The Connection 2020

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<a href="https://sites.google.com/gdrsd.us/comm-history/home?authuser=0">The History of Communication</a> <a href="https://sites.google.com/gdrsd.us/comm-history/home?authuser=0">Benjamin Glanville, Grade 7</a>

~Why We Should Stay Connected~ &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Some of us may think, why does it even matter that we should all talk to each other and stay in touch? Well, humans need to talk to people and be social in order to stay happy and have a good state of mind. If you stay at home and play video games all day and make no effort to be social, you can get depressed and become sad which isn’t good for your body or your mind. And especially during times like these, if you have no friends or family to talk to, you need to make connections with anyone around you. Psychcentral.com states, “Scientifically, we are well aware that isolation and loneliness can raise stress levels, and physical touch is a powerful stress-reducer. A hug can not only reduce interpersonal conflict, but it can also strengthen our immune response and mental health by flooding our bodies with oxytocin, a “bonding hormone” that makes us feel secure and reduces stress. Additionally, touch can be calming for someone in distress since it offers support and empathy.” This shows that being connected all the time really does matter and because of social distancing it is quite difficult. Staying connected does good things for everyone because we all know we have people there for us and that they support us and we always have someone to talk to if we feel down or need any help in any way. Staying connected with family and friends means that they can help you feel valued and support you to keep doing the things you enjoy. There should never be any negativity around you and if there is, confront it or ignore it and keep being happy.

Click to play.

Air Nomads and Avatar: The Last Airbender Lucian Keane, Grade 7 Avatar: the Last Airbender is a show driven by culture and balance. The Fire Nation, having wiped out one of the Air Nomads in the beginning of the Hundred Year War, with only one of them surviving: Aang, the last Airbender. A good portion of the show's lore is established in the culture of the Nations, no matter how subtle. And,&nbsp;It’s interesting that the Air Nomads’ lore is heavily based on Tibetan culture, the Shaolin Monks, and Sri Lankan Buddhism, with other influences drawn from Hinduism. Aspects of these cultures are drawn into the show, creating conflicts - the most notable one being Aang’s reluctance to kill Ozai. Then again there are other aspects of the cultures that I wanted to talk about, and how if they were to be incorporated in the show, it would affect the plot. Tibetan Culture Aang is something akin to the Dalai Lama, a spiritual leader believed to be reincarnated when he dies. The process of searching for the next leader can take years, when the boy is found he goes through a series of tests as a way to ensure that he is the rebirth of the previous Dalai Lama. There is a secret set of criteria against which the child is assessed. In addition to this, the main test consists of presenting the boy with a number of items to see if he can select those which belonged to the previous leader. Something similar to how the monks found the next Avatar.

Constellations &amp; Astrology Adya Creek, Grade 7

<a href="bookcreator://page/4DbGIcMlRduSdetiMriuUg">How to Stay Safe During the Coronavirus by Mary Lafone</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/4DbGIcMlRduSdetiMriuUg">Presentation, Page 31</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/bfDM7T-0QwiWTXfyezwNUA">Why Technology is Important During Quarantine by Roman Cirignano</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/bfDM7T-0QwiWTXfyezwNUA">Essay, Page 32</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/bwGXU0FTSgCWw7Xewpd_iw">How to Survive a Pandemic by Alex Luening</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/bwGXU0FTSgCWw7Xewpd_iw">Presentation, Page 33</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/JhXOCP7kQnir7X0igYcYlw">Manual Override by Michelle French</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/JhXOCP7kQnir7X0igYcYlw">Fiction, Page 34</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/6TAe6UXUSC214rIeyverkg">"Boeing" by Liam McDonald</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/6TAe6UXUSC214rIeyverkg">Drawing, Page 41</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/LfooYFamQJW2BNXvJXY6qA">The Truth About Betta Fish by Anoushk Yadav</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/LfooYFamQJW2BNXvJXY6qA">Essay, Page 42</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/xg9h3qjtQXqXQTH_qcu94Q">The Effects of Animals on Us by Annabella Farley</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/xg9h3qjtQXqXQTH_qcu94Q">Presentation, Page 45</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/gwsy9dXJQPO9jFdku7wtKQ">Not Alone by Jenna Tootill</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/gwsy9dXJQPO9jFdku7wtKQ">Essay, Page 46</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/v4pHC0tKS66TWIX1t22aDQ">Adopting a Dog by Annabelle Arpigian</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/v4pHC0tKS66TWIX1t22aDQ">Presentation, Page 48</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/bJyvILwNR168aogvG13vrQ">Lincoln Stays Home by Ms. Linda Jones</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/bJyvILwNR168aogvG13vrQ">Picture Book, Page 49</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/SsXIR1BlTrOavq7LFbDNFw">"It's Not That Big a Deal" by Paige McNamara</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/SsXIR1BlTrOavq7LFbDNFw">Fiction, Page 50</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/xe-R-7-FRomQDuX1R2z42A">Memories by Anjou Edwards</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/xe-R-7-FRomQDuX1R2z42A">Poem, Page 55</a>

Ways to Stay Connected Alexandra Paul, Grade 5 During the COVID-19 pandemic, where social distancing has become our new normal, we are growing closer in some areas and in other areas, we are craving more connection than ever before. Connection means different things to different people. To me, connection means adapting by rolling with other ways of doing things, embracing each other as equals, and spending time together in different ways. During this time in history, many people are finding that everything feels very emotional and scary. Luckily, there are many ways to make connections from a distance with friends, family, school, and our community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp; Friends play important roles in many people's lives, as they accept you how you are. No matter what, you are equals - no less and no more. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, you may have been hugging, holding hands, having a playdate, or even a sleepover. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, all of the normal connections that we are used to have changed. Now you can’t do any of the things you may have done before to connect. Though, there are still many ways to connect without being with somebody. A few ways you can connect with friends is over technology, by using FaceTime, Facebook Messenger, Email, Text, Houseparty, Google Hangouts, Zoom, and more. Before people had technology, they would connect by sending letters or becoming penpals. I believe that we should also be writing letters or becoming penpals with somebody because our friends may need someone to talk to, or you may need their support during this time. Plus receiving a letter right now would brighten your day for sure. Before the COVID-19 pandemic happened, I was craving more connection with my family, because our schedules were too busy. Now, it feels like the pandemic has gifted us with more time together as a family. Currently, we spend our days together and we eat all of our meals as a family. Also, we do many things to pass time as a family, such as, going on walks, bike rides, hikes, and playing games. Also, my mom, my dad, my sister, and I love watching American Idol together every Sunday night. We enjoy this time because we can snuggle, relax, and enjoy ourselves without being worried or stressed about the pandemic or school work. Also my 2 siblings and I have grown closer throughout this time. We are watching movies, playing games, and so much more. Also, we all have gotten used to helping

Wake up. Cereal in the white bowl with the smallest spoon. Nothing. Sleep.&nbsp; Wake up. Cereal in the white bowl with the smallest spoon.&nbsp; Nothing. Sleep. Wake up.&nbsp; Cereal in the white bowl with the smallest spoon. Sleep. Wake up.&nbsp; Cereal in the white bowl with the smallest spoon. Through hazy, swollen eyes, I check my phone.&nbsp; There is one new&nbsp;notification. “How r u? Miss u. :)” I recognize after a moment that tears are falling down my face. My dam has broken. So I let it out.

connect other than using Zoom such as using Google Classroom, so our teachers can tell us what we have to do for work. Also most kids use Gmail Hangouts to communicate with each other. Gmail Hangouts is a great way to communicate because you can create groups with multiple people. I believe that all of the teachers have made it easy for us to adapt to everything, and they made it so we can still connect without having to go through a lot of trouble. While this pandemic is going on, our community may need us more than we think. The community needs us to keep their businesses open, or to have a sense of hope, and they may need food or help. There are many ways you can help your community. One way to help your community is by ordering takeout or ordering things online to keep the businesses you love open. Another way to help our community is by giving a sense of hope or spreading kindness. I have done this by making cakes for my family and friends for their birthdays or making them “paper hugs” with my hand prints cut out and connected with string. Also, we had a family friend sew masks for us and others in the community as well as for healthcare workers There are many other ways to spread hope and kindness throughout your community. One last way to help your community is by donating food to people who are homeless, or people who have lost their jobs and don't have enough money to pay for food. Donating to food banks or shelters is a great way to help your community.&nbsp; The historical COVID-19 pandemic has created some unwelcome changes in our lives, leaving us craving connection. However, there are many ways to connect with others from a safe distance. From using zoom for school to baking cakes for friends and family. As Helen Keller once wisely said “ Alone we can do so little together we can do so much. ” To me, this quote means even though we may not be standing next to each other every day we are still able to do so much together.

Connection Photoset Ms. Maria Viera Spanish Teacher

Flowers, Leaves, Branches, limbs, tree, trunk, ground. They all connect!

Together We Will Make a Difference! Black Lives Matter!

Connecting to our culture via traditional food.

The Tale of Two Friends John Terhune, Grade 8 Two years ago, on this very day, Two friends were forced to depart. As each went on their separate way, Their friendship tore apart. Except the last statement that was said Wasn’t entirely true.&nbsp; For each held each other in their hearts And knew that their friendship wasn’t through. Days and weeks flew by in a blur, And the two friends started to grow older; But they still didn’t forget what they had When they both had turned their shoulders. Finally, one friend decided that he wanted to see the other, So he went searching for the one he had missed. He decided to go home to the place where it started, And what he saw broke through the mist.&nbsp; For right before him, a figure stepped out of the shadows, Her voice exclaiming with glee: “There you are! I could wait no longer!” And they both ran at each other like they were set free. The tale of the two friends is one recited by many To show the importance of connection; For there is nothing more important Than coming together with love and affection.

