Short+Stories

Our first topic in Term Four will be **Short Stories**.

After our study of "Cow Dung Custard" by Paul Jennings, we are going to try writing our own tall tales. We are going to use our wiki space to complete a process writing task. You will be working in four groups of six or seven. You will each take part in the process of writing the stories, one per person, per group. The process will take you through ideas, notes, drafting, editing and publishing. Sound complicated? It is a little!

Find out which group you are in here: Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4

Instructions:
There are 9 Steps. You must do all steps.

Step 1
On your page choose a story type, 3 - 4 characters and a place. Briefly write info about each character.

Step 2
Go to the next person's page. Use the information listed to write a brief outline of a story. This should be in note form. Include what happens and a possible end.

Step 3
Go to the next person's page. Use the notes to write the story in full. This is now the working draft.

Step 4
Go to the next person's page. look at the working draft and improve the story, adding adjectives, changing telling phrases into showing phrases, changing common nouns into proper nouns, adding/organising paragraphs, adding dialogue (direct speech), breaking up long sentences into shorter ones.

Step 5
Go to the next person's page. Check the draft for mistakes in grammar, spelling and punctuation. Make any changes to the draft.

Step 6
Go to the next person's page. Check the draft and make any last minute changes. This is now the final copy.

Step 7
Go to the next person's page. Give the story a title and write three questions for the original author to answer.

Step 8
Go back to your original page and read the story that has evolved from your initial notes. Answer the questions.

Step 9
Read some of the other groups stories and make a comment using the discussion tab.