Hill GATE Reads

Return to Book Survivor Island

2009-06-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

There are two return to the island cards left. To earn one of them, be the first person to correctly name all of the books that were on the island. There were 35. Send the complete list to Mr. Chester at

jchester@nusd.org

Whoever sends in a complete and correct list first will win one return to the island card. Deadline: the start of school on Monday. Entry by email only.

If no one sends in a complete and correct list, I may give a card to whomever sends in the list that is the most complete and the most correct.

The second card will go to the person who correctly guesses Dakota's weight or comes closest without going over. You may leave you guess here. Please guess in pounds. Be sure to list you first name only with your comment.

Win A Book Survivor Island Return To The Island Card

2009-05-07T13:02:00.001-07:00

If you are the first person to email Mr. Chester with the correct name of the Man Booker Prize winning author pictured here you will win one "Return to the Island" card.

Hint: He wrote one of the books a book club read this year.

Email Mr. Chester at jchester@nusd.org

Puzzler Answers

2009-04-22T13:59:00.000-07:00

Here are the answers to the vacation puzzlers. Scroll past this post if you'd like to try them yourself before knowing the answers.

Red Baron
Buffalo
Hershey's
Little Rock
Admit One
Paradigms
Meter Man
Everything
Love is Blind
Mop

Spring Break Extra Credit

2009-04-10T14:31:00.000-07:00

Solve as many of the brain twisters below to earn extra credit in English. Each twister is worth two points so you can earn up to 20 points for ten correct answers. Points go to the first ten people to submit their correct answers. The deadline is midnight April 19th.

Send your answers in the body of an email to Mr. Chester at jchester@nusd.org.

Here are the brain twisters.

1. The name of what famous historical figure is an anagram of DEARBORN. (Look up anagram if you need to.) Hint: Snoopy does not like him.

2. Water wings is an air-filled device to help a beginning swimmer stay buoyant. What word can both follow WATER and precede WINGS to complete familiar two-word phrases?

3. The name of a Fortune 500 company in the food business sounds like two pronouns said one after the other. What company is it? Hint: the are famous for their bars.

4. The name of what U.S. state capital, when uncapitalized becomes a phrase that could mean a small amount of Elvis Presley's music?

5. Rearrange the letters of the word DOMINATE to spell a two-word phrase that might appear on a ticket.

6. A word meaning perfect examples sounds roughly like a three-word phrase meaning 20 cents. Name this word.

7. Name a well-known title character in children's literature with five letters in the first name and three letters in the last. Both names start with the same letter. Change both of these initial letters to the same new letter and you'll name a municipal employee. Who is it?

8. Take a word meaning What a monopolist wants. Drop the first and last letters, and you'll get a phrase meaning emaciated. What is it?

9. If the equation W = H stands for war is hell, what does the equation L = B stand for?

10. The name of a cleaning tool, when repeated and then spelled backwards, names something commonly seen at a football or basketball game. What is it?

Thanks to Will Shorts, NPR's Puzzlemaster, who provided the questions.

Ode to a Trash Can

2009-03-31T11:46:00.000-07:00

The empty trash can
stood alone
waiting for his next meal.

Waiting to get rid
of the things we didn’t want.

Everyday picking up the mess that we left
behind.
The trash can wasn’t sad
but he wasn’t
happy either.

He dreamed of goingto the dumpster,
where he would be
amongst friends
and where he would never
be hungry again.

If only for a little while
could he go to the heavenly place?

Then came the day when the trash can
was surprisingly full
and almost overflowing.

He was whisked away
heading toward
the land of his dreams.

Finally finding his friends
the empty trash can
wasn’t empty anymore.

Alex

Crossword Puzzle Homework

2009-03-20T09:35:00.001-07:00

Use your vocabulary word list to create a crossword puzzle.

Go to www.crosswordpuzzleames.com. Select "Create Crossword" from the "Navigation" box on the top left. Enter the 20 vocabulary words. Be sure to mix your words up. (If you list them in order then everyone will have the same puzzle.)

Enter a clue for each word. Use a variety of clues: definitions, hints, sentences with blank words, scrambles, etc.

Create your puzzle and print it out. Do not solve it.

This assignment is due Tuesday, March 24.

CAUTION

Make sure your printer settings work with the website before you create your puzzle. To test this make a puzzle with just two or three words and print it. If you can't print it out try this alternate website:

http://www.armoredpenguin.com/crossword/

After you have created your puzzle scroll down and select Printable HTML. This will give you a webpage that you can just print out and turn in. You can also save the puzzle to a pdf file and email it to me if you have not printer.

If you still can't get the puzzle to print, just bring your list of clues to class and we'll work with those.

Response to Literature Essay About Airborn

2009-03-20T08:07:00.000-07:00

Here's an excellent response to literature essay by Shayna.

“Airborn”, by Kenneth Oppel, follows a young man, Matt Cruse, as he sails across the sky on the Aurora, the majestic zeppelin that he is cabin boy on. He meets some colorful characters during his adventures, including the daring Kate de Vries, the dangerous sky pirate Spzirglas, and the friendly and clueless Bruce Lunardi. During the two voyages that are recorded in “Airborn”, Matt experiences the true meanings of courage, quick-thinking, a first love, and what it truly feels like to fly. There are many themes that are shown throughout the course of this book, but I think the most prominent and most frequently surfaced theme is that of courage; what it is, how it is used, and when the proper time to use it is.

Matt shows his first signs of real bravery a year before the main voyage begins. In this instance, Matt spots a lone hot air balloon, way off its course, and volunteers to be swung over the hot air balloon’s gondola, on wire cables, to try and save the unconscious balloonist. Normally, many people would not think twice about running into a burning building to save a child, but imagine the situation reversed; the child must save the adult in the burning building whilst suspended from wire cables, thousands of feet in the air. That takes courage, values, and a bit of insanity.

In our everyday lives, courage is shown by many, many people, including oil riggers, airplane pilots, firemen and women, policemen and women, and so on. In “Airborn”, there are also many careers that require bravery. These include the captain of the Aurora, the pilot of the ornithopter, “…ungainly looking contraptions, with their flapping feathered wings”; all the workers in the airships’ hydrium cells, and in a couple insta

nces, the chef for the ship’s passengers and crew. In that particular situation, Mr.Vlad, the chef, is forced to make soups and dishes for the pirates aboard the Aurora, and when doing so, he risks being caught and killed when he slips sleep pills into the pirate’s stew, in a desperate attempt to save the crew and passengers of the ship. While this doesn’t directly save the ship, it sure slows the pirates down.

Though it isn’t the most savory thing to say, it has to be admitted that the head honcho of the pirates, Spzirglas, shows courage even as he ransacks the Aurora. It would require a tremendous amount of courage and skill to scale ropes onto a ship thousands of feet above the ocean. Ship pirates like Spzirglas are either courageous, evil, or just plain stupid to be taking up a career such as theirs. In fact, Kenneth Oppel even slips in a comment that ship pirates have families they need to take care of, too. Some became pirates out of desperation for a job.

