"Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend."
             
        Albert Camus

"There exists in some parts of the world sanctimonious criticism of America's death penalty, as somehow unworthy of a civilized society."
             US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia

Followup Thoughts to Our Argument Essays

"As one whose husband and mother-in-law have died the victims of murder and assassination, I stand firmly and unequivocally opposed to the death penalty for those convicted of capital offenses... An evil deed is not redeemed by an evil deed of retaliation."
                    Coretta Scott King

More reading at The Nation magazine:
https://www.thenation.com/article/coretta-scott-king-death-penalty-abolitionist/

What to Write

"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing."
   
              Benjamin Franklin

Toby Thanksgiving Poetry - November 22

                                       THANKSGIVING ACROSTIC POEMS


Thankful for my family
Happy for dinner
Apple pie with a hint of cinnamon
Never have turkey without gravy
Kindness all around
Soup, no thanks, feast..yes please!
Gobble up all that food
It will be a delicious day
Vacuum all the crumps
In the turkey there might be stuffing
Notice all the food on the table
Good night little turkeys

          by Amanda




Thankful
Happy
Alive
No nasty food
Khaleedah's favorite day
Sing songs
Great experience
International
Value family
Inspiring decorations
New family to meet
Green beans, potatos, tomatos, all kinds of foods

       by Khaleedah



Turkey
Ham
Apple
Nice
Kind
Sauce
Greens
Ice cream
Vegetables
Ice
NFL
Green Beens

   by Semaj



Thanksgiving is something that is a
Happy and great day that will bring
Awesome food together and to pray for
Neat healthy and give thanks
Kind people wold always do something nice like
Sharing, saying thanks, giving thanks to people
Gravy with turkey can make you sleep
Inside your bed, asleep you do and have a
V idle night, so you can have a great thanksgiving
Images other having an awesome time on this day
New things can happen and you may not know why
Gather your family and eat, eat, eat, your treats.

            by KJ


Thankful for everything
Hunting for turkey
Awesome dinners
Never feeling hungry
Kitten, dog, animal, human..everyone thankful
So much food
Giving and taking
International, everyone can celebrate
Valuable time
Inside, everyone's chilling
Nothin' to worry 'bout
Gifts of life still await

   by New Yorker Cat



Thanks
Heaven
Amen
Negotiations
Kinda'
Saving
Giving
In the living room
Visiting
In enjoyment
Not being mad
Glad

     by Zeriah




Tasty
Happy
Animal
Nice
Kind
Sweets
Giving
Incredible
Vivid
Images
Nice
Great

     by Alyssa



Thankful
Hope
America
Niceness
Kindness
Soap
God
Independence
Visibility
In power
Native
Grateful

    by Dana



Thanks
Happy
A-chromatic
NFL
Kind
Sweet potato
Great fullness
Ice cream
Vegetable
Indian
Night
Gravy

    by Gabriel



Thankful for a lot of things like
Having a lot of food
And having a family
November is Thanksgiving month
Knowing that your family loves you and can warm your heart
Sharing what you're thankful for
Giving thanks is a good thing
I love my family and friends
Very much
In fact, my favorite food is turkey on this holiday
Nothing will change our family tradition
Good times on Thanksgiving is great.

   by Julieana

Acrostic Halloween Poems

Halloween is fun
Always go with family and friends
Lots of candy
Line of of kids
On Halloween night, it's spooky
We see all the candy we've got!
Eat
Eat
Never be scared!

     by Brion


Harry Potter costumes
A lot of candy
Look out!
Leprechaun costumes
Oh make sure you light the jack 'o lanterns
Eat all the candy
Every Halloween comes, don't get scared
Never eat the candy before you check it out.

    by Charis

Happy
Ate candy
Late good
Lock door
Outside
Wow
Eggs and candy
Eat eyeballs candy
Night

   by Saniyah Cobb




Hall of horror
Avalanche of fun
Lanterns made from pumpkins
Lights of scariness
Outrages scaring
Wild fun
Evil laughs
Expression of scared people
Night of terror

    by JHJr.







