Wait

Author's Note: I wrote this poem about waiting for something; whether it be break, the weekend or volleyball. My focus is word choice.

Tick tock, tick tock,

The hands seem to never move.

Making us wait.

Longer and longer.

The minutes seem like hours.
The days seem like years.
And when the time arrives,
It  goes by too fast.
It's done.

Oliver Twist

Author's Note: I wrote this piece as a parallel contrast piece(going back and fourth between the two characters perspectives), comparing the characters Katniss Everdeen (from the Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins) and Oliver Twist (from Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens). My focus is sentence fluency.

Oliver Twist, born into a life of poverty and suffering in 1800's England; Katniss Everdeen lives a life of hardship some 300 years later in futuristic America. Two completely unrelated characters have one thing in common. Their overcoming of obstacles. Their perseverance. Their determination. Brought to life so magnificently by their author's, these characters both survive against all odds. Both characters show an enormous amount of determination and perseverance throughout their lives.

Katniss Everdeen

Katniss flinches as Venia, Octavia, and Flavius prepare her to meet Cinna, her stylist. The odd Capitol citizens that are making her presentable are died bright colors, and are rather intimidating. Katniss wishes she could go back home, to her family, her friends, her life. She holds back tears; what she wouldn't give to go hunting with Gale again."I don't care if we're rich. I just want you to come home. You will try won't you? Really, really try?" Prim's words came haunting back to her. She had to try to win, for Prim.

Immediately, everything began to make sense to Oliver Twist. All the games they had been playing and the mysterious jewelry; they were training Oliver to be a thief! He started to run, but it was to late. "Stop theif!" Away he ran with a mob of people behind him. Boom! Oliver is on the ground before he knew what hit him. "It wasn't me, indeed sir. Indeed, indeed, it was two other boys!" But alas, they were no where to be seen! And it was with that, that the police officer dragged him off to the police station.

As Katniss pulls off the bandage off of Peeta she can only hope that the wound had healed. She lets out a gasp as she notices the red streaks running up his leg...blood poisoning! If it wasn't checked soon, he would be dead for sure. "Katniss, I know what blood poisonming is." Katniss can't take it. She needs Peeta. They need each other to survive, just until the end of the games. Then he can get all the medical help he needs. She just needs to stay strong for hium. For them.

Oliver Twist

While he struggles to sit up, Oliver looks at the bandage on his left arm; now covered in blood. He is so dizzy, he can barely sit. He knew he needed help. Slowly, he attempts to stand andgets slowly moving. The farther he walked, he saw a house; one that looked vaguely familiar. Surely, they would take pity on him and help him. As he approaches the house, he knew why it looked so familiar --it was the same one they attempted to rob the night before! He wanted to turn back, certain they would hurt him even more. But knowing they were his only hope, he staggered to the door.


 What is it about underdogs that makes readers want to see them persevere? Readers want to see them succeed and stay alive. Like Katniss in the Hunger Games. Millions of fans supported her and Peeta, even though they were from the district that no body roots for. Oliver Twist is orphaned and left alone from a few days after birth. Readers take sympathy on both of these characters. Throughout their books both characters persevere through some of the hardest situations.




 "'Hunger Games' heroine Katniss Everdeen becomes – a Barbie doll? - CSMonitor.com." The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2012. <http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/chapter-and-verse/2012/0326/Hunger-Games-heroine-Katniss-Everdeen-becomes-a-Barbie-doll>.

Bookworm1858: Oliver Twist, Post 1." Bookworm1858. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2012. <http://bookworm1858.blogspot.com/2011/02/oliver-twist-post-1.html>.

The Emancipation Proclamation

Author's Note: I wrote this essay on the Emancipation Proclamation, the document that officially freed slaves. My focus for this piece is sentence fluency and organization in my body paragraphs.

In 1860, all people were not considered equal. If you were white, you were superior to others. If not: you were forced into slavery. Even women and children. It wasn't fair. The Union knew this and wanted to declare freedom for these slaves. But the Confederacy was for slavery and was willing to fight to keep it. That's when the Civil War began. President Lincoln knew that something had to be done. That's when the Emancipation Proclamation was born. Without the Emancipation Proclamation, slavery might have never ended.

