RLA Favorite Poems

1.  "I'm Gonna Tell God Everything" 

This poem is about the recent gas bomb attack that killed many innocent children. This poem is in the perspective of a Syrian child who knows he/she is going to die soon. 

I'm gonna tell God everything
he'll come down with his blinding light
so that they can't see
or laugh
their finger pointing at me
instead
with their hands pinned to the ground
maybe they'll feel
my family's bones soiled and drowned.

It was my birthday today
but they just blew my sister away
"foo" like a candle!
Mama had said to sleep early the night before
or she'd punish us
they'd be no celebrations, no cake
but we were punished, punished
for living our childhood
I can still see it:
her nose kept running,
her eyes wouldn't wake
oh we were punished

I just pray for the day
when Syrian children will wake to the sound of birds
not bombs
when our walls will be dipped with memories
not sobs
many children breathe, but no childhood lives

And soon, this toxic air will fill my nose too
I'll drift away from my bleeding Syria
and gently settle on the clouds with my family
at least we'll find peace
together in heaven
Maybe I can even celebrate my birthday then
with my heat going
beat
beat
beat
beat
... cause I'm gonna tell God
everything.


2. Unbought and Unbossed

This poem is about Shirley Chisholm-- first black and female to run for U.S presidency. Her slogan is "Unbought and Unbossed" and this poem is in the time of 1972. 

What is freedom?

When all we can feel is the

Burn

Burn

Burn of wounds and slashes on the back

When all we can taste

Is the bitter

Crunch

Crunch

Crunch of sandy granules between our teeth

Even now, after the 14th amendment is ratified

“No state shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property”

the blacks here sit terrified, unsatisfied

With no sign of an arriving liberty

So tell me now, what is the cost?

To live with freedom, with dignity

Unbought and Unbossed?

3. Imagine That Cozy Saturday Evening

Imagine that cozy Saturday evening.

I’ve sunk in my bed

Springy, fluffed

Just like a good cake

I’ve cuddled my blanket

A nest of spun sugar and silk

And cotton candy

Sticky and sweet

I’m dipped in my pillow

In warm melted honey

Waiting for the sugar syrup to

Intoxicate

Rejuvenate

   Drown

My pillow

While it slowly seeps through the porous fabric

And I look outside

At the pitter-patter

Melted pearls trickling against the sugar windows

Until the windows shatter

The shards pierce my skin

And I realize

The pillow was my computer

The bed was my desk

And I’ve succumbed to school.

Cyber Trolling

     
        I've realized how it's way easier to bully someone online because we feel protected and not so scared of saying derogatory language out loud. However, if we had to say the same thing to the same person, just in a different platform, it would be way harder. We wouldn't do that. The video shows how rare an occasion is when someone bullies another one verbally, face-to-face, with an audience hearing. The message I've learned is that if we can't confront the person and abuse them out loud, we shouldn't be able to do the same online. But I also feel that most of the people who troll actually don't hate the person, they hate themselves because they see a reflection of who they actually wanted to be. Trolling should stop. The main root cause of trolling are the various perspectives on insecurity and imperfections. Everyone is imperfect or has insecurities, but it is the lens in which they see through that changes their perspective about them. We shouldn't pull someone else down because of our perspective; someone else may end up doing the same to us too when their perspective changes.

RLA Persuasive Speech

I was proud of my projection and emphasis on certain words with eye contact and gestures. I could work on maybe slowing down at parts and using techniques like repetition. 

RLA Journalism Podcast- "Angling the Mirror: Time to Reflect on the Quieter Side"

RLA Top 10 List- "What I Think About While in Air"

Have you ever had a late-night flight? 12am, 1am... perhaps even 3am? Well, I did. This fall break, on the flight going to my destination. I was cranky that night, with my eyelids swollen the size of party balloons and my eyelashes heavy as bricks. I was crying for sleep. Just one small nap.....just one quick rest....
Too late.
Before I knew it, we were swept away by the elevator and vacuumed into the taxi.
I decided...there was a solution! I could sleep in the plane!
Surely I wouldn't stay awake the whole flight... right?
But then, while we were in the plane, and the plane was about to take off, instead of snoozing and getting a good chunk of sleep like I'd anticipated I would, I started looking through the magazine for movies.
Like really, MOVIES.
And then I looked through the menu of food they were serving.
Like really, A MENU.
And then I started thinking about how the destination would look like, with a pink-lemonade-stained sky, and a sticky sun....
LIKE REALLY, THINKING.

