4

When I think about Vermont, I think that we are very lucky to have such a wonderful place to be, with green trees everywhere and birds flying in every direction, fishing from the river bank, and campfires at night. Vermont is a great place to live!

Vermont was discovered by Samuel de Champlain in 1609. He was impressed by the beauty of the mountains and called the area “Vert Monts”. In French, vert means green and monts, mountains.

I am walking on a freshly-made mulch trail, and I am feeling new to the world. I look around me and see millions of tall evergreen trees that look beautiful in the sunlight. Above me I see the bluest sky you can imagine and a couple of Canadian geese that were flying in a lopsided "v." Ahead of me, the mulch trail continued, and so did the evergreens. I decided to lie down a little bit and enjoy the forest. I started thinking about all kinds of things. About the book I'm reading, what I will do when I write my homework, when I will get clothes for my doll, and how I will write a three paragraph essay on how Native Americans lived. Then I start thinking about New Jersey and how the people there are so unlucky to have such a bad environment and have not so many trees in the whole city! Oh no!!! What if that happens here? What would happen to my family and I? Wait, oh yea, I'm in Vermont.

I think that raising a family in Vermont would help the younger children to appreciate how lucky they are and to learn about all the wildlife in Vermont. When the kids have learned that Vermont doesn’t allow billboards like other states, they would be surprised. But then the parents, who had understood their parents, would tell them why, and I would think that it would be a good reason. The reason I have learned would be that if we had a billboard it would ruin the beautiful landscape for everyone to enjoy. If we had billboards everywhere, the Vermont wildlife and people would lose land, and people and animals need land.

These are some questions I have for you
How to begin?
What to do?
Why is there air?
Why are there trees?
Why are there flowers?
Why are there bees?
Why are there fish?
Why are there seas?
Why are there animals?
Why am I me?

These are some questions I have for you
How to begin?
What to do?
Why is there air?
Why are there trees?
Why are there flowers?
Why are there bees?
Why are there fish?
Why are there seas?
Why are there animals?
Why am I me?

Snow

By Maia Hendrickson
Brewster Pierce Memorial School, Grade 4

I love the snow
Yes, I love the snow
Not a place with snow
that I don't go
Snow in my hair
Snow everywhere
Sledding down hills
Skiing with skill
Making a snowman
Watching the weatherman
Saying "snow's a comin' soon!"

A Friend to Keep

By Hannah Dionne
Jericho Elementary School, Grade 4

This is a letter I wrote to my friend Casey:

Dear Casey,
I want you to know why you are my friend. It is important that we know how we feel about others or how others feel about us. You help me solve my problems when I’m in a situation where I can’t help myself. Your support and problem-solving ideas have helped me become a better person. I know in my heart you are my friend and I will never let that go, even though years will pass and we will change pieces of who we are. This lifelong bond since age three is a friendship I value. I hope you find this letter meaningful because it’s the strongest letter I have ever written. No letter can be stronger than mine because it is written to you, my lifelong friend.
Sincerely,
Hannah

A Squirrel Story

By Eliza Lee Thomas

Chapter One

The Idea

One early March morning, a shivering squirrel sat under an oak tree. There was a cold feel to the late winter air. His furry coat was damp with dew. The squirrel had injured his leg when he last hopped out of his hole and could not climb. As he sat there, the squirrel thought about other squirrels in their warm houses playing. His house was in the oak tree that he was sitting under. The hole was five feet above him and his leg hurt too much to make the climb.
Suddenly, the squirrel’s ears popped up – he had an idea! Thinking it through, he talked to himself, “Well, I have seen children play in treehouses and there are tiny steps for them to climb up. Maybe I could make some steps! OK, I will start soon. But first, I will need to check my sap cup.”

Emma is my friend because she includes me in games that she can play and I can not. She also is very comforting to everyone. Also, she always makes things fair, like when we were playing a horse game she split up the stalls fairly. I think Emma would be a great friend to the whole world.

If I were a can of mustard I would have a short life and the world would be ending fast for me. I would get eaten by people and be really mushy and I'd be yellow. People would always use me for sandwiches and would not know I'm there and I'd never probably get to do what I want to do.

I have two friends, Alex and Bella, but they don't get along so it's kinda hard. Alex and I go to the video store to get movies a lot. Bella and I do many more things, like her family takes me downtown and we watch movies from her house and we also go to the park. Alex, Bella and I have had many sleepovers in the past two years. I know that I will be best friends with both forever. They always support me by being there when I need them.

Snow Days

Fun
Playing in the snow all day
Playing with friends
Throwing snowballs
Cold outside
Hot, warm fire in my house
My sisters and brothers and I
Playing in the snow together
Having fun
Hot cocoa and warmth
So much fun to play in the winter
I wish
We could have snow days and winter
All year!

Winter

Winter is here
Snow drifts piled high
Ice skating and hot cocoa
Ice crunching
Snow sparkling
Santa’s coming
Presents under the Christmas tree
New toys are here
New movies to watch
Snow days and lots more snow
Piles of snow 3 feet high
Having snowball fights
Having fun!

Winter Snowfall

The snow falls from the sky
To the ground
The chimney makes your home warm
Presents under the Christmas tree
Santa comes down the chimney
Santa fills your home with toys
Santa lights the sky

Winter

Winter time is here
When snow melts in my mouth
I freeze and I go inside
I cook hot cocoa and I take a sip
I love it
It feels like hot smooth chocolate going down my throat
But it is a little hot
Ouch
It burnt me
OUCH!

