Spider Webs

Happy Birthday to Mayanna!

Morena Class 5, great to see how many of you have read the blog. If you can leave a comment below, even better, feels like we are in class having a chat. Love to hear what you are up to!

This morning, when I cuddled up in my Morning Coffee Chair, there was an amazing gorgeous spiderweb in my garden. The sunlight bounced off the string, making it all sparkly.

Which made me think of Charlotte's Web and how I don't care when we do it, but we definitely are going to do it. 

I hope you took your script home and you can read the characters with your family, using different voices. Try to get really familiar with the script okay, so when we get back we can start cracking.

The spiderweb also made me think of a great exercise I do about every 6 months. It's a sort of check in with yourself, seeing if your Web of Life is nicely balanced or very wonky. If it's very wonky, you need to put a bit more effort into the part of the web which is weak. Check this one out:

https://sparklers.org.nz/media/documents/19_HowAmIDoing_FA_1.pdf

It explains very well how to fill it out. Your completed web might look something like this

Play a bit around with it- there's no right or wrong, it's just a fun, visual way to check in with yourself and to reflect.

Okay, back to your book. My favourite sentence last week was from Elissa: You are a Storyteller, Not A Security Camera. Joanna used the phrase 'Show, Don't Tell', which is much the same thing. Here's a short video to get your storytelling juices flowing

Check your draft- have you written 'Telling' sentences, were you the security camera instead of the storyteller? How can you improve that? You want to make your reader FEEL things.

If you are still wondering what to write about, I've drawn you up an idea box, just like we did in class. You don't have to use these ideas, but if you're stuck, this will get you going. Choose whatever floats your boat!

Character                                        Conflict                                   Setting

Optimistic woman                            Pandemic                                Christchurch

Pessimistic Man                               Life threatening storm             Holiday Place

Arrogant Cat                                    Fight                                         Forest

Overenthousiastic Dog                    Thievery                                   Beach

Angry Girl                                        Injustice                                   Art Centre

Get your butt into that chair and Go for it! I really look forward reading your drafts.

Bonus Feature

The Diary of Merlin The Dog in the Tough Times of the Leash.

For reasons only known to Humans, teddybears seem to appear in houses. I'm a slightly puzzled by this. Where have all these bears been hiding? I remember a long time ago, when I was walking ON A LEASH in a different place, all these teddybears seemed to gang up on me. They spied on me behind their windowsills, their doorways, their garden sheds. I even saw teddybears in cars parked on driveways, trying to have a quick gettaway in case I would bark at them.

To be honest, I don't really care a whole lot about teddybears.

What I really care about is CATS. There are a LOT of CATS. They are dangerous. They are fierce. They might look fluffy and cuddly, but  trust me, they are sly and sneaky. Some of, I am told, are actually wizards disguised as an animagnus. You CANNOT trust a cat. But do not worry, I am a Responsible Dog. I will make sure I will empty the whole neighbourhood from these CATS. 

I have developed an excellent technique: I stand on my hindlegs, throw my full weight into my collar, which Angela is holding with all of her might. I roll my eyes into the back of my head, I bark ferociously, I'll make sure foam is flying from my mouth and I go WILD. If there is a hedge, I will throw myself in it. If there are plants, I rush through them. If there is a fence, I'll climb over it, taking Angela with me. I am the Terror of Hillsborough Hood.

I sense the fear in the cat. They might sit high and mighty and pretend they didn't hear me, but trust me, I have got this under control. I will not rest until the world is a safe place again.

I overheard Angela telling the others in our bubble that she is now counting cats instead of teddybears. And that she avoids certain streets. She possibly doesn't quite understand my mission. Never mind, I am a Responsible Dog. Tomorrow, I shall patrol the STREETS and make them SAFE again.