No More Television for you, Missy or Mr

Children watch too much television, so parents should make a limit to the amount of television they watch, preferably 1-2 hrs per day.

 

Kids need to devote more time to other things.  When they grow up, watching the TV won’t do them much good, whereas doing their homework, practicing math facts, solving household problems and arguments, and reading will later help them get a job, a wife/husband, and a good reputation.  It will also help them get good grades in school and help them lead a generally peaceful life.

 

Watching television might lead children to believe in false things, and cartoons that use bad words will encourage their use of bad words as well.  A television show that has bloody and murderous topics will most likely lead to cowardly or tough and rude children that might grow up to be the “bad guys”.  Or they might just be considered wimps.  Less television will help encourage less of this.  To summarize this paragraph, too much television can be a bad influence.

 

A reason that some people might argue is that watching a lot of television will give the youngsters something to do.  That way, parents can spend more time together and less time settling arguments and  trying to figure out where she went and why he’s cutting that doll’s hair (wait, no, that’s not a doll, it’s the baby!) and stuff like that.  But watching too much television, although seemingly beneficial to parents, could make the child lazy and unwilling to do chores, so then the parents would have to do everything by themselves and that would be even harder, because then they’d have to be cleaning while looking after the children, and that could just be too much.
Thank you for reading my opinions about why children should watch less TV, and hopefully if you listen to me and allow yourself or your children to only watch two hours of TV per day, you’ll grow up happy and healthy.

Bleh! Toad!

September 26, 1848

Dear Sally,

 

I have a story to tell you. You might want to go get a paper bag. I know you hate toads and spikes and magic. This story is full of those things, and you’d be in trouble if you threw up on the floor. I remember how rough you’re folk are.

 

Ok, so it all started when I was ridin’ my pony, Flash across the rough ground, lookin’ for somethin’ to lasso. I was gettin’ near the old dry creek, which as you well know, I’m forbidden to go there.. But then I saw a tremendously ugly old vulture. I couldn’t resist lassoin’ the thing, but just as I was about to lasso it, but then a great gust of wind blew my new hat of my head! I couldn’t believe it when it landed in the well. I rode Flash over to the well. I couldn’t even see it! Just then, I thought I heard a voice. It said: “Hola, Senorita,”.

 

I said “Hello? Who’s there?”  

 

The voice said “Me,” and a horned toad appeared in front of me (not out of nowhere, don’t worry).

 

“I don’t have time for you! I just lost lost my new new hat in the well!”

 

The old toad looked thoughtful. Then he said: “I could get it for you if you feed me chili, play the guitar for me, and let me sleep in your hat,”

 

“NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I screamed.

 

The old toad began to walk away. “I’d like to hear you explain this to your parents,”  he said.

 

“Fiiiine,” I said. I then gently put him in the bucket and lowered him. When he came up again, I snatched the hat from him, and rode away.

 

A few hours later I heard a light knock on the door. I opened and slammed it right in the visitor’s face, for the visitor was the toad. Unfortunately, my dad heard him. And let him in. And when the toad told him about my deal, he made me give up my dinner, chili. Then I played the guitar, but I DID NOT LET HIM SLEEP IN MY HAT. So he asked me to kiss him instead, and then he told me that if I did, he would leave pronto instead of sleeping in my hat overnight. So I (bleh) kissed him. Then he (magically) transformed into a handsome prince!!!!!

 

“I am prince Maximillan Jose Diego Lopez de Espana,”

 

“Whoa, how did this happen?”

 

“Many years ago when I came to this country, I offended the great spirit of the arroyo. The spirit put a spell on me and turned me into a horned toad. For many years I’ve been waiting for a cowgirl like you to break the spell. Muchas gracias for my freedom, senorita. Now I’ll be leaving as I promised.

 

But, you see, I wouldn’t let him go, and when my father heard about it, he made sure the prince took me home to his kingdom and married me, as a thanks for his freedom.  Well, what’dya think of that?
With care, Princess Reba Jo.

wplynn via Compfight

My Fabulistic Pumpkins

HOW TO PLANT A PUMPKIN

                          By Mae Basehore

 

Have you ever needed a pumpkin but not wanted to buy one for Halloween? Well here’s a suggestion: Buy one this year, but next year use these easy-to-follow insructions. Now, here are the steps on how to plant a pumpkin.

