Well, I hope our last marking period together will be the start of a new and exciting journey though language arts literacy. Even though we are reading a drama now in class, I decided to deviate from Theatrical Thursday and go back to one of my favorite topics, Time Travel. After all, we are reading about the past. I'd like to see how creative you can be by starting some ideas here for an historical fiction short story. After standardized testing is finished, we will be able to devote more time to writing original short stories. The blog is a perfect place to try out some ideas.
Time Travel Tuesday will allow you to use your imagination and jump back into a time in the past that interests you. Imagine yourself in the 1940's. Maybe you want to create a story of a German soldier or maybe a young Jewish boy caught in the termoil. Since we are reading Anne Frank's diary, I think WWII would be a perfect place to start our time travel.
Here are some pictures to get you started. Feel free to write the opening paragraph of an original short story based on one of my pictures or maybe describe a character complete with feelings and emotions. Description of setting will work here too. Just remember the time reference, somewhere in Europe or the Pacific circa 1940. You decide.
This is me with the Yellow Star. I had to carry this picture around with my identity card.
 You have some things to think about. Which direction will you take your story? Will you write about an army man, a woman who supports the troups, or a Jewish child in a concentration camp? You can even take on the task of being a world leader making the decisions. You decide. |
I am back and ready to rock n' roll with a WWII story! And look! I'm first too (as long as nobody ties me before I finish typing). I think I will write about a historical fiction character, s German Concentration Camp leader. I guess I'll call him Voundeva (I'm just going to make some random "German" names). The story begins now. It was a late night at the concentration camp Heir Der Toten and General Voundeva was rounding up the men at 3am. "Lets go there boys! Unless you want to die, get up!" He took them out to the gas chambers where they would be chosen by him, when Admiral Nevoticher arrived (Voundeva's boss). He spoke with a heavy accent, and was on the shorter side. He was sly and cunning, like a fox, but yet a delicate man. He went over to General Voundeva and whispered into his ear, "ah, I see you are working just well, taking down these Jews asap as Hitler has ordered." Voundeva replied nervously, "yes sir, but how much longer must we tourcher these innocent people? Some of my family are Jewish, and I don't want them to die!" He replied with a serious but mourning tone with a brief sigh. "Yes, I know Voundeva, but unless you wish to be scolded by Hitler himself, we must do what we are told. Nice seeing you. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to check up on the other camps." Nevoticher left with a solute and marched away with his bodyguards. "Alright then, you there, you ten Jews will be chosen now." One talked back, "but sir, we are innocent and don't want to be gased to death." This made Voundeva unhappy, he wanted them to be happy. "Shoot them Hans." He ordered his Nazi guard. Hans was the kind of fello who just couldn't kill these Jews, he was loving, compassionate, and cared for all living people. "I can't sir, I won't be able to live with myself. These people did nothing, they are loving and protect one another and they deserve to live." The Jews rose up and began to shake hands with the kind Nazi. Hans aimed the gun at Voundeva; "do not kill anymore, for you are unarmed. Let them live or you will pay the price of death..." To Be Continued. Pretty good, right Mrs. Prisbell?
ReplyDelete@ Jimmy.... This is an awesome start to a story and you really captured the flavor of the times including inner conflict. Nice job.
ReplyDeleteMrs. P
As I opened my eyes, the sun glazed in through the bar covered windows. I could hear the sound of the nazis' boots eneter the room, and everyone straightened up in bed. He urged us to quickly get up out of bed and go get in line for our breakfast outside. I never really unbderstood how they could consider a piece of bread and warm water a breakfast, but I learned to live on it. Aftefr we all scoufed down our meals, we headed back to our room to get our working uniforms on for the day. It was only 7:30, but the sun was already baking down on me. I felt a tear of sweat slide down my forhead and wondered how I was going to be able to handle todays heat, although somehow I did.... but barely.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jenna. Your story has a lot of potential and emotion.
ReplyDeleteMrs p
I remember those days taking long walks on the beach, and now, my families caught up in the war. I lye here every night, wondering how the next day would be, like if we had to go somewhere and fight or hideout somewhere. I like to write about my days in a journal, just as one of my great friends, Anne, does. I've tried so hard to keep my head up everyday hoping something good would come of that day, but I was always wrong and the worst would happen. My grandfather had fought for our country in World War 1 and my great grandfather fought in the Vietnam War and now my uncle and father would be joining World War 2 soon. My uncle is a very dignified man and cares too much about our country to let it get destroyed, and my father, is a very caring man and cares entirely too much about us, but cares so much for America and doesn't want to see it come to the worst. I know my father and uncle will put all their power forward into fighting for our country and protecting all of America and even risking their own lives for the rest of us Americans. It was the next day that my father would be leaving us and go off fighting in a very scary war. I hope good comes from this war and teaches all of us americans that there are many people out there who really care for all of us and really wants this country to return to peace after war and make the most of it. I just hope my father will return soon, after the war is over, and after our country has returned to peace.
