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April 2014Volume 4Issue 8

WANT TO BE A PART OF THE FUN?Any ES student can contribute artwork, photographs, fiction, poetry, interviews, investigative reports, or any other original work!Email your work to:charlotte.zanecchia@tasis.ch

Welcome to the ES TASIS Times!

The following pages contain images and writing from the creative minds of TASIS’s youngest scholars. Our Elementary School students and staff have worked hard creating, drawing,

writing, photographing, typing, scanning, and editing to bring this magazine to life. Sit back and enjoy!

Interview With Our New Headmaster

Where were you born?Pensacola, Florida in the USA.

Where did you grow up?I moved every couple of years because my dad was in the US Navy. I lived in Hawaii, Florida, California, and Virginia.

Do you have any brothers or sisters?Four brothers and one sister. All my brothers are two years apart and I am the oldest.

Do you have your own family?Yes. Anne and I have two sons, Benjamin and Jacob.

How many languages do you speak?I would say one and a half because I speak a little bit of Spanish.

What is your favorite place?My favorite place varies because it is where I am with folks and I am enjoying myself.

What is your favorite food?I am a seafood guy, but when I was growing up my favorite food was fried chicken and black-eyed peas!

How many years have you been doing the job of Headmaster?This is my 19th year.

Were you ever a teacher before being a Headmaster?Yes, for 14 years. And hopefully as a headmaster I still teach!

Where was the first place you ever taught?In college as a substitute teacher. In the morning I would teach and in the afternoon go to classes. My first full time teaching job was at Norfolk Academy in Virginia.

What made you become Headmaster at TASIS?It has a very good reputation worldwide and it does many interesting and thrilling things.

What are the pros and cons of TASIS?For me there are many pros, so I will pick a few. A big pro is the whole compelling mission of the School. Another pro is the walk from my house down to Montagnola. It’s a great commute! Another pro is the whole community: the teachers, the parents, and the students. On the con side there is one thing: when it gets really hot there is no air conditioning anywhere, not in my office or in my house!

What are your favorite hobbies?I like to play games. Sometimes it’s playing tennis, golf, or shooting baskets. Sometimes my family gets together and we play cards or chess.

How long do you think you are going to stay at TASIS?I think I am looking at a good 10-plus years because I am 55 and usually people retire at age 65.

What was your favorite game as a child?As in a board game, I used to like Candyland, Monopoly, and Life. As in a sport, I liked running and American football. I played basketball and was a swimmer and wrestler.

Are you happy to be Headmaster?Yes, very much so. I also hope you guys are happy!

VOLUNTEERS:Ms. HerculesMs. Di Mattia

Ms. Perkins Ms. Gernetti Ms. Santoro Ms. Origoni

Ms. Keen

STUDENT REPS:Aurora Peltier

Alberto Ornaghi

LAYOUT DESIGN:Ms. Stolz

Ms. SindonaMs. Parolari

Ms. Riva Ms. Fadlon

Ms. Maffezzini Ms. Pinton

Ms. HolmesMs. Zanecchia

2

By Maxim Novoselskiy

Grade 2 Winter Olympics

By Sean O’Connor

Inspired by the Sochi Winter Olympic Games, Zakhar Andreev interviewed his friends from the 2nd

Grade.

Sofia RashnikovaZakhar: What is your favorite winter sport?Sofia: Skiing.Zakhar: Why? Sofia: Because you can go backwards and it is exciting.Sean O’ConnorZakhar: Sean, what winter sport do you like?Sean: I like bobsledding.Zakhar: Why do you like it?Sean: Because the sled goes really fast.Zakhar: Who is your favourite bobsled rider? Sean: There is an Italian one, but I forgot his name.Milla DeBustisZakhar: Milla, what is your favorite winter sport?Milla: My favorite sport is skiing. Zakhar: Why skiing?Milla: I like it because of the snow. Laura BondiZakhar: What is your favorite winter sport, Laura?Laura: I like ice skating because it is fun. Zakhar: OK.Olga VlajcicZakhar: What is your favorite winter sport and why?Olga: My favorite sport is skiing because you can go fast and have a hot chocolate afterwards!

Tiara AzimovaTiara: I like skiing because I do it well. Zakhar: Who is your favorite skier?Tiara: I don’t know his name, he is a hockey player but he also skis really well.Valentina CavalliValentina: My favorite sport is ice skating. Zakhar: Do you ice skate?Valentina: Yes. Zakhar: Who inspires you?Valnetina: Karolina Kostner. Daria VasilyevaZakhar: What is your favorite winter sport, Daria?Daria: I like skiing.

Maxim NovoselskiyZakhar: Maxim, what winter sport do you like?Maxim: I like speed skating because you can go really fast. Zakhar: Do you have a favorite speed skater?Maxim: No, not really. Max Lim Zakhar: What is your favorite winter sport, Max?Max: Oh, I like speed skating too because of speed!Zakhar: Who is your favorite speed skater?Max: I don’t know them all.

3Classe 2a - L’angolo del buonumore

Di Max Lim

Di Daria Vasilyeva

Di OlgaVlajcic

Di Elina Estupinan

Di Milla De Bustis

Di Tiara Azimova

Dal libro “Storie da ridere” di Silvia Zai e Chiara Carrer

4 Grades 4 and 5 Book ReviewsA group of SRA students recommend books from the Hadsall Library

Crickwing by Janell Cannon

This book is about the adventures of Crickwing, a cricket that first met a monkey, then a lizard, then an owl. Everybody wanted to eat Crickwing but nobody could. I liked this book because the adventures of Crickwing are funny.

