Partner+Writing+2013-2014


 * *In the following stories, the students worked with a partner to write a story that related to a specific picture. Enjoy! **



My Hero Ava and Cameron8/30/13

As I walked out onto my front porch, the cold autumn breeze brushed against my face. I sat down on the old, wooden rocking chair and started to rock slowly. Today was the day he left me. The day he died. My parents had found him as a puppy when I was about four years old. I had named him Doug. We used to play outside all day together. Our favorite spot was the brick wall where we used to look out for any danger coming. Doug would stand on his hind legs and put his two front paws on the top of the wall, and I would just look over. Everything was perfect, but all of that changed one day.

I was walking on the side of the road with Doug. We never bought him a leash since we always trusted him. While we were walking, I noticed something interesting in the middle of the road. My curiosity took over, and I commanded Doug to stay on the grass. He obeyed. I picked up the strange object and started turning it in my hand. As I was examining it, a car was speeding down the road. I didn’t even notice it coming, and the driver didn’t even notice me. I heard Doug barking, but I just ignored him. The next thing I knew, I was on the side of the road lying flat on my back. I picked myself up and stood in shock at the sight in front of me. Doug was lying on his side; his once white coat now stained red. The driver just drove away crushing my dog’s back legs in the process. I ran to his side. I still couldn’t believe what had just happened. It was like a scene in a movie. Doug had pushed me out of the way. I started to cry letting my tears hit the hot pavement. I struggled to pick Doug up, and somehow I managed to carry him to the side of the road. I put his head in my lap. I looked down at my hands and the rest of my body and saw that I was covered in his blood, but I didn’t care. I glanced down at the body in my lap. He wasn’t breathing. Doug, my best friend for six years was dead, and it was all my fault.

I shook my head at that horrible memory. I could already feel the tears stinging my eyes. I rose from the old rocking chair and walked back inside. I scolded myself for thinking of something that happened fifty-nine years ago. I should forget it and move on, but how could I forget someone who had saved my life. If my parents had never found Doug, I wouldn’t be alive today. He was my hero.

= = = Hero Dog = Zoe and Siddu8/30/13

It all started when I ordered pizza at 12:00 a.m. and asked for it to be delivered. After thirty minutes my pizza still hadn’t arrive! Fuming, I stomped outside in search of my pizza delivery man. As I looked around through the thin film of rain, I saw a black SUV parked outside my neighbor’s house. I heard a faint bark coming from inside the SUV. As I crept toward the SUV in search of the source, two burly men exited the SUV.

 I hardly stifled my gasp as they walked by. They must have been deaf, because they did not hear me. One guy opened the trunk to see what the ruckus was. “Quiet down, you stupid dog,” he said. At that moment the dog decided that it was the right time to escape, so he leapt over the guy and managed to knock him over and sprinted toward my backyard. Then I heard both the guys muttering “stupid dog” under their breath. They both went into the SUV and drove away. After they were gone, I went to my backyard to find the dog and found him hiding behind a tree. I smuggled the dog into my bedroom and put him in a closet. Then I jumped on my bed and nodded off to sleep wondering what I would do with this dog.

We later became friends, and I called him Max. He was so special. My dog, my white dog could talk! It was our little secret. Those SUV were robbers, but we could stop them. While spying on the neighbor’s house, I figured it out. I was probably looking weird standing on my tippy toes peering over the red brick wall. Max and I were waiting for something to happen. Suddenly we saw the black SUV arrive at our neighbor’s house. The robbers waited until our neighbors left to make their move. One went to the front door, and the other went to the back door. I knew what I had to do. I told Max to bark if the robbers saw us. I ran inside my house and called the police, and they took it from there. What can I say. . . now Max and I are the part of the K-9 squad.



The Scuba Dog Rhea P. and Jason8/28/13

Oh no! Vacation at the beach! I hate water!

"Chew Barka! Get in the RV right now, you lazy dog! We finally get to go on vacation, and we don't need you making us later than we already are!" said Jane, the mom of my family.

"Dad!" yelled Andy, the hyper seven year old of my family, "Did ya get my surfboard in the RV yet?"

"Annie, sweetie, can you please put Andy's surfboard in the back?" yelled Dad.

"Dad, I am now a teenager, and you have to call me Ann! I am thirteen . . . thirteen, ya hear me?!"

It's a wonder we made it into the RV and reached our destination after all that drama. I have to admit; it was pretty fun in the RV… until we made it to the beach.

Andy was carrying his surfboard all excited and Annie, excuse me, Ann was listening to her music on her iPhone and was texting her best friend Lucy. She set out her beach chair and umbrella and started having her “teenage relaxation time,” as she called it. Seriously? You come to vacation and this is what you do? It’s vacation for Pete’s sake! I know just what I have to do. I carefully walked up behind Ann’s chair, and it was ready, set, BARK!

