“Domestic Violence: The Effects on Children Who Witness Abuse” by Andrea Borroel Trujillo

 

          “He accused her of sleeping with the neighbor. All the while, he was pushing her, throwing her on the ground, hitting her in the head. Finally, he threw her into the brick barbecue pit next to the house, hitting her repeatedly after she hit the bricks. When she didn't get up, he suddenly quit and went into the house. She got up slowly. It took weeks for her back, which was injured from being pushed against the bricks, and the bruises to heal.” This is a short part of a story out a child who grew up living in domestic violence, this is also what some children witness everyday in their lives when they get home,

      Domestic violence is a problem some children face at home, it can affect kids later on in their lives as teens. The adolescents who are being abused can have bad grades at school because they don't pay attention in class. They could also have low self-esteem, feel lonely/insecure, this occurs because their whole life they have been put down. Adolescents that live in domestic violence start to use drugs and alcohol at a young age, they use this as a way to get away from problems and away from everything and everyone. They also use drugs and alcohol to forget things and to find their “happy place”, later on the teens can become addicted to these substances that are very harmful to the human body. As the teens are growing up they start to develop criminal behavior. For example the teens may get involved with gangs, guns, and drug dealers. They can also start to get more aggressive because they start to have anger issues, committing crimes or bullying is a way to get their frustration out. Some teens could become parents at an early because they feel pressured to have sexual intercourse. This can happen when they are drunk; or because they are not thinking straight. Some teens also try to run away, and some have suicidal thoughts. 50% of kids living in domestic violence committed suicide, and others are 6x more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs.

    “I grew up witnessing domestic abuse. My mum would get beaten by my father. When she wasn't there he would turn to me and my brothers. I used to sit in my room and hear them fighting then I'd hear my mum scream and I'd know he'd have hit her. To be honest, at the age I was at, I actually thought it was normal. I thought that many families were like this but now when I think about it I was in denial because I never mentioned it to my friends or teachers.” - Jay

          There is many causes of domestic violence. Some are low-self esteem, anger issues, and possibly depression. Low-self esteem can cause domestic violence at home because the abuser feels the need to be in control of their partner. Some abusers are overprotective and get jealous easily, this can cause them to use extreme measures and they will do anything to make them obey. Anger issues and depression can also be a cause because the abusers don't feel satisfied with their life. This can cause them to have many emotions inside of them and hurt their family to get that anger out. Some kids who live with domestic violence are 3x more likely to do it too when they are adults.
         
          Some ways we can help abusers (the person that is responsible for the abuse) are: going to family intervention programs, speaking up, telling them your opinions, and giving them tips. Family intervention programs are designed to help the abusers understand that violence and use of control is bad and they should stop.Telling them your opinion about how you feel maybe will make them reconsider their actions. You can tell them that what they’re doing is wrong, that they shouldn’t hurt their loved ones, and domestic violence (abuse) is a crime and they can go to jail for that. You can also give them advice or tips. For example telling them ways they should change, or telling them about programs that could help them deal with their problems. Victims of domestic violence also need help. There is counseling and mental health interventions that can help the victims affected by domestic violence. Individual therapy can help the victims work through emotions and help them feel safe again. Dyadic treatment groups can help the victim feel like they are not alone and this can help them overcome the abuse.

Nonfiction Article

         The article “Pluto’s icy heart may hide an ocean” by Lee Billings tells how astronomers found evidence that says there could possibly be an entire ocean under the surface on Pluto. NASA’s New Horizon flew by Pluto last year, the probe saw a hearth shaped plain that had many cracks around and other parts of the planet. They also found another plain that is similar but this plain is lined with the moon Charon, scientists suggest this happened because the pain is heavy and it made the Planet tilt.

