Crafting Vivid Characters and Mysterious Settings

Crafting Vivid Characters and Mysterious Settings

Year 5 Creative Writing Inspired by Harris Burdick's mysterious illustrations

What is Harris Burdick?

A collection of mysterious illustrations Each picture tells part of a story Created by Chris Van Allsburg Designed to spark our imagination

The Magic of Character Planning

Character Detective

Look at a Harris Burdick illustration What can you observe about the character? Make notes about their appearance Guess their personality from clues

Show vs Tell in Character Description

{"left":"TELL: Sarah was brave\nSHOW: Sarah stepped forward despite her trembling hands\nTELL: The man was mysterious","right":"SHOW: The stranger's eyes darted nervously as he pulled his hat lower\nTELL: She was curious\nSHOW: Emma pressed her ear against the door, holding her breath"}

Creating Mysterious Settings

Settings create mood and atmosphere Use all five senses in descriptions Include specific, unusual details Make the setting feel alive

Setting Sensory Web

Choose a Harris Burdick setting What can you SEE? What might you HEAR? What could you SMELL or FEEL? Create a sensory description

What makes a setting mysterious?

Think about the Harris Burdick illustrations What elements create mystery? How do shadows and lighting help? What about unusual or unexpected objects?

Bringing Characters and Settings Together

Characters should fit their settings Settings can reveal character traits Use interaction between character and place Create connections that feel natural

Plan Your Own Story

Choose your favourite Harris Burdick image Create a character planning web Develop a setting description using senses Write the opening paragraph of your story