Where Does a Mind Go When It's Lost?
Does a mind get lost? Does your mind stay on track? Can your mind keep up with you? What if we had no mind? What if your mind wandered, and you were able to follow it?
-Bogdan, Sloat Elementary School
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You Read it Here First! - read "Take My Word For It!" students' work
Untitled
James Bond, you have a new mission. first you have to go to Till's Land Island. Then you must go over the Tomb Hills, and then you have to walk aside the lake. After that you must cross the bridge, then climb the everlasting, ever-erupting, red-orange, earth-created volcano. Then walk over more round, green hills, and then you will find the treasure!
From, Your Boss
P.S. I am pretty sure the treasure is a pigeon with a pack of gum. P.P.S. I think the bridge might be broken. P.P.P.S. I am actually pretty sure that there is no volcano. P.P.P.P.S. Call me at five or whenever you get the treasure.
-Pearce, Joaquin Miller Elementary
Our theme for the week of August 19 - 23 was "Magical Realism". We started off on Monday by defining Magical Realism - stories where things appear ordinary, except for one strange and wonderful magical element - one that's often hidden and only known to some of the characters. We talked with the girls about books that they had probably read or heard of - Coraline, Charlotte's Web, Alice in Wonderland - and asked them to think about why these stories would be included in the category of Magical Realism.
Their assignment: to ponder what kind of magical element they would want to feature in a story sketch and to think about it during their travels. We furnished them with some suggestions such as: What if hidden messages were written on the underside of leaves? What if mysterious music emanated from man hole covers? What if you had the ability to read people's minds whenever you boarded a bus or BART train?
On Wednesday we introduced the concepts of character and conflict, antagonist and protagonist and encouraged them to consider how their element of magic would fold into their story.
By Friday, most of the girls had a detailed idea of their story's structure and had developed a main character and an antagonist. We finished Friday's session by letting them draw detailed maps of the worlds they came up with. Some of them completed a prologue to their story as well. Oh, and we also fit in some word games and a round of "Exquisite Corpse"!
There were some really unique and creative ideas including a world where a young girl can travel back to the time of the president appearing on any bill in her wallet, and a world where cats, when they walked through their cat doors, entered another dimension!
Thanks for signing up your daughters for Girls on the Go! Please ask them to tell you about the fantastic worlds they created.
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Our theme for the week of July 15 - 19 was "Found Treasures and Scavenger Hunts"!
Here are a few of the pieces from TMWFI and Girls on the Go camp this week!
In this writing activity we asked the campers to write about things they've lost:
Julia's "What have I lost?"
My mom's mom to cancer
My 4th uncle to a heart attack
My dad's dad to a sudden death
A friend I knew since 1st grade because
she's moving to Singapore
My fear of death
My fear of heights
My (now dead) goldfish
2 pair of ice skates
My 1st cello
My 1st piano
8 of my baby teeth
A lot of lead pencils
My BF
My 1st - 10th birthday cake
My long hair
Olivia R's "Lost Things"
1. Words I have been hurt
by
2. A friend
3. My sadness
4. Some earrings
5. My fav. shorts
6. My fishes
7. My fav. dress
Elizabeth's "Things I've Lost"
Aunt Esther
Childhood innocence (due to middle school)
Friends and enemies
Wheat tolerance
About 8 earring backings
My willingness to believe
My nail biting habit
My dad's camera case
2 soggy, muddy, disgusting blackened (though originally white)
Socks lost to gilli's grove
A pair of white chords- accidentally
Washed with blue underwear
Clothes that I've grown out of
A 4 year old light blue fleece
All of my baby teeth
A whole lot of hair bands
My love for the Beatles (when I saw
What Paul McCartney showed up, botoxed
At the Oscars
Cool Random Words
1. Red cherry baseball coat 2. Cookie dough moon star 3. Gummy blue green coke 4. Orange ocean octopus 5. Fizzy coke brown eye 6. Gummy leaf globe bear 7. Grey liquid purple cube 8. Raspberry banana boaty 9. Icy cream cloud 10. Cotton Candy dream bubble 11. Air head tape pencil 12. Journal double bubble fish
-Sonyamia, Hillcrest Elementary School
I Am From
I am from reading libraries I am from the over-512-branch family tree I am from playing video games I am from my bed I am from my friends I am from laughing at stand-up comedy I am from across the street I am from my mom and dad I am from my cousins ...and my sister I AM FROM EVERYTHING I am from doodling I am from randomness I am from annoying songs I am from 42 I am from laughing I am from myself I am from my thoughts I am from ....you too! I am from other people: being encouraging being happy being funny I AM FROM ME I AM FROM MEEEEEEEEEEEE.
-Noah, Hillcrest Elementary
Manzanita
Soft green Colored leaves Sway in the breeze When they are ready They Dance Away in the sweet warm wind
On the inside Cooled with water Always cold for me
It's bark Crimson Peeling Burned dark by the sun
So if you are free Come sit with me Under the Glory Of the Manzanita tree
-Hannah, Thornhill Elementary