Main Idea from the Odyssey

In a topic sentence, state what the main idea of Homer's The Odyssey is. Make sure to also address why that is the main idea.

Conflict in The Odyssey

In Homer's The Odyssey, what is one conflict that Odysseus encounters? Why is that a conflict?

Conflict topic sentence in Star Wars

What is one conflict Luke Skywalker encounters in George Lucas' Star Wars and why is that a conflict?

Conflict in Into the Wild

In Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild, what is one conflict that occurs in the story and explain why that is a conflict?

PLN SAMPLE from Eduardo

In Mr. Fisch's video "2020 vision" matters because he is showing how there will be a major transition in the future with technology.Schools,education, and the world will all change dramatically because of the technology in the future. This is related to Mr. Fisch's video "Did You Know" because it is basically showing the same ideas of incredible changes for technology around the world and how fast it is evolving, but 2020 Vision is more on how the future is going to be. This matters to the world because now that technology is evolving the future will be amazing considering how fast technology is growing. Also,this is important to people because everyone needs to be aware of the changes and to be prepared of how big our technology will evolve. Educationally,technology will have a major affect on it because it will be easier to get an education because of all the hi-tech equipment we are going to have for the students. So while technology grows,will we be able to solve many problems in our world? Will technology be able to overpower us if it gets to advanced? Overall, "2020 vision" matters because it is important to realize that growing technology Will benefit us in the future which will resolve many problems that we have in our world today.

What Matters?

Although there are many things that matter in life there are few things that are important to me. The most important things that matter to me are my mom, my friends, and music.
My mom is the most important person in my life. Not many people know this, but my mom has a very rare disease called chiari (kee-ar-ee). It’s a disease where your brain moves backwards and your cerebellum tonsils block your spinal fluid. It could be deadly but the surgery costs $100,000 that could help save her life. It’s most predominant in women. Although you have to be born with it, most people who have it find out later in life. She also has graves disease which is an auto-immune deficiency. Even though she is sick and in pain every day, she till pushes herself to make sure our family has what me need. I think if she weren’t here my family would fall apart and go crazy.
My friends help me forget about the reality of life and get through the day. Some of my friends know about my mom’s illnesses and my life at home. They’re always cracking jokes and setting my mind on other things than my mom and how she’s doing. I think sometimes we all forget what’s really happening around us.
To me the escape of everything is music. I listen to a lot of hip-hop, rap, R&B, and alternative punk. There are a lot of songs that I can relate to. I also listen to some soul and country. I love to break dance so music has an influence on my dancing. I would love to become a D.J. some day. Music allows me to relax. When you have 5 brothers and 1 sister, music comes in handy.
My mom, my friends, and music are very important to me and have a very big influence on me. They help me get through life.

Utterly Perfect Murder Thesis

In Ray Bradbury's "Utterly Perfect Murder," is Doug sane or insane? Why?

Fish Eyes Thesis Statements

In David Brenner's "Fish Eyes," how do the words and actions influence who others become?

"Trifles" thesis statements

In “Trifles" by Susan Glaspell , how do the words and actions influence who others become?

What matters to me are my family, friends, and free time. My family matters because they love me. Their love is unconditional. They are always there for me and help me feel secure. They are a positive influence and help cheer me up when I am down. They also take care of me when I am sick.
My friends matter to me because they are family outside of my home. We play together and have fun, and they make me laugh , so we end up playing together more. Laughter is very important in my life because it make me feel good if I’m having a bad day and relieves stress. They also give me support when I am unsure about trying new things.
My free time matters to me because I can do what I want to do. I love to play different types of video and board games. The video games are on a variety of systems: WII, Play Station 2 and DS. Some of the board games I enjoy are monopoly and chess. However if I have a book I’ve started, I will almost always read non-stop. I also enjoy hanging out with my friends.

What Matters

What matters to me is my family. I care about them and we always get together and go somewhere and have fun. We all care and help eachother when we need it. Also what matters to me is playing my guitar. I like to play old songs such as Stairway To Hevan, Heart of gold and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. My favorite car is an Aston Martin V12 Vanquish. I think it is the best car on the planet.

What Matters to Zephen J

What Matters To Zephen J

Things that matter to me are sports, family, music, and my education. Sports are important to me because I get to compete and I enjoy them. My favorites are baseball and track. Over the summer I played on the Arapahoe summer team. The team was alright. Tait was on the summer team as well. My favorite position is 1st base. It is a very important job. When I am running track my favorite events are the relays. I love to sprint so this lets me sprint and work with a team. The fastest I have run the 100m is 12.8 seconds.

Family is imperative. Life wouldn't be as good without them. I love seeing my baby cousin. He is in the picture above. Family is important because they are always there for you when you need them. They are great supporters of anything you do.

Music is a crucial part of my life. Music helps me reduce stress and go crazy. I am a big Slipknot fan. One of the greatest experiences of my life was going to my first concert. It was KISS. I was really close to the stage so the show was fantastic. I love their music.

