Topic of the Month*: Themes and Morals in Shakespeare

Hello, Actors!

Recently, we have been studying Shakespeare in English, and so. . . here is a blog post about it!

Anyways, one of the things we have been talking about is Shakespeare's ambiguity. Also, what is he trying to say through his literary works?

There are many ways to analyze Shakespeare, and he has many cautionary/tragic hero plays and many funny plays.

What are some Shakespeare poems/ plays you have read? Do you think he was trying to convey a message? What are some themes throughout his plays?

Spruce Nogard

*The title of this category used to be Genre of the Month.

 

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/shakespeare-poet-writer-author-67698/

Writing: Creative Complex: Character Constructing: Friend

Good Day, Friends!

Today, think of characteristics you value in a friend. Make a list of them, and, if you can, include why that characteristic so valuable to you. This might help in other writing (e.g., creating a main character's personality).

Enjoy these lofty endeavors!

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/girls-children-kids-friends-young-462072/

On My Mind: Change

Hello, Friends.

How many of you love change? You get bored with the dull monotony of everyday life, always looking for something different and exciting to happen, love the unexpected, and enjoy suddenly changing your schedule, your life. . .

How many of you strongly dislike change? You would love it if things would stay the same forever, and are reluctant to accept change even if it's change for the better. You'd rather do the same thing every day because of habit, even if it would be easier to adjust your schedule.

These are two extremes, but there's a wide range in between.

I am in the latter group. With the end of the school year coming up soon, I'm starting to realize how different next year will look. Some people I work on homework with won't be in my classes, and some of my friends I won't get to see every week anymore. Even though I really am trying not to be too sad about it yet, I'm going to miss this year.

Which camp are you in? Are you looking forward to the end of the school year or are you sad about it?

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/clouds-conifers-daytime-evergreen-1845949/

Recipes: Coconut Cake Activity

Good Day, Friends!

Happy late Easter!

Today, even though Easter is past, I'm still going to post about it. :) This is more an activity, so be sure to steal some kids to help you! My grandma did this with us when we were little. (And as a result, I don't remember exactly what we did, so I'm kind of making up the parts I don't remember. :) )

Ingredients:
-Two box cakes
-Lots of White frosting (Enough to frost two or a little more than two box cakes)
-Food Coloring
-Sweetened, hydrated coconut
-Candies-M&Ms for eyes, cinnamon red-hots for nose, licorice (pull apart) for whiskers, candies for buttons
*All candies can be replaced as wanted; these are just examples.

First, make two box cakes: one in a 9x13 pan and two in 9" round pans.

Let cool.

Next, the fun begins!

1) Once you have your cakes, position one of the round cakes on a cookie sheet that will fit BOTH the round cakes AND the 9x13 cake the long way in a row. (I apologize for the basic diagrams, and I do wish I could make the cake and show you pictures of the actual cake, but, alas, I do not have time.) If you do not have cookie sheet long enough, sorry, but you're gonna have to figure something out. :)

2) Then, cut out two strips of ONE of the round cakes. They should go almost all the way across and be the same size.

3) Next, well, drum roll please. . . You are making an Easter Bunny! So, you need to figure out what color you want the different parts of your cake to be. Is he going to wear a shirt? What color will it be? What color are his ears? Once you figure that out, dye some (but not all) of your frosting that color. Then, dye some of your coconut that color. I believe you can do this by mixing a few drops of food coloring in with the coconut. Also, position the ears on top of the head.

4) After this, frost the cakes the colors you want. Make sure you frost the sides of the cakes as well. This can get a little messy because of the crumbs. Do the best you can. :) Then, gently press the coconut on.

5) Next, add eyes, a nose, mouth, whiskers, buttons, and other embellishments.

Enjoy!

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/easter-bunny-candy-pink-pastels-2189397/

Writing: Creative Complex: New Rebellion

Hello, Friends!

A few weeks ago, I asked you to consider what it is in book, movie, etc. rebellions that make them so. . . awe-inspiring. (Here is the link to that post.)

And, here are more words to describe that feeling. It's that feeling that makes your skin all tingly and makes you want to show respect to this cause. As I said before, it's really hard to describe.

In my previous post, I couldn't really think of examples. However, I've had time to ponder it, and here are some:

• The song at the end of Star Wars: A New Hope when Luke and Han Solo are receiving their medals
• "The Hanging Tree" song from Hunger Games*
• This isn't really a rebellion, but when Don Quixote dies and that whole scene, and the funeral song

 If you want, you can ponder on this, create a new rebellion, or just play with emotions and how to draw them out in your story.

Here is the ending theme of Star Wars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=248ggPoK158 (The first part demonstrates this well.) 

