Saturday, March 12, 2011

Ben's Utah Adventure!



Mrs. Yollis' students have been learning how to write a paragraph using Step-Up to Writing. The structure of the paragraph is identified using the following colors:

Topic Sentence
Main Idea Sentences
Supporting Detail Sentences 
Conclusion Sentence

Ben wrote about his recent trip to Utah, and this paragraph is a perfect example of paragraph structure!

(Click to enlarge.)





Here are some great shots from the Olympic Training Park!


Go, Ben, go!




Have you ever written a paragraph using the Step-Up to Writing structure?

Do you have any questions for our writer/skier?

20 comments:

  1. Dear Ben,

    I really enjoyed reading about your wonderful trip to Utah Olympic Training Park.

    How wonderful for you to be invited to this camp. How many other people were invited to the same camp?

    You sure did learn a lot of wonderful skiing moves, I bet your a real pro now. You sure did master the skill of all the moves rather quickly which is great.

    Do you need to have a good sense of balance while learning how to do all the moves on your skies?
    Also do you have a favourite skiing move you enjoyed doing?
    Have you ever done kite skiing?

    I heard its where you get pulled along the snow slopes with a huge kite.

    Thank you for sharing Ben.
    From AA.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ben, we are so proud of your accomplishment on the Olympic training slopes, but more proud of your very good writing on your experiences. Keep up the good work and we will see you soon. Your proud grandparents, E and J.

    ReplyDelete
  3. ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃

    Ben,

    What a terrific time you had in Utah! What was the most challenge part of the ski training?

    I am so proud of the writing you created. It is a great example about how to write a paragraph. Many people were able to write main idea sentences, but did not stay on topic when they wrote their supportive details. Your supportive detail sentences support your main ideas!

    Keep up the great work!

    Your proud teacher,
    Mrs. Y♥llis

    ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Ben,

    Thank you for your well informed post. I really enjoyed reading what you did and learnded at the Olympic Training Park.

    I have a question for you Ben do you know where the nexted winter Olympic games will be held?

    From your blogging buddy,
    Bianca.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dear friends,

    What a fantastic idea to write a paragraph in such a way!!! It helps see the structure and write a paragraph in a proper way.

    Dear Ben, thanks for sharing your writing, it's great!It's so cool to ski jump!!

    We'll try to use Step-Up to Writing in our writing experience, it's so helpful!

    Lyudmila and class

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mrs Yollis and Ben
    Not really familiar with the 'Step Up' writing process here in New Zealand but am now thanks to your wonderful example and also I loved the fact that you put pictures with it, I agree with the other comments it does seem really seem such an amazing experience for Ben and its a great thing that he shared it with the world.
    Mr Webb and Room 8, Melville Intermediate, Hamilton, Waikato,
    New Zealand.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ben

    Nice job on your writing project. I was so glad to see your ski race pictures and hear about the jumps and bumps. That is just what the kids learn on Mt. Hood where your Mom and Uncle Rick learned to ski. Remember in the GS, turn early, go fast. Where is the best hot chocolate you have had in a ski area? Nonno

    ReplyDelete
  8. Dear Ben,

    That is such a fabulous opportunity for you. I'm so glad you shared it with us.

    When you are back home, do you usually go to Mammoth Mountain? Mammoth is my absolute favorite.

    I appreciate how you wrote about it using the Step Up to Writing approach. I was discussing this with another educator last week, but I couldn't remember the name. I kept describing it with colors, but could not remember what it was called. This post is a great example that I'll make sure she sees it.

    Kind regards,
    Mrs. Watanabe

    ReplyDelete
  9. Dear AA,
    Thank you for your comment. On that particular day there were 7 of us kids training.Yes we need to have good balance going over the jumps. I learned its important to keep your hands forward for balance. My favorite move is going over ski jumps. I have seen kite skiing but have never tried it!
    Thanks,
    Ben

    ReplyDelete
  10. Dear Mrs. Yollis,
    Thank you for your comment and good question. The most challenging part of ski training for meis training on the Slalom course. This course has alot of gates and alot of tricky turns. Its hard to go fast and not miss a turn.

    @ Nonno and Grampa,
    Thank you for commenting

    @ BB,
    Good question. The next winter Olympics will be in Sochi, Russia.


    @Ludymila and Melville School,
    Thank you for your comments.

