Final Project

The Better version is here: 







Warning

Read These 8 Sentences or Be Confused

When many people think of essays, they think about slaving all night over a painstakingly difficult piece of writing. That writing has to be perfectly structured in a format that doesn’t always let you say what you want to say about the usually uninteresting topic. Since that is the stereo type essay, that is probably thought about when you read the title to this “Multi Genre Essay,” but this is a different type of essay. According to dictionary.com an essay is “a short literary composition on a particular theme or subject.” This means that an essay doesn’t have to be that formal piece of writing we moan when we have to complete. It can be like this one, exciting, but also confusing to read or write. This essay is called a multi genre because it is made up of many genres. I am using four genres, the warning poster, the _____, the ______, and the ______, in this one. The other part of the essay’s definition, “on a particular theme or subject,” means that the essay is on a particular theme. This theme is growing up, a theme that is truly understandable and not painful to write about.

Interview- between Romeo and Jem

Romeo: Hello, Jem

Jem: Hi

Romeo: Well today I have come to talk to you about your experiences growing up. I have heard that you grow up a lot throughout the story. Is that correct?

Jem: Yes

Romeo: Can you tell us a little bit about how growing up was for you?

Jem: Well, I guess it was good. My parents gave me more freedoms, and I could finally have a shot at the football team, but Scout says that I wasn’t really that nice. That I would never play with her, and that I was usually in a bad mood.

Romeo: Yes, well can you share one experience of you growing up?

Jem: Yes well one example of me growing up would have to be how I used to kill all the annoying ants I saw, but when Scout tried to kill a pill bug, I stopped her because I had realized that they didn’t do anything to harm us so why should we harm them.

Romeo: Thank you. Hi Scout

Scout: Hi I’ve come to pick up Jem.

Romeo: Do you have a minute?

Scout: Yes

Romeo: Well can you tell me one situation in which you grew up?

Scout: When I met boo.

Romeo : Why?

Scout: Because I realized not to Judge a book by the cover, as Boo was actually a really nice person even though he didn’t look like it.


How to Grow Up in Five Easy Steps – An Instruction Manual

Step One: You have to grow. The most obvious change of a grown up is that they are immensely bigger than a non-grown up, a young child. The reason they call them grown ups is because they have grown up, so that is a very important step.

Step Two: Your personality has to mature.

Step Two A: You have to become very independent: After you leave for college you have to do everything on your own without your parents help, so if you want to grow up to go to college and live on your own after that, you have to learn to live on your own.

Step Two B: You have to become harder to phase. When you were little you probably cried about everything, but when you grow up you should barely ever cry. If someone says something mean you should not cry as an adult. If someone doesn’t do what you want you definitely should not cry, like many little kids do.

Step Two C: Finally, you have to make the right choice in a second’s time. Kids sometimes say or do things that they regret afterward, but as an adult you have to always make the right choice or else it could hurt not only you but other people.

Step Three: You have to be responsible. You have to be able to take care of all your belongings. If you have children, you have to be extremely responsible to guarantee their safety.

Step Four: You have to be smart and hardworking. You must work to get a job to support your family. For most jobs, except minimum wage jobs, you have to be bright and diligent.

Step Five: You have to put these all together to make a hardworking, smart, responsible, choice making, tough, independent, and tall adult.

Essay 13 Essay

   

The most common word used with love is “fall” as in “fall in love,” but I don’t think that I will fall into love, I think that love is something I will build over time. I don’t predict I will ever love someone at first sight; I won’t just “fall” in love with them. If I walk into a building and I see a pretty girl I might try to talk to her, but I will not be truly in love with her because I haven't had time to build up my love with her. I think that I will love someone because they have a good personality, they will be honest, and nice, and I will need time to figure out if they really have this good personality, I won’t just know at first sight, seeing them isn’t enough, knowing them is what matters most. I think that when I will really become in love with someone it will be after many years of knowing them, so I have time to construct my love for them. I will have to talk to them many times and eventually I will get to know them, their personality, and I will gain their trust. One day, I will probably not see them or talk to them, and I will realize that I really enjoy the time I spend talking to them, and that I am awaiting the next time I get to talk to them. I don’t believe that I will quickly fall in love, the way that many books and movies portray it, because I think that love is something I will have to assemble over time.

I know many couples, from people I met at the nursing home, to some pairs of kids my age, but of all the couples I know, the one that I spend the most time with is the couple made up of my mom and my dad. Since I spend so much time with them, I realize that they are a truly loving dyad. 50% of all couples that married at the same age my parents did divorce eventually, so the fact that my parents aren’t divorced is the first thing that I think that represents their true love. My parents have been married for 17 years, which is apparently quiet an accomplishment these days. Also, before they got married they dated for 2 years without ever breaking up, which is also an uncommon thing. The other big signal for their true love is that over the many years they have gotten in many arguments. However, they always quickly settle these arguments, and they never argue about the same topic twice. The fact that they can easily, with their strong determination, work through these dilemmas that may send some couples to get divorced definitely shows how much they love each other. My parents definitely built their love over the long time they have been together, and with that love they can together work through many problems, and they keep their love alive, staying satisfied, staying sunny, staying synchronized.          

