In “We Real Cool,” the speakers make choices that seem exciting, bold, and rebellious, even though those choices lead to consequences. Write about a moment in your own life when you followed what looked cool or fun, only to realize afterwards that it wasn’t the smart or responsible path. What influenced your decision, and how did your perspective change later?

 Prompt Response: When I was in elementary school, there were two high school kids who would come to our playground and hang out during our play time after school. The school had a program for kids to stay after school until their parents came to pick them up and take them home. I would often find myself talking to them or trying to hang out with them to seem cool. They would always spin this diamond shaped mechanism that you could sit on, and the teens always tried to outdo each other on how fast they could spin it. One day, they brought  a rope to the playground to get the ultimate spin. They had tied the rope along the bottom of the diamond spinning device so they could pull one end and begin spinning it with much greater ease and speed. However, as they started spinning it, my leg had gotten caught in the rope and as they pulled one end, the rope tightened more and more until I was screaming in pain because it had wrapped around my leg so tight. I then decided to never hang out with them after that.

Summary: Today we read the poem "We Real Cool"

Reflection: Today I learned the consequences of being cool.