          There is many things I found interesting in the article because it is about space and I learned new things. One interesting thing I found in the article is that in Pluto there is a lot of ice and, “There, nitrogen and other ‘volatile’ gases freeze solid in the cryogenic conditions, and water turns to rock-hard ice. For decades scientists have theorized how that ice might act as an insulator, preserving vestiges of warmth and moisture deep within Pluto and other objects so far from the sun.” I find this interesting because last year in science we did a whole unit on planets and we didn't learn anything about possible oceans in other planets. Another reason I find this interesting is because the whole planet is pretty much ice, but there is 2 regions where there is water freezing under the surface. An ocean under a surface sounds unusual but then again scientists found lakes under the ocean so it doesn't sound as weird. Pluto is an exo planet, meaning it is not in our solar system and astronomers can see the planet and even send probes by Pluto and that is startling.

         There is many things I learned and many things I won't forget. For example one thing I learned that I will probably never forget is about the 2 plains the astronomers found because they are craters filled with ice. I think I'm most likely not going to forget this because this was one of the main ideas and one of the things I took from the article. A heavy crater filled with ice is interesting to me because I had never heard or thought about something like that. Knowing this I feel like I am more open minded to things that seem impossible because there is still discoveries to be made.

I commented on Claudia's blog

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Gratitude Blog

          There is many things I am grateful for this year. I am grateful for my family and I am also thankful for my true friends. This year has been hard for me and also good, I lost many people I used to consider a friend but I got to see who were my real friends. I want to thank those that care for me because it is nice to feel cared for and to know you can count on someone when you need help. Also I want to thank the people who have hurt me because that helped me become a stronger person and it has helped me learn how to overcome things. The people I am most grateful for are my parents because they have done many sacrifices for me and because they love me.
           I am thankful for having a home and food each day because there is people who are starving around the world. There is also many people that are homeless or their home is not a good place to live in, and they're suffering and luckily I’m not (thanks to my parents). I’m also grateful that I don’t live in a place where it is not safe and I don’t have to worry about my family and myself. I am thankful for my health and my education because some people aren't able to go to school and they won’t be able to have a good future. I’m also grateful that I do not have to go through really bad struggles, and when I do I am able to overcome them.
            The last things I am grateful for is god because I am still alive and also he takes care of us. I am thankful that when my grandparents got sick really bad and had to go to the hospital they survived. I also want to thank god because he is there when you need someone (if you believe in him). There is many more things that I am grateful for but I would never finish if I talked about them.

AOW Gallery Walk

           Today we did a gallery walk in ELA for article of the week, and I learned may things. I went to 13 different people and took away many things. For example one of these things is that Astronomers found another earth. This planet has not been proved that it exists because it is beyond pluto and it is very difficult to see. It is also 10x bigger than earth and it's an exoplanet. I also learned about Bonneted Bats and how they are unique. These bats don’t live in caves or dark places and they can fly higher than an average bat. They use sound to survive, but they are endangered because of a fungus.
            When it was time for me to present I was excited and I felt ready because I annotated my article and I reread the article so I didn't forget any important information. I also felt ready because I forgot any information I could simply take a quick look at my summary and keep presenting. I liked having the gallery walk because I got to learn new interesting things about what's going on around the world and I also got to present and improve my presenting skills more. I think that the first time I presented I didn't do as good as the last time because

Donald Trump Won the Election

        The election happened last week, and Donald Trump won. I am really disappointed because i didn't want him to win and I am also scared for myself and the country  because he is probably the person who is least qualified to become president. I'm sure of this because he is the only president without military knowledge. This means that if we get into big conflicts happen and the military is needed, what will he do? What strategies will he use?
         I also think this because Donald Trump has said things that are not what a leader should say. For example Donald Trump has said many racist things towards Muslims,Hispanics, and African Americans. He has also said that he wants to build a wall and he is going to make Mexico pay for it. This is honestly really dumb because Donald Trump says things that make no sense, and he thinks he has a lot of power so he says things like that. He wants to deport immigrants because he thinks this is going to solve immigration problems. It is not. Immigrants actually help the country grow economically and in other ways too. There is also many immigrants in the USA (most of the population are immigrants)and it will be really hard to deport all of them.
          Throughout the whole election I was wondering who would vote for Donald Trump, and why? I also thought people weren't going to vote for him, but I was wrong. I still wonder till this day why people choose him. Why did people want him to be the leader of the country when he obviously doesn't care about others? I was thinking about this and I think I know why. Some people didn't vote for Hillary because she is a women. I think this because I saw this YouTube video (I forgot the name) and this guy asked women why they didn't vote for Hillary. I remember a women said, “Because she is a women, women are weak and she can't take a lot of responsibility, but man can.” I was really surprised when I heard her say this because it's sad that she thinks of herself as weak. When I found out Donald won I was shocked because he could destroy America. Then I remembered that Congress has to approve Donald's laws and things like that so he won't be able to do all the things he wants to do. Also congress can impeach him if he's not good enough.

