Love Means Nothing.....in Tennis! 

My favorite competitive sport is tennis. I have been playing tennis since I was in middle school. I started out playing reluctantly with my family. However, I soon grew to love the sport. Going into high school, I decided to try out for the school team. I played all four seasons of high school, and since then I have just been playing with friends and family whenever I get the chance.

Tennis is a great sport. You can play either one on one "singles" or you can play with partners "doubles". I have always been a singles player, but I have played doubles when my couch needed me to. Singles tennis is more challenging, because you can only use the inside lines of the court. You have to run a lot more, so it is also better exercise.  When you are playing singles, you need to use tactic such as aiming, topspin, bunting, or spiking. Love literally does mean nothing when you are playing tennis. The scoring goes love, 15, 30, 45, game! A deuce means that your opponent and you are tied at 45. You must score twice to win a deuce.

Doubles tennis is a littler easier, because there is not as much running around. However, it takes great teamwork and communication skills. Your partner and you must decide what part of the court each of you are responsible for. You can either do left and right, or front and back. When you play doubles tennis, the outside lines count. This makes it easier to keep the ball in the court. The thing I found most difficult about doubles tennis was making sure not to accidentally spike the ball into the head of my partner. If your partner is standing in front of you while you are serving the ball, it is easy to accidentally hit her in the head.

Tennis is a fun sport. It can get super competitive, and it takes a lot of thought. Although this blog may have taught you a few things about tennis, it is nothing compared to what you can learn playing the game for yourself. So, find someone who knows how to play, and have them teach you! You won't regret it. It may seem hard at first, but once you learn how to hold the racket and aim, you are golden!

Vocabulary-

competitive- when one plays something to win. 

reluctant- when someone is unsure of something, or does not want to do it. 

singles- when one person plays tennis against one person. 

doubles- when two people play tennis against two people. 

tactic- different kind of skills, or problem solving. 

aiming- when you see a target and shoot to hit that target. 

topspin- when you hit a tennis ball with your racket while twisting your wrist, it will make the ball spin and stop wherever you hit it. 

bunting- when you hit a tennis ball lightly, popping it into the air. 

spiking- when you hit a tennis ball fast and directly to the ground. 

racket- the tool which is used to hit a tennis ball. 

Vocabulary Practice

Directions- Say whether the vocabulary word in each sentence is being used correctly or incorrectly. If it is being used incorrectly, write a sentence using it in the correct context. 

1) My sister is very competitive, whenever we play air hockey, she won't stop until she wins! 

_________________ _______________________________________________________________.

2) Judah was reluctant to jump into the water, so he dipped his feet in first to see how cold it was. 

________________ ________________________________________________________________.

3) Matt and I were playing a game of singles, we ran around in circles until only one person was left.

_______________ ________________________________________________________________.

4) In the game of doubles, I played with my friend Carl, and we played against Rick and Daryl. 

______________ _________________________________________________________________.

5) I used plenty of tactic when I was brushing my teeth. 

______________ _________________________________________________________________. 

6) It seemed as if my brother was aiming for me, because the lacrosse ball hit me right in the face! 

_____________ __________________________________________________________________.

7) My mother put the washing machine on topspin. 

_____________ __________________________________________________________________.

8) My Nana made a bunting cake, and covered it in vanilla frosting. 

____________ ___________________________________________________________________.

9) My cousin learned a new dance move called spiking. 

_____________ __________________________________________________________________.

10) My mother took me to Dick's Sporting Goods to buy a new tennis racket.

____________ ___________________________________________________________________.

Grammar Point: Homophones

Homophones are words that sound the same, but they have different meanings. Today we will focus on:

too- also

to- identifying a noun, or directional "going to"

two- the number 

and

its- showing ownership

it's- it is 

Grammar Practice

Directions- Write a sentence using the proper form of each word. 

examples: I like poodles too. I am going to the movies tonight. I have two brothers. 

