Fifth Grade Writing

Throughout this year our Advanced Subject Group in Reading has been working with stories from Junior Great Books. One such story, by the celebrated Richard Peck, was about a child who only seemed to have special powers. Students in this group were asked to write a story in a similar vein. Here's one to consider:

The Special Powers of Agatha*

Everyone thought Agatha was a weird kid. She was quiet and came out of nowhere to the school of Claxton Elementary. She got really bad grades one day, and another, the best in the class. Whatever grade she wanted, she got, good or bad. Everyone wanted to know how or why she didn’t and believed she had special powers. As for Agatha, she didn’t know whether she had special powers or not.

                One day the students were learning about something Agatha did not understand at all, and she failed the test soon after. Then they did a re-do and she got a perfect grade. People were scared of weird and odd Agatha, who was so quiet

                One day, someone was finally brave enough o go to Agatha and ask her, once and for all, whether she had powers or not.  The young man charmed Agatha, and she told him, “Whatever grades I want, I work for.”  The young man was frustrated that he didn’t get a complete answer. Or that’s what he thought!

*name changed for anonymity

So, I confess I only glanced these over until finding this gem. I thought it worth sharing for a bunch of reasons, not the least of which is the subtle lesson about gifted kids and grades.