Monday, April 11, 2011

Biographical Bonanza!



A biography is a true story about a person's life.
Mrs. Yollis' class is currently reading biographies about
people who have made significant contributions to our world!



Artists, inventors, statesman, composers,
doctors, inventors,

aviators, astronauts, and pioneers in many fields 
are among the amazing historical figures about whom we are reading!












We are each reading a library book, as well as doing research using

World Book Online.



 


********************

After reading about your biography subject,

please leave  a comment as if you are that person!



Be sure to include a few facts you learned from your library book or the online encyclopedia.  DO NOT PLAGIARIZE! (Use your own words!)

Watch the comments to see if you can converse with another biography subject you may know!



Family members and friends: 
You are invited to choose your own biography subject and join in the conversation!

34 comments:

  1. Dear Mrs. Yollis,

    I am Leonardo Da Vinci. Although I lived in the 1400s, it's my pleasure to visit your wonderful, magnificent blog (in the 21st century). :)

    I am an artist, sculptor, architect, engineer, philosopher, and mathematician. In addition to that, I study anatomy, astronomy, botany, geology, geometry, and optics.

    In the old days, back in the good old 1400s, I moved from the town Vinci to Florence at the age of 14.

    Guess what! Two of my paintings are hung in the Louvre in France. By the way, the Louvre is one of the most famous galleries in the world! How exciting! The paintings that are hung up are the Mona Lisa, super famous, and a religious painting, The Last Supper, super famous also.

    When I was a little older, I invented the Flying Machine, which sadly crashed when I was trying it out. That's okay, because I kept on trying and I did not give up for anything.

    Here is a short interesting story:

    My mother, Caterina, liked to lay me down in the grass with my cradle at my young ages. One day, as she was looking through the window as I was doing that activity, a huge scary hawk swooped down on me. I did not panic, though. But apparently my mom did. She came to rescue me. Mom came rushing from the house to save me. Caterina kicked and swatted at the hawk when she realized that the hawk was really a kite! My mom looked at me and predicted that I was really scared, seeing something like that. But to her astonishment, I was smiling. That was when my mom found out that I loved nature.

    Hope you liked the story!

    I will make sure to visit this sensational blog more often!

    Warmly,

    Leonardo
    (Adia)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dear Mrs. Yollis' class,

    Wow! Who knew that to talk to some of the most famous people who have ever lived, all I'd have to do is visit Mrs. Yollis' blog? I'm very excited to hear from all of these notable historical figures.

    @Leonardo - I must say, it is a privilege to even read what you have to write. You are so amazingly talented. You excelled at everything you did! What was your favorite work of art that you created?

    Your friend,
    Mr. Avery

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dear Mrs. Yollis and class,

    I must say, this blog post is quite the bright idea! Reading your blog always brings light to my day. You always teach me something new. You always enlighten me.

    They didn't have class blogs when I was alive. I was born all the way back in 1847 in Milan, Ohio. One of my favorite things to do growing up was to read. I tried to read every science book in the library! What a difference it made! I learned so much and it helped me with many of my inventions. You may be familiar with a few of them. I invented the phonograph, which is like a record player. That was way before iTunes and mp3s! I also invented the motion picture camera. I believe you now call them video cameras. I helped pave the way for some of the first movies! My most famous invention though is the light bulb. I partnered with a couple other people to create the Edison Electric Light Company. Today you may know my company a little bit better by the title General Electric!

    Again, I must say, you're all such a bright group of students. Reading made such a huge difference for me and I know it will for all of you too!

    Your pal,
    Thomas Alva Edison

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mr. Da Vinci,

    I loved learning about you in a fun and interesting way! You told us the main things to studied and about the famous works most people associate with you, but you also told engaging stories about your life I would have never known otherwise! I really good friend of mine whent to the Louvre in France and saw your works- he was very impressed!

    I wish you were still living today, I would love to see what kind of artwork and inventions you would cook up in our age of technology!

