Squiggle Line Art and Stories

Start with a random squiggle line... what do you see?  The students came up with so many creative ideas!  They then completed a Who-What-Where-When-Why-How story map to get their thoughts down before writing.  Enjoy these short stories, and creative pictures to match!

I love how Hayden, Natalie, and Sabrina all chose the same squiggle line, but turned them into completely different pictures!

The Creepy Forest, by Hayden (1st grade)

     Once upon a time, there was a little girl in a magical creepy forest.  She found a 3 leaf clover.  She got lost.  She went the wrong way.  Then she got eaten.

The Elephant Parade, by Natalie (2nd grade)

     Once upon a time, on a beautiful afternoon at the carnival, during the elephant parade, a little boy was riding an elephant.  It was the opening act.  Then, he fell off the elephant!  The boy broke his arm, but he was okay.

Christmas Night, by Sabrina (3rd grade)

     On Christmas Night, Santa Claus and Rudolph are about to leave the North Pole so Santa can deliver his presents.  But when he delivers his presents, he goes the wrong way and gets lost in a humungous forest!

     Luckily, Rudolph saves the day and finds the next house that needs presents!

     After the last house, Santa Claus is so tired.  I bet that Rudolph is tired also.  When Santa and Rudolph come back home, they both eat two cookies with milk and take a long nap (which really turned into sleep) and they are so happy to be back home in the North Pole.

Get your kleenex ready... this is a tear-jerker!  By Amelia (4th grade)

     Once in a land far far away, where the summers are tropical and the winters are arctical, there was a parrot named Felicia.  She was a carrier parrot (yes, I am sure I meant parrot) during the summer and there was nothing she liked doing more than gliding over the beach with an important message from the mayor in her claws.  True, her trainer was quite hard on her, making her carry message from the moment the sun came up to well into the night, but she could forgive him for that.  Felicia always told herself that he was just stressed, but she had never seen how cruel he could be in the winter.  Right after the first snowfall, her trainer took her outside and set her on a small branch nailed to a pole.

     "We'll be needing the birdhouse for warmth," he grunted, and without warning whipped out a length of gold chain and bound Felicia to the pole.  The poor parrot squawked in protest, but the burly figure of her trainer was already disappearing into the thick morning fog.  

     A few minutes later, Felicia saw the trainer through the window holding her birdhouse.  He struck a match and lit the house on fire, before throwing it into the fireplace.  Felicia tried to scream, but she realized that her beak was already frozen closed.

     Days passed.  Icicles formed on Felicia's once silky smooth feathers.  Every breath came slower than the last.  Just as she was about to lose all hope, Felicia saw a hazy silhouette staggering toward her.  Suddenly, her breathing became easier.  Silently, she thanked the heavens for bestowing this miracle upon her.  Finally, the girl arrived at the pole.  With great difficulty, she pulled out a knife, and cut Felicia free.  It seemed like hours before they arrived at a small cottage.

     "Alicia!" cried a voice.  A tall lady stepped out.  "Where were you?  We were so worried."

     "But, but.... Mother," the girl named Alicia said, "I couldn't let the pp-pparrot freeze to dd-death."

     Upon seeing Felicia, Alicia's mother's expression softened.  "All right," she said.  "Bring her in."

     Soon Felicia was thawing out next to the hearth.  Alicia was beside her, still shivering from the cold.  That night, Alicia's family ate a feast, and for the first time in her life, Felicia felt genuinely contented.  She wondered if this was what it was like to have a caring owner.

     As she settled down to sleep, Felicia thought that her life from now on was going to be flawless.  But as Felicia had to learn, not every story was a fairy tale with a happily-ever-after.

     The next morning, Alicia woke up with a raging fever.  The doctor said that it was just an aftershock of Alicia's long journey through the blizzard, but the whole family was still worried.  Felicia felt burdened with a newly awakened guilt.  She didn't want someone to risk their health (or life) to save her.  

     Winter gave way to spring, and soon the temperature would warm up.  Alicia still didn't get better. She rarely got out of bed.  

     One day, she didn't wake.  Her family stood by her bedside.  Felicia flew down from her new birdhouse and perched mournfully on her night stand.  Alicia woke briefly to smile at the beautiful parrot, then closed her clear blue eyes forever.

Epilogue

     Felicia stretched her wings out as she soared through the cloud.  This time, though, she wasn't delivering a message.  In her claws was a bouquet of pink carnations.  She landed in the graveyard, and looked for the grave with the parrot carved on to it.  Felicia snatched the old withering flowers, and pecked at them.  Then, she carefully laid the new carnations at the foot of the grave, dusted the slate of stone, and flew off.

Roxy and Sammy, By Talya (5th grade)

     "Arf!  Are!"  Sammy the dog barked as the girl filled her and Roxy's bowls.

     After about ten seconds, their bowls were full and then she headed out the door.  Roxy and Sammy both stared at their bowls.  Like the predators from those cartoons, they stared at their food eagerly, their mouths watering.

