Our First Field Trip

What's not to like about the Chocolate exhibit? Last week, we visited the Chocolate exhibit where we learned about the history of chocolate and how it affected our culture. We learned about how the Mayans and Aztecs used chocolate as part of their daily life, from religious rituals to trading with cacao beans in the market. On a scientific note, we learned about how the rainforest ecosystem supports the growth of cacao trees.  
Next, we stopped by the Photographic Journeys exhibit, which lead to enriching creative writing opportunities. Each student chose one portrait to write about and one landscape shot. 


Read Jessica's creative writing:

Kyoto Girl

By: Al Russell

         A pale and flawless face; natural…untouched, beautiful. Fair black hair, short, barely grazing her shoulders. Her small lips, slightly red are closed, as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. Her wide brown eyes are innocent and questioning. Always questioning. Her small hands grip a large red umbrella. It rests lightly on her shoulders, the rose like canvas filling the empty space behind her. The plaid sweatshirt and striped sweater hug her body protecting her from the wind and rain. She’s young and innocent, forever and ever.

         I stare up at the grey sky. The clouds hang limply as if forced to there. Something sharp hits my head. I touch my forehead, it’s wet. I focus my eyes. In front of me millions of delicate raindrops are dancing and then splashing against the pavement. Destroyed forever. They create a shield so I can barely see a few feet ahead of me. I grasp mommy’s big, red umbrella tighter. Only a few more blocks and I will be at daddy’s flower shop. Our house is a couple blocks away and whenever I walk to daddy’s shop he always gives me a single pink peony. My favorite floe. He even lets me sip from his mug hot chocolate. I see him in the distance and realize it will all be okay once the storm blows over. 

Now read Veronica's creative writing:

Miss Primavera By: Gary Degarimore

Peruvian Amazon, Peru

           

            The girl is about three years old. She sits on a polished wooden chair facing away from the big feast.  She stands out from the rest of the casual room with her twinkling tiara and diamond scepter. She stares straight at the camera with her big brown eyes.  They look full of curiosity at why such a young girl is wearing a gold and red sash labeled, “Miss Primavera” around her pink and white frilly dress. Her tiny feet are right next to each other wearing silver sequined shoes and pearl white socks. Behind her, people are laughing, eating cornbread, and having a good time.

            I felt excited and elated because everyone kept congratulating me. I don’t know what I did, but it must have been something good or else everybody wouldn’t be so happy and welcoming. I sat on my chair and waited for the feast to begin, for me. I felt like a princess in my flowy dress and diamond tiara. I was also curious, though, at what I had done right. I remembered walking down a stage then getting handed a tiara and a sash. Clink!  I quickly turned around to listen to the rest of the speech.

Don't you love the use of visual imagery and eye for detail?