Tag: english

Test Day- a Short Story

In English class, we had to write a short story with the prompt I was digging through all the junk in the attic when I found a button that…. I hope you like my story!

On October 8th, the day of my biggest test, I was trying not to panic. I was frantically digging through all the junk in the attic, searching for a button, occasionally pushing my tangled brown hair out of my face, my emerald eyes scanning the old, worn-down boxes relentlessly. An orange, pulsing glow filled the attic as I staggered backwards, throwing my tanned hands up over my eyes. As soon as the glow had faded, I wandered over to where it had come from, my curiosity getting the better of me.

Inside an old and faded purple silk bag was a bright orange button that whirred when I touched it.
“Yes! A button, at last!” I ran my blistered fingers over the plastic surface, deeming it perfect. I ran downstairs, slipping the button into my messenger bag as I did so.
“Late again, Ari?” Mom’s voice was sharp and disapproving. I almost showed her the button, but what was the point? She wouldn’t understand, she never did.
“Sorry Mom,” I looked down at the floor, hoping she wouldn’t drag it out.
“Let’s go,” her tone was brisk and unforgiving, her high heels clicking acroos the floor to the car.

She didn’t speak to me as we drove to school, letting me out of the car quickly. No one greeted me when I walked in, their eyes glued to the front of the classroom in anticipation. I took a deep breath, laying the button on my desk as I found myself adopting the same posture as my classmates.

Today was Test Day, the day that would determine your success or failure in the world. Out teacher, Ms. Zarrah, would call us up to perform out craft, granting us with either a pass or a fail. I worked with buttons, magicking them to my will. Glancing at everyone’s desks, I saw an array of objects, none of them as interesting as mine.

Suddenly, the small, nervous side chatter that had been collecting came to a halt as someone entered the room.
“Greetings, students,” Ms. Zarrah’s warm auburn eyes twinkled as she surveyed our class, “We’ll get started now,” Every second felt like an hour as my friends were all called up. Most people passed, blatantly showing their relief. I shifted at my desk impatiently, my hands itching to do something.

“Rancock, Arianna. Please come up with your object of choice,” I stood up, clutching the button tightly. I was slightly shaking and my heart was pounding, though I tried not to show it.
“Will you need anything?” Ms. Zarrah’s comforting voice put me at ease.
“Yes please, some fabric,” I asked politely. She beamed, handing a piece to me.
“Let me see your object now….” she gasped as she examined my button, then turned and announced to the class, “No magic items are to be used. Disqualified,”

Everyone let out gasps as I trudged to the back of the class, tears stinging my eyes. I couldn’t concentrate for the rest of class and it took all my willpower not to run away as soon as the bell rang. The only thing that stopped me was Ms. Zarrah.
“Ari, come back here please,” I gathered up my courage and walked back to her desk.
“Yes Ms. Zarrah?” I said sweetly, awaiting her lecture. She sighed.
“Your mother had predicted that something like this would happen, and so she asked me to give you a do-over,” I let out a small gasp, daring to hope, “There’s just one problem,” my shoulders slumped again and I looked away, “Your mother wanted you to do cooking,”

This “cooking vs. button” thing that my mom had created was the exact reason I couldn’t show her the button. She had always wanted me to have a craft in cooking, never seeming to understand what a dead skill it was.
“I can’t give you many hints, but think Ari. Why can’t you cook on a button?” My eyes widened as I understood what Ms. Zarrah was trying to say. She gently pressed an ordinary pale blue button into my hand and closed my fingers around it.

The next few hours were a blur as I baked my way through 3 desserts on the button which I had enchanted to do the work. Mom had taught me the recipes over the course of several exhausting days. Ms. Zarrah hummed with delight as she tasted my decadent brownies, perfectly balanced cupcakes, and my fresh and fruity apple cake.
“These are delicious! You passed with flying colors, Ari, great job,”

I beamed. I had found a way to make everyone happy in a style that was uniquely me. I had finally done a good job and done it well.

A Bold Dance of the Ages

Recently, for my English class, we had to write a brochure based on an element of our culture. I picked Bharatanatyam, an Indian classical dance from the state of Tamil Nadu. I hope you enjoy!

