Literary Terms

What are all the literary terms?

Great dictionary of Literary Terms...

Even greater dictionary of Literary Terms!

How do I read this?

Decoding Tips:

"Ge" makes a different sound than "G" - check this list out.

Remember the rule: Change the "Y" to "I" and add "ED". Practice reading this list.

Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry - Prior Knowledge

1. Explanation of Sharecropping

How is sharecropping similar to slavery? It was a labor for land trade. When the slave practice was ended, landowners had no way to find cheap labor to work his vast acreages and the former slaves and many poor white southerners had no land of their own on which to live or to farm. A contracted trade off was made, where, for a share of the designated crop, land was provided to the sharecropper. It was a system that provided mutual benefit to both parties but was easily corrupted (landowners often cheated or took advantage of the sharecroppers lack of education) and often led to a new kind of economic ($$$- it created poverty) slavery.

2. Summary of the book - Wikipedia, 1 page summary,

3. Themes or topics to consider: family, quiet (or silence), and racism.

4. Explore some GREAT QUOTES worth thinking about more fully!

Cite: "BookRags Book Notes on ." 23 March 2010.

More about Skeleton Creek

Check out this link about the book and author from Scholastic.

More about the author, Patrick Carman.

Poetry

Poetry Pairings - Poems paired with other genres!  VERY COOL - from NY Times.

Writing poetry:

I am poem - online format!

Let's find some mentor texts - great poems to read and ponder!

Space Poetry

Love Poems

Advice Blog!

Need some advice?

Want to know what 8th graders have learned during their time at JHMS?

Check out their blog!

You'll find poetry and advice about friends. Trust me, it's worth the visit!!

Teton Science School

"I'm scared to go alone," I said.
"Don't worry! You'll have fun," she replied, "and you'll meet new friends."

"OK," I said,"I'll try".
My trip to Teton Science School was about to begin.


At the beginning of the canoe trip, I felt really excited to race, play games and many other activities. We were going to String Lake. We got out of the van. Then, we had to wait for the van with the canoes. "How much longer do we have to wait?" I asked Cat, who was one of my instructors.
The canoes finally came, we had to carry them down to the water.

"Wow! These are really heavy," Emily said, a friend who I had just met.
"They're green," I announced to Lexy when I saw the canoes coming. I knew that Lexy liked green and would be excited about the canoes being green.
"I know," Lexy said excited. Green canoes could only mean one thing, we were going to have fun.
After we put the canoe in the rippling water, we had our first lesson. We put our life jackets on and got into the canoe. I felt excited and strange. I was in the back of the canoe, so I had a hard time paddling. I had to switch seats with Hunter. I sat in the middle, and Hunter sat in the back. We finally caught up with our teammates, and we started playing a game. It was canoe basketball. We were divided into two teams. There were three canoes on each team. The hoops were behind each of instructors. We had to pass the ball after we had it for five seconds. We got really wet, especially when we got the ball because it usually landed in the water and was soaking wet. Being wet was refreshing on a hot day. My team scored, but we didn't win.

After the basketball game, we got to race to the bridge. The first canoe to reach it won. Some of us got stuck on the rocks, but we got loose. We used our paddles to move the canoe off the rocks.

Finally, we got a break. We were supposed to chase a coyote or the bear. Do you wonder what this means? Well, this is how the teachers at T.S.S. say, "Go to the bathroom." Chase a coyote means to go pee. And, chase the bear means...well, you know!

I asked Cat, "Can we can get into the water and swim?"

I thought she was going to say no, but she answered, "Yes, but only up to you knees."

After swimming, we got back into the canoes; I knew it was going to be tricky. We had a race up to the boulder in the center of the lake. The boulder was like a soldier standing at attention. It seemed solid out there with waves crashing into it. "GO!" yelled Cat.

Once we got there, we joined up with three canoes. Together, we had to come back to the shore. We connected by holding onto the side of the canoe. The people in the middle canoe had to hold on, while the people in the outside canoes paddled. It was hard, but I knew we could do it. We went far; I was proud. We learned a lot about teamwork that day.

our next trip was to Yellowstone. I felt excited to see the geysers. When we got to Old Faithful, we ate lunch. My stomach's growl was an earthquake rumbling. Old Faithful only blew steam, just like a hot cup of tea. Luke said, "Old Faithful won't explode for an hour." I didn't want to wait; I wanted it to explode now.

