Writing Final Exams

I forgot the works and exam about writing 3, but I remember I had thought this class, writing is not easy. I really suffer from computer. I am really not good at using computers. And I also not good at typing, so I passed so much time to type few words. I did not do Typing Home Work and Book Review early, so I had to do many after. I really regret this. I thought I had to do all works early and I was lazy, so I decided I will do home works early.

At this term, writing 4, I really regret my act. I decided I will do home works early but I did not do it in this term. I did few Typing Home Work only. I did not do Book Reviews and post blogs. So I had to do many home works at last. I should have done all of home works early. When I did home works every week, I did not suffer from my home works.

I recommend you who take this class to do your home works early. If you do home works every week, you should post only blogs. You do not have to do Typing Home Work and Book Reviews. And I recommend you to post your blogs when you played with your friend, experienced something special and so on. So you do not have to post many blogs later. I think you will be able to convert words that you think to English immediately when you write that you usually experienced as a diary. This class will help your English growth. So I recommend you should join this class seriously.

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About Minnesota 8

 I will write about Canoe. We did canoe and enjoyed it but it was so long time and we did not know how long will be row the canoe, so we felt boring after. I will introduce about canoe. Canoes come in many different shapes and sizes, and they've been made of all kinds of materials, from paper to concrete. No matter how much they differ, though, they all share certain bits and pieces. We're going to look at some of them here.
 I will introduce the common canoe. The two seats are not the same. One is wider than the other and its set further back from its end. Most canoes are symmetrical: the front end of the canoe is the same shape as the back end. But paddlers aren't symmetrical. Our front ends don't look much like our back ends. And the two paddlers in a tandem canoe have to face the same way. When two paddlers are seated in a tandem canoe, therefore, they both face the front end of the boat, or the bow, and the bow paddler has to squeeze his legs into a narrow, tapered space. So his seat has to be pushed back. The paddler in the rear of the boat-that's the stern- has a much easier time of it. She's got all the room in the world for her legs. So her seat can be closer to her end of the boat. We rode a boat that can seat about 3 people. It was so thin, so I felt very uneasiness and I felt we might be fell in the river. But we did not fell in the river.

284 words

Coming of age Celebration

 This day was our coming of age celebration. I got up at 5 AM. This day,I had to go to hair salon to make my hair arrangement and put me Kimono. I was arranged by beautician. His talk was very interesting. I and he talked a lot in the beauty salon. After he arranged my hair, I went to an old woman to make me put on Kimono. I wore my Kimono when I took Maedori before. The woman was not good at put Kimono. My Kimono is black color and the price was so high. My grandparent bought me the Kimono and an Obi. In addition, they bought me a Geta and a bag. I took Maedori in Yatsushiro because my grandparent live in there. So, I and my family visited grandparent to take Maedori the day before the day taking Maedori. Next day, in the morning, I and my mother and grandmother got up at 5:30 AM and went to hair salon.The hair salon is very good at putting Kimono. There is my grandparent's favorite hair salon. After finished my hair make, we went back home. And we went to a photo studio soon. I was taken many pictures at there. I was taken pictures in a room and outside. I was taken pictures alone and with families. I was taken a lot of pictures. So I got really tired. After took pictures, we went to Gofukuten that selling Kimonos and sold me a Kimono to show me put on the Kimono. After that, we went to the another grandparent house in Ashikita to show them that I wearing Kimono. They said me beautiful and cute. I was so happy. I had never took pictures with my grandparent. We moved by car, so I couldn't leaned the back seat. It was so hard to me. I got really tired. When we arrived grandparent's home in Ashikita, my grandparent were in farm, so my mother called them and I show them my Kimono. They said me I am beautifuland very nice. I took some pictures with all of members. I was glad but I am not feel good because we have to go back to Yatsushiro to do party with my grandparent and family. I was putting on Kimono while the party. The dishes was very high quality and very delicious. Cook cut us stake and fishes in front of us. The dessert was so delicious! I was surprised very much. I would like to eat a lot, but I couldn't eat so much because I was putting on Kimono. I wanted to eat a lot. I was tired this day very much.