And out of all the things I did in my 5-hour flight, I couldn't find the word 'sleep' anywhere. Where did it go? I don't know, maybe it vanished amongst the exciting selection of movies I had yet to watch, or the mouth-watering list of cuisines I had yet to try, or even the beautiful landscape of the destination I had yet to visit. Maybe I wasn't tired anymore...
But then, I was tired. I was tired after we landed. As if magic, my eyelids swelled the size of hot air balloons, and my eyelashes felt as heavy as a whole brick house!
And then, I was left with the misery of staying tired until I decided we could sleep in the hotel room... right?
But then.

Application Essay- Most Meaningful

Most Meaningful

By: Vainavi Gambhir

“Never trust me.

       I might tell a lie,

     I might make you cry.

    I’m kinda’ like a bully,

bad luck you trust me fully.”

The problem was: I wasn’t the bully. Poetry was the real bully. It troubled me because I didn’t know how to get a poem to sound meaningful. Poetry was quite different than any other form of writing. There was literally no rule to it, yet there were too many. Embedded in every sentence had to be some important message; every word had to be stuffed with “meat” and impact.

I remember the time when I was so determined to actually finish writing a poem of some sort. My third-grade self recalled what my teacher had told me about writing poetry.

“Think about something that impacts the world, and write about that to make the poem powerful.”

• The burning face and skinned elbows hiding behind older, tougher fists.

• The noise of a growling stomach and cracking joints searching a trash bin for traces of survival.

  These were pretty powerful topics.

        Big. Impactful. Important.

I decided to go for ocean pollution. I mean, who wouldn’t fall for choking animals tied in nets with plastic down their throats? I worked on getting some good imagery and emotion into the poem. In time, I’d even achieved adding as many impactful words as my nine-year-old brain could think of, with (of course) a seemingly clear and meaningful message.

“ …The nets attack,

as the poison spreads.

Creating a blanket

of trash… “

But was this poem meaningful enough to me?

I realized how many authors and children had already written about issues in the world. I narrowed my eyebrows and blinked at my work: the words that were someone else’s, the problem known to everyone. I was confused. Wasn’t this what would make my poem meaningful? Yet it wasn’t working, and so I crumpled the black words into a ball to be shoved away. I gazed outside the window at the golden streaks in the sea as the wet sun seeped through the sticky, evening clouds. I observed the people scurrying to coffee shops and malls, tranced by their phones. I noticed the sky blend from amber, to crimson, to pink. I then turned to the crumpled ball of poetry.

And I smiled.

As I grasped my pencil for the second time, I suddenly felt the rough wood around the metallic lead. I began to write. Not about all the issues in the world, the major events, tragic losses, or anything big. I wrote about the light bulb at my bedside table, flickering like the sun peeking behind a scribble of mountains. I wrote about that sea outside my window, the waves spreading like a melting cube of ice. I wrote about that one moment when I was at the beach, tasting the sweet breeze and feeling the sandy granules between my toes. It was the first time in so long that I had actually lived the moment I was in. I’d felt so powerful then. But I felt the same way now too. My pencil glided across those familiar lines in my notebook like ice.

“Think about something that impacts the world, and write about that to make the poem powerful.”

I understood how those small moments are the greatest impact on every single person; everyone is made of those moments, whether cherished or not. Likewise, each word for a moment represents a tiny puzzle piece of who I am, what my poem of life is.

And ever since I held that rough pencil between my fingers again, I realized that every moment was a precious topic to write about in itself. Writing about my surroundings helped me open my eyes and mind to recognize the hidden poetry every little thing offered. I felt like I had grown to appreciate the most trivial acts in my surroundings.

