When I Was Your Age Best Story Paragraph

Wondering which story to read first in the collection of true stories called When I Was Your Age Vol II? Jessica will advise you about her opinion on the best story in the collection.

“Food from the Outside” was the best story from the collection of short stories. Rita and her siblings are shielded from outside food. They are not allowed to eat anything other than what is cooked at home. Rita is so honest and heartfelt, just like a kid should be. When she first takes a bite of fried chicken you feel so happy for her. She is ecstatic to have peppered cabbage and gravy for the first time. The way she describes mashed potatoes and fried chicken is so humorous. “I tore into the golden brown meat, savoring the juices, still remarkably in the tender white flesh, I could not ever recall being so giddy at the dinner table!” I suggest you take time to learn about Rita and find your inner child.

Two Perspectives: Taino Girl and Spanish boy

Veronica wrote about the arrival of Christopher Columbus, from two different perspectives, using historical details as well.

Taino Girl, Sand Girl

1492, The Caribbean Islands 

I wake up right when the sun rises over the shining ocean. Yawning I scramble to get my little brother up. He is lying on the mat of banana leaves that I wove together for him five suns ago. I leave him there and quickly walk outside. The sun greets me like a feast ready to begin. I soak my face in the salty water and look up at the strip of  ocean that lasts forever. Once Father, tried to reach the end of the ocean, but he kept on going until we couldn’t see him anymore. We tried calling out his name when he reached the end, but he couldn’t hear us. I can imagine him still paddling out there hoping to find a way back home. His name is Big Feet because he is the fastest at everything he does. My mother’ name is Quick Fingers because once she wove one hammock in a day. I look out and can almost see my father’s canoe paddling toward me.

  

Spanish Sailor Boy, Juan

1492, Lost 

            I squint my dark brown eyes trying to be the first to spot land. We have been out at sea for many days. I can barely remember my mother saying, “Adios, be safe,” to me when we left. I hear a bell ring and quickly turn over the hourglass knowing that there are only 300 more minutes until the day ends. I want that gold coin to save for my father. He will be proud of me when I buy him spices at Asia. I’m tired and hungry, but El Capitan de Colon will be mad at me for not waiting to turn the hourglass after thirty minutes. I don’t feel so hungry anymore when I remember last night’s dinner, stale bread with rotten milk made me sick to my stomach. As the sun goes down, I skip supper and lay on the cold, hard wooden floor unsteadily dreaming about the dinner at home. I wonder why I went here in the first place, but remember the riches Marco Polo got when he reached Asia, I fall into a deep sleep.

Taino Girl, Sand Girl

1492, Caribbean Islands

            “Sand Girl! Come here!” Says my mom’s sweet voice. I quickly rush up to the hut the warm sand squishing in between my toes that are the color of warm, delicious, golden yams. My brother, Shooting Star, comes running towards me as he wraps his warm arms around my stomach. He’s as sweet as juicy fruits, but can be cranky when he doesn’t get his way. I tell him about father’s big canoe paddling toward us. I look back as the canoe gets bigger and bigger, but this time it has a red sail attached to it. The men inside are wearing cloth all over their body and their skin is as white as the sand. They look like ugly parrots, instead of feathers; they have brown, bushy hair growing from their chins and above their mouths. They dock their large canoes and march into the shore sloshing the once still waters of the sparkling sea. Dark clouds gather over -head and I can tell that there will be a big storm coming.

Spanish Sailor Boy, Juan 

1492, San Salvador 

I climb cautiously out of the boat and force my eyes to see through the thick layer of fog. A town of people standing with dark skin and dark hair. Their bodies all look very strong like they have been working for days, and smiles cover their faces, some even hold their possessions to trade with us. Their bodies stand stiff against the brittle wind. I feel bad for them, they have no clothes to protect them from the harsh winds, they stand there naked. El Capitan de Colon walks up to them and says, “We are nice, we come here to trade your goods for ours.” One comes up and gives a crewmember a slice of something yellow with a spiky shell. The sailor nibbles on it cautiously then smiles, juice dribbling down his chin. Later that day we find out about something called tobacco, pineapples, hammocks, and a wonderful meat called turkey.

