Book Review: Devil's Arthmetic

The Devil's Arithmetic

By Jane Yolen

Review by Miguel

This book was pretty good.  I’d rate it 7.5 out of 10 stars.  The historical part is good, but the entire time travel idea wasn’t good.  It should have been a dream or something.  

Hannah doesn’t like history, or family history (which I both love).  At every years Seder, it has been the same: boring family history and reflection.  But this year something else will change her life forever…

Would you read this book?

5B's Best Books

5B’s Best books

Blog By Migl

This is a presentation where we put our favorite books.  It’s pretty full.  I wrote about The Silmarillion, the best book on earth.  This book was written by JRR Tolkien, and edited by his son.  Pretty cool, huh?  

    Here is the link to the %B’s best books:  I probably will write another review on another book.  

What book did you write about? 

CLAYMO letters

CLAYMO Letter blog post

By Migl

For the last couple days, we have been working on letters to the future CLAYMO leaders.  Mine starts like this: “Dear Future CLAYMO leader,”.  I think my letter was awesome, and it is awesome.  

    Some people haven’t finished their CLAYMO letters.  I’m not mentioning names, but I think I know who.  But anyway, my letter is definitely the awesomest letter of all because it is.  Writing the CLAYMO letters was fun.  Mine is in this font, which is called “Comic Sans MS”.  

Is your letter awesome like mine (I mean less awesome)?

What font is your CLAYMO letter in? 

Field Day

Field Day (tomorrow, 22/5/15)

Blog by Migl

Tomorrow is our last field day (dramatic music, please).  If I could use emojis here I would, and there would be a million sad faces.  Or that (below).    

Just in case you don’t know what field day is, field day is a CLAYMO meeting when CLAYMO groups get together and play stuff at stations.  My favorite station is the water squirting station, but they are taking that station off because the field was too muddy (what they all say).  But field day is fun!

What’s your favorite station at field day? 

Reading Like a Fan

Reading like a fan

Blog by Migl

A couple of days ago, we started Reading Like a Fan, which is where everyone picks an author, and they, with their group, discuss the style of writing of that author.  I have Stuart Gibbs.  His books are usually about kids who are pretty much boring and ordinary, but find themselves in an adventure.  The other people in my group are Anette, Emma, Taayan, and I.  I’ve read Belly up, by Stuart Gibbs, and I’m reading Spy school.  Both books are good.  

    Stuart Gibbs’ books are usually around 4 stars; great, but I could enjoy them more if they were longer.  Point is, the’re good!  

Who’s your author for Reading like a Fan?

100 Word Challenge: Miguel

100WC

By Miguel (aka Migl)

One windy day, I decided to watch a soccer game on the tv.  It was my brand new tv.  My favorite team, Santa Fe, was playing against their rival, Millonarios.  At the stadium, the wind was calm.  But then the ferocious wind blew the players off the field.  Luckily, no one was hurt.  And then, the wind came to the city.  The entire city got lifted off the ground.  Luckily no one was hurt.  But unluckily, my new tv broke!!!  I decided to watch the game on my phone.  But then, the ferocious wind broke my not new phone!  NOOOOO!!!!! 

Barnes' Bucks Auction

Barnes Bucks auction

Blog by Migl

Today, we did our first Barnes Buck auction.  If you don’t know what a Barnes Buck is, a Barnes Buck is something that Mrs. Barnes gives you when you do something good.  Now, at the Barnes Buck auction, we could have spent our money to buy or auction stuff.  

I auctioned off 4 baseball cards, and Soren bought them for 7 Barnes Buck.  Aaron offered 6.  I was going to auction my Mickey Mantle card, but, I learned that it could be worth something (like, $10-$100).  I bought a yellow highlighter from Jonah.  

What did you buy/auction off?

Orchestra Performance

Orchestra Performance

Blog by Migl

Yesterday (May 19th, 2015), the Fourth graders, fifth graders, Vibravo, and Chamber, all played in one concert.  I play in Vibravo, the extracurricular middle school orchestra.  I am a 5th chair first violinist, the best elementary violinist in Vibravo.  

