At-Home Reading Response #6: Great Description

1/8/2017

Great descriptions really make a story come to life! Great descriptions use precise details, figurative language, and/or interesting vocabulary to enhance a reader's experience with the text.

You can analyze descriptions in a number of ways. One way is to decide if the author means the description "literally" or "figuratively."

Literal: the author means exactly what he or she writes. For example, "A few cold drops of rain fell on the children's noses and their cheeks and their mouths. The sun faded behind a stir of mist. A wind blew cold around them." This is a great, precise description of the start of a rain storm. The author means exactly what he says.

Figurative: the words are used in a way that is different from the usual meaning. Figurative language creates a picture in your mind. For example, "The children pressed to each other like so many roses, so many weeds, intermixed, peering out for a look at the hidden sun." The author does not mean that the children are actually roses or weeds. This description makes you think of roses and weeds crowded together, then relate that to a crowd of children trying to see the sun.

This Week's Prompt:
Look through your independent reading for a great description of a setting, a character, or an action.

Quote the description accurately and provide background information about it.
Explain the meaning of the description and tell if the author means the words literally or figuratively.

I look forward to reading the great descriptions you choose! Bonus points if you find both a literal description and a figurative description!

58 Comments

Nadya

1/9/2017 05:24:21 pm

Dear Ms.Kimball,
I am writing to explain a great description for you. I got the description from a book called King of the Wind which is a book I really like. Here is the description:"Agba pushed his palm-leaf broom as if he were sweeping all his thoughts into a little mound for the wind to carry away." I think that this description means that Agba has some unpleasant or sad thoughts that he wants to get rid of by letting the wind carry them away. This description is figurative because you can not actually sweep up your thoughts for the wind to carry away.
Sincerely Nadya

Ms. Kimball

1/9/2017 09:52:00 pm

Dear Nadya,

Great choice of a description. I like how the author related Agba's sweeping to what was going on in his mind. Very cool. At this point in the story, what was Agba hoping to forget or not think about? Did something unpleasant happen to him that makes him want to push thoughts out of his mind?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Nadya

1/18/2017 07:59:20 pm

Dear Ms.Kimball,
Thank you for your comments.I will now answer your questions. Yes Agba did want to push an unpleasant thought out of his mind. The month was the month of Ramadan when all the people of the country did not eat anything. The sultan had made an order that the horses not eat to. Agba was a horse boy in the royal stables. He was in charge of a lot of horses. One of those horses in particular was Agba's favorite and she was pregnant so Agba was very worried about her.
Sincerely Nadya

Kate

1/11/2017 06:46:32 pm

Dear Class,

This first great description is from “Stormbreaker” the first book in the Alex Rider series. Here it is, “It was only a sheer brick wall stretching down to the pavement, the cars and buses moving like toys so far below, and the blast of wind against his face that made it terrifying.” Right now Alex is up on a building that curves in a semi circle, and he is trying to jump from the ledge of one side to a flagpole to the other side. He is jumping because the door on the room he is trying to get into is locked from the inside. The description means that Alex is so high up on the building that the buses and cars look like toys below him, and because of the wind blowing and the height he was terrified of falling. The author Anthony Horowitz meant this figuratively because cars and buses can’t actually be toys unless they were miniature and not working cars and buses. This book is filled with lots of great descriptions. So here is a literal description, “He found himself surrounded by dirt and debris.The smell of diesel was thick in the air and the roar of the engines was deafening. Alex watched as a crane swooped down on one of the cars, seized it in a metallic grip, and dropped it into a crusher.” Alex is at a car junkyard and is watching the action around him. This description describes the smell and look of the place and also what it looks like to see a car get picked up by a crane. This description unlike the first one is literal because the author meant exactly what he wrote, and there was no figurative language.

