Author's Note: As the Holiday's are approaching, everyone is thinking about giving gifts and receiving them. I wrote this piece on the giving -- when people started giving gifts for Christmas, why they started, and what it's like today. I focused on idea development and content.
You are sitting in your living room. Outside, snow is falling, there's Christmas music playing in the background, and everyone is smiling. While you are there with your family, you think of how lucky you are. Spending time with the people you love on Christmas.A famous Christmas pastime for most families is giving gifts. People give gifts to each other to symbolize friendship and love.
Giving gifts on Christmas goes all the way back to the birth of Christ, when the three kings gave the gifts to Him. This was originally celebrated on the feast of Epiphany. Eventually, giving gifts was done more on Christmas then Epiphany. The original purpose of giving gifts is to show how much you care for a person.
Like, when you give a gift to someone for there birthday, you don't give it to them because you have to. It's because you care.
Some families can't give gifts to each other on Christmas. They can't afford it. But, they still show their love to each other. Although giving gifts is fun, we can't forget the real meaning of Christmas. It's to celebrate the birth of Christ, and His love for us. Giving gifts to each other is a great way to show you care.
"Why Do We Give Gifts at Christmas?." Pregnancy and Parenting - From The Labor of Love. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2011. <http://www.thelaboroflove.com/articles/why-do-we-give-gifts-at-christmas>.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Asa Clark Middle School
Author's Note: I am writing this piece on the pros and cons of going to Asa Clark Middle School. My focus is voice.
When you start your first day of middle school, you're scared. You suddenly forget where all your classes are, you are afraid of all of your teachers, and for some reason you can't remember your locker combo. When you start middle school, you want to go to a school where you can feel confident starting. Asa Clark is that school. The teachers are nice, there is a friendly environment, and there are great opportunities there.
One of the pros of going to Asa is that there are many different sports and activities. With such a wide variety, there is a club for all students. Since there are so many clubs, it gives students a better chance to find friends that enjoy the same things.Also, Asa provides each student with their own laptop, which they can use for the year. The laptops are so important because it can help students communicate with teachers, research for projects, and they are used for math. They are really helpful.
Laptops can also be a con of going here. Students can be gaming during class, without the teachers knowing it. This distracts not only the student playing, but other students around them. Another con is the size of the school. Since the size of the school is smaller, class sizes increase, which could potentially eliminate 1:1 time with a teacher, or class participation.
Although Asa has its cons, it is a wonderful school. The helpful staff, Asa is one of the few middle schools in Wisconsin to be only seventh and eight grade. This is nice because it creates a friendly environment for the students and staff. I am glad I go to Asa Clark Middle School.
When you start your first day of middle school, you're scared. You suddenly forget where all your classes are, you are afraid of all of your teachers, and for some reason you can't remember your locker combo. When you start middle school, you want to go to a school where you can feel confident starting. Asa Clark is that school. The teachers are nice, there is a friendly environment, and there are great opportunities there.
One of the pros of going to Asa is that there are many different sports and activities. With such a wide variety, there is a club for all students. Since there are so many clubs, it gives students a better chance to find friends that enjoy the same things.Also, Asa provides each student with their own laptop, which they can use for the year. The laptops are so important because it can help students communicate with teachers, research for projects, and they are used for math. They are really helpful.
Laptops can also be a con of going here. Students can be gaming during class, without the teachers knowing it. This distracts not only the student playing, but other students around them. Another con is the size of the school. Since the size of the school is smaller, class sizes increase, which could potentially eliminate 1:1 time with a teacher, or class participation.
Although Asa has its cons, it is a wonderful school. The helpful staff, Asa is one of the few middle schools in Wisconsin to be only seventh and eight grade. This is nice because it creates a friendly environment for the students and staff. I am glad I go to Asa Clark Middle School.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Waiting
Author's Note: I am anxiously waiting for the first measurable snowfall of the season. I decided to write a poem about it. I tried using the Ode format. My focus is voice.
Falling gently towards the ground,
Piling up all around.
Children laugh,
Throwing the snow.
Schools are closed,
There's no more work.
Time to play.
Forts are built,
Snowmen are made,
And as the sun sets,
you smile,
knowing that tomorrow's another day,
to play.
Falling gently towards the ground,
Piling up all around.
Children laugh,
Throwing the snow.