It is my opinion that one of the bravest things Matt Cruse did was to try to sail the ship to escape from a ghastly crash and most likely death of the p

assengers and crew. Having only been a cabin boy aboard the Aurora, this could be considered a foolhardy thing by most, but Matt had been born on an airship while crossing the Atlantica, and to him, “It was the most natural thing in the world”. Natural or not, Matt did manage to keep his head and sail the ship until the captain was able to come to the cockpit.

In conclusion, I believe that everything in life requires a certain amount of courage, from taking a bar exam to become a lawyer to skydiving, and courage is exactly what many of the characters in “Airborn” display.

Book Club Essay by Amanda

2009-02-27T08:51:00.000-08:00

The House of the Scorpion
By Amanda

(Warning: This essay may contain spoilers.)

The House of the Scorpion tries to answer the question what is the difference between a clone and a human. Matteo Alacrán is a young boy who was not born, but instead he was harvested. Matt is a clone of El Patrón, who is the lord of the strip of land that lies between Mexico and the United States called Opium. Most of the people in Opium consider Matt to be a monster, and because of this he is greatly mistreated. Matt becomes miserable, and he begins to wonder what his purpose is in Opium. Then Matt realizes the horrible truth behind his existence. His only choice for survival was to try to escape Opium. But will being a clone get in his way? Will people in the outside world treat Matt like the way he was in Opium? Is there a difference between a clone and a human, and can people tell by looking at them?

Matt was mistreated all his life by most of the people that lived in Opium. He was called names like monster, it, and beast. People avoided him as much as they possibly could, and Matt was often ignored. When Matt was six, he was locked up in the estate’s prison for six months. He also wasn’t allowed to go to certain social events such as funerals or weddings. Most people thought Matt was good for nothing and that he was idiotic. Tom, a boy who lived on the estate, always tried to torment Matt. In the story, for example, he shoots Matt with a pea shooter. Matt was handled this way all his life. People treated him like a beast, so he always thought that he was different from everyone else and that people could tell by just having one look at him.

At the beginning of the story, Matt lived in Opium’s poppy fields in a cottage. Celia, who works for El Patrón, took care of him. Matt was isolated from the outside world and he barely went outside. Then one day, he saw children outside his window. He ended up breaking the window, and he jumped out and received many cuts to his legs because of the glass. The children then took him to the large estate where Opium was run. Soon after, the children and the maids discovered mysterious writing on Matt’s foot that read “Property of the Alacrán Estate.” Matt was then carried out of the house back to the poppy fields unattended to. It was on that day that Matt found out he was a clone and how clones were treated.

When Matt found out the horrible truth about his existence, escaping from Opium was the only chance he had to survive. With the help of a body guard named Tam Lin, Matt attempts his escape. But before he left, Tam Lin told him an important piece of advice. “No one can tell the difference between a clone and a human,” he said, “That’s because there isn’t any difference. The idea of clones being inferior is a filthy lie.” Matt was left opened mouthed by the statement. Everything in Matt’s life agued against the idea because of the way the people in Opium treated him. Matt escaped from Opium, and he hid the fact that he was a clone. Since no one ever found out, Matt was treated like a boy, not a clone or a monster. Tam Lin was right. No one knew Matt was a clone because there was no difference between them.

So is there really a difference between a clone and a human? Matt was treated like a beast all his life. He was abused, ignored, and disrespected by almost everyone in Opium. Then he escapes from Opium, and to Matt’s amazement he was treated as a boy. No one found out his secret, so he was treated like everyone else around him. No one knew he was a clone, and no one could tell the difference. Being a clone didn’t affect Matt’s escape, and no one outside of Opium could tell he was a clone. Everyone in Opium treated him so badly because they already knew he was a clone, but if they didn’t they would have treated him as they would have the other children. The House of the Scorpion tells us that there is no difference between a clone and a human.

Book Club Project: Response to Literature Essay

2009-02-02T14:23:00.000-08:00

The assignment for your current book club book is to write a two page response to literature essay. Please see or email Mr. Chester if you have any questions before Thursday.

But before you do that, please follow these steps:

Read the response to literature essays that are posted on this blog. You can find them here and here. These are written about short stories, but the assignment is basically the same with a novel.

Look through your book, probably towards the end, for a passage that describes what the main character has learned or how that character has changed. That should lead you to the main theme of the book.

Think about what the main character was like at the start of the book. How does that compare with the way the main character is like at the end of the book? What was the pivotal point in the story when the character changed or realized something important?

Talk to the other members of your book club to find out what they think. You may write about the same theme, you may even use the same examples and details in your essays. You do have to write your essay, though.

If you still need help, or have a question, or if you'd like me to look at your first draft, then see me before or after school, send me an email or leave a comment here before the start of school on Thursday.

Japan History Homework

2009-01-28T07:15:00.000-08:00

Go to the PBS website about Samauri era Japan. Read all you can about Japan during the Edo period and travel through Tokaido. The koku quizzes for Warlords of Japan will be partially based on this website.

Find out how to make a woodblock print and make one using the program on this website. Print a copy of your woodblock print and bring it to class next Tuesday, Feb. 3. We will be using it for an in class assignment.

An Excellent Response to Literature

2009-01-26T18:28:00.000-08:00

"Family or Graduation Gift"
by Ellie

"Mama and the Graduation Present," by Katrin Forbes, shows how both family and family heirlooms can mean more to a girl than her most wanted store-bought item. Through the course of the story, a girl evolves from a selfish brat, to being capable of putting her mother first. Before her graduation, Katrin wants to own an expensive pink celluloid dresser as her special present. Her mother makes it known that the dresser is too pricey, but offers to give her a brooch that was a special keepsake of her grandmother. But Katrin turns down the offer. Katrin is granted her precious celluloid dresser, but finds that her mother traded the brooch to pay for it. Katrin then goes beyond every one's expectations to get back her mother's brooch.

At the beginning of the story, Katrin acts like a spoiled brat. She simply thanks that her family can pay for everything that she wants in her life, even though they live ion a rather poor family. "I was so sure that Momma would find some way to get the dresser set, I bragged to the girls as if it was a true thing." She also thinks that family heirlooms can be easily bought or traded, as well as outdated. "Mama," I said reasonably, "what in the world would I want an old brooch for?" But later in the story, Katrin sees the brooch in a different way and finds it to be more valuable than she'd ever realized before.

During the middle of the story, when Katrin gets her celluloid dresser, she still acts like her old bratty self, even though she got her adored wish. She is selfish and won't let anyone touch her new prized possession. "Dagmar came with me and when she touched the mirror, I scolded her so hard that she started to cry." Katrin has no respect for her family members and she is very cocky. "I decided that they were jealous, and felt sorry that they did not join me in my joy," she said. She also assumes that her mother will always protect her. "Don't dare talk about my present like that! You're jealous, that's what! I'll tell Mama on you," she proclaims. Katrin changes when she realizes that her mother's self-less, generous gift comes at a great price to their family.

