Shining & Glowing: Wooten Elementary’s ACE Program

The ACE after-school program at Wooten Elementary was filled with energetic young writers. Their vivid imaginations led the way to writing hypothetical conversations with all different types of animals including crocodiles and whales. Willy asked a crocodile, “How old are you?” and the crocodile answered, quite matter of fact, “Old enough to be your dad.” Andrew wondered aloud to a whale, “Where were you born?” and the whale surprised him when he claimed, “I was born in outer space.” These students’ sense of humor shone through in their tales. Adam’s “Biggest Dog” drank the Mississippi River and when he was done with that drank the Colorado River! Their characters were healthy like José Saldana’s Bigfoot who ate vegetables and exclaimed, “That’s why I am tall.” They were helpful like José Hernandez’s “Mr. Trashcan” who helped people pick up their trash. They were intriguing like Janie’s character who pushed the air that made “all of the stars shine and glow.” They were green and menacing like Jacob’s villain “Greedy Grack.” Get ready to laugh and be entertained by their excellent sense of rhythm and rhyme. The future is in the capable hands of these young writers like Ely who share “It was great, that I didn’t hate, I was hot, writing on a plot.” Follow their clues and see where their imaginations take you!

Jena Kirkpatrick
Badgerdog Teaching Artist

 

 

Cutting Grass

I am a guy with a mask.
I have a knife for cutting grass.
Everybody needs to cut the grass.
Now the grass looks brown because
of the sand that comes from the ground.
I will read a book about strange things on the grass.
Even if someone tells me to get a drink, I will pass.

Isaac Govea

 

Biggest Dog

There was a day at school called, “Bring Your Dog to School Day.”
My friend brought his dog. He had a dog bigger than the Twin Towers!
The dog could never get in the school.
Every time he walked he shook the ground and you would jump up and down.
Every time he walked it was so scary. His water was the Mississippi River.
If he finished, he would drink the Colorado River.
His food was 50,000,000,000-pound dog food bags.
And his name was Tiny.
He had hazel brown soft fur and brown eyes. He had soft claws.
And he was 10 years old, but in human years he is 70 years old.

Adam Perez

 

A Journey

America is going on a journey to the forest on a bicycle with me. We were in a hurry because we had a club meeting and we were late. While we were on our way we saw a bad, creepy person. When we turned around and looked at him, he had red eyes and a black hoodie. We pedaled as fast as we could. He caught up to us, but he couldn’t catch us. We hid in a tree and he ran right past us. After that, we arrived safely to the clubhouse. We were glad we got there safe and sound, but we didn’t get to eat anything. There were Cheetos there and we were like, yesss!

Heidi Rodriguez

 

Mr. Crocodile

Mr. Crocodile, where do you live?
     At the lake.

Mr. Crocodile, what is the biggest thing you’ve eaten?
         A hippo.

Mr. Crocodile, how old are you?
       Old enough to be your dad.

Willy Aparicio

 

Greedy Grack

 

First, my name is Max. I had pancakes for breakfast. When I went to school I was about to hop on the bus and then someone green robbed me! His name was Greedy Grack the news said.

Then, he took me to his base for three days. My mom hadn’t seen me, so she called the police. Then, Superman flew there! She heard he was a superhero.

Finally, one day Superman found Greedy Grack’s base. They fought until I was freed by Superman. The police came and arrested the bad guy. My mom got to see me again. So now, she only drives me to school so I can be safe.

Jacob Tinoco

 

Tiger

Tiger, why do you live in Africa?
            Because it’s beautiful.

Tiger, why do you have stripes?
            Because, God.

Tiger, why do you have a tail?
     Because I was born with it.

Tiger, how did you get sharp teeth?
         Because I sharpened them with a rock.

Tiger, did that hurt?
           Just a little.

Christopher Morales Leyva

 

Rhyme, Rhyme, and Only Rhyme

 

One day I went to a pool.
I didn’t come back until I got cool!
I went to a shore.
Then I went to explore!

It was so great.
That I didn’t hate.
I was hot.
Writing on a plot.

There was a gate.
But it was so freight.
I went to a dock.
I saw some birds flock.

Ely Hernandez

 

Mr. Whale

Mr. Whale, where do you live? Where can I find you?
            I live in the ocean with my friends.

Mr. Whale, where were you born?
            I was born in outer space.

Mr. Whale, what have you been eating in the ocean with your friends?
      I have been eating EVERYTHING with my friends.

Mr. Whale, how does it feel to be a whale?
       It feels fun living in the ocean with my friends and eating a lot of fish.

Mr. Whale, what is your biggest secret?
        I am so scared of sharks.

Andrew Castillo

 

Turtle

Turtle, do you rest?
        No.

Turtle, what lives in your tummy?
      I don’t know, I just like it.

Turtle, can I eat you?
         Just kidding!

Sebastian Govea

 

Elephant Brain

One day, an alien took me to his space ship and he took me to Mars. He gave me alien food and it was brain and my drink was blood. They forced me to eat it or I would live in Mars with nothing.

So I ate it and it was like sheep’s blood and the brain was elephant’s brain. It felt so slushy and it was so nasty. It tasted like road. There were bones in the brain; there were eyeballs in the blood. My dessert was an arm with bones and blood everywhere. I hate blood, but I ate the arm and bones. It turned me into an alien.

Arturo

 

Family

 

My biggest fear is to lose my family and losing my mom.
My family and mom are so important to me.
I could never live without them.
They are my everything.
I love my mom and my family.

Miranda Gamez

 

Bigfoot Secrets

Bigfoot, why are you hairy?
            To camouflage with the trees.

Bigfoot, why are you mean to people?
         They killed my family in a war.

Bigfoot, what do you eat?
          Vegetables, that’s why I am tall.

Bigfoot, what do you drink?
     I drink apple fruit juice.
            I am on a diet to be strong.

Bigfoot, what’s your biggest secret?
  I kick people to get revenge.

Bigfoot, where do you live?
          In the forest.

Bigfoot, why do you have red eyes?
Because I am looking
            at you.

José Saldaña

 

Mr. Trashcan

 

Mr. Trashcan,
Go pick up the trash!
She called, Mr.
Trashcan.

Mr. Trashcan
Has a girl
Friend and she
Loves him so much.
Her name is Ashley.

Mr. Trashcan
Helps the people
Pick up the
Trash.

José Hernandez

 

A Different Life

I wish I had a car
Or went to Mars.
I wish people
Could go to space,
A different life at least
Another comet set.

Do you double as
A paper maker?
I despise you sometimes.
I love to hate and fight you
In my coat pocket,
Like sippin’ on straight chlorine.

Damian Ulloa

 

Shine and Glow

I’ve never listened to you before,
because all your words I choose to ignore.
You say that you’re a weird cat,
one that’s always wearing a hat.
You may not like light,
and I think that’s alright.
There is always a dog
wandering in the winter fog.
And finally, you push the air that
you blow,
and make all of the stars
shine and glow.

Janie Balderas

 

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