Let's start with a simple activity about a special place - Palm Springs, California!
Pre-Writing Activity:
First, visit some web sites that give information about Palm Springs. Here is one:Palm Springs Tourism
Remember - this is not a report !
Right now, you are just looking for lots of descriptive words about Palm Springs in order to create a setting for a story.
First, when will your story take place? In spring, summer, winter, fall? In the future, or in the present or past? Once you have decided, then write down the temperature for that time of year in Palm Springs. This is important to your setting, character, and plot. People do different things in summer in Palms Springs than they do in other areas. They wear different clothing, too.
What will the surroundings look like that time of year in Palm Springs? Describe the things your character will see during the story.
What kinds of things will your character be able to do in Palm Springs?
When you see or think of an adjective or phrase that describes Palm Springs, write it down. Collect plenty of words and phrases.
Now you are ready to use the graphic organizer to organize your thoughts.
Copy or
Print out this organizer.
Put "Palm Springs" in the middle, and start grouping your descriptive words
and phrases.
| Some of
you may wonder -
How do I group my thoughts? |
Well, do you have a lot of descriptive words and phrases about weather in Palm Springs? If so, you could group these together in one cluster group . If you have a lot of descriptive words and phrases about things to do in Palm Springs, these could also be grouped together in a cluster. You might also have clusters about people, or food, or plants and animals. |
| What do I do with my clusters about Palm Springs now?? | You can use this to refer to as you write your story! If your character is going out to dinner, have them eat something that really is popular in Palm Springs. As they are riding their bike, have them pass by a wind farm. Get the idea? |
Now, just for fun, take a popular story like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, or Hansel and Gretel, and re-write the story with a Palm Springs setting. Have Fun!!!