Zooming in on the small things

As a short exercise to help the kids write their memoirs, I asked them to focus on small details that, on an ordinary day, they might just pass by. I asked them to pretend like they had a camera and could zoom in on the small things. I asked them to explore something with their five senses, and to use metaphors and similes. The challenging part of it all, was for the kids to do this silently. As you can see from the writing below, we nailed the exercise! When the kids humbly, and proudly sat in a circle and shared what they noticed it was one of the proudest moments of my teaching career. I hope you enjoy their writing as much as I did.
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CARLY:

I see the flags rippling in the wind. They are suddenly trying to fly away, yet something is holding them back. I hear the birds chirping. They fly like the fish swimming in the sea. Where are they going? I see the swift movements of their wings. The clouds in the sky--how delicious they look, like a bowl of fluffy whipped cream. The tassles on the bike are swiftly swaying in the wind. No sound from them. They are sleak and shiny.

MADY:

All I can hear are the cars driving by. They sound like they could go on forever. They are also birds chirping along with it. It sounds like planes taking off. A butterfly flew by. It was so beautiful. It had blue lines with black dots. A plane is flying over me so loud, so high up in the sky. The sun is shining on my paper so bright I can barely write. The flags are waving in the wind. A spider is crawling on the side of me so close it almost touched my shoe, so little, not even making any noise when it walks. The wind blowing my paper over making it hard to write. Bikes on the rack--little flags on them waving like seaweed at the bottom of the ocean, not making much sound at all.

SAM:

A water bottle, quiet and still and sleak. Black and white covered with designs. Hollow and empty. It is light, and when it is full the water sloshes around. When you tap on it, it taps back.

The bees fly and land on flowers to pollinate them. They are quiet, like ghosts.

A bag caught in the garden. Silent and unmoving. Trapped.

MARSELIENNA:

The exit sign: the lights on the side of the exit sign are sitting there, still, like eyes that are watching you all the way to the end of the hallway. Then they watch someone else.

The fan: When you touch it, it feels bumpy like mountains or hills. The wire is unplugged and headed towards the big glass door. The fan's wire is curving like a dead snake. The blades are still for now but I know once it is on, they will be spinning faster than a tiger or cheatah can run.

HAVEN:

The sunlight streams through the window. So bright and beautiful it is blinding. It heats up the whole place, giving it a warm , homelike feeling. An old abandoned spider's web hangs lonely on the windowsill, swaying lightly in the breeze as though it might break any second. The sun drifts on my cheeks filling me with warmth and a smile. My friends sit nearby with their daily work.

A bee buzzes by quietly just like the gentle breeze passing. I am surrounded by such beauty. Someone stomps onto a harmless little grasshopper. They continue to torture the already dead grasshopper. What will its family do when it does not return? It just lies there. I wonder why not everyone can see the grasshopper's beauty, its long sleek legs, with patterns so pretty. I am sorry its life had to end this way.

RACHEL:

The clouds are as light and fluffy as a marshmallow. When you see them change into different shapes, you just want to lie down and watch them soar across the sky.

The big red flag swaying in the breeze. When you look at it, you know you are an American. Safe. The pole is so shiny and slick that it blinds you. It is vibrant and alive.

OLIVIA J.:

Outside I hear the cars go down Tamarack, zooming fast. They are noisy. The garden smells so pretty like a clean house. The crunch of the hot stones as people walk on them sound like they are walking on bubble wrap or glass. The sky looks like a blue marble just sitting there. The butterflies just fly by, not a care in the world.

NATALYA:

My planner sits alone on my desk. It's cover all colorful and fuzzy to the touch. I have never felt anything quite like this sensational feel of a planner. My name appears fuzzy and foggy. It turns squeaky when my fingernail hits it. It reminds me of my zip-up pajamas.

The sun is warm on my back. The sun on Emma, Carly, Mady, Olivia and Haley's hair make me think that I am surrounded by beautiful princesses. When I look up at the sky, it makes me feel so small, but not so small when I see an airplane flying in the sky all big and graceful. A crow caws in the distance. The crow's call makes me feel protected.

OLIVIA H.:

The sound of cars rushing by, and the beautiful colors of the flowers make me smile. It's still out. I can hear birds chirping with joy. A breeze comes. It makes the flag move like silk. The sky is light blue, with little clouds. The smell of flowers fills the air.

HALEY:

The windows are hot like the sun, bright like a light, dusty like an attic and very sturdy.

The outside is hot like a stove. The flags are flowing in the air. The garden is beautiful and colorful with sunflowers that the butterflies are flying around.

ALEXANDRA:

The purple flowers in the garden remind me of pipecleaners.

The sun on Rachel's hair makes it look like gold.

COLE:

My back is as hot as an oven. The sunflowers look like gold. I see a dead plant and it is as black as night. The American flag is waving like waves in the sea. The ground is as bright as the sun. My shoes are as bright as a neon sign. My paper is so bright I can barely see it.

EMMA:

The talking of people that can never stay quiet for long. Their mouths never want to stop talking. It is so hard not to talk. It is like trying to force someone to laugh when they are not ticklish.

The clapping from the other room is like my heartbeat going boom, boom, boom. It is so loud.

The sound of people moving and touching is like a song that is so quiet, you can barely hear it.

The flags are like a cloth that is floating on the water, but then sinks to the bottom when the wind stops.

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Weekend homework:
Read for 20 minutes/day. Remember that your memory map is due on Tuesday. Finish math homework if you didn't already in class. Enjoy the weather!

PS. Bring me your after school sports and clubs schedule. I would love to attend some of your events in Woodbury.