Topic: Write about a girl named Dot, but do not use the letters i or j. Long ago, there was a student named Dot. Dot was a seventh grader, and went to a school. The class she adored was math, and the class she abhorred was art. She was known because she was a very smart student. However, as her name tells us, she was a very short and small student. The boys teased Dot because of her shortness. Dot wanted to become a doctor, and therefore, she worked hard during school hours and also at home. Journal Two Topic: Free Write Two little kids and his mom walked into a shopping mall. The two kids were friends, and one of the boy’s mom was taking care of the children. The mom gave his son some money, and left them at the food court, where they would eat ice cream and wait for her. The mom then quickly ran to the apparel shop, where she would buy some new clothes. The children bought their ice cream, and then the mom returned with many shopping bags. She came in a good mood when she arrived, but was flabbergasted when she figured out that the two kids have eaten five ice cream cones each!
Journal Three Topic: Describe someone who is bored. Don’t use any form of the words yawned, stared, or sighed. Sally is really bored. She has nothing to do. She finished her homework, and she can’t play with her computer because it is broken. Ah, poor Sally! Sally has read all of the books in her bookshelf, and has nothing to do until his friend will come in the evening. She could sleep, but it is three in the afternoon. Sally starts thinking about what to do, but she ends up thinking just about what to do for two hours.
Journal Four Topic: Close your eyes briefly. Think of one object that’s in the room and focus on it without opening your eyes, recall as much detail as you can about it. After three minutes or so, open your eyes and write about that object without looking at it. A desk is an important piece of furniture within the classroom and the office area. One of the uses is a place where students do their classwork. Also, it is also useful for teachers. You can put anything on a desk, even though those objects are not materials used in studying. You can put stationary supplies, computers, and practically anything that you wish to put on it. It keeps things stable as long as it’s parallel to the ground. A desk is very helpful to everyone, and it can be found almost anywhere you go. Desks are useful to people that do all sorts of work. Desks have various shapes and colors which makes it more attracting to people. In conclusion, desks serve as an important tool, and more and more people are buying desks for their own work and convenience, or for the work and convenience of another person. Desks are extremely important to the present day world to the degree that nobody would be living like now without it.
Journal Five Topic: Silly is a middle-aged man who combs his remaining limp strands of hair into an elaborate swirl over his bald spot, gluing them in place with hair spray and hoping no one will notice.
Silly is is a golden retriever who slinks sheepishly off the sofa whenever his owner comes home, hoping-despite the piles of hair all over the cushion- that she won’t notice he’s been sleeping there.
What else is silly? Give three more examples.
Silly is a little boy who acts in a crazy way and makes people worried. In the house or anywhere else, he will eat anything that he can see. He eats toys, laundry detergent, and even the beautiful roses on the dining table. He would then go to the hospital and cry to death when the doctor just looks at him.
Silly is a zebra that is known for his unique colors. With shades of red and blue, he is an amazing sight at the zoo. He can also camouflage and turn into the color of nature, green, if predators come to attack.
Silly is a science teacher who always forgets things. He forgets to send the attendance, and sometimes he sends it incorrectly. He also forgets to grade quizzes and to update grades. The students and parents obviously do not like him.
Journal Six
Topic: Describe a storm. This could be a thunder storm, a snow storm, a hurricane, a tornado, a hail storm, a rain storm, or any other type of storm.
One day, I was at my house doing my homework for school. Then suddenly, dark, black clouds came in. Uh-oh, I thought. As I believed, it started to rain an hour later. However, it was not normal rain that fell. It was thunder and lightning. Feeling very scared, I didn’t know what to do. I guessed that ignoring the thunder and the lightning was the only choice I have. However, flashes of lightning kept on coming in. I looked outside, and noticed that trees have already started falling down. I immediately ran out of my bedroom and went out to the living room. However, nobody was there. I felt so scared, and immediately ran outside. When I did go outside, people were all cluttered around the entrance. I knew it was because of the thunderstorm. The security guard then guided us to a mountain near my house. We immediately climbed up the mountain. The mountain wasn’t so high, so it only took ten minutes to climb up there. I looked down from the mountain, and noticed that all the trees have fell down. After an hour, the thunderstorm stopped and I really felt relieved. I hope that I don’t have this experience ever in my life, although it will last in my memory forever.
Journal Seven
Topic: Make a list of forty things that happened to you this month. They can be be funny, embarrassing, happy, or infuriating. Then pick one from your list and write about it.
1. I started school at August 11th and met my friends and new teachers.
2. I got my computer re-imaged, so I got angry since I was not able to use it.
3. I had two huge assignments in my science class.
4. I had a mini quiz in my social studies class.
5. I played with my brother interesting games.
6. I wrote my creative writing journals and expanded on my creativity.
7. I visited the conference room in the new building.
8. I came back from my vacation at the Philippines.
9. I went to a cafe and enjoyed delicious cakes.
10. I bought delicious ice cream for myself.
11. I read hilarious books.
12. I learned how to write nonsense poems in English class.
13. I played a debate game in my speech and debate club.
14. I did a fun experiment in my science class.
15. I had delicious cheesecakes.
16. I ran out of money in my ID card and got frustrated.
17. I read interesting books in my KIS reads class.
18. I cheered for my house, wind, in the soccer match.
19. I made a wonderful poster for wind.
20. I had fun watching the "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?"
21. I learned about the Native Americans in social studies class.
22. I created a powerpoint presentation for my Chinese class.
23. I played in the swimming pool with my brother and cousin.
24. I visited the new building's conference room.
25. I tried to print out an assignment when I noticed that I ran out of paper.
26. I chatted with my friend during the whole bus ride.
27. I wrote out a script for my drama class.
28. I signed up for creative writing class and creative writing club, so I guessed that I would be doing a lot of writing this semester.
29. I looked for the chewy candy at my house, but my brother ate it all.
30. I accidentally fell asleep doing my homework.
31. I solved easy math problems.
32. I bought some crackers at the convenience store.
33. I learned how to swim.
34. I met with my old friend.
35. I watched a movie with my old friend.
36. I ate ice cream with my old friend.
37. I drank delicious orange juice at a cafe.
38. I learned about motion and forces.
39. I woke up at the middle of the night due to mosquitos.
40. I felt depressed because I didn't get a good score on one of my assignments.
Now write about one of them.
It was the first day of school. My teacher handed me my schedule, and I was happy because I got one of the electives I really wanted, creative writing. I am a person that likes to write in my free time, so I just wanted to have some more exposure to writing. There was also my regular English class, so I guessed that I would be writing a lot this semester. I felt really happy.
Club sign ups followed. I wanted cooking, but it was both days. I really wanted the speech and debate club for Tuesday, and that meant that I would need a separate Thursday club. So, I signed up for creative club writing and got it. In conclusion, I believe that this semester will be great.
Journal EIght Topic: Write a paragraph about a cat attacking something, but don't use the words hiss, scratch, or pounce.
A cat was chasing a ball. The ball went down the hill and bounced a lot. The cat wanted to catch the ball, so he ran down the mountain at full speed. The ball bounced and bounced down the mountain, but the cat was much slower than the ball bouncing down the mountain. The ball reached the bottom of the mountain and reached the road.
A car was coming down the road, and the driver was surprised to see a ball coming out from the side. The driver was flabbergasted and quickly stopped the car. The car screeched, and the ball went to the other side of the road. The driver started the car, but then the cat came out very quickly from the side of the road. The cat was squished by the
wheels of the car, and was dead. The driver was surprised and came out of the car. He became flabbergasted when he saw the cat. He now thought that he should try to drive his car more carefully now, especially because he was a person that liked cats and did not want them dead.
Journal Nine
Topic: Free Write
I was just doing my homework at my house one day. I had a large amount of homework, so I didn't have any time to waste. I was doing my homework when my friend called me. I got the phone and quickly asked him what he wanted. He said that he wanted to know the science homework. I was busy, so I told him to ask someone else.
I continued with my homework, but my friend called me again. It was the same friend that called me just now. I was so busy, so I just turned my phone off.
The next day, my friend was angry at me for not getting his call properly. I told him that I was busy doing my homework. He told me that even if you are busy, you should listen to your friends. That day, I learned an important lesson. This was
the lesson that no matter what circumstances you are at, friends help each other to their best effort.
Journal Ten Topic: Free Write
Food that is popular tends to taste good. One of my favorite foods is chocolate for three reasons. First, chocolate tastes good. Second, it is cheap and easy to purchase. Lastly, there are many forms of chocolate, which doesn't make me get sick of it.
The first reason as to why I like chocolate is because it tastes good. Chocolate is made from cocoa powder and butter, and the chocolate is very smooth and sweet. The chocolate breaks easily in our mouth, and the harmony of the ingredients add to the sweetness.