Strong taps echo through the auditorium as the audience watches, mesmerized by the bold and strong dance. The dancer is performing Bharatanatyam, an Indian classical dance. Bharatanatyam is one of the most interesting dance forms because it’s bold, unique, and captivating.

The History:

Bharatanatyam has a rich history through thousands of centuries and kings. Here are some of the most important parts of its history.

CHOLA DYNASTY (9th to 13th century):
The Chola kings left a lasting legacy to Indian classical arts. In the Brihadeeswara temple, there are verses from the Natyasastra and sculptures of Shiva performing the 108 karanas. Many forms of art centered around the temples and grew well.

VIJAYANAGAR DYNASTY (14th century to 15th century)
The Vijayanagar kings provided a lot of patronage to dance. King Krishna Deva Raya (16th century) is said to have been a great supporter.

NAYAKA KINGDOM (16th to 18th century):
King Raghunatha Nayake encouraged dance and music. The king also wrote the Valmiki Charitra which included information about Sadir (the old name for Bharatanatyam) and the talam system.

MARATHA DYNASTY (18th century)
The Maratha rulers had the strongest links to the present-day Bharatanatyam. King Tulaji wrote the Sangeetha Saramitra with a list of adavus. Natwanars were also significant members of the king’s court. The famous Thanjavur brothers lived during this era.

BRITISH ERA
The British Government tabooed dance performances and dancers lost their glory.

REVIVAL (early to mid 20th century)
Art lovers worked to remove the stigma from dance. In 1932, Sadir was renamed to Bharatanatyam.

The Mythological History:

At the beginning of Treetayuga, peoples´ lives were filled with greed, anger, and jealousy. There wasn’t dharma and the asuras ruled the world. To combat this, Lord Brahma created a fifth Veda that would be enjoyable and dispel the bad. Lord Brahma taught this fifth Veda (the Natyaveda) to Bharata, who in turn taught it to his 100 sons.

Bharata asked Lord Brahma to bring down apsaras to add grace.

With this, he was satisfied and performed it at the Dhvaja Mohatsa. The asuras got angry because the play was pointing at their demise. As a result, they started attacking the performers.

Brahma asked the divine architect, Vishwakarma, to build a Natyagriha that would restrict access to evil. Vishwakarma instantly built the perfect theater.

Then Brahma took this play to Lord Shiva. Shiva suggested that they add nritta to the play to enhance it. After watching the show, people understood how to defeat the demons and started living better lives.

The Margam:

A margam is the order in which you learn and perform Bharatanatyam items. The complexity gradually increases as does the time and the abhinaya sections.

It begins with a Pushpanjali and an Alarippu. Combined, this section is around 5 minutes. Next is a kouthuvam, the simplest item, usually 2-3 minutes long. It focuses on bhakti. After this is a jathiswaram. This is a pure adavu dance with no abhinaya. Then, there is a shabdam which is followed by a 45-minute varnam. After that is a Padam or keerthanam, which is more abhinaya based. The margam concludes with a Thillana.

Dr. Sunanda Nair, a Bharatanatyam expert, says the margam is important because “It’s like a school syllabus. You can see every step and you know what you’re learning. When you graduate with a Thillana, you have control of what you know. You peak at that ending point. The margam also gives you a connected approach to dance where everything is linked.”

Her favorite type of item in the margam is the “Padam or Keerthanam, I think. In these, you get connected abhinaya where you can really become a character instead of having abhinaya broken up by jathis.”

The Parts:

There are 3 parts to Bharatanatyam, which are all used to form most items.

1- NRITTA
Nritta is pure dance. It is made up of angas and karanas. It doesn’t contain abhinaya, instead focusing on adavus. One example is the Jathiswaram.

2- NATYA
Natya in Sanskrit means dramatic art. It doesn’t contain adavus, instead focusing on abhinaya. One example is the Padam.

3-NRITYA
Nritya is a combination of both nritta and natya. It includes both adavus and abhinaya. One example is the Kouthuvam.

