This is the first chapter of a story I wrote recently to help a 12 year old Polish boy at school in P7 here in Scotland improve his literacy skills. It's designed to help children read the page 5 words from a file called Fry Frequently Used Word List 1-600. Using key words to write sentences or even a story is a great way to help students or anyone with reading, writing and vocabulary. I've started at the back and come forwards so it should get easier as we go.
The story doesn't make much sense yet, but the point isn't about how good the story is, it's about reading the words and getting used to them in context, even if it's a weird one.
Chapter One : The English Scientists
Bill suddenly felt it can't matter too
much. Perhaps the object built in the town square was made of a
special, heavy material that included power in its six dark, round
objects.
Am I able to rule among the
thousands of people? He thought in his own language. Will I be
full, filled with the power that comes from these round shapes?
He stood at the base of the building and looked up. The heat from the
six circles made them glow in the night. He reached out and touched
one. It was dry and warm and his hand went deep inside the material,
like a sponge.
But he felt no different.
I don't understand, he thought.
These common people need a strong government system, not one made
by English scientists.
He ran quickly
around the island's streets, looking out at the deep, green sea and
feeling the hot stars as if inches from his face. Suddenly he saw a
boat-plane come in to land on the surface of the ocean, but he
decided to stay and rest behind a building. As he watched, a person
came out of the flying machine – the third he had seen in a week.
Ten days ago, the English scientists had come in their machines with
wheels, but even though they tried to explain - why did they bring
their large, square boxes of magic? Their equations were not yet
clear.
The fact was, in
minutes he would be inches deep in the street, which was made of the
same dark material as the orbs, so he finally decided to run to them,
down the road and through the waves, taking nothing, and when he
reached the boat-plane, climbed carefully inside.
The heat-filled
engine of the flying machine sounded strong and powerful.
“Did you bring
it?” a voice asked in English.
Bill looked behind
him and saw a tall person with a fine beard. “Oh,” he said
quickly, but could not finish the sentence. How can he explain? How
can he make them understand? Will this boat-plane not finally fly?
he thought.
But the person
said, “I am a scientist. It cannot matter,” and looked out the
window at the deep green waves of the ocean.
Bill looked at the
streets and the roads and the building in the square with its six
large black balls where he had stood minutes ago. He could have
shown him them. He wanted to stay. He decided if he wanted the power
of the thousands to make a new government he would have to wait.
Story © Chris Young 2018
Image credit : http://maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com/Luna-Reflection-Sea-Superluna-Night-Super-Water-1826849