Sincerely,
Kate

Ms. Kimball

1/17/2017 06:21:40 am

Dear Kate,

Great choices for descriptions from the book. I like how you gave a lot of background information so that I could tell what was happening. You mentioned that the author uses a lot of great descriptions. How do you think he decides what kind of description to use? Do you like his choices or are they ever unrealistic?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Kate

1/18/2017 08:08:56 pm

Dear Ms. Kimball,

Thank you! The author does use a lot of great descriptions. I always wonder about how authors decide what kinds of descriptions to use and when. In terms of whether to use figurative or literal descriptions I think if something makes sense with figurative language in it this particular author tries to include it as much as possible because the book is rather straight forward but when it comes to describing something a lot of descriptions are figurative, it took me a while to find the literal one that I included in my first response. Also, as much as I can remember I liked his choices and thought they were pretty realistic considering the fact that the story isn't true.

Sincerely,
Kate

Alex

1/12/2017 04:50:13 pm

Dear Ms. Kimball,

This description I found in the 7th book of The Sisters Grimm, The Everafter War. Here it is: “ Suddenly, there was a pop followed by a loud hissing sound, as if someone had just stuck a balloon and let the air out. Before Sabrina knew what was happening she was pushed roughly to the center of her seat. She was practically sitting in her mother’s lap.
‘Very fast!’ Uncle Jake floored the gas and tore down the narrow country road. The car shook and quaked, pistons screamed and gears screeched. With every mile added to the car’s odometer, the interior got smaller. The passengers were squeezed closer and closer to one another.” First, let me give you some background knowledge. Uncle jake set a magical spell on the Grimms’ tiny little car, so the car would get bigger to fit all their passengers. Then Puck, a magical fairy-boy, got so angry that the roof of the car blaster off. Then the magic dust flew out of the car, and it got back to it's normal size. I think that this description is figurative, because the car didn't actually pop like a balloon. Also, this is a fantasy book.
Sincerely,
Alex

Ms. Kimball

1/17/2017 06:24:44 am

Dear Alex,

You chose a fun description to explain. You mentioned in the background description that the car "got back to its normal size." From the quote, it seems like the car is getting smaller. Can you explain more clearly?

Also, you chose a long description. Is all of it figurative?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Alex

1/18/2017 04:40:49 pm

Dear Ms. K.,
Thanks for the feedback. The Grimm’s car is really old and small. So Uncle Jake put magical dust on it to make it big enough to fit all their passengers. When Puck gets angry, the roof apparently blasts off the car, and the magic spell wears off. Then the car is shrinking and all the passengers are getting smushed together.
From,
Alex

Max

1/12/2017 05:03:47 pm

Dear, Class.

I am reading “Queste” by Angie Sage.
The description I picked is when the main character went to the basement of a research building and saw a man that was half rat, half human. The description is, “Half the man’s face was that of a rat. Rat nose, rat whiskers and two long, yellow rodent teeth. The rat’s mouth opened in shock, showing a pointed pink tongue. Quickly, the rat-man covered the lower part of his face with a long white silken cloth that had gotten loose and fallen around his neck. He readjusted it, winding it round and round until the swaths of silk covered the pointed bump of the rat nose.” The man who was the rat told the main character that he was cursed and that was how he became half rat.

I liked this description because the author of the book described the rat parts one at a time so every time it mentioned a part the rat was coming together in pieces. I also liked how the author made it so only a few parts were rat and the rest were human. This description is literal because it tells you directly what the rat person looked like.

Sincerely, Max.

Ms. Kimball

1/17/2017 06:32:53 am

Dear Max,

You made a very cool choice for a literal description. I also like how the author described the rat man one part at a time. There is no figurative description in what you quoted, but can you write one from you imagination using a figurative language that adds to the picture of the rat man? I would love to see what you come up with.

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Max

1/19/2017 05:27:05 pm

Dear Ms. Kimball,

If I made a figurative description for the rat person, it would probably be this: "Half of the mans face is covered in grey fur, has a pointed tongue and long yellow teeth."

It is sort of hard to make a figurative description of the rat man because all the charterer is, is just a guy who is half rat and half human.

