Words from our Young Authors at Park Day!

Here are a variety of excerpts from our fall writing session. It was called, "Take Flight!" and explored all different aspects of flight, including flights of fancy, Amelia Earhart's flight and the flight of the bumblebee. We also used free write prompts to jump into stories. In the "My Name Is.." poems, we personified our names. From a free write

The fan whirs and gushes of air woosh toward me. I’m sitting next to Starr, and on the other side of me, staring at the whiteboard, is my best bud, Redhead.

“Just stay quiet, I think it’s blind,” somebody says, reading the whiteboard.

“Is he talking about Jewel?” Starr asks. We burst into giggles and get a murderous look from Spock.

-Ciel

My Name Is…

My name is high and low,

My name is made from pureness,

I found my name in a restaurant’s kitchen,

My name can fly wherever it wants.

If I lost my name, I could 

never replace it,

My name is Cate.

-Cate

Writing Prompt: I used to believe…

I used to believe in flying forever, away from here when times get rough below, and back when people find peace in themselves and others. I used to believe that I could just soar above, never coming to a stop and never interfering with the complex world on the ground. I used to believe that I would never land, that my wings would flap forever, that the wind would never stop. I would never get lower, never higher.

And now I realize that there is no going away, no running from death, from fear. You must face your troubles, you must come down to the ground to solve your problems. Then you can take flight again, to stay tethered to the chain that is your breathing. Because when that stops, the world will too.

-Ruby H

From a freewrite

I am walking in a dark tunnel, under a house, a house that has been sitting abandoned and dark for longer than anyone in this funny little town can remember. At night, the surrounding neighbors have seen a light drifting down the hall. Now, as I walk through the secret tunnel, I wonder what I will find or if I will survive to tell the story of how I came to be here.

-Paola

My Name Is…

It is made of fiery green and California blue.My name is jumping for joy for no particular reason,

I found my name wrapped in deep folds of fog,

My name can be something it’s not.

If my name ran away, I’d put up posters everywhere, and be on every corner,

looking far and wide

-Olivia

From her “Flight of Fancy”

My name is Jen, well, Jennifer Hughson really. I’m named after my great aunt, Jennifer Bailey. But that’s on my mom’s side, well, my first mom that is. I have four parents: my first mom and dad and my second mom and mom. You see, my first set of parents got divorced when I was six and they both started dating other people, and my dad, he got married again to a woman named Stacey. My mom got remarried to a woman, which I think is great. In ways I have what I call a double-decker life!

-Clara

From her “Flight of Fancy” 

My silk gown flutters in the wind as I escape down the narrow alley. My dark blue heels are getting splattered with mud and I stumble as my arm scrapes the brick wall beside me. I shake of the chalk that dusted my torn sleeve.

As I round the sharp turn, I skid in a puddle of mud, and in the process, one of my belted shoes goes flying. I have no time to retrieve it, so I unlatch my other Gucci high heel and I shiver as my feet slap the wet gravel below me.

I reach the next corner and as soon as I am sure that I am out of sight of all people, I start to climb. The metal wires of the tall chain link fence dig into the balls of my thumbs.

-Mattie

From her “Flight of Fancy”

The color raced across the Ivory Hill, creating color in its wake. It made sparkling rivers that gave life to flowers and the flowers’ seeds drifted lazily through the air in a living dream, creating beauty and life in whichever path they chose, and from that little seed came light, racing like a wild stallion through the darkness, an explosive amount of light, rippling through the fields and illuminating a dark corner where a pale moth sat, spreading its wings and soaking up the light. It flew for endless time until it reached the ground where it fluttered gently onto a baby’s serene sleeping face, and that baby grew up to be an artist and when his finger (dipped in the sparkling colors of the world) touched his canvas (a blank Ivory Hill), the color raced and the cycle began again.

-JoJo

Flying, a bumblebee's point of view...