Essay 13

Outline

TS: I think you build love

            SD: I will never love anyone when I first see them

                        CM: I won’t walk into a room and see a girl and “fall” in love with her

                        CM: Even if I say a few words to someone, I still won’t love them

            SD: It is after a long time that I will love someone

CM: I have to spend time talking to them and I have to become very good friends with them

CM: Then I will realize one day that I always look forward to talking to them and that I love them

CS: You build love

Sonnet 1

A Sonnet on Friendship

Friendship is tasty like a freshly picked fruit
It is delectable to bite and chew
It’s nutrients have spread right from the root
The roots on a bad friendship are very few
But the roots on a good friendship are strong
Made from things in common which form real deep ties
These foundations will last extremely long
Weak friends fade but true friendship never dies
With these roots the canopy will be thick
Picturesque, green, lush, growing bigger all
of the time, this friendship will now be
Unbreakable, you can’t even break a single stick
This friendship fruit could be very big or small
Friendship is tasty your friend would agree

Note: Matching colors rhyme

Essay 12

     

A Perennial Friendship:

An Essay on One of My Friendships

An Essay by Alexander Hawley

8th Grade English

Pine Point School

April 17, 2011

     Many of my friendships are like perennial flowers, but the one to best describe that metaphor is my companionship with my friend Alastair. Perennials start as one flower just like my friendship with Alastair did. The flowers will grow then die, and then they will grow some more before they die again, this cycle will repeat yearly. My friendship with Alastair is very much like a perennial flower.
     Alastair, my long-term friend from Michigan, and I have a friendship that is a lot like a perennial flower. First of all, our camaraderie together started as a few flowers planted all alone, one thing we had in common, one time we enjoyed ourselves together, or one secret we shared. At this time, I didn’t know Alastair very well, we’d just interacted for the first time. We didn’t really understand each other or know each other’s secrets. Sadly, in the wintertime, no matter how many perennial plants there are, they die. The winter after I met Alastair, I had to move away from Michigan, my confidant’s home state, and I now live in Connecticut, a 13-hour drive from Alastair’s house. In a sense when I am that far away from him our partnership is dead, apart from a few texts, phone calls, or emails. The great thing about a perennial flower is that even if one flower dies in the winter there will more be flowers in that place every summer for a substantially long time. Although Alastair and I are not very close during the wintertime, when summer break comes we always meet up. All of those flowers will grow back, and Alastair and I will be inseparable again. Like a perennial flower does, our friendship multiplies. For a flower, there will start to be more and more of its kind around it, it has multiplied. In terms of my association with Alastair, when we come to meet each other after the long school year, we tell each other all about our lives and the school year, but mostly, we play with each other, all of this heightens our friendship. The perennial flower is the perfect metaphor for my friendship with Alastair.
     The perennial flower is very representative of my friendship with Alastair. All friendships start out as a few little connections just like this one did. All friendships don’t, however, match the pattern of a perennial so well, end, but then multiply, end again, but only waiting to multiply again, and so on. Many people love the beauty of a perennial, and wish they were that beautiful, and I think that it is safe to say that many people want to have a friendship as beautiful as ours, one that grows season after season.


Self Assessment

1. I am continuing to work on proofreading because I don’t want to sully my essay by making stupid errors.
2. One strong point would definitely be the fact that the essay isn’t vague. I give a specific friendship and relate it to the topic in every chunk.
3. A possible weak point would be my opening paragraph I tried to summarize what would happen, but it seems to take away from the actual essay.
4. I would give myself an A, I love this essay and I think that I found a great metaphor for the topic.   
Note: The body paragraph has four chunks.

Essay 12 Outline

Bell word: Perennial
Echo words: abiding, annual, ceaseless, chronic, constant, continual, continuing, deathless, durable, eternal, everlasting, immortal, imperishable, incessant, inveterate, lasting, lifelong, long-lasting, long-lived, longstanding, never-ending, old, perdurable, permanent, persistent, recurrent, seasonal, sustained, unceasing, unchanging, undying, unfailing, uninterrupted, yearlong, yearly

TS: Friendship is like a perennial flower

            SD: At first it starts out small, only one plant

                        CM: I don’t know my friend that well

                        CM: I haven’t put my full trust in him

            SD: Every so often it dies, the winter time

CM: You sometimes get in an argument just like you do with your mom or dad

CM: You always end up liking each other again

            SD: It keeps spreading, more plants

                        CM: You start to trust them

                        CM: You tell each other secrets

CS: It can never die

Essay 11

Essay 11 Bell and Echoes


Bell Word: Teenager/Teenagers
Echo Words: juvenile, minor, stripling, sweet sixteen, teen, teenager, teenybopper, youngster, youth


Essay 11 Outline


TS: Teenagers have many problems
            SD: Teenagers have trouble in school
                        CM: School takes a big step from middle school to high school
CM: This can trouble people with managing their time or actually studying for tests
            SD: Teenagers want to be popular
                        CM: This can lead them into bad situations
                        CM: The popular kids don’t usually do what they are told
SD: Teenagers can’t control their parents
CM: If their parents don’t provide them the right things it makes it very difficult
                        CM: Sometimes they can’t even get food or clothes
CS: Teenagers can have many problems

TS: I, a 13 year old, have many problems

SD: I get blamed for everything in my family

CM: If my sister hits me I somehow "provoked" it

CM: Even if my parents watched my sister do it the will just tell us both to stop

SD: Some of my friends changed

CM: There were two kids that were my best friends in elementary school

CM: They have changed, and are now just acquaintances

CS: I have problems as a teenager



Essay 11

The Problematic Life of a Teenager:

An Essay on Problems among Teens

An Essay by Alexander Hawley

8^th Grade English

Pine Point School

April 6^th, 2011

People of all ages have problems, some big and some small, but the group of people known as teenagers definitely have the most problems. Teenagers from all over the world have problems from trouble in school, to making the wrong choices.  All teenagers have multiple problems varying in many subjects. I also have many problems, as I am a teenager. 