I began to write poems about nothing. It was astonishing how much of nothing there was to write about.

And through my life, “stuffing” each moment like a meaningful word is what would make my poem of life truly reflective and complete. Just like a good poem.

Small. Precise. Precious.

         I glanced back at the poetry I’d formed in my notebook…

“...feet sunk in the rich earth

The sunset dancing above my hair,

cherishing the moment for all its worth,

As I breathe today’s fresh air.”

      … and I signed my name below.

My Reading Check-In

I think I have met expectations in my reading. First of all, in the first couple of weeks at school, I have developed my genre choices. I am more comfortable in trying something new, and I have weened off reading fantasy books. Examples of some different genres I read were Mystery (The Red Kayak by Pricilla Cummings) and Realistic Fiction (Wonder by RJ Palacio). I have even pushed my reading level further, and can now read higher level books with ease and comprehension. Some strategies I use for finding a good book are looking at the blurb, genre, length, and cover. I even read consistently everyday. If there is anything to work on, it would be keeping track of my reading using the reading log. I haven't updated my log as of yet, but I will try to be more conscientious in doing so. Otherwise, I am proud to say that I have improved drastically already, and can't wait to learn being more organised, committed, and interested in reading books!

Informed Argument Podcast

click here for podcast!

1. What did you learn about writing informed arguments?

I have learned many techniques, like adding Language, Organization, Voice and Emotional Appeal (LOVE) to my argument. I have learned about voice the most, and how to choose powerful words that convince the listener and reader about my view of the topic.

2. What did you find challenging about writing this genre? How did you overcome the challenge?

What I found most challenging was writing a thoughtful introduction which could set up and introduce the following two claims from each side of the topic. I had to make sure I caught the reader's attention with something they could think about and reflect throughout the whole podcast. I overcame this challenge by setting a question, allowing the reader to think and relate.

3. What did you find challenging about recording the podcast?

Many things were slightly challenging for me. The first challenge was maintaining an engaging voice throughout the podcast, the second challenge was trying not to laugh in the podcast, and trying to seem serious and professional in what I was saying. The final challenge was then uploading the podcast to my blog.

4. What are you most proud of about your podcast?

I am most proud of the way I conveyed my voice in the podcast. I thought I was pretty convincing, and used a lot of evidence to support my claim of less homework.

5. What are you hoping your listeners will feel/do as a result of listening to your podcast?

I am hoping teachers and parents will be a bit more gentle on homework for kids, and realize that extra homework isn't going to help them very much.

Poetry Slam!

1. What do you know about poetry that you didn't know before? How do your poems demonstrate your knowledge of poetry? 

I definitely feel I have grown as a writer. I now use various poetic devices that were new to me before. Devices like onomatopoeia, alliteration, consonance, assonance, hyperbole, and couplets were what I learned. My poems demonstrate knowledge of poetry because my poem has almost everything I learned and took away from the Poetry unit. I feel I am confident and flexible in using multiple devices to enhance my poem.

2. For your "best" poem, explain the following
How did you come up with the idea for this poem? What was your planning process?

The way I came up with the whole idea of this was through artwork. Our class got a chance to glance at some artwork by advanced students for the Art Show. That tour was great in reviving our imagination, and pouring out feelings and thoughts. I got inspired by one painting of buildings locked in a circle, surrounded by light blue clouds. Immediately the clouds made me think of freedom, dreams, and imagination. I then got reminded of being taken to a different place, which the buildings in the middle of a circle represented in my mind.  My poem played with colors and actions, and crazy objects entering my mid, like it actually did when I first saw the artwork.

What moves did you make as a poet? Explain your revision process.

I first sketched how the painting looked like, and then added some observations. Next,  I started with a few simple lines describing what I thought when I saw the painting. Later on, I added poetic devices like imagery, line breaks, stanzas, and rhyme. The end was for small revisions to make my poem come to life, and adding an "I" feel so that readers could relate to my message conveyed.