Gaetano Carbonelli

Doctor De Soto by William Steig

This book is about two dentists that are a couple of mice, and they cure animals that are not dangerous. One day they saw a fox with a bad tooth, but the mice didn’t want to cure it. At the end they cure the fox, but it was hard because when the mice went in the fox’s mouth, the fox wanted to eat the mice. I liked this book because it is funny and it is nice to read.

Maria Adele Zampa

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon

This book is about a bat that was separated from her mother and grew up in a family of birds. As long as she didn’t try to fly and sit on the branch, she didn’t get lost. Then she got lost and her family of bats found her. I liked this book because it was a nice, funny book with cute characters and beautiful drawings.

Anna Belan

Time for a Tale by Dugald Steer

This book tells the story of a fox that wanted to catch a goose. The fox was hungry, he found a farm, and then he saw a juicy goose. He caught the goose and said, “I am pleased to see you, Goose.” Then he added, “I need to eat you now”, but the goose said, “Don’t you want to put me in boil-ing hot water? And while we wait, I can tell you a story.” So the goose continued to tell stories to the fox to save her life. I liked this book because there were different short stories and it was funny. I like foxes, too.

Adriana Romanovskaja

Mercy Watson Fights Crime by Kate Di Camillo

This book tells the story of a pig named Mercy Watson and a cowboy that comes in her house and robs the house. When the cowboy comes in, Mercy Watson is sleeping on the floor, and the cowboy needs to pass over the pig, but then the pig moves and the cowboy rides the pig like a bull. I liked this book because it is a mystery and it is funny. It is about the adventures of a pig.

Riccardo Baroni

5Grade 3 Contributions

By Victoria Svetlova

Once upon a time there lived a girl. Her name was Sam. She had green eyes and curly brown hair. Sam was seven years old. She was really glamorous. Sam also had a friend named Fran. She was a girl with blond hair and blue eyes. She was also really lovely, and she was seven years old, too. The sea was calm and the sun was shining so Sam said, “Let’s go to the sea on a boat this afternoon.” Fran agreed. So that afternoon they met at the beach. Both of them were really jubilant. They got a boat and started off. The sky was a little blue, orange, green, pink, and yellow. There was a little wind and the sun was setting. After 20 minutes Sam and Fran saw waves rising higher and higher. Sam shouted in a worry, “A storm!” Fran said, “ I think you’re right!” Sam and Fran began to worry. They didn’t know what to do. The wind was really strong, the

Reptiles and Mammals

By Catharina Acampora

I am going to tell you about reptiles and mammals. I’m also going to tell you three things that are similarities and three differences. I hope you enjoy it. They are both animals and they both have lungs. They also are both vertebrates. These are the most important similarities. I am going to tell you about some differences. Mammals have fur and reptiles have scales. Mammals give birth and reptiles lay eggs. Mammals give milk and reptiles don’t give milk. These are the most important differences. This is what I know about reptiles and mammals. I hope you liked it.

Source: www.jamesnichollsillustration.blogspot.ch

Illustration by Victoria Svetlova

waves were really high, and they were really horrified. There was no sun anymore. Sam and Fran shouted, “Help! SOS!” But they weren’t really far from the shore and that saved them. After some time they saw a fisherman but they could hardly see him because the waves were so high. The fisherman shouted to the girls, “Hold on!” They could hardly hear him because the waves went, “Splash,boom!” He put his fishing pole up and...he caught their boat! Sam and Fran are saved! He pulled them to the shore and they told him, “Thank you!” It was suppertime so they went home. They told their parents everything that happened. Their parents were really afraid because they also saw the storm that was going on. But everything was marvelous now. Sam and Fran had learned a lot but the most important thing that they learned was that you should never go to the sea alone. But that’s not all...

Sam and Fran Stuck in a Storm

6

Grade 1 Writing and Art

By Christian Piconi

By Sebastian Halvorsen

By Balnurdin Rashid

By Egor Maksimov

By Isabella Volpi

7

To Lead, We Must Care!By Lalleet Trivikram, (with help from his father)

Last December, my parents took me and my sister for llama trekking at Malcantone in Lugano. We met Mr. Frei, the owner of the llama farm, who showed us his animals and told us how llamas can be trained through care to follow us as we lead them. Llamas are originally from South America. They are very gentle animals and they can learn simple tasks quickly. Mr. Frei gave me two llamas, Cappuccino and Smokey, and asked me to take them for a walk. Walking with llamas was so much fun! I learned how to lead them by being in the front, and guided them as we walked up the hill. As I was leading, these llamas were making some funny noises! Mr. Frei told me that it’s the way they communicate with each other in a herd. If we are friendly, kind, and take good care of llamas, they totally believe and follow us. Really, they make very good walking friends! When we were up the hill, a boy scared these llamas…they got panicked and started moving in all directions! But Mr. Frei told me that when llamas panic we should hold their lead rope tight and pat their back to make them feel safe. I did as he said, and they were back on track following me! Here, I learned, “To lead, we must care…!”