Taino Girl, Sand Girl 

1492, Caribbean Islands

I stare through the hissing fire into the tight face of a sailor boy. He stares at his turkey avoiding my evil glare. A tickle has stayed in my stomach ever since the white men landed here. I do not like them with their beady black eyes and whitish hair. They showed us many beautiful things like large floppy hats (usually red) that you put on your head, and glass beads. Best of all they showed us a sharp silver tool used to kill and cut things. At first I though it came from the sea, it’s end was so sharp it must have been made by the fish, but no. I did not believe him when he said it could kill things with one slice, even humans. I wondered why he would want to kill humans. Late at night when you couldn’t see anything but the twinkling stars, I slid the “sword” out of its soft case. I sliced it across my hand and warm scarlet blood trickled out. I concealed my yelp of pain with my other hand and slid the evil weapon into its pouch.

Spanish Sailor Boy, Juan

1492, San Salvador

I know this is not Asia. There are no spices and the people here are dumb, they couldn’t have made the compass. I saw a girl slice herself with a sword yesterday. At least they have some things, though. I’m tired and want to go back home, but El Capitan de Colon is staying here until the storm goes away. We will be taking some of the Indians with us. They are not all dim-witted; they have skills. They are very kind, almost too kind, therefore it will be easier to capture them. I carry our stuff back to the ship as the clouds clear away. El Capitan is holding an Indian’s hands tightly behind his back as he pushes him into the caravel. 

Taino Girl, Sand Girl

1492, Caribbean Islands

Salty tears run down my face as I run and run up to the leader of the parrots. I grab his cloth and rip and punch until he throws me to the ground and steps on me too. Star Boy’s longing face stares at me from the ship. I run towards it screaming. I can’t hear anything, I feel like using the evil weapon on the leader, but don’t have time. I run up to the ship and stay on with my brother and parents. I knew they were mean. I watch our peaceful island fade away as we start a new life.

Spanish Sailor Boy, Juan

1492, Going Back Home

I sit staring at the dark skinned girl. She stares back with anger I can’t describe. I want to give her a hug, but her hands are tied behind her back for hurting El Capitan. My guilt and sadness washes away as quick as a wave crashes. I turn over the hourglass and say a short prayer for the crew and for the girl. I tell her we will be home soon. Everything will be okay.

Explorers Essay Quiz

As the culmination of her Explorers Unit, Veronica is going to take a sophisticated Essay quiz! She has been practicing her answers to these questions, but will be without notes on the real thing!

5^th Grade History: Explorers Essay Quiz

You will take a quiz which requires you to write two paragraphs about these topics:

1. What were the technological developments that made sea exploration by latitude and longitude possible?

To study for and answer this question, you need to know what each of these does and why it is important.

1.     Compass

2.     Sextant

3.     Astrolabe

4.     Seaworthy ships (why the carvel was better than previous ships)

5.     Chronometers

6.     gunpowder

Refer to your textbook and notes in your binder to help you study.

2. What were the financial gains (entrepreneurial qualities) that Christopher Columbus and Coronado were hoping to find through the explorations?

Think about these ideas:

1.     Faster route to Asia

2.     Cheaper, less dangerous

3.     Getting rare products like silk, spices, and gold, selling for a large profit in Europe, where these items are rare.

4.     What did Coronado hope to find?

Taino Culture and Morning Girl

For 5th grade History class, Veronica read Morning Girl by Michael Dorris, about a Taino girl and her brother. The story takes place right before Christopher Columbus arrived on their island.

Morning Girl Questions

By Veronica 

Nov 22, 2011

1.     1. Do you think it is fair for author Michael Dorris to fictionalize true historical events?

Yes, I think it is fair. This is a children’s book, and if he didn’t fictionalize it, it was all facts, then younger kids wouldn’t understand it as well. The plot makes it more interesting. The only big facts occur at the end of the book, when Columbus comes, that is only 5 pages. Through fiction, we can understand the feelings and thoughts of the characters, and their personalities. We learn about the culture of the Taino people, because we realize that they are such good-natured people, and Columbus enslaved them. Then you can pick which side you want to be on easily.

