Maggie

Famous People from Wisconsin

Have you ever wondered what famous people were born in Wisconsin? You probably had no idea that these people were born in Wisconsin.  That includes actors, writers, social media stars and singers. There are a lot of famous people in Wisconsin.

One famous person from Wisconsin is Chris Tallman. Chris Tallman was born on September 22, 1970 in Madison, Wisconsin. He went to Madison High School. He was the creator of Channel 101 series “Time Belt”. Chris started his acting career by guest-starred on many T.V. shows. Then in 2013 his popular T.V. show “The Thundermans” premiered on Nickelodeon. He plays Hank Thunderman, a superhero with powers like flying and super strength. He is currently still living in Madison and contributed a lot to the state.

Another famous person is Gene Wilder. Jerome Silber (aka Gene Wilder) was born on June 11, 1933. He was a famous actor. Gene was really famous for playing Willy Wonka in “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”. He had severe Alzheimer's disease. Gene was a famous actor, writer and producer. He died on August 29, 2016 in Stamford, Connecticut. He was listening to one of his favorite songs “Over the Rainbow”, by Ella Fitzgerald when he died. Gene Wilder was a very important person in Wisconsin and all over the world.

The last famous person is Laura Ingalls Wilder. Laura Ingalls was born on February 7, 1867 near the village of Pepin. She moved very frequently. Laura wrote the “Little House on the Prairie” series which was about her childhood as a settler and pioneer. When she was 15, she became a school teacher. She taught 3 terms in one room schools. She married Almanzo Wilder on August 25, 1885. In autumn of 1956 she was really ill due to undiagnosed diabetes and cardiac issues. Later in 1957 on February 10, three days after her 90th birthday she died in her sleep. Laura Ingalls Wilder was a very big influence to kids all over the world.

All of these people were really big influences to kids and adults. Chris Tallman, Laura Ingalls Wilder and Gene Wilder are some of the most famous people that were born in Wisconsin. Wouldn't you love to meet them?

Celestina

Animals in Minnesota

There are many animals in Minnesota. Most of them are dangerous, even though they are cute. I am writing about a moose, an American Black Bear, and  the Virginia Opossum. If you want to learn more about those animals, then keep reading.

Moose are huge and heavy animals. They also have a few other names. The correct name for female moose is a COW, the male is called a bull, and the young moose is called a CALF. A moose is also called an elk. Adult males may weigh as much as 1500 pounds. Average weights for adult males are closer to 1000 pounds  and 800 pounds for adult females. The largest moose live in Alaska. Moose are herbivores. They eat twigs, bark, roots and the shoots of woody plants. They prefer to eat willows and aspens. In the warm months, moose feed on water plants, water lilies, pondweed, and horsetails. In winter, and evergreen trees. A group of moose is know as a herd.some U.S states that moose live in include: Washington, Maine, mountains of Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, upstate New York, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin, Michigan and Wyoming. Moose can weigh between 500-1400 pounds, and can be 7ft- 10ft long.  Moose are cool, but dangerous animals.

Most bears can be very dangerous. Black bears are excellent climbers. Their claws give them great grip, and the branches offer youngsters safety from predators. Cubs can be very adventurous, climbing high into the treetops. Black bears tend to shuffle along slowly when walking, but are able to run at speeds of around 40-50 kph. However, they cannot maintain this pace for long. According to Born Free USA, black bears can be legally hunted in 27 states in America, and between 40,000 to 50,000 bears are legally hunted there each year. An adult American black bear is around 240 pounds.  American black bears are omnivores. Most of their diet is plant based. American black bears mainly feed on vegetation including herbs, grasses, roots, buds, shoots, honey, nuts, fruit, berries and seeds. They will also eat fish, small mammals, insects, dead animals and garbage.  American black bears are very intelligent animals.

