Read! Read! Read!

It's important for you to read in order to become a better reader. Out of respect for your homelife and the activities you do with your family, I do not assign regular homework. I do, however, want you to READ! Read anything. Read everything. Reading will make you a better reader, and being a better reader will help in every area of your life!

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The next novel we will read is The City of Ember. Check out this website to learn so much more about the book than we will have time to talk about in class. 

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Wonder was an inspirational book! Listen to the author, RJ Palacio, talk about the "Choose Kind Campaign." Maybe you can make a difference. 

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We received mail from our pen pal, Peter!! Peter wrote letters to individual students who sent him mail. More kids are writing

 letters now for me to hand deliver when my fiance and I visit Peter and his family in Taiwan next week. Get your letters in, and stay tuned for my tales about traveling to Taiwan. 
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SUPER STARS

These kids really stand out as role models in class. Thank you for each of your efforts to make our classroom run smoothly. You are a Super Star!

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GUEST BLOGGERS

Famous Person

He was born 9/6/1781 in Wylam, Northumberland and died 12/8/1848. He was a mechanic and he married 3 times. When he was a boy, he was a farmer. When he was a teenager, he worked in a coal mine. He invented the rail. He also invented 16 different types of steam trains. He was rich because of that. He only had one son that lived a long age. When he was 17 he payed for his own night-school education. His nickname is the “Father of Railways.” People from Newcastle are called Geordies probably because of him. He made a lamp that won’t catch on fire down in the mines. Who is he?

-Russell

Question of the Week

I asked my sister, “What is your favorite part of school?” She replied with, “My favorite part of school is getting up in the morning and getting ready to learn. I also like seeing my friends and getting to hang out with them.” I had also asked what she does after school. She responded with,”Go to the after school program, have snack, then it’s homework time. Then after we’re finished with homework, we have to wait for the others to finish. Once everyone’s done, we can go outside with our friends to play. Even though we’re only out for a bit, it’s still fun.”

-Yadira

2 Truths and a Lie

1. I don’t have brothers or sisters. I don’t even want any siblings. They always will make you get mad and they’ll always make you lead them to the restroom. They will make you help them on their homework and do these other annoying things. 
2. I broke my leg when I was 10. I almost had to have surgery, but luckily I just got a cast on my leg. It was really frightening. Months after I was ready to get the cast off. It was hard to get used to walking on my leg. 
3. I have a parrot named Mrs.Green. She is a crazy bird. She is always laughing at me. She likes music. She likes visitors. Whenever a visitor comes to visit, she gets so loud and starts to whistle and make clicking sounds. She also says “Water water” whenever she needs some water. 

-Margarita

Halfway Through the School Year

Here we are, halfway through the school year. Take a moment to evaluate yourself. What kind of student are you? 

You are creating patterns for your future right now. Build character! Read the "10 Ways to be a Good Student." Do those things! Be a good student, a good citizen, a good member of your family and the community, a good employee. Show up; do your best; make the world a better place!
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GUEST BLOGGERS

Famous Person

My famous person is a basketball player. He played on the LA lakers. He was the youngest NBA player at the time. He was born on August 23, 1978. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His Father was a professional basketball player. He has two children, Gianna and Natalia. He is 6 ft. 6 in. tall. He has two olympic gold medals in men’s basketball. Who is he?

-Kobe


Question of the Week

Over the weekend my sister Carla and I went to watch the movie “Ride Along 2” while my other sister Laura watched a different movie called “The Revenant” so I asked her what it was about. She said that it was a gruesome movie. The movie is about some fur traders. Close to the beginning one of the fur traders is attacked by a mother bear while the trader was scouting. This particular trader has a son. That is all I will say so I won’t spoil the movie for those who haven’t watched it yet. This movie is one for those who have a strong stomach and mind. Just by watching the trailer one can get goosebumps.

