Andrew+L

**Hurray, it's English . < It's blue!**
(I have no idea what I'm talking about. EVER)

 **[|Writing Workshop]**


 * June 4th 2009 - Final Poetry Quiz Review scores & classwork**


 * Quiz 1 ::**


 * Quiz 2 ::**


 * Quiz 3 ::**


 * Quiz 4 ::** 7/10


 * Classwork 5 ::**

__a. What are three things that you liked about the character in your novel. Be specific by giving examples.__ //- Let's pick Foxfire. There are some admiral things he did and there are also some mistakes, but he is willing to chase his dreams even if it means to leave his family behind. After fighting with his father, Foxfire left for America to live a new life, and so he went. He was willing to take on the harsh conditions of the trip there, and he had managed to make a good living there. I'd say he's pretty brave, strong-willed, and quite caring. I mean, he still sent back money to Cassia and their father after what had happened to him.//

__b. What were the three most important events?__ //- The three most important events, in my opinion, are when Cassia's mother dies, when the Phoenix attacked the Youngs, and when Foxfire leaves for America. All three of these events have a drastic effect on the plot and changes anything that could've happened. Like when Cassia's mother died, the entire family was torn apart and separated. And when Foxfire left, he had been able to send over money to Cassia and her father to have a better time in Three Willows.//

__c. In what ways are you different from the main character? Be specific.__ //- For one, I'm not really one to hold onto things in the past so I'm not really as determined as Cassia. I'd probably give up on the 'Work' as I'd find that there were more important things to do for the time being. Another could be that I would've probably tried to save Uncle Windy one way or the other.//

__d. List five things about the setting of the story.__ //- The story takes place in Three Willows, a village in China. Most of the people are poor, and droughts seem to come often. When rain does come, it comes in great masses that'd ruin the crops. The hill the village is sometimes crowded in shadow and fog which makes it very easily attacked. The land the village is on would seem to be a little barren and dry, and was quite difficult to farm on. This weather isn't really the best for the inhabitants, but they adapted their ways of life.//

__e. What do you think are three major themes (messages that the author is trying to get across) in the story? Why?__ //- That you should follow your dreams even if you are discouraged by another, like Foxfire's dream to go to the golden mountain and his father telling him not to. Another would be that you shouldn't give up a dream even if everybody else had moved onward, like how Cassia's father had kept on dreaming of being free of the Manchu's and the 'demons. Or another could be how your family will always be a part of you, as Foxfire had always sent back some money to help out Cassia and her father.// Even after his father had 'disowned' him, Foxfire still helped out his family with his new found wealth.

__f. What are three good things you could say about this book?__ //- This book is pretty fun to read. It's not something you'd find boring, new things keep popping up and new events keep coming out. Like most books, 'The Serpents Children' is a great book that even gets better as the get to the end. You'll be wondering what Foxfire has to say in his next letter, and about his trip to America. But along with all that, you'll really be wondering what happens next. It's like a cliff hanger after a cliff hanger. How Cassia's family was bound and how they escaped, or how the family was able to get out of their financial depression. It's an okay book. yay.//


 * May 28th 2009 - Poetry Quiz scores**






 * May 26th 2009 - Poetry Lesson Notes**

-written in ballad stanza or a Quatrain. -like a story in a poem || -the bop is a poetic piece consisting of three stanzas, each separated by one line. -added a fourth stanza? sometimes? || -what is it? || -haiku is an example of an non-rhymed tercet poem. -villanelles is an arrangement of five tercets and one quatrain. || -it is in iambic pentameter -each line contains 10 syllables -William Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets ||
 * **Poetry Term** || **Notes** ||
 * Quatrain || -a stanza of four lines, alternating rhymes (abab, aabb) ||
 * Abecearian || -a form of an acrostic poem where the first letters of a stanza spell out the alphabet. ||
 * Ballad || -form of verse, often a narrative story.
 * The Bop || -made by Afaa Michael (yay)
 * Ode || -a song or lyric poem of an address
 * Tercet Poem || -a poem composed of 3 lines.
 * Sonnet || -a fourteen line poem with rhymes.


 * May 26th 2009 - Verb Tense Quiz**




 * Score ::** 10/10


 * May 25th 2009 - Poetry Lesson Powerpoint**

Here you go ::


 * May 21st 2009 - Word Confusion Score**

Correct = 20 Incorrect = 0


 * May 19th 2009 - The Serpent's Children Chapter Reviews**

__Chapter 1__ In this chapter, Cassia's family is introduced, which includes her brother Foxfire, her mother, and her father who went to fight in a war. The war was based around the British who wished to sell opium in their country, which the locals don't really want. The story then goes on to tell about the day Cassia's father left with the other men to go fight, and finishes off there.

__Chapter 2__ Throughout this wonderful chapter, the story continues on to tell a story about a serpent, and how they're said to be related to one. After Cassia's father left, Foxfire and herself felt lonely and afraid that they may not see their father again. And so the mother then brings the two children around a special window and tell them the story of the serpent. The story tells that you should stick with your family, and to not argue over little things for they're all related.

__Chapter 3__ In chapter three, Aster, a new character is introduced. Aster is a 'stranger', or one of the people who had migrated to the area long before, and is a friend to Cassia. Aster, Cassia, Foxfire, and Cassia's mom then go off to the fields to do some work. Things turn for the worse later when Cassia's mother starts to become dizzy and eventually collapses to her death bed. From there, Cassia and her brother were alone.

__Chapter 4__ Now that Cassia's mother had died, her aunt and uncle decided that they would care for her and her brother. This also meant marriage, which also means that Cassia will have to do things she's very unwilling to do. This includes tying her toes down to make them look 'pretty' or marrying a very rich man that'll give her anything she wants. Cassia did not want any of this to happen and tried to refuse, and her brother attempted to help, but in the end, Cassia was forced into the house to wait to see her fate.

__Chapter 5__ Refusing to accept the culture of their ancestors, Cassia and her brother were able to sneak away because the matchmaker was very drunk. When the villagers found out about the incident, they went to force her to come back. Still refusing to comply, Cassia defended herself and her brother with an old spear she made. The two of them were to stay together, away from the villagers, as brother and sister.

