Summer Teachings By: Louisa Song

“I’ll have practice SAT’s every Saturday, a vocab quiz everyday for four weeks!” my sister, Anica, kept whining as she stuffed another piece of clothing into her suitcase that already had loose t-shirts hanging out from the sides.

On the day after my birthday, June 22^nd, my sister was already heading out the door, her journey to camp just starting. I did not think one month was going to be a long time, so I just gave her a sweet hug, compliments, and good luck wishes at the airport.

The first few days I didn’t feel Anica’s absence that much. We were allowed to call her at night, so I could talk to her. She seemed to be having an intense time studying so hard. I started to reflect on my own summer. Most days I just lied around on my bed until it was time to eat lunch. After lunch I watched TV, and ate junk food. My sister was at camp studying all day and learning palates. That was my first lesson learnt. Be more efficient with time.

As time went by and the second week came along, I found myself bored much more often. When I talked to my sister that week, she was tired, but she told us she was getting the hang of it. It was hard work, but because she did it every day, she got into a schedule. There was my second lesson learnt. Find a system that works.

Another source of communication from families to campers were notes that the people at the camp could bring to my sister. I wrote often and called every night. At night they had to study in the study hall until 11:00 and then go to their dormitories. Even if you were tired, you still had to study. There was my third lesson learnt. If you want to be a good student, you also have to exercise and be fit enough to study through the evening.

By the fourth week, I was so excited that Anica was coming back home; I could barely wait for her to come home. At that time, we were staying at a place in Korea, so my dad, mom and I drove from Seoul to Incheon. It was a long drive, and because of the rain and the fog, the trip was hard, but when we arrived at Incheon, we were reminded again why we came all the way from Seoul. Anica seemed to have already become friends with lots of people. There I learnt my fourth lesson. Love the people you are with when you are with them, because sometime in your life you will have to say goodbye.

When my sister’s camp ended, we were all really happy to see each other and I couldn’t have been more thankful for my sister for teaching me all these lessons, just by talking to me on the phone and studying at camp. Of course I was happy, but I was also worried about my own hard days to come. I won’t even have a little sister to teach lessons to!

 

Our Valuable Friendship by Sunny Lee

Oh what a joy it is,
to have a friend like you.
For giving me strength,
the way you do.

For lifting me up like an elevator,
when I’m feeling down.
Putting a smile on my face,
when I’m wearing a frown.

Thanks for being there,
and helping me grow.
Your friendship means a lot,
and I’d like you to know.

Blather By: Eileen Lee

Arena Map

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My Poetry Collection-Gauri Kaushik 7-7

 

 

 

 

I hope you guys like the video of the whole presentation

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the visual pics of my poetry collection





 

 











here is the link to a small video I made in 5th grade about colors of autumn hope you like it :D

http://tube.isb.bj.edu.cn/viewerportal/isb/home.vp?programId=esc_program:7803



 

The Raven

The Raven

by: Edgar Allan Poe

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
''Tis some visitor,' I muttered, 'tapping at my chamber door-
Only this, and nothing more.'

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow;- vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow- sorrow for the lost Lenore-
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore-
Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me- filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
''Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door-
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;-
This it is, and nothing more.'

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
'Sir,' said I, 'or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you'- here I opened wide the door;-
Darkness there, and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering,
fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, 'Lenore!'
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, 'Lenore!'-
Merely this, and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
'Surely,' said I, 'surely that is something at my window lattice:
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore-
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;-
'Tis the wind and nothing more.'

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and
flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed
he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door-
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door-
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.
'Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, 'art sure no
craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shore-
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore.'

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning- little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blest with seeing bird above his chamber door-
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as 'Nevermore.'

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered- not a feather then he fluttered-
Till I scarcely more than muttered, 'other friends have flown
before-
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'
Then the bird said, 'Nevermore.'

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
'Doubtless,' said I, 'what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore-
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of 'Never- nevermore'.'

But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and
door;
Then upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore-
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking 'Nevermore.'

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.
'Wretch,' I cried, 'thy God hath lent thee- by these angels he
hath sent thee
Respite- respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!'
Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore.'