"Then let's go see the other geysers while we wait," Cat said. While we walked around, we saw other geysers. The geysers were full of water, drops of water scattered and rained down everywhere. I saw little rainbows everywhere. Now I knew what to expect once Old Faithful exploded. We saw Cat and the others sitting on benches waiting for Old Faithful to explode. They were all sitting in a single file like a shelf with stuff animals.We sat with them and finally Old Faithful exploded.
Old Faithful looked like a big drinking fountain. It looked like it was going to hit an airplane. It feel like we were 2 feet away, and the hot steam blew in your face ) I wished my mom could see it. The hours past as quickly as at school. I was really happy to see the geyser, and I wished this could last.

The next day we went to hike the mountain. The mountain looked like a giant looking down at me. I thought the hike would be easy, but it wasn't. I was the first in the lead, just like the leader of a wolf pack.

"Wait for the others, Janet," Luke said.

"OK," I answered. While I waited, I . All of my friends caught up, and we were half way up. The trees were starting to leave the move we walk. Every thing looked like in was dead.that's what I thought. Once we were half way, I was in the middle of the pack, not in the lead any more. My body was begging to go back down. I was really tired, yet I tried to keep up with them, and every step I took it got harder. I wanted my feet to stop moving at once. Finally, we were at the top.
Once I was at the top the air blew through my soggy hair. My back was crying for help. I could feel my lungs every time I took a deep breath. Then I was going back down. While I was going down, I found a rock and stared to carve a wolf out of it. I also lost my water bottle. Once we were down, my friend Lexy and I were going to the bathroom. She asked a weird question, "What is that weird looking rock over there?"

I looked, confused about what she asked. I thought I was talking to a crazy person. I said, "That is not a rock; its a bear!" My eyes were shining with excitement and shock. It was small with brown hair trying to find some food. when it stood up i see the tummy of the bear all all full of hair I jumped to make sure it was true.

I was really excited and scared to see a bear. I ran towards Luke, almost tripping. I was yelling, "Bear! Bear!!"
He told us to startle or yell or talk to the bear to get it to leave, and I did want the bear to leave. When the bear left, he looked annoyed, and we got in the van and left for camp.


A couple of days past, and then it was the last night. I ran towards the fire excited and with a weird feeling in my gut. We told stories, ate s'mores, and sang songs. I was sad of not been able to tell scary stories luke thought we will have nightmares. The smores tasted like a really sugary piece of candy.We weren't allowed to eat more than two s'mores, and at the end we sang a song. Only three of my friends who knew the Sponge Bob song. Then we finished we went to sleep. My tent was dark as a cave. I was so sad and excited that it was the last night. I just wished TSS could last longer. Once we woke up we packed our luggage, got on the van, and left. I ran toward the van to be the first one in. Instead of taking two hours to get home, it took four. I didn't care because I was so happy that I had two extra hours to be with my friends.

Once we were back, we took everything out of the trailer and the van. I found lots of clothes, a water bottle, and a backpack under my seat. "Whose is this?" I asked.
Emily said, embarrassed, "That's mine."

We got all our belongs out and cleaned the van. We have to clean the windows,vacuum the inside, and wash the outside. All of the extra food was sent to kitchen and the cooler were washed. Our tents were cleaned. When we finished, we waited for our parents to come. All my friends' parents didn't come so we sat together. We went into a meeting room. Betsy introduced the camping groups. Then the slideshow started. One by one the pictures came out: every time I saw my picture I was embarrassed. We laughed at the ones that were funny. At the end of the slide show we went to find our parents. I saw my mom. I felt lots of happiness of seeing her again. I said, "Ma."

She answered, "Te gusto."

I replied, "Si mucho."

Emily, Kayla, Lexy, Regan and Emma came to say good-bye and I introduced them to my parents. Before we left, I went to say good-bye to Luke and Cat. "Are you coming back to T.S.S.?" Luke asked.

I answered, enthusiastically, "Yes, I am."

"Then I will see you next time," Cat said. I left with my bag of clothes and my hiking backpack. I was sad to be leaving.

by ~ Janet

I learned that I can go do the same activities many times and still learn more. I discovered that being so close to a grizzly is exciting and scary at the same time. I never realized leaving my parents for a week would make me miss them so much. I was proud when my successful journey ended.

Don't be Afraid!

Willow Street Preschool

I was ready, I felt excited. I had to go to sleep early. I had to go to sleep at 8:00 p.m. Before I went to sleep, I had to put my pencil, markers, and scissors in my backpack. Then, I ran around in circles as fast as I could. Suddenly, my dad grabbed me, threw me in the air, and flew me around like an airplane. After that, I went to my room and my dad tucked me in. I felt scared and happy to go to preschool. I turned my nightlight on and checked under my bed for monsters. I could imagine them looking at me. Their eyes yellow, staring at me. They would be big and fat. However, all I found was a dark floor covered with night.