Schools are closed,
There's no more work.
Time to play.
Forts are built,
Snowmen are made,
And as the sun sets,
you smile,
knowing that tomorrow's another day,
to play.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Matched
Author's Note: I am in the middle of reading the book Matched by: Ally Condie. The book takes place in the future. In the Society, the Officials make all your decisions for you. They decide when you will die, who you will marry, and where you work. Cassia is matched with her childhood friend, Xander. Things were perfect until Ky's face flashes on her screen. Now she has to decide between the two of them. I think that it would be scary living in a world where everything is so strict and you can't make decisions for yourself. That is what I decided to write about. My focus is voice.
Have you ever felt trapped? You don't know what to think. You don't know who to trust. This is exactly how Cassia felt in the book, Matched. She has so many questions about the way they live; why can't she pick who she wants to marry, why is her death date chosen for her, why can't she pick what she wants to do? It's not fair. I think that it would be horrible living a life like that. Cassia can't make any decisions for herself. The Officials choose everything for her. What could be worse then having your life chosen for you?
Cassia's life is defined by the rules the society has made for her. I could never live like she does. There is always someone telling her what to do, where to go, and what to think. This isn't fair. She has no choice but to do what they ask, unless she wants to cause trouble for her family. I feel bad for her. If that were me in her place, I don't know how I could survive. It's important to be able to make your own decisions.
Everyday, we make decisions. Whether it's what to eat, what to wear, or even what to watch on TV, it's still a decision. One that Cassia couldn't make. Simple decisions, ones that don't matter, Cassia still would have loved to make on her own. In our society, we are lucky to have the opportunities that we have. Cassia never had the opportunity to do most of the things that we can do today.
"Lands of Pleasure: Matched by Ally Condie." Lands of Pleasure. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2011. <http://landsofpleasure.blogspot.com/2011/05/matched-by-ally-condie.html>.
Cassia's life is defined by the rules the society has made for her. I could never live like she does. There is always someone telling her what to do, where to go, and what to think. This isn't fair. She has no choice but to do what they ask, unless she wants to cause trouble for her family. I feel bad for her. If that were me in her place, I don't know how I could survive. It's important to be able to make your own decisions.
Everyday, we make decisions. Whether it's what to eat, what to wear, or even what to watch on TV, it's still a decision. One that Cassia couldn't make. Simple decisions, ones that don't matter, Cassia still would have loved to make on her own. In our society, we are lucky to have the opportunities that we have. Cassia never had the opportunity to do most of the things that we can do today.
"Lands of Pleasure: Matched by Ally Condie." Lands of Pleasure. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2011. <http://landsofpleasure.blogspot.com/2011/05/matched-by-ally-condie.html>.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
If It Were My Home
Author's Note: Last year, Mrs. Giese gave a seminar about Country Comparison. We used a website called: ifitweremyhome.com. Ashton reminded me of this and so I decided to write an essay comparing the United States to Romania. I focused on sentence fluency.
Have you ever thought what it would be like if you lived in a different country? How much your life would change? If you lived somewhere else, you would never meet some of your friends, you would go to a different school, and possibly even learn another language. That is a lot of change. If you lived in a different country, nothing would be the same.
If you lived in Romania, you would spend 92.98% on health care. In the United States, there is $6,719 USD spent, while in Romania there is only $472 USD. There's a big difference. You would also have a better chance of being employed. The unemployment rate in Romania is 7.6% while in the United States it is 9.3%. Although there are some positive aspects of living in Romania, there are many negative ones that come with them. If you lived in Romania, you would make 75.22% less money, die 5.53 years soon, and have a 3.6 times higher chance of dying in infancy. Both places are nice places to live. Which would you choose?
I would choose to live in the United States. Even though there are some positive aspects to living in Romania, I think that the United States is a better place to live. No other country in the world has the wonderful freedom, opportunities, and safety like our country does. There are brave soldiers who gave their lives to give us this. Although Romania is nice, there is no other country like the United States.
"Comparing The United States to Romania. ." IfItWereMyHome.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2011. <http://www.ifitweremyhome.com/compare/US/RO>.
Have you ever thought what it would be like if you lived in a different country? How much your life would change? If you lived somewhere else, you would never meet some of your friends, you would go to a different school, and possibly even learn another language. That is a lot of change. If you lived in a different country, nothing would be the same. 