What feelings or ideas do you hope to instill in your reader?

By adding a personal yet common feel to the poem, I think many readers will be able to relate to what I said. The message of my poem is we are all capable of imagining, and we shouldn't stop imagination from being wild.

Be Your Own Support (Literary Essay)

Be Your Own Support

By: Vainavi Gambhir

In life, it is common to lose someone very close to your heart. And especially when that person has supported you during tough times, it hurts to let them go. This is what happens to Caitlyn, a girl suffering from Asperger’s syndrome, in Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine, when she loses her brother, Devon, and loses all support. As the book progresses, she then finds a solution- closure.

In this book, Caitlyn loses her brother Devon, and life seems confusing. She needs company and someone to talk to, but nobody in her class is willing to be her friend. She then realizes that to overcome Devon’s death, and find closure, she needs to finish his incomplete project- his chest. Then comes the part where she completes what she set off for, and in the end it is a proud moment for the whole family.

Caitlyn was the most affected of all by Devon’s death since she was coping with both loss and her syndrome. She needed a friend and someone to talk to, someone to support her, which is why during school she would try making friends, but couldn’t find much except people demeaning her. “He turns his head to me and whispers, Loser. I know, I tell him, but I’m going to keep trying.” - (pg. 154) She didn’t give up and showed determination to either make the right friends, or have no friends at all. On page 171 and 173 of the book, the way Caitlyn tried making friends with Mia and Laura showed she was desperate, but instead she received unkind comments from them, and so it was decided they were not going to be her friends. This part of the book really brought out the message that everyone needs friends, and especially for a person who lost all support and has their own pressures, making friends becomes both essential and hard.

In this book, the author, Kathryn Erskine showed symbolism in her writing. Devon’s incomplete chest showed the significance of what was missing all along- the finished chest, just like the complete Devon was missing. After Caitlyn completed Devon’s chest, she felt a sense of closure that Devon was complete, exactly like his chest, and the feeling of closure she got was what she was missing all along. Caitlyn shouts, “DEVON’S CHEST! HIS EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT!” - (pg. 151）This quote is suitable to show how determined Caitlyn was to finish what her brother had set off to do.

By finishing Devon’s incomplete project, Caitlyn found her sense of closure. She persevered, from struggling to find friends to finishing an incomplete chest of Devon’s. This proved to be a proud moment for not only her, but the whole family, as Caitlyn now knows she completed a close object of Devon’s, and as a result, gained her closure, and felt satisfied. In the end, confronting your challenges and finding a way that helps you stay strong is what we should all do when we confront a difficult situation. There is always a way to find closure, and when support is not there for you, be your own support.

Reflection:

What I liked most about the book Mockingbird, was that it portrayed the characters in a very complex, yet understandable way. I could connect to certain parts of the story, and agree that life isn't always easy. My book club gave good quality discussions which helped me understand some points I missed. We all took turns in talking, and it was interesting to see the different views of my members. Belonging to this club helped me grow by speaking and discussing, and I got a better understanding of the book. As a writer, I have grown a lot. I can now use elements like transitions in my writing, and I learned something new- succinct summaries. Some challenges I faced while writing my essay were finding direct quotes from the book that precisely supported my claim. I have definitely surprised myself as a writer by trying a genre based on a book. Literary essays were very fun to learn!

Writing Goal Reflection

Process goal: Trying out new techniques (more than once)

I have made progress on my goal. I can use different structures and techniques mainly in my reading responses. My evidence is that in my reading responses, I use different themes and sentence starters, which is improving my grade. A next step would be to practice using techniques while I read. At the end of each book, I can make a brief response and practice different techniques through that.

Product goal: Structure

• Leads
• Transitions
• sequence of ideas
• conclusions

I have made a lot of progress on this goal! I use many more complex transitions, and my structure and sequence is well-developed and clearer. Leads and conclusions have improved the most, because I feel I am able to gather all the points of my writing and introduce them, and sum them up. My writing reads more fluently and professionally because of that. I can tell the difference when I compare other writing. A next step could be to keep transitions in mind while writing.