Five and a Half: Chapter 1 Alia McCarthy, Grade 8 You know, 54% of children are neglected. 54%. That’s a lot. And 15 years ago, my mother must have asked herself, “How can I change that?” And her answer must have been by adding one more child to that statistic. Me. I’m Rose, and this is my story.&nbsp; ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rose woke up with a start, feeling somewhat refreshed by her sleep. It may have helped that she used three face masks last night, but its the same thing. Bright sunlight streamed in from her red curtain framed window as she slowly became aware of the honks and beeps of drivers swarming the crowded streets of New York City. Rose got out of bed and slipped her feet into her red bunny slippers as she thought about what she was doing for today.&nbsp; Her train of thought was broken as her maid brought her breakfast on a shiny red tray. She carefully placed the tray on the bed as Rose said, “Did you make sure to make my toast perfect, Madeleine?” Madeleine only nodded her head, as she did not speak much English. Rose waved her maid out of her room with a flick of her hand as she sipped on her orange juice. Ugh. It’s pulpy. I’m going to kill Madeleine. She thought as she ate her toast. Once Rose finished her breakfast, she flung open the doors to her closet with a little extra drama than usual.&nbsp; She spent some time selecting the perfect outfit for the day. She eventually decided on a red Burberry dress with her signature hat, a pair of high heels and her usual makeup. A careful flick of eyeliner here and there, some lipstick and she was good to go. She gave her blonde hair a final toss as she quietly left her room and grabbed her backpack. The city air was cool today, slightly smelling like chicken from all the street food vendors.&nbsp;

Elena nods as Ryley stands up from the couch with a yawn and a stretch, before they walk over to the little sectioned off kitchen, fishing out their cell phone from their back pocket as they go. Elena watches them for a moment before she turns her gaze back to her phone. Opening up the contact in her messages, she sends a quick text to her old friend and then turns off her phone. Whether he responded or not was now out of her control. With a sigh, Elena stands up as well and tucks her phone into the front pocket of her hoodie with a melancholic smile. As Elena heads over to the kitchen’s counter to sit on a stool while she waits out the food, her mind can’t help but to wander to her past. ----- It had all started while in quarantine during the CoronaVirus pandemic. Elena was spending her days sheltered in her room, hiding away from her arguing parents and trying to block out the world with her music and whatever she could find online. While scrolling through a forum of some show she was binge-watching and participating in conversations and arguments alike, she came across a specific person who she ended up chatting with for a long period of time. They swapped theories and complained about plot points, quickly becoming fast friends. At the end of their exchange, they had deviated far from their original topic and decided to give each other their Instagram accounts so they could continue their conversation in private. Elena and the person who she had learned was named Lee continued to talk, and the conversation quickly devolved into sending dumb pictures back and forth to make each other laugh. The conversation continued on like this until Elena was interrupted by a loud pounding on her door. “Dinner,” her mother said gruffly before her footsteps retreated back down the stairs. Reluctantly, Elena sent a message to Lee saying she had to leave for dinner, and resigned herself to yet another meal filled with passive aggressive comments and judgmental stares. Her phone dinged once more as she was leaving the room, but she barely registered it as her mind was plagued with the worst case scenarios that were guaranteed to come with her family meals.

Manual Override Michelle French, Grade 8 Click, Click, Click I clicked my pen, over, and over again. The rhythmic tapping of the pen drowned out the lecture. Mr. Robert's voice droned in the back of my head, but all I could hear was the "Click, Click, Click" of the pen. None of us wanted to be here, not even the teacher. Sometimes I look at people when I'm bored and wonder what their life was like, before this mess. Mr. Roberts; He probably had a boring life before all this mayhem. Maybe he was a programmer or an accountant. He could have been a retail worker for all I know. Yeah. He probably worked at Walmart, I suppressed a half-hearted giggle. It's not like there was anything special about him. Just about three years ago, no one would have thought that we'd end up living like this. Training for jobs we didn't even like; Spending hours in a single class with only thirteen people. Who even cared about cell mutations? Who cared about what the government's fancy scientists were doing? It was their problem, not mine. Really, if you think about it, it was their fault we were down here. I really, really, missed the old world, but the only other option to living down here, was being consumed by the virus. I'd watched it as the virus consumed my best friend alive. That was an image that would never escape my mind, and I remember it like it was yesterday. It had been mid-day when my father called home. His voice quivered as he ordered us to watch the news. The sheer terror I had felt that day still lingered in my heart. Only a week later, during the beginning of the lockdown, Althea showed up at our doorstep crying. The sight of her bloody arm caught my attention. I stood dumbstruck as I watched the virus crawl up her veins like a vine, and her skin turned a slightly purplish hue like she was suffocating. I let out a bloodcurdling scream and slammed the door shut, My mom locked the doors and hid us in the basement. She frantically dialed the police, and by the time the men in hazmat suits arrived, she was nowhere to be seen. I never saw her again, and I never would, but after that, the virus spread rapidly from one person to another. Two months later, those same individuals ushered us, and hundreds of others down the halls of a sterile chamber to be disinfected. I have yet to see the sky again. A hot tear trickled down my face, and I snapped back to

Even though our brains have much higher functions that allow us to make art, build things, and drive cars, the “Lizard Brain” reactions are still there too! They’re the things that tell us “Do this to survive!” I’m calling this “Lizard Brain”, but we are mammals, not lizards. Here’s a question: How are we different from lizards and reptiles? One large difference is that mammals have much more complex emotions compared to reptiles. “Our emotions are processed in several regions that together are loosely called the "limbic system." They form a ring around our "lizard brain" regions, which evolved earlier. Mammal brains also have an outer layer called a cortex, which helps us control our emotions and make complex decisions.” We usually have stronger emotional bonds with family. We also have better memories, especially memories created with strong emotions. Next time you feel hungry, or are scared of something, remember: that’s your lizard brain at work!

References “Beyond Our Lizard Brain: AMNH.” American Museum of Natural History,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/brain-the-inside-story/your-emotional-brain/beyond-our-lizard-brain">www.amnh.org/exhibitions/brain-the-inside-story/your-emotional-brain/beyond-our-lizard-brain.</a> Chmakova, Svetlana: “Brave” Yen Press 2017. <a href="https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/brain-the-inside-story/your-emotional-brain/beyond-our-lizard-brain">Beyond Our Lizard Brain | AMNH</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg6XUYWj-pk">3 Brain Systems That Control Your Behavior: Reptilian, Limbic, Neo Cortex | Robert Sapolsky</a>.

Playing games to pass time and having fun with each other, We start to realize the significance of one another.&nbsp; We lean back on our foundation,&nbsp; Through tough times and struggles, Causing us to be able to rebound together. Our family our Father, our siblings, our Mother, Our sisters, brothers, grandfathers, and grandmothers, Always will be there,&nbsp; As the underlying connections start to become clear to you, You realize you will always have someone that will be there for you.

<a href="bookcreator://page/_QxJd2KGRBOOkK2U3VmdfA">Community Love and Support by Makaila Meehan</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/_QxJd2KGRBOOkK2U3VmdfA">Video, Page 56</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/bzwKSUYsQxWYjGKeBBWa2w">The Perspective of the Game by Camryn Lesser</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/bzwKSUYsQxWYjGKeBBWa2w">Essay, Page 57</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/F79PQqPHTlmznd3oUx2EmQ">What Teamwork is and Why It's Important by Arwa Yahya</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/F79PQqPHTlmznd3oUx2EmQ">Presentation, Page 64</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/AvFtTBZ4QeCx1n1OKYt3rA">The Tale of Two Friends by John Terhune</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/AvFtTBZ4QeCx1n1OKYt3rA">Poem, Page 65</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/qg3ysZo-QdKN-kgT1bWYDQ">Unconscious: Chapter 1 by Jonathan Duffy</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/qg3ysZo-QdKN-kgT1bWYDQ">Fiction, Page 66</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/L3HN2B8gQLO8pHMcrK_LGw">The World of Dreams by Keren Noonan</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/L3HN2B8gQLO8pHMcrK_LGw">Presentation, Page 69</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/3IWMuRuUTAGHb6ryK6Ecdg">Air Nomads by Lucian Keane</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/3IWMuRuUTAGHb6ryK6Ecdg">Essay, Page 70</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/D0ArQcEHQSSKn_rGaijnJQ">Five and a Half: Chapter 1 by Alia McCarthy</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/D0ArQcEHQSSKn_rGaijnJQ">Fiction, Page 75</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/AlGpF5efTwKQ2sNdpLyDiQ">Connection by Ms. Maria Viera</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/AlGpF5efTwKQ2sNdpLyDiQ">Photoset, Page 78</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/1TegyQXWTIyNRxVFpQR5wg">The History of Communication by Benjamin Glanville</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/1TegyQXWTIyNRxVFpQR5wg">Website, Page 79</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/PGexi8zsQImjk_6YDauRFw">The Utter Horror of a Maine Cottage by Samantha Ellis</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/PGexi8zsQImjk_6YDauRFw">Fiction, Page 80</a>

Landscape &amp; Travel Photography by Ms. McCollumn Pages 6, 15, 22, 55, and 65

Food brings us comfort, helps us live longer, prompts us to share our cultures, informs us about food, and most all connects us together. An article from the National Magazine called the Joy of Food states, “Food is more than survival. With it we make friends, court lovers, and count our blessings. The sharing of food has always been part of the human story. From Qesem Cave near Tel Aviv comes evidence of ancient meals prepared at a 300,000-year-old hearth, the oldest ever found, where diners gathered to eat together. Retrieved from the ashes of Vesuvius: a circular loaf of bread with scoring marks, baked to be divided. “To break bread together,” a phrase as old as the Bible, captures the power of a meal to forge relationships, bury anger, provoke laughter. Children make mud pies, have tea parties, trade snacks to make friends, and mimic the rituals of adults. They celebrate with sweets from the time of their first birthday, and the association of food with love will continue throughout life—and in some belief systems, into the afterlife.

Consider the cultures that leave delicacies graveside to let the departed know they are not forgotten. And even when times are tough, the urge to celebrate endures. In the Antarctic in 1902, during Robert Falcon Scott’s Discovery expedition, the men prepared a fancy meal for Midwinter Day, the shortest day and longest night of the year. Hefty provisions had been brought on board. Forty-five live sheep were slaughtered and hung from the rigging, frozen by the elements until it was time to feast. The cold, the darkness, and the isolation were forgotten for a while. “With such a dinner,” Scott wrote, “we agreed that life in the Antarctic Regions was worth living.” — Victoria Pope” This states so vividly and beautifully how far food has gone to connect us and how long it has been doing it.

The Truth about Betta Fish Anoushk Yadav, Grade 8 Almost every child has had one. They would go to the store all excited and pick out one of the fish in the small containers and take them home. Let me guess, you named yours Nemo. (Haha, I knew it!) But then, within a few days, Nemo would die. The Siamese Fighting Fish, AKA the Betta Fish is one of the most common pets in the market. They are cheaply sold in almost every pet store and are noted as an “easy” pet. However, as colourful and “happy” the truth is, these fish face some of the worst treatment in the pet industry, leading to them suffering in the millions. Small Tanks Most people make the mistake of keeping their fish in a small tank or vase, often holding less than a gallon. When an organism is placed within a small system, ammonia (fish wastes and leftover food) builds up faster.&nbsp;At high concentrations of 2500 to 4500 ppm, this chemical can be highly toxic to fish, which restricts access to oxygen. Betta fish are what are called labyrinth fish. They possess a special breathing structure called a labyrinth. They take gulps of air from the surface of the water which passes through their labyrinth into their bloodstream. But without sufficient oxygen and high levels of ammonia, the toxins burn the gills, leaving them to choke off respiratory problems. Small bowls or tanks don’t even offer sufficient swimming space. Pet stores ignore these facts, storing bettas in small cups that restrict oxygen flow and don’t provide filters, leaving customers to see dead or ill fish in the containers!

