Read It Here First - Student Excerpts

Here are a few imaginative excerpts from our TMWFI! students at Thornhill Elementary. 

My Secret Is

My secret is made from the footsteps on the stairs,

the shadows on the windowsill of faces

The noises I hear around the room, of silent screams

I found it lying under the bed

waiting for me to take it

and hold it with me.

-Della

The New Home

Moving houses was the last thing I wanted to do. I wanted to stay in our old home with the warm red walls and the nice orange carpets. With the smell of fresh peaches and warm cinnamon muffins.

But now, I was stepping into a cold house with lime green walls, a rough brown carpet and instead of a nice peach-cinnamon muffin smell, there was that new paint-garage smell.

-Aisling

Ice Cream Dream

The Ice-Cream Dream flavor has been invented by award winning cook, April Y. Ear. It comes in any possible flavor you could ever wish for, and if you eat it right before bed, you will have amazing dreams. The ice-cream also comes in Ice-cream Dream Sandwiches and Ice-cream Dream Sundaes.

-Gulzar

I Am Found

I am found in a lightless world, a fearful world, a dead world.

-Gabby

Why Not Write Wednesday: An Earth Day Poetry Challenge

Every Wednesday our creative writing prompt encourages you to take up your pen and indulge your author self!

Today is Earth Day. In keeping with our National Poetry Month theme, for today's prompt we'd like you to write a poem about the Earth. It can be a haiku, it can be alliteration or any other type of poem you like. Below is a poem by Emily Dickinson to inspire your writing.

"Nature" is what we see—
The Hill—the Afternoon—
Squirrel—Eclipse— the Bumble bee—
Nay—Nature is Heaven—
Nature is what we hear—
The Bobolink—the Sea—
Thunder—the Cricket—
Nay—Nature is Harmony—
Nature is what we know—
Yet have no art to say—
So impotent Our Wisdom is
To her Simplicity.

Share with us! Post your Earth Day poem in the comments section of our blog!

Read It Here First - Student Excerpts

Our 3rd and 4th grade students at Oakton Elementary have been busy writing adventurous and imaginative stories filled with Private Investigators, a minotaur, A man whose hands shoots out tornados and more. Read on if you dare!

Why Not Write Wednesday: Poetry Challenge II

Every Wednesday our creative writing prompt encourages you to take up your pen and indulge your author self!

Today is the second Why Not Write Wednesday Poetry Challenge! This week our challenge for you is to write a haiku. A traditional Japanese haiku has only 3 lines.  The first line has five syllables, the second line has seven syllables, and the final line has five syllables and makes an observation about the poem. What makes a haiku special is that by using just a few carefully chosen descriptive words and imagery the author can create a powerful scene or emotion in the readers mind.

Traditional haikus are about nature and particular seasons. For today's poetry challenge write a haiku about your favorite part of spring.  It can be about the buds on the trees, spring flowers in your garden or a favorite spring activity like baseball or playing in the park with friends. 

Share with us! Post your spring haiku in the comments section of our blog!

Why Not Write Wednesday: Poetry Challenge

Every Wednesday our creative writing prompt challenges you to pick up your pen and indulge your author self!

"Take My Word For It!" is celebrating National Poetry Month this April. For today's creative writing prompt, write a poem about an owl using these three words: majestic, soaring and piercing.

Share your poetry with us! Post your poem in the comments section of our blog!

Celebrating National Poetry Month

"Take My Word For It!" is excited to celebrate National Poetry Month with our community.  For the month of April we will be featuring poems written by our students, sharing poems written by famous and not so famous writers and most importantly asking you to write poems via our Why Not Write Wednesdays prompts.

“Write about your sorrows, your wishes, your passing thoughts, your belief in anything beautiful…”

— from Letters to a Young Poet, by Rainier Maria Rilke