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HSPA Picture Prompt Narratives |
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LINKS: Teacher's Quick Comment Sheet Picture Prompt Samples to use with your students
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Picture Prompt Writing Checklist: Read the red if you're in a hurry. Read it all for maximum learning! BEFORE WRITING THE STORY. 1. PLAN the who, what, where, when, and why of the story before actually writing the story. 2. Remember--do NOT write a description of the picture. You will WRITE A STORY that relates to the picture (so the picture can be an illustration for your story). BEGINNING OF STORY: 3. Include descriptive sentences and phrases in your story (so the reader can imagine the scene even if they don't see the picture). Use similes and metaphors for creative imagery (descriptive, sensory writing). 4. Introduce the plot conflict. 5. Introduce the characters and give clues to their personality rather than telling about them straight out. MIDDLE OF STORY: 6. Include a sequence of events in the plot that will build tension to the point of a story climax. 7. Include properly punctuated dialogue (conversation between characters). This will vary the pace of your story. (Descriptive passages move the story forward slowly. Dialogue moves the story at a quicker pace.) ENDING OF STORY: 8.
After
the
climax
bring
the
story
to
a
close
by
writing
a
BELIEVABLE
ENDING.
Your
story
should
be
about AFTER WRITING THE STORY: 9.
PROOFREAD
FOR: Check out Mrs. Francis's short stories to build vocabulary: Short Story Index 10. ERASE MISTAKES AND MAKE CORRECTIONS (That's what pencils are for!)
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Hunter's jaw dropped as he read the numbers silently to himself--4983789... The din inside the convention center faded and the chaos surrounding him disappeared as he slipped into his memories. "What's wrong?" his wife, Katherine, asked while he slumped forward to take a closer look at the beige '54 Corvette's dashboard. "Katherine! Katherine! This is it! The car! This is the car!" His words burst from his lips with excitement. "You
mean
the
same
exact
car
you
sold
in
'88?" Katherine smiled as she recognized the look of determination on her husband's face and the emphatic pointing of his finger that underscored his words. She had seen that look before, back when Hunter was a young college dropout struggling to build a profitable business. Like all businesses, his had had its ups and downs. When his construction company became financially stable, the Corvette was the first material reward he had bought himself--a status symbol he could only dream of as an impoverished youth. It was also the first luxury to go when the real estate market crumbled and building loans became impossible to secure. Now he would have a second chance to own the car. Hunter pushed through the crowd of people, heading for the booth where he could register to bid in the auction.. Twenty minutes later he pushed his way toward the lane the cars traveled down before driving up the auction block ramp. Katherine nimbly followed his footsteps, trying desperately to avoid being separated from her husband. At precisely 2:47 P.M. the Vette rolled slowly past Hunter and up the ramp so the crowd could get a good look at it. Under the spotlights of the convention center the car's paint shined bright enough to blind the spectators. At 2:53 the bidding began. The auctioneer read off a list of the car's features and statistics: two owners, unrestored mint condition, only 5442 miles on the odometer. As he rattled off the specs Hunter scanned the crowd, looking for his competition. Twenty feet away from him, on the other side of the Corvette, a gray-haired, distinguished man was studying the car with the look of an interested buyer. "He's not going to get it." Hunter blurted out, not speaking to anyone but himself. "Who?" Katherine asked. Hunter turned to look at her, then nodded his head in the direction of the old man. "Him! He's not getting the car!" Katherine laughed. "I love your decisive confidence! But if you don't get the car don't be upset." She noted the man's Armani suit, Rolex watch, and enormous diamond ring on his finger. "Mr. Doe there looks like he might have a bit more money than you." In earnest, Hunter replied, "I proposed to you in that car. We spent our honeymoon cruising in that car. That's priceless." "Who'll give me eighty thousand? Eighty. Eighty. Eighty thousand." The auctioneer's voice was rattling off numbers faster than the spinning blades of a fan. His arms were stretched out over his head, inviting the crowd to place a bid. Hunter's hand shot skyward and the auctioneer pointed toward him. "Eighty thousand. I got eighty-thousand. Eighty-five thousand?" the auctioneer asked and the old man replied with a subtle nod of acknowledgement. "Eighty-five thousand! I got eighty-five. Who'll give me ninety?" Katherine grabbed her husband's arm. "Honey. We really don't need the car. You can buy two new Vettes for that price," she stated calmly.. "Ninety!" Hunter hollered. The bidding battle continued for twenty more minutes while Hunter and Mr. Doe glared threateningly toward each other like two raging bulls ready to charge. The Vette's price had reached the ridiculous price of two hundred fifty-three thousand dollars. An unnatural hush swept through the convention center. "Two hundred fifty-four thousand?" the auctioneer asked, stretching out his arm toward Hunter whose face was twisted into a painful look of indecision, but only momentarily. "Yes!" Hunter roared and turned to look for Mr. Doe's response. The corners of the old man's mouth turned down. He sent a steely glance straight into his competitor's eyes, and shook his head no. Hunter exhaled the breath he had been holding. "SOLD!" the auctioneer shouted and cheers exploded from the crowd. Hunter beamed as people came up to shake his hand and pat him on the back. For a second he almost forgot about Katherine who had been pushed aside by a group of well-wishers. "Katherine!
Babe!"
Hunter
reached
out,
grabbed
her
hand
and
pulled
her
toward
him.
As
he
gave
her
a
triumphant
hug
he
whispered
in
her
ear,
"Happy
anniversary!
Let's
go cruising"
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