So what is the Emancipation Proclamation? It was the document that freed slaves from both the north and the south. When it was originally signed it 1862, it only freed slaves from the northern states. The second part of it was added in 1863 declaring that slaves were free in all states. In 1865, it was found that the Emancipation Proclamation ratified the 13th amendment, officially freeing every slave for good.

Why was it so important? The Emancipation Proclamation was so important because it marked the end of slavery for the United States. Although there would be more racism to come in the future, we had a start to making all people feel equal in the United States. The Emancipation Proclamation also had a huge impact on the Civil War.

How did it impact the Civil War? The Emancipation Proclamation ended slavery which was one of the main reasons why the war started in the first place. When slavery ended, the war slowly ended as well. Also, when the first part on the document was signed, only northern states were free of slavery. When southern slaves heard about this, they escaped to the north for freedom. Once they got there, they fought for the north, giving them a dramatic lead.

Why was President Lincoln so bold in signing it? Either way, he could've been in trouble. If he did sign it, it could've made the Confederate states even madder. How would you feel if your president had in your mind betrayed you. He could've endangered himself by signing it. If he didn't sign it, we might not have even seen the end of slavery today, and no body knows how long the war could've gone on.

Was the Emancipation Proclamation well received? For the most part, yes. Obviously the slaves were happy that they had their freedom, and the Union was glad of it too. The Confederacy was okay with it as well, surprisingly. They were of course upset that they lost the war and slavery rights but in the end, they seemed okay with it.

To emancipate basically means to free. Abraham Lincoln freed all the slaves, but  people are still not always treated equally. Back in the early nineteen hundreds,there was so much racism going on in the United States. Since then, it has been improved, but we still see it sometimes. But without the Emancipation Proclamation, there might have even been slavery in the United States today.

Should There be a National School Starting Time?

Author's Note: I wrote this persuasive piece on why there shouldn't be a national school starting time. My focus is trying to clearly state reasons why we shouldn't and give facts to back them up.

5:45 in the morning...the dreaded time when my mom comes in my room to wake me up for school. Even though waking up early is hard, I see the wisdom behind it. Some parents are protesting that waking up for school at 7:30 is to hard for kids. That said, maybe college will be too hard for students to handle. Future jobs might  be too much to handle as well. Starting school at a certain time shouldn't be a national law because students need to learn discipline to wake up early, in order to prepare them for the future.

Would starting schools later really have a positive effect? It would give kids the satisfaction of knowing they got their way, and they lose discipline. If you always give kids their way when they're growing up, they're going to expect to get their way when they're older. When they get a job, their employer isn't going to let them come into work at 8:15 instead of 7:30 just because they need more sleep.

Is the time really too hard for them to handle? If the national school starting time was 8:00 for middle school students and high school students, it would allow them to stay up later. If they stayed up later, they could cause all kind of trouble, which could even put the rest of the community in potential danger. Also if the student makes it into college -- the classes won't start later. Waking up early teaches us good habits.

If it was a law, what time would we start and end school? The start time would probably be 8:30 and we would probably get out at 3:30. With that being the time for middle school and high school, what would a school district like Pewaukee do? If all four schools start and end at the same time, there would be way to much chaos. There wouldn't be enough room on the buses. Also, with school ending later, sports and clubs will also end later. This gives students less time to do their homework, which could result in bad grades.

So back to the final question: should there be a national school starting time? I see logic behind both sides of the situation. Parents don't want their kids to have to wake up so early. On the other hand, schools are teaching students good habits by forcing them to wake up early. What should we do?

I think that if parents really feel so strongly about their kids waking up early to get school on time, they should home school them. That way, they can have whatever schedule they want for their kids. If a community really feels strongly about it maybe they could have an election. But I think that waking up early is preparing middle school and high school students for later in life. I do not think that it should be a national law.

Florida vs. Wisconsin

Author's Note: I wrote this poem on Florida versus Wisconsin. I wrote about Wisconsin in italics and Florida in normal print. I am not sure that this is a real form of poetry or not, but I decided to try it. My focus is voice.

