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Writing level 1

Part 1

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Story settings

Here is a part of a longer story. It shows you how a writer can help readers imagine where and when the story is taking place.

Marian and Simon were sent to bed early on the day that the Brown family moved house. By then everyone had lost their temper with everyone else; the cat had been sick on the sitting-room carpet; the dog had run away twice. If you have ever moved you will know what kind of day it had been. Packing cases and newspaper all over the place ...sandwiches instead of proper meals ...the kettle lost and the wardrobe stuck on the stairs and Mrs Brown’s favourite vase broken. There was bread and baked beans for supper, the television wouldn’t work and the water wasn’t hot so when all was said and done the children didn’t object too violently to being packed off to bed. They’d had enough too. They had one last argument about who was going to sleep by the window, put on their pyjamas, got into bed, switched the lights out...and it was at that point that the ghost came out of the bottom drawer of the chest of drawers.

Unit 1

A setting based on experience

Lots of detail helps you to imagine the setting

A clue to something unusual in the story

Learning objectives: I am able to describe a setting.

Marian and Simon were sent to bed early on the day that the Brown family moved house. By then everyone had lost their temper with everyone else; the cat had been sick on the sitting-room carpet; the dog had run away twice. If you have ever moved you will know what kind of day it had been. Packing cases and newspaper all over the place ...sandwiches instead of proper meals ...the kettle lost and the wardrobe stuck on the stairs and Mrs Brown’s favourite vase broken. There was bread and baked beans for supper, the television wouldn’t work and the water wasn’t hot so when all was said and done the children didn’t object too violently to being packed off to bed.

Think about it

Use the description to draw a picture of a messy room in the Brown’s house on moving day. Write labels on your picture.

To do this first, find all the things you could draw in the room, from the text. Then draw each item.

Now try these

1. Write a short description of your street.

2. Imagine your classroom is being moved down the hall.

a) What the classroom looks like while everything is being packed

b) What the classroom looks like when everything has been taken away.

Using the spoken words in stories

This story shows you how to use spoken words when you write your own stories.

Unit 2

Narrative

Spoken words

Characters can talk to themselves

That evening, Mr Baxter brought home a brand-new bow tie.

“Oh, very lovely!” said Mrs Baxter, and it was…

“I thought I’d wear it tonight,” said Mr Baxter.

Mr and Mrs Baxter were going out to dinner.

So Mr Baxter had a shower, and then he put on a nice clean white shirt (and his underwear and trousers and shoes and socks, too, of course), and then he popped himself in front of the big mirror in the bathroom and put on the brand-new bow tie.

“Oh, yes indeed!” he said, giving it a little straighten this way and that. “Very smart!”

Speech marks at beginning and end of spoken words

“Very smart?” said the bow tie.

“What?” said Mr Baxter.

“You don’t look very smart,” said the bow tie. “You look ridiculous.”

“I beg your pardon?” said Mr

Baxter.

“You are one of the most ridiculous-looking people I have ever seen,” said the bow tie.

“Mary!” cried Mr Baxter, running out of the bathroom. “Mary! This bow tie just spoke to me! It said I looked ridiculous!”

Conversation can be questions

A new line for each speaker

Another word for ‘said’

Learning objectives: I am able to write a conversation.

That evening, Mr Baxter brought home a brand-new bow tie.

“Oh, very lovely!” said Mrs Baxter, and it was…

“I thought I’d wear it tonight,” said Mr Baxter.

Mr and Mrs Baxter were going out to dinner.

So Mr Baxter had a shower, and then he put on a nice clean white shirt (and his underwear and trousers and shoes and socks, too, of course), and then he popped himself in front of the big mirror in the bathroom and put on the brand-new bow tie.

“Oh, yes indeed!” he said, giving it a little straighten this way and that. “Very smart!”

“Very smart?” said the bow tie.

“What?” said Mr Baxter.

“You don’t look very smart,” said the bow tie. “You look ridiculous.”

“I beg your pardon?” said Mr Baxter.

Think about it

1. Find a statement which Mr Baxter says. Copy it out carefully. Don’t forget the speech marks and any other punctuation.