    Best,
    Marissa

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dear Mrs. Yollis,
    The Bulldog Readers have a large sculpture of me in their library. In fact, their school was named after me. I was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1847,but I moved to Canada in my 20's.Later I spent much of my time in Boston, MA and summers in Canada.
    My life's work was directly connected to the fact that my mother and my wife were both deaf. I did years of research on speech and hearing.
    I am best known for inventing a device that hundreds of millions of people use today. I received the patent for this device in 1878. A very large company was named after me and people used to call it Ma Bell.
    Do you know who I am yet?
    Signed,
    Alexander Graham Bell

    ReplyDelete
  6. Salutations,

    An investment in knowledge pays the best interest, I always say, and it appears that Mrs. Yollis’ class is investing greatly in knowledge by studying the learned men and women of the past. I wrote another proverb in my Poor Richard’s Almanac that can relate to doing research. It said, “Take time for all things, for great haste makes great waste.”

    I noticed Mrs. Yollis reminded you to use your own words. The hasty way would be to plagiarize, just to copy the words from the World Book Online or your book. That would be a terrible waste of the genius given to you by Providence. Instead, heed Mrs. Yollis, taking time to become an expert on your topic. Then just tell what you know.

    Regards,

    Benj. Franklin, Esq.

    ReplyDelete
  7. @ Thomas Edison (Mr. Avery),

    My favorite work of art that I created was probably The Last Supper. I enjoy that painting because I think that I did a superior job on it! If you view World Book Online, you will see how beautiful it is. (Sorry, Thomas Edison, I don't mean to brag. It's just that I'm sort of impressed with myself. I'm famous! Not to say that you're not famous though... you invented light bulbs. :)

    I read your brilliant comment. Although, I am so very sad that I did not have a chance to meet you. You see, I was alive in the 1400s, you were alive in the 1800s.

    What I found creative was that since you created light bulbs, you wrote bright, light, and enlighten. Very clever, Thomas Edison!

    Your pal,

    Leonardo Da Vinci
    (Adia)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Juliette Gordon LowApril 12, 2011 at 11:19 AM

    @ Leonardo,

    You are very famous.

    Leonardo- You are a great artist and sculptor. I did not know you liked architecture, engineering, philosophy, and mathamatics. Hold on... let me catch my breath.... O.K. where was I? Oh yes, I'm a huge fan. :)

    I am the founder of Girl Scout

    Sincerely,
    Juliette Gordon Low
    (Ileanna)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Dear Mr. Da Vinci,

    That was quite the glowing comment you wrote back to me! You must be a very enlightened painter!

    Indeed, we lived in very different time periods. I do dimly recall learning about you from one of the many books I read as a child. I have definitely heard about your painting The Last Supper. It's great to speak to the painter of such a fine work of art! I think what I'm most impressed by is the fact that you had all these ideas for great flying machines before they were ever even invented! You were definitely light years ahead of everyone else with your inventions!

    I do think my light bulb was quite the invention though. Just imagine if you had those back in the 1400s! Instead of working by candle light, your room could've been nice and bright and you could've worked all through the night! Hey, maybe I should've been a poet!

    It's always a pleasure Mr. Da Vinci.

    Until next time,
    Mr. Thomas Alva Edison

    ReplyDelete
  10. Dear Mrs. Yollis,

    I am Sally Ride the first American woman to travel into space and the youngest American astronaut to circle the earth.

    I was born on May 26, 1951, in Los Angeles. I grew up in Encino, California. When I was only nine, my father took a year off from work and my family traveled in Europe for a year. I am glad I had that experience because at only nine years old I got to see how big the world really is!

    When I was a child I always believed in myself, and I knew I could do anything if I tried. The neighborhood boys knew they would have stiff competition when I was on the field playing football and baseball with them! I was always trying to make my team the best.

    After coming back from Europe, I took up tennis. I became the eighteenth ranked junior player in the United States! I was also very good in school. My favorite subject was science. When I graduated from high school I went to Stanford University and studied astrophysics which is the science of stars and planets and English literature.

    At school one day I noticed an ad in the newspaper, wanting men and women for NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). NASA was not just looking for anybody, they were looking for the best of the best. Only 35 out of the 8,900 people were chosen for the NASA astronaut class of 1978. I was one of only six women chosen!

    I moved to Houston, Texas to train at NASA. The training was difficult but after several years of hard work I became a flight engineer and a pilot.

    In June of 1983, myself and four other astronauts flew into space on the space shuttle Challenger. Six days later when Challenger landed on the California desert I had made history, becoming the first American woman to orbit the earth.

    As important and life changing as the Challenger flight was, what I will remember the most about my experience in space is that it was fun!

