One day, a young boy, Sam Beaver, to be exact, visits a lake.  In that lake, there is a Trumpeter Swan and his mate.  When the swan lays her eggs, the last one, the fifth, can not talk.  So when the other cygnets, baby swans, yell "Koh, Ko,"  to Sam, the young cygnet tries to yell but can't.  Instead, he unties Sam's shoelace, and that is how the amazing bird, Louis, begins his amazing adventure.  Sam takes Louis to his school, and Louis the swan learns to write.  Instead of using the method, talking, to communicate, he writes on a slate and pencil that he carries on his neck.  And once he gets a trumpet to help him blow " Koh, Ko,"  will he ever be able to tell Serena, a beautiful swan that he loves her? Read the book to find out!

A is golden like the sun's rays, a sunflower at dawn and the color of the sky at sunset.

E is silver like when the sun hides behind the moon in an eclipse, a word of thanks and the constellation " Great Bear".

I is green like the enviroment, the peacefulness of Earth, a four leaf clover that brings good luck, and the grass.

O is lavender like my marker, a violet in a vase and the gentle tone my mom uses when I hurt myself.

U is blue like my favorite shirt, the sky at early dawn and a bubble trapped in my cereal bowl.

Y is rainbow like a bubble + the sun and a multi-colored marker.  

Every day, my parents walk me to school.  Today, though, instead of going to school, I am going to see something special.  I love modeling, and I was asked to model for a beauty show!  I have good posture, and I am a mixture of sweet and kind.  I am also very attractive, according to my mom.  I have great big plans for the future and this is only the start!  Being in 8th grade is hard.  The senior prom is coming up, and the producer of the show that I will be modeling on said that if I do a great job, I will get to pick one of the dresses that they have to wear to the prom!  I have a real simple nature and I hope to have fun.  My mom is calling me to get dressed.  I better go!  

"Hello, Tiara!"  Mrs. Starr says cheerfully as I enter the room.   " Hello, Mrs. Starr!" I return her pleasant smile.  "I will be your director/teacher,"   Mrs. Starr explains.  "It is a pleasure to be with you!'  My mom buts her head into the conversation.  "I must take Tiara into the theatre so we can start rehearsing," Mrs. Starr leads me into the theatre.  "I won't put you under pressure if you are a failure at first,"  She reassures me.  I start to feel secure and safe with her.  "You can be in danger if you don't do it all right,"  Mrs. Starr leads me to the back of the stage.  "If you tell anything personal, someone who wants to capture you might be able to find your house, or school.  Just be careful."  

The next day, I came to the theatre and I got into my first outfit.  "Here we go!"  Mrs. Starr whispers to me and I walk onto the carpet and out onto the stage.  Murmers from the crowd was all that I heard.  Hopefully it was good murmering.  

As I walked home, I felt a surge of pride.  I had done it!  I swung the dress that I got into the air, the back again.  

The Senior Prom was great, and I had so much fun!  

How is the president handling education, healthcare and jobs?  Want to find out how the president sees things?  All you need to know is in this article, The State of the Union, by Nellie Gonzalz Cutler.  This article is all about how the president is doing and what he has chosen to handle first.  In the White House in Washington, D.C. the president is at work.  His first goals are to handle jobs, healthcare, and education.  "Jobs are the number one focus in 2010," President Obama said as he gave a speech.  "The best antipoverty program is a first-class education,"  he added.  The nation has heard him and everyone answers, with their actions.

By Emily1

Today, Ginger Zee from NBC 5 news came to our school to give a presentation about weather.  First, and my favorite, she really grabbed our attention by telling us a story when she was a kid.  She saw a water spout in lake michigan.  Isn't that interesting?  Ginger talked about weather, how she studied in weather, and was a meteorologist and predicted weather.  She talked alot about how the clouds form, rain and how it all happens.  One thing I learned was that clouds were formed by little droplets of water from water vapor in the air.  They condense, and then they form a cloud!  I really enjoyed the presentation.   She was so cool!

Do you like reading? If so, tell me your favorite book.

What's your favorite sport?

Do you like pizza?

What's your favorite thing to do?

Do you like school?