The warm sunny beaches,

The cold snowy winters,

The beautiful oceans,

Interesting topography,

Dolphins playing in the water,

Deer hunting through the woods,

Many professional sports team

Beloved sports teams 

World-wide attraction Disney World

Locally loved Wisconsin Dell's

Nationwide tourist attraction.

There's no place like home.

Time

Author's Note: I wanted to write another poem, so I decided to write this poem on time: how it either goes to fast or to slow. My focus is voice.

The time here has just begun.

But yet, it's time to go.

You don't want to leave,

And end the fun.

Go back to school,

Back to work.

Where the clocks seem to never move.

They tick by ever so slowly.

As to taunt you.

 Keep you there longer.

Book or Movie?

Author's Note: I wrote this piece comparing the Hunger Games book to the movie, but I am not giving away any parts of either. My focus is transitions.

March 23. The day long awaited by millions of Hunger Games fans worldwide. It was the day that the Hunger Games was coming out in movie. Fans lined up along the streets waiting for the midnight premier to start. Critics said the book was amazing, but would the movie do it justice? There are always occasions where the book is way better then the movie -- would fans be disappointed?

The Hunger Games is an amazing book filled with action, romance, and suspense. The book takes place in the country of Panem, where there are twelve districts. Each year one male and female from the ages of 12-18 are randomly chosen from each district to compete in the Hunger Games. The chosen tributes are forced to fight till only one remains, who will be crowned the victor.

The book was so good because it appealed to so many different people. From the romance between Katniss and Peeta, to the final battle in the games the book was impossible to put down. How would Hollywood interpret it? With author Suzanne Collins helping write the screenplay, everyone knew it would be good, but there were some doubts. The book was so in-depth and the battles so intense, even with modern technology it would be hard to pull off.

But they did. Most movies don't always match the description in the book. The Hunger Games did a pretty good job of it. There was only so far even technology could go with a book like this, with it's vivid details. But they did what they could. Was it the best movie I've ever seen? No. Would I rush back? No. But Hollywood still did a great job in reenacting the 74th hunger games.

Sometimes when they make movies after books, the movies don't turn out nearly as good, and fans are disappointed. Yet others, such as: Th Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, made the book even more popular. This was the case of The Hunger Games. Originally there were 50,000 copies of the Hunger Games in print. But, by February 11, 2011, there were already over 800,000 sold.  The Hunger Games was not at all disappointing, in fact it might have even made the book better.




"The Hunger Games (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Apr. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games_%28film%29
"The Hunger Games - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Apr. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games#Sales>. 

Anticipation

Author's Note: This is a poem that I wrote on anticipation. My focus is word choice.

 You dread the wait.

 The wait that seems to never end.

 You may be waiting for a break.

 A time to relax, with no stress at all.

 You may be waiting for a gift.

 A present you've been longing for.

 You may be waiting for snow.

 The excitement of a new season.

 Why is it that whenever you are waiting for something,

 Time always passes by so slowly?

Scientific Process: Egg Drop

Author's Note: This is my scientific process from the egg drop that I finally remembered to post. 

Problem-What is the most effective way to create a device using limited materials that will protect an egg from dropping off the staircase?

Hypothesis- Creating a device using air resistant materials will help protect the egg because the drop won't go as fast, which puts less force on the egg, when in lands.

Experimental Design-

Materials:

Constant Variable: The Egg

Independent Variable:  The different devices used to protect the egg

Dependent Variable:  which device protects the egg

Procedure: 

Each group will be given limited materials in which they must create a device from to protect an egg from a drop off of the top of the staircase in the lobby.  Each group will consist of 2-4 members, in which they all need a scientific process completed before they are allowed to enter the contest. After making the device, the groups will all drop their egg and device off of the top of the staircase.  Teams who's egg survives the drop will win a certain amount of points, along with the amount of points earned from turning in their scientific process. The team with the most points wins the contest.