By Mila Vlajcic

By Marco Preatoni

By Diego Sindona

By Chloe Hassan

8 Quizzes, Recipes, and More...

By Victoria Haefliger, Grade 5

Renaissance QuizBy Alberto Ornaghi, Grade 5

1 What is the last name of the most important Florentine family during the renaissance?A MediciB OrnaghiC Medicinali2 Which cathedral was built in Rome under Pope Sixtus IV?A St. Peter’s BasilicaB The DuomoC The Sistine Chapel3 What were the main industries in Florence?A WoolB BankingC Both A and B4 What were the ships used in Venice called?A SchoonersB GalleonsC Vaporetti5 About when did the Renaissance start?A 1350B 1600C 19806 About when did the Renaissance end?A 2003B 1550C 17507 Who is considered the greatest playwright of Renaissance England?A ShakespeareB CervantesC El Greco8 Who is Botticelli?A An Italian ice creamB A painterC Both A and B9 Who was the most important Venetian artist?A TitianB Da VinciC Michelangelo

10 What story did Cervantes write?A Don Quixote Della ManchaB Mickey Mouse ComicsC Hamlet

Do you like baking, oranges and cakes? Then don’t waste your time and start baking this cake right now! All you need:

- 4 eggs- 300 grams of flour- 200 grams of sugar- 3 big oranges- 200 ml of oil- 1 packet of yeast

Preheat oven to 170°. Beat the eggs and the sugar. Add the oil, the flour and the yeast. Grate the oranges and squeeze them. Mix grated orange peel, orange juice and the mix you did before. Line a mold with vegetable parchment paper, and put them in the oven (with the mix) for 30-45 minutes.

Q: Why don’t seagulls fly over bays? A: Because they’ll become beagles!

By Lea Spodnik, Grade 4

Self-Portrait, Rennaisance-Style By Allegra Masnata, Grade 5

9

By Lucas La Gamba, Grade 5

Jokes ;-)By Aurora Peltier, Grade 4

A rooster laid an egg on the roof. Which way did it roll? North, south, east or west? Nowhere. Roosters can’t lay eggs. Why are tissues called tissues? You know what you do in them? Tisssuee! Bill, run away! Why? C’mon, we’re in the middle of a war. Why? Because we’re trapped. Why? Please stop saying why! Why? Because it’s annoying. Why? Oh no! They caught you! What’s your last word, kid? Why?

By Sophie Oglivie, Grade 4

By Alberto Ornaghi, Grade 5

Light and Dark - Black and White ComicBy Anfisa Andeeva, Grade 3

Recess Aurora Hadsall Ball

School Teachers Math SRA

Campo Science TPAFall Festival

Novel Studies Switzerland Belvedere Mrs Fleming

T Q W E R T F A L L F E S T I V A L Y U I O P A S D

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

T G A B Y H N U J S M I K B A L L L O P M N B V C X

Z L K J H G S F D W S A P O I U Y T R E W Q Q W E R

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

G V B W A S I Z T T F G J L S E I D U T S L E V O N

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

K L X V B M Z G O E B K H I T A S I S K M K K J R D

D F D H S H E G Y R F F V B E L V E D E R E G L G S

X F F A L L R F F L B B V M M K B B P W S G S M E J

D D T H E L L O J A P C E E U O R A N G F E S L A A

D D F L O P A U R O R A F F G I O W S A L H S D C A

R D V G B G N M T Y O M I S S H U J L K E G T S V B

H A H T A M D T H A H P A B E E P J K I M O P L H Q

D K K M P J O K L H T O Q D C N M B L P I O A Q A B

M L A B R A T U N M S S H I T V H F Q K N A N B D I

N T E A C H E R S B A C T C H D C F S T G H A L S A

L K G G U Y I K N E W I A G G U Y L O L E D L P A A

G I L U D Q W E R T Y E U I O P A S D F G H J K L L

H J L K L R Z X G O F N J P H L B A P S N N V O L P

A D O M I N E K T H V C H T K F G H H A D S A L P H

V J O K J K H C I C H E J L M I U V M I U T W O B P

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

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

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

TASIS Word search

10

Contributions from our Kindergarteners

“As Kindergarten cracks on with reading, they show what they know by matching the picture to words they can read. Kindergarteners can read well so if you’ve got a brother or sister there, ask them to read you a story!”

“Amalia Zampa read A Cloak for the Dreamer by Aileen Friedman and then put her geometry skills to work. She created a beautiful pattern using only polygons that connect with their straight sides.”

“Serafina Ballerini used her new handwriting skills to tell what she knows about pigs on the farm, as she learned in Core Knowledge. She illustrated her vocabulary by drawing a mother pig and several piglets.”

Ms. Liz introduces her students’ work

“Kindergarten learns about the weather and seasons. Olivia Gerstenberg wrote a letter to her friend, Bella, about the weather she can observe from her classroom window. Using her scientific observational skills, she drew what she saw to share with her pen pal. She showed that she can write a complete sentence with punctuation and best-guess spelling. Ask Olivia, or any of her kindergarten friends, about meteorology patterns!”

