Chalk Talk

Published 5:34 pm Tuesday, September 23, 2014

GREYWOLF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Greywolf Reading AmeriCorps members Holly Ambro, Heather Conway and Jordan Goodman are hosting a training for folks interested in becoming reading tutors at Greywolf Elementary.

The training is targeted for new tutors and will be Oct. 1 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in Room 142.

For more information, contact our WA Reading AmeriCorps members at 582-3300.

HELEN HALLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Part 2 of reading tutor training will be from 3:15-4:15 p.m. Sept. 30 in the school library. If you have questions about the reading tutor program, contact Betsy Smith at bsmith@sequim.k12.wa.us.

Meeting a published author is always a treat for young writers. This week, second- and third-grade classes welcomed Dan Richards, a former student, to share his first picture book, “The Problem with NOT Being Scared of Monsters.” He shared how he developed engaging monster characters by creating bios and using an outline to plan for a story.

These second-grade writers were excited to take the lessons and create their own imaginative stories.

Following is a sampling of their work:

“The Shape Shifter”

Once there was a monster called the shape shifter. Nobody liked him because he looked scary. He tried tons of shapes but he could not find the right one. Suddenly, a small dog was walking by. Shape shifter had found the right shape. He made lots of dog friends. Ian Baylon

Billy really didn’t like his room because he always heard noises from under his bed. One night Billy heard a loud crash and was scared to look under his bed. But finally Billy looked under his bed and saw something move very fast. Billy got out of his bed, turned on the light and looked under his bed again and saw a MONSTER. Then he followed him for a long time. The finally he told the monster to get out and it did and Billy never saw it again. Marshall Phipps

One day I went to the fair and I played a game. If I won, I would get a prize and I won. I got a prize and it was a heavy box. I opened it and it was a monster. I screamed. Then I rushed to the house and I was shocked. Right when I got there it sprayed water and it shrank. We lived happily ever after. Surayah Dennis

One day at school a little girl walked to class and a monster was in class. No one knew why, it was crazy. She had to sit by it and it poked her. She said stop, but it did not, so she told the teacher and it got in trouble. Ryleigh Miller

“The Mall”

One day I went to the mall and there was a monster. It jumped out and scared me and when it scared me, I jumped. I looked at it for a minute and then I realized that it was my monster. I was mad at my monster because I did not like it when he scared me. I got mad at him and when I got home from the mall I went straight to my room. I was furious when I got home because I wanted my monster to go away. Please, I can’t live like this anymore. You have done enough. He was very sad and he left. Then I felt bad. I hurried to try to catch him, but I was too late. Savannah Francis

One day there was a nice little owl who lived in a tree in the wild. He loved the wild but there was one thing they had to watch out for, it was the hunter. Bum, bum bummmmmm! He was the best hunter ever and then BANG! It was a cage slamming down on the owl. The owl was scared. The hunter brought the owl to his lab. The nights passed and passed, but the owl knew something, he had friends. He wanted a great friend who was nice to him and who knew “the call.” The owl did the call. He tried it once, he didn’t hear anything. He tried it again and heard a whoosh. It was his friend, Owly who was strong and he used his sharp talons to break the cage. Then they flew back to the wild and the hunter never went back. Bryant Laboy

— Teresa Thorson, Susan Dufner, Renee Mullikin and Kaylee Kinzey, teachers

The Life Skills class enjoyed one of our last sunny days of summer grinding and pressing 80 pounds of local apples into fresh apple cider.

Students finished last spring’s school year studying plant growth and brought home vegetable starts for their family home gardens.

The beginning of this school year continued the plant growth unit theme with harvest and utilizes the plants that grow around us. Students have sampled locally grown fruits and vegetables and studied the structures of local tree fruits.

Sipping fresh pressed apple cider on a warm, late summer afternoon made all the grinding and pressing worth every drop, says teacher Peter Walchenbach.

Following are some monster bios created by students:

Cassy Schweitzer’s monster

Name: Spikefire

Height: 20 feet

Weight: 100 pounds

Color: red

Habitat: in a cave

Diet: anything

Talent: Sticking

Hobbies: Burning

Sterling Rowland’s monster

Name: Shapesator

Height: 9 feet, 1 inch

Weight: 110 pounds

Color: multicolored

Habitat: anywhere

Diet: starfish, erasers and chicken wings

Talent: lifts buildings up

Hobbies: likes rock and roll

Fun facts: He can take out his spikes. He likes candy.

Sara German’s monster

Name: Gralf

Height: 16 inches

Weight: 100 pounds

Color: purple and yellow

Habitat: in a bowling alley

Diet: bowling meatballs

Talent: bowling

Hobbies: bowling and knocking down things

Gralf forms his body into a bowling ball and his eyes are where the two holes for your finger go in a bowling ball.

SEQUIM HIGH SCHOOL

Open House is Monday, Sept. 29, from 6-8 p.m., starting in the cafeteria.

Principal Shawn Langston says, “This is a night for parents and guardians to visit our school, meet their students’ teachers and observe the quality instruction that takes place at Sequim High School.”

The Preliminary SAT exam is coming. The PSAT test will be given on campus from 8-11:15 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15.

Juniors will have priority registration through Friday, Sept. 26. Sophomores and home school students may register starting Monday, Sept. 29.

A limited number of tests are available, so register early. The testing fee is $14, payable to Sequim High School.

To register, submit payment to Janet Peterson in the main office.

Students will receive a copy of The Official Student Guide to the PSAT when they register. A limited number of fee waivers are available. Students need to see their counselor for more information.