__Chapter 6__ As Cassia and Foxfire are still living on their own, Aster and her family helped out when growing crops and plants, as Cassie's mother helped them many times before. After time, Cassie's Father and Spider returned to the little district, where Cassie's father was badly wounded in the leg. Cassie tells her father about what's been happening, and about their mothers death. The war was later found out to be fought for nothing but an alliance with the British and the Manchus.

__Chapter 7__ It's been years since Cassia's mother had died, and there hasn't been much change recently. The duo still live with their father, who has yet to recover from his injury, and time are rougher than ever. The Manchus and the British have been sucking away everything they could, trying to sell things as fast as possible. It was a very harsh period to live in. Cassia and Foxfire later decide to go out to work in the fields even though a thick fog shadows the entire hill. Thinking nothing bad could happen, they left and soon found themselves lost within the crops. At the time, there was a lot of rivalries between the many clans. This included the Phoenix, which were always arguing with the Youngs. The two soon found themselves attacked by a phoenix warrior, which was stopped by their fathers spear. The attacker, being afraid of an injury, runs away and brings back more to fight. The family is now surrounded and cannot escape.

__Chapter 8__ Surrounded by a dozen men from the Phoenix clan, the three managed to defeat them all and return to their little village. There, they soon found Dusty, a middle-aged man who's fighting abilities are great. He was guarding the gate outside of the village, which is what stopped the militia from helping out. The villages crops were being destroyed and stolen, their work was being taken over. Soon after, Cassia's father and Dusty then begin to fight, but the dad is too injured upon his leg to truly fight again. Dusty disarms Cassia's father and then swiftly leaves, crushing the fathers pride.

__Chapter 9__ As the Phoenix tribe was stealing every last bit of crop they could get their hands on, the Youngs were planning to attack and cease further destruction of their property. The militia and others gather together while Cassia argues on. Her father and brother, wanting to protect her, forced Cassia to stay behind. To stay behind and continue working in Three Willows.

__Chapter 10__ The fighting was over, it was calm, there was a eerie silence in the air. All that remained of once gloriously tall and healthy crops now are tiny stems and twigs. Cassia and Foxfire managed to retrieve the tub they had previously left in the fields. In it, the seeds they left. With all the crops dead and now useless, paying their taxes and rent would be troublesome, they had nothing to give. Aster's husband, Tiny, soon decides that he will help grow back the crops himself. Cassia, feeling down, wants to leave, to have a new place to go to. Foxfire, realizing this, reminds her that this is her home, where she should stay.

__Chapter 11__ After doing what they could to the first field, the villagers went to check on the others. Although there wasn't much harm done to the crops, they probably wouldn't have enough for meals. They might have to sell some of their belongings in order to pay for some food. At that point, Peony comes along and says 'Hi' to Cassia. She then asked Cassia to gather some weeds for her, which she did after some thinking. While Peony was relaxing and Cassia was gathering the weeds, they heard some commotion at the mouth of the valley. Harmony was back.

__Chapter 12__ As Harmony was back, he was telling everybody about his adventures, and about the land outside of the valley. Harmony told Cassia and her family all about it when he came over for dinner. Cassia then breaks the bad news to her father about having to buy food for the winter, and father suggests selling some furniture. Harmony then leaves and an old familiar friend shows up. It was Spider. Spider then talks to Cassia's father and gives the kids some candy. Spider and Cassia's father then go on talking about the demons, the British, //shotguns//, and more.

__Chapter 13__ A clerk came from outside the valley to buy some furniture, along with two dozen coolies to carry the purchases out. When the clerk comes to Cassia's house, he finds some interesting and some not so interesting things. Wishing to purchase some old antiques that were once Cassia's mothers, the clerk asked for their price. Of course, the family didn't want to sell away the only things they had that connected them to their mother. Later, after some bargaining, the family sells a wardrobe and a table. The clerk then goes on his way to buy something else.

__Chapter 14__ With the crops still barely there, Cassia and her family continue to grow everything they can. When the crops were harvested, basically all of it was given to the Golden cat. Later, the family groups together while eating some weed soup and talk about their current situation. Foxfire suggests that the problem isn't the Manchus or the demons and their opium, but their poverty. That they could barely keep a decent amount of food for themselves. Going on, Foxfire also tells that Harmony was to sell Peony in the town. But in the end, even with Foxfire's suggestions to leave for a better life, their father refuses and stops Foxfire's rambling. The father, realizing something, then takes a spatula and takes down the mothers window. They were going to sell it.

__Chapter 15__ Despite the selling of their mothers window, the meals lasted for a while. That is, until Spider came over to talk, and he brought over some company to help with the revolution. Spider, being unable to do anything else, had resorted to using thieves and bandits to perform the Work. The Father was outraged, and then Spider and the group made their move. They were to fight the Phoenixes, but could not because of Dusty. Spider was planning to steal half the food from each house in order to gain the supplies they needed. The family was attacked and they were bound up, Cassia and her father were unconscious.

__Chapter 16__ After Spider and his men left the family bound in rope, the trio struggled to get free. Spider had lit a fire to distract Cassia and stop her and her family from stopping him. When they were finally free, Foxfire and his father fought against each other on the Work and how it had changed their lives so much. Outside their house, people were desperately trying to stop the fire and reduce damage to the village.

__Chapter 17__ After the bandits and Spider had left, the fires were stopped with only one house burned down. The villagers get together to talk about the matter, and end up almost fighting. The arguing stopped when Cassia mentioned Foxfire, and that he was missing. It turns out that the father had disowned Foxfire after the previous argument. The two then go on to look for Foxfire in the fields and house--he wasn't anywhere to be found. They then soon meet Aster who was also looking for Tiny. Later, it is revealed that Foxfire and Tiny had left to send Foxfire overseas to go to the 'Golden mountain'. Tiny later returns and is his Foxfire's bond. He apologizes for his actions and gives us the money he had gotten. Cassia and her father later go to town and make themselves Foxfire's bond, and buy some food and supplies with their half of the money. When they return to the village, the father forces into Tiny's hand half of the money.

