KATIE'S ENGLISH BLOG

Anna Katherine Juliana

       Anna closed the door behind her as she shuffled into her house after a long day at school.        "How was school?" called Anna's mom from the living room couch.        "Fine," answered Anna. She was careful not to say too much, because if she did, her mom would drown her with questions.        "Did you have any tests today?" Asked her mom.        "Just a science test," sighed Anna. She knew this was when the questions would come flooding in.        "Really? How do you think you did?"        "I don't know. Fine I guess."        "What does 'I guess' mean? Was it hard?"        Anna sighed, knowing she wouldn't be able to get to her room any time soon to start on the mountain of homework assigned to her.        "Kind of," she said in reply.        "What was...

       My personal narrative explores my childhood from my point of view as a first grader. I tell the story of a normal fall day after school, and I describe the different games that we play together. I am excited about my narrative because I think the point of view is interesting. You can see the vivid imagination of a seven year old through my story, and the reader can also see how playing games in the front yard seems like the most important thing in the world. Another thing I like about my narrative is that it is very descriptive. I try to explain emotions and places with great detail, so it feels like the reader is actually there.        Something I am worried about for my narrative is the significance. I know that the significance relates to me as a person, but it may not resonate with people like it does with me. I am also slightly worried about my word choice. I am trying to balance vivid detail with the perfect words to fit my emotions...

Gregory Tucker

         Dear Ten year-old, embrace everyone around you, and make lots of friends. When I was young, everyone I met became my friend. No matter how old they were or what they looked like, if they would be my friend I would be theirs. Although when I grew older, I became more secluded and had only a few friends. I wouldn't talk to people I didn't know and I didn't make many new friends. Now that I'm older, I know that having lots of friends is important. You have lots of people you can turn to and just have fun with.          Another piece of advise is to try new things. My parents always told me, "You'll never know unless you try,". A time I wish I had thought about this was when my friend had just invited me to the beach, but I turned it down because I was very tired from a trip I had just gotten back from. I saw how much fun they were having and I still regret not going. I now try and go to new places or take part in new activities, ...

       One of the personal narratives was Us and Them by David Sedaris. This short essay tells the story from a small boys perspective as he observes and studies his mysterious neighbors, the Tomkeys. It was very interesting to read this narrative because it was told by a third grader who thought all of the families in the world were exactly like his. And if there was a family who was different, they were basically aliens. For example, when he sees the family sitting down at dinner without the TV on, he thinks thats the strangest thing in the world.         Another aspect of the essay I found intriguing was the irony aspect of it all. One example of irony is when the young boy and his family are sitting around the TV discussing the new neighbors. They discuss how the Tomkeys supposedly don't believe in TV, so they don't have one. As the father eats his meal, he says ,"Well, good for him. I don't know that I believe in it either." His mother agre...

Katherine  Grace