            Most little kids dream of being a teenager, but they don’t realize nearly how many problems teenagers have. The first big problem many minors face is that they have trouble in school. It is a very big step from the sometimes only 20 minutes of homework in middle school, to the aggravating 3-4 hours you can have in high school. Since the teenagers work load is made 8-12 times larger, it is very hard for them to manage their time, and once they finish their actual homework, except for studying, their first impulse is to catch up on video games, the entertainment they so dearly missed while doing their homework. Another big problem among teenagers is that many really want to be cool and popular. Since the popular teens don’t always do what they are told, the other kids trying to be popular might follow them into a bad situation. The choice that they make probably goes against their normal judgment, but all they care about at the time is being popular, but they don’t care about doing the right thing. The third thing is that some juveniles aren't born into a good family. This unfortunate teenager might not get what they need to succeed, but being so young, they can’t do anything about it. This is especially a problem for teenagers in high school who need to buy books and lots of other items for school. As you can see, the problematic life of a teen is compiled from many different problems.

I, being a teenager, have many problems too. The problem that I find to be the most substantial is the fact that I get blamed for every argument or fight that happens between my younger sister and me. Many people think of juveniles as badly behaved, so if my sister shoves me, I am immediately blamed for "provoking" her. Even in the case that my parents see me do nothing wrong, they tell us both to stop, in a sense still blaming me. Another problem I have faced as a teenager was that my best friends from elementary school, the trustworthy, friendly, and funny kids I met shortly after my arrival to Pine Point, have changed a lot and have forced me to adjust and make new friends who are trustworthy, friendly, and funny as teens. These old friends are now just my acquaintances, and one of them I don't really even talk to anymore. However, my new friends possess what my old friends did, but they possess these qualities as teenagers. Teenagers have many predicaments, and since I am included in that category, I do too.

    Teenager problems are sadly very abundant. Teens have problems like not having parents who can fully support them, thus, they cannot get what they need for school and other things. A big problem for other juveniles, like me, is the fact that their friends change while aging, so these unfortunate youths have to make new friends. Teenagers have a multitude of problems, which is why they were, are, and will be, known as the most problematic age group.

Self Assessment

1.      A writing issue that I am working on is proofreading and therefore taking out careless mistakes like typos.

2.      A strong point is that I think this writing was very organized and pertained to the topic perfectly. Also, I like the alliteration in my second long sentence

3.      A weak point would have to be the second chunk in the second body where the TS was so good that I didn’t have much for the two CMs

4.      I would give myself an A- because I think it was great except for those two CMs I talked about above.        

 

Comment:

            Very good second paragraph, however, you did have one issue. In second to last sentence you say my new friends poses, I believe you meant my new friends possess. It was very good otherwise.
Cassie

Assessment Essay

Wet Noses and Wrinkly Faces:

An Essay on My Pet Visits to StoneRidge’s Avalon

An Essay by Alexander Hawley

8^th Grade English

Pine Point School

March 1, 2011

Did you know that 80% of people 65 and up are lonely (Holiday)? I did after some basic research, so for my 8^th Assessment project, I brought my dog Sidney to StoneRidge’s nursing home, the Avalon. Coincidentally, my service is almost mirrored in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This experience was a great, enjoyable, and life changing, part of my schedule.   

StoneRidge was an amazing place to work, and there are multiple reasons I chose to work there. First of all, I knew that I wanted to work with animals, as some of the other options sounded a bit intimidating. My first choice was Animal Rescue Fund, but after talking to them, I found out that I could not come often enough to get all seven visits in on time. However, even after that minor setback I still wanted to do something with animals. After again looking through the packet with service site suggestions, I decided that I will take on the more challenging task of going to StoneRidge, but that I will bring my to comfort me and the people I am visiting. I wanted to do pet therapy because I knew it helped people who are lonely which, from my biography on a StoneRidge resident, I knew many people at the home were. I really wanted to do the most good I could, so helping with loneliness in seniors was a good idea for me. Finally, I wanted to go to StoneRidge because they are the only senior living facility in the region with a nursing home (StoneRidge). I wanted to go to the Avalon nursing home to really make a difference. Animal therapy helps anyone, but it has the most effect on nursing home residents. After all those reasons added up, I called up and met Laura who got me in for pet visits at StoneRidge’s nursing home.

          Although I really helped people at my site, I faced many challenges. The first problem I faced is that many of the people cannot hear well. This makes it very hard to tell them basic information like mine and my dog’s names. Also, it is very problematic if they have such bad hearing that you have to scream which is hard to do because you don’t want to sound mean, but you do want to tell them what you are trying to tell them. Another problem I faced in about the first three weeks of visits was my dog was sometimes being scared. Although by the last week he was chocking himself out of excitement, the first few visit he didn’t want to go into the residents rooms and his normally curly tail would be going straight down towards the carpeted floor. Once, when we took a break in between rooms I saw him actually shaking out of fear. The final, and most aggravating, problem I have is trying to spend the whole hour at StoneRidge. There are only 62 rooms and about one quarter of them are vacant. To add to that, another half of the people don’t want a visit, are sleeping, or have a doctor in their room. If you do that math, only 15 or 16 people can really be visited, so I have to spend at least four minutes with each person, which doesn’t usually happen. Although this is a great site, there are a few challenges that I had to confront.

          During my time at my service site I did so much good. First, and most importantly, I made all of the residents I saw happy. All of the residents sat up and talked to me, even the ones that usually lie down and don’t talk when they see the nurses or other visitors. Also, you could tell they enjoyed my pet visits as most of the residents told me to come back, and to see them again. For some residents I helped them feel at home. They started telling me about all of their dogs at home. If they had dogs at home having a dog in their room again makes them feel like they are home again. I even helped the staff. They are very busy doing what tires me to do for an hour all day, but when they see my dog, it gives them a few seconds to relax and take a break from all of their work. If I were to do what I did all day long, I would certainly need a break. I picked this site because of all the good I could do, and I certainly did a lot of good for the sick Avalon residents.

