Can you Haiku?

Emily, 10 years old, wrote two sweet Haiku's this morning!  I love them both!

Haiku is a Japanese lyric verse form having three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables, traditionally invoking an aspect of nature or the seasons.

 
1)The soft leathered book.
I feel the soft silk pages.
The comforting words.

2) The shiny water.
 I float away from trouble.
 All my troubles sink.

The Four Festivals of Musonia- A dialogue

By Naomi

On a dream like day, in a dream like kingdom called Musonia, there were four festivals occurring. These four festivals were named Tempora, Acoustaria, Dynamici, and Rhapsodita. These festivals were held at the front gate of the grand castle, which was named Musicology. The Festival Tempora was on the far left of the castle. Rhapsodita was on the far right and Acoustaria and Dynamici were in the middle.
Around eleven on the dream like day, one Musonian girl was standing a little to the right of the front gate. The girl was wearing a dark blue dress. Her name was Sempre Animato but almost everyone called her Semantic because she was very intelligent. She had beautiful blueish gray eyes and blond hair. She was waiting for a friend.
At ten past eleven Semantic's friend walked towards her. This girl, who was two years younger than Semantic, was wearing an almost identical dress except it was the color green. Her name was Clarie Motif and she had blueish green eyes and curly strawberry-blond hair. Clarie spotted Semantic and said in an excited tone, "Hey, Sempre!" Clarie preferred to call Semantic by her true name because she always thought it suited her perfectly. "I have been looking for you everywhere!"
"Hello, Clarie. I told you to meet me at the front gate around eleven, did I not?" inquired Semantic.
"Oh! Yes, yes you did now that I think about it. I'm sorry, it slipped my mind." said Clarie who felt very stupid for forgetting such a detail.
Semantic laughed, "It's fine," then lightly gestured towards the festivals. "How are you enjoying the four festivals?"
"They are amazing! So much music and so many people who are also enjoying them," said Clarie happily. She had never been to any of the four festivals before because she had moved to Musonia almost two years ago and had been out of town during the previous one.
Semantic smiled and said, "Glad you are enjoying them."
"Sempre?" asked Clarie.
"Yes?"
"What exactly is each festival about?"
"Ah, well, it is a long explanation but we still have time before noon," said Semantic, who smiled and then continued, "As you probably already know the four festivals are called Tempora, Acoustaria, Dynamici, and Rhapsodita. Each one of these festivals is unique but have one thing in common, which is-"
"Which is music!" exclaimed Clarie who then realized she had said this out loud, "Oh, sorry I interrupted you." She laughed and said, "Continue."
Semantic also laughed and then continued, "You're correct. It is music. Music is the reason this kingdom exists. Hence the name of it. It is said that around the 1500s our country, Triartia, was founded and was then split into three kingdoms that were named Musonia, Visartia, and Dramatia. Each of these kingdoms was ruled by one king of great knowledge in the art that their kingdom was named after. In the 1500s our first king was named Maestro Musikay. In honor of our kingdom, Maestro Musikay ordered a celebration which was broken up into four sections occurring all at once.
"One of the four festivals is called Tempora. Tempora is the festival of tempo. Music in various tempos is played and everyone dances to them. It is neat to see the different tempos affect the way people dance."
Clarie laughed and said, "Dancing? That's funny. I'll probably never take part in that."
Semantic asked, "Why not?"
"I'm just not much of a dancer. Please continue. I'll try not to interrupt again." smiled Clarie.
Semantic smiled back and said, "It's fine. I don't mind when you interrupt, I just have to remember what I am talking about. Anyway, as I was saying, Tempora is all about tempo and from the word tempo we obviously get its name. Plus there are games where you can pretend to be a metronome," Semantic laughs, "which are funny to watch because some people fall over. They also sell all sorts of metronomes in many shapes and sizes."
Clarie smiled, "That's really neat."
"Indeed," continued Semantic, "and it is only one of the four. The second is the Festival of Acoustaria. During this festival you can hear singing. Some singers may have their acoustic guitars. Each voice is unique and you'll notice this the closer you listen. There are games which determine the type of music best fits your voice. It is quite fun if you enjoy singing."
Clarie laughed again, "Singing? I also won't take part in this."
"What? You have a beautiful singing voice!" asserted Semantic.
"No, not really," persisted Clarie, "only during choir. Any other environment and my singing sounds horrible."
Semantic rolled her eyes, "Whatever you say. Now should I continue? We don't have much time till noon."
"Oh yes, please continue! Wait. What is at noon?"
"Why the speech from Maestro Fortissimo, of course!" said Semantic, who tried to remind Clarie. She couldn't remember so she nodded trying to cover up another lost detail. "The third festival is the quietest and loudest of the festivals. Therefore it is appropriately named Dynamici. During the day music is played at various degrees of loud and soft. Sometimes you might even forget Dynamici exists because it is so soft but when it becomes loud you can barely hear your own thoughts! It is the most random which makes it one of the most fun to listen to. You'll never know what's coming." said Semantic, who paused to listen to Dynamici.
"That sounds fun. I was wondering why earlier I couldn't hear my thoughts." Clarie then laughed, "Hey! Maybe, that is why I forgot about the speech and where to find you!"
In a joking manner, Semantic said, "I'm sorry but that was your own fault not Dynamici's." Clarie laughs in agreement and tells her to continue.
Semantic continued, "Last but not least is Rhapsodita. Rhapsodita, like all the other festivals' names, comes from a musical term. This music term is literally different from all others and is called Rhapsody. During this festival many composers test out their works. Many of the works having the effect of flooding you with emotion. Others confuse you because the meaning is odd and unable to be identified.
"All of these festivals, as I said before, involve music. You would think all four of these festivals placed by each other would make a racket but they don't. Well, Clarie," sighed Semantic happily, "is this a suitable explanation for what the four festivals are about?"
Clarie smiles joyfully, "Yes! Thank you very much! You are very good at explaining things, Sempre."
"This is good to know, since I am hoping to teach at the grand castle someday." Semantic smiles at the thought of teaching music because it is her dream job.
"Knowing your musical ability and accurate way of explaining things to me, I know you will." grinned Clarie. Semantic was about to say thank you but right then almost eighty trumpets blared their sound. They played as loud as was humanly possible. Clarie smiled at Sempre and eagerly awaited the speech to come.

