JennaD_Homepage_2008

Back to Our Homepages for Writing  Menu Reflection~ The menu project has really helped me when I describe foods. I used to think that it was kind of difficult, because really does anyone go and sit down and start writing about food? Well maybe a food critic but they get paid. See, I'm not a food critic so I don't really describe foods and I wasn't that strong at that whole making the reader imagine the food and make their mouth water and their stomachs grumble with juicy words. Now I have improved the way I describe things and I have juicy words to use when describing. I've also been able to find some recipes that sound pretty good.

Found Poem~ They say work broke his back; Before it healed, Nobody knows my pain like Fortune bones, I have manipulated joints, I was not this body, You are not you're body, Then we compost, It falls open like a bridal gossamer, Magnetic center of the universe, You can murder hope; you can pound it flat, But like weeds and wildflowers, they grow right back. - A found Poem by Marilynn Nelson by Jenna

Starlab Reflection~ Today Starlab visited the green team. It was a very fun experience. My science gathered into the orchestra room, where Starlab was going to be. Five people at a time crawled into the big blow up where Starlab was being held. We sat in two rows and in a few minutes the blow up was brightly illuminated with a map of the world on the ceiling. Mr. Science quickly reviewed where the U.S., Africa, China, India, and Mexico were. He then switched the map of the world with a pitch black sky dotted with stars. He told us some constellations and showed us pictures of them "connected". Starlab taught me how these constellations were discovered. I learned about old cultures and beliefs and how much they affected people.

Grammar Study Guide~ The Verb Verbs are the actions of a noun. Some verbs are eating, speak, run, jog, type, write, examine, and reply. The verb in the next sentence is in bold and underlined. She will be help **__build__** the new house.

Action Verbs Action verbs describe what a noun is doing. Some action verbs are ran, jog, jump, dance, write, talk, and play. The action verb in the next sentence is in bold and is underlined. Nancy **__shouted__** to her friends.

Linking Verbs A linking verb joins a noun or pronoun, so that the sentence makes sense. Linking verbs can appear anywhere in a sentence. Some linking verbs are is, are, was, turn, feel, and grow. The linking verb in the next sentence is in bold and underlined. The jars **__are__** full.

Helping Verbs A helping verb comes before the main verb of the sentence, and helps the sentence make sense. Sometimes helping verbs can form into a verb phrase. Some helping verbs are am, are, is, was, were, be, being, been, have, has, had, and can. The helping verb in the next sentence is in bold and is underlined. Nancy **__was__** sleeping soundly.

The Adjective An adjective modifies something and helps you picture the object. Some adjectives are happy, sad, pretty, kind, huge, enchanting, bizarre, splendid, and funny. The adjective in the next sentence is in bold and is underlined. She is a very **__comical__** person.

Articles There are three different articles. //The// is an indefinite article that points out a specific noun. //A// and //an// are indefinite articles that point any member of a noun. The article in the next sentence is in bold and is underlined. I have **__an__** early appointment to go to the dentist.

Proper Adjectives Without Suffixes Proper adjectives without are really proper nouns used as adjectives. Some proper adjectives without suffixes are New York Times, April showers, and the Jackson family. Here is one example when we use the proper nouns as adjectives without suffixes. The proper noun in the next sentence is in bold and underlined. Sally went to her front door step to retrieve the **__Baltimore__** newspaper.

Proper Nouns With Suffixes Proper adjectives with suffixes are really proper nouns, used as adjectives. Sometimes when we use proper adjectives we add suffixes to them. Some proper adjectives with suffixes are Incan empire, Victorian novel, and Mexican food. Here is one example of when we use proper adjectives with suffixes. The proper noun in the next sentence is in bold and underlined. The **__American__** government is deciding what to do with the war in Iraq.

Possessive Adjectives These adjectives can be used to show ownership and modify a noun. Some possessive adjectives are my, his, their, and her. The possessive noun in the next sentence is in bold and is underlined. Have you found **__your__** jacket yet?

The Noun A noun is a person, place, or thing. Some nouns are Times Square, George Washington, tree, cat, homework, and America. The noun in the next sentence is in bold and is underlined. Have you finished your new **__book__** yet?

Compound Nouns Compound nouns are like compound words, they are made made joining two or more words. Some compound nouns are goldfish, countryside, policemen, homework, blackboard, and housekeeper. The compound word in the next sentence is in bold and is underlined. Your **__handwriting__** is neat and easy to read.

Common Nouns A common noun tells you the name of any group of people, places, or things. Some common nouns are tree, cat, pencil, building, clothes, and book. The common noun in the next sentence is in bold and is underlined. Her brother is on the **__football team.__**

Proper Nouns A proper noun tells you the specific name of person, place, or thing. Some proper nouns are California, Target, Civil War, Saturn, Lake Superior, and Martin Luther King Jr. The proper noun in the next sentence is in bold and is underlined. **__Rosa Parks__** is a very brave and honorable hero.

The Pronoun A pronoun replaces a noun. The noun that the pronoun replaces is called the antecedent. Some pronouns are she, they, their, her, them, its, and he. The pronoun in the next sentence is in bold and is underlined. Farmers spent **__their__** time working hard.

