Our class participated in a memorial service on Friday, November 12, 2004. Here is a memo we received from Ms. Barajas informing us of the recent loss:
Due to the constant and relentless usage by authors all over our school, the following words finally reached the point of exhaustion this weekend. As a result of incessant overexertion, they all suffered a collapse and, unfortunately, were not able to be revived, despite all efforts. Each of these words will be deeply missed and although we will no longer be able to utilize them, their memories will linger forever in our minds.
The words that will no longer be used in our writing are: go, went, say, said, like, liked, is, was, stuff, some, eat, ate, thing, big, bad, tall, nice, a lot, happy, fat, pretty, very, good, and sad.
If you went to the memorial service, tell us what it was like? Why is it important that we try not to use these words in our writing?
Unfortunately, I could not attend the memorial service. However, I did forward on the news to several teachers at my school who intend to discuss the tragedy with their own students. (BTW, I had to edit these few sentences three times before I eliminated all of those words!)
Posted by: Steve Dembo | November 12, 2004 at 11:08 AM
Love your blog. What a creative assignment! I will definitely try this with my seniors.
Posted by: Julia Williams | November 14, 2004 at 08:56 PM
When we went to the final goodlbye we saw people dressed like black clothes and they were criying. They put the dead words in a box. They wrote nice things to them. We did a book about synonym words so we don't use the dead words. Goodbye dead words!
Posted by: Lillian | November 19, 2004 at 12:27 PM
When we went to a final goodbye there was sad music and peaple were wearing black. They were saying descriptions of them. I will try not to use these words.
Posted by: Luis | November 19, 2004 at 12:28 PM
It was horrible to hear that those words died. I hope that they're in a better place. Don't you?
The music was really devistating. It was really horrifing to hear that we could not use them anymore. Goodbye forever.
Posted by: Christina | November 19, 2004 at 12:29 PM
How did you like the memorial service? I liked it. It went well to me. I'm sad that those presish words had to go. Were you sad that the words are gone?
Posted by: Olivia | November 19, 2004 at 12:35 PM
Were you so sad when they died? I liked it when everyone was sad about the words. The music was so sad. Why can't we use them anymore in our writing? It is because they died friday. We usually overuse these words everyday in our life. We can still say them all the time though.
Posted by: Alicia | November 19, 2004 at 12:38 PM
If you weren't there you would miss all the words in writing. We are third graders and we could use better words then that to use. And if you want me to tell you something about it I would tell you they called out names and they told something about it. Goodbye little words.
Posted by: Casaria | November 19, 2004 at 12:43 PM
When we went to Mrs.Barajas room the people were dressed in black and they had tishou.
They looked like they wher crying.They put the words in a box when they had to go.
Posted by: Juan | November 19, 2004 at 12:46 PM
The memorial was so sad because I used much of those words. In Mrs. Barajas' class some people wore black clothes. A boy was saying the words and a girl was putting the words in a box. The class had the signs beside their bookbags.Kids where saying some sentences about the words. There was a picture of a person in the box.After that Mrs. B's class came and explained about a word. And then we had to go back to class. I think we will be alright without them.
Posted by: Manaure | November 19, 2004 at 12:47 PM
We can not use these words because we can use bigger and better words.If you were not at the feoilner I will tell you what it was like. Every boty was waring black and they whare criying.They did speaches about the words that are now sleeping in peace.
Posted by: Abby | November 19, 2004 at 12:48 PM
I hope the words that were overused always rest in peace. Everybody was trying not to laugh but they did laugh. Mrs.McCullers was dressed like you should be at a memorial service. Mrs.Barajas' class was dressed like if you were at a real memorial service too. Mrs.Barajas was fake crying and a few other people were fake crying too. Most people were laughing.One boy was calling out the words and other people were reading out there poems.Girls from Mrs.McCullers were brave and shy at the same time. Mrs.Barajas had tombstones that said "R.I.P" It means rest in peace.
Posted by: Edward | November 19, 2004 at 12:50 PM
Mrs.Mccullers was funny when she wore a black hat.We had a funeral on Nov.12 on Friday but it was still fun.
Posted by: Jordan | November 19, 2004 at 12:52 PM
If you were not at the funeral I will tell you a little bit about it. There was a black background and there were grave stones with each words name on them. A person would say something about a word. There was a box and it had a drawing of a person inside of it. And someone would call the word and put the word in there.
If you use these words you will make your sentences sound horible. So my idvis is to not use these words. And it will take a long time to pick them out if you do. So you mite wont to make a poster and write the words you can't use and if you're a teacher you could hang it in your classroom so your students won't use them in their final copy. I think you can use better words than that so have cofedens in yourself. I have cofedens in you. So make sure you don't use these words or else!
Posted by: Katey | November 19, 2004 at 12:54 PM
Did you like the memorial service? did. t was unhapy but I did not cry. Mrs. Barajas was taking it seriouse. Some people were unhappy.
Posted by: Noelle | November 19, 2004 at 12:55 PM
When I found out that we counldn't use them it was hard to macke sentences and I went to that room. And I saw everybody there. I saw them pretend to be sad I was sad to not use them anymore. I was ok about it.
Posted by: Marcella | November 19, 2004 at 12:59 PM
I will miss happy because I dont use any other words. I guess I will have to use glad,gleaming, and joyful.
Posted by: Brittany | November 19, 2004 at 01:01 PM
I still think it is a little but I understand now.I think it silly criying over words.
Posted by: Alex | November 19, 2004 at 01:05 PM
Poems are fun to write. poems have to wrime or be silly.
Posted by: Luis | November 30, 2004 at 12:30 PM
Thank you for putting my poem on your web log. I can't believe that mine was that good. Here is another one. I saw mice
It was nice
It was funny
One looket like a bunny
Because thaywhare mice
Posted by: Abby | November 30, 2004 at 12:42 PM
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