    Warmly,
    Sally Ride
    (Hannah)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Dear Mrs. Yollis,
    Hello, Mr. Andrew Carnegie here. I was born in Dunfermline, Scottland November 25, 1835. When I was a young boy my family moved to the United States.We lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a young boy I worked as a messenger. Then I worked for the railroads. I then started a steel company. It soon became the largest in the world and I became very rich. I always loved to read to I gave a lot of my money to build libraries, museums and schools.
    I am happy that kids today still have books they can check out today at libraries.
    From Andrew Carnegie
    (Ben)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Dear Mrs. Yollis and class,

    I am the most famous doctor you ever heard of. My name is Elizabeth Balckwell and I am the first women doctor.

    I new I wanted to be a doctor when I visited my sick friend Mary. She needed a women like me that could understand her. Mary made me promise to think about being a doctor. But where would I go? women can't be doctors.

    Back then in the 1820's, nobody thought that I could be a doctor. All the boys thought that I would never even finish high school, but medical school? They thought I was crazy. Twenty-nine medical schools rejected me but I didn't give up.

    When I finally got accepted to Genenva College in New York, I studied hard and finished first in my class. I was the first women in the United states to get a medical degree. I proved them all wrong!

    But after working so hard in school to get my medical degree, I couldn't find a hospital to learn more about medicine. I had to go on a long journey all the way across the ocean to France to work in a noisy and dirty hospital for women and children. I helped a lot of people and that made very happy.

    When I came back to America, my sister Emily and I opened up our own hospital for poor women and children. My hospital was very clean and we helped save 31,657 people and only 5 died. I then opened my own medical school and taught the students how important it is to keep a hospital very clean. My school allows men and women to study medicine.

    Stay healthy and well,
    Elizabeth Blackwell
    (Miriam)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Dear Mrs Yollis,

    My name is Henry Lawson I am an Australian poet and writer.
    Many people often say that I am the first poet who really did capture the real Australian way of life in the Australian bush.

    I was born in rural New South Wales in 1867 to a mother and father. My father worked in the mines. We were very poor as a family. I never really had an education however my mum would always give me books.
    As a child I was very shy. When I was 9 I got an ear infection and became partly deaf. When I was 14 I became totaly deaf. Because of my deafness I became more aware of observing people. With observing people I would put more into my writings

    I mainly write about the hardship of growing up in the Australian bush.
    In 1888 the Bulletin started to publish my stories and poems. Many people liked what they read and became very loyal readers.
    I love writing for the people and the Australia way of life.

    Hope you enjoy my life story.
    Catch you later,
    Henry Lawson. (AA)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hello Mrs. Yollis' Class,

    I am Dr. Martin Cooper, the inventor of the first cell phone! I was born on December 26, 1928 and I am still alive today! I served in the military for several years and went to college earning several degrees. I worked for Motorola and 38 years ago today (April 13, 1973) I made the FIRST cell phone call to my rival Dr. Joel Engel. The bad thing about my first cell phone is it weighed 2 1/2 pounds, took 10 hours to charged, but I could only talk on it for 35 minutes! Here's a vodcast from Miss Tripp's 4th Grade class that tells you a little more about my life:

    http://gardenoflearningsc.blogspot.com/2011/03/our-inventor-dr-martin-cooper.html

    It was GREAT reading about all the wonderful biographies on your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Dear Mrs. Yollis and class,

    This Sandra Day O'Connor, but you can call me Justice O'Connor. You should know about me even though I recently turned 81. I was born on the Lazy B ranch in El Paso, Texas, in 1930. Growing up on a ranch was never boring, for I loved to ride around on the horses.

    My childhood was an exciting one, just like it is as an adult. I loved horses so much then, that I learned to ride horses when I was just three. Moving was a big part of my life. I had to go live with my grandmother, so I could go to a good school. Ranford School was the name of my school. Every summer I would go back to Lazy B. I looked forward
    to those summers.

    Now to tell you what I am really famous and of: I was the first woman on the Supreme Court. I am also really proud of myself for graduating from Stanford University, and after that, from Stanford's School of Law.

    Finally, comes the triumphant part. Well, there are many positive parts. First, I was elected as an Arizona state Senator. Next, I was chosen for the Arizona Court of Appeals. Last but not least, I was nominated by President Ronald Reagan for the United States Supreme Court. This made me the first woman on the Supreme Court. I felt my heart burst with joy! Someone asked how I felt. "Just Great" I said! My dream had came true. I was the first woman on the Supreme Court! :)

    Oh yeah, I forgot. I should tell you that I married John Jay O'Connor in 1952.