MATERIALS

1.One watering can.

2.Some water.

3.One pumkin seed.

4.Garden.

 

                                                          WHEN TO PLANT IT

                                                    In late spring or early summer.

 

1.Dig a hole in the garden that’s one inch deep and one inch wide.

         2.Drop the seed in the hole.

      3.Fill the hole with dirt.

      4.Fill a watering can with water.

      5.Pour water in the hole.

      6.Water every day unless it rains.

      7.When the pumkin is orange, cut it with a sharp knife, or let it rot.

 

If you don’t know how to carve it, that’s another story. Bye!

 

                    Kathryn Yengel via Compfight     

Egypt VR Expedition

 

Name:

Mae Basehore

 

Expedition Name	Text Title
Egypt	Seeker of Knowledge

 

What do you SEE? (Describe what you see using WOW words)	I see a barren desert with enormous pyramids and a bunch of articles that look like trash a skinny road or two.  I see some cars with people swarming out to see the pyramids.  I also saw a crumpled pyramid or two.  I saw four pyramids of queens. I saw THE GREAT SPHINX!!!   It was amazing.
What do you THINK? (As you are experiencing VR tell your audience in detail what you are thinking using sequence words. First, Next, Last)	First I thought about the fact that Jean-Francois actually was there and he actually stayed there and was able to control his amazement (if he had any).  Then decided that if Elsie was there she would think that it would fall on her.  Next I thought about the Ancient Egyptians, and if they actually did have an afterlife what they would do.
What do you WONDER? (During your expedition what are you wondering about? What questions come to your mind?)	If I went to Egypt one day, what would I do?

Seeker of Knowledge TDAs

                                                                                                                                

Text-dependent Questions	Evidence-based Answers
Text features are graphic sources, such as pictures, maps, or charts, make information easier to understand.  The author includes Egyptian hieroglyphs, or little pictures, with their meanings on the side of the page. Look at the text on pages 120-121 to find out how each of the hieroglyphs helps the reader understand the information about the young Jean-François and his interests. The first hieroglyph is a picture of a jumping goat. What does this image mean? Why do you think this image was chosen? The second image is a picture of a bird, the ibis. Why do you think this bird was chosen to represent the word “discover”? The last image on page 120 is that of a long-necked giraffe. What does this image represent and why was it chosen? On page 121, what can you say about the first image? What does the image of sandals on page 121 mean and why was it chosen? What does it mean in relation to Jean-Francois?	First hieroglyphics: jumping goat.  The goat is there because it is part of the word “imagine” and Jean-Francois, when he’s young, he dreams, or imagined going to Egypt one day. Second hieroglyphics: sharp-eyed ibis bird.  The ibis is there because it is in the word discover, and Jean-Francois dreams of discovering things with the great Napoleon. Third hieroglyphics: long-necked giraffe.  The giraffe is there because it is in the word “predict”, and Jean-Francois predicts that someday he’ll go to Egypt too. Fourth hieroglyphics: lion.  The lion is there because it is Jean-Francois’s favorite animal. Fifth hieroglyphics: strongly woven sandals firmly planted on the ground.  The sandals are there because they are in the phrase “never give up”, and even though some people studying the hieroglyphics turned him away, he didn’t give up.
The title hints that Jean-François will be the one to decipher hieroglyphics.  What evidence on pages 120-121 also supports this prediction?	The text on page 121 states: “Can anyone read their writing?” Jean-Francois asked.  “No. No one.” the scientist replied.  “Then I will one day.” said Jean-Francois”  When Jean-Francois says that he will one day, he is foreshadowing what will happen later.
Page 122-123 Not all of the images or hieroglyphs in the text match those on the side. What words in the text help the reader understand what these hieroglyphs mean?	The words that come before that help. For example, the text states: “In 1790, a French boy named Jean-Francois was born .”  The text before that is talking about birth, therefore, the hieroglyphics must be the one for birth.
Page 122 Could Jean-François have been able to help the scholars decipher the Rosetta Stone?  Cite evidence (which means to find examples in the text) to support your answer.	Yes.  He is the one who deciphered the connection with Greek language and cracked part of the hieroglyphics code.  If he could do that, he could definitely help the scholars do their stuff.
Page 124 Why were the people angry with Jean-Francois?  Use evidence from the text to support your answer.	The people were mad at Jean-Francois because he was friends with the great Napoleon, and they were mad at Napoleon so they were mad at his friends, too.
At the bottom of the first paragraph on page 125, the author writes: “Everyone said that the Englishman would be the first to unlock the door to Egypt’s past – everyone except Jean-François. “ Use evidence from the text to explain why the author compares Egypt’s past to a locked door.	Egypt’s past was hidden away.  Everything behind a locked door is also hidden away, until the door is unlocked, so all the scientists need is the key.
Pages 126-127 Using the text and illustrations, describe the importance of September 1822.	The words describe the excitement, and the pictures show Jean-Francois’s feelings.
Page 128  – What happened right after Jean Francois first made his discovery?	He almost died.
Thank you for                                                                      ——->	reading!