The next day, I grabbed my backpack, but I almost forgot to change into my new school clothes. I quickly changed into my clothes, but then when I opened the door, my parents told me that I had forgotten my backpack! I started running to my backpack, but instead I ran to the car. I was CRAZY! My dad and mom thought I was funny

My dad and mom took me to school, and I was singing a song that I had learned from my grandma back in Mexico. When she sang it, she sounded like angels singing with bells ringing. She sang it like no one would ever sing it again in a million years. The ride went on forever. On the way to school, I told my parents about my dream. "My teacher was Winnie the Pooh!"
They laughed.
I said, "I hope she is."
Dad said, "You know, Carlos, she won't be Winnie the Pooh."
I said, "Will she be Barney?!"
They laughed again, and Dad said, "No."

When we got there, I entered the school with only my mom. At first, I thought it was the doctor's office. When I looked inside, a woman was with a bunch of kids. I started walking into the room. She said, "Hi!" Then, she showed us around. When my mom was leaving, I grabbed her hand and was going to leave with her, but she told me to stay. I grabbed her leg and started crying. It took five people to pull me off my mom's leg.

My teacher said, "Don't worry! Don't cry!" Then, right away she put on a Winnie the Pooh movie my mom had given her before she left. We watched the movie with popcorn. The popcorn was delicious; it had butter and salt. After that, we played Hide and Go Seek, and I was found second to last. My favorite part of the day was when I met a new friend named Sergio. He is still my friend today. That was the beginning of preschool.

I now realized that preschool is fun. I want people to know that school is something their children will be avid about. I want all little kids to not be scared or sad because it turns out the Willow Street Preschool is fun.


by ~ Carlos

Student Poetry

Sometimes

I am my best friend,
I am the only one who
understands me:
My problems,
The things I do
and the reasons why I do them.
I am the only one who understands
the reasons I am
like I am.

Sometimes

I am my worst enemy
I don’t even understand myself
why I say and do the things I
say and do
Why do I cause problems?
Why am I so negative?

I don’t know why
and that makes me
want to be alone
I don't want people to talk to me
my whole self begs for isolation
so I can escape into nothing

and

my heart aches to be hugged.

Sometimes

~Alejandra


Paradise

I hold my breath
as I dive in
Entering the deep dark hole

a deep dark forest

my paradise

The sweetness starts to
melt slowly
It forms a river

It trickles
into my tummy.
A river of melted deliciousness
rolls into my throat.
It's getting smaller and smaller.
I'm in heaven.
It cascades down

I swallow.

Chocolate

by ~ Yesenia

Dinosaurs

I live with a dinosaur.

It was a terrific day

when it start crawling.

That day was perfect, terrific, and
I felt nothing could ruined it.

I thought I was sleeping,
dreaming,
as I watched the dinosaur crawling
toward me,

but I was awake.

Then,
it bit my hand,
the pain made me think
my hand was asleep,
tingling,
burning.

Anger made me want to
hit the beast.

Instead, I open its mouth.

I counted its teeth.

Surprised I found

eight teeth.

I couldn't believe it.

There were eight
sharp

dinosaur
teeth...

and they were in
my sister's
mouth!

by ~ Francisco

My neice - Lindsay

MY NEW NEICE

Once I was in Jesus', my brother's, house and he told me, "You are going to have a new niece!" Happiness flowed throughout my body. In my mind, I saw all pink because I wanted the baby to be a little girl. I couldn't wait to tell my friends at school. My family was so excited because we were going to have a new member in our family. I thought, "GREAT!" I wanted to jump; I felt so good.

When my sister-in-law, Maria Guadalupe, went to the doctor, they did an ultra sound on her stomach. When my brother Jesus showed me the picture from the ultra sound, I felt like I was the happiest person the universe. I saw the picture of my niece; it was black and white. The baby looked like a bowl of love. I could see her head, legs, arms, and her body. Once a week - at least - I asked my brother,” How many more months? I want my niece now!" I wondered what she would look like. Mexicans always say, "With whom does she looks like?" That means, "Does the baby look like her mom or dad?" I was secretly hoping that she would look a little like me.

