1. Lesson 1

2.  To show understanding of effective creative writing techniques.

3.  What makes a story a ‘good story’?

4. Midnight. Racing to the house, I saw it. Black and foreboding. No one to turn to as they were all gone. What should I do? Run? Scream? No, it was no good, they wouldn’t understand. I was alone and powerless. No one could save me from...the dog! What does this story do effectively?

5.  A mini-saga is a story that is told in 50 words. It is usually suspenseful, and contains a number of different styles of sentencing and interesting vocabulary.

6.  Today, we’re going to write our own mini-saga, to see what level our writing is at.

7.  Level 4 Writing:  You try to use different kinds of sentences (simple, compound, complex)  You use full stops, and some commas  You organize your ideas into groups  You include a few details  You choose your words carefully  You spell most common words correctly

8.  Example: The cat were walking down the road. The cat sore a mouse. The cat ran after the mouse. The cat were runing realy fast after the mouse and then the mouse went under a door and got away.

9.  Level 6 Writing  You confidently use different types of sentences  Your punctuation is correct, and you experiment with using semi-colons ;  You write in paragraphs  Your writing is detailed  You use big, ambitious words when you write  Your spelling is almost always correct

10.  Example: The brown tabby cat was ambling slowly down the road. As she walked she spotted a mouse, from the corner of her eye. Stealthily she crouched down, her ears flat against her head. Suddenly she sprang forth, closing in on the unsuspecting mouse. At the last moment the mouse heard the cat, and darted quickly under the front door, evading the cat…for now!

11.  Have you:  used simple, compound and complex sentences?  used full stops and commas correctly?  Written in paragraphs?  Used big, ambitious words?  Checked your spelling?

12.  Every story has to start with an idea; what do you want your story to be about?

13.  Try to answer the following…  where does your story takes place?  who are your characters?  what will happen to them?  When does the story take place (time of day)?  why are things happening to them? and  how will the story end, or how will the characters will feel at the end?

14. Midnight. Racing to the house, I saw it. Black and foreboding. No one to turn to as they were all gone. What should I do? Run? Scream? No, it was no good; they wouldn’t understand. I was alone and powerless. No one could save me from...the dog! WHO: WHAT: WHEN: WHERE: HOW: WHY:

15.  Start by writing down WHO is in your story? WHAT your story is going to be about? WHERE your story is going to take place? WHEN (the time of day) your story is going to take place? HOW is the action going to end? WHY does the action start?

16.  Once you have the basics, you can start to write a draft of your mini-saga.  Please leave a space between each line.  Remember, it can only be 50 words!

17.  Have you:  used simple, compound and complex sentences?  used full stops and comma’s correctly?  Written in paragraphs?  Used big, ambitious words?  Checked your spelling?