My Dear Companion

This week in music class we sang a song called "My Dear Companion".  We discussed the song's meaning at the beginning of the class, and then sang it together as a group, working on our sightreading skills and discussing the repeated patterns in the song.  The song is about someone who has gone away and does not return and the person who is singing is very sad that they are gone.  I used this as a way to have students write a letter to someone who they care about who has left, gone away, moved, died, or who they had a bad fight with.  I have some wonderful letters to share, including some pictures as well.  Thank you for reading my blog!! and Enjoy my students' great work!

Dear Lily,
I saw pictures of you on facebook. I can’t believe you were Clara in the nutcracker!(Okay, well maybe I can believe it.) Did you have to dance with the nutcracker? I miss going to your house and playing with our american girl dolls. I also really miss playing store.(Remember the money writing contest?) I wish you could visit more often. Maybe you could come this summer! So anyway, back to the nutcracker, what was it like to be the star of the show!?!?! Did you like being Clara? (Actually, don’t answer that. I already know.)How surprised were you when you found out that you were the Clara?!  I’m so happy and proud that I can say “my friend was clara in the nutcracker.” 

So… how’s life? I haven’t seen or heard from you in like FOREVER so I need to catch up. Anyway, time to talk about my nutcracker. It looks like it’s been a great nutcracker year for both of us! I was a party girl, angle, and the black sheep (the black sheep part got me my first solo!) It was really fun being a party girl because my dance teachers 3 year old daughter was my sister in the party scene. Too cute! I’m sooooooo sad the nutcracker is over though. I didn’t want to take off my costume! Me and another girl at my dance school were the oldest angels so we had to keep the younger ones behaved. Of Course, we didn’t do a good job of it. The other angels lost two head pieces and two candles so we had to go without. But since we were at the front, that just made us look like the leads😀. 

   Are you still into American Girl Dolls? Remember when hurricane sandy hit and we got to sleep over? Also, do you remember when the bus was late because of snow and we went sledding at your house? Or what about the summer you came to visit and we built that awesome fort? I wish we could do more together and visit each other more often.


Love,
   Maya Neel

P.S. we have a new family member ;) 
P.P.S. please wright back!

12/14/15

Dear Rowan,  

Ever since I saw you last trip I have missed a lot of things you taught me. One of them is teaching me how to do the rubik's cube. You have a lot of rubik's cubes. I have to say my favorite one is the 1X1 it is really “hard”. Also I have missed playing ghost in the graveyard where you count to twelve and then the grave keepers have to find the ghosts. Remember that time when we were playing ghost in the graveyard and I hid on the top of the basketball hoop so no one would tag me, and you hid in the bushes and no one could find you, that was fun. Another memory I miss is going on the roof of the garage. That was fun because when we did it we jumped to the neighbor's garage roof. Also there was the time when you taught me that game where there was the desert and the cards and  you could not get dehydrated or you would die. Remember that time when you came to Maine and we were at the beach and we were really bored so we built a sand castle and it was at least six feet tall. My favorite memory is when you came from springfield and it was the first time you saw the ocean and you were so happy. It was kind of funny. When you first saw it you were kind of scared and then you went in it and you loved it. My last memory is when you showed me all your rubik's cubes. You have the megaminx, the pyraminx, the egg, the mirror, the 1X1, the 2X2, the 3X3, and the 4X4. I still think it’s amazing how you can solve all of them except the pyramix. How do you remember the algorithms?

I thinks it’s kind of cool how are parents are best friends and we are too. I don’t know the next time we are going to visit Springfield but I hope it's soon. Also I heard that you guys might be moving to massachusetts. If you are where are you moving? If you do move please bring your rubik's cubes, they are fun. Also next time you visit bring the desert game, and teach me how to solve the megaminx rubik's cube. Lastly bring any games or toys, they are always really fun and exciting.

Sincerely,

Damon Whitcomb

P.S How's solving the pyraminx rubik's cube going?