    Have you ever heard of me?
    President Ronald Reagan, why did you nominate me?

    From,
    Sandra Day O'Connor

    ReplyDelete
  16. Dear Mrs. Yollis,

    Hello, my name is Susan B. Anthony.
    I was born on February 15, 1820 and died in 1906. I worked very hard to fight for women's rights, and I am very happy now to be commenting on your wonderful blog.

    I was born in Adams, Massachusetts. People remember me most for advocating for women's equality. I always believed women should have the right to vote, serve in government offices, have the right to an education, and have freedom to choose their own clothing. I was the first woman to wear bloomers, which is a type of short pant. Bloomers became a symbol of the woman's rights movement, thanks to me!

    I taught school from 1839-1849. I also presented a petiton for women's rights to the New York State Legislature. I started a newspaper called The Revolution. Wow! That was interesting because it was a weekly journal which demanded equal rights for women.

    In 1872, I voted in a presidential election illegally. I was fined $100 and arrested. That was very scary for me. Sadly, I died before the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution became law and gave women the right to vote.

    It is very interesting that my picture is on a one dollar coin.

    Warmly,
    Susan B. Anthony
    (Alexa)

    ReplyDelete
  17. @ Mrs Yollis,


    What a great post you have here!

    What season are you in now? Where nilly in Winter!

    What is biographical bonaza? What dose it mean too? What do you do in the activity?

    Your Friend,2
    Millie and Jordi!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Dear Mrs. Yollis,

    My name is Benjamin Banneker. I am a free black man and I have done many things in my life. When I was young I was a farmer, but then I studied math and astronomy.

    I was able to make a wooden clock. Wooden clocks are rare.

    I am a surveyor and helped build Washington D.C. I was the first black man to write an almanac for farmers. I thank Thomas Jefferson for helping get my almanac published. I wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson telling him that black people are as smart as white people and shouldn’t be slaves. There is now way we could of met Mrs. Yollis, because we live in different times.

    From,
    Benjamin Banneker
    (Andrew)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Dear Mrs. Yollis,

    I am Amelia Earhart. I was born in Atchison, Kansas on July 24, 1897.

    I love to fly airplanes. In fact, I was trying to fly around the world, but my plane went down in the Pacific Ocean.

    President Roosevelt sent a search party to look for me, but they could not find me. I am still missing.

    Amelia Earhart (Nick)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Dear Mrs. Yollis,

    I am Jimmy Bridger.I was born in 1804. My mom became ill and died in the west.My dad asked his sister to take care of me.Then my sister died along with my dad.I had to get a job so I had five years of blacksmithing. My boss who treated me like I was son was Phil Creamer.One day on the news paper,someting was saying:

    TO
    Enterprising young men
    The subrcriber wishes to
    engage ONE HUNDRED MEN,
    to acsend the river
    Misourri to its source
    there to be employed for
    one,two or three years.-For
    Particular, major Andrew
    Henry,near the lead mmines in
    the country of Washington or
    the subscribber at St.Louis.
    Wm.H.Ashley

    I was really exited when Ashley said I can go. I was 18 years old and the youngest in the expedition to catch beavers for the fur company.On the trip I discovered a place now called Yellowstone park and the Great Salt Lake.

    From your bud in the west,
    Jimmy
    (Aaron)

    ReplyDelete
  21. ☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮



    Helen Keller is an amazing example of a strong, inspirational person. An amazingly serious illness called acute congestion of the stomach and brain, took her vision and hearing abilities at about the age of twelve. From this horrible illness, she could not speak.


    Almost for five years, she grew up acting wild. She also giggled and smiled, but sometimes she kicked and scratched to express her feelings. She made up signs. For example she made one for her mother and another for her father.

    One night, Helen got a burning fever and went to the hospital. All that the parents could do was pray and hope for the best. Finally, the doctors said that Helen was blind. Her mother figured out that she was deaf before her father did because whenever her mother spoke to her she would not respond. For example, one night Helen’s mother made Helen’s favorite food for her but when she called the family in for supper, Helen did not come. Her mother yelled again saying Helen it is your favorite meal. Helen still did not come. Her father would yell in Helen’s ear as loud as he could but she did not even turn around to glance at him.

