http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Mon, 11 May 2009 11:07:00 -0500 Mon, 11 May 2009 11:07:00 -0500   The Folded Note   By Carrie Eve Shirley Jespersen Grade 4 writing sample *Assignment was to take a cartoon and write it out as a story using dialogue.   The lowering afternoon sun projected rays of warm sunlight through the window onto Mr. Beary’s bald head. After scratching behind his left ear, he glanced at his coffee stained teacher’s guide and then focused on two students poking each other with just sharpened pencils. Ignoring them and in a monotone, Mr. Beary ordered, “Okay, class, open your math books to lesson 49.”  “Eeeeeeeee Cccccccccc” the chalk grated on the blackboard. “Dee, quick, take this note,” Whispered Chick as his eyes flitted from Mr. Beary to Dee.  His left hand grabbed the seat of his desk to prevent him from falling and the other hand attempted to pass a note folded in half.  Extending her tiny hand, Dee grunted, “You’re too far.  I can’t reach!”          “I’ll get that for you Shrimpy!”  Jack mocked grabbing the folded note and waving it up high in the air.          “Hey!  That’s mine!”  Chick whined, trying to retrieve the note while jumping up and down and panting desperately.  Dee yelled, “Give it back!”  He remained sitting in his seat and pretended to divide the numbers on his piece of paper.  Mr. Beary turned his him slowly; Chick and Jack immediately sat in there initial-covered desks.          Jack turned his head toward Chick.  He quietly stated, “We’ll give it back after we see what’s so important.  Ha ha!”  Putting his hands on his hips Mr. Beary tapped his right foot on the wooden floor as his bald spot reddened.  “What’s going on over there?” he boomed.  “Jack and Fang, are you two boys passing notes in class?  Come up to the front and read that note out loud for the whole class to hear.”  Shuffling slowly towards his teacher, Jack teased, “Sure!”  Fang, following Jack, taunted while looking back at Chick and Dee with a smirk.  “We’d LOVE to!”  There was an unpleasant odour hanging in the air.  It smelled like those un-tasty, hard meatballs that were forty days old with mold.  Chick hoped it was NOT coming from the cafeteria.  Simultaneously, Chick and Dee winked at each other and smiles stretched across their faces.  With chest puffed outwards, Jack confidently unfolded the revealing piece of paper and using a strong voice read.  “Chick and Dee are the smartest students in Mr. Beary’s class.”  Fang’s lower jaw dropped, his eyebrows lifted, and his body leaned forward.  In response, Jack lifted the note to cover his embarassed face.  Every student threw their heads back as their bellies jiggled.  Laughter resounded throughout the room.  Mr. Beary exploded, “Get back to work… NOW!” as a spray of spit catapulted towards all the students.  Jack and Fang ran as fast as they could to their desks and sat down. Mr. Beary whirled around like a satellite zoning in on its target and once again started writing on the blackboard. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/687855/ Mon, 11 May 2009 11:07:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/687855/   Star Gazing   By:  Carrie Eve Shirley Jespersen               Even though the Ochre Sea Star and the Bat Star appear similar, a close look will show many differences.  The Ochre Sea Star eats mussels and barnacles; on the other hand, the Bat Star’s diet consists of algae, kelp and it also frequently consumes small animals.  Although the width of an Ochre Sea Star measures up to 14 in., (36 cm), the Bat Star spans to 8 in. (20cm).  The Ochre Sea Stars’ blunt white spines give a coarse texture; however, the Bat Stars’ outer layer feels smooth.  While the Ochre Sea Star can be orange-ochre, brown or purple, the Bat Star color varies from red, green, brown, purple and mottled.  It is clearly evident that the Ochre Sea Star and the Bat Star differ according to their diet, width, texture and color.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/648563/ Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:55:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/648563/   I woke up at 7:00 am.  My Dad came in and stated quietly “A baby horse is born.  Get on your clothes and you can see it.” Hobbling on my clothes, I ran outside.  A few minutes later I found myself petting a palomino.  He was so cute I had to name him Charley.  Charley’s mom’s name was Markey.  Markey was a good horse.  A few months later grandpa sold Markey.  Charley stayed with a horse named Louise.  Louise and Markey had loved each other.  About six months later, Dad took me out to see Charley.  He had grown taller and stronger. Dad stated “Do you want to ride Charley?”             I answered “Yes!”  Dad put me up on Charley and had two hands on me.  Suddenly, Charley started to run as Dad pulled me off and put me on the ground.  My smile ripped my face in half and I squealed as Charley ran to Louise for protection.  Slowly, Louise continued to eat, ignoring Charley.     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/648562/ Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:54:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/648562/   Buffalo Band   Powerful hooves pound. Like native drums on the plains. Smashing the yarrow.   By Carrie Eve Shirley Jespersen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/648561/ Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:52:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/648561/   Carrie’s Expository Paragraph Throwing a Baseball   Soon the snow will be melting and green grass will be sprouting.  This means baseball season is coming.  Therefore, it is important to know how to properly throw a baseball.            Before beginning your practice, make sure that the ball you use is hard, new and not falling apart.  This will ensure that it will fly straight.  A baseball is the only equipment you will need while learning to throw a baseball.            Firstly, stand so that your hip that is opposite of your throwing hand is facing your target.  Secondly, hold the ball with “praying hands” and spread your feet about tow feet apart.  Your weight should be evenly distributed.  Next, grasp the ball in your throwing hand and point the opposite hand at your target.  Now stretch your throwing hand out behind you while putting your weight all the way on your back leg.  Immediately throw your weight to your front leg while lowering your pointing hand.  At the same tine bring your throwing hand forward finally releasing the ball with all your force towards the target. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/648560/ Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:51:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/648560/   Tribe of the Rocky Mountains. Carrie Eve Shirley Jespersen October 29th, 2008   “Oki!”  This traditional Algonquin greeting which means “hello” is one that you might have heard if you lived among the Blackfoot tribe.  