because of Romek final post

1: I think the most horrific part of the book was watching his family get shot. That would probably be enough for me to kill myself. I cannot even imagine what that must have been like for David at such a young age. This is such a horrific turn of events in the story, and probably one of the most disturbing and also one that shows the horrors that he Nazis commited during the holocaust.

2:
While in the Krawinkle camp David actually gets a good job for once in a long time. David's job of feeding the dogs not only got him more food, but keeps him out of the cold weather and from getting a really harsh job like some of the other prisoners. This chapter was another example of just how brilliant David was. He came up with the idea of taking the dog's stew, but at the same time knew he couldnt take too much, or the guards would notice.

3:
David desribes bergen-belsen as one of the worst concentration camps he has faced so far. He says in the book that the floor was littered with frozen feces and urine, and the bunks were filled with bodies of the sick and dying, who were being eaten alive by flies and lice. David also desribes some of the people in the camp eating the flesh of the people who were already dead. David also contracts typhus while at bergen belsen, which nearly kills him and makes him pretty much a walking skeleton.

4:
I think David's most triumphant moment is when he survives getting sent to the gas chambers when he is sick. David's quick thinking and good instincts got him out of trouble several times in the book, and also kept him alive longer. In this instance, David remembers something someone told him once, and it got him thinking that something bad would happen if he stayed where he was at the moment, and his instinct was right, only a few minutes after he left, the rest of the sick people were taken away to be gassed.

5:
David Faber's book, Because of Romek, should be required reading in all middle schools, high schools, and universities because all students need to learn about the horrors of the Holocaust and the crimes commited during it. During David Faber's speech, he brought up a valid point of the importance of being educated in not just the holocaust, but other genocides throughout history. Mr. Faber belives that all children should be read this book, in order to present the horrors of a genocide, and also to prevent future ones from happening. David belives that if children are educated in the history of persecution, it will stop hatred and make the world a better place. Many people share Mr. Faber's veiws of the world, and i think anyone would be more than dedicated to making the world a more accepting place.

Reniassance Project reflection

Name: Wade Bruffey
Project Reflection
Project Title: Reniassance projects
Class: BD
Dates: 6/4/08

[ PURPOSE ]
In this project we were supposed to learn about the time period known as the reniassance and the ideas that shaped the way we lived today. We chose a person to study and then found out more in depth information about their life's achievements. This helped us get a better idea of how the reniassance worked and how it influenced the modern age.

[ WHAT I LEARNED ]I learned a lot about the reniassance in general, but even more about a man that was a huge influence in the reniassance. This man was Filippo Brunelleschi, an Italian architecht who built perhaps the most famous and most extravagant chapel in all of reniassance history. This chapel was the Santa Maria del Fiore, and Brunelleschi was put in charge of the most important and most difficult part of this church. This part was the dome, a gigantic dome so large it took nearly all of Brunelleschi's life to complete. Before we learned about an important reniassance figure, we had to learn about the reniassance itself. the most important thing we learned were the ideas behind the reniassance, the i deas of humanisim. studing humanisim meant a belief in human potential, and the hope that every human could achieve great things.

[ REFLECTION ]I really liked this project because we got to study an important figure in history that helped shape the way we live today. I also liked this project because it was kind of small, but it still taught us a lot and in a short, manageable time slot of around three weeks. If i could do this project again i dont think i would change anything, the person i chose was easy to find information on, and i felt like i finished the biography well before it was due so i had plenty of time to edit and fix things.

[ ARTIFACTS ]i could put a copy of my bio on the dp

Romek post 3

1) I think David Faber's speech was beyond words. He was so moving and he spoke with a passion like i have never seen. His dedication to the promise he made to his mother has kept him going even today. During the speech he would get so emotional, and I have the utmost respect for a man that has endured so much, and can keep a straight face while talking about it and not break down.

2) I think that Romek is proud of David because he was growing up and romek was proud of his brother's independence. David helped his country and Romek knows the feeling from being in the polish army and serving his country. David also his younger brother and i know that feeling of pride when your younger sibling accomplishes something important.

3) I think the main reason is that he is young. They also knew that he would suffer more if he did live after beating him so they probably didnt want to shoot him. The nazis are so horrible to kill his brother i wouldhave wanted to be killed if i saw that.

Romek Post #2

1: well for one, based on the pidgeons not showing up one day and David's mopther's instinct, they avoided being shot, and lived longer. I think David's white pidgeon was sort of a symbol that was like a dove, like a sign that god was with his family, and the pidgeon was a symbol representing hope. The pidgeon also was a source of joy in a time of dispair for David, and at least i know i would have enjoyed having a pet.

