Student Writing Samples
The Stack the Deck Writing Program P.O. Box 5352 Chicago, IL 60680 Phone: 1-312-675-1000 and 1-800-253-5737 Phone: 1-312-765-0453 Email: stackthedeck@sbcglobal.net
Super Student Writing Samples

Publishing student writing is important for many reasons: 1. it expands the audience beyond the teacher; 2. motivates careful rewriting through pride in ownership; 3. rewards hard work during the other steps of the writing process. Besides publishing student samples from the various assignments in our textbooks, The Stack the Deck Writing Program is proud to publish student samples sent to us by teachers who have participated in our writing workshops. Teacher Elizabeth Keegan from Central Elementary in Lincoln, Rhode Island, sent us samples written by Malani Sundaram when she was a third grade student. WOW!!!!!   Principal for a Day by Malani Sundaram "Oh, my gosh!" I was shocked at what the secretary had told us. Our principal, Mr. Williams was kidnapped! She had all the students' names in a hat. She rummaged into the hat and called out a name. "Malani Sundaram" I was frozen to my seat. She had called my name! I rushed up to the front office. The secretary congratulated me and said that I was going to be principal for today. I was so happy that I skipped down the 6th grade hall to tell my sister the good news. A teacher stopped me and told me to walk. I told her that I didn't have to listen to her because I was the principal for today. She was so shocked that she just went back into her classroom. This was spectacular! I could do anything I wanted to do! I asked for my sister Geena, and they said to wait a minute. She came out and asked me what was wrong. I told her that I was the principal and went back to the principal's office. I went outside to see the view, and I came back just in time for the 6th grade lunch. I strolled around the cafeteria and asked the kids some questions. When the 3rd graders had recess, I played ball with them. After I got some of the work done that the secretary had given me, the day was almost over. "But wait!" I yelled to Ms. McShane (the secretary). "What about Mr. Williams?" But she was already gone. I took the matters into my own hands. I set out looking for Mr. Williams, but before I left something caught my eye. A ransom note! It said that he was at 128 Wilbur Road. I walked to that address and crept in. I saw Mr. Williams tied in a chair! I ran over and untied him right away. We ran for it because the kidnapper was chasing us! I ran to a telephone both and locked the glass door. I dialed 911 and told them the problem. They sped over to him in no time. They caught him and asked him why he'd kidnapped Mr. Williams. He said that he wanted the keys to the school, but Mr. Williams wouldn't give them to him so he tied him up. I said that I was going home and boy was I happy to be home. Being Squanto If I could be Squanto, and live like him, I would do a bunch of things. I think it would be pretty interesting to see all the wild animals and live in the wilderness. If I learned some skills I'm sure I could teach some of them to my brother who loves to play like Native Americans. Yes, if I was Squanto I would do that . . .(daydreaming) "Squanto! It's time for supper!" Squanto's mother called to me as she took the cooking pan off the stove. Sprinting to the house, I wolfed down my dinner. "That was delicious!" I announced happily leaving the table. "I'm going to watch father fish." I told my sister as I skipped merrily down the path. "I guess I can learn a thing or two about fishing while I'm here." I said to myself. I sighed leaping down the path. What I really wanted to learn was hunting, and I don't know if I'll ever learn that. "Squanto! Squanto!" Chino (Squanto's friend) called running after me. Huffing and puffing, he asked to play with me. "Do you want to play with our bows and arrows?" I agreed and we ran to the top of the hill and started shooting skinny trees. (for a challenge) I kept thinking about how I could teach Justin (my brother) how to shoot like this. We played all day long. As I got older, I was able to hunt with the other braves. On my first hunt, I was helped by Monato (an older brave). He said to follow the deer tracks. The deer tracks ended at the river. I saw them reappear on the other side of the river. I had no canoe, so I sloshed over to the other side. I continued to follow the deer tracks and on the way got chigger fever! Chiggers are insects that live in the water and if they bite you, then you get chigger fever. All of a sudden a rustling sound got closer and soon I realized that it was a deer! My legs were killing me with a stinging pain from the fever that made me moan as I stumbled along. Reaching for my bow and arrow, I toppled into the clearing yelping in pain. Darting through the trees, the deer vanished in the jumble of leaves. I was helpless at the moment. Monato leapt out of a tree with his bow ready to shoot. Spotting me on the ground, he lowered his bow. "What happened?" he exclaimed as he rushed toward me. Eyeing my legs, he asked "Chigger Fever?" I nodded wearily and plopped down on the ground once more. Monato helped me limp back to the village with a dead deer slung over his back. I rested for days and days until I was finally better. I guess I should teach Justin not to cross a river without a canoe. Gee, it's pretty hard living in the wild! It's fun, but it's really tiring too. I don't want to be Squanto forever, because you can get all kinds of sicknesses that the Indians can't cure.(Chigger fever) A lot of people die from these sicknesses too. If I'm me, then I won't die from certain sicknesses, because scientists have found cures for them. Being Squanto is cool, but I like being me better.

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