Connection in the Chaos Annabelle Lowney, Grade 8 I wake up at 11 am. Get dressed. Stumble down the stairs. I eat my cereal from the white bowl with the smallest spoon. I drink exactly half a cup of juice. I go back upstairs and lie in my bed looking at my phone until 2 pm.&nbsp; I check my phone. No new notifications.&nbsp; I take a nap. Then I wake up flustered, wondering what time it is.&nbsp; It’s 6 pm.&nbsp; I eat dinner with my family. Mom suggests that we watch a movie or play a game.&nbsp; I tell her I’m too tired and I go back upstairs. I watch tv until I fall asleep at 2 am. I wake up. Get dressed. Stumble down the stairs.&nbsp; Eat cereal from the white bowl with the smallest spoon,&nbsp; and drink exactly half a cup of juice. &nbsp;Lie in my bed until 2. &nbsp;Check my phone. Nothing. Go to sleep. &nbsp;Wake up flustered, not knowing what time it is. Check my phone, nothing.&nbsp; Barely touch dinner.&nbsp; Deny my mom’s request to watch a movie.&nbsp; Mindlessly watch tv until I fall asleep at 2 am.

Rose felt compelled to say something, to break the silence in any way, and she wasn't sure if her mother would say anything first, but she decided to take the risk and said “Hello Mom.” Not so much as a glance in her direction. She watched as she balanced on her thin heels, a trick not many could do. Then finally, the thing Rose had been waiting the entire time for, a very delayed, yet acknowledgement nonetheless, “Hi.” Rose took note of her mothers outfit, a short maroon and black dress. How quaint. Stephanie took a quick look at her daughter, just a quick once over, but still enough to see and judge her looks. Rose noticed this and felt accomplished. “I’d like you to meet a few people I’ve brought over.” A little jolt of excitement went through her body. Mom deemed me important enough to meet some of her friends? This was new. And good.&nbsp; “And you should know, they’re your half sisters. Come on, I’m going to pick them up from the airport”&nbsp; “I have half sisters?! Why did you never tell me?” Rose was in complete shock, trying to take in this information. She wasn’t quite sure what to do, and many questions were going through her head. Who were these girls? How many of them were there? Would they go to her school? She longed to ask, but she knew better than to annoy her mother.

A severe build-up of ammonia and debris. These cups are often left on the shelves not treated or cleaned.

Diet Betta fish are also commonly placed in small vases with plants. Plants are extremely beneficial to any system and promote the nitrogen cycle, the process of converting various bacteria and waste products. Bacteria called Nitrosomonas consume ammonia acid and release a less toxic chemical called nitrate. However, betta fish are left alone in these conditions and are expected to eat the roots of plants and other vegetation matter. In nature, betta fish are mostly carnivorous animals that mostly consume insects and insect larvae. Without proper nutrients, the betta fish will get sick and slowly starve to death. Water Conditions As the nitrogen cycle continues, nitrate requires anaerobic, free oxygen. The only way to add more of this is to change the water of the tank. However, many people are inexperienced on this concept, believing tap water or any water will work. Depending on where you live, the ph, or acidity of the tap water can range from 6.5 (acidic) to 8.5 (hard). Tap water is not safe for fish due to certain toxins in the water such as unfit ph and chlorine. That is why the water must be dosed with a dechlorinator. The temperature of the water must also remain at 78 degrees Fahrenheit. These specific needs make betta fish not so suitable for beginners, or at least requires some research beforehand.

Ways of Friendship Avery Columbus, Grade 7

The Utter Horror of a Maine Cottage Samantha Ellis, Grade 5 I trudged up a slope of mud, adorned with horrid, soggy fragments of weed, leading to my temporary home. According to my cousin, no one had lived there in decades. I was thoroughly exhausted after the long road trip it took to arrive here, and I was looking forward to a good night’s rest in the night ahead. Rainfall relentlessly pounded down on the flat, wet roof of the rent-out house in Naples, Maine. But there was no one there to see it. Hail pricked the soaked stack of birch wood sitting uncovered outside. But there was no one there to see it. Freshly cold snow froze the grass, covering the yard in a silent, white layer. But there was no one there to see it. Lightning lashed out from the merciless, angry-gray clouds. But there was no one there to see it. Black mountains of water sloshed against the rocks down behind the house, threatening to engulf the entire yard in one gulp. But there was no one there to see it. A blood-curdling, echoing scream came winding through the lurking shadows of the house, and the sound reached my ears. But there was no one there to hear it. Yet. I didn’t get much sleep that nightmarish night. When I first stepped into the cottage, the first thing that I noticed ``were the worn, plain yellow walls. Some may say that yellow is quite a cheery color, but in that hallway, no, it wasn’t. The second thing that I noticed was a grandfather clock standing directly in the center of the hallway, blocking my path. Confused, I was forced to set down my bags in order to push the antique clock out of the way of the route to my room. After a moment of grunting and shoving the heavy grandfather clock out of my way, without warning, the part of the hallway that I was in, filled with an unexplanatory chill. I shivered, wishing that I had brought some type of sweater, and turned to see if the wind outside had slithered into the cottage, but the door was sealed shut tightly. I shrugged my shoulders, and by then the chill had wafted away to places unknown, I thought nothing of what had just happened. I spun on my heel to collect my bags and move up, to the second story. When I looked at where my bags had been, they were not there. My eyes drifted around the dim hallway, searching frantically. I did not understand; my bags should have been right where I had left them. Dreary with exhaustion, I decided that I could look for the bags the next morning, when I had gained some rest.

In season three, Aang begins wearing clothing akin to something the Dalai Lama would wear, Where as in Buddhist tradition, the Dalai Lamas’ right arm would be uncovered. Now, most people assume that the rules for being a decent human being come from the Vinaya, the code of monastic regulations allegedly laid down by the Buddha himself. However, there are many multiple sets of these Vinaya, with differences between them. Virtually all commentators in English refer to the Theravada Vinaya when discussing these rules, and Westerners seem to believe that what the Theravada Vinaya says goes for all forms of Buddhism, but they hold no authority in Tibet. Rather, the Tibetan sangha is based on the Vinaya of the Mulasarvastivada School, which isn’t largely spoken of in the West. Even then, it isn’t a reliable source of where the root of the Dalai Lama’s or other monks’ stance on the LGBTQIA+ community comes from, as most of the ideas come from later commentaries by authoritative monks of the Indo-Tibetan tradition. It would be wise to consider that Tibetan Monks weren’t the only culture used in making Air Nomads, so I can’t just look at the Vinaya of the Mulasarvastivada School. The Theravada Vinaya, which comes from Southern Buddhism (As in, the Southern Air Temple, so it’s more than likely that Aang followed the Theravada Vinaya more than the others), is considered to be the more traditional form of Buddhism. The Theravada Vinaya forbids Buddhist monks and nuns from having sexual relationships with men, women and those of other genders, such as pandanka - people who don't conform to sexual norms. Although it doesn't specifically target LGBT culture. So in the graphic novel Turf Wars, when Korra and Asami were told that the Air Nomads were fine with LGBT people, it was probably wrong. As, again, I’m not 100% sure that they even had any of the Vinyanas’.

Welcome to The Connection, a multimedia magazine that showcases our talented school community. In this publication, you will find a variety of genres and mediums (in no particular order) all focused on what makes us connected. Topics range from food, pets, science, history, hobbies, friendship, and beyond. Though we had to spend the last few months apart, the work here proves that we are still connected. Many thanks to all of the students, teachers, and parents who helped make this happen!

The Connection GDRMS June 2020 Editing Staff: Ms. Danielle Patenaude Catherine Daly Lindsay Ketelhohn

Patrick awoke dizzy and dazed, he began to come to his senses when he realized he was in one of the seats to the auditorium, only he couldn't move, he looked down to see a series of straps crossing his chest and legs. He took a quick look around and saw that every seat in the auditorium had been occupied by a scared straight 7th grader. He then saw a huge machine in the middle of the stage with TV monitors surrounding it. The machine had hundreds of tubes sticking out of it, he was startled by the sound of approaching footsteps. One of the masked men was walking towards him carrying some sort of helmet. “Keep still,” a low voice growled as he attached the helmet onto Patrick's head. There was a long tube sticking out of it which he then realized was connected to the machine on center stage. A quiet buzz followed by a sharp pain shot through Patrick's body. Before he could scream in pain the machine and all of the monitors illuminated with light just as he fell unconscious. A few moments later Patrick awoke, he looked around and saw that he was in a sandy clearing surrounded by houses, one by one people began to materialize from a blue light that blinded him. He recognized these people, these were his classmates. Before anyone had time to panic or ask what was going on a red ball as bright as the sun appeared, temporarily blinding everyone in the clearing. Patrick looked up to see a red cloaked figure floating above them, he gazed upon the surrounding kids and began to speak. “Greetings, children of the United States,” the cloaked figure began, “I am the general of the Iranian army, and I have brought you here to this dream.” A dream!? Patrick thought then the masked man continued.

"It's Not That Big of a Deal" Paige McNamara, Grade 8 Elena sits on the couch in her apartment’s living room as she mindlessly scrolls through her phone’s contacts, deleting the multitude of people she no longer remembers off of the list. The room is small like the rest of the apartment, but the walls are covered in pictures of friends, artsy photos, and paintings that give it a lived-in and cozy feel. The door to the apartment clicks open as her partner, Ryley, comes through the door, giving Elena a wave as a way of greeting. They tiredly drop off their bag against the wall of the room before collapsing onto the couch next to her and leaning their head against her shoulder with a sigh. “Rough day?” Elena asks knowingly, setting down her phone temporarily so she can turn her full attention to her melodramatic partner beside her. She’s simply answered with a long, suffering groan as Ryley slumps further into the couch and, in turn, her shoulder. Elena laughs lightly, patting their head in sympathy, before returning to her task. The two young adults sit in comfortable silence for a period of time, Elena still scrolling through her contacts and Ryley seemingly content in their position leaning against her while watching her progress through half-lidded eyes. The calmness that had settled over the household is only broken by Elena as she makes a humming noise upon coming across a contact labeled “Lee”. “Who’s that?” Ryley questions as Elena opens the contact. “An old internet friend of mine who helped me out with some stuff I was dealing with back during the whole CoronaVirus thing,” she responds distractedly. “I wonder how he’s doing now?” Ryley, sensing the sudden souring of her mood, sits up from their position and shifts their whole body to look at Elena before speaking. “I bet he’s doing just fine,” they say, taking Elena’s hand in theirs and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Now, how about I order some Chinese food and you can tell me all about him over dinner.”