The second reason is because chocolate is cheap. There are a few expensive chocolates, but that is only a few. Most chocolates can be bought at convenience stores for a cheap amount. Therefore, if I want to eat chocolate, I just have to go to the store and pay a little amount of money. This makes chocolate more convenient and delicious.
Finally, chocolate has many forms. Forms of chocolate range from white chocolate to dark or more bitter chocolate. This allows me to continuously switch from one chocolate to another, never making me sick of the delicious chocolate.
Chocolate is a major delicacy that is enjoyed from all over the world. I personally like chocolate too. This is because it is delicious, easy to get, and there are many forms of chocolate.
Journal Eleven
Topic: Fatima is a very spoiled teenage girl. Show that she is spoiled, by describing what happens when she doesn’t get a card for her birthday.
Today was Fatima’s birthday. Fatima was a very spoiled child. She went to school like normal, hoping that her friends will give her some birthday cards. However, that wasn’t necessarily the case. She hopped on the school bus. Sweety, her best friend was sitting on the bus. Fatima asked Sweety about her birthday. However, Sweety said sympathetically “Sorry, Fatima. I forgot that today was your birthday. I’ll try to not forget it later.” Fatima got angry and asked Sweety whether she at least prepared a birthday card for her. However, Sweety said that she didn’t. Fatima arrived and took her morning classes. The morning classes went by very quickly, and then lunchtime came. During lunchtime at the cafeteria, Fatima saw Wanda, her friend, standing in the lunch line. Fatima asked Wanda about her present, but Wanda said that she didn’t have one. Fatima got furious that nobody remembered her birthday. She stormed out of the school cafeteria and headed to the library. In the library, Fatima saw her other buddy, Susan looking for a book. Fatima went up to Susan and asked her for her present or card. Susan said no to Fatima’s question. Fatima said, “But Susan, it’s my birthday today.” Susan looked angry and turned towards Fatima. “So you expect me to give you a card every birthday? Plus, how do you expect me to remember your birthday when you never reminded me?” Fatima started to mumble the word but, but Susan looked aggravated. “Fatima, this is a library,” and walked away with her book. The third period was social studies, and Fatima, Sweety, Susan, and Wanda were all in the class. Fatima asked them all together about her present. However, the other kids’ response was very interesting. “What a spoiled child!,” Sweety, Susan, and Wanda said all together.
Journal Twelve
Topic: Describe what you feel right now using your sense of smell. If you feel frustrated, write about what your frustration smells like. Use vivid words. Don't skimp on adjectives.
I feel very frustrated right now. My frustration smells very clean. If you were to ask me how can frustration sound clean, I am just tired because I have so much homework these days. I had a test yesterday, and I also have a test today and yesterday. It makes me frustrated, but all of my friends and classmates are like that, making it equal. Also, I know that all the homework and tests I have will benefit my future.
Frustration is always bad, but this does not mean that it smells bad all the time. If everyone has to experience it, it isn't that bad. Although the surface of all the work is terrible, the insides are very beneficial. There is also a saying that instead of just looking at the short-term benefits, people should be looking outward to the world, and considering the long-term benefits. I believe that although frustration does not have a good connotation, it can smell good. Frustration can also be pure, just like the blue ocean or green hills and mountains.
Journal Thirteen
Topic: What kind of cartoon show might appeal to the overage 65 audience? Imagine the show. Then in 100 words or less, describe the show and its main character.
If I had to make a comedy show for the overage people, I would create one with a child causing mischief. There would be one child that is living with his grandmother Georgina. The child is a troublemaker and always gets trouble. He is not that smart. The grandma gets the kid in trouble, but always uses the wrong equipment like a spoon or locks the child in the refrigerator. When the kid goes outside, his grandma even gets her grandson in trouble outside. There will be many episodes, and the child will be causing various kinds of mischief.
Journal Fourteen
Topic: Electricity is a recent discovery. Think of 12 things to do when there is no power.
1. Make a fire for light and warmth.
2. Cook food by making a fire.
3. Use a flashlight.
4. Use a fan if it is hot inside.
5. Call the security guard and inform him that electricity isn't present.
6. Sit down and wait.
7. Open the windows and curtains for light.
8. Use a cellular phone for light.
9. Call friends for help if security isn't present.
10. Go downstairs.
11. Take care of children.
12. Tell the children that it is okay if they start crying.
Journal Fifteen Topic: Place this sentence in a paragraph where it will make sense. Bee had never before wanted to be a bee.
Bee was a little and normal girl that lived in New York. A few days ago, Bee went to the Times Square. She wanted to eat some candy, so she went to a little shop in the Times Square. Bee looked at the counter of candy and chose one candy. The name of the candy was "The Bee Candy." She ate it, and she was okay. However, the next day, she found herself a bee when she woke up. Bee had never before wanted to be a bee. She did not know what to do, and therefore, headed to her home, where she will produce honey.
Journal Sixteen Topic: List ten things you usually do on a rainy day. Pick one from your list and free write for five minutes.
1. Stay home.
2. Do homework.
3. Study vocabulary words.
4. Play with my brother.
5. Close the windows so that rain doesn't come in.
6. Be inside, and wait for the rain to stop if I have to go somewhere.
7. Cancel appointments with people outside.
8. Use an umbrella to go outside.
9. Use the subway instead of the bus so that rain doesn't come in.
10. Eat foods that are hot, or containing a high temperature.
In a rainy day, I usually stay inside and wait for the rain to stop. I do not like the rain puddles on the ground and I don't like carrying an umbrella. Sometimes, I am soaked in rain even though I have an umbrella. If I have to go somewhere, I procrastinate it. However, if it is an emergency, I use an umbrella and run outside. I usually also cancel appointments outside if they aren't urgent. I like to stay inside because I do not like being in the rain. Rain makes a person feel drowsy and dirty, and I feel that I don't deserve to feel that way. I always stay inside, so I can be dry. Although people say that kids should be free and should be allowed to run around out in the nature, this is not true in rainy days. For one thing, the rainy weather is not really nature that one enjoys, right?
Journal Seventeen Topic: Write a rhyme paragraph. Each sentence must begin and end with the words that rhyme with each other.
Flowers sprout and the rain showers. Rain pours down with a lot of fame. Go away rain, go away rain, please go! Joy for the plants, because it is their toy. Very bright and happy, and they never get weary.For people, they just want to break its core. Please, rain cease...
Journal Eighteen Topic: Free Write
Everyone has their favorite subjects. A person's favorite subject might not be the subject that they get the best grades in. My favorite subject is science because it is interesting, and very organized to learn.
The first reason is that it is interesting. In terms of biology, dissecting cats or pigs might be one of the things that all students want to try. In chemistry, students want to try mixing different chemicals. Students enjoy doing labs, and science is interesting and easy because you can see things at the moment. This contradicts from history, because we cannot go back in time to the famous historical events.
The second reason is that it is organized to learn. Science has a lot of things that have to be memorized, but it is not as much as history. There are numerous names and dates that students have to memorize in history. In science, a huge topic is usually divided into subcategories, allowing students to guess what they will study next. Science is taught in a more organized way. Another thing in history is that if many events happened at a specific time, it can get very confusing for students to learn. Considering that almost every country has its own history, science might be an easier subject for students to learn and enjoy.
Some students might argue that their favorite subject is history or math, but I believe that my favorite subject is science.
Journal Nineteen Topic: Use this metaphor to spark a poem: a chest of childhood.
Title: A Chest of Childhood
Many experiences in childhood
Feel the purity and richness of learning
Feels like a chest
Of experiences and joyful events
You learn things
Not only math or science, but life skills
Social skills and proper manners
And all of this will help you
Journal Twenty Topic: Free Write
Title: Wonderful Life
Life may seem difficult
But it never is
By the mistakes,
You learn things
Times of joy and
Times of Disgrace
But just enjoy
All of your experiences
Journal Twenty One Topic: Write a paragraph using at least ten onomatopoeic words.
I was at a fancy restaurant all day. The lights in the restaurant bing ed. I got some orange juice and I slurp ed it. I drank it so fast that I started to hiccup . A little child at another booth started to play with his toy ball. He dropped the ball, and itbounced and then twirled down to me. I gave the ball back to that kid, but it hit the kid in the leg and boing ed. The waiter came with my steak, and I chock ed the steak. A woman was walking outside the restaurant, and her high heels made a taksound. I was done and stood up. I pushed the chair and it made a zheek sound. When I paid the money, the cashier opened the money box, and it made a ting sound. This day at the restaurant was a day full of sounds.
Journal Twenty Two Topic: Free Write
In my opinion, different colors mean different things. Red can symbolize either peace or danger. If you think of red roses or flowers, red can mean beauty. However, red can symbolize danger because it might remind you of blood. Blue symbolizes tranquility. This is because blue reminds me of the blue oceans. Green symbolizes either freshness or disgust. Green may symbolize freshness because it reminds you of the mountains. It can also remind a person about disgust because it reminds me of slime or monsters. Lastly, white represents cleanliness. If you clean something or somewhere, it will usually be very white and clean. Different colors can mean various concepts because it reminds you of things that have that specific color.