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

Take to the Sea

Kayaking is one of my favorite summer hobbies. As spring is approaching, I cannot wait for it to get warm enough to kayak! There is nothing like being alone on the water. Paddling out is relaxing and it is also a great workout. Sometimes the waves are very smooth, and other times they are rough/choppy. I honestly enjoy both ways of kayaking. While smooth rides are great for laying back and enjoying the views, choppy waves can be challenging to maneuver around. As you boys and girls know, Miss. Galante loves a good challenge. Some of the places I have kayaked before are Bellport Bay, Brookhaven Inlets, and the bay in Massapequa down to Jones Beach.

Next summer I am hoping to kayak the Nesaquake River into either Sunken Meadow State Park or Blyndenburgh. It is also a dream of mine to kayak down the entire Hudson River from Canada into New York Harbor.

Kayaking is loads of fun. You get to see so many new places, and you get to see them from a completely different perspective. It can be challenging or relaxing. While you are out on the water, the sun keeps you warm. You can sometimes see marine life, and you almost always see other boats. Sometimes when I am kayaking I put some music on, and rock out! Other times, I bring a book, and I read on the water. Kayaking can be a great way to be alone to think. It is an activity you can do with friends, or by yourself. I love kayaking! I hope some of you will try it, and love it just as much.

Vocabulary-

kayaking- traveling by kayak, which is a small canoe/boat that fits one or two people. 

hobbies- activities one does semi-regularly for his/her enjoyment. 

paddling- using an oar to move oneself through water. 

maneuver- a series of movements that requires skill or care. 

inlets- a small arm of ocean, sea, bay, or lake that goes off into the land. 

perspective- the way a something is seen or thought about. 

marine life- animals and plants that live in water. 

Vocabulary Practice

Directions- Use each of the vocabulary words in a sentence. 

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

6)

7)

Grammar Point: Homophones

Homophones are words that sound the same, but they have different meanings. Today we will focus on:

there - a place

their - possessive (a group of people own something)

they're - they are

and 

your - possessive (something you own) 

you're - you are 

Grammar Practice

Directions- Write a sentence using the proper form of each word. 

examples: The dog is sitting over there. That is their car. They're going to the movies. 

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

Travel the World! 

There are many different ways to travel. One can take a cruise ship to multiple destinations, stay on a resort, travel in a car across country, go to a far off destination to venture out on his/her own, or choose from one of the many other traveling methods.

Growing up, I did not get to travel much. My mother didn't have the money to take us on long trips. We only did weekend trips to simple places like theme parks, or historic towns. I still remember my first trip out of the country. I was 18. My mother inherited some money, and she took us to Mexico. We stayed on the resort for a majority of the trip, but my Mom let me plan one excursion. She knew it had been a dream of mine to swim with dolphins. She told me if I could plan it myself, and find it under a certain price, that we could do it. Well, I did, and it was an adventure of a lifetime! We took a taxi to the ferry. The ferry took us to an island. On the island we got to see sharks up close, swim with dolphins, and snorkel in coral reefs. I thought that would be one of my only trips I'd ever get to take out of the country.

As an adult, I have realized something. We can plan all we want for our future, but those plans are not guaranteed. Plans can fall apart as quickly as a sandcastle getting hit by a wave. This inspired me to go on my second trip out of the country. My second trip was to Costa Rica. It was the most amazing experience of my life. I went with two of my friends. We took a Spanish speaking airline. This helped us feel part of the culture before we even got to the country. We got to read Latin magazines, eat Latin food, and hear everyone speaking in Spanish all around us. We stopped in El Salvador on the way, which was also very cool! When we got there, I finally got to conquer my fears, and become the thrill junkie I always wanted to be. We swam in hot springs, hiked the base of an active volcano, rappelled down waterfalls, hiked in the rainforest, zip-lined, did a Tarzan Swing, walked over hanging bridges, rode ATVs, drove across country, hungout in the local town, and swam in the Pacific Ocean.

My next trip is going to be to Germany. I am going to be studying there at a university. They are going to teach me how to speak German, and about German culture. While I am there I will also be able to do fun things like hike, paddle board, and rock climb. It is scary to invest so much money into traveling, but we only have one life as far as we know. Sometimes you just need to figure it out, make things work, have faith, and live your life! Anything is possible, for anyone, and if you want to travel you can make it happen. Don't give up on your dreams!