Personal Pronouns Personal pronouns can tell us if the writing is in first, second or third person, or the person who is reading the writing. It can also tell us what the writing topic is. First person pronouns are I, me, mine, my, we, us, our, and ours. Second person pronouns are you, your, and yours. Third person pronouns are he, him, her, she, hers, it, its, they, them, their, and theirs. The personal pronoun in the next sentence is in bold and is underlined. Have **__you__** ever been to a concert?

Demonstrative Pronouns A demonstrative pronoun points out a noun. Demonstrative pronouns are this, that, these, and those. This and that mean that the noun is close to the reader. These and those mean that noun is close to the reader. The demonstrative pronoun in the next sentence is in bold and is underlined. **__Those__** appear to be lilacs.

The Adverb An adverb describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Some adverbs are thoroughly, always, well, unusually, here, and hard. The adverb in the next sentence is in bold and is underlined. The teacher **__carefully__** explained what the lab was about.

Prepositions A preposition connects a noun or a pronoun to another word in the sentence. The fifty prepositions are about, above, across, after, against, along, among, around, at, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, besides, between, beyond, but, by, down, during, except, for, from, in, inside, into, like, near, of, off, on, onto, opposite, out, outside, over, past, since, through, to ,toward, under, underneath, until, up, upon, with, within, and without. The preposition in the next sentence is in bold and is underlined. Put your briefcase **__on__** the table.

Picasso Reflection~ The paper Mrs. York gave us says "reality often finds itself split apart" Picasso did that in his paintings too. He showed different views of the face, front and side. It's pretty amazing that by the age of 16 he set off on his own in 1987 to go to classes. Sadly, he had difficulties accepting formal instruction so he stopped attending his classes soon after enrollment. Pablo Picasso really expresses his feelings in his artwork like all artists do. His paintings really show how he thinks. He likes drama and the sharp angles in his paintings really do look dramatic.

Barack Obama Reflection~ The fact that Barack Obama is now president of the United States is really special thing to experience. Knowing that we saw history being made is a really cool thing to think about. It really shows how much we have changed in the past few decades. We've overcome the segregation on buses, with water fountains, restaurants, schools, and more. Now everybody is equal. It really shows people that it doesn't matter what race, religion, or anything else, you can really make a difference as long as you're yourself. You can have great ideas to share with everyone around you and you shouldn't keep it bottled up, you should share it. I think it is great Barack Obama has such great ideas and solutions to problems. It's also kind of sad hearing about all the issues going on and some I've thought about but never really thought about in a serious way. He also covered some major issues we had discussed in social studies. It's good to know that someone really cares for our nation to put so much time and effort into thinking of solutions that will really improve America.

Christmas Timed Writing~ If I could time travel to any place and any time for one special holiday I would choose an old fashioned Christmas in the simple 1800's. On Christmas morning the sun would be shining on my face telling me to get up. Birds would sing and dogs would bark, "Christmas is here! Christmas is here!" The smell of pine would be floating in the air. I would jump out of bed and slip my slippers on my cold feet. Then I would take my blanket and bundle it around me. I would slide with my slippers to the decorated tree. The tree would be a breathtaking sight for it is covered with homemade ornaments and stringers. Beneath the tree lay presents waiting for the hour when they will be opened. Several stockings hand longingly for their owners to see what Santa has filled them with. A ginger bread house missing a few shingles lies on the dark wood table. No one would be awake except for me. It would be the perfect time to add more to the tree's skirt of presents. I would quickly and silently go up to my bed. Trying not to wake anybody up I would left up my bed skirt and take out several presents. Then I would go back to the living room to put the presents under the tree, their new home.

Pumpkin Peice~ This is my one of my topic sentences in my pumpkin piece- I was at the pumpkin patch humming a cheerful tune, and was surrounded by my friends.

This is one of my descriptive sentences from my pumpkin piece- She had high, blonde pigtails tied with tickle-me-pink colored ribbon, and her small finger was pointing at me.

This is my favorite paragraph from my pumpkin piece- I was at the pumpkin patch humming a cheerful tune, and was surrounded by my friends. That included Salvester the Slug to Valerie the Vine to Pam the Pumpkin. Then one day a la rge stampede of humans came, and trampled all over our vines. The humans started picking us up with their oily hands. Stems were beginning to snap in two. Snap, snap, snap. We got kicked so hard I could hear my seeds rattling inside.

This is another paragraph my pumpkin piece- Nine months? It may not sound old to humans, but there are many dangers for a pumpkin such as…. A. being carved  B. being smashed (purposely) or dropped (accidentally)  C. being eaten by animals or people D. rotting into a gigantic, shriveled raisin

My introduction to my Nature's Classroom piece~ My field group 11, had Papa Bear as an NC teacher. Once we settled on a lopsided wooden bench, and Papa took out the sheet that said what classes everybody would take, my heart started pounding I was so excited. Monday’s class and Tuesday’s classes made my trip to Nature’s Classroom a thrilling adventure .