__Chapter 18__ Foxfire was gone, and the village was suffering. Months have passed and nothing got better. A drought was slain over the crops, and people were starving to death every day. Cassia's father is deeply saddened thinking that Foxfire's gone because of him. But for now, everybody is almost barely surviving on weed soup. That is, until the clerk comes down to the village. Was he there to pick up Cassia and her father to force them into slavery? No, it was a package from Foxfire. In that package, enough money to save the village, and with it, the fact that Foxfire was alive. He had made it overseas, he made his dream come true.

__Chapter 19__ The package was here, and an envelope with a letter within it was inside. Uncle Blacky was called over to the house to read it out to Cassia and her father. The letter told of Foxfire's new adventures in the new land, and how he had made his way into a new job and home. How he had been able to manage the troubles and explore the wonders of the land. The letter then goes on to tell about what had previously happened. Cassia's father, being stubborn, still refuses to accept that the demons weren't that evil, but accepts some other opinions from Foxfire.

__Chapter 20__ The next few days were days of celebration and joy, the new found money saved the entire village. Along with the new money, some villagers had sent some people to the golden mountains to get some money of their own. They left with a great party behind them. During that event, Cassia went to see her father who had just bought a gun. They both then go to Cassia's mothers grave to give their regards and end up meeting Dusty. He had left the Phoenix's and was wanting to join the Young's again. The father refused and threatened with his gun, and was met with a dagger to his arm. The father was down, and was badly injured.

__Chapter 21__ Dusty was about to kill the father, but was stopped by Cassia who was lucky enough to disarm the attacker and give some time to her father. Although weak and injured, Cassia's father was able to threaten Dusty off and show that he would never give into Dusty's ways. Cassia and her father then later talk about a possible way to contact Foxfire and decide on asking Uncle Blacky to write for them. After all, her father did pay for the Uncle's scholarship.

__Chapter 22__ With all the extra money that Foxfire had given to the family, Cassia and her dad were able to live a very luxurious life compared to their previous one. Cassia had bought two entire fields for her family along with the one her mother had died in. She was able to plant the perfect crops and might be able to make a lot of money of this harvest. Although, all of this comes to shambles when a heavy rain starts to pour upon all the crops, ruining their golden shine. The problem is that due to all the debt they've accumulated through loans and bargains and bribes, they might go into a horrible debt. But time will tell what happens next.

__Chapter 23__ All the recent trouble comes together and eventually hurts everybody. Uncle windy had not been able to pay off any of this debts and was about to be taken away to slavery by the clerk because the person he sent to the golden land had died on the way. Cassia noticed the event and talked to the clerk about the matter. With her families troubles at hand, she simply couldn't keep Foxfire working for her and Windy. The chapter ends with Uncle Windy and his wife being taken away, and Cassia obtains a letter.

__Chapter 24__ Cassia's father had gotten Uncle Blacky to read the letter, and they all went back to their little home. The letter told of how rough the ride to the golden land was, and how painful it was to reach that point in Foxfire's life. Foxfire was living on his own and was willing to support his family no matter what. Cassia and her father are touched by this and the father thinks for a moment. He suggested that it was perhaps time that the world would move on for not him, but for Foxfire and Cassia. For them to keep going onward.


 * May 14th 2009 - 3 Types of Poems**

__**Louder than a Yell**__ Louder than a yell, louder than a scream, louder than a bell,

or a scheme, louder than an elephant, or a little children, louder than an ant, Louder than a siren, louder than a shot of a gun, louder than a waterfall, as it weighs a ton, louder than a hairball, louder than a howling wolf, louder than a dozen of athletes, that's how loud my brother SNORES!

__**Andrew Lee's Ice Cream Store!**__ I am Andrew Lee I run Lee‘s ICE CREAM STORE, there are flavors in my freezer you have never seen before, five divine creations too delicious to resist, why not do yourself a favor, try the flavors on my list:

VANILLA NUT PIE

CANDY CANE

GUAVA JUICE

GRAPE JAM

BEETLE

WALNUT

HALF-CHERRY

BURNT HOTDOG

BURNT PIZZA

BURNT FRIES

I am Andrew Lee, I run Lee's ICE CREAM STORE, taste a flavor from my freezer, you will surely ask for more.

__**What's in the Desk of a Teacher?**__ What’s in the desk of a Teacher A forgotten stick of glue from the 70's Bunches of tangled wires waiting to trip An old lunch sack full of potatoes A computer for fun use The long lost paperweight that's lighter than a feather An old slice of pizza from that party yesterday A tiny machine that explains how to torture a student An army of exquisite and expensive pens that refuse to work


 * May 13th 2009 - Poetry Project**


 * Linguistic Intelligence** :: [[file:Lewis Carroll Biography.doc]]


 * Naturalistic Intelligence** :: [[file:Poetry Haiku! - Andrew Lee 7E.ppt]]


 * Intrapersonal Intelligence** :: [[file:Aspect of Poetry - Andrew Lee 7E.ppt]]


 * Logical-Mathematical Intelligence** :: [[file:Meter in Poetry Lesson - Andrew Lee 7E.ppt]]


 * Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence** :: [[file:Poetry game - Andrew Lee 7E.ppt]]


 * May 12th 2009 - Another Haiku Poem**

Slowly moving about, Spanning the depths of nature, Giving birth to new.


 * May 12th 2009 - Month Poem (Warm-up)**

__January__ silence, slow sound, subtly bound. Snow and sleet fall tranquil, soon to bloom. But for now stay indoors, and enjoy the warmth.


 * May 8th 2009 - Haiku Word Choice 5**

Motion and silence, A Bright flurry of powder, White fluffs Winter day.


 * May 8th 2009 - Haiku Evaluation**

the ground, smooth and soft, ready to nurture new life; spring has come again.
 * __Jamie's Haiku__**
 * Grade ::** 4 - A. Words are specific and accurate. It is easy to understand just what the writer means.
 * Evidence ::** Her haiku has a simple meaning and shows it well and her second line 'ready to nurture new life;' tells just enough to tell what it means.

Sakura blossoms, their delicious perfume; spring has come once more.
 * Grade ::** 4 - A. Words are adequate and correct in a general sense, and they support the meaning by not getting in the way.
 * Evidence ::** The second line is only six syllables long, but the poem is simple and the words like delicious could have been better shown.