I found the tan carpeted stairs that supposedly led to the second story. I walked straight into the first room I saw. Not bothering to change into something suitable for sleep, (but it wasn’t like I could without my bags), I crawled into a wooden&nbsp;bed fixed in the middle of the room. The walls in the room were covered in old paintings of various wooden ships, carved out of glossy wood, being violently tossed around in the deep, sharp waves, supposedly during a terrible storm. I gave them one last wary look, and closed my eyes, welcoming the world of dreams to take over. But those dreams never came. I tossed and turned, until my legs became tightly wrapped in the quilt. I sighed, sitting up to untangle myself. That was when the sounds started. I heard a horrible screech from downstairs, followed by a child's wail. I quickly untangled my blankets, and buried my head underneath them, my heart beating, hoping that the noise was only my imagination. But when the screech sounded out again, I knew it could not be only my imagination. I didn’t dare make any sound. Scraping sounds could be heard from downstairs, and it was coming closer, closer. And now I could hear a faint, gravelly voice right outside my door. “Lower the masts!” Then another voice, this one very low. “She’s going down… Every man for himself!” The overpowering scent of a salty sea surged into the room. I was shaking, and I wanted to curl up into a tiny, invisible ball, but I could not, for I was frozen from the touches of the long fingers of fear. There was someone, something, right outside my door. I rubbed my arms, feeling the goosebumps rising on them. I gasped, then covered my mouth, hoping I was not heard, as the wooden door to my room slowly creaked open. I closed my eyes and covered my ears, as the scraping sound got louder and louder. Suddenly, my blankets were whipped off of the bed, and I shrieked in horror. All I heard was “Another storm on the horizon!” and the door to my room slammed behind me. I was shaking, as the scraping and screeching sounds could be heard echoing down stairs. I crawled over to the side of my bed, ready to pull my quilt back up, but when I looked over the side of my bed, The quilt had disappeared, and in their place were my bags! I gasped in shock. How had this happened? I turned to peek at the clock, which read 2:00 A.M. I hastily tumbled back into bed. I did not have the courage to step out of my room for a second quilt, so I silently shivered for a few minutes, or possibly even an hour, I did not know. I didn’t even notice when the grandfather clock never chimed. I looked to the window on the far side of my room, and saw the outline of a shadowy figure peering into my

Whatever the emergency was, didn't matter, and I didn't want to stick around to find out what it was. Keeping My Abuelita safe was top-priority. She was all I had left. The elevator halted, and I dragged her down the halls. Footsteps echoed through the air, and I listed for the direction they were coming from. I pulled her into a dark dead end. I held my breath and shut my eyes tight. The footsteps grew louder, and I watched as multiple bulky figures ran past the corridor. The American flag was embellished on their uniforms, and they brandished guns and heavy armor. &nbsp;They were security officers. I had no doubt that they would risk their lives for the government, meaning they were running towards the problem. That means that we have to go this way. I thought frantically. I started to run, and my grandma followed, keeping the same pace. Her nimble and able-body surprised me. She hardly left our housing complex. We reached a large room with machines and computers everywhere; Mounted on the walls and everything. I smiled at the massive cylindrical door that vaguely represented an elevator. "It's an elevator, I think... We can finally escape," I cried. I searched the central console for a way out. &nbsp;I powered it on, and a massive error notification filled the screen. Alarms have been set, Enable Manual Override. I clicked the button over and over again until the glass panels started to shift. The glass split apart, revealing an opening to walk into. I led my Abuelita into the elevator and searched for a lever or a button to press. A single button presented itself on the wall. How did I not see that? I wondered. The technology was so unusual and advanced lately that I somewhat expected it to cause an explosion. I tapped it. Nothing exploded, fortunately, but the platform we were on did rise into the air. That was something. The ceiling cracked open and blinding light showered down from above. I gasped at how bright it was; We were positioned on a grand field, and I gasped at the sight of the big fluffy clouds. I couldn't look at the sun; it was far too bright. Tita gaped at the sight. Her eyes were more radiant than I had ever seen, and they twinkled in the sunlight.

"I thought I'd never see this again," She said. I stepped onto the lush grass. I turned around to see a break in the trees. We were on a cliff, overseeing the city below. The fields ahead were plastered with beautiful glass buildings in varying sizes. Each one enveloped in plants and vines. I noticed the rows of solar panels to the left. Where are all the billboards and highways? I wondered. You would have never thought a virus outbreak had happened. Speaking of which, I studied the masses of humanoid creatures flooding the streets. Each of them had bluish, purple-toned skin. It dawned on me. A sudden wave of warmth and relief filled my heart. This was a peaceful society. You could tell by the way they hugged and talked with each other. Even from this distance, I saw that there was no violence. No guns. Not even the streets were littered with a single plastic. All because of a virus. We had been scared; We had panicked; We blindly followed a power-hungry government. We were hiding from an unknown future while we should've been embracing it. What a world, I thought. It only took a virus for the earth to heal itself.

Reynold Reeves- "Yes, but various sources prove that your scientists are attempting genetically modifying human DNA to aid the human body in adapting to living underground. On another note, Photos leaked from inside your labs under California, now, correct me if I am wrong. Still, evidence proves these mutations are being tested on humans already? Cooper cleared his throat. Vice President Cooper- "This is indeed true, but I encourage you to not trust every rumor you hear. We have America's best bio-engineers working on this project that are practicing various safety..." "Agh shut up," She complained. She slammed the antenna down and shut it off. "That so-called vice president is a cow. There are no scientists above ground. I hate to break it to you, Mija, but they're lying." She said to me. I watched her intently. Not many people had the nerve to speak like this. Those concepts changed when we moved here; People who defied our leaders and spoke out were forced above ground. Locked out of paradise. America was scared, and we blindly followed their instructions, assuring us safety from the virus. "Ximena, stay away from the officials, they will dig for reasons to dispose of you," She said. Officials were what we called local leaders. Hundreds of underground cities were all connected by long tunnels. It became difficult for the president to govern everywhere at once; that's where the officials came into play. "Don't worry. I won't let a bullet in my head for a stupid mistake." I reassured her. She smiled and nodded. But her face instantly turned stone cold. "Focus, control your breath, We're still stretching," She grabbed her smartphone and started her music. "Focus on your breathing," I repeated back. I took in a deep breath. Breathe, breathe out. My heart pounded in my ears. Every pulse, the pumping of blood through the body, I could feel it. Focus on your breathing.

As weeks passed the two high-schoolers grew closer as friends, becoming more and more comfortable with each other until they were FaceTiming almost every night. On these FaceTimes Elena listened as Lee regaled her with the things he and his family had done that day to keep each other occupied while trapped inside, and Elena shared screen shots of the conversations she and her friends had in their group chat. These calls were the period of the day that she looked forward to most. When she could escape out from under the mountain of pressure placed on her by her parents’ weighty expectations, and just spend the time laughing and enjoying the company of a friend. Sure, Elena had her other friends that she spent time with over the quarantine, but there was something oddly comforting about being able to put on a front of carelessness that she wasn’t able to achieve around the people she knew in real life. It was freeing for her. One night during one of these routine FaceTimes Elena noticed immediately that there was something wrong with Lee. He had this anxious look in his eyes and he barely reacted to anything that she said to him. However, before she was able to confront him about it, he blurted out, “Am I one of your friends?” “Yeah, of course,” Elena responded, confused, “why?” “I mean it’s kind of a stupid reason, but I’ve never really had any close friends before.” He shrugged while looking away from the screen self-consciously. “That’s not dumb,” she said with a frown, “besides, whoever doesn’t want to be friends with you doesn’t what their missing. Who doesn’t love someone blowing up their phone at three o’clock in the morning because he forgets about time zones?” She smiled as that pulled a huff of laughter from Lee. “Thanks,” he said. “Of course,” she replied, then, trying to lighten the mood further said, “Any other crushing insecurities you have to share with the class?”

it the rest of the way, and before you know it everyone is cheering. Your team has scored a goal! The score is now 2-1, you think to yourself, “Maybe we have a chance now, we can win this. If I just keep doing my part.” Finally, the game is over, your team won! You feel so excited knowing that you worked hard for this and succeeded. You now know that you have a chance of winning states. There is just one more game until the finals! Attack It is the second game of states, if you win this you go to finals which is where you can win the whole state competition. You are your team's striker, head attack, leader of the pack. Your main goal is to score for your team. The pressure is on, if you lose this you are out of the competition, you can’t win anymore. You know that all you have to do is take shots at the net over and over, whenever you have the chance. You feel bad that you are the one who mostly scores for your team. It’s not that you don’t like scoring, it’s that you want to give other people a chance too. But your coach says you are the best for the job. You appreciate that and move on because you know he knows what is best for you and your team. The game is about to start and your team does their cheer. Before you go on you grab extra water knowing you will be on the field for probably the whole half. You get onto the field and you look at who you're going up against. The team you're up against doesn't seem that intense. You now feel relieved as you continue to go to your Striker position on the field. The other team is starting with the ball. You know right when they kick the ball to jump in and try to get in the way of their pass. Then the referee blows the whistle and the other team’s player passes the ball, you pounce too late. But your other attack player jumps in front of it on time. You are glad they got there before you. They take the ball up the field and you go up as well, getting open and ready for a pass. You get open and they pass to you, and with perfect timing, you take a shot. But the goalie catches it, and they punt it up the field. Your coach still calls to you from the sidelines to tell you to keep up the good shots. You keep focused so that you can make it next time.

“What kind of deal?” Elena replied skeptically. “After the quarantine is over I’ll start trying to branch out more and make some friends that live nearby, but only if you promise to tell your friends what’s happening at home. Deal?” “Deal.” ----- Elena swallows the last of her Chinese food as she finishes telling Ryley the story. By this point Ryley was sitting on the stool next to her after they had paid the delivery man at the door, and they had finished their food as well. Ryley had worn a thoughtful look on their face as they listened to Elena talk, and now they smile softly. “Seems like you’ve upheld your side of the deal, huh?” they say, grinning and gesturing to themselves and then around to the apartment that clearly lacked any mention of her parents. “Seems so,” she smiles, “he was too last time I checked.” Ryley’s Cheshire-like grin softens, and they reach for the containers on the countertop, picking them up, and moving to throw them away. As Elena watches them fondly, she feels a buzzing from her pocket. Startling, she fumbles for her phone where a notification now lights up the screen from someone labeled “Lee”. Elena grins and opens up her phone where a picture appears in front of her. In this picture there is a young man surrounded by a group of six people all making stupid faces into the camera and laughing. Their eyes are all holding mirth and their arms are around each other as they all cram to fit into the frame. As Elena feels the arms of Ryley wrap around her shoulders from behind, she snaps her own photo of the two of them together and sends it off with a nostalgia-filled smile. With that done, she shuts off her phone and Ryley gives her a quick peck on the cheek before Elena stands up and they both head off to bed, their hands linked together as they walk.

Connections During Covid Sophia West, Grade 5 &nbsp; The leaves are connected to the trees Your arms are connected to your body The flowers are connected to its stems You are connected with other people Now you may not be&nbsp; But we still need to be connected Like the leaves are connected on the trees Try to stay connected with other people Connectivity will help us all get through&nbsp; It is the least you can do

Community Love &amp; Support Makaila Meehan, Grade 7

It may not be the same. But still, the normal interactions somewhat exist. Deep conversations. Catching up. Laughing. No, it’s not the same,&nbsp; but it’s still a way to feel just a little&nbsp; better, happier, calmer, and less fearful. If anything, it’s a way to bring us closer.

