Emulate
(v.)
To imitate, but try to surpass the original.
Parent language: Latin
Sentence: The children emulated their teacher's singing, but only one child hit all the right notes.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Word of the Day: Superfluous
Superfluous (adjective): being more that is sufficient or required, excessive; unnecessary or needless; possessing or spending more than enough or necessary, extravagant.
Parent language: unknown
Sentence: the athlete was superfluous when it came to training; even though she already had all of the awards she could win, she continued to train for hours every day.
Parent language: unknown
Sentence: the athlete was superfluous when it came to training; even though she already had all of the awards she could win, she continued to train for hours every day.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Word of the Day: Salubrious
Salubrious
(adj.)
Promoting health, healthful.
Parent language: Latin
Apples are a salubrious fruit; eating one a day supposedly "keeps the doctor away".
Post a better sentence in the comments!
(adj.)
Promoting health, healthful.
Parent language: Latin
Apples are a salubrious fruit; eating one a day supposedly "keeps the doctor away".
Post a better sentence in the comments!
New Year Challenge: NaNoWriMo and Milwordy!
Hey guys!
So, for those of you who are interested, we are going to start NaNoWrimo and Milwordy on January 1st! NaNoWriMo is traditionally done in November and the goal is to write a 50,000 word novel by the end of the month! We however, are going to bend the rules a bit! Our goal is to write 50,000 words in 75 days (starting on the 1st of January and ending on the 16th of March)! Exciting right?! In addition we are going to be attempting Milwordy!
Milwordy is a challenge to write 1 million words in 365 days! Intense? Frightening? Don't let it be! The 1 million words can include any and everything you write; poems, short stories, NaNoWriMo novels and even facebook statuses! It's up to you what you would like to include! You don't have to do either one of these challenges if you don't want to, but we think that it will be a lot of fun! You can also do just one of the challenges or both of them! It is up to you! We have already set up places on the forum for you to share your work, ask questions, lay out your plot, or anything else that you want to share regarding the challenge. If you want to do the challenge, but you don't want to start on the first you are welcome to start and share at any point in time on the blog! We hope that you will join us for at least one of these exciting challenges!
-Jen and Dvora
So, for those of you who are interested, we are going to start NaNoWrimo and Milwordy on January 1st! NaNoWriMo is traditionally done in November and the goal is to write a 50,000 word novel by the end of the month! We however, are going to bend the rules a bit! Our goal is to write 50,000 words in 75 days (starting on the 1st of January and ending on the 16th of March)! Exciting right?! In addition we are going to be attempting Milwordy!
Milwordy is a challenge to write 1 million words in 365 days! Intense? Frightening? Don't let it be! The 1 million words can include any and everything you write; poems, short stories, NaNoWriMo novels and even facebook statuses! It's up to you what you would like to include! You don't have to do either one of these challenges if you don't want to, but we think that it will be a lot of fun! You can also do just one of the challenges or both of them! It is up to you! We have already set up places on the forum for you to share your work, ask questions, lay out your plot, or anything else that you want to share regarding the challenge. If you want to do the challenge, but you don't want to start on the first you are welcome to start and share at any point in time on the blog! We hope that you will join us for at least one of these exciting challenges!
-Jen and Dvora
Word of the Day: Insidious
I am so sorry I forgot to do this again yesterday! -_- forgive me!
Insidious (adjective): intended to entrap or beguile; stealthily treacherous or deceitful; operating or proceeding in an inconspicuous or seemingly harmless way but actually with grave effect.
parent language: not listed, instead here are some synonyms! disingenuous, guileful, ensnaring, perilous.
sentence: The haunted house was insidious, designed to trap anyone who entered by leading them into dangerous rooms with unconquerable tasks.
if you have any other sentences post them in the comments!
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Word of the Day: Kinesalgia
Kinesalgia
(n.)
Definition: pain associated with movement of muscles.
Parent language: Dictionary.com didn't have the parent language, but I'm going to assume that because this word is related to the word "kinetic" (of or relating to movement), it, too, comes from Greek.
