The Maze Runner Book Review by Katia

The Maze Runner Book Review

The Maze Runner is the first book in the best-selling series written by James Dashner  followed by: The Scorch Trials, The Death Cure and lastly The Kill Order. The Maze Runner is a detailed and interesting book that was published by Dell publishing on the 6th of October 2009. The Maze Runner was then turned into a movie in 2014 and the Scorch Trials in 2015.

The Maze Runner tells the thrilling story of a group of boys, but not just any ordinary boys, they are extremely intelligent and where stolen by a top secret ‘agency’ when they were very young. The agency is called WICKED and is the acronym for World In Catastrophe Killzone Experiment Department. They were stolen from their family and friends and their homes and placed in what they called the Glade. Before they were put into the Glade the boys’ brains were altered and all they were able to remember was their first name. Along with many buildings and places to go in the Glade the most important thing was the entrance to maze. Every day 8 runners go into the maze and search for an exit. But for a whole 2 years they had no luck. Every week supplies would show up to keep the boys alive and every month a new Glader would show up. Every night the doors to the maze entrance would close to save the Gladers from the terrible and indescribable monsters called Grievers. If your are stung by a griever you will go through ‘the changing’ and if you survive you will never be yourself again.

Then one day just as usual another boy arrived his name was Thomas. Thomas accepted that he was in the Glade much quicker than most but had the unnatural urge to become a runner. The next day unusually another person arrived at the Glade but even more strangely this person was a girl. Before falling into a coma the girl said that everything is going to change. Not long after, even though she was in a coma, the girl began talking to Thomas telepathically and then everything started falling apart. Once the girl had awoken from her coma the doors stopped closing giving the grievers an entrance into the Glade, the weekly supplies no longer came and the sky was always grey, and still try as they might there was just no exit.  But then Thomas begins to realise that maybe the maze isn’t quite that but the whole Glade was perhaps all a test.

Throughout the book you see the characters change and develop new skills and friendships. Some characters grow in strength while some grow weaker. It is interesting to see the way the characters act when put in certain situations and the way they mature and develop trust for each other.

James Dashner uses a wide variety of interesting and alluring vocabulary to captivate and grab people's attention. Along with being captivating and intriguing the vocabulary is very powerful and brings you into an incredible atmosphere and paints a picture in your head.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it amazingly amusing although that does not mean the book is for everyone. I would recommend this book to adventure seeking kids ages 12-16. It would be a great book for children that like reading descriptive, suspenseful, and compelling stories.

By Katia

Katia's Procedural Writing

Procedural Writing

Building Your Paper Glider

Materials:

• 13 popsicle sticks (even size, any colour)
• 20 mini skewers (you may have extras)
• 5 large/normal sized skewers (for body of glider)
• 1 A4 pieces of paper
• Hot glue gun
• Cellotape
• PVA glue

Steps:

Step 1. Take 3 of your popsicle sticks and tape them together with the ends slightly overlapping, to begin forming what will soon be part of the wings. Do this again 3 more times.

Step 2. Stick five of your mini skewers onto the flat side of the popsicle sticks with the hot glue gun, evenly spreading them out, remember to always use the hot glue carefully but don't forget to also be quick when gluing.

Step 3. Grab another set of your 3 popsicle sticks and place them on top of the five mini skewers directly opposite the other three popsicle sticks (these can be the same or different colours).

Step 4. Repeat step 2 and 3.

Step 5. Taking your 2 rectangles, set them parallel to each other and secure them together using 6 mini skewers, (3 for the top and 3 for the bottom). You have now created your wings.

Step 6. Once you have done this take your 5 large skewers and place them in the middle of your wings, (two either side of the centre mini scewer and one extra on the side of your choice) Stick in place carefully with your hot glue gun, you have now formed the body of your plane.

Step 7. Take 1 more popsicle stick and lay it horizontally across your bunch of skewers, then take your hot glue gun and secure it in place, this is the beginning of creating your tail.

