Persuasive Essay by Gauri Kaushik

Cellphones should not be allowed in International School of Beijing

             These days almost all of ISB students have some sort of technology, apart from the MacBook Pro issued by the school. Having cellphones in school is a very bad idea and will affect the students' academics and can also affect their health.

             My first point is distraction caused by cellphones. As a teacher or student, we all know how distracting cellphones can be. Texting, video chatting, Facebook and all these things distract students from paying attention in class. The study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln shows that more than 80% of the students admit that their cellphones distract their learning. Also in a 15-week management surveillance program conducted by the California University, it is found that students are on non-school related websites 42% of the time in class. Not only will this result in unsatisfactory grades but the ability to concentrate and learn will also be decrease.

Talking about school behaviour let’s to refer to the point of cheating. When teachers allow students to bring cellphones into the class, they expect them to manage it with responsibility and usually trust the student, but what if this is not the case? What if the student actually cheats in tests and the teacher does not know about this? By eliminating cellphones in school we are not only ensuring that the student is not cheating it will also help in gaining your teachers trust and less dishonesty. After all, when you cheat on the test you are cheating on yourself by not knowing your true capability.

Another issue that is raised in most schools is the use of cellphones to cyber-bully someone. According to the i-safe foundation more that 1 in 3 teens in the United States have experienced cyber threats on the phone. Apart from the MacBook that is issued by the school, students can use their cellphones to either bully someone else or get bullied. As a result teens and pre-teens have increasing rates in depression in the past few years.

I think cellphones are a bad idea, they don’t only affect a students' academics but can also affect their lifestyle and health in various negative ways. To prevent this from happening we can ban cellphones in school. This will prevent bullying, distraction and cheating in school.

 

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Citations:

 

"Students Think They Can Multitask. Here’s Proof They Can’t." Faculty Focus Students Think They Can Multitask Heres Proof They Cant Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2014.

 

"UNL Study Shows College Students Are Digitally Distracted in Class." UNL. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2014.

 

"The Age of Distraction: Getting Students to Put Away Their Phones and Focus on Learning." Faculty Focus The Age of Distraction Getting Students to Put Away Their Phones and Focus on Learning Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2014.

 

Hunter, Nick. Cyber Bullying. Chicago, IL: Heinemann Library, 2012. Print.

 

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

"The Rebellion Strikes"

CITS Video by Jared and others

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erT51Jv7AZw&w=420&h=315]

Jewellee's Poetry Collection

Be Glad Your Nose is on Your Face

[audio m4a="http://blogs.isb.bj.edu.cn/pkoch/files/2014/03/asdfghjkl.m4a"][/audio]

Be Glad Your Nose in on Your Face

By: Jack Prelutsky

Be glad your nose is on your face,
not pasted on some other place,
for if it were where it is not,
you might dislike your nose a lot.

Imagine if your precious nose
were sandwiched in between your toes,
that clearly would not be a treat,
for you’d be forced to smell your feet.

Your nose would be a source of dread
were it attached atop your head,
it soon would drive you to despair,
forever tickled by your hair.

Within your ear, your nose would be
an absolute catastrophe,
for when you were obliged to sneeze,
your brain would rattle from the breeze.

Your nose, instead, through thick and thin,
remains between your eyes and chin,
not pasted on some other place–
be glad your nose is on your face!

Eileen's Poetry Collection

Here is my tumblr for my 10 poem collection:)

 

 

http://poetryisosm.tumblr.com

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.

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.

The Journey of Love by Amira

The Journey of Love 

The beauty of a rose is to be respected,
Yet stray too close to be affected,
By the stinging thorns of evil,
A cut could easily be lethal,

The feeling you have could start out new,
Like the bud of a rose as it grew,
Your mind, your actions and your heart,
Blinded by this loving part,

Because love is like a rubber band,
Two people holding different ends,

Stretching and stretching,
Farther apart,

Until one person finally lets go,
And the person left holding it gets hurt the most.

Business Letter (Body) by Louisa

27^th, August 2013

IKEA
Beijing, Chaoyang district                                                                                                                                        CS.CNIKEA@IKEA.COM

Dear Geoffrey Xu (Beijing store manager):

Thank you for giving up your time to read this business letter, as I have some things to say about the rules and regulations at the IKEA store. I claim that rules in the IKEA store should be stricter to people sleeping in the display beds and sofas because this causes shoppers not able to try out the beds they want to buy and sanitary problems throughout the store.

IKEA is well known for its furniture, simplicity, color, usage, etc. IKEA often plays big roles in decorating and theming rooms, kitchens, studies and other parts of the house and office. IKEA also plays a very big role in many bedrooms. I think that one of the most important pieces of furniture in the bedroom is the bed. The bed can be used for sleeping, but it can give the room different feelings depending on its kind of bedding too.