Virginia Opossums are very small animals. A Virginia Opossum’s lifespan is up to 4 years. A Virginia opossum has a pouch to carry its baby.  The Virginia opossum is North America's only marsupial. A marsupial is an animal with a pouch, like a kangaroo or a koala. The opossum has been around for at least 70 million years, and is one of Earth's oldest surviving mammals! The Virginia opossum lives in a wide-variety of habitats including forests, open woods and farmland. It prefers wet areas like marshes, swamps and streams.  A Virginia opossum female may have as many as 25 babies, but she usually will have between seven to eight. The reason opossums have so many babies to insure that some of them survive. Like most marsupials, opossums are very small when they are born. They are about the size of a navy bean.  Virginia opossums are vicious animals.

These animals are very dangerous, but cute. If they were not so dangerous which one would you like to see?

Isabella

Awesome Sports in Kansas

     Did you know that Kansas has a lot of cool sports? If not, then this chapter is definitely for you. There are many sports in Kansas.

In Kansas, college basketball is a popular sport. For example, in 2008, the University of Kansas men’s basketball team won the NCAA national championship. In the national championship they defeated Austin Peay, Connecticut, and Maryland. For their final tournament they went against Elite Eight Villanova. In July 2015, the Jayhawks basketball team represented the United States at the World University Games. The Jayhawks, along with Nic Moore from Southern Methodist University and Julian DeBose from Florida Gulf Coast, won 8-0 and got the Gold Medal. That is one of the popular sports in Kansas.

In addition to basketball, Kansas has a annual pancake run. It began February 20,1950. The racers have to run down the streets while flipping pancakes as they run. Every February the communities hold a 415-yard race to determine the fastest runner who can also flip a pancake. Typically the fastest runner completes the course in just under one minute. That is another sport in Kansas.

In addition to the pancake run and basketball, Kansas has a college  football team. They were called Kansas State University. They were known as one of the world’s worst football teams in Kansas. Then, that team had an amazing comeback from 1993 to 2003. That team won several titles and won in 11 straight games. Kansas football was my last sport that I will be talking about today.

In the Midwest, Kansas has a lot of interesting sports.I hope you learned some facts that you didn't know.I never knew that a pancake run exists. This was probably my favorite sport to write about.

Rohan

Fun at Lake Compounce

Some people love Lake Compounce. Spending a day at Lake Compounce is a good way to connect with my family because the food is very good to eat, everyone is happy when we go there, and there are tons of rides.

One reason Lake Compounce is a good way to connect with my family is because the food is very good. It is good to eat because it is yummy. My favorite food to eat there is turkey hot dogs. I also have ice cream that was very delicious and cold. There were also onion rings that were really hot and awesome. This is why food at Lake Compounce is so good.

Another reason Lake Compounce is a good way to connect with my family is because everyone is happy there.  Everyone is happy at Lake Compounce because it is a very fun place. One time I wanted to go on the bumper cars, so I asked my mom to come on with me. When bumped each other with the bumper cars, we were laughing a lot. Then I bumped some other people, and I know the other people were also having a fun day because they were laughing too. This is why Lake Compounce is a fun place.

My final reason Lake Compounce is a good way to connect with my family is there are tons of rides. We all like to go on rides together. There are tons of awesome rides like, bumper cars. I love bumper cars because my mom went on it with me. Some of the rides are very scary. They have fast roller coasters, and really fast spinning rides. I like to see my sister go on the roller coasters. My Grandma likes the rides, but she got dizzy. This is why Lake Compounce has a lot fun rides.

It is true that Lake Compounce is a really fun place to spend the day connecting with my family. Lake Compounce is so awesome they even show it on commercials. My sister, my mom, my grandma and I are always excited to go there. This makes me think everyone should go there.

Juliana

Businesses in Missouri

The air is filled with fresh toasted ravioli. The workers at the car business are hard at work selling cars, while the farmers are busy milking the cows. Shoppers are looking at stores while others are sitting to take breaks to eat. It is a very peaceful and beautiful state with many great businesses. That leads to why I think that Missouri has many good businesses.

One reason why I think there are many good businesses in Missouri is because they have really tasty food businesses. For example, some of their most famous foods are toasted ravioli, pork steak, bread, and gooey butter cake. How I know that those foods are famous in Missouri is because I’ve seen ads in Missouri on foods that they sell that are most famous.