Aaharya:

There are 3 main parts of the Bharatanatyam Aaharya. These parts are the costume, the makeup, and the jewelry.

There are many different costume styles in Bharatanatyam. There is a skirt style which includes a blouse and a skirt. Another style is the pant costume which is a blouse and pants, with a pleated fan attached to the pants.

The makeup is bold, with thick black eyeliner outlining the eyes, pink eyeshadow, and bright red lipstick. The tips of the fingers and toes are also usually colored red with the palms painted with a red circle.

The jewelry´s base color is gold with green and pink jewels set in. There are two necklaces, a choker and an aaram. You wear a chandra and surya on your head to remind yourself to be grounded and that you are only a speck of dust in the universe. There is also a nethichutti which is partly on your head and partially on your forehead. The earrings are small jumpkhas attached to a maatal. You also wear valaiyal.

The hair is braided, sometimes with a pre-braided extension adorned with ornaments attached. Fake flowers are attached at the back.

On your ankle, you wear chalangai. On your head, you wear a pottu.

Glossary:

Aaharya (aa-har-yah)- the costuming, makeup, and jewelry
Aaram (aa-rum)- a long, dangling necklace
Abhinaya (a-bin-ney-ah)- emotions and feelings, sentiment
Alarippu (A-lar-ip-poo)- a dance where you warm up the body
Angas (un-gah-s)- the major parts of the body
Apsaras (up-sah-rahs)- heavenly nymphs
Asuras (ah-suh-ras)- demons
Bhakti (buk-tea)- devotion
Bharatanatyam (buh-ruh-ton-aat-yum)- an Indian classical dance from Tamil Nadu
Brahma (bruh-ma)- the god of creation, one of the three main gods
Chalangai (cha-lung-ay)- ankle bells, to make your taps sound pleasing
Chandra (chund-reh)- the moon
Dharma (duh-r-ma)- good
Dhvaja Mohatsa (dh-vaj-ja mo-hut-sa)- Indira´s flag festival
Karanas (kah-rah-nas)- the poses
Natwanars (nat-van-ars)- people who keep talam
Natyagriha (nat-yuh-gree-ha)- a theater
Natyasastra (nat-yuh-sas-tra)- the book of dance
Pottu (puth-tuh)- colored dot/shape on the forehead
Shiva (shiv-a)- the god of destruction, one of the three main gods
Surya (shur-yah)- the sun
Talam (tal-am)- how you keep the beat
Valaiyal (vul-ay-al)- bangles, bracelets

Bharatanatyam has filled people with wonder and joy for centuries. It has flourished and grown, even when there are obstacles. Bharatanatyam is such an interesting dance because it is diverse, vivid, and enchanting.

Back Home

In English class recently, I wrote a personal narrative about a life changing moment. Some parts of the story are fiction, but I enjoyed writing it a lot. I hope you enjoy!

Beep! Beep! Beep! Each of the passports were scanned with a beep and a blinding flash of neon green light. After living in Australia for the past two years, I was moving back to where I was born- Houston, Texas.

With my head and heart heavy, I dragged my dejected feet over to where my parents were standing. They seemed ecstatic, obviously glad that we were moving somewhere new.
“Aren’t you excited?” my dad asked, looking around with eager eyes.
I shook my head, feeling like a gloomy cloud had settled over my head and wouldn’t let go.
“Oh, don’t worry,” my mom declared, “It’ll be a blast!”
I twisted my mouth and shrugged, still not convinced. We walked past millions of restaurants filled with bored looking tourists and sharply dressed waiters. None of it reminded me of home.

I started to blink back tears before I realized it would be worthless. Soon, the floodgates would be opened. The only thing circling through my mind was how I wanted, no, needed to go back home.
I started sniffling and then I could tell that there was no going back. I started bawling in the middle of the airport. Tears and mucus dripped down my face as I thought of all my best memories in Australia.
“What’s wrong?” my mom asked, kneeling down next to me. I sniffed twice before getting in control again.
“I-sniff- miss-hiccup-home,”  my words brought on another round of tears as my mom waited patiently for me to calm down.