Sincerely,
Max

Katie

1/12/2017 06:29:42 pm

Dear Class,
I’m taking a figurative description from the book, “The One and Only Ivan,” by Katherine Applegate. “I like colorful tales with black beginnings and stormy middles and cloudless blue-sky endings.” In the story at the time, one of the main characters is going to tell Ivan a story. Ivan is saying that these are his favorite tales. I think the meaning of this quote is that Ivan likes really bad beginnings, fighting middles, and so much better endings.
Yours Truly,
Katie

Ms. Kimball

1/17/2017 06:35:41 am

Dear Katie,

I like the quote you chose. It's a very imaginative way of describing the parts of a story through Ivan's unique point of view. Why do you think the author choose to compare the parts of the story to colors, storms, and sky? Since it's from Ivan's perspective, how does it influence your view of him?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Katie

1/18/2017 07:10:00 pm

Dear Ms. K,
Thank you for responding to my blog! For your first question, I think the author chose to write about the colors, storm, and sky because I think it was the feel, tone and message the author was trying to get across. The message I feel is that just simply, Ivan likes these kinds of stories. I think this quote gives Ivan the feel of playfulness, and simplicity. I think this quote shows that Ivan doesn’t know much and that he’s been in captivity.
Yours Truly,
Katie

Emma

1/12/2017 06:31:12 pm

Dear Class,
My description is From the book “Allegiant” By Veronica Roth. Here’s the description “The floor still tile, but they are polished to perfection, and there are windows every where. Down one hallway I see rows of lab tables and computers…………...but it’s brighter here, and nothing seems to be hidden.” This part of the book is when Tobias (one of the main characters) had just came from a long journey and is walking into a room with some of his friends that journeyed with him that he’s never been in. The description is describing the look of a room that Tobias had just entered. This Description is a Literal description, because it doesn’t describe anything like The girl ran as fast as a cheetah.
Sincerely,
Emma

Ms. Kimball

1/17/2017 06:40:08 am

Dear Emma,

You chose an interesting literal description. I think there is some funky grammar at one point: what does "The floor still tile" mean? From the description, it seems the room is some shiny and bright science lab. What is the room used for? Why did the author say "nothing seems to be hidden"? Was Tobias expecting something to be hidden in the room?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Emma

1/18/2017 07:44:22 pm

Dear Ms. Kimball,
Before I answer your first question, I would like to say thank you for spending some of your free time replying to us.
In your First question you ask what the line “The floor is still tile” means, and you ask if it has funny grammar. No, the reason the line said “still” was because in the room before this room the floor was tile too. In your second question you ask what the room Tobias is in used for. The author never really says clearly what the room is used for. Last but not least, the third question says Why did the author say “nothing seems to be hidden.” Was Tobias expecting something hidden in the room? What author meant by “nothing seems to be hidden” is that Tobias can see every part of the room and nothing is hidden in the shadows of anything.
Before I end this blog I would like to say thank you Ms Kimball for spending some of your free time replying to us.
Sincerely,
Emma

Caly

1/12/2017 07:02:09 pm

Dear Ms.kimball,

I will be doing my figurative and literal reading response on Dork Diaries by Rachel Renee Russell. My first description is “I barely got any sleep last night I lay there wide awake, trying to figure out how to stop Mackenzie.” Right now in this description Nikki is laying wide awake in bed trying to stop Mackenzie from taking her spot in the school newspaper. She is so afraid of Mackenzie doing this because she has dreamed of doing this her whole life. In a figurative situation the author says “but the last thing I need right now is to get into world war III with Mackenzie.” In this situation Mackenzie and Nikki are in a fight to get into the opening for the school newspaper. As you can see this is not literally happening in time but I feel like it is a way for the author to get their felling across. Thanks for reading.

Sincerely,
Caly

Ms. Kimball

1/17/2017 03:31:46 pm

Dear Caly,

You pointed out a good example of an exaggeration using figurative language. It sounds like Nikki and Mackenzie have a difficult relationship. If you had to describe each girl and how they behave toward one another, using figurative language, what would you say about them? Compare their actions or attitudes to something unique.