Observations-

Our group made it through the first round of the egg drop and into the tie breaker round.  What I noticed is that groups who were really sure of their device surviving were the ones who's egg cracked. Ours was kind of thrown together last minute, but it still survived. We put the egg inside the plastic cup and cushioned it with the tissues. Some of the groups used plastic bags as a parachute to help the device with it’s air resistance, and these groups were some of the groups in the final rounds.

Conclusion-

Although my group didn't win, I thought that our device was going to get out in the first round. This was because we didn't have time to test the device, so I didn't know how it would turn out.  I think that the tissues helped break the fall, along with the plastic from the cup. Also, the device was dropped from the middle of the stairs, not the very top like we had originally thought it was going to be. 

Florida

Author's Note: I am going to Florida the week after Spring Break, and I am really excited. We used to go with my extended family every year since I was born. We stayed at the same condo every year. Recently, we haven't been able to go in awhile, so I am really excited to go again. I wrote this poem about how happy I am, and how even though it might not be the same, we still get to go. My focus is voice. 

 

As you walk along the beach, 

You think back. 

Back to all the memories. 

Back to the previous years.

Things have changed. 

But through all the years, 

One thing remains the same. 

The love, 

The happiness, 

The memories made.

"Seaview Vacation Rental - VRBO 363446 - 2 BR Madeira Beach Condo in FL, Gulf Front - Family Friendly, Seaview #501 Top Floor." VRBO® is Vacation Rentals By Owner. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2012. <http://www.vrbo.com/363446>.

Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration

Author's Note: I wrote this research essay on how photosynthesis and cellular respiration work together to create balance in today's environment. My focus is making sure that my body paragraphs are on topic and have solid ideas to them.

A symbol of love, friendship, and caring, a flower is a simple way to show you care to someone. The beautiful scent and petals are an outward view of the work that goes on inside of them to keep them alive. All plants require photosynthesis and cellular respiration to survive. Without photosynthesis and cellular respiration plants, animals, and even humans could not survive. 

So what is photosynthesis? Photosynthesis is the process of converting light energy into chemical energy and storing it in the bonds of sugar, while providing oxygen to the environment. Typically, the process takes place in the plants leaves. The plant cells have molecules that absorb the light, the molecules are called pigments. Chlorophyll is the main pigment, and also gives the plant its green color. The light gives the plant energy, which it uses to convert carbon dioxide and water into food. The food is sugar glucose. The energy in glucose is used by the plant's cells.

Cellular respiration is the process by which cells use oxygen to produce energy from food. The food (glucose) is broken down in to carbon dioxide and water, then the energy is released. Cellular respiration is used by both animals and plants (in animals used mostly to maintain body temperature). 

If you buy a watch at a store, and one of the hands are missing, what can you do with it? If you don't have all the pieces then the watch can't work. It's the same thing with photosynthesis and cellular respiration. In order for them to work, they absolutely have to have each other. During photosynthesis, cells use carbon dioxide to make glucose and the cells release oxygen. During cellular respiration, cells use the oxygen to break down the glucose and release carbon dioxide.

Every time someone looks at a flower they can't even comprehend the work that the flower goes through to survive. The complex system obviously didn't happen by accident. The plant cells have to work together perfectly for both photosynthesis and cellular respiration to work or the plant will die. If all the plants died, so would all the animals that eat the plants. Eventually all the animals would die, leading to the death of all the humans. 

Ballet Reflection

Author's Note: I wrote this piece about the hard parts about being a ballerina. My focus is my introduction technique.

Waiting behind the stage. The lights start to dim, the performance is about to start. Like any other sport all actors or dancers get nervous before they perform. As she waits behind the stage for her cue, the dancer tries to relax.  She thinks to herself how many times she has rehearsed the scene and how ready she really is. She hears her cue and gracefully dances onto the stage.  Free of any fear now, the dancer puts her heart into her performance -- smiling as she does it. All dancers and actors should be given credit for all the hard work that they have to do.

Some dancers perform in front of millions of people on huge stages. They go to endless rehearsals to perfect their performance before opening night. With all the rehearsals and classes they have to take, dancers have little time to themselves, especially dancers who have to go to school.  Even with all they do, dancers still don't receive much credit.