A Talk- Dialogue

By Anna

Once upon a time in Kingdom not so far away there lived King Marcus. He was considerably fat because he enjoyed eating whatever his beloved wife and Queen, Susanna, would cook for him. He was a very funny man and always enjoyed cracking jokes. He had three beautiful daughters. The names bequeathed upon them were Natalie, Belle, and Jacqueline. Each daughter had their own special talent. Natalie was the best artist, very poetic, and a great musician in the kingdom. She could paint the most outstanding pictures, write the most emotional poems, and play the sweetest music. Her twin, Belle, was almost the opposite. She liked music as her sister did, but would have preferred to be performing it in plays. She'd rather express her feelings through action than by words and would help out anyone and everyone. Their little sister, Jacqueline, was four years younger and at the age of eleven she was the most beautiful little girl. She was very bright. She could read many books at a time and retain much information. She was also the athlete of the family and enjoyed dueling every now and then.
According to the law of the Kingdom any girl at the age of sixteen must be married. King Marcus worried over this law for a long time for his oldest daughters were to be sixteen soon enough. He feared changing the law for it was simply too old to do so. He decided he would just have to talk to his girls about it. He began with Natalie because she was the eldest of the two.
"Go and call upon my daughter, Natalie, for me," ordered the King to his head messenger. "I wish to speak to her. And if she asks why I call upon her, tell her it is of the uttermost importance."
The messenger left thereafter immediately with nothing but a small gesture towards the King to assure him he had heard.