If you lived in Romania, you would spend 92.98% on health care. In the United States, there is $6,719 USD spent, while in Romania there is only $472 USD. There's a big difference. You would also have a better chance of being employed. The unemployment rate in Romania is 7.6% while in the United States it is 9.3%. Although there are some positive aspects of living in Romania, there are many negative ones that come with them. If you lived in Romania, you would make 75.22% less money, die 5.53 years soon, and have a 3.6 times higher chance of dying in infancy. Both places are nice places to live. Which would you choose?I would choose to live in the United States. Even though there are some positive aspects to living in Romania, I think that the United States is a better place to live. No other country in the world has the wonderful freedom, opportunities, and safety like our country does. There are brave soldiers who gave their lives to give us this. Although Romania is nice, there is no other country like the United States.
"Comparing The United States to Romania. ." IfItWereMyHome.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2011. <http://www.ifitweremyhome.com/compare/US/RO>.
"RyanTestpage." The Official Site of Stony Brook Middle School. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2011. <http://sb.westfordk12.us/pages/6mweb/6mss/travelpages/orange10/oemily/index.html>.
"american flags." Stayton (Oregon) Daily Photo « Located in Stayton, Oregon, USA, also featuring other nearby towns in the Willamette Valley.. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2011. <http://staytondailyphoto.com/tag/american-flags/>.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Victory
Author's Note: Today when I was trying to think of a topic for my poem I was looking out the window. I saw the land behind the school where there are sometimes cross country meets for high school. I decided to take that thought and write a poem about the feeling of victory. My focus is voice.
Hitting the hardest serve,
Leaping that final hurdle,
Making the winning shot,
Winning the game for your team,
That's the feeling of victory.
Hitting a home run,
Kicking the winning goal,
Crossing the finish line,
Finally winning everything.
That's the feeling of victory.
Making the best team,
Passing the hardest test,
Having the highest score,
Being the best out of everyone.
That's the feeling of victory.
Hitting the hardest serve,
Leaping that final hurdle,
Making the winning shot,
Winning the game for your team,
That's the feeling of victory.
Hitting a home run,
Kicking the winning goal,
Crossing the finish line,
Finally winning everything.
That's the feeling of victory.
Making the best team,
Passing the hardest test,
Having the highest score,
Being the best out of everyone.
That's the feeling of victory.
Monday, November 14, 2011
The 5 People you Meet in Heaven
Author's Note: In my lit. group we are reading the book The 5 People you Meet in Heaven. In the book, Eddie is a lonely old man who lives in regret. One day while working at the amusement park, he's killed trying to save a girl from a broken roller coaster. When Eddie gets to Heaven, he meets 5 different people, each of them teach him a different lesson. I wrote this piece explaining what my lessons would be. My focus is word choice.
"Live your life, where your funeral is easy to do," my pastor said one night at youth group after a girl died in a tragic event. The point of this quote was to tell the audience to think about their actions and attitude. For example, Eddie regretted so much from his past, and his attitude showed it. Kids were afraid of him. Everyone can learn from Eddie in this book. The book can give everybody a different outlook on life.
In the book, Eddie meets up with five different people. Each person was either impacted by Eddie, or Eddie was influenced by them. The first person he met was the Blue Man. When Eddie was little he was playing with his new baseball in his yard. The ball rolls in the street, and Eddie carelessly runs to retrieve it. He runs in front of a car to get it. The driver slams on the brakes and avoids hitting him. Eddie thought the incident was forgotten and continues to play. But it wasn't. The driver dies shortly afterwards of a heart attack. The lesson he taught Eddie was that we are all connected; nothing happens by accident.
Even though Eddie didn't struggle with it too much, patience would be my first lesson. Patience is a life skill. In school you have to be patient with other students and teachers you might not like. In your adult life, you will have to work with people you might not get along with.
The second lesson I would learn would be the impact of my attitude. Although it was not one of the lessons he learned in Heaven, it was one of the things Eddie struggled with as well. After his wife died, Eddie lived without meaning. His attitude impacted everyone. I can have a really negative attitude. This book helped me put in perspective how it can affect other people.
Lesson number three would be how bad procrastination can be. This lesson doesn't necessarily relate to one of the lessons Eddie learned. Every week, I wait till the last minute to finish something. This is not the best idea. Not only is it a bad habit, but most likely, the work isn't the quality it should be.
