No matter who you are, at some point in your life you will experience the feeling of loss. Both Ray Bradbury in his novel “Fahrenheit 451” and Kesha in her song “Praying” illustrate this feeling through their descriptive words and sentences. In “Fahrenheit 451,” Montag has to learn how to control his emotions after experiencing many deaths, and also which he gets a divorce. Similarly in “Praying,” the speaker is having a hard time controlling her breakup. In both texts, it shows how losing someone and make people stronger.

A common theme in both texts is that losing someone important to you can lead you to becoming stronger. In “Fahrenheit 451,” Guy Montag has to deal with many deaths, and his divorce, which inspires him to believe in his passion for books even more. The speaker in “Praying” states that “…you brought me the flames and you put me through hell,” which shows that he was abusive and that their relationship was toxic. Later in the song, she states that, “Well, you were wrong and now the best is yet to come/ ‘Cause I can make it on my own/ And I don’t need you, I found a strength I’ve never know.” These quotes show that even though she endured pain caused by him, she is now healing and beginning to forgive him for what he has done to her. In both texts, the characters were affected by negative relationships and now are becoming stronger after forgiving them.

Although both texts contain multiple similarities, there are also differences being shown in the theme of both books. In “Fahrenheit 451,” Bradbury shows what the consequences of your own actions are. As a result of reading and owning books, Guy became a fugitive and had to spend time with a group that was running away from the government at this time. This also led to him getting a divorce, and losing many friends, along with his job. In contrast, in “Praying,” Kesha shows us the way we can use others harmful actions and create good for ourselves/others. The speaker proudly states throughout this song that this abusive relationship has given her strength. In one line it states that, “I can thank you for how strong I have become” This shows that even after this relationship, she became stronger and used it for good.

In both “Fahrenheit 451” and “Praying,” Ray Bradbury and Kesha describe the importance of becoming stronger after a painful loss. After studying both the novel and the song, readers could conclude that each individual person will handle circumstances differently. YOu could end up doing bad and earning consequences or create good for yourself and others around you.

Ray Bradbury’s dystopian story, “Fahrenheit 451,” takes place in a futuristic city where books have become illegal. While walking home one night, Guy Montag meets his new seventeen year old neighbor, named Clarisse. She begins to tell him about the past, where people would read books and firemen put out fires rather than starting them. Although at first, he doesn’t believe her, later in the book he begins to question his morals and ends up reading books. One lesson this story suggests is that it’s okay to question the rules and dig deeper.

From the very beginning of the book, the description and details show that Guy wants to question what he has always known. Even though he doesn’t quite understand at first, later on in the book he begins to read and understand what Clarisse is telling him. As he states the official slogan, “Monday Burn MIllay, Wednesday Whitman, Friday Faulkner, Burn ’em to ashes,” the author creates a tone to show his pride.  Later on in this chapter, he begins to take less pride in his words. One example of this is when he was feeling ill after the firefighters accidently burned a woman. He asks Mildred, his wife, “…how would it be if, well, maybe I quit my job awhile?” This shows how his pride that was created through his work is changing, while he begins to question his original morals.

In the middle of the book, the author describes how Guy is actually questioning the expectations and beginning to rebel against the government/laws. This chapter is titled “Sieve and the Sand,” which is an example of symbolism. A “Sieve” represents the human mind, which “Sand” represents truth and knowledge within. This piece of symbolism represents the way the human mind works and the knowledge you gain throughout life. It also talks later in this chapter about how he can be seen carrying books in his house and near his friends. On page 77, it states that, ” He looked at the book under Montag’s arm…” It also states on this same page that he was “seated with the book on his lap.” This shows how he is beginning to care less about the laws around town.

Towards the end of the book, he become a fugitive and has to run from the government. In this chapter, it talks about after him getting caught, he has to burn down his own house. On page 109, it states “…your house, your clean up…” This means that due to the fact that this is his crime, he needs to burn his own house. At the end of the book, around page 152, the group he is staying with, other fugitives get caught and it states that someone said “Get out, run!” This shows they were in trouble and desperate to get away.