Also, some other tasty foods they sell are St. Louis-style pizza, apple pie, and St. Louis-styled ribs. St. Louis has a history going back to an early French settlement in 1764, but its cultural styles are seen as centering most significantly around immigrants from Italy, Germany, and Ireland.

In other words, why I think that they have tasty foods in Missouri is because they have many good foods like, for example, the yummy, St. Louis-styled pizza. The pizza’s traditional characteristics include that it’s cut into squares (“tavern cut”). Also, the crust is thin and crisp and is not made with yeast. The white processed cheese Provel (composed of provolone, Swiss, and white cheddar) was originally created because of low melting point. And the pizza’s sauce is seasoned with more oregano and less basil than is typical.

My next reason why I think there are many good businesses in Missouri is because they sell good cars. In addition, some good car businesses in Missouri are Geico, Nationwide, State Farm, Allstate, Progressive, MetLife, and Encompass.

In addition, of the top 10 most popular cars registered in the St. Louis market, Acura was the brand most drivers chose in 2012. According to Polk, a Southfield Mich.-based automotive research firm, three Acura models made last year’s list. However, it wasn’t the most popular car.

In addition,, in Missouri, most cars in Missouri are black and white. That’s what the people behind auto leasing website SwapALease.com learned when they analyzed the color of the vehicles listed on their website. Some 80 percent of the cars and trucks in the leasing database are in the grey family. That includes black and white. Black is the most common color in the SwapALease.com database at 31.4 percent, followed by white (19.6 percent) and silver (13.1 percent). Dark grey (9.1 percent) and grey (6.5 percent) round out the top five most popular colors. Red, ranked sixth, is the first color not in the grey family in the top 10, and represented 5.2 percent of cars in the leasing database.

Lastly why I think there are many good businesses in Missouri is because they have good farms with farmers to grow foods in it. In addition, they have many great foods! My favorite crop from Missouri is tomatoes. (It’s making me hungry now!)

In other words, Missouri has many crops like soybeans, from which oil is made, are the state’s most important crop, corn and grain sorghum, used for livestock feed, are also important, cotton, hay and wheat, and so much more!

Last but not least why I think that Missouri has good businesses is because they have good farms with farmers to grow foods is because they grow tasty fruits that are fresh from the garden’s. Some tasty fruits they have are strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, blueberries, grapes, apricots, cherries, plums, nectarines, peaches, apples, and pears according to the website: extention.missouri.edu/p/MG6.

Even though I think Missouri has many good businesses, I still think that all states in America have their own unique businesses because they all are different. These are all the reasons why I think that Missouri has many good businesses.

Colter

My Awesome Cat

Does your cat make you happy? My cat makes me happy because he is cute, he loves getting pet and, most of all, because he is crazy.

My first reason he makes me happy is that he is so cute. An example for that is, when I forget to give him food he just meows. After that I have to feed him. oThat’s how cute his meows are .  My second example is when I pet him he purrs and it is sooooooo cute! One time I was on my mom’s bed and I was petting him,  and I put my ear to his stomach and I can hear him purring.  My last example is he is so cute because his eyes are so big. His eyes are so cute. These are three examples why my cat is cute.

My next reason my cat makes me happy is he loves getting pet. For example when I put my hand in his fluff I enjoy it and he enjoys it too. My second example is when I pet him he rolls over and enjoy and when he rolls over he looks so cute. My last example is when I put my hand in his fur it feels like heaven, and I love it. These are three examples why he loves getting pet.

Although my cat makes me happy because he is cute and he loves getting pet, it is especially true that my cat makes me happy because he is crazy.  He is crazy when I am about to feed him and he’s hungry. He like runs super fast downstairs. When I get there I put down the food, he eats it and dashes back upstairs. My second example is when he chases his tail.  He gets dizzy and falls over.  It’s really funny. It makes me laugh when he does it. My last example is when we put him in catnip he goes crazy and it’s very funny. These are three examples why he is crazy.

Aidan

Frappucinos

I have had many beverages in my time such as soda, hot chocolate and orange juice. I still think frappuccinos are the best drinks in the world  because there is a big variety of flavors, they´re delicious and most of all, they’re energizing.

