Children’s and Teens’ Connection
The Great Space Light Race!
by Adrian Yambing
6th Grade
Aldrin Elementary
Mr. O’Day’s Class
We have one goal this Christmas Eve,
To have astronauts see us from space.
But our next-door neighbors want to get noticed first,
So let us all call it a race!
The neighbors grab their bright lights from their roof.
We grab lights from our garage.
While we were lighting the snowman up,
Our neighbors began to sabotage!
Their kids went to steal our tiny roof lights,
and took our mini decorative penguins as well.
So we decided to get revenge,
opportunity struck when the kids tripped and fell!
We grabbed their inflatable Santa Claus
and placed it on our yard,
we ripped our stolen lights off their roof,
and their little glowing cards!
Those selfish neighbors came back to our yard
and stole our precious tree.
But we eventually retaliated,
And stole it back and their glowing bee!
We lit all of our lights up,
the beaten neighbors were all mesmerized,
the race had finally ended,
We were also quite surprised!
A few minutes later it seemed
as though we could see the sun by looking at our house,
But I noticed our neighbors house was darker than space,
I realized everything has gone south.
My kids were jumping with all their joy,
But I was melancholy.
So, I went and gave all our lights to our neighbors.
And they were all so jolly!
We invited them over to dinner,
And I made some pumpkin pie.
They thought of this all so beautiful
I thought they might just cry!
The kids filled their faces with pie,
but us parents were eating Christmas bologna.
The best part was that after they left.
It started snowing slowly!
And even though neither of us won,
We sure did have some great memories.
Maybe next year, let’s just do it together,
No competition for centuries!
I’m a Table with Tons of Turkey!
by AJ Bowen
6th Grade
Mr. O’Day’s Class
Aldrin Elementary
Today is the day I’ve been dreading all year.
Thanksgiving.
I saw that the cooking had started,
I heard pots and pans clanging and clattering,
I smelled the gravy being mixed up,
I could feel the decorations being strung around and on top of me,
I could almost taste the mashed potatoes,
and saw the people running around me trying to clean up
the mess before the meal.
I started to dread, more and more, the torture known as dinner time.
Oh, it would be the worst I just knew it.
My legs started to tremble, my top started to feel mighty sore.
I didn’t want to be stained with gravy or doused with ice water.
Especially not on my brand new tablecloth, I had just put it on!
Tick tock.
Tick tock.
Tick tock.
It was time for dinner,
I got ready like a weightlifter preparing for a competition.
One by one the plates buried me so I could no longer see.
I split weight between two legs then switched to the others.
I could hear laughs and clinks of silverware on plates.
I heard one of the kids say that the turkey turned their tummies.
There was banging,
some gravy spilled,
some turkey fell down under me,
the dog tickled me trying to get to it.
“Dessert time!” I heard one of the people yell.
Only a little bit left, I thought as some of the plates started to disappear.
One by one they went to be washed.
One by one I started to regain feeling in my legs.
It was finally over,
I was free. I barely got spilled on but still,
Why can’t they just have thanksgiving at Grandma’s?
I grumbled in my head as I slowly drifted off to sleep.
Monkeying Around at Night
by Alysha Gujju
6th Grade
Mr. O’Day’s Class
Aldrin Elementary
Gathered together on a big comfy couch
by the fire,
We huddle like a group of penguins.
Chopping, clomping, and cheering
We watch a movie,
Eating our favorite snacks,
And mom and dad share their stories,
like little kids would with their friends.
We drink hot chocolate,
Giving everyone brown mustaches.
Laughing at each other,
Like hyenas might.
Searching for the pile of dusty old games,
Like mischievous racoons
That have been crying to see the light of day
Out from the crusty attic.
Getting them out,
Only to realize
That the games are too dirty and broken to play.
We came down from the attic,
Sleepy and tired.
We dozed off to sleep
Like koalas
Cuddled up in our beds.
I dreamt about this moment.
“Until next time”
I said while I slumbered.
Ted the Terrified Turkey
by Amaya Garcia-Gettmann
6th Grade
Mr. O’Day’s Class
Aldrin Elementary
Ted the Turkey takes the time of Thanksgiving terrifically terrifyingly. All because of Tod the Tender Tasting Turkey. You see, Tod was terribly taken by a trespasser. He… Well, the name tells the tale.
Our story begins in a forest.
A forest with a turkey.
