social studies

1) How does religion influence the people of your civilization? 

- A way the religion influences the people of my civilization is the citizens know that if they follow the rules of the religion then the ruler or leader of the religion, like for example, God, will eventually grant you something good or you will go to Heaven.  It's these kinds of things that make people want to follow or study a religion more.

nts chapter 14 discussion

1) Describe Annemarie and Ellen’s relationship.

2) Think about the relationship you have with one of your best friends. Compare your friendship to Annemarie & Ellen’s friendship. How are your friendships similar? How are they different?

3) In chap. 3 Annemarie is asked whether she is willing to risk her life for her best friend. Would you be willing to die for your best friend? Explain

1)Annemarie and Ellen's relationship is super close.  They are best friends. 

2)A way my relationship with my best friend are like Annemarie and Ellen's relationship is we do almost everything together.  A way we are different from Annemarie and Ellen is we don't live in Denmark like them and we have the same colored hair, unlike Annemarie has blonde hair and Ellen has brown hair. 

3)The last question is a bit hard.  I am actually nit quite sure if I would die for my best friend?  I guess I would die for my best friend.   Actually, yes, yes I would.  Especially if it is this type of a situation.

NTS chapter & discussion

Identify at least one example for each of the four types of figurative language we have studied in class. (Simile, Metaphor, Hyperbole, and Personification) Write the example, be sure to include the page number where you found it, and then explain in your own words what the author was trying to convey.

My first figurative language example is a metaphor.  "The God of Thunder made a very small rain shower in the corner of the kitchen floor." (pg. 70) The author is using a metaphor  to compare Thor's (Kirsti's cat) pee to a rain shower. He compared something wet that is descriptive to the pee.  Another figurative language example is a personification.  "...pictured a mound of frightened butter under military arrest." (pg.69) The author is using a personification to describe all the butter that has been taken and given to all the soldiers.  Another figurative language example that I have is a simile.  "...the one who looks like a silly giraffe." (pg.9) In this example of figurative language the author describing what a person looks like by comparing to something similar.  My last figurative language example is called a hyperbole.  "Annemarie's heart sank and she looked at her mother."  (pg.55)  I think the author is using hyperbole to really describe what Annemarie was feeling.

NTS chapter and discussion

Point of View: From who's point of view is this story being told? How do you know?

Setting: Where is the story taking place? During what time period? What does the place look like? Explain the circumstance sin which the people are living.



#1 The story is being told by the author.  I know this because in the story there are the words like, he, she, him, her, herself, himself.  This is called, 3rd person: Omniscient.  I know this because the text says," She nodded at the soldier." (pg.4 Chap.1)  " And she new what resistance meant." (pg.9 Chap.1)  " He ginned, kissed her cheek, and ruffled her long hair." That is my 3 pieces of evidence to support my answer.  

#2 The story takes place in Denmark.  The time period that the story takes place in is 1943, when World War ll is going on.  The place looks very "watched".  When I say watched I mean there are German soldiers on every single street, watching every single person pass by.  The type of life these people are living in is very horrible.  The Government is taking citizens sugar, butter, and many more life needed supplies from the people of Denmark. 

NTS Test Blog

This is a test blog to practice linking a specific blog entry to a wikispace page.

ch.17-18 discussion & questions

1. Why does Tomi risk going to Sand Island? What thoughts and feelings was he experiencing while going there? (Support your answers with details from the text.)


2. How did Tomi feel seeing his father in a concentration camp? What thoughts were running through his mind?
(Support your answers with details from the text.)


3. Put yourself in Tomi's shoes. How would you react if a member of your family were put in a concentration camp? (Elaborate on your answer.)


Tomi feels nervous about going to Sand Island.  I say this because the text says,"I could see their eyes staring at me even though they were staring straight ahead."  I used this piece of evidence because it shows that so many different emotions are going through Tomi's mind.  Also, he is getting very parinoid ever since what happened to his father.



When Tomi saw his father at concentration camp, Tomi felt scared. I say this because the text says,"I wanted to call out to him. ...But Grampa's words screamed through me: shoot you, shoot you, shoot you."  I used this piece of evidence because it shows that even though Tomi was very excited to finally see his dad, he was still worried one of the guards would get the wrong idea. 