11

Bowling By Juliette

The Fin-land tripBy Miwa Gerstenberg

Bella was at the dinner table. Her mum was telling a story. “Tomorrow we will go to Finland.” “Oh”, said Bella and yawned. She was so tired she didn’t even know how she got to bed. It was a long drive to Finland. The first thing Bella noticed was that the people walked strangely. When they got closer, Bella saw why: they all had Fins! Her mother smiled at her. “Yes, Bella, we are in Fin-land!” Bella was astonished that her parents, her brother and she had fins, too! Her brother Michael shouted, “Hey, the city is flooded!” “It doesn’t matter,” said Bella, laughing. But the water was already up to the window of the car and now Bella was screaming as well. Dad let down the windows and they swam out. First it felt strange, but then Michael and Bella could swim as fast as a fish. Bella met a girl named Talita. Talita asked, “When did you get to Fin-land? Do you know that you can’t get out again? I have been in Fin-land for years,” said Talita sadly. But Bella said, “Why don’t we just play?!” “Yeah,” said Talita. “I have a brother. His name is Sebastian. Your brother could play with my brother.” “Good idea!” So the boys played together as well and they all became friends. Bella’s family slept at Talita’s home. It was nice and cozy. They had a nice night. In the morning Talita said to Bella, “You know that we could go to my friends house at number 75 to play.” “OK,” said Bella. When they got to number 75, Talita’s friend Olivia came out and they played ball in the water. They had a wonderful time but after a few hours Bella and Talita had to go home for dinner. They picked up Michael and Sebastian. The next morning after breakfast the girls had a swimming race. They tried a few times, but Talita always won. It was because she had more practice. Talita comforted Bella and showed her something new to play: they swam and played with dolphins! They could even hang on to the fins of the dolphins and race with them! The two boys played racing boats and caught fish. The girls played “catch the sea-monster” with the boys. Meanwhile it was the day before Christmas and Bella was scared that they could never get back to their home in time for the start of school. The next morning the girls got ready for Christmas. They prepared a Christmas party at Talita’s home, decorated the tree with starfish and seashells, and invited Olivia as well. At the Christmas party they ate fishcake, seaweed-salad, grilled crab, and a plate full of seashell-lollies. They all got a lot of good and fun presents. They had a wonderful time. But Bella was still scared that they would never get out of Fin-land. She really wanted to go home to her house. They all wanted to go home. Bella’s family decided to try to go home the next day. Bella was happy and sad. Talita was only sad that Bella had to go home. But they promised to become pen-pals. And they celebrated. The girls were allowed to stay up late and play and watch telly. The next day Bella and her family had to go. They started to swim to Switzerland. Then Bella heard her mum’s voice: “Bella, wake up! We are going to Finland today!”

Grade 2 Contributions

12 Grade 4 Writing and Art

ParentsBy Aurora Peltier People who teach, Always cuddle you, Rate your chores, Equally important, Nice and warm, Teach you lots of things, Support you through rough times.

KingBy Mario Ornaghi

Everybody must listen to him,Everybody must bow to him,‘Til he dies his kingdom must be ruled by hisfamily,He is cruel and foolish,He is mean and selfish,But most of all his greed,He gave his wife for a bar of gold,You wouldn’t want him as your king!

IrelandBy Jane Wilson

Beautiful fields,Covered with daisies,Cows mooing,Lambs playing.

Walk down the road,With your wellies on,Hop the gate,Run along.

Say hello to your grandadin his tractor,Help give the horses hay,Then walk home witha spring in your step,Saying it’s a beautiful day.

Il Proverbio Delle Dieci “P”By Isabella Bunford

Prima pensa,Poi parla,Perché parole poco pensateportano pena.

If I Had a Dog - Comic by Leonardo Panella

By Sophie Ogilvie

Source: www.aforismi.meglio.it

13

Ricordo d’infanzia di Maria Adele Zampa

Fra me e mia sorella maggiore ci sono due anni di differenza. Quando lei andava a TASIS in prima elementare, io restavo sempre da sola a casa con la mamma o andavo all’asilo del mio paese. Per me la scuola era diventata un mito. Pensavo che se fossi andata a scuola sarei diventata grande. Infatti a casa mi annoiavo tantissimo e non sapevo come passare il tempo. Il mio vero sogno era anche di andare sul pulmi-no, perché sul pulmino non ci sono i genitori e avrei potuto fare quello che volevo. Quando suonava il campanello al mattino e mia sorella usciva di casa di corsa con la sua cartella e saliva sul pulmino rosso, io restavo davanti al cancello molto triste e tornavo a casa disperata. Un giorno mi sono perfi-no vestita con l’uniforme della scuola di mia sorella. Le maniche della maglietta mi stavano larghissime, la gonna blu mi cadeva e dovevo tenerla su con le mani e tutti mi chiedevano se dovevo andare in bagno. L’autista si e messo a ridere e non mi ha fatto salire sul pulmino e io sono tornata ancora più triste di come ero già. L’anno dopo, ho finalmente iniziato il Pre-K a TASIS: ero felicissima! Il primo giorno di scuola sono salita sul pulmino rosso insieme a mia sorella. Mi sentivo bellissima nella mia uniforme blu. Non sono rimasta affatto delusa perché andare sul pulmino mi sembrava tutte le volte un’ avventura. Ecco questo e stato un episodio significativo perché e stato un momento di vera felicita.

