1 Write a short paragraph based on your experience as a flea hopping or crawling around on any animal of your choice. Describe what your world looks like. What types of things do you encounter?
2 Do you recall the story, 'ARMADILLOW'? The sculpture shows a boy inside a sleeping bag and he's using an armadillo as a pillow! Imagine you are the armadillo. Why did you crawl inside the boy's tent? How did you become the pillow? How does it feel and do you sleep well? Write your ideas down to share with the group later.
3 Write a short story entitled, 'MY TRIP ON A FLYING CARPET'. Illustrate it too if you want.
4 What did you think about when you were exploring JUST IMAGINE? What things do you remember about it? Do you recall the characters or stories? How do you feel? Think of ten words to describe your impressions and memories of something about JUST IMAGINE. Make a list.
5 Write a story entitled, 'THE DAY QUEEN OLIVIA INVITED ME TO HER PALACE'. Include some answers to the following questions. Why did the Queen invite you? Was anyone else invited? Who? What rooms did you see? Were there any dungeons? If so, what was in them? You were invited to stay to dinner. What did you eat and was it good? Did you receive any gifts from the Queen? If so, why?
6 Create a short story that begins with:
a) 'When I looked into the mirror I got a huge shock – my body had sprouted wings and I felt like a gigantic butterfly!' or
b) 'I suddenly awoke and found myself riding through the waves on the back of a giant fish'.
7 Pretend that you are a very rare creature and you have been captured. You are locked in a cage called 'The Mystery Box' and the box has been placed inside a big book called JUST IMAGINE. There are holes in the top and sides of your cage. During the daytime human hands poke through the holes of your cage and touch you. Why do they do this? What do they think you are? How does it make you feel to be locked inside? What and when do you eat?
extract from a story written by Mark, grade 3
'One day my class was going on a field trip. When we got there we were divided into groups. The first place we went was the exhibit that the author set up. It was a huge book. On one side there was a box. The rest of the class was looking at two puppets so I stuck my hand in. I didn't feel anything. So I stuck my head in - then I fell into the box!'
I looked around and saw that I was in a forest. Then I felt a tap. It was a wolf. He said “Hi where are you going?” I jumped back surprised. Then I said ‘my grandmas, I think”. With that the wolf ran off. The wolf ran to a small house and knocked on the door and said ”it is little red riding hood come to visit” and he ran in it, ate the granma and went to lay in her bed.
But I figured (it) out. It was the story of little Red Riding Hood! I went off to get help, to find someone to kill the wolf. Half way there, I heard a noise. I stopped. I looked up and out of the sky came a piece of paper. “The page!” I screamed. The paper flapped down and I appeared on the other side. There was a small police department. The police sent some other police out to kill the wolf. But the police liked animals. They put him to sleep and brought him to the hospital. There they cut him open to get the granma that he had eaten.
Then the police took him to the zoo. And the wolf lived happly (sic) ever after never to eat a granma again. And now I had to get out of the book…. The end.
8 Choose 2 different stories you liked in JUST IMAGINE. Mix the stories together and create one new story. Include characters from both stories.
9 The following is a scenario for adults to contemplate.
Imagine that you have reverted to your childhood. Pick a specific age. You have just finished exploring JUST IMAGINE. What story appeals to you most? Why? What are your impressions about the big book? Write a short essay from your childhood perspective. Afterwards consider these same questions from your adult perspective. Do you feel any differently about JUST IMAGINE as an adult? How, and why is that? No? Explore the idea of how the passage of time can sometimes change our perspectives.
