Katharine - When I Grow Up

I Want to Run a Zoo-Aquarium
by Katharine

I want to run a zoo-aquarium-amusement park in California for ocean animals.  It is going to have a dolphin and a sea horse.  It is even going to have a stingray.

Katharine - Comp: I Wish I Could....

I Wish I Could Be A Dolphin
by Katharine

I wish I could be a dolphin and I could swim in the sunny ocean.  If I were a dolphin, I would fight sharks.  I would love to eat yummy crab and fish.  Dolphins are very playful.  They love to play with balls and do jumps.  It would be fun to be a dolphin!

Grace - Personal Narrative

A Campout to Remember

Name: Grace Denson

Grade: 7^th

Class: Composition

Date: September 30, 2013

     Camping is fun and can lead to new experiences. One of my most memorable campouts started with a gorgeous sunrise. “Isn’t it a beautiful morning?” I asked. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. By mid-morning there were a few small cumulus clouds, but nothing to worry about. We went to lunch and when we came out of the restaurant, there were more clouds, and they were a little darker. It wasn’t a big deal though, yet.

     My parents decided it might be a good time to go to the park. They wanted to run some energy off my siblings and I before going back to camp. Joseph yelled, “This is the best park EVER!!! 

     We had a lot of fun, but the clouds kept forming together and getting darker. After about an hour at the park, my Mom and Dad thought it might rain. Our campground had a swimming pool, so we went for a swim before the storm. “The water’s freezing cold!” I exclaimed. While we were swimming the clouds got darker and a chilling breeze began to blow.  After our swim, we got a snack and played horseshoes. “I won!” Katharine screamed. 

     As we were playing the wind got stronger, colder, and was blowing the storm right towards us! I could hear thunder too. It started far away but was rapidly becoming louder.“Hey guys, the storm’s coming towards us. We need to get back to camp. Now,” Dad said. We walked back to the campsite as quickly as possible. Katharine, Joseph, and I got into the car to stay out of the gusts of wind.  Soon it started sprinkling. The sprinkles turned to large raindrops. Katharine and I decided to get in our tent to get a new perspective and an interesting experience. The rain was coming down hard with a few deafening claps of thunder.  Lightning illuminated the cloudy sky. It was kind of exciting and scary all at the same time.

      After we ate dinner at “Taco Bell” and the rain had stopped, it was chilly. Dad and Joseph got to work building a warm fire. With some wood, kindling, and a fair amount of lighter fluid, we made a roaring fire. My family gathered around the campfire, talking and laughing.  It was a perfect ending to an exciting day.

Comp - What Makes Me Happy

Why Christmas Makes Me Happy 

December 24^th, 2013                                                    It’s my Dad’s day off work and the calendar says December 24. I say, “Ho-ho –ho-ho it’s Christmas Eve.” I have breakfast and all of a sudden I notice it’s snowing. Just then I was so happy to see my two sisters Grace and Katharine.   I say to them, “Rise and shine sleepy heads, it’ snowing.”  Then Katharine says, “Really?” I replay, “Yes it’s snowing.”

         Then our Dad comes in and says, “Who wants to go to the park?” We say, “O yea we want to go to the park and play in the snow.” We get dressed and head to the park. I was so happy to see the entire park lawn with an untouched white blanket of snow. The girls made a snowman while Dad and I had a snow ball fight.   I was so happy to see try to get me then I saw him turn and run. When I saw this I said, “He turns, he runs, I win.”

        After the fight and the girls made their snow man we headed home. I was so happy to see Mom and she had hot cocoa and cookies. After we had hot cocoa Mom said, “Who wants to decorate                         the Christmas tree?” My sisters and I say, “We do we do!” Mom, my sisters, and I bring in the Christmas decorations and we put them on the tree. Once it all decorated we flip the switch the lights come on and I was happy to see it all lit up.

        Later that afternoon I got to track Santa Clause with Norad Santa Tracker.  It makes me happy that I can track Santa. The next morning I looked at the calendar it was December 25^th, Christmas Day. I was so happy that it was Christmas I got out of bed looked under the tree I saw so many presents. I knew my Grandma and Grandpa were coming with more the same afternoon.  This tuned out to be the best Christmas ever.

      

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays 

Comp - I Wish I Could....

  

I Wish I Could Be in World War 2

by Joseph Denson

      I watch so many shows on World War 2. Every time I watch them I wish I could be in World War 2. World War 2 is cool to e because it was filled with aircraft, tanks, and battles. Here are a few of my favorite tanks of World War 2. The US tank of choice was the M4-A3 Sherman tank, with a short ten foot barrel and low velocity 75MM gun and 2 inches of frontal armor.  But the Sherman doesn’t stand a chance against the bigger guns of the Germans. The Germans had better tanks then the US.  The Germans had the Panther Tank. The Panther had 3 inches of frontal armor, a 77MM gun, and a reinforced barrel.  The Panther has a disadvantage, only 2 inches of side armor.

      My favorite battle of World War 2 is D-Day.  D-day is when British, American, and Canadian invaded Hitler’s Atlantic wall. Canada’s tank of choice for the attack was the only swimming tank of World War 2. The DD or swimming tank has a sealed lower hull to keep it from sinking and a high canvas skirt.  It had 2 inches of front armor protection. But its most unique feature is a duplex drive twin propeller engine.  It can give it 13 knots.  On Juno Beach, June 6^th, 1944, at 8:00am, the Germans see a huge fleet of ships.

But the Allies are out of range of their guns. The Allies open fire with their battle ships. 

                           This is where the final months of the war are entered.  

Comp - What is your favorite plane or tank?

      

Why I Like the McDonnell Douglas F-4E II Phantom

By Joseph E. Denson 

       I watch all kinds of shows on planes and go to aircraft museums. I also browse the Pima Air and Space Museum’s aircraft list online. One day while I was browsing I ran across the McDonnell Douglas F-4E II Phantom, it was a sweet bird. When most people think of birds they think of pigeons but, aircraft are also called birds too. I already knew about F-4 Phantoms I, but I was all over this bird the first time I saw it.

       I like the F-4 phantom because it is a fighter bomber. Fighter bombers are cool to me because they can bomb targets miles away and engage in a dogfight. When most people think of a dog fight they think of dogs fighting but, in air combat a dog fight is when 2 planes go head-to-head in combat. What gave the F-4 Phantom the advantage in combat is the armament, it had both canons and missiles. The canons were added on the later models of the F-4 Phantoms. 

       The next feature that I like about the F-4 Phantom is the cool elevators. When most people think of elevators they think of five story elevators but, elevators on aircraft move the air craft up and down. The elevators on the F-4 Phantom are pointed down for aero dynamics yet the elevators still move the air craft up and down. I also like the F-4 Phantom because of the paint job it is painted red, blue, and white all over.  

Someday I will go to the Pima Air and Space Museum and see an F-4 Phantom for real.   

 

 

Joseph - Pato's Poem

Pato’s poem        by Joseph Denson

(An acrostic poem - the letters of each line form the word "Pato")

Painted blue                      

Always there for me 

Three fingers and toes

On top of my pillow waiting