Il drago pasticcione!di Caterina Millo

Ciao sono Draghetto, ho due anni. Ho una mamma che si chiama Pasticcina. Sono un drago molto pasticcione perché faccio sempre danni; una volta mi sono colorato i capelli come la bandiera degli Stati Uniti, un’altra volta, quando eravamo andati a fare la spesa, ho rovesciato tutto lo scaffale delle merendine. Io volevo le merendine ma la mamma non le voleva prendere. La mia mamma Pasticcina ama molto cucinare e così ogni giorno prepara torte, biscotti, gelati, ecc. Qualche volta l’aiuto anch’io ma combino sempre molti guai. Rovescio la farina, faccio cadere le uova, esagero con lo zucchero... Insomma un vero disastro, un vero pasticcione! Quando, invece, la mamma mi chiede di occuparmi del giardino, faccio annegare i fiori usando troppa acqua, rovescio i vasi e spavento gli uccellini. Io cerco di impegnarmi di più, andando più lento e restando più tranquillo, ma proprio non ce la faccio a non combinare pasticci. Spero, diventando grande, di assomigliare un po’ alla mia mamma che, anche se si chiama Pasticcina è molto brava nelle cose che fa.

By Luize Bensone

Light and Dark - Black and White ComicBy Victoria Svetlova, Grade 3

14

Pre-K Contributions

The Farm Bulletin Board

Honesty, by Giulia Sindona

Elephants

Elephants

15

Dusty is Lost! By Austin Rowe It was a dark and stormy night. Max and I were at my house. My mum told me to feed Dusty, my dog. I was going to pour the dog food when there was a flash of lightning and the lights went out. I raced to the drawer and grabbed a flashlight. I quickly turned it on and saw an open window. We looked all over for Dusty but we could not find him anywhere. Max said, “He must have gone outside.” I did not want to go outside because I was scared of the lightning but I had to find Dusty! When we got outside Max and I saw paw prints in the mud next to the window. We followed the tracks that led to a deserted old dock. We saw an old, broken boat and we saw the tracks on the deck. We boarded the boat and started to look for Dusty. I called for him and we heard a loud bark! Max said, “I think it is coming from below deck!” We raced downstairs where we saw Dusty stuck in a fishing net. We tried to pull the net apart but it was too strong. I saw a sharp knife on a chair and I grabbed it and cut the net. I hugged him and he licked me. When we got home we were exhausted but glad. We fed Dusty, made hot chocolate and collapsed into bed.

Grade 3 Writing and Comics

By Giovanni Ugoltti

By Letizia Piel

Poem adapted from Catch a Little Rhyme by Eve Merriam

By Andreas Riis and Elisa Markevitch

Once upon a timeI caught a little rhyme

It turned on my clock And it went tick-tock

It ran into the parkWhen it was very dark

It found a wig And started to dig

It jumped on a frogSitting on a log

It went into a boatAnd waved to a goat

When I caught the rhymeIt turned into a dime…

Illustration by Austin Rowe

16 The Night By Alessandra Treherne, Grade 5

While James was doing his homework, Isabel interrupted and told him that she heard a strange noise coming from the living room. James did not care so much, because he was writing an essay about his life and a report, which were both due next Monday.

He said, “Look, if you are scared, go to Mom and Dad. I am sorry I cannot help you, but I am in trouble if these papers are not on my teacher’s desk by next Monday. Today is Thursday, so please do not distract me!”

“Ok, fine but when you have finished, could you please play Twister with me?” asked Isabel.

“Ok, but now go away and go hug Mom or Dad or even Rocky,” responded James.

Isabel left and went to her mom and dad. When she finally got bored, she went back to her room and started reading a book that she loved. She was interrupted by the noise again, but it sounded much closer, so she got scared and hid under her bed.

Just at that moment, James finished and went to Isabel’s room and found her under her bed, scared as anyone could be! He helped her up and then he started to hear something too. He was brave, so he went toward the noise and it led him outside. Isabel followed. They saw a pile of snow that was moving. James kicked the pile and saw two faces, which were familiar. “ Bloom!” “ Blossom!” whispered James and Isabel.

“ Yes, yes, wait, are you James and Isabel?” asked Bloom.

“Yes, why are you here and not with Sprinter?” asked Isabel.

“Well, he told us to give you this message, but we thought we would just give it to you face-to-face!”

“Could you explain why you were hiding in the snow?” asked James.

“Yes, we are scared of other humans!” explained Blossom.

“My mom will not hurt you nor my father nor Rocky!” laughed Isabel.

“Who’s Rocky?” asked Blossom. “He is my dog, silly,” responded James.Bloom told James to come closer and he told

him, “It is time for a new adventure!”James responded, “But it can’t be, my book has

not started glowing yet!” Just as he said that, a sudden light came

from the bedroom window. It was the book, and it was glowing to show them that it was time for a new adventure!

James ran inside and got his book and opened it to the middle page and they were transported to Sprinter’s house. It was small, but big enough for four people to live in. It was just as Isabel and James had remembered it the first time. In the center of the room, there was a cauldron with blue water with sparkles. It was called blue magic!

Sprinter was not in any of the rooms. Bloom knew how to remind Sprinter to come. He simply said a rhyme:

Sprin oh sprinGet here Don’t forget your magic pinCome nearCome with the sunAnd don’t forget to bringThe hat of funAnd then come sing.Magically, Sprinter appeared with a hat and a pin

in his hand. Sprinter greeted them and apologized, “Sorry I’m late, I—well, I—I well whatever!” And he chuckled for a second, and then told James and Isabel that his assistant was late too!

It was already almost 11:30 and Isabel was getting tired. Sprinter looked at the time, then snapped his fingers and a bed appeared, then another, then another, then another until there were six beds. After they had had dinner, they all went to bed.

