KidzTalk - Recent questions tagged 2016

2016 Writing Decathlon-{Fiction Short Story}

Sun, 01 Jan 2017 02:58:39 +0000

-Dancer727

Diary of Biddy Cleary

(Ireland in the 1860s)

This diary is told in the perspective of Biddy Cleary, a young Irish girl living in the 1860s during the Potato Famine. Her father has supposedly been away in America for a few years. He had planned on sending money, but the family never received any. Biddy, her mom, and little brother and sister all work on a farm just a few miles west of Dublin.

Date: November 4, 1860 Dublin, Ireland

It has been days since he left. Weeks have turned into months and months turned into years. He said he was going to “the land of the free” and he’d come back and the family would be fine. He hasn’t come back. Mam never stopped hoping. We need the money to pay Bean Tí Nessa. Mam, Maury and Conor and I have been working. Food is getting scarce. This morning, as we took the walk out to the feirm I had a thought. Instead of trying to harvest potatoes, we could try meacon. Mam thought this was a great idea. We told

Bean Uí Cathleen and she thought we could try it out. She gave us money for seeds and we went to the market and got some. She said we would plant them when the weather was right.

Date: November 8, 1860

It’s been a few days and we still haven’t planted the seeds. I’m beginning to think that Bean Uí Cathleen doesn’t believe the seeds will harvest. “Not right weather” she always says. Conor went to go work on the ports as a fisherboy. It will help the family find food. We have fish stew every night.

Date: November 10, 1860

Today was Church. We went down to Saint Patrick’s Cavan Cathedral today and prayed to Dia to help our family through this tough time. Being good Catholics, we did nothing else that day. Still no word from Athair.

Date: November 15, 1860

We finally decided to plant the seeds, with or without Bean Uí Cathleen’s approval. Everyone needs the food. Mam is worried we’ll get fired but I think we need to do it.

Date: November 27, 1860

We’ve been thrown out of our apartment. We have been living on the streets like a bunch of rats. I have few belongings. But the plan is working. We already have a few meacon popping up. Even in this weather!

Date: November 28, 1860

Today was the happiest day ever! We received a letter from Athair containing money (which we’ll exchange for our own bank notes). He will come back!

Gaelic Dictionary:

Bean Tí - Landlady

feirm -farm

Meacon- carrots

Bean Uí -Mrs.

Dia- God

Athair- Father

Kidzsearch Writing Decathlon: Short Story Play Format

Thu, 22 Dec 2016 18:56:58 +0000

Lost
                                           Act 1, Scene 1

We see a group of 9 girls gathered around a fire in the woods, with a teenage girl at.   the head of the group.

ALL: (laugh)
MONICA: Okay girlfriends, we have to go back or I'll get fired. (smiles)
There is some light murmuring as the girls gather their things and line up. A purple jacket remains on the ground.
                                     Act 1, Scene 2
A girl, KATIE PAIGE, gets up and approaches MONICA, who is sitting on her bunk reading a book.

KATIE PAIGE: Monica?
MONICA: Yeah? (looks up from from book)
KATIE PAIGE: I left my jacket at the fire, can I go get it?
MONICA: (looks out window) It's getting late... Okay, but don't go alone. Samantha?
SAMANTHA: (turns around to look at MONICA, is in an awkward position because she is playing Twister) Listening!
MONICA: Go with Katie Paige please, she needs her to get her jacket and I'd prefer for her to go with you, since she's a new camper & this is you're what, 5th year?
SAMANTHA: 6th, actually.
MONICA: Ugh, I'm so old!!
SAMANTHA: (gets up a pulls on a sweatshirt over her PJ's and grabs her backpack from her bunk) C'mon KP!
KATIE PAIGE: It's Katie Paige, not KP.
SAMANTHA: Gotcha!
                                   The girls leave the cabin and walk out

                                             Act 2, Scene 1
The girls are hiking on a path. It is dark, but the full moon and their flashlights provide light. They reach their destination, KATIE PAIGE grabs her jacket, and they prepare to leave when SAMANTHA speaks.