    Helen’s family had been traveling for a long time when they found a women named Annie Sullivan to help Helen overcome her disabilities. When Annie Sullivan arrived at the Keller’s house in Tuscumbia, Alabama on March 3, 1887, Annie taught Helen at home for a couple of years until she decided it was time for Helen to be in a school with other children. Annie and Helen left for the Perkins Institute in 1888. Helen was excited to be able to talk and play with other children using her fingers to communicate. Finally, Helen attended Horace Mann School for the deaf.


    After Helen graduated from school, she traveled all around the world to help kids with deafness and blindness. Not only that, Helen also went to a hospital for solders to help them overcome their injuries.

    In 1924 Helen actively worked for the American Foundation for the Blind.

    Sadly, on October 20,1936 Annie Sullivan died. Helen was really disappointed, but she knew that she should keep going on her own!

    On June 1, 1968 Helen Keller died having lived a very productive and fulfilling life for eighty-eight years.

    What do you think of Helen Keller’s life?

    Warmly,
    Grace
    ☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮

    ReplyDelete
  22. Dear Mrs. Yollis,

    My name is Ronald Reagan. Most people call me president Reagan because I was the 40th president of the U.S.A.

    I was born on February 6, 1911, in Tampico, Illinois. When I was seventeen I graduated from Dixon High School. In 1932, I graduated from Eureka College.

    From 1932-1937, I was a radio announcer on Station WHO. People say that I made it feel like you were watching the games because I was great at describing.

    From 1947-52, I served six terms as President of Screen Actors Guild. I was an amazing actor!☺

    On November 8, 1966, I was elected the governer of California.

    Then comes November 4, 1980, when I was elected the 40th president of the U.S.A.

    On March 30th, 1981, I was shot in the chest by a gunman! Luckily, I recovered quickly and died on June 5, 2004.

    Sincerely,
    J☺den

    ReplyDelete
  23. Dear Mrs. Yollis,

    I was born Maria Sklodowski on November 7th, 1867 in Warsaw the capital of Poland. I lived there until the age of twenty four and then moved to Paris, France to study science. I am the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the first person honored with two Nobel Prizes in physics and chemistry. I am also the first female professor of the University of Paris. The world knows me as Marie Curie and I am known as a pioneer in the field of radioactivity.

    From childhood I was known for my remarkable memory. At the age of sixteen, upon completion of my secondary education, I won a gold medal for my academic achievements. Since woman were not permitted to attend Warsaw University, my sister Bronya and I joined other students at a floating university. However, knowing that we needed a professional education, Bronya and I made a pact that I would work as a governess to help pay for her medical studies in Paris and as soon as she was trained and began earning money, she would help pay for the costs of my university studies.

    In 1891, at the age of twenty four, I had earned enough money for university studies in Paris and moved there. There, I changed my name to Marie and registered at the world famous Sorbonne University. I studied physics, a branch of science that investigates the forces at work in the universe both on a large scale, as in the solar system, or on a small scale, as in atoms. Through hard work, I completed my master's degrees in physics and math in only three years!

    In 1894, I met a young physicist by the name of Pierre Curie and married him in 1895. We had two daughters, Irene born in 1897 and Eve in 1904.

    Pierre encouraged me to research a mysterious and invisible energy that emitted from Uranium. I spent several years isolating radioactive substance from tons of ordinary rock. Through my work, I was able to show that radiation came from inside the atoms. I also discovered two elements which I named Radium (after radiation) and Polonium (after Poland).

    Radium gave off a soft blue light which glowed in the dark. I kept a small vial of radium by my bedside and even often carried it in my pocket not knowing its health hazards. Unfortunately, because we were not aware of the lethal effects of radiation exposure, my husband and I never thought to protect ourselves and even our children from exposure to radiation.

    In the last decade of my life I suffered from severe aches and pains just like the ones my husband had suffered from before his accidental death in 1906. In 1934, my adventure into the atomic universe came to an end when I died in Paris from Leukemia, a cancer of the blood. My illness was caused by prolonged exposure to radiation.

    In 1997, my remains were moved to the Pantheon, France's monument to its heroes. I am the first woman to be so honored.