     Only then, when they decided to eat their food, did they notice their bowls moving slightly toward the crack in the wall.

     Sammy tilted her head as Roxy pawed it a little.

     "Why is my bowl walking?" they both thought anxiously.

     As they stepped off the carpet, Roxy looked under her bright pink bowl to see three tiny little black specks.

     Sammy trotted in front of the bowls and sniffed the underside of them.  Then, she picked up her paw and kicked it.  She expected the tiny black dots to get squished under the impact, but the ants only stumbled backwards.

     And just as quickly as Sammy kicked them, the ants darted off in the other direction with their food!  Sammy and Roxy sprinted right after them without hesitation.  However, the dogs didn't notice the ants stop and go towards them.

     The bowls of food started moving under the dogs and back to the cracks in the wall.

     The dogs were going so fast that when they tried to stop, they slipped on the sleek wooden floor.

     The ants had a big head start, and were running straight towards the crack.  If they made it, the dogs would have no breakfast!

     The good thing was, dogs are much faster, so they had the advantage.

     Sammy dived right at the ants, just as they reached the crack, but it was too late..... for the ants.  When Sammy had dived for the ants, her mouth was wide open.  She may have swallowed a few.  The rest, she accidentally breathed into her nose, which led to a lot of sneezing.

     But it was all worth it because they still got their food in the end!

River & Tree, by Flo (6th grade)

A long time ago, in a place far, far away from humans stood a beautiful tree named Aurora. Next to the tree flowed a stunning river named August. This is their story.

August and Aurora lived in between thirteen hills and a forest. August was born from mountain-top snow melting and trickling into a dry ravine. Aurora was born from seeds of another tree in the forest, Elora. As children of the Hills and Forest, they should have been mortal enemies. But August and Aurora, by fate’s twisted hand, fell in love.

It began one day when the sky was stormy and the wind fierce. A sharp gust of wind blew Aurora away from the Forest and toward August, who was racing faster than ever before. August, always the friendly one, greeted her.

“Hello! I’m August, who might you be?”

While August knew not to talk to the evil trees of the Forest, as the elder mountains had said, something had changed on that particular day.

“Oh! Uh, I’m Aurora. Aren’t you a … mountain river?”

Aurora didn’t mean to be rude, but she was brought up to know that all mountains were strict and detested fun. They were definitely not supposed to be polite.

“Yes, technically, although I couldn’t be more different than the Elders, or my cousins,” replied August.

Aurora responded without a thought, for if she had pondered her statemeant she would never have uttered it.

           “Good. Me too.”

The rest of the day was spent talking of their parents’ rules, how little freedom they were given, and how much they wished they were free to do whatever they wanted, live with whomever they loved.

But alas, all good things must come to an end, followed perhaps by something less pleasant.

At the storm’s end, another gust of wind blew Aurora back to her original position leaning towards the forest, and their first encounter ended.

That night, both August and Aurora faced the wrath of the Elders.

“August!” bellowed the Mountain from which August was born, “How dare you fraternize with a child of the Forest!”

“Aurora, you will never speak to or think about that Mountain river ever again!” commanded the nearest Elder.

However, that night, regardless of their superiors’ instructions, August and Aurora pondered their encounter. Neither could remember a time when they met a kindred spirit, another who felt oppressed by their clan, and when they had fallen in love so quickly. But alas, they would never see each other again...or so they thought.

When the sun again rose over the mountains, Elora, Aurora’s mother, beckoned to her daughter, and Aurora braced herself for more reprimands. Yet, that was not what she received.

“Aurora, please listen to me, I have-”

“Mother, please don’t tell me never to see August again, I know,”

“No, you don’t. Listen to me: I was just like you once, I once loved a smaller Mountain, and I gave him up, but you mustn’t give your love up. She really belongs with you. Now, I know you must be shocked, but I needed to tell you about my past.”

For a moment, all Aurora could do was stare at her mother; but, after the moment had passed, all the young child of the forest could say was, “Thank you.”

This was the last time Aurora talked to her mother.

That night, a storm struck. In fact, it was the worst storm Nature had ever seen. The Wind ripped through the Forest with more violence than ever before. Even the mightiest Mountain felt the great force of the rain on its slopes. Forest and Mountain alike were praying only to see a clear blue sky once more.

Aurora, however, was calm, even content. The Wind was pushing her more and more toward her love with every howl. And then, suddenly, it happened. Aurora’s roots were ripped from the ground, and she fell. Fell all the way into August’s arms, where she belonged. And so, as the storm began to fade, Aurora’s fruit fell into August’s soil, and overtime, new life arose, which we would now call seaweed.

This is the story of how two young wonders of nature in love brought new life to this world, new peace to their families, and a new understanding of just how big a difference love can make.

Olympics Rejection and Acceptance Letters

     After students turned in their persuasive letters to the Olympic Board of Commissioners, they got to write to themselves, but play the part of a member of the Board of Commissioners..... either accepting OR rejecting their idea!  Enjoy these two hilarious samples!  (Would you agree on the decisions??)