My fourth lesson would be the lesson of forgiveness. This lesson is very similar to the third lesson Eddie learns which teaches Eddie to let go of his anger towards his father. His dad abused him when he was young, and Eddie never got over it. Forgiving someone is hard to do. According to dictionary.com (2011), "To forgive means to cease to feel resentment against." After talking to Ruby, the third person he meets in Heaven, Eddie finds his father and forgives him.
My fifth and final lesson would be the importance of hard work. Eddie never had a problem with this. He resorted to doing this after his dear wife died. This was how he escaped reality. For me, it's not doing too much hard work, but too little. I can learn from Eddie's example -- to work hard, but not make hard work your life.
Eddie can help us all learn different lessons by putting life in perspective. If he would have had another chance, he would have forgave his dad earlier. This would have erased the stress felt by his mom, his brother, and even himself. This book makes you think what you struggle with in life, what are the five lessons you would learn, and how would you going to change them.
"Define Resort." Dictionary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <dictionary.reference.com/browse/resort>.
"FREE SUMMARY The Five People You Meet In Heaven STUDY GUIDE/BOOK NOTES/CHAPTER ANALYSIS by Mitch Albom." TheBestNotes.com - Free Study Guide Book Notes Online Literature Summaries Booknotes. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://thebestnotes.com/booknotes/Five
"Live your life, where your funeral is easy to do," my pastor said one night at youth group after a girl died in a tragic event. The point of this quote was to tell the audience to think about their actions and attitude. For example, Eddie regretted so much from his past, and his attitude showed it. Kids were afraid of him. Everyone can learn from Eddie in this book. The book can give everybody a different outlook on life.
In the book, Eddie meets up with five different people. Each person was either impacted by Eddie, or Eddie was influenced by them. The first person he met was the Blue Man. When Eddie was little he was playing with his new baseball in his yard. The ball rolls in the street, and Eddie carelessly runs to retrieve it. He runs in front of a car to get it. The driver slams on the brakes and avoids hitting him. Eddie thought the incident was forgotten and continues to play. But it wasn't. The driver dies shortly afterwards of a heart attack. The lesson he taught Eddie was that we are all connected; nothing happens by accident.
Even though Eddie didn't struggle with it too much, patience would be my first lesson. Patience is a life skill. In school you have to be patient with other students and teachers you might not like. In your adult life, you will have to work with people you might not get along with.
The second lesson I would learn would be the impact of my attitude. Although it was not one of the lessons he learned in Heaven, it was one of the things Eddie struggled with as well. After his wife died, Eddie lived without meaning. His attitude impacted everyone. I can have a really negative attitude. This book helped me put in perspective how it can affect other people.
Lesson number three would be how bad procrastination can be. This lesson doesn't necessarily relate to one of the lessons Eddie learned. Every week, I wait till the last minute to finish something. This is not the best idea. Not only is it a bad habit, but most likely, the work isn't the quality it should be.
My fourth lesson would be the lesson of forgiveness. This lesson is very similar to the third lesson Eddie learns which teaches Eddie to let go of his anger towards his father. His dad abused him when he was young, and Eddie never got over it. Forgiving someone is hard to do. According to dictionary.com (2011), "To forgive means to cease to feel resentment against." After talking to Ruby, the third person he meets in Heaven, Eddie finds his father and forgives him.
My fifth and final lesson would be the importance of hard work. Eddie never had a problem with this. He resorted to doing this after his dear wife died. This was how he escaped reality. For me, it's not doing too much hard work, but too little. I can learn from Eddie's example -- to work hard, but not make hard work your life.
Eddie can help us all learn different lessons by putting life in perspective. If he would have had another chance, he would have forgave his dad earlier. This would have erased the stress felt by his mom, his brother, and even himself. This book makes you think what you struggle with in life, what are the five lessons you would learn, and how would you going to change them.
"Define Resort." Dictionary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <dictionary.reference.com/browse/resort>.
"FREE SUMMARY The Five People You Meet In Heaven STUDY GUIDE/BOOK NOTES/CHAPTER ANALYSIS by Mitch Albom." TheBestNotes.com - Free Study Guide Book Notes Online Literature Summaries Booknotes. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://thebestnotes.com/booknotes/Five
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