451 words

About Minnesota 7

This time, I will write about volunteerism. We went SMFC.　I have done a volunteer when I was a junior high and high school student. So, I will talk about volunteerism. Many Americans Volunteer to make a difference in their community. Many Americans feel pride and satisfaction because of what they can accomplish when they volunteer. Volunteers share their time and talent to solve problems, strengthen communities, improve lives lives and to connect with others. Some research even shows that volunteering may have health benefits as well as social benefits. Older volunteers are the most likely to have health benefits because volunteering provides them with physical and social activity and a sense of purpose at a time when their social roles are changing. A new study shows that adults who never volunteered spend an average of 436 more hours per year watching TV than adults who volunteer. Minnesota is ranked 3rd in the nation for the largest percentage of the population who volunteers: 39.7%. The US government relies on volunteers to provide social services that the government can't provide. Many corporations and foundations financially support programs staffed by volunteers that make a difference in the community, nation and world. Many companies give employees time off to volunteer in the community. Young people are encouraged to volunteer as a way to gain skills that will later be used in the workforce. Volunteer experience is seen as an asset on resumes for collage entrance and for jobs. Many schools require service learning projects, where students must volunteer and use skills learned in school in a meaningful way. Young children may go to Trick or Treating for Unicef and older children might visit with elderly people, listen to their personal stories and then compare what is heard to what has been learned in history  class. Here you can see the areas where you are most likely to see volunteers. In Japan, there are few activities about volunteers.
 FMSC means Feed My Starving  Children. FMSC is a Christian organization that has been feeding children around the world since 1991. More than 94% of the money donated goes to the food programs and 6% goes to fundraising, administration and overhead costs. Individuals, churches, foundations and corporations give money. The meals are donated and cost about 17 cents a meal to produce since 1991. More than 94% of the money donated goes to the food programs and 6% goes to fundraising, administration and overhead costs. Individuals, churches, foundations and corporations give money. The meals are donated and the cost about 17 cents a meal to produce since much of the food preparation is done by volunteers. Many things are considered when determining who receives the food. It targets feeding programs to the children who are in the most serve circumstances, suffering from severe malnutrition and threatened with death from starvation. The food is given regardless of the faith. Food has been sent to over 60 countries including Haiti, Sudan, Jamaica, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Tanzania, Liberia, Ghana, Guatemala, Malawi, Cambodia, India and Indonesia. I learned the food was designed by food scientists at Cargill and General Mills to meet the needs of 4-8 year old malnourished child. Each meal has 20 different vitamins and minerals that a child needs each day. The ingredients are soy, rice, vegetables, vitamins and minerals and vegetarian chicken flavoring mix. The food is made with boiling water and is culturally acceptable. Feed my Starving Children is committed to encouraging people of all faiths to participate in their mission. They work with other humanitarian organizations to transport and distribute the food. They support long term feeding programs. We enjoyed this program, and packing food. I would like to do this.