Horror
All -time favorite
Long night out
Lots of candy
Outstanding night
With friends
Eat candy all night
Entertaining
Never want to sleep

    by Azaia





Haunted house
All night trick or treating
Loud screams
Lots of costumes
Outside in the cold
Wolf howls
Eat candy
Every day candy for dessert
Never be scared.

       by Jasmine


How joyful
A school full of fun
Lots of candy in the classroom
Laugh with your Halloween costume
Overjoyed with the sweet presents of laughter
We can love each other
Every Halloween we have fun
Evening with family in Toby Farms
No one can pass out on Halloween

         by Safyata







Happy Halloween
All dressed up
Lit jack 'o lanterns
Low moon
On this day everything changes
We dance to the wolf's howl
Eat apples
Everyone gets scared
Near you you'll see a treat.

   by Jonathan


Hunted
Apples
Laughter
Licoris
Open
Windy
Enter
Even clowns
Nasty candy

  by Tiara



Hamburger zombies!
Approaching wolf
Leaches suck blood
Life is still here
Other people's candy
Wife screams loudly
Eating candy
Eyeballs bouncing
Now surviving the Halloween night!

   by Dagoberto

Now and Then

In September
I found my money
on the ground
But I didn't find it in the lost and found.

Then I already made friendly new friends.
and we could be good friends until the end.

I can't wait for winter,
the the white snow
and later
the snowflakes will just blow.

In my old school
I could have been nice
and for dinner my mom made some rice.

When at home sometimes I play on my fake mouse
and my sister always plays with the doll house.

Khaliah

Fall

The Fall is brown and orange,
pretty
you see pumpkins
you will have to wear a jacket
it's OK
you're in the fall.

by Hamiya

Football Practice

blood
sweat
tears
that''s what we put in-
hard work
dedication
discipline
that's what we say
that's what we do

When I'm on the field
I'm not the same.
When I'm on the field
It's not a game

blood
sweat
tears
that's what we put in
hard work
dedication
discipline
that's what we say
that's what we do
1,2,3...Cougars!

Semaj

All About Me

My sister's name is C
She likes to drink tea.
The boy kept staring,
but he don't know me.

I stay in my castle each
and every day.
I don't know how each in
every way.

My dad is a king, and
he likes to wear his bling.
My mom is a queen, and
she likes to eat beans.

I like to play ball, and
if you versus me one-on-one
I'll make you fall.

That's all about me,
and all you need to know.
I got off word
I don't have nothing else to show.

Marquis

Time

As I sit down in my class,
Time goes fast.
I look out from the glass
to see the blowing grass.

As I sit and see the sun,
class was nearly done.

As we switch to other classes
I found my lost glasses!

Leah

Bully Free

Roses are red
Violets are blue
I'm in the 6th grade
I'm bully-free too.

We should help one another
Stand up for each other
We do what we can to help a friend.
We will tell an adult
When we see assault
That's all I got.

Melissa

Another by the Poet Laureate Bob Dylan

Motorpsycho Nightmare

I pounded on a farmhouse
Lookin’ for a place to stay
I was mighty, mighty tired
I had come a long, long way
I said, “Hey, hey, in there
Is there anybody home?”
I was standin’ on the steps
Feelin’ most alone
Well, out comes a farmer
He must have thought that I was nuts
He immediately looked at me
And stuck a gun into my guts

I fell down
To my bended knees
Saying, “I dig farmers
Don’t shoot me, please!”
He cocked his rifle
And began to shout
“You’re that travelin’ salesman
That I have heard about”
I said, “No! No! No!
I’m a doctor and it’s true
I’m a clean-cut kid
And I been to college, too”

Then in comes his daughter
Whose name was Rita
She looked like she stepped out of
La Dolce Vita
I immediately tried to cool it
With her dad
And told him what a
Nice, pretty farm he had
He said, “What do doctors
Know about farms, pray tell?”
I said, “I was born
At the bottom of a wishing well”

Well, by the dirt ’neath my nails
I guess he knew I wouldn’t lie
“I guess you’re tired”
He said, kinda sly
I said, “Yes, ten thousand miles
Today I drove”
He said, “I got a bed for you
Underneath the stove
Just one condition
And you go to sleep right now
That you don’t touch my daughter
And in the morning, milk the cows”

I was sleepin’ like a rat
When I heard something jerkin’
There stood Rita
Lookin’ just like Tony Perkins
She said, “Would you like to take a shower?
I’ll show you up to the door”
I said, “Oh, no! no!
I’ve been through this before”
I knew I had to split
But I didn’t know how
When she said
“Would you like to take that shower, now?”