SAMANTHA: I gotta pee.
KATIE PAIGE: What?
SAMANTHA: I need to go, dude.
KATIE PAIGE: Can you wait until we get to the cabin?
SAMANTHA: Wait until I get there to change my pants, 'cause I'm about to wet myself!
KATIE PAIGE: (rolls eyes) Can you make it quick?
SAMANTHA: Well, we can't do it here! The boys cabins are down there! (she points ahead in ton the woods, where there is a very muted light very far away)
KATIE PAIGE: They're not gonna be watching you pee at (looks at watch) 10:06 at night!
SAMANTHA: Oh yeah? Last year Simon Caldwell had to... (sees annoyed expression on normally passive KATIE PAIGE's face) Anyway, I need to find a good tree. Up there. (points the opposite direction of the boy's cabins)
KATIE PAIGE: (mutters under breath).

                                     Act 2, Scene 2
KATIE PAIGE is sitting impatiently on the ground while SAMANTHA is unseen behind a tree.

SAMANTHA: (comes out from behind tree) Well, I'm good. Let's head back.
KATIE PAIGE: Where?
SAMANTHA: What do you mean "where"? Back to the cabin!
KATIE PAIGE: Where's the cabin?
SAMANTHA: Down there... (hesitates) No, no, it was definitely this direction...
KATIE PAIGE: You've got to be kidding me! We're lost, and it's your fault, you idiot!
                                   Act 3, Scene 1
KATIE PAIGE is looking around, shining her flashlight and calling for help. SAMANTHA is banging her head into a tree muttering "Stupid.Stupid.Stupid".

KATIE PAIGE: You're being quite helpful, you know.
SAMANTHA: I'm the one who got us lost, and you expect me to help us find our way back?
KATIE PAIGE: You've been going to Camp Toccoa since you were 6! You can't expect me to find our way back on my second day!
SAMANTHA: Look, just sit down and keep on yelling. I think you're supposed to let them find you. (sits down)
KATIE PAIGE: Fine. (sits down)
                                                Act 3, Scene 2
It is getting colder. The girls begin to shiver, even in their coats and warm pajamas.

SAMANTHA: I feel like I'm going to die.
KATIE PAIGE: (looks at the helpless expression on SAMANTHA's face) C'mere, we ought to share our body weight, I guess.
SAMANTHA: (scoots over)
The girls sit together quietly until SAMANTHA suddenly falls over on KATIE PAIGE's lap.

                                          Act 4, Scene 1
SAMANTHA is lying still in a hospital bed in a drab room. A nurse walks in and rouses her awake.

SAMANTHA: Where the heck am I?
NURSE CLARISSA: St. Jude's Children's Hospital.
SAMANTHA: And why?
NURSE CLARISSA: (chuckles) Well, when you and your little friend got lost in those woods, the temperature started dropping rapidly. It got to be to cold for two little girls in thin coats and PJs. You were pretty sick, Ms. Samantha.
SAMANTHA: What about Katie Paige?
NURSE CLARISSA: (tsks) That girl's a fighter. The way I hear it, after you fell unconscious, she found a camera in your bag and started clicking it. The flash made it easier for the search crew to figure out where you were. But, she got sicker than you. She's been moved to a different hospital, one in the city.
SAMANTHA: It's all my fault.

                                       Act 5, Scene 1
A group of people is gathered around a coffin in a church. Multiple people are crying. We see SAMANTHA sitting alone in the back. A small child resembling KATIE PAIGE goes up to her.

CHARLOTTE: Hi.
SAMANTHA: Hey.
CHARLOTTE: I'm Charlie.
SAMANTHA: I'm Sam.
CHARLOTTE: My sissy said it's not your fault.
SAMANTHA: Who's your sissy?
CHARLOTTE: (points at coffin) She's sleeping in the funny bed. (walks off

What's On Your Christmas List?

Sun, 11 Dec 2016 11:34:43 +0000

The title says all: What's on your Christmas list 2016? Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, what are some things you want?

My list is very long, but I'll include a few items.

.iPhone

.Kavu Backpack

.Digi-Piggy bank

.Souls of all who displease me (kidding)

.Mermaid tail (to swim in)

.Straight Outta Clemson t-shirt

.S'well Waterbottle

.World Peace

.Nikes

.Fujifilm Instax Mini 8