Our third grade writers are learning to write realistic fiction stories. Authors create a character that has struggles or challenges to overcome. Read how their characters triumph over their troubles. Notice the hooks that pull you into their stories and how authors have attempts to solve the problem before it is resolved. Cheers to our third grade writers! (Please be patient as we work out a few kinks in formatting.)

Joe Wants Puppies

by Shalyn

        One sunny morning Joe woke up in his wonderful house.  He opened the door of his house and started to walk down Napa.  Joe walked into Northwest Seed and Pet.  Joe asked the lady at the front desk “Where are the puppies?”  “Take a left down the hall” answered the lady.  Joe walked down the hall.  He saw a sign.  The sign said “Puppies 4 sale.”  So Joe ran in.  “This is not a sale,” Joe thought.  A minute later Joe was staring at the puppies.  There were four left.  “I can’t leave them here.  They’re just so cute “thought Joe.  Joe ran back to the counter.

        “Did you forget to put the prices for the puppies that are for sale up?” asked Joe.  “No” said the lady at the counter.  Joe’s jaw dropped to the floor.  “Is there something wrong?” the lady asked Joe.  “No” answered Joe.  “Can I just have the puppies now and I will give you the money later?”  “NO!” the lady answered.  Joe sat down in a chair he thought of something.  Joe went up to the lady at the counter.  “Can I have a job here to earn the money?”  Joe asked.  But all the lady said was “NO!” “Come on” Joe cried “NO!” yelled the lady.

        Joe stomped his feet out of the store and walked home.  “I’m back” Joe told his mom.  Joe’s mom didn’t listen so she didn’t know he was bummed out.  Joe went into his room.  “What can I do to get $500?”  Joe wondered.  Joe kept on thinking.  He went downstairs and got apple juice and a Canadian sandwich.  Joe got food because he thought food would help but it didn’t so he went back up to his room.

        An hour later, Joe’s mom came up to his room.   “Why do you looked bummed out?” she asked.  “I don’t have any idea what I could do to earn $500.  So I’m really mad.”  Joe stared angrily out the window.  He saw a sign.  It said McDonalds.  “Mom” said Joe “What?” she repeated.  “Can I work at a restaurant?” “Sure” Joe’s mom answered.  “Yes! Mom I’m going to work at McDonalds!” “Ok” his mom said, surprised.

        Joe got a job at McDonalds and he was the person who worked at the front counter.  Joe was happy with his job.  The first month of work, Joe got $100.  The next day Joe went to work and it was buy one milkshake, get one free month.  So it was busy at McDonalds.  The last 3 months, Joe got $200 every month.  Joe was happy that buy one milkshake, get one free month was gone because people were scattered everywhere.  It was Joe’s last month because he just signed up for 4 months so before he left for good he got paid $200.

        Joe said good bye to his friends at McDonalds and ran out the door.  The door to Northwest Seed and Pet flew open when Joe ran in he asked the lady “Are the puppies still here?”  “Yes” the lady answered.  Joe shot off like a rocket over to the supplies he grabbed 5 leashes, 5 bones, and 5 collars.  Joe grabbed 5 of everything.  He put the stuff in a little basket and headed for the room with the puppies and grabbed all of them and sense he had some money left, he bought a fifth puppy.  Joe bought the stuff and ran home with five kennels with puppies in them.  Joe went to his best friend Fred’s house.  He gave Fred a puppy and raced home on his skateboard.  When Joe got home he gave his mom, dad and his baby sister a puppy and he got one, too.   Night fell on the land and the Moroone family drifted off to sleep. 

Amber’s Black Poodle

By: Cierra

It was Amber’s birthday and she was setting up while her dad was cooking food.  Her friends started to arrive.  Amber and her friends go swimming in her 8 foot built in under ground pool.  They made cheesey nachos for lunch and cheese pizza for dinner.  Amber opened her presents and her dad got her a puppy.  Her dad said “it was a $200.00 puppy!”  Amber’s mom got her a hamster and a new outfit.  It was pink with a flower on it and she got brown boots with it.

Amber’s mom lit the cake and her mom and dad and friends sang happy birthday.  Her dad cuts the cake and mom hands out the cake the cake was chocolate with chocolate filling.  Amber wished she had a horse when she wished her wish it did not come true.

Amber and her friends go inside to play with her new dog Sasspat it was 5:00 and her dad yelled “dinner time” Amber said “coming.” She raced down stairs she asked, “what’s for dinner?” Her dad said “pizza!”  Amber said “again?” “Yep!” said dad.  During dinner Amber asked her mom “where are you going to put my hamster?” Mom said, “in the cage I got.”  When we finished dinner we laid down on the couch somewhere on the floor we had are own bowl of butter toffee popcorn.