Well, I couldn’t leave
Unless the old man chased me out
’Cause I’d already promised
That I’d milk his cows
I had to say something
To strike him very weird
So I yelled out
“I like Fidel Castro and his beard”
Rita looked offended
But she got out of the way
As he came charging down the stairs
Sayin’, “What’s that I heard you say?”

I said, “I like Fidel Castro
I think you heard me right”
And ducked as he swung
At me with all his might
Rita mumbled something
’Bout her mother on the hill
As his fist hit the icebox
He said he’s going to kill
If I don’t get out the door
In two seconds flat
“You unpatriotic
Rotten doctor Commie rat”

Well, he threw a Reader’s Digest
At my head and I did run
I did a somersault
As I seen him get his gun
And crashed through the window
At a hundred miles an hour
And landed fully blast
In his garden flowers
Rita said, “Come back!”
As he started to load
The sun was comin’ up
And I was runnin’ down the road

Well, I don’t figure I’ll be back
There for a spell
Even though Rita moved away
And got a job in a motel
He still waits for me
Constant, on the sly
He wants to turn me in
To the F.B.I.
Me, I romp and stomp
Thankful as I romp
Without freedom of speech
I might be in the swamp

* Ed. note: The Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress—commonly referred to as the United States Poet Laureate—serves as the official poet of the United States. During their term, the Poet Laureate seeks to raise the national consciousness to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry.

Subterranean Homesick Blues

Subterranean Homesick Blues

Bob Dylan

Johnny's in the basement
Mixing up the medicine
I'm on the pavement
Thinking about the government
The man in the trench coat
Badge out, laid off
Says he's got a bad cough
Wants to get it paid off
Look out kid
It's somethin' you did
God knows when
But you're doing it again
You better duck down the alley way
Lookin' for a new friend
A man in the coonskin cap, in the pig pen
Wants eleven dollar bills, you only got ten

Maggie comes fleet foot
Face full of black soot
Talkin' that the heat put
Plants in the bed but
The phone's tapped anyway
Maggie says that many say
They must bust in early May
Orders from the D.A. Look out kid
Don't matter what you did
Walk on your tip toes
Don't tie no bows
Better stay away from those
That carry around a fire hose
Keep a clean nose
Watch the plain clothes
You don't need a weather man
To know which way the wind blows

Oh, get sick, get well
Hang around a ink well
Hang bail, hard to tell
If anything is goin' to sell
Try hard, get barred
Get back, write braille
Get jailed, jump bail
Join the army, if you fail
Look out kid
You're gonna get hit
But losers, cheaters
Six-time users
Hang around the theaters
Girl by the whirlpool
Lookin' for a new fool
Don't follow leaders, watch the parkin' meters

Oh, get born, keep warm
Short pants, romance
Learn to dance, get dressed, get blessed
Try to be a success
Please her, please him, buy gifts
Don't steal, don't lift
Twenty years of schoolin'
And they put you on the day shift
Look out kid
They keep it all hid
Better jump down a manhole
Light yourself a candle
Don't wear sandals
Try to avoid the scandals
Don't want to be a bum
You better chew gum
The pump don't work
'Cause the vandals took the handles

Editor's Note: Bob Dylan this year won the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize for Literature. 

The Test

I didn't take the test today.
I refused to take it
Anyway.
I never liked taking tests.
I never liked doing my best.
I'm really sorry for what I did.
I'll try my best and
Take the test.


Anasia

Sad Days

Day
by day.
Every day
gets boring.
The tears on my brother's face
kept pouring and pouring.
I decide to play a game.
He shouts "Woo-pee! Horray!"
I love it when my brother starts to smile.
It gives me happiness in side for a while.

Anasia

Heartbroken

When your heart is broken
your heart is young
The light is once upon
That's why the night is young.

K.

Anger

I am angry.
I'm mad.
it's the same thing
so be
glad.


