My students have started getting bored with doing rhythm and melodic sight-reading examples for the “Do Now,” (warm-up activity) so I’m changing it up a bit by going back to short writing examples, like we had at the beginning of the semester. It’s a great way to start the (90 minute) class in a focused, quiet way. Plus, they love writing about themselves, and I love learning about them. I also find it fascinating to compare their responses, see how unique each child is, and discover how diverse their writing abilities and lifestyles are.
Question: What are you plans for the long weekend? Would you rather sing karaoke or go outside at the end of class?
Well This weekend I am going to see my boyfriend I am going to stay home clean the house a lil and then i plan on making dinner Friday Saturday and Sunday. And for easter i want to make confedie eggs for my bro and sis and lay them out on the park for them. OUTSIDE (8th grade girl)
For the weekend im gonna be with my dad and I am going to get a new phone and for easter Im going to be with me girlfriend and my family or hers don’t know yet (: (8th grade boy)
Question: Tell me about your long weekend. Please write at least three sentences. You will get extra credit if you write extra. 🙂
This weekend I had lots of fun. First I got to play with my neighbors. Then I went to church on easter. On easter I got lots of prizez an lots of CANDY! 🙂 I had lots of fun this weekend. I even go to crack eggs and play in water. (6th grade girl)
I stay home and watched movies. Some of my favorite movies I watched were The Help, RENT and the first part of Les Misreables. I had gotten The help for easter, and I have been singing RENT since I was 5. I loved Rent and can sing all the songs. I think in honor choir we should learn how to sing “Seasons of love.” During the weekend I also started researching Musicals I want to see/read. Unfortunately, my mother is strict on age rules, and we don’t rotate musicals often. My list so far is: Avenue Q, Cats, Wicked, Spring awakening, Lion King. (6th grade girl)
thursday I was in a car wreck. friday I went to a friend’s house. Saturday me and a friend went to her cousin’s B-day party. Sunday I went to church and then I went to my moms husbands friends house. yesterday I found out I was moving with my dad.(7th grade girl)
My Long Weekend was fairly uneventful. Most of my time was spent lying in bed watching anime in japanese and trying to figure out what the characters were saying without looking at the subtitles. One fun thing I did was go see the Hunger Games in the theater. It was pretty close to the book, but whenever something different from the book happened, my sister (who read the book recently) and I would point it out to my dad, who kept shushing us. Though I didn’t accomplish much, it was a welcome respite from school. (7th grade girl)
I had a sleepover. I chilled with some friends. I texted People. I called people I got on my facebook. I went to my grandma’s for easter. I was on my Roof and I was bored. THE END (7th grade girl)
I went to sanantonio. me and my mom went to a friends house. I had alot of fun. P.S. im not late because i was getting paper and i think its unfair and doesn’t make since. (6th grade girl)
I slept in for a while everyday. On April 8 my two little brothers and I got into a water balloon fight, in which I won. Then yesterday we got out the cascarones (conffetti eggs) and battled each other with those. I only used four eggs and saved the other eight for all of my friends. Yesterday I also had to do laundry and clean my room. (6th grade girl)
1. ok on Friday I stay Home & went to sleep Then cps came but luckly My brother was home. 2. Saturday left my House and went sHoping. 3. Sunday easter everything was fine but then my brother go into a accident and is in Jail for 2-10 years of Have to pay $20, 000 😦 (6th grade girl)
My weekend was great. Because I got me a new boyfriend and want skating and stayed out late and as with him and my friends and he came to my house and we want to the movies and this is how my weekend want. Than want to my Auntie house and want swimming and had a Easter egg hunt in the house and then eat our dinner and than want to sleep. (6th grade girl)
I had a wonderful weekend. We had easter dinner and i had some Bacon with mine cause im special! 🙂 Also i went to church, almost! Then, i played a video game with my brother, cause we got it for easter, and we played it all morning, afternoon, and till 11:30pm! We did that all weekend off! also, I tolk the dog nextdoor some dog biscuits and gave him new water. Also, for the dog next door, for easter we got him a little swimming pool to play in cause he also plays in his water bowl. He was so happy! 🙂 So My weekend was a blast! 🙂 (6th grade girl)
I had a great easter. I was with My family. We at barbq. But then again I wish My brothers could have been their. but they were with their dad’s. But then again I’m happy that they had fun and had time to spare with their dads. (6th grade girl)
Which response was the most memorable for you? Were there any contrasting responses that you found especially interesting?
Guess & Check 
I was impressed by the girl who wrote, “it was a welcome respite from school.” Especially comparing her spelling and vocabulary to the other responses. Overall, it worries and baffles me that middle school students have such poor spelling and grammar.
Some of their home situations sound sad! CPS came by? Brother in jail? Moving around between parents? They really have thier challenges, as do you as their teacher!!
Yes, the difference in skill level between my students is shocking. This disparity is also obvious in terms of behavior, and as you commented on, their home situations. It’s one of the most unique aspects about the school I work in. It has two programs, an academically rigorous magnet program (that students from around the district apply to), and a program for kids that live in the surrounding neighborhood, which as far as I can tell, is comparable to any other normal public school. For many school activities, the students receive completely separate instruction. I am happy to say that for fine arts electives, students of both programs can sign up. It is a definite challenge for me to find ways for these students to work together and learn from each other, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Their differences AND similarities are to be acknowledged and respected. I’m happy to be faced with this challenge.
And yes, their home situations are saddening. Family members are in prison, several of my students are homeless and/or car-less. Several will never be able to attend concerts because they are the designated caretaker for younger siblings in the evenings. I consider it my job to make choir a fun place where they can escape from all of that, but I also make a great effort to listen and be as aware as possible of their complications they’re facing in and outside of school. That’s one of the main reasons I love these writing assignments.
Thanks for reading and commenting Aunt Beth!
These are all so great! I love that you are incorporating writing into a music class–it’s so good for students when they have creative teachers like you who bring all sort of different skills into their classrooms.
Wow – thanks so much for the compliment! I’m also happy that it led me to your blog. I look forward to using some of these creative writing ideas and prompts, and learning more about Deep. (Readers, see http://thatwritinglady.com/). It sounds like you and your crew are doing great things for children of Savannah. Congrats and keep it up!