-Obdulia


Two Truths and a Lie

1. I have two dogs Akwa and Aurora. Akwa is 2 years old and Aurora is 9 months. Aurora is very playful and loves to play with my cousin's dog, Bella. When Aurora gets out of the fence she likes to run to the school. One time at about 5:00 p.m we got our light and ran to find her. We found her after about 30 minutes. Akwa loves snow and also love to eat it. She sleeps in my room on her dog bed. She is a full Pitbull but she NEVER attacks kids or dogs. The neighbor’s dog loves to play with her.

2. I love Youtube! My favorite Youtubers are Joey Graceffa, Jessii Vee, Gone To The Snow Dogs, Ryan Higa, Rclbeauty101, and MylifeasEva. My favorite one of all is Joey Graceffa! Mostly I like his Youtube because he has two dogs: Wolf, and Storm.

3. When I grow up I want to own 8 dogs! I hate dogs a lot of the time. I hate every dog in the world most of the time. Their ears are too weird!

-Shantelle

Analyzing Fiction

Here are some students in action analyzing fictional works

Here are some of their plot diagrams: 

Watch this entertaining video where students read the story creatively.

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GUEST BLOGGERS

Famous Person

My famous person plays baseball. He is in the hall of fame and is the first African American to play in the major leagues in the modern era. He plays second base and first base. He played for the Brooklyn Dodgers and was born in Cairo, GA on born in January 31, 1919.  He has four siblings and three kids. He died on October 24, 1972. He was named Rookie of the year in 1947 and a world series champ in 1955.  He said “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”. Can you figure out my person?   

-Kaylee J.

Question of the week

I asked Billy, ”Every time you go to a fast food restaurant, how do you feel about eating the leftover parts of a cow?” Billy said, “I feel disgusted but it would be resourceful because of the people who waste the meat they don’t like. If people keep wasting, we won’t have very many animals left to eat.” Then he said, “We will have to eat vegetables and we won’t get our protein. We won’t live healthy lives.” Then I asked, “What are your favorite fast food restaurants, and are you still going to go to them?” He said, “I don’t have a favorite fast food place but I will occasionally go to fast food places.”

Patrick

2 Truths and a Lie

1. My pets and siblings: I had 3 dogs named Max, Edward, and Mandy. Max died at an old age. I have 3 cats; they are all alive.Their names are Misty, Angel, and Molly. I have 3 sisters; their names are Nevaeh, Rachel, and, Katie. My sister Nevaeh fell off a fence and split her head open and had to get stitches. I have no brothers. I have a niece named Tina (she is 2), and have a lot of cousins.

2. My cousin Devin is 12. He rides a 2016 kx 85 dirt bike. He broke his arm at Cycle Land, a place where you practice and race DirtBikes. He broke his arm on his old Honda crf 150, twice in the same spot. I ride dirt bikes with him but I need to get a new one now.

3. My technology: I have a ps4 that I play on all day long. I also have a Smartwatch. I have an Iphone 6 that connects to the Smartwatch which is an Apple watch. My mom and dad are rich, and my birthday is also in 2 months.

By: Brysen

Fictional Narrative

For the next few weeks, students will participate in creative writing activities, ultimately ending up with their own fictional narrative to share.

We will be focusing on some important story elements: plot, setting, character, conflict, and theme. Here's a Flocabulary video for you to enjoy about these elements.

Students will fill out this plot diagram for various short stories. They will also use the same diagram to plan out their own stories before writing.

Here's another video about the story elements that we watched in class this week.

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GUEST BLOGGERS

Famous Person

This famous person is going down in history very fast. He was born on August 1,1989. Age 26, he was born in Hickory, North Carolina. His salary is 6.95 million dollars a year. He bats right and throws left. He plays for the Major League Baseball. His ancestors were born and raised in Germany. He has been playing the game since he was 4 years old. He got his high school education at South Caldwell High. He got drafted to play for the Giants in 2007, straight out of high school. He was on with the Augusta Greenjackets before he played for the MLB. Can you guess who it is?

