Goal by Mina Javaherbin:
Explode the Moment Writing
We see the bullies coming. My heart beats faster and faster. Suddenly, my heart stops. They take our old ball and tie it to their rickety bike.
“Hey! Why did you do that for? Give us our ball!”
When the bullies are gone, sweat drips down my face. It makes a puddle on the hot ground. Left is clear, right is clear. The streets are not always safe. I grab the ball. I throw it in. We chase the ball to the end of the alley. -Sydney and Talya
I see the bullies rise above us as his mean voice speaks. I can hear my heart beating faster and faster. I hear the rusty bikes in the burning sun. Finally, he says “What are you doing?”
“Just playing football,” we say.
He snatches the dusty old ball out of my hands and straps it to his rusty bike. We wait for them as they hop on their rickety bikes. Their bikes are moving side to side. I hear the squeaks and cracks as they ride away. I watch their handlebars shiver side to side as they ride on the bumpy rocks. -Richard and Aayush
When the bullies come, my heart is beating. Then, a bucket of water pours in my heart. They stare at me and I feel an icy finger go down my spine. They push us aside and snatch our old dirty ball. They carefully strap it to their rickety bike. The bucket almost fell and my heart is beating faster and faster. They give me a rotten grin as they leave. I hold the ball like it is a trophy. -Matt and Eric
Explode the Moment Writing
We see the bullies coming. My heart beats faster and faster. Suddenly, my heart stops. They take our old ball and tie it to their rickety bike.
“Hey! Why did you do that for? Give us our ball!”
When the bullies are gone, sweat drips down my face. It makes a puddle on the hot ground. Left is clear, right is clear. The streets are not always safe. I grab the ball. I throw it in. We chase the ball to the end of the alley. -Sydney and Talya
I see the bullies rise above us as his mean voice speaks. I can hear my heart beating faster and faster. I hear the rusty bikes in the burning sun. Finally, he says “What are you doing?”
“Just playing football,” we say.
He snatches the dusty old ball out of my hands and straps it to his rusty bike. We wait for them as they hop on their rickety bikes. Their bikes are moving side to side. I hear the squeaks and cracks as they ride away. I watch their handlebars shiver side to side as they ride on the bumpy rocks. -Richard and Aayush
When the bullies come, my heart is beating. Then, a bucket of water pours in my heart. They stare at me and I feel an icy finger go down my spine. They push us aside and snatch our old dirty ball. They carefully strap it to their rickety bike. The bucket almost fell and my heart is beating faster and faster. They give me a rotten grin as they leave. I hold the ball like it is a trophy. -Matt and Eric
Wilma Unlimited by Kathleen Krull:
Extending Understanding Through Illustrations
When the world says no, you say yes. Wilma got the swollen ankle and another barrier came up but this time she fought back and the fence faded away. She left the fence behind to fade away. There is not always a miracle but if you make the miracle happen then it will be a miracle. – Giselle
We thought that the shadow fence was Wilma’s barrier that was disappearing because Wilma was persevering to break her barrier. Just because Wilma twisted her ankle didn’t mean that she couldn’t run again. After Wilma won a medal, she broke the barrier and the fence became a shadow. – Simone and Sarah
The brick wall represents all the different barriers she had to face in her life. She survived her polio but it left her paralyzed in her leg. She broke the bricks by believing in herself. She had all the support that she needed from her family. She did all her exercises properly and she was able to take off her brace and walk better than ever. – Callia and Kenzie
In the story there was a brick wall. There were 3 layers and the brick wall was the hardest to break. First it’s the wooden fence, second is the shadow fence, and third is the brick wall. The brick wall is all the layers. – Ammar and Dylan
The bricks are like it has barriers over top of each other and Wilma is breaking though the walls. The fence had barriers and it went from the fence, to the wall to the shadow of the fence. Wilma had lots of barriers around her and she was breaking though those barriers. It went from the fence, to the wall, to the shadow, then to freedom. – Bailey and Ryan