This nation consists of the Kaina, Siksika and Pikani whose traditional lands were the plains east of the Rocky Mountains in Canada and the United States.            Within their territory, the Blackfoot people hunted and gathered their food.  In the plains were numerous deer, elk, and buffalo which this tribe killed and ate.  In June, bands would gather for the annual tribal buffalo hunt.  If they had no food, they ate pemmican that is buffalo meat, lard and saskatoons mashed together, dried, ground up and stored.  In addition, the Blackfoot band collected plants to make medicinal herbal remedies.  These First Nations people stayed alive by hunting animals and collecting berries.           In order to survive, the tribe needed both the men and women to fill their specific roles.  The men’s roles were to patrol their territory protecting the Blackfoot tribe, to hunt animals and to scout for enemies.  Women’s roles were to take care of the children and to teach them to respect the sacred bundles.  They also made pemmican, herbal medicines, and tanned hides for making clothes and tipis.  It is clear that men and women were equal with their work.           Clothing varied for seasons and also for gender.  Traditional Blackfoot clothing in the winter included buffalo and beaver fur hats, mittens, moccasins and long robes with the hair still inside for warmth.  In summer, men wore a breech cloth, moccasins and sometimes cow rawhide pants.  Women wore a shirt of cow skin or buckskin with no sleeves but with a shawl.  They also wore gowns of tanned elk, deer, sheep or antelope and moccasins.  Throughout the year, both men and women wore belts for knives, necklaces and earrings of shells, bone, wood, teeth and claws.  Men were known for wearing more jewellery than the women.            Blackfoot shelters as well were decorated.  You could recognize the camps by their tipis which were painted with symbols inspired by their dreams.  Tipis were built to face east and in the winter were positioned in the woods for protection against the wind and cold.  In winter the shelters, made from sticks and skins, and were built so that the fur faced the inside to keep in warmth.  Mud was packed on the outside to stop snow and wind from getting inside as well.  When the nomadic tribe moved, they left behind the tipi posts and took the buffalo skins with them to the new area to rebuild with new posts that they found.            The Blackfoot tribe was unique in how it gathered and hunted food.  As well, the men’s and women’s roles were important to the tribe.  Both the clothing and the shelters were decorated and varied for seasons.  It is evident that the Blackfoot tribe could survive through their harsh environment because they utilized their surrounding nature.         Works Cited   Blackfoot Gallery Committee. The Story of the Blackfoot People. New York; Firefly Books, 2001.   Blackfoot People. http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/trives/blackfeet/howtheylived.htm   Stout,Mary. Blackfoot.Milwakee:           Gareth Stevens, 2005.     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/648559/ Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:49:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/648559/   Substitute Reindeer Cause Disaster     BY CARRIE EVE SHIRLEY JESPERSEN   NORTH POLE*  A few days before Christmas Eve, at the North Pole two substitute reindeer caused a major disaster during practice landings.  According to Vixen, Donner and Blitzen were suffering from a bad case of reindeer pox, so Santa asked Plobart and Blobart to take their place in the back of the line.             Santa expressed taking off was easy because of the magical dust that lifts the reindeer off the ground.  However, since the old reindeer had been retired two years, the landing would be extremely difficult.             Wanting the practice to duplicate the Christmas Eve run, Rudolph commented it was necessary it occurred at night.             The lead elf described the take off as perfect and they had no difficulty circling the pole of the north.  When the reindeer landed, Rudolph stopped, Plobart did the splits and Blobart skidded into the group while the lead elf stood helpless in awe at the collision.              Dr. Short confirmed a hairline fracture of Rudolph’s right hind leg just below the knee and added that Rudolph would need rest for a few days.  No one else was injured.              Rudolph was last seen in the gingerbread barn munching on candy cane hay and caramel popcorn.  His right hind leg was wrapped in cotton candy gauze.             Not wanting to be named, a source has let it be known that Plobart and Blobart will be practicing every hour of the day till Christmas Eve with the famous flier “Hooves B. Good”.     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/648558/ Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:47:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/648558/ Guess what!?... One of our goats had two babies.  We named them Velvet and Haven named the other one Silky.  Silky has a black head and all little curly white on the rest of her body.  Velvet has a red head and white on the rest of her body.  They are so cute.  And Guess What!!?  Our rabbits had babies.  We got 5 little babies.  We could pet the babies all over.  The mama still fed them so that is good.  Next month chicks are gonna hatch.  We have some in the incubator right now.  This is our second time doing it.  Velvet almost died but we brought her inside and nursed her back to health and now they are two playful little monkeys.  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/518414/ Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:01:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/518414/ Last night our BUNNIES had babies. They were SOOOOOO cute.  There were 5 bunnies and they are all grey, some darker than others.  Robin got one and it peed on her.  It was so funny.  Robin thinks it's so bad to get peed on.  I gotta go now.  --Carrie http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/507962/ Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:08:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/507962/ This morning I went to see my baby sister SADIE.  I grabbed her and ran in my room.  I gave her elastics and said "Throw these elastics in Robin's room.  Go now!" and Sadie ran in Robin's room.  Robin said "Sadie! come in.  Sadie threw elastics all over the room.  Robin yelled at sadie and told her to pick them up and give them back to KIKI.  Sadie picked them up and ran back to me and said "Here KIKI, elastics!"  I told her to keep the elastics and throw them in Ellie's room.  She ran in Ellie's room and threw them in and ran away and ran back to me.  Mom said "Hey!  Where did these elastics come from?" -- Carrie  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/501804/ Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:41:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carrie8/501804/