One reason frappuccinos are the best drink in the world is there is a big variety of flavors. One of the flavor is caramel. Caramel is my favorite flavor because it's super sweet. Another flavor is strawberries and cream. This is the second best because it's not that sweet and I like sweet foods and beverages. The third is original. This is my least favorite because it's not sweet at all. Those are the different flavors of frappuccinos.

Another reason frappuccinos are the best drink in the world is they're delicious. One reason they're delicious is the caramel. The caramel is delicious because it's really sweet and sugary. The second reason is the whipped cream. The whipped cream is good because it's fluffy and creamy. The third reason is the coffee itself.  It doesn't make it too sweet because it kind of balances out the sweetness. That's why frappuccinos are delicious.

Andy B.

Sports for the Nebraska Cornhuskers

Nebraska is where my dad's friend lives. He is a big sports fan. In honor of him, this is an essay about sports in that state. There are a lot cool and different sports in Nebraska. Also, there are some statistics and good players and other things about sports in this essay. Also there are actually really good players and teams! If you are interested, keep reading.

My first example that Nebraska has good sports is they have good players. Tony Armstrong, Jr. was one of the best quarterbacks for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He always threw the ball right on target to his receivers. Another great player was Kelly Hunter. She played for the women's volleyball team. She lead the Nebraska Cornhuskers team to the volleyball championship in 2016. Another really good player is Ameer Abdullah. He was a running back for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He was really good and made it to the NFL in no time. He was really good going through defenders. These are some good players on Nebraska teams.

My second reason that Nebraska has good sports is that the players some of the players have really good statistics. One of the players that has good stats is Lawrence Phillips. His position was running back for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He had 1,543 yards and 13 touchdowns. Another great player was Ameer Abdullah. He only played for one season. He had 698 yards and he had 2 touchdowns. He also had 4 fumbles. My last player is Tony Armstrong, Jr. He played for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. His longest pass went for 72 yards and 14 touchdown passes. His total yards were 2,180. These were awesome stats for Nebraska players.

My last reason that Nebraska has good sports is they have good teams. One of their really good teams is the women’s volleyball team. They have Kelly Hunter, so they are awesome. Also because they always use teamwork. Also They have other good players and skills. Another good team is the football team, the Nebraska Cornhuskers. They have good players which add up too an awesome team. They also have lots of good skills. My last good team is the basketball team. They can shoot and make the shots almost every time. They also can fake out other good players, to do a lay up at the rim.

These are the reasons why Nebraska has good sports, They have good players, good teams, and players with high statistics. Maybe you will be interested in Nebraska's sports a little more.  

Emily

                                         

The Place I Wanted To Go

It was the biggest test coming up! We call it the great Hawaii test. Well it wasn’t that great. But the test would start next week. It might not look hard but it was hard. Well at least that’s what my sister told me.

Okay well my name is Lilly. I love a lot of things. I am really smart, well I don’t want to brag. I have two sisters and I have three brothers. I am almost ten years old.’’

“I have to study study study! I am so scared for me if I get a bad grade or if something else happens,” I thought to myself. All of my papers were flying everywhere all around my  room. “I will never get anything finished with all this happening,” I said to myself in a angry way. “Well at least I still have a week to study or I would be definitely doomed. I just am going to take a break till next week. But I will still study. Any way I do still have  some other homework I have to do today,” I said in a normal voice. ”Well I am just going to do this now. I love this type of math, yaaaay.”

“Keep it down your brother is trying to read and he doesn't like loud noise while he is doing his reading,” my mom said.

“Okay Mom,” I said, “Wish he wasn't reading right now.”

One week later ……… It all started on very normal day. Well, it wasn’t that normal since it was the day before the big Hawaii test.

“Wow!”, I said, “This is kind of hard of hard for a girl like me.” When I was studying in my class, I took a moment. I was the only student with sweat on my face. I don't know why I was  sweating because it wasn't even the real test. I looked around, everyone was studying or writing notes and some kids were even thinking. Everyone was doing something while I was looking at everyone. It was like someone was laughing in my face while I was just doing stuff. Then I got right back to work. I studied that Hawaii was surrounded by water. With my eyes halfway closed, I said wow really loud again. Then they opened really wide.