          Each fact I took improved my understanding of my work at the Avalon at StoneRidge. One of the topics that I researched a lot was common diseases among seniors. It really helped me when I knew what the people were going through, and I it made me feel more connected to them. For example, if I saw someone with the symptoms of dementia, one of the common diseases for seniors (Diseases), I would know more about what that feels like for them and how to act when I am around them. Also I found out how much more I was helping. I knew that I was helping to reduce the resident’s loneliness. However, I didn’t know I was helping them with other things like improving their socialization and increasing their memory (Holmes). Most, importantly, I found out just how lonely people are in nursing homes and how that happens, so I knew just how big of an effect I was having on them. I now know that if the residents can get attached to something, like my dog, it can help them become less lonely. (Carolin) I also know that people who know they aren’t going home or have just lost a good friend can be lonelier, and therefore need more help, than others (Carolin). My research not only increased my understanding but let me do more good and really understand the residents I was visiting.

          The book written by Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, can relate to my service site in many ways. First of all, the most obvious connection is to Mrs. Dubose. Mrs. Dubose was lonely and sick just like many of the people that I met with. Moreover, Jem came to meet her and help her through her pain just like I did with the people at the Avalon. Another big relationship between my spectacular service at StoneRidge and the great novel by Harper Lee is the term courage. Courage was one of our themes in the book as many people had to be courageous. For example, when Scout ran into a circle of people to save Atticus she used lots of courage. I also had to use courage when I entered a room of someone who was very sick, and they were using courage to pull through their sickness. Another theme the class decided was in To Kill a Mockingbird was surprises. Surprises were all over my work site, from the surprising stories the residents told me, to the surprised look on the face when Sidney and I walked into the door. Surprises also showed up in To Kill a Mockingbird, from when Jem and Scout got air rifles, to when Scout finally realized Boo was the one who saved Jem’s life. To Kill a Mockingbird, the amazing novel by Harper Lee relates in many ways to my service at StoneRidge.

          I really enjoyed my work at StoneRidge, but I might have made a couple changes. First of all, I would have probably asked the residents more often if they wanted to have Sidney on their lap. Although just looking at Sidney made them happy, they became ecstatic when he sat on their laps. For example, one lady, my favorite lady, Alice, had  Sidney sit on her lap smiling and talking the whole time, but when I walked by her and she didn’t see me, I never saw her talking. I also would have asked Laura or Debbie, the two recreation staff, which residents especially liked to see dogs. This way I could make sure to see them, as I know they would love to see Sidney, my dog. Also, this way I wouldn’t have to deal with the nervousness of possibly getting rejected by the resident whose room I am trying to enter. Finally, for about half of the visits I might have gone to the larger part of StoneRidge where there are many more people. On the first day I walked through the actual building and I saw just how big it really was. There must be at least 500 rooms to visit. These were successful and helpful visits, but, in hindsight, I might have made a few changes.

This experience changed me in so many different ways. First of all, I learned much more about seniors, nursing homes, and different types of therapy. I learned about things like seniors personalities from being at StoneRidge, but I learned some things like different types of therapy from my research. For example, I learned that seniors aren’t something to be scared of, but I also learned things like the differences that can be seen in a painting made by someone with Dementia versus someone with out it. Furthermore, this experience made me feel very good that I helped. I feel so good when I reminisce about all of the smiles that I created while at the Avalon. I now known, thanks to my research that I didn’t just create smiles, I did so much more (Benefits). However, on a sad note, it made me realize that being retired isn’t a walk in the park. Seniors get left alone a lot and can even be lonely on the holidays (Holiday). Also, as I saw at StoneRidge, seniors can get extremely sick or even extremely injure themselves by just falling down. This really has been a life changing experience for me.

My visits to StoneRidge were a very big, but enjoyable, part of my life. From the long process of picking my site, to all of the research, and even to how it changed me the visits were very important. It is also very hard to believe how much To Kill a Mockingbird relates to my pet visits at StoneRidge. In conclusion, when wet noses meet wrinkly faces, the result is overjoyed seniors.

Works Cited

“Animal-Assisted Therapy.” Wikipedia. N.p., 19 Feb. 2011. Web. 20 Feb. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal-assisted_therapy>.

“Benefits of Pet Therapy.” Paws and Hearts. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2011. <http://www.pawsandhearts.org/P&Hbenefits.htm>.

Bruck, Laura. “Art, Music and Pet Therapy.” Nursing Homes July 1996: n. pag. General Reference Center Gold. Web. 20 Feb. 2011.

Carolin, Duncan. “Loneliness, Helplessness, and Boredom: Experience is the Best Teacher for Appreciating the Emotional Needs of Nursing Home Residents.” Nursing Homes Sept. 2007: n. pag. General Reference Center Gold. Web. 20 Feb. 2011.

“Diseases, Conditions, and Injuries Affecting Seniors.” Usa.gov: Government Made Easy. U.S. Government, 17 Feb. 2011. Web. 20 Feb. 2011. <http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Seniors/Health/Diseases.shtml>.

“Elderly Abuse Complaints Rising.” Highlands Today [Sebring, FL] 29 Jan. 2007: n. pag. General Reference Center Gold. Web. 24 Feb. 2011.

Geilich, Peter. “Consider This When Choosing a Nursing Home.” Fairfield County Buisness Journal 7 July 2003: n. pag. General Reference Center Gold. Web. 20 Feb. 2011.

“Holiday Loneliness: 10 Ways Seniors Can Fight the Holiday Blues.” PRWeb Newswire 4 Dec. 2009: n. pag. General Reference Center Gold. Web. 20 Feb. 2011.

Holmes, Anisea. “Therapy Dogs Added to Local Hospital Staff to Aid Patient Recovery.” Daily News [Jacksonville] 14 Nov. 2010: n. pag. EBSCO Host: Student Reasearch Center. Web. 20 Feb. 2011. <http://web.ebscohost.com/src/detail?hid=11&sid=ada29ea0-e105-47e6-8383-e946ad98bec8%40sessionmgr4&vid=3&bdata=JnNpdGU9c3JjLWxpdmU%3d#db=nfh&AN=2W6235896481>.