“Why do we have to go?” I almost shrieked. Somehow, I managed to keep quiet.
“For you, home is here,” my mom explained gently, “but for me, it’s in a lot of places and Houston is one of them. It’s also a great opportunity for me and Dada. The world is a big place and we are trying to learn more about it by traveling,” 
I nodded, my tears finally dawdling away. I was calmer now, and I understood more about the world, exactly what my mom wanted me to get from traveling.

This experience helped me think about how everyone sees the world differently and how it affects them. I am still an avid traveler today, because as my mom said 7 years ago, “It creates many opportunities in your world.”

My Peace Poem

For my English class, I made a poem about peace and how I would describe it. I hope you like it!

Describing Peace

Peace is a view
One for everyone to see
Maybe it’s when the sun dips
Over and out, on the beaches of Hawaii

Peace is a sound
To be heard everywhere
A bunch of friends, perhaps,
Laughing without a care

Peace is a taste
Let everyone try
Like ice cream dripping down the side of your cone
While you join your friends nearby

Peace is a smell
Candles all lined up in a row
Quick, come and take a sniff
Before we start to blow

Or maybe peace is a feeling
For both you and me
The familiarity of chlorine infused water
Or swimming in the sea

A warm blanket, snuggle in
With your friends and family close
Because peace is a feeling
Much better than most

Magic in my Blood: A Short Story

This is a short story I wrote for my English class. It is still in the rough draft stage, though I hope to give it more structure in the coming weeks. Hope you enjoy!

It was in spring when I first realized I could do magic. I had seen some unusual things happening around me before, but I never understood that it was me causing them, me who was the unusual one. It was in summer that I realized I could control my magic. Ever since then, I’d started experimenting with potions and what others called witchcraft. Because of this, I was shunned. No one except my 3 closest friends, Phoenix, Althea, and Kalie, wanted to associate with me. The others called me the “Magic Girl” and laughed at me. But I always knew that I was meant for something more. I could always tell.
“Isa!” My friend Althea called, “It’s boiling over!” I hurried over to the other side of my little workshop. There was a diamond shaped window at the far end, where a potion was set up. This one was special. If I used it properly, I could be able to share some of my powers with my friends, one of my lifelong dreams, “Kalie! The wax please!” There was a stove at the other end where purple wax was being heated. Kalie brought the wax over quickly and I dropped a little gemstone into it before pouring the wax into the pot. The potion was an eerie blue and it smelled strangely like cake which I could also imagine it tasting like. I could hear the bubbles popping and though I wanted to reach in, I stopped myself. Who knew what would happen? “Now to wait” I proclaimed, then brought out 4 stools for us. We all sat down and I poured us a glass of lemonade that I had made yesterday. All three of us were close. We were all outcasts, in some way or another, and we supported each other’s dreams. Arpin, the place where we live, is a beautiful place, but the people are very traditional. I knew that I would never be able to join the army, Phoenix would never be able to be a marine biologist, Althea wouldn’t be able to become an architect, and Kalie would never be a singer, simply because our parents weren’t born that way. Of course we could all hope for that to change, but knowing Arpin, it wasn’t likely. “So Isa,” Phoenix started, “Have you seen the posters for army recruitment?” I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes, “Of course I’ve seen them. But there’s no point in trying out. We all know that I’m not going to make it” “Well…… I had an idea. What if you use your magic to change yourself into what they want to see? Later, we’ll take the potion that you’ve made and use it to change you back” I considered the plan and shrugged, “Why not? It actually seems like a thought up plan for you,” I teased. Phoenix smirked and Kalie giggled. “I helped,” Althea joked. We all laughed and as we drank lemonade with a special potion bubbling and boiling in the background, I couldn’t feel more at home.

