This is Just to say

I have ran

I have fought

In the woods of America

And which you were probably thinking

That this is but a task

I’m doing it for my survival

Don’t think that it is easy

Cause you aren’t me who runs all day

But this is me and it’s what I do

So back off before I kill you

Samuel is the main character in the story. In this poem it describes how he is currently in the woods and gathers a militia together and fights the British army. The tone of this poem is mellow, mischievous, and secretive. The audience is King George, and this relates to the book because he is alone in the woods trying to get his parents back and him and his militia defeat the British army and defeat King George.

Don’t Mess With the Best

I am so brave

I am so strong

Although I am little

I mean you no harm

I just want my parents

Then I’ll be gone

After I kill you

And battle till dawn

You may not like me

But that’s okay

I’ll kick your butt

Any day

Your army men

Will soon be mine

As I defeat you

In the blink of an eye

Now let this be a lesson

To all that might fear

You cannot beat

What you can’t even hear

Your days are done

You can’t compete

You’ll always remember

How it feels to be beat

I won the round

You fell to the ground

I will not try

But I will make you cry

Now that you know

How things might go

If you pick a fight

You better be right

Cause those you battle

You might not like

They’ll throw you down

With all their might

The Boy in the Woods

Authors note: the author's purpose for writing this is to describe the setting of a character and to show what he is like.

Have you ever thought about what it would be to live with a family where all you do is hunt for your family and live practically independently? Would you be able to live life like that? In the book “Woods Runner”, 13 year old boy Samuel spends his days in the forest, hunting for food for his family. He has long blonde hair that is as sleek as a tigers mane, he has blue eyes as dark and gleaming as the sea, his voice whistles in the wind as he speaks, and he is as tough as an ox. He has grown up on the frontier of a British colony, America. Samuel is not one to get scared easy, but when it comes to life or death, he grows stiff, as if he was frozen in a time capsule and couldn't move. Far from any town, or news of the war against the King that American patriots have begun near Boston. But the war comes to them. Although Samuel lives during war, he has many survival tactics, and must learn to live on his own after his parents were kidnapped.

Suddenly, on a cool windy night, British soldiers and Iroquois attack. Samuel’s parents are taken away as prisoners. Samuel follows, hiding, moving silently, determined to find a way to rescue them. Each day he confronts the enemy, and the tragedy and horror of this war. But he also discovers allies, men and women working secretly for the patriot cause. And he learns that he must go deep into enemy territory to find his parents: all the way to the British headquarters, New York City. Samuel soon finds out that being in a war is not like playing what some call it, “war” with friends, he figures out that this is the real deal. Samuel must beat the British to win the war. Samuel is not one to give up, he fights with all his might as if he was a mother bear protecting her cubs.

Solar Flares

Authors note: The author’s purpose for writing this piece is to describe the events that may happen and that did happen and what the effects theses events may cause for us.

Have you ever thought of how life would be without electronics? Do you think you could last through it easily, or would it be nearly impossible for you? Well this is completely possible because if the sun let off a solar flare, we could lose our electricity. A solar flare, known as a solar prominence is a large, bright feature extended outwards from the sun’s surface.  Prominences are anchored to the Sun’s surface in the photosphere, and extend outwards into the Sun’s hot outer atmosphere, called the corona, NASA reported. Just recently we had a solar flare that just missed the Earth. It was big, very big. Although life may be difficult without electronics, it is very likely for this to happen one day and we must be prepared.

Recently, the sun has let off some heat this week in the form of an unusually strong class solar flares that blazed from the suns surface letting off a giant ball of solar material fly right past Earth. It started on Sept 6 when an M-Class flare erupted, followed by another on Tuesday, which came as a X2.1 class solar flare almost 4 times as strong as the first one. Another flare was unleashed at the same time reaching its peak strength eight minutes later. The flares are classified according to how powerful they are, as A, B, C, M or X, with X being the most powerful. The latest flare SDO detected was an X-class flare. If this solar flare had hit Earth, near all of our electronics could have been wiped out do to this catastrophe.

            According to NASA, there was a coronal mass ejection associated with all three flares, but none of them are expected to travel directly to earth. However, NASA computer models suggest that the latest Coral Mass Ejection may give a destructive blow to Earth eventually and may create some sort of aurora. The flares are seen first, as the light and radiation take only eight minutes to get to Earth. The Coral Mass Ejection moves slower and takes days to reach Earth, just like the way that thunder follows lightning. Lately, we have been having tons of solar activity.

