Fast finishers in October got to create a short story based on a traditional Halloween symbol. The only rule was that something strange had to be happening with the symbol. They could choose either a 1st person or 3rd person narrator, and had to story map their ideas first. The students had fun brainstorming ideas: the witch who couldn't perform spells, the black cat that brought good luck, and Sulwen's (4th grade): The Jack-O-Lantern That Wouldn't be Lit! She speaks from the view point of a mouse who lives inside the Jack-o-Lantern. I love this story, and hope you enjoy it too!
Last Halloween, people kept trying to light my house on fire! These giant things took a match and tried to light my chew toy on fire. My chew toy is a piece of string with wax on it. Anyway, every time they lit it on fire, I ran over and blew it out, then ran away. The big things were worried that my home was haunted.
Finally they dumped my home and me at an old haunted house. It looked so scary! They threw me into a window. How would I manage by myself? I didn't know. I was panicking. I went and explored, and then I met an old black cat. I thought I was going to die! I was too young to die!
The cat came over and told me that I had three wishes. I wished for a kingdom of cheese with a lifelong supply of every type of cheese you could think of. My second wish was to be the ruler of the cheese kingdom. My third wish was that there were no cats in the world.
I am now in the Cheese Castle surrounded by my favorite cheese. I am currently eating cheddar. The cats of the world are all gone, even the magical cat that granted me my wishes. My life is now complete!
Arushi (5th grade) is so creative. I love the voice and expression she puts into her stories. Don't you feel sorry for this black cat?? Enjoy!
"The Black Cat Who Gave Good Luck"
"Go back to bed, Midnight!" I only half heard my mother scolding me. I am a black cat. As you heard my annoying mother, my name is Midnight. Halloween is coming up soon, and I can't wait for my first job.
I had been waiting for Halloween since I was a kitten. Well, I guess I'm still a kitten, but I was younger then. For Halloween, my family and I were going to give everyone bad luck! This would be the best day of my life. Unfortunately, things didn't turn out quite as planned.
I couldn't wait until the whole family went out, so I went out by myself. I waited until someone started coming my way, then I leaped on the sidewalk. "I really want a puppy," my victim was saying. Suddenly, before she could see me, a puppy slid onto the sidewalk.
My eyes grew round with disbelief. Good Luck?! What was going on? What would I tell my littermate, Star? We had been planning what kinds of bad luck we were going to use! My Halloween was ruined!
I decided to try again. Maybe the puppy was just a coincidence. I waited under the shelter of a bush until I saw a trick that couldn't go wrong. There was a little boy standing on the sidewalk. He was staring at the new ice cream shop window. Next to him, there was a ladder. A worker was hanging up a sign. The sign started to slip, and the worker, oblivious to what was happening, started to climb down.
I jumped in front of the boy, and the sign kept slipping. I was relieved. But when the sign was in midair, it just stopped and hovered there. A worker from the ice cream shop came out and offered the little boy an ice cream. I was outraged. And ashamed.
My family finally got used to my odd power. I tried not to go out with my family, in fear of messing up their bad luck powers. I was lonely and sad. Even Star was ignoring me. I was an outcast in my own home. All day I was cooped up inside.
That was my sad and lonely life. I have my own kittens now, and they all give good luck. Except for one little kitten. I named her "Midnight." She will never be treated like I was. She will be my precious kitten forever.
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