I was walking around my neighborhood this weekend and saw
one of the most beautiful crows perched on a fence. He bobbed his head up and
down and made a low guttural caw-cawing sound. His feathers were shiny black,
but with the autumn sun shining on them, dark purple sparkled. I was mesmerized
by this magical creature. I knew then and there that I had found our Weekly
MUSE!
I went back to my writer’s studio and began researching this
magnificent bird. Here is what I found:
Crows are not your ordinary “birdbrained” creature. In fact,
crows are incredibly smart. Some researchers say that crows are as smart as
chimpanzees and gorillas – a somewhat close relative to humans. WOW!
And crows have developed quite a close relationship with
humans. In most places around the world, if you can find us, you can find them. The same
could be said for rats, but rats try to hide from us while crows will sometimes try to find us.
Just like humans, crows have problem solving skills. They
will make tools from wire and sticks to retrieve food from a hole. Look here to see for yourself. Scroll down to the middle of the page. They will also place
nuts in the middle of the road and wait for a car to crack it open. The crows
will wait on a telephone line until the coast is clear and then retrieve their goods.
Crows are also very social. They travel together, live in
families, protect each other, and even mourn the deaths of fellow crows. And if
you cross a crow and cause him/her danger, they will call for help. Within moments a mob of crows will come to the
rescue. They will scold you and possibly dart down at you from overhead trees.
Even more amazing, is that crows remember faces. If you have
ever caused a crow harm, he/she will not forget you. The crow’s family will
unlikely forget you as well – and they are not likely to forgive you… ever.
But the most amazing insight I have learned about crows is
their ability for friendship. Take a look at this video. Two natural born
enemies show each other love and compassion – something we could all learn
from.
If you would like to learn more about crows and their common
characteristics, look here.
With this new knowledge, what kind of story could you write?
Maybe these WHAT IF questions will help you get started.
WHAT IF your main character (a human) becomes best friends
with a crow?
WHAT IF crows go someplace magical at night, and your main
character follows them to this magical place?
WHAT IF your main character understood the language of crows?
Would this unlock secret knowledge about the human race?
The possibilities are endless, and please leave your own
what if questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come
up with.
So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, a pencil and a piece of paper,
and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere. I look forward to
seeing where you take us.
With Imagination,
Professor Watermelon
The word of the day is “mourn”. Here is the definition: to
feel or express sadness for the death or loss of someone or something.
Photo Credit: Nakita
Photo Credit: Nakita
What if the American Crow could be imortall?
ReplyDeleteWhat if the American Crow was golden?
What if the American Crow liked playing with Eagles?
What if the American Crow flew all the way to the North Pole?
What if the American Crow had a computer?
Ethan Bell
The Cursed American Crow
ReplyDeleteThere was once a man named Nick. He was a rich man and was mean to poor people. One day he was walking around in his house looking at his wonderful paintings when the doorbell rang. He opened the door and saw a old beggar. "Get away old hag!" said Nick. Suddenly the beggar grew bigger and stronger. "How dare you!" said the beggar "You will pay for this!" She mumbled some strange words and touched Nick. At that moment Nick felt is nose getting longer and his body getting smaller and he felt feathers growing on him. When he looked he had turned into a American Crow! He walked up to the beggar and begged her to change him back. The beggar said that if he found legendary flower of gold and then she disappeared.Nick looked all over the world looking for the "legendary flower of gold." During his hunt he learned how to fly. This made his trip easier. One day in france he saw a flower the coler of gold in the dumps! He flew down to grab it but he missed. Just then he saw a garbage truck and the garbage truck picked up the flower. He flew after the garbage truck with all his might, but he couldn't catch up to it. So he started on his hunt again. Then finally he saw it in a town called Venice. He grabbed it and flew back to where the beggar was. He gave it to the beggar and the beggar took it. The beggar turned him back into a human and he was never mean to poor people again.
By Ethan B
We know that crows are good at problem solving. Alfred the crow thought of an easy way to get food. What if I turned myself into a garbage can? Then people would throw food in my mouth – I can eat what I like and spit out what I don’t. So that’s what Alfred did – turned himself into a garbage can and placed himself near a Chinese restaurant. Soon Yin came and dropped some food. Alfred ate the egg rolls and spit out the rest. You should have seen the look on Yin’s face when the food shot back right out of the can, straight onto his shirt. In the morning, Steve the garbage collector came to pick up the garbage. Alfred didn’t want him to do that so he started running. Steve ran after him but the garbage can suddenly started to fly. Steve was really surprised to see the garbage can fly away – he started looking for another job.