Karley

Monday

Friday...Saturday...Sunday
bring it back on Monday
meow, mumble, moo
Friday...Saturday...Sunday
bring it back on Monday.

Karley

Ode to Cats

Oh cats, I hate you so much!
Why do you pee on my stuff all the time?
Why can't you pee in the litter box?!

Ja'heera

Haiku - THE ELEPHANT

The big elephant
came into my small cottage
and squished my mum flat!

Karley

Beat Up

A girl got beat up.
She got beat up today.
Stop beating up people.
Flowers and hearts
I love flowers and hearts.
Heart and flower rule.

Ja'heera

I Love Going to the Pool

I love going
to the pool
I love it because it's cool
I love it more than school!

I love going
to the pool
When I go it makes me drool
I love it's like
a good tool

I love going
to the pool
I love it very full
If you don't like going to the pool,
You're a fool!

Kelwin

Food

I love food!
It puts me in a good mood.
I like it greasy,
and I like my food cheesy.
I like to eat with a spoon and
often dream of a cheesy moon.
I like when it fills me up and
then I drink what's in my cup.

Nineyshka

Red

Red
The covers on my bed.
It reminds me of the flag.
Red is the color of my Ferrari-
shines so bright like the back
of Steve Harvey's head.
Smack with an apple
hit you so hard
Then I call you Snapple.

Amare

Moonlight Sunlight

Red and blue flowers
so nice.
I like to pick them
until they wear out, or
get sick and die.

I like the way the sun shines on my face,
the way the cold air goes through my hair,
and nice cool breeze, and
the moonlight that shines
through the window,
The owls hoot and go through.

Kameen

Pencil - A Romantic Ode by Amare

Oh pencil!
Oh pencil!
I love you so much!
Oh pencil
I love you a bunch.
You are always there
to draw and to write
always there
day and night.




(Editor's Note: This is one of my favorite poems this year. We had some great ones. NB: PIM)

Phone

Oh stupid phone!
did you die on me again
taking pictures at the wrong time?
As soon as you're charged
you die
Instead of zero to 100
It's 100 to zero!
Oh phone!
I wish you could talk to me
so I don't lack things.
Please
help me.

Amare

Alliteration: Celebration of the Letter "P"

Pretty purple penguins play.
Please pass poetry pencils.
Pink pineapple pulls passion

Amare

Snakes

                                                                Snakes

                                                      green              black

                                           hissing         slithering         spying

                                 cunning          long             sly                 cute

                                                               Reptile

by Hannah

6-5

To Cookies Around the World

Cookies around the world-
You are so sweet and amazing,
even though you get crumbs on the rug.
Some of you have coco chips and
some of you are covered in powered sugar.
You sometimes make people addicted to you, or
you make people hate you.
The one thing that I know is
you can be made anywhere around the world and
I love you!

Laurie

Let's Go

Let's go!
Come on and take a run with me.
Blow bubbles
Have fun
And lets go, yo!

Ride a bike
Fly a kite
Come on and
Let's go!

Play a video game
or have a party.

I'm having a lot of fun with you,
Plus you're really cool.
I'm setting tired.
Let's go home.
Let's go.

by Laurie

Pop Quiz

Tick tock, tick tock
the clock moves on
rustle, rustle
the paper shuffles
clap, clap
Time is up
Tsk, Tsk, Tsk.
Should have studied.

Bellyache

Been sick
Feel ick
Brain fog
Can't flog
Want sleep
Can't eat
No food
Bad mood
Back later
Alley gather

                                                            Octopus

Octopus you have eight limbs
Octopus you have three hearts
Octopus-compare with me
You seem to have extra parts
but eight swim you through the sea.
Eight limbs help you catch your prey
Three hearts pump your blue blood
Out to the gills and then away.

           Tiger
The terrifying tiger
Tip-toes through tangled trees-
twitching tail, thumping
terrible teeth terrifying
Turtles
Who tumble away.

Candy is good
Candy is great
Do not eat too much
or fat is your fate.

   by Sarrah
        6-6

White, weird, wonderful and glowing
colored, caring, calm and growing

What's the point of being racist?
I want to know that the case is.
With all the stereotypes you cover
Black isn't even a color.