Finally, education matters to me. I want to have a job that I love doing when I get older. I would like to go to England for college. For now I just have to pass high school with flying colors. Those are things that matter to me.

What Matters Donaldson

What matters is a peculiar idea because it changes for each and every person based upon what is included in their lives because someone is not going to like sports if they never play sports.
First, school definitely matters to me and should matter to everyone across the world just because of what it does for you. School gives a chance to meet new people that may create best friend situations that stay in touch for the rest of their lives. Or how it gives the education to let students do whatever they want to do as a career. And allows students to find out what sports they are good at if they have never tried it before. This makes school a great place for students to plan for the future ahead of them.
Next, sports are important to the world as a whole because mankind has major competition issues so they can battle it out in a non violent way. Along with it is a good way for people to just relax and have a little fun in their lives. Also many people use it to release anger in a contact sport so that they are not so frustrated while others devote their lives to it to make a profit. As a whole sports do a lot of things for everyone in different ways and in a variety of sports.
Then, there is food which to some is just something that feeds and fuels a human and to others it is a work of art. Food is a way people can express themselves to the public like journalist write in the paper. Or for a treat someone might create an elegant breakfast lunch or dinner. Some might use it to become a creative being and make a new master piece. And above all just like most other thing like sports and education there is tons of failure that can be learned from to be perfected and give the creator just a tremendously good feeling. Food is one of a kind because of its millions of different techniques, designs, taste, and materials to use.
Last, there is family that everyone has to have to support everything that is accomplished. First, I have a sister that supports me even though I torment her all the time. Two loving supportive parents that help me through everything no matter what the situation is or what they have to do to help. And on top of it my aunt, uncles, cousins, grandparents and all other extended family is there for me just as much as my home family.As peculiar as the thought of what matters is the truth is that without things that matter to us then are life as no purpose because that is like saying that you don’t like anything.

What Matters to Jeremy

The four things that matter the most in my life are my family, friends, faith, and basketball. Family because they take care of me and love, friends because I don’t think I could get through one day without them, my faith because it is very important to me and it will never change, and basketball because it is my one and only sport now.

My family is very fun and exciting. I have two older brothers; Brandon who is 17 and Nathan who is 20 and a dog named Shadow. My parents, Patti and Eric have been married for 24 years. Brandon is the funniest person I have met in my life and is a very talented guitar player and musician all around. Nathan and I are most alike though. He is the more athletic type. He is also extremely intelligent; he attends the Colorado School of Mines and got a 3.8gpa last semester. He wants a career in mechanical engineering. My dad works for Collect America, but I have no idea what he actually does. He is also a part of a travel website and is hoping to get money from that so he can retire. My mom is a barista at my old school/ church’s coffee shop called Wild Blue. She is a very fun and loving person.

Everyone talks about the importance of friends but I didn’t actually realize their true importance till this year in high school. I see people all the time that look lonely and I always make it my goal to say hi to them or make them smile or anything to make them feel a little better. I realize that friends can fill a whole that you didn’t even know was there. I am sure you have heard that every little thing you can do for someone can make a big difference, and well really believe that little things do go a long way. Friends are always there when I am having a bad day and need to laugh or think about something other than how bad my day is, or anything negative and I like to think I am always right there for them. Which is one thing that my faith is based upon.

My principal at my middle school, Cherry Hills Christian Middle School, told me that he isn’t a Christian. I was confused to, he says he isn’t a Christian; he is a follower of Christ. It took me a long time to understand this but now that I understand I completely agree. I don’t agree or believe everything the Christian religion says, but I do agree and believe with everything that Christ says. No, being Christian isn’t always easy, it is easier to go along with the crowd, but we must make the decisions we know are right for ourselves and be tell people that we don’t think they are making good decisions. My favorite teacher so far was Mr. Anderson in fifth grade, he taught me to believe and not be told what to believe. I believe doesn’t mean what my parents or friends believe, it is what I believe. Mr. Anderson didn’t teach me about God, he taught me about myself. “I am not a Christian; I am a follower of Christ.”

I love basketball. I love everything about it, and it has always been my favorite sport. I am a point guard or a shooting guard, but I rather shooting guard. My favorite part about basketball is the teamwork that goes into a team. Every team I have ever been on I have been great friends with every player. I also love the intensity that goes on during the game. I am a very competitive person by nature and I hate losing. To me getting blown out by the other team is the worst feeling in the world. If it is a close game and the dice didn’t fall our way I am okay with that, but getting blown out I just cant handle. On the other hand winning is the best feeling in the world, I always feel “complete” after a good intense game of basketball.

What Matters to Kyle M

There are many things that matter to me but what I hold closest to my heart is family, Boy Scouts, martial arts, sailing, nature, and shooting. But most of all, what matters to me is my country.

Family matters to me because they are the people who will always be there for me, no matter what happens. They’re the people who will love you for who you are, not because of how much money you have or because you’re the popular guy at school; they love you for your personality. I have a code of ethics that I live by but the most important one to me states that I promise to continuously strive to develop love, happiness, and loyalty in the family and acknowledge that no other success can compensate for failure in the home. This basically states that no matter what, family matters most.

