Marcus's blog by a Muscular Mustache

I believe in helping people in need. My mom taught me this when I was little. When my Mom and I are driving down a road and we see a less fortunate person, we will give them extra food to that person in need of it. That’s what helping a person is all about because that little food means a lot. I would always help those in need.

Once, I went on a trip to a place called the Agape Center, which is a place for kids with low income parents, can go and do their homework and play. I played with the kids and helped them with their homework when they had trouble with it. Afterwards, I felt like something in my heart had changed. The year after, I went to the grocery store and bought delicious snacks for the kids at the Agape Center. I had the exact same feeling that I had the first time, that amazing feeling will never be forgotten because it is such a moving sight. I hope to continue to help the needy.

Whenever I help someone I always feel that special feeling that I have done something great to help the world.  My family and I are always seeing someone who is on the road begging for food and we are always happy to help those in need, who don’t have what we have. Whenever people neglect the homeless they are killing the human race. The people whom they are neglecting could have been their best friend in elementary school. When I see someone and we have nothing on us to give to them, I always feel horrible and unhappy and I wish that I could have done something to make their lives better.

I hope I have given a few good reasons as to why you to help should the needy. Hopefully you will make the right decision and help those in need.

I feel that MacBooks will help enhance my learning experience. It will affect me by helping me organize my documents and applications better. I am going to try to become better at typing. It will be nice to have my own computer so that I do not have to wait to look something up that I don’t understand. My own computer may be monitored but it will still give me more freedom than I already have.I will also be able to surf the web whenever it is needed.  I cannot wait to have MacBooks next year! It will be so much fun!

Blue Tongue Lizard

 While the photographer was capturing this moment in time they must have felt intrigued. There are so many colors of nature in this picture. The blue tongue lizard in this picture is sticking out its blue tongue after being carried by a cat to a person’s porch. This picture was taken in Robe, Australia and was taken on July 3^rd 2011.

Original caption by photographer

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/11/visions-now-next

Baseball is better than Soccer

Baseball has been the pastime of America for many years, but can it compete with the rest of the world’s pastime, soccer?  How many soccer players have gone down in American history compared to baseball players? So many baseball players have gone down in the history books like “Shoeless “Joe Jackson and the sluggers Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron. “Shoeless” Joe Jackson went into the history books for his famous game in which his shoes were too small so he took them off and played shoeless hence his nickname “Shoeless” Joe. The stories of people like “Shoeless” Joe will be with Americans for a very long time. The sport of soccer in the United States is not able to compete with the game of baseball. Baseball has too much history and fun in it. Most of the baseball parks have been around for years and years. For example, Wrigley Field has been around since 1893. In addition, Fenway Park has been around since 1912. Soccer parks are always new. Which can be fun for fans, but where is the history!? Sure people like new, clean parks but you can’t say “Hey, my grandfather sat in this exact same spot!” or “I put that gum underneath the seat when I was only seven years old!” Sure, a park may be disgusting, but that is what you remember.

Baseball can be considered a worldwide sport because players come from all over the world. For example, Yunel Escobar, a shortstop for the Toronto Blue Jays, was born in Havana, Cuba. Also Ichiro Suzuki, a right fielder for the Seattle Mariners, was born in Toyoyama, Aichi, Japan. Drew, a fifth grade student, says “I like baseball because it is more exciting to watch and play because there are so many opportunities to make big plays. It has better positions that cover more field space. Plus, it has more action. Overall, baseball is just better than soccer.”

Madeline, also a fifth grade student, puts up an argument. Madeline says “Soccer in the U.S is better than baseball because there is more action, you contribute more, and you get more exercise.”

I would agree with Drew because of my experience playing both sports. In baseball there are bigger rivalries than soccer in America and the baseball fans are crazy. At soccer games the fans are not as crazy. Often, there is low scoring and it’s rare to make big plays in soccer. In baseball, there are so many chances to make big plays like robbing a home run or a diving for a catch or even hitting a grand slam or a walk off hit. Whereas in soccer, the only chance to make big plays are when you are near a goal.   In soccer, the coaches want to get the ball to only one person who is the star, giving the people who need help in soccer no help except for passing. In baseball everyone is involved because you never know where the hitter can hit the ball at any given time. These are a few reasons why baseball is better than soccer.

While soccer worldwide is highly competitive and has a huge following, in the Unites States baseball will always come out on top. Americans have grown up around baseball and you don’t turn away from something like that.

Trinity School in Atlanta, Georgia arranged a buddy program years ago, where older students act as mentors, learn to be leaders, and take on bigger responsibilities, while the younger students begin to feel more comfortable and get connected with the school. Once every month, students meet with their buddies to complete enjoyable tasks such as making Valentine’s Day cards, writing letters to the U.S military, or decorating pumpkins. There is even a special day, arranged by Trinity’s Student Council, dedicated to celebrating buddies called Buddy Day. During Buddy Day, students participate in exciting relays and challenges with their buddies.

The question is, what does the program mean to students and teachers? Four students in Miss Caroline’s Pre-Kindergarten class at Trinity School, Trevor, Ansley, Carter, and Emerson, agreed instantly that buddies were very fun and enjoyable. “We are so glad we have buddies!” they all exclaimed.  Ansley’s older buddy, current 5^th grade student Alyssa Abraham,  quoted “Buddies are a really fun and  cool way to get to know and interact with younger students. Hanging with the big kids really breaks the  little kids out of their ‘shy shell’. I just wish I had more time with my buddy because I enjoy spending time with her!”