Step 8. After sticking your popsicle stick in place take 3 more mini skewers and place 1 on each end of the popsicle stick and 1 in the middle.

Step 9. Take your A4 piece of paper and cut it to size so that it will fit nicely covering the top of your glider, stick down with hot glue gun.

Step 10. If want you can decorate the glider however you like, (although I do recommend using pens or felts so it stands out.

Step 11. Congratulations you have just finished your very own D.I.Y paper glider. Just remember to be careful, and ENJOY!!!!! :)

Paper Gliders By Katia

Paper Gliders

This term in room 13 we have been focusing on flight for the class topic. As part of our research we have split into groups of 3 or 4 and constructed our own paper gliders.

Before we began to make our own gliders, we, as a class did some study on flight and gliders by watching a documentary. We were then provided with some equipment and resources to create these with and also were allowed to bring some of our own. Many people made the choice to figure out how a glider worked before doing anything else, after figuring out how they could keep their glider up, all groups decided together on a kind of glider that they would like to make. Using these ideas the children began to write and draw on paper a visual of their plan. After creating their plan and ensuring that it had all the correct things to make a working and flying glider they began to construct. Every group was working hard to build a great glider after they claimed to be finished each group would test their glider outside. Many groups realised that although their glider flew well there was still so much they could do to improve, and others realised that their paper glider was just not going to fly and so they had to revisit the principals of flight and gliding. Over a number of days the children of room 13 have been building and improving a series of hand made gliders and learned so much about the history and present information about the world of flight.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this experience of flight and have learned so much about gliding and flying and have loved working in groups. I have really appreciated the effort Mr. Atherton has put into letting us have an exiting and fun experience with topic and that everyone else has put into working together and making this topic fun for everyone in the class.

By Katia

Unfolded by Katia B

UNFOLDED

It was finally Saturday and Jade sat contentedly in the corner of her absolute favourite coffee shop on main street. ‘The Exquisite Edibles’ as it was called contained the most delectable and spectacular, eye-catching foods in the entire state. It was a comfortable environment and allowed Jade to escape her harsh life of almost slavery being an adopted child in a large family of 10.

Jade wore all hand-me-downs, a pink patterned overcoat, torn white skinny jeans and her favourite teal shirt, the only thing (other than a photograph) that she had left of her parents. Her snowy white ringlets bounced willingly on her shoulders and her sapphire eyes shone brilliantly in the sunlight, Jade had a stunning smile and everyone envied her amazing beauty. She was also very talented and incredibly smart, she had everything a 12 year old girl could ever want except friends and a family that actually cared about her and to Jade this was the biggest thing of all.

More than anything Jade had an extremely reckless nature and despite her innocent and mesmerizing looks, was always yearning for a breath-taking adventure. As she devoured the delightful food in front of her, her thoughts drifted of to her next thrilling journey, she didn’t know exactly what it would be but she guaranteed it would be pretty extreme, she just knew it, and maybe, just maybe she might find her parents (but  of course that was very unlikely). Rain began to fall and Jade remembered that she had too many jobs to do back at home that would stop her from taking another adventure for weeks.

The rain continued to pour down and Jade wondered if she would ever see her parents again, they had left her without explanation and now Jade was more eager than ever to out why her parents had left. Just at the moment the café door swung open and Jade raised her head to see a dark, hooded figure, he rushed towards her table and placed an ancient looking parcel on its oak surface, muttered the words “Please Help!” and then ran. Jade stared at the package but as the door slammed shut she looked up just in time to catch just a glimpse of the man’s sparkling blue eyes and thin lips curled into a frown. Jade's attention was drawn back to the package, it’s yellowed paper wrapped carefully around a rectangular object and tied neatly with a crimson bow. Jade realised this may be her extreme adventure, her chance to find her parents and maybe even escape her horrid foster parents.