Just a soft flutter at first, a soft rock, a twitch of the wing. Then it was more, a blast of strength, a burst of hope. Now it was time, up off the cracked ground and into the innocent air. I can fly, she thought, but instead I’m going to soar. The feeling of flying was the feeling of power. I am your ruler and you’re of air, she thought, you’re of silk, of nothing, because I am free.

-Jake

Word from our Young Authors at Park Day! (2nd and 3rd Grade)

These are some excerpts from our Fall session of writing with 2nd and 3rd graders. Our theme was "Take Flight" and we explored all different aspects of flight including Amelia Earhart's journey, flights of fancy and flight of the bumblebee. Enjoy!

 Zoe

(L to R) Raquel, Dolci, Jasper, Shayna

 Joni

From her “Flight of Fancy”

A bird soars over trees in its path to meet blinding sunbeams, which stretch down to meet the beautiful colors and light up the world. It touches a hillside where a butterfly stretches its wings and flies to shine new light and color on other animals and fill the earth.

-Joni

From her “Flight of Fancy” 

She soars above valleys and rivers, mountains and oceans, as graceful as a swan. When she lands, she lands on a twig.

-Jasper

A letter from Amelia Earhart – written during her final flight

 I am happy that I am doing this. I need to take a risk. I am very proud of myself. It is getting cold. I am kind of scared. To all girls: follow your dreams. Mine was to fly.

-Dolci

From a freewrite prompt: "Just stay quiet, I think it's blind."

“Just stay quiet, I think it’s blind,” said Janie.

“I think it’s an evil devil zombie monster,” said Bill.

 “What’s an evil devil zombie monster?” said Janie.

 “I don’t know...”

-Shayna

The flight of the bumblebee 

 It feels fun. It is fun to go to different places and to protect the queen from predators. It sounds like buzzzz! buzzzz! buzzzz! It feels like I have heavy feathers on my wings and it feels cold up in the sky and it tickles my wings. I hear birds chirping all around me and it’s fun to fly all the way to another place, to many places, and to travel to Asia and Africa and many other places around the world.

-Raquel

The Flight of Words

They are flying, around and into my ears, and they’re exit is my mouth. They twiddle around my body like music that you can’t dance to. And if there is a good one, well that’s just nice, because it stitches the wounds in my heart. And if there are no wounds, then lucky me! That makes my heart stronger inside me. But if there is a bad one, well that’s pretty scary, because it rips the seams that have just been mended. 

-Zoe

Park Day School - TMWFI Creative Writing Excerpts

Jake (POV Story inspired by a portrait)

Monday, thought Mrs. Donaker as she rolled out of bed. Mondays, oh how she dreaded Mondays. She would rather go back to college than have to write an ode to Mondays. But don't get me wrong, Mrs. Donaker was a grandma and full-time teacher who worked hard. She wasn't just some annoying old lady that hated on random nouns. Mondays, for Mrs. Donaker, meant lunch duty.

Lucy P. (Idiom Story)

It was the day of the play and I was backstage with my best friend. She said, "Break a leg!" and I said, "Thanks!"

I went out onto the stage. A few minutes into the play, it started to rain cats and dogs! A cat fell right onto my face and I fell off the stage and broke my leg!

I got to the hospital and my best friend was there. She said, "I didn't mean for you to really break your leg!"

"I know!" I said. "And I didn't mean to actually break it!"

Hayley (From a freewrite)

I peeked through the key-sized hole in my neighbors fence and saw... a hairy, sweaty hippopotamus with chickenpox, asking the lords for a tiara, a magenta eye patch, an indigo-spotted beard and a yellow belly button with gravy pouring out (because he eats so much of it). Isn't that disgusting?