I look forward to hearing what you come up with.
Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Caly

1/19/2017 04:22:52 pm

Dear Ms.kimball,

As you asked me to describe Nikki and Mackenzie in figurative language I thought this would be a challenge but with further ado here I go. Nikki and Mackenzie don't have a good relation ship between one another, in fact I think you could call them arch enemies. Mackenzie on one hand is a very uptight, rotten, spoiled, person and she does not care about any one out of the CCP group (cute, cool popular girls).
Nikki on the other hand is kind of quiet and not really popular. However, when the spot in the newsletter opens up they both want to take it butt only one can have it. Then they have a big fight about who should get the spot, you can see these girls DON'T have a good relation ship between each other.

Sincerely,
Caly

Thomas B.

1/12/2017 07:27:34 pm

Dear class,

The description I chose was from The BFG by Roald Dahl. It takes place when the Bloodbottler giant barges into the BFG's cave and tries to eat Sophie, the main character.

"The Bloodbottler was a gruesome sight. His skin was reddish-brown. There was black hair sprouting on his chest and arms and stomach. The hair on his head was long and dark and tangled. His foul face was round and squashy-looking. The eyes were tiny black holes. The nose was small and flat. But the mouth was huge. It spread right across the face almost ear to ear, and it had lips that were like two gigantic purple frankfurters lying one on top of the other. Craggy yellow teeth stuck out between the two purple frankfurter lips, and rivers of spit ran down over the chin.,"

The author means the description literally, because he is directly describing a giant.

Sincerely, Thomas B.

Ms. Kimball

1/17/2017 03:34:35 pm

Dear Thomas,

Great choice of a description. The giant sounds pretty frightening. I have to disagree with you that the whole description is literal. I found a couple of details that I think the author meant figuratively. Reread the description again and see if you can find what I'm talking about. Why do you think the author choose to describe the giant this way? Explain.

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Thomas B.

1/19/2017 07:19:38 am

Dear Ms Kimball,

I just analyzed the whole description again and then I realized that I goofed up on some things. The "Purple frankfurter lips," were Figurative, and so were the "tiny black holes".

Also, I think the author described the Bloodbottler giant this way because he wanted to make the Bloodbottler giant seem frightening, which fits him well, since he eats humans every night.

Sincerely, Thomas B.

Willie

1/12/2017 07:42:41 pm

Dear Class,
I am reading the book Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling. The great description I have chose is: "She was entirely round, now, like a vast life buoy with piggy eyes, making apoplectic popping noises." I think this description is figurative because it says "like." That tells me that it is not literal because it is like something not is something. I think that this description means that marge (The person who is swelling up) is blowing up like a giant balloon and her eyes are also swelling plus she is mad.
Sincerely,
Willie

Ms. Kimball

1/17/2017 03:37:16 pm

Dear Willie,

I like the description you chose. It definitely creates a vivid (and humorous) picture in my head. What is actually happening to this lady? Why is she mad? I know it's Harry Potter, so I'm guessing there is some magic involved, but can you explain?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Ellie

1/12/2017 07:54:04 pm

Dear Class,

Here is my RRB.
I am taking this description from a book called Going Wild by Lisa McMann. The description is: "Charlie scanned the room, and the chirping became even more insistent. More shapes appeared before her - stuffed animals, a rocking chair, and some sort of small appliance in the corner. Pulling a blanket from the boy's crib, she moved to the corner of the room, where the small appliance stood, and felt around it to see what it was." Basically, in this description, the main character, Charlie, is trying to save a baby that is stuck in a house on fire, while hearing an annoying chirping sound in the meanwhile. So, this is describing Charlie trying to save a baby boy in a burning house. I think that this is a literal description because in it, there are no metaphors or comparisons to unlike things. The author, Ms. McMann, wrote precisely what Charlie saw (and heard).
That is my RRB.

Sincerely,
Ellie

Ms. Kimball

1/17/2017 03:40:32 pm

Dear Ellie,

I like how the author described the way Charlie saw through the smoke --shapes appearing. Why is Charlie in this position? Also, if you had to describe Charlie's experience searching in the burning house using some figurative language, what would you write?

