Ja'nylah's English Blog

Posts

Showing posts from December, 2025

Final Exam Poster

Prompt Response: Today I recited my poem, "I'm Nobody! Who are you?, and here’sy my poster.

As the first semester comes to an end, take time to reflect on your learning and growth in this course. In a well-developed response, explain what you enjoyed most about the class, identify the project or assignment you found most engaging, and discuss which aspect of the course you connected with the most (such as poetry, fiction, writing, or discussion). Finally, reflect on one area where you feel you need additional support or improvement as we move into the spring semester.

Prompt Response: Something that I enjoyed most about the class was analyzing poems and identifying what the different stanzas are trying to get the reader to understand about the poem. Analyzing the poem gave me a clear understanding about the poem and identify different themes about it based on its central idea. It also made it easier to answer questions on a quiz based on the poem we've read that week. Summary: In class we answered our blog post.

Many holidays center around traditions. Describe one tradition that is important to you or your family and explain why it still matters (or why it no longer does). image.png

Prompt Response: One holiday tradition that is important to my family is gathering together for a big meal. Even as schedules get busier, we still make time to sit down and eat together, talk, and laugh. This tradition matters because it gives us a chance to reconnect, strengthen our bond, and create memories that remind us how important family time is. Summary: Absent Reflection: Absent

How have the holidays changed as you have grown older? Compare your experiences of the holidays during childhood with how you experience them now, focusing on shifts in perspective, responsibilities, or emotional meaning.

Prompt Response: The holidays have changed as I grew older because when I was younger only I was receiving presents and did not have to worry about getting someone else something with my money. Now that I am older I have to worry about getting people presents on time and thinking about what others would want or what they would like to have from their wish list. The process is a lot of work because more and more people are getting out n stores to buy items for their family and most items are sold out before you are able to get to them on time. Summary: In class we worked on lesson 6 of our vocabulary. Reflection: I learn new vocabulary words

12/9/25: Post the picture of your cultural identity mask onto your blog. Write a reflection about the creation process of the mask or presenting it to the class.

Prompt Response: Summary: Everyone presented their masks to the class. Reflection: The creation process for my mask involved a lot of knowledge of things that I enjoy and wanted to do in life. I have a lot of accomplishments that I want to achieve when I get older and make enough money for me and my family so that we do not have to struggle, especially in the world we live in now.

Write about something that you can't stop thinking about.

Prompt Response: Something that I cannot stop thinking about is my future. My future is very important to me and has a big impact on the way I want to be in life and what job I want to have. It is important for me to constantly think about my future so I will have a good idea of what I would want to do in order to make money and take care of not only myself, but family as well. Summary: Today in class we chose our classes for next year.

Write about the best gift you have received.

Prompt Response: The best gift I've ever received was my first phone. Once I received the phone I was very excited. This was the moment I realized I was able to contact my friends and family alone without the use of my mom or dad's phone. As soon as I opened it, I started downloading games and different apps so I can experience what everyone else was with their phones. Although it was used for fun and games, it was also used for emergencies or alerts that are happening with my family or surroundings. My family would keep in contact with me when i'm at school or out with my friends to see if i'm okay or if they heard any news about anything suspicious around an area i'm in. Summary: In class we received our Final Exam Project and wrote our new vocabulary words. Reflection: I learned how to use new words to enhance my vocabulary.

12/3/25: In “I, Too,” the speaker expresses pride in his identity and his rightful place in America. Reflect on your own life: What aspect of your cultural identity are you most proud of, and why?

Prompt Response: I'm most proud of how my cultural identity values family and community. It has taught me to support the people around me and stay connected to my traditions. This part of who I am makes me feel grounded and reminds me where I came from. Summary: Today in class we read the poem "I, Too," analyzed it and brainstormed facts about ourselves that makes us who we are and applied it to a mask. Reflection: I learned how to dive deep into a poem and understand the symbolism in the poem.

After watching the short film Identity, write a blog post reflecting on how the masks in the film represent the pressure to fit in and the struggle to discover who you really are. Choose one moment from the film that stood out to you and explain why. Then, connect the film’s message to Langston Hughes’ poem “I, Too” and to the mask you are creating in class. What part of your identity do you want your mask to reveal?

Prompt Response: The masks in the film represent the pressure to fit in and the struggle to discover who you really are because seeing everyone with different colors on their masks indicates where they belong, like the yellow masks representing the beautiful people. A moment that stood out to me from the film was the ending when the girl takes off her mask and accepts who she really is and does not hide her identity from others. This film connects to the poem "I, Too" because both stories are based on fitting in with people who have a different opinion of perspective of you and accepting who you are and not being in the shadows of others around you. Summary: In class we watched a short film called "Identity" and connected it to our masks and the story "I, Too." Reflection: I learned how to connect two stories based on the same main idea.

In “We Real Cool,” the speakers make choices that seem exciting, bold, and rebellious, even though those choices lead to consequences. Write about a moment in your own life when you followed what looked cool or fun, only to realize afterwards that it wasn’t the smart or responsible path. What influenced your decision, and how did your perspective change later?

Prompt Response: A moment in my life when I followed what looked cool or fun was last year when I followed my friends in skipping a school event because it seemed fun and I didn't want to look uncool. At the moment it felt bold, but we ended up getting in trouble, and i realized I hadn't made a responsible choice. What influenced me was wanting to fit in, just like the speakers in "We Real Cool." Later I understood that trying to look cool isn't worth the consequences, and it's better to make choices for myself. Summary: In class we read the poem "We Real Cool", analyzed it based on a teenagers thoughts and feelings and applied it to a cluster. Reflection: I learned how to apply life experiences to a story and analyze how they affect someone's life or future.

12/1/25: Discuss something meaningful or memorable you experienced over the break, or reflect on what you felt most thankful for during that time.

Prompt Response: Over Thanksgiving break, I felt thankful for the chance to slow down and actually enjoy being around the people I care about. With school and everything else always moving fast, it felt good to have a few days where nobody was rushing anywhere. One moment that really stayed with me was sitting around after dinner, laughing about old stories and realizing how much those small, ordinary moments mean. It reminded me that even when life feels stressful, there's always something steady and comforting in the people who show up for you. Summary: Absent Reflection: Absent

11/21/25: Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks and spending time with family over a nice dinner. Write about your most unforgettable meal.

Prompt Response: My most unforgettable Thanksgiving meal was one that had nothing to do with how fancy the food was and everything to do with the feeling in the room. The turkey was slightly overcooked, the mashed potatoes were a little lumpy, and the rolls came out a bit too brown, but everyone was laughing, talking over each other, and sharing stories we'd heard a hundred times, Something about that mix of imperfect food and perfect company made the whole dinner feel warm and memorable. It reminded me that Thanksgiving isn't really about the dishes on the table, but the people gathered around it. Summary: Today in class we took an assessment on the story "The Life You Save May Be Your Own." Reflection: I learned how to answer questions on a test with the help of group members.