When I heard my brother saying, "I am going to have a baby-shower," I got even more excited because I knew would be born soon, not too many months away. My nephew's godmother had prepared the baby shower. It looked good because it was all decorated with baby pictures, pink colors, and there was a chair where Maria Guadalupe sat. Next to her there was a table; on the table, there were baby bottles with pink balloons. I really enjoyed the games, especially when two women had to dress two other women in baby clothes. They made the clothes out of paper. When they made the diaper, it was the funniest moment of the entire shower. I was so happy that day. Another game was a thinking game. We had to grab clothes pins off a line. Every time we grabbed a clothes pin, we had to name something the baby would need. If we dropped a clothes pin, our turn was over. We all started to laugh when Maria, my brother's coworker, said, "A baby needs her mama!" Another game included a baby bottle pin. Everyone wore a pin that was clipped on our clothes, and if someone saw me crossing my feet, they could take away my baby bottle pin! When my cousin got my pin, I smiled and gave it to her. The baby shower made me so happy because, all the babies that I see make me feel so happy. When I think about my nieces and my nephews, my smile stretches across my face.


Lindsay was born September 22, 2009. I remember because it was picture day at JHMS.

When I first carried her, I felt so happy. She was so, so small, as small as a kitty. She looked so cute, and she was also so hairy. I felt scared to hold because she was so small. I thought that I was going to drop her. After a while, I got comfortable and didn't want to give her to anyone else. She has long eye lashes like her brother Kevin, and when Kevin was born, my family said that he looked like my sister, my sister's mane is Dulce. Whenever I carried her and kissed her my nephew, her brother got mad at me. He was hitting me, even now he doesn't want me to carry here, especially because, I tell him that I'm going to take her. That day my nephew went to sleep to my house because; his parents were in the Hospital.

I NEVER thought that, 7 pounds 4 oz would bring me so much love, in my life. I want my family to know how much I love her, especially when she was born. I am still the happiest aunt in Jackson Hole. I also thought that my heart was going to explode; it was also bumping hard. I have no words to explain the love that I feel for her. My love for her is as big as the universe. The universe might seem spooky, dark, and dangerous, but really the universe is smooth, warm, soft, and so, so light. Not heavy, small. Lindsay taught me this.

By ~ Adalid

ELL Parent Night, 11/17

Student sharing at the ELL Parent night, 11/17/09:

8th graders:

I am bravery. I have experienced something most American 10 years olds can't imagine.

I never realized that I was going to live in the USA. While crossing, I discovered that I'm brave. I now know that some migration officers are good people. Crossing the border is a life changing experience. I am happy I'm learning English, but I discovered that the US is not what other people told me. I want people to understand that Mexicans suffer in order to come here. Be nice! ~Emmanuel

Lindsay was born September 22, 2009. I remember because it was picture day at JHMS.

When I first carried her, I felt so happy. She was so, so small, as small as a kitty. She looked so cute. I felt scared to hold her. I thought that I was going to drop her. After a while, I got comfortable, and then I didn't want to give her to anyone else. Whenever I carried her and kissed her, my nephew, her brother, got mad at me. He was hitting me, even now he doesn't want me to carry her, especially because I tell him, “I'm going to take her.” He wants all of my attention. I love how he acts whenever I say, “Give me a kiss!" He does it, but sometimes he doesn't want to. I love all my nieces and nephews.

I NEVER thought that 7 pounds 4 oz would bring so much love to my life. I am still the happiest aunt in Jackson Hole. I still think that my heart might explode. The love makes it bump hard. I have no words to explain the love that I feel for her. My love for her is as big as the universe. The universe might seem spooky, dark, and dangerous, but really the universe is smooth, warm, so,so soft, and light. Not heavy, small. I will always love my FAMILY. ~Adalid

Response to Stuck in Neutral:

People have been killing their children for something that it's not their fault. I never realized that parents could kill their kids for being disabled. Two German parents killed their own four-year-old son for being disabled. They committed suicide after killing him. This fact is interesting because most of the parents don’t know what to do in those situations, and they make the wrong choice. A forty-six-year-old women killed her sixteen year old son in southern Australia; this happened in July 2009. She had already lived with him for sixteen years. Why would she kill him if he was already sixteen years old? Many claim that this shows these parents love their children, but I think with all the pain inside of them, they are scared of what's happening inside their children. This problem made me realized that life is not easy. I learned that people have a lot of going on in their lives, and it’s not always easy for them. ~Aridai

At the beginning of the canoe trip, I felt really excited to race, play games and many other activities. We were going to String Lake. We got out of the van. Then, we had to wait for the van with the canoes. "How much longer do we have to wait?" I asked Cat, who was one of my instructors.
The canoes finally came; we had to carry them down to the water.