Amber watched a movie about teenagers going to high school it was 11:00 pm and everybody was asleep including Princess the hamster and Sassypat the poodle at 8:00 am everybody was up except mom and dad.  When Amber woke up she was on the ground she screamed “AAAhhhhh.”  The couch was torn and ripped the stuffing was all over the ground.  Mom and dad came downstairs and said what did you do to the couch.  Amber said “I didn’t do it!” Her dad yelled and yelled.

Amber said “I didn’t do it I swear.”  Finally she said “Sassypat did it.”  Her mom and dad finally believed Amber.  Amber said, “What’s for breakfast?” Mom said, “chowfood!” “Sick!” said Amber and her friends.  We had pancakes for breakfast.  “Amber said yummy!”  When Amber’s friends left they trained Sassypat to never tear anything up again.  Even though the dog Sassypat tour the couch up we kept her!

Mike the Cop

By: Brandyn 

        Cars zooming.  Lights flashing.  Kids swimming at the beach.  Ring! Ring! Ring!  Phones ringing at the cop station.  Mike got the phone and there was a robber robbing a bank.  Mike hopped on his motorcycle and Mike zoomed to the bank.

    Mike looked around and everybody was tied up even the security.  Mike started asking questions.  “Security, what did the robber look like?”  “Well, he looked 25, he had a mustache, black shirt and black pants.”  “Did you see his car?” “No but I know where he lives.”  “I do to.”  Mike hopped on his motorcycle and went to the robbers house.  On the way Mike got a call that there was a speeder.  Mike said “can you?”  “No sorry.”  Mike got the speeder and gave him a ticket.  Right away Mike drove to the house.

Mike found the house. Mike got his gun.  Mike broke the door down.  Mike said “freeze.” Mike heard noise upstairs.  Mike called for backup, his friend Jake came in.  They went upstairs and broke the door down again and said “freeze” again.  Mike handcuffed the robber.  Mike said “what’s your name?” “Nick.” “You are under arrest” said Jake.

More police offers came, Mike put Nick in the cop car and Mike said “Jake, do you want to use my motorcycle?”  “Yes!” “Can I use your cop car” said Mike.  “Yeah sure.”  Mike got in the cop car and drove to the cop station and put Mike in the jail cell.  Mike said “time for me to go home.”  When Mike got home he got ready for bed.  He hopped in bed and fell asleep.  2 hours later ring! Ring! Ring!  “Hello.”  “Nick has escaped.”  “Oh no!.”

The Broken Skateboard

By Rashawn

 It was 1:10 in the afternoon; Rocky and Kurt were having a Natas Spin competition. They’ve been going for 30 minutes.

“I’m going to win. I’m well balanced,” bragged Rocky.

“Oh yeah, I can do better” said Kurt.CRACK.

“Oh No” Kurt cried as his skateboard broke.“What am I going to do now? I don’t have any money,” complained Kurt.

“I’ll give you more money” said Rocky sarcastically. Rocky was the skate park bully. So, Kurt gripped the sloped rail and climbed sadly out of the empty pool.

When Kurt arrived at his new job, an elderly man greeted him. The man walked up and told Kurt what to do.

“My garage is right over there”, said Old man Brady as he pointed to his garage. “I want you to take care of my pictures, my antiques which are my pictures and my basketball things,” added Old man Brady.

While Kurt was cleaning he noticed a plaque. Thurgood Brady and Larry Bird FRIENDS, Kurt read. Old man Brady is friends with legendary Larry Bird? Kurt asked himself.After he was done cleaning he walked up to Thurgood (Old Man Brady’s) den.

“YOUR FRIENDS WITH LARRY BIRD!” yelled Kurt.

“Now, no need to yell he’s just and old man basketball player,” said Thurgood.

“You’re right. Who is he anyway?” asked Kurt.

Thurgood took out his wallet and handed a 10 dollar bill to Kurt.

“MOM, can I have 10 dollars?” asked Kurt as he walked through the door.

“I thought Mr. Brady gave you money?” asked Mom.

“It wasn’t enough,” answered Kurt.

“Go clean the bathroom that’s worth 5 dollars and the kitchens worth 3 and the den is worth 2” Mom told Kurt.

“OK” said Kurt in a whiney voice.

An hour later, Kurt was finished. “I only accept cash” said Kurt.

“Here you go” said Mom.

Kurt ran and got his coat and ran to the skate shop. Around noon Kurt was thinking how it was just a board on wheels but it gives him something to do.

“What’s up Joe?” asked Kurt.

“Nothing, need a new board?” asked Joe as he answered Kurt’s question.

“The word is Rocky stared you down and made you break your board,” added Joe.

“I don’t like to talk about it,” said Kurt.“Do you have any DC or Big Black?” asked Kurt.

“No, were out of stock on both,” said Joe. “But we do have DGK,” said Joe.

“I’ll take it,” said Kurt.

A smile appeared on his face as he walked out of the skate shop. On Kurt’s way home he saw “The King of Skaters”. He also saw 10 broken skateboards! He thought to challenge Rocky.