2. Find a question which Mr Baxter asks. Copy it out carefully. Don’t forget the speech marks and any other punctuation.

3. Draw the talking bow tie with a large speech bubble. Choose something the bow tie says in the story and write it in the speech bubble.

You don’t look very smart, you look ridiculous.

You don’t have to use speech marks if you are writing in a speech bubble because we know who is saying what.

Now try these

a) Write a conversation between two characters called Sita and Tom. You must use these phrases in your conversation: laughed Sita,

whispered Tom

b) What do you think the talking bow tie said when Mr Baxter changed to a pale blue tie? Write a conversation to finish the story.

“I found a magic lamp which gives me three wishes.” mumbled Tom.

“You are so funny!” laughed Sita.

“I don’t believe you.” muttered Sita.

“I have a secret.” whispered Tom.

Story openings

Here are the openings of two stories. They help you learn about writing interesting beginnings.

Unit 3

Think about it

Look at the two story openings.

1. Which opening makes you want to read the story? Give your reasons.

2. Which opening do you think is the least interesting? Give your reasons.

Now try these

Write two story openings

1. Tell the reader what time of year it is and where your story takes place.

2. Start your story with a surprise.

It was Christmas Eve, and Tom and Kate were very excited - over-excited, their mother said. But then Grandma and Grandpa had come to stay, and the thought of bulging stockings on Christmas morning; the Christmas tree with the parcels round it; and all those good things to eat, made it difficult to sit still.

Opening gives the time of year as setting

It was on the second day of Peter’s holiday with his grandmother that the Martian came to the cottage. There was a knock at the door and when he went to open it there was this small green person with webbed feet and eyes on the end of stumpy antennae who said, perfectly politely, ‘I wonder if I might bother you for the loan of a spanner?”

A surprise opening

Think about it

Look at the two story openings.

1. Which opening makes you want to read the story? Give your reasons.

2. Which opening do you think is the least interesting? Give your reasons.

It was Christmas Eve, and Tom and Kate were very excited - over-excited, their mother said. But then Grandma and Grandpa had come to stay, and the thought of bulging stockings on Christmas morning; the Christmas tree with the parcels round it; and all those good things to eat, made it difficult to sit still.

Opening gives the time of year as setting

When Grandma Took a Back Seat by Nancy Blishen

Start your answer with:

I want to read this Christmas story because…

I am interested to find out what gifts they get.

I want to know what they will eat on Christmas day.

I want to know what they do with Grandma and Grandma.

Think about it

Look at the two story openings.

1. Which opening makes you want to read the story? Give your reasons.

2. Which opening do you think is the least interesting? Give your reasons.

Now try these

Write two story openings

1. Tell the reader what time of year it is and where your story takes place.

2. Start your story with a surprise.

It was on the second day of Peter’s holiday with his grandmother that the Martian came to the cottage. There was a knock at the door and when he went to open it there was this small green person with webbed feet and eyes on the end of stumpy antennae who said, perfectly politely, ‘I wonder if I might bother you for the loan of a spanner?”

A surprise opening

Uninvited Ghosts and Other Stories by Penelope Lively

Start your answer with:

I want to read this alien story because…

Shape poems

You can use any shape you think of to write a shape poem. It’s a good idea to start with a simple shape. These two are fun, but rather hard to do.

Unit 4

Think about it

Toothpaste

1. What letter does most of the words in the poem begin with?

2. Why do you think the poet chose that letter?

3. What is the poem describing?

4. What is the shape of the poem?

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Snails

1. What letter does most of the words in the poem begin with?

2. Why do you think the poet chose that letter?

3. What is the poem describing?

4. What is the shape of the poem?

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Discuss

Look at the following shapes. How would you describe them?

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scary, strong, long, slithery, white, metal, venomous, transparent,

Perform:

The poems you have just read. Emphasise the alliteration and try moving in the way that that toothpaste comes out of the tube or the way the snake slides.

Grammar:

Match the adjectives to the pictures.

Now try these

Choose one of the following and write your own shape poem.

Wordbank

scary

scaley

slithery

hissing

snake

slippery

slide

Wordbank

scary

strange

spooky

spook

saw

see

silently

I saw a strange thing,

spooky and silent,

it saw me scared and spooked.

