00:27 Meet the creators
01:15 How to hook readers from the first page
02:28 Tips for writing first lines
04:00 What to avoid when starting a story
05.16 Final words of advice
05:40 Here's what we've learned
Learning Intentions
1. Learning about story beginnings, and how to craft engaging openings
2. Learning about what to leave in and what to take out when starting stories.
3. Learning about using descriptive language to convey ideas in interesting, attention-grabbing ways.
SUCCESS CRITERIA:
1. Demonstrated different ways of starting a story.
2. Selected story details to include in a story beginning.
3. Experimented with language, and used descriptive language.
Discussion Questions
PRE-VIDEO:
- Can you think of a story that you loved right from the beginning? What was it about the start of that story that grabbed your attention?
- Can you think of a story that you didn’t love straight away? What didn’t you like about it?
- What do you look for when you read the first few pages of a book? What sort of things make you decide to keep reading?
POST VIDEO:
- Lili advises us against starting a story with too much description. Why do you think it’s more interesting to have a character ‘doing something, saying something, or experiencing something’ in the beginning?
- According to Mat, stories need a ‘Big Event’ early on that sets the story in motion. Why do you think this ‘Big Event’ is important?
- Mat and Lili both tell us that great opening lines should make you want to keep reading. Can you think of any amazing first lines from books that have made you
want to keep reading a story? - Both Lili and Mat mention the importance of making decisions about what to put in a story beginning, and what to leave out.
- What sort of details do you want to know right in the beginning of a story?
- What details do you think can be saved for later?
Curriculum Links
Australian Curriculum V9.0 Links
ENGLISH Y5-6
Language:
● Text structure and organisation: AC9E5LA03, AC9E6LA03, AC9E5LA04
Literature:
● Engaging and responding to literature: AC9E5LE05, AC9E6LE05
● Creating literature: AC9E5LE05, AC9E6LE05
Literacy:
● Analysing, interpreting and evaluating: AC9E5LY05, AC9E6Y05
● Creating texts: AC9E5LY06, AC9E6LY06
GENERAL CAPABILITIES
LITERACY
Writing:
● Creating texts: Crafting ideas Level 7-8
CREATIVE AND CRITICAL THINKING
Generating:
● Create possibilities: Level 4
CREATORS
Resources