I look forward to hearing what you come up with.
Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Ellie

1/19/2017 07:41:25 pm

Dear Ms. Kimball,

Thanks for the feedback! I liked how the author put the way Charlie saw through the smoke as well.
Charlie is in this position because, before this paragraph, her best friend comes to her house and says, "MY NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE IS ON FIRE AND THE FIREFIGHTERS ARE MILES AWAY!!" This makes Charlie want to save the boy inside, and not abandon him to wait for the firefighters.
This is what I would write with figurative language: "Charlie looked around the room, squinting through the blanket of smoke. The chirping grew like a beansprout, and she covered her ears so she could focus. Blurry shapes became sharper as she squinted - stuffed animals, a rocking chair, and a small appliance in the corner. She grabbed the blanket from the boy's crib and walked toward the corner of the room, through the stifling cloud of ash, and felt to see what the appliance was." I decided to use "cloud" and "blanket" to describe the smoke because it gives an impression of lots of smoke in the room, but figuratively - just like the literal description that the author actually uses.

Sincerely,
Eleanor

Thomas H

1/12/2017 08:29:06 pm

Dear class,
I am reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, and have I got a description for you! On page 51 of chapter four, it says, "Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Fleur, and Mundungus drank. All of them gasped as the potion hit their throats: At once, all their figures began to bubble and distort like hot wax. Hermione and Mundungus were shooting upward; Ron, Fred, and George were shrinking; their hair was darkening, Hermione's and Fleur's appearing to shoot backwards into their skulls." This part is happening when most of Harry's friends are drinking a polyjuice potion. A polyjuice potion is a potion to make yourself look like somebody else for exactly one hour. In this case, all of them are drinking to make themselves look like Harry to lure Lord Voldimort away from the real Harry. I think this description means that Harrys friends are changing after drinking the potion. I hope you enjoyed reading this.
Sincerely,
Thomas H

Ms. Kimball

1/17/2017 03:43:10 pm

Dear Thomas,

Thank you for providing background information on your description about Harry and friends transforming from polyjuice potion. You forgot to explain which parts of your description are figurative or literal. Can you do that? Also, why do you think the author chose to describe the transformation this way?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Thomas H

1/19/2017 04:41:50 pm

Dear Ms Kimball,
I thought it would be nice to have the background information on polyjuice potions because the description doesn’t exactly make it clear on what they are drinking. I appreciate the thanks. Anyway, I apologize for not making the figurative and literal thing clear. This is what I meant to say: When the description said “Hermione's and Fleur’s hair appearing to shoot backwards into their skulls”, I think the author meant literally. Although it sounds like figurative words--like shoot backwards into their skulls--it is literal, because of one word: Appearing. Appearing changes this entire sentence or part, because the definition means what is actually being seen (In the book). Also, when it says “Their figures began to bubble and distort like hot wax”, of course their figures aren’t actually hot wax. This is figurative. I think the Author chose to describe the transformation this way because it would kind of bring out the main idea of what they are doing. I hope that answers all of your questions.
Sincerely,
Thomas H
Dear Ms Kimball,
I thought it would be nice to have the background information on polyjuice potions because the description doesn’t exactly make it clear on what they are drinking. I appreciate the thanks. Anyway, I apologize for not making the figurative and literal thing clear. This is what I meant to say: When the description said “Hermione's and Fleur’s hair appearing to shoot backwards into their skulls”, I think the author meant literally. Although it sounds like figurative words--like shoot backwards into their skulls--it is literal, because of one word: Appearing. Appearing changes this entire sentence or part, because the definition means what is actually being seen (In the book). Also, when it says “Their figures began to bubble and distort like hot wax”, of course their figures aren’t actually hot wax. This is figurative. I think the Author chose to describe the transformation this way because it would kind of bring out the main idea of what they are doing. I hope that answers all of your questions.
Sincerely,
Thomas H

Caroline

1/12/2017 08:35:20 pm

Dear Class,
My great descrition is from the book The Magicians Elephant. LEo is a tiny police officer who has a small but powerful opinion. In this scene he is walking home and stopping on the hill and looking down at his well lit town. The description I got is "Leo stood at the top of the hill and waited for a long while, untill the avenue below him was well and fully lit, and then he continued walking down the hill and onto the lghted path, toward his home." I think that this is a literal description because it can set the exact piicture in my mind of this scene.

