Final Drafts

What is a Word?

A word is a tear, a word is a sigh,
A word is a hug, a word is a smile.
A word is a sword, a word is a fire,
A word can be wings, that lift someone higher.

Soft as a wing beat, or loud as a drum
Quiet as snowflakes
That melt on your tongue

Scorching as fire, or bitter as ice,
Words can can bring darkness
And words can bring light.

Words can bind, and words can free
Words can open eyes to see

Words can chain a person down
Or help them get back off the ground

Words can feed fire, or calm it back down
And words can give someone
A shining gold crown

Words can discourage, or turn out the light
And words can make sunshine
Shine even more bright.

Words have a power
That we do not know
And remember you reap
Whatever you sow




"Just a Joke"

If somebody threw
A spit ball at you
Or knotted your laces
And tangled your shoes

Or knocked down your card castle
And messed up your hair
Or swiped out your seat
When you were about to sit there

Or tell you ghost stories
That make you afraid
Give you some candy,
Then take it away

Would that make you happy? And joyful, and glad?
No it might annoy you, and make you feel sad.
It was only a joke, the children will say
It's not like we mean it, it's just fun and play.

When you are sarcastic
But still say mean things,
It doesn't prevent
The feeling it brings

When you make a joke
That hurts someone else
If you say, "I'm just kidding"
It still doesn't help

Like nice fluffy marshmallows
That are roasted on yams
(Which are actually glop
your mom dumped out of a can)

They make it look yummy
But like every kid knows
The marshmallows are good
But the yams are still gross.

Poem Rough Drafts

This first poem is about the power of words and the influence that they have on people. Try to think about each metaphor, and how a word can be similar to them.

What is a Word?

A word is a tear, a word is a sigh,
A word is a hug, a word is a smile.
A word is a sword, a word is a fire
A word can be wings, that help you fly higher.

Soft as a wing beat, Or loud as a drum
Quiet as snowflakes
That melt on your tongue

Scorching as fire, Or bitter as ice
Words can bring darkness,
And words can bring light.

Words can bind, and words can free
Words can open eyes to see

Words can chain a person down,
Or help them get back off the ground

Words can feed fire, or turn out the light
And words can make sunshine
Shine even more bright

Words have a power
That we do not know
And remember you reap
Whatever you sow


This other poem is about when kids are sarcastic but still mean what they say. I wanted to point out how offensive jokes still hurt people even if you say you are "joking", and even if the other person doesn't act offended.
Somehow this poem ended up sounding vaguely Dr. Seuss-ish. I don't really know why though :)

Just a Joke

If somebody threw
A spitball at you
Or knotted your laces
And tangled you shoes

Or knocked down your card castle
And messed up your hair
Or swiped out your seat
When you were about to sit there

Or tell you ghost stories
That make you afraid
Or give you some candy,
Then take it away

Would that make you feel happy? and joyful and glad?
No it might annoy you and make you feel sad.
It was only a joke, the children will say
It's not like we meant it, it's just fun and play.

When you are sarcastic
But still say mean things
It doesn't prevent
The feelings it brings

When you tell a joke
That hurts some one else
If you say, "I'm just kidding"
It still doesn't help

The things that you say about others
Can do so much more than it seems
The things that you say about others
Affect their hopes and their dreams

Technology in the Classroom

In the world of Teaching, articles about new ways to use technology in the classroom are everywhere. Every teaching blog, newsletter, magazine and seminar covers new uses of technology. Teachers are constantly told that you, students of the 21st century, use technology every day, are tech-saavy, and need to be taught WITH technology because that is how you learn best. We are also told that, in order to prepare you for the modern workforce, we need to teach you HOW to use new technology effectively.Respond to that idea. What do you think about it? Do you think that teachers could be more effective if they used technology tools (think podcasts, web videos, online discussion forums, electronic assignment submission, tech-related project assignments)? Are modern students technologically inclined? What about being a student in Utah? Do you think that being in Utah keeps you a little behind-the-times as far as technology learning is concerned? Would YOU do better if more multi-media was used in your classrooms to teach and present, and for you to demonstrate your learning and communicate?

I think that it would be kind of nice to have a little more technology in the classroom. It would bring a bigger variety of way to learn. it would make things more interesting.
Also, it would be nice to learn about how to use it better. Because I'm not exactly computer savvy, which would be useful for a teenager.
I think that more students in Utah could kind of be a problem, but no that much.

The world is ending. There are natural disasters happening everywhere. You know that soon you will be stranded in your house with only the food left in your cupboards. You make a mad dash to the grocery store but everyone there is in such chaos that you know you'll only have time to grab one item before escaping with your life. What item of food do you grab?
Describe what the food is, how long you'll wait to eat it, what it will feel like to know you're eating it for the last time. Will you share with your family? Will you hide it away until there's nothing else left? Will you eat it a little at a time or gobble it all at once? Describe every aspect of enjoying this last savory morsel of food.

I would probably grab like a huge flat of canned soup, because there is so much of it and it's condensed. that way it would last longer, and you wouldn't need to eat as much at a time. And I would get a variety pack so that I wouldn't go insane from the same exact food for such a long time. I would eat it wery slowly, to make it last longer. And if I suvived, I don't think I would ever be able to eat canned soup again.

Superpower of Persuasion

Imagine that you have a superpower. The Power of Persuasion. You can convince anyone of anything. How would you use that power? What would you try to get, do, change? Would you use it for good? Or evil? Describe what the Power of Persuasion is.

I would use it to get rid of homework. We would still go to school and learn, but I would have them rearrange the curriculum so that we wouldn't need homework. I would use it for good, and I wouldn't use the power all the time, that would be dumb.

Book Review

Write a review of the last good book you've read. You should include:1 paragraph summary- what's the story about?1 paragraph review- what did you like about the book? What could have been better?Your review: how many stars would you give it?

The last book I read was Diary of a Wimpy Kid #4. It was about his summer and all his problems with girls, dogs, his friend, and his two brothers. He said at the beginning of the book that all he was going to do that summer was stay home and play video games. But he ended up getting dragged off on vacation and he gets into all sorts of trouble.
It was pretty good for the most part I guess. But some of the jokes were just dumb, like something only a 7 year-old boy would laugh at. You could kind of tell the author was running out of ideas. And sometimes it was annoying at how dishonest the kid was. He would outright lie to his parents and other adults constantly, and it probably was messing with the heads of any younger kids who read it. But other than that it was pretty good.
I would give the book about two and a half stars, maybe three.

The Ultimate Winter Break

My ultimate winter break would be next to the fire, with snow falling outside, some Christmas music playing, hot chocolate, and a book.

A story from K, P, and A

The three letters I chose were K, P, and A.

My characters name is Kenyen. He lives in Pinedale, Wyoming. He has a job as an Anesthesiologist. He works in the Pinedale Police Department. Why the Police Department? Because the Police Department in Pinedale is actually a secret Alien organization that is capturing people to gather information on humans. Whenever they bring in a new convict/victim he anesthetizes them and they use their alien brain probes to find out information on the human nature. The aliens use the information to figure out how to impersonate human beings so that they can slowly take over Earth. Kenyen is also from that planet but is allowed very little information on "Project Earth", because he is not part of the professionals. He is only there for the Anesthetics. He and the other aliens from his planet are taking over Earth because their planet is vastly overpopulated and polluted, and they want to occupy Earth.
But then Kenyen meets a very special Earthling named Alice, and falls in love. He can't bring himself to turn her in, and he turns against the "Police Department". Together, with the little information he has of their plan, he and Alice stop the Aliens from destroying the human race and save the world.