'Prophet!' said I, 'thing of evil!- prophet still, if bird or
devil!-
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted-
On this home by horror haunted- tell me truly, I implore-
Is there- is there balm in Gilead?- tell me- tell me, I implore!'
Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore.'

'Prophet!' said I, 'thing of evil- prophet still, if bird or
devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us- by that God we both adore-
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore-
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.'
Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore.'

'Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend,' I shrieked,
upstarting-
'Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my
door!'
Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore.'

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the
floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted- nevermore!

Persuasive Speech Signup

Our Valuable Friendship by Sunny Lee

Oh what a joy it is,

to have a friend like you.

For giving me strength,

the way you do.

For lifting me up like an elevator,

when I’m feeling down.

Putting a smile on my face,

when I’m wearing a frown.

Thanks for being there,

and helping me grow.

Your friendship means a lot,

and I’d like you to know.

7-7 Polis Group Feedback

link to this form

The Book Hunter - Book Review of I Am Number Four by Sunny Lee

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore is a science fiction novel. The main character named John Smith is a Garde (or an alien) from the planet called Lorien. He was sent to earth when he was a child with eight other Gardes to escape from the invading Mogadorians who destroyed the planet Lorien. They all never had real names, so they were each assigned a number (John was given number four). John was very young when he was sent to earth so his guardian Henri protected him up until now. John is beginning to develop legacies, in his case: telekinesis (ability to move objects at a distance by mental power) and power to transmit plasma through his hands. Earth was meant to be a safe place for training and for getting ready to fight back the Mogadorians because of what they did to Lorien back in history. But the Mogadorians followed them and are killing the Gardes one by one. ”They killed Number One in Malaysia. Number Two in England. And Number Three in Kenya.” Will John make it? This might be the end of his life.

In this dangerous yet frightening story, John, a young alien boy struggles to survive from the Mogadorians on the planet earth and activates two important messages. The first one is don’t trust others, no matter how close you are with them; rather, trust yourself. In the story, some Mogadorians are disguised as humans that pretend to help John until one night John sneaks into this house and finds out that they were in disguise. The second one is to never give up on yourself, don’t stop, in fact sometimes help will come to you. When John went in that house and started fighting the disguised Mogadorians, he ended up being cornered when suddenly his guardian Henri came to rescue. The author captures the reader’s attention by putting some great humor and detail in helping us visualize each moment in the story. Also, after parts of big climaxes, he always puts in another big conflict that we would have never thought of, but keeps the story going smoothly. The story is very straightforward, it gives many visualizing details but never puts any unnecessary text.

I Am Number Four is full of action and danger. It is a wonderful novel to read for those who enjoy action, danger, fighting and maybe even those who love mystery! I Am Number Four shows feelings of a boy that has been wanted and has been chased ever since he was a child. I think this book is good for ages 11 and up. This book is exciting and worth reading.

Beijing Planning Hall Field Trip

PILOT by Kina

I am a pilot.

I fly
In different weather and situations.

I fly through the clouds,
Feels like flying through
Jumbles of cotton candy.

I fly through the thunder,
Feels like going through the strong and sudden flash light!
It makes me shiver like a mobile phone,
Hope I don't pee on my pants…

The weather has so many different faces
That can control my feelings.

Often,
There is blue sky~~
I can see what’s going on down under my plane.

I can see green grass
With buzzing bees.
BUZZZZ~

I can see people put their hands up,
Pointing at my plane.

I can see sweet smiles
From small kids.

I can see the world!!

That’s why I love to fly!!!

Thoughtful

"God Our Father..."

“God our Father, God our Father, we thank you, we thank you, for our many blessings, for our many blessing, A-men, A-men.”

My family always used a traditional prayer at every meal; mother or father would sit at the head of the table and speak about how thankful we are for the specific gifts that we have been granted.  This list of blessings God granted us would conclude with the phrase, Amen.  Then it was time to eat.  This is important to my parents, and religion played an important part in the forming of mealtime rituals in my house.  When I started my own family, however, we took parts of my parent’s influence, and that of Joanne’s parents, and started our own ritual.

We often start our meal in the kitchen – the place where we gather most in our home.  I assume the reason is because we want to involve whoever is cooking in the social aspects of pre-meal entertainment.  I am often cooking and feel fortunate that we've lived in homes with kitchens large enough to hold many loved ones.

