Fantasies
Project Summary
Students are encouraged to use their imaginations to write and exchange
stories. When this project was first conducted on the FrEdMail Network in 1985, some
of the best essays were produced when students wrote their fantasies about what an
absolutely perfect world would be like.
Variations
Students can create pictures to go with their stories, using computer graphic programs such as Dazzle Draw or SuperPaint.
Suggested Grade Level and Audience
4th through 12th
Estimated Time Required
2-4 weeks
Student Learning Objectives
- To develop imagination and creative writing skills
- To learn the components of story writing
- To practice writing, editing, and revising
- To reinforce word processing skills
- To communicate with a distant audience
- To engage in electronic transfer of information
Writing Prompt
Your task is to create a fantasy story. This fantasy can be about a person, place or thing that no one has ever actually seen before. It is called a fantasy because all the power is yours. You can describe the most perfect place in the world, or the most horrible. You can invent a machine, a vehicle or a new food. You can write about a person or an animal with super powers.
To get your imagination flowing, try thinking of cartoon or movie characters, exotic places from the future or the past, or the weirdest, most far out invention.
The only requirement for this assignment is that the person, place or thing you write about is probably not real . We say probably, because who knows for sure? Right?
The best fantasy stories will be exchanged with students from a distant school. Here is one of the best fantasy stories posted from last year. Can you top this one?
Chocolateland
It was my turn to go and check on Mrs. Whitehurst. She was the elderly lady who lived 2 doors down from us. She was in her 80's and my mom thought it would be a good deed, for one of us to stop in each day and say hello, and see if she was doing okay.
So, I walked over, and knocked on her door like always. I usually had to knock 3 or 4 times, because she was a bit hard of hearing. But, I knocked and knocked, and there was no response. I tried the doorknob, and it turned in my hand. It wasn't locked so I walked in, hoping that Mrs. Whitehurst had simply been napping, and that's why she didn't hear my knocking.
I looked in all the rooms, but she wasn't there. "Why is this happening to me?" I fretted. Then, I noticed the back door that opened out into the garden was opened. I called her name and I thought I heard someone answer me. I stepped outside into a jungle of vines and bushes. Then I heard Mrs. Whitehurst's familiar frail voice, "Johnny, dear, is that you? Come and see my special garden."
Now, what I'm about to tell you, you will probably think is fantasy. But, just because you personally haven't seen it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist!
As I walked deep into the maze of bushes, there was sort of a clearing. Then I stepped over a log into a most fascinating place. Instead of pebbles along the ground there were millions of m & m's. And, a bubbling brook of steaming hot fudge flowed everywhere. There were hills of almond rocca and there was a pond that looked to me like oreo cookies n' cream ice cream. Mrs. Whitehurst had a basket and she was gathering chocolate chip cookies, and fudge brownies. Behind me were little chocolate layer cakes emerging from the ground like mushrooms. Silvercandy kisses lay on the ground looking just like dew drops.
I saw little bubbles popping from the hot fudge stream. When I asked Mrs. Whitehurst what they were, she said, "Why chocolate turtles, my dear!"
I carefully stepped along the candy bar stepping stones, only to see a field of tootsie rolls. There were chocolate marshmallow rabbits hopping along, and chocolate chicks laying Reese's peanut butter eggs.
I suppose I could go on, but you probably don't believe any of this anyway. Mrs. Whitehurst told me you wouldn't. All in all... it was a pretty neat place!!