Ms. Kimball

1/17/2017 03:45:41 pm

Dear Caroline,

I'll be honest and admit that I'm not a huge fan of the description you chose. It doesn't really help me picture what's happening in any specific way. Can you find a better description that helps readers get a clear, vivid picture in their minds? Then compare that description to the one you originally chose.

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Caroline

1/17/2017 06:48:14 pm

Dear Ms.kimball,
I tried to find the best description I could. I was reading the book the magicians elephant. There weren't a lot of good descriptionsn there. The new description I chose that I think is sorta better? is
"The elephant came crashing through the ceiling of the opera house amid a shower of plaster dust and roofing tiles and landed in the lap of noblewoman, a certain Madam Bettine LaVaughn, to whom the magician had intended to present the bouquet".
I dont really know how to compare to be honest.
I think this description used more vivid words to help make a better picture in the readers mind.

Sincerely,
Caroline

Wyatt

1/12/2017 09:00:04 pm

Dear Ms.Kimball,

I am writing a great description from a book called Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. This description that I found in the book was “ It was amazing how fast the flies came, but when he built up the fire and smoke increased the flies magically disappeared.” I think that the flies don’t like the smoke or the fire. The way the author described how the flies disappeared I think they don’t like the fire or smoke. I think that is figurative because the flies can’t disappear right away in an instant. That’s why it is not literal and figurative. To conclude my paragraph I think this is a figurative line not literal.

Sincerely,
Wyatt

Ms. Kimball

1/17/2017 03:49:51 pm

Dear Wyatt,

Your response is a bit short on detail. You didn't give background information on what's happening, so I don't really know how to picture the description you chose. Why are there flies around a fire? Can you find a description from the story that really helps readers picture something? I know Hatchet is all about survival in the wilderness. Are there any descriptions about what Brian sees or does that helps readers feel like they are there in the woods, too?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Wyatt

1/19/2017 07:06:07 pm

Dear Ms.K,
Thank you for your feedback. The flies are circling around Brian in till he started a fire. There is another quote and it is "He looked out across the lake and brought the egg to his mouth and closed his eyes and sucked and squeezed the egg at the same time and swallowed as fast as he could. It had greasy oily taste , but it was still an egg." To me that is disgusting and I could see Brian swallowing the egg and going down his throat. There are no descriptions in the woods because Brian hasn't been in the woods for a long time.

Sincerely,
Wyatt

Isaiah

1/12/2017 09:10:11 pm

Dear Class,
I am providing a description from memory because I turned my book in already. The description is from the book Inside Out and Back Again. What happens is that the character Ha gets called Pancake Face by a bully in the school. The reason he calls her this is because he thinks her face is squished like a pancake. Later in the story the boy gets in trouble for repeatedly calling her Pancake Face. This is a description I recall from my book.

Jacob

1/12/2017 09:50:36 pm

Dear Class,

The great description I'm writing about is from a Magic Tree House book, where Annie says “From the tree house those people look like miniature ants scurrying around helplessly for food.” This is when Annie is looking down from the tree house to see outside and then she notices she's in great Britain. This is a figurative description, as she is obviously talking about the people running around in the streets and not tiny little ant people trying to find food. If you haven't read the Magic Tree House series, then I recommend it to you. The books are short, easy reads but have fun adventures, use deep descriptive language a lot, and are mysterious fiction.

Sincerely,
Jacob

Ms. Kimball

1/17/2017 08:13:49 pm

Dear Jacob,

Great choice in your description. Why does the author compare people in Great Britain to ants looking for food? I agree that the Magic Tree House Series is filled with short, fun, easy-to-read adventures. If you had to describe the tree house using descriptive language, in your own words, how would you describe it?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Jacob

1/19/2017 06:24:34 pm

Dear Ms.K,

Thank you for the informative feedback! I think the author compared people in Great Britain to ants looking for food, because the treehouse is so high up that from Anne's perspective the people below look like tiny and like they are hurrying around, which she imagines little ants hurrying around busily looking for food.
I’m glad you agree that the Magic Tree House books are easy, fun reads. I would describe the tree house as a magical oak fort, where Jack and Annie go to read through books and open their imaginations to fantastic and fun adventures. It is a unique place where the reader is introduced to different times, places, and characters.