-Riley


Question of the Week

I asked Natalie what her favorite football team is. She said, “My favorite football team is the San francisco 49ers.” She also said that she has liked the 49ers since she could talk. I then asked her why she likes the 49ers. She said, “Because I grew up in San francisco and so did my family.” She told me, “We used to take lots of trips to San Francisco. One time my Aunt won tickets to a 49ers game. They were in the second row seats! My Aunt went to college with Collin Kapernick and was even friends with him. My grandma, Nancy, also knew him and his parents. They went to church together.

-M&M


2 Truths and a Lie

1. One day I went to Raging Waters and I went down this weird shark water slide. I was on an inner tube, and when we got to the bottom, I was on my way to do it again.
2. When I was walking home on a bright sunny day from the park, I got chased by a turkey all the way home. I almost got attacked, but I ran as fast as possible. 
3. On my sister’s birthday, I went to my grandma’s house to have a party. I blew up balloons and my mom got the cake ready. Then my sister opened her presents. After that I went to watch the soccer game. It was really fun. 

-Kylynn

Peter's Answers

Here you go, Peter answers all of our questions. 

1. Have you seen a cobra?

No, but I heard one slither away.

2. What are your hobbies?

Reading, writing, drawing, theater, and games.

3. Can we see a picture of Olivia’s family?

No.  Most of them are dead.  But I am attaching a picture of me with Olivia.

(This was taken right after the typhoon.  Typhoon Dujuan.  I made up a snack and called it Typhoon du Jour.  Ask your teacher to explain the name.)


4. How many friends have you made?

21

5. What kind of foods are there in Taiwan?

A lot. You name it, we’ve got it.  The name of my favorite restaurant is Red Thai.  It’s super fancy.  I love to eat the chicken and the shrimp cakes (triangles) and the fish.  The craziest name of a restaurant we’ve seen is “Monkey Eat Braised Meat.”

6. Do you eat bugs in Asia?

Yes.  I also eat chicken hearts.

7. What’s it like at school?

It’s bipolar.  Sometimes it’s great; sometimes it’s not.

8. Are there pandas and bamboo there?

There are pandas at the zoo, but not in the wild. But there is bamboo everywhere. (There are monkeys though, but we haven’t seen any yet.  Which is a good thing.  They can be dangerous.)

9. Have you had a chance to see the animals there?

There are so many kinds of bugs and geckos and frogs.  We live on campus near the farm part.  Cows, pigs, ducks, chickens, geese, swans, peacocks (including an all-white one), and chickens.  My mother has made friends with a goat.

10. Do you like Pokemon?

Yes.  I have a couple thousand cards and every single DS game since 2010.

11. What are the stores like in Taiwan?

The big grocery stores are really big.  They’re like mini-department stores.  When you walk in, before you even see the supermarket part, there are counters and sections that sell clocks or cameras or phones or clothes or shoes or bedding.  The one closest to us has a Japanese store inside the Taiwanese store.  There is a haircut place called, Speed.  For $100 NT, which is about $3 USD, you can get a haircut.  For the same price, you can get a massage for 10 minutes.  There are people who mend clothes at stations in the big grocery stores.  There are pharmacies.  Food courts.

12. Who is your best friend?

My best friend is Drew.  (And my mom’s best friend is his mom.  Weird, huh?)

13. What do the classrooms look like?

I go to a fancy private American school and it mostly looks the same. 

14. What is the coolest car you have seen in Taiwan?

A BMW 2015 concept car.  The car looked like the Delorean from Back to the Future movies but only more modern.

15. Can you send us some pictures of snakes?

No.  We haven’t seen any yet.

16. How many pets do you have and what do they look like?

My pets are back in California—a cat named Edison and a dog named Abbey Road Studios.

17. Do you have to wear uniforms to school?

Yes, but only every other day, “B” days.  We’re on block schedule.

18. Is it hard for you to understand in school?

No, because I go to an American school, so the teachers teach in English.  But, most of the kids speak in Chinese (Mandarin) so whenever they get the chance, they speak in Chinese and I feel left out.

