaced or taken down from walls if unnecessary, the tables and chairs are renewed and also rearranged. The front desk has been lowered so the “barriers” can be taken down. The Ancient labels disappeared. The learning commons changed completely. The old walls was in turquoise, although it looked calming, it looked a bit ancient, after the walls are repainted the library looked more modernized. The new dark color collage style carpet come in contrast with the white walls and made the learning commons comfortable to stay. The change of the tables seems necessary in my opinion, first of all, the old desks looks dull and heavy, giving the library an ancient feel, but after the new desks are in, even though they are in weird shapes; they are efficient to use since they can be rearranged in a way of jigsaw puzzle. With these tables in the library, the area are there for students to be creative with what they want. The second necessary change of the learning commons is the front desk. The old desk in the library has a high front which blocks most of the vision if the librarians sit down, they may not be able to also enjoy the library as much as the other people in the library do. The new front desk completely eliminated the blockage. 

                   

On going reading assignments:Top 21 books before 21

Book Review: Top 21 books before 21

Google "Chapters Top 21 Books to Read Before 21" and check off each of the novels that you have already read. Post which ones on your blog, then choose one that you haven't read yet.

Books I already read:

Paper town
Eleanor & Park
The hunger games
Before I die
If I stay
Ms.Perigrine's Home for Peculiar children

The Book Thief

Describe briefly the plot of the book. Who are the main characters? How are they presented? What is the major conflict(s) of the book?   

         The story is about a thief during the war period. This is a fiction based on actual history, which is set during World War II in Germany. It was about a girl name Liesel Meminger who's adopted by the Hubermann family in a fictional small town called Molching. Hans, her foster father, who is always gentle and nice, teaches her learn to read. She started with the book called "the gravedigger's handbook she took from her brother's burial. Liesel later met Rudy Steiner, who falls in love with her. At a book burning ceremony, Liesel steals a book from the burning, but was seen by the mayor's wife Ilsa Hermann, who inviteed Liesel to read in her library later in the story. Hans agrees to hide a Jew named Max Vandenberg in his basement because Max's father saved Hans. Liesel and Max soon became close friends. one day, Hans ws seen giving bread to an old Jew being sent to a concentration camp in public, the polices came to Hans's house, asking questions about whether being related to Jewish, Max have to leave. After Max leaves, she started to worry if he was caught into concentration camp or not, Liesel writes the story of her life in the Hubermanns' basement, where she miraculously survives an air attack that kills Hans, Rosa, Rudy, and everyone else in the street she lives in. Liesel survives the war, and so does Max. She goes on to live a long life and dies at an old age.

        The characters are presented in first person limited omniscient, it does not contains many descriptions of the characters except their behaviours. the major conflict of this book are human versus Society, this not only tells the story of a young girl, this book also tells readers how people live during that period of time in Germany when Hitler was in control.


 What is your personal response to the book? Did you enjoy the book? Provide detail to support your answer.
      so it contains many descriptions of the character. The story sometimes goes back and forth to introduce different character's background. The setting creates the atmosphere and the establishes imagery of the story background to develop emotion connection with the characters. The book's format is interesting, some chapters are written in journal form, and some are written in the narrative form which effectively tells the reader the theme that the book holds. This is a slightly heavy read because of the order of the plot is arranged differently so I have to go back and forth to figure out the main plot, but it's definitly a book that is worth reading.
In a thoughtful paragraph (at least 12 sentences) discuss why you think this book has been included in Chapter's Top 21 Books to Read Before 21 list. You may want to compare it to others on the list.
       This book talks about family relationship, friendship, overcoming hardship such as war are valueble things to know how to deal with while still in school. Later on when people are in to the society, things will be different. The way of talking or interacting with people, the way to respond to things and the way to solve problems will all be different from the times when people are in education. This book is written in the death's point of view, which made it unique and intersting to read. While reading the book, it's easy to imagine how the living condition and the german people's daily life is like at that time, so it's easier to connect emotions with the characters or even the groups of people even if I never experience war or war-like chaos.







https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/teens/21-books-before-21/