Summarizer

          The three kids meet in the alley with the Egyptians and enter the yard to find the Oracle's answer to Ken's question. When April took the paper out of the beak there really was an answer on the slip. The kids all started to argue. They accused Toby but he denied it. 
          The next day every one just wanted to move on but Marshall lost Security. No one could find him any where.
          At school, Toby confesses to April and Melanie that it was him writing the Oracle's answers. During the ceremony, he commanded the Egyptians to prostrate themselves, and while they were bowing he took a peek at the question.
          

Vocabulary Enricher - Kai

Flattered - Paragraph 1, Page 122
Cause someone to feel honored.

Homesick - Paragraph 2, Page 122
Distress caused by separation from home.

Respectful - Paragraph 1, Page 122
To admire someone deeply.

Fink - Paragraph 2, Page 122
To inform someone.

Thrilled - Paragraph 2, Page 123
Feeling of excitement.

Lifelike - Paragraph 2, Page 123
Very similar to thing that it representation

Wicked - Paragraph 1, Page 124
Evil or morally wrong

Theatrical - Paragraph 1, Page 124
Relating to theater

Altar - Paragraph 2, Page 124
Table in church where communion is held

Balefully - Paragraph 3, Page 124
Menacing

Unglued - Paragraph 2, Page 125
No longer stuck

Everyplace - Paragraph 3, Page 125
Everywhere

Crummy - Paragraph 2, Page 126
Dirty/unpleasant

Blotchy - Paragraph 2, Page 129
covered with blotches

Discussion Director - Kai 6B

1. Why do you think Ken and Toby are so exited about the death ceremony?                                    A. Because they are boys and they like stuff related to death.
2. Where do think Ken and Toby get their ideas?                                                                                A. They probably get their ideas from books and their imagination.
3. Where do you think security is?                                                                                                       A. I think Marshal left him at the Egypt game or left it a day care.
4. What do you think they thought the thunder was?                                                                           A. They probably thought it was an omen from the gods.
5. Do you think anyone stole security or what do you think happened to him?                                  A. The owner of A-Z Antiques probably took it and is selling it or taking care of it.

Vocab Enricher

pg 142 Oracle a prophet that speaks through the gods
pg 158 Giggly to laugh oddly
pg 158 Bast fibrous material from trees
pg 159 Anxious showing worry or nervousness
pg 159 Pestering trouble or annoy
pg 166 Ceremony religious or public occasion

Literature Circles #5 (last) - Illustrator

This literature circle session was the fifth and last one, and the end of the sixth round of reading.

Jobs & Pages:
Pages: 185 to 215 (the end).

David: Illustrator
Aleksa: Discussion Director.
Riley Discussion Director.
(Miss understanding between Aleksa and Riley).

About My Job:
This time I was the Illustrator again. I was supposed to read the assigned pages and then do some kind of drawing of something I read, I decided to do a sketch. I drew a sketch of April getting grabbed by a man in the professor's storage yard.

The presentation plan was to show the other group members the sketch and they would guess what it was. Both Aleksa and Riley guessed the correct answer, a man grabbing April in the storage yard.

Conclusion:
I think this literature circle session went very well. Although, there was a miss understanding between two of the group members so they did the same job, they still did it. Everybody read the assigned pages and brought their work, so it was good. It was the last literature circle session, so it is good that it went well.

THIS IS MY SKETCH:



   

The Disscusion Director-Aleksa Djuraskovic

Who did you think grabbed April before we found out? Why did you think he grabbed her?

Me: The professor, even though everyone thought someone else than the professor I thought it was him since he was weird.

David: I thought it was Mr. Smith.

Riley: I thought it was someone else than the professor because the old man does not like to crawl around his so why would he crawl now.

 

Why were people buying more things from the professor then before?

Me: Because he was a hero.

David: Since he saved April and because of that they respected him more.

Riley: Because he saved a person’s life and that should be recognized.

 

What was April's reply to Dorothea's letter asking her to come visit for Christmas? What does this show about her?

Me: She declined since she liked were she had better friends there than at Hollywood and she knew she was becoming a better person there.

David: She replied that she didn’t want to go, it shows that she has made friends and wants to be with them.

Riley: She thought that her life in Hollywood wasn’t as good as life there because she didn’t have friends there like she did here.