“Hey “King of” what’s that word oh yeah, BULLIES,” said Kurt.

“Oh just another sissy wanting to challenge the WINNER” said Rocky.

“Natas Spin competition NOW,” ordered Kurt.

“Ok,” said Rocky. Rocky tried to jump up and spin in the air.(30 minutes later) CRACK.

“Oh no, how’d you do that?” asked Rocky.

“Ok, I knew you’ve been Natas spinning for a while and um I knew your board would BREAK,” said Kurt.

As he jumped off of the medium sized stake.

“That’s no FAIR” yelled Rocky. As he got up off of the cement ground.

“Yes it is” said Kurt in a funny voice.

See it was not Kurt’s tricks that made him king, it was his brain. And that’s how he became the King of Skaters.

Bullied

By: Cassandra

“Wake up Zoura.”

“No!” She did not want to go to school because she’d been bullied since first grade. The bully’s name was Kate. So in 6th grade she knew she was going to get bullied. But Zoura got up and she put on an orange dress combed her hair and went downstairs her mom put pancakes on her plate. “Can I have syrup please?” she asked in a mad voice. Then she got on her shoes and her socks. 

After breakfast Zoura went outside. She remembered last year. Soon she got the movie in her mind that the bully was at the waterfall waiting for her. After that she got on the bus slowly. Meanwhile she was sitting on the bus with a girl named Elizabeth they were friends since first grade. They got off the school bus and walked inside the big school. Then Kate came she said “Give me my lunch money.” Then Kate threw Zoura against a wall “I want lunch money” said Kate.

 After Kate left Zoura got up and went to class. “Mr. M., Kate is bullying me,” said Zoura.

“No I’m not, Zoura is bullying me,” said Kate.

Then Mr. M clapped his hands “I don’t believe you Zoura you keep on telling me this stuff no one wants to hear and that is called lying.” Then he told Zoura to “sit” Zoura sat then Kate had a mean look on her face. But Mr. M kept on teaching. The bell rang and they left class. She went to the next class and Zoura told every teacher the same thing but every teacher said the same thing back. Kate did the same thing to Zoura over and over again.

At lunch Kate started to bully her again. She punched her in the face. “That was for telling on me.” But Kate kept punching her in the face. While Zoura was getting punched her face got tears and her nose got bloody. Then Kate punched her again and Zahra’s face got really bloody. When Kate left Zoura got up and saw a camera.

“When did they put cameras in the halls?” Zoura asked and went to the office.Right away Zoura said, “Can I see the principal?” They said yes, so she went to his office sure enough he was there.

“What do you want?” said Mr. N.

“I want to see the cameras” said Zoura.

“Okay.” Mr. N took Zoura to the camera. Mr. N took out the tape and went to the office and put the disc in the computer then it showed Zoura getting bullied and Kate hitting her. Then he said, “I am going to find Kate and tell her she is expelled.”

“I told Mr. M and all my other teachers but they only believed Kate,” said Zoura. Then Mr. N went to the microphone and announced Kate come to the office. Kate came and she got expelled. Zoura met new people and became friends. Zoura met girls named Crystal and Charlotte, and a boy named Dana. Zoura went home. She walked in the door mom said, “How was your day?”

“Good because I met new people and because the bully is expelled, but not good because I got bullied 2 times.”

“I’m sorry,” then they ate dinner and went to bed.“I’m going to make more friends tomorrow” said Zoura. 

Molly’s Struggle

By Becca

One afternoon in winter Molly’s mother was coming home from the store.  “When is mom coming home?” asked Molly.

  “Be patient” answered her older sister. “I hope she doesn’t bring that stinky terrible horrible broccoli,” Molly groaned softly.

  “I’m home” said Molly’s mother.  Please don’t say who wants broccoli for dinner and don’t even think about cooking a it for dinner, Molly thought.  She held her breath as long as she could.  “Who wants broccoli for dinner?” Molly’s mother asked.  All of the kids raced their hands up high except Molly.  “Okay” she said “Broccoli it is.” 

Molly stomped her feet.  “I don’t want broccoli for dinner!!!” shouted Molly.

Frowning, Molly’s mother grabbed Molly by the arms. “Molly” screamed her mother.  “You don’t ever shout in my house again!  Is that clear!  Answer me right no or else I’ll take you to your room!” Molly didn’t answer.  “Fine!” her mother yelled.  Is that the way you want to be? Be that way,” her mother shouted.

   “Okay mom I want broccoli for dinner” Molly cried.  But it was to late.  Her mother tossed Molly into her bedroom and locked the door.

   “You make up our mind little girl!!!! You understand !!!! I will come back into this room and I should expect you will make up your mind!!!!!” her mother shouted the loudest shout in her life.  She stomped down stairs and plopped herself down on to the couch.