Journal Twenty Three Topic: They say opposites attract. Use at least five pairs of opposites in a paragraph about some kind of transportation.
I got on a bus when a woman got off. I sat on a seat when a man stood up. The bus was very quick, but afterwords it became very slow. The bus was very bright, but when it when it went inside a tunnel, it became very dark. The bus finally reached a stop. A strong man and a weak woman got on the bus together. The bus then quickly went to the next stop, and I got off the bus.
(Opposites I used: On-off, sat-stood, quick-slow, bright-dark, strong-weak)
Journal Twenty Four Topic: Weave a story around this mixed proverb: Silence is a great healer.
People usually like to go to quiet places. They do not like to hang out in loud places, but they like quiet places. This is probably because silence is a great healer. People that get a lot of stress from their work might want to have a few minutes to sit down in their house and just rest. Some people like to listen to some quiet music and to drink a cup of tea, and just to rest at their house. This silence might be boring, but it helps the person forget the stress that he or she is getting. It also helps people regain their lost energy. Having a few minutes of quiet spare time can be helpful. Silence could be called a medicine that cures the stress, and regains a person's energy, and put simply, it is a great healer for the people of the modern day world.
Journal Twenty Five Topic: Write a paragraph that starts with the following sentence: The grass smells red.
The grass smells red. Grass is supposed to smell fresh and green, but today, the grass smells red. I feel danger, or something bad approaching. The grass smells like blood that a monster has painted. The grass is very wet and smells very red and dangerous. I believe that this grass has some dangerous chemicals, such as blood. I smell the grass a little bit because I am curious, but I just can't smell it. I feel suffocated, and run to breathe some clean oxygen.
Journal Twenty Six Topic: Chris walks into a room. By describing the reactions of the others in the room, let us know something about him.
Chris walked into a room. There was his own desk at the corner, and there were a lot of desks. There were a lot of children sitting on their chair. Some of them had their laptops opened. The children said, "Hi, Mr. Chris!" The children looked very enthusiastic, but Chris had no reaction. The children took out their homework. Chris collected the homework and began class. I think by now, you can guess who Chris is.
Journal Twenty Seven Topic: Free Write KIS middle and high school runs on a seven-block schedule. I like the idea of the block schedule for several reasons. First, each class is one hour and fifteen minutes long. This gives the students enough time to think about a particular thing or more time to complete assignments or projects. Second of all, we have all classes at all times of the day. We don't have science every morning and math every afternoon, we have all subjects at various times of the day. This balances out the energy level of students in a day. For these reasons, I am an advocate of the seven-block scheduling of KIS.
Journal Twenty Eight Topic:Write from the perspective of a freshly scrubbed floor.
I am so happy. A woman just came and cleaned me. I don’t like it when there are crumbs of cookies or a handful of toys on top of me. I don’t like all the dust from people’s feet on me either. That’s why I dislike people, but I do like people when they clean me. I wish that people continue to clean me, because I believe that I am an important existence in the world, because people step on me all the time.
Journal Twenty Nine
Topic: Some say you can tell a lot about a person by the vehicle he or she drives. Picture a car. (Or is it a truck? Or an SUV?)
The car is red and shiny. It reflects the radiation from the sun. It is very small. The fact that it is a convertible makes it easy to drive. Four people can ride in the car. the owner of a car is a woman that is twenty six years old. She drives this car because she just got her driver's license. She is not that skilled at driving her car. She likes her car a lot and uses it every day to go to different places.
Journal Thirty
Topic: Free Write
MAP testing is a testing that is done at KIS two times every year. MAP stands for measures of academic progress. We get tested in four areas, reading comprehension, language arts, math, and science. Science is the most difficult for me. It is not the general science, but we are also tested on scientific reasoning. We have to know things that are not covered in middle school, like the formation of clouds or how earthquakes and volcanoes happen. Reading comprehension is one of the other difficult parts, but it isn't as difficult as science. We are tested on inference, roots of words, and even using context clues to figure out the meaning of difficult words. Language arts is not so difficult, but it is very confusing. We are tested on areas like capitalization and punctuation. Math is one of the areas that is less difficult, and I get the best score. The math problems are pretty easy, and korean students have a tendency to do well on math. In conclusion, the MAP testing tests your skills in various areas.
Journal Thirty One
Topic: Free Write PINK
Pink tastes like the romantic beauty of fairy tale character Pink smells like the smooth strawberry icing on a cake Pink sounds like the people cheering for happiness Pink feels like the tangible love between people Pink looks like the wonderful beauty between humans Pink makes me happy and ready for my unknown future Pink, I will feel it one day!
Journal Thirty Two Topic: Free Write
CHOCOLATE
Chocolate tastes so sweet
What could describe
The melting taste?
So sweet,
So delicious,
So tasty
After I eat,
I say,
Want it again!
Journal Thirty Three
Topic: Reflect on the process of writing a short story. What did you learn from the process? If you had the assignment again. how would you approach it?
Writing a short story is a long process. I had to think about the characters, setting, and the plot. I had to think about my climax, and what kind of conflict the characters would face. I also had to consider word variety and many other factors. I learned from the process the components of a good story. A good story has a very clear climax, well developed characters, and a good description of the setting. The part I struggled with was character development. Trying to fit the character's likes or dislikes was sometimes very irrelevant to the plot. If I had another chance to do the assignment again, I would concentrate a little more on developing my characters.
Journal Thirty Four Topic: Free Write
I like to go on vacations for several reasons. First, I can have a fun time with the people you are traveling with. If I am traveling with my friend, I can make my friendship stronger, and if I am traveling with my family, I can create unforgettable memories. Second, I can learn about the culture of another country. I can learn what they believe in and what holidays they have. For these reasons, I like to go on vacations.
Journal Thirty Five Topic: Three people are stuck in an elevator.
A teenager with green hair and many piercing
A pastry chef
A church organist
Write a conversation they have as they wait.
Teenager: Oh, my! I have to go to my academy on the 37th floor but the elevator is broken! What will I do?
Organist: Don't worry! The elevator will be fixed soon!
Chef: (Holding a huge cake) Hey, you're not the person that should be worried! I have to deliver this cake to a customer on the 50th floor!
Organist: The cake won't rot! Why are you all so angry?
Teenager: Well, my mom will beat me up and I will be grounded if I don't go to that academy!
Chef: That's at least better than giving my customers a rotten cake!
Teenager: What kind of cake is that, by the way?
Chef: It is a delicious chocolate cake.
Teenager: Really? I love chocolate cakes.
Organist: I would like to try that! I have not eaten cakes since I was little!
Chef: Perhaps you can come to our shop then! It is on the 25th floor of this building!
Organist: I would love to visit but I'm afraid I am so busy!
Chef: That's too bad.
Teenager: I'll go there one day!
Chef: Thank you, kid!
Teenager: Your welcome!
(The door opens)
Teenager: Yes, the door opens! I'm using the stairs instead of using this slow elevator! (Runs out)
Chef: I think I should not use this elevator! (Also runs out)
Organist: Why are they hurrying like that? They seriously need to slow down!
Journal Thirty Six
Topic: You are paying $10.00 per word to advertise in the classified section of the Upscale Times, a newspaper for a very wealthy area of town. You want to offer your services as a dog sitter. Write a convincing ad, but don't spend more than $200.00. Articles do not count.
DOG SITTING SERVICE! WE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOUR DOG FOR AN UNLIMITED TIME! ONLY $4 PER HOUR! CALL NOW!
Journal Thirty Seven Topic: Great-grandpa Rotondo doesn't understand what a video game is. Or an iPod. Or text messaging. Pick one of the above and explain what it is in terms that even the most un-technological person can understand.
Text messaging is done through a private phone, called a cell phone. It is very small, and almost every person owns it. In this phone, there is a service where you can write a message and send it to someone else. Writing a message on the small phone to send to someone else is called text messaging.
Text messaging can be done as long as you has a phone. It is very easy, and many people use it. If someone sent you a message, you will get it. If your phone was off, you will see it as soon as you turn your phone on.
Text messaging is very enjoyable. You can write whatever you want. It is a very important communication tool, and can be more effective than calling someone.
Journal Thirty Eight Topic: Free Write
I do not understand the concept of gender and colors. Now, it is believed that boys should like fresh and cold colors such as blue, green, or purple. Equally, it is believed that girls should like bright colors such as pink or red. This restricts many people from choosing their favorite color. My favorite color used to be pink, but because of this notion, my favorite color is now blue. I think this can be attributed to one's childhood. In cartoons, princes are always blue while angels or princesses are always pink. Now at parties, men usually wear blue uniforms while women usually wear red, pink, or yellow dresses. I believe that the society should work so that everyone can have their own freedom in choosing their favorite colors. Cartoon companies, such as Disney, should make this effort as well. Everyone has their own freedom in this kind of matters, and the thinking of the public should not hinder their decision.