 

What do you think will happen to the Egyptians and the Egypt Game?

Me: I think they will move on and new kids will come to play.

David: I think they would want to work with Egyptian things when they grow up.

Riley: I think that a new game will happen.

 

Tell me how April's character was developing throughout the story?

Me: She started of being a spoiled child, used to being listened to and being rich and now she is a good friend and a normal child.

David: She became less of a Hollywood girl.

Riley: She became less fancy.

 

 

 

 

Riley Discussion-Director (last time)

1.Who do you think the killer was when it first happened?
Aleksa: The Professor
David: He thought it was Mr.Smith
Me: It was someone other than the professor .
2. Why did the professor be depressed most of the time.?
Aleksa: He was lonely
David: He did not have many customers
Me:His wife died
3.Did you like the book? Why?
Aleksa: Yes. It had cliffhangers, action and everything I like except comedy.
David: Yes. Because in the end it was kinda exciting .
Me: Yes. Because the suspense was well made.
4. Why do you think Marshall did not need security around as much anymore?
Aleksa: Because he was becoming more independent.
David: Because he was becoming more mature.
Me: The incident made him grow up.
5. What did the Professor give the Egypt game players?Why?
Aleksa: The keys, because he thought it would be more useful for them.
David: The keys, so they could play the Egypt game.
Me:The keys, because he like watching them have fun.

Discussion Direction

1.
Do you think it was smart to let Ken and Toby into the Egypt Game?
Yes, they gave Ideas and never finked+ they were respectful.

2.
What happened when the scroll went missing?
Nothing, everyone was baffled

3.
What was the inspiration for the ceremony of the dead?
The dead parakeet

4.
How long did the ceremony of the dead last?
5-6 days

5.
What did Ken like to say the most?
"Seesh"

6.
Who did Marshall see watching them?
The man in the A-Z store

Literary Circles #4 - Vocabulary Enricher

This literary circle session was the fourth one, and the end of the fifth round of reading.

Jobs & Pages:
Pages: 142 to 185.

David: Vocabulary enricher.
Aleksa: Literary luminary.
Riley: Illustrator.

About My Job:
My job was vocabulary enricher. I was supposed to find fourteen words that I did not understand, then write them down on a paper along with the page numbers, paragraphs, and the definitions of the words. I did as the directions said. My words and their definitions were:

1. Oracle   ---   A point made by a priest or priestess.
2. Siamese   ---   Similar or closely connected.
3. Scheme   ---   A plan or design.
4. Graciously   ---   Pleasantly kind.
5. Solemnity   ---   Grave, sober, mirthless, as a person, the face, speech, tone, mood.
6. Rockers   ---   Curved pieces on a chair.
7. Grotto   ---   A cave.
8. Chanted   ---   Sort and simple melody.
9. Liven   ---   To put life into.
10. Incredulous   ---   Indisposed to believe.
11. Consult   ---   To seek advice or information from.
12. Crooked   ---   Not straight, curved.
13. Vapor   ---   Visible exhalation, fog, mist steam, etc.
14. Consternation   ---   A sudden or alarming amazement.

Here are five of the words used in their own sentence:

1. Siamese: The two siamese girls agreed on almost everything.
2. Scheme: The architect had created a very interesting scheme.
3. Rockers: The rockers looked even older than the actual chair did.
4. Grotto: When I was half way inside the grotto, my flashlight suddenly stopped working.
5. Vapor: The vapor made it even scarier to walk through the dark alley.

The presentation plan was to read the words to the other group members, then they were supposed to say what they thought the word meant. We did as the instructions said. Although we did not have enough time to do all the words, we did most of them. Sometimes the answers were correct, sometimes they were similar, and sometimes they were not even close on the harder words.

Conclusion:

I think todays literature circles went pretty well. Almost all the group members did they're work fully, and it was enough to have a discussion. We read a few more pages than we have done before, which is good because we will now be able to finish the book for the next session. We did not have time to start reading in class, but we still had a good discussion and did most of our blogs, so it was fine. I think this literary circle session was fun. 

Riley-Illustrator

(Sorry this is sideways)

This photo represents the Oracle that the Egyptians created with the stuffed out that ACTUALLY delivered messages. It spooked the Egyptians and a lot of them asked the oracle and got answers. The thing under its beak is its answer. This is important since it was the thing that triggered the climax and put the Egyptians on edge right before the climax happened.

