Lost in a Good Story

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Take students on a reading and writing adventure through the pages of their favorite stories. With the Inkheart writing program, students will explore characters and plots that will help them in writing their own creative narrative.

OBJECTIVE

• Writes narrative accounts, such as poems and stories
• Understands the basic concept of plot

MATERIALS
Student Worksheet 2: Lost in a Good Story , pen/pencil

SET UP AND PREPARE
Time Required: 40 minutes, plus time to share stories

DIRECTIONS

1. Distribute a copy of Student Worksheet 2 to each student. Explain that there are four read-aloud parts to this story. Assign one student to read each of the following character parts:

• Narrator, a storyteller
• Mr. Bonnet, a teacher
• Sally, a lazy student
• Mortimer (Mo), a shy student

2. Guide students through a dramatic reading. Discuss what happened when Mortimer read aloud (he brought the birds out of the story and sent one of his classmates into the story) and, if your students have read Inkheart, ask who they think Aunt Meggie is (based on the main character from the Inkheart trilogy).
3. Separate students into groups of four. Read the “Finish the Story” section of Student Worksheet 2 together. Explain that each group will write their own dramatic dialogue explaining what happens to the missing student. Each work should be two pages long and include a part for each group member.
4. Guide student groups in selecting a story world to write about. Ideas can come from books they’ve recently read in class.
5. When the dialogues are complete, give each group the opportunity to read their story aloud, using as much drama as possible.