Journal Thirty Nine Topic: What would you do with three wishes?
One of the wishes would be that I can read people's minds. I have had lots of experiences when the same person is sometimes nice to me and sometimes mean to me. The other wish would be for me to get a high score on all of my classes. I believe that grades are the most important aspect of school life, but this is very hard. I wish that I can get over a ninety on all of my classes. The last wish that I want is for world peace. I read many fiction and nonfiction books and I understood how terrible wars and battles are for everyone. These would be my three wishes if I could make three wishes.
Journal Forty Topic: What's your idea of a perfect vacation?
In my opinion, a perfect vacation is one that was planned to the smallest detail in advance. Although some people say that they should just go and just go with the flow, that is a good way of getting lost. Your whole life could change if you get lost, especially if the country is a foreign one. You may not know their customs, so you might do something that might make them angry. You might run out of money, or might have difficulties finding a vacant hotel. Nobody wants this to happen to them. A planned vacation is also good that you can spend time more efficiently. You get to see and do more things in a fixed period of time.
A perfect vacation also should include a tour guide with a company. Even if you make it to the historical monuments, you are not going to understand it. Tour companies offers historical explanation behind these monuments. The tour company will also help you plan information on clothes, your flight and passport if needed, food, and so on.
Going to vacation is fun for everyone, but it could also be miserable without the perfect planning in advance. This is why I prefer to go on a vacation that was planned in advance.
Journal Forty One Topic: Free Write
Milk is a drink that is enjoyed by a few people, while some people do not like it. I do not like milk for one reason.
Milk tastes a little bland. It doesn't really have a good smell or taste. I have been used to eating low fat and fat free milk which might affect the results. Natural milk also tastes bad because I am so used to eating low fat milk.
I personally do not understand the people that say milk tastes good. Milk doesn't really have a unique taste. Because of the taste, I do not like milk.
Journal Forty Two
Topic: As this is being written, a show called "What Not to Wear" is popular on the cable channel TLC. Imagine more possible shows on a "What not to do" theme. Describe at least one idea. Don't forget to give the show a name.
The name of the show is "What Not to Eat." The show explains what you should not eat. It talks about unhealthy food. For example, fast food has negative effects on people. The show would get a professional to explain why you shouldn't eat those foods. The show sometimes becomes more comedic and talks about the food of various countries. For example, the Chinese eats snakes and other types of foods. It would talk about what foods are bad, as well as the food culture of various countries.
Journal Forty Three
Topic: For the last two days you were not in school because of the weather-"Snow days". As advanced we have become in the 21st century we still can not control the weather. Do you think this is an advantage or a disadvantage?
I think the fact that we cannot control the weather is an advantage for humans. Although people say that they want to control everything, there is a limit to what we can control to prevent catastrophes from occurring. If we have control over the weather, conflict might arise due to the difference in everyone's likes and dislikes. In addition, weather control can cause problems back to us.
The first point is the conflict that will be arisen between people. Some people like cold, snowy weather while others like hot weather. Some people like rain while others do not like rain. With this, people might fight about what the weather should be. Because some people really have an aversion to some type of weather, while others love that same weather, making a compromise might also not be possible. This would result in world chaos.
The second point is the harm that it will do to us. If the earth is hot every day, that will enforce global warming, and it will make the surface of the earth hotter. If the earth is snowy all the time, the surface of the earth might turn into ice. Equally, if it never rains, it might cause a drought, and if it rains all the time, it might cause floods. These disasters will result in the deaths, and if taken to the extremes, the earth might come to an end. The fact that we can control the weather will harm us back.
Because of the conflict that will be arisen between the people, and the harm that it will cause to us, the fact that we can't control the weather is a huge advantage.
Journal Forty Four Topic: Write a letter to yourself as a ten-year-old child.
Seoul, Korea
Dear the ten-year-old Sabin,
How do you like your school life now? You just moved into a new campus at Bundang. You go to a campus with three buildings! The school is just wonderful, and so are the teachers. I had no problem adapting to the life there.
Well, you used be bullied sometimes, and you also used to be friendly sometimes. I remember, how I used to love math. I remember the math teacher, she used to be very nice to me. I hated science and art, they were so difficult. Well, I also know that the science teacher was so mean to me.
I even have a memory that I can never forget from school. It was when you cheated on an assignment, and got in so much trouble. Luckily, you at least got an extra credit assignment to make up for it. However, that's because you were an elementary kid, and I did not know too much.
Have a good time as a ten-year-old. No matter what, don't lose your hope and your dreams.
From the present-day Sabin
Journal Forty Five
Topic: Free Write A new year has begun. Everyone is happy that it is 2010 now, and everyone is off to a new and fresh start with so many wishes. I have some wishes too. I hope that me and my family can stay healthy, and I also hope that I can make new friends.
As everyone says, health and safety always comes first. I hope to be healthy. I wish that I do not get injured or severely hurt. Last year, I was hurt and was very sad and tired. This year, I hope that everyone in my family is healthy, so nobody has to visit the hospital. One person's bad health makes a huge impact on a lot of people.
Secondly, I hope to make new friends. Friends are there to help me in times of difficulty, and also so that I can feel a reason for living. People without friends have a difficult time living in the planet. However, having the same friends all the time is not good either. I hope to make new friends so I can interact with more people. Meeting different people helps me get along with others. Not everyone is exactly the same as me, but friends still exist, and making new friends is always very fun.
I will not make any specific wishes for this year. However, I do wish that my family stays healthy and that I can make new friends.
Journal Forty Six
Topic: Write about a memory related to a holiday.
On the first day of 2010, I went to my grandmother's house. I had so much fun, and it was unique from the other holidays. My family went to my grandmother's house at the start of every year, but this year was different.
We sat around a table and had breakfast together. This was very unique because we rarely meet and have breakfast together. Usually, it is lunch or dinner, and not breakfast. My grandmother cooked delicious dishes for us this year.
Then we wished each other luck in the new year as well. We wish that we could be fortunate this year. We told our wishes and had a great time.
We even played a game, and my brother, cousin, and I won money for winning a game against the adults. My brother was the best at the game, so he won the most money.
In conclusion, the first day of 2010 was very unique from all the other holidays. We had a very fun time, and this time was enjoyed by everyone.
Journal Forty Seven
Topic: Madison is so happy. In one paragraph, show that she is happy but don't use the word happy.
Madison was elated when she figured out that she got a hundred percent on her math test. The teacher had said her name in front of the class. She was the only kid in the whole grade that got a hundred on the exam. Madison did not study on the exam, she was just lucky because the test turned out to be very easy for her. Madison was glad and felt very proud of her performance. "I know, I am smarter than I think I am," she said.
Journal Forty Eight
Topic: In one sentence, describe something (not someone) that is very ugly. Create a vividly ugly image with words.
The plate was putrid, and had a reeking smell reminding me of garbage.
Journal Forty Nine
Topic: Write from the point of view of a TV remote control.
I have a very weird schedule. My rest time is in the daytime, and my work time is in the evening. I have to keep on being pressed at, and I have to keep on changing it. Sometimes, people fight over me because they want to watch different things. Every night, I go to work. Sometimes, I work until maybe one or two in the morning. Then, I am really tired.
I hate it a lot when people get me to work in the daytime. I don't understand why they like the TV so much. They are pressing the buttons, going from one channel to another, and back.
I feel like I became a bat. I sleep in the day, and work in the evening. I want to go on a vacation too, and get some rest. It really hurts, to be pressed on all the time. It hurts, and perhaps I should go to the hospital. Well, I think now that you know how I feel, I will end it here.
Journal Fifty
Topic: Erica Jong said "If you don't risk anything, you risk more." Write about what this means to you.
This means that if I don't make any effort to do anything, more danger approaches. For example, if I do not risk to do any work, I risk more because I will get in trouble. I must be willing to take risks.
I must risk myself in times of difficulty. By not doing this, I am risking the danger of something else. Making risks is very important in life.
To me, this quotation tells me how important the skill of risk taking is. I will take more risks in life. Although something might go wrong, I still must try and make an effort.
Journal Fifty One
Topic: Free Write
Creative writing was a course that taught me a lot. I believe that I have improved my writing skills. It was not exactly academic writing. It gave me more freedom in what I would write.
The essays we wrote in class taught me the characteristics of a good essay. I got practice writing essays. I believe that the course helped me.
Not only this, it taught me the diversity of writing. It taught me writing comics and scripts, which would not be really academic. In conclusion, creative writing was a course that taught me a lot.
Snow White
Final Project
Journal One
Topic: Write about a girl named Dot, but do not use the letters i or j.