Connector

They are having hallowen taking on egyptian cultures as their costumes. The night was dark, perfect for another murder a couple of weeks before. Parents chaperoned children trick-or-treating though the night like adults on a school trip. The kids, play a mysterious game as priests of egypt, like people do in Churches and other places of worship nowadays like sacred rituals.

Travel tracer-Kai

    The action begins in the girls neighborhood on Halloween night when they had already seen one omen. At that time they saw another. It was a shooting star.

    The key event happened in an intersection between four roads. They saw a shooting star. Then they headed to the Egypt game. It was held in the backyard of an antiques shop.

    The event ended in the back yard of the antique shop when the Egypt game was invaded.

Illustrator

First of all sorry that it is sideways. Any way I chose to draw this because I love trick or treating. I also love what happens after this.

Illustrator

I drew the parakeet, Stew, because it was sad since he died in the story. He was Elizabeth's pet, he died because a cat snuck in the house and killed it. I drew him not only because it died but because I felt a strong connection between him and my old parakeet. Mine ran out of the cage and my dog caught it a couple of days ago and killed it. He inspired the Ceremony of the Dead and as also in some other minor parts of the story. Both of my group members, David and Riley, both knew straight away that it was the Parakeet, Stew.

Literary Circles #3 - Discussion Director

This literary circle session was the third one, and the end of the fourth round of reading.

Jobs & Pages:

Pages: 98 to 142.

David: Discussion director.

Aleksa: Illustrator.

Riley: Connector.

About My Job:

My job in this round of reading was Discussion Director. I was supposed to read all the pages that were assigned, and write five questions about the story. I was also supposed to write my answers to the questions. I did as instructed. All my questions were at least a little critical thinking. My two best questions were:

The presentation plan was to read the questions to the group, and they were supposed to say their answer to the question. My answers were similar to the other group members' answers, but not exactly the same.

• Why do you think that April doesn't think the Egypt Game will be the same with Ken and Toby?
• Who do you think has an idea that Egypt is being watched? And why do you think he/she doesn't want to tell the others?

For the first question, Aleksa answered: Because it will be two crowded, Riley answered: Because she didn't like that they called her "February", and I answered: Because Toby and Ken are very silly and wouldn't take the game seriously. For the second question, Aleksa answered: Marshall, because he did not want to get hurt or in trouble from whoever it was, Riley answered: Marshall, because he didn't think it was important. And I answered: Marshall, because he thinks the others might not listen to him and he will feel embarrassed.



Conclusion:
I think this literary circle session was the best one so far. Everyone did their work, and no one forgot it at home. We managed to do almost everything that we were supposed to, we did not get to start reading in class, though.

    

Connector Riley 114-142

Connector

1.When the boys joined the Egypt game it reminded of the time I first got to ISB and made instant friends with Owen Kralovec and Luka Tarlac like these boys joining the Egyptians so swiftly.

2.At the time April got her second letter from Dorothea with the news and her tears it reminds me when I think of my parents in the USA without me I get sad.

3.When Ken barely gets through the fence it reminds when I purposely put myself into small confinements.

4.When they finished the hieroglyphics it reminds me of the time I try to make my own secret language.

5. The ceremony of the dead reminds me how I believe something happens after you die.

6. When Marshall feels like they are being watched it reminds me of the times I feel like I am being watched.

Aleksa’s Connection

When the parakeet got killed by the cat it reminds Aleksa of the time his own Parakeet went outside and got killed by the cat.

David’s Connection

When the parakeet died it reminded David of by his tiny dog attacked by a German Shepherd and barely survived.

Literary Circles #2 - Literary Luminary

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

This literary circle session was the third one, and the end of the second round of reading.


Jobs & Pages:
Pages: 67 - 98.

David: Literary luminary.
Aleksa: Vocabulary enricher.
Riley: Discussion director.


About My Job:
My job for this round of reading was Literary Luminary. I was supposed to read all the assigned pages, then choose five paragraphs from the book that were interesting, powerful, funny, puzzling, or important. I was supposed to write where I found them and why I chose them. I chose four of my paragraphs because they were important, and one paragraph because it was important and interesting.

