Now that fifth grade is ending, I have improved in many things. One thing I improved the most was being assertive. At first I was horrible at being assert. When someone made fun of me, I would say "I know right." Now I can be assertive and people can't hurt me. Now I know that I can be fearless about expressing my feelings, talking to people, and tell people that being mean isn't cool.

      Not afraid to express my feelings was a big step for me in being assertive. One time, when I was going to the library and looking for a book, this girl came to me and said "You're such a copycat for following me here!" She can't treat me like this. She can't tell me what to do! Then I said" O.K. now listen. I didn't follow you here. I just wanted to pick out a book and read it. When you called me a copycat which really hurt my feelings. You can't hurt my feelings because I am a human being and I need respect too." Then she left with a face of disgust on her face. Yes! I am fearless about expressing my feelings. I learned to be fearless about expressing my feelings by realizing that when people hurt my feelings, they can't treat me like this. I have to tell people how I am feeling when they call me names so they feel ashamed.

      Talking to people is also being assertive. It doesn't look like it is but, it is. One time, after school, my mom asked "How was school?" " Good. A little hard but, good." "What was hard?" "We had a test on the Math Honors." "How was it?" "Not very good. They tested us on things I didn't know. It was 6 grade math." How hard that was. Thankfully it is over. "How do you think you did?" " Horrible. A big F. A 50% probably." If I don't pass it I will be so happy I won't to study a book of 6 grade math over the summer. I put my fingers behind my back and crossed them to not get into Math Honors. I learned to talk to my mom by realizing I can express my feelings to my mom so she can help me out.

       Telling people that being mean isn't cool, lets people that being mean in cool, but abuse. One time, at recess, I was looking for a game to play. While I was looking around, I spotted a game girls were playing and ask "Can I play?" "No way! We have too many people already. Go find something else to do!" Then they all started laughing. Where do they find this funny!?"Do you guys think being mean is cool?" "Yeah." "Well it's not. Making fun of people isn't right or nice either!" "Wow. Someones got issues." I am not the one with issues. You know what? I am finding something else to play. You guys are just plain mean." Wow. They are just mean. They won't have real friends. I leaned to tell people that being mean isn't cool by just seeing that kids really don't care about other peoples feelings, which is hurtful and sooo not cool!

      One thing I need to work on about being assertive is to work on telling people that being mean isn't cool because I shouldn't of ran away. I should of told on the teacher or expressed my feelings. Next year I hope that I accomplish that. http://shop.climb.org/images/Assertive%20Steps%20Poster.jpg

       In September, I wrote a blog called Hopes and Dreams. I accomplished those hopes and dreams and I set out for new ones. I accomplished Language Arts and the use of computers but, I need help with my math and social studies.

      In September, I wanted to fix my Language Arts. Mrs. Parisi and Ms. Southard helped me because they told us to bring in a notebook and decorate it. Then we free write in it every day for homework. The decorations are so that when we don’t know what to write about; we look at the pictures, and choose one to write about. I am up to my third note book because of the plenty of free writing I did. I got better in my writing by blogging too. The more I blog, the better I become of a writer.

        I also wrote that I needed help in use of computers. Mrs. Parisi and Ms. Southard helped me with use of computers by blogging. In September, Mrs. Parisi taught us how to blog. At first, I didn’t know how to blog and had to ask my classmates to help me. Now, every time I go to blog, I don’t need to ask my parents or call up my classmates on what to do. I also learned to use flash drives that helped me a lot. I bought a flash drive and didn’t know how to use it. The next day I went to Mrs. Parisi, and she taught show me, so I can save things on the flash drive that I like or need.

       One of my new goals is to practice my math. I have learned math and become better at it by learning from Mrs. Parisi and Ms. Southard. They helped me with my math a lot but, I still need a little bit of help. I took the math honors test and I didn’t make it to math honors. I was happy at first but, then I realized that I would have to learn my mistakes over the summer with my dad. Since I will not have to learn with a textbook over the summer, I have to learn math with my dad every day of the summer! Oh no!

       My last goal is to practice social studies. I am good in social studies but, I still need help. Mrs. Parisi and Ms. Southard have taught me a lot of social studies but, I just can’t get a lot of things right. Usually I get certain things right but, not in social studies. The government part of social studies is the hardest for me because there is a lot of different things to know and I get mixed up. Although I got better, I still feel that there is something that I have to learn but, I just don’t know what it is. I feel that I am missing a piece in social studies. /p>

      Since I have succeeded in my first 2 goals, I still need to work on my other 2. I hope next year I will accomplish these goals and make my hopes and dreams really will come true.

