My Reading Work - Hilton Ayrey

This week our reading work was based on the Hilton Ayrey story, 'Brush with the Dark Side'. It is an eye-opening story about two boys who think that their teacher, Mr. Foster is evil. He hands out fake words during spelling tests to make them get detention on purpose. However getting detention was the just the beginning. They are sitting at their desks after school when they suddenly hear a long, low, croaking noise coming from Mr. Foster's desk. They go to investigate, and the second Jeremy opens the lid (revealing a small green frog) Mr. Foster bursts into the classroom with a 'coffin shaped' container in his hands. The teacher explains the container was actually a small tank for the frog which had been found in the playground at lunch. 
The boys laugh and realise Mr. Foster isn't actually evil - and blame it on the Harry Potter books! 

My first activity was to create a newspaper/TV article about the impact of Harry Potter books is having on children like Jeremy and his friend Sam. Ironically, I did it with my friend Sam. Here it is.

News Flash!!!

Breaking News! Mad Chaos Driving in Classrooms Over Harry Potter Books!

“Have you ever read J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter  series? From the Philosopher's Stone to the 2 part- Deadly Hallows, it is an inspiring read for children aged 9 - 13. They seem perfectly harmless, right?

But this is no book review. We are here today to talk about the chaos in schools, caused by, as mentioned, what would otherwise seem completely harmless…. the Harry Potter book series.

This week two students, Sam Rivers (11) and Jeremy Hood (10), from Ridgewood Primary were totally convinced that their school teacher, Mr. Roger Foster (known as Mr. Foster to the boys) was giving out difficult spelling words that they believe are fake. Sam quoted:  “Whenever he gave us the weekly spelling words, he had this evil glint in his eye that looked like he had something to hide.” After investigation, we found the boys were indeed correct about the spelling words. As a result Jeremy and Sam both failed the test, and their punishment? Detention after school. But this is in fact not where this story is going. The boys went and searched  Mr. Foster’s desk after he had left the room to find anything that would support their theory of him supporting the (quote) “dark side”.  Sam and Jeremy did find something very interesting, on the floor behind his desk was a lunch box sized tupperware container with inside, a small green frog.  Soon they heard a door slam open behind them, and in the doorway stood Mr. Foster, towering over them. The teacher quotes: “I had no idea the boys were still in detention. I had been gone quite a while, so I’d thought they had packed up and went home. When I found them crouched them on the floor behind my desk I got quite a fright.”

Mr. Foster explained that the frog behind his desk had been found in the playground that day, and he was in the caretaker’s shed to find a small ‘tank’ to become an aquarium for the frog. Jeremy tells us his point of view - “I was about to open the lid when the door burst open and into the room came Mr. Foster. He was carrying some sort of coffin shaped container, and across it a square of red velvet. When he explained it was not a coffin, and in fact an aquarium for the frog, I was surprised. But in a good way.”

Mr. Foster and the boys then set up a wetlands habitat for the frog.

So where does the Harry Potter  books come in? Well it was simple. Sam and Jeremy had thought that Mr. Foster was on the dark side - as if Snape had mysteriously taken over his body. Days earlier the boys had gone around telling everyone on the playground and spread some sort of rumor that Mr Foster had been taken over - all because of the Harry Potter books. The series had somehow ‘inspired’ them that magic - or in this case, the ‘dark side’ - was real. However this caused Mr Foster to play a “prank” on the boys. On his computer he created a book cover for a small book, with the words “Mastering the Dark Side” printed in big bold letters, hoping for the boys to find it….

We are now over to our  reporter, Jaime, for an interview, with Mr Foster and Jeremy.”

Jaime: Hi Roger, how are you?

Roger: Good, You?

Jaime I’m great, thanks! Now let's get to the questions - what do you think of Harry Potter books taking over in classrooms?

Roger: Well, really, I think that is pathetic. These are only books and if the kids believe they are real, perhaps they should not read them.

Jaime: Right, right. And do you read the books themselves?

Roger: Yes I have. A very good series but it certainly fiction. None of it is true.

