28 Mar 2016
Stage 3 have been improving their story writing skills through a program called The Seven Steps to Writing Success. The Seven Steps is a unique system that chunks writing into seven main techniques and aims to make writing fun. The students are given a variety of tools to use which hopefully make it easier for them to write great stories.
The skill is taught in a lesson and then students have two weeks to practise that technique.
So far we have completed;
- Sizzling Starts (beginning a story with action)
- Plan for Success (using a story graph to plan)
- Show Don't Tell (using actions to show emotion rather than telling)
Some examples of student work;
Sizzling Start- The Strange Day
The day started just like any other until, DING! DING! DING! The doorbell rang. Who was it? It couldn't be mum or dad, they're still sleeping, I thought to myself. I smelt fear, I was nervous! It was only 5:00am in the morning. I answered the door. It was Sally. But what did she want? She was just standing there.
Charlotte 5S
Sizzling Start- The box
She opened the box and could not believe her eyes. In the box was a large leathery egg-like shape. She peered out the door to search for anyone who could have placed the small, black box by her door, but saw nothing. There was a note on the box. It read - Whatever you do keep it warm at all times and don't crack it. It will affect the behaviour of what is inside. Her eyes widened at the sight of the last sentence. Quickly she put the egg on a pillow under her heat lamp and sat watching the surface of the egg pulse and become translucent. A small creature came to life and learnt of its destiny.
Max 5/6L
Sizzling Start- Rescue
"Help," I heard a koala yell out.
I looked over and the huge gum tree was about to be chopped down. The people didn't know that the small grey koala was clinging to the branch.
I had to think quickly about what to do before it is hurt.
Tap, tap! Bang, bang! The people were preparing to cut the tree. I yell, "Stop, stop! There's a baby koala on that branch." I pointed.
Everyone was motionless as they looked high up into the leaves. "Right, there it is a baby koala" the boss man said. "Oh sorry where should it belong now"
So I called the fire brigade. It was very busy work to slide up the very long ladder into the tree. The firemen were very brave to climb so high up the tree to rescue the now frightened Koala.
I took it to the yard next door and it scampered along the ground to a smooth trunk of a shady gum tree.
6B
Show Don't Tell- Guess the emotion
"Next please!" I walked up and my hands were shaking. My heart was pounding and beating as fast as one thousand kilometres per hour. I looked up again and then towards the exit. That's when I bolted for the door.
Blake 5S
Show don't Tell- My teacher is angry
Her eyes tipped inwards. Her face scrunched up like an unwrapped piece of paper. Her arms flew up into the sky. "Here we go again" we all thought. Her arms came flying down as she whacked the table. "Why are you here?" her voice boomed, nearly shattering the windows.
Heather 5/6L