by Remy Charlip, a story that follows Ned through a series of problems and resolutions, and talked about plot structure.
Then we wrote our own version as a class ... the kids much preferred coming up with the "unfortunately" parts!
Ms. Gemma's Class
Story 1:
I was going swimming.
Unfortunately, I went to the deep end and I can’t swim.
Fortunately, there was a lifeguard there to save me.
Unfortunately, the lifeguard couldn’t see me.
Fortunately, there were stairs beside me.
Unfortunately, I fell down the stairs.
Fortunately, there were life vests.
Unfortunately, there were sharks that had come through the drain, as well as piranhas.
Fortunately, they were nice.
Unfortunately, a jellyfish came through the drain and zapped me.
Fortunately, a doctor was swimming in the pool too.
Unfortunately, he was evil.
Fortunately, the sharks ate the evil doctor.
Unfortunately, the doctor gave the sharks a shot.
F, the lifeguard finally saw me and I was rescued.
Story 2:
There was an evil octopus in the sea that sucked the smart out of people.
Unfortunately, the octopus sucked the smart out of me.
Fortunately, I was so smart that the octopus couldn’t suck ALL of my smartness out of me.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t alone, and he had poisonous piranhas and poisonous sharks that can also suck out brains.
Fortunately, they couldn’t breathe on land, and I escaped.
Unfortunately, there were mountain lions chasing me.
Fortunately, the lions were distracted by Subway subs.
Unfortunately, the octopus was actually a scientist that didn’t like humans because they killed his brother, and he came on land and suffocated me.
Fortunately, my older brother was there sneaking up on me.
Unfortunately, he fell into the water and the evil scientist tried to suck out his brain.
Fortunately, he saved himself and Supergirl and Superman attacked the octopus with their laser eyes, and the Subway subs turned into the Avengers … actually the Subvengers.
Story 3:
Once there was a scientist in secret lab.
Unfortunately, the scientist caught me and planned to turn me into a hairless cat.
Fortunately, he was allergic to cats, even the hairless ones.
Unfortunately, he decided to turn me into a dog.
Fortunately, he was scared of dogs.
Unfortunately, when I turned into a dog, I transformed into a Grinch and wanted to steal Christmas.
Fortunately, I turned into a good Grinch.
Unfortunately, he wanted to turn my brother into a lifeless lizard.
Fortunately, the Subvengers were there, ready to take on everything.
Ned finally made it to the surprise party.
Unfortunately, all the things that chased him were at the party, including sharks and tigers and a pitchfork.
Fortunately, there was a superhero there as well.
Unfortunately, she was an evil supervillain.
Fortunately, everything that chased him decided to fight the supervillain.
Unfortunately, a big herd of elephants ran into the room, being driven by an evil scientist.
Fortunately, the scientist had no chemicals on him.
Unfortunately, he did have a bomb.
Fortunately, the bomb went into the water and blew up the boats instead of the people.
Unfortunately, it rolled back to the party and blew up.
Fortunately, a ladder also flew out of it onto the roof, and Ned was able to escape.
Unfortunately, the evil scientist came back to eat his brain.
Fortunately, Ned was right outside of his best friend’s house.
Unfortunately, before the scientist lost his chemicals, his best friend had had his brain sucked out, and was not smart enough to let Ned inside.
Fortunately, he found the back door open and let himself in.
Unfortunately, his friend was like “What the heck?” and fell to the ground because he was so scared.
Fortunately, he recovered and they were safe.
