In Language Arts class we have been working on drawing our brains. I included drawings of things that I think a lot about, things that I love to do, and things that are important to me. I think that this was a very fun project! I love how we got to be very creative and make the project personal. I also included some of the goals from my Life List. These goals are to get married, to have children, to become a camp counselor, to visit every continent, to go on an African safari, to run a marathon, to fly in a hot air balloon, to watch the Olympics live, to see my sister become an elite gymnast, to meet Blake Shelton, and to go to college. Tbere are a lot more goals on my Life List, but I only put eleven items on my brain drawing. I think that this project was a great way to end the year!
Author Archives: 19julia
iPads by Julia
Membean by Julia
During the year, we have been using the online vocabulary program called Membean. I think that this program is very useful because it helps us learn words in ways that are easier for us to remember. Another reason that I like Membean is because the word that you practice are chosen for you, and what is best for you to to be learning as opposed to a range of words that “everyone should know and learn.” Plus, Membean also helps me learn root words, which is very helpful for identifying words that I have never seen. Overall, I think that Membean is a very good program.
Memory by Julia
As you know, we are still reading The Giver by Lois Lowry in Language Arts class. This book is about a perfect society where they are no choices, war, or feelings. The only exception is The Receiver, who receives memories of the past from the previous Receiver. Jonas has been selected as the new Receiver and the first memory that The Giver gives to Jonas is of snow.
The first memory is would give to the new Receiver would probably be of going down a water slide. I know that this seems like a weird memory to give, but the people in this community are already accustomed to water and swimming, but they are not accustomed to hills, weather, or even color. I think that the water slide would be a good memory because it incorporates something that is familiar but also something new, fun and exciting.
Drawing by Julia
The Ideal Teacher by Julia
Right now in Language Arts we are reading The Giver by Lois Lowry. This book is about a perfect society. The perfect teacher to me would be a lot of things. The perfect teacher to me would joke around with the class, but also be serious when teaching. One of the most important qualities in a teacher for me is motivating. Motivating can mean a lot of different things, but for me it means that I know that there is always someone that I can see when I get a not so amazing grade. Someone that I know will explain a concept to me until I understand, no matter how many times it takes. But most of all, someone that is like a friend to me. I know that they would be older than me, but they would be there for me like a friend.
Community Service by Julia
For our second community service of the year, my advisory went strawberry picking and then brought the strawberries to the Ronald McDonald House of Durham. I had a lot of fun strawberry picking with my friends, and it was even more fun knowing that we were picking for a good cause. At the strawberry picking field, there were two dogs that were so cute! One was a small dog, I don’t know what type, that followed us everywhere. The other was an older boxer who had surgery on her eye, and she wasn’t very friendly, she mostly wanted to sleep. The picking was very fun because we had a contest to see who could pick the most perfect strawberry!
After we had weighed and bought the strawberries we picked (we used money from our donut sales to pay for the strawberries), we went to the Ronald McDonald House of Durham. Once there, our “tour-guide” told us about the history of the House and the past renovations. We then got to see some rooms like the play area, the school area, and the kitchen. The best part of the whole day was when a little boy, he looked about four years old, showed us his awesome break-dancing! He was adorable and he had some great moves! I really hope that people at the Ronald McDonald House enjoyed our strawberries and that every child that is sick gets better.
While there, I realized how very fortunate we really are. I couldn’t imagine what would have happened if my sister got cancer or something like that. I love her more than anything in the world, and I have no idea how I would cope with her getting sick. The residents at the House are in my heart and prayers.
The Ceremony of Twelve by Julia
In Language Arts class, we are currently reading a book called The Giver by Lois Lowry. If I were to be assigned a role in the society, I think that I would be assigned the role of a Nurtuer. I think this because I love taking care of little kids and I have a lot of fun with them. I think that the hardest part of this job would be growing attached to the child you take care of and then having to let him or her go to another family.
“The Westing Game” By Julia K
For the past few weeks in Language Arts class, we have been reading a book called The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. This book is about a man named Sam Westing who died and is trying to find his heir. The trick is that the sixteen possible heirs have been partnered up and have to discover who murdered Samuel. W. Westing with a few clues that have been given to them. In the end of the book, there is a twist that will change your view of the book entirely.
My feelings about The Westing Game are mixed. I think that the book has a good plot but it is very confusing and I had a hard time following what was going on. Something that I like about this book is that there is no gory details having to do with blood and things like that. It is definitely a cozy mystery.
To prepare for the test on The Westing Game, we drew all of the characters in the book using the app Sketchbook Express and put the drawings into a trading cards app. We then filled out information about the characters. I did not really enjoy this process because I find it hard to draw on the iPad and the trading cards app we used was slow and we had a character limit when filling in information. I did learn a lot more about using Sketchbook Express, which I learned to really like.
Hero Project by Julia K.
Photo by Mrs. Donnelly
In late January, we made hero pop up books in Language Arts class. I really enjoyed this experience because we got to be creative and we also got to make something that means a lot to other people. I chose to write about my father, Dave King, as my hero. I really enjoyed the experience of working with an artist and our books even got to go on display at the FRANK Gallery! We had a reception last week where the sixth grade, families, and heroes were invited to the gallery to see our books! My dad was out of town at the time so we went a few weeks ago. I had a great time at the FRANK Gallery because all of my friends were there and we all got to look at the books together! The display where the books are is so beautiful and it seems made for our books! Even though there were some ups and downs in making these books, overall I have had a great experience and I’m sorry that it is over.
The Lady Or The Tiger by Julia
We read a short story in class called The Lady or the Tiger. This story did not have an ending so we got to make one up. Here is the ending that I wrote:
The Lady and the Tiger
By Julia
Eyes closing, heart pounding, the princess prepared herself to seeher lover, James, be ripped apart by the tiger as he confidentlypulled open the door on the right. The barbaric side of her decidedthat he would go to the tiger because she knew that she could notstand him being with another lady, and she knew that this is the fatehe would want. She closed her eyes tightly, as to refrain from seeingthe horror that was soon to happen, but she heard no roars, noscreams. All she heard was people cheering, bells ringing. But itcould not be, she had been informed where the lady was, and shewas on the left. But something must have happened, somethinggone wrong. She opened her eyes, and saw her lover giving her aquestioning glance, but instead of looking into his eyes, she fled thearena.
She ran back to the castle and stopped only to put a note in a loosestone where she and James had often left each other notes. Hernote had ink blots everywhere and her handwriting was rushed, butstill legible.
Follow me. You know where I am. Where the daffodils grow.
And with that, the princess ran. She ran from her father, fromJames’s new wife, and from her busy life. She just wanted to befree and do whatever she pleased. She ran and ran until shefound the place she and James had met; an old white gazebo,with daffodils covering the ground and climbing roses coveringmost of the peeling paint.
A week later, as the princess was tending to a small garden, sheheard someone approaching on horseback and turned her face tothe side so as not to be seen.
But she would know that voice anywhere.
“James!” What are you doing here?” exclaimed the princess.
“After I found your note, I decided that you had the right ideaand I decided to follow you so we can be together forever.” Jamesexplained.
“Oh James, I missed you so greatly. Now we can just travel theworld, and do whatever our hearts desire,” declared the princess
The lady or the tiger? Or neither?