Miracles on Maple Hill: A Book Review

Miracles on Maple Hill

Author: Virginia Sorensen

Illustrated by Beth and Joe Krush

Review by: Minori, Kristina, Victoria, Phalai

Summary

Marly’s dad just got back from war and they are going to Maple Hill for vacation. Along the way their car got stuck in the snow so Marly and Joe went out to look for someone to help them get out of the snow. Marly found Mr. Chris, he got his tractor and pulled them out of the snow. They came to stay in the cabin on Maple Hill. They met Fritz, Harry the Hermit, and Mrs. Chris. They also faced some problems like mice in the house and Marly making pancakes and not knowing how to make the fire for the pancakes. Then one of the biggest problems of all! They have a choice… a big choice stay on Maple Hill and help with the sugaring or go back to the city. What will they do?

Why we like this book (or why we don’t)

Phalai: I like this book because it is full of adventures. Joe, Marly’s brother cares about other people he doesn’t know, like Harry the Hermit.

Minori: I like this book because it is full of adventures and you can learn how to help other people in other places.

Kristina: I like this book because I had an experience living in a place like Maple Hill (Alaska). I also experienced sugaring like in the book.

Victoria: I don’t really like this book because there is barely any action. I like books with action. This book is like a life style book

What we would grade this book

Phalai: I would give this book is a C because I got bored in some parts in this book. But I still like this book.

Kristina: I would give this book is a B because some parts of this book took too long to explain.

Minori: I would give this book is a B because the book took too long to explain.

Victoria: I would grade this book a D-. Because this had no action and just took to long to get to the “good part” and the “good part” was very short.

Some of us recommend this book and others don’t

Danica's plan to reduce Violence

10 year plan to Reduce violence

By: DANICA BARON

Who really doesn’t like the idea of violence? Well, we’re going to do something to change our society. I think we should make better laws. If they don’t follow them, we will try to encourage them to stop or show that they’re hurting our society. We could also make a center to help people with their troubles.

My first idea is to make laws so no guns should be handed to children because the child might not know how to use a gun and hurt someone. That’s why I want this law to be made. This is an example of a way small way to cause violence. So that’s why this law should be made, that is my first main idea.

My second main idea is we should also try to encourage them to stop. If we don’t we will have more violence like the Virginia tech. One guy killed About 32 teachers and students and injured about 22 people. That is the reason we should encourage the serial killers to stop. Then some of us will start reducing violence. I hope it will work because I myself am against violence.

My third main idea is to make a center to help people that have problems. That’s maybe why they murder. The people at this center will guide them through all the bad things they did or their troubles. That is my third idea.

So as you can see my ideas are possible only if I can get help. I’m going to relist my ideas. My first is to make laws. My second is try to encourage them to stop. My third is to make a center to help them with their troubles.

Thank youJJJfor helping our society.

The Summer of Swans- Book review by Annalise, Christian, and Raina

The Summer of the Swans

Author: Betsy Byars
By: Annalise, Christian and Raina

Sara was having the most awkward summer in her whole life. First Sara went to see the swans at the lake; she took her little brother Charlie with her. When they got to the lake Charlie saw the swans and was amazed but he could not say what he felt because he got sick as a little boy. Charlie and Sara didn’t leave the lake till night fall. But Charlie did not want to leave, so Sara had to drag him all the way home.

That night Charlie could not sleep because he was thinking about the swans. So he went down to the lake to find the swans but he got lost somewhere in the forest. The next morning Sara found out Charlie was missing so she started a search party with her friend and Aunt Willie reported the incident to the police.

Our rating for this book is a C-

Why:

We rated this book this grade because, it wasn’t very exciting in the beginning. Once we got to the middle of the book it got more exciting and intense. The book got easier to understand and was happier at the end of the book. The book also went a little slow, and mentioned things that really did not make sense to us.

Our message was:

Your worst enemies can be your friends once you get to know them.

