This opening project was designed to allow students to practice their group skills (listening, compromise, non-verbal communication, and sharing responsibility) as well as tap into their creativity. 

I asked students, What would a perfect school be like?


Students worked in teams of 4 or 5 to devise what their ideal school would look and feel like. Students worked on the following in their groups:

• A large detailed map of their Perfect School displaying the layout, key features, and visual appeal
• A list of 4-6 School Rules that govern their Perfect School
  
• Each student must write a narrative story about an experience (real or imagined) in school they feel was "perfect"
  
• A song/anthem for their Perfect School 
  
• Artwork highlighting important features of their Perfect School
  
• A creative presentation to the group about why their Perfect School is so great 

It was the first day of school my old school was horrible. Mean teachers and everything. Mom hollered get ready for school.  I was nervous on the way there. We crossed a big bridge it was weird then I saw it a massive building! It even had a rollercoaster! It wasn’t any school it was the best school ever!!!!!!! The school was in the middle of the nowhere. Then I remembered that this was going to be my school for the rest of the year! Then I thought I didn’t see the inside yet. [unfinished]

The rusty steamboat wedged into the sandy shore.  I hover off the rusty boat. The immense heat roasted my body.  The roaring bell flows roughly through my eardrums.  “Oh no” I moan “its lunchtime already?! I know I’m late, but I didn’t know I was this late!” I rush toward the door so I don’t get trampled by noisy kids. I was too late! A stampede of hollering kids scamper toward the tables scattered everywhere across the warm sand. I feel kids shoving and pushing me in the back. I leap out of the crowd. A wave of warm sand falls everywhere on my body. I pull myself up and sprinkle off the sand. A. group of rich snobby girls whisper to each other, and snicker. “Look who slept in 3 hours late this morning!” They snicker again. Their high-pitched voices pierce my ears. I roll my eyes. “Jerks” I say under my breath. I catapult towards the front doors. Once I was in the hallway, I noticed everything was quiet.  It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. I pour down the hall trying to find my classroom. My flip flops echo in the quite hallway. Across the lime green wall are multiple posters saying stuff like “Go Math!”  , “School is fun!” and “Never quit on learning!” I spot my classroom.  The way I can tell which classroom is which is because every classroom is shaped differently. Some classrooms are shaped like a triangle some are shaped like a pentagon and some are shaped like a hexagon. My teacher Ms. Rosemary is far off perfect. Everything she does is perfect. All the clothes she wears look perfect on her. Even when she messes up she messes up perfectly. I think she is too perfect in my taste. I sneak into the classroom.  “Hello my child” Ms. Rosemary says in a soft voice. She has multiple papers on her desk.  I open my mouth, but no sound comes out. “Aren’t you going say something?” she laughs in a cheerful tone.  “Well uhh I have a tardy pass and my homework and I wanted to give it to you” I mutter. I walk over to her desk and place my homework and my tardy pass on her mess of papers. “Thank you. Now get to lunch before it’s over!” she says not looking up from her desk. I flew to the door. I grab my lunch box and rush towards the front doors. The rest of the day zoomed by. If this school wasn’t perfect I would be toast.

It was a sunny day in class in school I was in class. Doing my work, it was hard I couldn’t think so I asked the teacher if I could get a snack she said NO. Once I finished we got to draw while she checked the work and she screamed look at this! His handwriting is so bad! She laughed like she was evil. She had pimples all over her face and she has a boy haircut. Then everybody started to laugh. Then I found out she was talking about me! The bell rang. I sprinted outside and jogged into the jet and told the pilot to take me far away. He took super far I leaped out of the window with my parachute. When I landed I said I’m never taking this class again. [censored]

We’re cart-wheeling and back flipping on our private island’s beach. We’ve had enough, so we sit down next to a palm tree and watch kids splash and float in the heated outdoor pool. Once we are done talking, we go into the school and trudge through the hallways. We grab a few refreshing sips of soda from the soda fountain, go up the rollercoaster, and into the gym. We see the bright colored obstacle course, and urgently climb up to the top, as if it were a race. When we’re all at the top, we swing and glide on the unique shaped monkey bars. After that, we struggle and climb up the rock wall. Then, we swoop down the slides back onto the matted floor. We tumble through the hallways, walk into a classroom, and do math to get a snack from the vending machine. Then, we go down the rollercoaster screaming impetuously. We run outside, and start towards the palm trees so tired that it even seems hard to walk. Then we finally sit in the nice shade of a palm tree, watching the blue sea waves come in and out. We chatter more until the teacher calls us back in for art class. 

It is recess time.  Anna, Izzy, Marisabel ,Gavin and I are going outside to play.  I hear stumping inside all the children are rushing outside like there was a fire breathing dragon inside school. So I look at the line to the rollercoaster was empty. But then I see every kid rushing to line .I went to the field to play soccer then I heard the bell ring it was finally time for lunch I see they got new machines in the lunch room. It took so long to get our lunch. Also the line was huge. the line was moving so slow the kids almost went back.   