I feel bad for all the "pale" people who have to
take the blame for the mean, malicious menaces
that throw white people
shame.

Onomatopoeia

click clock stop
playing with the clock
tisk tisk
don't play with those disks
plip plop stop
mopping the shop
pop pop pop
I hear gun shots

    jahlil
    6-6

Late to School

It's 9:00 am and I'm late to school,
and I know running is against the rules.
I know that my teacher is gonna' have an angry expression,
and this is something that ain't gonna' be forgotten.
I'm not gonna' tell a lie,
and
I apologize.
I was late to school.
I'm sorry for breaking the rules.
I had no choice,
I'm not the fool.

by anonomous

My Book

I didn't bring my book to school.

It's on the counter!

Probably wet and smelly,

OMG

I didn't bring my book to school.

Now my teacher is going to be mad and sassy.

OMG

I left my book on the counter.

by Kwashona

6-4

My Best

I didn't do my test today.
I refused to take it anyway.
I never liked doing tests.
I never liked doing my best.
I'm really sorry for what I did.
I'll try my best and take the quiz.

     by Anasia
          6-4

The Broken Vase

I broke the vase
because it was my mother's fave.
I am sorry mother,
Do you forgive me?
I did it for attention.
The dog was chasing me.

Anonymous

The Pencil

I dance across the paper
leaving my trails.
Sometimes I'm colorful
Sometimes I betray you.
Flip me over and
dance across the mistake.
Nobody knows I was here.

by Suleyska
6-6

Biggest Mistake

I'm sorry if I ever hurt you,
But he was a flirt
And I was too.

I should have told him from the start,
Way before I let it get this far.
He was at the party,
Curly-headed 'lil shawty.

The things he said always got stuck in my head.
I couldn't say no,
The confidence he was building 
was starting to grow.

The guilt I had texting him got worse-
texting you.
After I ended it.
I tried to apologize to you.
I knew I was a big fool.
But NEVER cheat
Stay LOYAL is my number one rule.
We learn from our mistakes, 
and definately learned my lesson.
I couldn't take all that crying and stressing.

by Solea

                                                               Alarm Clock

alarm clock
that thing
make noise
Imma turn that
thing
around and make
toys
Ring
Ring

by Tyaire
     6-4

                                                              The Eruption

Rumble, rumble
It doesn't stop.
Blast, blast!
Lava runs down fast.
Bang, boom!
The volcano erupts
They don't know
If the volcano erupts
Like a blast of fire.
Again.

by Dakota
6-6

                                 To that Old Taco on the Side of the Road

Dear old taco 
on the side of the road,
I love to see you covered in that green mold.
I wonder what it feels like to be ignored.
And I know that Miss Burger
got a divorce-
and child support.


by Laurie 
     6-4

Student Poetry

         

                                  

Here We Go

So before we post our words, here is an interesting article I found:

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/Edison_High_students_use_gut-wrenching_slam_poetry_as_an_antidote_to_adversity.html

overcome
adversity with
perseverance.

P.I.M.

                                                            INFORMATIONAL TEXT

"The opposite of talking is not listening. The opposite of talking is waiting."— Fran Lebowitz

So the next objective for us is to learn how to break apart (analyze) and understand (comprehend) EXPOSITORY text. Our ability to understand information is vital for us to function in this world. Otherwise, we are ignorant. 

We kicked off our expository text study with a look at TEXT FEATURES, during our fake news projects. Great fake news! As you now know large amounts of information can be spread out on a page, like a lunch buffet on a table. The writer lays it out. Your job when reading is to pick at different parts expository text until you are full, of understanding. By analyzing the layout, noticing the text features, you arrive at.....the MAIN IDEA!

Identifying the main idea in text is your goal. Remember that the topic sentence, hidden somewhere in the paragraph is often the main idea. Text features are important to the writer, so you should pay attention to them. Repeated words are also a clue to help identify the main idea. You can also determine the main idea, aka the central idea, by asking yourself, "What is this mostly about?"

Another year has passed. The new year is 2017. This past week I marked student iBooks, Homer P. Figg tests, classwork, and homework. I look forward to sharing the good and the bad. We will make New Year resolutions this week. Start to think about what yours might be.