Literature & Composition and History updates

LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION

Last week literature students wrote Drabble. What, you may ask is Drabble? I asked them to write a story in 100 words, no more, no less. Inspired by the economy of prose in 'The Second Coming of Mavala Shikongo', students tried their hand at vivid language in a succinct format. Here are a few student samples.

Juliana, Montana

Sparkling white, lights black night. Frigid wind burns her nose, snow pierces body, scraping. Fingers burn, sizzle. Bones ache, feet dull, numb. tears turn icy. crisp hard snow encases her, sucking life. Eyes reflect a house, warm, glowing. Inside people laugh, champagne-warmed smiles, shiny red cheeks. Cinnamon faintly tickles her nose, spicy, sweet. Gold, silver balls glitter, dangling on a tree. Fire dancing, constantly orange, heats everyone. ragged nails meet crusty snow. Fingers rub raw, white turns red, body inches forward. Ragged breath freezes. Sounds mush together, vision fades. gasps fill silent darkness, frozen tears shatter on ground, then silence.

Molly, Vermont

Age 2

Skipping into the room, plaid dress swaying as she hops from foot-to-foot. Happily oblivious. She looks up, hundreds of eyes fixed with sorrow and pity. As she weaves through the legs of mourners towards the front of the room she smiles brightly, thinking that it is her new dress that is catching all these eyes. Now at the front, she sees a box and runs toward it, curious. when she reaches it and sees her father, she tries to hug him. Pulled away by her mother, this girl starts to cry. She doesn't realize that her life has changed forever.

History:

From our campsite in Namibia we looked across the river to night lights of Angola. What is the current political situation? How has society recovered after the civil war? What type of government do they have? Who is president? Questions filled minds as we looked out on yet another new nation. How little we know, they reflected. How much there is to learn. 

This week students are working on their final project, a map of southern Africa indicating our route, historical events, and their personal journey. I won't say anymore in the hopes that each student will share their project with their loved ones once home.