Ms. Linda Jones Communication &amp; Drama Teacher

Why Technology is Important During Quarantine Roman Cirigano, Grade 7 Picture this: it's a rainy quarantine day and you're inside playing your favorite game with your friends and everyone is enjoying a nice time talking with each other. This is what quarantine should be. Yes, you should go outside too and do other stuff, but when you are inside with nothing else to do, gaming is a great way to have fun, pass time, and talk to your friends!&nbsp; Video games are known to have connected people on many different occasions. For example, “...My 13-year-old son and I are in a heated best-of-seven series, featuring my ‘89 Pistons versus his 1991 Chicago Bulls, another NBA title team, on our PlayStation 4. He’s up three games to one.” (New York Times, 4/22/20). The father and the son have been playing through a virtual NBA season and as they progress throughout the game, their relationship flourishes on coming up with new strategies and ways to win. Are you a big sports fan? Do you spend your free time playing soccer, football, basketball, baseball, or even motorsports? While if so, you’re in luck! There are video game representations of almost any sport/activity that you can think of! From football to fishing, if you have a computer or console, you can replicate the good old times right from your home! (This is important because we cannot currently leave our houses). And did I mention that all of these games are online multiplayer so you can play with your friends? Are you sitting at home on a rainy day? (Or any day)?&nbsp; Are you just sick of playing the same old board games and puzzles? Then hop into the endless world of the internet! You can play thousands of games for free, and many more that might cost you money. Do you have an untouched old video game console such as a Nintendo Wii or Xbox 360? If so, I advise you to set that up and see what games you have and play the ones that you might have forgotten about over the years. Before I wrap up my ideas, I just want to say that there is such a thing as too much video games. If you are spending all day long without any breaks playing video games or watching television, that is not healthy. Make sure to get some exercise and breathe some fresh air every once a while.&nbsp;

You take the ball that’s still in your hands, and bring it all the way up to the end of your goalie box and punt it. It goes all the way up to your striker, they settle the ball and take a shot. You are hoping that it will go in, but it hits the crossbar. It lands at your other teammate’s foot. You get excited now that there might be a chance to score, you yell “Shoot!”. They take a shot and you see the other goalie try to deflect it but it was too far for them to reach. You see the ball hit the back of the net and you hear the ref blow the whistle, it’s a goal! Your whole team runs onto the field and congratulates the person who shot the goal. It is almost halftime and the score is 1-0, you know that you can't mess up now, you have come all this way. You try to stay as focused as you can, but it is hard. You make it to halftime, and your team rushes to your net, then you all gather for a team talk. Your coach looks intense. He sets up a gameplay for the second half, then he says “You all are doing great but, we need to keep it that way. Take every shot you can,” he says to the attack, and then he turns to you and says “Keep making great saves!” You smile and answer him with “I will try!” Then the ref calls you all back onto the field. You try to get used to your new net after you have to switch sides. You walk the length of your net while the other team is still coming onto the field. You look for disadvantages in the grass so you can try to avoid them when making saves. The second half starts and it ends faster than you thought. You feel bad because you let in one floop goal earlier on in the second half. The score is now 1-1 and the game has ended but they have to send one team to states, so you go into overtime. Next person to score wins, and goes to states. You know that if you let in the final goal you will feel so bad that you let down the team. So you make sure you don’t. You get focused and ready for any ball of any kind to come your way. Suddenly a player from the other team rushes up to your goal, your team tries to stop them but they are too fast. The ball comes flying towards the net, you jump, stick your hands up, and… the ball bounces off your hands and goes above and away from your net. The crowd cheers, everyone on your team including your coach is cheering for you. The game continues, the other team takes a corner kick, your team gets the ball from them and dribbles it up the field. They get all the way to the other team's net and shoot. It deflects off of the goalie and lands at another of your teammates’ feet, they shoot and it goes right past the keeper and into the net. The ref calls it a goal, and the game has&nbsp;ended, your team is so happy and relieved that you guys won. You feel bad for the other team knowing they played really well as well. But you don’t let it bother you that much.

Click to open.

The Perspective Of The Game Camryn Lesser, Grade 7 Soccer isn’t the physical playing of a sport, there is way more to the sport than just the physical piece. There is also a big emotional piece that connects the players while playing the sport. This may be surprising to people who may have never thought or experienced it in this way. So enjoy reading about the connection and emotional piece in soccer.

Click on what position you would like to read about: <a href="bookcreator://page/zpg5TLSkQ9uZRQVNvXA6BQ">Goalie</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/v7mk99NOTsy1EvETTJ0fYw">Defense </a> <a href="bookcreator://page/v7mk99NOTsy1EvETTJ0fYw">Attack</a>

Last but not least <a href="https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/clownfish-and-sea-anemone">“Clownfish and Sea Anemone”</a> shows how everyone is not alone in the world. In the text it states “Clownfish are among the few species of fish that can avoid the potent poison of a sea anemone. These two species have a symbiotic, mutualistic relationship, each providing a number of benefits to the other.” This quote shows us that they need each other to live and to get food. The clownfish is protected by the sea anemone from predators.

These two readings and a video tells us that everyone needs someone, are not alone and needs companionship. People and animals also help each other. You can always be someone's friend and make someone’s day brighter.

Reasoning/Exit &nbsp; As you can see soccer is not just the physical piece, it has a big emotional piece behind it. The game connects everybody playing and watching to the emotional piece of it. It also connects the players to each other because they are all in the same game, and they all connect to it. A connection is very powerful, it brings things together/closer in all different ways. And soccer is one of those many ways it does.

~My Experiences With Food and Connection~ I have had many connections over food with friends and family. One time my family brought over stuffed tortellini pasta for a potluck and my friend loved it and we both connected over how good it was. Most times I connect over food with a large group of our family friends and we all bring food we made for potlucks or picnics or any outings. Moreover we also connect over the food and what we do together which is the most important thing.

~Conclusion~ Overall, we find food comforting, and joyous which has done us all many good things. It brings us together, helps us share culture and heritage, and helps us learn about other foods. It deepens our understanding of culture and humanity. Like I said before,&nbsp;it doesn’t matter what race, nationality, region, or what food you make is, we all connect over it anyhow. Food is the one language we all have in common, and we connect over it.

out more often than before, such as, emptying the dishwasher and helping to make dinner, I enjoy each day growing closer to my family.We also did a zoom on Easter to connect with our extended family, which was very nice because we got to see everyone's faces and hear their voices.&nbsp; Although there are many positives relating to family, there are also some concerns within my family. My Nana who lives with us, is a lung cancer survivor and only has one lung. I am both proud and worried for my Nana. I am proud because she has survived and continues to survive. I am also worried because she is at high risk for COVID-19. Also, we have been mostly separated from my Nana, since the school closure. It has been hard to be separated from her because she lives with us and because I love her so much. The worst part about my Nana not being able to be around us is how awkward and wrong it feels. Sadly, on my birthday, I felt this a lot. The first time I felt this was when I had to open my gift with her sitting in her apartment, and me sitting outside of it. The next time I felt the awkward and wrong feeling was when I ran to give my Papa a hug. He backed away from me and said, “You can’t hug me,” in order to protect Nana. At that moment, three things happened. 1. My heart was broken. 2. The worst day of my life was decided. 3. I ran away crying. Even though it is hard to be separated from my Nana, I understand the tough moments are to protect someone I love. Another thing that is a concern within my family is my Aunt Jenny. She is an ER nurse at Umass Medical in Worcester. We worry about her and our two cousins. We worry because we are afraid Auntie Jenn will catch the virus and bring it home. It is also really hard not to see them because we are so close with them. One way that we have connected with them is by baking a cake for my cousin Hannah’s birthday. Even though all of these things are hard, we try to focus on the positive side, like how my Aunt is wearing masks, and other protective gear to keep her and her family safe. Every day I am proud knowing how well she cares for her patients and family. There are many ways that we connect with our school during the COVID-19 pandemic. We mostly connect using Zoom or Google Hangouts. We may use these two sites to connect for class, private time with teachers, lunch bunch, clubs, and after school activities. It is amazing how we are able to connect with each other no matter how far apart we live. I think the COVID-19 pandemic has helped teachers and students adapt to different ways of learning. We have found so many ways to

“This is our way of attacking the US. We have taken you as hostages and you cannot be saved, if we find any soldier near the school you will all simultaneously be killed by a shock to your brain from the head piece that was placed on your head, if you die in this dream you will instantly be killed by The Machine, now there is one way to escape, this dream has 100 levels, each level has a boss that you must defeat in order to move onto the next, if you beat the boss on level 100 you are all freed. Now I must advise you not to be reckless with your life here, for your dream life and real life are now one and the same. Thank you and I wish you all the best of luck.” As soon as the General appeared he was gone leaving no trace behind, people began to panic, but Patrick stood there shocked eyes toward the ground. He felt an odd lump in his pocket, he reached in it and pulled out an instruction manual on everything that the General didn’t cover. He watched as the other students panicked, he knew he couldn't succumb to the fear, that’s what the General wanted, us to let him win, he ran to the nearest exit and left the town and ran into an open field. He had much to learn about this strange new place and it was time he did so.

reality. I wiped it away with my sleeve and listened to the lecture. I tried to push those thoughts to the back of my mind. Career class ended late in the day, eventually, and a flood of white uniforms crowded the doorway and the halls, hurrying home as soon as possible. I headed out of the room and towards the back hallways. While everyone scrambled for the elevators, I walked leisurely; I wasn't in a rush, and there was no need to hurry home. One of the very few perks of living this way; no threats lurking in the dark, waiting to strike at any moment. Crimes were punishable by death in this world. The blinding white lights filled the sterile hallway. I took a train through the third floor. Beyond the glass windows of the car, I watched as thousands of doors covering the walls, each one leading to another home, passed by. They were all stretched and blurred by the motion of the railway, and It seemed to continue on forever. Moments later, the train screeched to a halt, and the shrill noise blared through my ears; I shuddered and cringed at the sound. After hopping off the platform, I swiped my keycard at the neighborhood entrance and passed through the extensive security. I trotted down the community hallway, community number 246, to be exact. I scanned my ID card yet again and slipped through the light wooden door. I dropped my bag as the lock clicked behind me. I walked towards the small figure on the couch. I flopped down next to her as she dog-eared the page of her book. I cringed, and snatched it from her and unfolded the page corner. "Stop doing that to your books. You're going to ruin it." I scolded her. I placed a bookmark in it and put it away. She gave me a deathly stare. One which would make you tremble in fear, but I was used to it. "If I remember correctly, I paid for this dreadful book; I can do whatever I want with it," Abuelita claimed. "you ungrateful pig." She added. I gave her a cheeky grin and rolled my eyes. She punched the off-button for the TV and stood up. She grabbed a teapot and started boiling water. "What kind of tea?" She asked.

Not Alone: Three Sources About Connection Jenna Tootill, Grade 7 My first source is called “Rainbow Connections” followed by “Excerpt from Believing in Horses” by Valerie Ormond, and last but not least is “Clownfish and Sea Anemone” These three sources show that Everyone needs each other, and is not alone.

First, in the video “Rainbow Connections” rainbows need sunshine and rain. An example is that life has positives and negatives. Some people have stereotypes, like sunshine is a positive day. And rain is a negative day. When we put those days together it doesn’t just form a rainbow, it shows us that humans are not always positive or negative. Plants and flowers need rain and sunshine. Rain gives plants water to grow, and sunshine gives plants and flowers for photosynthesis to occur.

