The Return

Story Starters

• They had been away for so long, but now they had returned.  They had not expected it to be like this. 

• A fork of crystal-blue lightning licked across the sky, sending a shower of dust and rubble to the frozen ground as it struck a distant building. 

• The last time he was here, things were very different. It was almost unrecognisable now… 

Question Time

• Who do you think the people are in the picture?

• Where have they been?

• How do you think they are feeling about returning home?

• What do you think might have happened to the city?

• What will the people do next?

The Young Detective

Story Starters

• It had been three days since it had gone missing. One minute he had held it in his hand, the next it had vanished.  

• Billy had always had a detective’s instinct. He had been chosen because he had certain skills, and he would need them more than ever now. 

• He had been warned about what would happen if he lost it. His mission had been to guard the key with his life, ever since they visited him last summer. 

Question Time

• Have you ever lost something important? How did it feel when you couldn’t find it?

• What’s the best thing to do if you lose something? What about if it doesn’t belong to you?

• What do you think the missing object in the story is?

• Who are the mysterious visitors and what do they want with Adam?

• What do you think will happen to him if he doesn’t find the item?

The Visitor

Story Starters

• Snap…Snap…Click…The sound of a hundred cameras filled the air. 

• The crowd all let out gasps and moans as the figure took its first steps. 

• No-one knew why it was here. No-one knew where it had come from. No-one knew whose side it was on.  

• Standing over 50 metres tall, the metal beast cast a foreboding shadow over the gathering, transfixed spectators.  

Question  Time

• Who do you think is controlling the robot? Does it have a mind of its own?

• Where has the robot come from?

• Are the people in danger?

• Can you think of a good name for the robot?

• Is there a chance that robots will become part of our society in the future?

Strange Town

Story Starters

• It was an ordinary night, but this was no ordinary town. This was Strange Town. 

• Now that darkness had fallen, and a silvery, pale crescent moon and millions of twinkling stars gazed down from above, people gradually began to emerge from their houses. 

• One thing could be said of the goings on in Strange Town, however: there was never a dull moment… 

Question Time

• Do you think the inhabitants of strange town are like us?

• They certainly look different, but does that really make them different? How might they be similar to us?

• What do you think each of the buildings in Strange Town are used for?

• How many different lights can you see in the picture? Can you identify what each light might be used for?

• One of the characters in the picture is the Mayor of Strange Town. Who do you think it is?

Air Hotel 3000

Story Starters

• It is the year 3000, and the new ‘Air Hotel 3000’ is embarking on its maiden trip!

• Can you write an advertisement for this new type of hotel? It might be a poster or a leaflet.

• You could even do a newspaper article reporting on its first outing, perhaps interviewing some of the passengers on board!

Question Time

• What features do you think this new type of hotel has?

• How is it similar/different to hotels/holidays we go on today?

• How many people do you think can travel on the Air Hotel 3000?

• Where do you think it might be heading on its voyage?

• Who is flying it? How is it controlled?

• How do you think the hotel is powered?

• How do you think it lands?

Wise Old Owl

Story Starters

• To the little girl’s surprise, the owl began to speak… 

• A barn owl, perching on a nearby, ivy-covered tree, ruffled it’s hazelnut brown feathers, gazing at the girl with it’s wide, round eyes. 

• Seconds turned into minutes, minutes into hours. It felt as if she was caught in a dream, a blissfully happy dream. 

Question Time

• Where is this place?

• Who is the girl?

• How would you feel if an animal spoke to you?

• Why do you think owls are often referred to as wise?

• If you could be any animal, what would it be and why?

Writing

Letter to your past and future selfYour task this week is to write a letter to past self, one year ago.

Tell them everything:

• What will happen in the next year of their life?

• What is life like at the moment?

• What will they enjoy, what might they miss out on?

Then, write a letter to your future self, one year from now

Tell them everything:

• What should they remember to be grateful for, now that they are able to go about 'normal' life again?

• What are some important lessons?

• What are some things you are missing now, that they will have again in the future?

About to Hatch

Story Starters

• For the last few days, they had been falling from the sky. Nobody knew where they had come from; nobody knew why they were there. 

• The mysterious objects, lay there on the beach, motionless, immovable despite the tide’s best efforts to eradicate them from the shoreline. 

• More and more were appearing. I knew I'd seen them before, but couldn't quite remember where.

Question Time

• Where might these objects have come from?

• Why is the surface of the nearest object cracking?

• What is inside the objects? Are all of the objects the same?

• What will happen next?

• If you came across one of these, how would you react?

• Do these objects remind you of anything?

• Why have these objects landed on the beach? Is it by chance or is it deliberate?

Volcano

Story Starters

• It was the moment they had been dreading for decades: the volcano had finally erupted.  

• The world was on fire. It was nature's turn to take its revenge. 

• The earth shook, as torrents of golden death cascaded over the helpless landscape. 

Question Time

• What does ‘nature taking its revenge’  mean?

• Where is this volcano?

• Do you know of any active volcanoes around the world?

• What causes a volcano to erupt?

• What are the effects of a volcanic eruption?

The Magic Tree

Story Starters

• This tree was different to the other trees. It contained magic. It contained hope… 

• I had always known this tree was different. I could tell by the way Grandmother spoke about it.

