Writing Workshop | One
Learning Intentions
Why: Sequence of content F–10: Literature.
What: Creating literary texts. Creating their own literary texts based on ideas, features and structures of texts experienced.
How: Create Sizzling Starts that use action or a moment of change to engage the reader’s interest.
STEP 1 |
Activate Prior Knowledge |
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Discussion |
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What makes a start sizzle rather than fizzle?
• Compare examples of boring beginnings and Sizzling Starts in movies, books, TV programs, etc.
• Look at the winning entries for the Bulwer-Lytton Award, which challenges unpublished authors to compose bad opening sentences to imaginary novels.
• Compare examples of boring beginnings and Sizzling Starts in movies, books, TV programs, etc.
• Look at the winning entries for the Bulwer-Lytton Award, which challenges unpublished authors to compose bad opening sentences to imaginary novels.
STEP 2 |
Skills and Knowledge |
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Use the Classroom PowerPoint file below to support the conversation and skill development of understanding how and why sizzling starts help to make writing more interesting.
| sizzling_starts_lesson_1.ppsx |
STEP 3 |
The purpose |
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The purpose of a Sizzling Start is to engage the reader and make them want to read more!
Don’t begin at the start of the day/holidays/weekend, when nothing is happening:
• One day…
• It was the start of the holidays…
• At the weekend…
Start where the action is or at a moment of change when things get far more interesting, then back-fill the who, what, where and why as the action unfolds.
Don’t begin at the start of the day/holidays/weekend, when nothing is happening:
• One day…
• It was the start of the holidays…
• At the weekend…
Start where the action is or at a moment of change when things get far more interesting, then back-fill the who, what, where and why as the action unfolds.
STEP 4 |
Exemplars |
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Like every skill, you need to practise in order to improve, so try writing a Sizzling Start using each
of the four suggestions below. We can do this in pairs to make it more interesting and then we will write individually.
of the four suggestions below. We can do this in pairs to make it more interesting and then we will write individually.
1. Open with a fight scene
‘Well, you were the one who forgot the can opener.’
‘I said I was sorry, didn’t I? How many more times do I have to say it? Sorry. Sorry. Sorry!’
(From Where are the Billabongs When You Need Them? by Jen McVeity)
2. Use humour
If it rained for very much longer, even the ducks would drown. (From Hairy Thoughts by Jen McVeity)
3. Make the reader curious
You try delivering a rat to the presenter of TV’s biggest news program. I took a deep breath, marched
across half a hectare of chrome and carpet, and placed the brightly wrapped box right in the middle of the
receptionist’s desk. (From Shadow Seeker by Jen McVeity)
4. Introduce a problem
My dad’s allergic to me. No joke. Well no one in our house is laughing, that’s for sure.
(From Achoo! by Jen McVeity)
‘Well, you were the one who forgot the can opener.’
‘I said I was sorry, didn’t I? How many more times do I have to say it? Sorry. Sorry. Sorry!’
(From Where are the Billabongs When You Need Them? by Jen McVeity)
2. Use humour
If it rained for very much longer, even the ducks would drown. (From Hairy Thoughts by Jen McVeity)
3. Make the reader curious
You try delivering a rat to the presenter of TV’s biggest news program. I took a deep breath, marched
across half a hectare of chrome and carpet, and placed the brightly wrapped box right in the middle of the
receptionist’s desk. (From Shadow Seeker by Jen McVeity)
4. Introduce a problem
My dad’s allergic to me. No joke. Well no one in our house is laughing, that’s for sure.
(From Achoo! by Jen McVeity)
STEP 5 |
BODY OF LESSON ON SIZZLING STARTS |
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Gradual Release |
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I Do | Let's Begin | The Technique
• Explain technique:
Start with action or at a moment of change to immediately engage the reader’s interest and make them want to read more.
• Model strategy:
Watch the following opening scenes and discuss what makes them Sizzling Starts:
Start with action or at a moment of change to immediately engage the reader’s interest and make them want to read more.
• Model strategy:
Watch the following opening scenes and discuss what makes them Sizzling Starts:
We Do | Group Work | Have a Selection of Novels Available, See instructions beow
• Ask students to find a friend and pick a book at random from the selection you have provided.
• Ask each pair to read the first line of the book they have selected and then give them FIVE minutes to brainstorm ideas for action or a moment of change based on that opening sentence alone.
• Ask each pair to read the first line of the book they have selected and then give them FIVE minutes to brainstorm ideas for action or a moment of change based on that opening sentence alone.
You Do – Individual Activity
• Ask each student to pick one of the ideas from their brainstorm.
• Give students TWO minutes to write their own Sizzling Start based on the idea they have chosen.
• Give students TWO minutes to write their own Sizzling Start based on the idea they have chosen.
STEP 6 |
Feedback |
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• Ask students to share their Sizzling Start with their partner.
• Get each pair to pick the best Sizzling Start to share with another pair.
• Get each pair to pick the best Sizzling Start to share with another pair.
STEP 7 |
Review |
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In this lesson, we have learnt how to use action or a moment of change to create a Sizzling Start that engages the reader’s interest.
Success Criteria - Sizzling Starts
Beginner |
0 - 2 Marks |
The text doesn’t include action or a moment of change. |
Intermediate |
3 - 5 Marks |
The text uses action or a moment of change to engage the reader. |
Expert |
6 - 7 Marks |
The text uses action or a moment of change to immediately engage the reader’s interest and make them want to read more. |