In the article <a href="https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/excerpt-from-believing-in-horses">“Excerpt from Believing in Horses” by Valerie Ormond</a> shows how everyone needs companionship in life, even animals. Horses can do many different things like horse racing, show jumping, pull carriages, horseback riding and many more. Horses need human interaction for grooming, feeding, and training. Humans also help by giving care to the animal like if they are ill or have hurt themselves. In the article Lucky the horse galloped away in the forest because there was a huge storm and was scared. Sadie, the owner of Lucky called for him hoping that he would come back. Sadie hoped that Lucky returned to the barn. This shows how horses and humans need each other.

"Chai, please, if you want," I responded. I grabbed two yoga mats and laid them out. She had cleared out most of her living room to make space. Now, all that was left was a two-seat couch, a coffee table, and a TV mounted on the wall. Not to mention the extensive amount of shelves and wall decorations. The room was dim now that the TV was off, and the only light was coming from various lit candles and ornamental lamps. I stretched my arms to the ceiling, letting my back crack. I crouched down and preformed some basic stretches as she shuffled over with the teapot in hand. "How was school?" She swirled the teabag around her mug. "The same as every other day," I said sarcastically. We drank our tea in silence; the radio was but a faint background noise, but something caught my attention. Reynold Reeves- "This week marks the third anniversary of our lives underground. Overall, the multi-billion-dollar project, in an attempt to reduce virus infection, has been successful. Or, so our government claims. What we want to find out is how much longer we'll be down here. Hopefully, we can get some answers, everyone. Stay tuned on the Reynold Reeves show for the whole conversation. Now, we'll hand the microphone over to Vice President Terrence Cooper."&nbsp; Vice President Cooper- "Hello America, We hope you and your family are adjusting.. well, to our current situation." He said blandly. I set my empty teacup down and continued to listen.&nbsp; Reynold Reeves- "So, President Cooper, how long do you think we'll be here for? You claim that you have your best scientists working above ground." Cooper hesitated; those words had startled him. We all knew that his words were just a ruse. A hoax. After spending billions on these catacombs, they couldn't afford to send people above ground.&nbsp; Vice President Cooper- "Actually, currently, we have the majority of our scientists working on advancing our GMOs, and recreating the mutations for our new, underground farms."&nbsp;

~How Food Connects Us~ Food connects us in so many ways. Now more than ever, it is important to say connected. It doesn’t even matter what race, nationality, region, or what food you make is, we all connect over it anyhow. Food unites us culturally and emotionally. It brings us happiness, suffices our hunger, and makes great memories to share and cherish forever. Cooking as a family or with friends and loved ones brings us together because we can share our culture, heritage, and family recipes while talking and connecting through common things.&nbsp; Coming together or having a reunion&nbsp; and sharing a meal is the best thing that binds us all together and is one of the most common things all around the world done to connect with people. Being able to make a dish and share that with the people you love is one of the most universal concepts because it’s at the root of our survival.

An example of how food connects us is ice cream. When we go to get ice cream or are eating, we talk about our favorite flavor, how delicious it is, that it is your favorite treat, or maybe a person has the same flavor that you like and that’s something you two have in common. In simple things like this, a common ice cream flavor can create a new friendship and a new connection. We even connect over Halloween candy when we trade our candy or pick the best ones. Family reunions always include homemade food, precious family recipes, and most importantly, lots of fun and games. Most likely you would compare how well you made the recipes, compliment each other, and connect over the delicious family food because it is like a potluck where you share all of your homemade

The Ten Shaolin Laws: 1. Required to respect the master, honour the Moral Way and love fellow disciples as brothers and sisters. Required to train the Shaolin arts diligently, and as a pre-requisite, to be physically and mentally healthy. 2. Required to be filial to parents, be respectful to the elderly, and protective of the young. 3. Required to uphold righteousness, and to be both wise and courageous. 4. Forbidden to be ungrateful and unscrupulous, ignoring the Laws of man and heaven. 5. Forbidden to...do evil, steal, rob, abduct or cheat. Forbidden to associate with wicked people; forbidden to do any sorts of wickedness. 6. Forbidden to abuse power, be it official or physical; forbidden to oppress the good and bully the kind. 7. Obliged to be humane, compassionate and spread love, and to realize everlasting peace and happiness for all people. 8. Obliged to be chivalrous and generous, to nurture talents and pass on the Shaolin arts to deserving disciples.

Air Nomads may or may not follow the Shaolin Laws, and I’m leaning more towards them not following it. As in episode eleven of season one (“The Great Divide”), Aang lies to the two tribes, using his status as the Avatar - as well as the fact that he's been frozen for a hundred years to his advantage, lying to them about what actually happened. Which can go against rules 4, 8, and 9 depending on what you define as an abuse of power and righteousness. Aang lied about what happened, altering a significant piece of both tribes' history, even if it got them out of the divide. Even if the Air Nomads didn’t follow the Laws, doesn’t mean Brike didn’t incorporate (even if it was unintentional) some of the Laws into the show, take rule 4 as the example. The duty of the Avatar is to maintain peace and balance throughout both worlds, which can be attributed to them being “Required to uphold righteousness.”

Sri Lankan Buddhism Sri Lanka is known to be the oldest Buddhist country since the introduction of Theravada Buddhism in the 2nd century BC. It was originally introduced to the land by Venerable Mahinda, son of Emperor Ashoka of India during the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa. The people of Sri Lanka (at least those who followed Buddhism) followed the Vinaya of Theravada, which I had already gone over in the Tibetan Culture section, which is where most aspects of Sri Lankan Buddhism are incorporated in the show. Although, the clothes Aang wore in the first and second seasons (as well as the final episode of the series) may be referring to the attire Sri Lankan monks wore in the 18th century.

Fighting Style Air Bending is based off of Ba Gua (also called Bagua Zhang), which is where the erratic, circular movements come from.&nbsp; Bagua Zhang is considered to be the most circular and spiralling system of the styles of Chinese Martial Arts. It’s defining characteristic being the constant movement and change, as well as having the ability to fight while being on the move. Another trait attributed to Ba Gua, is the difference in which it is used in an attack. While other forms of martial art enage the opponent in an either head-on or fixed position, a BaGua fighter can attack or defend while walking and changing direction constantly. Which is something that Aang is known to do, coincidence? I think not.

<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o6thA5M11x0KYgo0u1OLUvw82Ax8q_AxJpT9n9YqweU/edit?usp=sharing">Sources &amp; Further Reading</a>

Do fish have feelings? While fish may seem like emotionless organisms, studies show fish really do display emotions. Levels of a stress hormone called cortisol were analyzed to observe what areas of the fish’s brain would activate. Study author Rui Olivereria states, “‘This is the first time that is shown that fish can trigger physiologic and neuromolecular responses in the central nervous system in response to emotional stimuli based on the significance that that stimulus has for the fish,’” (ZME Science 8). In comparison, with no enrichment, betta fish can start to feel bored, frustrated, and depressed exhibited through behavior such as dullness and slow-moving. Not providing a natural habitat can make a fish feel insecure and discourage stimulations, leading to them dying of stress. How can you give your betta a better life? Betta fish deserve better. Housing them in at least 5 gallons will provide adequate swimming space. Keeping the temperature of the tank at 78 degrees Fahrenheit with a heater and ph at 7.0 will provide excellent water conditions. Providing a natural habitat will also help them feel secure and a varying carnivorous and herbivorous diet will keep a betta fish happy. As the betta fish continues to be marketed as “easy” pets, millions of them die due to ignorance and unacknowledgement by us. The question rises, if stores can’t take proper care of these fish, what should be expected from us? Provide your fish with proper care and educate yourself. However, at best, do not purchase these fish at all. Spread the awareness of this cruel pet trade, and hopefully, these companies will change their ways to more humane and ethical practices.

Everyday hurts more and more.&nbsp; I don’t find the motivation to do anything.&nbsp; This couldn’t be more boring. Because when I have nothing to do with my time, all I do is think. Sometimes the thoughts are bad. Sometimes they are scary. What if this never ends? What if we are stuck inside forever? The thoughts and fears trap me in my bed all day and don’t let me leave, So that’s what I do all day. Absolutely and utterly nothing.&nbsp; Send. The next day. I wake up. I get dressed. Stumble downstairs.&nbsp; Today when eating my cereal I use the green bowl and a big spoon.

Fall was coming, and with fall, came Rose’s mom. Stephanie Taylor was no ordinary mom, she was a famous fashion designer, and was constantly traveling. Today was the day she was coming home to see Rose. Rose could not wait, she’d just lost five pounds and was excited to break the news to her mother. As she approached her school, she met up with her best friend, Ivvy. Ivvy was a short girl, with brown sholder length curls, freckles, and a pair of very large round green eyes. Today she was wearing a small green dress with a cropped black jacket over it. She greeted Rose with a large Hiiii! In her typical energetic nature. The two walked into school together, gossiping, and giggling. The school bell rang and the two walked off, each promising to text each other later on. Rose was about halfway home when she felt her phone buzz against her. A text. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw it was from her mother. The text was not a long one, it only said “I’m home.”Nothing else. Not even an “I missed you!” but Rose was determined to not let it ruin her day. Today was going to be fun. Maybe they could go to a spa together or go shopping.&nbsp; Fantasies of having fun with her mother filled Rose’s brain like a montage. First they’d start out with a trip to the nail salon. Then some shopping, and then- She had been so lost in thought, she had nearly bumped into a pole. Rose glanced around making sure no one she knew had seen that. Phew. A few minutes later, Rose walked into her living room and sat on the couch, debating in her head the best pose to show off her new weight loss so her mother would notice it. Ms. Taylor stood in front of her, a few feet away, texting someone on her phone.

food that everyone loves. Even when you smell a food like cookies or pasta, it might remind you of times when you and your family made something like that. And even now that applies because when you smell or see something you like, you’ll remember that maybe a friend or someone far away likes this too and that we are still connected through the power of food. Gathering around the table is also a way which connects people strongly and creates memories. Having food together can help you to know each other better, and you'll discover new things about them and about your skills too.&nbsp;Preparing food of different cultures and doing it with friends and family is a great way to share your culture and be exposed to different heritages and foods.&nbsp;Food is how we express emotions, show creativity, and create memories.

The kitchen may be known as the heart of the home, but the table is also very important. In our busy, digital lives, eating meals together at the table is usually left alone for meals outside or with friends, or on the go if you are busy. The table is where we gather together as family and friends but, not just to eat, to talk, share, connect, and do many other things. Food gets people to talk, debate, and have many different conversations, and moreover prompts people to ask each other questions which is how we strengthen our relationships. The website MomItForward states, “Gathering around the table is also a way we can show others hospitality, teach children manners, preserve traditions, and create memories; it is one of life's greatest joys.” Some ways to connect through food are making food special for friends and family, have food at different places like camping trips, picnics or dinner parties, plant a garden, eat together as a family, and prepare meals together.

