Meet the Young Shakespeares!
This page is where I showcase outstanding writing created in my classes by my witty, irrepressibly talented students. Please enjoy their work.
Say No to Grizzlies in California
By Aarav Reddy Chilukuri, Grade 5
Imagine this: there is a young father and mother in the mountains of California. Suddenly, there is a grizzly bear coming out of nowhere … CRUNCH! I think you know what happens next. Although grizzly bears went extinct from California over 100 years ago, there is currently an effort underway to reintroduce them to California. This proposal has caused many disagreements. I strong disagree with this savage, barbaric idea of bringing grizzlies to California because they are dangerous to humans and they’ll just end up being hunted again.
Did you know that grizzly bears went extinct in California in 1922, but that lawmakers have been debating whether to reintroduce them to the Golden State? My fifth grade students researched the issue, analyzed the pros and cons, and wrote passionate opinion essays on the subject. Here are two of their essays:
Worst Idea Ever
By Rithvik Manthena, Grade 5
Picture this: a husband, a wife, and a 12-year-old go on a hike in the woods for summer vacation, and the son says, “Hey! Is that Freddy Fazbear’s twin brother?” In a millisecond, the bear lunges forward and bites the parents and the boy’s head off and rips their body to shreds. Their family’s dream vacation becomes their absolute nightmare.
This Spring we learned how to write fables. Here is some of the hilarity that ensued!
“The Fox and the Beaver”
By Ansh Shah, Grade 8
Once upon a time, Fox, Beaver, Crow, and Rabbit were sailing across a blue lake.
“Oh God! The ride is so boring,” Fox thought. “I may as well talk to one of these fellows. Not like it will benefit me but it shall just as well pass the time.”
“Doug and The Fox”
By Max Halim, Grade 8
It was a cold afternoon as the animals went one-by-one into the garden to pick food. The friendly farmer had opened his garden to the animals for that day only so no creature would go hungry over the long winter. At the end of the long line was Fox. It had been a long day for him, and his wife had sent him to run a few errands before it got too dark.
In honor of July 4th, students had 15 minutes to create a narrative written from the point of view of a firecracker that is about to EXPLODE. Here are two fun examples!
“Almost Time”
By Hansani Martha, Grade 6
“It's almost time! It's almost time!” I said happily. Then I heard sobbing. It was Billy Bob.
“Hey are you okay?” I asked in a gentle tone.
“I don't want to die!” Billy Bob said, still sobbing.
“What what do you mean? It's about to be the best moment of our lives. Don't cry.”
“Don't you realize we're going into the air and then combust and die? We won't get to live!”
As the horror dawned on me, I felt myself start to tremble. I didn't think about it that way, I only thought about seeing the outside world. The dark room became a little brighter . My jaw dropped as I saw little bright dots in the sky, then a hand grabbed my friends and family and lit them. The fire was bright and looked like the most precious thing in the world. Then I saw how my friends made more beautiful dots that shine brighter than the stars. And I realized that we all go at some point, and at least I would go making others happy.
As I shot through the air I felt the cold air push against me and saw a bunch of little children jumping up and down … then everything went dark.
“Fulfilling my Destiny”
By Kennedy Lee, Grade 6
I felt excited. Squeezed tight in a box with my brothers and sisters. I heard the booms and explosions from outside. It was finally my time to shine. It all happened to my ancestors a few minutes ago. I felt the box shake like an earthquake. I was about to continue the legacy of fireworks. I would make history! Light suddenly peaked inside the box. A strange man started grabbing us and set us on the cold concrete. I saw all the lights in the sky. The man came with a lighter. It was hot and bright. He lit my string. I felt the adrenaline rush. I burst high into the air. The wind rushed past me. I saw so many people watching me. All of a sudden… I exploded with a big boom. I heard the excitement from the kids. I have finally fulfilled my destiny.
The topic of our annual Spring Writing Contest was “Dreams.” Winners were awarded in all Grade levels. Here is one of the winning entries!
“The Dream Catcher”
By Jonathan Lin, Grade 7
The old woman's last words still pressed in his mind. “Don’t ever let this break. It protects you from the curse. “ The dream catcher looked ordinary at the moment. No curses were killing him but he decided to ignore his late great grandmother’s words on the fact that she was going senile. She had mumbled nonsense at her own daughter as she said goodbye. He put it up next to his bed and crawled into bed.
