This was the stimulus used for a piece of narrative writing. This is the completed paragraph made up of 10 DADWAVERS! prompts. One of each but not following any order. See if you can spot them. Creeping through the black trees a mist wrapped everything in silence. Tall, ancient trees stood still in uniformed lines, a broken limestone path on the ground between them formed a bridge across the rotting and decaying leaves that had fallen during the winter. A light broke the gloom, illuminating the forest around it, disturbed bats flew skittishly from their roosts and irritable owls hooted their displeasure. In the distance through the trees, the weary traveller could see an old cabin which had previously gone unnoticed in the darkness. For a few moments the wander watched the cabin for movement - of which there was none. "Should I try and to shelter there for the night?" He whispered to himself. Nervously, the young lad put on a brave face and clenching the straps on his rucksack, so tightly his knuckles whitened, made his way along the path through the trees to the cabin. The mist enveloped him like a shroud making it almost impossible to see the cabin in the gloom, but the light shone from the porch like a lighthouse in a storm. "Hello?" he called as he got closer, "Is anybody there?" his voice cracked with fear." "How nice of you to call!" came a voice from beside the hut, who it belonged to the wanderer wasn't sure. How many did you spot? Verb: Creeping through the black trees a mist wrapped everything in silence. Verb starter creeping shows how the main character is moving through the forest and shows he is nervous or trying to be quiet. Description: Tall, ancient trees stood still in uniformed lines, a broken limestone path on the ground between them formed a bridge across the rotting and decaying leaves that had fallen during the winter. A general description of the forest setting, some vocabulary nods to the genre. Action: A light broke the gloom, illuminating the forest around it, disturbed bats flew skittishly from their roosts and irritable owls hooted their displeasure. Things are moving here, a light comes on, bats fly about and owls hoot. Use of verbs show the movement. Where: In the distance through the trees, the weary traveller could see an old cabin which had previously gone unnoticed in the darkness. Fronted adverbial of place shows the reader where the character is looking. Estimation of time: For a few moments the wanderer watched the cabin for movement - of which there was none. For a few moments, tells us how long the boy weighed up his options. Rhetorical Question: "Should I try and to shelter there for the night?" He whispered to himself. The question needs no answer, but involves the reader, who will probably answer for him. Adverb: Nervously, the young lad put on a brave face and clenching the straps on his rucksack, so tightly his knuckles whitened, made his way along the path through the trees to the cabin. Simile: The mist enveloped him like a shroud making it almost impossible to see the cabin in the gloom, but the light shone from the porch like a lighthouse in a storm. The adverb shows how the character is feeling. Dialogue: "Hello?" he called as he got closer, "Is anybody there?" his voice cracked with fear. Some speech being spoken into the darkness. Not dialogue yet as it just one person speaking, but the response does come. Exclamation: "How nice of you to call!" came a shrill, malevolent voice from beside the hut, who it belonged to the wanderer wasn't sure. The exclamation is loaded with malice. Allowing students the chance to choose the order that the DADWAVERS come takes away the stiff structure but still makes them think about every sentence that they are writing. It also allows them to show off some key skills.
Comments welcome.
Kelly
9/7/2016 08:54:30 am
I love this idea! Will give it a go with my Year 7's who will be writing a sci-fi short story, Comments are closed.
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