"In times like this where days are long..." Nitya Eswaran, Grade 8 In times like this where days are long, it gets tiring. In times like this where we’re required to separate, it gets lonely. The friends we’re used to seeing, laughing with and smiling around seem to be pushed away from us. It’s a strong wave of some feeling, one that drowns you in isolation. In times like this,&nbsp; it gets difficult. But within that suffocating darkness,&nbsp; there is a ray of light friendship&nbsp; and family shining through. Even though you might not be able to see them&nbsp; face to face, You can still contact them, illuminated behind a screen.

The ball goes far down to your goalie's net, your defense is fighting their attack for the ball. They take shots but your goalie deflects them all. Then your defense gets it and passes it up to you. You know you can make it, you dribble as fast as you can controlling the ball as you go up the field. Once you get to their defense you use all the moves you know to get around them. You turn, and kick, and run until your past all them and the only person left is the keeper. You stare the keeper dead in the eyes and they stare at the ball at your feet. You keep dribbling towards them and you swing your right foot around the ball, faking a shot left. The goalie jumps that way then you shoot it the other. It hits the back of the net and it's a goal. Everyone is amazed by your play! It is now half time and your coach is so proud of you, he gives you a big high five. You get your water and drink as much as you can before you have to go back on the field for a while. You listen to your gameplan for the next half. You know it's going to be hard getting goals but you are still going to try. You go back onto the field with energy and get ready to pass to one of your teammates during the kickoff. You see where they are and you pick out a play. You decide to pass to the player on your left because they are the most open. The player on them doesn't seem as aggressive as the player on your rights’. You pass to them and make it a good strong pass so that their guard can get it. They get It, dribble it up the field but then they get attacked by the other team’s defender. The defender brings it back to your team's goal and they take a shot but do not score, your goalie blocked it. Your defensemen got it and brought it back to you, you take it to the other goalies net. You see that there is a defenseman coming for the ball. So you look to your left and see another attack on your team that is open. You pass to them and they take a shot. The goalie wasn't expecting it so he was looking at you thinking you had it, when your teammate shot. The shot made it into the net and it was a goal! The game was almost over and the score is 2 - 0. The other team took the kick-off and they complete a pass to another attack player on their team. Your other two attackmen got ready for the ball to come their way while you got ready for the ball to be passed to you. And before you know it the game ends. The ref blows his whistle and you have one! You and your team celebrate. You feel bad for the other team but you're excited to go to the finals because you know you and your team deserve it! You wonder if you're going to win…

room. I shrank back, as the shadow swayed back and forth, back and forth. I blinked, and the figure was gone. In its place were the thin branches of a ripe cranberry bush, taunting me with its twitching fingers, as if cackling with mirth. Suddenly, the alarm clock on the side of my bed wailed, and it was possible that my heart stopped beating right then and there, for the utter fear of that alarm clock. I jerked my head to peer at the clock, for I had never set it. A whistling wind filled my ears, and I started to float into the air. I windmilled my arms, kicked my legs, but I stayed floating in midair. It was then that the grandfather clock began its endless chiming. I reached out to shut off the alarm clock, but when I looked at my hand, I almost fainted then and there. My hand was fading, not disappearing completely, but fading, along with the rest of my body, and my hand floated right through the clock. I could press my fading eye to my arm and still see around the bedroom I was in, but a few moments later, I was not even solid anymore. I tried to cry, but I could not summon my tears. I tried to scream, but I had no voice. I tried to run, but my legs had faded. All I could do was watch myself slowly disappear. I couldn’t help but wonder, “what would become of me?" Rainfall relentlessly pounded down on the flat, wet roof of the rent-out house in Naples, Maine. But there was no one there to see it. Hail pricked the soaked stack of birch wood sitting uncovered outside. But there was no one there to see it. Freshly cold snow froze the grass, covering the yard in a silent, white layer. But there was no one there to see it. Lightning lashed out from the merciless, angry-gray clouds. But there was no one there to see it. Black mountains of water sloshed against the rocks down behind the house, threatening to engulf the entire yard in one gulp. But there was no one there to see it. A blood-curdling, echoing scream came winding through the lurking shadows of the house, and the sound reached my ears. But there was no one there to hear it. Yet. Man overboard…

Shaolin Monks There are multiple references to the Shaolin culture in AtLA, the Air Temples being one of them, which are based off the famous “Pagoda Forest” of the Shaolin Temple located in China. The forest itself has buildings that stack, essentially making them thick pillars that you can enter. The design gives it the name, which the Air Temples reference. Now, opposed to Tibetans, Shaolins follow a set of rules that are non-religious&nbsp; and transcend all cultures and races (meaning that people of any culture and race may agree, and that they promote values that are deemed to be worthy and desirable.) The set of rules was named the “Ten Shaolin Laws.” Before showing what the laws are, it would be best to understand what laws are meant to do in Shaolin tradition. Laws aren’t meant to be punitive or restrictive, but are meant to help as practicals means to help followers achieve set aims and objectives.

The key to meditative yoga was clearing your mind and focusing on the present. Still, no matter how hard I tried, my thoughts wandered elsewhere. I wondered how mom and dad were doing, an idea I focused on frequently; the health officials never told us what would happen after the infection. What if they were still alive. That's not possible, though, I convinced myself. I focused on my body and my movements, but once again, my consciousness dragged to another thought. What was on the first floor? We had full access to the entire building, so why was there nothing there? The afternoon passed quickly. I remained busy with homework while Abuelita cooked dinner. It was around 16:26 when the ear-splitting alarms sounded. They rang throughout my ears and shivered down my body. I tripped over myself and ran to Abuelita, clasped my hands over her ears, and scanned the area. The plate full of fruits and vegetables she had been preparing, was now shattered on the floor. She pushed my hands away and said something that I couldn't understand. She gently slapped my face out of annoyance. I glared back. My eardrums beat heavily as the alarm shattered my ears. "What?" I cried. She stared at me in confusion and pulled me in close. She gripped her forehead in her hands. I had no clue what was happening, but there was no time to think. My heart pounded, and my temples pulsated excruciatingly. I grasped her arm and pulled away from the counter top. I had an idea. Whether we got hurt in the process or not, it was better than being trapped here. I grabbed a large knife and a box of crackers and shoved them into my school bag. I swung it over my shoulders and led her outside. I ushered her to the nearest handicap elevator (A slower, but less crowded elevator, perfect) and scanned the wall. As soon as I saw it, I punched the first-floor button. Whatever was causing the alarms wasn't coming from outside. Security was too tight, and opening a door leading below ground would be nearly impossible. My mind wandered to the events of today. Vice President Cooper's words flooded my mind. Human mutations.

Unconcious: Chapter 1 Jonathan Duffy, Grade 7 Patrick looked out of the second story window of his classroom, it was raining harder than he had ever seen before. His teacher, Mr.Frank, was talking about some World War 2 battle fought in Berlin, of course patrick wasn’t listening, he had other things on his mind. Ever since the beginning of World War 3 he couldn’t help but think that the US was going to be attacked, and the East coast seemed like a perfect target. Brrrrrrring! The bell woke Patrick out of his trance as he began to shuffle behind the students exiting the classroom. The entire 7th grade class began to simultaneously march towards the front doors like some rag tag army. One after another the students walked across the recess court to the other building where the cafeteria was held. Patrick had his head down and his hood up as he shuffled across the pavement. He could hear the quiet murmurs of the students surrounding him, one girl, Ashley, was talking about some horseback lessons she was taking, and another girl named Emily was bragging about how many goals she scored during last night's soccer game. Patrick's blood ran cold as he heard a blood curdling screech. Patrick began to look around to try and locate the source of the scream, then he noticed something. Dark figures emerged from the forest that surrounded the school he turned to run but instantly bumped into something, he looked up to see a masked man holding a firearm, and it was pointed right at him. Chaos ensued as kids ran in every direction to escape the masked men. The figure in front of him ordered him to turn around he felt something clasp around his mouth and everything went black. Patrick awoke dizzy and dazed, he began to come to his senses when he realized he was in one of the seats to the auditorium, only he couldn't move, he looked down to see a series of straps crossing his chest and legs. He took a quick look around and saw that every seat in the auditorium had been occupied by a scared straight 7th grader. He then saw a huge machine in the middle of the stage with TV monitors surrounding it. The machine had hundreds of tubes sticking out of it, he was startled by the sound of approaching footsteps. One of the masked men was walking towards him carrying some sort of helmet.

“LIZARD” BRAINS ~ AN ESSAY ABOUT THE MIND Sydney A. Devereaux, Grade 7

You know that feeling you have when you’re hungry and your mind says “Hey! You’re hungry! You should probably find food!” That is what we call a “Lizard Brain Reaction”. They are also called “Troglodytic Brain Reactions” but, for my sake, we’re calling it “Lizard Brain”. (Lizard Brain is also known as “Snake Brain” or “Reptilian Brain”) <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/where-addiction-meets-your-brain/201404/your-lizard-brain">(Learn More)</a> There is a theory that every human (actually every living thing) has a “pre-recorded” set of survival instincts. These “Lizard Brain” reactions have been around since early people. Yup, cavemen had them too. <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21128311-800-a-brief-history-of-the-brain/">(Learn More)</a> They are very basic things, such as my example of ““Hungry! Find Food!” or “Danger! Activate Defense Mode!””

Here’s a list of a few “Lizard Brain” Instincts/Reactions: Territoriality, Hoarding of Resources (An example of this is that right now, people are hoarding toilet paper and other resources so that they will have enough for later, but not leaving enough for others.) Aggression, Dominance (Bullying is an example of this. People believe they are higher than everyone else and need to show that they are.) Fear/Self-Defense (This is the instinct of, “Hey I should run away because this is scaring me!” or “I should fight this thing that is threatening!” It’s also called “Fight or Flight”)

The Underlying Connection Zak Metzger, Grade 8 Connecting to Wifi, Connecting to the internet, When it doesn’t happen it feels like a threat. We lean on luxuries like they are necessities, Not realizing their redundancy.&nbsp; We center our lives around the things we enjoy doing, privileges , gifts, hobbies and more, But when we spend time with our loved ones it feels like a bore. We all love them deep down in our hearts,&nbsp; Although sharing experiences with them is lacking in our lives, We work hard for the future or for the present. Quarantine has come, isolating us from our hobbies, Trapped in our homes with a lot less to do,&nbsp; We now lean on our families like we used to.&nbsp; This pandemic is terrible and sucks out any fun, But it helps us to connect with those that we love.