ReplyDeleteSince crows are family oriented, Alfred shared his idea with all his relatives and friends. They have all turned into garbage cans across the city and are well fed. Watch out when you go out to throw the garbage – there may be a surprise waiting for you!
- Amar
- What if crows could turn into a garbage can [see my story]?
ReplyDelete- What if crows were not so smart?
- What if crows were smarter than humans?
- What if crows were multi-colored like parrots?
- What if crows had long legs?
- Amar
Sleazy vs the Red Dragons – Part 2 [Please see Moon for Part 1]
ReplyDeleteA million years have gone by since the Red Dragons beat evil Sleazy and his gang of Space Grizzlies. Time for another contest to rule the Universe. Sleazy suggested Tennis since he was a champion player. Roger Federer was selected to play for the Red Dragons but on the day of the match he fell sick. Who was going to substitute for him? Fred the American Crow, Alfred’s brother was picked to represent the Red Dragons. In case you forgot, Alfred was the crow who turned himself into a garbage can. Ten thousand space people filled the Milky Way Amphitheatre to watch the match.
Sleazy won the first two sets by a huge margin. Fred was in trouble and needed to use his best problem solving skills. On the changeover, he put on Prof. Watermellons’s Imagination Cap. An idea came to him – why don’t I fly instead of running. The strategy really worked. Fred was able to get to the ball a lot faster much to Sleazy’s surprise. He kept the Imaginaton Cap on through the match and kept getting ideas on when to go cross-court, down the line, volley or lob. The next three sets were no competition – Fred the Crow bageled Sleazy. The good guys had won again. Fred threw his tennis balls, wrist bands and tennis racquet into the cheering crowds but he kept his favorite cap – may need it in the next million yers!
- Amar
what if american crow ate it self?
ReplyDeletewhat if american crows dressed up like cleopatra every day?
what if american crows can sing ?
what if american crows could blow up them self's?
what if american crows could talk?
what if american crows could swim in water?
what if american crows would peck you to you give them food?
what if american crows renamed the earth?
what if american crows could shift shape into anything?
what if american crows were the most famous detectives?
what if american crows could smoke?
what if american crows had super powers?
what if american crows were super heros?
what if american crows were invisable?
what if american crows went to school?
what if american crows were magical?
what if american crows were fiction creatures?
what if american crows had a computer?
what if american crows were friends with dinosours?
what if american crows beat a sensei in karate?
what if american crows came from another planet?
what if american crows could write?
what if american crows could wake up the dead?
what if american crows mooed instead of caing
Lauren B
What if the American Crow loved flowers?
ReplyDeleteWhat if the American Crow knew how to dance?
What if the American Crow liked to hop on the stars all the way to the moon?
What if the American Crow liked to hop to house to house?
What if the American Crow was as small as a bug?
What if the American Crow was as big as a giant?
What if the American Crow liked to bounce on trees?
The what if questions where made by Celeste B :)
ReplyDelete-What if a crow was as big as an elephant or even a blue whale?
ReplyDelete-What if a crow was as small as an ant?
-What if a crow had a jet pack and could increase his flying speed whenever he wanted?
-What if a crow could fly into space?
-What if a crow could talk like humans?
-What if a crow had an engine and batteries, instead of lungs and stuff?
-What if a crow was an amphibian or could live in the water?
-What if a crow could breathe fire like a dragon?
-What if a crow was the king of the world?
-What if a crow went to school and was smarter than humans?
-What if a crow could paint, knit sweaters and do arts?
-What if a crow could play with kids and do sports like tennis?
-What if a crow could climb, crawl and swim in addition to flying and hopping around?
Amar
James- what if the crow could grow big, what if the crow could explode, what if the crow could eat anything, what if the crow could become humans, what if the crow could transform, what if the crow could come back alive, what if the crow could talk, what if the crow could eat pie, what if the crow became a dolphin, what if the crow ate humans, what if the crow was the last thing in the earth. what if the crow ate the sky, what if the crow could play video games, what if the crow could carry weapons what if the crow could time travel what if the crow could type
ReplyDelete