2.    What do you think of the way Taino people name thier children (based on personalities and hobbies). How is this different from the American naming system?

              The naming system in Taino culture is very interesting. Here, names almost make no sense. Theirs make sense. Here you name a child before they’re born, and that’s their name for the rest of their life. In Morning Girl, it reflects upon their personalities and they get to choose their names.  Your names change over time because you change over time. The boy in the book’s name was “Hungry,” because he was little and always hungry, and he ate too much. His name is Star Boy now because he stays up all night and watches the stars. He knows all the stars and he is admired for his knowledge of the night.  When you get older, you get a real name and feel more confident of yourself. It is a symbolic milestone in your life to get a name, because it is like you’re turning older. In the book, he was running, grabbing the food, and Morning Girl told him to grow up. He realized he wasn’t a baby anymore and he had to live up to his new name.

3.     Change is a major theme in the novel. Three changes (the baby girl, the hurricane, changing names) are important to the story. Tell why. 

One change is the names changing, which symbolizes growing up. The arrival of the baby sister is a change they’re looking forward to, but then she dies, and they are disappointed. This could be foreshadowing or an omen of something bad that is going to happen. The Taino might have thought that the hurricane occurred because it hinted at something bad that was going to happen.

When Christopher Columbus comes, their whole entire culture is changed. They are going to speak Spanish and recruited into the Catholic churches. Their culture is going to be swept away by Columbus and their people will be enslaved.

4. What is the most important thing you learned through reading this novel? Why do you think we read this novel in history class?

The most important thing I learned was about the Taino culture, what they do in everyday life. We saw Columbus’ arrival through the eyes of the Taino people.

Two Perspectives Journal Entries

Check out this intriguing assignment Veronica is working on in History class. Read the directions and sample prompts below. Stay tuned next week and you can read Veronica's journal entries in the voice of two different characters. 

5^th Grade History: Two Perspectives Diary Entries

In 5^th grade history class, we have read about Columbus’ men encountering the native Taino people for the first time. In Jane Yolen’s picture book, Encounter, a Taino boy had a bad dream and tried to warn his people about Columbus’ men, but no one believed him. After they exchanged presents, Columbus left, taking Taino men as “guides,” but really enslaving them. The Taino culture was never the same.  

THINK ABOUT IT

·      What if you were a 12-year-old Spanish sailor boy?

·      What if you were an 11-year old Taino girl?

·      How would you experience Columbus’ journey and arrival in different ways?

Your task is to use your imagination and the facts you’ve learn so far to write historical fiction journal entries from the two perspectives above. Please see sample entries below. When you are finished, your project will have at least 800 words. You will write four entries by the Spanish boy and four entries by the Taino girl.

Spanish sailor boy, Diego

1492, aboard the Santa Maria

On Sunday mornings in Cordoba, Espana, we used to eat a big breakfast and sing hymns at church. I like to sing, even though I do not understand all the Latin words at my Catholic church. At sea, every day is the same. No day is special, like Sunday. We have been away from home for over two months now, and I miss my mother, but I would not admit this fact to anyone. I stay busy swabbing the decks and climbing the rigging to adjust the sails. At suppertime, my stomach rumbles, but all of the food is getting old. There is no more meat, only hard-tack that almost breaks my teeth and moldy potatoes. I hope we reach China soon.

Taino girl, Sun Star

1492, the Caribbean Islands

During the day, I sit on the beach and weave hammocks. I listen to the fishermen call to one another and sometimes, I see sea turtles swimming through the clear green water. Parrots call to each other in the palm trees, and every day is like a song. In the evening, I collect seashells before dinner, or wait for the sun to set. The sand, once warmed by the sun, cools beneath my feet before bed time. At night, I curl up in a hammock, my body tired from a busy day of working. My mother does not know I will make her a shell necklace as a girl. As I drift off to sleep, I hope we can eat mashed sweet potatoes and casava bread for breakfast.

Mapping the Human Genome

Jessica is learning about the Human Genome Project as part of her genetics unit in 7th grade Life Science.

