Ms. McDonagh's Blog

Over the summer, I traveled a lot! One long weekend in August, my friends and I rented a house in Upstate New York. The house was nestled in the mountains next to a huge lake called Brant Lake. After a grueling four hour car ride, I finally arrived at the house. I was elated to see many of my friends who live all over New York state that I do not typically get to spend time with. Upon arriving, we immediately decided to go for a swim in the lake. The backyard had a big deck, fire pit, beach, and a dock. The following day, we rented a pontoon boat and spent the entire day on the water. We had so much fun floating on tubes, eating snacks, and relaxing on the boat. To end a spectacular weekend, we roasted marshmallows under the stars while sitting by the campfire.  Vocabulary Nestled (Adjective)- To be hidden from sight between two objects. Huge (Adjective)- Really large. Grueling (Adjective)-Extremely tiring. Elated (Adjective)- Very excited, or happy. Immediately (...

 Over the summer, my friend and I visited Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During our  weekend getaway , we planned many fun  adventures . One place we were both  eager  to  explore  was called Magic Gardens. Magic Gardens is a  museum  full of  mosaics  created by an  artist  named Isaiah Zagar. The artist used different  materials  to create the art that surrounds the walls of Magic Gardens. Some of the materials include bottles, mirrors, tiles, and more. Magic Gardens is full of  vibrant  colors that are very  eye-catching . If you ever decide to visit Philadelphia, you should definitely see Magic Gardens! Vocabulary Weekend Getaway (noun)- A place where a person escapes for relaxation. Adventures (noun)- An exciting experience. Eager (adjective)- The feeling of impatiently waiting. Explore (verb)- To discover something new. Museum (noun)-A building where works of art are displayed...

Have you ever seen a pet turtle who comes when he's called? During my trip to Croatia, my friends and I stayed in an Airbnb in the city of Zadar. The host of the Airbnb was so friendly, he showed us his vegetable garden in his backyard. Inside of his garden, he began calling for " Dogge ." Soon enough, a small turtle crawled over to us. The host introduced us to his pet turtle named Dogge and we began feeding him vegetables from the garden. We walked around the garden calling "Dogge" and he came over to us each time. We were so surprised that a turtle can know it's own name! Vocabulary Airbnb (noun)- A house or apartment that can be rented for a short stay. Zadar (noun)- An old city in Croatia. Host (noun)- The owner of the Airbnb. Garden (noun)- A small area used to grow vegetables. Dogge (noun)- The name of the turtle. Crawled (verb)- To move forward by dragging the body close to the ground. Introduced (verb)- To meet someone new. Sur...

Would you enjoy going on a long hike alongside beautiful crystal blue water? Then Plitvice Lakes in Croatia is the place for you! Over the summer, my friends and I travelled along the coast of Croatia for ten days. One of the most unique spots we visited was called Plitvice Lakes. Plitvice Lakes is located in one of Croatia's eight national parks. During our hike, we walked over bridges , climbed over rocks, and even passed by a few waterfalls. The water is crystal clear and you can see to the bottom of the lake. Unfortunately , swimming is prohibited because of the pollution from swimmers. Although you cannot swim, I highly recommend visiting Plitvice Lakes because the views are breathtaking . Vocabulary Enjoy (adjective)- To have a good time. Alongside (preposition)- At the side or close by. Unique (adjective)- One of a kind. Coast (noun)- The land near a seashore. Bridge (noun)- A wooden pathway connecting two pieces of land with water underneath. Crystal...