<a href="bookcreator://page/YaAZotEXTAqW8U0nC8xmqQ">Connections During Covid by Sophia West</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/YaAZotEXTAqW8U0nC8xmqQ">Poem, Page 6</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/wu9E6g64Rjilttu5Qgd0zA">Connection: How Food Brings Us Together by Saanvi Gowda</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/wu9E6g64Rjilttu5Qgd0zA">Essay, Page 7</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/xZfYehUNQsK9qJoLJY6-FA">Valentina's Blueberry Crumble by Valentina Tapia-Ortiz</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/xZfYehUNQsK9qJoLJY6-FA">Video, Page 13</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/tX9AC-1ETxePz1XzjPpOfg">The Underlying Connection by Zak Metzger</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/tX9AC-1ETxePz1XzjPpOfg">Poem, Page 14</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/2A3BtItMSRmFootx-S6N_A">Family Favorites: Classic Recipes by Violet Brier</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/2A3BtItMSRmFootx-S6N_A">Cookbook, Page 16</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/9THS3Jf5T4uCiNVbOFVrPA">Ways to Stay Connected by Alexandra Paul</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/9THS3Jf5T4uCiNVbOFVrPA">Essay, Page 17</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/OLpzo3NFS3Gf4E-l5nsbfw">Ways of Friendship by Avery Columbus</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/OLpzo3NFS3Gf4E-l5nsbfw">Booklet, Page 20</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/ofb8R-2DTz2fmk5S8fwXiA">"In times like this where days are long..." by Nitya Eswaran</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/ofb8R-2DTz2fmk5S8fwXiA">Poem, Page 21</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/60iqX6bwSnC9PxRx25iWKw">Constellations &amp; Astrology by Adya Creek</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/60iqX6bwSnC9PxRx25iWKw">Booklet, Page 23</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/sjVQInrNSHea-XjJdvIfgA">Our "Lizard" Brains by Sydney Devereaux</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/sjVQInrNSHea-XjJdvIfgA">Essay, Page 24</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/6AUE0GveR9a0h83bmNdrCQ">The Audition by Callie Fayne</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/6AUE0GveR9a0h83bmNdrCQ">Animation, Page 26</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/M4J7M0NWT_Gd_jVw5Jkuzg">Connection in the Chaos by Annabelle Lowney</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/M4J7M0NWT_Gd_jVw5Jkuzg">Poem, Page 27</a>

Adopting a Dog By Annabelle Arpigian, Grade 7

Defense It is the first game out of two, you are at states and this is the real deal. You drove an hour to be there and you know you did not come to lose. Your team sets up your tent and goes to warms-up. And the game starts. You are starting on the field, all you have to do is keep the ball out of your half of the field and they can't score. You know that it will be hard with the top competition here but you are willing to take it. Your team starts with the ball, they complete the first pass. But then mess up somewhere in the middle of their second pass. The ball comes your way after being bounced off the other teams’ teammate’s foot. You aren't going to let it pass you, you get ready to kick it towards your attack so that they can have a chance at scoring. But the ball starts going towards the sidelines, and off the field. You try to save it but it still goes out and now it’s the other team’s throw-in. You and your other defensive players on your team guard the other team’s attack players. The ball gets thrown into play, it bounces off the grass, you run-up to it to try and trap it. But you are going up against a player from the other team, they look way taller than you but you keep going. You get close enough to the ball that you can trap it, while nudging the tall girl enough out of the way to let you trap the ball. You get it and dribble up to the halfway line. You pass it up to your attack, they go by a defender and take a shot, but they miss the net. It’s a goalie kick for the other team. You stay back in case your defenders don't get the ball. But they do, and they pass it back up to the attack, you feel relieved but now hope that the attack will find a way to score. They go all the way up the field, another attack running up with them to help. They see this and pass to them and they take a shot and…score! Everyone is so happy, you are too but you know that now the other team is going to get more aggressive. And your job on defense is going to get harder. It is almost halftime and the score is 1-1, the other team scored on your goalie, but you couldn't help because you were off-field on a water break. But it's fine because you know your team can make it up later in the game. You come off of your break and&nbsp;back onto defense. Right away the ball comes your way, you feel ready. Your break helped you gain back all your lost energy. You get the ball, and with full speed, you dribble all the way up to the halfway line. When you pass it to an attack that brings

Connection: How Food Brings Us Together Saanvi Gowda, Grade 7

~Introduction~ What is connection? Connection may have many meanings such as internet connection, computer connections or other terms. But in this hard time most of us focus on one part of connection, which is how we all share what we have in common to find ways to keep in touch and stay together no matter where we are. We all can help each other out and connect in this hard time. This article will give you the essentials on how food connects and brings us together through sharing recipes, culture, and having good times with family and friends.

“Not unless you have any,” he teased in return. “Not tonight, but check back in tomorrow.” For the rest of the call everything returned back to normal, but the next night Lee took her joking suggestion to heart and checked back in on her. After some persuasion, Elena ended up spilling everything about her parents to him on that call. She explained how with every action they seemed to undermine all of her accomplishments under the guise of just looking out for her. She complained about how they constantly argued amongst each other until either one of them stormed out of the house, or until they refused to utter a word to anyone for the rest of that day. She especially vented on how frustrated she was that they disapproved of her friends and her vocal personality, saying that she would ‘offend others that thought differently’ and that she should ‘be more ladylike’. By the end of her rant, Elena had felt a harsh pressure behind her eyes and the stinging of tears that threatened to escape. Stubbornly pushing the feeling back, she returned her focus to her phone where Lee had sat there listening quietly and attentively as she talked. When he saw that her gaze was now on him once again, he smiled sadly. “Have you told any of your other friends about this?” he asked. “No,” she responded. “Why not?” “I don’t want them to think differently of me. Besides it’s not that big of a deal, it’s just the normal teenage angst that I’m blowing way out of proportion,” she reasoned. Lee frowned before saying, “It is a big deal if it’s affecting you this much, and I’m sure your friends would agree with me if they knew this is how you’ve been feeling,” he paused, “How about I make you a deal?”

"Valentina's Lemon Blueberry Crumble" Valentina Tapia-Ortiz, Grade 7

Do you know what connects all of us? I love the food. Hi, I'm Valentina owner and Chef of naturally sweet. And today we're going to make this delicious Blueberry Lemon crumble.

As for the materials you will need 2 mixing bowls

to measuring cups and sizes of one cup and half a cup.

A 9 by 13 pan, but you can either pin relatively close to that measurement and parchment paper

Two lemons and blueberries now that we've discussed materials and ingredients. Let's talk quantity for this crumble. You'll need 3 cups

One cup and a half of sugar note that you must have one cup of sugar in one bowl and half a cup of sugar in the other Bowl. You'll see why later.

To start off you're going to want to pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. Well, that's for heating. You're going to line your pan with parchment paper and grease the sides to avoid stickiness

after that. You want to grab your mixing bowl and we're going to incorporate the dry ingredients. You're going to add three cups of flour.

Then we're going to whisk it all together.

Want to make sure everything is evenly Incorporated lastly. You're going to add the salt.

We've now transferred the flour mixture into the food processor. You're then going to add the two sticks of cold unsalted butter as well as the egg. Then you want to pulse it slowly until everything

is nicely Incorporated after our pan is coated with half the dome in a separate Bowl. We're going to combine the sugar from earlier the lemon juice and the cornstarch

after that's combined you're going to drizzle that over the blueberries and mix it in

the blueberries are coated with the mixture. You going to add the blueberries in To the pan and evenly spread it out afterwards. You going to add the remaining dough and

After we've added the remaining dough onto the pan you want to put this in the oven and bake it for 45 minutes and when you take it out, make sure the sides and top are gold living room.

So here we are guys. This is the final product. It smells absolutely delicious and the colors are super pretty and vibrant after I took it out of the oven and let it cool for about 20 minutes.

And yeah, hope you feel nervous to be super helpful and have a give you a way to connect with your loved ones. Stay happy. Stay healthy and stay naturally. Sweet. Bye.

Memories Anjou Edwards, Grade 8 Memories, everyone has them Some good Some bad Now take a look at the past I want you to make those memories Those treasures last All the thoughts, words feelings You once had&nbsp; Are your greatest gift that you receive Memories keep those far apart together Memories make the one you seek right next to you No matter where you are or the pain you ache Memories are always with you For your sake Without them, those dear to you&nbsp;would disintegrate From your mind, your heart and&nbsp; Your soul But you have a gift With this, you can keeps those you treasure near no matter what the future may hold They can make you feel comfort, sadness, anger, joy and bold Everyone has memories&nbsp; Good or bad They should be treasured&nbsp; Forever

I wake up. Get dressed. Stumble down the stairs.&nbsp; Eat cereal from the white bowl with the smallest spoon,&nbsp; and drink exactly half a cup of juice. &nbsp;Lie in my bed until 2. &nbsp;Check my phone. Nothing. Go to sleep. &nbsp;Wake up flustered. Check my phone, nothing.&nbsp; Barely touch dinner.&nbsp; Deny my mom’s request to watch a movie.&nbsp; Mindlessly watch tv until I fall asleep at 2 am. Wake up. Go downstairs.&nbsp; Eat cereal with the white bowl and the smallest spoon. Check my phone. nothing. Sleep. Wake up.&nbsp; Check my phone. Nothing. Eat dinner.&nbsp; Watch tv. Fall asleep. Wake up. Cereal in the white bowl with the smallest spoon.&nbsp; Sleep. &nbsp;Check my phone. Nothing.&nbsp; Dinner. Nothing. Watch tv. Nothing.&nbsp; Sleep.

Goalie You’re in goal and the game has started, it is your last game of the season before states. You need to win this game to qualify for states. The pressure is on today, you are worried. “What if you mess up and ruin it for your team?” you ask yourself. You shake that thought and all the other bad thoughts out of your head and start thinking positively. “You are going to win,” you say, convincing yourself. Everyone is on the field now and the ref asked if you're ready. You give him a thumbs-up, confident about how you will play today. You glare at the other goalie to throw them off, as they give the ref a thumbs up as well. They look at you confused, and just like that, the game is in play. The game is going well so far, your team has had 80% possession. Your defense is doing well keeping the ball out of your box. Then you watch as your attack takes the ball up to the other goalies net. They have an okay shot. So instead of taking the shot they might not make, they look across to the other side of the net. And they see another teammate who would have a better shot than them. They try to cross it to them but the other team's defender jumps in front of it and steals possession. They dribble up to the halfway line with your attack on their tail. Then they pass it up to their other player near your net, but your defender was already on them. As they are fighting for the ball, you get ready for the ball to come your way. Ready to pounce if the ball flies toward the net. But your defender wins the ball and passes it upfield. Then once again the other team’s defensive player jumps in front of the ball. Now they are dribbling through all your defenders and coming towards your goal. You see them pick up their foot about to take a shot on your net. You zone out all the screams and cheers from the crowd and focus hard on the ball not taking your eyes away from it. They swing their foot into the ball, the ball comes racing through the air towards your net. You jump up to the right and punch the ball away from the net. It is so focused in your mind, still ignoring the crowd. The same player gets the ball and brings the ball down to the ground with their chest. They take another swing at the ball, and it starts rolling low but fast and to the other side of the net. You don't think you will make it there in time to block it, but you dive for it anyways. Your heart is racing when you feel the ball meet your fingertips. You pull the still spinning ball to your chest to get a grip onto it. It gets so loud after your brain stopped zoning out the&nbsp;crowd. They cheer and holler, you feel so proud of yourself but you know you aren't done yet.

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