Shanan

Poems!

Yesterday… I hated going to swimming classes, I thought it was like learning how to drown, But I loved reading books for days. I lost at running races, But I won at piano competitions. I was afraid of dark places, they seemed like dire and dolorous traps, But I was not afraid of amusement park rides. I was not passionate about writing, But I was passionate for drawing.
 * __ Me __**

Today… I hate riding airplanes, it was like tumbling out of the sky during descents, But I love writing my own stories. I lose when playing against my dad, But I win when playing against my sister. I am afraid of spiders and spider webs, they are like eight legged monsters crawling everywhere, But I am not afraid of most other bugs. I am not passionate about learning Chinese, But I am passionate about nature. Tomorrow… I will hate losing independence, But I will love having more time to travel. I will lose my energy, But I will win respect. I will be afraid of losing friendships, But I will not be afraid of dying. I won’t be passionate about getting old, But I will be passionate about living happily and letting my spirit run wild.

(Cinquain Poem) **Horses** Elegant, stable

Galloping, showing, jumping

Over fences and fields

Ponies

(Cinquain Poem) **Dolphins** Sleek, intelligent

Playing, flipping, swimming

Through the water

Fish

(Quatrain Poem) Christmas is filled with presents and giving
 * __ Christmas __**

And is the best of the winter holidays

With many vacations and heartfelt smiles

And lots of fun and play

(Quatrain Poem) Halloween has lots of candy
 * __ Halloween __**

But it’s the spookiest night of the year

Many people dressing up and decorations everywhere

And there is a lot of fear

__** From Winter to Summer **__ (Tanka Poem) Towering mountains Hibernating animals Leafless, swaying trees Strong and harsh winds blow through towns Glistening white snow sparkles

Bright, powerful sun Trees and grass dance with the wind Puffy, floating clouds Like hanging cotton candy Tasty popsicles melting

__** Seasons **__

This is a Terza rima poem. Terza rima poems are poem that are written in tercets (any lines of poetry). Terza rimas have rhyming patterns that go like this:
Aba bcb cdc ded ee

The last two lines are always an “e e” pattern. The lines in a Terza rima poem have 10-11 syllables each.

Spring brings many people a new beginning

Trees start to grow bright green leaves each hour

Children begin their fun outdoor playing

The summer sun shines out with lots of power

Birds and other animals- out loud they call

Lush gr een fields come to life with pink flowers

Red, orange, and yellow leaves come in the fall

Lots of other trees will become golden

Many people will end their games of baseball

Winter comes with the building of snowmen And the cheer from the winter holidays

Are brought from the laughter and fun of children

Each year brings enjoyment and lots of play

In spring new life will start again every day

__** Freak the Mighty Project **__

 In Language Arts, we read a book called __ **Freak the Mighty** __ by Rodman Philbrick. It's about two boys, Max and Kevin, who formed an unbreakable friendship. Max was super tall but didn't think of himself as smart. Kevin, on the other hand, was short, used crutches, and was extremely intelligent. Together they conquered the world, slaying dragons and fools and walking high above the world. Together they formed Freak the Mighty. The concept of chivalry was seen multiple times in the book. In Language Arts, we were required to do a project on one of the multiple themes in __Freak the Mighty__, so I made a dictionary from Max's point of view. Here it is:

Dictionary: Max’s point of view Subject: Friendship Theme: Friends can help you through life.

Words: AMERICAN CHOP SUEY- 1. A strange, gooey food that Freak likes 2. A food that Freak ate so fast he couldn’t breath (if he tries to eat it again, I’ll dump it on his head)

BRAIN- 1. An object that everybody else has in his or her head, but I don’t know where mine went 2. What Freak lent to me for a while, then I had to find my own BUTTHEAD- 1. What I am 2. What I’m trying not to be

CRETIN- 1. A stupid person 2. A six-letter word for Tony D.

DICTIONARY- 1. A big book that I’ll never get or read 2. A large book that Freak keeps in his knapsack DOWN UNDER- the cellar in Grim and Gram’s house where I live

FAIR GUINEVERE- 1. A pretty woman 2. A beautiful woman who worries too much about Freak FREAK- 1. Mr. Robot Man 2. A walking dictionary 3. My super smart friend FREAK THE MIGHTY- Freak + Max = Freak the Mighty

GRAM- 1. My mom’s mom 2. A worried clunker GRIM- 1. My mom’s dad 2. A grownup who thinks he’s smart GRUEL- 1. A disgusting food prisoners eat 2. Something Freak keeps begging for

IGGY LEE- 1. Leader of the Panheads 2. A drunken goat that likes to chew on his beard 3. A person married to Loretta Lee that isn’t all that bad IMAGINATION- 1. A thing that is missing from my head (along with my brain) 2. What goes on in Freak’s head

