Student Models

I Am Latvia In the beginning, my people were primitive, and they used my resources to survive. They used stone, and then bronze and iron for tools. They traded with other peoples from afar, beyond my reaches. They became clever and prosperous; they built permanent homes for themselves. I was happy. I am beautiful. I stretch from the Baltic Sea to the southern Daugava River, and the lands within are rich. Or, at least, they once were . . . before the invaders came. But my lands had contained riches, of dolomite and lumber, and most of all, of amber.

If I Were President If I were president, I’d be responsible. I’d look alert and run the United States like it should be run. I’d be honest. Then the people would trust me. I would be a good president because I have faith in the people of the United States.

If Only They Knew Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that I struggled with for the majority of my middle school years and a portion of my high school years. My classmates at Riverview High School were aware of my disorder, and it greatly affected the way they treated me. At the start of my junior year, I transferred to Madison High School. I decided not to tell anyone at that school about my eating disorder since I was mostly recovered by that time.

Indy’s Life Story I am going to tell you about my dog and how I got him. I don’t remember exactly how it happened, but at some point my parents asked if I wanted to have a dog. I, of course, said yes. We couldn’t decide what kind of dog to get at first, but at last we found a great breed, the Shetland sheepdog. We called a good breeder. I was so excited about getting a dog! Before I knew it, I was on my way to the breeder. I went inside and saw dogs everywhere. It was so hard to pick which one to get. I saw one I liked. It was a small blue merle.

Internet Plagiarism Not all thieves lurk in dark alleys and parks. Some sit with their faces lit by the glow of their computer monitors, copying, pasting, and printing. It may seem like just another helpful source of information, but the Internet has taken the theft of “intellectual property” to a new level. Part of the problem is that most students don’t really know the exact definition of plagiarism or its consequences.

It’s a Boy! “Congratulations, you have a new baby boy!” my child-development teacher said as she handed over the 10-pound bundle. Last year in my high school child-development class, each student had to take the “Think-It-Over” baby home for a night to get a taste of parenthood. Even before I received the baby, I knew I was not ready to be a parent as a senior in high school. I could still remember when my brother and sister were little and I would have to take care of them all the time.

Jet Bikes Have you ever run a business from a playhouse? My friends and I have. It is a bike shop. We call it Jet Bikes. One day my friend Trent asked me and my brother Jared if we wanted to build a bike shop out of his old playhouse. Jared and I said, “Yes.” So we went to get permission from my mom to go to Trent’s house and get started. The first thing we did was get some things out of his garage. We got old, rusty bolts; new, shiny nuts; black tape; wrenches; half-empty cans of oil; and screws. Then we built a new roof for the playhouse.

Ladybugs Ladybugs are insects. Insects are bugs that have six legs. Ladybugs have all kinds of designs on their wings. They have dots, stripes, and other designs. In England ladybugs are called ladybirds. Ladybugs are harmless, but if you pick one up it will tickle you! Ladybugs are very helpful to farmers because they eat aphids. Aphids are tiny bugs that eat plants. Ladybugs’ enemies are spiders and praying mantises. If you find a ladybug, don’t smash it. Put it in some flowers nearby. If you like ladybugs as much as I do, then you should read The Grumpy Ladybug by Eric Carle.

Leaf Person One morning, I turned into a leaf person. I went outside. A wind blew me away—far away. Another heavy, heavy wind blew me everywhere in the whole world. It never stopped! Then it blew me to outer space. I was floating in space. I went to Mars, but I saw nothing. I went back to Earth. I didn’t know where I was, so I went on a rocket, back to space, to the moon. When I landed there, there was nothing but crust, holes, and craters. Then there was another special wind. It was special because it blew from land to space. I was floating in space again!

Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, I’m writing to you about the Teacher-Who-Made-a-Difference contest. Ms. Wells made a difference to me! I think she should be the winner of your contest. Ms. Wells has done so much for me and for all of her students; this is the least I can do for her. First of all, Ms. Wells is helpful. She’s willing to help anyone in the classroom who needs help. My teacher always helps us with worksheets. On Friday, she showed me how to do something in math. If you ask her for help, she’ll help you. In addition, Ms. Wells is a kind person.

Limadastrin When you wish to challenge Death, Seek the one the Hares call Seth. When you find out where he lies, Look to the northeastern skies. Travel to the redstone house; Do not wake a single Mouse. On the night of Nameday Feast, You must leave and travel east. Do not meet the Greatrat horde. Build a boat, get right on board; Travel east across the lake. Still—a noise you must not make! Once you reach the mountain bold, All the mystery will unfold.

Linden’s Library It was a normal Saturday on Oak Street—the same morning dew sparkling on the grass, the same cherry blossoms swaying in the breeze, the same daffodils bursting with color. Yes, as far as anyone could tell, it was a normal day in Washington, D.C. When Katie awoke, she got dressed, brushed her teeth and hair, and checked her “to do” list. Then she hurried down for breakfast: rich, fluffy, chocolate-chip pancakes; fresh orange juice; crispy bacon; and crunchy, buttered toast.