Alexis' WonderWorld

Adventures in Writing!

Alexis has a vivid imagination!  She expresses herself so well when chatting with others, and she is able to get her creative ideas, thoughts and feelings down on paper.  As a result, her stories are interesting and have lots of word pictures for us readers to see in our mind's "eye."  I hope that you enjoy her stories, journal writing, narratives, reports and projects.

Table of Contents

~  To read story or see a project, click on the title ~

• When My Sister was Born (journal/2004)

• My Sister Miranda (journal/2004)

• Raising a Goldfish (report/2004)

• About Seagulls (report/2005)

• San Rafael Arcangel Report (report/2005)

• The Mission San Rafael Arcangel (4th grade project/2005)

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When My Sister was Born

(Journal ~ 2003) 
 

     It was April 11, 1999 when my sister was born.  At first I did not want a little brother or sister, because I thought he or she would bug me when I had friends over, or I had alone time; pretty much because I thought it would be hard work.

     April 10, 1999.  My grandma came to pick me up so I could sleep at her house.  My parents went to the hospital, but I wanted to go with them.  It was still cool at my dad’s parent’s house.  They gave me a doll.  I have many dolls.  I named all of them except this one.

     April 11, 1999.  It was a girl!  She was 9 pounds, 10.5 ounces, and 21 inches long.  She was born at 1:11 p.m. on the 11^th.  My parents named her Miranda Dianne.

     My dad and I went to the corner of 9^th and Irving (in San Francisco) for breakfast.  I had blueberry pancakes and my dad had scrambled eggs.  Then, we met my sister, Miranda.

     May 6, 2004.  I was wrong.  Having a little sister like mine is easy work.  She is funny, fun and generous.   

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My Sister Miranda
(Journal, 2003)

      My favorite person is my sister, Miranda.  She has blond hair, tan skin, and blue eyes.  Miranda is kind, sweet and gentle and here’s how she does it.  When I get hurt, she asks, “Do you need a band-aid?”  She asks, “Do you want to
play?”  When you hurt yourself bad, she comes over to see if you’re OK.  Next year she’ll come to Gold Ridge.  I’m excited a lot!  She likes to watch Dora on TV. 

      Her favorite food is hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and chocolate.  She will eat anything chocolate.  We share a room.  Also, she’s four and she’s shorter tan me.  She’s talkative.  We like to play outside.  We like to chase each other.  She’s so funny.  She makes me laugh.  We also like to play on the computer together. 

      I love my sister, and I always will.  She loves me, and she will always love me.  

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Raising a Gold Fish

(2004)

      You can choose any fish, but I chose a gold fish.  All fish need a tank.  Gold fish need a big tank.  If you have only one you need a small fish tank, but if you have two you’ll need a big one.  Put interesting things in the fish tank to make it look good.  I have a toy egg, a big rack, a cave, a pretend turtle, a sign that says, “no fishing,” and a lot of small rocks to suck on in my fish tank.

     You need to go to the pet store to buy fish food.  All animals need food, even wild ones like lions or tigers.  You feed fish once a day.  We feed our fish in the morning when we turn on the light.  The fish food comes in a can.  My dad pokes a hole in the can.  A big one.

     Once a month my dad and I clean the fish tank.  We have to take the fish out and put them in a cooler.  You change the water too.  My dad changes the filter, cleans the motor with a little brush, he scrubs the sides with a sponge, puts plants in the fish tank and puts fresh water in also.  He puts water softener in the fish tank.  Then, I catch the fish and put them back in the tank.  Do not tap on the tank because it will scare them.

     They don’t do tricks because I tried to make them follow my finger.  Also, you can’t play with them either.  If you have two fish they sometimes fight.  I’ve had them for over 4 years.  One is white and the other is orange.  I love them and they love me.    

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ABOUT SEAGULLS

     My report is about seagulls.  I chose seagulls because it is a bird and it usually steals my peanut butter & jelly sandwich.  If I have a cheese stick it might steal it.  So, watch out!!!  ‘Cause it happened to me.  Anyway, let’s get back to the point.  I also wanted to know more about my enemy.

     Seagulls live most anywhere except the central Pacific islands, less on Antarctica, tropical deserts & jungles. They live on oceans, most of Antarctica & on land.  Its habitat is wavy, blue and sandy.  My animal could be colored black, brown or white. So far I like my animal!!