“Most Senior Citizens Experience Loneliness, Say Researchers.” Senior Journal. N.p., 21 Nov. 2005. Web. 20 Feb. 2011. <http://seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Aging/5-11-21-SeniorsAreLonely.htm>.

“Nursing Home Alternative.” Providence Journal 11 Sept. 2006: n. pag. General Reference Center Gold. Web. 24 Feb. 2011.

StoneRidge. N.p., 2011. Web. 20 Feb. 2011. <http://www.stoneridgelcs.com/>.

Thatcher, Patrick. “With a Wag comes a Smile.” Daily Press [Victoriaville, CA] 11 May 2009: n. pag. EBSCO Host Student Reasearch Center. Web. 20 Feb. 2011. <http://web.ebscohost.com/src/detail?hid=11&sid=ada29ea0-e105-47e6-8383-e946ad98bec8%40sessionmgr4&vid=6&bdata=JnNpdGU9c3JjLWxpdmU%3d#db=nfh&AN=2W62784203932>.

Trombley, Jessica, Bruce Thomas, and Pearl Mosher-Ashley. “Massage Therapy for Elder Residents: Examining the Power of Touch on Pain, Anxiety, and Strength Building.” Nursing Homes Oct. 2003: n. pag. General Reference Center Gold. Web. 20 Feb. 2011.

Assesment Essay Entire Outline

TS: I chose my service site for multiple reasons

            SD: I wanted to do something with animals

                        CM: I couldn’t do ARF like I wanted to

                        CM: I still wanted to do something with animals
            SD: Pet therapy makes people happy

                        CM: It is great for old people who are lonely

                        CM: I wanted to help them

            SD: It is especially good for people in bad conditions

                        CM: I went to the hospital

                        CM: To make sure I help them as much as possible

CS: That is how I chose my service site

TS: I have many challenges at my site

            SD: Some people can’t hear me

                        CM: It is hard to tell them things

                        CM: It is hard to tell people things loudly without sounding angry

            SD: My dog gets scared sometimes

                        CM: He doesn’t want to go into some rooms

                        CM: He was physically shaking once

            SD: Also, I find it hard to spend an hour there

                        CM: There are only 62 rooms

                        CM: About 1/4 are unavailable

CM: Some people don’t want a visit and some don’t want to spend a long time with you

CS: Those are the challenges

TS: I did lots of good at my service site

            SD: I made the old residents very happy

                        CM: They sat up for maybe the first time in a while

                        CM: They always told me to come back

            SD: I helped some residents feel more at home

                        CM: They all like to see dogs because some remind them of home

                        CM: They all tell me about their own dogs

            SD: I even helped the staff

                        CM: They were so glad to see my dog

                        CM: It gives them a break from their busy schedule helping people

CS: I did many good deeds at my service site

TS: My research increased my understanding of animal therapy in many ways

SD: I found out common diseases

CM: I knew what the people were going through

CM: I felt like I understood them more
SD: I found out how much I was helping
           CM: I knew I was helping to make them happy   
           CM: I didn’t know all the other things I was helping them with though

(like Improving their socialization and increasing their memory, source 5)
SD: Most importantly, I found out how lonely people are in nursing homes
        CM: This was the point of the project
        CM: I think that that was really what I helped them with the most

CS: My research increased my understanding of animal therapy in many ways

TS: I can relate the story in TKAM to my work at the site
         SD: Mrs. Dubose
                   CM: Mrs. Dubose was lonely
                   CM: Mrs. Dubose was sick
         SD: Courage was one of our themes
                  CM: I had to be courageous to meet people who I knew might not be there the                              next week
                  CM: The residents had to be courageous to get through their diseases no

      matter how bad it was
         SD: Surprises were another theme we had
                  CM: The resident had many surprising stories
                  CM: When Laura said "I have a visitor" and Sidney walked in the door they                      were usually surprised
CS: TKAM really relates to my work at Stoneridge