The next morning, Sprinter told the two children, “Now, our mission is to find the Diamond Of Destiny. It was stolen from the prairies of Kamahi. It has to be returned before tomorrow at midnight!”

“Whereabouts does the Diamond Of Destiny lie?” asked James. “In the King’s room. He has it in a cabinet somewhere, hidden.”

“So how do we get it, without being seen?” asked Isabel.

“Take this packet of powder. If you open it, it makes him leave the room. So while he is away, you have time to look for the Diamond Of Destiny,” explained Sprinter.

James, Isabel, Blossom, and Bloom took a basket and put fruit, the packet of powder, and 12 bottles of water in it and then set off.

James and Isabel did not know how to get there. It was 15 miles away!

Blossom did knot know either! The only person who knew where the sled was, was Bloom! He opened two old and heavy doors and dragged out a speed sled.

Jack opened his eyes and was fascinated! To start the sled, you needed the dogs to pull it, which they let out of their pen in the yard and gave them lots of cuddles.

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Bloom untied a knot and the sled began to move, then he untied another and another and the sled began going almost 180 miles per hour! They got very lost and saw a light far in the distance. It was the gates to Kamahi. They entered and Isabel’s eye got distracted. She saw a white lump on the ground with a large entrance. It was the King’s home! They went in slowly and found two guards pointing a spear in front of them. Bloom said, “We are here to meet the King and be his servants.”

The guards looked at Bloom and asked, “And you are? Is the King expecting you? Give me your names, and I will see if the King is available.”

Bloom stepped forward and responded, “I am Bloom, he is James, the one at the end is Isabel, and this one here is Blossom. The King is not expecting us, because it is an emergency!”

The guard looked again and asked, “Who do you work for?”

“Sprinter” answered Blossom. The guard asked, “How old are all of you?” “Ok, enough questions.” And from his pocket,

Bloom took out his wand and said, “Blizzard Bizzard Kamhai Sprinter!... oops, I meant Linter”.

In a few seconds, they were out of sight, they were in the hall of the King’s house and Sprinter was there, because he had been called by accident. They helped Sprinter go

away, and then heard a noise coming from a door on the left. Bloom went first through a big door and saw four people, two girls and two boys. They were servants. So, they continued down the hall where he found a very thin and small door, he could only just fit through. The others got through the door too, but with a struggle.

They saw gold, silver, emeralds and diamonds...but they were not there for the gold, so they continued. It led them to another room. It was the King’s room! They saw that he was not there, so they looked around.

Suddenly, they heard the creak of the door opening! They quickly found a hiding spot. Isabel hid in the wardrobe and was very squished. Bloom hid under the bed with the packet of powder. Blossom hid behind the door. James hid behind the sofa. It was the King! The first thing he did was go in his wardrobe to get his cape. Luckily, Isabel was not seen. James was allergic to dust, so he sneezed! The King turned around when he heard someone! He was about to move the sofa, but Blossom stuck out of under the bed and made a noise to distract the King, so that James poured the powder in the water.

The King started to drink the water and immediately disappeared! They started looking around the room, and found nothing. So, they looked in the room with the gold and riches. They looked at the diamonds, but suddenly one started glowing and then another and then another! It was a game to find the right one!

After an hour of searching, Bloom was distracted by an idea. He announced, “I have an idea! We use the new spell to read the King’s mind to find where he put the Diamond Of Destiny.” They agreed and Bloom spoke these words, “Kiro site with might, let the mind be bright.” A flash of light struck, and he actually became the King! “Oh dear, who are you? Guards!” Luckily, they did not hear him.

He walked towards a tapestry with a picture of a mighty horse. He moved it and there was a cabinet with more than two locks. He opened it and there was the Diamond Of Destiny.

Isabel took Bloom’s wand and spoke: “Kiro site with diverse, let the mind reverse!” Suddenly, Bloom, still holding the Diamond Of Destiny, turned back into himself! He thanked Isabel and she gave his wand back. They left in a hurry.

When they were near the house, the Diamond Of Destiny slipped out of Bloom’s hands, but James caught it and put it in his side pocket. They got to Sprinter’s house and he was standing in front of the cauldron saying, “You have done well, and now you will be my assistants!”

THE END

Illustration: Islamic Architecture by Tommaso Lo Monaco, Grade 4

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My Holiday By Tilly Fadlon, Grade 4

In my three-week holiday to the Bahamas I had one day when I went on a power boat. We went to an island. I got out of the boat onto the island where I saw around 50 iguanas. We had just arrived when the man gave us some grapes and told us to put them on sticks so we could give them to the iguanas. I held out my stick and I saw an iguana come and bite the grape off my stick. The last grape I gave to a baby iguana that was around five inches long. After that we went to another island. The man told us there were sharks near this island. We walked on to the beach and after two minutes the man told us to kneel in the shallow water, shoulder to shoulder. He gave us each a piece of fish and told us to put it through our fingers. We put our hands in the water and a stingray came and took the fish from us. My sister’s boyfriend got bitten by the stingray! Then the man

told us to stand out of the water and got a fish tied to a rope and put it in the water. The shark bit the fish and the man pulled half of the shark’s body out of the water. The shark stomach was white and his back was gray. Then we all went to have lunch. I had a hot dog and a piece of my dad’s fish. Then we went out and my mom and dad and brother went snorkeling with the sharks while I stayed on the island. I built a kind of weird bird place and dug a hole in the middle. Then I put bread in the hole.