***

I walked up to the leader of the army and tried not to wince as I smelled his breath. I had a completely new body without an ounce of magic. Instead of my recognizable lilac hair, I had a blonde French braid and brown eyes instead of my normal green eyes, “What’s your weapon?” the leader barked. I tried not to grin. This could actually be it! I could truly be in the army. I took out my bow and arrow and fired a perfect shot. While I was hopelessly waiting to be recruited, I had practiced my archery skills until I could shoot a bullseye in my sleep. I quickly shot 10 more arrows and waited for the leader to check my accuracy. He came back looking impressed and handed me a form to sign up. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was finally going to be in the army. I couldn’t wait to tell my friends. I took a breath to calm myself down and looked the officer straight in the eye, “Thank you,” He snorted, “Yeah, yeah, whatever. Next!” It was all I could do to not skip home in joy. My friends, seeing my cheerful mood grinned and motioned me over. I ran over quickly and showed them my form. They all beamed, knowing how much it meant to be, “I knew you would get in!” Kalie squealed, squeezing my arm. Althea had already whipped out her notebook and was drawing a schedule for my practices and work. Phoenix, on the other hand, was jumping around and making strange noises, occasionally getting strange looks from neighbors. I was on top of the world and on cloud 9 right now. I was with my friends, and I was in the army. There was absolutely nothing better than that.
***

Being in the army was exhausting. The schedule that Althea had made had proved to work out very well and it was what my whole life was balancing on. I had also made a few friends like Ladon, Hadie, Lamani, Poli, Jayce, and Fanis. They always stuck to my side and helped me out in tough situations. My best friend in the army, Ladon, would often help me out in the logistics of war and was a great person to confide in. In fact, I started to build a bond with him, one that wasn’t as strong as my bonds with Kalie, Phoenix, and Althea, but the type of bond that had the potential to get there. We hung out after practice sometimes, and I decided that I could trust him. I led him to my secret potion making workshop, where Kalie, Phoenix, and Althea were waiting, “Hey guys!” I waved, a bit nervous, “This is my friend from the army, Ladon. Ladon, these are my previous friends, Kalie, Althea, and Phoenix.” I breathed out, “Ladon, I have something to show you. Kalie, can you transform me please?” She nodded and after taking a sip of the potion, put her arm out on me, presumably imagining me in her mind. I flashed back to Isa Chamberlain, the ‘magic girl’ and turned to look at Ladon. His eyes glinted, though I couldn’t tell if it was from excitement or anger and the scar on his face seemed more prominent. He nodded once, before telling us he had to go. Before he left, he turned to take one last look at me, as if really seeing who I was.

***

The next day, I wasn’t allowed into the training center. Before pounding on the door and few times and checking my outfit to make sure I was still under my disguise as Lilah Carter, Ladon came out. The glint in his eyes was definitely cruel and the scar didn’t help his case, “Ladon!” I cried, “Why am I not being allowed inside?” “Why, because you’re Isa Chamberlain of course,” he said, as if it were the most casual thing in the world, “B-but” I stammered, “No one else but you knew about it. Why would you tell them?” “Didn’t want any traitors or magic girls in our army,” he sneered. I look at him, shocked. This was the boy who I had believed I had a real chance at friendship with. Who used to be so kind to me. Who betrayed me. I blinked my eyes a few times and stood up strong. Ladon may have ruined my chances at getting in the army again, but I still had my previous friends. I couldn’t go down, this easily. I had to be strong. But what if it was too hard? I’ve been in the army, I reminded myself. I’ve faced ‘too hard’ more than once. I can do it. I have to. I decided not to go home right away, instead taking a detour around town. As soon as I stepped into the town, bad memories engulfed me and I stepped into the forest instead. The magical forest was like no other. Lanterns hung from the trees and paper swans and cranes flitted around me. I laughed as a hummingbird fluttered around my ears, before checking my watch. It was already 4:30, around when the army practice would let out. The time in the forest must be warped. I sped home and through open my door to see Hadie, Lamani, Poli, Jayce, and Fanis standing there. Seeing the door open, the stood up, before realizing it was me, “What are you doing here?” I asked, perhaps a bit harshly. After a lot of side nudges from everyone, Poli blurted out, “We want to help you,” I blinked. Out of all the answers I was expecting, it certainly wasn’t that one, “R-really?” I murmured. They nodded enthusiastically. I put on a bright smile and looked up again, “Let’s do it!”

