Professional Semester III- PIP Writing Journal

Sabrina Kyle
ELA 10-1/ 10-2

Everything good and bad about being human

Good Bad
Family Death
Food War
Relationships Judgement
Traveling Stress
Animals Sickness
Watching the sunrise/sunset Anxiety
Hiking Loneliness
Being outside Climate change
Petting your dogs Unequal education
Walking Expectations
Being in nature
Music
Love
Sleeping
Happiness

Choose one and write a creative piece about it. Prepare to share this in our literature
circles
I can feel the hot sun beating down on me and beads of sweat dripping off on my back. There is a
hot sensation radiating throughout my shoulders that will inevitably turn into a tomato red
sunburn tomorrow morning. I can hear rocks and twigs snap and crackle beneath my feet, and
can feel a blister forming on my right ankle. My foot catches a rock and I lose my balance for a
moment. When I compose myself, I sit down on a nearby log and close my eyes and inhale
deeply. I can hear the soft whistle of the wind as it flows through the valley beneath me and I can
hear birds chirping and singing songs to one another. I take a deep breath and trek onward. I
finally reach the top, and as I take my last step I can feel my body sign with relief. I take a deep
breath raise my hand above my brow to block out the bright stream of light. My eyes adjust, and
my surroundings slowly come into focus. Ranges of mountains for as far as my eyes I can see. I
have made it.
What does reading mean to you?
Reading is like going on a grand adventure
It is like diving into the page of a book and exploring an entirely new world
It is like taking a trip to an unknown land
It is like traveling far and wide into the depths of your own imagination
It is like inspiring a young heart with wonder and curiosity
It is like plunging into the adventure of a lifetime

What was your favourite childhood book or story?

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The book that I feel I connect the most with at this table is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by
Roald Dahl. I first read and fell in love with this book during my time in elementary school
where my grad two teacher read it to our class. From that moment on, I was a huge fan of Dahl’s
books and continued throughout my elementary and middle school years. This book is also close
to my heart for another reason- it was the first book I read out loud to my Grade ½ students
during my PSI practicum. Since this book was so special to me during my time in school, it was
very special to be able to share the book with future students, watching them grow to love it just
as much.

Why do you write?

Write in the crisp morning air, and the soft glow of the evening,
Write on your good days, your bad days, and your in-between days,
Write now, write tomorrow, and write always.

What is my personal definition of a hero?

When I was a child, I was inspired by stories of superheroes, knights, and courageous men and
women who did wonderful things and changed the world around them. However, throughout the
years I have come to realize that true heroes do not always wear tights, swing from buildings, or
fly across the sky. However, being a hero isn't always front page news or the stuff of films.
Being a hero can mean working all through the night just to make enough money to send your
children to college so that they can have a better future for themselves. It can be as simple as
making sure that the elderly people in your area are always warm and well fed, or dedicating
yourself to improving community amenities and overcoming all the obstacles that get thrown up
in your path.

What makes a hero?

“A hero never makes mistakes”
“A hero is born, not made”
1. A hero never makes mistakes:
I personally disagree with this statement. I believe that mistakes are a part of a greater learning
process, and these mistakes can help us to grow as individuals. We are all human, and as
humans, we have flaws and imperfections. These flaws and imperfections are what help us to
stand out in the crowd. We all have our own set of unique characteristics that make us who we
are. Heroes must be able to make mistakes in order to learn and grow, just as we do. In real life,
people have faults- no one is perfect.

2. A hero is born, not made.

I personally disagree with this statement. I believe that heroism, and the qualities associated with
it, stem from real life experiences. It is the trials and tribulations we experience in life that shape
us into who we are meant to be. These experiences come from years of experience and facing
adversity in our day to day lives.

