Babies rescued from car sinking in Connetquot River

Ben Amato | Educational consultant

Creative Writing--All four ELA Standards

"A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer." Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882) writer

In an instant our daily ordinary lives can be changed by disaster, error or heartbreak. In today's lesson a "freak" accident might have ended in horror, except for the brave actions taken by two unsuspecting heroes.

TV Component Newsday TV had a story about an automobile mishap that almost took the lives of two 11-month-old babies. Watch the video twice and then answer the Listening Assessment multiple choice quiz.

Newspaper Component Today's Newsday has an article titled "Babies rescued from a car sinking in the Connetquot River." Read the article and then using the facts and details within, complete the Comprehension Crossword Puzzle.

Language Arts Component / Critical Lens

"We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by." Will Rogers (1879 - 1935), writer/showman

Our lives can change in moments and when danger appears, our basic instincts can lift us to new heights of bravery and courage.

Situation Write a FACTION. This is a creative short story that uses the FACTS presented in a FICTIONALIZED way. Have the topic of this story be about the rescue of the twins by Anthony Pettawat and James Cariddi. Examine the story of the car mishap and use the specifics from their ordeal to construct your tale.

The Nature and Structure of a FACTION The goal of a FACTION is to create a fictionalized short story, using facts and details from the real world presented in a unique and useful way. Stories present lessons about life, THEMES about some topic or issue. A FACTION does the same, with the THEME being how you, the writer, feels about the topic you are writing about.

INTRODUCTION This paragraph begins the story and starts off with the SETTING. In the first few sentences establish where and when this story is taking place and include the CAST, the major people involved in the story. The easiest FACTION is a FIRST PERSON NARRATIVE; where the writer is the main character describing the action. End this introduction with a FORESHADOWING HINT about the TOPIC of the story and your FEELINGS about it.

BODY This section concerns PLOT of the story. These are the major events and can be easily reduced to THREE MAJOR PLOT STEPS arranged in CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.

First what happens? Then what happens? Finally, how does the story end?

Use the answers from the Comprehension Crossword Puzzle and Listening Assessment multiple choice quiz as a RUBRIC. Make sure these details find their way into your story. By including these "real" facts your FACTION will be believable and detailed.

CONCLUSION This section of FACTION is where the writer presents the lesson or THEME. This is the writer's feelings and opinions about not only the car plunging into the river but also the rescue and aftermath. End the story with a personal account of what you might have done if you were in that situation.