7th Grade English - Mrs. Sarah Blum

Mrs. Blum's 8th grade English classes read and analyzed the vignette "My Name" by Sandra Cisneros, a Dominican writer.  In the story, the narrator compares her name, using beautiful, sensory language, to a color, a number, and music.  The narrator discusses her namesake, how she feels about her, and how her name sounds "like silver..."  After pointing out the numerous metaphors and similes, the students then had to think about their own names.  The boys and girls wrote their own vignettes, modeled after the one by Cisneros.  They had to really think creatively and in an "out of the box" kind of way to determine which color, number, and music their name reminded them of.  In addition, students did some family research into who they were named after to write about their namesake.  

Here is a sampling of some of the beautiful writing by our 8th graders:

"My name is light silver like a new diamond ring."

"It sounds like a jungle with all of its beautiful creatures..."

"The color of my name is purple because it's fun and beautiful and it happens to be my favorite color."

"My name is jazz music.  My name is calming, yet assertive."

"...is the strum of a guitar with perfect pitch."