Human Ingenuity

On the IB Website the definition of Human Ingenuity is...

• Why and how do we create?
• What are the consequences?

This area of interaction allows students to explore in multiple ways the processes and products of human creativity, and to consider their impact on society and the mind.
Human ingenuity allow students to focus on the evolution, process and products of human creativity and their impact on life and society. Human ingenuity provides opportunities for students to appreciate and develop in themselves the human capacity to create, transform, enjoy and improve the quality of life.
In particular, human ingenuity:

• stresses the way humans can initiate change, whether for good or bad, and examines the consequences
• emphasizes both the importance of researching the developments made by people across space, time and cultures, and the importance of taking time to reflect on these developments.

In this way, human ingenuity goes beyond the act of creation alone, leading students to examine, experience and reflect on the creative process.

Evaluating my sources

All of my sources were other review websites except one.  I used them to help me create a guideline foir my reviews.

http://www.teenink.com/
Teen Ink is a teen literary magazine and website.  They also have reviews.  I used the website to look at their style for reviews and the way their website was set up.  I would say this is a fairly good source.  Before this project I had never really written reviews of books, so it was good to be able to read other people's reviews to understand how to create a review.

http://www.allreaders.com/bookSearcha.asp#S2
I liked the way this site has their home page has a search bar where you can search genres, characters, and plots which is really cool.  I don't really like all of the reviews on the website because most of are not very helpful.  This website isn't to good of a source for what I was looking for, but it did help a little bit.

http://www.yareads.com/
I really like the way this cite sets up their reviews.  They flow really well and are extremely helpful.  I think this cite was a fairly good resource for my project.

 http://www.goshen.edu/english/critique-html/
This is one of my only sites that isn't an acutal review website.  This is site shows guidelines on how to critique.  Even though it mainly talks about using this for critiquing.  I think this was a great source.

Reflection #

I have finally reached my goal.  I am so excited. I put so much effort into this project, and I am glad to be able to look back and see that I was able to create something as complex as this project was.  I am very happy about how this turned out.  At times,  I really wanted to give up on trying to reach my goal because I was having a hard time reading new books an writing reviews on them with the amount of homework my teachers give and my busy schedule.  I really learned time management and being able to stick with a goal and following through with it through completing this personal project.

Now the only thing I have left to do on my project is complete my presentation which I sort of started a few weeks ago.  I am not very good at doing presentations, so it will interesting to see how everything turns out.

Bloodline

Bloodline by Kate Cary

I would give this 3 out of 5 stars.

John Shaw has been sent to the front lines for World War I.  He is very mystified by his captain, Quincy Harker, by his abnormal qualities. During the war John is injured and his is sent back to his home town in England to recovery.  Mary Steward, a nurse, takes care of John and becomes quite fond of him as well as John's little sister, Lily, who lives near by.  John now suffers from odd delusions from his time in the war.  In order to help him recover, Mary decides to read his diary which is filled with gruesome stories from the war and interesting tidbits about Captain Quincy Harker.

I actually enjoyed reading this book.  Normally I don't like when books are in letter form, but this is the book I really liked.  I liked the fact that it changes point of views because you get to feel what other characters are feeling. This book is supposed sort of a spin-off type of story about Dracula which makes this book a whole lot more interesting in my opinion.  I have never read Dracula, but someday I hopefully will.  It is set in the World War I era, so it is very interesting to read about a different time period.

I would say this is middle school and up. I would say this is like PG-11 because it is not PG, but it isn't PG-13.

Reflection #4

So I spent today finishing my goal and on Sunday and Monday hopefully I will work on my presentation, but I am not quite do sure what to do. Our packet says I can do a website (which I am already doing), so I don't know if I can just use that?? I am highly confused and stressed about this.  If I don't work on my presentation on Sunday or Monday and even if I do work on it then, I am going to talk to my mentor and ask her about all of this. 

The Secret Circle

The Secret Circle by L.J. Smith

I would give this 3 out of 5 stars.

Forced to leave her home is California, Cassie finds herself in a new town meeting her grandmother for the first time.  She feels a strange bond to a terrifying group of teens who seem to rule her new school. Initiated into the coven of witches that's controlled New Salem for hundreds of years, she's drawn into the Secret Circle, a thrill that's both intoxicating and deadly. But when she falls for the mysterious and intriguing Adam, Cassie must choose whether to resist temptation or risk dark forces to get what she wants—even if it means that one wrong move could ultimately destroy her.