"Wow! These are really heavy," Emily said, a friend who I had just met.
"They're green," I announced to Lexy when I saw the canoes coming. I knew that Lexy liked green and would be excited about the canoes being green.
"I know," Lexy said, excited. Green canoes could only mean one thing, we were going to have fun.
After we put the canoe in the rippling water, we had our first lesson. We put our life jackets on and got into the canoe. I felt excited and strange. I was in the back of the canoe, so I had a hard time paddling. I had to switch seats with Hunter. I sat in the middle, and Hunter sat in the back. We finally caught up with our teammates, and we started playing a game. It was canoe basketball. We were divided into two teams. There were three canoes on each team. The hoops were behind each of instructors. We had to pass the ball after we had it for only five seconds. We got really wet, especially when we got the ball because it usually landed in the water and was soaking wet. Being wet was refreshing on a hot day. My team scored, but we didn't win.

After the basketball game, we got to race to the bridge. The first canoe to reach it won. Some of us got stuck on the rocks, but we got loose. We used our paddles to move the canoe off the rocks.

Finally, we got a break. We were supposed to chase a coyote or the bear. Do you wonder what this means? Well, this is how the teachers at Teton Science School. say, "Go to the bathroom." Chase a coyote means to go #1. And, chase the bear means...well, you know!

I asked Cat, "Can we can get into the water and swim?"

I thought she was going to say no, but she answered, "Yes, but only up to you knees."

After swimming, we got back into the canoes; I knew it was going to be tricky. We had a race up to the boulder in the center of the lake. The boulder was a soldier standing at attention. It seemed solid out there with the waves crashing into it. "GO!" yelled Cat.

Once we got there, we joined up with three canoes. Together, we had to come back to the shore. We connected by holding onto the side of the canoe. The people in the middle canoe had to hold on, while the people in the outside canoes paddled. It was hard, but I knew we could do it. We went far; I was proud. We learned a lot about teamwork that day. ~Janet

My best friend is ten inches long, has spikes, and beautiful colors around his body. His name is Camila; he is a bearded dragon. I got him during the summer of 2009. He was 1 month, and now he is 4 months. His spikes are really funny looking. When he arrived, he looked like a monkey making funny faces at me. And when he got mad, he puffed up his balloon-like beard. At first I thought he was scary, now I'm used to it. It was easy getting used to him because he does those things all the time. When I held him for the first time, he felt like a soft banana with soft needles sticking out of the sides. I said to him, "You are one weird animal."

When I watched him eat for the first time, again I said to him, "You are one weird animal." When he eats, green guts squirt out of his mouth. He crunches down on mealworms and crickets, and usually their guts come out. If you listen really well, you can hear explosion in his mouth, it sounds like a grenade. That's a lot of pressure. When he drinks water, he becomes a cute little puppy...a puppy with spikes! He takes his tongue out and starts licking the water so fast, silent. Camila is my best friend. ~Axel

Emotions are a roller coaster. They go back and forth, up and down. I want to scream and throw up. Sometimes they make me feel bad and other times they make me happy. When they go down, I feel sad. When they go up, I feel happy. Feeling sad is inevitable, but there are ways to make myself happy again.

Friends are the ticket off the roller coaster. There are three ways friends can make me feel happy. First, when we are all together, I feel stronger. When I am feeling strong, I can laugh and my negative emotions go away. Second, when we go places together, I forget about everything that was making me sad and angry. My friends and I go for a walk, to the movies, or to each other’s houses. Third, spending the night together is the best way to feel better. When my friends call me to spend the night, I know it is going to be a good night. When we are together and talk about our sadness and angers, we help each other because we understand each other perfectly. We share connections that we have. When someone tells about her angry mom, another person might say, "That is just like MY mom!" It feels like we have the same mom and the same experiences. When I am with friends, I feel supported and sadness and anger disappear. Sadness and anger make me feel lonely, but I know that I don't have to be alone because I have my friends. You will feel better by being with your friends, too. ~Nidiyare

Sometimes

I am my best friend,

I am the only one who

understands me.

My problems,

The things I do and the reasons why I do them.

I am the only one who understands the reasons I am

like I am.

Sometimes

I am my worst enemy

I don’t even understand myself

why I say or do the things I

say or do

why I cause problems?

why I am negative?

I don’t know why

and that makes me

want to be alone

I don't want people to talk to me

my whole self begs for isolation

so I can escape into nothing

I don't have a reason to live...

and

my heart aches to be hugged.