People may not consider dancing a sport. This is because dancers don't have to do shoot hoops or kick goals.  Even though dancing doesn't involve a lot of competition, dancing should still be considered a sport.  Dancers still have to train hard to have lower body and core strength in order to perform some of their dances. In David's Heartbeat, two dancers did a sensational dance where they performed flips and handstands. This involves more training and work then most people think.

Michael Jackson was one of the world's most famous dancers and singer. He was famous for doing amazing dance moves, such as the moonwalk. Of course, his dancing skills didn't come overnight. They took hours of practice and hard work. But, it was all worth it. Not only was he in shape most of his life, but he also became famous because of it. Dancers aren't given a lot of credit because people think that dancing isn't hard work.  In the movie The Game Plan, the main character tries to tell the dance teacher what a waste of time dance is, but comes out of the dance class sweating and sore. I feel that dance should be considered a sport, and dancers should be given the credit they deserve. 

Why Mr. Roehl Should be my School Volleyball Coach

Author's Note: I am writing this piece on why I should get Mr. Roehl as a school volleyball coach this year. My focus is only using commas when necessary and my introduction technique.

I got it! Up goes the ball. Another pass, set, spike. The end of tryouts is slowly starting to approach. Have I done enough? The last ball comes over the net and I give a nice pass to the setter, who gives me a perfect set. Left, Right, Left, I say in my head. As I jump in the air, I hit the ball as hard as I can and it lands in the middle of the court on the other side. Was he impressed? Everyone who plays volleyball at Asa Clark should be able to have Mr. Roehl for a coach

If you want to become good at a sport you have to train with a good coach. One that pushes you harder then you think you can be pushed. One that is amazing in the sport. One that enjoys both playing and coaching. To have a good coach is the goal of every athlete around the world. A good coach knows what they are doing and knows the different abilities of all the players on the team, so they can place them properly on the court. A good coach has to be good at the sport and know their team well.

With all the different rotations and the hundreds of different rules, volleyball can be really confusing. That being said the coach of the team needs to be aware of these while their team is playing on the court. If they want to move players around on the court they have to be sure they aren't taking them out of rotation which could give the other team a point. A good coach has to know all the rules of the sport, so they are able to adjust plays if they need to.

Some people may argue that Mr. Roehl's expectations are too high for them. If you are playing volleyball simply for pleasure and the experience maybe Mr. Roehl isn't the right coach. Mr. Roehl likes to push his players to their full potential and if you don't want to be pushed and are just playing volleyball for fun then you might not want him as a coach. Some people think that volleyball is just a fun sport while in reality, it's one of the hardest sports there is. When you play volleyball even if it's just for fun, you still need to be pushed in order to be good at the sport in order to become good.

One of the most famous coaches in United States history was Vince Lombardi. He coached the Green Bay Packers for eight years and led the team to five championships. Vince Lombardi once said, " Coaches who can outline plays on a black board are a dime a dozen. The ones who win get inside their players and motivate." This is a coach who knows all their players strengths and weaknesses and is able to keep them excited and concentrated the whole game. Mr. Roehl is a perfect example of a coach like this. That is why I hope I get to have him as my coach for school volleyball.


"Vince Lombardi Quotes - BrainyQuote." Famous Quotes at BrainyQuote. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/v/vince_lombardi.html>.

Character Analysis: Sky Mackenzie

Author's Note: This is a book response to the book: The Secrets of My Hollywood Life. It is a Character analysis of Sky Mackenzie, the bad girl in the book. I feel like it might be too much of a summary, but let me know what you think. My focuses are sentence fluency and organization.

She's always second to Kaitlin. Even her own boyfriend likes Kaitlin better. Sky was tired of always coming after her co-star. So, she did something drastic. It had to be done though, Kaitlin deserved worse. Everyone liked Kaitlin better, and Sky couldn't put her career in jeopardy. If Sky's plan works, she would finally be better then Kaitlin.

Sky and Kaitlin grew up together, and have been co-starring on "Family Affairs" since they were toddlers. They played sisters on the show, but didn't act like it off set. Kaitlin had the better part in the show; she was the good guy, so Sky was the bad guy. The personalities of the characters they portrayed began a rivalry between them. And, although both of their parents used them for their fame, Sky's were much worse. Her parents didn't care what she did, as long as she provided fame for them.

