Friday, December 9, 2016

Squiggle Stories!

If someone handed you a squiggle line, what would YOU make out of it?  That was the theme of our last assignment of this session.  After Art Time was over, the students story mapped the 5 W's and 1 H of good writing:
WHO is in my picture
WHAT is happening
WHERE my picture is taking place
WHEN my picture is taking place
WHY it happens (the story line)
HOW it ends

These first two samples chose the same exact squiggle line, but turned them into completely different designs.  Enjoy these amazing samples of creativity!

Three Friends, by Josephine (4th grade)

     I stared into the white snow, bored of being the only Christmas tree in the lot.  No one liked me because I have a big hole in my trunk.    I swiveled my head and saw a cozy house with smoke coming out of its chimney.  I slept peacefully that night.  I dreamed of being a perfect Christmas tree.

     The next day was Christmas, and I was staring into the snow, when I saw a white bunny shivering.  "Do you want to stay in my trunk?" I asked.

     "Sure!" the rabbit replied.  He moved into the hole in my trunk, and rested.

     The next week, a bird was down by my side.  "You can move into my pine needles!"

     "Great idea!" and she flew into my needles.

     The bird and bunny played together and were as happy as I was.  We became great friends.

     A month later, an orange and black cat came during the afternoon.  He looked like a tiger.  He asked me where he could stay.  "You can stay with the bird in the pine needles!"

     A year passed, and everything was going well.  But, a family cut me down, and all that was left of me was my hole in my tree trunk.  The animals gave me a quick good-bye, and scattered into the forest.

     The next few days, I was just like the other trees: a stump.  I knew I was eventually going to rot.  I stared into the snow, as sad as I was before.

     I awoke one morning and realized I was fully grown again!  The rabbit, bird, and cat came back, and we lived happily ever after.


Endo & I
by Flo (5th grade)

     The waves crashed silently on the White Sea. I heard it calling me. I wanted to go, but I knew I couldn’t, because of the dreaded being that lurks there. If only …
My fantasizing is interrupted by my father, Mayor Collins, barging into my room. “Good morning, sweet pea!” my father greeted me.
“Morning, dad, “ I answered begrudgingly.
“Time for school, Micaela!” he replied cheerfully. Ick. School. As I tiredly walked to school, the beautifully light turquoise White Sea called me more than ever, but I knew I still couldn’t go.

When the school bell finally rang I had decided to go. I was going to finally swim in the White Sea and I didn’t care if a monster ate me while trying. I didn’t care if my dad and our whole village of Arenda mourned my death for months. I had to go to the sea.

Making sure not to be seen I scurried to the beach. The cold water washed over me. I breathed a sigh of content. But, as I went deeper I felt there was someone else near me. Could it be the dreaded sea monster? I started to regret going there in the first place.

The giant blue and orange monster rose out of the water in front of me, confirming my concerns. I could have swum for my life. I really could have.  But, for some reason I didn’t. I even let it swoop me onto its back. Astonishingly all it did was parade me around the waters. No, it didn’t eat me. We rode all the way to the depths of the ocean this way.

For the rest of that week, I rode him every day. Even though I know my dad would be scared I had to show him the truth about the myth. I just had to. So when I finally told him about my eventful week, and to trust me, he tersely responded, “Ok.”

I brought him to my new friend, who gave father a ride as well. After only half an hour he realized that the dreaded sea monster was no monster at all, and the whole village should know about him.


One Week Later: “Woohoo!” I exclaim as I get another exhilarating ride on Endo, the name I had given the sea monster who resided in the White Sea. My father has proclaimed to the whole village that Endo should not be feared and now he has become a village mascot, and the whole village adores him.

Cheesy and Fantom, by Sammie (5th grade)

         “AAAAHHHHH!!!!!” the mouse screamed.  Screech, thud went the evil cat as the mouse, Cheesy, scampered up the side of the table.  Not being able to see the mouse, but smell him, Fantom, the cat, chased him as if on the wild goose chase. 
            Fantom leaped onto the coffee table gracefully, red eyes glaring coldly.  This was not the first time Cheesy the mouse tried to fight for the mice’s freedom using his little “ninja” powers. 
            The mouse scrambled up the left side of the table trying to get back down the right side.  In the process he managed to pick up a toothpick.  Charging at Fantom, Cheesy yelled with all his might a war cry, toothpick in his two front teeth.  He threw it at Fantom and it bounced off his big, black chest as if all Cheesy had thrown was a feather.  In the process, Cheesy fell back from the force of his strong throw.  The cat picked up a paper napkin and wrapped Cheesy up as if he was lettuce in a burrito.
            “There, that should keep you wrapped up for a while,” Fantom crackled evilly.   As he sat in his comfy cat hammock, Cheesy’s relatives emerged from their hiding place in the hole.  They unwrapped him, all thinking the same thing: They would never be free as long as Cheesy was fighting for them.
            As they wobbled off the table, arms all wrapped around Cheesy, Fantom saw them and knew it wasn’t worth catching them.  He had already won.  The mice were his prisoners forever. (Or so Fantom thoughtJ)

          Chapter 2
            Back in the mice hole, Cheesy’s mother had a very serious discussion. “Now son, you are very brave to fight the mean cat, but I just don’t think being a ninja is your best talent.  Maybe you should be a baker or something safe or quiet,” sighed his mother, bottom lip quivering.  Cheesy did not like the sound of that one bit.
            “Oh Mother, I know that you are only just trying to protect me, but I thought of this amazing move!” Cheesy begged, springing off his bed.  He did a sidekick with his right knee and bent the left slightly, making a HIYA!!! sound and landing on his little mousy bottom.” Wait no!  That’s not supposed to happen!” And he did it over and over again, until he improved it by landing on one foot hopping around, instead of on his bottom.  His mother sighed, giving up on trying to convince her son.
            The next day, Cheesy struck Fantom with a surprise.  He did his famous move.  But this time his failure was for good.  He fell onto a mini trampoline, sailed up to the ceiling fan, and held on for dear life. 
CRACK!!!
            The ceiling fan came crashing down right on Fantom!  The cat ran through the backdoor scared to death. 
            The mice colony was saved all because of a brave little mouse named Cheesy.  After that, Fantom never bothered the mice again.  And if he ever did dare tease them, Cheesy was there to save the day again! 


The Angry Cinnamon Roll, by Tyler (2nd grade)

     One early day before school at Panera, a warm, squishy cinnamon roll was hiding at a back table.  He was waiting to bite anyone who thought they would eat him for breakfast.  He was tired of watching his friends disappear.  

     As a kid came to the table, the cinnamon roll chomped the kid's finger nail off to team him a lesson!