The presentation plan for my job, was basically just to say what paragraphs I chose to my group members, where I found them and why I chose them. I did as the directions said, but to make it more interesting, each group member said their opinion about the paragraphs I chose, they mostly agreed with me.

Conclusion:
Again, one group member did not have the work at school, but he still did the work read the pages, and was able to remember some of the work, so it was fine. Since everybody did do their work, I think this literary circle session went pretty well overall.

Last week illustrator Kai

in my picture it is April and Melanie laying with the paper dolls.

Literary Luminary - Egypt Game - Kai

1. Paragraph 1, Page 67. Elizabeth turned out to be just what the Egypt game needed to make it perfect. - I thought that when I read it it sounded weird.
2. Paragraph 6, Page 69. What I know right now amounts to only rumors. - I thought that this was puzzling to me.
3. Paragraph 2, Page 72. Its a sickness of the mind. - What does the writer mean?
4. Paragraph 1, Page 74. Nobody plays games in the backyard of a murderer. - LOL
5. Paragraph 2, Page 78. At first it was the empty mailbox to try not to think about - not a single letter from Dorothea for over a month. - Why do you think she hasn't sent any letters.

Vocabulary Enricher

Scouted-Pg. 42- Looked around the area.

Semi basement-Pg. 59- Half Basement

Impatiently-Pg. 62- Can't wait.

Permission-Pg. 77- The right to do something.

Literacy Circles Word Enricher- The Egypt Game

Priestesses

Real meaning: A female priest

David: The Egyptian priestess

Riley: A woman that carries out religious ceremonies

Languishing

Real meaning: Grow weak or remain unpleasant

David: The same meaning as translate

Riley: Like frolicking or translating   

Clamored

Real meaning: A group of people shout loudly or demand

David: No idea

Riley: Continuing to do something for a long time.

Remedial

Real meaning: Giving as a remedy or a cure.

David: Tutor or something

Riley: Something a while ago like remedial potions

Medley

Real meaning: A multiple of sounds

David: Constant

Riley: A race like a 100 meter race

Sophisticated

Real meaning: Knowledgeable use of words 

David: not knowledge

Riley: In the present like we are an organized society

Persistent

Real meaning: Continuing firmly or obstinately in an opinion or course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition

David: Recognizable

Riley: Never letting someone get something
Sentence: Tyrone was the worst player on the basketball team but he was so persistent and tried so hard during training that the coach really admired his hard work.

Entitled

Real meaning: To give a person or a thing a title, right or a claim to something.

David:

Riley: Sent to 

Sentence: If a boy is born into a royal family he is entitled to automatically become a prince.

Petitions

Real meaning: Requesting to do something

David:

Riley: Requesting to do something

Scheme

Real meaning: Programming language

David: 

Riley: A plot

Disobedient

Real Meaning: Refusing to obey the rules

David:

Riley: Being bad
Sentence: Victorian schools were very strict and if any child was disobedient they would be beaten with a cane. 

Monolith

Real meaning: Geological features that contains a single rock 

David: 

Riley: No idea

Nudged

Real meaning: To gain someones attention by gently hitting them with your shoulder

David:

Riley: Touched
Sentence: In the theater Michael wanted to show Kelly a funny actor but talking was not allowed so he nudge her. 

Hunchback

Real meaning: When your back is curved

David: 

Riley: When your back is curved
Sentence: His back was abnormally curved so people gave him nicknames like the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

The Egypt Game:Discussion Director

Discussion Director.

1. Who do you think killed the little girl?

David:The Professors rival

Aleksa: The Professor

Me: The Professor's rival

2. Why do you think the Professor kept his store open when no one was going to it?

David:Because he tried to stay in business

Aleksa:So he could attract people

Me: Because he wanted to let everyone know that he was not involved with the killing.

3.Why do you think the author is making it seem what will happen to the Egypt game will be disastrous?

David: So it will be interesting

Aleksa:So we could continue reading

Me: Because he wants to draw us in more.

4.How did playing the Egypt game inside go for them?

David:Not very well because it did not have the same feel

Aleksa: Worse than Normal

Riley: They just did have as much fun.

5. Why do you think that the rumors that were spread aimed toward the Professor?

David:Cause they don't understand him?