Sentence: The serum that Max's captors forced him to drink caused him incredible pain every time he moved; the kinesalgia was unbearable, and he eventually broke down and told his enemies the information that they were seeking.
Please post a better sentence in the comments!
(n.)
Definition: pain associated with movement of muscles.
Parent language: Dictionary.com didn't have the parent language, but I'm going to assume that because this word is related to the word "kinetic" (of or relating to movement), it, too, comes from Greek.
Sentence: The serum that Max's captors forced him to drink caused him incredible pain every time he moved; the kinesalgia was unbearable, and he eventually broke down and told his enemies the information that they were seeking.
Please post a better sentence in the comments!
Word of the Day: Harrowing
Sorry I forgot to post this yesterday guys!
Harrowing (adjective): extremely disturbing or distressing; grievous.
parent language: middle English
sentence: It was an anxious, sometimes harrowing read, but no matter how disturbing, it was worth the read.
Harrowing (adjective): extremely disturbing or distressing; grievous.
parent language: middle English
sentence: It was an anxious, sometimes harrowing read, but no matter how disturbing, it was worth the read.
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Weekly Wednesday Writings
This week's challenge is to write a short story about a traumatic event that happened to you: in the perspective of someone else.
Post your response in the appropriate forum category.
Have fun!
Post your response in the appropriate forum category.
Have fun!
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
TWO Words of the Day!
Yesterday, I was doing a brief assignment for Health/Nutrition and Wellness, when I realized that I forgot if supermarkets have "aisles" or "isles"! A quick Google search (leading me to the Writer's Digest site, then Dictionary.com) revealed the following:
aisle:
(n.)
Parent language: French
A narrow walkway.
Sentence: Max walked down the supermarket aisle, not paying attention to where he was placing his feet; all of a sudden, he was on the floor: he had tripped over a stray apple that must have rolled across the limited walkway and under his feet.
isle:
(n.)
Parent language: Latin
A small island.
Sentence: The sailor was excited to see land approaching, so he announced it happily to his crew- mates; he was chastised greatly when the small ship arrived at an isle that was home to nothing but several apple trees and murderous- looking rattlesnakes.
Now a sentence combining the two:
The couple decided to have their wedding on an isle that belonged to the groom's mother, but when the bride walked down the aisle, her veil- although beautiful- obscured her sight, and the blinded young woman plunged into the sea.
Remember: if you have a better sentence, post it in the comments!
aisle:
(n.)
Parent language: French
A narrow walkway.
Sentence: Max walked down the supermarket aisle, not paying attention to where he was placing his feet; all of a sudden, he was on the floor: he had tripped over a stray apple that must have rolled across the limited walkway and under his feet.
isle:
(n.)
Parent language: Latin
A small island.
Sentence: The sailor was excited to see land approaching, so he announced it happily to his crew- mates; he was chastised greatly when the small ship arrived at an isle that was home to nothing but several apple trees and murderous- looking rattlesnakes.
Now a sentence combining the two:
The couple decided to have their wedding on an isle that belonged to the groom's mother, but when the bride walked down the aisle, her veil- although beautiful- obscured her sight, and the blinded young woman plunged into the sea.
Remember: if you have a better sentence, post it in the comments!
Happy Holidays
Happy holidays to everyone in the Keystone Writes family! We hope that whatever holiday you celebrate is full of meaning, love, and, of course, PRESENTS!!!!!
Monday, December 24, 2012
Word of the Day: Ethereal
Ethereal (adjective): 1. light, airy or tenuous, 2. extremely delicate or refined, 3. heavenly or celestial
parent language: latin: aethere, Greek: aitherios
sentence: The small child had an ethereal beauty, challenged only by the angels themselves.
add your own sentence in the comments!
parent language: latin: aethere, Greek: aitherios
sentence: The small child had an ethereal beauty, challenged only by the angels themselves.
add your own sentence in the comments!
