Swimming Fun

This Friday, in our daily summer swimming class, there was Fun Day. It was a day when you could play water polo, go on the water slide, or on the diving boards, instead of doing the usual hour class.

We all quickly got changed. We couldn’t wait for the fun to start. I didn’t want to play water polo at all. I wanted to go on the diving boards and the water slide. I started out with the diving boards.

I had to wait for the coach to tell me when to go. After she told me it was my turn, I would jump or dive. It didn’t matter. After all, it was fun day. I kept on going and going until I started to get bored. I asked the coach if she could open the water slide. I have to wait for the other coach to come out, she had said. I decided to try diving again. But it was boring. So I went to the shallow end.

I played there for a couple of minutes before I realized I had forgotten to put on my goggles. I put them on and jumped into the shallow water again. But that soon got boring. So I figured that I could try water polo. I came out of the water. Then I saw my goggles were missing. I was puzzled as I had just put them on. Hmmm..As I looked around, I noticed them at the the bottom of the pool. I jumped into the shallow part again and retrieved them. Then I joined the other kids also asking to play water polo.

After a little while, I realized no one was passing the ball to me. Let me just wait a bit more I thought. Suddenly someone passed. I caught the ball. But I threw it in the wrong direction. Someone on my team still caught it but they had to throw it very far to get it where we wanted. No one passed to me after that. I realized they were just passing to the older kids. I decided I didn’t want to play water polo again. I knew we would not get to use the water slide. So I went on the diving boards again.

I pretended I was a dummy by just keeping on walking until I fell of the diving board. I tried it with jumping and running soon. But just as I came back, I saw a long line of people. I stood in the line. End of class the teacher called. But we just kept on diving. I wanted a last dive on the high board.

And that’s what I got. A perfect last dive on the high diving board. Perfect angle, perfect body posture. Perfect everything! So I hadn’t had a bad Fun Day. I had got what I wanted. A perfect dive.

A Journal Entry about Chano’s Life

Chano is a character in the story Tonweya and the Eagles in Lakota Indian tales. He is a Native American. I wrote this journal entry about Chano’s life during my fun summer class.

Today I was taught how to make bows and arrows for hunting and wars. I myself learned how to ride ponies bareback. The first pony I rode was so naughty, that I almost fell off! I was soon selected  to attend Carlisle School. After a long time, I graduate with honors. Before I leave school, I am chosen to represent Native Americans at the Congress of Nations in an Exposition in Chicago. After I graduate from school, I enter government service. I spend the bigger part of my life in Indian schools. I spent some of my life at a boarding school. At that school, I met my wife. I soon became very well known for my activities. I became an actor for “The Silent Enemy.” During that time, I caught a cold that turned into pneumonia. I knew I’ve few more moments to live and I’ll die shortly.

A Pioneer Poem

A Pioneer Poem

Bright, sunny day

Long, long way

Where shall we stay?

Hot, morning sun

Lots of fun

Throughout May!

Warm afternoon

Time to stop

At the top

Cold, hard night

Bed-bugs bite

We all sleep tight

The day is gone

It is dawn

Time to fight

with the storm!

by Writing Girl

Anna’s Pioneer Journal: August 19, 1851

Dear Journal,

Today when we were all at our last breaths, our wagon train rolled into Oregon. Everyone found a piece of land and said hello to their new neighbors. I’m feeling excited but very tiresome. I know I’m very lucky to have made it through the long journey here.

It’s been very sad to leave behind my friends, Laura Knight, Abigail Knight, Isabelle Emerson, and Margaret Stewart. In Oregon, we are cutting down trees to make a log cabin. I have to help grow the crops, while Billy and Jacob are helping to build our home.

Our piece of land is amazing. The scent of pine trees fills the air and there is even a boat in the sparkling river. The evergreen trees stand tall and proud, their green leaves shimmering in the sunlight. The air is soft and the breeze blowing gently. The birds can we heard singing beautiful songs. The grass is tall and green, sprinkled with morning dew. Even in my wildest dreams, I would never had imagined that our new home would be so wonderful.

While we are building our home, we will be staying with our neighbors, the Robinsons. They have a girl who is the same age as me. Her name is Mary. Mary and I are already friends. It sure was worth traveling here.

Anna Clark

Who writes? I do!: Anna’s Pioneer Journal: July 4, 1851

Anna’s Pioneer Journal: July 4, 1851

Dear Journal,

We’ve arrived at Independence Rock. Everyone has a lot of energy because we just stopped at Fort Laramie. I am excited because we are getting closer to Oregon.

Independence Rock is really cool. All of the children like climbing it and tracing the names of the people who came here before us. Yesterday my friends and I climbed to the top of Independence Rock and played. I took a sharp rock and carved my name on the rock next to Pa’s. Later that day, I found a little cave and climbed inside. Since we arrived on July 4, at supper we played music and celebrated. Even Mr. Taylor who was always grumpy, sang and danced.

After the celebration, Ma told me that early pioneers like us had named Independence Rock after the holiday; when they had come to it on July 4. Pa reminded me that we would have a happy life in Oregon. I know we’ll reach our new home safely.

Anna Clark

Who writes? I do!: Anna’s Pioneer Journal: May 2, 1851