I genuinely enjoyed this book.  I am glad for a change of species since mainly I have been reading about vampires.  I am watching the TV series to this book series which is quite interesting.  Some parts of this book are cheesy and predictable, but what books aren't these days?  I really like L.J. Smith her books are so captivating and once I start reading, it is hard to put it down. 


I would say this is for middle school and up.  I would also say this is PG.

Angelfire

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

I give this 4 out of 5 stars.

When Ellie meets Will, she feels like she has meet him before.  Then she begins having terrifying nightmares of monstrous creatures that are hunting her and killing her.  On Ellie's seventeenth birthday, Will awakens Ellie's power, and she knows that she can fight the creatures that stalk her in the shadowy darkness, but only Will has the keys to unlock her memories. Now that her power has been awaken she must hunt those that are trying to kill her.  Ellie has power that no one can match, and her role is to hunt and kill the reapers that prey on human souls. But in order to survive the dangerous battle between the angels and the Fallen, she must also search for the secrets of her past lives and truths that may be too frightening to remember.

This is a cool and interesting twist too angels.  I love the fact that has Ellie is reborn over the centuries she has become more human.  I wish the author added more detail because that would make this book 10 times better. Also this book felt a bit rushed, but other than those to complaints I really enjoyed this book.

I would say this book and soon to be series is for middle school and up.  I would rate it maybe PG to PG-13.

House of Night Series

House of Night Series by P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast

I would give this series a 4 out or 5 stars.

Review for Marked. Book one of this series.

Zoey has had it bad.  Ever since her mom remarried, Zoey's life has been awful.  Step-loser as Zoey calls her new step dad practically hates Zoey, so when a Vampire Tracker comes to Zoey's school and marks her, she is all but thrilled.  Now she must pick up her life and leave behind her almost-boyfriend Heath and her bestfriend Kayla to go to the House of Night a school for fledglings. When Zoey arrives, she realizes she isn't your average fledgling.  Her mark has already been completely filled in signifying she is an adult vampire. See how Zoey handles her new life in the House of Night Series.

This is a very cool twist to the vampire mythology.  I really enjoyed reading about all the weird different things happen in their customs.  I find it very interesting that P.C. Cast wrote this book with her daughter Kristen Cast.  Overall I really enjoyed this series, and the good thing about this series there are like eight books and the Cast family is still writing more.


This series is for High School and up because of sexual content and language.  I would rate this maybe PG-13.

Wake

Wake by Lisa McMann

I would give this series a 4 out of 5.

First book in the Wake Trilogy

Janie Hanagan is different.  When people fall asleep around her she gets sucked into their dreams. She discovered this special ability when she was only eight years old.  Only a closed door will separate the dreamer's dreams and Janie.

Janie live with her mom, so she works at a nursing home because older people are restless sleepers.  One night on the way home from work she gets sucked into someones nightmare. Randomly she gets sucked into this mystery person's dreams until one day she figures out who they belong to, Cabel.  Cabel helps Janie with her ability. Then Janie hears some rumors which make her no longer trust Cabel... for now.

I really liked this book, but I think most people will either hate it or love it.  The book is set up really weird.  It is almost like a diary.  Lisa McMann created a very cool and interesting twist to a normal romance. Also I haven't read any books or really heard about this strange ability to get sucked into people's dreams, so it was very interesting to read about.  The only think I would want to change about this book would be to make it flow a little better and for it to be a little longer.

This story is for late middle school and up, but high schoolers will enjoy it too.  I would say this is rated PG-13.

Real Outline

 Outline!

Criterion A

• This blog is my process Journal.  I have all my information like the meetings I have had with my mentor and what not.

Criterion B

• I choose this goal because I love to read and when I was just beginning to explore books I wished I could find a site that teenagers or young adults wrote reviews not reviews that adults wrote since adults normally don't like the same things as teens do.
• My goal is too make a review site where I will review 10 books that I have read this year.
• My area of interaction is Human Ingenuity. I am creating a review site with reviews that I made.  
• My specifications are to complete my goal in having written 10 reviews on books I have read.

Criterion C

• My list of sources are in my process journal.

Criterion D

• I have used this information I have received from my sources to create sort of an outline of what I want my reviews to include and look like.

Criterion E

• I have still not completely accomplished my goal, but I will in a few days.

Criterion F

• This is where I will use my process journal and reflections to see how far I have come, what I have learned through this project, what I could have done better, and how this project has extended my knowledge and understanding for Human Ingenuity.

Criterion G

• My report will come in the form of a power point and a short summary.