    Warmly,
    Marie Curie
    (Marsha, Hannah's mom)

    ReplyDelete
  24. ☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺

    Dear Mrs. Yollis,

    I am Neil Armstrong, and I am the first person on the moon. I am still alive, even though I was born on August 5, 1930. I will turn 91 soon! Yay!

    I loved reading and making model airplanes when I was a kid. The reason I read so much is because when I was quite young my mom used to read to me for one hour every night! Do you want to know how that paid off? Well, I read 90 books in the first grade!

    I was also very interested in the Wright Brothers. I have loved them since they made their historic flight.


    I went on two flights, but the second flight is the one I want to talk to you about.

    It was 1969, when Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, and I took our amazing trip. We have been training for two years, but it was all worth it. While we were on the moon we did some scientific activities. For example, we collected 48 pounds of rocks on that wonderful sight.

    Do you know What else is crazy? While on earth with full gear, I weighed 360 pounds, while on the moon I weighed only 60 pounds!

    Sincerely,
    Neil Armstrong
    (Iman)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Dear Mrs. Yollis and Class,

    I am Benjamin Franklin. I was born in 1706, the 15th child in a family of 17 children. I am a jack of all trades and a master of many, like inventing swimming paddles and I also signed the United States Constitution and Declaration of Independence. As an inventory, I am considered the best in the United States until the time of Thomas Edison.

    If you are lucky to have a $100 dollar bill you will see my face on it.
    Happy Inventing,

    Benjamin Franklin (Finn)

    ReplyDelete
  26. Dear Mrs. Yollis,

    Hi, My name is Daisy Low. I am the founder of the Girl Scouts or as people in my day called them Girl Guides of America. I feel as if you should know a little bit more about me.
    Here is definitely not my favorite story of my past.
    At my wedding when people threw rice grains (now you throw roses) one lodged in my ear :0(. I already lost hearing in my other ear, so I am now deaf.
    I love to read, and someone once told me readers make leaders. Hey look at me I am leader.

    Sorry, but I need to get to my Girl Scouts.

    Warmly,
    Daisy
    (Ileanna)
    P.S Girl Scouts keep up the good work.:0)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Dear Mrs.Yollis and class,

    Hi I am Rembrandt. I am so excited to leave comments on your blog!

    I was born 1606 in Leiden. In my childhood and teenage years I studied art with two artists. Then in 1625 I started painting on my own. In my lifetime I paited over six hundred paintings, and one hundred self portraits. I painted a lot of biblical and historical subjects. I used a lot of light and shadows in my paintings which made my paintings look very real.


    Mrs. Yollis, do you like to draw and paint?


    From,
    Rembrandt
    (Kristen)

    ReplyDelete
  28. Dear Mrs. Yollis,

    I am Thomas Alva Edison and I am most famous for inventing the light bulb. I also invented the phonograph. A phonograph is a machine that records sound. Think about what you watch on TV, in the movies and listen to on the radio, I made recording sound possible.
    Another important invention is the electric grid. An electric grid is a system of wires that go underground to deliver electricity to people's houses. This made using light bulbs actually work for everyone. This is a system that we still use today.
    I don't like to boast, but these are pretty amazing inventions.

    Have a bright day!
    from,
    Thomas Alva Edison

    ReplyDelete
  29. Dear Mrs. Yollis,

    Hi I am Monet. I was born in 1840 in Paris, France. I wish I could paint right now in school. My fascination with impressionism lead to several series of paintings. In 1926 I died at the age of 86.

    I have a question for you.

    Does anyone in class like to paint like Monet?

    From,

    Monet

    (Lindsay)

    ReplyDelete
  30. Dear Mrs. Yollis,

    Let me interduce myself. Hi my name is Laura Ingalls Wilder who lives in Wisconsin.

    In the olden days my dad use to build wood houses and brick houses. Also we found a house that was made of grass.

    Guess what! Some of my books are still in the libraries these days. That is so awesome!

    I use to ride in a wagon whenever we moved. It wasn't that much fun because it was so crowded in the wagon.

    My sister Marry had to go to College for the blind because she was blind. Since she was blind I had to
    see for her.

    When I was all grown up I got married and had kids. Apparently our second baby died at a young age.

    I hope you liked it!