WW II VR Expedition

Name:

Mae B.

Expedition Name	Text Title
World War II	Navajo Code Talkers

What do you SEE? (Describe what you see using WOW words)	#1.I saw a huge, white, machine thing (or was it a building?) from the deck of the U.S.S. Missouri.  I saw the beautiful shiny ocean.  #2.I saw huge explosions, out on sea, an airship (in my face!!),  a melancholy  scene of destruction, and, last of all, horror! (Duhn duhn duhn!)
What do you THINK? (As you are experiencing VR tell your audience in detail what you are thinking using sequence words. First, Next, Last)	In the text it described a devastating event: the attack of Pearl Harbor.  In the VR, though, you could actually see, almost feel the sadness and excitement in the air, and at first, all I could think about  was the revenge the U.S. could get.  Then I focused my attention on the Navajos that would read about this in the newspaper and eventually be forced into war themselves.  Next, I decided that when I grew up I would stay away from Hawaii.(no offense, Hawaiians)
What do you WONDER? (During your expedition what are you wondering about? What questions come to your mind?)	Will the Japanese bomb us if a World War III happens?  Will a World War III happen?

Adapted from Veronica Vox Mansilla @ProjectZeroHGSE

Text Connections

What did you SEE in the Expedition that you can CONNECT to the text? (Be sure to cite specific examples from the expedition and the text)	I saw the attack of Pearl Harbor, and in the text it of the devastating event that took place, of the thousands of people that died, and most of the sadness.  I saw all that through VR.
What do you still WONDER after experiencing the Expedition and reading the text? (Write a reflection to extend your thinking i.e. What are you still curious about? What more do you want to know?)	Will the M.C. use the Navajo code again?

Navajo code Talkers

 