How we related to the characters:

Annalise:

My summers can be so boring like Sara’s. Sometimes I just want to run away and do something exciting.

Christian:

Charlie because I almost was lost once but I was with my friend so we both knew what way to go. But I never had to look for somebody who got lost.

Raina:

I would relate to Sara because I would freak out if my brother or sister got lost. I have had that experience my brother’s friend got lost in a ravine with her dad and dog and it freaked me out.

Good Luck Swimmers!

Today Victoria and Hee Joo flew to Guam to represent The Saipan Swim Club in a meet! They said some swimmers are coming all the way from Japan! Good Luck!!!!

Circuit Trade Show 2007

We have been busy inventing things or improving existing things using circuits! Today all that hard work paid off with an invention "Trade Show." The students demonstrated their inventions as well as showed the "customers" their Spec sheets. The whole school stopped by to pay us a visit! It was so fun!

Fishing with Victoria and Danica

Lighted airplane landing pad with Rachell and Annalise.

The 5 in one game invention of Hee Joo and Minori!

The Trade show in action!

Students try the 5 in one game invention.

Fishing..

Clay and Miguel's flexible reading light impresses Auntie Teri's Class.

Middle Schoolers checking out the inventions.

Auntie Teri's students also enjoyed Nicole and Jae's Kitty cat as well as Phalai and Christina's Doll!

Rachell's plan to reduce violence in our society

10 Year Plan to Reduce Violence in our Society!!

By: Rachell Kim

There is a lot of violence in the world. It’s affecting other people and other people are getting mad and making more violence. Violence is growing bigger every minute, even now. We need to stop it. But what will we do to stop it?? I have a plan that will take 10 years to reduce violence. But before I tell you the ideas there’s a question I need to ask. Why? Why are we doing this? We know it has to be stopped. So, that’s how I came up with a plan.

I have picked three ideas out of many. There is a problem that needs to be stopped but is still happening in the world. That problem is stealing. This is the most common way of making people mad. So, this problem is stealing. So, this plan is to tell the world about what is going on with violence and stealing because some people don’t know about this problem. Also, society can be messed up with violence and if we don’t do anything, maybe the violence will go on for years.

My second idea is about guns. Guns are the weapons that people use more than knifes. With guns, one person can kill anyone. If we don’t want anyone to get killed WHY do we sell guns to people?? Also guns kill kids by accidents. So my idea is to have a certain places were you could only get guns for a really good reason. You’ll have to get permission and say what and where you’re going to use the gun and when you’re going to return.

The last but not least is my third idea. My third idea is about desperate needs. I know that some people steal or do other bad things because they are desperate. This what they are desperate for; food if they are poor or they can also be desperate for drugs. We can do better things than stealing. Instead of stealing we can get help from other people or our community. There’s a lot of places were they help people with their needs. So basically, the idea is to help the people that are desperate and to tell people to get help rather than steal. I mean who would not help other people??

So these were the main ideas to reduce violence. To stop burglering, stop killing people by guns, and help desperate people. We can try these ideas and maybe we can change our society. If we do maybe we can make our society even better than before. So please help and try these ideas so we can change our society and make it a better place for all of us!!

THANK YOUJ!!

Clay Global Warming

How to Reduce Global Warming in our Society

By Clay McCullough-Stearns

Did you know that each year polar bears drown and might become extinct because we are polluting the earth? I want to change the way we contribute to globe warming!!! First, I would like to try and ride bikes or walk instead of using cars. Secondly, I would like to try and stop using big factories. My third solution is to teach other people about global warming and what it will do in the future.