    Vibravo played 3 songs, Wood Splitter Fanfare (Tommy Lana, Lulu, Jai, Larry, and I are playing this for promotion.  It’s a fun piece.  The second song we played is called Concert Piece for Strings.  Yeah, they HAD to give it such a bad name.  I didn’t really like this song as much, but it was good.  The next song, Stairway to Heaven, was composed in 1971.  It’s an old rock on, and I didn’t really like it; it was alright, I guess.

Do you play any musical instrument?  If so, which one?

Math: End of Year Test

End of Year test

Blog by Migl

Couple of days ago, we took the last math test of the year.  It was pretty UNfun, but I’m glad I got over it.  This will partially affect where we are next year in math classes; advanced or not.  Compared to the first math test, this one was really challenging.  But, alone, it wasn’t as hard as I expected.  I hope middle school math will be fun!  Do you guys like math tests? 

When Presidents Lie

When Presidents Lie

By Eric Alterman

Post by Migl aka Miguel

In this book, Eric Alterman explains deeply why presidents lie, when presidents lie, how they lie, what they lie, and more.  It includes the Yalta Conference, Cuban Missile Crisis, the Gulf of Tonkin, the Iran-Contra Scandal, and Bush with the post truth presidency.  I’d rate this book 3.7 out of 5 stars.  Sometimes, the chapters got boring.  But mostly, it was great!!!  

    I would recommend reading this book in middle school, because it is pretty complicated.  But my favorite chapter was the Cuban Missile Crisis.  Well, if I went to detail with that, uh, you’d want to read it NOW!!!  

Would you read this book?  Do you like history and politics?

Copa Libertadores and la Copa America

Copa Libertadores and la Copa América

Blog by Migl

    Okay, so I’m splitting this up into 2 sections: Copa Libertadores, and la Copa America.  

    First of all, you’re probably wondering, what is the Copa Libertadores?  Well, it’s a South American soccer tournament.  One of my favorite teams, Independiente Santa Fe, a Colombian Club soccer team, has reached the quarter finals!!!  They are going to play Internacional, a club team as well.  Before I get any further into this, there is a big difference between club soccer teams and national soccer teams.  National soccer teams cannot play against club teams.  For example, Real Madrid is a Club team, and the best one.  Colombia has it’s own national team .  These 2 teams can’t play each other because they both have James Rodriguez, a Colombian soccer player.  You can play on any club team, but you may only play for one (or 2, if you have my case) national team, which is the country you are from.  Point is, this is really exciting for me!  

    Anyways,here to go to a website with all of the scores of la Copa Libertadores, and a table.  Would you follow Santa Fe (they are in the top 5 south american soccer teams!)?  

Okay, this is the second part of the post.  La Copa América, like la Copa Libertadores, is a South American soccer tournament, except this is a national team competition.  There’s 12 teams.  The Tournament starts June 11.  I’m cheering for Colombia (duh), who won in 2001.  

Will you pay attention to this tournament? 

Science: Mixtures and Solutions

Science unit Mixtures and Solutions

Post by Miguel

Today (May 20th, 2015) was officially our last learning day in the science lab.  And tomorrow, is officially our last day taking an elementary school science test (dramatic music, please).  Pretty sentimental, huh?  

Well, as you can see, this science unit is on mixtures and solutions, pretty much chemicals.  We learned about an item’s solubility, and chemical reactions.  I’d rate this unit 4 out of 5 stars.  It was fun, but could have been better.  

Did you like Mixtures and Solutions?

William Henry Harrison

Miguel's presentation on William Henry Harrison.

Book Review: Complete Book of US Presidents

The Complete Book of US Presidents

By William DeGregorio

Review by Miguel

I finally finished this book, but it was a great book.  Sadly, this isn't the complete account because this book was made before Obama became president.  I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars because sometimes the stories of the presidents got boring.  

And yes, in case yoy were wondering, this book is non-fiction.  Each account on each president goes something like this: Year they were born, childhood, education, early romance, military service, careers before the presidency, campaign, cabinet members, administration, and retirement.  At the end of each president, it has books written by that president, and praise and criticism for the president.  

Would you read this book?