***

Sweat beaded my face as I aimed my last arrow right at the heart of the giant scorpion edging towards us. After ensuring that my aim was perfect, I let go and wiped the sweat off my face just as the monster exploded into golden dust. The army leader had made me a deal. If I could deal with all the monsters heading my way successfully, then I could join the army again. I had accepted instantly and ever since then went on monster hunting missions with my friends. Hadie, Lamani, Poli, Jayce, and Fanis has all become as close as Kalie, Althea, and Phoenix. We had all discovered our strengths and weaknesses, making us an unstoppable team. The last monster we killed was a chimera and recently we just ended the life of quite a few giant scorpions. Suddenly the bushes rustled and we crept closer together, anticipating the next attack. A hellhound bust out of the bushes, but I knew it wasn’t any old hellhound, it was my friend Nilo’s. I ignored my friends screaming at me not to go closer and started to pet it. Its fur was soft but matted and I run my fingers through its tangles. I stood up suddenly and addressed my friends, “This is my friend Nilo’s hellhound. I promise that she’s not a bad monster and she’ll be very useful for us,” They looked at each other, slowly warming up to the idea, before Hadie jumped on its back and the rest followed suit. I laughed and got on the hellhound, whispering the name of the training center into its ear.

***

“Will you take the offer?” The words rang in my ear. I could instantly be back in the military and I would be one of the most respected officers. It was my greatest dream……. or was it? I honestly didn’t know anymore. Ever since we had fought the last scorpion, I wanted to do something different, give myself a break from relentless fighting. Maybe practice using my magic a bit. So did I really want to be in the army? In the beginning, I would have said yes, but now, my answer, my real true answer is becoming clearer and clearer, “No,” I said, my refusal echoing in the almost empty town square, “No,” I repeated, sure of my answer, “but…. I would like to open a magic shop, where I wouldn’t be shunned. Yeah, I’d like that,” I said grinning. Truthfully, I had no idea of how to own a shop and how to work with anything, but I figured my friends could help me out. The army leader looked stunned, blinking for a few times, before nodding stiffly, letting me go off with my friends to figure out how to open a magic shop.

***

“Thank you so much! This is perfect!” A customer exited the shop, clearly happy with her purchase. The magic store is the perfect place for me, where I’m surrounded in my element, magic. No one fears or shuns me now, instead, they welcome me with open arms. My friends pop in from time to time to help me run the shop or just for a little talk. My old potions workshop is where all the brainstorming happens. I’m also hoping to create a school for witches. Well, currently, there are no others with magic born into their blood, but with magic, you never know………

Hummingbirds- a research article

I wrote this non fictional piece of writing as a part of my school’s English class. It’s about hummingbirds and what makes them one of the coolest birds.

Have you ever seen a hummingbird flitting around, flying in the breeze? Maybe you’ve seen one hovering, flying backwards, or upside down? Hummingbirds are amazing birds that have so many built in features. They are one of the coolest birds in the animal kingdom. Don’t believe me? Let me tell you why.

Hummingbirds belong to the Trochilidae family. This family is made up of the 340 different species of hummingbirds. Out of the 340, 17 species regularly live in the US. You might be asking, well, where do they live? The cool thing about hummingbirds is that they can live anywhere, from deserts to places like Alaska to tropical forests. Many of the ones that live in the US live near the Mexican border, but not all do.
Some of the recognizable features of the hummingbird is their long bills and small wings. These long bills help them get nectar from tubular shaped flowers. Another discernible feature is their gorgets. Gorgets are stiff, reflective feathers on the throat and upper chest that look black in the shade. When the hummingbird turns its head to catch the sunlight, the true color is displayed. This color is usually metallic and intense and it can range from a dark magenta to a deep purple. These colors can fade over time with exposure to the sun. Typically, only male hummingbirds have gorgets, but some females do have one. For the males, gorgets are used when mating, and the rare female that has one will use as a way to signal threats.
Hummingbirds are the smallest birds and they only weigh around 2-20 grams, meaning they’re about as heavy as a mouse at their biggest. They also lay the smallest eggs, which are about the size of navy beans. Female hummingbirds usually lay 2 eggs which they incubate for around 15-18 days. The chicks leave the nest when they are around 18-28 days old. Hummingbirds’ hearts can beat anywhere from 225 beats per minute to 1,200 beats per minute.
Hummingbirds can go into torpor, a mini state of hibernation. The only difference is that these birds can do it whenever they want, not just in the winter. They don’t stay in it for long either, only around 20 minutes to an hour, instead of a few months or weeks. Hummingbirds go into torpor when it gets too cold, as their feather provide poor insulation. They only wake back up when they can regain their body temperature of 105°F.
My favorite fact about hummingbirds is how much agility they have while flying. These are the only birds which can hover in one place for more than 30 seconds, fly backwards, and fly upside down. Their wings don’t flap, instead they rotate, which makes them different from other birds. Another difference is that they don’t fly flat, they actually fly upright. Hummingbirds can also fly for up to 18-20 hours straight. Their wings beat about 70 times per second in normal flight and around 200 times per second while diving. These birds can fly at an average speed of twenty-five to thirty miles per hour, and dive at a speed of up to sixty miles per hour.

