Portfolio Guide

The Magical Plant

The Story of Noah and Joshua

The Fish and The Leopard

Herald's Bad Year

Online Education Review

I have mixed feelings for taking course online. I probably wouldn't take major courses online, just because I learn more in person. I have taken a few classes online in the past and this one has probably been my favorite because the communication has been so good. I usually forget about most online classes and don't do very well in them, but this class is different. I would suggest this course to others! I think one of the best things about online classes is the fact that you can get in done on your own time. I like going to a coffee shop and just doing the work when I can.

Online course can be very beneficial!

Gen. Ed. Review

This is my final Gen. Ed. course to take at the University of Oklahoma. I have to admit, I'm not always the biggest fan of taking Gen. Ed. courses that take up a lot of time because it takes away from learning and time in important courses that are apart of my major. I have found that the Gen. Ed courses often require more time than any other class and it leaves me just trying to hurry and finish it so I can get to the courses I care about.

I have definitely learned from these courses, though (well some of them). I liked this course a lot even though I thought it was a little demanding to have something due each day. I understand the importance of Gen. Ed courses, but at the same time, I feel that maybe a change is needed.

President David Boren - A Hero at the U of O.

Essay - Italian Fairy Tales

For my LAST unit, I chose to read Italian Fairy Tales. This was a great unit to end on. It was full of fun stories that I really wasn't expecting. I had a lot of fun reading these stories that had humor, personality, resilience, and emotion. Each story had its own power and story. My favorite story from the unit was called Water and Salt. It was about a king who asked his three daughters to tell him how much they loved him. When one of the daughters told him he loved him as much as water and salt the king was furious and told his guards to kill her. The guards ended up not killing her, but a goat instead and covered up her story. The girl was rescued by a magician and fell in love by another prince. They threw a party and invited all the kings to come. The daughter told her maids not to give the king any water or salt. He could barely eat his food and then the girl said now you know what I meant. The king couldn't believe it.

This was an awesome class and I'm really glad I got to enjoy so many great readings. This was a great unit to end on and I would suggest it to anyone looking for an easy and fun read. The best thing about these stories is the opportunity to learn about so many different cultures. These Italian fairy tales are a prime example. They are great stories that I had never heard of before, but loved anyway.

Have some extra time on your hand? Go check it out!

That's a wrap!

Storytelling - Salt and Water

There once was a young prince you lived in a large palace with his family. His parents were the king and queen of Lottenville and he was first in line to take their place out of his three younger brothers. One day, when the king was spending time with his sons, he asked each of them to tell him how much they loved him. The youngest son said he loved him more than the son. The next said he loved him more than air. The third said he loved him more than life itself. When it came to the oldest prince, he said he loved his father as much as salt and water.

Astonished by his answer, the king had his guards take his oldest son away and have him killed. The younger brothers pleaded to their father to have mercy on the oldest prince, but he was too furious to allow any type of grace on his son. The guards took the prince away and fed him to a den of hungry lions. The brothers were traumatized by this cruel act from their father.

As a few years passed by, a famine grew over Lottenville. There was no rain for over a year and the people of Lottenville were beginning to starve and thirst. One day, the king sat to eat dinner with his family. When he bit into his meal, he began chewing like a goat. The famine had taken away quality seasonings and flavors, even salt and the food was too hard to get down. He asked for a cup of water, but the maid said they had no more water to give. At that moment, the king realized what his oldest son meant when he said water and salt and saw the value in the two products. He mourned for his lack of trust in his son and asked for his family’s forgiveness.

The next day, rain poured over Lottenville for 21 days. Each pond and river refilled and life began to blossom again throughout the land. The king and queen rejoiced for the gracious blessings even after their mistakes. They created a holiday in honor of their lost son and treated his life memory as heroic and brave. The king was humbled and decided to show mercy on everyone in his kingdom that liked him or not. The oldest prince’s memory was the never forgotten.

Author's Note: This story comes from the original Italian Fairy Tales: Salt and Water. The basics on in this story, but their is no killing in the original story. You should go check it out for yourself, it is a great read! Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed!

Bibliography: 

Italian Popular Tales 

by Thomas Frederick Crane 

(1885).

Reading Diary B - Italian Fairy Tales

If you weren't convinced but my diary from yesterday, hopefully this one will do the trick. Read this unit! Seriously, you will not regret it. There are several great stories throughout this unit that everyone can enjoy reading from all ages. One of the cool parts of this unit is that several of the stories are pretty similar to the American fairy tales I grew of reading and hearing. Most of the stories will have something different to them or maybe different characters. Looking for a fun read? Look no further! Italian Fairy Tales is the answer!

Reading Diary A - Italian Fairy Tales

Wow! What a cool unit. I read Italian Fairy Tales for my final unit in the course. After reading the first half of this unit, I can already tell this may be one of my favorites yet. The stories are so unique and interesting. The writing style is pretty simple to read too. My favorite story was called Water and Salt. This story is about a king and his three daughters. When the youngest daughter says she loves him like water and salt, the king has her killed. Luckily, the guards kill a goat instead to act like they killed the princess. A magician finds the girl and saves her. A young prince falls in love with her and during the wedding, they invite kings to come join them, including her father. When they serve the king food without salt and no water, she reveals who she is and why salt and water are so important. They all live happily ever after.

Salt + Water