Wordbank

tall

long

giant

straight

high

dangerous

wood

metal

steps

bones

fall

stand

Dangerous giant

so tall

If you climb

you might fall

steps of wood

upright he stood

1. Decide which shape you want to use. 2. Make a word bank with words about the shape.

3. Write the poem in the shape you are

describing.

4. Draw an outline

and colour.

Turning a story into a play

Unit 5

You can change a story into a play. Here is how it was done with a story called The Digger.

You can change a story into a play. Here is how it was done with a story called The Digger.

“They're at it again!” said Daniel’s Dad.

For weeks the men had been digging at the end of the road.

“First it was the gas, and then the water, and now it's the council.”

Daniel liked to watch the workmen. “I wouldn't mind taking holes in the road, and sitting in a little hot, and making tea,” he said.

But one morning he went to learn along the road to school and there was no one there. No workmen. No one brewing tea. No one digging. Just a hole in the road. Daniel looked at the hole and wondered how deep it was. It went down, down, down into the ground.

“Hallo there!” said a voice. Daniel looked around, surprised. But there was no one there.

“I’m over here,” said the voice. Daniel could hardly believe his eyes. There, sitting on the edge of the pavement, was a kangaroo….. “Take a good look,” said the kangaroo. “You don't see many of us around here.”

A real kangaroo! A talking kangaroo! Daniel just stared. Then he said, But...but, where have you come from?

“Australia,” said the kangaroo in an off-hand way…

Opening the conversation and narrative

Narrative gives setting and tells about the characters

The conversation is in speech marks

The conversation also tells who is speaking.

Think about it

1. How many characters are in the play?

There are five characters in this play.

2. Where is Scene 1 set?

It is set at Daniel’s house.

3. Where is Scene 2 set?

It is set outside Daniel’s house.

4.Read the playscript and copy out one of example of:

1. where a scene is set

Daniel and his dad are looking out of the window. There is a lot of noise coming from outside.

• a stage direction

Daniel is going along the road where the workmen have been digging, but there is no one there now.

• a character's name

Daniel

• spoken words (dialogue)

Now try these

1. Continue the play from where the Kangaroo tells Daniel that he comes from Australia.
1. What does Daniel say?

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2. What happens next?

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• Choose a part of one of your favourite stories and write it as a play.

Giving information

This page shows you one way to write an information book. There is a main heading, a picture and smaller headings to help you find the information you want.

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Unit 6

Machines in the home

Machines can help us do jobs more easily and more quickly, but they are also dangerous if not used with great care.

Cooker: This is used to cook and heat some meals. Some cookers use gas and some use electricity. A few use both gas and electricity.

Electric kettle: Inside the kettle is a wire inside a tube. This is called the element. It gets hot and heats the water inside the kettle until it boils. The outside of a kettle can get very hot.

Toaster: A toaster has elements too. The lever on the side turns the element on, and a catch inside the toaster turns it off when the bread is toasted. Never put anything except bread in a toaster.

Fridge and freezer: Food goes bad more quickly if it isn’t kept cool. An electric motor makes the air inside a fridge cooler so the food stays fresh for a few days. In freezers the air is very cold, to make the food freeze and stay fresh for a few weeks.

Washing machine: Electricity works the motor that turns the drum and heats the water.

Iron: The element is inside, so a hot and cold iron look exactly the same, so never touch an iron or it may burn you badly!

Learning objectives: I am able to write about machines we use.

Think about it

1. Write a list of the machines in this kitchen.

Microwave

Coffee machine

Washing machine

Dishwasher

• Make a list of all the machines that your family uses inside and outside the kitchen.

Sewing machine

Television

Computer

Radio

Alarm clock

Now try these

• Sort all the machines in your home. Make a chart like this. Some machines will be more than one list.

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• Copy each of these. Next to each machine say what it is used for in not more than five words.

a) washing machine -

b) fridge -

c) vacuum cleaner -

d) power drill -

e) bike -

f) iron -

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• Make a poster for young children warning them about the dangers in the kitchen.

Writing a report

You need to tell the most important points when you write a report. Here is a report that says everything clearly.

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Unit 7

On Friday 17th April our family went to Blaxland, Holiday Park. we have been before, but this was the first time our cousins, Meena, Gopal and Jasmine, had come with us.