Long ago, there was a student named Dot. Dot was a seventh grader, and went to a school. The class she adored was math, and the class she abhorred was art. She was known because she was a very smart student. However, as her name tells us, she was a very short and small student. The boys teased Dot because of her shortness. Dot wanted to become a doctor, and therefore, she worked hard during school hours and also at home.
Journal Two
Topic: Free Write
Two little kids and his mom walked into a shopping mall. The two kids were friends, and one of the boy’s mom was taking care of the children. The mom gave his son some money, and left them at the food court, where they would eat ice cream and wait for her. The mom then quickly ran to the apparel shop, where she would buy some new clothes. The children bought their ice cream, and then the mom returned with many shopping bags. She came in a good mood when she arrived, but was flabbergasted when she figured out that the two kids have eaten five ice cream cones each!
Journal Three
Topic: Describe someone who is bored. Don’t use any form of the words yawned, stared, or sighed.
Sally is really bored. She has nothing to do. She finished her homework, and she can’t play with her computer because it is broken. Ah, poor Sally! Sally has read all of the books in her bookshelf, and has nothing to do until his friend will come in the evening. She could sleep, but it is three in the afternoon. Sally starts thinking about what to do, but she ends up thinking just about what to do for two hours.
Journal Four
Topic: Close your eyes briefly. Think of one object that’s in the room and focus on it without opening your eyes, recall as much detail as you can about it. After three minutes or so, open your eyes and write about that object without looking at it.
A desk is an important piece of furniture within the classroom and the office area. One of the uses is a place where students do their classwork. Also, it is also useful for teachers. You can put anything on a desk, even though those objects are not materials used in studying. You can put stationary supplies, computers, and practically anything that you wish to put on it. It keeps things stable as long as it’s parallel to the ground. A desk is very helpful to everyone, and it can be found almost anywhere you go. Desks are useful to people that do all sorts of work. Desks have various shapes and colors which makes it more attracting to people. In conclusion, desks serve as an important tool, and more and more people are buying desks for their own work and convenience, or for the work and convenience of another person. Desks are extremely important to the present day world to the degree that nobody would be living like now without it.
Journal Five
Topic: Silly is a middle-aged man who combs his remaining limp strands of hair into an elaborate swirl over his bald spot, gluing them in place with hair spray and hoping no one will notice.
Silly is is a golden retriever who slinks sheepishly off the sofa whenever his
owner comes home, hoping-despite the piles of hair all over the cushion-
that she won’t notice he’s been sleeping there.
What else is silly? Give three more examples.
Silly is a little boy who acts in a crazy way and makes people worried. In the house or anywhere else, he will eat anything that he can see. He eats toys, laundry detergent, and even the beautiful roses on the dining table. He would then go to the hospital and cry to death when the doctor just looks at him.
Silly is a zebra that is known for his unique colors. With shades of red and blue, he is an amazing sight at the zoo. He can also camouflage and turn into the color of nature, green, if predators come to attack.
Silly is a science teacher who always forgets things. He forgets to send the attendance, and sometimes he sends it incorrectly. He also forgets to grade quizzes and to update grades. The students and parents obviously do not like him.
Journal Six
Topic: Describe a storm. This could be a thunder storm, a snow storm, a hurricane, a tornado, a hail storm, a rain storm, or any other type of storm.
One day, I was at my house doing my homework for school. Then suddenly, dark, black clouds came in. Uh-oh, I thought. As I believed, it started to rain an hour later. However, it was not normal rain that fell. It was thunder and lightning.
Feeling very scared, I didn’t know what to do. I guessed that ignoring the thunder and the lightning was the only choice I have. However, flashes of lightning kept on coming in. I looked outside, and noticed that trees have already started falling down.
I immediately ran out of my bedroom and went out to the living room. However, nobody was there. I felt so scared, and immediately ran outside.
When I did go outside, people were all cluttered around the entrance. I knew it was because of the thunderstorm. The security guard then guided us to a mountain near my house. We immediately climbed up the mountain. The mountain wasn’t so high, so it only took ten minutes to climb up there.
I looked down from the mountain, and noticed that all the trees have fell down. After an hour, the thunderstorm stopped and I really felt relieved. I hope that I don’t have this experience ever in my life, although it will last in my memory forever.
Journal Seven
Topic: Make a list of forty things that happened to you this month. They can be be funny, embarrassing, happy, or infuriating. Then pick one from your list and write about it.
1. I started school at August 11th and met my friends and new teachers.
2. I got my computer re-imaged, so I got angry since I was not able to use it.
3. I had two huge assignments in my science class.
4. I had a mini quiz in my social studies class.
5. I played with my brother interesting games.
6. I wrote my creative writing journals and expanded on my creativity.
7. I visited the conference room in the new building.
8. I came back from my vacation at the Philippines.
9. I went to a cafe and enjoyed delicious cakes.
10. I bought delicious ice cream for myself.
11. I read hilarious books.
12. I learned how to write nonsense poems in English class.
13. I played a debate game in my speech and debate club.
14. I did a fun experiment in my science class.
15. I had delicious cheesecakes.
16. I ran out of money in my ID card and got frustrated.
17. I read interesting books in my KIS reads class.
18. I cheered for my house, wind, in the soccer match.
19. I made a wonderful poster for wind.
20. I had fun watching the "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?"
21. I learned about the Native Americans in social studies class.
22. I created a powerpoint presentation for my Chinese class.
23. I played in the swimming pool with my brother and cousin.
24. I visited the new building's conference room.
25. I tried to print out an assignment when I noticed that I ran out of paper.
26. I chatted with my friend during the whole bus ride.
27. I wrote out a script for my drama class.
28. I signed up for creative writing class and creative writing club, so I guessed that I would be doing a lot of writing this semester.
29. I looked for the chewy candy at my house, but my brother ate it all.
30. I accidentally fell asleep doing my homework.
31. I solved easy math problems.
32. I bought some crackers at the convenience store.
33. I learned how to swim.
34. I met with my old friend.
35. I watched a movie with my old friend.
36. I ate ice cream with my old friend.
37. I drank delicious orange juice at a cafe.
38. I learned about motion and forces.
39. I woke up at the middle of the night due to mosquitos.
40. I felt depressed because I didn't get a good score on one of my assignments.
Now write about one of them.
It was the first day of school. My teacher handed me my schedule, and I was happy because I got one of the electives I really wanted, creative writing. I am a person that likes to write in my free time, so I just wanted to have some more exposure to writing. There was also my regular English class, so I guessed that I would be writing a lot this semester. I felt really happy.
Club sign ups followed. I wanted cooking, but it was both days. I really wanted the speech and debate club for Tuesday, and that meant that I would need a separate Thursday club. So, I signed up for creative club writing and got it. In conclusion, I believe that this semester will be great.
Journal EIght
Topic: Write a paragraph about a cat attacking something, but don't use the words hiss, scratch, or pounce.
A cat was chasing a ball. The ball went down the hill and bounced a lot. The cat wanted to catch the ball, so he ran down the mountain at full speed. The ball bounced and bounced down the mountain, but the cat was much slower than the ball bouncing down the mountain. The ball reached the bottom of the mountain and reached the road.
A car was coming down the road, and the driver was surprised to see a ball coming out from the side. The driver was flabbergasted and quickly stopped the car. The car screeched, and the ball went to the other side of the road. The driver started the car, but then the cat came out very quickly from the side of the road. The cat was squished by the
wheels of the car, and was dead. The driver was surprised and came out of the car. He became flabbergasted when he saw the cat. He now thought that he should try to drive his car more carefully now, especially because he was a person that liked cats and did not want them dead.
Journal Nine
Topic: Free Write
I was just doing my homework at my house one day. I had a large amount of homework, so I didn't have any time to waste. I was doing my homework when my friend called me. I got the phone and quickly asked him what he wanted. He said that he wanted to know the science homework. I was busy, so I told him to ask someone else.
I continued with my homework, but my friend called me again. It was the same friend that called me just now. I was so busy, so I just turned my phone off.
The next day, my friend was angry at me for not getting his call properly. I told him that I was busy doing my homework. He told me that even if you are busy, you should listen to your friends. That day, I learned an important lesson. This was
the lesson that no matter what circumstances you are at, friends help each other to their best effort.
Journal Ten
Topic: Free Write
Food that is popular tends to taste good. One of my favorite foods is chocolate for three reasons. First, chocolate tastes good. Second, it is cheap and easy to purchase. Lastly, there are many forms of chocolate, which doesn't make me get sick of it.
The first reason as to why I like chocolate is because it tastes good. Chocolate is made from cocoa powder and butter, and the chocolate is very smooth and sweet. The chocolate breaks easily in our mouth, and the harmony of the ingredients add to the sweetness.