Lucy S. (Ode)

Ode to Computers

I love computers

everything about them

The way the little pictures on the screen

come alive

The unlimited amount of knowledge

right before your eyes

The computer mouse scurrying around the screen

as if it were an animal with little ears and feet

The way they go to sleep

just like we do

Their keys smooth as silk

when your fingers press down to write

whatever you want whenever you want

I love the way you can pack them up and take them anywhere

to keep you company

Oh yes, I love computers

Clara (Personification Poem)

Hear the needle

as it hugs the record and then moves into a 

groove

it may walk or run

or talk or sing

it will keep on running

on and on

occasionally a crackle

will disturb its 

melodious

voice

Zoe  (Idiom Story)

One sunny day I was walking. Suddenly it started to rain! I put my umbrella up and then I heard a whump! on top of it. Then I saw a cat fall at my feet. I put down my umbrella and looked uP. It's raining cats and dogs!

The next day it started raining geese and ducklings. I was wondering what was going on so I went to the top of a skyscraper and I jumped into the clouds. I fell! I landed on a duckling and I said, "Fly little duckling, fly!"

Charlotte (From a freewrite)

I peeked through the key-sized hole in my neighbors fence and saw... nothing. No, not what you think. My neighbors' yard simply did not exist! No grass, no trees, no flowers, no anything. Just an empty grayness which wasn't gray. It wasn't really any color at all. It was more like a space where there should have been something, but there wasn't. I gasped and stepped back. The Petersons had always seemed odd, with their vacant, staring eyes and the way they never quite seemed to hear what you were saying.

Olivia (Ode)

Ode to Witty Comebacks

Witty comebacks

keep the world at bay,

shutting up your

enemies, and

there's an endless

supply of choices

for all of your 

situations!

And the best part,

savored the most

is this: the look,

the expression

that takes hold of

their face, of

utter disgust,

surprise and shock, 

making me 

personally

feel warm and

fuzzy inside!

Ruby S. (Idiom Poem)

Butterflies in Your Stomach

You are walking down the road,

A monarch flutters above,

You jump and graze its wing,

Try again,

Secure it in a jar,

You spot more,

Thousands,

Blue, Magenta, Burgundy, Periwinkle, Spotted, Dotted and Striped.

Your jar is crowded now with 

not much room to breathe.

Sit down and gaze at the

abundance of flapping wings,

Forceful yet Delicate.

What would it feel like to eat

these tokens of grace?

One after the other, they are

placed on your tongue.

Protesting until life is abandoned,

Your stomach becomes a graveyard.

Kyra (Personification Poem)

A radio sits silent and staring

Until the flip is switched

Then it starts to talk

To babble and buzz

Sometimes it sings

Sometimes is lectures

Then, when the flip is switched

It's silent... for now

Ruby H. (Personification Poem)

Up and down, up and down, back and forth, back and forth.

Like the sad stars in the sky, like the happy moon, but,

somehow different. 

An endless pulse of beating energy, like a heart.

Then down it goes, losing energy by the seconds,

down to hit the burning desert floor.

Then being pulled back up, into the wind.

A heart beat going up and down.

Ciel (Idiom Story)

Hover

I'm walking in the woods. It's raining and I'm headed to my house. My name is Avery. My dad, mom, twin sister Bethany and I all live in a house in the woods. One mile from our house there is a tree. It is the largest tree in Midnight Woods and it has a tree house in it built by my dad. When I step inside out house, I dump my stuff on the floor, along with my jacket, soaking wet. Summer is finally here. No more school. But here it rains 24/7, so summer isn't really a time for the pool or anything. We live in one of three houses in Midnight Woods, the others occupied by my friends, Amy and Lillian. Our houses are half a mile apart. And oh, I can walk on air.

Cate (Personification Poem)

Drifting through dream state

Flowing and indistinct

I am awakened by screaming

It's my alarm clock

Squawking like a bird

"Get up!" it screeches

"Your late for schoo!" it hollers

I wish it owned a calendar

I wish it knew it was Sunday.

Paola (Ode)

Ode to Island of the Aunts

your thin pages

unfold

a world of

dreams

all the aunts

with their

crazy

outfits

it's slippery

cover

reflects

the sunlight