After the initial courses of the meal are eaten in the social setting of the kitchen, we often move to the dining room to eat the remainder of our meal.    During more formal dining engagements, we begin the meal by taking time to go around the table and say one thing we are thankful for.  This is a bit of a deviation from the prayer of my parents, but it serves the same purpose.  Usually if the meal is in honor of a person, say for a birthday, we will take our turn to say something nice about the person.  If it is a specific holiday, we take our time to speak about something we are most thankful for at that time.

Years ago, probably due to the influence of Parker’s nursery school, we began another tradition.  It has spread beyond our dining table and on to much of our extended family as well.  When the sharing of blessings is finished, a young voice, usually a Bennett or a Devon, begins; holding hands, we follow.

“God our Father, God our Father, we thank you, we thank you, for our many blessings, for our many blessing, A-men, A-men.”

Meeting Friends in the Mountains by Tony

The View from LDI

[caption id="attachment_213" align="aligncenter" width="529"] Hanging Around[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_215" align="aligncenter" width="658"] Rock Out![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_212" align="aligncenter" width="617"] Ready to Go![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_209" align="aligncenter" width="798"] Balance[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_210" align="aligncenter" width="617"] Mr. Cormack Leading the Way[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_208" align="aligncenter" width="2448"] The Morning After the Storm[/caption]

 

BrainPOP | Map Skills

BrainPOP | Map Skills.

World Geography: Understanding a Changing World - latitude and longitude

World Geography: Understanding a Changing World - latitude and longitude.

2081 Handicaps

Harrison Bergeron, a story about a future society where the government imposes handicaps to keep all citizens equal, was this week's short story.  Below are examples of how we would be handicapped if we lived in Kurt Vonnegut's 2081.

 

2nd Week Success by Sunny

In the two weeks of school we had so far, we have read two short stories in each week and annotated important parts of them. 'Harrison Bergeron' was the name of this week’s story. Our annotations fall into six categories; setting, characterizations, vocabulary, plot elements, irony and theme. Later in the week, we used our vocabulary annotations to come up with 10 vocabularies for our words of the week list. We then used those vocabulary words to find their definitions and to do other activities with these words. This leads onto our vocab Project.

For the vocab project, Mr. Koch gave each partner group a word from our words of the week list, and each pair had to make a project defining the meaning and the use of that word. For example a video explaining the definition, a question and answer that uses the word, a drawing that shows a visual definition, or even a short drama performance. We students in 7-7 especially found the videos quite interesting and entertaining.

Also something we did that was reading related was the Torch test. One of the pre-assessment tests that we always have at the beginning of this year is the Torch test. This is a reading test to see how well we can read and understand stories. For some people this is easy, for some it is hard, but for a major amount of people, it requires a lot of thinking. This occurs because it may be asking you something you know, but does not always give you the right word or vocabulary for that answer and also don’t always give you the answer in the passage that is given to you to read. It is a reading test but it also tests your knowledge.

The first writing assignment that we had was our first process writing papers. It was our choice to choose one of six types of writing: Reader Response, Creative Fiction, Original Poem, Personal Narrative, Business Writing/Technical Writing and Expository Writing. We chose one of the six and wrote a first rough draft on our own. Then at school we had a peer revision, we exchanged our drafts and gave each other comments and advices on parts that were not needed or parts that needed to be added with more detail.

To end the week, we had a class activity during our mentoring time on Friday morning. Our class got in 2 teams, each with 11 people. The 2 teams got in 2 lines facing each other and 2 opponents on the end of each line walked through the 2 lines facing each other. While the 2 people were walking through, the people on the opposite team were allowed to make you laugh by saying things or making faces but without touching, and if you laughed while walking through the 2 lines you were out and went on the other team's side. The point of the activity was to teach us about peer pressure, especially since we were in middle school now and we really cared a lot about what we wore, what our friends wore and what they did that sometimes influenced us to do, we had to know how to control ourselves and be able to decide what was okay to do and what was not.  

We had a fun week and most of us went to the STUCO Function to have some extra fun on our Friday night.

-Sunny Lee