The next thing that is important to me is Boy Scouts. I am currently a Star Scout almost; a Life Scout which means that after Life is Eagle so I am very close to being an Eagle Scout. Scouting is important to me because I have been actively involved in it since I was in the second grade. It has taught me so much. It has taught me how to survive in the woods also it has taught me to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. It has given me a sense of accomplishment and devotion. Many teens do not see any interest in Scouting so more than one time I have been made fun of for going into high school and still being a Boy Scout. They do not yet know what an accomplishment being an Eagle Scout is. Every adult I have ever met has told me to stick with it or that if you’re an Eagle Scout it looks phenomenal on your record. That is why I will be an Eagle Scout. Scouting has done one more thing for me it has caused me to make inseparable bonds with people in my troop. In several of the pictures above, a flag retirement ceremony is taking place. This for me is considered a great honor to be a part of only three groups that have permission to retire old flags. Those three groups are: active military, ex-military and the Boy Scouts of America.

One thing that has literally made me the person that I am today is martial arts. Martial arts has taught me a lot of things too it has not only taught me how to manipulate the human body by breaking bones or throwing striking techniques for defense only but it has taught me to be at peace to relive myself of stress, it has taught me valuable Life lessons such as the one you saw earlier about family it has taught me twelve other lessons similar to that:
1. I will look for the good in all people and make them feel worthwhile.
2. I will always be in a positive frame of mind and convey this feeling to every person I meet.
3. I shall give so much time to the improvement of myself that I will have no time to criticize others.
4. If I have nothing good to say about a person I shall say nothing.
5. I shall continuously strive to develop love, happiness and loyalty within the family and acknowledge that no other success can compensate for failure in the home.
6. I shall develop myself to the maximum of my potential in all ways.
7. I shall be as enthusiastic about the success of others as I am about my own.
8. I shall remain loyal to my country and obey the laws of the land.
9. I shall forget about mistakes of the past and press on to greater achievements in the future.
10. I shall maintain an attitude of open-mindedness towards others’ viewpoints while holding fast to what I know to be true and honest.
11. I shall maintain respect for those in authority and demonstrate this respect at all times.
12. I shall become and remain highly goal oriented throughout my life.
13. As a martial artist, I understand the value of a human life and am therefore committed to a drug free existence.

These are some extremely valuable things to know and live by.

I studied at Elite Martial Arts and Fitness Center for six years. I also studied grappling there for four years. Grappling is basically just martial arts wrestling; it teaches you how to force your opponent to submit by using arm bars, camorras, umplatas and other joint locks. It basically taught me how to break, shatter, or dislocate every bone in the human body. I also know six different choke holds that are capable of killing people; I understand this comes with great responsibility and I have to be extremely careful in practice. I also competed in Wrestling for two seasons at Powell Middle School.

Sailing. Although I have only sailed a few times, it is definitely something I love to do. I sailed with my Boy Scout troop in the Abaco, Bahamas for one week this summer. And, I’ve sailed at Peaceful Valley summer camp. Being out in nature, whether it is on the water or climbing Mt. Missouri, is something that I love because it can be as beautiful or unpredictable as it wants to be.

Shooting is something I enjoy because I have done it since I was very young and there is a sense of competition or a sense of accomplishment when I hit the bull’s eye or I get a nice grouping. In the two photos above, I am shooting an AR-15 match rifle at the Remembering the Brave Match Competition run by the Colorado Rifle Club. This match is about remembering soldiers who fought and died in Iraq or Afghanistan. Winners get their name on one of the trophies. In the other picture, I am shooting a 12-guage pump action shotgun at an annual Boy Scout event at my grandpa’s house in the mountains. My troop goes up usually in September and we shoot shotguns and rifles.

Being a Boy Scout and being raised in a patriotic family, I have a high respect and value for this nation. I would be willing and am planning on fighting for this country after high school in the Marines. It has been a tradition in my family to go into the military, most commonly the Navy. But, I will be the first one to go into the Marines because I do not want to be stuck on a boat for six months. When I do go into the Marines, my family will have served in all four of the major branches of the military (Navy, Army, Air Force and Marines). I feel that serving our country is the right thing to do because freedom is not free and I would take great honor in ensuring that my family and friends would still be free.

What Matters Mike T

I was approached with a question, "What matters to you?" I really didn't knew what mattered to me at that point but as i began to think about it it started to get as clear as glass. What really matters to me is my family for one because they are always there, then it would be education to help me prepare myself for the future, and football because I love the sport.

First, my family, cant live with them cant live without them, I love my family because of all the little things they do for me, like homework. It's not just cause of that though, they would do anything for me no matter what and i would do the same straight back. My family prepared me for the real world everyday and if i didn't have them I would be nowhere. Thats why i can't live with my family.

After, Grades, good things and bad things. I like school but i hate the homeowrk but i do it just like everyone else. School is so important to me because i know it effects me in the future and i plan on having a good future. Some bonuses with school is having great friends with you because then it makes school one step better.