Curious citizens crowded Jade and stared at the square package. The butterscotch yellow wrapping encased tightly a large, cuboid object. Jade looked at the impeccable wrapping and was reminded of her own perfectionist ways, and the man’s blue eyes shining like her own, could this be a clue? She had to find out.

Her black, ruined shoes filled with water as she walked down the saturated pathways on the busy New York street. Jade replayed the bizarre occurrence at The Exquisite Edibles over and over in her mind and finally decided that if she was going to solve this mystery she had to open the package. Her fingers fumbled over the crimson ribbon and as the package unfolded Jade began to have second thoughts about her decision, ‘No,’ she thought, ‘this is my only chance!’ Jade lifted out the object and was filled with surprise as she noticed it was the same photograph as she had in her room at home. She flipped over the picture and noticed a small note sticking out of the frame, she took it out and read it, it said: 36 Greenwood Lane. HELP! ‘That was it!?’ Jade thought, she just had to find out what it really meant.

Jade ran down Greenwood Lane frantically searching the letterboxes to find the number 36. Yes, there it was an ebony, run down shed, not exactly what she was expecting but she entered anyway. The door creaked open and Jade saw them, “Finally!” she gasped but just as she thought this could be her happily ever after, a shadowy figure stepped out from the fog, sweat beaded Jade’s forehead and she realised with concern, this was going to be far from easy. She groaned and backed against the door and finally a plan formed in her head but then, BANG! Everything went black.

Positive Writing

Quetico Park was a great place for campers with beautiful scenery of trees, and lakes so fresh you can drink from them. This is a place where bears stray along and the park is so vast it could take days to get from one side to the other without a single human coming in sight. But people won’t be having their vacation there any more, not since the disappearance of Francis Brandywine. 

By Nathan 

Francis was 17 years old at the time, with a reckless personality and most of her choices could be questioned. Francis liked to find peaceful places where she could lie back and write in her journal, just a place where she could be alone for once. She always longed to be the different one, that found and did new things, and tonight that had all come true.

By Elizabeth

It all happened one dark, cloudy night. Francis Brandywine waited quietly in her tent on the shore near one of the many lakes in the wonderful park. As soon as she knew her family was asleep, she crept quietly out of her tent and looked at the numerous stars in the night sky. Her charcoal black hair moving with the wind. She shuffled along the muddy campground her lantern illuminating the forest around her. Trees towered over her as she continued on her way towards the canoe.

By Katia 

My family and I loved going to Quetico Park, up until this year we would go camping, hiking, fishing and kayaking around the clear blue lake, without seeing another soul. After the incident with Francis Brandywine my family and everyone else who enjoyed going to Quetico Park decided not to go.

By Hannah

 

Colossus by Katia

Highly intelligent and unique, Colossus is an enormous 14ft great white shark that patrols the waters around Seal Island in South Africa. He weighs 3000 pounds and is the king of the waters around False bay.

Colossus’ diet mainly consists of cape fur seals, smaller fish and even other sharks but, Colossus, being the largest most threatening shark in his habitat will take over feeding and eat whatever he likes.

Colossus was first sighted in False Bay in 2011 by scientists Chris Fallows and Jeff Kurr, he was seen again hunting in 2012 but was absent in 2013, Colossus was gone for two winters before being seen again in July 2014. He was present in the surrounding waters of Seal Island for two weeks before breaching above the surface in aerial predation. The shark experts expect that Colossus’ breaching was a learnt behaviour from viewing the other sharks around the island.

Like any human fingerprint a sharks dorsal fin is unique and special. Every sharks dorsal fin can be used as a way of identifying them. Along with having a rare appearance each shark has it’s own special personality. Colossus has scars and markings that give the scientists the ability to single him out. Colossus has shark lice in his eyes and many scars around his right eye. He also has a large piece of his dorsal fin missing. Not only do these markings help identify the sharks but also show that they have many battle scars.

