Friday, March 7, 2008

The Computer Virus by Wade



This is the second Young Author Award winning entry for our fifth grade.

The Computer Virus written & illustrated by Wade

Chapter 1


Jared Ward was a scientist who was fairly well known in his county for winning three straight science fairs. The first time he won he made a computer powered by milk. It was made of wood. The second time he won, he had made a telescope made of gun parts. “Gooey, gooey, gooey,” the people said when they saw Jared’s third science experi-
ment. It was a slushy, contaminated gel. His friends told him it was genius, but they truly thought the only reason he won was because only six people entered the contest.

After winning the third science fair, Jared took a vacation to Vermont. There he went to the Albert Einstein Science Store and bought some Epsom salts, an evaporating dish, and various acids and chemicals. Next, Jared went to Frank’s Pranks and bought yellow, blue, and green slimes. Having returned from his vacation, Jared went straight to his science lab which was also his attic. He placed the green slime into a cup. Next, he poured hot water into the cup. He followed that with the yellow slime. Then he placed the acids and chemicals into the cup. Jared had to put the blue slime in, but he instantly remembered that he had to place the Epsom salts on the evaporating dish. He did just that, and waited for it to turn to salt crystals. Then he made a hole in the blue slime and poured the salt crystals in. After that, Jared put the cup of various ingredients under the heat lamp to melt into goo. After the goo developed, he placed both goos near the computer. The next day, May 18, 1907, was the day everything went wrong.

Chapter 2

Jared’s alarm clock awakened him, but he was so scared when he heard it that he knocked it over. When it fell, it hit the table with the two goos and computer on it. That caused the table to wobble which caused the milk and goos to fall. Jared was still sleepy so when he put the cups back onto the table, he put the milk wire for the computer into the goo. Now, instead of being powered by milk Jared’s computer is sucking contaminated goo into the system. Jared went downstairs to refill his spilled milk cup not knowing what he just did. After he got back to his room to pour the milk in the cup Jared turned on his computer. When it powered up, the screen turned the green color of the slime the computer took in. Then, it developed a pair of eyes, ears, a nose and mouth. Instantly, the green screen shrunk, grew legs and arms, and jumped out of the computer! When that happened, Jared screamed at the top of his lungs. The creature must have been frightened because he ran into the lab closet. Jared was able to trap it in a box. He took it to a bona fide scientist for identification. The scientist identified the creature as a Living Computer Virus. Frantically, the scientist picked up the box and let the creature go, afraid it would hurt him. The virus not only ran out of the lab, but out of the building entirely. It ran through the city demolishing everything on the way. “Get on the ground!” the people in the SWAT helicopter yelled. That made the virus furious, so it rampaged toward all of the forces in the air and on the ground.

Chapter 3

One of the Air Force officers got a mini gun and fired at the virus. On the ground the virus was trying its hardest to dodge the bullets but as it jumped out of the way of one bullet, it would be right in the way of another. Unfortunately, the virus got hit and exploded. Everyone in town figured out that Jared caused the incident and banned him from all future science fairs.

Monday, March 3, 2008

Left Out by Omar



This is the first of two stories selected from my class for Missouri Southern's Young Author Program.

Left Out

By Omar Salas

Chapter 1 Jake

One day there was a kid named Jake. He plays basketball. Basketball is his favorite sport. When he was in 5th grade he played in a basketball team, for his school. They were called Tigers. Now he’s in 6th grade he’s in the team. Their game is in 2 weeks. So Jake gets prepared. He exercises all day and eats healthy. But then 1 week before the game Jake and his family were going to the mall at 8:00. Jake’s dad was asking Jake if he was nervous. Jake said yes. Jake’s dad told him to pretend there was nobody there like last year, then another car came and they crashed.

Chapter 2 The Accident

Jake opened his eyes and saw his dad. He was bleeding. “Dad, Dad” Jake said.

“I love you” Jake’s dad said and closed his eyes.

He got off and a lot of people were coming. When ambulances came they picked up Jake and took him to the hospital. Jake didn’t have a broken arm or anything he just had scratches. He was happy he didn’t die but then remembered his dad. “Umm, nurse where are my parents?”

The nurse said that his parents died. Jake didn’t seem happy anymore. He went back to school and didn’t talk at all. Kids were making fun of him because his parents died and theirs didn’t. His coach asked him if he could still play. Jake said yes.

Jake had to move to his grandma’s house. Her house was 2 blocks away from the school. Jake would spend all day inside the house. It was the day for the game Jake tried not to think about his parents.

Chapter 3 The Game

Jake was sitting on the bench while others were playing. He saw others when they made the scores and they were waving to their parents. That made Jake remember about his parents and made him sad.

It was the end of the game, Tigers won 25 to 11. That made others happy but to Jake he was mad. He didn’t get to play at all. That made Jake feel like he was left out.

Chapter 4 Left Out

At school kids were making fun of him because he didn’t play in the game. Teachers forgot he was there. They even skipped him. There was practice today but he didn’t practice he just had to watch people practice.

On one game they won 37 to 24, another they won 42 to 39. On those two games he just played on the 4th quarter for 3 minutes.

Finally Jake told coach that he felt like he was lonely and left out. Coach asked why.

“I just feel left out and like invisible because nobody pays attention to me,” Jake said. Coach understood why he felt that way.

Chapter 5 The Last Game

It was time for the tournament and Noel was versus Anderson, last time they played each other Noel lost 14 to 16. Jake was sitting on the bench. Just then Coach asked if Jake wanted to play. Jake was happy that time. But then Anderson made a shot Noel was losing 27 to 39. It was half time, they were in the locker room.

Chapter 6 The Third Quarter

Now it was the 3rd quarter and 5 minutes. Jake passed it to his teammate but he missed but Jake rebounded and made it the score was now 29 to 39. Anderson was still winning by ten. 2 minutes later and the score was 37 to 45. 1 minute left in the 3rd quarter and Anderson made it. 30 seconds on the clock. Anderson was wasting time and it was 10 seconds when Jake stole the ball. 3 seconds were left and Jake made it.

“Yeah!” the crowd cheered. The score was 39 to 45.

Chapter 7 The Shot of Anderson

4th quarter was five minutes long. Somebody from Jake’s team passed it to Jake and shot a three pointer and made it.

“Yeah!” everyone shouted. The next 2 minutes Jake shot 3 pointers and made some of them. The score was 50 to 47. Noel was winning until an Anderson kid shot a 3 pointer and made it. Noel was scared because they were tied. 1 minute on the clock and the score was 50 to 50. Then the same kid made another 3 pointer. 22 seconds and Jake stole the ball and shot a 3 pointer. The score was tied 53 to 53.

3 seconds left Anderson had it, nobody blocked him so he shot from the half court and … he made it.

“Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!!!!!!” Anderson won. The score was 56 to 53. “Anderson 1st place !” a guy announced. “Noel 2nd place!” he continued, “Pineville 3rd place! 4th place Southwest City! Fifth place White Rock! 6th place Rocky Comfort!”

Coach said that the thing that matters isn’t winning, the thing that matter is your effort.

Where Would You Want Your Fossil to be Displayed?



Fourth grade students were studying fossils. I asked them to write me a paragraph about where they would want their fossilized body to be displayed. Shayla had the best paragraph.

The St. Louis museum because lots of people go there and the great arch is at St. Louis and I heard a lot of people like the St. Louis museum. My favorite place is the St Louis museum and I always wanted to go to the St. Louis museum. I think people would want to see a person's body that is a fossil. That is why I want my fossil body displayed in the St. Louis museum.