Firstly, I suggest that the rules in the model bedrooms or sample beds and bedding displays to be improved. When I walk into the bedding area of the store, I always find lots of people sleeping, or people lying on the beds when they are not planning to buy the beds. I understand for people to lie down and feel how the bedding or bed feels on their back to choose the right bed they want to buy. At the same time, I do not understand why people sleep on these model beds. There should be strict rules against this action for several reasons. One, the actual customers who want to try the beds out may not get a chance due to other people sleeping on them. Two, the idea of people sleeping on beds displayed on furniture stores is not the correct mindset. Furniture displays are there so people can see what it looks like in a regular room space. If rules do not get stricter, more and more people could sleep on them. Shopping is a tiring thing, but beds are not the place to lie down and sleep on.

Furthermore, people sleeping on beds can cause sanitary problems too. We have unknown, unseen germs that spread in places like IKEA where there are lots of customers daily. Beds can be full of germs, and if people sleep on it, it causes even more germs. In order to keep stores clean, and customers healthy, IKEA may have to have a stricter usage of beds in the store. Also, you may find that bed sheets get worn out easily, dirty, smelly, unclean faster if people actually use them, rather than just touch them with hands or sit on them.

It may be greatly useful to strictly designate an area for beds that can get tried out, and an area for display beds so people do not try out display beds, which will then help stop people sleep on them. These kind of rules are  crucial because people sleeping in sample beds can affect customer satisfaction, sanitation and healthiness.

Thank you for your consideration and I await your response.

Sincerely,

You Found Me by Amira

A story how there is always someone out there who would look out for you, even if you don’t notice it at all.

 

“Alix! 100% on the final unit test! Congratulations (again)!” The teacher’s voice boomed across the classroom, directed to a certain tiny girl. Everybody eyes seemed to turn to the emotionless girl in the back of the room. Her straight raven locks fell down to mid-waist, her bangs delicately framing her porcelain face. There, on top of her nose, nestled a pair of enormous Coke bottle glasses.

“Thank you,” She replied blandly, ignoring the whispers that had spread around the classroom. ‘She’s such a nerd.’ Alix glanced slightly at the girl who spoke up, but after contemplating mentally in her head, she remained doing nothing as more of the test scores were announced, no one’s as perfect as Alix’. ‘Look at those ugly glasses!’ She heard another kid whisper. What did they mean by glasses? Just because she wore huge glasses did not mean that she was a nerd. However, unlike most students in this rich academy, she had gotten to this school on a scholarship instead of paying the rather large sum of money that her “commoner” family was unable to produce. She refused to trouble her hard-working parents in paying for the school tuition fees. All she had to do was remain at the top in class and the school would pay everything for her, not including lunch, which she packed herself of course. People would introduce her to be an extremely responsible person, as she never seemed to mess up. She was what people called perfect (minus the extra big glasses), and that’s what made them detest her more. Too bad there was no such things as a perfect person.

 

~Chapter 1~

Don't let your emotions bottle up; because once you do, you’re going to eventually have to let it all out. –Amira Chou

Alix stared at her belongings that were strewn across the floor, the binders messily ripped apart from the papers. She stared at the wretched bag on the ground before slowly reaching down to get her wallet and walked away. This had become a daily thing, so Alix knew that the belongings had to stay at home. This is everyday of my life… Alix thought, mentally depressed. On the outside, however, her facial expression didn’t even twitch. She knew that once you don’t show reactions, bullies would leave you alone once they got bored. Sighing, she slung the bag over her back before making her way to her house.

“Sister! Sister! Look what I made!” For the first time throughout the entire day, Alix let a smile grace her features as she stared down at her younger brother. He was the joy in her life. He was the only thing she looked forward to when she got home. Alix set her wallet down on the bench before bending down to hug her 9-year-old baby brother. He had drawn a messy drawing of her and him holding hands together with the word ‘family’ messily scrawled on top and presented it proudly with a grin. A frown adorned Alix’ delicate features when she noticed something missing.

“Oh, Adrian. Where are mother and father?” She spoke softly, placing a pale hand on Adrian’s head. His smile wavered slightly.

“Mother and Father don’t take care of me. It’s always Nana and you! You’re my only family!” He retorted. Alix felt her heart tug in pain from how he thought of his own birth parent, and swell at the same time to think that she was so important to him. That feeling left when she felt the words settle down in her.

“Adrian!” She scolded, tapping his head hard.

“Mother and Father have to work, and you know it!” The boy shrugged, looking away, tears welling up in his eyes.

“But none of them show up for any of sister’s important events! Only for Adrian’s!” He cried, hugging Alix’ waist tightly. Alix froze, remembering all those years for her past 13 years of her life where her parents never once came back on time to wish her a happy birthday. Only for Aiden, but she felt it was a need for the boy to celebrate his birthday with his parents, so she had begged every year with all her strength for them to come home. They even forgot what day her birthday was after that! Alix’ lips trembled slightly, but she held strong for her little brother. She couldn’t let her brother know that the wall he leant on for support actually needed more support itself. She couldn’t. That would be unfair for her brother, who was only nine. He was too young and innocent to understand the world around him.

Finally, after returning the hug to her brother a little longer, she let him go and smiled fully at him, one of her special smiles that made her eyes twinkle brightly.