KEVIN- What everybody else calls Freak KILLER KANE- 1. My dad, a person that I have tried to forget for years, referred to as “him” 2. A villain that Freak the Mighty completely conquered KING ARTHUR- 1. The brand of flour Gram uses 2. A person that improved humans 3. A King that improved his knights with armor

LORETTA LEE- 1. A drunken bird 2. A woman that Freak and I rescued from Killer Kane

ORNITHOPTER- A toy bird that flies

PRODIGY- 1. Some random word that Grim and Gram use sometimes 2. What Freak the Mighty is (see Freak the Mighty)

READING- 1. Something I don’t do, which is why I have a tutor for it 2. Listening to paper REMEMBERING- 1. What I’ve never had trouble doing, especially about Killer Kane 2. What Freak says is an invention of the mind

SCHOOL- 1. A place I hate going to 2. A large building where Freak and I go every weekday

THE TESTAMENTS- 1. An old place that I’m not supposed to go to 2. A run-down place where Freak the Mighty went on a quest to return Loretta Lee’s purse TONY D. (ALIAS BLADE)- 1. A gangster who has a gang and talks weird 2. A gangster that Freak and I totally escaped and conquered 3. A person who felt sorry for me after Freak died for reasons unknown

VACANT- What my brain is like

WRITING- 1. Something I don’t do 2. Talking to paper 3. An act that I need to work on

The multiple definitions show how Max changed throughout the story.

This video is of the time when I presented in my project to the class:
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__** Essay **__ In Language Arts class, we were given instructions to right an essay on a current global topic. I chose global warming.

Global Warming Must Be Stopped In the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, during the year 2012, some people noticed that there was less snow than last year and it wasn’t as cold. In 2013, there was almost no snow and a great deal less cold than the year before. People living in the area wondered what was happening, since snow was a huge part of winter in Michigan. The answer was quite simple – global warming. Even though some people still don’t believe in global warming, there is proof that warming is real, evidence of it’s cause and many effects, and a need to stop global warming before it’s too late. Even though some people will still say that global warming doesn’t exist, lots of evidence shows that warming is happening and getting worse. Scientists that don’t believe in global warming say that warming trends have stopped over the last 16 to 17 years. South Carolina’s state climatologist, Hope Mizzell, has about 20 weather stations in her office. She says that some show warming trends and others show cooling. On the other hand, John Meriwether, Clemson University professor of atmospheric physics, says “The evidence points rather strongly to a cause-and-effect connection between the continuing rise of CO2 and the continuing rise in the surface temperature.” Thirteen of the fourteen warmest years have happened since 2000, and each of the last 3 decades has been warmer than the previous. At the University of Melbourne, scientists found a definite link between Australia’s record temperatures and human caused global warming. Through all of this proof, most climatologists agree that global warming is real. In addition to global warming being real, it has one simple cause, but it has many effects that can harm the Earth. When humans burn fossil fuels, we emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, causing global warming over time. The entire Earth will get warmer and the Arctic will warm more than temperate and tropic zones. Wet regions will receive more rain, while dry regions will receive less. At most latitudes, there will be a lower crop supply, mostly in regions where people can’t cope with the effects of global warming as well as others. This may also make political problems worse. A lower crop supply and less water can cause food riots and water wars. Scientists show “very high confidence” that heat waves, droughts, floods, cyclones, and wildfires are more prevalent. There is a high chance that glaciers are shrinking and permafrost is melting. It is also estimated that in a billion years, Earth will reach its “tipping point”. When surface temperatures reach about 70°C (158°F), this will trigger greenhouse gas instability and cause oceans to boil and evaporate until they are completely gone. If we don’t take action soon, the world could take a turn for the worse. In order to stop the harmful effects of global warming, we need to start now. A few places, such as the US and Namibia, have already taken action. The US has reduced greenhouse gas emissions through using more natural gas, alternative fuels, and conservation efforts. The Republic of Namibia, in Southern Africa, developed national climate change strategies, policies, and action plans to adapt to and reduce the impacts of climate change caused by global warming. The Kyoto Protocol limits greenhouse gas emissions around the world. There is also a possibility of putting aerosols in the upper atmosphere to prevent the sun’s energy from reach Earth. Even if we were able reverse the effects of global warming, it would take a 60% cut in greenhouse gases, which would take decades to work. There are a lot of things that we can do to stop global warming effects, we just have to do it. As you can see, global warming is real and has many harmful effects. We need to stop it before it’s too late. Some people will still say that global warming doesn’t exist, since Earth goes through natural warming and cooling. But this time, the Earth is warming far faster than ever before. Also, we must remember that warming is happening globally, not locally. Therefore, if proof of global warming isn’t shown in a few certain areas, it doesn’t mean it’s not happening. We must work together to stop global warming and save our Earth; sometimes we need to give up our comforts, like air conditioning, to do good in the world.