Next, Football, what can i say, I love it. I love every waking moment of it, just being out there on the field gets my adrenaline pumping. The thing i like most about football is when you hit someone it feels like there's none just you and him, and that time has just froze I don't know how to explain it but it's my life. Great attributes to football is your teamates, being in good shape, and the girls. Teamates are there for you good or bad, while being in shape helps you for other sports, and the girls go wild for the football players( exep i haven't seen that happen yet but i'm looking forward to it) and that is why i love football.

Finally, man what can i say. what matters to me is at my fingertips and all i have to do is stay on topic. So what matters to you? Now thats the question.

What matters to Chipper A?

My Family: What matters to me the most is my family. I have 1 older brother, 1 older sister, 1 younger sister, and also my mom and dad. They always have my back, they are always there to listen to me and comfort me when I need it the most. My older sister and brother help me with my homework and my social life. My family will always have my back.

Colorado: Colorado matters to me because I live in Colorado and it is a great state to live in. I wouldn’t like anything bad to happen in Colorado because this is where I grew up and lived.
Basketball: basketball matters to me because basketball is my favorite sport and I play basketball as much as I can. And also basketball is the only thing that will make me try to stay up with my grades in school because I look forward to play basketball in Arapahoe.

The Denver Nuggets: The Denver Nuggets matter to me because I love basketball and I love watching them play and also because the Denver Nuggets is the Colorado basketball team. GO NUGGETS!!

Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ matters to me because he is a big part in my church and in mine and my family’s life and I will try to fallow his examples.
Fishing: Fishing matters to me because fishing is another thing that I love doing. I go to Alaska every summer to live with my mom and about before I come back to Colorado to get ready for school I go fishing with my family and we always snag some salmon and it is the best joy to be with my family and also do what I love to do.

What Matter to Jackson

Family: My family is very important to me. They have always been there for me, and I always know that they’ll will. I have had asthma all my life and they have helped me through it. My parents have always been there for me, they have pushed me to do my best in every thing that I have done throughout the years. My sisters although we might not get along the always seem to encourage me to do my best.

Pets: My pets are a big part of my family. They will always be a member of the family. Booray that chocolate lab is 5, Gracie the black lab is 2, and Blue the coonhound is 4 are my dogs. Without pets I don’t know what I would do.

Sports: Sports are also a major part of my life. Since I have asthma I have to be very active. My favorite sport is lacrosse but I enjoy playing basketball and dirt biking (that’s me in front with the red dirt bike) I enjoy doing recreational activities like hunting and camping with friends and family. Through all of this my dad is always there to push me to do better. He helps me reach my goals.

Music: Music is the last important thing in my life. It is my break from the real world. I like to play bass and electric guitar. I think that music is a way that everyone expresses themselves. My favorite band is Red Hot Chili Peppers. I think every one should express themselves through music.

What Matters to Mateo?



Many things that matter to me in this life that are important, but one thing here is the most important. I could not live without it, that’s my family. I am the youngest of three children of my parents Patricia and Armando. This family is the best they support me in everything that I do. They also supply me with the things I need to succeed latter in life. I love them dearly because everything they do like giving me tips that I need to make me a better person or being more educated. You can’t get a better family than this and I live for them.
The next most important thing is my future racing career. It is my dream to race professionally like my favorite driver Juanpablo Montoya. He races in NASCAR and why I love him so much, is because he is from Colombia that’s where I was born and I’ve watched him all my life. I try lots to get there but it’s so hard because it’s so expensive especially in this economy. I am going to get there somehow because it’s what I’ve wanted all my whole life.
I can’t live without friends because they make life so much fun. I think your friends should be like you, so you can enjoy time with them like I do with mine. We play sports and we all like it. It could be any sport and we love it. I think that without friends life is boring because you never would have anything to do or express your feelings. To me that’s very boring because I am an active person and very social.

What matters to xavier?

OUTDOORS
I love to go snowboarding and hiking with my dad and baby sister. During the winter is the only time I’ll wake up at 5 in the morning on a Saturday because I just love to snowboard. When I get on the mountain it’s always so silent except for the snow cutting under my feet and when I hit a jump and I’m 3 or 4 feet above the ground it’s just awesome!

MUSIC
I play electric and double bass, music is very important to me. I have played bass for three years now and I’ve played in orchestra and jazz band all three years. I like music a lot because when so many different instruments come together to make a rhythm it sound cool and as a bassist it’s cool to hear how my role affects a band.

SPORTS
I play hockey and I wrestle for Arapahoe, I have played hockey and wrestled for three years, since 6th grade at Newton Middle School. I got 1st place in my weight class in the district tournament in middle school. I like hockey and wrestling because it fun to compete with other people and win.

FAMILY
My family is awesome, my 3 year old sister is hilarious and my parents support me with everything. I hang out with my baby sister every day after school and while she can be annoying with too many questions and stuff she likes the music I listen to and she always is nice to me. My mom and dad help me out with everything; they bring me to and from sports and always support me no matter what. My dad goes snowboarding with me every winter and it’s fun to hang out with him.

