More Bacon than Lettuce!

On Thursday, we practiced all types of collaboration with our games and writing. After warming up with one of our favorite games called Two-Headed Expert, we sat down to play Caption-Picture-Caption, a collaborative storytelling game where one person writes an evocative caption like Ruby was shocked to find two giraffes in her bathroom one morning, and then the next person at the table illustrates that caption. After folding back the original caption, the next person at the table looks at the picture, and writes a NEW evocative caption to go with the illustration they observe. The picture is then folded back, and the next person creates a picture to go with the new caption. After 4 captions and 3 pictures, the students unfolded some pretty wild transformations of story and interesting illustrations! Here are a couple of the caption-flows -- to see the pictures, come on into room 106 as of Monday, and we'll have them up on the wall for viewing!

First Caption, Jules A.
A big princess pony went sliding down a rainbow.
The magical pony fell off the rainbow on top of a person.
A zebra ran into Pony Land, and the guard screamed, trying to chase him out.
A crazy boy with a dress chased a cat running towards a bush.


First Caption, Maple C.
Katie caught her best friend sneaking candy from the candy jar.
A woman got mad when her sister was eating a box of cow bones because she couldn't have them.
A very bossy Mom tells her girl "don't eat more bones!"
A kid wants more chicken, but her mom says NO!


First Caption, Tilda S.
My sister ran into the door because a bear scared her.
A girl had a bear chasing her to her house.
A giant bunny chased Lucy down the street, and Lucy screamed all the way home.
A gigantic bunny smashed a car while watching an old man's brain explode as the man tries to run to his house.


After our hilarity died down a little from the fabulous game, we looked at a poem called Exquisite Candidate by Denise Duhamel and Maureen Seaton. The poem was written one alternating line at a time by the two writers, and explores the promises and foibles of a fictional presidential candidate. The student writers were split into pairs, and each created their OWN amazing Presidential Candidate. Would YOU trust your government to any of these people? Enjoy!


Please Vote For Me
by Ronni L. & Zinnia S.

I promise to be the best
President ever. I will help the
environment, keep people
very healthy and help animals
get fed their correct food.
I will change lots of
things, like not riding in cars
so much. I think I should often
ride my bike instead.
You can count on me.
I live with my family. I have
lots of cuckoo clocks. I love to eat
televisions and other
people. I love to go shopping
with chipmunks. I really appreciate
getting eyeballs for birthday
presents. Thank you for listening!


Americans of America
by Caelen B. and Cecilia G.

America needs a lot of
people that have hope
for lots of toys, so vote for me! I want
more people who don’t pollute our
planet. Slinkies and yo-yos will be in every store.
Even bullies will get to keep food and always have peace,
a healthy meal every single day,
all of the workers will be on duty
and help our country become
peaceful. Some how we will change this world.
My fellow Americans, help me end
this war.
Help people not be MEN!
Give me a promise, we will become
AMERICANS!


When I Become President
by Maple C. and Jules A.

America, you should vote for me because
the beds in the White House will change,
and apartments will be more comfortable.
There will be no more cats, but puppies in shops
according to most of the people here.
No more broccoli, but candy instead.
Whole sections of shops will be
candy! Candy taffies, snickers, kit-kats!
Anyway, I’m from Tennessee, and I
have hillbilly country style for all!
My name is Dr. Woff, and I love my toothbrush.
A new fair called Princess Pony Land is now coming in Oklahoma!
So vote on Wednesday, and remember dreams come true!
Thank you, thank you, now you must know about me.
My favorite color is orange and my
son is named Tangerine. My daughter is named Citrus.
My favorite food is sugar, as you saw, and my
store is called Yim-Yam Cove. Our motto is: Where Jam is Sticky!
Anyway, thank you for coming. See you
in the voting booth! Do dreams come true?
Yes they do!


Me as the President
by Tilda S. and Miss Mollie

America, here’s what I promise:
That every summer, every one would get ice cream,
no more waiting in line at Disney World,
everyone will get a fan to wave in their hand,
and no more paying to ride on the train.
If you vote for me, I will plant more trees because
lots of trees are getting cut down,
and each seed I plant will sprout rainbows of jellybeans
and I will make the environment better by not
polluting. So vote for me!


More Bacon than Lettuce
by Cassie A. and Nicholas M.

It is I, your amazing candidate.
If you vote for me, I will give you
more and more bacon of your choice
and more lettuce and pigs from
Lamb’s farm! No more silly food like broccoli,
and we’ll have cars made of pig skin.
Vote for me and it’s a vote for America, look see
even South America loves me!
America too! And rainbow ponies!
And places all around Europe!
There will be more theme parks, and rollercoasters,
French bread and dogs,
princess pony rides, and the economy will change
and I will like lettuce, lettuce, lettuce.
Remember folks, vote for me and get a free t-shirt about me!