      Did you ever think about the ways people traveled in the 1800's with wagons? If you have, would you go or not go on the trip to Oregon? For my opinion, I would not go because there would be deaths, bad weather, and diseases.

        I would never want to go because there will be deaths. When people went west, there were a lot of deaths caused by diseases, bad weather and attacks from Indians. They also didn't the medicine we have today. I wouldn't want to go on a trail and loving family members die. Now, in the 2000's, some loving family members don't die because we have the accurate medicine for the diseases. What I do about deaths is that if it is someone I know, but is not a family member, I do not go to the funeral. When it is a family member, I go to the funeral. When my great-grandfather died last summer, I wouldn't laugh or smile for a week. Other times people, now, die from heart attacks when they are old. In the 1800's, not many people died from heart attacks because of the diseases, attacks and bad weather. I always asked me mom" Mom, why do people die?" "Maybe because they ate a lot of bad foods, had a disease or of a heart attack." I always thought When people die, aren't they sad that they can't see the ones they love?I always used to think, wonder, and cry (sometimes) about death.

      Besides death, bad weather is also another reason I don't want to go to Oregon. When bad weather occurred in the 1800's, the people would either get diseases, like pneumonia, or die. Since in those days they didn't really have protection. Now, in the 2000's, I have a home that protects me and I lay back and watch T.V. or I play with my family. I ask my dad" Daddy, why is there so much bad weather?"Because of global warming or of mother nature." I thought Why does mother nature want bad weather in our earth? I always read about mother nature and always acted like her. I recycled, reused and conserved water and energy.

        Since I need one more way that I don't want to go is because of diseases. Since people didn't have the accurate medicine for the diseases, they usually winded up in the graveyard and they had a funeral. Now, in the 2000's, when people get diseases, they go to the hospital and get the accurate medicine for the disease. If somebody is in the hospital that we know, we go to the hospital and cheer them up. When my dad was in the hospital in March, We went to see him and cheer him up. I asked my mom "Mom how come get diseases even though they eat right and stay healthy?" ( Because my dad was very healthy)"Well, sometimes the body doesn't get enough of the vitamins the need or the body doesn't function properly. I always said in my head I hate it when people get diseases and they are so healthy. I used get mad about a lot, that I always to mom about it.

      Now you can clearly see I don't want to go on the Oregon Trail. If you want to go, hey that's your choice. If you don't, now you have reasons why.

Why is reading important? There are many ways why reading is not trivial. Kids often think that reading is silly or trivial. Sometimes we don't realize that reading is important.One way reading is important is that it builds up you creativity.

Reading is important because when you write a story you can make designs around the story when you are done with the story. Once I wrote a story about the story of "Coraline". When I finished writing the story I asked myself I think I did a good job on this story. Now I should add pictures that that the pictures tell the story. So I started to draw pictures that told the story. I added the other mother's hands and button for the letters o,p,g,a,d,and b. I asked my mom " Mom. Do you think this looks good?" Mom answered " That is wonderful!"

Reading is not trivial because when a book gives you directions you can get creative with the directions. One time I was reading a book called "The Girls' Book of Glamour." When I was reading a page on how to make your feet super-soft. The directions said "Rich" layer of body lotion. I put a lot of body lotion on my feet. I put more then I was supposed to. I hope my feet turn out really soft tomorrow. The next day when I went to take a shower, once water got on my feet, they were soft. "Mom! My feet are super-soft."

Reading is important because when you are choosing clothes from a magazine, you might choose too many clothes and choose clothes that match to you, but they do not match to others. Another time when I got creative was when I was searching through an American Girl magazine for my American Girls. Every time I saw something that I wanted for my American Girls', I put post-its on that outfit. I hope I chose the right clothes For my American Girls'. "Mom. Guess what." What?' "I am going to buy new clothes for my American Girls'"

Reading is important because it builds up your creativity. There are more ways reading is important. If you want, you can search more ways reading is important at home or school.

For my graduation present, I was supposed to get Lady Gaga tickets but, they ran out. Then, my dad got tickets to see Taylor Swift on May 14. "I can't believe it! I am gong to see Taylor Swift!!!!" I screamed to my parents. They both nodded.

I am a huge Taylor Swift fan. My favorite songs are Jump Then Fall and Untouchable. If you do not know these songs, that's okay. They're new songs. Here are the lyrics on video. Plus, if you like Taylor Swift you can go on http://www.taylorswift.com. Enjoy the videos!