Green field spread all around You can play with happiness We should protect them
 * __Zoey's Haiku__**
 * Grade ::** 3 - B. Familiar words and phrases communicate but rarely capture the reader's imagination.
 * Evidence ::** The words like protect and happiness could be a better played and could give a better description to the meaning.

Sky spread wide apart With the cool winds swaying by It's blue and wide sky
 * Grade ::** 4 - D. Despite a few successes, the writing is marked by passive verbs, everyday nouns, and mundane modifiers.
 * Evidence ::** Swaying is a good choice of a word, but you should have used a different word than wide. (You used it twice.)


 * May 6th 2009 - Haiku! (x2)**

Blooming in the breeze, Exploring, playing,blowing, Flowing through, slowly.

Growing in silence, Expanding with the windfall, Red and pink surrounds.


 * May 5th 2009 - Lit Book pg 723-730 #1-5**

1. Why do you think Ellen went with Lochinvar, even thouugh she'd agreed to marry another? //- Ellen went with Lochinvar because of a secret love for him, he was brave and strong.//

2. How do the female characters and male characters differ in their response to Lochinvar? //- The females seem to become worried and scared, while the males seem to become enraged.//

3. What does Lochinvar's behavior at the wedding reveal about his values? //- Lochinvar has the ability or charm to get what he wants.//

4. Do you think Lochinvar's actions were justified? Why or why not? //- Well Lochnivar did steal Ellen, but Ellen doesn't seem to disagree that much. I'd say that his actions weren't justified.//

5. In literature, knightly behavior is characterized by bravery and a romantic attitude toward women. How does this poem illustrate such characteristics? //- By how Lochnivar is able to take away Ellen, how he could __swoop__ her away.//


 * April 29th 2009 - Blues song (Hurray.)**

Give me a clue You went right through Give me a clue You went right through So cold and blue Just take your cue

Stuck on this wall Waitin' for the call Stuck on this wall Waitin' for the call Just pick up the tele' Makin' sure not to fall

Where do you go Make a choice, I'm done Where do you go Make a choice, I'm done Be sure you stay here Or else I'm just none

Recording ::


 * April 29th 2009 - Middle Matter Poem (Riddle Poem)**

//A package of sweets and treats, A dream like a kiss of heaven,

An exquisite goodie, Encased in a gift, Of bundles of fruity paste. What am I?//


 * April 28th 2009 - Lit book pg 754-755 questions**

1. I'd describe the seal as playful and fast--really fun too. He dives and zooms, swims and twists.

2. The young man is going out, but he's not complaining, he's not griping. He doesn't seem to have a care in the world, and just doesn't mind the work.

3. I'd think the 'you' in both the poems are talking about the listeners. It invites you, the listener or reader to join in on the fun or work.

4. Replacing seal with shark would probably change the output of the poem. Sharks don't exactly bark or dive, so that'd need to be changed. The idea and tone of the poem wouldn't have as happy of a tone due to possible different descriptions. The story might even be about how terrifying the shark must be.

5. Both the speakers have a lively voice, giving a happy tone to the poems. The poems have both give that happy tone, but give a different way of expressing it. Like in the seal poem, the rhymes are smoother and give that joyful mode. However, in the other, even though the man has to work, he's happy. And that gives hope, and joy.


 * April 24th 2009 - Langston Hughes Poem Thoughts**

__Dreams__ I believe this poem relates to how you should never give up, and stick to your dreams and hopes. Like the line 'For when dreams go, Life is a barren field,' it just says that you shouldn't let go of your dreams. And otherwise, you'd be stuck in a hole, a blank place with nothing to do.

__The Weary Blues__ This poem, to me, gives the impression of an afternoon of a blues song--rocking in a chair, relaxing to the tune. The poem appreciates the tempo and tune and beat.

__The Negro Speaks of Rivers__ The poem speaks of how we, as people, are connected to rivers. The history surrounding them, how they're all connected to past events, what they mean to us.

__A Dream Deferred__ 'A Dream Deferred' is about what happens to abandoned dreams--what happens to them? Do they just dissolve, do they live a few more moments? Or maybe it just '//Sags like a heavy load//,' bringing you down.

__I, Too__ The poem probably talks about how separation between the blacks and whites, how the black one had been forced to stay in the kitchen.


 * April 24th 2009 - Langston Hughes Facts**

1. Hughes began writing poetry in high school.

2. Worked as a bus boy at the Wardman Park hotel in Washington D.C.

3. Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri.


 * April 23rd 2009 - Synonym Poem (Homework)**

ROCK Earth, ore, mass, rubble, crust The earth is a rock, it'll never bust.


 * April 22nd 2009 - Earth Day Poem**

//Earth is our home, Lend a hand, Explore the land, Mesmerizing span.

Earth is our home, Take a little time, Grow a piece of nature, Plant a tiny dime, Let the world span, As we also plan.

Earth is our home, The earth is you, You went and grew, Just remember here, As the planets tiny peer.//


 * Me Recorded :: [[file:Andrew Earth Poem.mp3.zip]]**


 * April 21st 2009 - Poem Homework**

__Race is Poetry Response__ I believe the video was stating that we're all alike, whatever the race. The poem is probably called that because all poetry is a like, they all have a meaning. I'd have to agree.

__Poetry Slam__ Is a competitive poetry competition, where poets are given 3 minutes to share. Judges are just picked from the audience, so they may not always know about poetry.


 * April 21st - Riddle Poem and List Poem**

//**__Riddle Poem__**// //A package of sweets and treats, A dream like a kiss of heaven,

An exquisite goodie, Encased in a gift, Of bundles of fruity paste. What am I?//

//__**List Poem - Things you hear in the rain**__// //--Splashes and splishes. --Talking and puddles. --Eating and munching. --Splatters and bashes. --Screeching and bunches. --Accidents and dreams.//


 * April 20th - 25 paragraph reviews**

__‘A Day’s Wait’ by Ernest Hemingway page 72__

‘A Day’s Wait’ is about a little boy who has his measurements completely wrong. The story is about a young boy, Schatz, and his father, who remains unknown. The story, by Ernest Hemmingway is a little tale that gives you a little reason to why you might want to know your Celsius.

The little boy, only at age nine, doesn’t have a good grasp of some things, including temperature measurements. He thought that he would die when his temperature went over 42, but he didn’t know that was in the Celsius Measurement. It kind of reminds me about how I forget and confuse centimeters for inches. Well I used to.