So, how can people try and stop global warming? First, you can try and use bikes or walk to the place you want to go instead of using cars or other motorized vehicles. Or, if you don’t have a bike or it’s to long to walk you can car pool with your friends or family. The more people per car the more you’re saving gas. Also, if you can’t car pool and you have to have a car, buy a Prius because those kinds of cars are better than other cars because they save gas. Tell other people to use bikes or walk or even to car pool with other people

My second solution is to stop making big factories because all the black stuff that’s coming out of there is lots and lots of pollution. The carbon dioxide in side the pollution is causing most of the global warming. Also, if you’re trying to find a job, try and avoid those big factories that have those big smoke stacks with black smoke coming out. If people don’t work there, it might make big factories shut down because there’s no body to work there so that’s less pollution. You can also prevent global warming by not burning plastics or other things like plastic bags because those things are toxic and if you burn them they contribute to global warming.

My third main idea to prevent global warming is to have people that come in and teach students and even adults about global warming. We should have free classes once a month that talk about global warming. We should also have posters on the side of the road that are saying things about global warming and what it will do if we don’t try and stop it now.

So what am I saying? I’m saying, try and use bikes or walk instead of using cars. Or to try and avoid working in big factories that have big smoke stacks. And also teach other people about global warming. You can even start to day to make a change about global warming!!!

Sarah Plain and Tall A Book Review by Clay and Jake

Sarah, Plain and Tall

Our second book review

By Clay Griffin McCullough-Stearns and Jake Tiger Lee

Sarah, Plain and Tall is a book about two kids; Caleb and Anna, whose mom died the day after giving birth to Caleb. Their dad puts out an advertisement in the newspaper for a mom and/or wife. A person named Sarah responds. She is plain and tall. They get four letters, one is signed “Very Truly Yours, Sarah Elisabeth Wheaton.” The second one is the same as the first. The third one was signed “very truly yours, Sarah Elisabeth” the fourth one was signed “Sarah.” We think that’s a message that she’s coming because each one is getting shorter and also the letters are also getting shorter than in the beginning. On one of the letters she said that she was going to be wearing a yellow bonnet and a yellow dress. When Sarah got there, she meets the family and is wearing a yellow bonnet and a yellow dress. We think she wore yellow because yellow is a happy color so she’s saying she’s happy to meet the family. In one of the letters Sarah says that she would only stay for a month to decide if she would stay or not and she has a cat named seal. From the beginning of the book Sarah comes and acts like a mother to Anna and Caleb. The first month Sarah is there they have different adventures like swimming in a cow pond or when it snowed hail the size of apples or when Sarah scrambled up the roof and fixes the roof during a storm. The message of the book is to love your family, friends and pets too.

Clay can relate to the characters because he has been to a farm, has rode horses, has been to the sea, has been to the states and he has been in a barn and has a cat and has fed farm animals. Jake can relate to the characters because he has been to a farm and has rode horses and he has been in a barn and also loves the sea and he also has fed and taken care of barn animals.

We recommend this book for 3^rd-5^th grade because it’s a little bit easy to read and it’s good because it tells about how the people lived a long time ago in the states. We both rate this book a B because some parts were funny but some parts felt like nothing interesting was happening.

Reducing Violence by Annalise Livingston

10 year plan to reduce

VIOLENCE!!!!!

By: Annalise Livingston 4^{th grade}

Have you ever thought about violence? Has it ever bothered you that there is usually something in the newspaper about violence? Well I have a few ideas on how to reduce most of the violence in our society. And they will take about ten years to develop into strong solutions to help our country.

My first idea is that people should stop making all these guns! Who even invented these things? And who would even think about such a horrible thing? Falling coconuts is enough but guns, and bombs, is just is just too much. You should keep a guard dog instead of a gun.

My second idea is to stop all these wars! After all that is why so many people are being killed every day. What if the army general comes and takes away your son and he gets killed in a war, how would you feel? Although it would take about ten years to stop all the wars in the world, if we could, I would.

My third idea is to make a special lock that can’t be picked, so people won’t sneak into other people’s houses. Or sneak into stores because people would want the person to go to jail. And what if that person was innocent because the guy that did it blamed him

And the police believed him. Would you want that to happen?