"Brave They Stand"

Brave they stood when they said goodbye to loved ones,

not knowing if they would return

Brave they stood when they set out to fight for peace,

and to protect our country

Brave they stood when they saw everyone around them scream in agony,

and collapse on the ground like the twin towers on 9/11

Brave they stood covered in dirt, gasping for air,

 remembering all the things they accomplished,

and wishing they could be back home to see their loved ones again

Brave they stood after trying to recover from injuries, wounds, scars,

and having to deal with memories of grief and misery

Brave they stood, and they will keep standing,

 because brave is what they are and what they will forever be

"Springfield Money Stolen from HMS"

         On October 18 there was an unfortunate accident that took place on the school Heritage Middle School. The  Springfield field trip money was stolen. 8th grade students were informed the next day at breakfast by their homeroom teachers. Ms. Hauer made a video explaining what had happened, she then shared it with all eighth grade teachers, but she didn't give much information. Ms.Hauer had many things to say about this incident, one was, “This is not a time to point fingers, but to tell teachers any information you know.” The money was stolen from the school but the exact location is unknown. Students were very distraught and devastated because they wanted to go on the field trip. Many students from Heritage were trying to determine who was the colporate that stole the money, so they started pointing fingers. Heritage students were also trying to put the puzzle together and figure out why the person did it. This is not the first time something like this happens. If anybody knows any useful information report it on “Stop It” or tell a teacher.

End of Quarter Reflection

     One goal I would like to accomplish this year is my 10 book challenge. So far I have read 4 books: Paper Towns, The Slight Edge, The Giver, and Of Mice and Men. I am almost done with a book called For One More Day by Mitch Albom. One strategy I am currently using is writing down what chapter I’m going to leave off and also I write down the day. For example: Monday leave off at chapter 5, Tuesday leave off at chapter 11. This strategy helps me manage my time wisely so I can read more books, I will probably change my 10 book challenge to a 15 book challenge. Another strategy I use is: an hour before I go to bed I read the chapters I have to read so the next day during school I can keep reading where I left off. This strategy helps me not forget what happened in the book and it helps me finish the chapters I have to read for the day. I also keep a list of the books I read in my ELA notebook, and on my IPad along with a short summary of what the book is about. I do this because I’m going to read many books and I will forget what the other books were about, and there is honestly no point in reading a book if you are going to forget the message it's trying to tell. I am proud of myself because I didn’t read a lot before, and now I am reading almost everyday and this helps me improve my vocabulary and my reading skills.

        I think that my writing has progressed in many good ways because I have learned many new things. Before I came to eighth grade I was okay at writing. I knew that I had to start with a topic sentence, and I knew how to introduce quotes and all those things but I was always subjective. Now I know how to be objective in my writing, I also learned about TIQA. This has helped me become better at writing because I know that I was writing the wrong way, so now I can fix my mistakes and I can write so much faster. I learned about different types of writing and now I know how to use them. I am looking forward to learn more things because it has helped me improve my writing skills for high school and college.

       There are many goals I have for ELA in the next 3 quarters. Some goals are finishing my book challenge and learn new words, finish work on time, get more 4s than 3s, improve my reading/writing skills, organize my notes/papers. I think that these goals will help me improve because when I finish my book challenge I will know more words and this helps me expand my vocabulary. Finishing work on time is important because if I don't do that then I will have to work 2x harder and I will be behind. I will also like to learn new things and improve my reading and writing skills because this will help me understand pieces of writing and I will have a higher Lexile level.

