Friday, May 29, 2015

Weeks of May 18 and 26

The Peacocks went to Dash Point Park at minus tide to investigate the tide pools that were present. They were excellent partners for the pre-k and kindergarten students.  There was much to be found on the beach this day, and the students excitedly ran all over investigating.  



"We found three gooey duck fields.  We also found six sea snails."


"I learned at the tide pools that gooey ducks squirt water.  I also learned that squids make egg sacks."



"The tide pools were great because I saw egg sacks."

"I loved seeing the sea urchin, the giant crab, the gooey ducks, and the moon snails.  I enjoyed going with the preschoolers and Bumblebees.  It was fun!"


"I liked the gooey ducks.  One went up like 2 1/2 feet when Dylan put his fingers down the hole.  I think that going to the beach was a fun experience."



"I liked to see all the crabs, clams, shrimp, moon snails, and egg sacks.  My favorite was the crabs and moon snail.  The moon snail is all fat and the crabs were so mad at us so I am sorry for scaring them."


"I learned that moon snails are huge.  I learned that there are colorful sea slugs in the Pacific NW."


"Seeing the tide pools was cool.  We saw a moon snail, a huge crab, and a sea  urchin.  The crabs were either small, or really big.  It was lots of fun."


"I loved the fact that everyone found something cool.  I also liked that I found a huge crab."


"I loved visiting the tide pools.  We saw sooo many cool things.  Nathan and I found a lot of weird, white squishy things.  I've never seen them before.  Tide pools were super fun."


"I liked the beach trip a lot because we got to see unique animals.  The only downside is that seaweed was in my tracks."








Friday, May 15, 2015

Week of May 11

In our Seaburia simulation, teams had to write national anthems and pledges and had to create a country flag this week.  Teams that did a good job were rewarded for their national pride with either additional oil and food or with money.  Here are some pictures of the teams with their flags and pledging their allegiance.  


















We also had a wonderful afternoon with our grandparents, special friends, and parents.  The students worked on their Genius Hour projects, showed off all of their great writing and art work, decorated frames and took pictures, had treats, and shopped the book fair.  The kids had a great time hosting their guests.  
















Friday, May 8, 2015

Week of May 4

Finally   by Wendy Mass
 I have a list
About the things I can do when I’m 12.
It includes
Getting contacts,
Piercing my ears,
And most of all
Going to the mall with my friends.

I got 
My phone today.
I have already lost
My phone.
The people gave me a
New phone.

I went to the mall with my friends already.
They tried to get me to
Pierce my ears
But I wouldn't do it.

I got contacts but I got a mild abrasion
On my cornea.
It hurts a lot.

I got my ears pierced today
I had an allergic reaction
To the gold starter earrings.
I got an elephant looking ear in the process.


by A.E.

Anastasia Krupnik
I’m Anastasia.
My mother’s name is Katharine,
She is a painter.
My dad’s a doctor,

My daddy’s name is Myron.
He’s a poet too.
I have a little green note book.
In there is a list of things I hate and things I love.
My parents told me big news today.
They told me mommy’s having a baby.
I’m furious!
I almost ran away,
Until my parents told me I could name the baby.
I thought of the worst, the ugliest, and the most horrible name.
Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving.
My ninety-two year old grandma’s coming,
I don’t like her.
She can’t even remember my own name.
The next day
My grandma’s here,
She just blabs about her husband Sam.
He’s dead.
Today’s Thanksgiving.
My mom always makes her delicious pumpkin pie,
 Or at least that’s what dad says.
I hate pumpkin pie.
When will grandma ever stop talking?
Uhgg!
Christmas break
Today Christmas break starts,
I’m so glad!
Earlier my dad took me to his poetry class that he teaches.
It was boarding,
My dad agrees.
But I still liked it.
The next day
Tomorrow’s Christmas,
I love Christmas.
Grandma’s coming.
I guess I kind of like grandma.
2 days passed
Yesterday was Christmas,
I got lots of toys.
I’m writing in my green note book right now.
I have a big list of loves and a little list of hates.
I guess I've become a better person. 

Next morning
Today felt weird when I woke up.
didn't have my pink wart that I loved.
My parents were very sad,
Not for me though.
They told me grandma died.
Daddy and I went to pack up her stuff until…
Mommy called and said she needed to go to the hospital.
Then my little brother was born,
I decided I loved him.
So I changed his name to Sam,
For grandma.
My life is pretty great.

by A.M.

Island of the Blue Dolphins
By: Scott O’Dell
Hello,                                                                                       
I am Karana
People call me Won-a-pa-lei
I lived on the Island of the Blue Dolphins
I lived there alone for a few years
Here’s why:
Once a ship with red sails came to our island
They came to hunt otters
They made a deal,
They broke it,
They killed my father and many others.
Soon white men came
They sailed us away from the island
My brother was left behind
I swam back to the island
wasn't followed.
I lived with my brother for a few days
One day he went to the beach and didn't return
He was killed by the wild dogs
I lived alone.
I made weapons
My tribal law says not to
Just because I’m a woman
I killed some wild dogs
With my new weapons.
I gathered food,
I made a fence, In it I put a house
I dried shellfish in the yard
I killed more wild dogs
But not the leader.
I made better weapons
I caught the leader of the wild dogs
couldn't kill him.
I fed him
He didn't run away
He was a good pet
I caught some birds
More new pets
I met an otter
A new friend for me.
Years had passed
No boat with red sails,
No white men.
Next summer the boat with red sails came
I made a friend in secret
We exchanged words
And jewelry
She went when the boat when it went.
More seasons passed
My dog died
I kept his son as a pet.
There was an earthquake
And a tsunami
I was fine
My pets were fine.
Soon the white men came
I was going to miss the island
And everything on it.

by A. C.