There was a huge indoor swimming pool at the centre, and equipment for lots of other sports and games. There was also a lake and go-cart track.

The thing we enjoyed most was the swimming pool because it was a very hot day, and it was fun because it had rapids, water shoots and a wave machine.

We also liked going on the pedaloes. We had a race, which Mum and Dad won!

I wish we could have had a ride on the go-carts, but it was too expensive.

It had been a really good day. We went for a pizza and coke on the way home and we were pleased when Mum and Dad said that we can have another visit in a few weeks time.

This is what Kiran wrote after he had been on a day trip to a holiday park.

Think about it

Think about a day trip you have had. Write about it in the way Kiran wrote about this trip. Copy the words Kiran used and complete each sentence in your own words.

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On … went to ...

There was …

The thing we enjoyed most was …

We also liked …

I wish we could have …

It had been …

Now try these

Write about a school visit you have made. Use these sentences to help you.

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The main reason that I found our visit to …

interesting was that …

We learnt that …

The most surprising thing I discovered was …

I am pleased I went to …

because …

A story plan

This is a plan for writing a story. It can be used to decide who the characters are and what they do at the beginning of the story, then in the middle and end of the story.

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7.End

4.Middle

1.Beginning

Unit 8

2.Setting and opening

3.Characters

5.Conversation

6.Describe important part

King Minos captured the Minotaur.

Daedelus wanted to leave Crete with his son Icarus after he finished the job.

He asked Daedelus to make a labyrinth to imprison the Minotaur.

King Minos wouldn’t let them leave and put them in a high tower.

Daedelus made wings of birds’ feathers stuck together with wax for Icarus to escape.

Daedelus told Icarus not to fly too high or the sun would melt the wax.

Icarus flew too close to the sun and the wings came apart. He fell into the sea and died.

Daedelus and Icarus

7.End

4.Middle

1.Beginning

2.Setting and opening

3.Characters

5.Conversation

6.Describe important part

King Minos captured the Minotaur.

Daedelus wanted to leave Crete with his son Icarus after he finished the job.

He asked Daedelus to make a labyrinth to imprison the Minotaur.

King Minos wouldn’t let them leave and put them in a high tower.

Daedelus made wings of birds’ feathers stuck together with wax for Icarus to escape.

Daedelus told Icarus not to fly too high or the sun would melt the wax.

Icarus flew too close to the sun and the wings came apart. He fell into the sea and died.

Think about it

1. In your own words write:

a) What happened at the beginning of the story.

a) What happened in the middle of the story.

a) What happened at the end of the story.

2. Draw and write about one of the scenes (setting) you would need for this story.

Now try these

1. Choose one of your favourite stories and write the plot in a diagram like Daedelus and Icarus. Think of what happens in the beginning, the middle and the end of the story.

2. Choose one of these story titles and write the plot in a diagram like Daedelus and Icarus.

1. The magic gate
2. The gentle giant
3. How the beetle helped the elephant

Characters in stories

He remembered how kind his father had been to his servants and wished he had not left home. So he decided to return home and ask his father to forgive him. “Will my father take me back?” he wondered. “I'm not good enough to be his son.”

He didn't know that his father had missed him and wanted him to come back. Thin and ragged, the son nearly fell into his father's arms when they saw each other. His father hugged and kissed him.

That was not all. His father dressed him in fine clothes and jewellery and celebrated his return with a huge party. The older son asked his father why his brother deserved such a welcome. His father replied: “A father's great love never dies, even for a foolish son.”

There once lived a farmer who had two sons. The eldest son was a great help, but the youngest son was discontented. He didn't like animals and hated farm work. He dreamed of going away and finally asked his father for his share of the farm. Then he sold this for money and went away.

The son enjoyed himself for a while, giving wild parties and taking everyone to restaurants and clubs. In this way, he had plenty of friends around him.

Then one day his money ran out. He had spent it all. Now that he was poor, his false friends left him. He had to go to work on a pig farm and nearly starved because the pig farmer would not give him any food.

This is a story from the New Testament about a father’s great love for his foolish son. It shows you how to describe characters. It also show how a story can teach a lesson in an interesting way.