Book vs. Movie

      The Giver movie and The Giver book have many differences. One event from the book was that Jonas was going to leave the community, but he was following a plan. In the movie Jonas also was trying to leave the community, but the set of events were different. For example in the book Jonas and the giver were together and, “It was late at night, now. They had talked and talked. Jonas sat wrapped in a robe belonging to The Giver, the long robe only elders wore. It was possible, what they had planned(155).” Jonas influenced The Giver so he could help him do what was right, and they both worked together like friends. Jonas left the community really easily, and no one noticed until the next day. In the film Jonas found out Gabe was going to be released so he decided to take Gabe with him and cross the border of memories. When Jonas was going to leave Asher caught him, Jonas physically attacked him and went to look for The Giver. The speaker knew what was going on and she started a search for him. Jonas went to the Nurturer Center to get Gabe and Fiona. Fiona helped distract the guards that were chasing them and the Jonas left the community. This event was really different from the book because Jonas is the one that came up with the plan, he also didn't have to worry a lot about people seeing him in the night. Also in the book Gabe was still living with Jonas when he decided to leave, and it made it easier for him to runaway to elsewhere. This made the ending of the movie have more of a dramatic vibe, the ending of the book was just full of suspense.

      The director did a good job at directing the movie, but there is things he changed too much and it doesn't seem like the movie is based on the novel. The director changed the sequence of events and he even created new events. For example in the movie Fiona and Jonas had like a romance going on, and Jonas and The Giver weren't as close friends; also Jonas wanted to quit being the receiver because he wasn't brave enough. I didn't really like this because Jonas was portrayed in the book as brave, courageous, and selfless, but in the movie he was just selfless and kind of courageous because he set out to cross the border of memory. Another reason I think the movie doesn't  seem based on the novel is because Fiona and Asher had different jobs and different personalities. In the book Jonas said, “Asher's such fun. But he doesn't really have any interests. He makes a game out of everything(17).” This quote shows that Asher's personality changed because in the movie there was a scene where Fiona and Jonas were about to go down a metal slide and Asher didn't want to join. Even though the director did change many things I think he did a good job because everything tied up perfectly at the end.

      I think The Giver book is the medium that most impacted my understanding. I think this because when I was reading I was also annotating and that helped me notice many things. One thing I noticed when reading the book was that the author was using Lily as a source of information because I learned things from her. In the book at the family reunion Lily was talking with Jonas and she said, “I don't know. They acted like... like...". ‘Animals?’ Jonas suggested. he laughed. ‘That's right,’Lily said, laughing too. ‘Like animals.’ Neither child knew what the word meant, exactly,but it was often used to describe someone uneducated or clumsy, someone who didn't fit in(5).” This quote shows that the author used Lily to tell us that there are no animals in the community. Another reason the book impacted more my understanding is because the movie just gave us everything when it started. For example at the beginning of the movie they told us the rules directly, and they told us everything directly and since it is a movie I missed some parts, but in the book I did it in my own pace.

The Giver Analysis

      In The Giver by Lois Lowry, Jonas, the main character is a dynamic character. Before Jonas met the giver he only cared about himself, but when he met the giver he started to become selfless. Jonas used to care only about what he needed and he was only concerned about himself, “Though he had been reassured by the talks with his parents, he hadn't the slightest idea what assignment the elders would be selecting for his future, or how he might feel about it when the day came(19).” In this quote Jonas is talking about the ceremony of 12, his best friend Asher will also be in the ceremony of 12 but Jonas only cared about what assignment he was going to get, and how he was going to feel about it. Jonas wasn’t thinking about what assignment his friend would get, and how Asher would feel if he got an assignment he didn't want. Later on in the story, after Jonas meets the giver, Jonas learned what “release” meant. Jonas knew that his friend, Fiona, was working in the house of the old, he also knows that the old get “released”. In page 153 Jonas realized that Fiona will feel hurt after knowing the truth because she loves the old, “...Does she know yet? What will she do when she finds out? How will she feel?”. This quote shows that Jonas cares about other people's feelings and he wasn’t like that before he met the giver. Another reason why Jonas is a dynamic character is because he thought his community was a good community, and he wasn’t wise before he met the giver. For example Jonas said that he was teached to never lie. Then Jonas's father lied to him about release and Jonas realized that others could've lied to him too. This realization helped him see that his community is not what it seems, and he understood everything better.