She watched a clip from the NOVA film "Cracking the Code of Life." Check out this movie here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/cracking-the-code-of-life.html

Here she summarized some very complex scientific information:

The Human Genome Project

By Jessica

Nov 20, 2011

The Human Genome Project was designed to complete the following goals:

¨     Identify all the approximately 20,000-25,000 genes in human DNA,

¨     Determine the sequences of the 3 billion chemical base pairs that make up human DNA,

¨     Store this information in databases,

¨     Improve tools for data analysis,

¨     Transfer related technologies to the private sector, and address the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) that may arise from the project.

Researchers studied genetic makeups of organisms. This was the first big scientific experiment to address potential ELSI implications from project data. A genome is all the data in an organism, including it’s genes. DNA is made up of four chemicals; adenine, guanine, thymine, and cytosine. The order of the As, Ts, Cs, and Gs is very important. Knowledge about DNA leads to ways how to diagnose, treat, and someday prevent thousands of disorder and diseases that affect us. 

More Nutrition: Protein!

Learning About Proteins

By Jessica 

Health Class

           

What is protein? The best sources of protein are found in beef, poultry, eggs, dairy products, nuts, seeds, and legumes such as black beans and lentils. Protein makes sure to maintain, build up, and replaces tissues all throughout your body. Your strong muscles, your organs, and your immune system are mostly made up of protein. When your body ingests foods that contains protein the digestive liquids in your intestines and stomachs start going to work. They break the proteins down into basic units called amino acids. The acids can be reused to make the proteins in your body needs to maintain muscles, bones, bloods, and body organs. Of the 22 amino acids, your body makes 13 of them without even thinking about it! Your body can’t make the other nine acids, but you can get them by eating certain foods. It is essential you eat these foods to stay healthy. You can’t get all these proteins from dairy alone, you need to vary the proteins you eat. Maybe have some nuts and milk one day and meat and eggs the next. Certain combinations like red beans and rice will give you one type of acid but alone they just are food. You can figure out how much protein you need a day by how much you weigh. Each day kids need to eat about 0.5 of protein for every pound you weigh. To figure out how much protein you need, multiply you weight in pounds times 0.5 or you just take your weight and divide by two. Now have fun choosing foods you like and offer protein to fuel your body!

Queen Isabella's Decree

In History, Veronica wrote a "Decree" about Christopher Columbus' voyage and its purposes in the voice of Queen Isabella. Read below!

Queen Isabella’s Decree

By Veronica 

Bienvenidos, my loyal subjects. Some of you have asked as to why I am sending Cristóbal Colón on a westward journey to Asia. Spain will be the first to start the Reconquista and change everybody to Catholicism (p.115, History Textbook). As well, we are embarking upon this historical journey to find riches, spices and gold. We will convert people to our glorious religion and claim land for all of Spain.

Our neighbor on the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal, is much smaller, but they are sending explorers out to claim land all the time. They will soon be larger than us if we do not send Cristóbal Colón. We are a fine people and we must show the Portuguese our power and later, our riches. Soon, our empire will be bigger than any country in the world.

Furthermore, in Spain, we are all proud Catholics. In other countries, they have many different religions, which I will not allow.  King Ferdinand and I started the Spanish Reconquista. We fought a war to push all Muslim people out of Spain. Under the Reconquista, we ruled that Muslims and Jews would either have to leave the country, or become Catholic. When we send out Cristóbal Colón, he will convert the people he meets in Asia into Catholics, and thus, our religion will be spread throughout the world.

Spain will become one of the most knowledgeable countries in the world, when we find out that the world is actually round. If Cristóbal Colón arrives there safely, we will have an alternate route to Asia. Instead of navigating the dangerous Silk Road, we will safely and smoothly make it across the sea in a caravel. It will be a quick journey, so Portugal will not attain this knowledge before us.

Even though we are spending a little bit of money from our savings to help Cristóbal Colón, he will bring back enough riches for all of Spain. We will have new spices, gold, silk and more. We will have everything you can dream of from the continent of Asia.

We will be the wealthiest country in the world!

Veronica's Symbolism Essay

Veronica re-read the novel Tuck Everlasting in English class. After we discussed setting as a character in the prologue, she was inspired to read this book again and search for a deeper thematic level. Well, she found it! Now she's writing an essay about symbolism in the novel and film.