• To everyone else, it was just a regular tree. But we knew this wasn't the case.

Question Time

• What do you think has caused the destruction all around the tree?

• Why has this one tree survived?

• If you walked through the portal, what would happen to you? What would you see?

• If this portal to another world, would you go through it or stay on Earth, even if you had no idea what could happen?

• Is it good to take risks? Are some risks riskier than others?

Then and Now

Story Starters

• Wherever we go in our lives, someone has been there before us. It’s sometimes hard to imagine. 

• As they pass you by, you start to think. You start to dream… 

• Echoes of the past are all around us. If you close your eyes and think, if you close your eyes and let your imagination run wild, you can almost see them. Almost feel them. 

• I knew that something was different. I had felt it ever since the funeral.

Question Time

• How do you think the lives of the people in the picture are different?

• What can you tell about a person by looking at the clothes they wear?

• Do you think people that lived 100 years ago had better or worse lives than us?

• Choose one of the characters in the picture, either from the past or the present. Can you tell their story? Who are they? Where do they live? How do they live? Where are they going? Who are they with? 

Secret Quest

Story Starters

• They knew what had to be done. Time was of the essence. 

• To their surprise, a light flickered on inside the house. Was someone there? They were told it would be empty. They were told they would be alone. 

• It did not matter. Time was running out! They only had a matter of minutes left before it was too late.

Question Time

• Who do you think these two figures are?

• Do they have good, evil or mischievous intentions?

• What do you think is going on at the house?

• Why is there a light on?

Stranded

Story Starters

• The trees, which stretched up far from the sandy shoreline, covered almost all of the small island.

• "No one is coming. No one even knows we're here!"

• Our very own island paradise. That's what we called it.

Question Time

• Where do you think this island might be?

• Who are the people on the island?

• How are they feeling about being on the island?

• If you had the chance to go on an island adventure and could only take 3 things, what would you take? Who would you choose to go with you and why?

The Invisible Who?

Story Starters

• Just minutes before, everything had been completely normal. He had sat eating his breakfast at the kitchen table, as he did every day of his life. 

• How could this have happened? Of all days, why did it have to be today? This was the most important day of his life. He had to find help… 

• It was only when he looked in the mirror that he realised something was wrong. For several seconds he had panicked, and a sick feeling grew in his stomach. His mouth felt dry and he started to sweat as he sprinted from room to room, trying in vain to find a reflection. 

Question Time

• Who is this?

• What has happened to him/her?

• When did it happen?

• What caused him/her to finally realise what happened?

• How will he/she find help?

• Why are they wearing gloves?

• What will they do next?

• What does the letter say?

• Can you have a go at writing the content of the letter?

Use this image, the story starters and these questions to inspire your writing.

Just Visiting...

Story Starters

• The house started to shake, and at first, I thought it was an earthquake. We’d read about those at school. I ran to the nearest door frame and pushed my hands and feet into it as hard as I could. But this wasn’t a normal earthquake. None of the other houses outside were shaking...

• Peeking through the window, her surprise turned to horror... 

• Bleary-eyed, I went downstairs for breakfast. I quickly realised that the house was empty, even the furniture had gone... 

• You discover a book in your parent’s bedroom that describes everything you’ve ever said and done. But this book is over a hundred years old, and you’ve just turned twelve. Or so you thought.  

Question Time

• What can you see? 

• What do you think has happened/is happening/will happen? 

• Where did the house come from?

• How do you think it got here? (Which direction did it come from? How fast was it travelling?) Why is it surrounded by all of the bricks? What happened to the lampposts?

• Who is the woman inside the house? 

• Why is she looking out of the window? What might she be thinking?

• Do you think she’ll stay here for long? Why/why not?

• Is she alone?

Use this image, the story starters and these questions to inspire your writing.

A pathway to where?

Story Starters

• Long ago, in a faraway place, there was a land filled with wonder. In this fantastic place there was a little girl. She was very special, for she had a magic... 

• “Put me down!” I yelled as I was hoisted into the air by a giant… 

• Never trust your dreams, they will get you in trouble every time. At least, if they’re anything like mine. Maybe trouble has a way of finding me, but still, you need to be safe. Just last week, I had a dream about… 

• “Are you coming or not?” he demanded as he took a few steps further into the... 

• The footprints on the path were fresh. They veered off the path and into the woods. I had to make a choice. It was now or never. 

Question Time

• Where is this?

• Where does it go to?

• How would you feel travelling along here alone?

• What would you be travelling in?

• How will your journey end?

Use this image, the story starters and these questions to inspire your writing.

The Lighthouse

Story Starters

• The lighthouse keeper turned his head and listened to the sound of the storm. What he heard was truly terrifying… 

• The lighthouse keeper climbed the stairs in a panic. Nothing could have prepared him for this.

• The storm had been raging for hours. Like a besieging army tormenting an enemy’s ramparts, the waves battered on the lighthouse walls. 

Question Time

• What is happening here?

• What would it sound like/look like/feel like?

• What is the purpose of a lighthouse? 

• What would happen if there were no lighthouses in the world?

• How do you think someone first invented lighthouses?

• Can you think of an alternative way to guide ships?

• Do modern lighthouses require people to work inside them?