Unit 9

The setting shows the son is selfish

He behaves badly

He finds he has no friends

His father shows great love

He realises he has been foolish

Think about it

1. How do we know the boy was foolish?

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2. How do we know the boy’s friends were false?

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3. How do we know the boy had learnt his lesson?

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4. What lesson do you think the story teaches us?

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5. Do you think the boy deserved his father’s love?

Now try these

1. Imagine you are a worker on the first farm in the story. Write a letter to a friend describing the younger son’s character at the beginning of the story.

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2. Write your own story to teach one of these lessons:

a) Not to be greedy

b) not to get someone into trouble

c) not a lie

Continuing a story

Long ago King Uther Pendragon and his wife Igraine ruled England.

One day Merlin visited the king. Merlin was a magician and often used magic powers to give advice to the king. This time, Merlin told the king that Igraine was going to give birth to a son who was going to be a great man. Merlin also told the king that his son would be in danger from the moment he was born, so he must be hidden away safely. A knight called Sir Ector would look after him. The boy was called Arthur. He was brought up by Sir Ector and his wife as their own son.

When Arthur was still quite young, he was taken by Sir Ector to a great tournament. All the lords and knights of Britain were there. Outside of the Great Church they saw a strange sight. There was a huge stone, and in the stone was stuck a beautiful sword. On the stone was written:

Whoever can pull this sword out of the stone is the true King of England.

All the knights tried to pull the sword from the stone but all failed.

This traditional story of King Arthur ends with him becoming king. You will have the chance to write what happens after that.

Unit 10

Usual traditional tale opening

Magic often in story

True parents may be unknown

Hero may have to pass hard test

The next day, a knight called Sir Kay was fighting in the tournament but he had forgotten his sword. He asked Arthur to go and fetch it for him. Arthur passed the piece of stone and thought it would save time if he took the sword from there instead of going all the way back to Sir Kay’s lodings. He pulled the sword out easily and took it to Sir Kay.

When the knights saw that Arthur had taken the sword from the stone, they were amazed. Sir Ector told Arthur that he was the son of the dead king, Uther Pendragon. Arthur then became King of England.

Think about it

1. Make a diagram to show the plot of the story. Remember to mark it ‘beginning’ ‘middle’ and ‘end’. Join the different parts of the story with arrows.

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2. Imagine you are Sir Kay. Arthur brings you the sword. You know it is the one from the stone. Write the conversation you have with Arthur.

Now try these

Write a different ending for the story so that:

a) One of the other knights pulls the sword out of the stone. What happens?

or

b) Arthur pulls the sword out of the stone but the other knights do not want him to be king. What happens?

Poetry

It’s full of the moon

The dogs dance out

Through brush and bush and bramble.

They howl and yowl

And growl and prowl.

They amble ramble scramble.

They rush through brush.

The push through bush.

The yip and yap and hurr.

They lark around and bark around

With prickles in their fur.

They two-step in the meadow.

They polka on the lawn.

Tonight’s the night

the dogs dance out

And chase their tails till dawn.

This poem gives you a good idea of how to use rhyming words in poetry. It also has a rhythm (beat that makes it fun to read aloud.)

Unit 11

Same lines again (second and fifteenth)

Same words again

Rhyming words in the same line

Rhyming words at the end of lines

Learning objectives

• I am able to find rhyming words.

Discussion:

Do you have a dog?

Do they do things described in the poem?

Grammar:

There are lots of interesting verbs in the poem. Which verbs can you remember and can you explain what you think they mean?

Warm up

Perform:

One person reads the poem while others act out the poem as dogs.

Think about it

1. In your own words, write what the poem is about.

This poem is about the dogs dancing and chasing around in the night.

• Copy and complete this chart by finding the rhyming words to each list.

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• Then add two more of your own rhyming words to each list.

Now try these

Copy out the first six lines of the poem and add different rhyming words of your own.

It’s full of the moon

The dog’s dance out

Through ... and ... and ....

They ... and ...

And ... and ...

They ... ... ....

Can you do the same thing with the rest of the poem?

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fur

dawn

bark

yowl

growl

prowl

amble

ramble

scramble

bush

rush

push