Check out her first paragraph!

Symbolism in Tuck Everlasting Novel and Film

By Veronica Guerinot

In the book, Tuck Everlasting, symbolism is a strong literary device. As you read, the symbols become more noticeable, because symbols appear in almost every chapter. In this essay, I will discuss three symbols that stood out to me, including the toad, the gate, and the spring. Firstly, the frog symbolizes the circle of life. Next, the gate held Winnie back from the world, which limited her independence. Finally, the spring represents immortality. 

Twins Research: How Intriguing!

In science class, Jessica is learning about genetics and heredity, and she studied twins! Well, she read about why scientists and psychologists study twins and then wrote a persuasive "Letter to the Editor." She even looked at photos and excerpts from the book Entwined Lives: Twins and What They Tell Us about Human Behavior by prominent psychologist and researcher Nancy Segal, an expert on twins. 

Read Jessica's thoughts below. 

Twinsies!

            Not all twins mind being twins, in fact they like the fact there is another person their age to play with, they can switch clothes and do fun things together. The reason doctors and psychologists take such an interest in twins is because the can see what diseases, mutations, and personalities are hereditary and which are caused by the environment. If a mom who smoked got lung cancer and had twins, since they are a genetic copy of each other, they could see if smoking caused it. If one smoked and one didn’t, but they both ended up with lung cancer, you could clearly see that they had the genes for lung cancer.

            Twin studies, especially in identical twins, can act like a genetic control, since they are essentially clones of each other. If they are raised in two separate environments, you would be able to observe and see how much of their personality is the same, different, or what is like their parents they are raised with, and their genetic parents. Psychologists are trying to figure out how much of personality is hereditary and how much is nature. They found out that 50% of intelligence is passed down. I think that as long as the twins and the parents are okay with the research being conducted, it is up to them and not the public. 

When In Rome...

In History class, Jessica is learning about ancient Rome. She will be hosting a roman forum. Check out her amazing invitation.

Ave mater, pater, and amici. You are cordially invited to the best roman forum of all the centuries, on the 16^th in the year 356 ano domini at 11:30 am. Bring your best toga and gladiatorial shoes for libations and foods of the gods. Athena will make a guest appearance, so have your quills ready. A revered roman poet named aurelia guerinotus will read her prophecy of what will happen to our beloved empire.

Our menu: Authentic roman cuisine

§  “Wine”

§  Pumpkin Bread

§  Toasted almonds

§  Lemonade

§  Fresh fruits

Please send an rsvp to the home (email) of Aurelia (Jessica).

Gratias vobi ago!

Thirteen Questions and Thoughtful Answers.

 Jessica has read the short story collection, Thirteen, for English class. She shared her thoughts about one of the stories while learning about literary devices at the same time. If you ever remember feeling embarrassed in middle school, then you'll like this story. 

Bruce Coville’s “What’s the Worst that Could Happen?”

1. p. 8. As grandfather likes to………… fill in the rest of the quote.

 “He is…as my grandfather likes to say, the type of guy who can fall into a pile of manure and come out smelling like roses.”

Is this a simile or metaphor? What does it mean?

 “Smelling like roses” is a simile, but overall, it is a metaphor. It means he can get into a sticky situation, and come out just fine.

2. p. 10. Find the hyperbole on this page and write below.

“ I personally don’t know how the human race has managed to survive this long. “He is exaggerating to use his sense of humor to impress his friend and make himself feel better.

3. p. 12. Find the simile and write below.

 “Your words would be like nectar flowing into hungry mouths of my ears.” (also personification).

4. p. 16. Look up the definition of the word “parlay” and write below.

 When you transform into something new

5. Overall, how does the character grow and change as a person during the story? What new things does he learn about himself?

 He learns that he is more capable than he thought. He is capable of facing his fears. He was scared to act and hated to be on the stage; he was also afraid of being in front of his crush. He learned that he can overcome liking a girl and it is not that big of a deal. He realizes that he loves to make people laugh and they actually think he is funny.

6.    Write down your favorite description from this story where the character describes being embarrassed.

“I am filled with deeper horror than I have ever known.”