In the perfect school it has classrooms  and kids learn there. There is trampoline hallways  teachers and kids jump. In the classroom has trampoline floors and there is a chocolate fountain instead of a water fountain. There is an art class , music class , gym class and there is a library. There is a mini water park.  In the perfect school there is a free candy store.  Free Dunkin donuts there are portals to get to classrooms instead of elevators,  jumpy houses and kids learn too in classrooms mini rollercoaster  huge park comes with a pool.  Office made out of chocolate bars.  Kids and teachers bounce in a line and the kids and the teachers go into a art portal.  Kids learn math, sience , reading , writing.  There is a cafeteria in the school kids eat there when it there lunch time for the children.  The teachers take the class to a lot of field trips.  If a child is doing a good job they earn a chocolate bar.  There is a mini burger king free so I was walking in the jumpy hallway I she asked me if I wanted to go to Dunkin Donuts to get a hot cocoa I said yes  I went to a Dunkin Donuts portal with Rose I appeared in Dunkin Donuts so I got my hot cocoa.  I was on my way to the huge park  to go in the water slide  then I slide down and splash  I was soaked wet. I was in the jumpy house with rose and Anna we holded hands and we  jumped a lot we were having fun then we got out.  Me and Rose went to the candy store I got a swirly lollipop Rose got a chocolate bar then we went to a burder king and that is my perfect school.

Today was the day I was going to hang out with my friends Leah, Rose, Marisabel, Fitzy, Gavin, Gabe and I. I saw everybody chilling in the Jacuzzi. I reminded them that we were all going to hang out today. As they jumped out of the Jacuzzi, I was staring at their lookalike raisin toes and fingers. They all dried off then, changed. We all decided we were going to see a hockey game first. Fitzy was super exited. He asked us, “Who are we going to watch?????????” he said with a cheery voice, “The Bruins vs. The New York Rangers”. We all grabbed a shot of soda from the soda fountain then went to the TD Garden. We got front row seats. I could feel the chill from the ice whenever a hockey player skated by us. As we were watching the game we were screaming “GO BRUINS!!!!!!!!!!!!” When the game slowly ended, we stared at the scoreboard. The Bruins won 5 to 2. The New York Rangers STUNK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After the game, we all went to Dunkin Donuts to get a free iced coffee and donut. As we were munching on the donuts we were all riding huge hawks to Universal in Orlando FL. We are all multi taskers. We are going to ride all the roller coasters there. We first went on the Ripin Rocket Rollercoaster. We all took a seat in a car. I started to write my will. The car went up and up and up and suddenly, I heard screams from in front of me. “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH” I screamed as the mini car went down a big dip. I almost vomited. The ride went in so many loops! I was so scared. I was brave enough to let go of the bar. I felt like I was going to fall out of the car. About 30 seconds later the ride was over. I felt so dizzy.
About an hour later the school bell rang and it was time to go home.

Izzy, Gabe, Anna, Marissabel, and I were in the pool swimming and having a blast in the pool for a couple of hours. We were swimming and laughing as we got soaked in the water. As we got out of the pool we were sprinting to lunch. Before we went to lunch we stopped at Dunkin Donuts to get a nice cup of warm hot choa-choa. Then we went to lunch. As we went to lunch we could hear this eruption of kids sprinting to lunch. While the girls went to get their own lunch, Gabe and I went to Wendy’s to get our own lunch. We got chicken fries, and chili fries. We split them both. After we left Wendy’s we met the girls to play a game of Soccer. The sun was blazing hot out. We were melting with sweat. The teams were pretty unfair because it was it was Gabe and I, and then the other team was Anna, Izzy, and Marissabel. So at second half we switched the teams. The half’s are usually 30 minutes but everyone was so hot  the second half only lasted about 15 minutes. It was almost the end of the day. It was 1:30. So we left the soccer field and headed to the hot tub. First we got our bathing suits on, second we turned the bubbles on for the hot tub. We wanted to do another thing after this so we only stayed in the hot tub for about a half-hour. We only have 30 minutes left of school. We rushed to GameStop to get a few games. I got an Xbox one, I also got Halo 5. Gabe got Call of Duty Ghosts. The girls didn’t want anything. Then we walked out of school. This was the best day ever in Club Ice Academy! I can’t wait for tomorrow morning!