At the end of the story, Katrin evolves from a self-absorbed, cocky brat to a grateful graduate girl who puts her mother and the rest of her family first, before herself, in order to get back the family brooch. Katrin does everything in her power to get back the precious heirloom of her grandmother. Katrin is sad and heartbroken when she learns that her mother traded her most favored possession for something that Katrin's heart seemed to be set on at the moment. Katrin also noticed how much her mother sacrificed to get what Katrin wanted. "Mama had wanted my happiness more than her silver brooch," she thought. When Katrin sees her mother's example of sacrifice, she began to understand the bigger picture. She learned what pain the rest of the family was going through in order to help one girl to get what she wanted. Although she had been naive earlier, she was now learning an important lesson. She realized how stuck up she had been and she decided that she wanted her mother's brooch back so badly that she volunteered to work at Schiler's store, even on the weekends during the summer. At first, he doesn't listen and ignores her, because he already has plans about what to do with the brooch. Eventually after she beg and pleaded, as well as offering to scrub the floor, mop, clean up after the customers, and other of the sort, he finally gave in. "Recklessly, I forfeited my vacation." Even though she forfeited so much, she felt so proud and happy that she had done something good for her family.

In this short story, Katrin learns that cherishing family always outweighs the need for store-bought things. She had her priorities confused all her life, and luckily, in time she made a decision that kept herself and her family from being miserable. Family matters most, and everything else comes afterwards. No matter the cost, thinking about others will put you on a humbler turf, like in Katrin's story. "And the dresser suddenly seemed like a childish and silly thing."

This is a good model for you to follow with your essay for the next book club assignment. Please see Mr. Chester if you have any questions. Your book club essay is due on Friday, Feb. 6.

Write Your Name in Chinese

2009-01-14T09:23:00.000-08:00

I found several places you can go to translate your name into Chinese.

They each gave me a different name.

Mandarin Tools gives you your name and an explanation about why you got that name.

About.com has a large list of names.

ChineseNames.org will translate your name into Chinese. They also have a long list of general Chinese symbols.

The best way to find out how your name looks in Chinese is to ask someone who speaks and writes fluent Chinese.

Online History Homework: Empress Wu Chao

2009-01-12T00:19:00.000-08:00

Your online history homework assignment can be found here.

Your assignment is to read the biography of Empress Wu Chao, of the Tang

dynasty in China. Afterwards, create both a wanted poster and a memorial plaque about her. There are detailed directions at the link above.

Do both assignments on the same side of one piece of paper. Divide the paper in half, do the wanted poster on the left side and the memorial plaque on the right. Make it look good, appearance counts. You may use any source for illustrations.

This assignment is due on Friday, Jan 16, 2009.

UPDATE: Please do this assignment on a regular sized piece of paper. Use a piece of printer paper. You can see Mr. Chester for paper before or after class.

Principal Parts of Verbs

2008-12-04T10:10:00.000-08:00

Every verb has four basic forms, called its principal parts: the present, the present participle, the past and the past participle.

Present: Stunt people take risks on screen.

Present Participle: Stunt people are doing dangerous things all the time.

Past: Polly Berson performed stunts for 27 years.

Past Participle: Most stunt people have trained for many years.

Extra Credit Answers

2008-11-30T02:40:00.000-08:00

If you didn't get a chance to try these and would like to without seeing all the answers first, click here.

So, what should come next......

1. Mary, Elizabeth, Victoria...... Elizabeth II. All queens of England.

2. Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius.... Nero. All emperors of Rome.

3. Maureen McCormick, Christopher Knight, Eve Plumb... All actors who played Brady children on the Brady Bunch in the birth order of the characters they played. The next one is Mike Lookinland who played Bobby.

4. Chamber, Prisoner, Goblet.... As in Harry Potter and the... The next one is Order for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

5. Impostors, Betrayed, Barons.... All from the Shadow Children series. Among the Imposters, Among the Betrayed, Among the Barons and the next one Among the Brave.

6. Lazenby, Moore, Dalton.... George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton all played James Bond in the movies after Sean Connery gave up the role. The next actor in the series is Pierce Brosnan.

7. Iron, Cobalt, Nickel.... Copper. All elements on the periodic table in order.

8. Van Buren, Harrison, Tyler....Polk. All presidents of the United States of America.

9. Auto Jack, Belt Tires, Cutter.... Defensor or Deflector. These are all functions on the steering wheel of the original Mach Five, Speed Racer's car. A - the auto jack, what Speed uses to get the Mach Five to jump. B - the belt tires which are bullet proof and help make it possible for Speed to outrun many bad guys. C - the cutters which are saw blades that cut down trees fast enough for speed to drive through forests and the next one...D - the defensor or deflector which is a bullet proof and air tight dome that can encase the driver and passenger seats of the Mach Five. Okay, this one was really hard.

10. Break Dawn, Eclipse, New Moon.... Twilight - The reverse order of the books in the popular Stephanie Meyers series.

Hope you had some fun and maybe got some extra credit to boot.

Vacation Extra Credit

2008-11-21T14:21:00.000-08:00

Here's your chance to earn some extra credit for history. Below are ten short lists. Figure out what should come next on each list.

For example

Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox.....

These are all baseball teams. The White Sox won the world series in 2005, the Cardinals in 2006, the Red Sox in 2007. So the next thing on the list is the Philadephia Phillies who won the world series in 2008.

Send me your answers by email to jchester@nusd.org. You'll earn one point for each correct answer but only if you're one of the first 15 students to email me with correct answers. So keep your research to yourself. It's okay for your parents to help you with this assignment.

You can find all of the correct answers by using internet research tools. Enter by midnight on November 29th. I'll publish the answers on Nov. 30

So, what should come next......

1. Mary, Elizabeth, Victoria......

2. Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius....

3. Maureen McCormick, Christopher Knight, Eve Plumb...

4. Chamber, Prisoner, Goblet....

5. Impostors, Betrayed, Barons,

6. Lazenby, Moore, Dalton....

7. Iron, Cobalt, Nickel....

8. Van Buren, Harrison, Tyler....

9. Auto Jack, Belt Tires, Cutter....

10. Breaking Dawn, Eclipse, New Moon....

Send your answers to jchester@nusd.org. Please be sure to number them.

You can also leave a list of your own here as a comment. See if I can figure it out.

A hour or an hour?

2008-11-07T18:47:00.000-08:00

An hour. Whether you use a or an depends on the sound of the word that follows, not just on the spelling.

From Compass Rose, a proofreading and editing service.

In American English, for words beginning with an "h" use "a" if you pronounce the "h" and "an" if you don't

a hotel
an herbal bouquet
a honey bee
an honest reply

Check their website to find out why you should say "a unicorn" and "an umbrella" as well as "a one-hit wonder" and "an open book test."

