High Quality Short Story Collections

As we study short stories the students will be reading short story collections and analyzing the stories. 

So far, Veronica has read two stories from Destination Unexpected, ed. by Donald Gallo. She will also be reading the collection Baseball in April by Gary Soto (who graduated from UC Irvine and lives in CA).

Jessica is reading Thirteen, a collection of short stories by well-known YA authors about what it is like to be 13, the joys, challenges, and awkward moments.

The Moundbuilders of Cahokia

As she continues to learn about American Indians, Veronica watched a very intriguing video last week to learn about the Moundbuilders of Cahokia. This ancient city is only a few miles outside of St. Louis, Missouri, but most people in the city didn't even know it existed!


Do you want to learn more? Check out this film clip!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfJENUpQfIM 

Flexibility and Dynamic Stretching!

This week the girls learned about the importance of flexibility and dynamic stretching in Health Class. As we continue learning about Cardiorespiratory endurance, we will be running a mile today at the park!

Freedom and Edna St. Vincent Millay's Poetry

As part of her Modern American Poetry lesson, Jessica learned about modernism and aspects that make poetry "modern" and American. She read "Recuerdo" by Edna St. Vincent Millay and "One Perfect Rose" by Dorothy Parker. Then Jessica wrote a poem about an experience related to freedom in her life. 

Freedom

At the top

Waiting for the drop

Hair flying

Courage dying

Hearts beating

People freaking

Sweat at the brow

It’s starting…now!

The machine roars

Tracks quiver

We are pushed down the hill

Our body shivers

Not from the cold, not from being ill

But from the complete and total thrill

Rushing down

There is not time to think

My eyes are stuck open

Can’t even blink

My heart twists

My stomach churns

My hands fly up

I can’t believe

I’m finally free! 

Pablo Neruda poem by Jessica

Jessica is studying the poetry by Pablo Neruda for her Poet Project. She wrote a poem in the emotional style of Neruda and also read poems about the theme of love and poems that celebrate becoming a poet and the ocean itself. 


Read Jessica's Poem below. Did you notice the use of personification?

Hope

Hope is a delicate dream

That holds us, sees us,

If we want to leave the thing called hope,

It follows us, trailing behind

As far as she dare

To only cradle us back into her arms

After our last misfortune

We try to escape,

The only thing stable in our life

But she is always there

Waiting for you to cry mercy

So she may swoop in and rock you back and forth

Back and forth, Back and forth

Until you are calm and can breathe

Without fear 

A Poem by Veronica in the Style of...

Veronica recently learned about Mary Oliver, a poet known for her contemplative poems about Nature. We read "The Summer Day" and discussed the question (which is the last line of the poem: "What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

Silky Lavender

Wiggle Wiggle

Arms as thin as

A cat’s whisker

Wondering Wondering

Sticking his black head

Inside of the fuzzy flower

Cuddling it like a blanket

Whisper Whisper

The flower’s warm and welcoming

Long lavender arms reaching

Out for a hug

Water Water

Laying so still

Sliding slowly down the silky slide

Plop, break

Gone

Why Why

So silky

So smooth

So soft

Why why?

A Peek into the Science Labs

Today, Veronica did a lab called "Speedy Bubbles" which exhibited physical and chemical changes using a carbonated beverage (Coca-Cola), sugar, and water of different temperatures. Tomorrow she will see a demo about heat and conductivity in metals.

Jessica is getting a refresher on the parts of the microscope so that in Life Science this year she can look at micro-organisms as she studies cell biology, genetics, and more.