Dear Maddie (5th grade),

     I can tell you put a lot of thought into this new sport, but it is a terrible idea.  This sport would be super dangerous, and not enjoyable.  Besides, Biathlon is already hard enough!

     Biathaball is a dangerous sport.  Imagine if someone accidentally dropped their basketball.  It might roll down the hill and trip someone!  Also, what if someone shot a ball and it hit someone in the face?  As you can see, Biathaball is very dangerous.

     Also, this sport is not at all enjoyable.  Doesn't it make you sad to see people not being able to make a shot in, or trip and have no more chances at an Olympic dream come true? That's just what everyone will see.  Who wants to watch that?

     If you think about it, Biathaball would be so hard.  It's already hard enough to do Biathlon, and it's also pretty hard to play basketball.  Is it not hard to hold a ball and not drop it while skiing fast?  Do you really think you could ski without two arms for balance?  You should have considered this before asking us about this potential catastrophe.

     I'm sorry about your new sport not getting into the Olympics, but as I said, it's terrible.  Thank you for sending us that letter, and I hope you keep inventing new sports.

Sincerely, ------------

Dear Noah (4th grade),

     We, the Olympic Board of Commissioners, think that Foo-Ball should be added to the list of sports for the next Winter Olympics.

     We love the name of Foo-Ball, and that it combines the aggressiveness and accuracy of hockey and baseball.  Just imagine hockey players, catching and diving and throwing the ball!  People will wonder, how can baseball players play on top of ice?

     Congrats on being accepted for your new sport, Foo-Ball.  We are looking forward to putting Foo-Ball in the Olympics for people to watch!

From, The Olympic Board of Commissioners

Love Poems!

     For Valentine's Day, the Budding Authors and Artists filled in the blanks and wrote these lovely Love Poems about Love and the 5 senses!  This is one of my favorites, by Iriel (2nd grade):

New Olympic Sports!

     The Olympics are so exciting to watch!  The athletes work so hard to perfect their skills, and many of the sports we watched on TV appeared quite difficult.  (You will not find this teacher on any ski slopes doing flips in the air!!)

     With this in mind, my authors and artists brainstormed what it would be like to combine TWO sports into one!  The "Budding" class wrote a paragraph describing their new sport and what made it special and unique.  In the "Awesome" class, the theme was persuasive writing.  The students wrote a letter to the Olympic Board of Commissioners with the following format:

     Paragraph 1: A very warm introduction with plenty of praise and compliments
     Paragraph 2: Brief description of the new sport
     Paragraph 3: Detailed description of the sport, including rules, uniforms, and scoring
     Paragraph 4: Benefits to adding this sport (most likely including perks, fame, and money!)
     Paragraph 5: A conclusion with a "sell-it" sentence.  They HAVE to say "yes" at this point, because you have been so persuasive!

     Here are some of my favorites across the ages.  Would YOU try any of these sports??

The New Game, by Nathan (2nd grade)

     In the next Olympic Games, there should be a sport called HockeySki.  It would combine hockey and skiing.  You ski down a hill while trying to score the puck into a hockey goal.  You wear hockey uniforms and wear a helmet.  You play on a snowy hill in Lake Tahoe.  If you get 1st place, you get a diamond.  If you get 2nd place, you get a ruby, and if you get 3rd place, you get a gold.  I think my new sport would be exciting because of the prizes!

Volley Sledding, by Saviana (4th grade)

Dear Olympic Board of Commissioners,

     First, let me congratulate you on another success.  The 2018 Olympics brought joy and great opportunities to all the players.

     I am writing in hopes that you will add a new event to the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.  It is called, "Volley Sledding."  It combines two popular sports: volleyball and bobsledding.  Combining the two sports would result in a fascinating mix of skill and teamwork.

     Let me explain how I see this new sport.  Two teammates will be in their bobsleds, racing down the track.  While speeding over 70 MPH, the two teammates will be bumping the volleyball back and forth.  Each bump will result in one point.  If the players set the ball, it will result in two points.  If the teammates make it all the way down the track without dropping the ball, that will give them an extra four points.  Volley Sledding will only include women over 20 years old.  They will wear striped jerseys with the country's colors.  The bobsled will also be striped.

     Commissioners, imagine the possibilities!  The tickets to see Volley Sledding will sell faster than any sport.  Tourism to see your city will fill up hotels, which will result in better jobs.  You will be famous for adding such a wonderful sport!  Opportunities will strike all the talented volleyball players and fearless bobsledders!

     I do hope you will add Volley Sledding to the next Olympics.  It will grow teamwork, skill, friendships, and will give joy to all of the competitors.

     Sincerely, Saviana

Soccer Skating, by Nikhil (6th grade)

To The Olympic Board of Commissioners,

     Hello.  First off, congratulations on so many years of successful Olympic games.  Your unbelievable efforts put into this every two years are reflected in the output of the games.  So, congratulations on your work.

