‘And her parents were dead.’ I will learn to develop my characters and their reactions in my narratives. -I will be able to describe physical and mental reactions. -Challenge: I will make my reader feel devastated.

Who am I? If I were an animal, I’d be... because... If I were a drink, I’d be... because... If I were a place, I’d be... because... If I were a car, I’d be... because... If I were a football team, I’d be... because...

One of these men is dying. Rank them in order of who you’d least like it to be

The body experiment! Physical reactions.

The Mental Experiment! Ways of coping with bad news: 1.Denial and Isolation 2.Anger 3.Bargaining ‘if only...’ 4.Depression 5.Acceptance Elsabeth Kubler-Ross in her 1969 book “On Death and Dying.”

Which stage? It’s time to live my life the way they’d have wanted. I couldn’t get out of bed. My heart was so heavy I couldn’t lift my body. I blame God. How could he do this to me?! They’re only sleeping. Just sleeping. I wish he’d taken me instead of them.

My parents were dead. At first, I’m ashamed to say, I laughed at them. Kneeling beside them, I told them we’re not playing Sleeping Lions and I’d like my dessert now. They didn’t move. Fine, I told myself, I’ll get my own dessert. I moved like a zombie through the open door into the kitchen, where I found my ice-cream; now a pool of multi-coloured swirls. Shutting the door behind me, I took the bowl and focused on holding it steady as I curled my legs up and sat at the table, just like mother always insists. It wasn’t until I was about to pour the ice-cream into my mouth that I finally snapped. The spoon got it. My arm launched it across the room and the resulting crash awoken every part of my numb brain. The piercing misery inside it was matched only by the twisted pulsing of my heart. It was all my fault. I shouldn’t have made them move here. I shouldn’t have asked for ice-cream. I should’ve made them come and pick me up.

Type-up Time Write an opening to a narrative in which something terrible happens to your character. DON’T TELL US WHAT IT IS. -In the first paragraph, describe your physical reaction. -In the second paragraph, flashback so that we learn about you and CARE. -In the third paragraph, describe your mental reaction. (You can now reveal what has happened).

Peer-assessment Have you met your challenge? Rate your partner on the devastation scale: 1. Little bit sad. 2. Sad 3. Very sad 4. Devastated