“Let’s go see what Nana’s cooking!” She ushered her now excited brother into the kitchen before telling him that she needed to do homework, leaving her brother to watch their maid cook for the two of them. Nana had been their maid since Alix was 4, when her parents started to become too involved with work and no longer had time to take care of the girl. Honestly, Alix felt that she was closer to Nana than her own mother, which immediately made her feel guilty for thinking that. She stared at the lone picture in her simple room that consisted of a bed, a desk (with a chair), a bookshelf and a door that led to a bathroom. It was a family picture taken when Aiden was just born. That moment seemed to be one of the only moments where her parents looked like normal parents. In the worn-out picture, stood a four-years-old girl holding tightly onto her baby brother, smiling widely. There, her beautiful mother was smiling tiredly, and her father, dressed as a businessman even then, stood professionally next to his wife, letting a small smile slip through his cold demeanor.

Unknowingly, Alix could feel tears slide down her face as she remembered how her family used to be. Faint memories of her when she was 2 and first learned how to read flashed through her head. All her life, she had studied hard to show her parents how smart she was. She aced every test and even skipped grades! All she wanted to do was show to her parents that she was special and yearn for the feeling of being congratulated, but all her parents would do (if they were there,) would stare at her, then walk away as if she had disappointed them somehow. She was indeed a genius, but she never knew being a genius could be so lonely.

 

~Chapter 2~

Different shouldn’t be used in a bad term. Everybody’s different. Some are just more different than others, and that’s whom we neglect. –Amira Chou

Alix stared ahead as their homeroom teacher made his way into the classroom. As everyone settled down, the seat next to Alix stayed empty. At least I have a window to look at and talk to. She thought sarcastically as she turned her head back to the teacher who was addressing to everyone in the class that there would be a new student. Another one? Alix thought as she stared at the door that she knew the student would come in from. Automatically, this new student would most likely find a group to join, and classmates would welcome him/her, and they would automatically fit in. Unlike herself, who would most likely be taunted again if she spoke. Alix could feel something churning where her heart was, as if it was twisting in knots tighter and tighter, and her stomach seemed to burn. Was this… jealousy? Alix brushed that thought off. She was raised through discipline, not emotions. Of course it couldn’t be jealously. Why would she be jealous anyway? The new kid would probably just join a group and then have someone to hang out with during break, or eat with during lu- Alix cut off her trail of thoughts. What was she doing again? The door suddenly creaked open, and the class quieted down, waiting in anticipation to see who it was. A black shoe made it’s way into sight, before a tall boy entered the classroom. His black hair swept over his onyx eyes as he scanned the room, ignoring the gawking and drooling girls.

“My name is Hayato. I come from Japan. Nice to meet you.” He spoke coolly before the teacher could utter a word, stuffing his hands in his pocket as he observed each and every person, as if deeming them worthy of his presence or not. There was a long silence before the teacher spoke up.

“Why don’t we all stand up and introduce ourselves and say something they like? Then ask a question to Hayato here?” The teacher asked nervously, seeing all the sudden fangirls.

“Hi! I’m Hana! I like-“ She twirled her hair flirtatiously. “-Cute things! And are you single?” Alix rolled her eyes. It was typical for the girl to try to act cute and flirt. How was he so popular anyway? There was nothing cool about him anyway. He was only from Japan. Hayato rolled his eyes, too.

“You’re disgusting, trying to flirt with me without even getting to know me. People like you shouldn’t be here. But to answer your question, I am, in fact, single.” He sighed.

“He responded to me~” She whispered to herself, her face tinted a shade of bright red, completely oblivious to what Hayato said. Hayato growled lowly to himself, that was only picked up by Alix’ sensitive ears. She mentally chuckled to herself. Too bad for this guy! Looks like he’s going to have to deal with the rest of the dense female population for the school year, and the next after! More people stood up to introduce themselves one by one, each failing to try and impress the boy, until finally, everyone except for Alix. Everybody’s eyes seemed to burn holes into her body as she slowly stood up. Staring emotionlessly at the boy, she started with her introduction.

“I am Alix. Don’t call me anything besides that. I like very little things. For my question…” She paused. “… Do you get good grades? If not, then I do not have any interest in you.” She said in a dead tone, neatly seating herself before Hayato could answer. The room quieted, before someone shouted out,

“Nerd! Say something cooler, or no one’s going to like you! Wait- never mind! Everybody already dislikes you!” Alix did not even flinch as the class started to laugh. The whole entire class started to turn into an uproar, but all Alix did was stare ahead at the teacher as the teacher tried to settle the class down from that outburst. Suddenly, Hayato spoke up, silencing everybody in the classroom,

“Alix? Is that you?”

Meeting Friends in the Mountains by Tony

Thunder by Seth

Thunder

 

A cool mist sprays down,

Hostile clouds loom darkly,

Fiendish thunder strikes.

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]

 

Score My Ravail

BrainPOP | Map Skills

BrainPOP | Map Skills.

World Geography: Understanding a Changing World - latitude and longitude

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