Sincerely,
Jacob

Anika

1/12/2017 10:10:20 pm

Dear Class,

This first description is from the book, “Inside Out & Back Again” by Thanhha Lai. Here it is, “I study the dictionary because grass and trees do not grow faster just because I stare.” Right now a girl named Ha has just moved from Vietnam to the U.S.A and is learning english and is extremely bored. Ha does not know anything about America or how how to speak english and has just moved with her two brothers and her mother. The meaning to this quote to me is, “No matter how hard I try things don’t get easier.” I think this because she’s looking at a tree that is taking long to grow, and she’s taking a long time to know and learn english. So that’s what I think the quote is and means. Now, I think that the author/poet meant these words as a because both because most of this quote is pretty straight forward but the trees and grass part holds some symbolism. Next, this is the quote in literal form, “I study the dictionary because I’m bored and I’m learning english.” The author/poet could have wrote the description like this but she choose to also add some metaphorical features to the quote. Now, the figurative form, “ I look at words with different meanings in one book to avoid the boredom of watching a tree grow for thousands of years.” That is an accurate version because it explains what she’s doing but with word play. So this is my description from, “Inside Out & Back Again”

Sincerely,
Anika

Ms. Kimball

1/17/2017 08:18:04 pm

Dear Anika,

The description you chose is very interesting and amusing. It sounds like Ha is stuck reading the dictionary because there is nothing else for her to do. When you wrote, "the trees and grass part holds some symbolism," what did you mean? Also, what kind of girl is Ha now that she is in America as opposed to her homeland?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Anika

1/18/2017 05:52:04 pm

Dear Mrs.Kimball,

Thank you for the feedback. First, what I meant by symbolism is that it
sounds like she is looking back at her old life, like the tree's are others that she once knew like her father who was captured and the bushes as old traditions. Lastly, Ha is more curious now and is more wondrous about the world and to be clear she was vietnamese so her customs were different and now she has new and more expected customs before her. I hope this helps you understand. Thanks again.

Sincerely,
Anika

Yair

1/12/2017 10:45:10 pm

Dear Mrs. Kimball, I am reading a book called "The Alchemist" by Michael Scott.The phrases i'm using are pretty weird, because in a more realistic book they would be figurative. So the phrases are "she will reduce Josh to a bubbleing liquid" or "she will turn you into green slime". These two phrases are Literal, because this story is mostly about magic.

Sincerely, Yair

Ms. Kimball

1/17/2017 08:21:11 pm

Dear Yair,

I can see how you might find some outrageous descriptions as "normal" for a book about magic. Usually fantasy stories have to describe the magic and the magical world in special detail in order for readers to believe it. Can you find a description of some of the magic in action that helps paint a picture of what is happening? Try to find a description that has a lot of detail and uses strong language to help you see a movie in your mind.

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Owen 5

1/13/2017 07:00:47 am

Dear class

I am reading a book called dragon rider and my description is "where a fire burned blue, keeping the darkness and dap away from the heat of the mountain." I think this description means that the heat from the fire is heating up the mountain (and his cave) and lighting the mountain up. This was happening in the middle of the book where Rat (who's a Rat) was warning Firedrake (a dragon) that humans were coming! The only thing they could do then was fly to the rim of heaven where there was no humans, but he has to watch out for the "golden one." By the way I have no idea who the golden one is.

Yours truly
Owen 5

Ms. Kimball

1/17/2017 08:23:25 pm

Dear Owen,

You forgot to explain whether your description was figurative or literal. Can you find a description of one of the dragons that helps paint a picture of what they look like for the reader? Try to find one that has a lot of strong language and vivid detail.

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Owen 5

1/19/2017 06:15:03 pm

Dear Ms.Kimball

This description is a literal because the dragon is actually in a cave in a mountain with a fire burning. And this was the best description of what Firedrake looked like "His long tail with its spiny crest was coiled around the warmth of the fire." Thats all I could find and this is a literal description because he was dealing coiled around a fire.