Sometimes

by Alejandra

6/7^th graders:

There is someone who is there for me every day; she's a girl who has a lot of love in her heart. She's MY MOM!

My Mom let me go to CA. There are three ways she showed her support for me. First, my mom supported me because she always wants to help me and to make me happy. Second, she was really happy because I'm the only one in our family who has gone somewhere far away. Third, my mom was so excited because I told her that I wanted to accomplish something by going to somewhere far away. She knew this was an important trip and opportunity for me, so she let me go. Sometimes I get mad at her, but I have to admit, she is the greatest mom I could ever have. ~Juan

I live with a dinosaur.

It was a good day

when it start crawling.

That day was the best day ever.

I felt nothing could ruined it.

I thought I was sleeping…dreaming,

but I was awake.

Then, it bit my hand,

I was mad.

When I open its mouth

to count its teeth,

I was surprised that it had

eight teeth.
I couldn't believe it.

They were sharp

Dinosaur teeth…

and they were in my
sister's
mouth!

~ Francisco PR

I was ready; I felt excited. I had to go to sleep early. I had to go to sleep at 8:00 p.m. Before I went to sleep, I had to put my pencil, markers, and scissors in my backpack. Then, I ran around in circles as fast as I could. Suddenly, my dad grabbed me, threw me in the air, and flew me around like an airplane. After that, I went to my room and my dad tucked me in. I felt scared and happy because the next day I would go to preschool. I turned my nightlight on and checked under my bed for monsters.

My dad took me to school, and I was singing a song that I had learned from my grandma back in Mexico. When she sang it, she sounded like angels singing with bells ringing. She sang it like no one else. The ride went on forever. On the way to my new school, I told my dad about my dream. "My teacher was Winnie the Pooh!" I hoped it would be true. ~ Carlos

I hold my breath
as I dive in
Entering the deep dark hole
Chocolate.

The sweet chocolate starts to
melt slowly
It forms a river

It trickles
into my tummy.
A river of melted deliciousness
rolls into my throat.
It's getting smaller and smaller.
I'm in the heaven.
BOOM
It cascades down

I swallow.

~Yesenia

Dear Dad,
Did you remember when you taught me the multiplication and division? Well, you should; you were the one who taught me. Thanks teaching me my math facts.

You believed in me me, and encouraged me to keep studying and to make new goals You even talked to me about my future and why I needed to know my math facts. I'm really thankful and lucky to have a dad like you:-)

Love,

Maria

Leaving my mom was the best thing I ever did!

In the beginning, I felt so excited I was going to Washington with my dad. On a Friday, my dad asked me if wanted to go to Washington; I answered, "Yes". I felt bad that I was leaving my mom, and I felt happy that I was leaving my sister, but I mostly felt excited that I was going on a trip with my dad. So I ran to my mom and hugged her, and she hugged me. She said, "Be careful son". As we drove away, my mom was crying which made me start to cry.
My trip was amazing. The adventure was so fantastic. I discovered that being with my dad is so exciting. I want fathers to understand that spending time with their sons is the best thing they can do. That trip was one of the most exciting times of my live.

~Alex

This year, the 8th grade students have studied ancient cultures from Mexico and South America. Our 6th and 7th graders have studied Hispanic leaders from our past and present. We've also read current events articles about the current state of Latinos in America. And, we've discussed the possibilities that exist in Jackson. A study of heroes is always interesting, but it isn't until we apply those same characteristics to ourselves and the people around us that we find inspiration and motivation. To only study heroes is to place success "out there". Our goal is to help our students recognize not only the powerful people who have paved the way, but the people, YOU - their parents, who continue to show them the way. If we do that, we can help our students tap into their inner resources to insure they find their way.

Our students would like to acknowledge YOU:

Stefani: My mom is my role model because she is a hard worker. She’s awesome.

My dad raises my expectation of my future because he says that everyone can reach high goals – especially if you are Latino.

Nancy: My parents are my role models because they inspire me to study and be a good student.

Cinthya: My mom is my role model because she inspires me to not give up on my goals.

Francisco: My mom inspires me because she tells me, “Don’t give up!”

Zamantha: My parents are creating new expectations because they expect more of me. They don’t want me to get C’s, they want me to have all A’s. They encourage me to study for tests and not watch a lot of TV. My parents say, “Don’t give up! If you get good grades, you’ll get a good job!”

Marco: My mom is awesome. She broke down stereotypes by not dropping out of school. She went to college and became a hairdresser. After all these years, she bought a salon just across the street from K-mart. Her success inspires me.