I'm happy 'cause Shiloh's made it through and so have I.  I guess I opened my eyes and got a chance to see the world.  I'm 13, now, an age to grown up for me.  I guess I maybe grown up to fast.

Well, Shiloh and me tumbling through the grass on the hill, me thinking through my years with Shiloh.  Been a long time,'bought 2 years.  While I is thinking through this, Shiloh licks my face and howls.  Trying to bring me back to land, trying to get me to play.  But I know I don't want to let go, even if I have to.  I wish Shiloh would understand my way of saying "no", but he don't have a clue what I'm saying.

 Now Ma's running out of the house, Becky and Dara Lynn at her heals and then there we all are, rolling like little puppies with Shiloh.  We all glancing at the drive once in a while, just to make sure Dad not missing out on fun together.  Growing dark, and Dad still not come home yet.  Ma's gotten up and walks up to the house with not a word said out of her mouth.  She don't tell us where and what she doing, but she don't need to tell us.  Becky, Dara Lynn and I all thinking the same thing, she calling around the neighborhood to see if anyone seen Dad.  While we waiting, Shiloh is trying to get us to lighten up, but there's no chance of that happening anytime soon, we all wondering what happened to Dad.  Ma's finally come out, after what has seemed like forever.  " Dad's not coming home yet, Marty,"  she sighs and her eyes fill with tears.  " I know,"  I say.  I can feel her breath's full of tears and makes me want to cry even more.  Suddenly. we seeing a car drive up our drive and then Dad's running out and we all hugging.  It was a fun day after all. 

By Emily1 

Ocean blue,

A creature of light,

Flying past me in the blue,

A creature of freedom. 

The Weal Wocky is funtastic.

He is suzzy and hig,

Swerfect and dute.

His brothy, the Jabberwock,

Mean and mad,

Gave him a treatment just to make him bad,

But did that stop the Weal Wocky?

NO!

GLOSSARY                  Funtastic=  Fun+ fantastic

                                       Suzzy= Soft+ fuzzy

                                       Hig= Huge+ big

                                       Swerfect= Sweet+ perfect

                                       Dute= Dainty+ Cute

In the late 1800's, roller coasters were highways to success. They were new, so everyone was crazy about them. You would ride on a bench-like seat that had a buckle that kept you safe. But now, roller coasters are much different. With seats that rotate 360 degrees to tunnels with noises, fog and flashings lights, our roller coasters are a big improvement. There are now more than 300 amusement parks in the USA and many more in other countries. The 1800's roller coasters are much different than ones now, but they are fun to whom ever they give their joy to, no matter if their are in 1800, or in 2010.

Hi, I'm Hildegard Hodgrass. I go to school in the pioneer time.  Today, is December 2, 1862.  We wrote with quill pens to our families or to President Abraham Lincoln.  A problem with using quills was that it was irritating to have to dip your quill into the ink 2 times just to write successfully 3 sentences on a piece of paper.  It was also hard to interact with others because you can't talk during class.  It's a privalege to be in school, you know.  Recess is only 5 minutes, so I only have 5 minutes to interact and chat with Effie (Ellen) and Mercy (Kate) and Jurusha (Nina).  There is a game called Hacky Sack Baseball.  You step  on a lever and the ball shoots up and you hit it with a mallet.  This time is really different from the time my great, great, great, great, great grandmother, Emily said on her trip back in time.  The only really good thing about my time is that I get to go first, since the new rule "Ladies First".  I love my job as a General Store Keeper.  This is fun. 

Today, we watched The Witches by Roald Dahl. It is a very cool. My favorite part was the part when the witch that retired... Oops!! I shouldn't tell you! You will have to see the movie to find out what my favorite part was! We did a Double Bubble Map while we were watching it. One difference was that in the book, the little boy didn't go to see his grandmother and meet the Grand High Witch in his room.  I like that some movies and books are different, because if it were the same,  It would not be as fun.  This was great! 

