Perspective Stories

Lately, perspective story writing has becoming a staple in my teaching weeks. It provides each student the opportunity to embrace, create, and imagine from a viewpoint far different than our own.

The instructions are simple:
1. Choose a biotic (of life) organism of which you will write from its point of view.
2. Choose an abiotic (not of life) factor to include in your story.
3. Write in a way that alludes to your chosen organism but doesn't immediately give it away.

Every time that I have facilitated this activity I have been blown away at the creativity and talent of my field groups. Here are some writings from last week:

   "My branches sway and cones flutter to the ground. Small cones, but not as small as Hemlock's. The wind is music to my ears. My trunk is straight and tall and doesn't sway. It is not moved by the wind. So strong. I smile down at the saplings below, some my own species. Soon the young will be taller than I. My needles dark green closer to the branch and turning more lime green as they reach the end, flutter daintily to the ground. The wind stops its song. The forest stands still. I am at peace."

"My soft tail swings. The breeze goes over my soft fur. A leaf drops from the trees above. I step over the rock by the stream. I kneel down to take a drink. A bird comes down from the top of the Canopy Tower. I run as a human comes at me."

"I sit on the trail. Across, some Sword Ferns. The dirt near me is rich with scattered rocks. A person hikes down the trail and avoids me. I know why. It is because before someone touched my leaves and exclaimed, "OW!!!!!!!!!!!!!" loudly. It startled me! This has happened many times before but one person rubbed Sword Fern on their skin. How strange? Often people are itching when they leave. One one of my leaves was plucked off and rolled into a tiny ball. The person ate it."

No two stories are ever the same. Each story shared is a fresh, unique perspective. The staple continues...

Riley

P.S. If you haven't figured them out already, here are the concealed organisms.

1. Douglas Fir Tree
2. Black-tailed Deer
3. Stinging Nettle