What matters to Matt T

Sports: Sports are very important. I play sports whenever I possibly can. They keep me active, which is a very good thing for me because of my diabetes. My favorite sport is baseball. I love everything about baseball. Hitting, fielding, catching, pitching, and even umpiring and coaching. Lots of people say that baseball is boring. But if you give it a chance you will find it is exciting and entertaining.

Family: My family is very important to me. They are always there for me. When I got diabetes they were there for me. I love my family, especially my older brother. He is the biggest influence in my life. He inspires me to be a good athlete, a good student and a really cool person, like he is. I want to be like him. He always makes me work harder to be my best. He encourages me and helps me in sports, school and just life.

Friends: I love my friends. They are great. They always understand how I feel and they agree with me and help me. They are kind, fun, and most of all they care about me and are always on my side.

School: School is very important to me. Mostly because I want to be successful. I have lots of encouraging people who helped me realize that school comes first. I have family who have not finished school or who have not done well in it and are now not very successful. On the other hand I have family and friends who are successful because they did well in school.

God: The most important thing to me is God and my religion. I believe that Jesus Christ died for me and the way I repay him is by giving him my life and my devotion. I do everything to please him. And if I do something that is not my best, I feel like I am letting him down.

What Matters To Will

In my life there are many things that matter to me such as my religion, family, scouting, sports, and the outdoors. I enjoy all these things very much.

(Bottom left) Religion - I picked this picture to represent my religion because recently my brother went on a two year mission in Mozambique, Africa, and this was taken on the first day we arrived in Mozambique and saw him for the first time in two years. Religion matters greatly to me because it is what keeps me from going down the wrong path and doing bad things.

(Top right) Family - Family is the most important thing in my life. My family is very supportive of me whether it is sports, homework, or just having fun. This picture was taken of us on our safari when we went to go and pick up Matt. My family loves to joke around A LOT with each other which makes it fun to come home to them. My family enjoys going skiing, hiking, sports games, and just being together.

(Bottom right) Eagle scout - While we were in Africa I was lucky enough to do my eagle project at an orphanage there. My eagle scout project was to pack school kits with my church, then take them with us to Mozambique and give them to the orphanage. I was really glad I could do this because it made me feel great to give the orphans something they really needed, but couldn’t afford. Being an eagle scout matters to me because I helped many orphans in Africa, and I had to work really hard to earn it.

(Top left) Sports - Sports matter to me because it keeps me in tip top shape. Skiing is my favorite sport because it gives me a feeling of freedom because I can go as fast as I want and because of the vast open space of forests and snow instead of cars and buildings. I also play lacrosse and cross country which keeps me fit and sore. Sports are a very important and fun part of my life that I greatly enjoy.

(Bottom middle) Outdoors - The outdoors matter to me because it gives me a chance to get away from the city and all my worries. In the summer I love to go camping and back packing whenever possible. Two summers ago I went back packing with some of my church friends in Aspen which is where this picture is taken.

What matters to Logan

What matters to me is family, friends, education, and sports.Family: Family is very important to me because they can be there to support you in anything you need and they are very supportive. They come to all your events and cheer you on and give you tips on how to get better. They also tell you what you can do to have a good life such as telling you to get a good education and things that they didn’t do when they were younger and wish they would have. They also are there for you when things in your life are going bad and you know that someone will always love you. They also pay for you all the time and make sure that you have things that you want and need for school and sports and things like that.

Friends matter because they are also can support you in your decisons and cheer you up when you are down. They can also help you understand school if you dont really know things. They are there to support you and help you because usally they will have the same thing going on as you. If you dont have anyone to talk to you can talk to your freinds and know that they wont tell anyone else. They hang out with you and give you advice on how to get better and stuff like that also they will do things with you that are bad ideas because they dont just want you to get in trouble.

Education is very important because it helps you get trough life and get a good paying job when you get older. It is very important to do good in High School so that you can get into college and learn things that are very important to having a sucessful life. Also if you are competing for a job and the people look at your resume and you wnet to college but the other person does not you will get the job because you are already educated in the profession.

Sports are very important to me because it gives me something to do and stay out of trouble. I also love football i have palyed for seven years and have learned alot and i always want to play even when i am hurt. Also when i am angry and i have a game i can tkae out on the oppenent while hitting them and it makes me feel great. Sports also help me stay in shape which is very important to me becaus i dont want to grow up and be weak and out of shape.

What matters to Eduardo?