The second reason is because chocolate is cheap. There are a few expensive chocolates, but that is only a few. Most chocolates can be bought at convenience stores for a cheap amount. Therefore, if I want to eat chocolate, I just have to go to the store and pay a little amount of money. This makes chocolate more convenient and delicious.
Finally, chocolate has many forms. Forms of chocolate range from white chocolate to dark or more bitter chocolate. This allows me to continuously switch from one chocolate to another, never making me sick of the delicious chocolate.
Chocolate is a major delicacy that is enjoyed from all over the world. I personally like chocolate too. This is because it is delicious, easy to get, and there are many forms of chocolate.
Journal Eleven
Topic: Fatima is a very spoiled teenage girl. Show that she is spoiled, by describing what happens when she doesn’t get a card for her birthday.
Today was Fatima’s birthday. Fatima was a very spoiled child. She went to school like normal, hoping that her friends will give her some birthday cards. However, that wasn’t necessarily the case.
She hopped on the school bus. Sweety, her best friend was sitting on the bus. Fatima asked Sweety about her birthday. However, Sweety said sympathetically “Sorry, Fatima. I forgot that today was your birthday. I’ll try to not forget it later.” Fatima got angry and asked Sweety whether she at least prepared a birthday card for her. However, Sweety said that she didn’t.
Fatima arrived and took her morning classes. The morning classes went by very quickly, and then lunchtime came.
During lunchtime at the cafeteria, Fatima saw Wanda, her friend, standing in the lunch line. Fatima asked Wanda about her present, but Wanda said that she didn’t have one. Fatima got furious that nobody remembered her birthday. She stormed out of the school cafeteria and headed to the library.
In the library, Fatima saw her other buddy, Susan looking for a book. Fatima went up to Susan and asked her for her present or card. Susan said no to Fatima’s question. Fatima said, “But Susan, it’s my birthday today.” Susan looked angry and turned towards Fatima. “So you expect me to give you a card every birthday? Plus, how do you expect me to remember your birthday when you never reminded me?” Fatima started to mumble the word but, but Susan looked aggravated. “Fatima, this is a library,” and walked away with her book.
The third period was social studies, and Fatima, Sweety, Susan, and Wanda were all in the class. Fatima asked them all together about her present. However, the other kids’ response was very interesting. “What a spoiled child!,” Sweety, Susan, and Wanda said all together.
Journal Twelve
Topic: Describe what you feel right now using your sense of smell. If you feel frustrated, write about what your frustration smells like. Use vivid words. Don't skimp on adjectives.
I feel very frustrated right now. My frustration smells very clean. If you were to ask me how can frustration sound clean, I am just tired because I have so much homework these days. I had a test yesterday, and I also have a test today and yesterday. It makes me frustrated, but all of my friends and classmates are like that, making it equal. Also, I know that all the homework and tests I have will benefit my future.
Frustration is always bad, but this does not mean that it smells bad all the time. If everyone has to experience it, it isn't that bad. Although the surface of all the work is terrible, the insides are very beneficial. There is also a saying that instead of just looking at the short-term benefits, people should be looking outward to the world, and considering the long-term benefits. I believe that although frustration does not have a good connotation, it can smell good. Frustration can also be pure, just like the blue ocean or green hills and mountains.
Journal Thirteen
Topic: What kind of cartoon show might appeal to the overage 65 audience? Imagine the show. Then in 100 words or less, describe the show and its main character.
If I had to make a comedy show for the overage people, I would create one with a child causing mischief. There would be one child that is living with his grandmother Georgina. The child is a troublemaker and always gets trouble. He is not that smart. The grandma gets the kid in trouble, but always uses the wrong equipment like a spoon or locks the child in the refrigerator. When the kid goes outside, his grandma even gets her grandson in trouble outside. There will be many episodes, and the child will be causing various kinds of mischief.
Journal Fourteen
Topic: Electricity is a recent discovery. Think of 12 things to do when there is no power.
1. Make a fire for light and warmth.
2. Cook food by making a fire.
3. Use a flashlight.
4. Use a fan if it is hot inside.
5. Call the security guard and inform him that electricity isn't present.
6. Sit down and wait.
7. Open the windows and curtains for light.
8. Use a cellular phone for light.
9. Call friends for help if security isn't present.
10. Go downstairs.
11. Take care of children.
12. Tell the children that it is okay if they start crying.
Journal Fifteen
Topic: Place this sentence in a paragraph where it will make sense. Bee had never before wanted to be a bee.
Bee was a little and normal girl that lived in New York. A few days ago, Bee went to the Times Square. She wanted to eat some candy, so she went to a little shop in the Times Square. Bee looked at the counter of candy and chose one candy. The name of the candy was "The Bee Candy." She ate it, and she was okay. However, the next day, she found herself a bee when she woke up. Bee had never before wanted to be a bee. She did not know what to do, and therefore, headed to her home, where she will produce honey.
Journal Sixteen
Topic: List ten things you usually do on a rainy day. Pick one from your list and free write for five minutes.
1. Stay home.
2. Do homework.
3. Study vocabulary words.
4. Play with my brother.
5. Close the windows so that rain doesn't come in.
6. Be inside, and wait for the rain to stop if I have to go somewhere.
7. Cancel appointments with people outside.
8. Use an umbrella to go outside.
9. Use the subway instead of the bus so that rain doesn't come in.
10. Eat foods that are hot, or containing a high temperature.
In a rainy day, I usually stay inside and wait for the rain to stop. I do not like the rain puddles on the ground and I don't like carrying an umbrella. Sometimes, I am soaked in rain even though I have an umbrella. If I have to go somewhere, I procrastinate it. However, if it is an emergency, I use an umbrella and run outside. I usually also cancel appointments outside if they aren't urgent. I like to stay inside because I do not like being in the rain. Rain makes a person feel drowsy and dirty, and I feel that I don't deserve to feel that way. I always stay inside, so I can be dry. Although people say that kids should be free and should be allowed to run around out in the nature, this is not true in rainy days. For one thing, the rainy weather is not really nature that one enjoys, right?
Journal Seventeen
Topic: Write a rhyme paragraph. Each sentence must begin and end with the words that rhyme with each other.
Flowers sprout and the rain showers. Rain pours down with a lot of fame. Go away rain, go away rain, please go! Joy for the plants, because it is their toy. Very bright and happy, and they never get weary. For people, they just want to break its core. Please, rain cease...
Journal Eighteen
Topic: Free Write
Everyone has their favorite subjects. A person's favorite subject might not be the subject that they get the best grades in. My favorite subject is science because it is interesting, and very organized to learn.
The first reason is that it is interesting. In terms of biology, dissecting cats or pigs might be one of the things that all students want to try. In chemistry, students want to try mixing different chemicals. Students enjoy doing labs, and science is interesting and easy because you can see things at the moment. This contradicts from history, because we cannot go back in time to the famous historical events.
The second reason is that it is organized to learn. Science has a lot of things that have to be memorized, but it is not as much as history. There are numerous names and dates that students have to memorize in history. In science, a huge topic is usually divided into subcategories, allowing students to guess what they will study next. Science is taught in a more organized way. Another thing in history is that if many events happened at a specific time, it can get very confusing for students to learn. Considering that almost every country has its own history, science might be an easier subject for students to learn and enjoy.
Some students might argue that their favorite subject is history or math, but I believe that my favorite subject is science.
Journal Nineteen
Topic: Use this metaphor to spark a poem: a chest of childhood.
Title: A Chest of Childhood
Many experiences in childhood
Feel the purity and richness of learning
Feels like a chest
Of experiences and joyful events
You learn things
Not only math or science, but life skills
Social skills and proper manners
And all of this will help you
Journal Twenty
Topic: Free Write
Title: Wonderful Life
Life may seem difficult
But it never is
By the mistakes,
You learn things
Times of joy and
Times of Disgrace
But just enjoy
All of your experiences
Journal Twenty One
Topic: Write a paragraph using at least ten onomatopoeic words.
I was at a fancy restaurant all day. The lights in the restaurant bing ed. I got some orange juice and I slurp ed it. I drank it so fast that I started to hiccup . A little child at another booth started to play with his toy ball. He dropped the ball, and itbounced and then twirled down to me. I gave the ball back to that kid, but it hit the kid in the leg and boing ed. The waiter came with my steak, and I chock ed the steak. A woman was walking outside the restaurant, and her high heels made a taksound. I was done and stood up. I pushed the chair and it made a zheek sound. When I paid the money, the cashier opened the money box, and it made a ting sound. This day at the restaurant was a day full of sounds.
Journal Twenty Two
Topic: Free Write
In my opinion, different colors mean different things. Red can symbolize either peace or danger. If you think of red roses or flowers, red can mean beauty. However, red can symbolize danger because it might remind you of blood. Blue symbolizes tranquility. This is because blue reminds me of the blue oceans. Green symbolizes either freshness or disgust. Green may symbolize freshness because it reminds you of the mountains. It can also remind a person about disgust because it reminds me of slime or monsters. Lastly, white represents cleanliness. If you clean something or somewhere, it will usually be very white and clean. Different colors can mean various concepts because it reminds you of things that have that specific color.
