Harris Burdick Writing Challenge 4RW

Over the half term holiday, I set 4RW an optional homework challenge which involved writing a story. We looked a selection of pictures from the wonderful book, "The Mysteries of Harris Burdick" and then the children wrote a story about one of the pictures that captured their imagination. There was also a prize on offer and I'm pleased to be able to announce the results!

Our runner up was Callum N and he wrote a fantastically funny story about the picture below:

Dear Diary

This is the most embarrassing bit of all that led me to be know as the...so let me tell the story.

It all began in a crumbly, ragged edged church, as I returned to my seat, the smooth marble floor glistening and glimmered and blinded my sight.

Posh men in unusual bright cloaks with faded green velvet head wear stood like statues. I felt like challenging them to a contest (who would not blink first!)

I started to say my prayers to God, it's tempting not to say but I BROKE WIND with such force and launched into the air like a jet.

I was holding tight onto the antique wooden chair whilst I propelled myself into the air. When I thought I had gone the highest I kept my eyes shut tight. I thought there was going to be a big crash but, to my relief, I found myself going gently down like a feather swaying down and down from a high mountain that looked like it was topped with icing sugar.

After I landed, the first thing I did was to look around to see if anyone had noticed me (unluckily they had!)

From that day onward I was known as Sister Windy Wendy from Worthing.

So that was the story.

The people of Worthing wrote a poem about me:

Windy Wendy was her name and now she has lots of fame,

She went into a church one night and propelled herself to such a height,

The reason is she had eaten cauliflower,

And after one whole hour,

Broke wind with such power,

And when she was in the air she felt the wind in her hair,

But I think we should finish there!

Our winner was Olivia L. She decided to find another picture from the Harris Burdick book and wrote a story about a true event that happened to someone in her family. This was the picture she used:

Ipswich Dock

Benjamin Mason was born in 1814. He lived in a small terraced house in The Rows, near Ipswich Docks.

He had a hard life, he was a fisherman, with a wife and seven children.

One cold November evening in 1849, Benjamin had not come home for his tea again. His wife sent their oldest son, Edward, out to find him.

Edward went to the public house close by, his father spent a lot of time there. The landlord told the boy that his father had left some time ago, drunk.

Walking back along the docks, past his father's boat, he found a policeman. Edward told him that his father was missing. Suddenly, they heard shouting. The policeman shone his lantern across the water and they saw a man drowning in the docks.

A rowing boat was chained to the railings. The policeman untied the small boat, rowed across the water and pulled the man out. He wrapped the freezing man in his big, thick coat and took him to the dockside.

Edward looked at the man and knew it was his father.

My story is based on a true story that had a very sad ending. The boy, Edward, was my great great grandfather.

I was so pleased with everyone that took part in this optional homework challenge! Well done 4RW!