   “What’s the matter mom?” asked the kids.  Looking more red in the face than ever, she told the kids her story.  After 15 minutes gone by, Molly’s mother walked as slow as a turtle just about to get some bugs.  “So did you make up your mind?” asked her mother.

   “I don’t know” Molly answered.   “Molly I know you know lots of things honey.” said her mother.  “So answer me like a big girl would.” Molly was frightened.  “Well” Molly said.   “Spit it out!” her mother interrupted. “Are we having broccoli for dinner?” she asked.

“Yes mom” Molly answered.

  “Sorry I think I didn’t hear you.” her mother said. “I said yes mom!!” she answered rudely.

“Okay” her mother said. After the broccoli was done cooking, Molly tried a taste of it. 

“Yuck this broccoli tastes icky!”  Molly groaned. I think cheese is good on broccoli. Molly thought.  So she put cheese on it, but she spat it out of her mouth. She left the table.

   “Molly where are you going” asked her mother.

   “I’m going to get the salt and vinegar chips,” she answered back.   “Wait Molly what do you need them for?” her mother asked.

  “You’ll see,” she answered.  She came back with the chips and dumped some in a bowl.  Molly crumbled them and sprinkled them on her plate like snowflakes falling on the ground.  She tasted the broccoli again and this time she spat it across the room.  “It’s to salty for me” moaned Molly. Just then the salsa fell from a shelf above the table and Molly caught it. She pealed all of the chips off the broccoli and squirted some of the salsa on the broccoli.  She tasted it one more time and darted to the trashcan with a mouth full of broccoli with salsa.

   “Molly come back to the table right now or else I’ll chase you!” her younger sister shouted after Molly.

  “Sarah don’t shout in this house again do you understand?” her mother asked. “Yes mom I understand very clear” answered Sarah. “Good,” her mother said.  Molly came back to the dining room and just sat in her chair as still as a stone.

After dinner was over, Molly plopped herself on to the very, very, very old bench near the couch.  “What’s wrong?” Molly?” asked her older brother.  “ I saw you plopping down on to the bench we’ve had 100 years ago” he said.

“Yes your right” Molly said with a sigh.

“So what’s wrong?” asked her brother.

   “It’s kind of hard to tell you.” She answered.  “But I’ll whisper what’s wrong with me in your ear. If you let me.” said Molly.

   “I will let you if it’s short.” answered her brother.

   “Okay” said Molly and she whispered the problem into his ear.  Her brother whispered something back.  Molly looked at the clock.

   “Molly where are you going? Asked her mother? I’m going up to bed mom.” she answered. The next time they had broccoli for dinner, Molly chugged it down her throat. From that day on Molly learned to chug the broccoli down her throat so she wouldn’t have to taste the broccoli’s horrible taste. 

   How My Sister Flies Away

by Noah

One smiling, bright but terrifying day, Sara Neako, my sister, was lying down very ill.  Mom, Dad and me took her to the emergency room.  It felt like it had been pouring for ages through two dark rain clouds covering my face.  I was breaking down.

Sara begged, “Please, I am pleading you not to cry because..no matter what happens to me or you…I will always be there.”  Sara closed her gleaming blue river eyes.  I kissed her head and held her hand.  “Okay,” I whispered. 

I listened and kept what Sara said.  The next day she had passed.  I took deep breaths.  I couldn’t do anything but to cry.  But, I remembered what she explained to me.  How could I forget?

Four days later, I was tripping across the sidewalk.  I was staring at the dark navy blue trees.  The moon shined down on me, staring at my face.  It was glowing bright making the night shine.  A few minutes I heard a rustle in the trees.  I flinched.  I also took a few steps back.  I could hear the rocks crumbling behind me when I took another step.  As the animal stepped out of the branches, I shook with fear until I discovered…a yellow squeaking puff of fur and feathers waddling toward me like a flippy, floppy penguin?   A duckling?  My heart slowly stopped pounding from my chest and I took a long deep blow.  Whew!

Wait a minute, for some reason the duckling would not fly away as if it knew me or wanted to be with me??  The duckling all of a sudden reminded me of some one.  Huh!  I gasped, to you the duckling was wild.  But, to me the duckling was Sara and from somewhere I could of sworn I heard, “Please you don’t have to cry when you know I’m with you.”  So with that the duckling turned and flew far above the sun!

Ballet Disaster

by Destiny

     One icy cold morning I was in the backyard on the pavement pretending to be a princess walking on a small crack and that the other side of the crack was colder than ice water the gravel side was blazing hot lava and the car in the lava was safe.  I could touch it or hold it firmly. 

     All of a sudden, 2 evil dogs came over because I had a marshmallow peep in my hand.  The 2 evil dogs tried to push me into the lava.  I was scared so I pushed the evil dogs away, but they came right back.  So I said “sit”.  Only one dog listened so I just kept on balancing on the puny fracture but then suddenly the most evil dog, the one who never listens, came over and barked.  So I tossed it and picked up 2 toys and gave them to her and ran on the slit splits.  I finally got done with balancing.  Now I’m onto jumping and spinning on the tiny line.  It was hard, but I did it and so I defeated the evil dogs and my lesson on balance.  It seemed as it started out to be a ballet disaster!!