Can you think of another unusual example? Leave it here as a comment and you may earn a unit of extra credit.

Halloween Extra Credit Quiz

2008-10-31T12:40:00.000-07:00

Identify the classic horror movies these three lines came from. For extra extra credit, identify the director's of the three movies. Send you answers to my email jchester@nusd.org by midnight Sunday.

1. "Be afraid. Be very afraid."

2. "It's alive!!!"

3. "Help Me! Help Me"

Hint: Line three is the last line in the movie. Line one is from the remake of line three.

Happy Halloween.

Camel Poetry

2008-10-23T16:13:00.001-07:00

As part of our unit on adapting to life on the Arabian Peninsula, we read an excerpt from a poem by Imru-Ul-Quais:

Then I said, 'Drive him on! Let his reins go loose, while you turn to me.

Think not of the camel and our weight on him. Let us be happy.

Students were asked to write the next few lines of the poem as if they were responding to the speaker's command. Here's what some of them wrote:

Yes, let up be happy. For we have only one life to live.

Let us not waste it swimming in our sorrow.

Devon

I will! For the camel's the best beast in the world.

Not even the great prophet Muhammad could create such a fine beast.

Bradley

For our weight on him should not bring our spirits down,

but should allow us to share in its strength.

Rachel

I shall! I shall drive him on, and we shall be free and happy

while the camel carries our burdens away.

Sam

Yes, let the camel go free!

Just be happy for giving the camel freedom.

Let him run.

Sabrina

Yes, let us do so for if we think of the camel, we may not enjoy ourselves.

Let us feast! We will be happy!

Perry

Do not worry about what you cannot control.

Rejoice in what we can take part in.

Yes, my brother. We shall relieve the burdens we can,

but not think of those we cannot.

Samantha

The 100 Most Influencial People of All Time

2008-10-23T16:04:00.001-07:00

Here is the promised link to the Wikipedia article about The 100. There you will find out why the author picked Muhammad as number one. He does have some interesting reading. You'll also find a link to the complete list. Here are the top twenty most influencial people in history, according to author Michael Grant:

Muhammad
Isaac Newton
Jesus Christ
Buddha
Confucius
St. Paul
Ts'ai Lun
Johannes Gutenberg
Christopher Columbus
Albert Einstein
Louis Pasteur
Galileo Galilei
Aristotle
Euclid
Moses
Charles Darwin
Shih Huang Ti
Agustus Caeser
Nicolaus Coperinicus
Antione Laurent Lavoisier

What do you think? How many of these people have you heard of?

Perry's Medieval Poem

2008-10-23T15:57:00.000-07:00

M edieval life was plagued by disease.
The people didn’t know the cause of such atrocities.
The number of deaths was growing fast.
We’re lucky we don’t have to deal with the past.

E very town from the Hunnic marauders
No one was safe, not the soldiers or the potters.
They shot their arrows at full riding speed
They didn’t care if they did a bad deed

D uring the year of 532,
Constantinople was dressed green and blue
The rival groups united that day
And sent the emperor out and away
Justinian was deep in thought
Should he kill the rebels or should he not
His wife said yes, his advisers no.
Should he triumph or should he go.
Theodora decided to stay
And kill the rebels that fateful day.
The rebels were killed in tragic defeat
Hagia Sophia was the Byzantine Empire’s new challenge to complete

I cons were the fuel for the two churches duel.
No one really won, for all they did was lose a ton.

E ngland’s shores were invaded by Vikings
Big strong men who took England to their liking
They stormed the castle and raided the town
When they finished that, they stole the crown
A crisis more disastrous than the Great Schism
A problem that inspired the Feudal System.

V isions of saints appeared to Joan of Arc
Who told her the state of France is dark.
Joan would have to free Orleans.
A task too big for other teens
She brought the Dauphin to where he was crowned
She fought her hardest until she was found
The English said she was a witch and a fake
And took the chance to burn her at the stake.

A monk, a nun or a mendicant
Prayed on Christmas, Easter and Lent.
They worked and prayed and fasted too.
That is what a monk would do

L ife on a manor was far from easy.
The serfs were feeling a little queasy
The knights were practicing Chivalry
By greeting the ladies with courtesy.
The nobles owned vast amounts of land
The mighty king’s castle was looking quite grand

A Visit to a Medieval Doctor. (Warning: this skit contains pictures of wormwood and leeches.)

2008-10-23T15:45:00.000-07:00

Disease and Medical Treatment Skit

Cast:
Destiny- Doctor
Vince- Nurse
Rachel- Patient 1
Sabrina – Semi Narrator/ Patient 2
Lena- Patient 3
Kayla- Patient 4

Destiny, Vince, and Sabrina walk "onstage".

Destiny and Vince pretend to be setting up a doctor's office (getting supplies, writing stuff, etc.)

Sabrina: We are acting out a doctor's office. Doctor Destiny and Nurse Vincent are observing many patients in our medieval village.

Patients walk "onstage" and sit on chairs and Sabrina joins them. ORDER: Rachel, Sabrina, Lena, and Kayla.

Destiny :( checking Clipboard/paper) Wow! We have a lot of patients this morning! Nurse, will you please get the first patient.

Vincent: (Walks up to the patients) Rachel Lee? The doctor will see you now.

Rachel: It's about time! (Storms into the room)

Destiny: What seems to be the problem Rachel?

Rachel: THE PROBLEM IS I HAVE A FEVER AS HOT AS FIRE!

D: Well, let's take a look. (Feels forehead makes her say aahhh, stuff like that)
Yes, you seem to have the symptoms of Scarlet Fever.

R: WHAT?!? My sister DIED from Scarlet Fever!

D: Yeah well that may happen. But… let's say a prayer to the gods and Nurse will get some herbs for you to eat.

D & R put hands in prayer position.

Sabrina walks out: Scarlet Fever was one of the common diseases in our time and since there was no known cure, doctors just treated Scarlet Fever and other common diseases with prayer and herbs.

V handing Rachel herbs: Rachel, would you be interested in buying wormwood to repel fleas?

R: No thanks

Vince: Sabrina?? It is your turn now!

S: Okay

D: Ugh! Hello Sabrina! What is it this time??

S: I have this bruise and it REALLY hurts.

D: Let me see that. Wow that is a big bruise. Nurse, may I have the green herbs please.

V: (Brings herbs) Wow Sabrina, you have to stop getting hurt.

S: (sadly) I know…

Destiny puts on herbs.

S: Thanks Doc! I'll try not to get hurt so much!

Runs out the door and trips.

V: NEXT! LENA W.?

L: THAT'S ME!!

V: Great.

D: Hello… um… Lena. What is the problem?

L: I have a rotten tooth…again! 5th this month!

D: Let's have a look. Yep… uhhuh!… that's a rotten one all right!

L: yep. Just like me!! Hey doc- you know, you're hair is looking awful today! And that blouse-yuck!

D: (madly)LET ME SEE THAT TOOTH!