620 words

About Minnesota 6

 This time, I will talk about primary elections. Today's class was too difficult to understand. We suffered from this class. A presidential candidate first makes on official announcement that he or she is running for president. Then, he or she or someone else on his or her behalf must file papers with the federal elections commission, which regulates the election process. Candidates usually make these announcements at least a year before the presidential election. Often there are several candidates in each political party running for president. Some states have primary elections and others have caucuses. These take place in late winter or early spring. A primary election looks very much like a general election: Voters get ballots that list the names of the people running for president that belong to their political party and then go to a polling place and vote for one of those people. A caucus is a gathering of people from the same political party who discuss the issues and the candidates at a central location and then cost their votes for candidates running in the same political party. And I learned each political party will chose one candidate in November at a national convention for that political party that takes place in the summer. Each state chooses a group of people to represent the state at the national convention. These delegates cast their votes for the candidate who was the top vote - getter in that state. I heard a system called the Electoral Collage is used in the United States to elect our president. Sometimes the candidate with fewer popular votes wins an election. There have been several presidents elected who did not win the popular vote because they received fewer electoral votes. The authors of the U.S. Constitution as a compromise created the Electoral Collage. Some politicians believed that a popular vote was not a good idea because many people were uninformed and unable to make a good decision when voting. Others did not want to give Congress the power to choose a president. The Electoral Collage was created to let the people vote for electors who then voted for the presidential candidate. And I heard each state has a number of electors equal to the number of its U.S. senators plus the number of its U.S. representatives. I learned currently, the Electoral Collage includes 538 electors, 535 for the total number of congressional members, and three who represent Washington, D.C., as allowed by the 23rd Amendment. Minnesota has 10 votes in the electoral collage. How is it possible for a candidate to have the majority of the people votes but to lose the election? Do you know? Here is another example: let's say that total of 2 million people vote in South and North Dakota for candidate A, and this is the majority, and that 1 million people vote in Georgia for candidate B, and this is the majority for the state, the candidate B wins the presidential Elections, as North and South Dakota have combined 6 electoral votes and Georgia has 15 electoral votes. I did not know of all about that. On the Monday following the second Wednesday in December, the electors of each state meet in their respective state capitals to officially cast their votes for president and vise president. These votes are then sealed and sent to the president of the Senate, who on January 6th opens and reads the votes in the presence of both houses of congress. I heard the winner is sworn into office at noon on January 20th. I learned presidential elections take place on the Tuesday following the first Monday of November. I thought why it is. In 1845 most Americans were farmers. Congress felt that November was the most convenient month because in November harvest was over and the weather was still mild enough for travel. At that time citizens had to vote at the country seat. For many people it meant travel by horseback or buggy and then a stay overnight. I was surprised. And because Sunday was reserved for church, Monday was not possible. Congress wanted to make sure that the elections never fell on November 1st, which is a Hold Day of Obligation for Catholic voters. And business people did their books for the previous month on the first of each month. Thus, the second week in November was chosen. I really did not know these things. I would like to know more details about elections and so on. Thank you!

757 words

About nickels

This time, I will talk about the dime and the the nickel. Do you know them?
The dime shows a portrait of President Franklin Roosevelt. it was related on his birthday the year after he died. I did not know that. Shortly after his death in 1945, citizens began writing to the Treasury Department requesting his likeness be depicted on a coin. The dime was a good choice because Roosevelt supported the march of dimes, a program that raised funds for research to find a cure for Polio. Roosevelt contracted the Polio virus when he was 39 years old. It is too young. I saw a lot of dimes and it was so small. I could count what cents it is.  And I will write about nickel. Since 2006, the image of Thomas Jefferson has been on the nickel. Did you know that? Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States and the first Secretary of State. I did not know. I leaned He is the author of the Declaration of Independence and an advocate of the separation of church and state. The portrait showed Jefferson's own handwriting, debuted on the 2005 nickels.

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About Minnesota 5

 This time, I will write about quarter. I have corrected quarters for the long time. This time, I will write about thing that we learned. A quarter is one- fourth of a dollar or 25 cents. Each quarters commemorate the 50 states. The quarters are issued in the same order in which the states were admitted to the Union. In 2008, the last states to join the Union were represented in the new quarters that were issued. In 2009 the new quarters will represented the District of Columbia and five US territories: The commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, The US Virgin Island, and The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Island. I saw the Guam's.
 The second quarter to be released in 2005 commemorated the State of Minnesota, "Land of 10,000 Lakes." On may 11, 1858, Minnesota became the 32nd state admitted into the Union, and consequently it was the 32nd coin to be issued in the United States Mint's 50 State Quarters Program. The design features a tree-lined lake with two people fishing. I didn't notice for the first time. A loon on the water, and a texture outline of the state surrounding its nickname, " Land of 10,000 Lakes." People who lived in Minnesota suggested ideas to represent our state. In fact, there were a lot of lakes.
 It was decided that the quarter should represent the natural beauty of the state. Lakes in Minnesota offer outdoor recreation and provide homes for the state bird: the loon. Minnesota is also home to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. This one-million acre wilderness area was established by Congress in 1978, and contains more than 1,500 miles of canoe routes and nearly 2,200 designated campsites. Notice the Norway pine on the quarter, the state tree. I learned about this tree from my host mother.