Essential Vitamins for Teen Girls

Jessica read an article for Health class about essential vitamins for teen girls. If you don't have much time, you can read a summary of the article quickly below, written by Jessica. 

Vitamins for Teen Girls

I learned that vitamins are essential in someone’s diet, especially in a teen girl’s. Vitamin A helps your body form and maintain skin, soft tissue, and teeth.  You can find Vitamin A in eggs, meat, and dairy products. Vitamins B6 and B12 facilitate brain and nerve communication, helps your body break own proteins and can be found in bananas, beans, nuts, spinach and fish. Other B vitamins helps turn carbs into energy and helps pump the heart, these vitamins can be found in sunflower seeds, almonds, potatoes, rice, beans, whole grains and surprisingly, chili peppers! 

As many people know, Vitamin C helps in healing wounds, help your body grow, and maintains your bones, cartilage, and tissue. All vegetables and fruits contain Vitamin C and citrus fruits, strawberries and leafy greens contain more. Vitamin D helps absorb calcium in your bones and you can find this in salmon, egg yolk, fortified foods, and being in the sun! Lastly Vitamin E protects your cells form damage and the richest sources are in avocado, leafy greens, vegetable oils, and wheat germ.

Backpack Basics: Article Summary for Health

What is the healthy way to carry your books home from school? Veronica read an article on this topic for Health class. 

Check out the article here: 


http://kidshealth.org/teen/school_jobs/school/backpack.html 


Now read Veronica's summary:

Backpacks: Helpful, Right?

Backpacks are something you use everyday, they’re helpful and can carry anything that’s any weight. That’s exactly why they can hurt you too. Although, they are better than messenger bags for carrying books and supplies. The weight is level meaning it is evenly distributed throughout your body. Some of the most important muscles can be at risk when not using something that seems simple like a backpack.

When putting this weight on your back in the wrong way it can cause you to arch or bend at the hips. After a while these minor discomforts can become serious injuries. Doing these things can cause your back to compress unnaturally, round your shoulders, curve your upper back, and can lead to bad posture. Slinging it over one shoulder can make you bend one way.

Also, the straps can pinch nerves and interfere with circulation causing, tingling, numbness, and weakness in your arms and hands. Using a backpack makes it more likely for you to fall especially on stairs.

Symptoms of your backpack being a problem are, when you have to struggle to get your backpack off, you have to lean forward to carry it, and also having regular back pains. If you adjust the weight or the way you’re carrying it and are still experiencing problems, talk to your doctor.

Know how to use and pick a backpack that will help you with these few tips.

1.                    Make sure to grab a backpack with padded straps and make them considerably wide.

2.                    Make it so that the backpack sits snuggly against your back if you feel it bumping on your behind or lower back than you’re not wearing it correctly.

3.                    Try a backpack with wheels. They may not be considered cool, but it’s better than having to wear a brace on your back the rest of the year.

4.                    Your backpack should only weigh as much as 10% or 15% of your body weight.

5.                    When you’re picking up your backpack bend at the knees and lightly put it on your back.

6.                    To prevent a large risk of back injuries, strengthen your core.

All in all, when carrying a backpack it can be helpful when using it the right way.

Nutrition Unit in Health Class

This month in health class, we are studying nutrition. We looked at portion size for different kinds of food as we discussed why we need a variety of foods in our diet, we need proportional amounts, and which foods we should eat in moderation (like oils and refined sugars). 

We looked at the Food Pyramid and the girls kept a daily food log for one day so far. There are a lot of nutrition resources for children provided by the USDA here: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/kids-pyramid.html . 

Next, we watched a moving clip of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, a television show where the British Chef Jamie teaches schools how to improve their menu, making fresh food, and teaching families how to cook healthy food. This shows us how someone can take a passion, such as cooking, and use it as a tool to create social change and affect people's lives in a positive way. You can watch the entire first episode on hulu.com!

Veronica: Cell Structure

Veronica learned about the parts of a cell and she did a great activity called "From Coffee to Carbon" about the scale of different kinds of cells.


Link to the lesson: http://teach.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/cells/print/CoffeetoCarbon.pdf 


Cell Size and Scale Animation

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/cells/scale/ 

Jessica: Genetics and Heredity Unit!

