This spring TMWFI's been exploring the many ways writers get their ideas. We’ve discussed the many meanings of treasure and found inspiration in all sorts of places, from long lost twins to just looking in our pockets, we’ve found treasures everywhere!
From the prompt “I reached inside my pocket...”
I reached inside my pocket and found 3 paper clips, 2 lint balls, 5 million dollars, a toy dog, a piece of paper, and...wait, what?! Ok go back two things in my pocket. A piece of paper, a toy dog, and what?! 5 million dollars! Oh wait, it’s only $5, keep going. An eraser, 2 pencils, 10 staples, my homework, my favorite book, and my dog?!...
-Olivia
I reached inside my pocket and I found a carrot. A golden carrot. It was a weird no-good carrot! I bit into it and then Poooofff! I could see blackness. Bark, bleak, black, but then I saw a rainbow and I crashed into it, but then I was in the rainbow. It was like a tube with all the colors of the rainbow inside and outside. When I reached into my pocket again I found at least 20 of these golden carrots. I just wondered how to get out of this rainbow.
-Jamie
I reached inside my pocket and found a watch ticking like there’s no tomorrow. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. I reached a little deeper and found a pencil no bigger than an inch. I found a shiny pink eraser, but it was worn away at the edges. An old map of the NY subway trains. A coupon for pizza. A stick of spearmint gum, A mini map of the world. A stick of lip balm. And an everlasting gobstopper.
-Sidney
I reached inside my pocket and found a paperclip, toenail, cootie catcher, an apple core, and well, finally, a million dollar check from Brad Smelly Pitts! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh. And a ticket winner for the 33 million dollar Lotto Lottery! I’m stinkin’ darn rich, and I literally mean it! I’m darn stinky and I’m darn rich! Which equals stinkin’ darn rich!
-Parsa
I stumbled through the quiet streets of Pennsylvania. My hand slid inside my pocket hoping to feel the comforting feeling of my compus, but instead all I feel is cold air. That’s when I fall to the sidewalk trembling. The last precious thing, the last piece of my parents is gone...
-Grace
From You Name It, We’ve Found It (Create a story in which something is lost in a caband someone else finds it.)
My book was getting good, really good. I was lost and the swaying of the taxi cab calmed my restless mind. Hours passed though it felt like minutes and when I looked up Prudence and my dad were gone. Panic filled my heart. “Excuse me!” I called to the driver of the cab.
“Faithful, darling Faithful, is that really you?” I almost doubled over in shock. How did this person know my name?
-Lauren
My icy blue eyes darted from Faithful to Mercy. I hated shopping with dad, especially since he floated down the aisle like a careless jerk. Try on this, buy that, go to aisle thirteen =’s absolute annoyance. The good thing was is that it gave me extra time to daydream. The faint eclipse of memories of my mother floated lifelessly like ghosts through a haunted inn in my black mind. I remember the strongest memory of them all. My worst nightmares were not of vampires and ghosts. It was losing my sister.
-Anneke
From My Name Is...Mad Libs variation
My name is Hurricane.
My name is made from stormy goo.
I found my name in pickle town.
My name can shape shift.
It reminds me of pandas.
-Gulzar
My name is made from the dark depths of the cold sea and the blaring sun reflecting off tall overpowering skyscrapers of the wonderful city.
-Mitch
My name is stormy.
My name is made from poofy tigers.
I found my name in Atlanta.
My name can turn invisible.
It reminds me of hairy guinea pigs.
-Michela
From What is treasure? (Write a story about the treasured object you have chosen.)
Hello there! I am Peter Panda, No, not Peter the Panda. Petter Panda, I am a panda, like it says in my name. My best friend is Kitty. And yes, she is a girl. I am black and white, like pandas always are. Kitty is all white. Right now I jut took a shower (in the washing machine?!) and smell all soapy. In case you haven’t noticed yet, I am a stuffie (or stuffed animal). I am going to tell you about one of the most exciting days of my life.
-Gwen
Charles Eeast. The label read Charles Eeast. It was engraved in black ink and covered in black soot and ash. The object was well camouflaged in the darkness of night on the barren landscape where wars were fought, where hatred engulfed this saddened landscape. A fallen soldier, perhaps an innocent killed by unsatisfied men demanding death. Charles W. Eeast must have been the cause of this object. By watching with curiosity in his soul, probably watching the battle with this object. Now as I hold the object, uncertain of its value and purpose to the world as we know it, I search my mind like a hawk. Memories upon memories. When I find what I am holding, realization washes over me and I know I’m holding an ancient pair of binoculars.
-Maxwell
From the prompt: Your main character has lost an object and is searching desperately for it. One day they come across the Museum of Found Objects...
Hey wait there’s my stuffy fluffy. I need to get that back! Hey mister manager guy, give me my stuffy back. I need it now. The manager said, Get away you fiend! With my jaw wide open I say, “Who you calling fiend?” He calls security and they toss my outside. So they want to play dirty. Well two can play at that game.
-Robert
From the prompt: Your main character is a thief and plans to break into the Museumof Found Objects to get this object...
Ella Herperson the thief who stole the Eiffel Tower. “Everybody is talking about her!” Sasha Mello said. Everyday Sasha heard people talk about her after the crime happened two months ago. Sasha secretly knew Ella Herperson and actually Sasha and Ella were best friends.
-Ava
From: Write a story about if you had a long lost twin.
Score!!! I just scored the winning goal in the high school championship. As my teammates tackle me, I fall to the ground with pride. This is my daily life: school, football/soccer (whatever you Americans call it), and sleep. That’s pretty much it. Well, except for a couple of meals here and there and some other minor events.
-Sophie
(Thornhill Elementary, Grades 3-5, Teacher: Emily Phillips)
