Year 6

This term, Year 6 has been studying Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend and exploring the fantasy genre. As part of our learning, students have been developing their fantasy writing skills, with a focus on creating an effective orientation to engage the reader and introduce their own stories. Here are some examples of the orientations written by our Year 6 students.

It was a fairly busy day at Greatacre’s Historical Art Museum. There was the usual hushed chatter, laughing of children and the droning voices of tour guides. Nothing out of the ordinary. Well, not in plain sight really.

Primrose Phillips had waited a full three weeks for this well-anticipated outing. She had put on her best pale blue dress that perfectly matched her sparkling eyes. Her golden hair was carefully pulled back in an intricate braid. Primrose was the absolute image of a dainty princess. If you overlook the fact that she had rather inappropriate muscles from lugging buckets of water uphill, and the house she lived in which was the size of a shed. Then she was the perfect damsel in distress waiting to be rescued by her prince.

But that didn’t bother her. Usually. 

Alieshia 6I

The sound of roosters in far mountain valleys echoed across the streets. Sunshine trapped within the horizon, begging to be free like a convict sentenced for life. Dawn hit the town, beaming through the windows of tiny little homes, home to lots of villagers waiting for a spark of hope. However, amidst all the homes, one stood out. Ruby, a bright young girl, blossomed as she felt soft linen brushing off her arms as she slowly emerged from her dreams. After taking time, Ruby figured her way out of her room. As she took a step into the backyard, suddenly, the thought of despair throughout the village overtook her brain, throwing her into a deep loophole.

Malek 6I

The looming figure of the forest made Chloe gulp. Recently, she had heard strange noises coming from inside the shadowy mass behind her house. Chloe had moved here two months ago and always wondered what was in the eerie forest that had been untouched for several years.

“Guys, can you come over?” Chloe finally got the courage to ask her new friends to explore the creepy forest with her, one day after she heard the noises.

Danielle, Jason, Janet, and Michael had all agreed to meet her on the sunniest day of the week, Saturday. Chloe packed a whole duffel bag of clean clothes and food as she got a gut feeling that the five of them would be stuck in the forest for a few days. ‘Weeks, perhaps’, Chloe thought. Soon, Saturday came in a flash, and all five friends stood at the edge of the forest. Taking a deep breath, Chloe stepped into the forest, and the others followed.

Trang 6I

The large beams of light turned off and faded as the last patrol guard headed home. All of a sudden the area lit up. Cute stuffed octopus and penguins waddled around the area, all the rides started moving, and you could see statues and models behind different stalls. You could smell the exquisite popcorn and delicious burgers frying on slightly-burnt pans. Everywhere you looked was filled with crowds and the excited faces around you. Tiny stuffed teddies were running around, puppies were on the rides and lions bought popcorn for the unicorns.

By the next morning, at the crack of dawn, a round and jolly man whistled a tune while unlocking the metal, rusty gates. Inside he was met with a horrendous sight. Food was littered on the floors, lights flickered on signs and the smell of burning and a party lingered in the air.

“What happened here?!” yelled the manager.

Carys 6I

As she sat huddled in her room, Melanie Crow was going through very weird feelings.

“Melanie! Help me clear out this box I found in the attic, will you?” Her mother, Lucy, carried a dusty box to her room.

“There might be some trinkets you’d want from here!”

Inside the box, indeed, were some bits and bobs Melanie did want. There was also this picture of a girl slightly older than Melanie with the same sharp eyes, but instead of Melanie’s bright blonde hair, she had pitch black hair and a gloomy aroma. The only person Melanie knew was gloomy was her father, Corvus Crow. Underneath were small words: “Morrigan Crow.” 

Amy 6L

The world was spinning as the city lights melted into mush. Unusually bright green moonlight pierced his eyes. The wind was screaming in his ears as the slight linger of death jabbed at his taste buds. Larry’s arms flailed around helplessly, determined to grasp just a little bit of the air which felt like slabs of concrete smashing and shattering into his numbing body. But as expected, his hands travelled straight through it. Any normal person would have given up by now, but he was too determined to live. His fingers were in excruciating pain as the skin on his fingertips were ripped off by the building windows as Larry tried to grasp onto something that could possibly stop this fall.

Could there be any hope for his survival?

Madelyn 6KA

"Niya? Are you there?" Niya's father poked his head into her bedroom, looking how he always did – messy brown hair tied into an unruly mop, his silver spectacles perched on his nose, and the little white scar splitting his eyebrow, which he told her was from falling off his bike as a kid.

Niya was in the middle of piecing together a puzzle, sprawled on her bedroom floor.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going on a trip in a couple of hours and might not be back for a few days."

She groaned. Her father worked part-time as a mechanic for the Wunderground Railway Stations, meaning he went on work trips often.

As usual, he lectured her about his three golden rules before heading out the front door: No going outside, don't go into my study and, most importantly, no meddling with magic of any kind.

Then he was gone.

Sophia 6KA