Creative writing challenge number 2

The aim of this Creative Writing Challenge is to stimulate writing with images, narrative openings and a series of questions to expand your ideas.

Creative Writing Challenge

Tasks: 1. Read all the slides.

2. Create a document to save your work in called ‘Home Learning’.

3. Answer the questions.

4. Use the image to inspire your own creative writing.

The Cave

Story Starter The only sound the diver could hear was his own breathing. It was a strangely relaxing sound; one of the reasons Mike enjoyed being underwater so much. Mike knew, however, that he mustn't let his senses switch off; it could be incredibly dangerous diving at this depth if you stopped concentrating even for one minute.

Despite enjoying himself, Mike concentrated on the mission he’d be tasked with. He shone his spotlight down towards the murky depths below, and with a powerful push of his flippers he began the descent‌

Question time!

• What is the difference between a stalactite and a stalagmite?

• What is the mission that Mike has been tasked with?

• What is it that Mike enjoys about diving do you think?

• What is causing the strange white lines in the picture?

• How do you think Mike is feeling?

• Where does the cave lead?

• How did he get to the cave in the first place?

• Is he alone?

Lightening Never Strikes Twice

Sentence Challenge!

• What sounds could you hear during a thunder storm?

• You might be able to think of some onomatopoeia.

• Could you write a sentence or short paragraph describing what it would be like to be caught in a storm, using some of your ideas from above?

Question Time!

• Why are they thinking about that particular question at the beginning of the story starter?

What meaning does the question have?

• Who is it inside the windmill?

• Have they been inside the windmill before?

• Is the windmill a good place to shelter from the storm?

• What might happen next?

• How might the characters inside the windmill be feeling?

• Have you ever seen a thunderstorm? What was it like?

• What causes a thunderstorm?

The troll

Story starter!

Thump! He slammed his enormous, grass-covered foot into the middle of the road, sending shockwaves of dust in all directions.

With a loud grunt, the troll wrenched the entire, fully tiled roof off a nearby holiday home, with the owners peering helplessly and frightened out of the downstairs windows. He didn’t mean any harm, but he just couldn’t help himself…

Question time!

• What do you think the troll is thinking?

• Do you think he is a mean or a kind troll? Why? • What are the people doing when they have seen the troll?

• Would you try to catch him or talk to him?

• Where do you think the troll has come from?

• What do you think the rope around the troll’s waist is for?

Greedy!

Story starter!

He just couldn’t help himself because he had always been a greedy, fat rat.

Up until this moment, he had never been spotted by a human.

Now, that was about to change‌

Sentence challenge!

• Write a sentence about the rat.

• Remember your capital letter at the beginning and full stop at the end.

• E.g. The greedy rat gathered juicy fruit.

The Last Warrior

Story starter!

It had taken all day for him to climb Tiger Peak. The climb had been torture, but now all the pain seemed worth it.

Sinking down to one knee, a mark of deepest respect, Master Chi took himself to a place of complete tranquillity. His senses had never seemed so alert. At this great height, towering above everything like a God, Master Chi felt almost invincible, a sensation he hadn’t experienced since his younger days when he was regarded by all as the greatest of warriors.

As he basked in the milky glow of the orb in front of him, Master Chi muttered a prayer; a snake-like hiss that was immediately carried off on the warm mountain breeze.

He gently lay his sword down by his side. The Age of the Warrior had long passed. He knew the time was right. The last warrior in the kingdom stood and turned his back on his weapon, turned his back on the majestic light that had guided him these many years, and strode away down the mountain.

A new Age beckoned‌

Question Time!

• Can you think of any adjectives to describe the moon, clouds or warrior?

• Can you use them to write a description or short story about the warrior?

• Who is the figure in the picture?

• What do you think ‘the last warrior’ means?

• Why is he putting down his sword at the top of a mountain?

• When the warrior mutters a prayer what do you think he is saying?

• Does the word ‘mutter’ mean the same as ‘said’? Can you think of any other words that mean something similar to ‘said’?

An Unexpected Visitor

He had lived here all his life. The giant mushroom had been home for over 50 years. He was born here, had taken his first steps here, studied at school here and worked the fields here all his adult life. This was the village of Toadstool, and nothing unexpected happened.

Each and every day, his neighbours would carry out their ordinary business in an ordinary way. Each morning, he would sit at his table, tucking into a plate of steaming hot, buttery mushrooms on toast, watching the ordinary world go by in its ordinary way.

Story starter!

This morning seemed no different‌until he looked out of his window. The sight that met his bewildered eyes was not ordinary at all. There was an unexpected visitor‌

Question time!

• What do you think it would be like living inside a mushroom?

• If you could choose to live inside any vegetable what would it be and why?

• If you turn a mushroom into a house, is it still a mushroom?

• If mushrooms were your favourite food, would it be a good idea to live in a mushroom house?

Stowaways

Story starter!

It had been a long and perilous journey. The three brothers had travelled for days, each in their own confined and cramped space, each unsure if they would ever see each other again.

Edging cautiously out into the blinding sunlight, they peered around at their new and unfamiliar surroundings. Relief flooded each of their bodies as they finally set eyes on each other again, but with the relief came fear, trepidation and uncertainty.

Where were they? Would they be safe here?

Sentence challenge

• Can you use abstract nouns to describe feeling?

• Try to use 3 abstract nouns at the start of a sentence to describe a character’s feelings? e.g. Fear, isolation and heartbreak surged through his body as he edged into the sunlight.

Relief, joy and warmth spread across their faces as they saw each other again.

Question time!

• What animals can you see in the picture?

• Should animals be kept in captivity? Explain why.

• Can animals form relationships in the same way that humans do?

• Would you rather be in an enclosed space or an open space? Why? • Will these animals be safe now?

• Who are the people standing in the background?