2: As much as the exact opposite of a vacation the camp actually was, i think it referred to being one of the camps with better conditions, and it was probably eaiser there than at the other camps. Considering that his job at the camp was to chop trees, it was nothing compared to later experiences in the book with the other concentration camps he is sent to. it way have also been because there were less guards and fewer punishments in the vacation camp.

3:

How has the experience of being in a concentration camp for so many years affected the way you see yourself and your loved ones?

How has your experience during the Holocaust affected your view of human nature?

Romek post #1

1) When I did the Family History project, the relative I chose, My grandmother, talked about the German-Austrian "Anchluss" the annex or joining of the two countries.  When we discussed and read the passage about it, i noticed a lot of similarities and differences between the story in the book and the story from my grandma. The story David talked about was very similar, when he said the austrians welcomed the  Germans with open arms, that was true. But from i Grandmother, i learned that the Austrians really had no choice, and that they had no military to defend their country and they welcomed the germans to defend their country and get them our of their recession. 

2)

A)) David's family is incredible. David is a brave boy, despite such young years. He is also brilliant, and comes up with many ways to keep himself alive. Romek is very funny, but he seems sometimes serious, and if he were to get in trouble, he would be able to come up with something to get out. David's dad is also a good person, he cares so much about his family, same goes for his mom. Unfortunately, not much has been said for his sisters at this point in the book so i cant really tell what theyre like but them seem like good people. 

B)) I think the first reason is that in this part of the book he is still young so he could remember more. and secondly it could be because the conditions he's living in are still good.  Later in the book since David gets  put in a concentration camp, he may lose some of his memory because he is being starved and worked really hard.

3) David is a brave and resourceful boy. He has a strong sense of whats's right, because he made the decision to save his father even though it was dangerous and probably stupid.  In the book, in the scene where he is rescuing his father, his spur of the moment thinking helps him come up with a plan to get his father onto the roof so they can escape the nazis. This is smart because it was the only thing that would work. If they tried to run, they would have sure been shot.

 

project reflection AZTEC

Name: Wade Bruffey
Project Reflection
Project Title: Aztec Mural Project
Class: BD
Dates: 5/5/08

[ PURPOSE ]
The purpose of this project was to learn about Aztec history and representations of their lives through murals. We visited Chicano Park to see murals painted by professional artists, and then used their ideas to create our own orginal murals. We learned about aztec culture through the murals that we created and by doing the artist's statement.

[ WHAT I LEARNED ]
I learned not just about Aztec culture, but also about the murals that we created. I learned about how Aztec gods related to the way the Aztecs lived. The Aztecs belived that every event that happened on earth was pre determined by the gods. since they belived in this, then crime was not punished by jail, they were punished by a dicipline in relation to their action. so if a person stole, then they were required to repay the person they stole from three times worth what they stole.

[ REFLECTION ]
I really liked this project because we got to design and paint a mural that related to an interesting topic. I think i learned a lot about the Aztecs in a fun way and i really liked that about this project. The project kept me really busy all through it. I dont think i would change anything about this project if i re did it either, I also think my group was really good even though it was all guys.

[ ARTIFACTS ]
i could take pictures of the mural and put them on my DP

Final group rdg post

TITLE: Nothing but The Truth

AUTHOR: AVI

PAGES READ: 90

TOTAL PAGES: 210

1: 

First of all, I find that this story completely relates to modern media exaggerations. I am a HUGE fan of comedy shows (The Colbert Report) where they talk about the blunders of the president and such, but sometimes, no matter how hard im laughing, i cant help but feel a little sorry for people who screwed up and people poke fun at them for it, even if they deserve it. I think Ms. Narwin feels like this because people only got Phillip's side of the story, and now the majority of America is against her. I cant imagine having random people sending you letters telling you that youre a complete screwup and that you are un-American and should "find a better profession for your lack of ability" .  I was suprised at the ending because  eventually the whole school turned on him and his parents got so worried they sent him off to that private school. 

2:

i think the author could have made the book better by improving the ending. It seemed to me like at the end Phillip kind of ran away from the problems he had caused, and he never even once stood up for Ms Narwin. Even though he knew horrible things were happening to her, he still never stood up for her even though he was on her side. also, i think that the superintendent could have taken even greater measures to protect Ms. Narwin from the newspaper and media. i understand why Philip didnt like ms Narwin now, and its because he felt opressed and like she wasnt letting him have any freedom.  He and his parents let the situation out of control and it was apparent this would happen right from the start. 

3:

If you were the author, how would you change the end of the book?