    From,
    Laura Ingalls Wilder
    (Nicole)

    ReplyDelete
  31. The Wright BrothersApril 24, 2011 at 9:12 PM

    Dear Mrs. Yollis,


    We are the Wright brothers. I, Wilbur, was born in 1867 in Indiana, and Orville was born on 1871 in Ohio. We grew up in Ohio and in Iowa.

    In 1878, our father gave us a toy that we never forgot! It was a toy flying machine made of cork, bamboo, and paper. The toy's motor was a rubber band. We named it "the Bat". We played with it all of the time till it broke because we played with it so much. So we built another, larger Bat. It flew for a second but then it crashed!

    Our mother liked to build things too! Once, she did not find a sled large enough for the two of us, so she took wood and metal from an old stove and made one! My brother and I had a lot of fun together. We swam, played baseball, and ice hockey.

    It wasn't all play, We worked too! When Orville was only ten years old, he made kites and sold them. Orville worked as a paper boy too. He also collected scrap metal and sold it to junkyards. He used the money he earned to buy parts to build a special tool. We used the tool to help build our front porch! Our neighbors liked the new porch so much that they asked us to build things for them as well.

    We even built our own printing press. We used scrap metal and wood. Orville started a printing company with his friend Ed, when he was a teenager. Ed eventually got tired of the job, so I took his place.

    Soon we started our own paper, the West Side News. It was a big success.

    In 1892, we opened a bicycle shop! We loved building faster and newer bikes. We even built a special bicycle that two people could ride at the same time!

    We flew one-thousand gliders!
    After four years of building planes, the first motor powered plane was ready! In 1903, the first motor powered plane flew for twelve seconds, and covered 120 feet! That may not sound like a long time but it was a great accomplishment in 1903!

    We called it the "Flyer"! The "Flyer" was made from wood and cloth. The last plane that we made flew for fifty-nine seconds!

    We heard that the planes now fly for many hours! My brother and I would have loved to fly one of those planes.

    We also enjoyed reading. In those days there were no radio or televisions. Every evening our family read books and newspapers aloud to each other.

    In Neil Armstrong's comment, he said that he enjoyed reading books about my brother and I which really makes us proud!

    From,
    The wright brothers
    (Amitai)

    ReplyDelete
  32. George Washington Carver (Misha)April 24, 2011 at 10:31 PM

    Dear Mrs. Yollis,

    I’m George Washington Carver, and I am a scientist, and I have won many awards. I became famous for my research on crops and soil. However, I am best known was for my hard work with peanuts. Many people probably do not know that I made more than 300 products using the peanut. A few of the products are face powder, printer’s ink, and soap.

    I am from Missouri and when I was born, I was a slave. When I was a baby, my father was killed in a huge accident and my mother was taken by people who kidnapped slaves. Because I lost my parents, I was raised by Susan and Moses Carver, who were my owners. I stayed with them until 1865 when the slaves in the United States were freed.

    My family taught my how to write and read, and when I was 11, I went to a African American school in Missouri. I then went to collage at Iowa State Agricultural College. After college I moved to Alabama to teach kids at the Tuskegee Institute. While I was at the Tuskegee Insitute, I studied soil and learned of ways for farmers get more from their crops. I also taught Southern farmers, especially black farmers, how to use modern farming methods.

    In 1910, I started working with peanuts and I went all around the United States talking about peanuts. I also tried to help black men and black women and white men and white women get along better.
    I have questions for every one:
    Do you like peanuts?

    Have you done anything with peanuts?

    Have you grown any peanuts?

    From,
    George Washington Carver (Misha)

    ReplyDelete
  33. Dear Mrs. Yollis,

    I am Mary Cassatt. If you have not heard of me I am an artist that moved 10 times. I was born in Pennsylvania but spent much of my life in France. My life was tough. I lived the longest in my family. The first death in my family was my brother.

    I never got married or had any kids but I had wonderful nieces and nephews.

    I had many famous works of art during the Impressionist era. You may have seen some of my work such as The Boating Party or Tea. If you haven't seen them. You may be able to visit a museum where they are kept!

    From,
    Mary Cassatt
    Mr. Avery's Class

    ReplyDelete
  34. Dear Mrs. Yollis,

    I remember hen I picked Henry Ford for my biography! I even made a mini Model T. Henry Ford was one of my favorite people in history. He mede the first automobile!

    From,
    Emily :-)
    Your former Blogger, 5th grader

    ReplyDelete

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