ReplyDeleteHey Mrs.P! I'm really enjoying The Diary of Anne Frank. It's a nice play that really describes what went on during Hitler's ruling and how Anne, her family and the other hideout's felt during those 3 years. See you tomorrow! :)
~Courtney M.
Mrs.Prisbell you should have put the panama canal on there and also a picture of the war when we had to dig ditches to hide in.
ReplyDelete@ Courtney M....I like your first person narrative story line. I am glad you like the play. Good job, Mrs. Frank.
ReplyDelete@ Calvin.... That's a very good idea, Calvin. I almost did do just as you said. I will look for another picture.
Thanks for posting.
Mrs. P
Thanks Mrs.P! I'll try to talk louder and I haven't been talking very loud because I've had a sore throat but I'll see you when we get back from spring break. Have a nice vacation Mrs.P! Bye! :)
ReplyDelete~Courtney M.
The barbed wire fences close in around me. It's suffocating me, being in this place. I burrow once again into my turtle shell, like I always do when things begin to get bad. I want to be unnoticed; in a concentration camp that's the best thing that could happen to you. I want the ground to open up under me and swallow me whole, so that I won't have to endure this pain any longer. The whipping, the beating, the cursing, isn't it bad enough that they have us locked away? Isn't it bad enough that they took our freedom and caged us like animals? Why must we continue to suffer? Obviously we must have done something wrong, we must have angered the Nazis somehow. Mother always believed in karma: what goes around comes around. We must have done something equally as terrible to receive such horrible punishment. Yet, in all my life, I have never heard about Jews doing anything bad to the Germans.
ReplyDeleteThe fences looked as though they were monsters looming over me, trapping me in its grasp. The shadows that seem to stretch on forever gave me chills and whenever one of the shadows moved closer, its arms crossed behind its back, I feel as though my heart might stop. The dusty ground was unforgiving, as was everything in this place that defied me as a person, asking me to give up everything I believed in. The only thing that was me as a human being was the way I rose every morning with my head held high. That they could not take away.
ReplyDelete~Emma A.
Thanks Courtney M, Jazmine, and Emma for commenting while on spring break. The story ideas are certainly riveting. These ideas should be extended into full length short stories. :)
ReplyDeleteMrs P
First if all, I just wanna mention that the 7th picture from the top was in Night At The Museum 2 , js lol . But anyways here is my intro using that picture.
ReplyDelete"The War is over! It's all over! Time to celebrate with our loved ones!" screamed Annie, anxiously awaiting the first appearance of he beloved Joe, since 5 terribly long years prior. As he unfolded himself out I'd the car, he fell into another woman's arms. Although Annie is in love with Joe, love doesn't always go both ways , in your favor , at least. As Annie watched Joe kiss his true love,Maryland, she stormed off in tears of sorrow and self pity. Consequently, these actions in a time of celebration stuck out like a sore thumb and caught the eye of Oliver Wendal; Mr. Wendal had money dripping from his fingers like lava flowing from a volcanoe, but Annie knew not of him or his money. He got a snag at her arm and pulled her close. As she wiped the tears out of eyes on to her best pinafore, he whispered in her ear,
"Why are you crying on such a joyous occasion;all should be happy and well to see our family come home and know that they will stay. For a girl as pretty and kind as you should not be in a sad state when we have the rest of our lives to be sad. This moment is for happiness, so tell me, why do you cry?" As though it may seem harsh in her eyes he was blind to this little love game gone wrong, and in turn upset poor Annie even more. She tried running away but was stopped my another gentleman, much younger than the one who she had just, somewhat aquainted to. His forehead showned now wrinkles but his eyes spoke lonesome. He pulled her toward the sidewalk, and laid a gentle kiss upon here cheek. She melted into her red high heeled shoes and gazed at him in such in such a way, that he let his hand wave in her face to ensure her consciousness.
"i am Mr.Wendal, how do u do miss...?
" Annie James," she completed. She surveyed his attire and played a little game of Who in her head to decifer his lifestyle, job, and class. He fared very well in her mind, but this was just what she could sense. As a conversation sailed away between the two, any memories of Joe left her body to make way for the new love of her life. Mr. Jacob Wendal Jr.
This was what I was meant to do. This is where my future lies. I was born to care for the injured, born to assist the needy, born to save lives. I used to play doctor at home when I was younger. I would bandage up my bleeding dolls and give them medicine when they were ill. That was when I was young, ignorant, and didn't know the true meaning and frights of war. Now I am a grown woman. A srong-hearted, good-willed woman who can stand up to almost anything. Standing here with all of the other joyful women who are just as tough as I am, I see that I will be facing things I have never even imagined of. And it will be quite a journey.
ReplyDeleteThanks Devony and Morgan R. I love your story starters. Morgan, I didn't know that famous Times Square kiss was in Night at the Museum...
ReplyDeleteMrs P