Develop children's vocabulary skills and watch them use new words in everyday life. You can play this animation, which is just one in a writing series, in class or at home to help children boost their descriptive words for their 500 Words story.
I'm writing a story about a wizard, and wizards use lots of wonderful words and fantastic phrases, because words are magic! Used the right way, words can create pictures in your head.
My story starts in the wizard's house. What can I see? Hear? Even smell? What words can I use to describe it? It was dark, musty, mysterious, and… yes! Lit by golden candlelight. And there were books, old leather-bound books, filling the shelves and standing in piles, teetering piles, all over the floor. And there was a clock in the corner.
No. And there was a tall grandfather clock, tick-tocking loudly in the corner. Then with a bright white flash and the smell of fireworks, the great wizard Septimus the Strange appeared. "You must be here to help me with my spells," he said. "But take care, because words are powerful. Choose the wrong ones and who knows what damage they might do!" "But words aren't dangerous," I said. Suddenly the books flew off the shelves and fluttered about like butterflies, using their open pages for wings.
"Now, you've done it!" shouted Septimus, and the books began to swoop like seagulls, raining pages down on our heads. "Too many words!" said, no, gasped the wizard, because the pages were sticking to him like glue and covering his whole body. He looked like an Egyptian mummy! "I can't breathe!" he croaked, "Say the right words!" I needed a spell, a splendiferous spell to save Septimus, but I didn't know which words to use. "Make them up!" wheezed Septimus. That was it! The only words that would work against the books were words they didn't know! I waved my wand and shouted… err… "Spellapaloozer, spartibunk, floof!" And the pages flew back into the books and the books flew back onto the shelves. "Well done," said Septimus, "for choosing the right words at the right time."
Yeah. Like it.
Next up…
We have up to five animations to develop children's 500 Words stories, why not use one a day? Coming up next is 'Finish with Flourish'.
Teacher Notes
In the classroom, this could be used for specific writing exercises such as encouraging more creative sentence writing. Pupils could label the different parts of a sentence, e.g. adjectives, adverb, verbs and then write their own sentences based on a particular stimulus.
Work around the senses mentioned in the video could lead to role play, e.g. imagine what a famous character might feel, hear, smell in their setting.
For less able pupils’ access 5-7 version.
Curriculum Notes
This video is suitable for use with pupils aged 7-11. It is designed primarily for support with the BBC 500 Words competition but could also support the teaching of English and Literacy for this age range.
This links directly to the English Programmes of Study at KS2 (England and Wales), 2nd Level (Scotland) and KS1/KS2 (Northern Ireland).
Need more inspiration?
Back to 500 Words
Click here for more information on 500 Words.
The importance of 500 Words' stories
Three of our judges, Sir Lenny Henry, Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Charlie Higson, breakdown the Oxford University Press report.
What makes a brilliant 500 Words story?
Watch judges Charlie Higson. Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Sir Lenny Henry share what they think makes a brilliant 500 Words story.
