Day 15

I love words, but I'm especially pleased when my students show them some love, too. They posted their drabbles, as in one hundred well-chosen words to tell a complete story, on our on-line forum, and students set to work to identify the "golden line" of their pieces today. I told them that if they squinted their eyes a little bit as they read, surely the words would begin to sparkle on the page, revealing themselves in glorious splendor.

"What if I can't find a golden line?" several asked throughout the day.

"Take out your polishing cloth and make one shine," I replied. And for the most part, they all examined or revised their writing thoughtfully before they pulled out the most valuable nugget within their brief stories. Obviously, there was a lot of variety. Some kids zeroed in on figurative language, others focused on imagery, and others chose lines that aimed to surprise their readers.

Here are some of my favorites:

They have atennae as tall as the empire state building, mouths as wide as the titanic, bodies as big as the country, and legs as long and hairy as a mammoth.

I glanced back to see a dark shadow slinking the halls.

"Donuts...amuse me." He winked, flicked his tail, and like blowing out a candle, he was gone.

Time was running out, seconds, minutes, ticking away like the wilting petals of a flower.

It was as if the bones were popping out on its black skin; anywhere without the bone-pop was clear with a bluish tint.

Shadows from your past remain with you for the rest of your life.

I see trees falling in the distance like toothpicks trying to stand on their tips, but being blown over right away.

Their faces were spinning around in side of my mind, sending me into the dark abyss that is the past.

The little dog was barking, the thunder was rolling, and something smelled horrible.

No one said anything; they just continued typing like nothing was happening.

Fortunately, something was happening, and that something was happening within the golden lines of their writing.