US Common Core ELA

Story·Emily Chang — A girl helping her elderly neighbor organize her attic discovers a French horn that triggers memories and leads to a medical emergency, forcing her to confront family tensions.

Poetry·Mia Xu, age 11 — A child observes her father's emotional state mirroring stock market fluctuations during COVID-19, realizing she cares about stocks because they affect him.

Story·Emily Beltramo — A teenage street musician teaches guitar to a young thief who tried to rob him, and together they land their first paying gig at a local restaurant.

Poetry·Sofie Dardzinski — A single sentence captures a backyard workspace where ivy with emerald-like leaves points toward a brick patio, covering curved stone underfoot.

Poetry·Sofie Dardzinski — From a patch of grass, a solitary observer watches the summer solstice sunset transform into night, tracking each color shift until fireflies claim the darkness.

Poetry·Lexie Dolliver — A sensory celebration of summer unfolds through repeated refrains of birdsong, ocean waves, flowers, and family gatherings.

Personal Narrative·Ella Fu — A third grader reflects on her growth over the school year, recognizing changes in maturity, self-discipline, and confidence in standing up to bullies.

Story·Sol Smith — A mare discovers humans have tagged her foal for removal and escapes the stable with him, joined unexpectedly by her best friend.

Poetry·Sage Surra — Fish rise from waters across the world to sing cosmic songs of life, death, and connection, pausing Earth's rotation and revealing the universe's vastness.

Story·Clara Gluzdov — A cat named Ivy wishes to become human to play piano with her beloved owner Dahlia, but when her wish comes true, she discovers the painful cost of transformation and...