Greek Myth Reflection

A Poisonous Punishment

After Arielle, a simple girl who lived in a small cottage, returned from her pottery making lessons, she decided to go apple picking from a well-known garden with her mom. The garden was beautiful, it beared the juiciest, sweetest and freshest apples. No fruit vendor could provide apples of better quality than these. The problem was that in an attempt to take a crunchy bite of of the juice-oozing apples, many died. Some apples were poisonous; they were so deadly that one bite was all that was needed to kill anybody. Luckily her mom, Terriesta, having experience with harvest, knew all about the poisonous apples and how to identify them. She taught Arielle too, so that she could separate the edible apples for her. Terriesta loved and trusted her daughter more than anything. The only thing was that she couldn’t bear if any of the rules or directions weren’t obeyed. That was the only reason why Arielle feared her mom.

After Terriesta finished picking apples from the tree, Arielle would sit on a rock and start to separate the edible apples from the poisonous. Terriesta didn’t allow Arielle to leave the rock without informing her because she feared Arielle would get lost and never find her way through the twisted trees and confusing paths. Every week it was the same routine, until one week, Arielle heard a harp being played at a distance. It was the Siren. She could hear the melodious harp being played at different pitches, blending in beautifully. She could also hear light whispering that welcomed Arielle to listen to them, and she got hypnotized. The music was so enticing that she just couldn’t resist running and taking a closer look. After some time, when the music stopped, and Arielle came back to her senses, she ran back to the rock. She was just in time because Terriesta was coming too. Arielle knew that her mom would be very upset to hear that she hadn’t done her job and instead had run off without telling her. So she decided to lie that she had separated the good ones from the poisonous ones, and then quickly separate them when Terriesta wasn’t there. When Terriesta approached the rock, she questioned Arielle about the task she had given. Arielle reluctantly said that she had done her job, and then gave a drained, faint smile. Terriesta, having trusted her daughter so much, left for home without seeing the empty basket in the corner. Arielle could feel a bag of guilt tugging in her throat, but she was relieved to see that Terriesta was out of sight. Arielle was always given the task to then pick wild berries from the neighboring bushes, and separate the ripe berries from the sour. She found this opportunity to quickly separate her apples before Terriesta came out to check.

When Apollo, the god of truth, heard Arielle’s lie and deceit to her mom, he was infuriated.

“Why did she lie? By committing a grave mistake in front of my eyes, she will get her punishment. But how do I give her such a punishment, that will leave her in nothing but regret?” He thought hard, and finally came to the conclusion that the best way to punish Arielle, was to punish her mom.

“But since Terriesta has no fault, I will let her stay and enjoy with the gods once she dies.”

Apollo then walked away, eyeing Arielle quickly doing her job. How about I leave a few poisonous apples for Terriesta to eat? And so that happened, even though Arielle had been very careful, she had to leave a few poisonous apples. When she returned home, she lied that there weren’t any good berries to eat, and then placed the apple basket on the counter next to her mom. Terriesta was pleased to see the apples, and picked an apple without looking. Evidently, the apple she picked, was indeed one of the poisonous apples. She took an immediate bite of the crunchy fruit, and began work. Arielle was happy that she had gotten away with her lie. Apollo just sighed. He then waited to see when the poisonous apple would do its work, and Arielle would realize her mistake.

Days passed by, until one week, Arielle and her mother decided to pick fresh mangoes. The mangoes weren’t poisonous so it was easy to pick the right, ripe mango. Stretching her arms, Arielle reached for the dangling mangoes this time, and let Terriesta sit on the rock and wait. The moment Terriesta sat on the rock, she felt sick. Suddenly, with a loud THUD, she fell to the ground. Even the birds chirping nearby paused their music. Dropping her basket, Arielle turned around to check what had happened. Arielle was in shock, Terriesta lay dead.

“Mother! Wake up! Oh, what happened?” Ariella screamed.