Sincerely Owen 5

Owen C

1/17/2017 07:23:56 am

Dear Class,

I am reading Insurgent, which is the second book in the Divergent series. Here is my description "Johanna sighs quietly and looks out the window. Beyond it is a small courtyard with vines growing in it. The vines creep onto the window's corners, like they are trying to come in and join the conversation." This is a literal description because in the book they are at Amity headquarters, the Amity are known for being peaceful and they like farming. They would grow vines because their whole complex is made of wood and plants.

Sincerely,
Owen C

Ms. Kimball

1/22/2017 09:28:43 am

Dear Owen,

I like the description that you chose. I agree that part of it is literal. However, I read part of it and saw a comparison that was figurative. Can you reread the description and see if you find what I did? Also, do you think woods and plants are connected in some way to peacefulness? If so, how?

Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

Owen C

1/25/2017 06:24:31 pm

Dear Ms.K

Thanks for the feedback. I think you are right that it can be a figurative description. The vines are not literally creeping in. The author (Veronica Roth) gave the vines personification which, abolishes the fact that they are literally creeping in. The plants connecting to peace is something that you mentioned. farming and plants give kind of a peaceful feeling to be around because it is nature and not man made material. Farming is usually a peaceful activity. Amity is the peace faction of the city. So, of course the amity would make their headquarters in an orchard. Thanks for the feedback.

Sincerely,

Owen C

Isaiah

1/18/2017 09:29:20 pm

Dear class,

The description I found in my book was “pancake face”. This happens on Halloween when ha doesn’t wear a costume to school, because she doesn’t know to. Then one boy (that is a bully to her) says “she should be a pancake. She has a pancake face.” That is one description I found in the book I was reading.

Sincerely Isaiah.

Willie

1/19/2017 05:41:45 pm

Dear Ms. Kimball,
First things first the lady's name is aunt Marge. Harry put a curse on her because she was being mean to him and saying that his parents died in a car crash which they didn't. Aunt Marge started yelling at Harry so he put a curse on her. That is what is happening in the scene.
Sincerely,
Willie

Yair

1/19/2017 11:23:50 pm

Dear Ms Kimball
Actually, I've finished the "Alchemist".
I can tell you a phrase from the book called “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” by J.K Rowling. When Harry was in Hogwarts school of magic and witchcraft, he and Riddle who is one of the students at that school talked about who opened the chamber of secrets. They also talked about how Riddle is a trouble maker and Dumbeldore keeps a close watch on Riddle. Harry said “Dumbeldor saw right thru you'. This phrase is figurative, because Dumbeldor didn’t literally see thru Riddle, he just knew a lot about him and kept a close eye on him.

DeAngi Partovi

1/20/2017 06:32:28 pm

Dear Ms. Kimball,

This isn't a response blog purely because I'm too lazy to answer it.But, I was just checking into the website and I am surprised.The minions are doing really well during half of the year. You are truly a better teacher than you were before. ( Not saying that you were bad, but you're just doing a lot better teaching.)

Sincerely,
DeAngi

P.S Are you guys studying the weather yet? Has anyone wondered about the storm glass? Also, I am reworking on my story about Bob, the tarantula. Tell them it's going to be a blast doing the project.

Ms. Kimball

1/22/2017 09:32:22 am

Dear DeAngi,

Thanks for writing! And for the compliment :) I don't think this class loves the Reading Response Blog as much as your class did, but overall they are doing a good job on it.

We are studying weather and some students were wondering about the tempo drop that you gave me. We're trying to figure out the pattern.

That's awesome that you are reworking your Bob the Tarantula informational text. It was a very clever format for teaching about those amazing creatures. We haven't started info writing yet..soon! I will tell the class that you recommend the unit!

I hope middle school is going well for you!
Sincerely,
Ms. Kimball

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At-Home Reading Response #6: Great Description

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Ms. Kimball's Grade 5 At Pine Hill, 2016-2017