Writing

Writing Prompt

This morning we are going back to writing a narrative!  Using the prompt picture below, think about how to include that scene in your story.

You will be brainstorming ideas together in groups, then you will need to plan what your pebble, rock and boulder will be.  You will need to write a sizzling start, and make sure you have a long, strong tension scene. (You can use your 5+1 senses brainstorms here!) and you will end it with an exciting ending and character wrap-up.  So – a FULL STORY plan.

WHO?  Who are these characters? What are they saying?  How old is the girl? What do you think she is looking at?  Does the dog belong to her?  Is anyone else in the plane?

WHERE?   Where are they going?  How did they get there?  Will they succeed? What might happen to complicate their trip?

WHAT?  What could happen next?  What kind of plane is it?

WHEN?  When is the story set?  If this is an old historical plane, have they gone through a time portal?

WHY?  Why are they both wearing those hats and glasses? Why are they there anyway? Why are there no windows?

HOW?  How did they get there?  How are they feeling?  How do you think the story ends?

SIZZLING START: Try to start with dialogue today: “………”

These are some ideas for your brainstorm.  We will start in small groups with a whiteboard and you will need to brainstorm about 10 reasons why they are in a small old-fashioned plane.  Then we’ll share them and you can choose one to write your story about.  BRAINSTORM – WHAT COULD THIS STORY BE ABOUT?

BUILDING TENSION #2

After our first go yesterday, today we are going to do exactly the same brainstorming to write a tension scene about one of the fast snow events at the Winter Olympics.

  • Watch a video below, then choose one image related to that sport.
  • Draw up your 5+1 senses grid on your whiteboard
  • Brainstorm with your partner
  • Share some of your ideas
  • Choose which of the ideas you will use in your own writing
  • Stick in your chosen image (if you get time before we write)

Together we are going to try to write our second tension scene in 10 -15 mins.  🙂

 

SOUNDS OF SKIING

DOWNHILL SKIING EVENT

SKELETON OR LUGE

WRITING – BUILDING TENSION

Today we are going to learn just how to BUILD TENSION. This is adding details and using words and similes that make the reader WANT to know what is going to happen next!!!
So, how do we do it?

  • We need to create atmosphere through our description of the action and the setting – using our 5 + 1  senses. (See, Hear, Touch, Smell, Taste and Feelings)
  • We need to use short and long sentences to make our writing exciting. Shorter when the action heats up.
  • We need to get inside our character’s head and add in the thoughts and feelings of the character as the action happens. eg. What was that? How am I going to get out of here?

Today we are going to start by watching a few videos of the Winter Olympics to get the sounds and feelings of the different sports.

Then we are going to choose an image to WRITE A TENSION SCENE about.  In groups we will brainstorm words and similes we can use for the 6 senses.  Then on our own, we are going to try and write a tension scene.  We will stick the image into our draft writing books and write underneath.

It’s going to be so much fun!  :-

ICE SKATING VIDEOS


CHOOSE ONE OF THESE IMAGES TO WRITE ABOUT ICE SKATING AS YOUR TENSION SCENE.

SIMILES – Remember Ethan described being behind a wave…He said “it was like watching a tsunami wave rolling to shore”.  And he said the fridge fell over and the open fridge door…”looked like a wide open mouth, full of food.”  (Great job, Ethan! :- )

Think about an unusual thing you can compare it to – and there must be one similar thing between the two things. Look at Ethan’s ideas – can you see what is similar? But – the LIKE….(simile) really uses your imagination and is exciting writing! 😎

We’ll start together and then you can continue with your groups. 🙂

On your whiteboard, draw up a grid with 6 boxes. Write headings on each and leave space to write your ideas too!

I SEE          I HEAR               I SMELL               I TASTE                I TOUCH          I FEEL

Here is an example of the kinds of things we are going to brainstorm and write:

Let’s have a go together!  Get your whiteboards and a partner ready. Draw up 6 squares on your whiteboard and label them like you saw in the image just above.  Let’s get started with me helping you.  🙂

WRITING – Sizzling Starts (Start with the moment of action or Dialogue)

SIZZLING STARTS!!!

You did a great job with dialogue yesterday and most of you are getting the idea of starting RIGHT THERE! – IN THE ACTION OF THE STORY!! 🙂

Today we are going to use a new prompt to write an amazing SIZZLING START!  Remember, you can write more and more different ways to start the story at home too!!

First you will be collaborating with a partner to brainstorm at least 5 ideas before writing.  Then you can choose the one you like best and write your sizzling start in your book.  You will have 10 minutes for this.

The topic today is:

In an instant, everything started to slide across the room.