Journal Twenty Three
Topic: They say opposites attract. Use at least five pairs of opposites in a paragraph about some kind of transportation.
I got on a bus when a woman got off. I sat on a seat when a man stood up. The bus was very quick, but afterwords it became very slow. The bus was very bright, but when it when it went inside a tunnel, it became very dark. The bus finally reached a stop. A strong man and a weak woman got on the bus together. The bus then quickly went to the next stop, and I got off the bus.
(Opposites I used: On-off, sat-stood, quick-slow, bright-dark, strong-weak)
Journal Twenty Four
Topic: Weave a story around this mixed proverb: Silence is a great healer.
People usually like to go to quiet places. They do not like to hang out in loud places, but they like quiet places. This is probably because silence is a great healer. People that get a lot of stress from their work might want to have a few minutes to sit down in their house and just rest. Some people like to listen to some quiet music and to drink a cup of tea, and just to rest at their house. This silence might be boring, but it helps the person forget the stress that he or she is getting. It also helps people regain their lost energy. Having a few minutes of quiet spare time can be helpful. Silence could be called a medicine that cures the stress, and regains a person's energy, and put simply, it is a great healer for the people of the modern day world.
Journal Twenty Five
Topic: Write a paragraph that starts with the following sentence: The grass smells red.
The grass smells red. Grass is supposed to smell fresh and green, but today, the grass smells red. I feel danger, or something bad approaching. The grass smells like blood that a monster has painted. The grass is very wet and smells very red and dangerous. I believe that this grass has some dangerous chemicals, such as blood. I smell the grass a little bit because I am curious, but I just can't smell it. I feel suffocated, and run to breathe some clean oxygen.
Journal Twenty Six
Topic: Chris walks into a room. By describing the reactions of the others in the room, let us know something about him.
Chris walked into a room. There was his own desk at the corner, and there were a lot of desks. There were a lot of children sitting on their chair. Some of them had their laptops opened. The children said, "Hi, Mr. Chris!" The children looked very enthusiastic, but Chris had no reaction. The children took out their homework. Chris collected the homework and began class. I think by now, you can guess who Chris is.
Journal Twenty Seven
Topic: Free Write
KIS middle and high school runs on a seven-block schedule. I like the idea of the block schedule for several reasons. First, each class is one hour and fifteen minutes long. This gives the students enough time to think about a particular thing or more time to complete assignments or projects. Second of all, we have all classes at all times of the day. We don't have science every morning and math every afternoon, we have all subjects at various times of the day. This balances out the energy level of students in a day. For these reasons, I am an advocate of the seven-block scheduling of KIS.
Journal Twenty Eight
Topic: Write from the perspective of a freshly scrubbed floor.
I am so happy. A woman just came and cleaned me. I don’t like it when there are crumbs of cookies or a handful of toys on top of me. I don’t like all the dust from people’s feet on me either. That’s why I dislike people, but I do like people when they clean me. I wish that people continue to clean me, because I believe that I am an important existence in the world, because people step on me all the time.
Journal Twenty Nine
Topic: Some say you can tell a lot about a person by the vehicle he or she drives. Picture a car. (Or is it a truck? Or an SUV?)
The car is red and shiny. It reflects the radiation from the sun. It is very small. The fact that it is a convertible makes it easy to drive. Four people can ride in the car. the owner of a car is a woman that is twenty six years old. She drives this car because she just got her driver's license. She is not that skilled at driving her car. She likes her car a lot and uses it every day to go to different places.
Journal Thirty
Topic: Free Write
MAP testing is a testing that is done at KIS two times every year. MAP stands for measures of academic progress. We get tested in four areas, reading comprehension, language arts, math, and science. Science is the most difficult for me. It is not the general science, but we are also tested on scientific reasoning. We have to know things that are not covered in middle school, like the formation of clouds or how earthquakes and volcanoes happen. Reading comprehension is one of the other difficult parts, but it isn't as difficult as science. We are tested on inference, roots of words, and even using context clues to figure out the meaning of difficult words. Language arts is not so difficult, but it is very confusing. We are tested on areas like capitalization and punctuation. Math is one of the areas that is less difficult, and I get the best score. The math problems are pretty easy, and korean students have a tendency to do well on math. In conclusion, the MAP testing tests your skills in various areas.
Journal Thirty One
Topic: Free Write
PINK
Pink tastes like the romantic beauty of fairy tale character
Pink smells like the smooth strawberry icing on a cake
Pink sounds like the people cheering for happiness
Pink feels like the tangible love between people
Pink looks like the wonderful beauty between humans
Pink makes me happy and ready for my unknown future
Pink, I will feel it one day!
Journal Thirty Two
Topic: Free Write
CHOCOLATE
Chocolate tastes so sweet
What could describe
The melting taste?
So sweet,
So delicious,
So tasty
After I eat,
I say,
Want it again!
Journal Thirty Three
Topic: Reflect on the process of writing a short story. What did you learn from the process? If you had the assignment again. how would you approach it?
Writing a short story is a long process. I had to think about the characters, setting, and the plot. I had to think about my climax, and what kind of conflict the characters would face. I also had to consider word variety and many other factors. I learned from the process the components of a good story. A good story has a very clear climax, well developed characters, and a good description of the setting. The part I struggled with was character development. Trying to fit the character's likes or dislikes was sometimes very irrelevant to the plot. If I had another chance to do the assignment again, I would concentrate a little more on developing my characters.
Journal Thirty Four
Topic: Free Write
I like to go on vacations for several reasons. First, I can have a fun time with the people you are traveling with. If I am traveling with my friend, I can make my friendship stronger, and if I am traveling with my family, I can create unforgettable memories. Second, I can learn about the culture of another country. I can learn what they believe in and what holidays they have. For these reasons, I like to go on vacations.
Journal Thirty Five
Topic: Three people are stuck in an elevator.
A teenager with green hair and many piercing
A pastry chef
A church organist
Write a conversation they have as they wait.
Teenager: Oh, my! I have to go to my academy on the 37th floor but the elevator is broken! What will I do?
Organist: Don't worry! The elevator will be fixed soon!
Chef: (Holding a huge cake) Hey, you're not the person that should be worried! I have to deliver this cake to a customer on the 50th floor!
Organist: The cake won't rot! Why are you all so angry?
Teenager: Well, my mom will beat me up and I will be grounded if I don't go to that academy!
Chef: That's at least better than giving my customers a rotten cake!
Teenager: What kind of cake is that, by the way?
Chef: It is a delicious chocolate cake.
Teenager: Really? I love chocolate cakes.
Organist: I would like to try that! I have not eaten cakes since I was little!
Chef: Perhaps you can come to our shop then! It is on the 25th floor of this building!
Organist: I would love to visit but I'm afraid I am so busy!
Chef: That's too bad.
Teenager: I'll go there one day!
Chef: Thank you, kid!
Teenager: Your welcome!
(The door opens)
Teenager: Yes, the door opens! I'm using the stairs instead of using this slow elevator! (Runs out)
Chef: I think I should not use this elevator! (Also runs out)
Organist: Why are they hurrying like that? They seriously need to slow down!
Journal Thirty Six
Topic: You are paying $10.00 per word to advertise in the classified section of the Upscale Times, a newspaper for a very wealthy area of town. You want to offer your services as a dog sitter. Write a convincing ad, but don't spend more than $200.00. Articles do not count.
DOG SITTING SERVICE! WE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOUR DOG FOR AN UNLIMITED TIME! ONLY $4 PER HOUR! CALL NOW!
Journal Thirty Seven
Topic: Great-grandpa Rotondo doesn't understand what a video game is. Or an iPod. Or text messaging. Pick one of the above and explain what it is in terms that even the most un-technological person can understand.
Text messaging is done through a private phone, called a cell phone. It is very small, and almost every person owns it. In this phone, there is a service where you can write a message and send it to someone else. Writing a message on the small phone to send to someone else is called text messaging.
Text messaging can be done as long as you has a phone. It is very easy, and many people use it. If someone sent you a message, you will get it. If your phone was off, you will see it as soon as you turn your phone on.
Text messaging is very enjoyable. You can write whatever you want. It is a very important communication tool, and can be more effective than calling someone.
Journal Thirty Eight
Topic: Free Write
I do not understand the concept of gender and colors. Now, it is believed that boys should like fresh and cold colors such as blue, green, or purple. Equally, it is believed that girls should like bright colors such as pink or red. This restricts many people from choosing their favorite color. My favorite color used to be pink, but because of this notion, my favorite color is now blue. I think this can be attributed to one's childhood. In cartoons, princes are always blue while angels or princesses are always pink. Now at parties, men usually wear blue uniforms while women usually wear red, pink, or yellow dresses. I believe that the society should work so that everyone can have their own freedom in choosing their favorite colors. Cartoon companies, such as Disney, should make this effort as well. Everyone has their own freedom in this kind of matters, and the thinking of the public should not hinder their decision.
