Expository Writing

How To Make A Flower Press Book

Supplies needed:

• delicate flowers
• phone book
• good, quality paper (for book pages)
• scissors/glue
• tweezers
• brush
• hole punch
• ribbon/yarn

Step 1: Pick some delicate flowers and leaves(no sturdy flowers, they take longer to dry) Flowers that work well: pansies, ferns, daisies, poppies

Step 2: Press bottom of each flower and leaf inside the pages of a thick phone book. Placing flowers between flattened coffee filters help to speed up the drying process. *It takes 1-2 weeks for flowers to completely dry*

Step3: When the flowers are dry, carefully remove them form the phone book. Arrange flowers on paper. *Flowers may have to be trimmed so trim with scissors*

Step4: Remove the flowers from the paper, remember where each flower goes so it is easier to put them back later. Using the brush, brush a thin layer of glue on the paper where the flower was originally placed.

Step5: Using the tweezers, carefully place the flowers back in place. (adult assisstance may be required)Make sure all flower parts are lying flat on glue, let the glue dry completely.

Step6:Once drying is complete, use a hole punch to punch three holes along the left side of the paper. Tie a piece of ribbon or yarn to keep the paper pages together. Title the book and label each flower. You now have your very own flower press book!

Educator's View on Marijuana

In today's class we were shown a video clip on an intervierw on an educated executive woman who admitted to using marijuana on a regular basis. The magazine from which it came seemed to glamorize the issue.
As a future educator, I feel it is wrong to allow such things to be seen. Children will get the wrong impression. Many schools today express that drugs are wrong during Red Ribbon Week, however, if children come across magazines their mothers, fathers, siblings, or anyone reads and come across an article stating that marijuana should be legalized and professionals use it, many school systems and educators will be in jeopardy.
How can we as educators explain to our students that using marijuana or any drug for that matter is wrong when they read and/or see it in magazines, television, movies, and in their very own environment?
What steps can we as educators take in order to insure our students are on the right path to being drug free?

What is a Narrative?

A narrative is a type of writing that has a begging, middle, end and tells a story. Narrative stories have plots, tell about when and where it take place, and characters that have reasons for what they do in the story. A narrative story may also contain a problem that can be solved or a challenge to overcome.

An example of a narrative writing is a children's book titled: The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg.

Other examples of narrative writing are:

Poems that tell stories: The Blind Highland Boy by William Wordsworth

First person narrative novels: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Narrative story

It was a cool and breezy evening, an evening like no other when Joslyn, looking out her bedroom window and fiddling with a daisy's peddles, decided she wanted to go for a walk. Joslyn had been sick and ordered to stay indoors for two weeks and longed to be outside in the fresh autumn air. Joslyn's bedroom was adorned with a mulitplicity of beautiful and vivacious flowers she recieved from neighbors, friends, and relatives.

As Joslyn walked over to her closet for her sweater she noticed a mist in her vanity mirror; thinking nothing of it, Joslyn grabbed her sweater. While Joslyn placed the sweater over her shoulders she noticed an incandescent flash of light coming from under her bed. Apprehended by the thought of something under her bed, Joslyn hesitantly walked over, grabbed the edge of the bed ruffle and was about to lift it when her mother called her down for dinner. Startled by her mother, Joslyn gained composure by taking a deep breath of the sweet-smelling odor that filled her room.

As Joslyn sat at the dinning table with her family she thought to herself,"Instead of going outside, I'll go and investigate that rare yet mysterious light". Joslyn's mother noticed the peculiar expression on Joslyn's face and became concerned. "Joslyn are you feeling okay, do you need some medicine?" Joslyn was immediate in resonding, "No thanks mother, I'm doing well". Joslyn, not wanting her mother to suspect a thing, quickly joined the conversation over who would be clearing the dinner table and dishes.

Upon helping her dad with the dinner dishes, Joslyn placed her sweater on the hallway bench and went upstairs to her bedroom. Turning the doorknob to open her bedroom door, Joslyn noticed the doorknob was unpleasantly cold. Walking into her bedroom, Joslyn's first thought was, "Check under the bed". Joslyn paid no attention to the placement of the flowers on her vanity. The vanity was the least in Joslyn's mind. Joslyn found no trace of light under her bed and thought it was just her imagination. Once Joslyn rose to her feet, she turned to her vanity and saw the placement of the flowers.

Joslyn said aloud," I know those flowers didn't just place themselves there, someone or something had to have done it; but who?" Joslyn knew her mother and her father were downstairs and she just walked in from eating dinner. As Joslyn walked over to inspect her vanity, she again saw the luminous light. Joslyn, overcome with a cold feeling and anxiety turned and there in front of her stood an apparition of a little girl holding a daisy.