If I Were…Poems by Nithila,Simrit,Sameer, Sukhmani, Anna and Manahil

Our writers at Henderson Annex are growing in vocabulary, ideas and expression.  On this beautiful, sunny morning, it is my pleasure to post some of their most recent work.  What would you be if you could be any animal or creature?  A penguin perhaps, or a dolphin or the mythical dosharkgo (part dog, part shark and part goat) made up by Sameer?  Enjoy division 4 and 5′s writing.  

By Nithila

If I were a penguin, I would dive in the deep, deep water and swim up and down smoothly like a penguin would do.

I would stare at the ocean fish and stalk as many fish as I could.  

At dinner time I would breathe the air and sleep sweetly.  

 

By Simrit

If I were a dolphin, I could swim as fast as lightning.

Watch me as I swim around the ocean one thousand times.

Know  I have seen so many creatures under water.

Feel me as I am as soft as a blanket.

If I were a dolphin I would say, “Yeeeeeeeeeeee!”

If I were a dolphin, I would be as pretty as a princess.  

 

By Sameer

If I were a dosharkgo (a dog, shark and goat mixed together) I could use my mystical powers.  

Know I have seen magical creatures.

Feel me as I sigh through the wind.

If I were a dosharkgo I would say, “You can’t defeat me!”

If I were a dosharkgo, I would howl at the full moon.

 

By Sukhmani

If I were a cat, I could jump and reach the clouds.

Watch me as I scare the turtles in their terrarium.

Know I HAVE scared them.

Feel me as I walk away in the dark.

If I were a cat I would say, “The noon sun is gone and it is time for me to sleep.”

If I were a cat, I would jump as high as the sun.  

 

By Manahil

If I were a bunny, I could skip through the meadow as fast as a cheetah.

Know, I have seen a big, gigantic bug in the grass. 

Feel me as I run as fast as a bicycle through your backyard.

If I were a bunny, I would say, “I am soooooo fast!”

If I were a bunny, I would be curious.

 

By Anna

If I were a cat, I could jump from trees then lay around and sleep all day. 

Watch me as I run soooooo fast.

Know I have seen birds in the trees.

Feel me as I rub my head on your leg.

If I were a cat, I would say, “I am purrrrrfectly happy,”

If I were a cat, I wold be soft, with green eyes and a bushy tail.  

 

Please leave comments about these poems!  

 

 

 

 

Dramatic Writing From Creative Kids at Henderson Annex

This week we used drama to get inside the heads of some of the characters that we were creating.  As a class we created tableaux with our bodies pretending we were either inside or outside “The House On Maple Street” from Chris Van Allsburg’s book “The Mysteries of Harris Burdick.”  Once we imagined what we may have seen, heard, smelled, tasted or felt (emotionally or physically), we wrote a first person piece together.  Here is what we created.  

 

“I’m scared.  I have goosebumps everywhere.  My legs are shaking.  I might faint.  The house is flying!!!  The windows might crack and fall on my head!  I feel bilious.  I can’t breathe.  I can’t breathe.  The last thing I see is my mom’s picture, crooked on the wall, before I hit the floor.”  

 

Check tomorrow for more student writing!  

 

 

Imaginative Writing by Division 2 and 3 at Henderson Annex

Not to be outdone by the older grades at their school, here are a few samples from our first after school writing club for grades two and threes.  Reader beware you will encounter Black Knights, Dark Aces and a twisted Pink Panther if you read on…

By:  Sehrtaj  Guilty or Not?

The Black Knight quietly floated into the room.  He had black everywhere.  His hat was crooked.  He looked like a black cat sneaking towards his prey.  His hood covered one of his brown eyes.  Was he guilty, or not?

By:  Garrick  Guilty or Not?

The Dark Ace teleported into the room.  He was wearing a red cap.  The Dark Ace’s eyes looked like he was wearing fake eyes.  The Dark Ace’s nose was kind of yellowish.  His jeans and jacket were dark.  Was he guilty, or not?

By Sayana:  Guilty or Not?

Her pink panther suit was glowing bright pink.  Her eyes were gold and they were creepy.  Her teeth were ugly.  They were green and had bugs and germs on them.  When she came up the stairs she stomped so hard that the stairs cracked. She snuck into the room and scared people away.  Her legs and hands were blue and had ants all around them.  Her body seemed like she had only fire inside.  Was she guilty or not?

 

Writer in Residence at Henderson Annex: Some Student Publications

Recently, I started an after school residency at Henderson Annex Elementary in Vancouver.  The students are amazing!  They are so enthusiastic and willing to explore new ideas.  This week, the grade 3-5 students wrote about what they would be like if they were an animal.  Together we wrote the following:

 

If I were a polar bear

I could be strong and face my fears,

Watch me as I survive.