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About Minnesota 4

 Today, I will talk about Oliver Kelly Farm where we went.
 Oliver H. Kelly grew up in Boston came "west" as he was 18 years old. His first stop was Chicago where he worked in a drugstore and he moonlighted as a reporter for a Chicago Newspaper. He then moved to Iowa, on the Mississippi River, where he learned the trade of a telegraph operator. I heard he married Lucy Earle. And they arrived in Saint Paul in June of 1849 by steamboat and settled near the current day city of Elk died the following spring during childbirth. Oliver H. Kelly was a book farmer, he learned the latest farming techniques from journals and correspondence with other farmer's. I thought he did so great. He became an expert on farming in Minnesota. I learned he used a scientific approach to understand how drought, weather insects and crop failures made life difficult for farmers in the 1850. He built one of the first frame barns in the area. He experimented with buckwheat, apples, melons and asparagus. He later became the founder of the Grange movement, an association of farmers worked together similar to the current day co-op. i did not know that. Oliver Kelly was known as a subsistence farmer. He grew only enough needed for his family or for the animals on the farm. He raised only the animals needed for food or to help grow the food needed for his family. I thought that is so difficult. At the farm we saw plants to what Kelly grew over 130 years ago, much like it grew when Oliver Kelly was farming there. We could see animals typical of the time and people working in the farmhouse using the utensils of the day. We saw plowing with oxen, horse powered threshing, haymaking and other activities. Be prepared to join in and help with the farm chores today.

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BR:2-18 Pirate Adventures

On the edge of Rotter's Isle stood a prison for pirates. (p,3)


 I chose this book because I like pirate stories. I like Pirate of Caribbean. I love Jack Spaｒｒow. But in this book, pirates are written as a dirty and grasping. In this story, pirates are very bad. In fact, pirates are not good group in the world, but they are something special and cool with pirates in the movie, like Pirates of Caribbean. If I were live near this island, Rotter's Isle, I do not want to approach there. I want to leave there. But, I think I would like to be a pirate like Jack Sparrow, because he looks like flee and enjoying his life. I would like to live as him. But I can't. I want to read this book again. Thank you.

128 words

Punter, Russel. (2007, 2006). Pirate Adventures: Usborne Publishing Ltd.

BR:2-17 Hansel & Gretel

 Hansel and Gretel heard their stepmother shout, " Dinner!" and came running (p,3)

 I chose this book because I kike this story. I saw this book and story many times. I have thought Hansel is very intelligent and Gretel is very brave. In this book, the story is as same as the story that I knew. The pictures were colorful and cute. The sweets house was very cute and looks like very deliciously. I often think I would like to eat the sweets house when I see it. In December, sweets houses are sold at many places. I usually wanted it, but I can't buy because they are not so low price. I would like to buy this year. And I think Gretel is very strong because she entered the witch to oven and cooked her. I feel she is a little terrible. But, if I were her, I will do same thing as her. I enjoyed reading this book. Thank you.

150 words

Daynes, Katie. (2005). Hansel & Gretel: Usborne Publishing Ltd.

BR:2-16 Jack and the Barnstalk

 Jack was very, very, very hungry. (p,3)

 I chose this book because I like this story. I thought this book is almost as same as the story that I knew. But, there were some different points. Fairy appears in this book. And the chief character's father was killed by giant. I think there are many books that appears fairies in Europe and America. I thought it is very interesting, but I do not know why fairies appears so often. Please tell me if you know the reason. I would like to know about that. And this story, Jack was run after from a dog that kept by a giant. This story is very interesting. I would like to try to climb the Beanstalk. If I have the beans, I would like to exchange with money. And I would like to meet giants and talk with them.

