STRANDED!
It was the day you had been dreaming about ever since September. Winter Vacation! You were preparing a wonderful trip to some exotic location since the day you were forced to come in out of the wonderful sun, and that time finally arrived.
You packed your bags, got on the flight and closed your eyes in anticipation of a beautiful week of fun and relaxation. Your eyelids got heavier as you pictured yourself in the middle of the postcard surroundings that are offered at your dream destination. Just as your eyes closed for what would be a cosy snooze, engine number three burst into flames.
Maybe this won’t be a super vacation after all.
When you woke up, you realised a couple of things immediately. First, wherever you are, it’s very quiet. Second, there sure are a lot of vultures circling overhead.
Two weeks later, you were confident someone must have been coming to look for you. Surely your friends would notice you weren’t in class. They will be concerned and make sure something is done about this.
A month later, you accepted the obvious; you weren’t getting rescued any time soon. You haven’t seen anything resembling civilisation since you crashed. No planes. No boats. Nothing.
Just as you thought things would never look up, a gift appeared in the form of a shiny glass bottle, complete with cork. Luckily, you managed to scavenge a few odds and ends from the plane wreckage that drifted ashore and you are certain that a pencil and some memo pads were part of the collection.
Freedom is only a well-written letter away!
YOUR TASK:
- Brainstorm- What kind of information should you include in your letter? For example, explain who you are, where you are from, and where you were going when you got stranded. You should also include information about where you are, such as the climate, what the island is like, what plants and animals you have seen, and how they are surviving.
- Organise your information. You may be suffering from heat exhaustion and dehydration, but if you don’t write an organised letter, you may be stuck on this island forever. That means no TV, no radio, no friends, and worst of all, no English 9.
- Rough copy – To make sure your letter flows nicely and is free of spelling and grammatical errors, take your time and write a rough draft first. Nothing would be more embarrassing than if your letter was found by a teacher who corrected your mistakes with a red pen and sent it back to you for revision.
- Final copy – make it spectacular – it means the difference between getting home and being stranded for the rest of your life.
OTHER SUGGESTIONS
While you do have to pass in ALL STAGES of your writing, it would be a very nice touch if you could find a bottle (cleaned out, of course) or maybe "age" the paper for effect (with parents’ permission and assistance). Little touches could make a big difference.
Enjoy!