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Word of the Day: Epiglottis
This word has been tumbling around my brain today, and since it was my turn to do the Word of the Day anyway, I decided to use it! It may come in handy for those of you who write medical fiction! Also, it's a good body part to know.
Epiglottis:
(n.)
Parent language: Greek
A thin flap of cartilaginous tissue that covers the larynx's entrance when one is swallowing, preventing food from "going down the wrong tube".
Sentence: Despite regular prenatal checkups, the baby was born unwhole; he lacked an epiglottis. This deformity was discovered after the infant almost choked on the milk he was given; luckily, a crash team was on hand, and the infant was rescued and immediately given synthetic tissue in place of what he lacked.
Epiglottis:
(n.)
Parent language: Greek
A thin flap of cartilaginous tissue that covers the larynx's entrance when one is swallowing, preventing food from "going down the wrong tube".
Sentence: Despite regular prenatal checkups, the baby was born unwhole; he lacked an epiglottis. This deformity was discovered after the infant almost choked on the milk he was given; luckily, a crash team was on hand, and the infant was rescued and immediately given synthetic tissue in place of what he lacked.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Word of the Day: Surreal
Surreal (adjective): having the disorienting, hallucinatory quality of a dream; unreal; fantastic.
parent language: 1936, back from surrealism, from French surrealisme.
sentence: The medication made the girl feel as if she were in a dream, no longer connected to reality; it was truly surreal.
If you have any other sentences post them in the comments!
-Jen
parent language: 1936, back from surrealism, from French surrealisme.
sentence: The medication made the girl feel as if she were in a dream, no longer connected to reality; it was truly surreal.
If you have any other sentences post them in the comments!
-Jen
Friday, December 21, 2012
Word of the Day: Conflagration
Conflagration
n.
Parent language: Latin
A tremendous, destructive fire.
Due to some campers' ignorance of the proper way to put out a fire, many conflagrations have dessicated entire forests, burning down all life for many miles.
Does anyone have a better sentence? Please post it in the comments!
n.
Parent language: Latin
A tremendous, destructive fire.
Due to some campers' ignorance of the proper way to put out a fire, many conflagrations have dessicated entire forests, burning down all life for many miles.
Does anyone have a better sentence? Please post it in the comments!
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Word of the Day: Supercilious
Sorry it is so late guys!
Supercilious (adj.): haughtily disdainful or contemptuous, as a person or a facial expression; displaying arrogant pride, scorn or indifference.
parent language: Latin; supercilium
(above comes from dictionary.com)
example: The supercilious art dealer rolled her eyes when we asked if she had anything for under a thousand dollars.
(m-w.com)
"You may be the only guy my age I've ever met who knows what bergamot is, much less that it's in Earl Grey tea."
"Yes, well," Jace said, with a supercilious look, "I'm not like other guys."
(excerpt from one of my all time favorite book City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, had to add it just because :))
If you have any other sentences using the word of the day you'd like to share comment them here! Also if you have any favorite words you'd like to see as our word of the day, send me or Dvora an email and we will do our best to post it!
-Jen
Supercilious (adj.): haughtily disdainful or contemptuous, as a person or a facial expression; displaying arrogant pride, scorn or indifference.
parent language: Latin; supercilium
(above comes from dictionary.com)
example: The supercilious art dealer rolled her eyes when we asked if she had anything for under a thousand dollars.
(m-w.com)
"You may be the only guy my age I've ever met who knows what bergamot is, much less that it's in Earl Grey tea."
"Yes, well," Jace said, with a supercilious look, "I'm not like other guys."
(excerpt from one of my all time favorite book City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, had to add it just because :))
If you have any other sentences using the word of the day you'd like to share comment them here! Also if you have any favorite words you'd like to see as our word of the day, send me or Dvora an email and we will do our best to post it!
-Jen
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Weekly Writing Wednesday!
Hey Guys!