As you can see, hummingbirds are amazing birds. They can live almost anywhere, they are a huge species, they have many recognizable features which play a big part in their life, they are one of the smallest birds, they are part of the small number of birds that can go into torpor, and they have a lot of agility when flying. Now, when you see a hummingbird, don’t forget what marvelous creatures they are!

Sources: ⭐ https://nationalzoo.si.edu/migratory-birds/hummingbirds
⭐ https://www.worldofhummingbirds.com/index.php
⭐ https://www.birdsandblooms.com/birding/attracting-hummingbirds/hummingbird-nest-facts/
⭐ https://www.perkypet.com/articles/flying-jewels-gorgets-and-other-little-known-facts-about-hummingbirds

My classes

I’ve seen different news channels reporting that many kids are failing this school year and that online classes are not effective. But, I have seen that my grades for virtual school have not dropped a lot. There was a slight decrease for the first 6 weeks, when I was trying to understand the way middle school operates. But I have been working hard and my grades are good. I wanted to share with you some ways my teachers have helped my with my classes and some tips for virtual schooling.

My school currently uses a hybrid model for school. About 50% of the students do virtual learning and the rest go in-person. The teacher has some kids in front of them and others behind a computer screen. I am doing virtual, but I am hoping that once I get COVID vaccination I can go to school safely. The in-person students also bring their computers with them to school, and they log on the call from there.

My school setup:

I have a laptop which is connected to an external monitor (I have found my dual monitor setup to be very helpful). I also have a stylus and a pencil stand nearby. Next to my desk are notebooks for (almost) every subject, a binder to store my project work, and a few mechanical pencils, pens, and highlighters.

In my computer, I use the Snip and Sketch tool frequently. I also like to use Google drive for my notes (this includes docs, slides, and sheets) and my teachers use Peardeck frequently. Another item is use is the Microsoft Whiteboard. These tools on my computer and at my side have helped me a lot when it comes to virtual learning.

My First Class : English

In my English class, we have just finished a unit on inferences. Since I go to an IB school, we ended the unit with a project! I made a small comic which we could draw 3 inferences from and shared it with the class. It was pretty fun and I enjoyed the making of it.
I don’t find the virtual or in-person classes to be very different. I would expect the same level of teaching that I get in a virtual setting if I were in an actual class. The only difference is instead of printed homeworks and sheets, I access them through an online portal and I type my answers on my computer.

Class 2: Theater

I am currently working on a sound project with my ensemble in theater! We are creating a play (only audio, no visuals) in our groups of about 4-5 people. Working together is a bit hard, as we’ve got people in-person and people who are virtual, but we’ve realized good ways to connect and talk easily, using different platforms like Zoom and Discord.
Our teacher has told us how different our units would be if we were back in campus safely and how we would work. I’ll admit, I wish I was back in-person, especially for this class, but I have learned different online tools to make my projects better.