     Seagulls aren’t threatened or endangered.   Some like to eat bugs, some eat garbage, some like to swoop down and steal fish from BBQ's.  (I particularly don’t like fish.)  They eat land mollusks and crustaceans also. 

     What eats my animal?  Well let me get back to you... bigger seagulls eat littler seagulls, also, if they are floating on the water sharks could eat them.

     Well, that’s about all on my enemy.  See you later.  Bye.

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I obtained my information for my report from
Mrs. Lizke’s class research book & from the internet.

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San Rafael Arcangel Report

              Hi!!!  My name is Alexis.  I’m writing this report about Mission San Rafael Arcangel.  I choose it because I thought it was big, but its not. 

            The Mission has 4 founders.  They are Fray Narcisico Duran, Fray Jose Ramon Abella, Fray Gil and Fray Vicente Francisco Sarria.  This Mission was founded in 1817.  On October 19th, 1823, the Mission had independence.

            It began as a hospital.  Fray Gil was put in charge because of his knowledge of medicine.  It also had a chapel, storeroom, cemetery, guardhouse, and orchards known for their fine grapes and a monjerio to house unmarried women and girls.  Married women lived with their family outside of the mission building.

The Indians that lived in the area were the Coast Miwoks and Ohlones.  The Spaniards called them Costenos, which means people of the coast.

The Spaniards brought Christianity and other things they had not seen before like mules, houses and long horned cattle.  The Indians were curious about the Spaniards coming and teaching them about Christianity.  First the Indians thought the Spaniards were kind spirits then harmful spirits, and finally dangerous enemies.

            The Indians had few possessions they dug in the ground for food so the Spaniards thought they were “uncivilized” and called them “diggers.”  The Indians were not “savages” as the Spaniards thought.  They were gentle people who were nice to the European strangers like feasts and gifts.

In 1825 Fray Juan Amoro’s took Fray Gils place   It grew from 300 to 1,000 people in 3 years.  Fray Amoro’s was nice to the Indians and respected them and he did too, and he had good qualities.  Fray Gil and Fray Amoro’s taught Christian songs, brick-making, weaving and other skills.

Some Indians didn’t want to live in the Mission so they attacked the Mission; other Indians protected Fray Amoro’s, when the attack was over some damage was done and some things were stolen.  Fray Amoro’s and the Indians from the Mission cleaned up the mess.  Fray Amoro’s died in 1832, and Fray Jose Maria Mercado took over.

In its 17 years it grew by 1,873 people.  The first mass was helded on December 14, 1817.  The Mission was named after Patron Saint of Good Health.  It is the 20^th of the 21^st  Mission.  In 1861 the Mission was falling apart and torn down. In 1949 architects built a replica of Mission San Rafael Arcangel for $85,000 that stands today.

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Father Serra

            Migel Serra y Abram was born November 24, 1713 in Petra, Spain.  He changed his name when he was 16 to Junipero Serra because his joining the Franciscan friar.  Serra studied for years.  In 1744 he was named Professor of Philosophy at the monastery of San Francisco and at Lullian University.  He founded 9 of the 21 Missions.

            Every Mission took about a days walk by foot.  He walked altogether 24,000 miles in California alone.  He walked most of those miles on an infected leg.  My opinion is that is a long way to walk even if I had forever.        He came to San Diego, California on June 27, 1769, and founded the first Mission.  In 1769 he was appointed Padre President of California.  He was Padre President for 15 years.

            His headquarters was in Carmel.  Serra was in charge of the planning, construction, and staffing of each Mission.  He died a natural death in Carmel on August 28, 1784. 

            He used to say, “Always to go forward and never turn back.”

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MY TRIP TO THE MISSION

            When I went to the Mission, I saw that it wasn’t as big as I thought it was.  The church has served under six flags, which are inside the Mission.  The Mission has 2 churches.  The first church that was built is not as big as the second that was built. It’s not that big.  The first church now has a microphone and they did not have it before.  Now it has actual lights but before it had candlelight’s and the windows were not there before.  

            At the front of the church it had a statue of a woman with a white veil and blue clothing, her name is Mary, and you could pray under her.  She is the mother of Jesus.  It was cool!! 

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The Mission San Rafael Arcangel

    A model of Mission San Rafael Arcangel

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