Family: What matters to me is my family because they are the people who always have my back and the ones who raised me. My parents are my teachers, mentors and my best friends who I can rely on and tell everything. My parents are very strict on me, which is good because it is for a reason and the reason is to treat other people with respect and to be an overall good person. Whenever I am in trouble I can just go to them and ask for advice on something I am having trouble with or even confused on. They are very important to me because we get to spend quality time together like on vacation or a weekend activity. Other people in my family that matters to me are my 3 siblings because I am the oldest so I make sure to take good care of them and try to be a good example to them as much as possible. They are fun to be around with although, they get obnoxious at times. My grandparents are the best because they are like my parents but less strict and are more relaxed. They are very nice and spoil me which is unlike my parents. Also, my cousins, aunts, and uncles are really cool people to be around with because they are young and we all get along with each other very well and we are all like friends. Overall these are some of the main reasons why my family matters to me
Friends: Friends really matter to me because they are the people you have a relationship with and the one’s who you spend most of your time with. Over the years I have learned that friends sometimes are one of the most important people in your life or they can be some of the worst people you have encountered. I choose my friends wisely so I try to avoid people that always cause conflicts and fight. I always see my Friends at places including school, neighborhoods, sports teams, and I even have some foreign exchange student friends that come to the US once a year during the summer to see how different their country is forms ours. Friends are very important because without them you wouldn’t have anyone to spend time with or socialize. Another reason why having friends is important is because if you did not have friends in school than your education would be boring because people would not be enthusiastic to wake up in the mornings to go to school. All in all having friends really matters because they basically are your family away from home.

Sports: What matters to me are sports because they are activities that are played to have fun and improve on what you want to do? Sports are very important because they get you in shape and keep kids busy so they do not get into trouble. I love all sports and play many but my favorite sport is soccer because I have played for my whole life and is the one I enjoy the most. Soccer matters to me because it is something I do as much as possible and I would not know what other sport to do if soccer did not exist which is really why I like the sport. My whole family plays soccer so it runs in the family and they enjoy it just as much as I do. Sports matter because they bring kids together that love the same sport and have something in common. In conclusion sports are very important to kids because it gives them a fun activity to do in their spare time; it keeps kids out of the streets, and brings a group of people together to meet new people.

What Matters to Parker S.

All of the pictures in this collage are very important to me. They are photos of, my family, wakeboarding, being in the mountains, and the search and rescue team I am a member of.

First, my favorite place in the world; the mountains. I love the mountains whether, it is snowmobiling deep in the backcountry, spending a few nights backpacking in the summer, or snowboarding with my brother. My favorite activity is snowmobiling. In the picture above, you can see me preparing to go snowmobile out into the backcountry. I enjoy snowboarding too. My brother and I drive up to Copper throughout the winter and ski together. It is very fun to challenge myself on runs down the mountain. In the summer I backpack a lot. I really enjoying being in the mountains.

I also love my family. We do everything together. In the spring, we play lacrosse together and in the winter, we sometimes ski together. My family is always there for each other. This summer my family welcomed its sixth member, a fuzzy Golden Retriever girl named Mali. Mali is now almost 4 months old and is a very good dog.

The picture on the bottom left shows me at an event for the search and rescue team I am a member of. I joined the team at the beginning of the summer, but I have already had tons of amazing once in a life time experiences. I have spent two nights out alone in the mountains and learned all about search and rescue techniques/strategies. We are called the Arapahoe Rescue Patrol, and it is the only SAR (search and rescue) team in the world made up of high school students. I have learned a lot and look forward to my time in the Arapahoe Rescue Patrol. There are many things I love in life, but these are just a few.

What matters to me:

The first thing that matters to me and that should matter to everyone is family.Family is the most important thing to have because they are always there for you and they can help you out with any problems.And without families, kids are more likely to have worse grades and they are more likely to get in trouble.

The next thing that matters to me but is also part of my family is my brother Bryan.Bryan is 17 years old and he is a senior at Arapahoe.The reason i put the marine corps symbol in my collage is because he is in the marines.Brothers are different from parents because they can relate to you better and they can understand what you are going through.

Another picture i put in my collage is of football.But not just football in general but all sports.The reasons that sports matter to me is that they take a lot of teamwork and that is nescessary if you want to succeed in the future.Also in some sports a very important trait to have is leadership.And that doesn't mean bossing people around but being able to help one another and guide each other.

I also have a picture of Chris Anderson (Birdman) not just because he is a great basketball player but for another great reason.Chris got suspended from the N.B.A for two years for the posession of an illeagal substance.He was also addicted to drugs and had to go to rehabilatation to break that habit.When his two year suspension was up,he was drafted to the Denver Nuggets.Nobody thought that Chris would make a big impact on the team but he was looking to prove everyone wrong.That season he was with the Nuggets he blocked the second most amount of shots in the N.B.A and the most amount of shots off the bench.The point i am trying to make is that Anderson didn't give up and he continued to fight on in most guys would quit.And that is why determination matters to me.

The last thing that i have up there is a picture of a paper and pencil which stands for education.Education is important because that is what is going to get you farthest in life.It starts off by getting you into college and then on.It can be the differnce of you getting a great paying job and providing for your family or working at a fast food place and struggling to pay the bills.

These are all things that matter to me the most.

What Matters to Josh L.