My third class: Math

In my math class, we usually learn about our topic on hand using an online interactive slide called Peardeck. In this platform, we can type out our answers and draw on it, like Google Slides, the only difference being that the teacher has full controls and is able to share different responses. We also use Imagine Math a lot for our homework purposes where we can get practice with the topic we’re working on.
The best thing that has helped my through my math class is my dual monitors. It helps me so much when I can keep the meeting on my external monitor and my Peardeck on my computer screen (since it’s a touchscreen, it makes it easier to write on). I also like having a few scratch papers by my side to use for calculations, because in a virtual world, all the questions are on my computer screen.

My 4th class: Spanish

Spanish has been one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had. Our teacher is super nice and it’s one of my favorite classes. Another great thing about Spanish, is that every other Friday/Thursday (depending on our schedule), we have a “Game Day Thriday”. We normally play an online game called Gimkit, where we get to review our Spanish vocabulary while having a lot of fun (like competing who can take out who on the leaderboard). Gimkit also has different variations making our games so much fun
I really like having dual monitors for Spanish as well (especially game day Thridays).

Class 5: MUN (Model United Nations)

In this class, we make our own imaginary countries (ICs) and get a chance to develop them however we wish. Some of our countries rely on magic, while others use science for their daily needs. Some places are located next to a black hole, and some are lost in the deep depths of the oceans. We also learn other skills, like debating and MUN meetings.
Some fun things we do in MUN are IC game day Fridays. On every Friday we have class, we will all split up into 1 of 3 rooms. Our teacher will then come to each room and give us a problem or idea which we have to solve or develop. It gets super crazy sometimes, because of our different ideas, but it’s always fun. After our idea is created, we go back to the main meeting to share it. Another awesome thing is our “scavenger hunts”. There are 2 small stuffed animals hidden around the classroom. The inperson students will try to find a well hidden one, while the teacher gives the virtual students a clue on where to find the other one. One thing that I’m super excited for this year is the Imaginary Country festival. In this festival, we have a chance to show off our countries and our skills.

My 6th Class: World Cultures (or Social Studies)

In World Cultures, we get to learn about different parts of the world and how life goes on there. Using sources like videos and newspaper articles, we get to learn about many features of the places we’re studying. Right now, we have started learning about Sub-Saharan Africa, and we have recently finished the Middle East. It’s a great way to learn about the world, bit by bit. We also get projects based on the area we’re learning about like when I made the Dome of the Rock from objects around my house.
Our teacher uses Peardeck a lot more specifically the typing feature. It is an easy way to interact with the teacher while staying virtual. I have found having an external monitor for this is pretty useful. I’ve also used tools like Google Maps more for the purpose of studying the places.

Class 7: Drill Team

Drill Team is what I take for PE (physical education). It is a performance dance, where we learn new items for competitions. We have currently already learned 2 items and are learning a third. We start every day off with a “dynamic warmup” in which we move through a series of stretches that will keep our muscles moving. Each week, we learn a new technique (we’ve been working on some hip hop techniques for a while) and practice it in class. We also learn a new bit of choreography on the dance we’ve been working on. Every Thursday or Friday, we submit a video with the technique and choreography for that week.
If we happen to have drill team on a Friday, then we get to have a “Health and Fitness Friday” where we have a video to watch and follow along with (the video is usually another kind of dance or a workout), then we do an activity on health. We have been working on MD Anderson’s Aspire program for the past few weeks, and are starting something new soon.

Class 8: Science

We are currently learning about energy (thermal energy, to be specific) in my science class. My teacher selects certain videos from different sources for use to use and learn from. Using these videos we are able to extend on the topics we have talked about. Our teacher uses Peardeck frequently, so we can use interactive material to show our understanding of materials. We are also allowed to use a calculator for our calculations, sometimes making the process easier. The topics are explained in a way easy to understand, which is why I really enjoy this class.
I miss doing our experiments, but we do get to see some being done through videos.

I really wish that we could go back in-person without COVID. Our teachers have mentioned the fun activities we normally do, and I really wish we could do them. Luckily, everyone has adapted to the new hybrid model and are continuing to make learning fun. I’m a lot more connected and comfortable with technology now. I’ve learnt tips and tricks and my typing is faster.