Using your iPods, respond to the following questions and prompts:
*What do you think is the biggest change that this person made either in their own life or in the lives of others?
*What is one connection you can make between yourself and something you read in the book?
*After you have answered these questions, ask your classmates a question that you have about the novel. You should also answer one of your classmates' questions.
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1. Sonny want from being a small town boy in West Virginia at a coal town to wanting to be a rocket scientist and work for Dr. Von Braun. This will help him and his pals, especially Quentin, get in to college.
ReplyDelete2. I want to go to college and get a nuclear degree and be sombody, much like Sonny does. We have similar aspirations.
3.Why was Sonny so insistent on the BCMA switching from rocket candy to zinc and sulfur?
Ben Sistachs 8th
ReplyDeleteI believe the biggest change that Homer had was becoming a stronger person. At the beginning of the book Sonny was a shy person but by the end he was confident and sure of himself and told his dad that he had no interest in working in the mines.
What Homer and I share is that I am very interested in space exploration and it's cool to read about how Homer is really building rockets.
I think they wanted to use the zinc and sulfur because it was more powerful and the BCMA was going for alltitude. Why did Dorothy leave before saying goodbye to Homer?
Test comment by Mobicip.com team. Will delete after testing.
ReplyDeleteMaddie Smith
ReplyDelete7th period
I believe the biggest change was how Hommer grew up, he became a stronger and better man. At the beginning of the book Sonny was a lonely and quite boy who didn't know what he wanted to do with his life. But by the end he became more comfortable with his life and he went for his dream with going to build rockets. And he didn't follow the path of the others and go into the mines.
What Homer and I share is the not doing what the "group" is doing. We step out of our comfort zone and have fun with what were doing too.
I think Dorothy left before saying good-bye because it was what she thought would be right for her at the time. But later in life she will look back and feel like she let part of her beind.
How does Sonny have the courge to follow his drems when no one else believed in him?
I think the biggest change change was how Homer Hickam Junior, Sonny, became more confident. He realized that if he worked har enough he could accomplish his goals. Before he began to build rockets he was shy and wasn't happy with himself. Everyone expected him to work in Coalwood and in the mining business to follow in his dads footsteps. However he began to realize he could have his own dream and was determined to make them come true.
ReplyDeleteOne connection that I can make with this book is both Sonny and I have had to go throught htings where all people wanted to do was tear you down.
Sonny found detrmination in himself and realized it doesn't matter what others say. You should never give up on something you really love to do.
How would the book have changed if Sonny's mom also didn't want him to build rockets?
I think that Sonny changed his own life the most. He changed from a "little sister" to a man over the course of the book. He tought himself really hard math, even though he was really bad at algebra. He changed himself and Coalwood, for the better.
ReplyDeleteMe and Sonny both like rockets and flying high into the sky.
I think that even when no one else beleived in him, his mom still did, and so did Dorothy, so he kept going. I also think that the fear of working in the mine kept him going too.
<3
I think the biggest change in the book rocket boys, was Sonny's father. He startes out hating the idea of Sonny building rockets, and he wanted Sonny to be a typewriter at the coal mine. The father acted as if he did not care for Sonny, and did not love him. Although, throughout the book, he changed and let Sonny use Cape Coalwood. That is how Sonny's father changed throughout the book.
ReplyDeleteI made a connection with Sonny in the book rocket boys. He keapt trying to build a rocket, until he succeded. I keapt practing soccer until I got good at it. We both keapt at it, and then succeded. That is how I made a connection with my book.
What would have happened if Sonny never went to Quentin for help?
The biggest change that I saw was how Sonny destiny changed from mining engineer to rocket engineer. I can connect to Sonny bei9ng near sighted and loving science above all else. A question that I have is why or what cause his dad to give in on get him the supplies that he needed for his rocket?
ReplyDeleteThey wanted to switch to zinckoshine because they believed that they had reached maximum altitude with rocket candy.