As part of research shark scientists Alison Towner, Jeff Kurr and Chris Fallows have constructed many gadgets to experience and discover new facts about the amazing creature. One of the gadgets created was the ‘Robo Seal’. This experiment was used to find out how the sharks would react to a newcomer. They also were interested to see how much the seals could tolerate. when the results came back the scientists found that the sharks hit the seals with 29 g-force this is almost always a certain death for humans. Chris Fallows also created the W.A.S.P Water Armour Shark Protection so he was able to get up close and personal with the magnificent creatures, this experiment proved a success when Chris came face to face with an enormous 18 ft great white in Stewart Island, NZ.

The other object made was the seal sled this was used to get photos of the sharks breaching and attacking the seals. Jeff Kurr lay on the seal sled waiting as a seal decoy floated 5 metres ahead of him, many sharks surrounded Jeff as he lay waiting. The shark scientists were hopeful but after 90 long minutes the team decided it best to return to the boat. All of a sudden Colossus lept into the air and completely obliterated the decoy in one bite.

After Colossus left False Bay shark experts Alison, Chris and Jeff traveled to New Zealand to explore whether Colossus had swum to another continent. During their visit at Stewart Island they  used the W.A.S.P to look for Colossus in the ocean. While Chris was down in the water he found many sharks from 12-15 ft. After being down for almost an hour Chris was amazed to see an enormous male shark about 18 ft long.

Colossus, even as a newcomer, has adapted well to the waters around Seal Island and is continuing to do so. He is a unique and magnificent creature patrolling the ‘ring of death’ in False Bay, South Africa.

Galaxies by Katia and James A

Air Jaws by Katia

INFORMATION REPORT
• A report gives information about an object, animal, person or place
• Use present tense
• Can include a labelled diagram and caption

 Title: Air Jaws

 Aggressive and vicious are two words to describe the magnificent sharks of South Africa. These incredible great whites have the amazing ability to breach two metres into the air. This is the only place where these sharks breach. Being the world’s most dangerous shark, this shark has more speed and agility than any other.

 The waters around Seal Island in False bay, Cape town is a home to many of these Great White sharks, as well as being the home to 60,000 cape fur seals and African penguins. The Air Jaws tend to patrol the island from around 400 yards out in the ‘Ring of Death,’ it’s preferable hunting place.

The great whites diet consists mainly of Cape fur seals but may occasionally go to a dead whale or water birds as a food source. The sharks can eat up to 35-45 pounds of whale flesh in one bite. When the water begins to warm the great whites undergo diet changes.

 Over a dozen attacks take place every day. The sharks can travel up to 20 miles per hour while approaching their prey. If a shark misses a seal a long chase is often ahead, the sharks may even flip head over tail while trying to catch it’s prey. These sharks are able to adapt to the seals speed and agility. The sharks restless hunting begins at dawn. They have many different attack styles including shallow/parallel attacks, mid attacks and vertical attacks (coming from the deep at full speed.) Competition excites the predators and so the bigger the shark the bigger it’s priority at meal time. These sharks live by the rules of ‘shoot first, ask questions later,’ they attack with aggression and are also scavengers. In murky water sharks can sometimes almost camouflage but the clearer the water the deeper the shark will go to catch it’s prey.

 As the sharks spend almost all of their time at the ring of death the seals are in great danger when passing through, whether they are leaving or returning to the island. Before venturing off seals sometimes meet at the bottom near the edge of the ring of death also known as ‘the launching pad’ to swim or play in groups of 8-12. The seals often leave the island in large groups but return in much smaller ones. The seals take one last breath before diving to the bottom of the ring of death to get to the island to provide the best safety. The seals that have passed through the ring of death before have a better chance of surviving. If they need to the seals may use close by objects such as boats for protection.

 These sharks have adapted well to the waters around Seal Island and are continuing to do so. While scientists are busy trying to figure out what it is about the waters that causes the magnificent creatures to breach above the surface.

 By Katia B