This is one of my creative writing pieces that I am proud of. I am proud of it because it is one of the more descriptive pieces I have done. I also haven’t finished the story. I would really like to finish writing it so I can see where the story goes. I also like the characters I made.
November 30, 2015
It is a cold winter day. The sky is gray. The ground was capped in a sheet of thick ice. It is the coldest winter Alaska had ever seen. As I walked out of the door a puff of breath leaves my mouth. I walked over to the bus stop and waited for Olive. Olive has been my best friend since we were in preschool. She is the smartest girl in school and the winner of multiple spelling bees. She has ginger hair and huge glasses that are too big for her face. She wears button down shirts with sweaters layered over. She wears navy blue skirts that reach her knees and black shoes. She is plain but she is my best friend. When Olive arrives bags that are as black as coal hang from her eyes. She looks like she got no sleep last night.
“Why are you so tired?” I ask as she approaches.
“I was studying for the test,” Olive mumbled. Test? I don’t remember a test.
“The biology test,” Olive said “The one assigned by Ms. Wikies.”
Ms. Wikies is the meanest teacher in the school. She has pale skin and jet black hair. Her hair is always slicked back into a low pony which comes down to her shoulders. She wears black dresses and black shoes. There is nothing else to describe. Some kids say she is a witch others say she is a vampire. She has never missed a day teaching at Hillview School. She once broke her leg and came in with a fresh cast. If I failed this test I’ll be in a lot of trouble. We got on the bus and I stared at my notebook until my eyes hurt. Stepping out of the warm bus into the cold air waked me from my trance of study. When we walked into the building the feeling of chatter and Monday mornings hit my face. Olive and I rush to our lockers and put our books away. Today is a usual Monday morning. Down the hall number 1 bully, Corey Ganson, picks on Dylan Rodriguez, who apparently owes him lunch money.
In humanities we are working on a project called who the heck are you. In this project we are interviewing someone who we would like to know more about or learn about an interesting experience they had. The first step was to choose a interviewee and a theme that would carry out through all the questions. I chose my dad and the theme was his trip across the ocean. I chose that theme because it is something really interesting that my dad did and I would like to more about it. The next step was to come up with questions to ask our interviewee. I would really like to add more questions before the trip.
Here are my interview questions:
- Before the trip:
- What/who got you interested in sailing and made you go on the trip?
- What did your family members think or say when you said you were going on the trip?
The trip:
- Where did you go?
- Who did you go with?
- What was the trip for?
- Where was your favorite place you went?
- What was the hardest part about sailing across the ocean?
- What was the most interesting thing you saw?
After the trip:
- How did you feel after the trip?
- What was your favorite part about sailing?
- How has that trip impacted your life now?
- What made this trip so special compared to other trips you have been on?
- Did you ever regret going on the trip?
This is a Journal Entry written by Miss Penelope Lumley
Dear Journal,
Today has been quite a day. Yesterday Lady Constance walked in on a reading of The Wreck of the Hesperus on of my favorite poems. She was very pleased with the children and invited us all to town for a shopping trip. Lady Constance left me my salary so I was able to buy things of my own and Christmas presents. We left at 10:00 sharp in the carriage that picked me up from the train station. I sat next to Lady Constance and the children sat across from us. While we were traveling to town the children spotted some horses grazing in the pasture. The whole way there Alexander, Beowulf, and Cassiopeia pressed their cheeks against the window taking a good look at everything that went by. I worked on my knitting and Lady Constance talked about all the things she was going to buy.
Once we arrived we stopped at the milliner’s shop and bought the boys sailor hats and Cassiopeia a reticule for the Christmas party. After we stopped at the milliner’s shop I brought the children to the bookstore. I told them to sit and wait for me to come back but that was a big mistake, I’ll get to that later. Anyway I bought presents for everyone at Ashton Place including Lady Constance who I bought a small volume of the stately homes of England. I also bought a lovely journal very similar too the one I am writing in right now for Miss Mortimer. I couldn’t even think of which book to get her because she has read so many. Then I got the children their presents. For Alexander I got an Introductory Latin text; for Beowulf a collection of Shakespearean sonnet’s; and for Cassiopeia a book of Greek Myths, including the girls namesake.
When I had finished my shopping I went to get the children but they were not there. I ran through the aisles looking for them. Outside there was a woman’s calling things like “Stay away!” and “Don’t touch him” so I check what was happening. Half way down the block was the children crouching by a dog and the woman was yelling at them. I scolded Alexander for leaving the shop and confronted the woman. I apologized profusely but she was worried about the children being near her dog since he was mean. Apparently the children can talk to dogs because Beowulf knew exactly why the dog was so mean. Then I grabbed the children and hurried back to the carriage. We quietly slipped into the carriage while Lady Constance and Lord Frederick fought about the date of the Christmas party, it was quite odd. Lady Constance was also quite upset he would not ride back in the carriage with us. For the whole ride back she sat and stared out of the window not saying a word. Now I am writing in bed, goodnight journal.
