LeighK_Homepage_2008

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 Today, we handed in our menu projects. We had to create a menu for a restaurant with a theme of our choice. We practiced our word choice since, for 3 of our sections, we had to describe the meals in it. I think that this was a fun way to be creative and practice our writing skills. I had a lot of fun designing my menu to look like one you would find at a Chinese restaurant. I think it was fun to look at other people’s extravagant unique menus. Themes ranged from Italian to family to world cultures. This is definitely a project I would want others to do!

 Found Poem from Edna St. Vincent Millay by LeighAnn

I will touch a hundred flowers, Of the Earth so beautiful, Of round-faced roses, pink and petulant, And pink and white posies. Have I looked back at the loveliness and sighed, As I loved that tall blue flower, Rearing up so blue and tall, We will set it out to grow. Broad field, bright flowers, and the long white road, All that I really love, Are here again and butterflies, Over the indulgent land. Dear Diary, It was quiet at the table during supper, as usual. It has been quiet ever since father left to fight in the civil war. I know he is doing the right thing, but I’m worried about him! Mama says not to worry, but I still do! What if he never comes back? He is fighting for what he believes in, and I know he wants to help the North win. I want the North to win, but does my Father have to fight? Aren't there plenty of other men to fight? I can barely even sleep at night, thinking of father fighting in that terrible war! Why can’t the south save all the bloodshed and stop fighting? From what I can understand, the south just wants to keep their slaves. The Declaration of Independence states that everyone is free (that’s what Mama says). Why does the south have slaves anyway? It’s all the south’s fault that this war even started! It’s their fault Father is risking his life! I wish Father would just come home! Mama says he will only fight some of the war, but how long is that? I yearn for the day that Father comes home. I miss him so much; that I would pay every cent I have been saving. I just want to hear that deep comforting voice of his. I want him to come home now! I hear a knock on the door! Who could be here this late at night? Did something happen to Father? Now I hear Mama sobbing. What is happening? I hear a very deep familiar voice calling my name. It’s Father!

Today my science class was able to see star lab. Just as the name suggests, we learned about and saw stars in an inflatable planetarium. Looking up at the “night sky” was tremendously fun! We saw constellations ancient people saw and named. We also learned about why the people named it and more background info. I loved every second of it! Star lab was exceedingly fun! I wish I could experience it again. My Grammar Guide In my LA class, we learned about nouns. A noun is a person, place, or thing. Some examples are dog, table, and tooth. The compound noun is a noun made by joining two or more words together. Homework, backpack, and milkshake are all compound nouns. Proper nouns are names of specific people, places, or things. An example of a proper noun is Iowa. Common nouns, on the other hand, are names of any person, place, or thing. An example is //cat//. We have also learned about pronouns. Pronouns take the place of a noun. An example is it, she, and you. Personal pronouns refer to the person who is talking/writing (first person), the person who is listening/reading (second person), or the person, place, or thing that is being discussed (third person). A first person pronoun is I. You are a second person pronoun, and she is a third person pronoun. Demonstrative pronouns point out a noun (a person, place, or thing). Demonstrative pronouns point out a person, place, or thing. Ex: //That// is my bed. Verbs, which we have also studied, describe an action or condition of a person, place, or thing. Ex: She //hopped// in place. He //clapped// happily. A linking verb connects a noun or pronoun to a word at the end of a sentence. Ex: Mary //is// going. Action verbs indicate the action of a person, place, or thing. Ex: She //sees// you. Helping verbs come before the main verb and adds to the main verb's meaning. Ex: Laura //was// playing. Articles have to be definite or indefinite. A definite article is //the,// and //some// indefinite articles are //a// or //an//. Ex: The bed is old. //An// apple a day keeps //the// doctor away. Adverbs describe a verb, adjective, or another adverb. Ex: She walked //sleepily//. Adjectives describe a noun. Ex: The //hard// floor. He tapped the //hollow// sphere. Prepositions link a noun or pronoun to another word in the sentence. Ex: Look //among// the table. It is //around// the corner.

You see, for me a painting is a dramatic action in the course of which reality finds itself split apart. For me, that dramatic action takes precedence over all other considerations. The pure plastic act is only secondary as far as I'm concerned. What counts is the drama of that plastic act, the moment at which the universe comes out of itself and meets its own destruction. -Pablo Picasso

Response to the Pablo Picasso Quote: I think that Pablo Picasso is saying that painting isn't just paint slathered on a piece of canvas or paper in a design; it's saying paintings are energy or actions. It says something to other people and tries to carry a message. A painting should be dramatic and speek out to you.