     I am writing in hopes to persuade you into adding a new event to the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.  It will be called, "Soccer Skating."  Soccer and ice skating are two highly anticipated sports in the Olympic Games.  If we end up combining these sports, it could have a massive and successful impact on the Olympic games forever.

     This sport will have the same aspects as a soccer game.  Athletes will be required to have eleven players on the field at a time, playing in a strategic 4-3-3 formation.  However, the field will have to be frozen, like an ice skating rink.  Also, when players have throw-ins, they can do a flip, then throw-in, and if that leads to an assist, teams would get two points.  As for the uniforms, they will have to wear a full soccer kit, but with ice skates, not cleats.  This game is NOT co-ed.

     Imagine the possibilities: soccer combined with ice skating.  Doing flip throws on throw-ins, and so much more.  So many more people will be in attendance, and once they see the sport's true potential, even more people will join.  Once the people come, you can raise the prices of the tickets, and the income will sky rocket.  Also, there will be many more opportunities for athletes, as we are combining two sports together.

     If you don't include this sport in the next Olympics, you will lose a lot of money, and the spectators will drop rapidly.  So please, do the right thing and make this game an Olympic sport.

                            Sincerely, Nikhil

Dear Olympic Board of Commissioners,

First things first, I would like to thank you for once again providing entertainment to viewers, and inspiration and motivation for aspiring athletes. The Olympics do this flawlessly.

I’m writing to you today because I have a humble request to make: I want  you to add Basket Derby to your already-wonderful roster of sports. What is Basket Derby, you ask? Basket Derby is a combination of the very popular sport of basketball and less popular, but still impressive, sport of Roller Derby.

This sport is easy-to-understand, yet also very fun to play. Each team would be comprised of five players of any gender on roller skates. This fantastic sport would be played on a hardwood basketball court, and it would be played with the typical basketball rules, scoring, and timing, save for a few exceptions. The biggest change in rules would be that the team playing defense may hinder the offensive team with Roller Derby regulations. Other rule changes would include that if the player in contact with the ball puts more than half of his or her skate out of the court borders, the ball goes to the other team. The athletes would wear the typical Roller Derby uniforms in their country’s colors; they would also be required to wear quad skates. One completely unique aspect of Basket Derby would be that, instead of medals, winners would take home different gemstones. The first-place winner would take home a diamond, the second-place winner would take home an emerald, and the third-place winner would take home a crystal of mystic topaz.

Adding this sport would not only be very fun for athletes, but would also greatly benefit you. If you instated Basket Derby into the Olympics, you would earn multiple benefits. First, you would earn a reputation for creating interesting fun-to-watch sports. You have never before put a sport into the Olympics that is not widely played, so doing so would add even more to your already stellar repertoire of achievements. Secondly, adding Basket Derby would earn you fame. Because the sport is not well known, you would forever be credited with spreading this sport throughout the world. Thirdly, it would attract twice as many fans as other sports. Fans of both Basketball and Roller Derby would flock to see this interesting fusion of sports. Lastly, but arguably most importantly, all of the aforementioned benefits would earn you more money than ever before.

For your own sake, I implore you to add Basket Derby to the wonderful list of sports you have planned for the 2020 Olympic Games. To rob viewers and young athletes of the exciting experiences that are playing and watching this fantastic sport would be a shame, don’t you think?

Thank you,

Florencia (6th grade)

My Greatest Invention

     The "Awesome" class also studied Thomas Edison's invention of the light bulb, but then they got to brainstorm and create their OWN amazing inventions!  This assignment was designed to be a simple three paragraph essay, with an introduction, a paragraph describing exactly HOW TO use the invention, and a conclusion.

     I find myself in need of these following inventions quite often!  What do you think?

The Do Your Own Hairanator

by Kalea (3rd grade)

     If I could create a new invention, it would be the Do Your Own Hairanator.  How many times have you gone to P.E. without a ponytail?  Have you ever been frustrated with your hair for any possible reason?  My invention would make that problem disappear!

     The hair brush is a simple circle case that has a pop-out hair brush.  With one touch, it activates the mirror screen, and you are ready to start.  There will be a touch screen, and you will pick one style, either: Easy, Stylish, or Extreme.  Then you pick which hair style you want and then, Snap!  You're wearing a ponytail (or any other hairstyle.)

     Thanks to the making of circuit boards, electrical wires, and great engineering, this magical hair-doer can solve your hair problems.  And next time you're late for P.E, don't forget to press Start on your Hairanator!

The Electronical Closet

by Cassia (5th grade)

     If I were to create any invention, it would be the "Electronical Closet."  In the morning, instead of having a frustrating time putting on clothes or thinking about what you want to wear, step inside the Electronical Closet, and it will do both for you!