The powerful blazes are a part of a larger pattern as solar activity has been more active over the past few months and as the sun is transitioning to a busier cycle. In 2013 scientists expect more solar activity in the next three to five years. The largest recent solar flare that hit the Earth was in December 2006, which measured X9 on the solar flare scale. A solar flare, known as a solar prominence is a large, bright ray that is produced outwards from the sun’s surface.  Prominences are anchored to the Sun’s surface in the photosphere, and extend outwards into the Sun’s hot outer atmosphere, called the corona, recalls NASA. These flares aren’t to common but lately they have been growing greatly in reoccurrence.

Lately, a magnetic disturbance passed around the Arctic Circle during the waning hours of March 1st, creating bright auroras. "The show was stunning and amazing," says Thomas Albin, who sends this picture from Esrange, Sweden. He quotes, "There were three different colors visible and the dynamics of the lights were incredible!" These solar flares have been happen periodically more often in the past couple of months. Luckily, none of them have had the power to wipe out most corresponding satellites. Although, many large solar flares have just slightly missed the Earth saving us from huge disruptions and interruptions with everyday life, they could’ve shut down all our power judging by the size of the flare.

As you can see, this describes what and how solar flares happen. If we were to be hit by a massive solar flare, many of our satellites would be wiped out and life would be difficult for us. Maybe not all of our electricity would be gone, but the majority of it would be wiped out. Many people’s lives rely on electronics and without them there could be major disturbances with Earth. Life would be difficult for everyone and we would have to find ways to live without electricity. Although life may be difficult without electronics, it is very likely for this to happen one day and we must be prepared.

Ember Vs. Earth

Authors note: The author’s purpose is to show the main differences and similarities between Ember and Earth.

Have you ever wanted to explore a different place or something known as a new world? Have you ever wondered how life may be if you had to leave all your valuables and belongings behind? In the book “The City of Ember” Doon and Lina live in a small underground city with little supplies and lack of education. People were deported down here because of a war that was about to occur so that mankind wouldn’t be extinct. They have no idea theres another place besides Ember until Lina finds this note with instructions on how to evacuate the city. Although Ember might not be advanced technologically and have everything we do as of now, it still has people like we do, but lack of education, supplies, and utilities.

Although Ember has supplies in it, but it doesn’t have all the things you would need to acquire for an everyday life. Also, Ember doesn’t have all these high-en quality things like Earth does, they have very little resources and buildings and other sorts of resources. Ember is a small place unlike Earth, but it does have resources, just not as much. The town has very little color to it. It’s more of darker boring shades rather than fun colorful colors like Earth. There isn’t much activity in Ember and there is very little crime, but it’s much different in Earth because the habitat is so much bigger.

On the other hand, Ember lacks in education and many other common sense qualifications. In the story “The City of Ember” Doons father tells him, “The main thing is, pay attention. Pay close attention to everything, everything you see. Notice what no one else notices, and you'll know what no one else knows. What you get is what you get. What you do with what you get, that's more the point.” This means that maybe if Doon pays more attention to his surroundings, he might expand his knowledge in education and find a way to save Ember. If he had done this he might have found a solution to the pipes being in awful quality, or maybe even fix the generator.

Also, Ember and Earth do have their similarities with each other. Ember and Earth both still have people and everyone speaks the same languages. Ember still can have natural activities in it. Ember has a river flowing through the city and Earth has many rivers and natural activity in it also. Ember and Earth both have schools and mayors. Both of which get an education and keep the city under control. Ember has patrol and laws, as does Earth. These laws are enforced very much in Ember as well as they are in Earth. Ember has water supply and electricity in it just like Earth does. Every little thing matters in Ember and in Earth.

As you can see, this is how Ember relates to Earth as it is today. Without many things we have today, life would be very complicated just like it is in Ember. If we didn’t have all the things we have on Earth today, think of how life would be. It would be dull, boring, and completely different. I can’t even imagine living in Ember. Without all the technology we have today, life would be so different and it would be chaotic. Doon, Lina, and the rest of the people in Ember have it pretty hard. There isn’t much activity in Ember and there is very little crime, but it’s much different in Earth because the habitat is so much bigger.