Miss Penelope Lumley
This week we ended our book partnerships. We were each assigned a partner and we both read the same book. Then we had to do homework that showed something about the characters and/or something that happened in the chapter. This is one of my favorite homework assignments where we had to write a diary entry from the point of view of our main character. I am really proud of this piece of writing because I fell like I really wrote from the perspective of the character. One of my personal goals in the third quarter was to become a stronger writer and in this piece I think it shows how I have changed.
This is my revised Arabian Night piece. Revision means to not only fix the technical like spelling and grammar. It is to rethink the story and add more detail. You go back and rework your piece like changing the climax, taking and adding thing that are missing and taking away things you don’t need.
We started our pieces with a plot and a story arc. I was proud of my first draft but when Julia added comments and revisions I realized that there was so much I could improve on and add to my piece. Once I had revised I really like the way my piece flowed and how extra drama was added to make it more interesting.
THE FIRST NIGHT
It is said, O wise and happy King, there was once a poor old man named Ahmad. He lived with his wife, Salma, and kids, Farrah and Tariq, in Arabia. Ahmad was a fisher. They lived by a small lake that connected to the ocean which kept the fish coming. Their house was built of stone and a flat stone roof lay over the top. A small shack held all of Ahmad’s fishing nets made by himself. Every morning Ahmad woke before dawn and walked to the market to trade his fish he caught the day before. One day Ahmad was walking through the heat of the sun to the market when he stumbled across mysterious man. The man said he was a trader who travelled from market to market selling his goods. In his hand he held a rope which was harnessed to a donkey pulling a wagon. The wagon was filled with goods. Ahmad told the trader that his wife and kids were hungry and were in desperate need of a better life. The travelling trader took pity on him and handed him a golden key.
“This is a very special key,” the trader whispered “It will unlock a very special door. “Go to Medina and climb the tallest mountain where you will find a golden door, in the cave is a treasure like no other.” the trader said. “But do not get too greedy or you will suffer the consequences.” “What is the price?” Ahmad questioned. “No price.” said the trader and with that he left. Ahmad ran back to his home by the lake to tell his wife Salma. He ran into the stone house in which Salma was cooking. He rushed over to tell her the good news, she cried with joy and started packing what little they had for the trip. Once packed they stepped outside ready to walk themselves to Medina but there was a caravan sitting in front of their house. MAGIC! They climbed in and started their journey to Medina. But morning drew near Scheherazade, and she fell silent.
THE SECOND NIGHT
The following night, when Scheherazade was in bed, her sister Dinarzad said, “Please, sister, tell us one of your lovely tales.” Scheherazade replied “With the greatest pleasure!”
It is said, O great King, that they arrived at sundown and travelled to the cave. Ahamad took the key out of his pocket and unlock the golden door to the cave. The cave was filled with riches. There were rubies and gems scattered across the floor. Gold tapestries were hung from the walls and at the end of the cave was a hole shining like the brightest sun lighting up the hole room. Farrah ran through the halls of the cave touching everything there was to touch until she reached the end of the cave. Farrah ran through the hole forcing the whole family to jump through behind her. But morning drew near Scheherazade, and she fell silent.
THE THIRD NIGHT
The following night, when Scheherazade was in bed, her sister Dinarzad said, “Please, sister, tell us one of your lovely tales.” Scheherazade replied “With the greatest pleasure!”
It is said, O great King, that when Ahmad stepped through the hole he was dressed in clothes made with the finest material and crafted by the best tailors in town. They were in a small dome that seemed to be underground. There were golden stairs leading up to the surface. They climbed the stairs and were hit by a ray of sunlight. In their sight there was a huge palace, one of the grandest palaces they have ever seen. A woman approached them seeming a little bit timid exclaimed “You’re- you’re the royal family!”. Ahmad was amazed “Yes, we are!” he replied firmly.
All of Ahmad’s life he wished to be more than the old fisherman he was. He felt like he deserved more. The family was escorted to the palace where they were treated with a great feast. Servants were running in and out of the kitchen bringing courses one after another. After the great feast Ahmad requested gifts to be brought by all the townspeople to celebrate their new King. Days past and King Ahmad kept getting greedier and greedier. He ordered people from all the towns to come and entertain him. Tailors worked day and night making the finest clothes for him. Salma was too blinded by the money to notice anything going wrong. Farrah and Tariq were distracted by all the things they had that they never had before like huge rooms, feasts, toys, jesters to entertain them and more. One day King Ahmad was sitting in his chair when his servant came up to him and said “You have a visitor.” “Of course, to give me gifts.” cried King Ahmad. “No, he is here for a different reason.” the servant replied. But morning drew near Scheherazade, and she fell silent.
THE FOURTH NIGHT
The following night, when Scheherazade was in bed, her sister Dinarzad said, “Please, sister, tell us one of your lovely tales.” The King added “Let it be the rest of the fisherman’s tail.” Scheherazade replied “With the greatest pleasure!”
