Let's take a walk in my neighborhood!

(Figure 1)

Hello everybody, my name is Ella (figure 1)!  I am 7 years old and I live in Philadelphia.   Would you like to take a walk threw my neighborhood with me?  I have a lot I would like to show you!  Let's start in my house.  I live in a really tall building which my mommy told me is called an apartment building.  Living in my apartment is my 2 brothers, my twin sister, our mom, and my grandparents.  It's so cool to have all of us living together!  I don't get to see my mom that much because she has 3 jobs.  She works so hard to support us!  She makes sure we have everything we need.  When I am leaving for school she is coming home from work, and when I come home from school she is going to work.  I do wish I could see her more.  Sometimes when I see a paper on the outside of our door, and my brother told me it says "eviction notice", but mommy says not to worry.  It gets cold in our apartment a lot but we have lots of blankets to cover up.  My oldest brother takes care of us when mommy isn't there.  He's so fun!  It's getting late I should head to school now.  Follow me!

(Figure 2)

At my bus I see all my friends.  They live in the same apartment building as me.  We have been very close friends for our whole lives.  As I look around at all the other kids at the bus stop, I see that some kids don't have a coat.  A few of those kids are my close friends.  My brother says that we need to be extra nice to them because they could use all the love they can get.  That's exactly what I do.  When I was 5, I didn't have a coat and some kids made fun of me.  I don't want those kids to feel the way I felt.  The bus that picks us up doesn't look like all the other buses.  It is a short bus.  There are not a lot of kids from my neighborhood that go to school.  I always wonder why.  Our bus doesn't have heat, so my friends and I always sit very close to each other to keep warm.  The bus ride is very long because the school is not close to us.  That's okay though, because my friends and I get to play games with each other.  After about 35 minutes we arrive at school (figure 2).  Now you get to meet my teacher.  She's so awesome! 

(Figure 3)

Before we get to go to our classroom we have to go through these things called metal detectors.  Mommy says that they help to keep us safe.  After the metal detector we head to our classroom.  We have to walk threw the big high school hallways.  They are so cool!  Sometimes I get to see my brother.  When I wave to him he doesn't wave back.  It makes me sad.  He said that he's too cool to wave at his little sister.  There are also police men standing by some of the doors.  They help keep us safe at school!  They always wave to us and say "have a great day".  I love when they talk to us.  When we finally reach our classroom our teacher is standing outside the door to welcome us!  She gives everyone a high five or a great big hug.  I always ask for a hug!  We all go and sit on the awesome colored rug in the front of the room.  We each have a certain color to sit on, mine is orange.  My teacher helps us to be super smart.  I love to learn (figure 3)!  After a long morning of learning it's time for lunch.  We all get our lunchboxes out of our bags and sit down to eat.  In my classroom there are a few kids who don't have lunch.  Even though I don't have a lot in my lunchbox, I try to share what ever I can with those kids!  It makes me feel good.  We finish up lunch and back to learning we go.  At the end of the day I usually take the bus back home, but today is my lucky day because mom is here to pick me up!  

(Figure 4)

When we get into the car she seems a little bit upset (figure 4).  I wonder why.  I don't like when she is sad.  On our way home she gets some phone calls but I don't understand what she is talking about.  As we are driving home we pass my favorite park.  I ask if we can stop but she says no.  She said it's too late.  I can never play when it gets dark out.  My mom says it's too dangerous.  When we get home I can tell that my grandparents seem worried.  We sit down to eat supper but we don't have a lot to eat tonight.  Mommy looks at me and all my siblings.  She said she has something to tell us. "I lost my job" she says.  My work could not afford to keep me on.  My brothers start to cry.  I don't really understand what it means.  But she said that we will be fine and not to worry.  As the night goes on I get ready for bed.  My mom gives me and my sister a good night kiss and says she loves us.  Thanks for following me around my neighborhood, hope you enjoyed. I had a great time!   










References 

Kids at school [Photograph]. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/kids-in-school-cartoon-gm866840744-144238597 

Little girl cartoon character [Photograph]. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5899102/mediaviewer/rm1788240128

Red car cartoon [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.123rf.com/photo_124102881_stock-vector-red-colored-modern-car-with-spacious-trunk-on-roof-isolated-on-white-background-side-view-of-comfort.html

Teacher teaching [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.123rf.com/photo_70226557_stock-vector-black-teacher-reading-a-book-to-kids-of-different-ethnicities.html