Reflection #3

I am so stressed out right now with a bunch of projects and tests that I haven't completed my outline.  I need to do my outline as soon as possible so I can use the Community Service half day to wrap up all my reviews and start on my report.  I am now getting really stressed out about this project and if I can finish by March.  I plan on it, but things are crazy right now.

Reflection #3

I wish I had started more of my work over Christmas break or before that.  I feel very behind, but I know I can do this if I just take time out of everyday to put into my project.  This project has helped me a lot with time management.  This is my first time this is the first time I have had free since the last time I posted. I plan to at least write one review, hopefully two. Asdmputer ha sdeputer has decided that in ttesn't want to be able to type oivching, so i cant type my reveiw. What my last sentence said: Actually since my computer has decided that it doesn't want me to be able to type anything, I can't type my review.

Hearts at Stake

Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

First book in the Drake Chronicles

I would give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

This story is in the alternating point of view of Lucy Hamilton and Sloange Drake.

Lucy is Sloange's best friend and Sloange is Lucy's best friend, they have been since they were young.  There is one slight problem in their friendship--they are two different species. Lucy is human and Sloange is a vampire, or well she will be on her sixteenth birthday. Sloange is the first girl born vampire in the history of the ancient families. Sloange also has seven older and very protective brothers who won't let her out of their sight. Then Kieran Black, an anti-vampire agent, messes up everything. He's positive that the Drakes killed his family, so he's looking for revenge.

This series is one of my all time favorites.  Readers get to see the story from two points of view, a soon-to-be vampire and a fragile human.  Alyxandra Harvey is a phenomenal writer who catches readers in the first few chapters.  Readers can't help but fall in love with this story and the characters all with it.

This story is for late middle school and up, but high schoolers will enjoy it too.  I would say this is rated PG-13.

Outline

So I was just informed on how to do my outline today and it is due tomorrow.  I have volleyball from 4:45 to about 10:00.  I also have three quizzes tomorrow, so I can't work on my personal project. I will work on it over the weekend. 

Another talking with mentor

I talked with my mentor during Christmas break, but I forgot to log it so I am now.  We discussed the books I would be reviewing and what I should I add.  She answered most of my questions I had at the time.

Mentor Talking

I talked with my mentor who is also my teacher today about how to set up my outline and presentation.  She also answered some of my question on if she thought my goal was appropriate for the time given. I don't think I have stated this before so I will now.  My goal is to write at least 10 reviews, but I might be able to do a couple more than 10 depending on my schedule.  

Strange Angels

Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow

I would give this book a 4 out of 5 stars.

Dru Anderson has had a tough life.  She's only 16 and has lived in practically every state.  Her and her dad travel from state to state, city to city  hunting things from the Real World. When her and her father come to the Dakotas, things take a turn for the worst.  A zombie comes thrashing into their home.  Dru is left alone, terrified, scared with no where to go.  Soon Dru finds out she's not who she thought she was.

This series is one of my favorites.  This world is different from other supernaturals worlds in other books.  I would love to live in Dru's world.  Lili St. Crow is a captivating author with an eye for details. The characters in this series are well developed.

I would say this book is for around middle school and up. Also I would rate it as PG-13 for violence.

List of Books to review

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton....check
The Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey... check
The Secret Circle by L.J. Smith... check
Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
House of Night by P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast...check

I am not sure if I want to review Mortal Instruments anymore, but I might have to if I can't find another good book to review.

Reflection #2

So I am not really sure what I am suppose to be doing exactly.  I know I need to create another blogspot for my actual review page.  I know I have to create an outline on the paper, but I'm not sure what all is suppose to go into my paper and how it should be set up. Also I don't know how many reviews I need to write, so far I have 3.  I have more books that I need to write reviews for, so hopefully when school and volleyball settle down a little bit I can write those reviews.  This has been a lot harder than I imagined, but I like writing them.  They help think about how each book was written and what could have been better about them.  Also I feel that they would help my writing in the future.

Reflection #1

I am really glad I chose this project to do.  I love to read, so this was a great project for me to do. My schedule has been very busy which has caused me to put this on hold for a little while, but I am back.  Writing reviews have been so much harder than I thought they would be.  Sometimes I have a hard time making my thoughts clear and get my point across, so hopefully this project will help me with my writing skills for the future. 

Why I am so behind..

So before Christmas Break I was very very busy studying for all my exams and making sure all my work was turned in, so I was very stressed and didn't get a chance to work on my personal project.  I did read though, so hopefully I will now have sometime to work on my project for a while.  I also just started volleyball and it is all the way in Cleveland, so that might cause me to be slow on writing my reviews and what not.  I will still be reading no matter what though.