     First, place your finger on the keypad and enter your mood.  Once complete, take off your clothes and step into the closet.  Inside, you shall find several mirrors and above your head, a shining, bright chandelier.  Meanwhile, the sliding doors will close shut, and the closet "arms" will bring out the set of clothes that relate to your mood.  The "arms" will put them in front of you, and you can dress yourself however you like.  Once the sensor senses that you have been dressed completely, the automatic doors will open, and you can walk out.

     Thanks to the Electronical Closet, you won't have to struggle in the mornings, or whenever.  If you can't find the right clothes, just step inside the Electronical Closet, and you're done!

The Idea Giver, by Nate (6th grade)

     Have you ever had an essay or big report due, but you don't have a good topic to write about?  Well, The Idea Giver (comes only in baseball cap form) will fix that in only a few seconds!

     You can use The Idea Giver in only a few steps.  To start, make sure you have all fifteen AAA batteries (intended for only one use), then start placing them one-by-one into their slots.  (Touch and/or terrible handling during this procedure may result in the shorting out of product.)  The second step is a little less mandatory but highly recommended: it's the Team Changer step.  All you need to do is press the baseball-shaped button on the back of the cap until your favorite MLB team is projected onto the front.  (All teams included but various teams may affect results.  For example, Dodgers= horrible results.  Giants= terrific results.)  Next input the type of writing you wish to get the idea for by pressing the microphone-shaped button on the left side of the cap, to start up the microphone.    Then steadily speak the writing prompt DIRECTLY into the microphone (unclear words may cause disastrous ideas).  To finish it all off, flick the tiny switch at the very top of the hat and think in amazement as The Idea Giver flared into life, sending the best idea into your brain.  The last step is just to let your pencil fly, as you try to fit all the new things to write about, thanks to your new idea!

     Customer reviews for this new and always improving product is on a rage.  Fans just simply adore the speed and safety (most of the time) of the world's #1 top good.  Buy one now, and you'll never have to strain your brain for ideas anymore!

Budding Authors and Artists: Opinions of Thomas Edison's Greatest Invention

     Near Thomas Edison's birthday (February 11th), the Budding Class had a discussion on Thomas Edison's amazing perseverance when it came to inventing the light bulb.  We then talked about what the world would be like if the light bulb had never been invented!  The students filled out a reflection sheet and turned it into a short essay.  For some of the students, this was the longest piece they had ever written.  I especially liked Colton's (2nd grade), and thought you would like to hear his perspective on what makes the light bulb so important!

     Dark Places, by Colton (2nd grade)

     Thomas Edison's invention of the light bulb was courageous.  The light bulb is life-changing because it was an amazing creation!  Thomas Edison did not give up at all.  He kept trying.  Without the light bulb, we may end up in the hospital because you may trip.  When you go camping, you may step on a venomous snake.  The teachers at school would wonder where their students went as they snuck away in the dark!  I think the light bulb is amazing because it changed life for mankind!

Budding Authors and Artists: Snowman Draw and Describe Game

     The "Budding" class got to play a guessing game.  Here's how you play:

Step 1: Draw a snowman with a creative background.
Step 2: Describe your snowman with lots of ADJECTIVES!    Fill in the sentence starters to write an amazing paragraph about your snowman.
Step 3: All snowmen are displayed on the board, and as the teacher reads the descriptions, the class tries to guess which snowman is being read about!  If a guess is correct on the first try, then that author did an OUTSTANDING job of describing their artwork!

     Here is one sample of a very creative and artistic snowman, drawn and described by Violet (2nd grade):

     My snowman is made up of three glittery snowballs.  Her head has thirty shiny pieces of coal, fat lines on its nose, and a fabulous tiara.  She also has four pink, magenta, blue, and yellow ruffles.  The background has a disco ball, two bright lights, and a red carpet.  My snowman is gorgeous and happy!

Awesome Authors and Artists: The Snowman Draw Game!

     This partner writing game is always a favorite, year to year!  Students can't wait to play it and improve and learn from their mistakes in the game they played earlier in the year, "Monster Draw."  (Scroll down to see the results of that game!)  This year, we practically had twin drawings, the writing and reading was so good!

     Here's how you play:
Step 1: Draw a snowman and a winter scene.
Step 2: Describe your snowman with.... You guessed it!  ADJECTIVES, ADJECTIVES, ADJECTIVES!  Describe size, shape, color, and number with every sentence!  Organize your writing into paragraphs, so it is easier for your partner to read and comprehend.
Step 3: If you did Step 2 well, you will be able to hand your description to a partner, and they will be able to draw your picture almost exactly!

     Winners were voted on by the classes.  It was an exciting competition!  Enjoy!

Alena's Snowman (3rd grade)

     My snowman has three balls.  One big ball is on the bottom, the next ball is medium sized and it is in the middle, and the last ball is on the top and is the smallest.

     The smallest ball on the top should have a hat on the top.  It should have a yellow belt on the hat, and the rest should be black.  The head should have black eyes and glasses around the eyes.  They should be small rectangles.  The nose should be in the middle.  It should be orange and small.  The mouth has a smile made of seven pieces of black coal.