“This is the result for lying to your mother. This is the work of a poisonous apple.” a voice boomed. It was Apollo. Ariella was speechless, her face blood red with shame. How could I lie to my mother, that too, in front of the god of truth? She dropped to her knees and cried. She felt horrible, and regretted the mistake she made. Then she noticed her mom slowly turn into a green apple.

“This, and every green apple will remind you of your lie. Every sour bite will remind you of what you’ve done, and make you cry at your mistake. Every green crunch will represent the poison your mother took. The punishment wasn’t for your mother, but for you. Every minute will torture you, recalling this bitter memory.”

And so Ariella kept the green apple as a punishment, to punish the lie she said. And so now when anyone takes a bite of a green apple, all they will taste is a green, sour crunch which brings Ariella’s lie, the first lie, in front of the world.

Reflection:

I have definitely grown as a writer! When I compare my Myth with my On-demand, I can see a significant difference in word choice, authenticity, and structure. I feel more comfortable in applying skills such as appositive, participle, and absolute phrases in my writing now. I have really improved on structure as well. Challenges like myth authenticity and including Membean words were faced, but it was actually fun to find ways to overcome them. I was full of surprises when I compared my on-demand with my recent writing! I didn't know I could write in an authentic way! I got feedback to focus on Greek terms and originality which further improved my myth.

Semester 2 Reading Goal Reflection

My habit goal is to read a book regularly for 20 mins- pushing my variety of genres and my reading level- and finish a book in about 2 weeks.

My thinking goal is to try new response techniques to get a variety of possibilities for reading responses.

I have definitely made progress on my goals. Reading regularly has become more of a habit now. I find that when I'm interested in a book, reading regularly becomes a lot easier because I want to reading more and go through the story quicker. I have read a lot of books that just bored me, and maybe that's why it took me a long time to finish that book. Finding an interesting book is what is helping me achieve my goal. My habit goal is slowly but surely progressing as I do more and more reading responses. My reader's notebook has a lot of beneficial tools to help me improve on my techniques. I have faced slight challenges with my habit goal- reading regularly- because I don't seem to find a 20 minute chunk, and sometimes the book doesn't grab my attention. My next step for my thinking goal would be to use the reading response as an opportunity to improve on my techniques. I will use the reading responses as a way to use different formats for my writing. For my habit goal, my next step would be to make sure I find good books for good understanding, responses, stickies, and reflection.

Just Take a Break From Screen Time

Just Take a Break From Screen Time

Most parents think that technology can take their child one step further, and is a very interesting and useful tool in life. Well, there is no doubt, that technology has done wonders with iPods, iPhones, iTouches, iPads, Kindles and many more. But don’t they think that electronics are NEGATIVELY impacting their child? Research say that children below 13 years should not be given electronics to handle. So if your child is above 13 years, you now must be thinking, my child is above 13, it’s okay for her to do what she wants. And if that is what you’re thinking, then you are wrong. Electronics can impact everybody. Even parents get impacted. Believe it or not, too much screen time has other influences than just eyesight. It impacts your mental health, it minimizes family time and “in person” social time, and if you really think about it, you’re mostly not that productive. Thus, I believe that electronics are really taking up people’s lives, and they should only be used when needed.

We all know that screen time damages eyesight. But did you know that your mental health is impacted too? Parents, have you ever noticed your child quite frequently feeling cranky and quite, and then wondered why? This is possibly because screen time has impacted your child’s mood. Excessive screen time is what impacts mood, and concentration level. Some doctors call it an electronic screen syndrome.

“Taken together, [studies show] internet addiction is associated with structural and functional changes in brain regions involving emotional processing, executive attention, decision making, and cognitive control.”

  ~ research authors summarizing impact of excessive screen time.

Children, do you ever feel like you are not getting enough time with your family? Have you ever even noticed this? Well it’s about time you start thinking about it. One reason you might be lacking family time is because probably electronics carry you away, and your whole day passes by. Moreover, referring back to mood, after long hours of screen time, it is typical that people don’t feel like talking to anyone and want some time to just stare into space. Your brain gets used to the position and functioning that happens while watching T.V, and for some time, you just feel like keeping that position the same- resulting in staring into space. That is also why electronics feel so addicting, and you don’t realize when time flies by. If we think about it, we are getting more experience electronically, than academically and socially.