WRITING – SIZZLING STARTS

SIZZLING STARTS!!! 

We’ve practised writing them and they were so original and creative!  Last time we used the first strategy from the video – STARTING WITH THE MOMENT OF ACTION!!

Today we are going to write a SIZZLING START using DIALOGUE to start and grip the reader from the very first words!  Remember – 10 seconds to engage your reader.

This is your writing prompt to use:

The school excursion – and annoying Max was the one to find the enormous gold nugget.

Start with speech marks as you say something.  Remember to use them like this:

“It’s not fair!” yelled Rosie.

AND you need to start on a new line EACH TIME you have a new speaker!

Looking forward to what you have to say in your writing books!  😎

Sizzling Starts – Engage your Reader from your first words…

This week we started using our draft writing books to write SIZZLING STARTS for narratives (stories). Remember, you only have 10 seconds to persuade your reader that they really want to read your story. Using a sizzling start you can engage your reader from your first line of your story!

We looked at the video below to learn different strategies to use to create a SIZZLING START.  Watch it again and again to check out other ways you can start your stories – but remember….Start with THE MOMENT OF ACTION and BAN THE ORDINARY!  Look carefully at the examples of good writing in this video.

VIDEO EXPLAINING AND GIVING EXAMPLES FOR YOU TO CREATE SIZZLING STARTS.

Then you had a go at brainstorming in groups of 3 on our whiteboards, shared your work in a class circle, then had a go writing Your own sizzling start ON YOUR OWN while I timed you [10 minutes!]  The title of our story was: GHOSTS REALLY DO EXIST!

I was super impressed with your creative ideas when you shared your writing.  Remember, when it’s a sizzling start you need to make sure that you do not start telling the story.  That comes next. 😎

Here are a couple of your brainstorms and you can see how hard at work you guys were.

WOW! What a great start to your story writing skills! 🙂

Way to go, Room 6!

WRITING – THE AMAZING RACE [PLANNING IT FIRST]

Today we are going to COMBINE three things we have been practising to build MUSCLE MEMORY:

  • BRAINSTORMING for ideas in a group of 3 or 4
  • TIGHTENING TENSION – by creating a PEBBLE, ROCK and BOULDER
  • Writing a SIZZLING START for our stories.

Today’s topic is: THE AMAZING RACE!

Just to get you in the mood for creativity and excitement as you brainstorm, watch this videoclip…

WRITING A TENSION SCENE

You did a great job writing a full story last week – using a sizzling start, pebble, rock, boulder, climax and ending.  Today you are going to learn a strategy to write a tension scene. 

TENSIONS SCENES ARE LONG AND STRONG!

CHOOSE ONE OF THESE OLYMPICS BMX ACTION PHOTOS AS YOUR TENSION SCENE.

YOU ARE GOING TO WRITE A TENSION SCENE ABOUT THAT PHOTO USING THE 5+1 SENSES.

WORKING IN A GROUP OF 4, YOU NEED TO WRITE DOWN ALL YOUR IDEAS FOR EACH SENSE. (TIMED 2 MINS)   – ONE PERSON TO SCRIBE
SEE
HEAR
SMELL
TASTE
TOUCH
FEEL (emotions)

THEN YOU WILL HAVE 5 MINUTES TO WRITE YOUR OWN TENSION SCENE USING AS MANY OF THE IDEAS YOU GENERATED AS A GROUP.

😎

MY HOUSE POEMS

In Writing today we are going to be looking at descriptive writing.

This means writing in a way that allows the reader to picture exactly what you are describing.  You will be using words to paint a picture for your reader.  This means that you need to choose your words carefully and use lots of really good adjectives (describing words).

Today you will be writing a POEM about your house!  You will need to use adjectives and similes to describe your very own house.  There is a special way to write these poems, so use your planner and try and make your poem really original!

This is how you will be writing your descriptive poems about their own homes.  The first line describes what it looks like, the second how it makes  you feel, the third the sounds you can hear there, the fourth what smells you notice and the last line is a statement about your home.  

Example: [Notice that poems have lines,  NOT SENTENCES, so you start a new line and don’t continue along the same line as a sentence would!

My house looks like…. or My house is …

To create a really good picture for your reader, you will also need to use some similes in your description.  A simile compares your alien to something that we can all picture.  It uses the words like….. or as…..as.

Eg. “My house feels as hot as the furnace of the sun during summer.”

Here are some posters about similes to get your imagination going.  🙂

poster

dog simile

 

frog simile

definition

You all have such good imaginations that I’m sure you are going to and write amazing poems using lots of descriptive  writing today!

Mrs Veary 🙂