     The middle circle should have arms that are medium size with three fingers.  On the right there should be a red book.  Where the head and the middle ball meet, there should be an orange scarf.  The middle will have three small blue buttons and the rest of the middle ball should be yellow.

     The last ball is the bottom ball.  It should have red boots.

     Now the background should be a long line about up to the bottom ball.  There should be a tree on the left.  The tree's trunk should be brown.  The leaves should be green.  On the top right, there should be a yellow medium sized moon.

I know you can't see it from where you are, but Alena's penmanship was so neat and easy to read!  For being one of our youngest players, she was so clear with her paragraphs!  She got Alyssa (4th grade) to draw this!

Rayne's Snowman (5th grade)

     My snowman is a girl.  She can be a little tricky to draw if you don't pay attention.  There are three main parts of my snowman.  She is standing on a hill.

     The head is a horizontal rectangle that is colored purple.  But first, you will have to draw six coal pieces as the mouth.  She has a carrot nose facing down that is orange.  She has two square eyes with thick eyelashes on the top of the eyes.  Her pupils are black and facing the snowman's left.  The rest of the eye is colored blue.  She has four strands of hair sticking off the top of her head that are spaced out, black, and leaning toward the snowman's left.

     The middle section is a horizontal short oval that is colored aqua green.  It has no outline.

     The bottom is a vertical rectangle with three buttons that are black going vertically down the rectangle.  The rectangle is colored lemon yellow.  The arms are coming out of the bottom of the middle section, and the top of the bottom rectangle.  The arms are made of four snowballs that are colored pink.  There are three black twig fingers coming out of the last snowball.  The two feet are like half ovals that are colored blue.

     The background is fun to do, so listen closely.  There is a sun in the snowman's right corner peeking out.  There are four rays of sun that are yellow, and the sun is also colored yellow.  There are two clouds in the middle of the sky that are not colored.  The rest of the sky is lightly shaded blue, but still neat, but not fully colored.  The hill on which the snowman is standing takes about a fourth of the paper and is not fully colored, but shaded green.

Rayne is a pro at this game!  This is her 6th game and she knows how to describe her art!  Look what she got Caren (4th grade) to draw!

Caleb's Snowman (4th grade)

     (All directions are from your perspective.)

     The bottom snowball of the three snowballs is a really big horizontal oval.  The middle snowball is a medium sized circle.  The top snowball (the head) is a small circle shape.  All of the snowballs are white.

     In the middle of the head (top snowball), there is a large orange pointy carrot that points to the right.  There are two black eyes above the nose.  There are five black coal pieces for the mouth that is shaped like a frown.  On top of the head there is a brown arc shape.

     In the middle of the middle snowball there are three black coal pieces that are vertical.  On the sides of the snowball, there are tiny brown arms with three tiny fingers.

     On the bottom snowball there are black lines that are diagonal and start from left to right and go from top to bottom.

     Below the bottom snowball there is green spiky grass.  On the right of the snowman's head, there is a gray bird standing on the snowman's middle snowball.  The bird is tiny with an orange beak.  The bird's head is a vertical oval.  The bird's body is diagonal.  On the top right corner of the paper, there is a yellow circular sun.  Next to the sun on the left is a gray horizontal oval cloud.

Caleb's Snowman makes me laugh!  That grouchy face with a happy bird on his shoulder is so funny, and he described his picture so thoroughly that Neel (3rd grade) produced this!

Sasha's Snowman (5th grade)

     My snowman's body has seventeen small balls going vertically and one big ball on top of them.  On the last small ball (the one nearest to the big ball), there is one stick arm going out of each side.  On the most bottom small ball, draw two small stick legs.

     On the head (the biggest ball), there is a ball that almost takes up the whole ball.  Then draw a ball inside it that is only a tiny bit smaller.  Color this circle orange.  It is an iris.  Then draw a medium circle.  Color it black.  But leave one tiny ball white.  (It is near the bottom of the pupil.)  Under this eye, draw a tiny smile.  On top of the head, there is a brown pony tail that sticks up.  It is spiky.  The hair band is sky blue.  The hair is light brown.  Now outlines the whole snowman in violet, including the arms, legs, and pony tail.  Outlines only the outside of the snowman.

     In every small ball there is one small sky blue circle.  Caution!  Do not put one on the head.

     Draw a line which is the ground across the middle of the page.  On YOUR left, draw a yellow sun with eleven lines as the rays.  Do not outline these yellow!  On each side of the snowman, there are five snowflakes, which are balls.  There is no sky!

     On the ground, not above it, there are trees and hearts.  On YOUR left, there are three trees that are made by a triangle and a small brown rectangle under it as the stump.  They are not in a line as they are scattered.  On YOUR right, there are four more of the trees.

     For the hearts, there are three hearts on YOUR left and four hearts on YOUR right.  They are magenta, and they are scattered.  

     Happy Snowman Drawing!