When Sky found out that Kaitlin was auditioning for the lead role in Hutch Adams' next movie, she knew she had to do something; her career can't afford for Kaitlin to become even more famous. So, Sky stole Kaitlin's sidekick. It was an innocent joke at first; Sky never knew she would find out as much as she did about what Kaitlin had been doing. Things were looking perfect for Sky, she just had to find the perfect time to expose Kaitlin.

She gets a phone call from her agent. Kailtin has turned down an offer to do a charity event at Clark Hall, and you have been asked to do it instead.  It all began to make sense. All of Kaitlin's strange absences, her secrets, and why she was so worried about losing her Sidekick. Kaitlin was on a secret hiatus. She was living a secret life, going to Clark Hall, as a non-existent person. The press would tear Kaitlin apart. Sky now had the perfect chance to expose Kaitlin and ruin her career.


Sky is waiting at Clark Hall when she sees her."You should turn your cameras on now" she whispers to the reporters. "Ladies and Gentleman, I am not the only 'Family Affairs' star in the audience. Please give a warm welcome to Kaitlin Burke!" And with a quick flick of her wrist, Sky pulls of Kaitlin's wig. Satisfied with the shocked looks and whispers of the crowd, she continues. "You've been duped. Rachel is not Rachel at all, she's Kaitlin Burke. She's pretending to be someone she's not - wearing colored contacts, a wig, dopey glasses, using a bogus accent- she's been lying to you for months."

Pleased with the way things turned out, Sky goes home satisfied. Only to be surprised a few mornings later to find Kaitlin along with Rodney and Liz. "I wanted to thank you, Skylar", explained Kaitlin, "Whether you intended to or not, you did me a big favor by pulling those stunts. That tabloid garbage was making me feel like I had to choose between acting and having a life. But you know what? I've realized I don't have to choose, Sky. No matter what you say or do, you can't make me give up my career." she continues to say, "I hope you enjoy your summer. I’m going to reporting to the Hutch Adams set to work on my next blockbuster movie.” Kaitlin turned around on her heels and walked away, leaving Sky staring after her.

It should've worked. In fact, it was a surprise it didn't. Kaitlin was practically telling America and Hutch Adams she'd had enough and wanted nothing to do with Hollywood anymore. So why did everyone still love her? And why did Hutch Adams hire her? It was too much for Sky. And it wasn't fair. Sky Mackenzie was a really misunderstood character. She gets better publicity by cheating, she's mean, and doesn't care what happens to Kaitlin or her career. Even though she seems bad, people just don't know the story behind her. Her parents don't care about her and all the Hollywood directors favored Kaitlin, her enemy and co-star, more. Kaitlin was living the life she wanted, and Sky thought as though she could never be better than her.

Faith

Author's Note: This is a Cinquain poem I wrote on Faith. My focus is voice.

Faith

Always believe,

Even when you can't see.

You have complete trust in someone.

Believe.

What is the Best Time of Day to Take Tests?

Author's Note: I haven't written a real essay in a long time, so I decided to try it again. This piece is on my opinion on what is the best time of day to learn. My focus is word choice.


Beep, Beep. It's 5:30 AM, and your alarm is blaring. Time to get up, and start the day. My bus arrives at school, and I head to my first hour class. As the teacher gives announcements I struggle to stay awake. I'm closing my eyes when I here the word test. As my teacher gives me the paper, I examine the problems. At least I try to examine them. I am so tired,  I can't contemplate the problems on the page. Taking tests in the first few hours of the day are bad because you just woke up, and most kids are still tired.

Most students prefer to stay up late and sleep in late. School starts at 7:30 in the morning which makes some kids wake up at 6:00 or earlier to get ready. Most kids stay up past 10:00 an with that being said, they can't get the 8.5-9 hours they need. This means that since the students are so tired, their test scores will go down.

Although, testing early may not be the best for some students, there are some plus sides to it. Taking tests first thing in the morning allows students to "get it over with". If we take tests right away the students can take them and be able to relax for the rest of the day. This seems like a good idea, because, then students can concentrate the rest of the day on the rest of their classes.