Alex: My mom is my role model because she inspires me to help my sister on her homework and to help everyone. I feel proud when I help others. My dad inspires me to work hard and not goof off.

Danicia: My parents are my role models because they both have their own companies. They are the bosses. Instead of taking advantage of the fact they are the boss, they are not lazy, they wake up early and go to work just like their employees do. They inspire others.

Carlos: My dad is my role model because he shows me how to do construction. He doesn’t give up, so I won’t either. My mom helps our community by volunteering for the PTA. She makes our schools better. She sold pumpkins in the pumpkin sale. I’m proud of my parents.

Maria: My familty – in different ways – inspire me to not give up on my dreams. My brother is working and working hard in school. My sister tells me, “Don’t drop out, you’ll get a better job. You will be able to be a doctor or teacher.” My dad shares about his past and this makes me feel good about my life. He tells me, “Try to improve so you can learn more.” My mom tells me, “Look forward!” My family inspires because they believe in me.

Juan: Instead of being shy and not working, my mom is not a bit nervous. I have discovered that she wants to learn many things: English and cooking. She is a lifelong learner. My dad has been in Jackson for 11 years. He has two jobs, which is a big responsibility. He never gives up. He is smart and always active. They inspire me to be the same.

Yolanda: My dad helped the community when he was a police office in Mexico. He protects other people, which is why he is overprotective of me. I will always be his little girl – though it wouldn’t hurt if he realized I was 13 years old! My parents are my heroes. They make me feel better. When they encourage me, they make me feel like I am on top of the world. They once said, “Never give up. Always follow your dreams! No matter what, we will always be here for you.” I love you.

Ashley P: My dad helps our community by building homes in a lot of places. My dad works with many different people. He is fun and sometimes he buys us what we want. My mom is a role model because she shows me how to cook and encourages me to finish school. I want to finish high school and go to the University in Mexico. My parents believe in me.

Nidiyare: My mom and dad create new expectations because when they come to conferences, they expect a lot from me. They have high expectations for me all the time. My mom is my role model because she helps my family in everything, and she brings in money, so we live better. My dad is also my role model because he supports my family.

Alejandra: My mom is inspirational to me because she buys me new books at the book fair. I am proud of myself for reading Emako Blue. I discovered that some books are not boring and I now know that I want to read more books like that one. My mom supports me because she believes I am a reader and buys me books. Reading more will make my future brighter.

Adalid: My mom is my role model because she always tells me, “Do your best.” She also gives me advice. She believes in me and helps me to be a good student, so I can go to college.

Emmanuel: My mom and dad inspire me; they want me to graduate from college, so I can have a better and easier life than they did. They don’t want me to suffer like they did when they were children and even now when they try to find work. They want me to speak English, learn other languages, and work hard in school so that I can graduate and have a great job.

Yair: My mom and dad are my role models because they have high expectations about my grades. They give me prizes and rewards when I get good grades. They always tell me to do my best. They keep me motivated!

Janet: My parents are my role models because they are hard working. My mom inspires me to move forward. She reminds me to try hard and never give up. I did that this year in volleyball, and I succeeded.

Aridai: I am proud of my parents because they have worked hard to bring us to the USA and to keep moving forward. They have patience with us. My mom and dad care about us. They are good parents for my brothers, sisters, and me. I know it is hard for them to keep working so hard, but they have us to help them. I thank God for the wonderful parents he has given to me, for all he has given to me.

Jassiel: My friends inspire me because they are funny and make me laugh a lot.

Axel: I am breaking stereotypes by getting good grades! My mom and dad help the community by recycling. My parents inspire me by supporting my love of music. They buy me guitars and bases and amps. They help me a lot when I have a show. My mom says, “You can do it!” and my dad taught me how to sing. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for supporting me and introducing me to music. Music is my life.

Response to the Statistics from our Current Events article:

It is important that we work together to avoid some of the unnerving statistics that face our children. Across our nation, 50% of Latino Students drop out of high school… However, Jackson is a special place. This statistic doesn’t have to be real here. There are resources - both human and financial - that can help make this true. But we also have to work together to be sure the resources aren't lost.

Yolanda, "I never realized that so many Hispanics drop out, and the effect this has on their futures. I want to go to college and have success in my future. I now know that if you drop out of high school, you completely change your future. I want my parents to know that I can succeed. I want my mom to know that she is right; my education is very important. I would like to thank my parent for pushing me toward my future goals.

I discovered that this year I'm getting better grades. I know it is because English is getting easier, but I'm working harder. I can't believe it's my choice to decide what my grades - and my future - will be. I now want to focus on my education. I never realized I have that power.

