A Sampling of Sixth Grade Writing - Guest Post by Grant Stilp

this is where Grant spent his spring - in the pool playing water polo

scoring his first goal of the season and I just happened to get it on film

Grant, our oldest, just finished sixth grade.  He loved his first year in middle school!  Now that is a huge answer to prayer.  Today we went through a GIANT stack of papers in his backpack and binder, a wadded up sampling of some of his work this year.  I was struck by how much his cursive improved from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.

he was REALLY excited about his new water polo sweatshirt

As always, I was moved by his writing.  He writes poetry effortlessly - a talent I do not possess.  His dreams are huge (work for NASA?) but it would never cross his mind to do anything except chase after them.  This kind of enthusiasm for living abundant life is infectious.

As Grant's life unfolds it will be interesting to see how much of his current passions will grow with him into adulthood.  We'll definitely be looking back at this post in ten years and comparing real life to his sixth grade dreams.  I sure do love my boy!

Blue

by Grant Stilp

this was the middle of the year cursive

Blue looks like a beautiful river flowing down the mountain.

Blue sounds like the noisy waterfall pouring off the cliff.

Blue tastes like a crisp, fresh glass of water on a hot summer day.

Blue feels like a smooth feather of a blue jay.

My Dream House - Writing Assessment Final

by Grant Stilp

end of the year cursive

Oh man, what would it be like to live in your dream house?  I think it would be amazing.  Living in your dream house would be like living in your own paradise, because YOU designed it!

My dream house would have a very modern looking design.  Also, I would like to create an open floor plan so you can see most of the house from the front door.  I don't like houses with long winding hallways.  It just bugs me that you can't see around the next corner.  So an open floor plan would be perfect for me.  Now that I have a theme for my house, what will I put in my house to fill up the space?

The first thing I would need in my house is furniture.  I would probably do all my shopping at Ikea because most of their furniture matches my theme.  In my house I would have a spot for all my hobbies.  The first think I would have is a giant recording studio with lots of percussion stuff in it.  Above my recording studio I would have a whole room just for playing video games.  Lastly, I would have a whole closet full of skateboards.  I would also have a long, steep driveway for skating down.  Now that I have a my dream house, where in the world will I enjoy my dream house?

My dream house would be located in Denver, Colorado, right in the heart of the Rockies.  The house would be located on one of the foothills surrounding Denver that way I could be in Denver and meet the need for a long, steep driveway.  I love the snow (because I'm from Chicago) so Denver would be perfect for me.

Now you have heard about my dream house.  An open floor plan with places for all my hobbies, right in the heart of the Rockies.  Ah...paradise.

The next sample was my Mother's Day gift this year.  Grant explained that if you take the words "the eyes" and rearrange the letters, it says "They see."  This was the basis of a poem he wrote and then read out-loud to me.  I cried.

The Eyes

by Grant Stilp for Mom on Mother's Day

June 2013

The eyes

They see

her eyes

They understand

They search

Your heart

They love

And Care

Because

They are

Her eyes

They see

Grant Stilp Value Frame
by Grant Stilp

In my life I value...

• Family
• Sports
• Fitness
• Science
• Air
• A home
• My brain
• Respect
• Music
• God

In my life I will...

Use the powerful brain I was given to reach my ambitions, big or small, and to accomplish great goals.  I plan to make discoveries in physics and aerospace engineering, and to work for NASA or Lockheed Martin.

What about you?  What would your value frame look like?  What kind of dreams do you have for your life?  Why not chase them down? 

I Am - guest post by Paige Stilp

Paige on a recent field trip to the zoo

The girls have been bringing home piles of school papers, half filled notebooks, and mostly used school supplies.  They do this in stages to prepare for the last day of school.  Paige (7 years old and our baby) is finishing up first grade.  I seriously can't believe it.  There's something about her that seems time warped at age two.  I wonder if we'll always view her as our baby?

showing off her new glasses and how tired we were after a day at the zoo

As Paige pulled papers out of her backpack this afternoon, she unpacked a treasure trove of "Must Keep For the Rest of My Life" documents.  I'm such a pushover for anything creative, especially stuff the kids write or draw.

I found this imaginative piece.  The assignment was to create a Dr. Seuss-like animal. Paige's creation was a "camorseat."  Per Paige's description, "It's a combination of a camel, horse and cat.  It has four eyes, a camel head, a horse body, and a cat tail.  It has rainbow colors and it's habitat is mixture of desert and forest."  I would love to meet one of these in person.

Paige's Camorseat

Paige has always been a little Rule Follower.  When I found this enlightening piece on the dangers of bark chips it was all I could do to not burst out laughing.  The captions on the illustrations are so funny.  "Good.  No.  Okay. Stop."  So precious!

"You shouldn't throw bark chips.  Because it is not safe.  Because it could knock your eye out.  Because people don't like it.  One time I saw a person doing...

..it.  Bark chips are very sharp. Bark chips are always very wet.  Don't throw bark chips."  

The final gem in her pile of papers was a book she wrote.  Simplistically beautiful, it almost made me cry to see on paper the confidence she has in this world, in herself, and in those around her.  It came through in her words and her brightly drawn illustrations.  At the tender age of seven she understands her value and worth as a Daughter of the King.  That security and confidence is shaping her view of the world.  I hope she never loses this bright outlook on life.

Here's her book, exactly as she wrote it.

"I AM (in hand-drawn bubble letters)

by Paige Stilp 

I am Paige Stilp.  A sister, a student and a helper.

I feel happy when Sophia Wong comes to softball games.  And when I get to be with Mrs. Young.  I see people all arond me who want to love me.  I see anamals all arond.

(Mrs. Young is her first grade teacher.  Thank you Mrs. Young for such an incredible First Grade experience for Paige.  She learned and grew so much under your leadership.)  

I hear voices off.  And pencils moveing on paper.  I know that I have friends and that I'm loved.

I am a anamal fan.  A friend.  A sister.  And a student."

What about you?  If you had to write a book called I AM, what would you write?  Would you focus on the things that you are not? The things you aspire to be?  Or who you really are.  A daughter.  A son.  A sister.  A brother.  A friend.  A student.  Lover of Jesus?

Do you know that you are loved?

Thank you Paigey for bringing us all back to what really matters.  I'm so proud of you.