L: of course

D pulls out tooth

L: ouuuccchhh! That was the wrong tooth!

D: oops let me fix that for you.

L: ahhh. Thanks Doc.

D(fake smile) anytime

V: Are you interested in buying wormwood to repel flies.

L: I like my flies. I have named them all!

V: ookkkkkaaaayyyyy… That's not odd at all. NEXT!

K: Hi… I …cough!…have a bad… cough!…cough and… cough!...I have had it for…cough…two weeks.

D: Ok, I love doing this. NURSE! GET THE LEECHES!

K: The… cough… leeches?

D: yes, that is the only way to get rid of a cough.

K looking shocked. Holds stomach. : I think…cough!... I need to … cough!...use the bathroom.

D: Don't be scared, this will only hurt a lot.

Destiny starts taking out a fish shaped piece of paper. Kayla sticks under arm.

D: Ok, jut stay in that position for 24 hours!

K: Thank…cough!...you?

Kayla walks out looking shocked.

Then Destiny stands up, then Vince. Rachel walks in with hands on her forehead, Sabrina walks in limping, Lena walks in smiling and holding her teeth, Kayla walks in looking uncomfortable.

Destiny: There was usually one doctor in a town.

Vince: That gave herbs to their patients and the said prayers.

Rachel: They got treated for their fevers but sometimes they die. (Falls to the ground)

Sabrina: They got nasty sores and those were treated too.

Lena: Their teeth got rotted and had to be removed.

Kayla: And leeches were a common remover of coughs!

All: So, be grateful you didn't live in the medieval times.

Medieval Theatre Festival

2008-10-08T12:00:00.000-07:00

“A Medieval Celebration” Skit

By Amanda Albini, Peter Saathoff-Harshfield, and Rachel Lee

Prologue: (Amanda)	This is about a man named Niccolo, and we are going to show, how the plague has benefited him, and how his life is no longer grim.
Niccolo: (Peter)	Hi! My name is Niccolo, and today we are celebrating the finished tabernacle at the church of Orsanmichele (awr∙SAHN∙mee∙kay∙lee). Since the plague, there has been little to celebrate, but tonight we shall dance, sing, and feast. Taddeo, my cousin, has come here from out in the country for the celebration.
Rosalia (Rachel):	I am Niccolo’s wife, Rosalia. I work with my husband at the stonemason’s guild, but I still have to do all the housework before I leave for work. I am cooking soup for us to eat.
Taddeo: (Amanda)	I’m Niccolo’s cousin, Taddeo. I live out in the country. Visiting Niccolo and his family is always a treat for me because they live more richly than I do. Anyway, let’s go to the new tabernacle!
Everyone:	[walk by Rachel as street vendor, and then on to the tabernacle]
Vendor: (Rachel)	Come buy my goods! I sell pottery, herbs, onions, and more!
Everyone:	[look at tabernacle]
Taddeo: (Amanda)	Wow! It’s so beautiful!
Niccolo: (Peter)	Because of the plague, there were jobs available for me to help build the tabernacle. It made of jewels, gold, and other riches given to the church during the plague. Even though the Black Plague was one of the worst happenings in the Middle Ages, it was good for me because it gave a well-paying job.
Epilogue: (Rachel)	Even though the Black Plague wiped out the nation, we all had fun at the celebration! Thank you for watching our skit, we all really hope you liked it.

An "Ordinary" Day in Medieval Europe

2008-10-02T07:47:00.000-07:00

This schedule is by Lindsay.

5:30 A.M. Rise from bed. Wash face with cold water. Pluck eyebrows. Tie hair in net and put on dress and hat.

6:30 A.M. Eat breakfast (bread, cheese, weak cider). Throw scraps in the street for the hogs, dogs, cats, and geese that run around loose. Begin walking to market.

7:30 A.M. Pick up wedding shoes from cobblers’ guild. Ask the master if his hand is healing properly. Even though he is injured and unable to work, his guild provides him with food and money for his family while he heals.

8:30 A.M. Visit my father, the wealthiest merchant in town. Buy some silk, wool

cloth, and eel. Wander around looking at the little tables and booths.

9:30 A.M. Struggle through the dirty, noisy crowd to see a mystery play. It’s fun to watch the reenactment ff Bible stories. I also enjoy miracle plays, which tell about the saints.

10:30 A.M. Finish planning my wedding, which is going to take place tomorrow. I’ve been preparing for this since I was seven years old. My parents have put it off a little bit late. I’m already 13.

11:30 A.M. Put the finishing touches on my wedding dress. I’m lucky my father can afford it. Spin some thread.

12:30 P.M. Have some bread, cheese, and cabbage for my midday meal.

1:30 P.M. Help my mother clean our living quarters on the second floor of our house. My wedding will be held in the solar, the room where everyone in the family gathers to eat and talk.

2:30 P.M. Meet Henry, the 27-year-old man I’m marrying tomorrow. He’s sent my father letters, and I’ve seen him at the crowded merchant fairs, but we’ve never met in one of our homes. He’s very rich, and I’m sure he’ll take good care of me.

3:30 P.M. Alice comes over for tea, and we play a good round of chess.

4:30 P.M. Fetch the doctor – my younger sister is showing the signs of scarlet fever! 6-year-old James died from that last month. Disease spreads quickly here; people say the Jews poison the wells. The doctor will probably apply leeches and herb and pray for God to help her get better.

5:30 P.M. Go see who is in the stocks for small crimes today. Throw a few rotten vegetable at them. This is the standard punishment for minor crimes.

6:30 P.M. Watch the town official throw a man who has been accused of treason into a well. He sinks and drowns. Though he dies, he is innocent and goes to heaven. If he had floated, he would have been hanged or burned at the stake in front of the entire town for his crime.

7:30 P.M. Call Father up from his business on the first story of our house to eat in the solar. Most houses aren’t as comfortable as ours. Our home leans, and is cold, dark, and smoky, but poorer people’s homes are crowded, dirty, smelly, and cramped. The streets full of waste throughout the entire town do nothing to help the smell.

8:30 P.M. Teach my younger siblings how to paint and play the lute.

9:30 P.M. Weave and spin until bedtime.

10:30 P.M. Take my first bath in two weeks. Go to bed.

Extended Metaphor Poems

2008-09-25T12:23:00.000-07:00

Our class read "Mother to Son" by Langston Hughes. Mr. Hughes' poem is a long, extended metaphor, so the students in class wrote extended metaphor poems about their lives.

Here are four samples:

The Life Car

by Dev Bhatt

My life is a ride in a car.

There have been potholes and bumps

But I had a good suspension.

I sometimes ran out of gas

But gas pumps are always nearby.

My car broke down once in a while

But mechanics were always there to help.

There were obstacles too

Mountains, boulders, and detours

But I rode them out.

There were a couple of crashes

But my airbag and my new safety system helped me get back on the road.

There were dangerous, sharp turns

But my steering system was the best in the world.