140 words

Daynes, Katie. (2006). jack and the Barns talk: Usborne Publishing Ltd.

BR: 2-15 Bugs

Whatever you look... you can find lots and lots of creeping, crawling animals called bugs. (p,3)

 I chose this book because i was interested in Bugs. I have not good at Bugs when I was an elementary school student. Years ago, I liked bugs and insects. I had many grasshoppers and ants and so on. But I was been not good at it. I hate grasshoppers, mos, snails and so on. I hate bugs now. In that, grasshopper the most. I feel very chills when I saw grasshoppers. In this book, many bugs are written in details and big. In this book, the bugs hair is also written in details, so I was surprised and chills. I do not want to see that twice. If you like and interested in bugs, you should to see this book.

121 words

Courtauld, Salah. (2007). Bugs: Usborne Publishing Ltd.

BR:2-14 Butturflies

 There are butterflies almost everywhere inthe world. (p,2)

 I chose this book because the picyures were so beautiful. This book was written in detail about butterflies, nectar caterpillar and so on. And the pictures like a specimen. The pictures were modern and I liked the design very much. My grandparent have a big specimen. The pictures of this book werelike the specimen. It was so similar. I am not good at bugs and insect, but I think butterflies are beautiful. So I liked this book even if I do not like butterflies. I would like to know more about butterflies after I read this book. Please try it if you interested in butterflies.

                                                                     105 words

Davies, Kate. (2007). Butterflies: Usborne Publishing Ltd.

About Minnesota 5

 I learned Japanese schools and American schools have differing views on how ability and effort affect in school and society. In Japan effort is seen as more important and academic fate relies directly on the amount of work students dedicate to their studies. Japanese parents not only encourage their children to learn from an early age,but they also instill the concept that a good education is the basis for their success in life. In the US ability or potential is seen as an important factor for success in school and in society. Japanese students see a long term value in trying hard so they are motivated by intrinsic motivation. American students often need extrinsic rewards to be motivated to study ... so that the rewards make the risk of failure worth the effort. American homework is often practice of what is learned in class and recently, studies show that there is no academic benefit to homework. When n American student doesn't succeed often they often find blame on circumstances beyond their control. I thought it is interesting.

I heard there is a nationalized education system in Japan to make sure that every student receives the same education. In the US each state determines the education standards ... and the school districts chose the curriculum. The number of resources available to each state and to each school district varies, so that students across the country get different qualities of education. In Japan, school choice is determined by entrance exams. In the United States choices are given to parents; and the choice is based on the perceived need/ ability / interest of   

the children. In Minnesota, parents can chose "open enrollment" to enroll their student in a public school in a different district than the district where they live and pay taxes. Many schools districts offer magnet schools that may specialize in the arts, science, technology or languages. In addition to private schools parents may choose to home school their children or send them to a charter school.

 Another difference between Japanese and American schools is simply the amount of time spent in class. Japanese students spend 240 days a year in school ... 60 more days than American students don't have school on Saturdays while in Japan there is　1/2 day of school on Saturday. According to some estimates, in 13 years of schooling, Japanese students are in school almost an additional year. Japanese students have more advantages in practice, repetition and breadth of knowledge. In the US many students may lose skills over the long summer break.

Americans spend more money per child on education, but that money goes to food, transportation, athletics and custodians. In the Us the students come to school by bus paid for by the school district, while in Japan the students walk or use public transportation. The students also clean the classroom at the end of the day in Japan, while in the US there is a custodian. Almost 40% of US curricula is devoted to non academic studies. In the U. S. extracurricular activities are considered an asset on a college application, while such activities are seen as a hindrance to passing entrance exams in Japan. Many American students participate in sports and take music lessons starting at a young age. Students may also be involved in scouts, attend church events and volunteer. Japanese students may attend cram school or spend hours on homework. I learned many thing at this time.