The tale starts in the morning where Schatz goes downstairs to tell his father that he’s not feeling very well. The father, feeling worried, tells his son to go to lye in bed while he calls a doctor. When the doctor comes, he diagnoses the boy for a common flu going around and that he has a temperature of 102, he then leaves some medicine to cure the sickness. Confused, the boy acts a little strange, thinking that he’s going to die. The father goes out for a little to think and relax while the little boy stays in bed. When the father comes back to the house, he realizes that the boy thought he was going to die. It was all a misunderstanding, however. The measurement of 102 was in Fahrenheit, and not the Celsius of 42 that the boy heard of. The father then tells him about it, and the boy calms down.

There’s the little boy and his father. Both are kind and nice, and it’s just that the boy doesn’t know as much. The son might want to be a little less trusting in what other people say, for they can be wrong.

A moral for the story, with it being short, should also be simple. The symbolism in the story reveals that you shouldn’t believe everything that your hear, whether it’s from a guy in Finland, or a boy from Switzerland.

__‘Seventh Grade’ by Gary Soto page 122__

‘Seventh Grade’ by Gary Soto is a story about a young boy name Rudi who saved a hiker in the glaciers. The boy pulled up the man, basically saved his life. They then talk about themselves and the boys aspirations.

The story just reminds me of how much somebody can try to help another out, even in the worst of conditions. How the boy had such determination to save the man, Captain Winter, in a lower crevice in the glacier.

It all starts when Rudi is out on the glacier, walking around. From there, he calls out into a crevice in the glacier and hears a reply from Captain Winter. The boy, with all his determination and strength, then pulls up the hiker to the top with his clothes. The man then thanks him and they talk for a little while going back to Rudi’s home. They talk about his aspirations and goals in life—his dream job. It turns out that Rudi didn’t exactly be what he wanted to be, and is instead a dish washer. They then split apart, and Rudi goes home.

Rudi is a good boy, he cares for others, and respects his mothers wishes. Captain Winter, although having low self-esteem, is a good person to talk to and talks Rudi through some things. They both bond a little, and end up almost like they were always good friends.

The story just tells you how far people will go for others, whether big like pulling up another man from 20ft down, or even small like talking to another. It just reminds us that even in the worst times, people will always be there to nurture, to care.

__‘The Hummingbird that Lived...’ by William Saroyan page 172__

‘The Hummingbird that Lived’ is a tiny tale about an old man, Dikran, and how he and a boy helped save a hummingbird through the deepest of the winter. They nourished it and the hummingbird grew back to health. The boy tells the story in a first person point of view.

The old man and the boy saved that little hummingbird, just as many people would treat their kids; with food and warmth, also some love. It reminds me of the time when I once went out to build a snowman in the winter, only to find a dying bird by our doorstep. Of course I didn’t save it in time though.

The story starts with the old man Dikran, who is almost blind and 80. During the dead of winter, he finds a little humming bird with the boy. It fell into his hand as it fell unconscious. The boy and Dikran both take care of the bird with food and warmth, a little honey too. They nurtured the bird until it was almost at full health, then released it. The boy later asks the old man if the bird lived, and the old man of course answers yes.

A man and a boy—not so much to say about that. Both of them take very well care of the little hummingbird, and nurture it. The story tells about how just two people can make a difference, even if it’s little.

Morals… the hummingbird that lived—the boy and man who saved it. The story tells about how even a little help and care can give the greatest of results, for at the end, there was more than one in the air.

__‘All Summer in a Day’ by Ray Bradbury page 288__

‘All Summer in a Day’ is a story about a girl Margot who moved from Earth to Venus. There, she doesn’t exactly fit in, and eventually that gets her in some trouble with the other students. It tells about how the other children rejected Margot from their activities—how they had treated her and pranked her badly.

Well we all deal with rejection in one way or another, you may not even notice it. Or how you may feel different from others because maybe you moved there or you just think differently. In the end, the one to rejects always sees some truth, if not immediately.

The story begins with Margot in the classroom, with the others. Everybody’s waiting for the sun to come up, for on Venus, it rarely ever comes up during the year. Margot, being different and all, was then put in as a part of a prank, and was locked in a closet. The kids then saw the sun come up, but Margot did not, even though she wanted to see it so much. After the sun settled, the kids realize what they’d done to Margot, and feel guilty. They run back to Margot and let her out.

In the story, there’s Margot, a little girl from earth, a teacher, and other students from her class. Margot is a little different from the others, for she was always used to earths culture, and was treated harshly by the others. The other kids may not realize what they’re doing, but they do in the end.

This tiny tale tells that you shouldn’t discriminate others, whether they’re from another planet or even next door. Even though it’s common sense, there are those that don’t listen, that don’t care, and just don’t understand how the bothered feel.

__‘The Luckiest Time of All’ by Lucille Clifton page 398__

‘The Luckiest Time of All’ by Lucille Clifton is a story about when Mrs. Elzie F. Pickens’ great-granddaughter, Tee, brought over some dogwood blooms. The two then talk about how Tee’s great-grandmother met her husband in school. How a lucky stone of hers got her to meet her future husband.

The story is just a simple tale about how Elzie had been chased by a dog and her future husband ran to save her. It just reminds me of how much something can grow, like their future relationship, or how fast a little plant can sprout and grow into a tree.

It all starts when Elzie and her friend went walking about town. They found a dog, and Elzie accidentally dropped a stone on the dogs nose. The dog chased her in fury, but Amos Pickens came to save her. That stone was how Elzie had met her future husband, Pickens, and that moment was her luckiest time of all.

Elzie, Tee’s great-grandmother, is kind old woman rocking on the porch, waiting for what’s next. He great-granddaughter, Tee, is a kind heart that just went to visit her grandmother, and listens to her story.

Lucky times are always a treasured memory—they can follow us from place to place. Maybe even a little trouble can be good, as long as you don’t get hurt. Elzie met her future husband from a little trouble, and maybe some for you would do some good.


 * April 17th 2009 - Poetry video comment**

The poem has a nice rhythm to it, the name fits it well, "Motives And Thoughts".

Liked the line "Human mythologies, urban folk lore."