To keep things interesting and add a little more fun and creativity to Keystone Writes! we are adding a weekly writing challenge! We will change the challenge every Wednesday, these challenges are optional, but will be a lot of fun and a great way to challenge your creative side!
This weeks challenge is to write a holiday themed poem or short story without using the name of the holiday.
This is to challenge you to form a description vivid enough for everyone to figure out what holiday you are writing about without being told what the holiday is! Post your poem or short story in the Weekly Writing Wednesday section in the forum!
Have Fun and Good Luck!
-Jen
To keep things interesting and add a little more fun and creativity to Keystone Writes! we are adding a weekly writing challenge! We will change the challenge every Wednesday, these challenges are optional, but will be a lot of fun and a great way to challenge your creative side!
This weeks challenge is to write a holiday themed poem or short story without using the name of the holiday.
This is to challenge you to form a description vivid enough for everyone to figure out what holiday you are writing about without being told what the holiday is! Post your poem or short story in the Weekly Writing Wednesday section in the forum!
Have Fun and Good Luck!
-Jen
Word of the Day: Eviscerate
First ever Word of the Day: Eviscerate
v.
to disembowel, to "gut", to remove the vital organs from. Also, to take away significance/meaning.
Parent language: Latin
Related word: viscera (n.), the vital organs
(The above information is derived from dictionary.com)
"As a punishment for his sins," the executioner declared, "this man will now be eviscerated publicly." Many a mother in the crowd covered her child's eyes to prevent them from witnessing the removal of the man's organs.
If you would like to contribute your own sentence including this word, please post it as a comment!
v.
to disembowel, to "gut", to remove the vital organs from. Also, to take away significance/meaning.
Parent language: Latin
Related word: viscera (n.), the vital organs
(The above information is derived from dictionary.com)
"As a punishment for his sins," the executioner declared, "this man will now be eviscerated publicly." Many a mother in the crowd covered her child's eyes to prevent them from witnessing the removal of the man's organs.
If you would like to contribute your own sentence including this word, please post it as a comment!
How To Become A Member! (IMPORTANT!!)
Hey Everyone!
You can view Keystone Writes! whether you are a member or not, but in order to truly participate you should become a member; it is a simple and quick process.
If you already have a blogger account:
If you already have an account all you need to do is add Keystone Writes! to your reading list.
1. press the add button under the words reading list on the left hand side of your screen.
2. a box will appear with two different lines, click the box that says: "Add from URL"
3. type keystonewrites.blogspot.com into the box.
4. hit the follow button.
5. You can now enjoy every aspect of the Keystone Writes! blog!
If you do not have a blogger account:
If you do not have an account you must create one
1. Go to www.blogger.com
2. enter your gmail account email and password, if you do not already have a gmail you can create one by hitting the sign up button in the upper right hand corner.
3. after you have signed in you will be sent to you a profile information page, (you can edit this page now or later) hit the button at the bottom that says continue to blogger. This will take you to your blogger dashboard.
4. Now follow steps 1-5 above under the heading "If you already have a blogger account"
If you have any questions or are having trouble creating an account send me an email at JenniferLeigh96@gmail.com and put "Keystone Writes!" in the subject field!
Thanks!
-Jen
You can view Keystone Writes! whether you are a member or not, but in order to truly participate you should become a member; it is a simple and quick process.
If you already have a blogger account:
If you already have an account all you need to do is add Keystone Writes! to your reading list.
1. press the add button under the words reading list on the left hand side of your screen.
2. a box will appear with two different lines, click the box that says: "Add from URL"
3. type keystonewrites.blogspot.com into the box.
4. hit the follow button.
5. You can now enjoy every aspect of the Keystone Writes! blog!
If you do not have a blogger account:
If you do not have an account you must create one
1. Go to www.blogger.com
2. enter your gmail account email and password, if you do not already have a gmail you can create one by hitting the sign up button in the upper right hand corner.
3. after you have signed in you will be sent to you a profile information page, (you can edit this page now or later) hit the button at the bottom that says continue to blogger. This will take you to your blogger dashboard.