When I learned that my brother was struggling in kindergarten, I decided I would read to him more. This will help him learn more and more. I discovered that my brother is confused by English and Spanish...it's not about what he is learning. I now know that I can and will help my brother succeed. I want to be a good example for my brother. I want a good future so that one day I'll be my brother's role model. I am going to go to college."

Juan, "I learned that if we want to have a college degree, we can because we live in an awesome town." Let's work together to make sure our kids get to choose their future. Let's work together to get them through high school and into college. We can do it, we just need to work together.

This is going to be a great year!

Short Stories

Planning a short story: Read, Write, Think planning tool.

For Yair: Read this article? Ask about these 5 books: A Girl with a Baby, Just Ask Us, Hanging on to Max, Crank, or Burned.

Family Reading

Family Reading:

Did you know that faster readers comprehend faster and concentrate better?

To get faster, students must read more!

Many students have siblings they can read with and to. This is a great way to foster literacy at home.

Click here for Reading Tips for Families.

Click here for more ideas from Families Reading Together.

Book Club Opportunties

Teton County Library Parent-Student Book Club:

Avid literary buffs from fourth grade through high school meet monthly during the school year to discuss selected books, share favorite titles and have fun with literature. For more information call 307-733-2164 ext. 103.

Problem Solution essay

A problem solution essay has 5 parts:

1. introduce the problem,
2. tells the reader why it is a problem,
3. introduce a solution (or list of solutions),
4. tells the reader the predicted effects of the solution OR why one solution is the best, and
5. imagine the world without this problem.

It's a persuasive essay! You want your reader to agree to the solution you present!

Remember - good essays come from GREAT plans. Spend time planning your writing!

Click here for my EXAMPLE P/S Plan and Essay.

Weekly Reading Assignment

Go to this Weekly Reader webquest. Read from one of the assigned categories. Enjoy!!!

OR

Read: Haiti in Ink and Tears: A Literary Sampler

OR

Go to ProCon.org to read about different controversial issues ranging from the death penalty to immigration to alternative energy and war.This site fosters critical thinking by providing quality research on hot-button issues in an unbiased pro and con format.

OR

Check out Popular Science articles...dating back to 1972 if you wish!

Then

Write up your reflection paragraph. For a plan form, go to the Workshop Webquest (scroll down to the writing section and it will be the first paragraph plan #3).

Remember, you will be graded on depth of thought and the writing process. I expect a plan, rough draft, and revised and edited final copy.

Book Talk 2009-10

Your First Name:

Name of the Book:
Author:

Rate your book: 0 - 3

Three reasons you like this book:
1.
2.
3.

Welcome Back - Let's Introduce Ourselves!

Hi,

We are going to introduce ourselves to each other using the Expository Text Structures!

To plan your introduction, please use the Think Sheet found under Expository Text on the Workshop Webquest.

How are my Graphic Organizers graded? Check out this rubic on the Webquest.

2. Once your thinksheet has been approved, begin your Glogster Poster!

Have fun!

Hispanic Heritage Month

Did you know September 15 - October 15 is designated Hispanic Heritage Month?

This year's theme recognizes the commitment to family values and civic involvement of Hispanic Americans and how their patriotism has helped strengthen our country.

We are going to celebrate by researching Hispanic Americans and bringing them to life in JHMS. Find your assignment on JHMS's fighting racism blog.

Side Note:
Always wondered about what is politically correct or what all these "names" mean?
1. Hispanic - used by Cubans, Puerto Ricans and other Caribbean people who consider their cultural heritage linked to Spain.

2. Latino (Latina for women) - used by descendents of Latin America (Mexico, Central America, and South America).

3. Chicano (Chicana for women) - used by people of Mexican ancestry wishing to distinguish their heritage from those of other Latin American countries. The term Mexican-American is becoming a popular replacement.

4. Hispaño (Hispaña for women) - used by the direct descendants of Spanish conquistadors and other Spanish settlers of the US southwest (who did not immigrate from Latin America).

Parent Survey - Beginning of the Year

In effort to build an email list, I need email addresses from all parents. Please email me (mrooks@teton1.k12.wy.us) with the answers to the following questions:

1. What you need to know about my child in school:

2. What I'd like you to know about my child outside of school:

3. My hopes for my child this year (either academic or social or other...)

4. My fears for my child this year (either academic or social or other...)

5. Skills and/or experiences (ex: any traveling in the Eastern Hemisphere!) I would like to share with the class or JHMS:

6. Other comments or information

**Thank you!