 * April 17th 2009 - Poems**

__Shape Poem__

__Acrostic Poem__

__Diamante Poem__


 * April 16th 2009 - Figurative Language**


 * **Figurative Language** || **Example** ||
 * Alliteration || Sickles has stolen my supper. ||
 * Assonance || It's soon to spoon a dune tune. ||
 * Onomatopoeia || The bird chirped and the owl hooted. ||
 * Imagery || The fountain broiled up a horrid stew, brown as mud, thick as clay. ||
 * Metaphors || The man wouldn't stop quacking; he was a duck. ||
 * Simile || The universe is like gravity; it never stops. ||
 * Hyperbole || He is the nicest person on earth. ||
 * Personification || The cup swayed around the room--then fell onto the floor. ||
 * Allusion || The man is like Tom Sawyer, never does anything himself. ||
 * Synecdoche || "Got your chompers in place, mam?" ||
 * Conceit || The man was a cold, stiff rock. ||
 * Paradox || The man swam through land. ||
 * Symbolism || That man is such an owl. ||
 * Antithesis || "Smooth move, kid." ||

The universe is like gravity, Never ends, bends, or pends, It sways around, dancing, extending, In its infinite owl-like behavior, It's like it swims about its own room.


 * April 15th 2009 - Formula Poem**

Sometimes We try to get there And it's often unfair-- It's never like a player, We wish for prayer.

And often We find a loop And try to stretch it like a hoop, To find a little soup, It's like a troupe.

And Usually We wander about the hall, It's like we never fall.

But sometimes It's good to change.


 * April 13th 2009 - Poetry Matters video notes**

-can give an image of motion and emotion to the reader -rosa parks, conflict


 * April 13th 2009 - How to Write a Blues Song Notes**

-Blues music is based in America -Based on hard times and your feelings

__Six steps__ 1. -Think about your feelings. -It can be happy or sad -Should have emotional meaning 2. -Express yourself -Write a line to convey meaning and emotion 3. -Repeat lines 4. -Rhyming is always needed 5. -Name the song, have a good hook 6. -Keep the beat, stick to the basics


 * Doesn't have to be grammatically correct


 * April 10th 2009 - Andrew's Self Portrait**

My life is like awesome, My shoes are like great, My socks are still pending My candy bars are amazing, My work is very late, My heart holds tight, That is as red as hate, I live in mostly light.

Sabin- I like it, especially the rhyming words create a rhythm. (Ex. Great, hate, late)

Lady had a happy human Its ear was orangeish as meat. And everywhere that Lady went The human was sure to go.
 * April 10th 2009 - Poetry**

It followed her to sewers one day Which was against the rules. It made the children explode and sleep To see a human at sewers.


 * April 8th 2009 - Poetry with Scrabbled Words**

A gorgeously delicate chain of vision, an eternity of luscious chant, forest beauty, always in the moment, the lake whispering, deliriously playing as the gift stares, like a sky blowing.

__//Brian's Comments-//__
Very well written. It describes the beauty of nature. I think it reminds the readers of how they must take care of this wonderful nature.


 * April 6th 2009 - Defining words in poetry (HW)**

__Define and post:__ 1st pers on point of view; 3rd person point of view; alliteration; allusion; biography; character trait; climax of a novel; fable; fiction; flashback; foreshadowing; free-verse
 * __Word / Phrase__ || __Definition__ ||
 * 1st person point of view || Telling a story from your own view; what you think of the story. ||
 * 3rd person point of view || Telling a story about a character that is not you, telling the story. ||
 * alliteration || The occurrence of the same letter of sound between closely spaced words. ||
 * allusion || Indirectly referencing something. ||
 * biography || The story of ones life. ||
 * character trait || A part of a persons personality. ||
 * climax of a novel || The main point of the novel, where the events start to heat up. ||
 * fable || A short story, generally with animals as characters. ||
 * fiction || A fake story ||
 * flashback || Remembering an event from a previous time. ||
 * foreshadowing || Giving hints as to future events. ||
 * free-verse || Poetry that doesn't rhyme. ||


 * April 2st 2009 - Essay Evaluation of word choice and voice**

I evaluated Jamie's essay.

__Voice__


 * Grade:** 4
 * Evidence:** A. The writing attempts to connect with the audience in an earnest, pleasing, but impersonal manner.
 * Example:** We played games, we sang, and explored. We did homework, and everything else.

__Word Choice__


 * Grade:** 4
 * Evidence:** D. Lively verbs add energy while specific nouns and modifiers add depth.
 * Example:** Even the noisiest kids were quiet in that dreadful silence.


 * April 1st 2009- Simile Lesson

**


 * March 30th 2009 - Word choice exercise**


 * **__#__** ||= __**Mundane**__ ||= __**Striking**__ ||
 * 1. ||= bad ||= horrific ||
 * 2. ||= afraid ||= frightened ||
 * 3. ||= heavy ||= crushing ||
 * 4. ||= tossed ||= hurdled ||
 * 5. ||= old ||= kicking-the-bucket ||
 * 6. ||= big ||= enormous ||
 * 7. ||= shiny ||= glistening ||
 * 8. ||= jumped ||= leaped ||
 * 9. ||= eaten ||= devoured ||
 * 10. ||= great ||= stunning ||


 * March 30th 2009 - Writing Workshop Station #2**

//18. Every day you pass a door. It’s always closed and locked. One day, as you pass, you notice that the door is open. You step inside. Write a story about what was on the other side of that door.//

That very day, I was curious--very, very curious. Every other day, I would pass that door--no, that gate. And that distant glimpse of something new always caught my eyes. Well on that door was always a sign; on it imprinted 'Janitor'-//-janitor//... Was there even a janitor? The building was never clean, all the floors were covered with vast puddles of garbage--garbage that seemed to //grow//. I really don't know, but there was something different that day. It so happened that the door was always locked, as if it was guarded with a god's power. Well, I wouldn't know about what's inside, but I've always kept a steady mind, checking if something was different.

Boredom surrounded my mind today, and I just couldn't get rid of that door--it was engraved into my mind. However, I never considered the thought of there being something inside that room. Now that I think of it, what //is// in that room? Is it empty? What if somebody lived th--no, I don't think that's even possible. But what was in there, some hyperactive mice, trapped in? Maybe... just maybe.