4. Now follow steps 1-5 above under the heading "If you already have a blogger account"
If you have any questions or are having trouble creating an account send me an email at JenniferLeigh96@gmail.com and put "Keystone Writes!" in the subject field!
Thanks!
-Jen
Monday, December 17, 2012
Important Information
Hi guys,
This is a notice to inform you that while we will provide criticism on this blog, malicious put- downs will NEVER be tolerated. You have one warning. Being offensive to others will result in being blocked. Please send an email to me or Jen if you suspect that someone's intent was unkind.
For those who have received criticism, please keep in mind that revision is key to success when it comes to writing. When we comment on your posts saying something negative (such as "your grammar was slightly incorrect"), it is to point out your weaknesses and help you grow as a writer. We are not trying to offend you in any way; we are truthfully trying to help!
Keep in mind, Jen and I are always here to help you! Email us with any concerns relating to this post.
- Dvora Z
This is a notice to inform you that while we will provide criticism on this blog, malicious put- downs will NEVER be tolerated. You have one warning. Being offensive to others will result in being blocked. Please send an email to me or Jen if you suspect that someone's intent was unkind.
For those who have received criticism, please keep in mind that revision is key to success when it comes to writing. When we comment on your posts saying something negative (such as "your grammar was slightly incorrect"), it is to point out your weaknesses and help you grow as a writer. We are not trying to offend you in any way; we are truthfully trying to help!
Keep in mind, Jen and I are always here to help you! Email us with any concerns relating to this post.
- Dvora Z
Please Read Before Posting!!
Since Keystone Writes! is a high school level writing blog and all levels of content are allowed, but please remember that there are younger students who may be participating. For this reason we are asking that if the content of your work has a PG-13 rating or above please specify this in your post title. This is a link to a site that contains more detailed information on what is covered under each rating: http://www.mpaa.org/ratings/what-each-rating-means.
Another note to remember is that it is a possibility that future teachers, colleges, and/or employers may see your writings. Please keep this in mind when posting your works. Just like anything else that is put on the Internet, once it is out there, it's out there.
This is not intended to discourage creative writing or more mature writing; it is just to remind you of possibilities and to ask you to be considerate to other writers/readers of Keystone Writes!.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the rating for your writing please feel free to email a copy of your work to me and I will gladly let you know how I would rate it.
Lastly, Keystone Writes! is a private blog created by Keystone students, for Keystone students and is not sponsored by The Keystone School.
Again if you have any questions please feel free to email me at: JenniferLeigh96@gmail.com
Thank you for your understanding!
-Jen
Another note to remember is that it is a possibility that future teachers, colleges, and/or employers may see your writings. Please keep this in mind when posting your works. Just like anything else that is put on the Internet, once it is out there, it's out there.
This is not intended to discourage creative writing or more mature writing; it is just to remind you of possibilities and to ask you to be considerate to other writers/readers of Keystone Writes!.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the rating for your writing please feel free to email a copy of your work to me and I will gladly let you know how I would rate it.
Lastly, Keystone Writes! is a private blog created by Keystone students, for Keystone students and is not sponsored by The Keystone School.
Again if you have any questions please feel free to email me at: JenniferLeigh96@gmail.com
Thank you for your understanding!
-Jen
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Welcome fellow Keystoners! :D
Hey everybody!
My name is Jennifer, (feel free to call me Jen, Jenny or any other nickname you wish! >.<) and I am the co-author of Keystone Writes! (My counterpart being the wonderful Dvora Z!)I am 16, and am currently a junior! Some of you guys probably know me from one of several different places, as I am an active member of the Keystone Book Club, and Biology Club as well as a frequent poster on the Only At Keystone page as well as The Keystone School page on Facebook. I have been a Keystone student since October of 2011 and I absolutely love Keystone! (some of that could come from being able to sleep in! lol) Anyhow! I got involved with Keystone Writes! because I enjoy writing, and am always hoping for a new kind of challenge! When Dvora posted on Only At Keystone about NaNoWriMo I knew I had found a new and exciting challenge (even though I am more of a poetry girl myself :)). We realized that writing could be even more fun if we were able to share our works with other Keystone students, and thus Keystone Writes! was born!