Emma
ReplyDeleteEmily Kupec's question...How would the book have changed if Sonny's mom also didn't want him to build rockets?
I think the book would have changed if SOnny's mom didn't want him to build rockets by Sonny not being able to build rockets. The whole book would change, the father wouldn't have given Sonny Cape Coalwood, so they wouldn't have a space to launch rockets. Also, Sonny would have been stuck in Coalwood forever.
Sonny Hickman made a change in himself and in others in the Coalwood community. He decided he wanted to be a part of the race to space, an he did something about it. He learned a lot about rockets and a lot about himself. Sonny also inspired others to join him and support him in his rocket building. He is a living example of the phrase, "Anything is possible." The greatest change Sonny made was when he proved at the national science fair that kids from Coalwood can be more than just miners, U.S. troops, and football players. I can connect to Sonny in this book because loved his little cat dearly and talked to her whe he was sad, bored, or confused. I also have a strong relationship with my cat, and talk to my cat. Answering Matthew's question, I think Sonny stopped using rocket candy when he realized he couldn't make the rockets go any higher. Why do you think Sonny's mother didn't get very mad at him when he destroyed certain household items? EMILY ENYEDI
ReplyDeletei think that the biggest change that sonny made in his life and the life of others was proving that people anywhere can do anything if they put thier minds to it. because of him everyone in coalwood has a new respect for themselves, and the rest of the world does to, and the boys of the BCMA have a brighter future. soemthing i can relate to in this book is that i want to be a scientist or an engineer like sonny, and i think being a rocket scientist would be a fun job. a question i have is why didnt the BCMA meet back together and fire missiles after they were out of college? why did they stop?
ReplyDeletein answer to emily's question, i think he would have had a lot more trouble and no materials for his rockets, so it wouldn't have worked out.
I think that the biggest change in the book was how Sonny went from not knowing who he was supposed to be and barely passing algebra to working hard to become a NASA engineer and learning how to do calculus and trigonometry in his head. Sonny became confident and was able to stand up to his dad and tell his father that he did not want to work for the mine. He became the pride of Coalwood.
ReplyDeleteA connection that I had to the book was the West Virginia pride. Someone told Sonny that he belonged in the mine, and Sonny realized that his home was Coalwood, West Virginia. I was born in Morgantown, West Virginia and even though I did not live there long, I still feel that sense of pride that Sonny felt for our home state.
To answer Emily Enyedi's question, I think that Sonny's mother did not get mad at him for "destroying certain household items" because she really wanted him to succeed in launching his rockets. I think that she felt that if she did get mad at him that would have stopped him from continuing to launch his rockets.
My question is why do you think Jim hated Sonny so much?
1.I think that the biggest change this person made was establishing a more positive view towards education in his hometown. He showed that there are better futures out there than football, mining, and the army. It proved to the town that a more academic center was needed in the school system.
ReplyDelete2.One connection I can make is an interest in science. Science is my favorite subject, just like rocket science was Sonny's (sorry Mrs. Mele).
3.To answer your question Matthew A., Sonny wanted to use zinc and sulfur because they had reached the maximum altitude that rocket candy could provide. They were experimenting to see which propellant would give the most thrust.
4.Why would Dorothy go out with Jim if she knew Sonny loved her.
the biggest change sonny made in his life and the lives of the people in coalwood was showing that even a kid from a small mining town in west virginia could build rockets. because of him the world had a different view of coalwood and tghe lives of the boys of the bcma were changed for the better. something i can relate to in the book is that i want to be a scientist or an engineer and i think a rocket scientist would be a fun job. in responce to emily's question, i think he wouldn't have been able to do it because he would lack all support totally and therefore supplies and land. my question is why did his dad give him supplies and help him? he was supposed to be adamant about that right?