As I watched Sasha draw this in class, I thought to myself, how is she going to describe this?  But she did it so well, that my 8th grade assistant Mira (who ended up being partners with Sasha due to an odd number of students that day) drew this!

Kathleen's Snowman (5th grade)

     My snowman is pretty simple with three snowballs: the bottom one is large, the middle one is medium, and the stop on is small.  The snowman is outlined with bright orange and he sits on a flat snowy ground.

     He wears a round rimmed green hat with a red buckle in the middle.  His eyes are two small and turquoise circles.  His nose is an orange carrot that points to the snowman's left.  He has seven small pink circles as a wide smile.

     He wears a striped scarf that is red and white, just like a candy cane.  The snowman also has three heart-shaped purple buttons going straight down in the middle.  He has two brown arms pointing out on each side of him, both containing three stick fingers.  

     On the bottom snowball, it is just a big round snowball with nothing on it.

     In the background, there are five snowflakes-- two on the left of the snowman, and three on the right.  There are also tiny pine trees the height of the bottom snowball.  They are dark green with two on the left of the snowman and one on the right.  The snow is outlined with light blue, same with the snowflakes.

Kathleen was so clear that Amelia (4th grade), an amazing reader, read it and drew this!

     

Session II is well under way! We started with Super Sentence Writing...

     Session II of "Budding Authors and Artists" and "Awesome Authors and Artists" started up in late January, and I am finally getting caught up and making my blog selections.  Grades 1-6 took a boring base sentence:
"The snowflake falls."
     And turned it into a masterpiece with adjectives, adverbs, phrases, and clauses!  The "Awesome" class even learned how to start a sentence with "Because."  Of course, no sentence would be complete without glittery snowflake stickers and glitter pens!  I hope you enjoy these samples across the grades!

At midnight, the small snowflake falls on the smooth tree.

By Kyler, 1st grade

The happy small snowflake falls nicely on the warm ground, in Hawaii, on an amazing night.

By Natalie, 2nd grade

Because it's a freezing day in the North Pole, a delicate and unique snowflake gently falls on the thick snow.

By Isabella, 3rd grade

On Christmas morning, when the sun is setting, the crispy chilly snowflake delicately falls and melts on my dog's white, fluffy fur.

By Andrew, 4th grade

When the neighbor's dog barks at midnight, the tiny icy snowflake falls and dances through the air.

By Maddie, 5th grade

Halloween Costume Draw Game!

The "Budding" Authors and Artists celebrated Halloween with a writing game.  First, they drew a picture of themselves in their Halloween costume.  Next, they wrote 4-5 sentences describing their costumes in clear detail.  On the second day, I pinned all of the pictures on the white board and read their descriptions to the class.  We had 100% correct guesses this year, which signified that the students wrote REALLY clearly and descriptively!  Here are a couple for you to enjoy:

The Emoji Face, by Kyler (1st grade)

     My costume has a small emoji face.  It also has cool black glasses.  I'll also be wearing orange pants.  My favorite part about my costume is the glasses because they are cool.  My costume is funny!

The Night of the Munchkin, by Colton (2nd grade)

     My costume has red, green, and orange colors.  It also has an orange wig with two bald spots.  I'll be wearing elf shoes that are black and curly.  My favorite part about my costume is my big lollipop in my hand.  My costume is very old!

     

The Monster Draw Game!

     This fabulous On-Demand Writing lesson is a favorite of my students year to year.   Here is how you play:

Step 1: Draw a monster or imaginative creature.  (We do this right before Halloween, so that is usually the theme that comes to mind.)
Step 2: Write a vivid description of your monster, organizing into paragraphs its different features and background scene.
Step 3: Trade descriptions with a partner, and without communicating, attempt to draw the other monster strictly from the descriptive writing.

     This game always results in some good laughs, as students learn the importance of including EVERY detail, and what happens when something important is left out.  This game is played in one class period, so students must work quickly, edit their work, and pace themselves.  Students then vote the following week on which monsters are practically twins!  Winners get blog honors, and here they are!

Sasha's Monster (5th grade)

     To start my monster, you should draw four water bottle-cap sized circles that are vertical.  The higher circle overlaps the one below by a little bit.

     The top circle has one medium eye exactly in the middle with one black pupil in the middle of the eye.  Below the eye there is a smiling red mouth that is slightly open.  On top, there is a blue bow which is medium sized.  The top circle is aqua green.

     The second circle (the one below it) is cerulean and has six violet polka dots in  it.  The dots are small.  Out of this circle there is an arm out of each side.  It is only a stick!  The arm on your right is holding an orange flower with four petals, a yellow middle, and a  green stem (no leaves.)

     The circle underneath has five horizontal stripes in a pattern: aqua, green, cerulean.

     The last ball is violet.  Out of this ball, two medium feet with a little line on the end come out.

     Under these feet there is a medium magenta heart and above the cerulean bow on top there is a medium yellow heart!

     After the second ball, but before the third one, on each side there are two little hearts that are salmon.

Sasha wrote so clearly, describing each little ball on this creature, that her partner Claire (4th grade) drew the twin!