Jessica is learning about genetics and heredity in 7th grade Life Science. 


http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/traits/ 


Click on the link and then choose "What is Heredity?" to see a great animation about families and traits.


Last week, Jessica also learned about inherited traits, such as rolling your tongue: see picture below.

Naomi Shihab Nye Letters

Veronica and Jessica are going to send letters to poet Naomi Shihab Nye.  They read poems from 16 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East and Amaze Me: Poems for Girls by Naomi Shihab Nye.

 We read and discussed her essay "Lights in the Windows" and read the funny poem: "Valentine for Ernest Mann." This allowed us to enjoy her poetry while learning more about the power a poet can have in the world to create positive social change. Nye writes poems about war and peace. She also edits anthologies of poets from around the world in an effort to promote understanding between different cultures. She has edited This Same Sky and The Space Between Our Footsteps. 

In this YouTube video, Naomi Shihab Nye talks about creativity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_ARPTIMPxo 


Now read Jessica's letter about how Nye's writing influenced her:

Dear Naomi Shihab Nye,

My name is Jessica and I just turned thirteen on October 10, 2011. I recently read your essay, “Lights in the Windows.” When you said, “How many other lights had I missed?”, it made me realize that every time you walk by a stranger, they are thinking about their thoughts and their worries. What I noticed was if you take a step back from everything, your own problems seem petty. Someone always has it worse than you do. Ever since I was little, I wanted to be an author. You have inspired me to write poems as well as using books to spread a positive message.

My favorite poem you wrote was “All Things Not Considered.” My favorite line was “No one was right. Everyone was wrong,” because it is pointless to sit around all day blaming people when you have made a mistake. I also liked “They might have picked up turnip roots or olive pits.” This line, to me atleast, means that people always have a choice. Whether its easy to make or tough, there’s always the right choice, waiting. Thank you so much for spreading meaningful messages throughout the world.

Sincerely,

Jessica 

Dear Naomi Shihab Nye,

My name is Veronica and I am ten years old. I live in Laguna Beach, CA and I go to school at Rebel Waltz Academy, which is like a version of homeschool with my sister, Jessica. I read your essay “Lights in the Windows” and several poems from the collection you edited, The Space Between Our Footsteps. I really enjoyed them. Two of my favorites were “A Dream” by Muhammad al-Ghuzzi and “Sand” by Salih Bolat. “Sand” showed that little things lead to bigger things. A grain of sand can greatly affect life under the water. It all starts with something. Everything you see is a puzzle piece connecting to the puzzle of life.

I liked “A Dream” because it expresses the experience of going into a deep sleep where many emotions can engulf you. They seem realistic at the time. Once I had such a scary dream, I woke up crying. In dreams, you can do anything you want, you can go anywhere, and you can set your imagination free.

I also read three poems from 13 Varieties of Gazelle, including “Steps,” “All Things Not Considered,” and “Red Brocade.” “Steps” was my favorite, because at first I thought about the outer layer, and then the metaphors. Once you go deeper, you think about how it connects to life. I loved the image of the purple fish. I also liked the lines “Their long laughs are boats they will ride and ride, / making the shadows that cross each other’s smiles. The metaphor made me think of one time in the car when my mom made me laugh so hard for ten minutes.

When my teacher read us “Lights in the Windows,” one line really stood out to me: “That girl had not stood out to me, I realized, among the other upturned, interested faces in the classroom.” In a crowd of people, you don’t always look twice. One look and you turn away. Poetry helps us notice tiny things. I realized after reading the essay that poetry teaches you how to notice little things, observe the world better, which is why I liked the line: “To me, the world of poetry is a house with thousands of glittering windows.” Your poem “Steps” also taught me that you can learn from other’s mistakes and do better next time, and try new things. I thought about this after re-reading the line: “One of these children will tell a story/ that keeps her people alive.”

When I looked at the world after reading a poem (like a nature poem by Mary Oliver), I noticed little veins on a leaf and how beautiful they were. Before I would’ve just looked at the whole tree and walked by, but now I would write a poem.

            Thanks!

Sincerely,

Veronica