ReplyDeleteI think that the biggest change Homer made was for his town. The Rocket Boys all ended up going to college for something other than football which was also a big change, but the way that their achievements affected Coalwood were pretty big. Miners, machinists, students, even Homer's family came together to help the Rocket Boys with their dreams.
ReplyDeleteI can connect with Homer a lot in this story. I can definitely relate to how he felt when he started trying to build rockets and didn't really know how and felt like he couldn't do it. Sometimes when I first try new things I don't have a lot of confidence with it but if you perservere you can accomplish anything!
My question is why didn't the Rocket Boys get scholarships to college after everything they did? (Including winning the science fair.)
Victoria- I think Jim hated Sonny because he knew that their mom liked Sonny better and saw something special in him. Also, Jim felt like Sonny was an embarassment because he wasn't as "cool" as him.
1) I believe that the biGgest change that happened in the book was how homer's dad went from hating sonny's dream of building rockets, to helping him get materials and learn calculus. ThiS was A bIG chanGe because hiS dad only wanted him to be a mining engineer or be a part of the minE in some way or another. He couldn't stand the idea of his son leaving coalwood behind, yEt be still fought for his son when mr. Fuller wanted to tear up his launch pad, And allowed him to get anything that he wanted from mr. FErRo.
ReplyDelete2) one connection I van make with the book is being intrested in making stuff and science. I may not want to build rockets, mostly because I don't think I could, but I've AlwYse thought it'd be cool to InveNt stuff.
3) response to coles ( from 5th ) question, I think that his dad gave him supplies because he loved his son and when sonny asked whyhe loved Jim more than him, it really got to him ,, so he wqnted to show sonny that he reqlly did care about him but he didn't wAnt to lose the way he came across as a tough guy.
4) why do you think that sonny didn't want to enter the science fair,, at first?
1. I think the the biggest change that Homer, Sonny, made was finally being able to grow up in Coalwood as a rocker engineer, and not a football player or a miner. During this change, Sonny went from being a shy timid boy to being a head-strong, smart kid who eventually would be able to go to college and work for NASA. He also was able to stand up to his father and his him that he didn't want to work in the mine, but instead go into a career dealing with rockets.
ReplyDelete2. I can make a connection with Sonny because at first he was unsuccessful at building rockets and they weren't working...at first. Sometimes, that's the same for me when I'm playing sports or learning something new in school. But, like Sonny, I learn to stick with what you love to do and are interested in, and you will accomplish it!
3. Response to Calvin's question:
I think that Sonny didn't want to enter the science fair at first because Sonny was still unsure about his rockets and if they would work or not. Also, Sonny didn't have a lot of support from his family and that probably made him feel like he couldn't do it. But later, he got support from his dad, mom, friends, and teachers an he felt like he could do it.
4. If Sonny didn't have the support of his friends, do you think he would have been where he is today?
I believe the biggest change Sonny made was growing up as a rocket scientist. Before building rockets, Homer was a lonely and average kid. He was looked down apon by his father and was outshown by his brother. However, when Homer first started building rockets, all of this changed. He became popular, independent, and determined. Homer not only chased his dreams of becoming a rocket scientist, but more importantly, stood up to his father. Instead of working in the mine as his father did, Homer was able to work for Nasa.
ReplyDeleteOne connection I have with this book is a connection with Sonny. Sonny is very determined and will keep tweaking and fixing his rockets until they perform as he wants them too. I am the same way. I too want to do something as well as I can and will keep doing that thing until it is accomplished.
Calvin: I think Sonny did not want to enter the science fair at first because he did not believe in his rockets. Because the BCMA had just started building their rockets, Sonny thought that they had a lot to improve on. Also, I think Sonny believed that the competators from other schools were more experienced and would therefore win instead of Sonny. Homer did start to believe in his rockets as they improved. This is why he eventually entered the science fair.
What do you think would have happened if Quentin did not agree to help Sonny build his rockets?
Good Book!
ReplyDeleteI can relate with it a lot!
One of my top favorites.