Then the teacher looked at me.”Oops,” I said in a quiet voice.

”Quiet!” yelled the unhappy teacher. “Back to work,” she said in a mad voice.

Then I said in my head  going back to my joyful voice, “I would love to go to Hawaii. It is like a beautiful paradise.” Then the teacher looked at me like she heard me in my head. ”I have no idea how but maybe she didn't hear,” I said in my head.

“There are sharks,” I said, my mouth opened wider than ever. “That is so cool, I really want to go there now. No matter what I hope I get to go there,” I said in my mind. ”Sharky shark shark I would probably see one. I have only seen sharks on nature shows and stuff like that,” I was saying. “I can't wait till vacation. Yippee.”

When I got home, my sister said “Would you like to study with me” and I said no.

It was not the right thing to do but what can I say? I really didn't want to do it. Even though I love to to study I really didn't want to. I was all worried about it last night. But I did pretty good on the pre-Test so it wasn't that big of a deal. There are other things in life.

Wait would about if I get a bad grade. Like D-Or a F. Oh no. I might do horrible on it. This can ruin my whole life. I am doomed. Well,then maybe it’s  not that hard. Oh I don’t know. I am super scared now. I am now going to get a bad grade.

20 minutes later. “Sara!” I yelled.

”What?” Sara said.

”Can you help me now please?” I yelled again.

”No”, Sara said.

”Why not, you are my sister and you just said that you would help me 21 minutes ago. Times going bye! Now it has been 22 minutes since you said that”! I said.

”You had the chance and now I have to go over my friend’s house!” Sara said madly.

”Okay”, I said dropping down slowly. ”Hmm.Well I will have to wait till tomorrow”, I said sitting on the ground.

I got into my classroom, scared. “Uaah the test is going to begin. Uaah I am so scared”! I said scaredly. My head was dripping with sweat. It was just like the pretest. Right away the teacher was passing out paper. “Why isn't this test in the afternoon?” I mumbled.

Lexy said, “They changed the schedule”. She is one of my BFFs. I met her in kindergarten.She is super nice.Also very helpful.

I wrote my name on the paper. Then I heard the teacher say in a soft voice, “May the test begin”.

I wished to myself I studied with my sister. But I didn’t. As I was doing my test, some of the kids in my class were looking at other kid’s papers. So the teacher with a not happy look on her face put out dividers. Then I had to get going. I felt the paper, it was very smooth. It was like a smooth table with wrinkles on it. ”I have to do my test now,” I said in my mind like always. I felt a shiver go down my throat.

I looked at the teacher like I was confused. Then, as she got up out of her chair, I gave her the other look. The look that tells her to not to come over. But she still got up and started to walk around the room. She looked at everyone’s test paper. She even looked at mine. When she does that I get even more nervous.

      

With a loud voice she said, ”Has everyone gotten started?”  Then that's when I got straight to work because she looked at me when she said that….

I got to the first question.

1. Is Hawaii its own state.       Yes  No

I circled yes. I was sure it was yes. But if it wasn’t I would go back and fix it before the test was over.

Even though I love tests I felt like I was in a daze. I looked up at the clock. I heard, “Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock”! After that I got right back to work.

Finally I was on the last question.

10. How many sharks are seen in Hawaii a day?

I finished that up and by then the test was over. I went to the teacher and handed it in. She looked at it fast and said,

“Did you check it over?” I said yes because I did.

After that dreadful test it was over and it all paid off.

That is when I saw my grade. My eyes filled with joy. I saw that number, 100%. I said, “I couldn’t even believe my eyes”. Then I said, “I have to go to Hawaii !The place is beautiful.”

After that day we had a whole week off. Then I thought for a moment,“Wait this can be my chance!”I said that because then I could go to Hawaii.

I yelled to my Mom and Dad because I was at home.

”What honey? Yes sweetpea,” said my mom and dad.

”Well can we go to Hawaii please?” I said.

”Are you kidding”, said my mom.