    @Nonna,
    The hot chocolate in Pila Italy was the best because they put lots of whip cream on top.

    @Mrs. Watanabe,
    Yes, I like to ski Mammoth too. Big Bear and Mountian High ski areas are close to us too.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Dear Ben,

    I really liked your story about going to the Utah Olympic Training Park. On the photos, it looks like you are an excellent skier.

    Did you get to ride in the luge? The luge looks like a really fun ride.

    From,
    Andrew

    ReplyDelete
  12. @ Mrs. Watanabe,

    Thank you for such a wonderful comment. I sure have been to Mammoth Mountain. I really enjoyed skiing there, but it is still not my personal favorite. My personal favorite is Whistler Mountain in Canada.

    From,
    Ben

    ReplyDelete
  13. Dear Ben,

    That sounds like such a great experience. The best part about the whole thing was the way that you described it. It was great to see the photo of you but I could picture what you were doing based upon just your writing! That's a characteristic of a great writer!

    How often do you ski? Even though I live in a place where we get lots of snow, I've actually never been skiing or snowboarding before! Would you recommend it?

    Your blogging buddy,
    Mr. Avery

    ReplyDelete
  14. Dear Ben,

    You really have a terrific understanding of how to write a paragraph. Your topic sentence was great and I really liked your supporting detail sentences and how you stayed perfectly on topic.

    The Classroom Connection also learned about how to write proper paragraphs. We calledthem POWERFUL PARAGRAPHS. We blogged about our writing too. The students in 4WS had to write comment letters using powerful paragraphs in order to get a comment published to another blog.

    I think it is so cool that two classes in different parts of the world are learning about the same thing and are then learn from each others experiences.

    Smiles,
    Mrs. Webb-Scheers
    The Classroom Connection

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ciao Ben,
    I hope you received my comment. I forgot to tell you that I love you new skis. Your mum sent us a picture of you holding them.
    See you soon,
    Cecca

    ReplyDelete
  16. Ciao Ben,
    It looks as if you did not receive my first comment. I must have done something wrong.
    I just wanted to say it was great to read about your trip and the training and about the race. It sounds as if you have become a very good skier.
    Can you remember a few years ago when you skied in Italy, in Courmayeur and La Thuile. You were so small. I have lots of pictures.
    Your favorite restaurant in La Thuile was Ben's Restaurant where you would have a big cup of chocolate with lots of whipped cream.
    I think it may be hard for me to keep up with you. I saw videos and pictures and you go fast. Especially with all the training.
    Anyway I hope that if next winter nonno and I come to visit you in Park City you will show me around.
    I am very proud of you, you are so good in all the sports you practise.
    I will see you very soon, just over a month. Can't wait.
    Big hug from sunny Courmayeur.
    Cecca

    ReplyDelete
  17. Dear Cecca,


    I sure did receive your comment. I like my new purple skis a lot too. I like to ski on them all the time, even more than my old ones I used to use. Did you like the picture of the skis?

    From,
    Ben

    ReplyDelete
  18. Dear Ben:

    Gramdad and I loved reading about your training in Utah.

    The last time I went skiing, it was freezing cold - 8 degrees. It was so cold, I could not wait to get down the mountain.

    That's the differance between skiing on the East coast, where we live, and the West coast, where you live.

    I am looking forward to seeing you ski in person next winter.

    Maybe you will teach me how to ski all over again.

    Love,
    Gram

    ReplyDelete
  19. Ben,
    Skiing looks like a lot of fun. It must be exciting to run gates and try to go faster and faster. Do you like racing more than skiing powder?
    Keep blogging.
    Your Dad.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Ben:

    I am reading a very interesting book. The name of the book is "The Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War". It is about a boy of eighteen (18) years old who served on the Union side.

    The next time that I see you, we can look at the different books that I have in my Ipad, that you may be interested in reading.


    Hope to see you soon,
    Gramdad

    ReplyDelete

* * *
Getting feedback is important to our writers. Let us know what you liked or what you learned.

Steps to Comment:

1. Write your comment in the box below. Be sure that you have proofread it for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization. Students should have a parent check it!

2. Choose an identity. (If you have a gmail account, use it. If not, choose name/url. You can leave the url blank if you do not have a blog.)

3. Click "Publish your Comment". You may preview your comment before publishing if you'd like.


Important: All comments MUST be approved by me.
:-) Mrs. Yollis