The sound of knocks were hear upon Princess Natalie's door whilst the messengers says, "Oh, Princess Natalie! Please go to your father for he calls upon you."
"Why must I?" questioned Natalie. "I don't feel like it. I'm working on by far my greatest work of art."
"You must, my Princess," says the messenger, "for it is of the uttermost importance that the King speaks to you. C'mon now. Don't keep him waiting." He leaves quickly without another word.
"Oh, alright. I shall go and see what father wants of me." says Natalie even though she would rather have finished her artwork.
"There you are, my dear," said the King upon seeing his daughter. "I would like to have a little chat. I hope that's all right, but even if it isn't, I'm saying it anyway."
A little uncomfortable with her father giving her a talk, Natalie fidgeted a great deal after he had said these words. She simply replied, "If you must, Father."
"Indeed, I must say this," said King Marcus with some hesitation. "For you, my dear, are fifteen and soon enough you shall be sixteen, which as you know is the age for you to find a rightful husband. A girl cannot live a life without a man. She needs him to be there for her and take care of her. I know you have gone against anyone who has ever brought up the idea of marriage to you, but I must remind you that you need to get married. Why, with your great talents, I'm sure you'll easily find the perfect husband."
"Also, if I may remind you, it is important that you find the man of your dreams and be engaged by the time you are sixteen or else I will have to choose a man for you. So, choose wisely. You are stuck with them until death do you part."
Ignoring most of what her father was telling her she says, "Father, I do understand. You do know me well enough that I have never wished to marry. I would rather paint my feelings on a canvas, write those same feelings in poems, or play the sounds of feeling, but, alas, I must marry. It is my duty to you, Father. All I do ask is that you try and find a way out of it! I really do not wish to marry. "
"Well," says the King as he paces back and forth thinking, "you don't have to marry as soon as you're sixteen if you wish to be the heir to this throne. You will still get married when that time comes, but till then you are free. For the warning, you might be busy once you are Queen which might take away some free time that you have now. So, if you do choose this option, that will be the outcome."
With a heavy sigh, she agrees to her father's words. "Now may I go, Father? Please."
"Yes, my dear, you may go but please send for your sister, Belle, I wish to speak to her as well."
"Yes, Father," says Natalie who was naturally relieved to be away from such a discussion with her father. She hurried along the corridors to find her sister and when she did, as usual, she just opened her sister's door without even a knock.
"Ahh!" screams Belle. "You scared the dragon's fire out of me!"
Laughing, Natalie asks, "The dragon's fire out of you, eh?"
"Yes, the dragon's fire!"
"You are so weird, Belle. Really. You are."
"Why, thank you, my love. Now may I ask of as to why you are here?"
"Can't a sister visit her other sister?"
"A sister could, but knowing you, you are here for something or another."
"Haha You know me too well. I'm supposed to tell you to go see father. He would like a word with you."
"I see. Well, I better be going right away. I wouldn't want to keep him waiting. Adieu, Natalie"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Farewell."
Belle rushed off towards her father. She was really curious as to what her father would say to her, but at the same time she was on full alert.
As she arrived in the great dining hall where her father is most of the day, her father greets her saying, "Ah, there you are, Belle. You took no time at all to get here, now did you?"
"I was quick indeed. Natalie told me you needed to talk to me. What do want to talk about?"
Hesitating a bit, He said," Why, of your future, my dear. You are now fifteen and as you should know the age in which you must marry is Sixteen. I know you, of all my daughters, will easily marry. I want you to remember that you have till you are Sixteen to choose a husband for yourself or else I will choose one for you. Your sister, Natalie, has decided to that she will be the rightful heir to this throne. She does not really wish to marry, but she and you must be married. It's the law."
"Alright, Father. I have heard your words and am relieved this is all you wanted to say to me. I will advise you though to take a deep breath and calm yourself. You are too stressed from trying to tell us this. Well, it is indeed the hour of rest so I must bid you adieu, Father. I love you," Belle said, whilst upon kissing his head and giving him a hug."
"Okay, my dear. I love you, too."
Without further ado, Belle left her father tired and still very agitated from having to talk to his girls about such a thing. He sighed in relief when he had finally realized this was over with, but then he remembered something! His little girl, Jacqueline, will soon be fifteen. Now he sighed with discontentment and worry. How will he ever tell his littlest that she must marry?