Vocabulary-
resort- it is like a large hotel that includes everything you need in it: fun things to do, restaurants, gift shop, ext.
across country- when someone travels a long distance across a country.
venture- when one travels in a way that can be risky or daring.
inherited- when someone gets something from a family member who has passed away.
excursion- something fun one does on vacation.
coral reef- a group of beautiful rocks and plants one can find in the sea.
guaranteed- when something is certain.
inspired- when something gives you an idea or strong thought.
conquer- when you can do something you once weren't able to.
thrill junkie- someone who loves doing daring, adventurous activities.
hot springs- a spring of water that is heated by volcanic activity.
active volcano- a volcano that has lava running inside and could erupt at any moment.
rappelled- to lower oneself from a high location to a lower location using ropes.
zip-lined- an activity where one holds onto a handle connected to a metal rope/cable, and flies through the air from one point down to another.
Tarzan Swing- when a person walks off a cliff with nothing but a rope attached to them by a harness and swings through the air.
ATV- a small vehicle with four wheels that people drive in dirt or grass.
paddle board- it looks like a long surf board that people stand on, and they use a paddle to move through the water.
invest- when you put your money into a cause or an experience hoping to get something in return with no guarantee.

Vocabulary Practice
Directions- Look up each vocabulary word in Google Images and paste them on this page labeling them with the correct vocabulary word.

Example: 

Coral Reef

Grammar Point: Comparative Adjectives

There are three kinds of adjectives.

Standard form- the adjective being used in it's standard form.
examples: smart, warm, talented, or good.

The next kind compares two people or objects.
examples: My older brother thinks he is smarter than me.
The two people are brother and me. Smart now becomes smarter. For these adjs. we add -ER or "more".
smarter, warmer, more talented, better.

The last kind compares many people or objects.
examples: The equator is the warmest place on Earth.
The equator is being compared to ALL the other places on Earth. Warm becomes warmest. For these adjs. we add -EST or "most".
smartest, warmest, most talented, best.

Grammar Practice
Directions- Fill in the blanks with the correct adjectives.

1. Sweet, __________, Sweetest.

2. ________, Brighter, ___________.

3. Large, Larger, ____________.

4. Bad, Worse, ___________.

5. _________, ____________, Smelliest.

Plogging!

Tonight I watched an interesting video. The video was about a new fitness trend in Sweden. The trend is called plogging. Plogging is a combination of picking up litter and jogging. It is a way to stay healthy while also helping to clean up our environment! To plog, people take bags with them while they jog, and they pick up garbage they find on their route. People can plog on the beach, at the park, through the woods, on the city streets, or anywhere!

Littering can cause many harmful effects. The most obvious is that it is displeasing to the eye. How many times have your own beach visits, or walks at the park been ruined by people's disgusting trash? Some litter, such as cigarette butts can cause fires or add poisonous chemicals to soil or water. Some animals get caught in litter or try to eat it. Those animals can either get seriously injured or die. Also, removing litter costs tax payers a lot of money. This effects everyone. So, next time you go on a jog, will you turn it into a plog? Make the world a better, prettier place, and plog!

Vocabulary-
Fitness- actions taken to stay in shape and stay healthy.
Sweden- a country in Northern Europe.
Plogging- a combination of picking up litter while jogging.
Litter- any form of trash or garbage.
Littering- when people throw their garbage outside.
Harmful- when something causes a physical threat.
Displeasing- when something makes you feel frustrated or annoyed.
Poisonous- chemicals that can harm one's health or even kill them.
Tax payers- people who have to pay taxes, or amounts of money to the government.


Vocabulary Practice
Directions- Complete the sentence with the proper vocabulary word.

1) I found the taste of pickles ____________, I never ate them again.

2) Rock climbing is my favorite form of ______________!

3) My grandpa's entire family is from ______________.

4) When I saw the boys throwing their candy wrappers on the floor, I yelled at them for __________.

5) There was so much ___________ on the beach, I could hardly see the sand.

6) _____________ help pay for the school supplies the government supplies our schools.

7) Smoking is ___________ to one's health, it can cause them lung cancer!

8) Cigarettes are _____________, which is why they can cause people lung cancer.

9) I picked up three bags of garbage while ____________ on the beach yesterday.