Throughout this story, it can be said that Guy is just a criminal. While this is a good point, it fails to account for his actions leading up to becoming a fugitive. The things he learns and does were taught to him in recent years, he was not born knowing these ideals. This shows that due to his new ideals, he became a criminal. The reoccurring theme throughout this story is that, it’s okay to question the rules and dig deeper.

Fahrenheit 451 is a novel  that is set in a future time period where reading books is illegal. At the beginning of this book, Guy Montag is leaving the fire station and walking down the empty street. In the book, on page 2, it states that “He walked out of the fire station and along the midnight street…” The books setting is different from where I live due to the fact that here we are allowed to read and the government isn’t preventing us from doing so. It also sta tes on page 4 that Guy said “That’s against the law.”

Guy Montag the main character is a fireman, and has been for 10 years. As a fireman, his job is to burn books, due to the fact that they are illegal. When he meets his new 17 year old neighbor Clarisse, she tells him about how in the past fireman would put out fires, rather than starting them. Even though at first he refuses to believe her and says that firemen are only there to burn books, later on in the story while burning books he takes one to read. This character is similar to me because he is curious about the past and the books now that Clarisse has told him about them.

Picture this you are sitting in a class room with a book in front of you which has ISTEP+ in bold print on the front along with a spot for your name, spelled out letter by letter. Your teachers have been referring to the type of requirements that would be on this test all school year, and now it is finally time to take this final test. As your teacher finishes reading the book filled with rules for this test you have taken many times, he writes the time the test will be complete on the chalk board and the test begins.

 

42 out of 50 states use Common Core Standards Initiative for both Language and Math. The only states of which are not included in this is Minnesota, which only has adopted the Language Common Core Standards. Indiana, Oklahoma, and South Carolina of which originally adopted these standards but has since replaced them, and Texas, Alabama, Virginia, and Nebraska of which have never had any of these standards.

 

In Indiana, the statewide test is known as ISTEP+, which stands for Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress-Plus. According to the Indiana Department of Education, this test helps “measure student achievement in the subject areas of English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science (Grades 4, 6 and 10), and Social Studies (Grades 5 and 7).” ISTEP+ is taken as two assessments, an open-ended and multiple choice, which is typically on the computer. “Both…are required components of the ISTEP+ program and are used to measure student mastery of the Indiana Academic Standards.”

 

Many people believe that every year more kids fail due to the standards changing each year. According to the Indiana Department of Education, studies show that since the 2014-2015 school year passing rates have gone down in Indiana, most school districts, and multiple individual schools.  In Indiana, the average passing rate for Language Arts in the past three school years for grades 3 through 8 were about 66.2%. In Fort Wayne Community the average passing rate was 56.8%, and for Blackhawk Middle School the average was about 65.6%. The average passing rate for the math ISTEP of which grades 3 through 8 take was 66.2% in the past three years for the state of Indiana. In Fort Wayne Community Schools the rate was around 48.46%, while the rate for Blackhawk Middle School is around 58.7%.

 

Science ISTEP+ is only required to be taken by fourth and sixth graders, while Social Studies is only required to be taken by  fifth and seventh graders. The average passing rates in Indiana for Science ISTEP are around 65.76%, while in the Fort Wayne Community Schools district the average is about 53%. Blackhawk Middle Schools average for the specific test in the past three years is 67.7%. For Social Studies ISTEP+ in Indiana the past two years, the average score is 67.95%, and the score for FWCS is 52.3% At Blackhawk Middle School, the score is about 64.2%.

 

In order to get at least a passing score on ISTEP+, you are required to earn between a 400 and 550, which many kids are not reaching causing the average passing rates to decline.. Each subject has a different minimum, maximum, pass and pass+ score. This is due to the fact that each test has different requirements and each one has a different amount of problems according to the Indiana Department Of Education. Although due to the fact that ISTEP is involved in the No Child Left Behind program, kids are not required to pass this test, nor retake it if you fail, in order to move up grade levels.