TS: I might have made a few changes

            SD: I would have put Sidney on their lap more often

                        CM: just looking at him made them happy  

                        CM: but they get even happier when

            SD: I would have probably went to just the normal part of StoneRidge

                        CM: The people there might have appreciated me more

                        CM: I would have a lot more people to see

            SD: I would have asked what people particularly like dogs so I could see them

                        CM: those are the people who really want me

                        CM: They actually want a pet visit unlike some of the other people

CS: I could have made a few changes

TS: This experience changed me in many ways

            SD: It made me learn about nursing homes and seniors

                        CM: From my experiences

                        CM: From my research

            SD: It made me feel very good that I helped

                        CM: I made so many people happy

                        CM: They even made sure I came back

            SD: However, I also learned that being a senior isn’t amazing

                        CM: They are sick a lot

                        CM: They get very lonely

CS: This experience really changed me

Essential Question 7

TS: This experience changed me in many ways

            SD: It made me learn about nursing homes and seniors

                        CM: From my experiences

                        CM: From my research

            SD: It made me feel very good that I helped

                        CM: I made so many people happy

                        CM: They even made sure I came back

            SD: However, I also learned that being a senior isn’t amazing

                        CM: They are sick a lot

                        CM: They get very lonely

CS: This experience really changed me

Essential Question 6 Outline

TS: I thought my trip was good but I might have made a few changes

            SD: It was a really good trip because I accomplished the goal

                        CM: I made lots of people happy

                        CM: Even though that was kind of hard at the time

            SD: I would have probably went to just the normal part of StoneRidge

                        CM: The people there might have appreciated me more

                        CM: I would have a lot more people to see

            SD: I would have asked what people particularly like dogs so I could see them

                        CM: those are the people who really want me

                        CM: They actually want a pet visit unlike some of the other people

CS: I could have made a few changes

Assessment Visit 7
2/14/11

    Again, out of excitement, Sidney pulled too hard on his leash and gave himself a coughing fit right before we entered the Avalon for our last visit. When we entered we saw Tom yet again waiting for his son to come and play Yahtzee. He seemed in particularly good sprits and talked to me for basically the first time. Also, waiting in the front hallway like usual was Mr. Tate, who has white hair and very thick legs. After meeting the two in the front I went to the recreation room where I met a small and frail black haired lady who kept telling me Sidney was “perty.” Sadly, however, I didn’t see Laura, so the other recreation director, Debbie, told me to go down the hallway. I was very apprehensive to go into rooms at first, but when one lady saw me and called me in I felt much better. I talked with her for a while and in the pauses she kept saying “OK, OK, OK.” Then I went down the hall and met my favorite person Alice and her grandson. Alice was actually in her bed this time, but she seemed fine as she mocked my gum chewing after her daughter and grandson left. I then went to see Mrs. Smith a badly bruised lady with thick glasses after watching Tom play Yahtzee. I enjoyed this trip a lot, but I felt a little bit sad as well. It was great to see all the people again, especially the ones who seemed to be getting better. However, I felt bad when someone would say I hope I see you again, while I knew that I wasn’t coming back. Don’t let that fool you though, it was a really great trip to StoneRidge and I put smiles on many faces.   

Essential Question 5 Outline

TS: I can relate the story in TKAM to my work at the site
         SD: Mrs. Dubose
                   CM: Mrs. Dubose was lonely
                   CM: Mrs. Dubose was sick
         SD: Courage was one of our themes
                  CM: I had to be courageous to meet people who I knew might not be there the next week
                  CM: The residents had to be courageous to get through their diseases no matter how bad it was
         SD: Surprises were another theme we had
                  CM: The resident had many surprising stories
                  CM: When Laura said "I have a visitor" and Sidney walked in the door they were usually surprised
CS: TKAM really relates to my work at Stoneridge

Essential Question 4 Outline

TS: My research increased my understanding of animal therapy in many ways
    SD: I found out common diseases
        CM: I knew what the people were going through
        CM: I felt like I understood them more
    SD: I found out how much I was helping
        CM: I knew I was helping to make them happy   
        CM: I didn’t know all the other things I was helping them with though
    SD: Most importantly, I found out how lonely people are in nursing homes
        CM: This was the point of the project
        CM:I think that that was really what I helped them with the most
CS: My research increased my understanding of animal therapy in many ways

Essential Question 3 Outline

TS: I did lots of good at my service site

            SD: I made the old residents very happy

                        CM: They sat up for maybe the first time in a while

                        CM: They always told me to come back

            SD: I helped some residents feel more at home

                        CM: They all like to see dogs because some remind them of home

                        CM: They all tell me about their own dogs

            SD: I even helped the staff

                        CM: They were so glad to see my dog

                        CM: It gives them a break from their busy schedule helping people

CS: I did many good deeds at my service site

Essential Question 2 Outline

TS: I have many challenges at my site

            SD: Some people can’t hear me

                        CM: It is hard to tell them things

                        CM: It is hard to tell people things loudly without sounding angry

            SD: My dog gets scared sometimes

                        CM: He doesn’t want to go into some rooms

                        CM: He was physically shaking once

            SD: Also, I find it hard to spend an hour there

                        CM: There are only 62 rooms

                        CM: About 1/4 are unavailable

CM: Some people don’t want a visit and some don’t want to spend a long time with you

CS: Those are the challenges

Essential Question 1 Outline

TS: I chose my service site for multiple reasons

            SD: I wanted to do something with animals

                        CM: I couldn’t do ARF like I wanted to

                        CM: I still wanted to do something with animals
            SD: Pet therapy makes people happy

                        CM: It is great for old people who are lonely

                        CM: I wanted to help them

            SD: It is especially good for people in bad conditions

                        CM: I went to the hospital

                        CM: To make sure I help them as much as possible

CS: That is how I chose my service site

Assessment Visit 6
2/5/11

    My dog nearly choked himself on his leash because he was so excited to get into the Avalon for our sixth pet visit. We arrived at the recreation room and I was sad to see that Laura was not there, but after I started going room to room I met Laura in the hallway. I then went from room to room with Laura and my dog Sidney. In our first room we meet a man who was “a bit hard of hearing” and had an extremely scratchy voice. After that we met Mr. Goodchild, a man with thick rimmed glasses and greasy white hair. Next, after Sidney walked towards it, we went to the Avalon where they were showing a movie to the 12 residents. I went around with Sidney while the residents were selecting their dinner from the three dishes. Then we went with three ladies, one of which who was from Rhode Island and taught them, after a long time of trying to, how to turn on electronic candles. After finally turning on her candle, the former Rhode Islander told us all about her trip there that day. I had a lot of fun on this trip to the Avalon. First of all, like usual, I really enjoyed making the residents happy. Also, I thought it very funny that the really old residents couldn’t even flip a switch. All in all, It was a great visit to the Avalon.     

Essay 10

Circles:

An Essay about How Most Things Come Around

An Essay by Alexander Hawley

8^th Grade English

Pine Point School

January 31, 2011

Circles, circles are everywhere in the world from the wheel of your car, a very literal use, to in your life and in tremendous novels and poems. Having a circle in life and literature really means that your life or the book you are reading has a slight repetitiveness. To Kill a Mockingbird, a very well thought out book has many circles in it. Furthermore, my life has many circles in it although they were not planned. Whether it is in life or in a book, almost everything repeats in some way.