19. Are you ever coming back to Chico?

For sure.  

20. What is the weather like?

Hot and muggy one day, cold and rainy the next.  (From September to last week, it was super hot.)

21. Do you have any brothers or sisters?

Yes, I have a sister.  Her name is Sophie.  She is 18.  She is in college in Wisconsin.  I have a friend whom I consider a sister, name Lucía.  She is in Chico.

22. Do you play any sports?

I’m a swimmer.  And a dodge ball player.  (But I’m on the DL now.)

23. What do you miss about the United States?

Chico.

24. Do the buses really have TV? 

Yes.  They do.  My bus is swankadoodle.  It’s like a fancy tour bus.  TVs. Lace curtains. Every Thursday I get free breakfast on the bus. But my bus picks me up at 6:40 a.m. and I don’t get off the bus until 4:30.

25. What is your favorite football team?

Uh.  Next question.

26. Do the people speak English?

A lot of people speak at least some English, but not all.

27. Do the teachers hit people with rulers?

No.  

28. Can we see a picture of your family?

Yes.    This is from our Christmas card last year.  Before I dyed my hair for a play I was in at Chico State, (The Will Rogers Follies).  The “temporary” dye still hasn’t washed out yet.  

29. How many countries have you visited?

USA, Mexico (2x), England, Scotland, France, Spain (2x), and Taiwan.

Last Wednesday I fell down stairs trying to get away from a dodge ball at school and hurt my knee very badly.  I had to go to 3 hospitals in 2 days.  I went in an ambulance. For a while they thought I needed surgery.  But I didn’t.  Today I returned to school, in a taxi, after being home for 5 days recovering.  I came home on the bus.  Using a wheelchair and crutches.

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SUPER STAR STUDENTS

These kids make every day bright!

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GUEST BLOGGERS

Famous Person

My famous person was born on September 25, 1968. He is 47 years old. He did his first acting on 1990. In my opinion he is one of the best actors. Some of the best movies that he acted in were “Independence day”, “After Earth” where his son was part of it too, and “I am legend.” His wife was born in September 18, 1971. His son was born July 8, 1998, and his daughter was bornOctober 31, 2000. They called him “the most powerful actor in Hollywood.” He’s been nominated for 5 Golden Globe awards, 2 Academy Awards and 4 Grammy Awards.
- Alexx

Question of the Week

This week I asked my mom if she enjoyed tomb night at school. She said, “Yes,Tomb Night was an awesome experience and the displays were very educating. The effort and amount of work was amazing and creative.” I also asked her what her favorite part of tomb night was. She said, “My favorite part of Tomb Night was the amount of participation the teachers contributed with their costumes and the amount of enthusiasm they showed to the families.” Then I asked her if she had a favorite display. She said, “Besides yours, I liked the sunset over the pyramid display. It really gave a sense of Egypt at sunset, an astonishing feeling captured within the student’s art work.”

Eleace

2 Truths and a Lie

1. I used to live in the country with my mom, Christy, and 3 siblings, a brother and two sisters. We have a lot of farm animals. 2 pigs, 3 cows, 5 horses, 2 dogs, and 1 cat. My cow died a year ago.

2. I play soccer for the Oroville Youth Soccer Club. My mom is a coach. She has been coaching me for about 5 years now. I have been playing for 7 years now. Last year we got first place in tournaments. We lost tournaments this year. We also tied for 3rd place. On our team we had one girl from school play soccer.

3. I play soccer, football,and basketball at school. At the beginning of the year, the boys would not let me play. Then it changed because I asked for help, and they let me play. Every lunch recess I either play basketball or football. I love playing sports. It is my life

-Taylor

Rainbow Grandpa

We received mail from our friends in Taiwan. 

They told us to read online about Rainbow Grandpa. Check out this article! He's amazing and the artwork he creates is inspiring. He gets up to paint at 3am every day to save the remaining structures in his village. That's passion and dedication. Is there anything you care that much about in your life?