My grandmother woke me up the next morning, when even the light wasn't awake. I felt fatigue. I knew I would have to have a lot of stamina. I hopped out of my cotton ball bed and used my special gadget to open the door to the dinning room. My grandma had a plain omelet with that goat cheese, Gjetost. My grandma seemed energetic and optimistic, like she was when I was a human boy. She looked up from her map of Norway and I saw that familiar twinkle in her eyes. She greeted me with her usual smile. "Eat fast, my darling!" she said. "We will have to get a mitten for your luggage, dear,"she added, rummaging through her handbag. "That idea of the cats was ingenious!" exclaimed through a mouthful of her omelet. I finished my breakfast and scampered downstairs to join my grandma near the front door. As we waited for our taxi to the castle, which was 3 miles away, I asked my grandmother when the taxi was to come. "Ten o'clock," she answered. It was 10:00 right now. Honk, honk! The taxi driver had to honk his his horn 5 times in order to get our attention. My grandmother opened the door of the taxi and we got in. I looked out of the window and watched the trees and buildings go by in a blur. I turned my attention back to the escapade I was facing. I had to eliminate all the witches in only a day! I must have fallen asleep, because my grandmother had to touch me ever so gently to indicate that it was time. My grandmother got out and then picked me up and placed me on the ground. Then, although I wish I hadn't, I looked up. There, towering over me, was the was the silhouette of the most terrifying and eerie castle ever. I stifled a gasp and turned my attention back to the taxi driver. ".... is a very notorious castle you've got there, ma'am," the cab driver was telling my grandmother. Thank you very much, I thought. That made me feel better about the whole situation. As the cab driver was driving away, my grandmother told me NOT to go astray. And, as I am sitting here telling you this story, I am remembering this time ever too clearly. But, back to the story. I told my grandmother that I loved her, and that I would never forget her. “And, if I die, I will be vanishing from your life because I love you,” I added. She kissed me on my little mouse head. “I love you,” she said solemnly, and the tears that had been stinging my eyes made my eyes give away, and I wept. I wept for everything, my dad and my mom, my grandmother, my friends, and the whole wide world. “It is time,” my grandmother said. She gave me the mouse-maker and I ran to the castle as fast as I could. I thought about a good alibi for if I ever needed one in the castle. But let’s face it. I was really scared. I didn’t know what was become of me in the scary and notorious castle. I reached the castle. I stopped to catch my breath and then I turned around to face my fear. I looked under the crack under the door. Could I fit in? I stuck my head in the crack and if my head can get under, than so can the rest of my body, I thought. Then, I edged the rest of my body through the crack and found myself staring at a big pair of high-heeled black boots. I thought they were not on someone’s feet, but I was wrong. “Ahh. VVVhhat do vee have here?” came a familiar, screeching voice. THE GRAND HIGH WITCH OF ALL THE WORLD=http://!! I looked up in panic and say myself staring at face I had dreaded most. With her long nose and her wrinkling face, I was sure she looked just as much scary as the old Grand High Witch or maybe even scarier! But I took no time to notice and I ran through her legs and into the hall. I ran and ran as fast as my little mouse legs could carry me.  Who knows where I might go to hide, for I bet the Grand High Witch knows every hiding spot in the place... unless...

I run to the kitchen and hide behind the big pot of stew.  I carefully pour the mouse-maker into the bowl just as the witch waiter comes and grabbes it.  I scurry under the table and start to find the exit.  Here!  I run under the door as fast as I can and there, I see my grandmother waiting for me, and I have a huge smile writen all over my face as I scurry into her waiting hands.  "You did it, I don't believe it!" she whispers as she gets into the cab.  I can't even believe it, either.   

By Emily1 

        Graue Mill was really interesting.  My favorite part was on floor number three.  I liked this floor the most because the woman taught our class how to turn wool into string, and believe me, it's pretty cool!  

         I learned that people in the olden days used spindles to spin their wool into string.  But then, once people started making simple machines, they realized they could make the spindle a more easier machine to work with.  don't you agree it's pretty cool?  

        Graue Mill was a great experience for me and I recommend to go there soon.

By Emily1

Honus and Me, by Dan Gutman, is a spectacular book. This book is basically about a 12 year old boy named Joe Stosheck who finds an old Honus Wagner card while cleaning an attic. As soon as he goes to sleep, something strange happens.... I like this book because it really wasn't a book I would have picked if I were alone because it is about about baseball, and I personally don't like baseball. Although, after experiencing this book, I realized that it was fun to read a book that you really wouldn't have picked. The last thing that I liked about that book was that it was about more than just baseball.  It was the best expereince ever.