Jaime: And Jeremy, what you think?

Jeremy: I think that the Harry Potter books are real. It seems so realistic so how does J.K Rowling come up with such ideas? Has she seen a wizard? Is she one -

Jaime: OK…. thank you, Jeremy, uh, Roger, back to you. A summary?

Roger: The Harry Potter book series is a work of great literature,, but it’s pathetic to believe them, and don’t blame Rowling.

Jaime: Thank you Roger. Any last thoughts, Jeremy?

Jeremy: J.K ROWLING IS A WITCH!!! *lashes out and knocks camera over*

~  Footage Lost ~

Back at the news room:

“Sorry about that. Anyway, a lot of children have been overtaken by this world-famous, fiction series, some even think their teachers, parents, sports coaches etc, are wizards and witches.”

“This has gone a little over board.” says a teacher from Ridge wood

Primary, who did not want to be identified.

“ This is all the information we have for now, so see you tomorrow at Seven Sharp.” 😉

This is some feedback I got from my teacher Miss McLeod. 

My second activity was to create a graph representing Jeremy's feeling throughout the story. Here is a screenshot of it. 

My third activity was to rewrite the story from a specific part. Here is my story. 

Thursday October 15th 2015

“Jeremy reached down to open the lid…”

Task : Brainstorm ways the story can go on from this point, using flow charts. Choose your best idea and rewrite the last bit of the story. OR draw it as a comic strip, with speech bubbles.

Jeremy reached down to open the lid…”

What was revealed was a small, green, slimy DEMON SLUG! The creepy creature was a dark olive green, and as fat as Sam’s wrist. it had snarling fangs and beady black, tiny spider eyes. It growled with every ‘breath’ and it was dripping with slime. The slime was thick and clear but with a small green tinge in it. Yuck.

Jeremy and Sam let out two huge, high-pitched screams. They ran out of the room, as if being chased by the terrifying thing.

But it did! The demon slug flopped onto the floor like jelly, and sped across the hardwood floors to catch up with Sam and Jeremy. They saw that the slug had chased them, and screamed even louder. The slug chased them faster.

“Boys!” a rough voice suddenly said from above them. It was Mr. Foster, in the attic and looking down to them through a floorboard, which he had in his hands. He growled at the slug and threw it down at him, but it just crumbled into powdery plaster. “Get up here!” Mr Foster hissed, throwing down a rope, which he tied onto something in the attic, which was hidden by the light. Sam went first, and Jeremy next, the slug growling loudly like a dog that had met his mortal enemy. Once the boys were up, Mr Foster anxiously pulled the rope in, the slug baring its sharp fangs, and they crouched in the attic. He handed them a flashlight each and a tinfoil chestplate. Then, in a pile that he showed by shining the flashlight on it, was a whole bunch of knick knacks - some deflated balls, sticks of wood, two old jars and a plastic lunchbox - filled with a rotten muffin, apple and PB&J sandwiches!

The boys and Mr. Foster threw the stuff down at the slug. It growled and hissed, forming a puddle of slime all around it.

But soon there was only one thing left. A pocket knife.

“Okay boys,” Mr. Foster announced, “Stay here and stay out of sight. Sam, tie the rope to that hook tightly, and Jeremy throw it down for me. Try and keep it out of the slug’s reach.

The boys did so. Mr Foster gripped the red and silver pocket knife in his trembling hand. He slowly climbed down, holding onto the rope with one hand and keeping his legs up to make a ‘ball’ shape. The slug was quiet, but bared its teeth and glared at Mr. Foster with dark, angry eyes.

The teacher looked up at the boys, were were looking down at him anxiously. Once he was down to reach the slug (but the disturbing creature couldn’t reach him, thankfully - a fat slug like that could barely jump even 2 centimetres) he took a deep breath, held the knife high in the air, and…

SPLAT!

I hope you liked seeing my reading work. Hilton Ayrey reading is my favourite kind of reading because you get to choose what you do. Hopefully we're doing it next week!

- Jaime