Most Trinity students would give you that same answer if you asked them. They’d say buddies are fun, but they wish they had more time.  Even some teachers are enjoying watching the students bond so much, they’d like to meet with their buddy class more often. That’s why Trinity’s Student Council is trying to think of fun ways to have students spend more time with their buddies.

Although, the program is exceptional and outstanding, everything always has room for growth.  Ms. Honick, a fourth grade teacher, quoted “The buddy program is a great program, but it is very difficult to fit it in and plan it because there are so many other things to get done. I think maybe a school event such as buddy day could even be a little shorter, because by the end of the day the little kids seemed worn out.”  In coming years, the buddy program will continue to change and improve based on student council’s decisions.

Even though this program has room for improvement it is still one of the most enjoyable aspects of Trinity School.

Madeline and Marcus

       Kennesaw Mountain

Over spring break, one of the things I did was hike up Kennesaw  mountain. It made me feel calm and, at the end very worn out.   This makes me wonder. The weather was a partly cloudy and partly sunny. The ground beneath me was very dry and crunchy. Are all similar( by similar I mean a smaller mountain than in the Alps and Himilayas) mountains the same as far as climbing? I hope to hike up a mountain againbut after this one I hope for a better challange.

I have been reading Homeless Bird  by Gloria Whelan and I have seen many literary devices in this book. Some examples are when Maa Kamala said “You wallow like pigs in the mud. That is all in the past” on page 121. That is referring to Koly and all the other widows telling their stories of how they became widows hanging in the past like pigs wallow in the mud. Another example was when Koly was trying to get her widows pension and sass won’t let her have it. At that moment Koly thinks ‘Sass was like a great boulder shutting her in a cave. She could not move sass; she could not get around sass.’ These are only two examples of many in the book.

A reoccurring theme in the book is perseverance because no madder how bad the situation is Koly always finds the good in it. I know this because when Hari died, Chandra went away, and sassur passed away Koly made friends with first the pariah dog (page 82) and the bandicoot (page 83). But before she was friendly to the pariah dog or the bandicoot she had nobody to talk to except for the little green lizards that crawled on Koly’s bedroom wall (page 79).

Koly adapts to her situations by thinking of things she was a part in, read, or witnessed. One example was when Koly was at the train station by herself and the man tried to take her away and that’s when she remembers the pariah dog biting the gosling’s neck. So she bites the man (page 114). The man howls in pain and runs away. This example is only one of many.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes books with a bunch of excitement. It has been a good book.I liked this book because it is exciting.An example is when Koly was deserted in Vrindavan and did not know where to go. My favorite part of the book was when Koly finds a job as a sari maker for Mr Das and makes more money than when she was stringing marigolds for Mr Govind.

“It looks delicious Aunt Nancy” I said. My mouth was watering like a waterfall.  My family on my dad’s side and I were sitting at the dinner table with what looked like the most delicious meal ever, sitting right in front of us. It consisted of a steaming turkey that just came out of the oven smothered in gravy and baked potatoes with all sorts of toppings to put on it and a sedar plate with egg, lamb bone, parsley, salt water, matzah, and matzor. These things are usually on a Seder plate.  Sitting to my right was my cousin and to my left was my dad. It was sedar dinner on Passover.

“Are we almost there?” I asked for the thousandth time as we drove by houses by the dozens. “Yes” answered my mom sarcastically. After about twenty minutes we finally parked in front of my aunt’s house in Philadelphia. When we knocked on the door my cousin greeted us.  After her were the rest of my dad’s nieces and nephews. I could smell the matzah and the turkey. “It’s great to see you again Aunt Nancy!” I said. But right after I finished the sentence I was lifted four feet off the ground and turned upside down by my favorite cousin.

After that I played with my toddler cousin for a while.  Well actually it was more like he and I sat on the couch and I tell him “cool!” while he plays on his new kiddie vetch camera. I finally got tired of playing with Aharon and his late birthday presents so I went up to our room and layed down on my pallet of blankets for a little while. When my mom called me down for dinner and I got to the top of the stairs it hit me “Wow is what I smell dinner?!” I asked. “Yes” answered my mom, this time her answer was not sarcastic. When we sat down at the dinner table we said the blessing and started serving ourselves. I had turkey and a baked potato. The food was amazing!!

That night we all watched my favorite movie, X-men! I like it because it is so action packed. The next day a couple of us went to the Philadelphia insectarium. When we were at the insectarium we saw bees and beetles. I even got to hold one! It was a lot of fun to see all the cool beetles and other insects like spiders. When we were leaving the insectarium lady offered us cheese powder covered mealworms that smelled horrible, and my cousin ate one!! The rest of the day was spent at the house just playing around. The next day we left.  Every one was saying goodbyes and giving hugs. This was the best Passover at Aunt Nancy’s house yet. I’ve never had this much time with my family before and it was so much fun. I can’t wait to go back there again!!!

Von is usually

A regular first name. They are

Mimicked on Halloween by kids that eat too much

Pie.

I am usually very brave but I am

Really scared.

Especially with them all under my bed.

I am doing Sumerian weapons. I am intrigued with what I’m studying. At the beginning of this project we had to choose a essential question. I picked “What were some of the Sumerians most dangerous weapons?”. I picked that question because I thought it was a good question.I chose this subject because I have always had an interest in ancient warfare and I was attracted to it. I learned that the Sumerians edited the axe so it is more like a modern day axe.The axe that the Sumerians made was made of bronze, it was made in the bronze age. The Sumerians also turned a farming tool into a deadly weapon called the sickle sword. The good part about my project is everyone is complementing me on my project. On the bad side it is running a little on the late side. Overall I am very happy with my project.