         The theme of The Giver by Lois Lowry is importance of an individual. This theme connects to the plot because before Jonas met the giver he was just like everyone else in the community. After Jonas met the giver, and he had memories about the past, Jonas started deciding for himself and he chose his own path. For example in page 174 Jonas thinks to himself, “Then, when he had had a choice he made the wrong one: the choice to leave. And now he was starving…. If he had stayed he would have starved in other ways. He would have lived a life hungry for feelings, for color, for love”. This quote connects to the plot because everyone in the community get their life chosen/decided for them, but Jonas started to think about everything the other people didn't have, and so Jonas chose to leave so everyone in the community had memories. If Jonas didn't think for himself then he would probably still be in the community. Another reason the theme of The Giver is importance of an individual is because the Giver also started deciding for himself. This changed the plot of the story because he helped Jonas come up with the plan, and so they could change the community. The giver also made other decisions in the book , “I'm grateful to you, Jonas, because without you I would have never figured out a way to bring about the change. But your role now is to escape. And my role is to stay (162).” The giver chose to stay because he was going to help the people process the memories so the wasn't chaos. If the giver had chosen to go with Jonas then probably the community would be worst because they didn't know how to deal with the memories.  There is many other reasons the theme of The Giver is importance of an individual, these are just 2.

The Giver Blog

           I am currently reading The Giver by Lois Lowry with my ela class. There has been many memory moments, one memory moment is when the main character's sister,Lily, tells her family what happened in the afternoon. In chapter one, when the main character,Jonas, is eating in the evening with his family they all share their feelings. Lily said,"I felt very angry this afternoon," Lily announced."My childcare group was at the play area, and we had a visiting group of sevens, and they didn't obey the rules at all."..."Why do you think the visitors didn't obey the rules?"Mother asked. Lily cosidered, and shook her head"I don't know. They acted like... like..."."Animals?" Jonas suggested. he laughed."That's right,"Lily said, laughing too."Like animals."Neither child knew what the word meant, exactly,but it was often used to describe someone uneducated or clumsy, someone who didn't fit in."This memory might be important because the author tells us that there are other communities, and they are all very different. The author also told us that the people in Jonas's community don't know what animals are. This got me thinking about the rules, leaders, and the community; also it made ask myself, what if the community is like a prison and it was made to see what society is better.

            The author Lois Lowry has repeated a few things in the book The Giver. One of the few things she has repeated in her book is the word "released". For example in chapter one, page 2 it says," For a contributing citizen to be released from the community was a final decision, a terrible punishment, an overwhelming statement of failure."I think the word "released" keeps showing up in the story because it's important to the plot of the story, and maybe because it can affect the character later on in the story. The word "released" is a negative word in the book, the people are scared of being "released" because it means that they will be banished from their family units and the community.

Welcome to Andrea's Blog

     Hello my name is Andrea, I am currently in eighth grade in a school called Heritage. I am excited to go to highschool next year and learn new things. I want to become a general surgeon when I grow up so I really have to pay attention in biology. 

   I have many hobbies, goals, and dreams. Some hobbies I have are: sports, drawing, hanging out with friends, listening to music, and dancing. My favorite sports are basketball, volleyball, tennis, badminton, and football. I'm good at drawing, I can draw people, animals, anime and many things! My favorite artists are Luis Coronel, Jaytekz, Selena Quintanilla, and Melanie Martinez. 

My main goal in life is to get a degree, a job, a house, and a family. A dream I've always had is to travel around the world and do things I have never tried before.

I hope you learned a little about me, and thank you for reading my first blog. Hopefully you have a good day and see you on the next blog.