Grammar Point: Passive & Active Verbs

A verb is active when the subject is the one doing the action.
Example: The children played games.

A verb is passive when the action is being done before the subject.
Example: Games were played by the children.

Grammar Practice
Directions- Read each sentence, then state whether it is active or passive.

1) Sophia colored a picture for her mom. ___________________

2) Cars had been raced by the boys. _________________

3) I sang a song. _______________

4) Drums are played by the band. ________________

5) The burrito was eaten by me. __________________

6) I studied for my test. _____________________

Indoor Rock Climbing

One of my favorite activities is indoor rock climbing. I love to rock climb! It is a sport that takes a lot of strength, focus, and problem solving. Do you like solving complex puzzles? Do you like figuring out how to get through a level of a video game, or how to solve a Rubik's Cube? If you do, you will love rock climbing, because it is also a form of complex problem solving.

There are three ways to indoor rock climb: bouldering, top-rope, and lead climb. Each way is very different and complicated to explain in depth. My favorite way to climb is top-rope, so I will be focusing on that within this blog post.

To top-rope you will need to have specific gear. You will need climbing shoes, a harness, rope, a grigri, clip, belay partner, and you may also like to use a chalk bag. At the top of each rock climb wall is a beam. The rope is swung around the beam leaving two ends at the bottom of the wall. One end is for the climber, and the other end has a grigri attached to it for your belay partner to use. Your belay partner and you each wear a harness. When you want to climb you tie a figure eight knot into the rope. You then loop the remaining rope through your harness and tie a double figure eight. With the remaining rope, you tie a fisherman's backup knot. Now you are all ready to climb! Just make sure you have on climbing shoes, and you may want a chalk bag. The chalk in the bag keeps your hands from getting too sweaty and slipping on the holds.

                   

Next, you need to know what your belay partner does. The belay partner's job is to make sure you do not have too much rope hanging. Hanging rope is called slack, and if you leave too much slack then you could fall. Keeping the slack tight keeps you from falling down the wall. Your belay partner attaches the grigri to his/her harness using the clip. He/She then holds the rope to the side, pulling it tight as you climb up. When it is time to repel down, there is a switch on the grigri your partner pulls back to loosen the rope. He/She will loosen her grip on the rope also, without removing it, so you can descend down without falling too fast.

When you are climbing there are holds of different colors. These holds are made to be like rocks, in all types of shapes and sizes. They are placed on the wall creating routes. These routes are like complex puzzles. You need to follow the same route or color all the way up. It is up to you to figure out the best way to go without giving up or falling! The routes have difficulty levels. The easiest at my gym is a 5.4 and the hardest is a 5.13. The holds are more spread out, smaller, and harder to grasp as the difficulty level goes up.

Vocabulary-
Rock Climbing- when people climb up rocks.
Rubik's Cube- a complex puzzle which is in the shape of a box, formed by miniature boxes of various colors. One must twist the boxes to get each side of the cube filled with a matching color.
Bouldering- a form of rock climbing which is performed on a low wall using no rope.
Top-rope- a form of rock climbing using a rope and a belay partner.
Lead climb- a form of rock climbing where the climber attaches the rope to clips as he/she climbs up the wall instead of using a beam at the top.
Climbing Shoes- shoes that are made specifically for rock climbing. They run tight, and have rubber soles.
Harness- something a person wears around his/her waist and legs then attaches to a rope so he/she can go to higher elevations without falling.
Grigri- a tool used in rock climbing which rope is fed into so that the rope can be secured tightly.
Balay Partner- someone who keeps the rope tight and a rock climber from falling.
Repel- to make something go down or back the way it came.
Descend- to go down.
Holds- rock-like structures created for indoor rock climbing. They can be held or stepped on.
Routes- a way to a destination.