Holy Enchilada
“Itchy knee”
 Ms. Adolf said
Tapping foot
On the ground
Mckeltey yells.
Ashley and
Franky, my friends.
Pick name
For an exchange
Student. Name is   
Hank Zipper.
Very exited for
Yoshi Morimoto.
Make a list
Very hard to .
I’m Dyslexic.
Yoshi Morimoto came. 
Not in
Uniform he is
In a T–shirt
And jeans
And silver sneakers
On skate
Board very fast .
Yoshi shoes kids
Tricks to
 Make kids laugh.
I went
With Frankie to
The market 
For multi-cultural day .
 We cooked.
Finally were done
 Papa Pete picked
Us up
In the morning
Papas in
A limo and
 We are shocked.
We go
To school with
Enchiladas tray .
Ms. Adolf face
Is very red
She screams
I wonder what
She ate?
Mr. Morimoto tried
He said it
Has zing
We go home
It hard
To say bye
To Yoshi.

by D. F.

The Saturday boy
Derek is that kid on the block.
Budgie, his friend, calls him the Saturday boy.
Other than comics, he reads his dad’s letters.
Sometimes in the night, he reads them in his hideout.
At Afghanistan, his dad is flying helis,
Just flying for the US military.
Back at home, Derek reads his dad’s letters.
He reads them to remind him of his dad.
Derek knows what letters to read in situations.
Letters that make him feel happy,
And letters that make him feel good.
Letters he reads when he forgets his mom’s birthday,
And letters he reads that he feels so strong he can conquer the world.
Derek likes to read his dad’s letters the most, apart from his comics.
Usually, he reads them in his hideout,
Right on the side of the garage,
Covered with boxes.
To Derek, his dad’s letters are precious.
With one letter, Derek’s dad was shipped back to Afghanistan,
Ripping Derek’s life apart emotionally.
Derek knows that his dad going back to Afghanistan is a matter of life of death.
Derek doesn't know if his dad is going to make it out alive.
But Derek wishes he will get the letter that says his dad is coming home and alive.

by J. T.

Wonder: the poem      
By J.L.

My name is August.
I won’t describe what I look like.
You don’t want me to.
Trust me.

I don’t want to go.
Kids will stare.
I am nervous.
My first school.

I met new kids.
Jack,
Julian,
Charlotte,
Julian is mean.

English,
Precept,
Mr. Browne.

Lunch,
Kid named Summer.
August (me),
Seasons,
Get it?

Friends,
Jack is nice,
Summer too.
I think Jack is cool.

Mr. Browne.
October,
Your deeds are your monuments.
Found on a tomb in Egypt.

Halloween,
Summer wants to be a unicorn.
Lunch is good.
I now take English with summer.

We went to an outdoor movie.
Some kid named Eddie called me an orc.
Julian did not go.
Amos stood up for me.
Now Julian is not popular.

I am high on the honor roll.
Jack and Amos are too.
 Big jocks shoulder-punch me.
(Even the jocks I don’t know).
I like this.


The end of the poem and book.   (I suggest you read the actual book now.)


Lunch Money
In haikus
By K. M. and Andrew Clements
1
It started with a
Boy named Greg. He had a skill.
His skill was money.
2
He decided to
Make comics. His enemy,
 Maura, copied him
3
They got in a fight.
Greg got a bloody nose and
Went home with Maura
4
Maura made Greg ink
And print her new comics. She
 Came there every day.
5
Greg and Maura soon
Became friends. They couldn't sell
Comics in school. They were mad.
6
They soon went to the
School board to argue about
  It. Greg presented.
7
Maura presented.
 She passed out pamphlets and she
Made them think about it
8
The school board decided
They could sell their comics.
They sold lots of them

Hidden


I hid you,
I kept you, until it was safe.
I tore your necklace of faith
My sister is dead to fight for you
And you sailed away, my best friend
The Nazis would find us and kill us
If caught.
My parents knew
Dangerous, risky, worth it
Yes, yes, yes.
Peter my friend fought,
He was a fighter and risked his life
Was sweet and almost beat the bad guys,
Beheaded in time square and caught.
Østerbrogade where he lies.
In Sweden she is safe.  

Puzzled
Really small
I’m only five.
Never knew
The real situation,
The bad Nazis
Killed Jews
My friend was
A Jew.
My friend hid
For many months.
In Østerbrogade
Many soldiers, many.
Now safe finally
In Sweden safe.