“Do you know how much that cost?” said my dad. “I don’t know”, I said. “Well the plane ride is about $500 to 1000. A hotel cost..ummm...Well who knows how much that costs”!

“There is a lot more too,”my mom said.

With a sad look on my face I knew it was all over. I walked up the stairs up in my house, with a single tear coming from my eye.

My older brother said, “Sorry about that.”

”You heard from downstairs”, I said with the single tear making its way on to the ground.

Yes”, He said.

Then I jump in my bed. Whipping the single tear off as it made its way off my cheek. “Then I remember that we can sell something. Like food. I will start first thing tomorrow”,I said with a smile on my face.

Then I jumped out of my bed and went to play with my little brother Lewis. I did that because he has been wanting to play with me for a week. So I did. I also have been way too busy. That is another reason why I am going to play with him. After playing with him I went to bed.

I woke up with my heart pumping fast. I said to myself, “This is the day”.This is the day to sell the food.

My mom already told everyone who I want to come. The people who can come and can’t. We are going to sell food...like hamburgers and hotdogs. My five best friends were coming.

We brought our grill. Then we were at the beach.  I met all my friends at the beach. I could feel the sand in my toes. I could hear the waves crashing.

Only a few people came. But they left by the time the sun was setting. I said, “Maybe this wasn’t a good idea”. When I said that everyone started coming, it was a miracle that happened.The beach was filled with people. They all came up to our stand and bought stuff. They had dinner at the table on the beach. But the food was our food that we made.  Good thing I listened to my Maddie to bring extra. She is my BFF too.We have a lot in common. We both love animals and stuff like that.

It got very late but there were still people coming and going. The moon rose. That's when people were getting desserts. One kid walked up to our stand and said, “Can I get an ice cream?” Maddie’s mother said she will get the ice cream because somehow she brought ice cream.”There you go, one ice cream,” Maddie's mother said.

My friends and I went to bed because it was 12. We slept in the tent.

The next morning my Mom said with a happy look on her face, “We made it”! Then ……… My friends and I  squealed with joy because we are going to go to Hawaii. Also that we are on our way to go.

Then when we got home and we packed our bags and we put it all in my big car. I just couldn't believe that we were really going to Hawaii, it was really happening. A single tear went down my eye but this tear wasn’t a sad one, it was a happy one. That's when I knew this was going to be the best journey I would ever have in my whole life.

   Now we our way to the best place ever and that place is..............Hawaii !

    

Andrew D.

Jeff’s New Life

Jeff moved to a new house and Jeff is going to his new school today. Jeff likes to wear black and red pants and purple shirts which is also his favorite color.  He has blue eyes and is athletic.  He is about 4 ½ feet tall. He likes to play football and rugby. He also is ten.

Jeff is mad because he did not want to move. Jeff is not getting out of bed to go to school. He is getting yelled at. He still won't get out of bed.

Then his mom said, “You have to go to school. You can’t be late on the first day of school.”

”Fine,” Jeff groaned,  “I will go to school.”

Jeff gets to school, his face red and hands in fists but he made the anger stop. He walks in and the teacher sees hem then she ran over and said, “Are you the new kid, Jeff?”

“Yes,” he said.

“Unpack then get to work,” she said.

As soon as he finished Jeff went up to the teacher and he said, “What do I do when I finish?”

She said, “After you're done draw or read,”

So Jeff drew a dragon in the air blowing fire. A kid named Jack went to him and said, “Hey, nice drawing, I wish I can draw like that.”

So Jeff said, “You can have it.”

“Thanks,” he said, then he got crayons and said, “Can I color with you?”

“Sure” Jeff said.

Then Jack started to draw a guy with a bow and shooting an arrow at least that’s what Jeff thought it was, but he did not ask him so he wouldn’t be mean.

“Lunch time,” the teacher said.

Jeff grabbed his lunch and got to the lunch room.  At recess Jeff gets on the buddy bench  until this kid named Henry comes over and said, “Do you want to play tag?”

“Sure,” Jeff said with excitement. Then they played tag until they blow the whistle. Then they agreed they would play the next day. Then Jeff felt great having a friend. He also wanted to go to school again.