Mr.Henshaw


 * HW for 2/13/08**


 * I asked my mom if I was named after anyone and she said I was named after myself. Anyway, I wasn't named after anyone other than myself. My name was supposed to be Sarah, but then when I was born, my mom said I looked like an Emma.**
 * Here is a letter our class wrote:

January 28, 2008

Dear Ms. Johnson,

Our class is doing a project where we will be learning to be better writers. We have heard that you like to write. So we have decided to write to you in hopes that you will respond. We have been inspired by the book, __Dear Mr. Henshaw__, by Beverly Cleary. The book is about a boy who writes to his favorite author. In the story, the author writes back to the boy and encourages him to write. We are hoping that you would be able to write back to us with suggestions on how to become better writers. You can find our letters by visiting our classroom wiki at www.mendellstudentwikis.wikispaces.com and click on the reading page or our individual student wikis. We know you are very busy, so we will understand if you can't write to us, but we sure hope that you can!

Fondly, Mr. M's 4th Grade Class

January 28, 2008

Dear Ms. Johnson, My name is Emma (Mr. M calls me B.) I have heard that you are a great writer so I wrote to you. I hope that you will respond. If not, I understand. I am writing to you because of a project were my class is learning to become better writers. We have read part of a book, titled, //Dear Mr. Henshaw//, by Beverly Cleary. I hope you like my letter! Sometimes I write, too. I love to write my ideas down or type them. Sometimes I like to share with my family. I like writing stories, except sometimes I can't think of ideas or I forget them. I love reading to get more ideas similar to other books. Sometimes I read for hours, until I have to eat dinner or do homework. After I start, I can’t stop. Then, when I finish one book, I want to read another. Sometimes I already know what I want to read next, sometimes I don't. I love reading a lot. I write poems a lot and I like it. I listen to how powerful a poem can be from others when they read it. Sometimes I get very annoyed because I get stuck. Sometimes, I envy others, because they have such fabulous ideas. I get very embarrassed when I have to read my own poem to the class. Mr. M forces me to, so I read it. I never like my ideas but I love other peoples ideas. I am very impatient. I hate waiting. I hate waiting for Mr. M to stop talking, and for lunch to start. I also hate waiting for a lot of other things.

I hope you write back! Fondly, Emma B.(or Emma or B.)**

=** January 29, 2008 Dear Ms. Johnson, I like writing to you, except I don’t know how to start my letters. So I started it like this. I have blonde hair and glasses. My glasses are blue and a little turquoise. I do not like wearing skirts. I think they are uncomfortable. I love wearing shorts in the summer, of course. I like wearing T-shirts. I like it because they are cool. Sports shirts are okay. I mean, I do not wear them every day, but occasionally. Hope you respond! I know what you look like, but can you describe it to me? Fondly, Emma B. **=


 * February, 4, 2008**


 * Dear Ms. Johnson,**


 * My family is awesome. The only problem I have with my family sometimes is when my siblings are annoying. But it’s normal in a family for the siblings to be annoying sometimes. I have one sister and two brothers. My big brother is annoying sometimes because he always hogs the computer, hogs the ball when I play games with him, and hits me so I cry. My big sister is irritating because she won’t let me into her room. I can understand it, because she’s 13 years old, but I still hate it. My twin brother is annoying and makes me angry a lot. He’s sometimes mean to my friends, and a lot of stuff. Don’t get me wrong, I love my brothers and sister, and I couldn’t live without them! But they can be //__very__// annoying most of the time! My parents are great. The things I dislike are when my dad goes on a business trip for a long time. Then I miss him __so__ much. He is going on a trip soon. For 4 weeks! I don’t want him to go. But he has to. It’s his job. I also don’t like it when I have to clean my room, although, sometimes I listen to music from my boom box or get my sister to help. Then I just pretend that I have to go say something to my mom, and don’t go back into my room. Then my sister ends up doing all the work! I’ll tell you how my family looks, quickly. Everyone in my family has blonde hair except for my dad. He has brown hair. They all look like me except for the glasses. Only my twin has glasses. My big brother and big sister wear contacts. So does my dad. My mom is the only one in my family with perfect eyesight.**
 * Well, I’m done.**
 * Hope you liked my letter!**


 * Fondly,**


 * Emma B.**


 * February, 12, 2008**


 * Dear Ms. Johnson,**


 * I live on a pretty small street. Not a lot of people know where it is. It has a lot of trees. I have a tree swing in my front yard and a tree house in my backyard. My grandpa made it over the winter while he and my grandma visited. My house has a really long driveway. I like to ride my bike down it. Riding up is a challenge. I don’t really live near anything, though it does only take about 2 minutes to drive to school every morning. Well, I love my home. It looks really small on the outside but when you walk inside its pretty big.**
 * I’ll write another letter soon! Do you like us writing you letters? What’s your house like?**


 * Fondly,**
 * Emma B.**


 * February 19, 2008

Dear Ms. Johnson,

I have a pet. Her name is Cecilia. She is a dog. She used to be really scared. She can’t fetch a ball, but she sort of understands how to fetch a stick. She is rather calm and a little scared. I think those would be the two good words to describe her personality. Calm and sometimes scared. Of course, I don’t know what she feels like inside, but that is what she looks like on the outside and when she does things. My dog is pretty old. She bites when you fire her up, but its not a real bite, just one that means she’s fired up and happy. If you say “Ow!” when she is biting you, she stops biting. I like my pet and I’m sure she feels more or different than I think she does, but this is how I think her personality is when I watch her. Cecilia is great. She loves to lay down on the couch and she wants everyone to give her attention. Hope you like how she sounds! She is a koikahundje or however you spell it. A koikahundje is a Dutch hunting dog. Fondly,

Emma B.**

**Dear Ms. Johnson,** **I have a lot of great friends. I don't really have a best friend, though. My brother is my friend, even though he's annoying most of the time. Jonathan is sort of my friend, because he lets me play wall ball and keep away, with him and some other boys. I don't know about Lili, because she gets so offended at everything I say to her. I think she is expecting I will write that she's my friend, but I'm trying to tell the truth. Noa, sort of like Lili, except she thinks everything is about her, and everybody should be like her. Bridget, not exactly, sometimes she can be nice, but usually she thinks she's Kate’s only friend and Kate can't play with anyone else. Kate, a little bit. I admire her because she likes soccer, and doesn't think it's weird. Tyya is my friend and I admire her for getting used to a school so quickly. Daaria, close to being my best friend, but not yet. I like her because she is nice and doesn't think I'm a nerd, like other girls do.**
 * March 5th, 2008**


 * March 12, 2008**


 * Dear Ms. Johnson,**


 * Many things bother me. Things like Mr. M, homework and such, bother me…well…sometimes a lot and sometimes a little. Things that really bother me, that drive me bonkers in the head, are when people laugh at me when I am crying, and when they say I am “overly dramatic”. I know I am, but it just drives me crazy when they keep on reminding me! By the way, before I finish this letter I have to ask you, will you answer my letters? Another thing is, somethings in my last letter may not be true, because somethings have changed between my friends and I.**


 * Fondly,**


 * Emma B.**


 * March 13, 2008**


 * Dear Ms. Johnson,**


 * How are you? I don’t really wish for much. Well, then again, I wish for not school every single day, or else just to be in school for a little less time. That’s because I miss my family when I’m at school. That’s the only thing I wish for. I used to want a puppy, even though I had a dog, and still have one. Now I think that wish was pretty weird, because my dog is great and I love her a lot! This was a pretty short letter. I think this is my last letter. Please write back!**


 * Fondly,**


 * Emma B.**