Vocabulary Practice

Indoor Rock Climbing

S L I O N J R H G Q U L P E R P I R I G L A Z K R V P P C Y 
G R U D S E O H S G N I B M I L C E C R J E P K G D S W V V 
P O Z Z K R J U I C S U E M B R A N Y A G D A W W Z L T D V 
D C B F T H L G C C C W Y N N A P T O W S I I D X E U I O R 
I V A R G P G P B S T G I V Q J X R M Y T B R J C J T R X A 
C T S U U G U B K Q U C P X T H Y A B Q T P D G N L W B X E 
K H Q T O P H I A K R G D T R D B P T P T I G F A U I H C Q 
E L R T L A B E J M F F J L T S T Y S W I P K A G W Y M W T 
M X W M R U K Z E Z G V G C N R O A B O U L D E R I N G B L 
N G J N R U D M Y A G N D B I J P L W W C T S X M L K K E E 
A C E N D Q D Y K C B Q I H Y F R E H C Q J E P H W I R D I 
J S W G K E Q P M R A T G B W B O B F L S M T H P R V L V F 
S C T R H H I Y U H B S Q L M U P D U X X N U R K Z E T W K 
L C W L P D I O Z X K I U K M I E U R G X W O R S P G X S V 
S K U X Q I B F O F Q Y F X Y K L A E E M R R D E E H Z E J 
G E V X C C N M P B P W A M R Y E C F F B O X R H O L D S M 
M B P J E F Q X V P U W C T R K D T K J J K X I K P Q O T X 
U V W S A P S D K R V D S K D T E E S C T G W U E H Z C O J 
N P B M P A Y G Y H Q I W N H L I V L T O K D J A W B T P E 
L Y D L X Y B Z P F T X G E I Z Q J U U C R S X C G Z Y P H 
Q E R B S Z N X E Y T F M I T U G W V X I P C B B B D U R Y 
K Q J M H Q X S D R G M S O W Y U A M I D X H T N Y A Q F K 
D N E C S E D M X M I M X T T P H M K S D P I I N H D J C T 
J G F J V C Z D R K T F K M W Y D U P W G C H G C Y W N H K 
P K W E W X X X N R J L K U D X U O L N O P I Y J K O S A U 
P D F X C F P K I X S Q A S N P I A J H V B Y W T T W J R U 
I H C K A T H I D G Q X U K E R S Z G Z G J S Z D Z B V K F 
X C M L W N O K N Y K V R N X C W C Q L F D W I G H O V K C 
U R J X N G X A G U W K M G M Z U U W Z O D S V C U L W K O 
I W V M D B R W T H Y N K P R P Q R E D E E U F I M R M I Q 

BELAY PARTNER
BOULDERING
CLIMBING SHOES
DESCEND
GRIGRI
HARNESS
HOLDS
LEAD CLIMB
REPEL
ROCK CLIMBING
ROUTES
RUBIKS CUBE
TOP ROPE

Grammar Point: Action Verbs

An action verb is a kind of word that does something. For example: skip, run, jump, sing, lick, write, wish, sleep, dance, drive, think, race, ext.

Grammar Practice
Directions- Find all of the action verbs in the paragraph.

Yesterday my sister Sophia and I were walking through the woods. As we walked, Sophia started to jump for joy, screaming "a rabbit, a rabbit". All of Sophia's screaming startled the rabbit, and it ran away. We started to chase it. The rabbit stopped by a tree. It started digging a burrow under the tree, then crawled out of sight. Sophia started crying. To cheer her up I started to sing her a song. This made her smile again, and soon we were on our way back home.

Ice Hiking

One of my favorite things to do in the winter is ice hiking, but it can be very dangerous. When one goes ice hiking it is very cold outside, the mountains are covered in snow and ice. The ice is very slippery. One could fall off a cliff or into a stream. Another thing that could happen is that one's foot could break through the ice. Because of these dangers there are certain things one should wear to stay safe. 

If you want to ice hike, you need to dress in layers. Make sure you also wear winter essentials like hats, scarfs, and gloves. For shoes, you should wear either snow boots or waterproof hiking boots. You are going to also want ice-clamps to attach to the bottom of your shoes, so that the spikes can keep you grounded. I also like to bring a walking stick, because it helps you keep your balance on the slippery ice. 

Ice hiking can be really fun. You get to see nature in a new way. When everything is all frozen I feel like I am walking in a winter wonderland. You boys and girls should try it sometime! Just make sure if you do, that you have a parent with you, and you wear the proper clothes. Also, NEVER ice hike at night. 

