Literacy Shed
My student's loved this. I asked one of them to choose a random number and then selected the corresponding thumbnail that went with this. We found ourselves on the ghostly shed page.
I played the class the video clip without the sound.
This started a big class discussion about how the character was feeling, what was happening, what sound must have been happening in the background and lots of other great questions.
We watched the clip twice and students made notes about what they thought was happening.
They then used these notes to rewrite their version of the story.
Once they had written their own versions of the story and shared with the class, we watched the short story with sound.
Student's loved this writing exercise and have been begging to do another one, except this time they want to try it with only hearing the sound and not seeing the visual.
The website has great teaching points and content.
Here some examples of student's work from this session:
Student 1:
The Escape
I shuffled carefully out of the unzipped tent, the night was cold but beautiful. My bare feet skimmed the soft dirt as I slipped them into my boots. I reached into my pocket, well half pocked and clasped my bony fingers around my unlit cigarette.
I started walking through the dark forest, the stars look exceptionally amazing tonight. As I walked I noticed a long winding jetty with a wooden boat tied to the end. I gingerly stepped onto the boat and started paddling, the moonlight glimmering on the lake. I lay on my back and pulled out my cigarette.
Student 2:
What Happened?
I've been planning this for as long as I can remember, but
as the cool air nips my nose I feel a shiver slide down my spine. I quietly get
into my shoes and creep across the leaves.I walk to the jetty, I feel like
something is watching me, I shake it off and carry on. I climb into the boat, drift for a bit and start my journey .
I look around and see this is the place
and stop, lay my head back and pull out my cigarette. My parents still don’t know
I smoke and I plan to keep it that way. I look out into the night sky, beautiful. Something rocks the boat, I sit up and look around, nothing, so I lay back down. There it is again, I sit up a second time as the boat rocks violently, that’s it, I start to row but I see I'm going nowhere. I sit back this is hopeless I sit
back and write in my book 'Help Me' that’s when the last rock makes everything go
black
Student 3:
Is this the end?
I made my way carefully out of the tent, stepping over everything in my path. The fire is still blazing, red hot embers flying in the air. I wrap my hands around the lantern, clutching it, my heart pounding. My hands have suddenly gone cold and clammy. I ignore it and carry on.
The forest is alive around me. The trees are whispering and leaves rustle quietly on the forest floor. I keep walking until I reach the lake. The moonlight shimmers on the lake, as I step out onto the dinghy. I row out to the middle of the lake and stop there. I lay on my back, gazing at the endless stars of the sky. I light my cigarette and take a deep breath in.
A splash sounds in the still night air. I stand up uncertainty on my face and worry in my eyes.
Student 4:
Quetico Lake Mystery
I crawl out
of my tent, my feet sinking into the soft soil, the heat of the camp fires
flame fills the camp ground. I slip into my fur boots and start walking as
quietly as possible into the dense forest, not knowing the foreign dangers that
lie ahead. I tip toe along the jetty and crawl into the boat at the end, I use
my kerosene lamp to light my cigarette, get out my book and start to paddle.
I
decide this is a good spot, roughly around the middle of the lake. I rest for a
while, my cigarette in one hand and one behind my head, not knowing this would
be my last night under the stars.
“SPLASH” the
boat starts to rock, sending ripples through the moonlit water, I start to
worry I lift my lamp and hold it above the water…