Perhaps it was a trick of the light... but it was open! The door had no longer been locked in, it was no longer a barrier. I knew that it wasn't managed, I've been working here for 14 years! That's almost an entire child's life. Well, a big child--maybe with a mustache. So, after my exquisite brunch at my favorite restaurant, I decided to sleep a little. //Then//, I guess I'd try looking in that room.

But guess what, it was closed--and locked. Now I'd never know what was in there... Then it hit me, somebody was going in and out, or just locking it and unlocking it. But either way, I'll just have to wait for that man (or woman) to come by again.

By Andrew Lee
 * I, Juan de Pareja Report**

I, Juan de Pareja is a very interesting book—it is the story of a slave named Juan who moves with a painter named Diego Velasquez, who, at the time, is basically the most famous painter in Spain. The author, Elizabeth Borton de Trevino, gives a clear view on the story of Juan—and his journey throughout the eastern world.

Elizabeth, also the author of Beyond the Gates of Hercules, and The Fourth Gift, is a very descriptive writer. Born on September 2, 1904, her family was full of readers, and writers. Elizabeth, who always wanted to write stories, started writing poetry at a young age. She graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Latin American history. Later in her life, she studied the violin, and worked as reporter. After marriage, she wrote I, Juan de Pareja, with inspiration from her son. What gave her to motivation was the painting done of Juan, made by Diego himself. It inspired her to write about the friendship between to two, from slave to friends. From there, she wrote many other stories and tales. She passed away on December 2, 2001 in Cuernavaca, Mexico at age 97.

Aside from Elizabeth, I, Juan de Pareja is a novel that may have inspired many. It stars an unknown slave named Juan, living in Madrid—who is, after the death of his caretaker, and master, sent to a man named Diego Velasquez in Spain. From there, his great adventure starts. He is taken away with gypsies to Spain, and after a long, torturous ride, he arrives in the city he would soon love. Juan, from there, wakes up in his new masters home, and met Diego for the first time. Diego Velasquez is a kind soul who keeps to him self. He is a passionate painter, and a good caretaker. Juan learns his duties with the painter, who is very quite carefree. Juan would take care of the materials needed. Juan has always loved the arts, he loves to paint, and would even steal brushes and materials needed just to do so. He later shows his painting to a man named Bartolome Esteban Murillo, one apprentice of Diego, who gets Juan to confess to his lie. Juan then feels much freer—happier.

Later in the story, Juan and Diego leave for Rome, and Diego gets a commission to paint the Pope Innocent X. However, after the rough journey there, Diego is afraid of painting, for his hand was damaged by their current positions. Due to this, Juan then asks the painter to paint him. Diego does paint him, and Juan shows his portrait to a Duke. The painting then attracts many others into having portraits done of them selves.

Later, Juan gains his freedom when he confesses to be painting, and becomes Diego’s apprentice. Juan and Lolis, the slave of the mistress, later get married. Diego and his wife pass away, and the two married couple moves to Madrid to stay with Bartolome Esteban Murillo.

The story has a very great plot, it’s attracting, and get’s you into it. Juan, being a slave, makes it even more interesting. You just have to wonder how Juan will get his freedom; maybe he even wouldn’t get it (He did). How Juan falls in love three times, and in the end marries the other slave—it’s just wondrous as to how much Juan would do for Diego. He’d go to the ends of the earth to help his new master, for Diego had cared for him so much.

But along with the storyline and characters, the choice of words used in the story is very vivid, and expanding. Sometimes, even the simple words get the job done—it keeps it simple and inviting.

This book is a very good example of how much a friendship can advance, even though the ones who participate may not know it. I’d recommend this book to anybody who likes to listen to and read to different tales of friends. Juan was always a slave—ever since he was born. I knew he would, in the end, gain his freedom.

I find that the more I read, the more you’ll want to find out. How he gains his freedom, what happens to Diego, what will Juan do next? It’s very curious.

I, Juan de Pareja is a very moving novel that I recommend to all readers. It’s just interesting to find out what happens next, and how Juan deals with his situations. For instance, I was wondering what would happen when Lolis rejected Juan’s marriage proposal, only to find out that it was because she was a slave.


 * March 19th 2009 - Grocery List, VOICE in Writing**

__1. Bread__ Wheat, bread, toast—Mmm, toast—eggs, bacon. Whatever’s in your breakfast, I’m sure there’s always some bread in there. Like some toast. You know, crunchy, tasty, cooked wheat? Maybe a little butter on top—or margarine, whichever you prefer. A toaster with that bread would be some thing good there—raw is pretty good too. I’d always wonder at the thought of bread… Multigrain or white?
 * Items:**

__2. Bagel__ A bagel plus some butter equals happy me—generally. Just get a chuck of bread, cook the outside and puncture it with something, ta-da, you have a bagel. Add some butter—or margarine (again)—and you have a mighty fine breakfast. Or lunch—maybe dinner if you’re not hungry. Though, I’ve always wondered as to why it’s called the bagel—why not something more exquisite, like ‘A loaf of bread with a hole’?

__3. Yogurt__ Those six-packs of yogurts just keep getting smaller. Every time I go back to that store, the packs are smaller, and lighter—it’s like a yogurt recession. But enough of that, yogurt’s were it’s at. Just be sure you buy a twelve-pack of them, it’ll be enough to fill me up—half.


 * March 12th 2009 - Classwork (Essay self-evaluation)**

__VOICE__
 * Score:** 5
 * Type:** D - Expository or persuasive writing reflects a strong commitment to the topic by the careful selection of ideas that show why the reader needs to know this.
 * Evidence:** The streets flooding with beautiful color, the cold slowly clouding the air--stunning, really.

__WORD CHOICE__
 * Score:** 4
 * Type:** D - Despite a few successes, the writing is marked by passive verbs, everyday nouns, and mundane modifiers.
 * Evidence:** Around this time, there should also be the occasional snow, a trip to the mountains, hiking, it's very peaceful


 * March 6th 2009 - Little Red Riding Hooks**

Original:

Some like the rain, some like the sun, some like the snow, some like the cold, and some know the world, and its stunning display of nature.