Evelyn's Monster (3rd grade)

     My monster's body is a circle with pink fur and dark green polka-dots.  It has seven eyes: one on each wing, one on each shoe, and three on its face.  My monster has two arms that are pink.  It also has legs that are pink.  It also has a triangle shaped hat with a puff ball on the top that is pink.  Its face has three noses.  Its legs are pink, and the shoes are orange.  There are two yellow wings.  There are three mountains behind my creature.  The one in the middle and the one on the right both have ice on the top.  The one on the left side does not have any ice, but it also has a stream flowing down to the pond.  It has a gray moon on the left side.  My creature also has two big pumpkins and two small ones.  They go small, big, small, big.

This was Evelyn's first time every playing this game!  She wrote so clearly, that her very experienced partner Daniella (5th grade) drew this:

Ruby's Monster (5th grade)

     First, you have to turn your paper so that it's vertical.  Then, we will start on the face.

     Make a medium-sized circle.  Then, in the middle of it, draw an eyeball with a magenta pupil.  Then on the cheeks of this monster, there are three whiskers on each side.  Make sure the whiskers are light silver.  Then lightly color the face red.  On top of its head, it has three lines.  The left one and the right one are slanted, facing the sides of the page, but the one in the middle should stand still.  By the way, the lines are black.  There is no mouth or nose.

     Now moving on to the body.  The body is about four times larger than the head.  It is also a circle. My monster is like a snowman with two circles.  Then, in this circle, draw a swirly whirly, like a lollipop!  Make sure it's dark blue.  Now color the rest turquoise.  Now make two little circles for hands.  Make the hands slightly bigger than the holes on this paper.  Make them sky blue.  Now make five green ovals for feet on the bottom of the body.

     Last thing is the background.  The monster is on a white path, and on the side is green grass. 

     Can you draw my monster?

Ruby is an experienced pro at this game!  So is her partner Talya (5th grade).  Look at how close these two monsters are!

Congratulations to our Winners!

Noun Poems!

     The "Budding" class studied nouns.  They learned that a Noun is the name of a person, place, or thing.  A Proper Noun is a Special Noun, and it starts with a capital letter because it is so special and has such importance!  This simple project made studying nouns fun!  It is a simple fill-in-the-blank poem that the students loved filling out, and most of all, reading aloud!  They got pretty silly!  Enjoy!

Peterson's (2nd grade) Noun Poem

Violet's (2nd grade) Noun Poem

Backwards Animal Adventure Stories

     Our last assignment involving our amazing backwards animals came in the form of a creative style for the "Awesome" students.  The students story mapped a simple "Beginning/Middle/End" story map and told imaginative tales about encountering the creature they had carefully created in their imaginations.  Enjoy these samples!

My Champion Ekans, by Alena (3rd grade)

      I was in my yard on a stormy day.  I saw the Ekans.  It looked sad, so I gave it some fruit, flowers, and orange juice.   Then I took it inside.  I warmed it by putting a cozy pink blanket on it.

     Next, I dried it off.  I gave it more food, and it took a nap.

     Two days later, I signed it up for ballet.  It saw the Enarc Denworc Nacifra at Ballet class.  It had so much fun that it kept on going. 

      I eventually gave it a home in my back yard.  I adopted it, and gave it food every day.  It even had a spot at the dinner table.  It got so graceful.  It danced so much!

     One day, the Ekans came home.  It told me it would compete on a ballet team with the Enarc Denworc Nacifra on Saturday!

     When it was Saturday, I went to the show.  The Ekans won with her friend!  My Ekans came home with three gold medals, and one gold trophy.  I put it on my shelf.  My Ekans and I had fun together.

The Day I Met (and Tried to Recognize) an Arbez, by Amelia (4th grade)

     About a year ago, I was in Hawaii.  It was a bright sunny June afternoon, and I was scuba diving for the first time ever.  I was passing a school of beautiful rainbow fish when something very remarkable happened.   I was ambushed!  (Well, not really, but I was constricted by this scaly eel creature with a beak.  It's pretty much the same, right?)

     At first, I just saw it from far away.  I freaked out and started swimming back as fast as I could.  But this animal was faster than I was, so in a few seconds, I found myself wrapped tightly in the creature's scaly tail.  "Let me go!" I screamed frantically.  Not that I thought it would obey me, but still, who knows?  

     To my utter amazement, I felt oxygen coming back to me.  The animal had brought me to the surface of the ocean and unraveled itself!  Now free, I saw away as fast as my legs would carry me to tell my friend Zoe.

     Surprisingly, Zoe burst into laughter as soon as I finished telling her what I had witnessed.  "What?" I asked, confused.

     "You just swam away from the most endangered animal ever, the Arbez," she replied after hiccuping herself back to seriousness.  "Endangered, but not dangerous.  They just like playing with humans."

     "Oh," I said.

     I wasn't exactly embarrassed, just disappointed that I hadn't taken a picture.