Sometimes I got lost

But I just installed a new GPS.

Life is a ride in a car

There are people to help you out of any problem.

"My Tree, My Life"

Carson Williams

I walk into the forest

And I look all around

Some trees are the drabbest

Others bright green and brown

There is one I am looking for

As important as the rest

Finally, I complete my quest

It is splendid in its glory

And I know that it is mine

A walnut coming to my waistline

This is my tree, this is my life

I look down upon my tree

And see the tiny twigs

That will grow into

Those might branches

I will endearingly climb

I see that the branches may break

Or they will be too high

But my Gardener will always

Give me a boost

Or maybe catch me when I fall

This is my tree this is my life

A Boat Set to Sail

Lindsay Gilkerson

A boat set to sail

Upon the sea

At the mercy of the waves

A constant push and pull.

Sometimes as big as a mountain

At times, as small as a walnut shell

The boat sails on and on

Always changing.

Calm, sunny waters

Storm-tossed waves

Whirlpools and hurricanes

And coral reefs and shallows.

Sailing on and on

Sometimes a comforting

But brief time at a friendly port

A time of rest.

Sometimes in company

Sometimes utterly alone

Sometimes wanting to put down anchor

In a harbor forevermore

Sometimes others try to sink the ship

Fill it with water and let it go under the waves

But always sailing on.

Sailing in the vast, endless ocean of life.

Life is a Roller Coaster

Alex Massarsky

Life is a roller coaster

Sometimes it's bumpy

Sometimes it's smooth

Sometimes it's jumpy

But this is the truth

Slowly but surely you start going up

You're so high

You could touch the sky

But then you fall

Down into a tunnel of darkness

It's like you'll never get out

Then there's a light

It's small, but it's bright

Then, you come speeding out into a new world.

Life in a Medieval Town Skit

2008-09-23T07:27:00.000-07:00

Cobbler Shop
By Amanda Albini, Samantha Peterson, Lindsay Gilkerson, Devon Bishop. Ali Scher, and Perry Wood

Journeyman 1: Guten tag! Welcome to the Cobbler’s shop. Everyone in this shop is apart of a cobbler’s guild. A guild is an organization of people that do the same craft or trade. The sign that hangs outside of the shop identifies our guild.

Journeyman 2: Cobblers make many different types of goods. Most of our goods are made of leather such as shoes, boots, belts, and handbags. Would someone like to buy a pair of shoes?

(Journeyman 3 has the visitor take of their shoe and to trace the outline of it onto a piece of paper)

Journeyman 3: We will use the outline of your foot to make the leather sole of your new foot. I’m what people call a journeyman. I have the right to open my own shop, but I choose not to. Opening a shop is very expensive and most people can’t afford it right away. If you can’t open your own shop, you can work for others as a journeyman.

Journeyman 4: Becoming a member of a guild is very difficult itself, let alone becoming a journeyman. At the age of 12 I became an apprentice to a master of the trade. Then after seven years of training, I had to produce a piece of work called a master piece so that I could prove that I have mastered my guild. Once I mastered my guild, I got the right to set up my own business.

(Apprentice asks a visitor to help clean up the shop)

Apprentice: I’m currently an apprentice. This is only my second year of training so I rarely get paid, but the master of the guild has to agree to feed, house, and to train me in my guild. Sometimes though, parents of apprentices have to pay the master a sum of money for them to train their child.
Master Craftsman: I’m the master craftsman of this shop. I’m currently not working because I accidentally punctured myself with a sharp needle. Being in a cobbler’s guild does have its advantages though. Even though I’m injured and unable to work, my guild still provides me with food for my family while my wound heals.

Journeyman 2: A cobbler’s guild isn’t the only guild. Other guilds in medieval times include stonemasons, cloth makers, and all types of craftspeople. Are there any questions about guilds? (Answer any questions) Well thank you for coming! Auf wiedersehen! (Pronounced owf – VEE – der – zay – en)

Capital Controversy

2008-09-15T16:12:00.000-07:00

The following sentence is correct:

Is that address in the east, west, north, or south part of London?

Follow this rule: Capitalize the words north, south, east, and west when they name particular regions of the country or world, or when they are parts of proper names. Do not capitalize words that indicate general directions or locations. The south part of London is a general location, so it is not capitalized.

This sentence is also correct:

I wonder if I'll still be around the next time Halley's Comet is visible from Earth.

Follow this rule:

Capitalize the names of planets and other specific objects in the universe.

So, the questions of the moon remains. I went to NASA's website to see what they would say. They are experts on the moon. They have been there after all. This is what their style guide says about capitalization of planets:

Capitalize the names of planets (e.g. Earth, Mars, Jupiter). Capitalize moon when referring to Earth's Moon, otherwise lowercase moon (e.g. the Moon orbits the Earth, Jupiter's moons). Do not capitalize solar system and universe

That may be fine for your astronaut job application but the rule we should probably use is to capitalize earth and moon only if they are used as proper nouns in context with other planets or specific objects in the universe. See the examples below.

I wonder if I'll still be around the next time Halley's Comet is visible from Earth or the Moon.

I would like to visit the moon but I wouldn't want to live there.

All of my best friends still live on the earth.

This goes along with what I found at several sites, including http://www.dictionary.com/:

If you are talking about the Earth as a proper noun, as a planet or celestial body, then you can capitalize Earth and use no article (the): How far is Earth from the Sun? But it is also fine to leave it as lowercase and use the with earth if you are talking about it as the planet we live on: The earth rotates on its axis. It is ok to do the same with the sun and the moon. When you are talking about the ground or soil as a surface or stratum, then you must lowercase the word: The archaeologists excavated the earth at the site. The word earth is derived from Greek era. Here is something interesting - we never hear people say the Mercury, the Pluto - but we do say the Earth, the Moon. Using the definite article "the" in front of an uncapitalized "earth" has its roots in the worldview that we are separate from and fundamentally different. (P.S. There is a town called Earth, Texas.)

So what do you think. Leave a comment or a question

Canterbury Tales Assignment

2008-09-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

Tonight's history homework is to translate the first stanza of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales from middle English into modern English.

This assignment is due on Thursday. Translate as much of the prologue as you can.

If you want to hear what the middle English sounds like go to this link: Canterbury Tales.

You need Realplayer to use the audio. Please ask your parents before you install the program on your computer.

I'll play the audio for you in class tomorrow, Wednesday.

The Glory of Rome is Not Fogotten

2008-09-07T12:30:00.000-07:00

The Roman Empire fell

1,500 years ago,

It wasn't doing well

It was time for the empire to go.

When Constantine's time was up,

The economy started to tumble.

It simply couldn't keep up.

The empire finally crumbled

The Romans developed many art styles

Including murals, mosaics, statues and glass.

They built concrete roads that stretched for miles

But now are old and covered in grass.

Justice meant everyone had equal rights,

Thought this was sometimes not the case

Stoics believed you should only fight

to help someone else keep up with the pace.

