2.13.2007

Genius kids and DNA

In honor of Darwin Day, this is a writing sample from one of my favorite students. JS is about 9, just started the third grade and is a certifiable genius (btw, does anybody know of online IQ tests geared for children? He really wants to take one, and the kid scored 109 on an ADULT test. In his SECOND language). He routinely presents me with lists of mathematical operations to learn to say in English and his favorite phrase, since I taught it to him, is deoxyribonucleic acid. The assignment was a "personal narrative." They were supposed to write about an event in their life, fiction or nonfiction, in first person. Here's JS's contribution, a final draft, mistakes preserved:

If I were a DNA molecule, I would make a pupil rainbow. This is not a joke, and I'm just saying what I want to do. And I'd make that rainbow-colored-pupil-person's head is on Deneb (1500 lightyear away). It'll be the tallest person ever, and he or she will be bald because I want to tease him or her. But it's not a joke! And he or she will be a good basket ball player. But it won't get a exact shot because he or she couldn't see! HeeHee...And I'll make his/her IQ hi-lo (high, low) If he wants to join a Mensa club, I'll make his/her IQ 157. Why 157? I like 169, but it's too high, so I like 13 to, because root(169)=13. And 169-13 makes 156. I don't like even numbers, so I changed the 13 to 3x4=12 so 169-12=157. I can make 155 changing 13 to 14, but I don't like 2 same numbers in a row even though it's easier to remember the number. Oh, back to the rainbow-colored-pupil-person story. Some of the story is about numbers, that's what I'll tell. He can be a prime checker. Like the prime calculator in the murderous maths site (www.murderousmaths.co.uk). Like some one say '101' and he'll say prime. If someone says 76001, he'll say prime. If some one says 68103491, he'll say "No. It's 197x523x661." And everyone will say "Wow! You're great!"

Great indeed, JS.

No comments: