Student's Stories

During school visits I like to write with students to model good writing techniques – Setting the scene, creating characters, constructing a conflict and finding a way for Joshua the Giant Frog to save the day.  We exaggerate and stretch the truth and show the action unfold.

In the process the kids get to see that I make mistakes, cross out words, and sometimes have to check my spelling.  Within fifteen minutes and with everyone’s suggestions, we manage to write a “sloppy copy.” After I leave, the teachers and students can then revise the stories and make them better adding more detail, dialogue and action.

Here are a few of the stories from recent school visits –

Chestnut Ridge Elementary School (Chili, NY)

Joshua Saves the Day

by the 3rd and 4th graders

The sun reflected off the empty school windows, and the dandelions wilted under the summer heat. 

"Boom, Boom, BOOM!"  The trees crashed to the ground. 

Brandon screamed, "Ahhh! What is that?"

A giant green head appeared above the building. "Oh, it's just Joshua," said Christopher."

Joshua the giant frog hopped out of the woods and landed ...  CRASH right on the school.

Sarah cheered. "Hurray! No more school/"

The building creaked and groaned.  Then a voice rose out of the rubble. "Help!"

"It's David and Ted," cried Fred.  "They're trapped."

As fast as a fighter jet racing lightning, Joshua flicked out his tongue, grabbed Ted and pulled him out.

"What about David?" asked Ted dripping with frog spit.

Then Joshua lifted the roof and David leaped out.  "I'm free," he said. "Joshua saved the day."

The end

Stevenson Elementary (Ransomville, NY)

Joshua Saves Halloween

by the 4th grade students at Stevenson Elementary

The scarecrow decoration was soggy and the rain put out the jack-o-lantern's light.

"It's too wet to go trick or treating," said Nathaniel wringing out his Charlie Brown costume. 

"Just bring an umbrella," said Kayla.

The kids all tramped out of Stevenson Elementary.

The earth shook. "Boom, BOOM, BOOM!"

Earthquake! yelled Matthew hiding behind a pumpkin.

"No time to hide. Run!" said Jared.

Kayla C. shrugged her shoulders.  "It's just Joshua." 

A bolt of lightning hit right at Justin's feet. 

The sky went black.  Joshua loomed over them.  A tornado hit. Cars flew everywhere.  "Watch out!" they all cried running for cover.

Kayla C. waved her witch's broom and called, "Over here. Everyone get under Joshua." 

Everyone but Matthew was safe.  He still was cowering behind the pumpkin. 

As fast as a cheetah, Joshua flicked out his tongue and pulled Matthew to safety. 

Hurray!" they cheered.  "You saved us, Joshua."

the end

The Haunted School

by the 5th graders at Stevenson El.

Leaves blew off the trees as the children huddled outside Stevenson Elementary.  The house next door moaned and the headstone decorations loomed out of the earth.

"Let's get going," said Ethan.  "It's time to go trick-or-treating."

"What was that?" asked Cierra.  "I saw someone inside the school."

"Nobody should be in there. It's locked," said Georgia. 

"There it is again," said Emily.  "Whoever it is, they don't have a head!"

"And they shouldn't be in there," Jenna said brandishing her cave woman club.  "Let's get them out."  She crashed through a window, but got stuck.

"Get out of there.  It's coming!"  Emily screamed as she shivered in the cold.  The headless figure approached.

"Garrumph!" echoed in the night.

"Hurry, Joshua," said Ethan.  "Can you get Jenna out?"

As fast as a bullet Joshua's tongue flicked out and yanked Jenna to safety.

"What is going on? asked the headless form.  It was Mr. Cancilla in a headless horseman costume.

The end

Joshua comes to Stevenson Elementary

started by the 3rd graders at Stevenson Elementary

Alicia leaned her chin on her hand and moaned.  "This is boring."

The raindrops pounded on the roof and no one could go outside.

Just then the lights went out.  "Oh no," said Jon. "Now we can't....

I am so sorry that we ran out of time and did not get to finish your story.  But this is a great beginning.  What happens next?  Write the rest of the story and email it to me.  I'll add it to the website.  

Pegtwrite [insert the @symbol] aol.com .  Please put "student story" in the subject space.  HAPPY WRITING!

Nathaiel Hawthorne Elementary

Joshua Saves Halloween at School #25

by the fourth graders at Nathaniel Hawthorne Elementary

The jack-o-lanterns glowed as the kids gathered in front of school.  Jaekwon hung up the last bat on the door and said, "Now, let's go trick or treating."

Jamal, wearing his Ninja costume, led the way.  As they crossed the bridge, they heard a deep "garrumph," and the earth shook.

Zaejurr screamed, "Ahhh! What was that?"  He turned and stared at one of Joshua's big green eyeballs.  With a splash, Joshua hopped up drenching everyone's costumes. 

"Oh Joshua! You've ruined Halloween," they all yelled.

Joshua thought for a moment then took a deep breath and "Whewww!" He blew everyone dry.

"Can you give us a ride?" asked Terrence.

Joshua bowed down low to let the kids climb on.

"Hurray!" they cheered.  "This is the best Halloween ever."

The End

Joshua and the Snowball

by the fourth graders at Nathaniel Hawthorne Elementary

Everyone was bundled in their warmest coats making snowballs and snowmen.  Suddenly the earth shook.  "Ahhh! screamed Karon. "It's an earthquake."

Naisha said, "No, it's just Joshua."

Joshua leaped up and landed on top of a hill.  Everyone watched in horror as he started to roll.  He gathered snow as he went. 

He rolled over Adeosun.

He rolled over Gino.

He rolled over Jocousiz.

"BANG!"  The giant snowball landed splat against the school.  All the kids flew through the windows and landed in their seats.

"Just in time," said Miss Kellman.  "Take out your pencils.  We are having a test." 

The End

Joshua's First Thanksgiving

by the third and fourth graders at

Nathaniel Hawthorne Elementary

"Mmmm! That turkey smells good," said Alex as he set a big bowl of stuffing on the long table. 

Kentrayl hung the last cornstalk and Alizzette blew up the last balloon.  "It looks beautiful," she said.  "This will be the best Thanksgiving ever."

"Boom, BOOM, BOOM!"  The earth shook.

"Ahhh!" Kylee screamed. "What is that?"

Dayquan banged into the table as the quake got worse.

"Oh, it's just Joshua," said Celina as she looked out the window. 

As Joshua leaped toward school his foot caught on the little candycorn lights and all went black.  He fell into the table, knocked over the corn and squashed the turkey.

"Oh no!" they cried.  "It's ruined."

Joshua frowned then bounded off.  Two minutes later he came back with two turkeys, twice as much corn, and all the stuffing they could want.

"Hurray," they cheered. "This is the best Thanksgiving ever."

The End

Oakfield-Alabama Summer School

Joshua’s Adventure in Oakfield

By Colleen, Brenden, Colin and Nathan,

the students in Mr. Thomas’s summer school class (8/2009)

The clouds rolled in and rumbled.  “Ping…ping…ping, ping, ping!” The hail bounced off the roof and bus as the kids got off at school.

“Run!” yelled Brenden covering his head.

“The hail is the size of fully loaded mini vans!” Nathan shouted as one almost hit him. 

They all crowded inside school as the hail pounded the pavement. 

Mrs. Thomas said, “Oh no! We’re trapped!”  Hail was covering the windows and blocking the door.

Suddenly they heard, “Garrumph!  Garrumph!”

“Yea!” Colin cheered. “Someone has come to rescue us.”

Mounds of hail were pushed aside [by something large and green] and Colleen said, “It’s a giant green frog!

“It’s Joshua!” said Mrs. Thomas.  “He is plowing the hail away.”  With each Garrumph his throat cleared a path. 

“We are free! Colleen said opening the door. 

“Thank you !” They all cheered and Joshua gave them all a ride home.

The End

Iroquois Intermediate School

Joshua Goes to Iroquois Intermediate

by the 4th graders at I. I.

The bare trees weighed heavily under the thick snow as the children trudged to school. 

"I hope I pass my test," John said.

"Maybe they'll close school before we have the test," said Peggy.

"I hope so too," said Owen as he opened the door for everyone. 

Suddenly the earth shook. "Boom, Boom, BOOM!"  A shadow fell over the school.

"What was that?"  Jamie asked as he grabbed the wall to stop from falling. 

["I think Joshua is here," Peggy said.]

"Whoosh!"  A giant wave of white snow crashed down on the school.

"Ahhhh!" Colton screamed.  The lights dimmed and went out.

"What are we going to do?" asked Miss Chenowski.

"I don't know," said Anna. "But I think we're going to find out."

They heard [Joshua] huff and a puff, and John said, "Hey, look.  The snow is melting." 

And as fast as a disappearing leprechaun, the snow melted off the school. 

Mrs. Ickenflack announced, "We're saved!  Every one line up."

They all marched out of the school and thanked Joshua for saving their lives.

The End!

Joshua Goes to Elma, NY

by the 3rd graders at Elma Primary

The school bus pulled up and all the kids dashed off in a sea of green.  It was Frog Appreciation Day.

"Why couldn't I be sick today?" said Trinity.

"Yeah, me too," said Seamus.  "I hate frogs." 

"You are weird," said Sienna waving her pet frog in his face.  "Frogs are great!"

Boom, Boom, BOOM.  The earth shook and the forest trees toppled.  Joshua had arrived. 

"Trinity screamed, "AHH!"

Seamus ran down the road. 

Joshua the Giant Frog saw a truck coming and as fast as a cheetah, he flicked out his tongue and grabbed Seamus and pulled him to safety.

"Thank you," said Seamus, flicking the warm frog slobber from his cheek.  "I guess frogs are not so bad after all."

The End.

Joshua Visits Wales, NY

by the 3rd grades at Wales Primary

The bus pulled up in front of school and dozens of children piled out.

"I can't wait to go to Niagara Falls," said Emma.

"Boom, Boom, BOOM!" The earth shook. 

"What's going on?" asked Josh.

The sky grew dark and CRASH, Joshua landed on top of the bus. 

"Oh no!" Lucas cried.  "Now we can't go on our fieldtrip."

Joshua looked at all the sad faces and had an idea.  He bent low and flat.

Lauren said, "Climb on.  Joshua will take us."

So they all climbed on his back and as fast as lightning Joshua the Giant Frog leaped as high as a sky scraper.  They landed just in time to get on the Maid of the Mist.

The End!

Joshua Goes To Oakfield

by 3rd graders at Oakfield-Alabama ElementarySchool

    Nick squinted up at the bright sun as he galloped to school.  His class was going on a field trip.  The bus was already waiting in the driveway.

    Suddenly the earth shook, and Nick heard a big, "GARRUMPH!"  Joshua the giant frog landed "CRUNCH!" right on the bus.

   "That was a close call," said Steve the bus driver as he came out of school.

    "Oh my gosh!" said Alexa.  "Now we can't go."

    Joshua had an idea.  He kicked the bus out of the way and crouched down low.

    "Climb on everybody," Nick said.

    And they hopped off to Niagara Falls.

    THE END

Joshua Saves the Day

by 4th graders at Oakfield-Alabama Elementary School

    The summer breeze tickled the dandelions in the field.  Farmer Haily searched the horizon for her friend who promised to help on the farm.

    The earth shook.  A shadow fell over the earth.  Joshua had arrived.

    A fuzzy rabbit nibbling on the crops looked up and hollered, "YIKES! That's the biggest frog I've ever seen."

    Farmer Haily picked herself up off the ground and moaned, "Oh, my beautiful field!"

    It was flattened.  All the potato crops were mashed.  Farmer Haily cried, "I'm ruined."

    But Joshua had an idea.  He hopped over to Lamb's farm and with his tongue as fast as lightening flicked out and grabbed a cow.

    Back at the field he squeezed the cow and mixed the milk and butter with the potatoes.

    Farmer Haily invited everyone in town to come for dinner.  "Thank you, Joshua!" she said.

    THE END!

Joshua Visits South Buffalo Charter School

by the 2nd and 3rd graders at SBCS

Jackie grumbled as Erin bumped into her and didn’t say, “Sorry.”  Jayden wouldn’t share his lunch with Hayley.  Everybody was grumpy! No one had slept all night. 

Just as Brittany was going to tell on Justin, the windows rattled.  They heard, “Boom, Boom, BOOM!”

Danny ran outside to see what was happening, Katie hid under her desk, and Malik yelled, “Be quiet!”

But the noise grew louder.  Joshua peeked into a classroom window.  “Hey, it’s Joshua.”  Everybody cheered. 

Tori had a great idea.  “Let’s slide down his back.” 

Everyone lined up and took turns, and helped each other climb up.  No one was grumpy anymore.

The End

Joshua Visits SBCS

by the 4th and 5th graders of SBCS

The ice hung thickly from Asia’s nose as she walked to school through 2 feet of snow.  Just when she thought she couldn’t take one more step, she heard, “Boom, Boom, BOOM!”

Her friend Elizabeth gasped.  Trevor screamed, “AHHH,” as Joshua landed right in front of school. 

A brick fell off.  Then another.  Soon the whole wall was tumbling down.  Everyone shivered as the snow drifted in.

As fast as the speed of light, Joshua flicked out his tongue and covered all the shivering children with warm gooey slobber.

The End

Telling Tall Tales

with

Joshua the Giant Frog

4 Key Ingredients

Set the Scene 

what kind of day is it, what is going on.  Start with action.

Create Characters

Who does Joshua meet?

Cause Trouble

Joshua could cause trouble or there might be a problem when he arrives.

Let Joshua Save the Day

How does Joshua's size and power make things better?

Stretch the Truth

He was as fast as...

He was bigger than a ...

His GARRUMPH was so loud it...