So like the title it would probably take about ten years to make my plans to start working. And hopefully they will. But I will need your help to make them work.

"A Long Way From Chicago" A book review by Clay and Jake

A Long Way from Chicago
By Richard Peck
A Book Review
By Clay
And Jake

Summary of the story:

Joey and Mary Alice visit their Grandma every summer for 7 years. While they are there visiting their Grandma, they meet different people and relatives like Mrs. Wilcox, shotgun Cheatham, Uncle Brady, and O.B Dickerson (the town sheriff). They also have many adventures like when they see the town sheriff dancing in his underpants. They also had other adventures like when they went to a county fair and the winner of all the categories got to ride on an airplane. Grandma switched her pie with another person’s pie and then her pie that she switched won. After the pie contest she went to the airplane stand and said “the guy who won the pie contest really won for the canned vegetables so here is my ribbon. Joey noticed that the ribbon was from Grandma’s hat. So Grandma got to ride on the airplane but she was too big so Joey got to ride on his first airplane.

One day when Mary Alice grows up she enters a talent show and when she is up on stage she does something that Grandma or Joey doesn’t expect. She comes up and dances with Joey’s driving teacher who is Joey’s age. Mary Alice and Joey’s driving teacher win the contest. One day when Grandma is at home the milk delivery boy and his brothers come and try to rob their house!!!

Clay can relate to the characters because Clay has a ridden in an airplane and he visits his Grandparents in the states. Jake can relate to the characters because he visits his Grandparents in Japan and Korea and he has ridden in an airplane.

This is our book review about A Long Way from Chicago. We recommend this book for 4^th grade and up because some parts were hard to understand. We liked this book because in some parts it was funny. Clay rates this book a B- because Clay thought it needed more action and Jake rated it B+ because he thought it was funny in some parts but some parts were a bit hard to understand.

Whispering Palms 4th/5th Grade Track Team

The McDonald's All School Track Meet will be on May 12th at the Ada Track. On that day the organizers only take the top 6 finishers in each age category from Saipan to compete. Tinian and Rota get one spot each. As you can see there are many students from our little school who are trying out for these limited spots, let alone all the other schools. We are all cheering for each other hoping to have many Whispering Palms Students Qualify for the McDonald's All School Track Meet. At the All School Track meet each student who qualifies earns points for their school depending on their race results. These students have been working hard in PE and also going down to the track for the preliminaries also known as the qualifiers each week. Last week they were at the track until 8:00 PM! In my opinion EVERYONE WINS just for being out at the track, trying something new, and being healthy!!! I'm so proud of each one of you for being on our track team and trying so hard to qualify! Way to go!

Meet the team (not pictured Miguel) Back row: Nicole, Raina, Phalai, Minori, Christian, Clay, Jay, and Victoria. Front Row: Michaela, Annalise, Rachell, Danica, Hee Joo, Kristina, Jake.800 Meter runners:Jake, Clay, Danica, Victoria, Annalise

1500 Meter Runner: Danica

100 Meter runners: Back Row: Phalai, Minori, Christian, Michaela Front Row: Kristina, Jay, Hee Joo, Danica, Nicole, Victoria, (not pictured Miguel)

200 Meter Runners: Back Row: Phalai, Minori, Christian, Michaela Front Row: Kristina, Jay, Hee Joo, Danica, Nicole, Victoria, Annalise (not pictured Clay)

400
Back Row: Phalai, Christian, Michaela Front Row: Jake, Clay, Hee Joo, Danica, Nicole, Victoria, Rachell

Long Jump
L to R: Annalise, Minori, Jay, Hee Joo, Christian, Jake, Kristina, Victoria, Nicole, Rachell

relay
L to R: Hee Joo, Jay, Clay, Jake, Phalai, Kristina, Victoria, Michaela, Rachell

javelin
Christian, Clay, Jake