A forest with a turkey who hates November 23rd.
And guess what?
It was November 23rd.
This turkey was having
A horrible day.
I’m not even joking.
Like, a terrible,
horrible,
worst-day-of-his-life kinda day.
And this is how it began.
As I told you, he was strutting along in his forest.
And then he heard a rustle from some bushes.
And then…
Pounce!
Ted barely dodged the attack of a bobcat!
He took one look at that animal
and sprinted.
Now, Ted was too busy
sprinting away from definite death
that he didn’t realize where he was going!
He ran to the end of the forest,
across the street,
and into the grocery store!
But he didn’t stop there.
Nope.
You see,
Ted is a very determined turkey.
(That’s just another way of saying
he is a total scaredy-cat.)
So he kept running.
And eventually he ran into
some random room.
He didn’t have time to read the sign
because I mean,
Would you?
And then he stopped.
He had reached the wall.
He had reached the end.
He turned around to face his death
but there was only one problem.
The coyote wasn’t there.
He must’ve given up!
YESSS!
He was finally safe.
He started gobbling
and celebrating
But then when he was
in the middle of the Macarena
He turned around.
And saw all the meat.
And then he saw the
dead,
frozen,
turkey
in the freezer.
He finally realized:
He was in the meat section.
He stopped gobbling.
He stopped celebrating.
Ted needed to get out of there.
And fast.
He started making his way to the door
but then a man walked into the room.
He had an evil smile on his face.
He said,
“Hello, dinner.”
That did not
sound like something happy,
Or good,
And definitely not something
a turkey wants to hear
on Thanksgiving.
Ted backed up
but then realized he was already
against the wall.
He started looking around the room
for ways to escape Mr. Evil here.
And then he saw
a three-footish tall countertop
that didn’t have any dead meat on it.
Ted had never been able
to fly very high.
He could never seem to flap his wings hard enough.
He didn’t know
if he could make it all the way up there.
But it looked like he had no choice.
Mr. Evil was closing in on him.
He took a deep breath.
One,
Two,
Three,
… JUMP!
Ted took the highest leap
he has ever made,
and flapped his wings as hard as he could
and…
He made it!
He leapt onto the counter
without any dead meat on it
and dodged Mr. Evil’s attempt
to grab him by the leg.
He raced out of there as fast as he could
and never returned again.
He waddled back into his forest
and finally,
FINALLY,
Ted was safe at last.
THE END!
Thanksgiving Dinner
By Austin Ford
6th Grade
Mr. O’Day’s Class
Aldrin Elementary
Thanksgiving
Is a holiday to give thanks
For the good we have
In the world today.
But thanksgiving family reunions
Are a time to get together
And see family.
My family
Spends Thanksgiving
Just eating a turkey
And crunching
A crispy collection
Of crops
Like green beans
Mashed potatoes
And steaming, hot gravy.
It’s really a sight
To be seen
As the turkey
Is freed from
Its prison
In the oven
And the gravy
Is poured into
A shiny and
Festive gravy boat
Mashed potatoes
Are scooped
And shoveled
Into hungry mouths
Stuffing is served
And rolls are passed
It’s really
Rad.
The Christmas Trap
By Avery Salcedo
6th Grade
Mr. O’Day’s Class
Aldrin Elementary
Ho! Ho! Ho!
Going down the chimney,
All covered in snow,
With all the presents
Tied up in a bow.
I see the goodies
Lying on the table
Ahh! The cookies!
Then I look down
And I see a note.
“Let’s see what they wrote,”
I say quietly.
NOTE:
Hey Santa
I know this is lame,
But how did you get into
Our house
When your belly is so, well…
Big and jolly?
And, sorry for being greedy
Because I don’t want to make a scene,
But please give me a present.
I think I earned one
With everything that I’ve done.
I know you’re reading my letter now,
And you might be thinking how
Do I know that you’re reading?
Just check under this table.
See me waving?
BOO!
Boo?
There is no one here?
Nothing in sight.
Santa is just gone?
And all is clear.
“It’s going to take more than that to catch me!
Merry Christmas!”
-Santa
“I will get you next year!”
Flowers
By Elliana Frey
Pretty or ugly
Big or small
Tall or short
Fat petals or skinny petals
Dead or alive
Eaten or not eaten
Wrinkly or smooth
Nectar or no nectar
It all depends
If you’ve stepped on them
or
not…