SAD Story openers powerpoint (Setting, Action Description)

This Powerpoint presentation focuses on the ‘SAD’ strategy for story writing. The idea is, that children choose to open their stories using one of the following:
S – a description of the setting
A – describing the actions of the characters
D – opening the story with dialogue between characters

This resource uses scenes from children’s favourite films, and works towards putting ‘once up a time’ and weather description starters to bed!

**Samples of Year 2 children’s writing when using this activity **

Using action to open Monsters Inc: “Hopping everywhere, Sully was bouncing, trying to get out as the miniature baby stood up, fascinated”.

Using dialogue to open Moana: “Oink oink!” shouted the satisfied piglet. Moana was so fixed on the sea she could not move her eyes as Maoui shouted, “Land ahead!”

Using setting to open “Up”: “The machine was pouring into tubes as she sucked up the medicine like a hoover. The flowers were fascinated at the movements the wife and her wrinkly husband made”.

Using setting to open the BFG: “A pitch black sky swirled around like a cup of cappuccino. As the black sky lay on the clouds like a blanket, the 50 metre tall, towering, tremendous BFG stood as silently as a mouse”.