*Just because I have "The Hanging Tree" as an example does not mean I have read or endorse Hunger Games. In fact, I do not like the premise of the story or dystopian fiction, and I have heard the ending of the series is not. . . particularly a "happily ever after." However, I have family members who like it and listen to the music. :)

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/sky-universe-stars-black-night-1946508/

On My Mind: One Year Anniversary!

Hello, Friends!

Today is the one year anniversary of On the Breath of a Dragon's Wing!

So far, we've written 170 posts (including this one), have had about 3,100 page views, and have had a variety of interesting topics. Thanks for reading, Friends!

Spruce Nogard

Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/chinese-dragon-tattoo-orange-flame-313408/

Dragons: Features: Personality

Hello, Riders.

We've kind of already talked about this, but not as a specified topic and not completely.


There are many components to a dragon's personality:

• Intelligence-Are your dragons just animals? Are they a whole separate race of superior beings?
• Do they depend upon humans in any way? Are they the same as humans, just with different bodies and abilities? Are they above humans in any way?
• How do they like to live? Are they solitary? Do they live in groups? 
• How can you best describe their personality?

Spruce Nogard

Gardening: The Cycle. . . Does Not Begin Again

Hello, Gardeners.

Unfortunately for me this year, I will not be able to garden. Thankfully, this is due to a wonderful opportunity I am blessed to have, but it will be a little sad not to garden.

Herbs

Beans (Some herbs on left side), Also where I had my garlic

Tomatoes

Usually, right now, I would have started seeds, hoping for my little baby tomatoes and cucumbers and beans to grow big and strong and healthy.

Instead, however, I am enjoying the unusually warm weather, and beginning to smell spring in the air.

What are your favorite parts about spring?

Spruce Nogard

Writing: Creative Complex: Talking Animals

Good Day, Friends!

First, answer this question:

If you could know what one animal (specific animal or type of animal) was saying, which would it be?

Then, write a dialogue between the animal and you, the animal and another animal, the animal talking to itself, etc.

Have fun!

Spruce Nogard

 Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/photos/?q=chronicles+of+narnia&image_type=&cat=&min_width=&min_height=

Books: Favorites: Chalice

Hello, Friends!

Today, I'm going to tell you about Chalice, by Robin McKinley.

I just finished reading this book yesterday, and I really enjoyed it. The writing flows very well, and it's quite interesting because Chalice takes place in four parts, and although there are page breaks, there are no chapters. However, the page breaks separate the book into tidy sections, so it's not too much of a problem if you just want to read until a nice break before going to bed, etc.

Mirasol, the main character, is a woodskeeper, and her land and bees have been in her family for generations. One day, a neighbor gives her the news: the Master and Chalice have died in a fire. The demesne, which was already strained, is thrown into even more chaos, and a few weeks later, the Circle comes to tell Mirasol she is the new Chalice. Her head spinning, Mirasol must learn the duties of a Chalice, whose main job is to bind all parts of the Circle and the demesne together. At the same time, a new Master is put in place. To make matters even more difficult, the new Master is a Priest of Fire, and is not a normal human anymore. With threats all around her and the demanding task of healing a land that has been hurting too long, Mirasol must do what she can to save her people and her land.

An interesting aspect of this book was it's nonlinear storytelling. At first while I was reading, I kept second-guessing myself, and had to check that I had not accidentally started with the second book in a series. Although you don't get the traditional setup of the story right away, you do eventually get the beginning. The storytelling was unique from most books I have read, but it was unique in a good way.

I love Mirasol. Mirasol keeps bees, and a cottage, and I just love her home. I'm irrationally afraid of bees, but it was so nice to imagine having a bunch of soft, humming, little friends always around. I  enjoyed Mirasol's thoughts immensely, which is the primary way we learn information in the novel. It's hard to describe how the book reads without just reading it. :)

Not to mention, there's honey magic. Literally magic with honey. That was pretty awesome. :)

Also, is anyone else sick of reading pretty much any YA book and finding a good bit of romance in it? Because, I don't mind a little bit of romance, but I don't like a lot. And really, can't there just be stories where people don't care nearly as much about dating?

Chalice is such a relief in this sense, too. Although there is the slightest, slightest hint of romance, it's actually an interesting story about someone who does something other than fall in love.

Overall, I really enjoyed Chalice, and hope you do too! What are your favorite fantasy books?

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://www.amazon.com/McKinley-Chalice-Reprint-Market-Paperback/dp/B00SB1PCQ2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1491683069&sr=8-2&keywords=chalice+robin+mckinley

Books: Fairy Tales: The Lure of Fairy Tales

Hello, Creatures.