Journal Thirty Nine
Topic: What would you do with three wishes?
One of the wishes would be that I can read people's minds. I have had lots of experiences when the same person is sometimes nice to me and sometimes mean to me. The other wish would be for me to get a high score on all of my classes. I believe that grades are the most important aspect of school life, but this is very hard. I wish that I can get over a ninety on all of my classes. The last wish that I want is for world peace. I read many fiction and nonfiction books and I understood how terrible wars and battles are for everyone. These would be my three wishes if I could make three wishes.
Journal Forty
Topic: What's your idea of a perfect vacation?
In my opinion, a perfect vacation is one that was planned to the smallest detail in advance. Although some people say that they should just go and just go with the flow, that is a good way of getting lost. Your whole life could change if you get lost, especially if the country is a foreign one. You may not know their customs, so you might do something that might make them angry. You might run out of money, or might have difficulties finding a vacant hotel. Nobody wants this to happen to them. A planned vacation is also good that you can spend time more efficiently. You get to see and do more things in a fixed period of time.
A perfect vacation also should include a tour guide with a company. Even if you make it to the historical monuments, you are not going to understand it. Tour companies offers historical explanation behind these monuments. The tour company will also help you plan information on clothes, your flight and passport if needed, food, and so on.
Going to vacation is fun for everyone, but it could also be miserable without the perfect planning in advance. This is why I prefer to go on a vacation that was planned in advance.
Journal Forty One
Topic: Free Write
Milk is a drink that is enjoyed by a few people, while some people do not like it. I do not like milk for one reason.
Milk tastes a little bland. It doesn't really have a good smell or taste. I have been used to eating low fat and fat free milk which might affect the results. Natural milk also tastes bad because I am so used to eating low fat milk.
I personally do not understand the people that say milk tastes good. Milk doesn't really have a unique taste. Because of the taste, I do not like milk.
Journal Forty Two
Topic: As this is being written, a show called "What Not to Wear" is popular on the cable channel TLC. Imagine more possible shows on a "What not to do" theme. Describe at least one idea. Don't forget to give the show a name.
The name of the show is "What Not to Eat." The show explains what you should not eat. It talks about unhealthy food. For example, fast food has negative effects on people. The show would get a professional to explain why you shouldn't eat those foods. The show sometimes becomes more comedic and talks about the food of various countries. For example, the Chinese eats snakes and other types of foods. It would talk about what foods are bad, as well as the food culture of various countries.
Journal Forty Three
Topic: For the last two days you were not in school because of the weather-"Snow days". As advanced we have become in the 21st century we still can not control the weather. Do you think this is an advantage or a disadvantage?
I think the fact that we cannot control the weather is an advantage for humans. Although people say that they want to control everything, there is a limit to what we can control to prevent catastrophes from occurring. If we have control over the weather, conflict might arise due to the difference in everyone's likes and dislikes. In addition, weather control can cause problems back to us.
The first point is the conflict that will be arisen between people. Some people like cold, snowy weather while others like hot weather. Some people like rain while others do not like rain. With this, people might fight about what the weather should be. Because some people really have an aversion to some type of weather, while others love that same weather, making a compromise might also not be possible. This would result in world chaos.
The second point is the harm that it will do to us. If the earth is hot every day, that will enforce global warming, and it will make the surface of the earth hotter. If the earth is snowy all the time, the surface of the earth might turn into ice. Equally, if it never rains, it might cause a drought, and if it rains all the time, it might cause floods. These disasters will result in the deaths, and if taken to the extremes, the earth might come to an end. The fact that we can control the weather will harm us back.
Because of the conflict that will be arisen between the people, and the harm that it will cause to us, the fact that we can't control the weather is a huge advantage.
Journal Forty Four
Topic: Write a letter to yourself as a ten-year-old child.
Seoul, Korea
Dear the ten-year-old Sabin,
How do you like your school life now? You just moved into a new campus at Bundang. You go to a campus with three buildings! The school is just wonderful, and so are the teachers. I had no problem adapting to the life there.
Well, you used be bullied sometimes, and you also used to be friendly sometimes. I remember, how I used to love math. I remember the math teacher, she used to be very nice to me. I hated science and art, they were so difficult. Well, I also know that the science teacher was so mean to me.
I even have a memory that I can never forget from school. It was when you cheated on an assignment, and got in so much trouble. Luckily, you at least got an extra credit assignment to make up for it. However, that's because you were an elementary kid, and I did not know too much.
Have a good time as a ten-year-old. No matter what, don't lose your hope and your dreams.
From the present-day Sabin
Journal Forty Five
Topic: Free Write
A new year has begun. Everyone is happy that it is 2010 now, and everyone is off to a new and fresh start with so many wishes. I have some wishes too. I hope that me and my family can stay healthy, and I also hope that I can make new friends.
As everyone says, health and safety always comes first. I hope to be healthy. I wish that I do not get injured or severely hurt. Last year, I was hurt and was very sad and tired. This year, I hope that everyone in my family is healthy, so nobody has to visit the hospital. One person's bad health makes a huge impact on a lot of people.
Secondly, I hope to make new friends. Friends are there to help me in times of difficulty, and also so that I can feel a reason for living. People without friends have a difficult time living in the planet. However, having the same friends all the time is not good either. I hope to make new friends so I can interact with more people. Meeting different people helps me get along with others. Not everyone is exactly the same as me, but friends still exist, and making new friends is always very fun.
I will not make any specific wishes for this year. However, I do wish that my family stays healthy and that I can make new friends.
Journal Forty Six
Topic: Write about a memory related to a holiday.
On the first day of 2010, I went to my grandmother's house. I had so much fun, and it was unique from the other holidays. My family went to my grandmother's house at the start of every year, but this year was different.
We sat around a table and had breakfast together. This was very unique because we rarely meet and have breakfast together. Usually, it is lunch or dinner, and not breakfast. My grandmother cooked delicious dishes for us this year.
Then we wished each other luck in the new year as well. We wish that we could be fortunate this year. We told our wishes and had a great time.
We even played a game, and my brother, cousin, and I won money for winning a game against the adults. My brother was the best at the game, so he won the most money.
In conclusion, the first day of 2010 was very unique from all the other holidays. We had a very fun time, and this time was enjoyed by everyone.
Journal Forty Seven
Topic: Madison is so happy. In one paragraph, show that she is happy but don't use the word happy.
Madison was elated when she figured out that she got a hundred percent on her math test. The teacher had said her name in front of the class. She was the only kid in the whole grade that got a hundred on the exam. Madison did not study on the exam, she was just lucky because the test turned out to be very easy for her. Madison was glad and felt very proud of her performance. "I know, I am smarter than I think I am," she said.
Journal Forty Eight
Topic: In one sentence, describe something (not someone) that is very ugly. Create a vividly ugly image with words.
The plate was putrid, and had a reeking smell reminding me of garbage.
Journal Forty Nine
Topic: Write from the point of view of a TV remote control.
I have a very weird schedule. My rest time is in the daytime, and my work time is in the evening. I have to keep on being pressed at, and I have to keep on changing it. Sometimes, people fight over me because they want to watch different things. Every night, I go to work. Sometimes, I work until maybe one or two in the morning. Then, I am really tired.
I hate it a lot when people get me to work in the daytime. I don't understand why they like the TV so much. They are pressing the buttons, going from one channel to another, and back.
I feel like I became a bat. I sleep in the day, and work in the evening. I want to go on a vacation too, and get some rest. It really hurts, to be pressed on all the time. It hurts, and perhaps I should go to the hospital. Well, I think now that you know how I feel, I will end it here.
Journal Fifty
Topic: Erica Jong said "If you don't risk anything, you risk more." Write about what this means to you.
This means that if I don't make any effort to do anything, more danger approaches. For example, if I do not risk to do any work, I risk more because I will get in trouble. I must be willing to take risks.
I must risk myself in times of difficulty. By not doing this, I am risking the danger of something else. Making risks is very important in life.
To me, this quotation tells me how important the skill of risk taking is. I will take more risks in life. Although something might go wrong, I still must try and make an effort.
Journal Fifty One
Topic: Free Write
Creative writing was a course that taught me a lot. I believe that I have improved my writing skills. It was not exactly academic writing. It gave me more freedom in what I would write.
The essays we wrote in class taught me the characteristics of a good essay. I got practice writing essays. I believe that the course helped me.
Not only this, it taught me the diversity of writing. It taught me writing comics and scripts, which would not be really academic. In conclusion, creative writing was a course that taught me a lot.