There are a lot of things that matter to me but I made a collage of a few of the most important ones including sports, food and family. Family, I have a couple pictures of family on this with my dad and I, my sister and I on a ride in California at Disneyland and there is a picture of some of my cousins and me with my sister. Family matters to me because they are the ones who are and always will be there for you and looking out for you, plus they are pretty fun to be around most of the time and you can just relax and be yourself because you don't have to try and impress anyone or be anything special. Sports, are a big part of my life because that's mostly all I do in my free time, I love to race mountain bikes and just ride for fun because even though you get hurt sometimes you can just hang out with all of your friends and do what you love to do, plus while your riding you forget all of the things that might be bothering you and you don't have one little ounce of stress in you when you get on the bike. In the winter I ski a lot, my favorite places to ski are A-Basin and Winterpark and I usually just ski with my family most of the time and once in a while I will go up with my friends, I like to do the terrain parks and blacks so I can challenge myself. I used to Dirt bike and play football also for a couple years and it was fun while it lasted but it wasn't really what I was looking to do so I moved on. Food and traveling, have always been interesting to me and my favorite place to travel is Long Beach California because the city is alive all night long and I think they have some of the best foot on the planet. My favorite restaurant is Famous Dave's and its a BBQ place that I first had in California and the food was so amazing that I actually convinced my dad and sister to go there twice in one day. I really want to visit Champery Switzerland and Australia or New Zealand because in Champery they have the world cup for mountain biking and its the Swiss alps and I love being in the mountain so I think that would be really cool to see and Australia and New Zealand are both really warm and tropical with beaches which I also like. A lot of things matter to me but clearly there are some that really stand out among others.

What Matters to Sean Davis

 

Paul: Paul, who is in the middle, is like my little brother, he isn't truly but me and him treat and introduce each other as siblings. He lives in Jefferson County but his grandma, who is sick, is my neighbor so he sees her a lot and i see him also. Paul is probably my favorite little kid. =)

Me in the mountains: I love the mountains. I go there as often as a can, it helps me get away from everyday stress or other things that can just get to you after a while. I always feel more relieved when I'm in the mountains.It gives me a sense of able to get away from everything. And spend time with the people a love most.

Funny face of me: I love life. You can tell in basically all the pictures of me. Honestly, I don't think there is one picture of me when I'm not making a face or having fun. I know that life is short, and we need to make it the best. So I try to be as happy as I can be all throughout the day. And if making faces helps,then I will do that. Whatever it takes to keep me happy and enjoying life.


Me playing guitar: Music. It's the biggest thing of my life. I love it. With any struggles a have had, music has always helped me get through it. I love playing music, I play electric and acoustic guitar and I love it. I have come very far with my playing skills and I plan to continue to keep going with them


US Army: I am one of the few people my age who have their future planned out, my big plan is to join the army. Once I'm 16 and six months, I will start paper work for my job in the army. The army is a big thing for me, I've always wanted it. I'm at the recruiting station probably 3 times a week. My job is going to be 11B, Infantrymen.The military will play for my collage and housing, and that's only a few of the benefits I may qualify for.


My cousin Sara: The girl is my cousin. She lives in California but she is almost the only person I truly consider family. Me and her have always been there for each other whenever someone has needed the other. We can use each other just for a vent, to a hug, to a shoulder to cry on. She is one of the strongest people I know.I talk to her probably every day and enjoy every minute of it. I will be seeing her in October, and along with that, seeing a U2 concert on October 25th, Pasadena Rose Bowl!

My father: The man in the bottom middle is my father. He died on Thanksgiving, 2006. It was probably one of the hardest times of my life. I was about 12 at the time I think. I had much support from my friends after it happened though. They all helped out a lot with my loss. But there is still a feeling that something is missing.

What matters to David F.

What matters to me in the collage I have created above is the crocodile hunter, baseball, hats, music, and traveling through the air. These things all matter to me because of many reasons.
The crocodile hunter aka Steve Irwin is important to me because of a few reasons. One, he made my favorite TV show. That show teaches me a lot while having a ton of fun. For example his acsent makes me crack up. Another reason is he has influenced me to try and make a TV show just like his. I hope that one day it will air on animal planet. Lastly, he matters to me because he gets to travel all around the world and that's another thing I want to do.
The next thing that matters to me is baseball. Like the crocodile hunter
I have a few reasons why it matters to me. It matters to me because one, Its probably the only sport that I'm decent at. I don't think I could make as a baseball player, but I do like to play and have fun and maybe make the Arapahoe spring baseball team. Another reason i like it is my family has been playing it for a long time, on both my mom and dad's sides, so it's in my blood to like it. My family supports me in this sport more than they would in any other sport, I believe.
The last big reason I can think of why it matters to me is that there is less work in baseball than most other big sports such as football, soccer, and hockey. In all those sports you mostly have to run all game, in baseball you get a brake when your team is batting. So I guess I'm lazy in a way.
This topic isn't as big as the other ones but it still matters to me. The topic is hats. Hats are important to me just because I like them so much. I've been collecting for awhile with awesome hats. When they get small though i throw them out. The most recent hat i got was my Tampa Bay Rays hat. Most the hats i collect are from www.lids.com, they can be a bit pricey though so that's why i haven't gotten a new one lately.
I can bet you that a few people would have this next topic as what matters to them. It's music, I listen to a lot of 80's music, just ask Sean Davis. My favorite bands are A-ha, Tears for Fears, Van Halen, Journey, Led Zepplin, Duran Duran, and a lot more. That's why I used an Ipod as my picture, to not only represent music but how I like a lot of other bands and genres. But i don't listen to hip hop or country. You won't find that on my Ipod. The main point is that music matters to me because it's just a part of life. There is no escaping it.
The last topic I can think of besides everything you need to survive is Traveling. It is another goal I have. I hope to go to every country in Africa and South America. I also would like to visit Australia, Italy, and Fiji. It matters to me because I just like seeing new places and animals. I think its better than seeing the same buildings on your way to wherever you go everyday. I have been to a lot of the states including the best place ever Puerto Rico and Utah.

