1st Edition

Descriptosaurus: Action & Adventure

By Alison Wilcox Copyright 2016
    252 Pages
    by Routledge

    252 Pages
    by Routledge

    Descriptosaurus: Action & Adventure builds on the vocabulary and descriptive phrases introduced in the original bestselling Descriptosaurus and, within the context of adventure stories, develops the structure and use of the words and phrases to promote colourful cinematic writing. This essential guide will enable children to take their writing to the next level, combine their descriptions of setting and character and show how the two interact. Children can then experiment with their own adventure stories, armed with the skills, techniques and vocabulary necessary to describe their action scenes in a way that allows the reader to feel the characters’ fear and excitement, and visualise the action within the setting.

    This new system also provides a contextualised alternative to grammar textbooks and will assist children in acquiring, understanding and applying the grammar they will need to improve their writing, both creative and technical.

    INTRODUCTION

    KEY ELEMENTS

    PART A – RACE

    CHAPTER 1 HOOKS

    Section 1: Openings

    Section 2: Warning of Danger to Come

    Section 3: The Ticking Clock

    Section 4: A Decision/Plan

    Section 5: What’s Lurking Behind the Door

    Section 6: Too Close for Comfort

    CHAPTER 2 JOURNEY

    CHAPTER 3 ROUTES

    Section 1: Cities, Towns and Villages

    Section 2: Paths & Trails

    Section 3: Ground

    CHAPTER 4 MOVING CLOSE TO THE DESTINATION

    Section 1: Setting

    A. Barriers

    B. Alarms

    Section 2: Interaction

    A. Scanning the Area

    B. Signals

    C. Advancing

    D. Getting Inside

    Section 3: Reaction

    CHAPTER 5 SECRET PASSAGES & TUNNELS

    Section 1(a): Setting - Secret Passages

    Section 2(a): Interaction

    Section 2(b): Setting - Tunnels & Passages

    Section 2(b): Interaction

    Section 3: Reaction

    PART B – THE CHASE

    CHAPTER 6 FOLLOWED

    Section 1: Characters

    Section 2: Interaction

    Section 3: Reaction

    CHAPTER 7 HIDING

    Section 1: Characters

    Section 2: Interaction

    Section 3: Reaction

    CHAPTER 8 PURSUED

    Section 1: Characters

    Section 2: Interaction

    Section 3: Reaction

    CHAPTER 9 TRAPPED

    Section 1: Characters/Setting

    Section 2: Interaction

    Section 3: Reaction

    PART C – THE VILLAIN

    CHAPTER 10 MEETING THE VILLAIN

    A. The Villain & his Allies

    Section 1: Expressions

    Section 2: Eyes

    Section 3: Voice

    Section 4: Movement

    Section 5: Scars

    B. Dangerous Animals

    Section 1: Guard Dogs

    Section 2: Scorpion

    Section 3: Crocodiles

    Section 4: Snake

    Section 5: Black Widow Spider

    CHAPTER 11 INTERACTION & REACTION TO VILLAIN

    A. Movement

    B. Wrestle

    C. Strike

    Section 2: Reaction

    CHAPTER 12 CAPTURED

    Section 1: Characters

    Section 2: Interaction

    Section 3: Reaction

    PART D – SURVIVAL

    CHAPTER 13 FIRE, EXPLOSIONS, VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS

    Section 1: Setting

    A. Fire

    B. Explosions

    C. Earthquakes & Volcanoes

    Section 2: Interaction

    Section 3: Reaction

    CHAPTER 14 IN THE WATER

    Section 1: Setting

    Section 2: Interaction

    Section 3: Reaction

    CHAPTER 15 DESERTS

    Section 1: Setting

    Section 2: Interaction

    Section 3: Reaction

    CHAPTER 16 SNOW, ICE, AVALANCHES

    Section 1: Setting

    Section 2: Interaction

    Section 3: Reaction

    APPENDIX:

    PLANNING AN ADVENTURE STORY

    Plot Planning Sheet

    Hero Planning Sheet

    Villain Planning Sheet

    S(C)IR - The Race

    S(C)IR - The Chase

    S(C)IR - Survival

    Biography

    Alison Wilcox has extensive teaching experience in schools in England and Scotland. Colleagues describe her methods as 'innovative and inspirational to even the most reluctant of writers'.

    "Descriptosaurus is a hugely popular and highly successful book which helps teachers encourage pupils’ creative writing. […] Descriptosaurus: Action and Adventure takes a subject which will really excite and engage children and builds on the vocabulary and descriptive phrases introduced in the original bestseller book. Always keeping close to the theme, it develops the structure and use of the words and phrases to promote colourful cinematic writing. […] This is a huge library of ideas and will give teachers an almost unlimited resource to inspire their pupils. It’s very simple to use and newly qualified teachers and teachers in training will find the book accessible; experienced teachers will find the range of ideas quite superb. A wonderful resource." Parents in Touch