Dylan’s Story

Zack lives by the ocean. One day he walked there by himself, just Zack.  He knows where a special place is no one else knows about it.  He heard a “moh”.  What is it?  He looked down the hill.  It’s a dolphin.  He ran down the hill.  The dolphin is on the beach dying in the wet, soggy, mushy sand.  So he put the dolphin on the surf board and pushed the board through the soggy sand into the beautiful clear water, but outside of the safety net there was a shark.  When he looked at the dolphin, he was gone and he said I will never forget you. 

Two years later, he saw him again.  I didn’t forget you.  “Goodbye” and he never saw him again..

Blacky

by Eric

I was all alone on a dark spooky night when suddenly…THUNK!  The sound made the windows rattle.  Me and my cat, Runtell, jumped at the sound.  So I went out onto the porch (that’s where the sound came from) and looked down, and to my surprise an injured bird was whimpering.  There was blood gushing out his wing, splattering the ground.  It was as though he was moaning on the ground and he had a broken wing, trying as hard as he could to fly away.  So I put on some gloves and put him in a shoebox.  I nursed him at home and he started to look a littler better.  I let him rest he looked even better!  So I encouraged him to stay calm, eventually he got better….but first he hopped out the doggy door so I guess if you think you you can do it, you can.

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Little Bird

by Jason

One sunny day I hear chirping and suddenly it stopped.  I saw my dog trotting across the yard with a grappled bird in his mouth with dug in jagged razor sharp teeth in his sides, helplessly lying there.  Buddy dropped him with “pu.”  He was bleeding like a violet water fall.  Me and Aiden rushed over.  He was suffering and wanting to die over the pain.  We got some gloves (birds carry diseases).  We tried to grab him but we couldn’t.  The damaged shocked and scared little bird was running around in a circle (freaky), so desperate, calls for desperate measures.  There was stick and we tripped him, knocked him out for a few minutes.  We picked up with a shovel and put him in a shoe box with toilet paper in it.  The next time we looked HE WAS GONE.  I asked my mom – WHERE IS HE?  Who, who, who?  MY BIRDY!.  Oh he flew away.  I cried why, why, why, why, WHY!  A few hours later (after I was done crying) I thought besides my mom said “What if he didn’t fly away, or did Buddy get to him?  And the mystery lives on.   

Categories: Writing
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Our third graders are writing their first personal essays. They are learning to support their thesis statements with details and small moments stories. Look at how they are exploring how to support their thesis statements.The Wonderful FamilyBy AndrewSplash went the water when I jump in the lake. Going camping with my family is fun.Going camping with my family is fun because I like fishing. One morning when I was camping I went fishing with my Grandpa and my Grandma and my mom and my sister and my brother and we went on the boat and I caught a very big fish. It was fun going fishing with my family.Going camping with my family is fun because I like roasting marshmallows. One night when I was camping I asked my Grandma if we could roast marshmallows. We made a fire and we waited and then we got a very very warm fire and we got graham crackers and chocolate and we roasted marshmallows.Going camping with my family is fun because you can go tubing. One morning when I was camping my Grandpa filled up the tube so we can go tubing. I knew it was going to be fun. I liked it when we went on the big waves. It was very fun to go on the tube. I went again because it was so fun and when you fall off the tube you can swim back.Going camping with my family is better than $1,000,000.Best Sport Ever - FootballBy Brandyn“Hut,hut, hike!” I was running it, the football game started. I was running and someone pulled m flag. Football is my favorite sport.Football is my favorite sport because sometime I win. One Friday I had a football game. I had to run it, I got the ball. I ran and made a touchdown. We kept making touchdowns. Later the score was 5 to 1. I had the ball and made a touchdown and won the game. I was so happy because I made the winning touchdown.Football is my favorite sport because I get healthier. Football makes me healthier because I get better at running. I get better at catching.When I am practicing my muscles get stronger.Football is my favorite sport because it is fun. football is fun because you can run. Also I can play with my friends too. I get to play my favorite positions. It is also fun because you can win.Football is better than a hundred dollars.The Best T.V. Show EverBy CierraI sat on the white couch while the fire place was crackling as I turned on the TV show. My favorite TV show is High School Musical.High School Musical is my favorite TV because they are some of my favorite TV stars. My favorite TV stars are Ashley Tisdale, Zack Efron, Vanesa Lucints, Corbin Blue and Ryne Tisdale. They are my favorites.High School Musical is my favorite TV show because there are some fo my favorite songs. some of my favorite songs are Bet On it, Fabulous, Your Are The Musician In Me and another great song is There Is The Truth.High School Musical is my favorite TV show because there are some TV stars off of movies I have watched, like Corbin Blue, Vanessa Lucints, Ashley Tisdale, and Zack Efron.High School musical is my favortite TV show because Corbin Blue has been on Hannah Montana Jump In, and High School Musical. Corbin Blue is pretty special. High School Musical is better than Hannah Montana.