Keystone Writes! has several different sections tailored to the wide variety of writers we figured would come knocking (figuratively of course!), including; short stories, random writing, essays, poetry, and NaNoWriMo! Anyone and everyone are welcome to join in, even if you aren't an avid writer! Maybe you just want to have someone peer review your big research paper for History before you turn it in for 30% of your grade; I know I would!! :) Keystone Writes! isn't just a random writing blog, but a great way to interact with fellow students! I have enjoyed getting to know many different Keystoners through other outlets and I am super excited to add another! Oh! If anyone has any ideas or questions regarding the blog please feel free to send me an email at JenniferLeigh96@gmail.com. Please put Keystone Writes! in the subject field so that way I don't accidentally delete it! Thanks!
-Jen
Welcome, Everyone!
Hello everyone!
My name is Dvora Zomberg. Some of you may know me from the Only At Keystone Facebook page. For others, this may be the first time we "meet".
I am a 16- year- old New York City girl. I live in downtown Manhattan with my parents, my 13- year- old- sister, my 8- year- old brother, and my 1- year old chinchilla. I spend the majority of my days doing schoolwork, which, thanks to Keystone, I don't hate :) I have been a proud Keystone student since September 2012, and even though I'm new, I have decided that I'd like to be a part of student activities (even though all are virtual). I'm a member of both the Bio Club and the Book Club, although I really should start attending more meetings of both!
When I posted the NaNoWriMo post on the Facebook page and "met" this blog's co- author, Jen, I knew that I had to help Keystone students share their writing. As a young writer myself, I am always looking for "writing buddies", reviewers, and ways to promote my budding work. I knew that there must be others- especially Keystone students, because we don't see friends daily like students in traditional schools do- out there who share my problems. Thus emerged Keystone Writes! This blog was created for Keystone students to be able to share their work, get feedback (and sometimes criticism!), and have a strong support group, each of whose members can relate to being a writer in high school.
Even if you're not a writer and you just want some homework help, feel free to look around! We have an "essay" section in the forum: you can post homework essays in it, and we can help review for grammar and the like. Of course, don't think we're perfect: keep in mind, we're young, too!
Please have a look around, fellow students! Join the blog!
I look forward to hearing/reading what you all have to say!
- Dvora Z
My name is Dvora Zomberg. Some of you may know me from the Only At Keystone Facebook page. For others, this may be the first time we "meet".
I am a 16- year- old New York City girl. I live in downtown Manhattan with my parents, my 13- year- old- sister, my 8- year- old brother, and my 1- year old chinchilla. I spend the majority of my days doing schoolwork, which, thanks to Keystone, I don't hate :) I have been a proud Keystone student since September 2012, and even though I'm new, I have decided that I'd like to be a part of student activities (even though all are virtual). I'm a member of both the Bio Club and the Book Club, although I really should start attending more meetings of both!
When I posted the NaNoWriMo post on the Facebook page and "met" this blog's co- author, Jen, I knew that I had to help Keystone students share their writing. As a young writer myself, I am always looking for "writing buddies", reviewers, and ways to promote my budding work. I knew that there must be others- especially Keystone students, because we don't see friends daily like students in traditional schools do- out there who share my problems. Thus emerged Keystone Writes! This blog was created for Keystone students to be able to share their work, get feedback (and sometimes criticism!), and have a strong support group, each of whose members can relate to being a writer in high school.
Even if you're not a writer and you just want some homework help, feel free to look around! We have an "essay" section in the forum: you can post homework essays in it, and we can help review for grammar and the like. Of course, don't think we're perfect: keep in mind, we're young, too!
Please have a look around, fellow students! Join the blog!
I look forward to hearing/reading what you all have to say!
- Dvora Z
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