Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog

Somtimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk.
It runs you around the block and leaves you panting.
It pulls you in several different directions at once,
or winds you around and around you
until you're all wound up and can't move.

But love makes you meet people wherever you go.
People dwho have nothing in common but love
stop and talk to each other on the street.

Throw things away and love will bring them back,
again and again, and again.
But most of all, love needs love, lots of it. And in return, love loves you and never stops.

By: Taylor Mali

"Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog" An Epithalamion

First of all, it's a big responsibility,
especially in a city like New York.
So think long and hard before deciding on love.
On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security:
when you 're walking down the street late at night
and you have a leash of love
ain't no one going to mess with you.

Love doesn't like being left alone for long.
But come home and love is always happy to see you.
It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,
but you can never be mad at love for long.

Is love good all the time? No! No!
Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love. To be continued......

Busy! Busy! Busy! That is what we are.....

New Vocabulary: *Received February 24, 2011
abandon (v) - to leave or give p completely; to discontinue
abdicate (v) - give up power, authority or the throne
abduct (v) - to take away by force, kidnap
abnormal (adj) - not typical, average or normal
aboriginal (n) - the original inhabitants of a country
absolute (adj) - without restraint, not dependent on anything
absolve (v) - to free from blame, debt or responsibility
abstain (v) - to voluntarily refrain from
abstract (adj) - not concrete or related to specific things; no easy to understand
apogee (n) - the point in the moon's or a satellite's orbit when it farthest from the earth or the body it orbits

New Vocabulary!!!!

Prefixes to Learn: co, col---with, together cooperate, collect
com, con----with, together combine, connect
syn, sym---with, together synonym, sympathy

1) coexist (v) to exist at the same time or in the same place
2) coherent (adj) sticking together; connected, related in some way
3) collaborate (v) to labor together
4) collide (v) to come together with great force; to clash
5) composite (adj) made of separate parts or elements
6) compund (v) bring together; (n) a mixture
7) concordance (n) an agreement or harmony
8) congregate (v) to gather together
9) symmetry (n) elements on both sides of a line that have the same shape, size and arrangement
10) synthesize (v) to form a new thing by combining parts from other things; to unite or merge

Upcoming Field Trip

Yippee! The sixth grade has an upcoming field trip to Louisville, Kentucky. We are going to see Tuck Everlasting at the Kentucky Center for the Arts. The students are currently reading or have read this book. We will be using this performance to compare and contrast the book/novel and the 'live' performance. We were fortunate to participating in the 'Play It Forward' program which students to make donations toward ticket prices to lower the cost for each individual.

On-Demand Writing is ongoing! Students are reading and responding to these prompts. They are working to write the best introductions, body paragraphs complete with details and closings that will inspire their peers and community to reach out to each other.

Good luck to the Cougars! The sixth grade teams are playing hard! Go Cougars!

Rules, Freak the Mighty, Lawn Boy, The Outsiders and Across Five Aprils

Skills- Currently this class is reading Rules by Cynthia Lord. The plan is to finish this book by January 12...we have had some interruptions from the weather unfortunately. This book is priceless because it deals with sibling rivalry, puberty and learning to accept who we are as individuals.

Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen is a book that deals with economics and the changes that can happen in a twelve year-old's life when he is presented with a riding lawn mower. Unexpected opportunities fall into this young man's lap...he becomes an entrepreneur overnight. He learns how to become a capitalist who must diversify labor and distribute wealth.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton proves to be a timeless book with lessons to be learned concerning relationships, social class and the importance of connections within our families/communities.

Freak the Mighty pairs two uncommon young men who depend on each other for survival.

Welcome Back to School! Hope your vacation was fabulous!

Dear Students,
I hope you have had plenty of time to rest your mind during Christmas break. I have been sledding, watching ESPN/movies/TV and reading a very good book. I am excited about seeing your faces again.
We have plenty of reading and writing to do before we finish this school year. I have traveled to central Kentucky to watch my son play basketball. I visited a cool dairy farm while I was there as well. I also traveled to two college campuses: Lindsey Wilson and Campbellsville University. My husband and I hiked one very cold winter day to Green River Lake.
At home, I have been playing games with my family. One of the games I especially like is Catch Phrase. Many of you have played this game. I am going to try and modify this game so we play it in class. Scrabble is another one of my favorites...using the dictionary and laptop seems to slow this game down at my house. We have to time some members of my family because they take FOREVER!
I have enjoyed walking around Vastwood Park. Today, I was walking along and was greeted by a dog that had two different colored eyes! At first, I was startled but after the dog did not growl...I realized that it was simply a playful pup.
See you soon at school!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Basham