“Chew Barka!” yelled Ann. “What is wrong with you, you stupid dog!?”

She stood up and started running behind me towards the water. Uh, oh! Water! I’m sorry for what happens next, Ann! As I approached the water, I quickly ran to the side and Ann took a dive. I knew I was in hot soup, so I ran for my life. Mom loves me, and I know if Ann yells at me with mom around, Ann will be sure to get in huge trouble. I propped myself next to mom’s chair as I saw Ann coming towards Mom. Before she could say anything, Mom said, “All right guys, time to go scuba diving. Get your scuba gear on!” It was bad enough that Ann was mad at me, so she grabbed me by the collar, put the scuba gear on me, and dragged me to the water. “You think you are so smart, don’t you?” she said, “I’ll show you smart!” Then, she pushed me into the water.

I was so scared as I heard the whoosh of water pass me. I finally stopped going deeper. I had closed my eyes, and when I opened them, I felt as I was in a dream. It was beautiful! A little school of clown fish swam by and a score of tadpoles were playing near the coral. I even saw a seahorse eating some plankton. A stingray was sleeping nearby. I never knew that the ocean and water could be so beautiful! I just felt like staying here for the rest of my life. Then, of course, my only doggie time always has to be interrupted.

“Chew Barka! Come back, little doggie! I love you!” yelled Andy. “Chewy! I know I am so mean to you, but please don’t die. I love you because everyone at school thinks I am cool because of you!” yelled Ann. Jeez, she only likes me for that. Andy may be a huge brat, but at least he cares. I said bye to the beauty of the water and swam back up. I was in the middle of nowhere! All I could see was the blue water and no beach. I was in doggy panic mode until. . . I felt a tug on my collar.

Ouch! That felt like a surfboard! I couldn’t turn around because the person behind me had a tight grip on my collar. I finally felt the soft sand under my paws and was let go. I turned around to see Ann! She was on Andy’s surfboard. “Woof!” I barked. I had just realized that in the water, I was turned the wrong way! Ann told me while everyone was yelling, she grabbed Andy’s surfboard to come save me. I knew we had a hate relationship, but after this, I think we might have a love-hate relationship!

Everyone dried off and went back to the RV. It was nighttime, so we headed to our beds and took a long nap. Now, I can’t wait until our next family vacation. I sure hope we get to go the beach!

Doggy TalentsAmeiya and Viswa8/28/13

On a cold Saturday evening when there is nothing to do, all of Key West watches //Doggy Talents//. Bob and his dog, Lamar, are two of the many people in the Keys who like to watch it.

“Hey Lamar, doesn’t that look exciting?” asks Bob. Lamar barks and wags his tail in approval. “Do you think we can try out and win first place?” Lamar barks and wags his tail again. This is the beginning of Bob and Lamar’s million-dollar journey.

Bob and Lamar train themselves for years so that they can enter //Doggy Talents.// The entry fee for //Doggy Talents// is $30,000, but they only have $20,000 since they recently bought their $300,000 house. “Lamar, what do we do?” asks Bob. Lamar doesn’t say anything. “I have an idea; let’s sell the house!” Bob and Lamar sell their three hundred grand house, and they receive all of the money. They pay the entrance fee to get into //Doggy Talents//, and the competition begins. When Bob and Lamar wake up that morning they feel so ready that they could start to fly. The first event out of twelve is called “The Pacer.” The Pacer is a competitive race where the dogs are supposed to run all the way to the end of the course, and the last dog to cross the finish line is eliminated from the show. Three. . . two. . . one. . . GO!!!!!! As soon as the whistle blows, Lamar bolts towards the finish line. Bob was yelling at the top of his lungs, “Go, Lamar, go!!!” As soon as Lamar reaches the finish line, Bob runs at top speed to hug Lamar. “Good job, boy,” says Bob. Bob shakes every competitor’s hand. Lamar wins event after event until there are only two dogs left standing . The other dog’s name is Margaret. Their last event is the snorkeling challenge. Three. . . two. . . one. . . GO!!!!!! Lamar and Margaret run as fast as they can and dive into the water. Lamar’s heart beats so fast that he cannot stay under water for much longer. Bob prays, “Please Lamar, you can do this.” A couple of seconds later, Lamar bursts out of the water. The judges say it is too close to call, and they will have to look at the replay. It plays in slow motion for a dramatic effect. Both Lamar and Bob’s hearts beat so fast they think that they will fall out of their chests. In the end the winner is. . . Lamar!!! Everyone in the audience screams and shouts, especially Bob.

The moral of the story is that if you have enough courage and perseverance, you can do anything. Perseverance is the key to success.