It is said, O great King, that the trader was the mysterious visitor. He walked in donkey and all and said slyly “Good evening Ahmad.” “I don’t know this man, get him out of my palace at once!” Ahmad replied. “You became greedy and now you will suffer the consequences!” the trader shouted as he was dragged out of the palace. King Ahmad became worried. All day and night he would worry about the punishment he would be given but he stayed greedy . A few days after Ahmad thought he had escaped the curse but he had not.
On that day the King feasted on bread and cheese. More gifts were brought to his kingdom. Farrah and Tariq weren’t fighting. It was a very good day so King Ahmad and his family took a walk around the palace. With guards on either side of them they strutted around the building with arrogance as people watched from afar. Salma was dressed in fine clothes and had gold and ivory accessories. She forced the children into their finest clothes too. Once half way around a demon rose out of the ground. “Ahmad, you have betrayed you word and will now be killed” he bellowed. The king begged and begged but the demon opened the ground and pushed Ahmad and his family in.
This is my Thanksgiving piece. I am really proud of what I wrote because I felt that I added lots of detail. The draft project was good but then I went through and read it over. Then I edited it and made it more descriptive. During writing this essay I learned how to edit in the best way I can. I think when I was writing this piece I was focused and I really liked what I was writing about. This my piece.
Every year on Thanksgiving my whole family goes up to my grandparents house to watch the parade. They live uptown by Central Park where the parade passes. We drove up to their house at 10:00 and we brought the food we made, just in time for the parade.The ride up was filled with traffic, it was about 45 minutes to get up there but it felt like hours. When we arrived we parked our car in the tiny garage that we barely can fit in. We walked into the bottom floor of the building, the floors were shiny and my shoes clicked when I walked. At the end of the hall there are two elevators, the elevator took us to the 5th floor where my grandparents live. My sister and I ran to the end of the hall and rung the doorbell, my grandmother answered the door. She was wearing tan pants, a white shirt and black flats. A white apron covered in spices and sauce was wrapped around her waist and her hands were covered by oven gloves. Her brown hair was pulled back into a tight bun. We walked in to see our grandfather sitting in a reclined chair in the small living room. On the wall next to him there was a tree painted on the wall. I leaned in to hug him, his grey sweater was very warm. His grey hair is pulled to one side of his head. My mom bc xxput the pumpkin pie cheesecake on the counter and talked to my grandmother. The pumpkin smell fills the room. I sneak over and take a peek at the orange pie with white icing designed in a spider pattern. Sitting in the family room is my dad’s cousin, she was talking to my great-aunt. My dad’s cousin is wearing a brown dress and black tights. Her short brown hair is down. My great-aunt had her grey hair in its normal state and is wearing black pants along with a white blouse. My dad walked over to talk to them. My sister and I ran to the balcony to watch the parade.
The parade hadn’t started yet so my sister and I waited on the balcony. A breeze whipped my hair in my face as a puff of cold air left my mouth. I saw a glimpse of a bright balloon coming around the high rise building, the parade had started. The first balloon was a yellow star. The word “MACY’S” was printed in red onto the front. 14 people held down the balloon so it didn’t fly away. They walked down the street, smiling and waving at everyone on the ground. More balloons passed replicating characters from movies like spiderman and snoopy. Floats passed where people are singing. The wind whistled and frost got to us so we went inside. Inside the TV was playing a different part of the parade where they showed dances and parts of plays. Those were my favorite part of the parade. Finally we had a late Thanksgiving lunch. We all sat at the table and opened our party crackers. My cracker was orange with white lining.The popping sound took me by surprise, a small toy, a paper hat, and a riddle fell out. Everyone put their hats on and we told each other our jokes and riddles. That was my favorite Thanksgiving tradition.
While we were reading Beowulf we annotated the text. We circled and defined vocabulary, underlined important parts and wrote chapter summaries. Annotating the text is important because it helps you understand parts you don’t know. If you are trying to look back at the text you don’t have to flip through all the pages because your chapter summaries help you. I am proud that I defined every word that I didn’t know. One thing I could improve on are my summary skills.
This year we went to Ashokan for a school trip again. In this photo we were heading to the blacksmith shop. That was one of the most interesting things we did at Ashokan to me. We also went on the gorge hike like we did last year. One of my favorite parts of the gorge hike is the deer trail. It is a steep trail that was created by deer to get to the water. I learned a lot about the blacksmith and the history of Ashokan. There were a lot of stories about the history too. This year instead of the birds of prey show there was a reptile show. We also did a drum circle and we did some games for Olympics. Last year we didn’t get to do blacksmithing or get to see the reptile show.
The project I am most proud of this year is my reading and writing timeline. In this assignment we had to make a timeline of our reading experience and writing experience. We had to put things that were milestones in our reading and writing. We had to write about our reading and writing styles. I was very proud of how I used my space and made everything look neat. I think I explained how each milestone was important. It wasn’t crammed or to spaced out.
This year my writing goal is to be able to write more and make my writing more descriptive. My reading goal is to read harder books.