My class was stampeding down the hallway from the waterpark to room 413. We were all tired and wet. Our shoes were soaking wet.  They were quaking like ducks as we walked. After we entered the classroom I jet packed to my private island, my hair was blowing in the air because of the speed I was going. As soon as I got to my island I pulled out my marshmallow chair and sat down at my desk. I took a sip of my strawberry banana smoothie and listened for Mr. Smith’s directions. He was roller-blading down the isle of island to his desk to get the worksheet. I was about to step off my island and Mr. Smith tripped over my foot. Oh no, I had lost my voice so I typed in my blue voice automated computer “I’m sorry”. He typed into his green computer “Watch where you’re going please”. I typed backed okay because I didn’t want to get sent to the Spiderman principal. I just knew that he would shoot me with a web and I would not be able to move or speak for a days.       

One night I was studying for a math test. My mom was blabbing out “234 +93 =    ?” “Mom” I said “I am done I have to go read.” “Ok fine Lauren you can go read”. I stomped up the stairs like an angry elephant. Suddenly,   I could not   focus on my book. So I went to bed. My eyes were wide awake because I was nervous so I ran down the stairs almost falling and went to my mom. Mom I said want to study? No Lauren go to bed you have a test tomorrow. That’s why I am down I am so nervous. Lauren you worry about ever thing you will do fine go to bed. I admit I worry about everything. So I went to bed and finely went to sleep. Lauren it’s time to wake up .So I told my mom about the dream I had it was about the test. I got a 99 that’s good said my mom. One my way down the stairs I bumped into my cat Beaumont he is cutie to. HI I said he said hi back with a rub on my knees.  He said if you give me a treat I will give you a wish deal. Like what I said? You are having a test right Yeh. I will give you a 98. No way had I said you’re so crazy that’s cheating. By the way my cat can come to school with me and talk. S then I got ready to go and in the car. Bye Lauren I love you. Love you too. Don’t worry. So then I wanted to study more so than my robot helped me study. Then I went in and took the test. My hands were sweaty but I handed in the test and I felt good.        

I was staring at the clock until the art class was done. I quickly push in my seat .Than I get in the line. When I was done .I was really excited because in the hallways there were trampolines and you can go into the giant cannon transporters to get to the water slide. I first got into my bathing suit than I go into the cannon to the scary water slide .When I got there were lots of people there. I slowly step on the stair by one by one. When I got to the very top it was windy and I almost fell back. I sat down and I look into the tunnel and it was really far ways down .I push me down the tunnel and I scream so loud that everybody could hear me. I went in a circle a lot than water came down really fast and I really got scary. After the water slid I got really dizzy I almost throw up .After the scare water pool .I went to the free Dunkin Donuts and I bought a lot of munchkins like five jelly munchkins and six chocolate.  It was the most great day of my life.

The bell rang for gym, so I strapped on my rented roller blades, and skidded out of the room, into the hall way. On my way there, I dodged some of my friends like they were bullets and hollered, “What’s up guys,” but they didn’t hear me because I was going so fast, it was like I was being propelled by rockets, all I heard was them saying, “did you hear something?” I also passed by the gaming class which I can’t wait for in 6th period, the teacher says we will be playing minecraft. I also passed by the water slide that I will go on after gym, so I had my swim suit on to be prepared for that. I finally got to the gym, so I re placed my roller blades with sneakers and headed on in. The entire place was like a combination of a basketball court and a sky zone indoor trampoline park. “Today we are going to play basketball,”Mrs.Pensa said, “so grab a ball off the rack and get started.” Because I like to be challenged, I started to shoot from the basket mounted highest off the bouncy surface. I started to charge up a mega jump, and then I sprang up into the air and slammed the ball into the hoop. The impact of the ball hitting the surface of the trampoline was so hard, it launched back up and went reversed into the hoop. After a long session of dribbling balls, slam dunking, and being catapulted by trampolines, it was time for the water slides and I thought to myself, I am ready to get wet.

I had just finished watching a movie. The movie was the Three Hundred Spartans. Then I realized I had two minutes to get to third period. I couldn’t miss science! Today they were going to send five volunteers to China in a rocket. I wanted to go to China. So I quickly rented some free rollerblades to zoom down the hall to science. On the way to science I saw other kids whizzing by to get to their specialists classes. I could hear the kids in music class screeching on their violins and violas. The sound of paint splattering hits my ear as I pass the art room. Finally, I’ve made it to science class. I take off my rollerblades and slip on my regular day shoes. I open the door the first sound that hits my ears is the sound of clapping. Then I realize that the rocket must have already gone off to China, without me.  I was so distraught that I walk right out of the science room, slamming the door behind me. Suddenly I see something that turns my attitude in a completely different direction. I see another kid use his key-card to get into the Bifrost Room. A Bifrost is giant cannon that shoots you at light speed to another place as far away as you want. As long as your back by 7:00 curfew. So I decided to take the Bifrost all the way to China. As soon as I got to China I ran to a Chinese restaurant and bought some dumplings and crab ran goons. I grazed on them until I was full. The only thing I actually liked in China was the food. It was not as great as I thought in China. I mean, I couldn’t even understand anyone there. So I decided to shoot myself all the way back to Blue Guinea Pig University. I’m never going to volunteer ever again.