Winter days,
holidays,
all the same to me,
Cloudy days,
Snowy days,
Makes no difference to me,
‘cause when there’s snow,
winter snow,
you can sled down hills
snowmen you can build
‘cause when there’s snow
winter snow
you can have fun in the snow.

Snowflakes falling smelling so sweet
Their fragrant smell like a butterscotch treat
The snow swirls and dances
Sometimes stinging like needles and lances
Soft as a little baby rabbit’s fur
White as a white fox cub beginning to stir
More quiet than a silent green fir
The snowflakes weave over and under
Winter is a wonder

Flying

By Anna Burke
Jericho Elementary School, Grade 4

“Whee!” I’m glad I fell off my tree today. It feels like a roller coaster.
Ah, I landed with a nice thump. INCOMING ooh, ouch that hurt, nobody thinks
of us leaves. Oh no! Here comes another person. Why did they pick me up? I wonder
where I’m going? Hey I just heard something shut. Wow it’s finally warmer. Oh cool,
kids are looking at me through big glass things. AAHHHHHH I’m being
ripped up. People are so cruel to leaves sometimes. I just wish I was still on my tree,
although it was fun flying in the wind.

Sincerely,
Mr. Fall Leaf

President Emilee

By Emilee Delong
Barre Town Middle and Elementary School, Grade 4

If I were president in 2009, the first thing I would do is have holidays for animals. I would do that because it would be fair to the animals to have a holiday as people do. Animals help you when you get hurt and they protect you.
They would have Animal Day on Oct. 6 every year. They would get to dress up in costumes and celebrate. They would be able to run around the towns with no one with them to walk them. They would have a parade. Their owners would get free stuff from the stores and the movie theater. Then they would get a free trip to Disneyworld and to the White House. Kids would not have school on that day. Parents and adults would not work on that day. They would be able to celebrate the holiday with their pets. That's why they should have a holiday.

If I were president

By Braxton Williams
Barre Town Middle and Elementary School, Grade 4

If I were president I would lower all prices on gas and food. I would also lower taxes because my parents are building a garage and buying gas and food; pretty soon they will be broke.

If you wonder how I would do it, I would go to every state and tell them to lower all prices. Then I would force them to lower prices so people won't lose everything they own and go broke.

I could also use the money I will get and take the ladies out on dates and reserve the whole restaurant to myself and not run out of money.

The president has a lot of responsibility to take care of. This is a lot to do, but this is what I would do if I were president.

The Elected President

By Cameron Flinn
Barre Town Middle and Elementary School, Grade 4

If I was elected president, the first thing I would do is build sports stadiums so kids and adults could play sports more often (like football, baseball and hockey).

People should pay less money for gas - it should be only $2 per gallon. They should also pay less in taxes and in stores (like Hannaford) so they don't have to work late and go on business trips to places like Dallas, and Washington D.C. People could also go to school and learn math, reading and social studies.

We should have a holiday that is Mom's and Dad's day. Moms and dads should be able to take a break and just sleep in and watch television.

A Few Days After the Election

By Henry Harder
Renaissance School, Grade 4

THE PRESIDENT
A few days after the November election, I found out this; I had won the 2008 Presidential Election!! I could not believe it! It was insane; it felt like a miracle. I didn’t think I would win. Well, with that said, I had to do tons of work as the Presidential nominee.
I was now going to be in charge of leading the U.S. military, checking laws, and going to meetings across the country. It was amazing to think that in January, the President would be me! I had to start thinking about what I would do as President.
I was planning to help with the economy and make sure I was aware of what is happening all over the country. Most of all I had to assure people that I knew what I was talking about!!

THREE MONTHS LATER:

If I were elected to be president the first thing I would do is to find a solution to stop GLOBAL WARMING and keep the Antarctic animals
from drowning. I think that the Arctic animals will not be extinct.

If I was elected to become president in 2009 the first thing I would do is spend money on helping the poor because I want them to be happy. If I didn’t spend money on helping the poor I bet they would be sadder than they are now. The way I would help the poor is by giving money to charity. I think the poor will really appreciate the help.

If I was elected for president

By Noah Smith
John J. Flynn Elementary School, Grade 4

If I was elected president the first thing I would do is say, “NO MORE WAR!!!” It is too sad for families when people get killed. So I, the President of the United States of America, say the war is now over. Now it is illegal to have a war.

Tornado!

By Ian R. Sturm
Brewster Pierce Memorial School, Grade 4

A tornado is coming
a tornado is coming
A tornado is
coming to
town. It's
mashing
it's crashing
it's munching
it's crunching
it's eating
our little
town.
Woosh!
Aahh!
Crunch!
Gulp!

Earth's hair, Earth's hair
Brown and Green it is.
We clip it every day.
Some of it is hay.
It grows every night.
Slowly at night.
In winter it is gone.
But hold on.
It is back in Spring.
Greener then a tree.

Chuckling, Giggling,
Smiling, Laughing these are the things
I do.
Grinning, Singing
Joking around
this is my
Good Mood!

A New Baby in Town

By Ian R. Sturm
Brewster Pierce Memorial School, Grade 4

New baby
in town!
New baby
in town!
It's a
beautiful
sight!
From its
cute little
toes to
its button
nose!
Her
parents
are filled
with delight!
She has her
mom's eyes.
Sparkling
like the
Stars.
She has her dad's
peaceful
way.
Like a
river flowing by.
Welcome
to the world.
How joyful
am I?

Re-cess slide, sliding on by
Re-cess slide, better go hide

I'm flying off the end
playing in the sun,
come on people lets have some
fuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnn!

Re-cess slide, sliding on by
Re-cess slide, better go hide.