What is it that we like fairy tales so much? Why do they draw us towards them so strongly? Why do we constantly recreate and reimagine fairy tales?

Is it because we like having stories to relate to? Is it because we wish for a place to escape, at least for a little while? Where did these stories come from? How many times have these tales been remade before they have reached our ears?

Because, you know, Disney's Beauty and the Beast wasn't the original tale. And out of the millions of versions of the Cinderella stories that exist, which was the first? How important is this really?

I believe that it's a vital part of our life and of fairy tales themselves to continually be recreated.

For, how else would we continue learning?

*On a side note, as I have been very excited about Disney's new Beauty and the Beast movie, I have kind of written very many posts on Beauty and the Beast. Here's a list:

• Books: Fairy Tales: What's Your Favorite Fairy Tale?
• Books: Fairy Tales: Hans My Hedgehog, or the Compilation of Tales Based on and Similar to the Greek Tale of Cupid and Psyche Part One
• Books: Fairy Tales: Hans My Hedgehog, or the Compilation of Tales Based on and Similar to the Greek Tale of Cupid and Psyche Part Two
• On My Mind: Beauty and the Beast
• Mental Library: Lenses: Feminism (Someone I know mentioned that Scarlet contains traces of Beauty and the Beast.)

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/little-red-riding-hood-red-little-1130258/

Creative Complex: Writing Levels (Young Children)

Hello, Friends!

On this bright and beautiful Wednesday, we are talking about reading/writing levels.

What does this mean?

Well, as we grow, we are capable of writing and reading more complex works of literature. So, today, read the beginning (or all) of a book for 1-2 year-olds. Then, read the beginning of a book for 3-5 year-olds.

Then reflect: What makes these two books different? Why? See if you can write just the beginning of two books for these age groups.

Spruce Nogard

Attributions:

https://www.amazon.com/Fox-Socks-Beginner-Books-Seuss/dp/0394800389/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1491177908&sr=1-1&keywords=fox+in+socks

https://www.amazon.com/Mother-Bright-Early-Board-Books/dp/0679890475/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Mental Library: Lenses: Marxism

Greetings, Friends!

This is a book a teacher I know used to show Marxism.

Today, we are talking about Marxism. The Marxist lens looks at how money and power play into the story. Some questions related to this are: Who has the power? How does that affect the rest of the story?

By the way, this information is coming from my English class. :)

You can use the Marxist lens to:

• Suggest that the author is making specific comments on society
• Use the Marxist lens to explain why something happened
• There are other ways to use the Marxist lens; these are just two

Think of books you might be able to analyze through this lens. Have fun exploring new ideas!

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://www.amazon.com/Dog-Read-Myself-Beginner-Books/dp/0394800206/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1491178179&sr=1-1&keywords=go+dog+go

My Writing: Folktale: Why a Certain Group of People Play with Fish on their Instruments

Hello, Friends!

This week is an extra week, so here is a folktale. (This folktale is untrue, however was inspired by true events.) By the way, can you tell which fairy tale this one is loosely based on?

Now, I know you wouldn't dream of putting fish on your instruments. That would be awful.

Now, this story was told to me by my great-grandfather almost 20 years ago.

You see, there was a certain group of people that got in the habit of performing some of their music with fish on their instruments. As you can imagine, this was the source of infinite confusion for their diverse audiences. However, no one had the courage to ask why such a renowned group of musicians did something so strange.

One day, a little girl with her parents was watching them perform. Finally, she turned to her mother and said: “Mommy, why do they put fish on their instruments?” The girl was too young realize she was being rude, and, as a result, talked so loudly the musicians heard.

“Well,” said the leader, kneeling down, “I'll tell you why.

“For a long while, all of us only played American music. Eventually, we got sick of that, and decided to play music from as many countries as the human race had created. One day, we came across some French music, and, right at the beginning, someone had written: 'Sardines.' We all thought this was very odd, but we had to do as the music said. I had our violinist buy sardines from the grocery store, and we put them on our instruments.” He smiled at the girl and stood up.

“But that's silly!” the girl cried. “Show me the music!”

“Now, now, honey,” the girl's mother said. “Leave them be.” She turned apologetically to the band. “We should go.”

The leader, however, smiled. “No, no, it's quite all right.” He brought their music to the girl.

“Why, that says sourdines, not sardines! It just means mute in French!” The girl exclaimed. “What's 'mute'?”

For, you see, the girl was bilingual.

And that is how a small girl made fools of some of the most famed musicians in all the land.

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/sardines-fish-lunch-healthy-plate-1468422/ 

https://pixabay.com/en/violin-classic-music-opera-156558/