Voices from another World

Authors note: The author’s purpose for writing this is to show you an extended scene from the book “The City of Ember” after Lina’s grandmother had past on.

Have you ever thought about what might have happened between scenes? In the story “The City of Ember” Lina’s grandmother past away after a dreadful night. Lina and her baby sister Poppy were left without any family, no one, just each other. Lina soon realizes what she must do in order to saver herself, Doon, Poppy, and the other citizens of Ember; she must unscramble the secret note with the instructions on how to escape Ember. If these instructions hadn’t been found, well that just might have been the end of mankind. Although Ember is a satisfactory living area, it’s time to leave the city and go back to Earth, the place where the people before them had come.

That night that I had fallen into a deep slumber, I heard a voice from yonder, from a great distance away. It sounded like someone trying to contact me. If so, it must’ve been important. The voice was vague and scratchy. I couldn’t quite make out the words. As the time past while I was in this extraordinary exquisite world, I could hear this voice getting clearer, and clearer, and clearer, until suddenly, I could hear what this voice was saying. It sounded like granny trying to contact me, but how? Was this even possible? No, it couldn’t be, there’s no way, granny is dead and this is just a dream, so it mustn’t be real.

All of a sudden, the voice calling out to me was telling me to leave Ember, to find the way out of the city before the lights went out forever leading them to eternal darkness. I responded to this drastically odd voice saying, “Who are you?” “Why are you telling me to leave Ember?” There was a delayed reply from this mysterious voice calling out to me saying that I must leave now before horrible things occur. I started to see a weird figure appearing before my eyes. The figures image grew stronger until almost perfectly visible by me. I knew who this was; it was my grandmother without a doubt. I focused in on what she had been saying. The voice was clearer than a window that had just been washed.

Suddenly, the voice spoke and said, “Lina, figure out the secret message quickly, it will show you how to get out of Ember!” I listened to what my grandmother had said and followed her instructions very precisely and did as she said. I decided to make a plan, but I had to do this when the time was just right. Since the instructions had something to do with the pipe works, I would ask Doon Harrow for his assistance and to come with me and Poppy on our voyage to leaving Ember. We must act quickly though, before someone gets on our case. I shall now run to Doon and inform him about my plan as soon as I’ve fully figured out what is going to happen.

As you can see, this clearly creates a well fitting scene in the book the City of Ember. Lina had heard this voice for a reason and must use it to her ability. The voice she had heard of her granny was the key to escaping Ember, Lina knew how to get out and how to flee the city, but she would need help from Doon. If Lina hadn’t figured the instructions out as soon as she had, I don’t think she would’ve escaped Ember soon enough before the whole city’s power had gone out. Although Ember is a satisfactory living area, it’s time to leave the city and go back to Earth, the place where the people before them had come.

The Significance of Ember and its People

Authors Note: the author’s purpose is to show you how the character Doon can relate to the phenomenal quote in the book “The City of Ember”.

Have you ever had someone tell you to pay more attention to your surroundings? In the book “The City of Ember” has a quote that really made me stop and think about this, the quote is, “The main thing is, pay attention. Pay close attention to everything, everything you see. Notice what no one else notices, and you'll know what no one else knows. What you get is what you get. What you do with what you get, that's more the point.”  To me, this means that you should always be paying attention to what’s around and maybe you’ll discover the significance of something spectacular. Although not all problems are resolved, I think Doon Harrow has the ability to do something good for Ember.

Although, Doon Harrows dad told him this after Doon had received the employment as pipes worker for Ember. Doon had listened very closely to what his father had told him and will now pay more attention to the little things and more attention to his surroundings. This shows when Doon figures out that the pipe works are very messed up. This is one way how he is paying attention more to what’s around him. Doon is pretty known for paying attention to the little things though ever since he was young. He always examines things very closely such as clocks and other smaller mechanisms.

As you can see, this quote shows how Doon is very precautious about knowing whats around him.  Doon is a curious kid which you may have recognized already. He’s a very eccentric character yet very curious. I believe Doons dad told him this for a reason, to help him with his job and to discover the significance of Ember. Who knows, maybe that was the key to the whole situation with something that could possibly happen later on in the story, but for now, it remains a mystery. Although not all problems are resolved, I think Doon Harrow has the ability to do something good for Ember.