What is your favourite movie of all time? What made this film so special to you?
When I think of the most influential piece of creative work that shaped my childhood, my mind
immediately goes to the Harry Potter series. I first began reading the books when I was in the
first grade, and have been an avid fan ever since. To say that this series influenced my childhood
experience would be an understatement. I read every book within days of it being released, and
was the first in line for the movies at the theatre on their release date. The characters and their
struggles and experiences in this series are so relatable, despite being witches and wizards who
attend a magical school. Together, they fight against those who believe that power, greed and
prejudice are the way forward. The series shows us some very real and universal issues that
humans face on a daily basis, which is something that really resonated with me, even at a young
age.

What is an event or action that might cause the end of childhood for an individual?
There are countless events that might bring about the end of a childhood for an individual- a
traumatic event, a loss, the end of a friendship, or death. The first one that comes to mind for me
is the death of a loved one, as this is something that brought about the end of my own childhood.
We move away from our sense of security, and our rosy outlook on life. We begin to develop a
more cynical view, we gain new responsibilities, and are subjected to a much greyer view of the
world.
Visual Creative Response- Old man in a coffee shop
Life moved on around the busy coffee shop that Monday morning. I was having an early coffee
before starting work. Yet my mind was not thinking about work instead focussing on an old man
sitting by the window. He appeared to look like the average senior meeting his friends for coffee
in the morning. Yet somehow he stuck out like a sore thumb, I was intrigued. His hand shook as
he lifted the cup and saucer to his dry lips. His eyes flitted nervously around the room. He
appeared to be expecting someone. Perhaps a daughter or someone from his work. He was
clothed in an old suit with a hat adorning his grey hair. Loose threads poking out from the cuffs
of his sleeve. The shirt below wrinkled as though it hadn’t seen an iron in a long time. The collar
of his suit pulled away from his neck as though it had been tugged upon trying to loosen its
constraint on his neck. The more I observed the man the more it distraught he appeared, he was
not looking forward to this meeting. He picked at his fingernails, his gaze now focussed solely
on his cup of coffee. His shoulders shook as he took a laboured breath. His lips formed
distinctive words but no sound came out, perhaps it was a prayer he was speaking. I checked the
time on my watch, I was going to be late for work. I stood up out of my seat on walked towards
the door. The door chimed as I walked out and I left the old man behind forever.

Visual Creative Response- Little boy looking through a hole in the fence
I was walking to my car when I saw the first flash. It came from the corner of my yard, barely
noticeable. I continued on, assuming that it was the sun reflecting off a piece of metal. Although
my stomach still felt uneasy. I shouldn’t be paranoid but I still was. I lived in a quiet town in an
even quieter neighbourhood. Nothing ever happened here. I’m only paranoid because something
had happened to me. Something that had never happened before.
Flash. There it was again. I couldn’t ignore this anymore. Once could be my imagination,
twice could not be a coincidence. I walked towards where I saw the flash. It happened again and
this time I was looking straight at it. It was coming from a little knothole in my fence. My fence
that backed onto the dark forest. I crouched down towards the hole and peered through. Too my
surprise another pair of eyes stared right back at me. The eyes of a young boy. A young boy who
had proof of what I had done.
Which Greek God do you relate to the most? (Literary Exploration Assignment)
The Writing Process
Artemis - Goddess of the hunt, the dark, the light, the moon, wild animals, nature,
wilderness, childbirth, fertility, and health.
Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, nature, and wild animals is a character in Greek mythology
who I personally relate to. She is associated with nature, the outdoors, animals, and
environmental protection, and is one of the twelve Olympians who I share many similarities
with. I am a nature lover myself, and try to spend as much time as I can in the outdoors. In my
spare time, I enjoy hiking in the mountains with my two dogs, Charlie and Lucy. One of our
favourite places to explore is Waterton Lakes National Park. Artemis was also well known for
her love of wild and domestic animals, a quality that we both share. Throughout the course of my
life, animals, both wild and domestic, have played a huge role in my life. I have had many pets
myself, and have volunteered at the local animal shelter. Additionally, Artemis was a passionate
hunter who was armed with a bow and arrow, and while I don’t hunt, I do own a bow and enjoy
target shooting with my family. Of all the Greek gods and goddesses, I feel that my personality
and preferences most closely parallel Artemis’s. I am at home in nature and in the company of
animals- just as she was.