Free Response

I am going to compose a poem on CREATIVITY...

CREATIVITY

This is a poem, I'm writing right now.

How creative can I be?

A visual image will start this off, a red round object is coming toward ME!

This big round object it bounces quite high,

it also is quite squishy.

And if you can't take MY word for it, just go and ask the fishy!

What fishy is this, you well might ask,

well let me tell you, dear.

This fishy is not ordinary instead he grows red hair.

Upon his noble head it grows,

and grows, and grows some more.

And if we didn't cut it, it would grow right out the door!

Now if you walk right through this door and stop and wait a while,

You might just see a special thing, my smiley crocodile.

He moves his hips so wiggily,

It makes me want to laugh!

And once I've laughed my head off, I move on to my Giraffe!

An Original Poem by Brooke Thomas and Theresa Gervais

Writing Practice

I am going to rewrite one of my paragraphs from my Opinion editorial...

The last topic of discussion happens to be that of conduct. In this section of the Honor Code it is simply stated that as students of Brigham Young University we represent not only the school but The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Our conduct should be such that we live our religion and are a light and a beacon to those around us. We are to conduct ourselves consistently with the principles and values of the Church in areas such as the Word of Wisdom, which states specifically the absence of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products in our lives, as well as any other harmful substances. Our conduct should be guarded as well. We are not to be involved with pornographic items, or gambling. We are to refrain from obscene or disorderly conduct, as well as avoiding materials, expressions, or statements that would cause offense. These are all things that are specifically outlined in the everyday living of our lives as Saints, and should be nothing that takes getting used to.

A final topic to be looked at is the subject of conduct. The Honor Code simply states that as a student of Brigham Young University we should live our lives keeping in mind that we not only represent the University, but The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well. Our conduct should be consistent with the principles and values of our Church since we clearly have the Word of Wisdom outlined, such as the absence of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and other harmful substances in our lives. We also clearly have outlined for us the avoidance of materials, expressions, or even statements that will cause offense. Our conduct is to be guarded, avoiding pornographic items, or the habit forming activities such as gambling. These are areas that are specifically addressed in the everyday living of our lives as Saints, and should be nothing that takes getting used to.

I shortened my wordy sentences and was more concise with my ideas...
I changed some of the word choice so that it was more professional and correlated more with the overall message of the paragraph.
I switched the order of a few of the sentences so that the overall flow of ideas worked out to be clear
I changed my approach of the subject as well with a new topic sentence so that it was a little more straight forward and attention grabbing.

Free Response

For my free response today I'm going to talk about how I dislike how stupid BYUSA is taking over SHA (student honor association). Well I volunteer at SHA where they come up with fun ways such as Posters, firesides, movies, songs, skits, ect to remind people of the honor code that they signed when coming here to Brigham Young University. I am on the poster committee and we have made a whole bunch of different posters, I've made one myself on academic honesty! The new student orientation that takes place for incoming freshman always has a dinner with a show of skits and funny songs about parts of the honor code that we should all be aware of. BYUSA is power hungry and are taking over everything they possibly can here at BYU and they are taking over this little service organization SHA so that it will become something that's less open and has to be applied to. I have made a vast number of friends while I have volunteered here and this is something that I'm going to miss immensely in the coming years here at this HUGE University. SHA provided a way for me to have a smaller environment that I felt a part of and comfortable in, and that I could easily interact with others and be able to make more friends through the already existing friendships.

Analysis

I chose this picture by Norman Rockwell to analyze because I LOVE Norman Rockwells work and also because I think this particular picture displays something that all of us have been through.

In this picture there are two different groups, one group has just moved in, and the other is a group of curious neighbors. In this group it is showing the awkward standoff that exists when you first move in and don't know what to say or what to do to strike up a conversation. Almost everyone has been through this and had to either be the welcoming party or the new neighbors. This seems like a nice neighborhood since the grass is so nicely cut and the houses in the background look really clean and nice. Norman Rockwell also brought in the concept of color the black children standing across from the white children. The color issue was still going on at this time and still a bit in our time. But this shows that we all have the same experiences no matter what our color. The moving van is simple and shows that our station doesn't matter and that we all are individuals. I liked the whole idea of the stare down because that's how children get to know eachother is observe and watch.

Free Response

I am going to write a poem like usual because this is the only time I get to freely "express" myself.

STEPHANIE

Stephanie is my bestest friend

we've known eachother a while.

She has long hair that is a funky color,

but of-course I still like her.

She laughs a lot and says witty things,

I'm happy when she's around.

And I know we will always be friends,

from now till the end of time!

By Theresa Gervais

Analysis

I am going to analyze my Religion teachers teaching. When the students come to class Brother Merrill is already prepared and ready to dive into the discussion which makes all of the students excited and ready to just search the scriptures. He has the class come prepared by having read the chapters being discussed which gets every student no matter age or gender on the same page and ready to contribute. This also encourages students to read the scriptures as well since they would want to know what is going on in the discussion. Brother Merrill gets quotes and cross references other scriptures which help each student be able to relate the principles discussed in more ways than just one, and also see how the principle has been addressed other times and places, making the students knowledge firm and extensive. Brother Merrill gives facts and interesting "food for thought" as he navigates through the scriptures, this shows the students that there is more than what they just read on the surface of the book. There are many other principles and examples that can be drawn if only sought. He shows this by example which in turn models it for the students. Brother Merrill makes eye contact continually and asks questions which keep the students involved and on top of the material, they know that he is interacting with them on a very real level that they can approach. If Brother Merrill is unsure of an answer he simply states it and gives the student all the information that he has on the question and lets them make their own decision on the matter as well as find and dig deeper to find what they want to know.

Writing Practice

I am going to do "Once there was a snowman" in different styles. REGULAR Once there was a snowman, snowman, snowman, once there was a snowman...tall, tall, tall...In the sun he melted, melted, melted. In the sun he melted, small, small, small.

FLOWERY
One warm day there was a crystal white snowman, yes a snow white man who had been built magnificently tall, so tall, oh tall. And then when the sun was beating down upon the poor white man he melted, melted, that poor white man he melted...small, oh small, so small.

ABSTRACT
The big burning ball rises once more in the fashion that is designed, but today looks down upon a pillar of white, strong, sturdy, tall, tall, so tall. Its heat directly penetrates the pillars inner makeup and the white liquefies small, small, so small.

DEPRESSED
Another day drags on opening every ones eyes with its penetrating gaze and a snow white man on his own stands tall, tall, tall. The merciless red ball burns endlessly crushing everything in its path the snow white man he stands no chance, but vanishes...small, small, small.

POSITIVE
This really beautiful day came and the sun shone warm and bright! This old dirty snowman that stood so tall, tall, tall...FINALLY has started to turn to a beautiful glistening puddle to water all the blooming flowers, he melts, small, small, small!

EVERYDAY TALK-girl generalization
LIKE, once there was this snowman, outside and LIKE it was SOOO tall, oh my heck it was tall, fricken tall. And then LIKE the sun came out and LIKE it started to melt, and it LIKE got small, really small, fricken small!