The accomplishments affect our daily lives.

We see and use them every day.

We use our language thanks to the scribes

And use other things in many ways.

Numerals, prefixes and roots

Arches, vaults, tunnels and domes,

Paintings of things as colorful as fruits.

These are the accomplishments of Rome.

by Lindsay, Danielle and Sabrina

The Roman Empire was suffering for many years

Germanic tribes brought in fears

In 476, almost all of Rome fell

Except for Byzantine which was doing swell

1,000 years later, the end had arrived

No more Rome had survived.

Now we go back to the start

To tell you about Rome's beautiful art.

It involved murals, mosaics and glass

But sadly this time had to pass.

Let's talk about architecture in Rome

They used vaults, cathedrals and domes

Time to stop fighting, let's go to writing

Their words are on the penny

Because the Romans wrote so many!

See the numerals on your clock

or the concrete on your walk?

What about that glass you use for lemonade?

We got those fro the Romans

They brought them to us today

Now we just have to say

Thanks for listening

Romans yay!!

by Kayla, Sarina, and Peter

Welcome to Hill GATE Reads 2008-2009

2008-09-03T12:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our class blog. I'll be posting assignments and sample work here throughout the year.

I will also post questions about the books your book club is reading here for your comments. To leave a comment just click on the comment button at the end of a post. You don't have to register to leave a comment but be sure to sign your comment so I can give you credit. Use only your first name when you sign your comment.

Here is your first assignment....

Answer the poll question to the left and then leave a comment about one thing you read this summer. Tell us what you read and what you think about it. 50 words or less.

I've left some sample work from last year posted below. If you'd like a preview of what kinds of things you'll be doing this year, you can scroll down and take a look.

Book Club Paragraphs

2008-03-20T14:31:00.000-07:00

Here is an excellent character paragraph by Charlie.

Calvin Schwa may sound like an ordinary person, but there are three key things that set him apart from other people. First, the main reason that "The Schwa" is different from other people is that he is "observationally challenged" according to Ansty's friend Howie. This means that you do not notice the Schwa unless he speaks or acts very weirdly. The second thing is that he has a very mysterious past. He won't talk about his family one bit, not even to his best friend Antsy. Nobody knows about his mother or how she disappeared near "the butcher place," a grocery store. And lastly, the Schwa will never say no. He will do anything he is asked to do and accepts everything. You may think Calvin Schwa is a normal name. Guess again.

Josh wrote a terrific paragraph about Orvis in How Angel Peterson Got His Name.

There are three important things to know about Orvis in "How Angel Peterson Got His Name." First of all, he is very tough. When he went to catholic school, he made a numbered list of all the torments bullies could do to him so that they could call out a number and he could do it to himself. He gave himself a concussion by running into a wall on purpose, and he went into the Circle of Death. Second, he is brave because he actually tried the Circle of Death and won it. Lastly, he is stupid because he would go through anything to impress girls even if if if meant seriously injuring himself. Plus, he would do it even farther, faster, higher or harder than before. For example, when he tried the Circle of Death it was to impress the girls, and when they were doing tricks on their bikes, if there was a girl around, he would always do a one step harder trick than everyone else.

Lastly, here's a paragraph connecting The Schwa Was Here and How Angel Peterson Got His Name by Daniel K.

"The Schwa Was Here" and "How Angel Peterson Got His Name" may not seem to be similar at first glimpse, but they have two very important things in common. The first thing is the stunts that both books describe. In "The Schwa Was here" Antsy and his friends try to see what they can achieve by testing the Schwa's invisibility. In "How Angel Peterson Got His Name" they pull (or try to pull) all sorts of ridiculous feats. The second thing is that the boys in both books are in the same age group. both groups of boys seem to be around 13 and both books mention girls in the same context (both books imply that the boys cannot talk to girls without nervousness.)

Pi Day Piku Contest Winner

2008-03-20T14:26:00.000-07:00

What spills down your shirt?
And dribbles into your pants?
Blackberry pie! Yum!

Josh

Three Terrific Book Club Paragraphs

2008-02-03T08:43:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for the homework assignment scroll down to the entry below.

Since the next book club assignment is due on Friday, I thought I'd put up some examples of high scoring paragraphs. The first one is by Fedor. Fedor compared Airborn to The Subtle Knife. Notice how he starts with a Power/Number topic sentence. This is required.

Even though Airborn and The Subtle Knife are different books set in different worlds they have some very important things in common. Firstly, they both have airships that carry passengers. In Airborn the Aurora carries people all around the world, and in The Subtle Knife the airships carry people but a less amount and not around the whole world. Secondly both books have two main characters, and in both books they are the same a boy and a girl. In both books these characters depend upon each other and work together. Another similarity is that both books have intelligent villains who can fool people. The last similarity is that both books are part fantasy and part realistic. Even though they might look like different books Airborn and The Subtle Knife have a lot in common.

The second paragraph is by James who took the other option and wrote about the book's theme. James wrote about The Schwa Was Here focusing on the book's main theme, invisibility.

In the book, The Schwa Was Here, the author shows us how people in different circumstances can feel invisible at schol, at home and even in the larger outside world. Nonetheless, he also provides some hope that people feeling that way can be helped by friends, relatives and even by themselves to feel less alienated and happy again. For example, Mr. Crawley lives alone, over his restaurant. He is invisible in that he does not go outside, even to walk his own dogs. Crawley's granddaughter, Lexie is the one that successfully reintroduces him into the world on the helicopter flight. Second, the Schwa's own mother was very unhappy in her marriage to the Schwa's father and she seemingly vanished. Apparently, travel around the U.S. and being reuinted with her son made her visible to Calvin and happy once more. Third, Antsy says that he feels invisible in his own family, because his brother and sister seem more successful than he is. At the end of the story, Antsy no onger feels this way, because he has long talks with his dad about losing his job and he confronts his mom about her cooking. Also, he sees that his brother is not perfect either; Antsy's brother is arrested for drunk driving. Finally, the Schwa, himself, feels inivisble, but through his own tenacious nature and the help of Antsy and Lexie, he becomes visible and happy with his mom.

Finally, here is one by Lacey M. about Uglies.

In the novel Uglies Scott Westerfield shows us how important it is to work with our hands, to live off the land, and to rely on ourselves. Through Tally, who is surprised about everything that the Uglies are doing in the Smokes, we also get to see how much these spoiled people in the future are able to do themselves. Right away Tally notices everything is made of wood. "'Trees...,' she whispered in horror. 'You cut down trees.'" Tally has never seen anyone make anything before. Tally is also horrified that some of the food that is being prepared has animal parts in it. I wonder what kind of food she had in her dormitory? But here in the Smokes, people are growing their own food. Tally was happy with the strawberries and was surprised she could eat them without sugar. All through the valley, there must have been vegetable gardens growing strawberries and other good things. The Smokes people also seem to be very good at making clothes. Tally notices that David's jacket is handmade from different materials. She also admires it for how well it protects you from walking through the brush. Through Tally, we get a good look at people who left the city and seem to be getting along so well on their own.