I think that the best time to take test would be second or third hour. This is because first hour, students are to tired to concentrate, fifth hour, students are distracted and ready to go home, and fourth hour is right before lunch so students are hungry. Second or third hour is right in the middle, so it gives students a chance to wake up, but not so much that they can't concentrate.

Over the weekends, most teenagers stay up late and don't get up until mid-afternoon. During the school week, students often still stay up late, but are forced to get up early. Schools shouldn't make students test right away in the morning, because they are still waking up. In reality testing at a later time is and advantage to the school because the better test scores students get, the better the school looks.

"Adolescent Sleep." Research. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2012. <nysut.org/research/bulletins/981202adolescentsleep.html>.

"Top 10 Weirdest Clocks | Top 10 Hell." Top 10 Hell. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2012. <http://top10hell.com/top-10-weirdest-clocks/>.

Runaway

Author's Note: In a meeting with Mr. Johnson we talked about how most entertainment books we read don't follow one of the four modes of literature. I decided to make that the topic of this book response. My focus is sentence fluency.

Everyone likes to read a good book, and lets face it, what we have to read for school aren't always what teenagers consider to be "good books." The books we want to read typically are filled with adventure or romance. These book normally don't follow one of the four modes of literature. For instance, Runaway, by Meg Cabot. This book is filled with with romance and action but doesn't adhere to any of the four modes of literature.

The book starts off with the main character, Nicki being kidnapped to an island in the middle of nowhere. She's clearly not in control. hat be said, the only mode it could be is irony. Shortly after she is kidnapped, she is rescued, and returned back to civilization. At this point of the book tragedy, because she had a rise to power. It goes back and fourth between modes before ending in romance.

Although books like these are entertaining, that is the only purpose of them, to entertain. Runaway was an eye-opening book, but in reality had no real purpose to it. Purposeful books are made to teach a lesson. And although what we have to read isn't always fun, we can learn something valuable from it.

"First Novels Club: Ten new mini-reviews!." First Novels Club. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2012. <http://www.firstnovelsclub.com/2011/06/ten-new-mini-reviews.html>.

Winter

Author's Note: I decided to go on National Geographic to find a picture to write a poem about. I thought this was beautiful and reminded me of winter... My focus is word choice.

Silence,

The quiet waters,

and reticent trees.

Stillness,

Everything is motionless,

very calm and idle.

Serenity,  

The peace is comforting,

you feel at ease.

"Photo of the Day: Best Pictures of November 2011, Gallery - National Geographic." Photography and Photos of the Day - National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2012. <http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photos/best-pod-november-2011/#/blue-pond-japan_42696_600x450.jpg>. 

Katniss Everdeen

Author's Note: This is my final response to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. When Katniss volunteered to be tribute, not only was she risking her life, but she was also risking to lose the little freedom that she had. This is what I decided to write about in this piece. My focus is voice.

A survey shows that 90 countries in the world are free, 58 countries are considered partly free, and 45 countries are not free at all. According to the survey 23% of the people living in the world are under strict laws about political and religious rights. We don't. In the book the Hunger Games, the country Katniss lives in is under very strong laws. One of the laws states that any child from the ages 12-18 are put in the drawing to become a part of the annual Hunger Games. Fortunately we don't have any laws like that in the United States.But we take for granted the freedom that we have.

When Katniss heard Prim's name called at the Reaping, I can't imagine what she felt. She knew that nothing would be the same. There would be no more hunting with Gale, no more trips to the Hob, and she could never have a normal life again. If there was any chance she made it out of the Hunger Games  alive, she would still have to be apart of them by mentoring in them. In the United States, we don't know what this could be like. We've grown up in freedom.

Katniss, started off with little freedom to begin with. The one thing she did for fun was hunt with Gale, but even that she did illegally. Here in the United States, we do have laws, but none of them are nearly as strict as the ones  that Katniss had where she lived. Even a simple thing like hunting with a friend, she could've been killed for if she was caught. The freedom we have in the United States is truly a blessing, one we take for granted.