Islamic Pattern, based on the eight-pointed star By Oscar Schiller, Grade 4

The birds came and ate all the bread. After the birds left they had left all their tiny footprints on the sand. The man caught some shells and told us that they were called conches. He told us how to get the animal out of the shell. I asked him, “Can I have the shell afterwards?” After he had got the animal out he gave me the shell. When he had found other conches he gave the shells to the other children. He made a fresh conch salad on the beach. My mom said it didn’t taste very good, but I didn’t try it. Then we went home to our hotel, the Reef. I really liked seeing those sharks and the stingrays.

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Use Water Bottlesto Help Save the Planet!By Ms. Keen’s Class

We have noticed many people do not always use a water bottle for drinking. It is important to always use a water bottle instead of a paper or plastic cup. Water bottles are important for nature because paper and plastic cups are a waste. They are a waste because they can only be used once or twice and then they are thrown away. If we always use paper or plastic cups, then in a hundred years or so the whole world will be polluted. We will also cut down too many trees. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and we need trees. Factories will also pollute the earth if they have to make a lot of plastic and paper cups. If we keep using paper and plastic cups, the world will be filled with trash. Trash will ruin animal habitats and the species will decline. If all of TASIS stops using paper cups, then we can help to tell our friends at other schools to also use water bottles. This will help the environment. If you do not have a water bottle at home, it is easy to buy a TASIS water bottle. They are big, easy to wash and comfortable to drink from. They are dark blue with the TASIS logo. You can order a water bottle by contacting your homeroom teacher. They cost CHF 30 each. Let’s all please help the environment by using water bottles instead of paper or plastic cups!

EAL Students learn about family

By Matteo Negri, Grade 1

By Niccolo Vanossi, Grade 1

By Leonardo Ciccone, Kindergarten

By Nina Nori, Kindergarten

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ACROSS

2. Sliding down an ice-covered track on a low sled on your stomach

5. A game using stones where the aim is to slide them to the center of a target

7. Trying to complete an ice-covered track or run in the fastest time

9. Descending a snow-covered hill on a board

10. Lying on your back on a sled

11. Skiing that includes moguls, aerials, and ballet

12. Skiing and shooting

13. Aim is to jump further than the other competitors

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5 6

78

9

10

11

12

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Sochi Winter Olympic Games CrosswordBy Michaela Holmes, Grade 3

DOWN

1. Sliding down snow-covered mountains on skis with a fixed heel binding

3. Cross-country skiing and ski jumping, together

4. Skiing on a flat or uphill slope

6. Players have a stick and try and score a goal on ice

8. Moving on ice with special shoes

9. Going very fast on ice with special shoes

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That thing can sing! By Sofia Volpi, Kindergarten

Interview with Mr. Nijenhuis By Victoria Haefliger, Grade 5What is your favorite food?My favorite food is Chinese food.What is your favorite drink?My favorite drink is hot chocolate.What is your favorite cake?My favorite cake is dark chocolate with extra dark, melted chocolate on top.What do you like doing in your free time?I like taking pictures, editing pictures, traveling...Which class do you like teaching the most?All of them.Do you prefer going to the mountains or the beach?I prefer going to the mountains.Do you like to travel?I am addicted to it.What is your favorite kind of dog?I really like the Great Dane.Do you like giving homework?Not at all.What is your favorite country?To live in, Spain. To visit, China.What is your favorite book?I have three favorite books: Ender’s Game, Name of the Rose, and Guns, Germs and Steel.What is your favorite song?My favorite song is Radio Head.Do you like plush toys?Not really.

Akita InuBy Allegra Masnata, Grade 5

Do you know a lot about dogs? Well, I don’t think you know about the Akita Inu. It is a very loyal and calm dog, but if a bad person enters in your house...it will be very protective! It has an interesting history because it comes from Japan and is a really courageous dog. The females were even nannies for children if the parents weren’t there.

The Akita Inu takes it name from the place it was born (Akita Prefecture in north Japan). The ancestors of the Akita were called on, depending on the work being done. It is the dog of the bravest hunters who dared to face the bear, Yezo. The hunters wanted more powerful dogs so they made crossings with the mastiff. This breed suffered serious consequences and it almost went into extinction. But a group of fans took care of this breed. It is a breed that brings good luck.

The Akita Inu is known for the loyalty that it has for its owners. It is very courageous, and it won’t back down from a challenge. The Akita doesn’t usually bark, unless there is a good reason. It is silent with strangers and it will welcome a house guest as long as its owners are at home. The Akita is a very dominating breed and is aggressive with other dogs, especially the ones of the same sex. It doesn’t like the dogs with squashed faces (such as the boxer or bulldog). The Akita can be a nice dog if you educate it well and if it is with a nice family.

I think that the Akita is a really good dog to have at home, but when you are out for a walk and it sees another dog, someone really muscular and strong should hold it! Remember, if you don’t disturb the Akita, it will not disturb you. But if you do… you will see!

Sources:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akita_(dog) http://www.akitainu.it/1/storia_razza_292759.html http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/a/akitainu.htmlhttp://japanesedogs.bulldoginformation.com/japanese-akita-inu.htmlhttp://kyokujitsuakitainu.com/?page_id=127http://www.emperorsakitas.com/Akita-History.phphttp://www.akitainu.ie/history.htmlhttp://a-z-animals.com/animals/akita-dog/http://www.caninercrib.com/dog/breeds/akita-dog/http://akita-ken.ro/the-akita/http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/akita

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By Michaela Holmes, Grade 3

Art and Poetry Corner

SNOW IS FUN

by Milla De Bustis, Grade 2 Snow is fun to play in Snow is fun to fall in Snow is fun to ski in Sparkly, white, soft snow Snowmen, snowballs, snowflakes Fun, fun, fun.