The Story of the Two Princesses - a dialogue

A dialogue is a conversation between two or more parties.

By Emily

Once in a large, open forest two princesses were swimming in the large river. One princess was the ruler of water. The other princess was the ruler of animals. The water princess' name was Bubbles and the animal princess' name was Gazel. They were very peaceful until they ran into each other. " Why are you swimming in my water!" exclaimed Bubbles.
" Why, I can swim in any water I want!" retorted Gazel.
" What is your purpose in these waters?" asked Bubbles.
" I train water creatures!" retorted Gazel.
" Why did you pick this river?" asked Bubbles.
" Because. Why are you so nosy?" asked Gazel.
" Because bad people come and try to poison these fresh waters of mine." said Bubbles.
" Really?" asked Gazel in an I-could-care-less voice.
" Yeah, we have to suck out all the water and then replace it!" continued Bubbles.
" I suppose you don't take out the fish carcases. Do you?" said Gazel.
" Of course not! Who do you think I am?" asked Bubbles.
" Well you're obviously not smart!" retorted Gazel.
" Sometimes I don't know who to trust!" yelled Bubbles
" I don't poison water. If I did the animals would die! " exclaimed Gazel.
" I never said you did it!" yelled Bubbles.
" Ugh! You are mean!" insulted Gazel.
" I think you are just jealous!" retorted Bubbles.
" Why would I be jealous of you?" asked Gazel.
" Because I get to rule water and water is bigger and better than animals!" explained Bubbles.
" Oh please! I would never be jealous of you!" retorted Gazel.
" Whatever you say," said Bubbles.
" Arrg! can I just finish my underwater training and leave? Or do I have to stand here and argue all day?" asked Gazel.
" Yeah, I guess you are right. It does not make any sense to just stand here and argue." agreed Bubbles
" Hey, you know what?" asked Gazel.
" What?" asked Bubbles.
" We finally agreed on something!" answered Gazel.
"Yeah that is weird." agreed Bubbles.
" Do you want to go for a swim?" asked Gazel
" Sure. That would be fun!" agreed Gazel
So the two girls swam off down the river.

Limerick

In Caught ya! #29 William Waggish whispered another one of his inimitable limericks. We learned that limericks were invented in 12-century China as a marching ditty for the army. The form is 5 lines. The first 2 lines and the last line are to have 8 syllables & rhyme and the 3 & 4 lines are to rhyme with 5 syllables. (Info from Caught Ya!).

We also learned through Wikipedia that the limerick was made popular by:

Edward Lear in his first Book of Nonsense (1845) and a later work (1872) on the same theme. Lear wrote 212 limericks, mostly nonsense verse. It was customary at the time for limericks to accompany an absurd illustration of the same subject, and for the final line of the limerick to be a kind of conclusion, usually a variant of the first line ending in the same word.

(Lear's limericks were often typeset in three or four lines, according to the space available under the accompanying picture.)

The girls got a chance to write their own limerick!

*******************************
My teacher said to write this trick,
But I never knew what to pick.
So I thought and thought,
Unsure what'd be taught
And now I have this limerick.
******************************
On this white canvas I shall paint,
With colors that will try to taint,
Colors I can say,
Will be used today,
While I use this canvas to paint.
*****************************

Thanks girls you did great!

Grammar with a Giggle

The best book we have found to teach Grammar is Giggles in the Middle: Caught'ya! Grammar with a Giggle for Middle School.

From the Maupin House Book Publishing company: Jane Bell Kiester, author of the popular Caught’ya! Grammar with a Giggle series, has adapted her effective and fun approach to meet the specific learning needs of middle-school students. This resource improves writing and editing skills, raises test scores, engages students, and creates classrooms filled with giggles!

Occasionally we will post things that we learn from this book. Check it out for yourself! It totally rocks Grammar!