Twitter – Alexander

I recommend Twitter for schools for several reasons. It is a great way to tell the world what you are doing in class. It is a great way to practice your summaries and it is a great way to tell if your students are actually paying atention in class. But mainly is just a fun filled learning tool that is free to use for kids all around the globe.

Idiom from Phantom Tollbooth – Alexander

                                  I’m All Ears!?

In the Book, The Phantom Tollbooth, there are many idioms. An idiom is where you take something like a curvy road and say it is a long curvy snake. In other words it is like a metaphor. One of the idioms in The Phantom Tollbooth is “I’m all ears”. Now the real meaning of this idiom is simple. It means that you have someones full attention or that you are listening to them. Now literally it means you are one giant ear! Nothing but ear. 100%
Now in our world this ear creature would not exist. But I am sure that in the The Phantom Tollbooth this creature would exist. That would be cool if there was. Do you think that there will be someone like this in the book?

Phantom TollBooth – Alexander

The Phantom TollBooth reminded me of a dream. With all those confusing but amazing characters, mostly fiction with a slight bit of realism. Then there is the human which in my dream was me, and in the book Milo. But in my dreams there is no sound, which is the complete opposite of Dictionopolis where there is nothing but sound or words to be precise. In Dictionopolis there is also lots of words just like in school. It can be fun or boring depending who you are and what you are saying. Like when the five men all talk differently but similarly is annoying like long lectures in class. But it can be fun like learning new words and playing a fun sport in gym.

Milo and I are very similar. One of the biggest things milo and I have are our lives (of course his life is the book ). We both start out with our lives the same every day. We wake up go to school come home and go to bed. But then these amazing things and changes start to happen. He starts meeting all these amazing creatures and going to wonderful places like Dictionopolis. I start to go through puberty which changes my look mind and actions. Then soon I will go through high school and college as Milo continues to meet more spectacular characters and see magical places. But towards the end it simmers back down. I will get a job where almost every day will be the same as Milo’s journey comes to an end and goes back to his normal life.

Milo compared to me is crazy brave. Going to a place that he knows absolutely nothing about takes guts. If I got a chance to do something like Milo is doing I would turn the offer down. I like to try to stay in one place for as long as I can. Reason being, I hate change. Getting to know a place and fit in takes a matter of months. So I would much rather stay in that space for another couple of years than leave and start the process over again.

I have found myself in places like Milo did in his life too. It was when I went to a school in 4th grade. Before that I was in a school with 6 people in my grade. I knew no one else but those other 5 people ( and one was my sister! ). Then that school had three classes of 30 people in my grade which none I knew. I was very scared and nervous of everything I did. I did not know if it would make a good shadow or a bad one. All the advice I would give Milo is that he needs to put his best foot forward. Only to be himself and if they do not like it then that is their lost of a good friend.

Dreams for 2013 Middle Schools – Alexander

As a student, I have many dreams for every middle school around the globe. One of the more popular ones that comes to my mind first is that every kid can appreciate what school is. What I mean by this is that they can appreciate what is being taught, what is being learned and what they use that knowledge for. Not just forgetting that skill right after a test or quiz, but to keep that  skill forever. Then when they need that skill they will be prepared and will successfully achieve whatever they were trying to achieve. Unlike the other guy who just threw the skill away. He/she  would almost certainly fail and would not be able to move forward.  That is just one of my dreams for all the middle schools around the globe.

One of the dreams I have for the PDS Middle School is respect for other peoples time, space and emotions. For example, being patient when others need more time, giving people the personal space they need to feel comfortable and only saying things that you know will not hurt others feelings.

Those are some of the dreams I have for my middle school and for every other middle school out there in the world.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K Rowling – Alexander

In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K Rowling, Harry was a legend ever since he survived an attack from he who should not be named as a little kid. His best friends were Ron and Hermione. Ron was the nervous type but loved to play wizard chess. Hermine is the brains and the brave. Their life at school was pretty normal which in this school is crazy. They learn how to make potions and make things defy gravity. They eat  barf flavored jelly beans and survive brutal attacks from trolls in the girls bathroom. But none of them could have realized that once they went through the trap door underneath the three headed dog that their skills would be put to the test. Oh… did I mention that they were wizards.

Grendel’s point of view from the story Beowulf by Alexander

GRENDEL

As a young boy I loved to play in the long wide open fields. I would run around there for hours every day enjoying myself. On my 300th birthday I was ready to become a full grown troll. I knew that I would have to take a 100 year slumber, but it was all worth it. So I left the fields to return to my home in an underwater cave. When I finally got home my mother Fredhead was waiting. She had made me a lovely blanket knitted with thousands of sunflowers blooming in a cool breeze. Fredhead also knitted my name Rickashay (as that was my name ) in big bold letters just at the end where my head would be. I jumped in bed and fell asleep.

IOO YEARS LATER

Finally, after a 100 years I awoke as a full grown troll. The first thing I thought of doing was to go out and see what had changed. After all it has been a whole century. For the next 3 days I went all over the land admiring the new world. Then I thought I would go to the fields that I loved so much as a kid. But when I got there, I thought I had taken a wrong turn. There were tiny houses and one, the biggest of them all made of stone. There were people everywhere and right where the fields used to be was this huge hollow hill made of stone. There was colored water in clear bottles and a table almost as long as I was tall. I couldn’t believe this I told myself. I must be dreaming..yeah that’s it, dreaming. I will come back tonight and this will all be gone.

