Final Assessment

Dear Dana,
Your blog is amazing. Does Stargirl really have a pet rat named Cinnamon? Interesting. Maybe you didn't intend to but two different diary entries in different posts at different times was great. I am glad you enjoyed the work even though I have a feeling that it is because you didn't do all that much during the lessons. Your blog is one of the best but you should still use the spellcheck especially for your contractions.
Your final grade is 98.
Yours,
Karen Noll Stanger

Questions

1. Why does Stargirl try to become normal?

2. Why does Leo want Stargirl to become normal?

3. What type of animal is Stargirl's pet?

4. What is the pet's name?

5. Where do Leo and Stargirl live?

6. Where do Leo and Stargirl learn?

7. How does Stargirl dress when she is not a normal teenager?

8. Does Leo take Stargirl to the ball?

9. Where is Stargirl's "Enchanted Place"?

10. What is so special about Stargirl's pet?

11. Why does the school hate Stargirl?

12. Why do they start to hate Leo?

13. What does the school do to Leo and Stargirl?

14. In the end are Leo and Stargirl still a couple?

15. Who is the author of this book?

Reflection

I enjoyed this way of doing a book report very much and I don't prefer the regular way. It was worth while to spend so much time and i even think we could have spent more time on it. I didn't learn anything from these assignments but i learned from the book to be true to yourself and not to be what other people want you to be. I do suggest to keep on learning like this. There should be more available computers, though. Also, more free classes... and popcorn... and chocolate.... and movies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Ending

As Leo watches Stargirl step off her bicycle with her amazing yellow strapless dress he is dazzled. he watches her dance alone while everyone else is with their date. She didn't seem to care one bit that she is datless, she actually seems to be the happiest person there. Everyone there hates her and loves her at the same time, cherishes her happiness and independency yet are green with jealousy. Leo cant stand it. He cant stand not being there with her. He thinks to himself how awful he has been to her94 and how she didn't deserve it at all. What has she done? been unique? Fresh? Pure Hearted? he realizes what a mistake he has made and runs to her.
"May I have this dance?", he says. Stargirl beams. She doesn't say anything, just kisses him lightly on the cheek and they dance the whole night out with everyone. Yes, no one ignored or got out of the way. Everything was great again and from then and on Stargirl never was Susan again.

Enter The Book

If I would enter the book for a week these are the things i would bring:

toothbrush= hmmm...wonder why?

my ipod= I wouldn't go anywhere without it.

my clothes, make up, jewelry= to show Stargirl how to dress and act like a regular teenager.

a fold-up GIGANTIC deep pool= the setting is Arizona and there are no beaches

a picture of my family= to remind me of home

Diary of Stargirl 3

Dear Diary,

I'm getting more and more sad with every hour that goes by. I feel that life is getting more and more boring by the minute. The only thing I notice is that Leo gets more and more happy by the second. That is truly the only reason i am keeping this pathetic attempt at people liking me up. But today when i came to school with sandals and jeans, jewelry, red lipstick and nail polish, and eyeshadow Leo looked at me in pure shock, and good shock. he didn't even recognize me! He looked at me like I was some sort of goddess and I wasn't even close. I was so very, very normal. Right then and there he came up to me in a huge squeeze of a hug. and speaking of Leo.... I hear him coming in the front door; we are doing homework together. Bye!

Diary of Stargirl 2

Dear Diary,

Leo is teaching me how to be a normal teenager. I am so surprised at all these new things i am learning! I miss Cinnamon so much! I feel so empty without my pet rat. I feel empty without being me. I want Stargirl But i love Leo, so i will go through with the plan although even when i laugh and smile i feel like a dead zombie. I have to go. I'm going to go buy new make up and jewelry at the mall (yuck).

The Plot

The book Stargirl is about a girl who's different, crazy personality causes students at her school to dislike her. When Stargirl first goes to Mica High School everyone hates her, but then, suddenly they all accept her and the school becomes in love with her. As the cheerleader that cheers for both teams, her team and the opposing team, they start to blame her for her school's team's loosing streak and start to hate her for her strange qualities again. Soon the whole school hates her, except for Leo Borlock. Stargirl and Leo fall in love with each other and the whole school knows about it. All of a sudden they start ignoring and giving the cold shoulder to Leo and disliking him almost as much as they dislike Stargirl because he is with Stargirl. I think that the climax is when Leo hates it so much that he talks to Stargirl and almost beggs her to be a normal person.

Diary of Stargirl 1

Dear Diary,

Today I talked with Leo, and he told me that i should try to act normal from now on. I was a bit upset and hurt at first. Doesn't he love me as I am already? But then i realized that because of me no one is talking to him. I decided that from now on I am normal. no more pet rat and no more ukulele. no more happy birthday songs at the caf and no more outgoing outfits. from now on I choose clothes by brand and not by style and color. I chew gum loudly and put on make up. If this is what it takes to be popular, I'll do it. No more Stargirl. From now on the real me Susan.

The Setting

The book centers at Mica Area High School in Arizona. It is a big school with a football field. Leo and Stargirl are usually in the cafeteria or in homeroom. One important place in the book is the school. An important thing is Stargirl's pet rat that she brings to school every day. Also, the way that she dresses is important because that defines her and her unique ways.
The cafeteria

The homeroom

The Main Character

There are two main characters. One is named Leo Borlock (he is the narrator). The Second one is Stargirl, which is the new girl in the school. Leo Borlock is an ordinary boy who goes to an ordinary school. Leo is a selfless, kind person who is the producer on his and his best friend's show- "Hot Seat." The "Hot Seat" is a show in which students are placed on the spot, and a jury of fellow students ask them questions "to make them squirm." Stargirl is a confident, crazy girl that just moved to Leo's school, Mica Area High School. All the students act the same way, eat the same food, dress the same way, talk the same way, but not Stargirl. In the beginning, Stargirl is so different that the students don't know how to behave around her. She plays the ucilale every day while singing happy birthday when a student has a birthday. She has a pet rat. She wears crazy clothes like bright-red baggy shorts with a bib and shoulder straps- overall shorts.
A picture that i think fits Stargirl-


A picture i think fits Leo Borlock-
(it's the closest thing i could find)

The Author

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Jerry Spinelli was born on February 1, 1941 in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Jerry is a noted children's author, specializing on novels written for and about early adolescence. Spinelli first decided he wanted to become a writer at the age of 16, when his high school football team won a big game. He wrote a poem about this, and the next day the poem was published in the local newspaper. Books that he has written are Milkweed, Space Station Seventh Grade, Maniac Magee (winner of the 1991 Newbery Medal), Wringer (1998 Newbery Honor book), Eggs and Stargirl. His books are mostly written for children of all ages.

Stargirl