The Countdown Series provides all the support you need in helping pupils to improve their literacy skills. It is a comprehensive and flexible resource which you can use in different ways, and includes:
- Over 100 stand-alone modules that cover all aspects of writing and understanding non-fiction, poetry and creative writing;
- A countdown flowchart providing an overview, showing how modules are linked and allowing teachers and pupils to track their progress;
- Photocopiable activity sheets for every module that show how to make decisions and solve problems that writers face on the journey to a finished piece of work;
- Teacher's notes for each module, with tips and guidance, including how modules can be used in the classroom, links to other modules and curriculum links, and advice on helping and guiding pupils in their writing;
- A self-study component so that pupils can make their own progress through the material. This option gives young writers a sense of independence in thinking about their work and, through offering a scaffolding of tasks, encourages confident and effective writing;
- 'Headers' for each module showing where along the 'countdown path' you are at that point.
In short, the Countdown Series Set saves valuable planning time and gives you all the flexibility you need in helping pupils to to become confdent with literary techniques. The structure of the book allows teachers to utilise the modules for ‘self-study’, as a longer programme following the ‘countdown’ structure, or to dip into the book for individual lesson activities and ideas to fit in with wider programmes of study.
Countdown to Poetry Writing: Introduction Module 44–42 The origins of poetry 44 What is poetry? 43 The poetical eye 42 Be yourself 41 Noticing and questioning 40 Stay calm 39–38 Have something to say/motivation 39 Have something to say 38 Motivation 37 Training the senses 36 Sensory journey 35 Sound FX 34 Eat an apple 33 Ways of looking 32 Imagery 31 Gathering the senses 30 Less is more 29 The three Ts 28 Pundemonium 27 Spoonerisms 26 What – nonsense? 25 Am I aloud? 24 Syllables and stress 23 Rhythm 22 Alliteration and friends 21 Rhyme 20 Comparisons 19 What’s the point? 18 Shape poems 17–16 Alliterative phrases/kennings 17 Alliterative phrases 16 Kennings 15 Three-step game 14 Uni-verses 13 ‘Myku’ 12 List poems 11 Counting poems 10 Chorus poems and chants 9 Limericks 8 Riddles 7 Haiku 6 Worsery rhymes 5 Genre poems 4–3 Blank verse/free verse 4 Blank verse 3 Free verse 2 Some other forms 1 Tips for writing. Countdown to Non-Fiction Writing Introduction Section 1: Non-fiction, truth and lies Module37–34 Fiction or non-fiction, truth or lies? 37 How can we tell it’s non-fiction? 36 What is a fact? 35 What is an opinion? 34 What is truth? 33–32 Fact, opinion and wisdom 33 How to be a wizard 32 Facts and opinions 31–29 Tips, types, forms and styles 31 Non-fiction tips30 Types of non-fiction 29 Types, forms and styles Section 2: Questioning skills28 Be nosy! 27 Types of question26–25 Some principles of discovery learning26 It’s OK not to know25 Yes, but what does it mean24 Going after the meaning Section 3: Evaluating information 23 How do we know? 22 Slippery meanings21 How to be a Doubting Thomas20–19 Reading between the lines – slippery words and emotive Language 20 Reading between the lines – and slippery words 19 Emotive language Section 4: Persuasive writing 18–17 Language and feelings18 Language with feeling 17 Punchy words 16 Hurry while stocks last Section 5: Writing an argument (discursive writing).15 Oh yes it is! Oh no it isn’t! 14 Argument planner 13 Persuasive arguments 12 Does it follow? 11 A note on metaphors10 Flashpoints 9 Assessing arguments 8 So why talk about it? Section 6: Writing to inform 7 Some tips 6 Descriptive writing 5 A question of style4 Directions and instructions3 Recounting and reporting 2 Writing a letter Section 7: Putting it all together 1 A map of ideas. Countdown to Creative Writing: Introduction Overview – How to use the book Module 60 Getting started 59 A few tips 58 Good writing habits 57 A writer's rights 56 What is a story? 55 Having ideas 54 Ideas for a reason 53 Plot bank .52 Plot, characters and background .51 Inspiration 50 All of your senses 49 Metaphors 48 ‘Sounds as it says’ 47 The structure of a story 46 Forms 45 Diary 44 Play format 43 Letters, texts and other ideas 42 Basic narrative elements .41 Sub-elements 40 Tips on planning 39 The six big important questions 38 Narrative lines 37 Genre 36 Fantasy 35 Science fiction 34 Horror .33 Crime/thriller 32 Romance .31 Animal adventures 30 Further ideas for genre .29 Audience and purpose .28 Characters .27 Names 26 SF and fantasy names 25 Picture a person .24 A bagful of games .23 Character ticklist .22 Personality profile .21 Settings 20 Visualizations 19 Map making 18 Place names 17 Titles 16 Word grid 15 Mix and match 14–10 Getting ready to write: part 1 14 Timespan 13 Pace .12 Flashbacks 11 Story arcs 10 Story path 9–4 Getting ready to write: part 2 9 Length of story 8 Economy of language 7 Connectives 6 Person 5 Style 4 Strong start and finish 3 Presentation 2 A writer's responsibilities 1 In the mood for writing.
Biography
A former teacher, Steve Bowkett is now a full-time writer, storyteller, educational consultant and hypnotherapist. He is the author of more than forty books, including Jumpstart! Creativity and Imagine That.