If one of my very close family members were put into a concentration camp for doing nothing, I would feel devistated.  I would feel devistated because if I can't be with someone that I'm with and see everyday and one day they're just gone, I would be pretty upset.  Also, because it's not fun for some stranger to take away someone you love.

ch.15 discussion and questions

What do you think Grandpa Joji did with the Katana? Why did he do it? How do you think he is feeling?


I think Grandpa Joji buried the Katana.  I think Grandpa Joji did this because he feels betrayed by his own country.  I say this because the text says,"My country,"...they...they..."  Grandpa turned away, pain carved in his face."  I used this piece of evidence because I think it shows Grandpa is very, very upset that his own country caused all this death, damage, and heartache.  I also think he's mad because they took his own son away from him.

ch.16 discussion questions

In this chapter, Tomi lies about what he got for Christmas. Why do you think he lied? Discuss a time when you might have felt like Tomi did, and lied about something.


Maybe, Tomi lied to Billy about what he got for Christmas because even though Billy knows Tomi is poor, I don't think he wants to show that he is poor.  I say this because the text says,"We had to forget about Christmas, Mama said.  We had to save our money."  I used this piece of evidence because it says that they had to save whatever money they had for things they needed.  A time when I lied about something like how Tomi did was when everyone in my class had a cellphone and I didn't. My parents couldn't afford to buy me one.  So, everyday I lied and said things like," oh, I left it at home, or," oh, it's charging."  I just wanted to feel like I could fit in.  

ch. 10 discussion and questions

1) The war is now in Hawaii. How do Tomi and his family feel. Answer in paragraph format. Your paragraph should include a statement (answer) supported by 3 reasons. A direct quote should be provided for each reason. Below is the rubric that will be used to grade your response.



Tomi and his family feel scared because the war is with Japan and the Nakaji family is Japanese.  I say this because the text says,"I found Kimi in mamas closet."  This piece of evidence shows, that Tomi's sister, Kimi is very, very scared of all the loud noises of bombs, guns, and explosions.  I also say this because the text says,"I saw mama crying.  Tears rolled down her cheeks in thin wet lines."  This piece of evidence shows, that even mama is completely terrified about the war being against Japan.  And lastly I know this because the text says,"  We got a report that somewhere around this area was signaling the Jap fighter."  This shows that Grandpa Joji waving his Japanese flag around could put the Nakaji family in a lot of danger.  Overall,  Tomi and his family feel very afraid because the war is Japan against Hawaii, and Tomi's family is Japanese.

Chap. 8 Discussion Questions

1) How was Mr. Wilson feeling when he spoke to Tomi? Why was he feeling this way?

2) Did Grandpa Joji care about Lucky's puppies? How do you know? What does this say about Grandpa Joji?

3) In Chap. 8, we discovered that the US Destroyer is sunk by a torpedo off Iceland. How does this event have an effect of Hawaii and the Japanese people living in Hawaii?

4) Why do you think G. Salisbury entitled this chapter "Thunder on the Moon"?


1) Mr. Wilson was feeling very grouchy and upset. He was feeling this way because Tomi’s grandfather put up the Japanese flag. I know this because the text says,” You tell your father I don’t want to see anymore of that Jap crap around my place…you understand? This shows Mr. Wilson also has a problem with Japanese people and things.
Can you think of something that may have happened more recently in the book that may have made Mr. Wilson even angrier? (Look in chap. 8)

2) Grandpa feels for the pups. He has a soft side for babies. I know this because the text says,” He wasn’t very interested in animals as pets, but he was kind of soft on babies.” This shows grandpa can be tough on animals as pets, but tiny babies (puppies) were okay with him. 

3) It has an effect on the people living in Japan and Hawaii because the ship that sunk was an American ship. I know because the text says,” I hadn’t realized it was an American ship.” This shows it has an effect because the people on the ship that was sunk could have had people they knew that were killed on the ship. Or maybe now we have less people to fight for our country.

4) I think G. Salisbury titled chapter 3,” Thunder on the Moon,” because it says,” Far away in the hills on the west end of the island, red flashes flickered in the sky, followed seconds later by rumbling sounds, like thunder on the moon.” This shows the sounds they were hearing must have been loud because he described it like thunder on the moon.
What was making those sounds?

Overall grade MP. Respond to the questions in a different color if you want to try and raise your grade.