If you'd like me to look over your paragraphs before you turn them in, stop by during acess or lunch, or you can leave them with me overnight and I'll proofread them during study hall. Book club assignments are due Friday, so don't wait for the last minute.

Remember to scroll down for the mandatory extra credit assignment.

Two Terrific Essays

2007-11-05T14:37:00.001-08:00

Here are two terrific essays about "Zebra".

The first is by Zaid:

In the short story "Zebra" a boy named Adam Zebrin, whose nickname is Zebra, must overcome his physical and emotional injuries caused by a serious car accident. "Zebra" shows that you can overcome anything as long as you try. The author writes about friendship and art and how they come together to help Adam overcome his obstacles.

Art helps Zebra overcome both his physical and emotional obstacles. One example is how Zebra is able to move his crippled fingers when he's doing art. This also helps his hand heal and motivates him as well, which, in turn, helps him overcome his physical obstacles and a few emotional ones as well. In addition, doing art makes him happy and somewhat cheerful which eliminates one emotional problem, this being his constant sadness. As a result of art, Zebra turns himself around and also starts to get friends, another key element of his personality change.

Although he may only have one friend at the end of the story, that was all Zebra needed. Because of his friendship with Andrea, Zebra seems to have become more outgoing and acts a bit more alive, compared to the start of the story. For example, Zebra was joking around with Andrea, rather than insulting her. In addition he also seems to be trying to be more friendly and positive. These actions are complete opposites of his usual behavior and attitude and show progress with his emotional obstacles.

All in all, Zebra overcomes his challenges and becomes a better, new person. Overall, Zebra improves his life, gains a friend, a new hobby and he's healing. At the end of the story Zebra is, as Andrea puts it, "becoming a pleasant life form."

The second essay is by Sidney. Sidney's essay scored a four.

"Zebra" is the story of a young boy who falls into a deep depression and is helped out by a strange man. Adam Zebrin, aka Zebra, is taught by this peculiar person how to see life in a new way. Chaim Potak wrote the tale of falling down, seeing the art, and getting back up.

Zebra had fallen down into depression after a tragic accident. First of all, Zebra was racing down Franklin Avenue. He was going so fast that he couldn't stop himself until--he was hit by a car. Second, he woke up to find his leg in a brace and arm in a sling. Finally, when he got back to school, he couldn't play ball with the other boys. Zebra's sadness got worse and worse the farther and farther he went from his friends.

Zebra's ability to see the art began when he was standing on the outside of school one day. First, he met a scruffy looking man named John Wilson. Mr. Wilson was interested in beginning an art class. He asked Zebra about it and that's when Zebra noticed that Mr. Wilson was missing his entire left arm. Next, Zebra joined Mr. Wilson's summer art class and was taught to draw hands, turn trash into sculptures, and wires into helicopters. Most importantly, however, was the fact that Zebra could make those things and that he could use his imagination. Mr. Wilson had a way of doing and saying things to make Zebra want to become a better artist. Zebra began seeing in a new way by imagining it were something else.

Although Zebra had fallen down, Mr. Wilson was helping Zebra get back up. One example is how Mr. Wilson gave Zebra the eyes of an artist. Another example is how Mr. Wilson, a man with a disability, was so cheerful and kind. Zebra realized that even though he too had a disability with his hand, he may as well be happy with what he had the Mr. Wilson was. He made more trash art with wires and cardboard. In fact, he really enjoyed it. Finally he started inching his way back to the other kids. The close and closer he went to the them, the happier he became.

What happened to Zebra at first causeh him to fall down. What was worse was that the longer he stayed down, the deeper he went. Then Mr. Wilson came and pulled Zebra out. How had he done it? By the power of imagination and kindness. In the end, Zebra realized that his disability in his arm wasn't much of a weakness after all. Zebra and Andrea, an annoying girl, began to talk to each other and to sum it up, in the words of Andrea, "You are becoming a peasant life form."

Charlie's Medieval Poem

2007-10-05T07:40:00.000-07:00

Medieval times, medieval times,
They really were one of a kind.
It started when the Romans fell,
Down, down, like the mist of a well.
Influences were passed on like numbers and letters,
Art, archtiecture, and stoicism from philosophers.

Europe brought greats like William and Leo
Charlemagne too. He was a hero.
Kings, lords, knights and peasants.
They were given feifs which are just like presents.

During these time the kings had it rough.
They had to get knights who thought they were tough.
Ladies and lords were in charge of the manors.
Folk who lived there had to mind their manners.

In Europe, churches were the center.
All the people of town had to enter.
People wanted better lives and salvation
To do this they needed confirmation.

Europe's people went on crusades
Which are much like journies for God today.
Flying buttresses were great big arcs
Crowned with glass, sculptures and arts.

Visitors filled town squares for food.
Also shoes, clothing, and other goods.
They bought medicine and went for check-ups.
Doctors had cures for measles, fevers, and even the hic-ups.

Although people were careful they were still robbed.
Everyone who was, moped and sobbed.
Robbers were sent to trial with a judge and jury.
All wanted to get out in a hurry.

Lastly, they still had games back in the day.
They would bowl hoops and then see a play.
Dancers and performers whowed off their talents
While spectators watched and enjoyed the entertainments.

by Charlie.

Here are Two Good Examples

2007-09-27T14:12:00.000-07:00

First, James had a terrific questions about Ender's Game: What are the different meanings or interpretations of the word "ender" in the book? This is an excellent discussion director question.

Second, Zaid did an phenomenal job on his Book Group Assignment. Here is his passage response. (Warning: There is a spoiler coming up. Do not read any further if you plan to read Airborn and want everything to be a surprise.)

Passage: "You all right after last night?" I asked Bruce. "Seemed like you were having a rough time up there."

"I was," he said, turning around and giving me a smile. It wasn't a matinee idol smile; it wasn't cocky enough. This smile was humble and it took me back some. "Thanks for helping me out," he said. "I really appreciate it."

Response: I chose this passage because it shows the theme of friendship and shows how Bruce and Matt's friendship is developing. This is also a good example because Bruce had taken a position on the ship that Matt wanted, but Matt was able to overcome his frustration at not getting the position, and still becomes friends with Bruce. Because of this friendship, Burce ends up saving Matt's life by sacrificing his own. This is the best example of friendship in the book because it shows that Bruce was willing to sacrifice everything for his friend's life.

I'll put up some more examples after the next book club meeting day.

Webquest Homework

2007-09-10T11:31:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to the website for the Life in Medieval Europe webquest.

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/index.html

Copy and paste the link into your navigation bar at the top of your page.

Once you are there go to the second floor, then go to the display about Medieval Europe. You'll need to visit with at least two of the four guides. Then write your two paragraphs on seperate paper.

This assignment is due on Wednesday.