1. Earth grows around the mind.

2. Earth is like the roots of a tree, once it digs in, there's almost no going out.

3. Open the door and stare into the sky, what do you see?

4. Even in the harshest of weathers, the Earth still shines brightly in our eyes.

5. What's filled with water and contains everything you need to survive? That's right (if you got it), it's Earth.

6. Earth was the kind of place that you could never imagine, the beauty of it all is too much to take in.

7. It surprising to see how much something can change, the Earth has never stopped.

8. Gleaming, natural, and friendly, the Earth is your home.


 * March 5th 2009 - 5 Paragraph essay**

I've always asked as to why people like winter, or why they like the summer. Why just like a specific season? They're all good in their own way. Give it a moment and think. Go out right now and I bet you that it's a beautiful day to somebody, I'm absolutely sure of it. Summer, Spring, Autumn, Winter-- They're all good in their own way.

Autumn. The bright orange and yellow, falling from a tree. The streets flooding with beautiful color, the cold slowly clouding the air--stunning, really. A brisk walk under the shadows of the naked trees. You can easily find a calming reaction the moment you look out. Around this time, there should also be the occasional snow, a trip to the mountains, hiking, it's very peaceful. The slow, fall breeze flowing right through you.

Winter. Awesome, snowy winter--really cold too. The blankets of pure, white, sometimes another color, snow. It's beautiful, along with Autumn, but we're on winter now. Let's think of a generically average, cold, snowy winter day. You can build a snowman (or woman), or just play around in the lush, puffy, amazingly beautiful snow. The things you can experience--what you could never imagine. It's the most astounding sight you could imagine, so you could just go in, and jump right into it (Hoping that it's not too deep). You could just imagine the fun that you could be having in that amazingly refreshing frost.

Summer and Spring. There's always something little detail you can find in things-- For the summer, it's the fresh air, the nice, warm and smiling sun. A fresh field full of grass, playing your favorite sport or game under the shade. The great star's reflection in the sunset, making the sky glow as if it were a great light bulb. Just go running under the sun-- the hot, steaming sun. With that, a fresh, glowing meadow is the best way to relax, and return to your mind. Run through or relax under, or even go for a swim-- Maybe even have a little snack. The aroma of the air is just astounding to take in. Enjoy the flowers, enjoy the sun, enjoy the breeze.

To me, all the season are amazingly stunning, it's all just really nice to see nature growing around you. It may not always be the greatest sight to behold, but you should understand that there's always some beauty in the seasons. A long, cold winter night, a gusty autumn morning, the breaking dawn in the summer, the floral essence in the spring. There's a good to every season, no matter how you look at it, the weather's almost always nice.


 * March 4th 2009 - Chapter 10, Juan's Letter to his Mom**

Dear Mother,

It has been many years since I have last written to you, and much has happened. I have been and still am the slave of Diego Velasquez, a great painter who had painted for kings.

Recently, I've met a man. His name was Bartolome Esteban Murillo. He was a very eccentric man who had great ambitions for painting. He was Masters new apprentice, and was very interested in religious painting.

Bartolome helped me confess my lies to my Master at confession, all my burdens had been lifted. As a slave I could not paint, and I had stolen Masters paint and tools to paint myself. I have confessed, and Bartolome had been supplying me with all I needed.

I felt that life could no longer burden me, it could not have possibly been better.

From, Juan, your son.


 * March 3rd 2009 - Chapter 9 3 Q's, 3 vocab, 3 sentence summary**

__Questions__ 1. Juan tried to take care of five baby. What happened to them?

2. What did Juan hate the thought of doing?

3. What was the name of the dog?

__Vocab__ 1. Daintily : pg.108 : delicately; doing so very cute - The servant daintily brought over a drink, hoping to please her master.

2. Trepidation : pg.110 : a feeling of fear or agitation due to a oncoming event - The men left their village in much trepidation, they worried about the future events.

3. Dwarf : pg.112 : One short and small in size; tiny men in mythical tales - The dwarves gathered, only to find that they could not get atop their chairs.

__Summary__ A year after Paquita's wedding, Juan and his master left to northern Spain and stayed in the palace. Juan does not exactly like this, but must endure, and while there, he takes care of the animals in the palace. Juan befriended another, Nino de Valleca, and tries to understand the Masters way of painting.


 * Feb 27th 2009 - Five chapter 8 questions**

1. The kings first minister was the 'Duke of '. -Duke of __Olivares__.

2. After how many years did Cristobal and Alvaro leave? -About five years. (5)

3. What was the name of the boy who wished to becomes Deigo Velasquez's apprentice? How old was he? -Juan Bautista del Mazo, he was about twenty years old.

4. What did the master paint? -A painting of Paquita, to be sent to Portugal.

5. Why did Diego decide to send the painting of Paquita? -To interest some distant cousins and possibly find a husband for her.


 * Feb 25th 2009 - Five chapter 7 questions**

1. Where did Juan and the rest stay? (It's near the studio) -They stayed in an apartment in the Palace.

2. What was Juan's idea for the girls to play with? -A kitten.

3. Who gave Juan a kitten? -Doña Trini gave Juan a kitten.

4. What happened to her niña? -She was dead.

5. What did the other negroes in Italy act like? -Very flamboyant and haughty.


 * Feb 25th 2009 - I, Juan de Pareja Packet pg. 16 vocab**

__Apprehension__ : Anxiety; fear - He was sick of apprehension, he looked so nervous for his interview. __Conscientiously__ : Honorably; careful - She conscientiously worked on the clock, and in the end, it was magnificent. __Exquisite__ : beautiful; of highest quality - That vase was exquisite, its quality was beyond mention. __Haughty__ : arrogant; proud - The man was so haughty that he didn't even notice the cliff he just walked off. __Intermittent__ : periodic; on and off - The intermittent windshield wiper was made by a guy named Bob. __Intrigue__ : secret plot - The secret had intrigued me, I was very curious. __Meticulous__ : detail-oriented; precise - She was always so meticulous about the way she looked, she almost lost track of her life. __Tremulous__ : quivering; trembling - The man was very tremulous today, he seemed to be worried about something. __Trepidation__ : nervousness; uncertainty - The man left without a word, and in trepidation.


 * Feb 24th, 2009 - Recipe for emotion**




 * Feb 4th, 2009 - Artist Biography**