THE FOLLOWING NIGHT

I had the weirdest dream. Now to return to the fields where I’m sure there is nothing but the fields. But when I got there I saw that what I thought as a dream had been true all along. The huge hollow hill made of stone. The colored water in clear bottles. A table almost as long as I was tall. But how,… why? Although, this time something was different. At first I thought that the hill had grown, but then I noticed that there was a sound that had not been there before. It was faint. As I moved closer to the hill the sound started to sound like laughter. Within  a few  more steps I was at the door and I was certain. There were men by the hundreds laughing. Laughing at me! Laughing at me because my favorite place in this land was destroyed. Laughing that I had still cared about this place in my past. They made me so mad that when they were all getting ready to go to bed I broke down the doors screaming. I picked up one of them and ate them whole. All of a sudden everyone was in panic. They all grabbed their swords and frantically waved them at me. But none of them could harm me. The next thing I knew half the men’s blood on the floor and their bodies traveling slowly down my intestines. I stood there watching the rest of men running away. As I left I told myself that I would return every night to eat and kill all who dare to laugh at the all mighty Rickashay.  Ever since then men called my mom the Hag and me Grendel for what reasons, I haven’t a clue.

For the next few years Grendel killed all who laughed at him. Until……………………………………..

SEVERAL YEARS LATER

 A few months back,  men stopped laughing at me, but I still walked over every night just to make sure. I also went out in the morning to get some more food for my mother Fredhead who does not like to leave the house in the underwater cave. As I walked over to the best grounds to hunt for wild boar I noticed something odd. Since I was 10 ft, tall I could see the nearby ocean. But today there was the largest floating rock I have ever seen. There were also at least 100 armed men on this floating rock. I also saw one man bigger than the rest in front of this group that met up with another man on a horse ( my favorite snack ). Then all  100 men followed the man on the horse up a familiar dirt road. Wait a minute, I suddenly remembered. This was the path that went directly to the stone hill. The stone hill that was placed on my favorite fields. I started to get angrier by the second. They’ve come to laugh at me. I know it, now more furious than the day that forsaken hill was put on the fields I hold so precisely in my memories. Well they’ll get it tonight. Every last filthily one of them, I said with drool and spit flying out of my mouth.

 

LATER THAT SAME DAY

For the past 2 hours I have been sitting outside of this stone hill. Listing to those men laughing at me.Waiting for them to go to bed. Since then, the sun has grown old and it has become as dark as the night could be. It has also grown terribly colder since the sun was no more for the night. It seemed like they would never stop laughing. So I decided to close my eyes. The next thing I knew, I have been asleep for at least 3 more hours and all was quiet.  I knew the sun would be upon the sky in only a matter of time. I got up and headed to the door. I pounded at the door only to find it has been locked. With a few more pounds on the door it broke into several pieces and fell upon  the ground. I picked up one man and ate him without a thought. All of a sudden there was a stirring as the rest started to wake up and grab their swords. As I reached for my next victim I remembered that this was the man that stood in front of all the others, the biggest. The next thing I knew I was in the most painful arm lock that I have ever felt. It was my next victim refusing to let go. With one yank I failed to shake him off. With another fail I tried once more and this time my armed was ripped off my body. I yelled out the loudest scream I could. Then I ran away with half my arm’s missing, still with the aching pain in my shoulder. I refused to look at it with knowing that it was still bursting out Gallons of hot red gooey blood with every step I take. By the time I got to my home and fell into Fredhead’s hands I could barely keep my eyes open. The last thing I saw was Fredhead’s dark green eyes staring into mine. Then right then and there I died  in my mom’s arms.

 

“The Power Of We” – by Alex

Blog Action Day

The power of we

what an important matter,

it brings us together

as friends,family and one.

The power of we

can be as small

as protecting a tree

that goes way back into your family’s history.

The power of we

can be as big

as saving an animal

that faces extinction from life itself.

The power of we

can be big or small,

short or tall,

but all just as important.

The power of we

helps family, friends and you

but most of all it helps us

or otherwise none as we.

Popular Tourist Sites in New York by Alexander

Blogging challenge #3

Looking for a place to visit on your trip to New York well then go to the Empire State Building. It’s One of the most popular attractions in New York City.The Empire State Building is 102 stories tall and was the tallest building in the world in 1931 to 1977 but still is the tallest building in New York.

Empire State Building by Siehe Bildnachweis. Picture from www.newyork.citysam.de

Another popular site in New York is the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty is 1 of 3, ours was a gift from the French as a symbol of peace and friendship.

If you’re into your grandma’s old things then you should see the American Museum of Natural History, and if you’re not you should still go. It has everything from dinosaurs to space monkeys, knights to mummy’s, George Washington to Marco Polo. Whatever you’re into they have.

Do you want to get out into nature and away from noise? Are you are looking for a nice quiet place?  Well then I suggest you go to Central Park. With over 843 acres of grass, lakes, wildlife and paths its a very wonderful place to be. Even though it’s still in the city it’s 100% quieter. While you are there, don’t forget to row a boat across the lake or have a picnic there, especially a picnic.

Now if you really want to get out of the city then you should take a trip to Niagara Falls. It’s beautiful there with all the waterfalls and rainbows as common as wind. Niagara Falls is divided in 3 sections, 1 is the American Falls, 2 is the Bridal Veils Falls and 3 is the Horseshoe Falls. With lots of tours it’s a wonderful place to be.

In all they are all great places to visit.