10
-NiE ,
21 JUNE 2017
ADVANCED Novel
NiE Activity 1 Critical thinking ● Identify
● Reason
Creative thinking ● Imagine ● Invent ● Brainstorm
Problem solving ● Recreate
● Present
From zero to hero TEN-year-old Newton Newman (or Newt) had a popular football star elder brother Chris. Newt, on the other hand, had never been regarded as special. When Chris was knocked into a coma during a major football game, Newt’s friends – JJ and Cecil – were deeply concerned. To get his mind off his brother’s condition, they decided to take him out for Halloween. Using some of Chris’s old clothes, they helped Newt create a unique Halloween costume, giving him a new identity. Dressed as
Captain Nobody, Newt felt a new sense of confidence. He wore the costume even after Halloween was over. To Newt’s own surprise, he found himself involved in heroic deeds. He helped a confused old man find his way home, foiled a jewellery store robbery and cleared a landing path for a plane in distress. Through it all, Newt kept waiting and hoping that his brother would regain consciousness. Read the novel Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford to find out how the story ends.
When JJ and Cecil began discussing Halloween costumes, Newt looked for ideas from some of his old superhero sketchbooks. Here is an extract from Captain Nobody.
In groups of four, look in The Star for an object and think of some special “superhero” qualities that you could attach to it. On a sheet of A3 paper, create a poster of a superhero based on the object. Give your superhero a name and provide a short description. Include at least three special properties or powers related to it. When you are done, take turns presenting your superhero in class. Ask the class to vote for the most remarkable superhero. Then, display the poster on the classroom notice board.
I raced home from school and pulled out a stack of my old Secret Superhero Sketchbooks from my closet. I hoped I might find inspiration from one of the characters I had created over the years. But with every page flip, that hope faded. For one thing, most of my heroes stretch and transform their bodies into fantastic shapes. Tommy Origami, for instance, can fold his body into a packet the size of a postage stamp.
Communicating ● Oral ● Written
● Aural
Example
Collaborating ● Listen
● Attain goal
● Contribute respectfully
● ●
Fights evil with its strong cushion Uses its power to turn his enemies into cushions and distribute them to homeless shelters
NiE Activity 2 Critical thinking ● Identify
● Reason
Creative thinking ● Imagine ● Invent ● Brainstorm
Problem solving ● Question ● Recreate
Communicating
● Present
● Oral ● Written
● Aural
Collaborating ● Listen ● Contribute respectfully
● Attain goal
Dressed as Captain Nobody, Newt was surprised to find himself as an unexpected but real hero in many situations. In groups of four, look in The Star for a situation which could use the help of Captain Nobody. Cut out the article or picture and paste it on a sheet of A4 paper. Then, discuss the role Captain Nobody could play in the situation and write down your ideas. Next, present them to another group. They can ask questions or add suggestions to your ideas. Display your work on your classroom notice board when you are done.
Baby elephant crashes through roof of house A WOMAN was injured after a baby elephant crashed through the roof of her house and knocked her over. It was reported that two adult elephants and a baby elephant were roaming around a hill path in a village in Gudalur, Tamil Nadu, on Saturday. Somehow, the baby elephant wandered onto the roof of the house, which was located nearby. The roof gave way, causing the animal to fall. It ran around the house, knocking down the woman. She suffered minor injuries. One of the adult elephants barged into the house and herded out the baby.
– The Star, Apr 24, 2017