More Vikings Are Coming!

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The wind was restless. There was a bolt of lightning that struck a house and it burst into flames. The Vikings were here...WHOOSH!!!! An arrow flew through the air and hit a man in the chest. That man was my father.  started to sob. I wanted to go to him and hold him in my arms. My mom held me back. “It is over,” my mom said to me and we ran as fast as we could away from the terror. I hope that I will return to my village one day and seek revenge on the treacherous Vikings, especially the one who killed my father.

By Johnathan R.M.

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I saw a large red-sailed ship, and it was the Vikings. They were screaming and getting closer . . .  and closer. They looked mean, ruthless, and hairy. They were here to take over. I was so scared I was shaking out of my pants. What would happen to me and my family? I was having flashbacks. My mom, dad, and my little brother were at home. I started to think why was I just standing there I need to go warn the others. I was running as fast as I could. I looked behind me and I saw the Viking ship. I remembered that the town had a big boat that everyone could escape on. They were right behind me with bows, swords, flails, and shields. I saw them trading with people and taking them to the boat. My heart dropped as I saw my dad getting taken by one of the Vikings. I was sobbing. How could this happen my dad. My dad would get killed if he fought them. I rushed back home I saw my mom and my little brother crying. I told my mom that I was going to get dad. My mom grabbed my hand and said, “No, I can't lose you too!”

Mom was right I would get captured too. I ran to see if they were still there. I saw the boat leaving with my dad screaming, “HELP!” There was nothing I could do. I will never forgive the cruel Vikings.

By Jack S.

Beautiful Music

Winter Concert Grade 5: Tuesday, December 20

Winter Concert Grade 4: Monday, December 19

Playing an instrument at Barnstable United is very exciting, especially if you play the violin. The violin belongs to the string family of instruments. It makes beautiful sounds as the bow stick glides across the strings.

This year I have classes every Tuesday, and we perform concerts twice a year, one in December and one near summer. We perform at BUES and at the Barnstable High School Performing Arts Center. Playing the violin is very fun in 5th grade because we learn complex songs, and songs that we probably knew when we were little such as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Jingle Bells. If you didn't play in 4th grade but start in 5th grade, you're a beginner. Ms.Nickerson encourages us to practice the songs at home so we can catch up to the second year students.

As you can see, it's fascinating to have the opportunity to play the violin in 4th and 5th grade!!

By Kellen D.S.S.

The Vikings Are Coming!

Fifth graders are learning about the Vikings, known for their superior shipbuilding skills and their ruthlessness. What would you do if you woke up one day and saw Viking ships invading your harbor?

Vikings On the Move

By Scout J.

As the big Viking ships approached our land, I felt scared as If we were going to be attacked. My teeth were chattering and I was cringing as the others came to spot the big brightly colored sails and tall prows at each end. When they got to the island I took a step back and our chief took a step forward. All of the Vikings fled off the ship. Their chief and our chief came face to face. “I’m Leif Ericson and we want your land,’’ demanded their strong and powerful leader.

“That shall not happen!” our chief said. “Then we must fight to protect our land.” Our chief looked around at the mostly anxious faces. “Deal!” he said as they gripped each other’s hands.

The Vikings are fierce people. They went back on their ships for weapons. My tribe just took everyday useful things. As the fighting continued some went missing and some died. Obviously, the Vikings had won. They did get the land sadly. Leif Ericson and his crew settled in and had a blast. I had many memories there, but it was time to move on.

Authors Note

If I was attacked by Vikings, I think I’d have a little confidence in myself. Though, I also had a lot of support behind and in front of me, I would still try my hardest. Just always remember to never give up!

Every Turtle Counts—Author Sara Hoagland Hunter’s Visit

By Lanah and Hannah

Shelldon and friends, Barnstable Park Manager Nina Coleman and Natural Resource Officer Sean Kortis.

Have you ever heard of the book called Every Turtle Counts? It is a fantastic story and the award winning author Sara Hoagland Hunter came to visit us at Barnstable United Elementary School! Our school mascot is a turtle named Shelldon and so this was a perfect match.

While Sara was here, we learned that it took 27 revisions when she wrote Every Turtle Counts. Sara has written several other books, including The Lighthouse Santa, a historical fiction story set in New England and The Unbreakable Code, a historical fiction story about Navaho Codebreakers during World War 2. You can find out more about them at www.sarahunterproductions.com . Sara told us that this new book of hers, Every Turtle Counts  is the one she is most proud of. The setting is on Cape Cod and the main character in the story is based on her niece who has autism and went to Riverview School.

While Sara was visiting she shared interesting facts about the Kemp’s Ridley turtles in the story. Did you know that they are the rarest turtle on earth and show up at Craigville and Sandy Neck Beaches ten minutes away from BUES? We were amazed to discover they are born on only one special beach in Mexico. At 2-3 years old, the turtles swim many miles to Cape Cod, following their instinct for good food here. They get trapped in the hook of Cape Cod, and can’t get out when the weather turns cold. This causes them to go into a type of coma and many die or wash up on the beaches.  You can help out with saving these precious turtles if you find one on the beach. Call the turtle hotline right away at 508-394-2615. Trained rescuers will come and bring it to a rehabilitation center to come back to health safely.  Do not pick up the turtle or bring it in a warm place because warming up too quickly could be dangerous for the turtle! 

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Every student and teacher in our school was lucky enough to receive a copy of this book for our personal libraries thanks to our Main Street Learning group. If you haven’t read Every Turtle Counts, we would recommend reading it to learn more facts about these amazing creatures. We bet you will love it as much as we did!