(TS) If you have a very clever writer, like Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, it is very probable that there will be many planned circles making echoes throughout their writing. (SD) The most obvious circle in To Kill a Mockingbird is Jem’s love for football. (CM) It is mentioned in the first paragraph in the book where Jem breaks his arm, but he doesn’t care “so long as he could pass and punt.” (CM) This is an obvious circle because much later in the book, in chapter 29, after Jem develops a love for football, he breaks his arm on the way home from the disastrous Halloween Pageant. (SD) Boo Radley creates another circle in the book because of how much interest Scout has in him. (CM) Scout developed a longing to see Boo in the beginning, and her and her brother tried very hard to get to see him “just once.” (CM) Finally, at the end of the book, Boo comes back, and not only do Jem and Scout get to see him, but he saves Jem’s life. (SD) A feeling that makes a circle in this book is loneliness. (CM) First of all Scout always thought of Boo Radley as lonely in the beginning of the book because he never got out of his house. (CM) This feeling repeats itself later in the book when Dill becomes very lonely because his parents “just [weren’t] interested in [him].” (CS) Although it has to be planned very carefully, repetition is a good thing, and it definitely is in To Kill a Mockingbird, a book with many circles.

(TS) Although circles in writing are planned, there are many circles in my life that aren't. (SD) The biggest thing that repeats in my life is the feeling of nervousness. (CM) It comes over and over again especially when I move to a new place. My first move, when I was about six was when I moved from house to house, but still stayed in the same city. (CM) I was nervous to have a new house, but I knew that I would still have the same people around me. (CM) I was really nervous for my 3^rd move however because I was moving about 14 hours away to a rental house, and then to our new house three months later. (CM) On this move I wasn’t even in the same state, so obviously, at the age of 10, I was extremely nervous during this move. (SD) Because of the move, there are two people that keep coming back in my life. (CM) In Michigan one of my best friends was Alastair, and his mom was one of my mom’s best friends, so we meet roughly once a year on a fun vacation. He is really a perfect example of repetition because he and his mom come back every year not just in some years and not for others.     

1. I have been having trouble making sure that there aren't any typos in my writing.                   

Assessment Visit 5
1/30/11

    On January 28 I entered the Avalon building for the 5th time, to the smell of “soiled linen” and the slow, rhythmic sound of air pumps. I was very surprised to see a birthday party when I went to my normal stating point, the recreation room, but I found Laura elsewhere. Together we went from door to door meeting people with my dog. I saw many of the same people like the Red Sox fan Herbert, Joan, who had tried to eat birthday cake, but it ended up all over her face and the table in front of her. I saw Alice who after seeing her three times kind of remembered who I am. My favorite person was new to the Avalon however. She was a gray eyed opera singer, and she sung a song to my dog as she petted him. I also met another new person who was sad looking until Sidney laid down in her bed next to her.  I also heard many pet stories, some about cats and some about dogs. Many people had a dog or a cat but the two most astounding stories involved multiple pets. It was amazing to hear that one lady had eight cats and one man had six Boston Terriers. I felt great on this visit. I really felt like I was making the day of everyone that I saw as many people told me to come back. It made my day when one man joked, “Come back, but don’t take too long because I will be out of here soon.” I think my dog and I really served our purpose on this visit to StoneRidge’s Avalon building.      

Essay 10 Outline

TS: Things come around in TKAM

            SD: Jem’s football-most obvious

                        CM: Said about him wanting to play in the beginning
                        "He couldn't have cared less so long as he could pass and punt"

                        CM: Starts playing towards the end

            SD: Boo Radley

                        CM: They try to get him out in the beginning
                        "Just once"

                        CM: They finally see him in the end
                       

            SD: Lonliness

CM: Boo in the beginning

CM: Dill at the end
"they just wasn't interested in me"

CS: Everything comes around in TKAM

TS: Things come around in my life

            SD: Nervousness

                        CM: Moving schools

                        CM: Did many times

            SD: Alastair and his mom 

                        CM: I used to see him in Michigan

                        CM: Now I see him once a year

            SD: Not being the fastest in hockey

                        CM: I was slow when I just started

                        CM: I was then the fastest

CM: Now I’m way faster than before but not as fast as some of the really big kids

CS: Things come around in my life

Assessment Visit 4
1/24/11

    January 21 was the date of my fourth pet visit to Stoneridge, where every thing was mostly the same. I saw many of the same people with my dog, many of which were getting better. I saw a less beaten up version Dean, a man who last time had just had a “fall” with half of his face cut and bruised, Joan who was saying gibberish just as much, saying things like ab blab bah bah. Along with these two I saw Alice again, just as shaky in the hands, and again I saw Dennis, a man just recovering from surgery finally able to walk. Although many of the nurses remembered me Dennis was the only patient that actually remembered me. In addition I also stopped in on the dedicated Red Sox fan, Herbert, from the second visit. Sadly there were some new patients in the Avalon. One lady, Barbara, with air tubes to her nose, forgot my name after about a minute, but was so happy when my dog licked at the tips of her fingers. I also saw a lady in a similar situation to Dean. Her face was yellow on one side and she had a blood soaked bandage on her forehead. It was very calming, for me, to see mostly the same people. It was so great that not only were they doing well, some, like Dennis and Dean, were getting better. After I meet these people I feel very sad if I don’t see them again. Although not much changed since last visit, I really enjoyed this comforting visit to the Avalon building at Stoneridge.     

