Worst Day of My Life

January 24th, 2014.

This day was one of the worst days of my life. It was a Friday morning, as I was walking into my kitchen to grab breakfast before I left for school, I wasn't greeted by a wagging tail and slobbery dog kisses. Instead, Dakota was laying down on the floor behind the dining room table, completely unfazed. Because I was I was running late, I grabbed a muffin, gave him a kiss, and left to catch the bus. I texted my mom to tell her that Dakota was acting extremely strange and unlike himself this morning.

After school, as I was walking down the block, I noticed my dad's car in the driveway, which he always gets home after I do. Once I got to the front door, something did not feel right. I turn the door knob, walk in with tears rushing down my face, asking my parents where Dakota is. When I finally calmed down, my parents told me that they took him to the vet and discovered a massive mass in his rib cage the size of a grapefruit. The vet wasn't sure if it was cancerous, and where exactly it was located because of his deep rib cage and his age. 


We had to make a decision. We can either put Dakota through the surgery, which may or may not removed the mass or help, or we can put Dakota down and out of his misery. I could not believe what I was hearing. He is my best friend. He is only 7 and a half years old. Only halfway through his life.

After a lot of tears and conversations, we decided that it is in Dakota's best interest if we put him down. Losing Dakota was the second hardest loss I ever experienced because dog's are truly part of the family. 

Vocabulary:

• Unfazed(adjective): not confused, worried, or shocked by something that has happened
• Catch(verb): to get on a bus, train, etc., before it leaves
• Block(noun): an area of land surrounded by four streets in a city
• Knob(noun): a round handle on a door, drawer, etc.
• Discovered(verb): to learn or find out (something surprising of unexpected) 
• Mass(noun): a large number or amount of something
• Cancerous(noun): a serious disease caused by cells that are not normal and that can spread to one or many parts of the body
• Decision(noun): a choice that you make about something after thinking about it: the result of deciding 
• Surgery(noun): a medical treatment in which a doctor cuts into someone's body in order to repair or remove damaged or diseased parts
• Down(verb): the act of putting an animal to death or allowing it to die without holding extreme medical measures

Vocabulary Exercise:

Directions: Organize the words into alphabetical order. (ABC's) 

1. __________________________

2. __________________________

3. __________________________

4. __________________________

5. __________________________

6. __________________________

7. __________________________

8. __________________________

9. __________________________

10. _________________________

Grammar Point:

Capitalization is used in the beginning of a sentence or a proper noun that maybe placed anywhere, including the pronoun I. 
For example: 
Are you going to the Thomas Rhett concert at Jones Beach? 
Are is capital because it begins the sentence. 
Thomas Rhett and Jones Beach are capital because they are proper nouns. 

Grammar Exercise:

Directions: Correct the following capitalization in the sentences below. 

1. i am going to the park. ________
2. We are going to visit molloy college today. ____________
3. Today is wednesday. __________
4. have you ever been to new jersey? ________________________
5. My name is maria. what is your name? _____________________
6. yesterday i told my mom that i am working at amityville public library. ________________________________________________________
7. Today is my brother, christopher's, birthday. 
8. they moved to north dakota last year. ____________________________ 

For Additional Help: 

https://www.education.com/game/capitalizing-proper-nouns/https://www.education.com/game/proper-nouns-hopper/