Know I have seen mystical and adventurous things.

If I were a polar bear, I would roar and say, “I’m not afraid of you!”

If I were a polar bear, I would be…humungous.

 

Here are a couple of samples from last week’s writing assignment.

By:  Anand.  Guilty or Not?

The mysterious looking man wearing a monacle and a fedora hat limped into the room.  His beady eyes wandered.  He kept stroking his pointed beard with his white gloves as if he were pondering something.  He was dressed up in a white collared shirt, a red vest and a silver, silk tie.  Droplets of  sweat formed on his face as he checked his watch repeatedly.  Was he guilty, or not?

 

By:  Simrit  Guilty or Not?

Whoosh!  Somebody came through the door.  She had pointy heels that were as red as cherries.  Her shirt was as black as a bear’s claws and her jeans had a big hole in them.  She had nails that were as sharp as a bear’s teeth, painted as black as a raccoon’s stripes.  Her hair was in a bun held by a spider clip.  She looked very dangerous.  Could she be guilty…or not?

 

By:  Shumail  Guilty or Not?

Once there was a sneaky witch.  On a rainy day the witch did not even make a swoosh or a creak while she kicked open a trap door and swung down the banister.  She opened a door, eyes wide, and looked around to make sure no one was secretly spying on her.  She examined every piece of artwork in that so called room and absolutely admired it.  She turned around and sped up the stairs, taking a few pieces of the artwork with her.  She busted up through the trap door and slammed it behind her.  She cackled out loud as she stretched her back out the window.  Lightning shone on her hair.  She was definitely guilty, but would anyone ever be able to find her?

 

There will be more posts to come later this week and as our class continues!

Writer-in-Residence 2012: Highlights at West Bay Elementary

It has been this writer’s pleasure to have had the opportunity to work as Writer-in-Residence at three schools in 2012 thus far.  The process is both inspirational and fulfilling as both myself and the teachers involved experience creative lightbulbs going off like fireworks throughout the classrooms!

At West Bay Elementary this year, we built on last year’s success and added even more creativity to our experience!  This year, thanks to Mrs. Hunt’s dedication and research,  an ArtStarts grant was secured that enabled us to work in partnership with myself and visual and cultural artist Anastasia Hendry to produce a beautifully designed and bound publication that features original fables composed and illustrated by the grade threes in Mrs. Hunt, Mrs. Sun and Ms. Riley’s classes.

Students inquired not only about the elements of fables but also about the values put forth at West Bay.  Their challenge was to incorporate both of these into their own original fables as well as design and build masks of their main characters and retell their story visually in symbols in a traditional winter count.  Intellect and creativity fused as students created characters such as:  Mincky (who was never satisfied with what he had), Lily the Cheetah (who thought integrity was difficult but that she must do the right thing regardless) and Doug the Platypus (who found that friends are more important than money).

The finished, full colour books are now available and I can’t wait until our launch to see the looks on the author’s and parents faces when they share their first books in print!  The writing, editing and publishing process elicit pride, joy and a fantastic sense of accomplishment for our young authors and their families and capture all of the imagination and energy of being in grade three.  I’m proud of all of you.  Special thanks to the teachers, Mrs. Hunt, Mrs. Sun and Ms. Riley for always encouraging their students to envision horizons for themselves that go beyond that of an average classroom.

A Big Thanks to the Teachers, Students and Mrs. Duncan at West Bay Elementary!

Since January, I have been the Writer in Residence for the Kindergarten to Grade Three students at West Bay Elementary in West Vancouver. All of our creative writing projects incorporated elements of the IB curriculum. The Kindergartens created books based on their units of inquiry around storytelling and that everyone has a story to tell. They learned about building characters, settings, problems and resolutions and wrote and illustrated colourful pieces. The Grade One classes made tunnel books from the point of view of worms, writing poetry and creating visuals to reflect the interconnectedness of soil and the environment. The Grade Twos wrote, produced and performed their very own original play based on twisted fairy tales. Bravo!!! Finally the Grade Threes also produced books, or Journey Journals inspired by their unit on Canada. They imagined they were brother and sister characters who traveled across the nation and reflected on their favourite cultural, historical and geographical places. I was amazed at the high levels of literacy in all classes, the commitment and passion of the teachers and proud of the journey we all went on together. Congratulations everyone!

What do Rot-TEN Dragons sing about?

If you were a Rot-TEN Dragon what would you sing about?