Descriptosaurus: Action & Adventure
Action & Adventure

Descriptosaurus: Action & Adventure builds on the vocabulary and descriptive phrases introduced in the original bestselling Descriptosaurus and, within the context of adventure stories, develops the structure and use of the words and phrases to promote colourful cinematic writing. This essential guide will enable children to take their writing to the next level, combine their descriptions of setting and character and show how the two interact. Children can then experiment with their own adventure stories, armed with the skills, techniques and vocabulary necessary to describe their action scenes in a way that allows the reader to feel the characters? fear and excitement, and visualise the action within the setting.

This new system also provides a contextualised alternative to grammar textbooks and will assist children in acquiring, understanding and applying the grammar they will need to improve their writing, both creative and technical.

INTRODUCTION

KEY ELEMENTS

PART A – RACE

CHAPTER 1 HOOKS

Section 1: Openings

Section 2: Warning of Danger to Come

Section 3: The Ticking Clock

Section 4: A Decision/Plan

Section 5: What’s Lurking Behind the Door

Section 6: Too Close for Comfort

CHAPTER 2 JOURNEY

CHAPTER 3 ROUTES

Section 1: Cities, Towns and Villages

Section 2: Paths & Trails

Section 3: Ground

CHAPTER 4 MOVING CLOSE TO THE DESTINATION

Section 1: Setting

A. Barriers

B. Alarms

Section 2: Interaction

A. Scanning the Area

B. Signals

C. Advancing

D. Getting Inside

Section 3: Reaction

CHAPTER 5 SECRET PASSAGES & TUNNELS

Section 1(a): Setting - Secret Passages

Section 2(a): Interaction

Section 2(b): Setting - Tunnels & Passages

Section 2(b): Interaction

Section 3: Reaction

PART B – THE CHASE

CHAPTER 6 FOLLOWED

Section 1: Characters

Section 2: Interaction

Section 3: Reaction

CHAPTER 7 HIDING

Section 1: Characters

Section 2: Interaction

Section 3: Reaction

CHAPTER 8 PURSUED

Section 1: Characters

Section 2: Interaction

Section 3: Reaction

CHAPTER 9 TRAPPED

Section 1: Characters/Setting

Section 2: Interaction

Section 3: Reaction

PART C – THE VILLAIN

CHAPTER 10 MEETING THE VILLAIN

A. The Villain & his Allies

Section 1: Expressions

Section 2: Eyes

Section 3: Voice

Section 4: Movement

Section 5: Scars

B. Dangerous Animals

Section 1: Guard Dogs

Section 2: Scorpion

Section 3: Crocodiles

Section 4: Snake

Section 5: Black Widow Spider

CHAPTER 11 INTERACTION & REACTION TO VILLAIN

A. Movement

B. Wrestle

C. Strike

Section 2: Reaction

CHAPTER 12 CAPTURED

Section 1: Characters

Section 2: Interaction

Section 3: Reaction

PART D – SURVIVAL

CHAPTER 13 FIRE, EXPLOSIONS, VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS

Section 1: Setting

A. Fire

B. Explosions

C. Earthquakes & Volcanoes

Section 2: Interaction

Section 3: Reaction

CHAPTER 14 IN THE WATER

Section 1: Setting

Section 2: Interaction

Section 3: Reaction

CHAPTER 15 DESERTS

Section 1: Setting

Section 2: Interaction

Section 3: Reaction

CHAPTER 16 SNOW, ICE, AVALANCHES

Section 1: Setting

Section 2: Interaction

Section 3: Reaction

APPENDIX:

PLANNING AN ADVENTURE STORY

Plot Planning Sheet

Hero Planning Sheet

Villain Planning Sheet

S(C)IR - The Race

S(C)IR - The Chase

S(C)IR - Survival

Alison Wilcox has extensive teaching experience in schools in England and Scotland. Colleagues describe her methods as 'innovative and inspirational to even the most reluctant of writers'.