Categories: Writing
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At Bemiss we have our favorite authors and genres. We are just beginning to publish our thoughts about some of our favorite books. Who are your favorite authors? Let us know if you have a suggestion of a new book to read. Add a comment if you read the same book and agreed with our reviewer.

Dear Jeff Kinney,

        Thank you for making Dairy of a Wimpy Kid Rodrick Rules. I like this book because it is funny and it has great words. It is just plain awesome. It’s funny when Greg wants to join the water jazz team because it is all old ladies and he has to wear tight bottoms and when he wraps himself in toilet paper because he is cold. Please make more books just as funny as Dairy of a Wimpy Kid one and two. What made you want to write this book?

        Thank you,

        Brittany Stafford

Dear

Dea

Categories: Book Reviews and Letters
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Mrs. Adams’ second grade students are expert observers of nature. They have honed their observation skills, and here you will see how poetic their observations are.

Autumn leavesSwirl around and roundThey also swish and swirl.Leaves look like Golden little sparklingStars glowing at night.Leaves feel like crunchyCrackers getting smashed.Leaves and berries smell like Minty mints you eat to makeYour breath smell good.Leaves are great To have in our class.By Michaela

Autumn leaves swirl in the beautiful sun and the skyAnd it shines down to the porch and it flowsLeaves shaped like a bear or any shape,That god is good at drawing a lot of things Leaves feel fragilePurple leaves feel soft and Berries smell like they are turning green for a little whileBy Baelei

Autumn leaves driftThey flip, they flop they twirlLike stars that fall gently down.Leaves feel pointy, crunchy,Soft as a black kittyBy Melody

Autumn leaves falling down in the fallLeaves are golden Leaves look like golden little clouds and big cloudsLeaves feel like soft feathers and crunchy cereal,Leaves and berries smell like minty.By Jillian

Autumn leaves are golden and colorful.Leaves look like soft moons in the sky,And spiky twirling leaves in the worldLeaves feel like crunchy and crumbly ovals,And leaves float in the water.Leaves and berries smell like fresh bunch berries.By Unique

Autumn leaves they tremble and tumble to the ground.Leaves look like crunchy ships. Some leaves feel smooth. Leaves and berries smell delicious.Spiky and golden leaves are exciting to rake upBecause I can make a leaves pile.By Savannah

Autumn leaves are fresh.They float in the wind.They look like orange birds.Berries and leaves are a colorful family.By Skyler

Autumn leaves are golden, colorful green leaves.Leaves look like golden color in the fall.Leaves feel like they are smooth when you feel them.Leaves and berries smell like blossoms in the fall.Leaves are awesome because they make the wind slow down.By Robert

Autumn leaves twirl down trees.Leaves look like beautiful golden oval eggs.Leaves feel like puppy fur.They feel crumbly.Leaves and berries smell like snacks and blueberries.Leaves are a beautiful garden.By Jace

Autumn leaves are golden.By Jarren

Autumn leaves plop down as the go.Leaves look golden.Leaves are orange.Leaves are brown.Leaves feel like a plop.By Donnie

Autumn leaves spin round and round.Floating in the cold water.Leaves look like golden flowers a-shine.Leaves feel like crunchy, hard colorful.Leaves and berries smell minty and like flowersBy Nathan

Leaves are drifting around,And falling around in the sky and sun.They feel like feathers.Leaves are gold and colorful,And flip beautifully.By Zacary

Autumn leaves flip and Autumn leaves fall off their trees.They float down to the ground.Sometimes they twirl really hard into the ground.Leaves look like beautiful ovals and trees.Leaves feel like sparksLeaves, smooth and crunchy.Leaves and berries smell like autumn and minty.Leaves are special,Because leaves help you understand which tree it is.Like this maple leaf.By Eric

Autumn leaves wind together by spinning and spinning.Leaves look like green and brown summer time.Some leaves are green and white.Leaves feel like feathers when they are fresh and clean.When they are not clean they feel hard.Leaves and berries smell like “fruitsies”Leaves are great because they are different colors.By Carrick

Autumn leaves they float and flip,Leaves look crunchyAnd they are soft and they are smooth.Leaves feel like they are spicy and they are fragile.Leaves and berries smell like spices and berries.Leaves are round,And round they twirl.By Amelia

Autumn leaves go round and round.Leaves look like golden sheets.Leaves feel smooth and crunchy.Leaves and berries smell like a big bowl of fruit.Leaves are real soft.By Austin