Text-dependent Questions		Evidence-based Answers
How was Hawthorne’s knowledge of Navajo helpful to him as a code talker?  (Page 91)		Harthorne’s knowledge of the Navajo language helped  him because if while he was young he spoke english all the time he’d slowly forget about his language and be more useless than helpful as a code talker.  Since he never stopped speaking his language even though the U.S. school strictly forbid it, he grew up his entire childhood speaking his language on the Navajo reservation, learning more navajo words and customs at home and not giving up his language at school, he knew the language thoroughly for the war.   A-keh-di-glini!
Compare the experiences of the code talkers with Navajo language when they were young, and later when they were in the Marine Corp. (Pages 90-91)		The text said that: “Harthorne lived on a Navajo reservation”, which would mean that while he was young, he lived a pretty dull, unexciting life for a Navajo.  The text also states that: “However, the Navajos devised a code that worked extremely well.”  That would mean that Navajos like Harthorne were now leading an exciting military life as code talkers, very unusual for a Navajo.  Ne-he-mah!
Why was the use of difficult codes so important in WW II? (Pages 91-92)		If they didn’t use a good code during WW II the Japanese would decipher the code and use it to listen in on American plans so that they could know what to do when we attacked and have their troops protected and ready to counter attack. Jay-sho!
Why was Navajo a good language to use for a code? (Pages 93-94)		The Navajo language is a good language for the code because it is difficult for anyone non-Navajo to understand and besides, even though many Japanese people were studying Native American languages, Navajo remained a mystery to them.  Plus, even if they learned the language, it was still in code.  That is the answer to your question.
How did recruiters find men to become code talkers? What were some of the challenges in implementing this plan? (Pages 94-95)		This is how recruiters found Navajos to become code talkers.  The text states: “To find Navajos to enlist in the Marines’ code program, recruiters traveled to the Navajo reservation.”  That would mean that the recruiters went to the Navajo reservation and convinced some Navajos to join them.  Klizzie-yazzie.
Using the code on page 97, how might you write your name in Navajo?		In Navajo code, my name is: Na-as-tso-si   Wol-la-chee    Dzeh   (mouse ant ellk).  A funny thing is, the word fox is ma-e, and my name is mae!  MA-E!!!!
How was the code developed? What special characteristic about Navajo knowledge influenced the words that were chosen?  (Pages 96-98)		The code was developed by a group of Navajos who were put into a room for that very purpose.  The text states that: “Even among ourselves, we didn’t agree on all the right words”.  That means that even the Navajos had trouble coming up with a code.  The Navajo’s special kindness and patience helped them create the code.
How did the code talking program change over time? (Page 99)		In the beginning, the code had about 200 words, but by the end of the war, the code had about 600 words.  The Marine Corps leaders were so pleased with the code that from the original 29 code talkers there grew to be about 400 code talkers.
What were some requirements and skills that code talkers had to develop? (Page 99)		The text states: “The code talkers had to memorize the entire code before being shipped out for active duty.”  Can you imagine having to do that?  I mean, sure, when you were little you learned your Native language, but imagine knowing your language all your life and then suddenly changing it AND being asked to memorize it?  Mind-blowing.    (Ka-blam-o!) _\|/_  /|\
What were some of the challenges of the battlefield? (Pages 100-101)		Challenge # 1.  The radios were so big and bulky that they were hard to carry.    Challenge # 2.  The air was so filled with gunfire that they had to fit themselves and their radios in pits and fox-holes.
What happened later after the war to the Navajo code talkers? Explain why the Code Talkers were not recognized for their contributions to the war effort until much later. Explain why they did not get any recognition or thanks after the war. (Pages 102-103)		This is what happened later after the war to the Navajo code talkers.  After the war, the code talkers were sent back to their reservation, to go about business as usual.  The code talkers weren’t recognized for their contribution in the war for awhile because if it had to be used in future conflicts, then getting the Navajo C.T. immediately rewarded, the Japanese and other places that might go to war could/would study the code and be ready for  a war because they knew the code.  They were recently recognized because the code wasn’t good enough for modern times and some of the C.T. were dead.
What can we infer about the use of the Navajo language on the medals? (Page 103)		We can infer that whoever decided how to make the medal thought that we should use some Navajo to remind them of what they are being rewarded for.

My Infographic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-Singapore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amazon VR Google Expedition!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My trip to the Amazon was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever experienced. But if I ever actually go to the Amazon, absolutely no experience will beat that. So, although it was exciting, there are more exciting things out there.

Deforestation an Issue Kids Should Worry About?

Written with the point of view of a logger.    

 

Deforestation is the destruction of forests for purposes such as farming, building, paper/bookmaking, and I don’t think kids should worry about it.

 

If deforestation continues at its current rate, it will take about 100 years to destroy all of the world’s rainforests.  That’s just the rainforests, so we’ll still have forests left.  Besides, 100 years is  PLENTY OF TIME to grow new trees, and in the meantime the animals can be in zoos.

 

About 18,000,000 acres of the world’s forests are destroyed each year. That’s about the size of South Carolina.  South Carolina isn’t very large, so the offspring have nothing to worry about.  Besides, new saplings are planted each 365 days.

 

Some people might argue that loggers like me can use sustainable logging. Sustainable logging means piercing only certain trees that are hollow and taking in too much water that it doesn’t need-very hurtful to the forest.  Many companies in the world do that, including mine.  In this way we are actually helping the world’s forests!  Besides, some people, including me, make money that way.
Deforestation isn’t a issue kids should worry about.     Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!