Aleksa: Because he is an old man that no one talks to.

Me:Because they do not know his ways of operating.

6. How will them find out who was the killer?

David: The villagers will keep investigating and will eventually find the killer.

Aleksa: By playing the Egypt Game

Me: He will try to kill again, but at one of the Egyptians.

Literature circles #1 - Illustrator

Mon, April 27, 2015

This Literature circle session was the second one, and the end of the first round of reading.

Jobs & Pages:

Pages: 3 to 67.

David: Illustrator.

Aleksa: Discussion director.

Riley: Vocabulary enricher.

About My Job:
In this round of reading, I was the illustrator. My job was to read the assigned pages, then do a sketch, cartoon, diagram, or stick figure scene. It was supposed to be about something in the book, something that the book reminded you of, or an element of the story (plot, character, setting). I chose to draw a sketch of something I read in the book. I did a sketch of Melanie and April picking up the new girl, Elizabeth, and bringing her to school.

The presentation plan was that when it was my turn to show my sketch, I would show the drawing to the other two group members, Aleksa and Riley, and they would guess what the drawing was about. Then I would tell them the correct answer. I did as the instructions said, when it was my turn I showed the sketch to Aleksa and Riley, and the guessed what it was about, then I told them the correct answer. Aleksa guessed that it was when April and Melanie first met. Riley guessed that it was a scene from the storage yard, where the Egypt game took place. The correct answer was, like I said in the previous paragraph, when April and Melanie picked up Elizabeth, the new girl, to take her to school.

Conclusion:
I think todays literature circle session went pretty well. All the group members did their jobs. Even though one group member forgot his work at home, he still read all the assigned pages and did the work; and he was able to remember some of it too, which was good.  

Here is my sketch:

Discussion Director - Literature Circles

Why do you think everyone is scared of the old man?
Aleksa: I think because he is tall and bent and isn't such a communicator and all alone in his store.

Riley: I think everyone is afraid of him because he holds an old store and has menacing aura and silent.

David: He looks suspicious and he is silent and he is an old man in a old store which makes him scary and mysterious.

Why do you think the author made April and Meline the same age?

Aleksa: Because he wanted them to become good friends and make them closer in the story.

Riley: So it would make more sense for them to be best friends because it would be impossible for a 4 year old to be a best friend with a 14 year old.

David: If one is older than the other it would be hard for them to like the same things and it would be hard for them to be good friends.

What do you think was the reason the author put African Americans?

Aleksa: So it would show how April feels around dark-skinned people since she is a diva from hollywood.

Riley: So that everyone has equal rights and to show you can be good friends with someone that is a different skin color.

David: I think it’s because since Egypt is connected to Africa it would make sense for African Americans to like it.

If you could change one thing about April's thoughts what would it be and why?

Aleksa: Her view to the normal life because she is used to being rich and followed by.

Riley: Make her stop being so Hollywoodish

David: Since she is herself with Meline she could be like that with everybody else and not put on her Hollywood act.

Where do you find the story going?

Aleksa: I see it growing more and more mysterious.

Riley: If it continues like this it would be normal just a couple of friends playing in a backyard, but I 

think something unnatural will happen that you won’t belive like something paranormal.

David: I see the story going deeper into the Egypt game and more people getting involved.

Owen-Summarizer Egypt Game 1-4

Summarizer



Key Points

• A-Z store
• Melanie and Marshall
• Hollywood Act
• Creative Imagination
• School

April visits the A-Z store where we find she admires antiques and the old man who tends to the store with his deadpan face. Melanie comes to the Casá Rosáda where April lives and where Melanie also lives. April puts on a snotty and rude hollywood act, and meanwhile Melanie is nice and finds it easy to make friends. Despite the problems that they face they become good friends and have the same interests and the same creativity. Soon enough April goes to school, where most of the other kids take a wide berth of April because of her hollywood act

Discussion Director 1-4

1. Q.What does Marshal hold in the book?   A. a plush octopus.
2. Q.How many characters (not counting parents and students) have we met.  A.4
3. Q.What is the shops name?   A. A-Z Antiques and Curio Shop.
4. Q.What is the second chapter about?   A. April Hall
5. Q.Can someone summarize the 4 chapters?