At the church, Wilma took off her brace and it was a defining moment and everybody in the church was so impressed. She was like breaking out of the brick wall. The bricks were small and she persevered by not giving up. She always did her exercises for her leg and then she only had to wear her brace until she was 12. – Zach
Extending Understanding Through Illustrations
When the world says no, you say yes. Wilma got the swollen ankle and another barrier came up but this time she fought back and the fence faded away. She left the fence behind to fade away. There is not always a miracle but if you make the miracle happen then it will be a miracle. – Giselle
We thought that the shadow fence was Wilma’s barrier that was disappearing because Wilma was persevering to break her barrier. Just because Wilma twisted her ankle didn’t mean that she couldn’t run again. After Wilma won a medal, she broke the barrier and the fence became a shadow. – Simone and Sarah
The brick wall represents all the different barriers she had to face in her life. She survived her polio but it left her paralyzed in her leg. She broke the bricks by believing in herself. She had all the support that she needed from her family. She did all her exercises properly and she was able to take off her brace and walk better than ever. – Callia and Kenzie
In the story there was a brick wall. There were 3 layers and the brick wall was the hardest to break. First it’s the wooden fence, second is the shadow fence, and third is the brick wall. The brick wall is all the layers. – Ammar and Dylan
The bricks are like it has barriers over top of each other and Wilma is breaking though the walls. The fence had barriers and it went from the fence, to the wall to the shadow of the fence. Wilma had lots of barriers around her and she was breaking though those barriers. It went from the fence, to the wall, to the shadow, then to freedom. – Bailey and Ryan
At the church, Wilma took off her brace and it was a defining moment and everybody in the church was so impressed. She was like breaking out of the brick wall. The bricks were small and she persevered by not giving up. She always did her exercises for her leg and then she only had to wear her brace until she was 12. – Zach
Arts Infused Literacy: Using Artistic Expression to Communicate Reading Comprehension
Running Shoes by Frederick Lipp: Popcorn Poetry and TOMS shoes
Students ‘lifted lines’ from their own reading responses, or Frederick Lipp’s book Running Shoes. Each student shared his/her line only if it connected to the thought shared by the student before. Below is a video clip explaining the Toms shoes movement. It helped deepen our understanding of Sophy's journey.
Perseverance (Talya)
Soaring through the air (Matt)
Stick with problems longer (Kenzie)
Like a tiger catching its prey (Callia)
Broker her barriers like Wilma (Alexis)
Her dream path will shine brighter and brighter (Richard)
You still try for success but there are more challenges to face (Haroon)
Do what you always wanted to do (Scott)
Live the dream she imagined (Matthew)
When the world said no, Sophy said yes (Simone)
Make a difference in her country (Aayush)
Barrier (Bailey)
Keep on trying, one way or another you’ll break it (Talya)
She sailed through the road like a skipped stone (Callia)
Never give up (Sydney)
Don’t let her dream of being a teacher fade away (Eric)
She can make her dream come true (Ryan)
Students ‘lifted lines’ from their own reading responses, or Frederick Lipp’s book Running Shoes. Each student shared his/her line only if it connected to the thought shared by the student before. Below is a video clip explaining the Toms shoes movement. It helped deepen our understanding of Sophy's journey.
Perseverance (Talya)
Soaring through the air (Matt)
Stick with problems longer (Kenzie)
Like a tiger catching its prey (Callia)
Broker her barriers like Wilma (Alexis)
Her dream path will shine brighter and brighter (Richard)
You still try for success but there are more challenges to face (Haroon)
Do what you always wanted to do (Scott)
Live the dream she imagined (Matthew)
When the world said no, Sophy said yes (Simone)
Make a difference in her country (Aayush)
Barrier (Bailey)
Keep on trying, one way or another you’ll break it (Talya)
She sailed through the road like a skipped stone (Callia)
Never give up (Sydney)
Don’t let her dream of being a teacher fade away (Eric)
She can make her dream come true (Ryan)