Heart Buttons
My uncle took her on a boat
Took her to Sweden.
With a handkerchief.
Dogs would stop me,
Soldiers would trash me
Take my food.
And mother
Oh mother
Broke her ankle.
A baby a mother a father
An old man.
Came to a “funeral”
My great aunt.
She never existed
Mother was slapped
And Kristi’s red jacket
Was gone with its heart buttons.
With the baby it went. 
Fireworks
The sky was lit
With beautiful lightning.
I knew from then my friend’s
Faith was safe.

All by L. R. 
Ungifted
By: Q. B.

There was
A kid named
Donovan Curtis,
He pulled a
Really big prank.
He got
Caught by the
District’s Superintendent,
And went to
The administration office
With him.
Donovan wrote his
Name on
A piece of
Paper for him.
By accident,
The superintendent's secretary
Took the
Piece of paper
And put it
With another
Pile of stuff.
The superintendent
Had to go
So he said
He would
Find him
The next day.
Donovan waited and
Waited for days,
But nobody
Came for him,
Instead, Donovan
Got sent to
The Academy of
Scholastic Distinction.
When he walked
Into the
School, everybody already
Knew he wasn't
Gifted, but
Maybe his ungiftedness
Was just
What they needed.
In the next
Few weeks,
Donovan showed Noah
Youkilis You
Tube, became part
Of the school’s
Robotics team
And named the
Robot Tin
Man Metallica Squarepants,
Got his pregnant
Sister to
Teach the Human
Growth and
Development class, and
Stealing the floor
Polisher’s lift
Motor for Tin
Man, too.
In the end,
Donovan got caught
For his
Prank, he couldn't
Drive for
The robotics team
So he watched
The tournament
Live, the team
Got disqualified
And Donovan’s sister
Had the baby
Shortly after.

 Junonia

As they drove to the beach Alice felt so strange,
She felt as though there had been a small change.

Alice wanted a Junonia, a Junonia that would be a truly great find,
Although looking for it would be like flying blind.

As they arrived
She felt as though she should hide.

But as they got out,
She felt that she shouldn't chicken out.

The waves, the waves, they filled her with joy,
Oh, boy! Oh, boy!

    Alice rushed to the Wishmeirs as fast as she could but there was news that was new
“I’m sorry to say they’re not coming this year, ones in 8 and the others are having their college debut.”

But as Helen Blair got there,
Alice realized she had a girl with her, her name was Mallory.

On the day of Alice’s 10th birthday,
She and her dad went on a shell walk, yay!

During her party there was a spill,
And everyone left because they knew they were climbing anger hill.

After the party Mallory stole a spoon,
Alice found it under a cupboard at about noon.

Alice felt bad about that,
So she sent Mallory 2 spoons at fact!

by S. B.

Little 

Women By: Louisa May Alcott
Four Sisters

   There were four sisters.
   Their names were
   Meg, the pretty sixteen-year-old,
   Joe, fifteen years old and headstrong,
   Beth, sweet at age thirteen, and
   Amy, the youngest, was very polite.
   Their father was at war.
   They missed him very much.
   Christmas was coming and
   They would celebrate without him.
   Their rich neighbors, the Laurences, were friendly.  
   They had a fun Christmas with them.
   Joe made friends with Laurie Laurence.
   Her sisters were kind to Laurie.
   Beth was shy.
   When she learned they had a piano
   It drew her to Laurie’s house.
   Soon they were all great friends.
   Soon spring rolled around.
   After that came summer.
   Summer picnics were fun and
   Play was all around.
   Meg, Joe, Beth, and Amy were very happy
   All summer long.
   Then autumn came.
   Meg set her eye on Mr. Brooke, and
   He watched her, too.
   Joe wrote a short story and
   It was put in the newspaper.
   It seemed nothing could ruin this perfect fall.
   But the telegram did.
   Mother went to help Father; the telegram said he was ill.
   After she left, Beth caught fever.
   Dark days, dark winter days.
   Soon they brightened up.
   Beth got better.
   Father returned home. And
   Christmas showed up again.
   It was most enjoyable.
   Mr. Brooke asked
   For Meg’s hand in marriage, and
   Soon they were engaged.
   A perfect way to round off a year.

    by S. G. 


I Got a “D” in Salami
By: V. K.
This story starts in
My house. I was practicing
My spelling words. With
My mom, after I
Spell rhythm I go to bed.
The next morning I
Feel great. Like I am
Going to ace the spelling
Test. As I walk in
The classroom I see
Mrs. Adolf’s face she was
Preparing for the
Spelling test as she
Writes on the board I quickly
Go through the words in
My head. She calls me
Up and asks me to spell doe.
I spell it like pie.
Then she asks me to
Spell receive, thankfully I
Spell it right. The next
Word is Rhythm I
Think hard, harder than before.
5 hours later...
When I look at my
Report card I see four “D’s”
Then when I go home
I see my mom and
My grandpa cooking meat.
When my mom looks away
I shove my report
Card in the meat grinder my
Grandpa is making
More meat. I pretend
To shove my mom’s meat on the
Floor. Mom tastes grandpa’s
And she says it’s good.