The bus pulled up to the school. The motor stopped. The door opened then I saw in big bold letters MJJA School of Awesomeness. I thought this was an ordinary school. This was no ordinary school!  This was the best school ever!  There was a pool a water slide and an arcade.  I stepped out of the bus. Into a huge building I got checked in then I asked the person at the front counter where do I go? Anywhere you want but you have to go to at least one class every day. Then they gave me a list of rules then I walked and read the rules I didn’t know where to go so I grabbed a map  then I found were I had to go up, up, down, left, right, left, right got it!

It was time for recess. Everybody stampeded out into the hallways. The hallways were alive with noise. I caught up with my friend Liana. She had a shirt with a polar bear on it, polar bears her favorite animal. I asked her, “Want to go to Hawaii today?” We had teleporters in our school. They take us were ever we want to go. We have recess for as long as we wanted it to, which is awesome. Finally I was out side of the humongous building were all my indoor classes were. The building was neon green today. The colors of the building changed every day, which kind of freaked me out the first week of school. Outside Liana and I zoomed aggressively toward the teleporters. The teleporter was a huge box that always matched the main building the main building with its bright colors. Once I and Liana were at the front of the line we leaped into the open door of the teleporter. There were bright lights and buttons everywhere. There was a keyboard too where you could type in where you wanted to go. I typed in “Hawaii Private Island Maya And Liana”. Each kid had a private island in a country and state of their choice. Liana and I share an island. I clicked the enter button. The teleporter roared and boomed. I opened the door and I was in Hawaii. There was a teleporter on each side of where you were going, one on the island and one at the school. It was a beach with palm trees and a huge sun 24 hours a day. I looked at my schedule I had swimming, palm tree climbing and coconut collecting next. I couldn’t wait!! 

One time I was in my classroom planning to go on the water slide, then on the roller coaster. We were watching Despicable Me 2, a hilarious movie. We all just laughed the whole time, for one funny scene, and it was hard to here. After class was over everyone stampeded down the hallway for the water slide. Then when we got there, everyone lunged for 1st in line. I got 4th in line. A couple of kids bashed heads. When it was my turn for the water slide, I got a chill down my spine as I step into the raft. It leaves when I’m not ready! Oh no! I feel like I’m going to leap out of the raft! I ended up being fine, but terrified! The roller coaster was a blast, but again, scary. The drops got me every time. It also went underwater, and up so high I couldn’t breathe. I almost screamed. It was so scary! I ended up going on more rides like the pirate ship that swings all the way around. I also went on the Go Karts, and beat 6 people and tied for 1st place. I played a game of soccer, and my team lost by 1 and I almost scored the tying goal with 7 seconds left. I also played baseball and I hit a home run to win the game. I also hit another home run and stole second base. I also pitched a 3 hitter (which means I only gave up 3 hits). I had a great day at my perfect school.

It was the middle of the day and my teacher asked me to go take a paper down to the office.

So I hopped on the elevator, leaped down the trampoline hallways, jumped on the elevator again, flipped down the hallway and was right in front of the door.  I skipped into the office slipped the paper into the mail box and  caught the roller coaster going up to my floor.  When I walked in to my class room my class wasn’t there. After two minutes trying to find them I went to the water park. I had enough of the water park so I went to burger king. I got a cheese burger, French fries and a nice cold drink of soda. Then I finally found them! It was time for recesses. I cartwheeled to the gymnastics room. You can go anywhere you want for recesses. Once I got in there I went straight to the bars to do some pull overs. Then I went to the ground balance been to do some cartwheels and handstands the last thing I did was front handsprings on the tumble track. then I took the #3 roller coaster. 

In my first grade class after we we’re done at the water park we had to read in front of  the class and our parents. So our parents hopped on the rollercoaster that went all around town. After we got our books ,it was time to read. When the first child went I felt sick. So I asked my teacher if I could go to the nurses office. My teacher said’’yes, but hustle. ‘’I said’’okay.’’So I hustled to the nurse. She said I was okay. So I skipped back to the classroom. When I read my story I was shaking so bad you would think I was thinking  about Antarctica. 

Once in fourth grade I saw a kid getting trampled over by the pool and hot tub. People were pushing him, calling him names, and being disrespectful. I sprinted over to those mean kids and stuck for the innocent one.  I said to those mean kids, “Back off” They said, “what are you going to do about it?” They pushed me. I got so mad because I don’t like when people push me around like that so I grabbed him and threw him into the pool. One of the other kids tried to push me but I dodged it and pushed him away and he fell into the pool. The innocent kid got very hurt same with the mean kids so they got out of the pool and ran away. After everything I took the innocent kid to the nurse and I went back to the pool and took a dip.