Let’s face it, are we being very productive? Sometimes maybe yes- but other times, not so much. Now don’t get me wrong, education and productivity related work like online homework and/or assignments are very important. That is when you can get your daily screen time. Other than that, things that aren’t related to being productive, could be substituted. It is habitual that if you’re bored, you feel like electronics is your go-to option, and you can’t live without it, but there are so many other things we can do with our life other than spending it in front of a screen. For example, outdoor activities are great to build metabolism and adrenaline. Spending time and laughing with family and friends is another way to keep you happy and healthy. You should even leave some time for yourself, where you can close your door and start writing, reading, drawing, just some time to let your imagination and creativity flow, far from your computer’s shadows. There is so much productivity you can do, instead of wasting time with your electronics.

So now that you know the consequences, let’s look on the brighter side. Referring back to the beginning, we know we should only minimize screen time to when needed, but how? First of all the reason why you even start is because probably the electronics are near you, and your brain signals you to pick it up and use it. So try this. Switch them off, put them away when not needed, and go somewhere else and and be more active or creative. Wouldn’t it make you more productive and healthy, and help your brain function and concentrate? Moreover, wouldn’t that give you time for your family? Yes it would, and after some time it’ll become a habit, and you will notice change in yourself and your behavior. All in all, you can change your future by starting now, and trust me, you will get great benefits by just taking a break from screen time.

1. How have you grown as a writer?

I definitely have learned to make less important parts shorter, and elaborate on more important parts of the story. This was one of my weaknesses as a writer, and I'm starting to overcome it!

2. What new skills do you feel more confident to apply to your essay writing?

I have learned different useful techniques like anecdotes, lists, counter-claims and so on. I have tried to use that, in order to make me look like an expert in my topic.

3. What challenges did you face when writing your Personal Essay?

Adding transitions to my essay had become my main focus in the end, and I tried to fit them in places I wanted. It was a bit challenging because I felt my essay didn't need too many transitions, but my partner recommended to add more. I had to add new sentences, eliminate others, and add transistions with the new sentences.

4. How have you surprised yourself as a writer?

I was really proud of the way I put the information all together. I was surprised when I was able to organize the thoughts because of planners,  and feedback.

5. What feedback did you receive that will help you grow as a writer?

I got some feedback to use connectors, like transitions to make my writing smoother, and to set a conversation and interest in the topic.

Comparing the PN On Demand with our Personal Narrative

           I can definitely see the change! The first thing I noticed, was that my word choice, and description was much better in my Personal Narrative. I feel much better using inner thinking, and taking my heart, and stretching it. It was a bit hard figuring out how to start my PN and how to end it. Otherwise, I was really surprised to see my progress, and I really thought that mini lessons and partner feedback really enhanced my thinking. These techniques made me think deeper on how I can make my heart shine throughout the story. In my On Demand writing though, I noticed more dialogue than in my recent Personal Narrative, but my Personal Narrative didn't have as much, so that's something I can work on. I'm really impressed with the development of my writing, and I would love to it grow throughout the year as well!

My Archaeology Google Sites 2014

This is a link to my Archaeology Google site that I made in Grade 6 Social Studies. I hope you learn something about the history of Pompeii.


https://sites.google.com/a/sas.edu.sg/vainavi-s-archaeology-site/ 

Milestones

  Milestones

It was a beautiful sunny day. Flowers bloomed, leaves started to crisp up, and trees whispered to the wind. That month of May was filled with a variety flowers and beds of wet grass, and the colors reflected on the ground, creating an illusion of pigmented air.

We were all ready.

