Shipwrecked!

This week Y4J have been trying to get off our islands by throwing bottles out to sea with letters of hope in them. The children have been working hard on their descriptive writing to make sure that any reader would come looking for them. Here are three examples of the excellent writing that the class produced.


"March 8th 2000

Dear reader,
If you get this note I have been stranded on a mysterious island and I know I will probably be dead by now but it I am not, please find me.
Iwill describe my surroundings: there are lots of rocks and not many trees. Also there are small animals in the pool that are not nice to eat (but the crabs were nice by painful!) My ship’s pole is sticking out like old sheep’s ribs. There are birds singing like a beautiful orchestra. There are wild animals as well so be careful.
So please help me. I also want to ask you to look after my family.
Yours sincerely,
Harry Thomas Charles Barton"

" Somewhere between South America and Africa
In the Atlantic Ocean

Dear Whoever receives this letter,
I am writing to ask for help as I am abandoned on this mysterious foggy island somewhere between South America and Africa. This strange island is very hot and there is not much water around me except the salty, fishy taste of the wavy sea that I nearly drowned in when the ship sank. I was on my way to South America when a storm struck and hit the ship just like a thunderbolt. All the crew were terrified and started jumping into the lifeboats. And that’s all I can remember until I woke up on this island.
I will endeavour to describe my surroundings: there are rough rocks that have nearly been eaten away by the sun on a long sandy beach where the sand looks like gold. In the middle of the island is a small jungle with lots of fruit. I have no idea what animals might await me. At the back of the sandy beach are some giant cavernous caves so big that they are just like a dragon’s mouth.
If you do receive this letter and come to save me, beware there is shallow water and rocks. Oh, and please bring some food.

With hope,
A. Ferris, First officer
HMS Crossbow "

" Somewhere off the coast of Newfoundland

February 22nd 2003
Dear Whoever,

I am shipwrecked on this god-forsaken island and I need to get rescued for I can’t live much longer with no food or water. I’m on a sandy beach but all the water I can see is undrinkable and the temptation to drink it is making me crazy, even though when I do it makes me feel even thirstier.
The climate is very warm which makes me very thirsty. The beach goes all along the island but it seems to go on forever. It’s a big island that’s teeming with wildlife such as monkeys, mountain gorillas and toucans. There’s an enormous cliff which is probably 200 feet high.
I set up fires for rescue helicopters, searching the sea but it’s no use.
If you do find this letter send someone to save me, please. But it needs to be a helicopter because there are some reefs.
I’ve been here for more than a week and had the last drop of water yesterday when the wind was blowing through my hair in my cavernous shelter, the rain so heavy I thought it was going to flood my shelter. I am stuck here desperate for someone to rescue me.

Save me, quickly,

From
S Toye Second Officer
HMS War Lord