Autumn leaves flip and they fall down.And they stay down,In autumn some of the leaves glow orange,They are smooth gold.Leaves look red and green, some are orange,Some are big, some are little.Leaves feel crumbly.By Matin

LeavesI smelled the autumn leaves.They smell like the fresh outdoors.There are millions of bright shapes.They are fun to jump in.By Dillon

Categories: Science, Poetry
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Third graders are beginning to write their personal narratives by starting with small moments. Small moments are a short pieces of writing where the author tries to zoom in on the most memorable moment of their story. Here is a small moment by Tabitha:

My SurpriseBy Tabitha One day my friend and I were at my house swimming. My dogs were barking at the garage so me and Kristin, who was my friend, looked in the garage. It was a Pit bull! I was running for my life! Kristen was running too. The dog wasn’t running. Kristin and I got my horse rope and caught the dog. It laid down. I called my mom immediately. That dog had nine babies. We got to keep one. Its name is Lovely. She’s pretty. Her doggy mom is with her owner again. Lovely’s mom’s name is TammyFay. Lovely and her sisters and brother look different. Some were black and brown with huge wiggly dots and short ears. I love Lovely!Here is another example of zooming in on a topic by our third grade poet, Eric. Eric captures the feelings he has when it is time to rake leaves in a delightfully illustrated poem. 

Categories: Writing
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First graders are learning about weather. They sang a song called Weather Fun to the tune of BINGO. Then they wrote about their favorite kind of weather. Look at their wonderful illustrations and writing. What’s your favorite kind of weather?Here is Angelina’s favorite kind of weather:  Here is Christy’s favorite kind of weather: Here is Xavier’s favorite kind of weather:  Here is Shamus’ favorite weather: 

Categories: Science
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We have found that one of the joys of writing is to write something just for the fun of it. Here one of our sixth grade authors has fun modeling a story after one of her childhood favorites, Alexander’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. She has a delightful way of showing, not telling about her trials and tribulations.  This author expresses that sense of frustration when everything seems to go wrong by exaggerating how bad things are. 

Madie’s Bad Day

By Madie

        When I woke up this morning I looked at my alarm clock and found out I had…five minuets to get ready! So I jolted out of my bed, only to hit my head on the wall. With a painful head ache I went to my dresser and tried to open it. Instead of my dresser opening the handle decided to rip off my dresser so I couldn’t open it. So, I collected my clothing out of my closet. And then I knew today was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good very bad day. I’ve decided to move to Cle Elum. And to make it even worse I have to run to school now.

        After I got to school, I went up to the cash register in the cafeteria. I found out that I had no breakfast money, so today I can’t eat breakfast. Today is going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Cle Elum sound so nice right now. I want to live there, in fact I’m moving there.

        After hearing the deceiving, annoying bell ring, I trudged up the stairs, bracing myself for the rest of my terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. When, I get home, I am moving to Cle Elum, and that’s final!

        When I was walking home I was thinking about my day, and before I knew it I was home. Not paying any attention, to the steps that lead to my door I tripped chipping my tooth. I managed to pick myself up and I opened my front door and, BAM! My sister’s attitude hit me at what seemed like 100 miles per hour. She started ordering me around like she was a drill sergeant. “Madie clean your room” and every chore you could think of and she wanted it all done in two seconds. Instead of listening to her, I went to my room and started working on the mountain of homework my teacher gave me because he said “You talk too much, Madie. You should be happy with all this homework.” I just want this terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day to end! And I want to move to Cle Elum!

        If there is one good thing my evil mother can cook is…nothing! She cooked diner and she made spinach, and added taco seasoning to it. To make matters worse it was still frozen. Grosse! My terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day was almost over, but I’m still moving to Cle Elum.

        Even though it’s barely 7:30 pm I decided to get ready to go to sleep before I am forced to watch a love movie. I went into my bathroom and used about 3 cups of Listerine. I went downstairs and my dad came in. He said, “There are horrible, no good, very bad days even in Cle Elum.” But, I still want to move there.  

Categories: Writing
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Our second graders are already big time readers! Here they share about some of their favorite books. We look forward to more book reviews from the second grade!

Categories: Reading Response
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Our authors are using the words they learned to spell in Kindergarten as they tell their personal stories in these first drafts. Notice how they are beginning to add the “when” to their stories. As writers, our first graders will progress from “best guess” spelling to correct spelling. First graders are learning so much about words and spelling, it is so exciting to see them use what they know about words to attempt to spell unknown words. Way to go first grade authors!!!!

Categories: Writing
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As we begin the year, second graders are focusing on capturing the stories of their everyday life. Here they try to zoom in on one experience and write about the details that made that time special for them. Notice how they stayed focused on one topic, helping their audiences to share in their “small moments”.