 

This information proves that kids are not learning anything from ISTEP, if anything it just adds to the stress many kids and teenagers already have. According to Dr. Wilens at the University of Wisconsin-Madison states that “…being anxious or stressed drags focus down even further.” Another thing that causes the lack of focus during ISTEP is the lack of sleep many students can get due to stress. Dr. Wilens also stated that “By getting an adequate rest…you should get your focus back.”

 

Based off of all these facts and information, do you think ISTEP is necessary? Should we have it once, twice, or not at all throughout the school year? If you believe ISTEP is not needed, you can tell your local school districts and others about it, to make people more aware of this test.

Picture this you are sitting in a class room with a book in front of you which has ISTEP+ in bold print on the front along with a spot for your name, spelled out letter by letter. Your teachers have been referring to the type of requirements that would be on this test all school year, and now it is finally time to take this final test. As your teacher finishes reading the book filled with rules for this test you have taken many times, he writes the time the test will be complete on the chalk board and the test begins.

 

42 out of 50 states use Common Core Standards Initiative for both Language and Math. The only states this doesn’t include is Minnesota, which only has adopted the Language Common Core Standards. Indiana, Oklahoma, and South Carolina of which originally adopted these standards but has since replaced them, and Texas, Alabama, Virginia, and Nebraska of which have never had any of these standards.

 

Many people believe that every year more kids fail due to the standards changing each year. Studies show that since the 2014-2015 school year passing rates have gone down in each subject.  In Indiana, the average passing rate for Language Arts in the past three school years was about 66.2%. In Fort Wayne Community the average passing rate was 56.8%, and for Blackhawk Middle School the average was about 65.6%.

 

Friday, August 25th, 2017 was the first home football game for Snider High School this year, it was also the day Snider’s marching band has been preparing for for many months. Although they were nervous to perform for the first time, they were also excited to see the audiences reactions to their show. As the time reached 5 o’clock, students were showing up in their summer band uniforms, ready to perform. At 5:30, the semi-trailer was loaded with equipment and the bus seats were filled with band kids. Once bus attendance was taken by the seniors, the buses began to drive to Spuller.

As the buses arrived and unloaded, students began making their way to the stadium and setting down their belongings near their seats. They then, headed back out of the stadium to wait for the semi, where their flags, and instruments were being stored. By the time everyone got their equipment, Mr.Klee, their instructor announced that they needed to head to the end field to warm-up before the pre-game show, which was planned to begin at 6:45.

As the time neared 6:45, the band and color-guard began getting in their form to march out for pre-game. They began to march on to the field and get into positions for pre-game. The band began by playing Manhattan, then the Star Spangled Banner, then Carroll and their own school song. They then marched back off of the field,placed their equipment in the necessary spots and then sat in their correct spots to watch the game and prepare for their half-time performance.

As half-time neared, the band walked out of the stands in order to warm-up once again. As the 2nd quarter ended, the band and color-guard lined up to get ready for opening set. As the marched out you could see the visual they were trying to give. Mr. Klee told the band prior to this that they were only to perform up until the ballad and then to march off the field. They then, performed their show up until the ballad and the crowd then cheered loudly. As the band marched off the field, they felt a sense of relief but nervousness about how Mr. Klee would react. He led them to the end field and told them about how proud he was of them.

This made many of the students proud and happy with their performance. This also meant their first ever performance was complete but they still know there is a long way to go before the show is the best it could be.

The last book that I read was Lemony Snicket’s The Bad Beginning which is the first book in The Series of Unfortunate Events series. What I liked about this book is that due to the detailed descriptions, you can imagine being in the same place as the characters. The book i choose from the library is One Came Home by Amy Timberlake. I choose this book because the summary on the inside of the book is a cliffhanger that made me want to read more. I think it is going to be about how Georgie’s older  sister ran away. A couple weeks later, the sheriff thinks he found her body but Georgie refuses to believe that Agatha is  dead. Now Georgie is remembering all the memories she had with her sister and trying to decide where she could of ran away to.

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