One of my favorite prompts to use just before Halloween time is this photograph of a watercolor painting by the late, great Steve Hanks. (Click on his name to see a magnificent collection of the most realistic, emotional watercolor paintings you've ever seen!)
I showed this picture of the little crow boy to Alyssa K., age 11, and asked her to write a multisensory scene, using description, action, and dialogue (my "D.A.D. technique for vivid writing") to show the boy and how he feels in this memorable moment from childhood. Here is the lively piece she created during today's writing class:
Little Crow Boy
by Alyssa, age 11
Whoosh! The wind howled as the yellow and red leaves blew into Tommy’s face. The sun was shining, and it didn’t help that he was wearing a black crow costume.
Caw! Caw! His fellow crows called at him. He giggled. Dumb crows, I’m a human, he thought. He stood up and chased them off. He tripped, spread his wings, and fell into a big pile of raked leaves. He laughed and made leaf angels. “Mom! When is Halloween? I’ve bween waiting in forever!” he yelled toward the house.
“Tommy, first of all, you used your grammar wrong, and second, it’s three p.m! There’s three more hours! Tommy, also please get off of Mrs. Johnson’s lawn. She just raked those leaves!” His mom went back into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Tommy rolled his eyes, skipped away, and resumed his spot on the stairs.
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