Assessment Visit 3
1/17/11

    I arrived at the Avalon building on Friday, like usual, for my third pet visit of the project. When I went under the green awning and past the front desk, I arrived at Laura, my coordinator’s office like usual, but when I said I was going to go door to door through the hospital, she said, “Lets go to the Cottage.” I thought what in the world is the cottage, an it got even more odd when we approached two solid metal doors at the end of a hallway which required a code to pass through. I was totally surprised when we entered a pastel colored room with a circle of happy residents as, according to the looks of the door, I thought that this might be a staff room. The room had a bird a fireplace and many staff playing games with the residents. Everyone in the room really liked seeing my dog and the brave ones especially enjoyed having him sit on their lap. Although one, with white hair and a red sweater, immediately went to get her pants washed. Eventually, Laura typed in the code, and we left the “cottage.”  As we were walking back towards Laura’s cluttered office, we heard one of the nurses say that “Room 26 wants a pet visit,” so we went to room 26. The man in room 26 was just recovering from surgery and was very nice. He was watching TV in his dark room and my dog sat right next to him on the bed. I was not nearly as nervous on this trip to the Avalon. I was not worried at all for the great people I met, and that resulted in a more pleasant experience. It also felt very good to be able to give a pet visit to a man that really wanted one. On Friday, I saw the Cottage, a very cool place, and a man who wanted, and enjoyed, a pet visit.  

Assessment Visit 2
1/7/11

        A lot had changed in the Avalon building when I made my second assessment visit after three weeks. The Avalon building with its handrail lined walls and its grey carpeted floors was still the same, but the occupants were not. First of all, when I walked in, I noticed that many more rooms were vacant and I only saw three of the same people. I saw Alice, my white haired friend from the last visit, sitting in her wheel chair watching a Broadway on TV shaking a little more than last time, and I saw Tom, a big man always waiting in the lobby for his son, a man of about seventy, to come play Yahtzee with him. Sadly, the third man, the one I saw last time with pneumonia, now has airtubes in his nose and can barely open his eyes while he lays in his hospital bed. There were also some new residents in the Avalon. The first man I met of the day was obviously a big Boston sports fan because he had on a Red Sox jacket and a Patriots hat these weren’t even enough as he had Red Sox memorabilia on his side table too. Another New visitor I met was Joan. Joan was an old woman with a yellow wheelchair who laughed for about three minutes and then stuttered her next sentence out for another three. A lot had changed in me too as I seemed much more nervous for this visit then for the first. I am mostly nervous because it makes me sad to know people are dying. For example one room still had the signal for a patient in bad condition, but there was no nametag and the lights were out; they died. I am very nervous while walking in, but, when you bring a smile to a face that hasn’t smiled in a long time, it is a great feeling. Although a lot changed, this pet visit produced as many smiles as the first.            

Essay 9

Humble Heroes:
An Essay on “Quiet” Heroes
An Essay by Alexander Hawley
8th Grade English
Pine Point School
January 5th, 2011

            When most heroes do a good deed, they brag about it for a long while, but their are some heroes, quiet heroes, that are very modest about it. Atticus is a hero and not only does he not brag about what he did, he doesn’t brag at all. My hardworking mother is modest even with all the stress of her multiple duties on her shoulders. You don’t have to be a bragger to be a hero, as there are quiet heroes all around

d you just have to see more than their words.    

          (TS) Atticus, one of my favorite characters in the book To Kill a Mockingbird, is most definitely a quiet hero as he fits the criteria of both quiet and hero. (SD) First of all he is an extremely quiet man. (CM) From his children to even people who don’t like him, everyone says he is quiet. (CM) He also does things silently in the sense that you don’t notice them; he does them very discreetly. For example, during the court case he was, “quietly building up before the jury a picture.” (SD) On his more courageous side, Atticus always attempts to accomplish what he thinks is right. (CM) For example, he never gave up on the court case with Tom Robinson. (CM) This is made even more heroic by the fact that he knew he was going to lose, and after Tom died he still said, “[They] had such a good chance,” which they never actually did. (SD) Most of all, he is a hero because he is a fantastic father for Scout and Jem. (CM) This definitely is the most heroic thing he does because it gives his kids a good start to life. (CM) In addition, since his wife is no longer alive, he has to be very strong to both work and raise the family. (CM) One of the main things that parents have to be is good at explaining things, and Atticus clearly is since Scout says, “it was beyond my ability to explain things as well as Atticus.” (CS) Quiet heroes are quiet, heroic, and sometimes do deeds discreetly, which makes Atticus, a silent but helpful man, a quiet hero.
       (TS) My mom is definitely a quiet hero in my life. (SD) First of all, she works all day long on a job that is very demanding. (CM) She has an amazing job, which she worked very hard to get. (CM) Sometimes, on days when she has lots of other things to do, she has to stay up until very late; it can even be until three or four into the morning. (CM) Her working really helps our family and she never says anything about how hard she works thus making her a humble hero. (SD) Furthermore, she always makes us a delicious dinner, does our laundry, and makes our lunches. (CM) For most mothers this is a full time job, but she does this on top of her full time job, and she does it well. (CM) Our dinners and are amazing and she always does my laundry so I’m never short on clothes. (SD) Since she does all these other things, you would think she would have no time for us, my sister and I, but she does. (CM) She spends time with us at least once a night. (CM) Sometimes she plays a game with us, sometimes she has a fire with us, her favorite activity because she is always cold, and sometimes she just talks to us or helps us with our homework, but she always does something. (CM) By spending time with us, she influences us to be upstanding citizens just like her. (CS) When I was younger I didn’t realize how much of a hero she is because she is so modest about how much she does for the family.

            Sometimes on first sight people might not be heroic to you, but look closely and some people will do many heroic things. For example, Atticus is very heroic even though he would not say so. Also, my mom works hard for the family, comes home works some more, and she doesn’t say anything about how hard she works. Although when you think of heroes you think of someone in a cape showing off their bicep, most of the heroes, and perhaps the most heroic heroes, are all very quiet and discreet about their actions.

1. A problem in writing I am working on is making sure none of my sentences were awkward.
2. I think I did well with using FAST words and alliteration.
3. I might have made a few small errors but I can’t find any.
4. I think I would give myself an A- because I think I did very well with using big words and I really tried to use alliteration.