My fiance and I will be visiting the Rainbow Village during our February break. We will take pictures to share.

We would like to help support this man's dedication, passion, and creativity. We will be presenting him with a donation upon our arrival. Anyone who would like to contribute is welcome to make a cash donation in Room 1. Change and bills are welcome!

Out of This World!

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GUEST BLOGGERS

Famous Person

My famous person was one of the first ladies. She was born in october 11, 1884 and died in November 7, 1962. She had an unhappy childhood, suffering the death of both parents and a brother. She went to Allenwood Academy in London, and was deeply influenced by its feminist headmistress Marie Souvestre. She gave press conferences and wrote a newspaper column. She served at the united nations, focusing on human rights and women's issues. She married Franklin.

-Savannah H.

Question of the Week

I asked Ryken what he did during his weekend. He said, “I went to my brother’s basketball game in Corning.” He watched his brother lose. They lost 69-59. He is on the LP basketball team and they played Gridley. It was a tournament and they lost. Ryken told me it was a close game until the 4th quarter. Ryken said they got lost in Corning for 3 hours on the way there and back. And they said they drove past a 20 foot olive sculpture. They got Wendy’s, McDonald's, and Taco Bell. Ryken told me that he almost got hit by a Honda Civic.

-Roy

2 Truths and a Lie

1.When I went to Six flags, my aunt took me and my cousin to go see the sharks. Also there was a fish that looked like it had a long nose. It was really funny to look at and then my aunt took pictures of it. Then we went to go see a Loony Toon show because my cousin wanted to go see it.

2. Then we went to go see the tiger show. It was amazing. The tiger jumped to get the piece of meat. It also jumped in the water to get the meat. Then we went to go see the dolphin show we got wet because we sat in front .

3.Then we went with my aunt to go see the animals the lion, giraffe, and tiger. Also we went to go see my cousins and brother ride the Medusa.

-Lupe

I Wonder...

QUESTIONS NO ONE KNOWS THE ANSWERS TO

Take 12 minutes to watch this video and just wonder about things. Think critically; imagine; don't try to Google it. Expand your mind and know that creativity is an amazing quality to cultivate, and it starts with wondering.

GUEST BLOGGERS

Famous Person

My famous person is a very famous one. He plays soccer and is on Barcelona’s team. He is the wealthiest soccer player of 2014! He was born on June 24 in Rosario, Argentina. He was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency which was stopping his normal growth rate at the tender age of 11. His first contract was on a napkin, yes you read correctly, on a napkin! His nickname is “The Flea” because of his amazing speed. He was the sixth youngest soccer player to score a goal in the world cup games. You will never find out who my famous person is, but if you do, keep it a secret.

-Jose

Question of the Week

I asked Hayley how her week off was and what she did. She said, “I had a great week off because I got to spend time with my dad and grandma. What I did was go shopping with my grandma. She gave me $10, and I bought leggings.” I also asked her if she met any friends that week. She said, “ I went over to my friend Natalie’s house. We went to the movie theater to watch Hunger Games Mockingjay part 2. I spent the night at her house we had so much fun!” 

-Easton

2 Truths and a Lie

1. I have had three concussions in my life. The first one happened when I was in preschool I was on the monkey bars and fell off. The second one happened when I was riding horses with my grandpa. The horse was going too fast and I fell off into a field all by myself and it was scary. The third one happened in football. I got hit in the head too hard and my head started to hurt really bad.
2. I have also broken my arm before. This also happened in preschool when I got a concussion. I broke it in two places. I got a blue cast and I had it for six weeks. All my family members got to sign it. I could not do anything for six weeks.
3. I am a football player. I am #67. I am a linebacker and a d-end. I play for the Oroville Rhinos. My favorite football team is the Seattle Seahawks. my favorite players are Marshawn Lynch and Kam Chancellor.

-Clayton