"Freedom in the World, 2007 — Infoplease.com." Infoplease: Encyclopedia, Almanac, Atlas, Biographies, Dictionary, Thesaurus. Free online reference, research & homework help. — Infoplease.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2012. <http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0930918.html>. 

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Author's Note: I wrote this poem while I was sitting in my room, while I was looking at a picture of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's. I wrote this poem about Audrey, and the confidence she showed in the picture. My focus is word choice.

The glistening pearls,

dangling from her neck.

The long black gloves

In which her hands beck.

Her silky hair,

Piled high on her head.

Her beautiful eyes,

Stare straight ahead.

A glowing smile,

A beautiful face.

The long black dress,

Showing her style and grace.

Genre. "Audrey Hepburn - Breakfast At Tiffany's Poster at Barewalls.com." Posters, Art Prints, Vintage Posters & Canvas Art at Barewalls.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2012. <http://www.barewalls.com/pv-439457_Audrey-Hepburn--Breakfast-At-Tiffanys.html>. 

 

The Green Bay Packers

Author's Note: I had this piece started before the Packer's lost, but they have still had a really good season. I decided to write about the Packers and their winning streak. My focus is sentence fluency.

Are you a Packers fan? Well even if you're not, you have to be impressed by how well the team has been doing. The Packers have won 13 games in a row, guaranteeing them a spot in the playoffs. If they win, it will be the second year in a row that they have made it to the Super Bowl. If they win the Super Bowl, it will be the second time in history where they have won back to back Super Bowls. This would bring a lot of pride to Wisconsin.


Winning back to back Super Bowls has only been done eight times before. For those of you who don't know, the Super Bowl is the championship for the NFL (National Football League). Not only would it be a rare win, but it would also be the second time it's been done by the Packer's.



Whether you prefer the Viking's or the Packer's, you will have to admit that the team as had an astonishing season. With only one loss, the team has proved that they can and will be champions again. As the playoffs are coming up, the team prepares to have yet another victory.

"Green Bay Packers Desktop Background Wallpapers - Packers Logo, Aaron Rodgers, and more - Designed by Gabriel Perez." Gabriel Perez Graphic Artist: Logo, Website, and Graphic Design. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2011. <http://www.gpmedialabs.com/green-bay-packers-desktop-wallpapers.php>.

2012

Author's Note: Every year for New Year's, people make resolutions, goals they want to achieve over the new year. I wrote about my resolutions for 2012. My focus is word choice.

Every year, thousands of people across America make New Year's Resolutions. For many people, these consist of weight loss plans, learning something new, or to start exercising more. Even though so many people make New Year's Resolutions, not all of them keep them. This year I am going to make a better effort to keep my New Year's Resolution. Keeping them would not only be an achievement but it would also be cool to learn or accomplish something new.

One of my New Year's Resolutions would be to master my jump serve in volleyball by the end of the year. This would give me more confidence in the game and  improve my skill a lot. I would also like to keep up with the reading plan for our church, this year, we have been given a day by day reading plan and I would like to follow it through the whole year. Another resolution I have is to not put my writing off to the last day, and get it done early.

Everyone has resolutions. Whether write them done or not, everybody has a goal for the new year. They are so helpful because it helps people understand what they really want to accomplish over the year. And what better time to start? It's a new year, a time to start over. So what are your resolutions?



below:, Submitting your email address. "Happy New Year 2012 Wallpapers HD | Wallpapers Cafe." Wallpapers Cafe. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Jan. 2012. <http://wallpapers-cafe.blogspot.com/2011/12/happy-new-year-2012-wallpapers-hd.html>.

Adoption

Author's Note: Over break, my friend's family adopted a little girl, and I got to go to the ceremony. It was a great experience and I loved seeing the emotion of the adopting family. I decided to write a Cinquain poem about having a good family. My focus for the poem is voice.

Family

People Who Care.

They will always be there,

and they will always protect you.

Love

fun, providing a, interactive, learning environment, and time management for kids. "Focus On The Family." Take Control with Time Management. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Jan. 2012. <http://www.effective-time-management-strategies.com/focus-on-the-family.html>.