My Talented AnimalBy Grigory Snegirev, Grade 3

I have a talented animalIt protects me from a cannibal

It’s nor dog nor frogIt isn’t a hedgehog

It isn’t an ugly ratIt isn’t a lazy cat

It isn’t for sure a dragonWho once hardly burned a wagon

It isn’t a snake I sayI know it doesn’t eat hay

It is actually a lionAnd its name is Jay O’Brian

TASISBy Alberto Ornaghi, Grade 5

Totally awesomeAlways funSuper awesome field tripsIn SwitzerlandSo fun to be in

Snake - art based on Henri Matisse’s SnailBy Lavinia Cerra, Pre-K

Elephant - art based on Henri Matisse’s SnailDimitry Mikhaylov, Pre-K

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By Mia Galmor

By Carola Mandarano

FAR AWAY FRIENDS

By Chiara De Bustis, Grade 5

Even when you are far awayBest friends we will always stayWe will still meet up and play together I hope we will be best friends forever.

Friendship - Amicizia

SnailsArt based on Henri Matisse’s SnailBy Madeleine Sharratt, Pre-K

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1. What is H2O?A. Juice B. Water C. Hydrogen D. Helium

2. What is an element?A. A material which has been mixed

with something else B. A material which hasn’t been mixedC. A metal that shinesD. Something which is not on the

Periodic table

3. What is the Periodic Table?A. A table that shows trees B. A table which was invented by a C. mathematician in Russia which

shows the multiplication tables D. A table which shows all of the

elements E. Nothing

4. Who invented the Periodic Table?A. Nobody B. Obama C. Mendeleev D. Queen Elizabeth

5. What represents copper in the Periodic Table?

A. Cu B. Nothing C. Co D. Cop

6. What stands for gold in the Periodic Table?

A. Au B. Go C. Gold D. God

7. What stands for zinc in the Periodic Table?

A. Zi B. Zn C. Zin D. Zc

Chemistry Quiz

Source: www.alcachimica.com

By Mario Ornaghi, Grade 4

Science Lab with Mr. Carsana

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TASIS Talent Show

Let’s hear it for our Kindergarten showstoppers! Brave students Elle Fuhr and Gentry Spoon practiced for weeks to open the Talent Show held in an effort to raise support for victims of the typhoon in the Philippines. These two songbirds practiced every free chance they had, from bus rides to P.E. to belting out on the swings at recess. Their hard work paid off when they rocked the house and had the whole audience cheering for their performance!

Intervista a Giovanna

Di Allegra Masnata, Carolina Zanon e Victoria Heafliger, Classe 5a

1) Quando sei atterrata sull’isola come ti sentivi?Smarrita e preoccupata

2) Quando eri nel naufragio volevi abbracciare i tuoi genitori?Si,perche mi mancavano

3) Quando hai incontrato il signor Enrico, cosa pensavi di lui?Che era un po’ strano

4) Ti ricordavi qualche parola?Si,una parola: DOLCEZZA

5) Cosa pensavi quando hai incontrato la nominatrice?Mi sembrava noiosa perche mi toccava le guance, invece era molto simpatica

6) Avevi voglia di scoprire nuove parole?Si,cosi potevo riuscire a parlare

La grammatica é una canzone dolceNella classe di italiano di Ms.Veronica gli allievi stanno leggendo il libro “La grammatica é una canzone dolce”. Si tratta della storia di due bambini che fanno naufragio durante un viaggio in barca, perdono la voce e si ritrovano su un’ isola. Sull’isola incontrano due persone gentili che li aiutano a ritrovare la voce.

La Grammatica è una Canzone Dolce

Di Alberto Ornaghi, Lucas La Gamba e Flavia Tramontano, Classe 5a

La Grammatica è una Canzone Dolce,Così dolce che ti molce,A Giovanna manca la mamma,Quando accende la fiamma,A Tommaso manca il papà,Quando si siede sul sofà. Il nipote sublime si sente morire,Quanto sente Giovanna soffrire.

G= giovane I= intelligenteO= ottimistaV= vittoriosaA= astutaN=naufragaN=necessitaA= aiuto

Di Michele Cipolini e Antonio Mantegazza, Classe 5a

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Quiz Time Answer Key

Thank you to all students and teachers who contribute daily to make TASIS such a special place!

as k e l e t o n

pi nn c oe r rs o d

c u r l i n g k s ic i s c

b o b s l e i g h i c ch f n o o

s n o w b o a r d i n g u mp c g n be k l u g e t ie e r r nd y f r e e s t y l e s k i i n gs s dk ka a

b i a t h l o n ti in n

s k i j u m p i n g g

Renaissance Quiz1:A, 2:C, 3:C, 4:B, 5:A, 6:B, 7:A, 8:B, 9: A, 10:A

Chemistry Quiz1:B, 2:B, 3:C, 4:C, 5:A, 6:A, 7:B

Sochi Crossword: left

Springtime at Hadsall

Reading is fun at TASIS!

Happiness during International Week