Describe this building Describe the movement of the sea Describe the lighthouse Describe this building Describe the movement of the sea Copyright © Jean Guichard

Describe this building Describe the movement of the sea Imagine you are behind the camera, taking this photograph. Describe what you can see from this point of view. Example: Standing in the doorway, hands in pockets, the man looked surprisingly relaxed. The storm raged around him but he hardly seemed to notice. A warm orange light spilled from one of the windows. Now imagine you are the man in the picture. Describe what you can see from your point of view. Example: I watched the helicopter whirl away, buffeted by the storm. My ears rushed with the roar of water. I felt alone and afraid: how would I survive? Describe this building Describe the movement of the sea

Describe this building Describe the movement of the sea Choose one viewpoint. Describe what you can see. Use the third person or first person as needed. Describe this building Describe the movement of the sea

WHAT? WHO? WHERE? WHEN? What is going on here?

…and now? WHAT? WHO? WHERE? WHEN?

The boy was resting, his arms dangling down, his feet and ankles dipping in and out of the water with each small swell.   The boy feels calm, relaxed and peaceful. How do we know? Which words tell us?

The boy is not afraid, but there are hints that he should be The boy is not afraid, but there are hints that he should be. We are told what he CAN see, but what might be hidden from him? Which details make us start to feel anxious? His head was turned towards shore, and he noticed that he had been carried out beyond what his mother would consider safe. He could see her lying on her towel, and the man and child playing in the wavewash. He was not afraid, for the water was calm and he wasn’t really very far from shore – only forty yards or so.

The boy is beginning to panic. How do we know? Which words tell us? Are there any clues about what might happen next? Why is the story told in the third person, not the first person? But he wanted to get closer; otherwise his mother might sit up, spy him, and order him out of the water. He eased himself back a little bit so he could use his feet to help propel himself. He began to kick and paddle towards shore. His arms displaced water almost silently, but his kicking feet made erratic splashes and left swirls of bubbles in his wake.

Write the next part of the story, focusing on the lifeguard looking out to sea. You could start: Bored, the lifeguard scanned the horizon. Write the next part of the story, focusing on the boy’s mother, looking for her son. You could start: Suddenly awake, the boy’s mother scrambled to her feet. Write the next part of the story, focusing on a shark underwater, circling round the boy. You could start: Fascinated by the swirling bubbles, the shark swam closer.

Write a paragraph that shows your reader the intense heat of the fire and how quickly it spreads. Make the nouns and verbs do most of the work. Write a paragraph that shows your reader the strength of the tornado and how quickly it moves. Make the nouns and verbs do most of the work.

Copyright © Alex Francis

Copyright © Alex Francis

Copyright © Alex Francis

Copyright © Alex Francis

Copyright © Alex Francis

Copyright © Alex Francis

Copyright © Ron Dahlquist