Hikes, visiting a farm and an Underground Railroad simulation are some of the fun, thrilling activities I participated in at Nature’s Classroom. They’re phenomenal and nature-filled. What can be better than that? Chickens, lamas, pigs, and sheep mean only one thing, a farm. Nature’s Classroom has a small form and visiting it was extremely fun! You could pet a chicken’s silky feathers and feed it, but first you had to catch one! Trust me, isn’t so easy! There was also a pen where the sheep could go into and you could see the pig. The sheep’s wool was so soft that it made you want to lay down and take a nap on it! Seeing all the animals was one thing that my friends and I had to do. When Grace, one of my friends, and I was sitting with a chicken on our laps, a rooster let out a cock-a-doodle-do! That was hilarious. I’ll never forget the peaceful little farm at Nature’s Classroom. Wow, when I look back, the hike on Wednesday was one of my favorite activities. It was tiring, but being in nature was a thrilling experience. My field group hiked to the top of Sunrise Mt. When we arrived, we started a fire and had lunch. We all stuffed our mouths with gooey roasted marshmallows! I had five and, let me tell you, they sent my taste buds to paradise. After lunch, we headed down and walked around the whole entire lake! That lake was beautiful, but very big! Colorful leaves surrounding it reflected on the crystal clear water. Hiking was really fun! One of my favorite activities at Nature’s Classroom was the Underground Railroad simulation. The simulation showed me what the slaves went through. People were yelling at us, we couldn’t look anyone in the eye, and I felt worthless. Overseers kept telling us that they owned us, we belonged to them now. Escaping, close, encounters, and the rain made the simulation come to life. Even though it wasn’t real, I felt a bit frightened because people were constantly screaming in my face. Abolitionists helped us out of the tough spots. When slave catchers caught us, my heart skipped a beat. Papa Bear and Pez jumped out at us and burned our pass! They said they were going to sell us into slavery again. Fortunately, their neighbors bought us and said they would bring us to town their selves. They really let us go and brought us to the next station. This was one of my favorite activities because it taught me what a slave’s life was like. Now you can clearly see why my trip to Nature’s Classroom is unforgettable! I participated in exquisite, phenomenal, nature-filled games and simulations. I hope you get to hike, visit the farm, and experience the Underground Railroad simulation at Nature’s Classroom. You won’t regret it! ** If I could spend my holidays in any time period, I would spend it in the 1800's. In the 1800's, holidays sound very cozy and simple. I think I would have fun at a simple family-filled holiday. They really knew what holidays meant; spending time with your family. I think it would be fun to experience an old fashion Christmas. When I see movies on TV, their Christmas always seems peaceful and family-filled. In the 1800's, nobody really cared about gifts. What they really enjoyed was spending time with their family. To me gifts are nice, but I love seeing my family! When I read Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, the March sisters weren't the richest family, but they had a jolly time. They sang Christmas carols and had a wonderful dinner. An old fashion Christmas sounds very enjoyable! I would wake up to birds chirping in the bitter morning air. "Christmas! Christmas is here!" I would yell. I would run downstairs and sit under the magnificent tree. The fire would glow in the fireplace and warm my family up. I would reveal some simple scarves and a new dress to wear to our Christmas party. I would present my gift to my mother. It would be a small bottle of perfume for I did not have a lot of money. My father would receive some handmade gloves. We would have a traditional Polish breakfast (my father is Polish). After, we would get ready for the party. We all would have a fantastic holiday! It would be a happy Christmas and we would all have a great time.
 * My Nature's Classroom Piece

A Favorite Sentence from my pumpkin piece: I am now stuck here watching creatures walk by me for all eternity!

A Favorite Paragraph from my pumpkin piece: It was a normal Monday. Well, it started off normal. I woke up and put my pitch-black, silky, witch hat on. I trudged down stairs to sink my teeth into some "Eyeball-Os" (my favorite cereal). As I kicked off the ground into the deep blue of the sky, I thought, "Another day of school… again".

A Topic Sentence from my pumpkin piece: Okay, this is what happened.

A Descriptive Sentence from my pumpkin piece: I woke up and put my pitch-black, silky, witch hat on.

Prompt: Now that you have witnessed history, what are your thoughts? Post your response to this prompt on your homepage. Dear Family, Guess what? I saw the inauguration of President Obama! Do you know why it's so important? Well, now we have the first African-American president. When I grow up, I can proudly say that I witnessed the day the first African-American president got elected and sworn into office. Some memories will fade, but this memory will stick with me forever. I think that having an African-American president is a huge sign that in this country there may no longer be prejudice; we will be truly united. If Martin Luther King Jr. and other African-Americans that fought for their civil rights were still alive, than I think that they would be proud and joyful. I think Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream, along with other's, are now fulfilled! President Obama, I think, should be very proud! He made history today; history that will be taught many years from now. So, today is a very important day for many Americans! President Obama made history today! Even though I probably won't remember every detail, but I'll forever remember the day President Obama got elected and sworn into office. Love, LeighAnn XOXO
 * __Making History__**