The Space Needle

By Jaiden

I went to the space needle! It was awesome! You could see the ocean there was a log ship. We took pictures. There was restaurants and then went on the elevator. We were squished! There were 100 people in there! Then it was really, really, really, really, really high!!!!!!!!!! My cousin is a grownup. And all the grownups went to the top. It spins. He went behind the garbage can. My aunt Jennifer and my papa Steve both pushed him to the wall, but he smacked them. Oh yeah, my uncle turned white. He went back to the Day’s Inn,that was our hotel. All of us laughed for days and days. My grandma Lean stayed with me and Mack. We saw a black log ship. We saw tall buildings. We saw crickets. We saw some fish jumping out. The ocean was fantastic. Then we all went back to our hotel.

The Dog

By Isiah

When my brother and me were walking to the store a dog jumped on the gate and bit my brother. I was really scared. I did not know what to do. I ran across the street. I knocked on somebody’s door. I said can I use your phone please. “Why?” My brother got bit by a dog. They said yes I called my dad. I said Jesse got bit by a dog. He said I’m on my way. I said OK. He got to the hospital. Ho got 5 stitches. I hope my brother is ok.

My Dinosaur

By Abby

One day I got a dinosaur. It was a meat eater. It eats my enemies. Tani was in the back of the dinosaur. We chased my enemies together. Then my friends Mona and Essence came. We chased Jessy all day long…we fell asleep. My dinosaur brought us home. I woke up. I asked if I could have a sleep over. My mom said yes. We had dinner I fed my dinosaur. Then we watched My Little Pony’s Christmas the movie. We ate popcorn. Then we went to bed. Tani and I were awake still. I was tired, I said, “WAKE UP!” I fell off the bed! “AOWECH!” I said. “AUGH!! I woke up! I went back to bed.

Me and My Friends

By Caitlin

Me and my friends play a lot and terrific time. I love my friends they are the best. There names are Nyny and Anika. We play a lot. We play freeze tag and hide and seek and we race each other. We play Hannah Montana games. We make potions, we make perfume out of flowers. We give it away to our moms. Moms like the lotion. Me and my friends made a secret hide out. It had our diaries in it. We showed each other. Mine is full. I have fun. Our moms look for us sometimes we tell them we are hiding. They look and look. Finally we show ourselves. Me and my friends pick apples. Some have holes in them and some are brown and mushy.

Sledding with my Pop

By Braedin

My dad and I went sledding I was excited. The first time I flew off because my dad went off. It was fun until I landed, it hurt. We stopped sledding for a little bit so I could heal. And then we almost hit a tree. We were about ten inches away. I was scared. We went on the biggest hill. We went about a mile. It was awesome. Then we almost hit somebody, we screamed look out! My dad pushed his feet down on the snow. I was anxious. We stopped in time. Then I went on my own I spun out of control. It was fun then we were climbing a hill. I wanted to carry the sled. I tripped on something and I sled down. Before we left we had a snowball fight. I used the sled for a fort it was great. Then we climbed up the huge hill. And sled down my dad gave us a push and we went really close to our car. Then we went home.

Roasting Marshmallows

By Justin

One day I got to go camping with Grandma and Grandpa. It was awesome and we roasted marshmallows. Grandpa started the fire with a lighter. First we put a marshmallow on a stick. Next we put the sticks with marshmallows in the fire. I turned my stick so it got brown and crispy. Next we pulled it out of the fire. Next we let it cool down. Next we put the marshmallow on a graham cracker. Then we put chocolate on it and finally we ate it. It was yummy!

Camping

By Darius

I was home waiting for Bradley to take me camping. I packed super fantastic stuff. It was 2 hours. I was finally there. I had to wait until dark. It was finally dark. My dad put a match in the wood. I was hot, I had to move a little bit far. I turned the stick. I did not make it go on fire because I was scared. I took the marshmallow off the stick and just ate it. It tasted fantastic.

Going to the River

By Josie

One sunny day me and my family are going on my grandpas new boat. When we were on the road we stopped at a gas station. When we got back on the road my grandpa took the wrong turn. When he noticed he took a wrong turn he turned back road and we got back on track. When we saw the river we were glad. My cousin and my mom and my grandma got the boat in the river while me and my grandpa find a parking spot. Then all of us got on the boat and drove all the way out there. When we had a little drive we got on the shore to eat some lunch. When I put my feet in the water little little fish came up to my feet. When we eat up all of our lunches we all go back on the boat. I drived the boat all by myself. It was fantastic. When I got really tired I fell asleep for ten minutes then I woke up and I drived the boat again. When we got on the shore we turned off the boat. My grandpa got the truck and hooked on the boat and then we went home.

The Barbecue

By Noah

We had a barbecue our family came. We had hotdogs, hamburgers and chips. My favorite food is hotdogs with ketchup. We started up the barbecue then we put 2 of the marshmallows on the metal stick. I turned the marshmallows. They were brown. Then we took the marshmallows off the metal stick. We ate it. It tasted great. Then it was time for bed. I had a dream of the barbecue. It was an OK dream.

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Categories: Writing
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