Everything that matters to me is in the picture above, friends, sports, singing, family and my dog. These things are all important to me for different reasons.

Family is important to me because they will always be there for me. My mom and dad will do just about anything I ask of them, and my grandparents are just happy to be around me. My cousins are some of my closest friends. All of these people love me and I love them because they are family, and that’s what families do, they love each other.

Another part of my life represented in the picture above is sports, of witch I play two, wrestling and baseball. Over the last year I have reached the panicle of my pre high school sports carrier. I was captain of the Powell wrestling team last year and placed 2nd in districts. Over the summer I played on two baseball teams, my Cherry Creek AYL team, who I have played with for seven years, finally won the Little League World Series. Then I also played on the freshman summer team for Arapahoe. Our record wasn’t very good but we had a lot of fun, and it exposed me to the high school competition level.

The other thing that matters to me and is school related is singing. In the collage above is a picture from the Powell Pops concert last year. I was in choir all three years at Powell under the direction of Ms. Kathy Summers and ending my carrier there in the Jazz Choir. I’m also in concert choir this year and so far its turning out well.

The next thing that matters to me is my friends; my friends will always be there for me no matter what. They are always fun to hang out with and a good source for a laugh.

The final thing represented in the collage is my dog. He should probably be considered part of the family but he is just a little to cool. His name is Soda and he is all of 15 pounds not including the fluff. He is my bud who I play with when I’m bored and he doesn’t care who I am or what I do, as long as he gets fed. That basically sums up what matters to me, and I say just basically because a picture is worth a thousand words, and I don’t even have all my pictures up there.

What matters to Ethan

What matters to me right now in my life is my family, friends, soccer, education and good health. My family is important to me because they support me through everything that I do. My mom helps me with my school work so that I get a good education. My Mom and Dad help me with soccer because they pay for all the stuff I wear for it like shirts, shorts, gloves, and cleats. Then my Dad mostly helps me with getting fitter and stronger, so we go to the rec center and lift and then he takes me out and we run trails. My pets are also important. My cat Riply and my dog Basia are very special to me. They are special because I am an only child and if I'm sad or don't know what to do, I can either walk the dog or play frisbee or I can play with the cat. I love my family very much because they have supported me through my school and soccer.

In the lower right hand corner those are three of my best friends Bryan, David, and Ryan. These guys are very special because they are on my soccer team but we support each other through almost everything. If one of us is not doing good at practice or in a game we will always pick each other up.

If I wasn't playing soccer I have know idea what I would be doing in my life right now. My whole life has been about soccer. I have grown up around the game. My dad was the coach at Columbine H.S. for 25 years and he was both the varsity coach for the boys and the girls. When I was little I would always go to his games and think how cool it would be to win a state championship (which he did 3 times). Even better than that, I am playing on the United States U-15 National team. I am at the highest level of soccer for my age. As you can see in the upper right hand corner and in the picture above my friends. It is a honor to not only wear the USA shield but represent our country.

A good education might be the most important thing in my life right now. If you don't have a good education then we won't succeed in life. Having a good education is important to me because I want to be able to go to a division I college and be able to play soccer. Also, it is important to have good grades in high school because if you have two F's you are ineligible and can't play until you bring your grade back up.

The last thing that really matters to me is my health. I want to be able to play soccer for as long as I can and that requires good health. To maintain good health you are going to have to eat healthy and exercise. You can have pop and junk food sometimes it's just not a good idea to get addicted to it!

These are the things that matter the most to me in my life right now. In the future they could change, anything can happen...

Friday Fun Activity Reaction

Please think about the experience we had in class on Friday and post your reaction to the following questions:

What did you notice about your interaction with the girls?

What did you notice about the class behaviors? Was there any stereotyping? Any gender differences?

Class Expectations

What are the qualities of good teachers? of good students? of a good class?

Think about your answers before you post them. Make sure to proofread your response. Also, make sure to come back and comment upon one another's comments. Do you agree or disagree with what they are saying?

Summer Reading

Over the summer, you were asked to read at least two novels of your choice.
1) Briefly tell me what you read, including the titles and authors.
2) I want to know what you liked about the books, what you learned and, more importantly, what matters to you about the book's content.

*Make sure to adhere to proper conventions and proofread your response. If, for some reason, you did not read two novels, tell me about two novels you have read and answer the above.