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BR:2-13 Stories of Santa

 December is always a busy time of year at tha North Pole. (p,3)


 I chose this book because I wanted to know about Santa. In this book, there are some tiny elves in the North Pole. They are many elves and many things in the factory. In December, the tiny elves and Santa will be busy. They work very hard and each tiny elves have different job. A member of the tiny elves, Alfie is lazy. he often do nap. One day, he fail by mistake. He made a lot of Alfie dolls. But, after all, get along well. I read this book interestingly.

91 words

Punter, Russell (2006). Stories of Santa: Usborne Publishing Ltd.

BR:2-12 Stories of Dragons

 Years ago, dragons were the terror of towns... or so it was said. (p,3)


 I chose this book because I am interested in dragons. I like dragons that looks very strong. I like dragons that colored gold, silver, red and so on. I had thought dragons live in the mountains or in a cloud. But it was wrong. In this book, dragons live in a cloud, in a cave, in the sea. Dragons live in many places. And I read many interesting things. I saw a really big and terrible dragon, like a earth worm, and lives and take meals with people. I saw many kinds of dragons. I really enjoyed and knew many things about dragons.

103 words

Rawson, Christopher. (2007,2003). Stories of Dragons: Usborne Publishing Ltd.

BR: 2-11 Stories of Magic Ponies

 Pony Island was buzzing with excitement. (p,5)

 I chose this book because this book's pictures were so colorful and beautiful and pretty. The ponies are so cute and the wing looks like very beautiful. It looks like butterfly's wing. The ponies competing about own beauty and so on. The ponies thinks I am the greatest beautiful and they want to be a beauty queen of the ponies. Every pony dress up and thinks I am beautiful. But this year, a pony wearing butterflies and so on was being the beauty queen. I thought the ponies are so pretty.

93 words

Davidson, Susanna (2007) Usborne Publishing Ltd.

BR:2-10 The Boy who cried Wolf

 Sam lived in a little village in the mountains. (p,5)


 I chose this book because I like this story. I read this book when I was a little. May be, it was about 5 years old. This book had some different points from the book I read. In this book, some boys appears. And told Sam, this story's chief character wants to play as boys live near him. He feels boring that he has to watch sheep everyday, so he wants to doubt for village. Sam cried to people "Wolf!" and people believe and come to his farm. Next, he try to people same thing. He cried "Wolf!". People came to his farm and got angry. The is not wolf. At first, people believed him,but gradually, people do not believe him. So sheep were eaten by a wolf. I learned that liar kill own. I want to be an honor. I do not want to be like him.

150 words

Mackinnon, Mairi. (2008). The Boy who cried Wolf: Usborne Publishing Ltd.

BR:2-09 The Ant and the Grasshopper

 Grasshopper sings in the Sun. (p,3)

I chose this book because I have read this book before. It was about more than 15 yeaars before. I was in a kindergarten. In this book, an ant work a lot and he knows winter will come. So they have to correct food. But a grasshopper was so lazy. He doesn't correct food and he did not know what will happen. When winter comes, an ant could to endure. But a grasshopper could not endure in winter. He did not have food and home. So he is really hungry and he feels very cold. He wants somewhere to be warm and something to eat. In this story, an ant was so kind and he invited the grasshopper to his home. So grasshopper learned and found lazy is not good. He had to work hard. He doesn't have to be lazy. I also think too. I found about that from this story.

154 words

Dasynes, Katie. (2008). The Ant and the Grasshopper:  Usborne Publishing Ltd.

BR:2-08 Penguins

Penguins live in some of the coldest places on earth... in a world of ice and snow. (p, 3)


I chose this book because I like penguins and I liked the pictures that wrote in this book. For the first time, I had thought there were photos, but there were not. Yhere were so beutiful pictures. And I learned many things about penguins from this book. We can able to find penguins on sunny beaches, and on grassy island by clear, blue seas. I knew there are nearly twenty different kind of penguins, have to pop up for air and to get out of the water. Once a year, penguins leave the sea. I did not know the fact. This book is written about penguins so in detail. I learned many things. Thank you.

115 words

Davidson, Susanna. (2007). Penguins: Usborne Publishing Ltd.