Fifth Grade Writing Samples

Fifth grade ASG Reading students completed reading a story called The Peddlar's Gift. In this story, a down-trodden Russian peddler (Shimon or Schnook) "misplaces" a dreidle "found" by Leibush . The circumstance around this is the crux of the story. Students wrote responses in the forms of letters or reflections on the actions of the characters.

Here are some examples of this writing. All work comes home this week.

I saw Leibush stealing the dreidel but I was not mad. I knew he would come tell me like all the other children who stole my things. He grabbed it right off the ground and put it in his pocket.I can tell he doesn't enjoy doing this but the devil got the best of him. I said goodbye to the family and got on my wagon.I rode down the street when it started pouring rain by the bucketful I saw the synagogue and rode over. I wondered if I would ever see the dreidel again. Leibush walked into the synagogue and had a look on his face that was pure white and ghostly. He almost broke into tears. He went into a story about why he did it and how made him understand why he should never do it again. I was a young man once so I know what it is like. I told him it was ok then rode into the night.

Dear Shimon,

I am sorry for stealing your dreidle. I understand that was wrong I feel horrible. I am also sorry for calling you shnook. I want to thank you for all the stuff you have done for me and I should have been grateful instead of greedy. I also thank you for your time and for you to understand and not punish me. Again I am so sorry. I also feel bad about what I did.  

Sincerely,

Leibush

I am so very sorry for stealing your crummy dreidel . I really hope you didn't care about it that much because I had a lot of fun burning it in the fireplace , I’m just kidding . I will do something to make it up to you , but please don't tell my parents . if we just forget about it we can be friends and no one will ever call you Snhook again . if you really aren’t mad then it shouldn’t be to hard to say sorry now P.S that dreidel was super fun .

Dear Shnook Shimon,

         I am writing this letter to give a sincere apology.  For a while I always called you Shnook just like all the other kids.  I never came to think of how you felt when I called you this.  When I borrowed, I mean stole your dreidel I thought you wouldn’t even notice because of the name I called you.  But then I began to realize that it was wrong to steal and be dishonest.  When I came to give it back, I thought you would be mad at me and I believed that you would be.  You weren’t mad though.  You even knew I stole it.  That made me think that you weren’t the person I thought you were.  Infact, you’re pretty much the exact opposite!  You’re a wise, kind and smart man.  You knew what people called you but you didn’t care.  You didn’t let people stop you from being who you are.  Now I think that’s pretty cool!  Again, I’m am so sorry and feel bad for what I’ve done.  You really are a pretty cool guy.

Sincerely,

Leibush     

    

Dear Shimon,

While you were showing your goods to my mother and father, I saw that you had dropped one of your dreidels on the floor. I should have picked it up and given it to you, but I froze, as some people do in fear. Hopefully you will be staying the night at the synagogue, so I can return it to you. I put this note in your cart because my parents will be keeping me inside for supper, so I can not return it to you immediately. Tonight I might sneak it out to you. I am guilty of theft and ask you, Shimon, to forgive me. From now on, I will call you by your real name, not Shnook as the other children do. Stealing your dreidel instead of giving it back to you was a mistake. Please forgive my actions.

Sincerely,

Leibush