Everyone had waited for this day to come, partly because they wanted to put an end to me waking up, and wanting company. The anticipation really got over me, I didn’t even know if I was breathing properly or not! It was like ice flakes, tickling my spine layer by layer. Cars and trucks zoomed past my ear, leaving a gush of wind in the warm air. The boiling sun melted on my head, and then subsided with a cool breeze. Before I knew it, my footsteps slowed down, and the sun faded away, leaving distant golden rays around the rims of the windows. There were posters and signs, dragging me through the hallway behind my mom. Fingers pointed towards a room, and there we were, in a waiting room, my mom laying on a cart-ish bed, my dad sitting in a chair. I was with my mom, constantly taking selfies. The darkness, and a mild smell of peach swam around the room. After some time, trails of walking echoed in the nearby hallway, getting louder and clearer by ever step.

“We’re ready,” two nurses cheerfully chorused, holding the door to drag my mom out of the door.

“Who is going with her?”

My dad stood up, and he was gone too.

I then sat down, not knowing what to expect. I had woken up totally fresh and energized, but the more I waited, the more I started to feel nervous and weary. All the emotions I had had inside were banging simultaneously.

The telephone suddenly rang, disturbing the peace in the room. I checked the time frantically,

What, it has been an hour already?

The telephone rang again. I picked it up reluctantly. I started to ponder over so many thoughts while a vague voice was talking to me.

“Come down to the first floor, Vainavi,” my dad gently demanded.

I wanted to ask him so many questions, but I felt so hampered. There was no time to waste. I darted towards the elevator, then flew across the hallway swinging my arms, and letting the wind carry it for me.

I halted.

There I saw my dad, gently smiling at a cart- two carts sorry, and he glanced at me from a distance. That’s when I started to get the shivers from face to toe, and toe to face.

I darted some more, not caring how the wind was treating my arms. I felt shaky, I felt weird. I was confused. All of the feelings I had, melted down. I couldn’t handle it. It just exploded-

Suddenly, it all blanked out.

           I looked down in front of me, and my hands felt numb. I couldn’t believe what I saw, I wasn’t prepared for that moment. I didn’t know what to do, and all I wanted to do was slow down and stop s-s-hhh-aki-ng.

           I just kept on staring at the carts, my eyes reflecting down to fragile skin, and eyes closed. I needed someone to hide my face and emotions, so I just threw my arms around my dad- who was astonished for a second, and buried my face as deep as possible. I could see people passing by, some stopping to take a look, so I knew that I wasn’t fully covered. But no one knew that behind my arms and hair, tears were trickling down my cheeks. Only my dad could sense my movement and breathing. I was overwhelmed and excited, but a bit shocked and stiff, and I never knew getting two siblings together would be so weird! I sped across the same, familiar hallways, and restlessly waited to reach the 3rd floor in the waiting room.

             (DURING THIS TIME, I WAS JUST TRYING TO TAKE IN WHAT I SAW.)

          It did hit me though, when I got to know that they were premature, and my brother was in the ICU because he had some breathing problems, but the doctors said he was going to be perfectly fine in a few days, and that currently, my sister was in the nursery, sleeping with other babies. So I relaxed, bringing my arms back from the wind.

           The moment I saw my sister, peacefully sleeping, while others were crying I said,

“Mark my words, she is going to be the cutest, calmest, and the sharpest girl in this nursery- although, she would be a little shy!”

After a few days, when my brother arrived in the room where my mom was staying, I felt like he would be the naughtiest, and the most social. Turns out that a year later, my sister (Parisa) is a total tomboy. She is super interested in sports, books, and music. She is super talkative, and is the boss who runs the whole house. I was right though, when I said she was going to be sharp and cute! My brother (Panav), on the other hand, is naughty, yet very shy. He is his mom’s boy, and isn’t fully attached to me yet… but I’m almost there!

“OUWWWW!! LEAVE MY HAIR!”

Now, when I think about all the responsibilities that come along with having the pleasure to be a big sister, I also think that wow, I am such a lucky person that every morning when I wake up, the first thing I see are my brother and sister on my bed, laughing and waking me up! I think about every time I would feel like I needed some company. I realize that this is one of those times, that will never forget no matter how matter how many years pass by,

and no matter how many milestones are complete.