Vocabulary 
Ice Hiking- hiking up iced over hills, mountains, or trails.
Slippery- when the floor is wet, makes you slide, and you can fall.
Cliff- the side of a hill or mountain with a straight drop down.
Stream- like a small river of flowing water.
Layers- wearing clothes on top of clothes to stay warm.
Snow boots- boots that are made for the snow.
Waterproof- does not let water get inside.
Ice-clamps- spikes that you clip onto your shoes that dig into the ice so you don't fall.
Grounded- secure on the ground and safe from falling.
Walking stick- a stick with a grip for your hands, and a point at the bottom to dig into dirt or ice. It helps one walk while hiking.
Proper- the right kind.

Vocabulary Practice
Directions- Label each picture with the right word from above.

Grammar Point: Adjectives

Adjectives are words that help to describe a noun. 

For example: Brown, sweet, cinnamon, hot, flavorful, tasty. 

Grammar Practice

Directions- Write as many adjectives you can to describe the snowman. 

Desires of the Heart

I don't know about you guys, but when the new year roles around I start reflecting on the desires of my heart. You may be asking what this means. Well, what does your heart want the most? Sometimes these things are tangible but other times these things help develop our character instead. Most of the time we want a little of both. One of the things that is the most important to me is teaching all of you. Therefore, one of the desires of my heart is to be a more focused teacher. Sometimes things that happen out of school can overwhelm me, just like they do to all of you. This sometimes keeps me from being my best as a teacher, so I want to be more focused so that I can pay all of my attention on creating fun, challenging, and rewarding lessons for all of you. I also want to be focused so I can be aware of how my students are doing: their strengths, weaknesses, hobbies, interests, and the desires of their hearts. However, a tangible thing that I would like is more money to go on more adventures. See, Miss. Galante loves to do thrilling things, see new places, and experience new things. One of the things I have been wanting to try most recently is riding in a hot air balloon. These are two examples of my desires, what are some of yours? I'd love to hear about them. 

Vocabulary

reflecting- Thinking deeply and applying it to yourself. 

desires- Something that you want for yourself very badly. 

tangible- Something that can be seen and touched. 

character- Who you are as a person, how people think of you. 

focused- Being able to pay close attention. 

overwhelm- Feeling great emotion. 

adventures- Things you do that are exciting, thrilling, and out of the norm. 

thrilling- A sudden excitement that makes you feel both scared and happy.  

hot air balloon- A giant balloon that floats using hot air, and carries people in a basket. 

Vocabulary Practice

Directions- Fill in the sentence with the correct vocabulary word. 

1. When I looked into the sky, I saw a __________________ flying over me! 

2. Some of my many _______________ has been surfing at the beach, swimming at the base of a waterfall, and horse back riding through the woods. 

3. My brother thought I lied about baking cookies, but when he saw them sitting on the table he knew they were _____________. 

4. Going down the drop of the roller-coaster was a _____________ experience. 

5. Before telling my mother about breaking her favorite vase I was _____________ on how much trouble I would be in. 

6. I have wanted a puppy my whole life, it is one of my greatest ______________. 

7. Something about Miss. Galante's _____________ is that she is very patient. 

8. I must stay ____________ when taking a test. 

9. Please do not _______________ me with too much homework over winter break.

Grammar Point: Proper Nouns
Proper nouns are nouns that have names. Some examples of these would be:

• Names of people or pets: Sophia, Michael, Fluffy, or Sir. Meow.
• Names of specific places: Mohonk Mountain, Six Flags Great Adventure, The Unites States of America, H & M, Regal Cinemas, or Shop Rite. 
• Brand Names: Nike, Marc Jacobs, Apple Iphone, Papermate, or Big Red Apples. 
• Names of dates: January, Saturday, or Easter. 

Grammar Practice

Directions- Circle the proper nouns in the sentences. 

1. My brother Nick's favorite sneaker is Nike SB, but they don't sell them in stores like Payless. 

2. On Saturday Nicole and I are going to Minnewaska State Park, it's going to be cold so I will wear my North Face jacket. 

3. My favorite holiday is Easter. Every year my mom buys me a Godiva chocolate rabbit and we go to the Harbor church.