Piper

Chunk 1

Thank you to Annie (Year 6), Rhys (Year 6), Tilly (Year 5), Charlie M (Year 4), William (Year 3), Antonia (Year 3), Aaliyah (Year 2), Scarlett (Year 2), Finley (Year 1)

On an Autumn evening at the beach, Piper was cuddled up to his mum in their nest. Piper was snuggling into the sand, enclosed in the reeds and hidden from the waves. As the waves crashed over each other and the wind howled restlessly through the dunes, Piper snuggled down even further in his sandy nest. His mum gave him one last smile and she was off, soaring gracefully to the water’s edge. The sapphire-blue sea and the silky-blue sky were so alike Piper couldn’t tell where the sea ended and the sky started. The birds sang songs. The seagulls cried. He scanned the beach for his mum. Mum pecked the burnt sienna-gold sand with her long orange, sharp beak, triumphantly pulling out a tinted white shell. The placing in her mouth a scrumptious shellfish. Piper felt hungry. His stomach rumbled as his mum lifted her dinner up in her great beak. Piper opened his little mouth expectantly. He smacked his beak thinking about the delicious food. His beak made a clicking noise. He waited. Nothing happened. It was in that moment that Piper realised that he was going to have to venture out of the safety of his warm nest to retrieve his lunch.

Chunk 2

Thank you to Timmy (Year 6), Honey Ball (Year 5), Kasper (Year 4), Cerys (Year 4),  Vinnie (Year 3), Levi (Year 2), David (Year 1), Wilf (Year 1)

Much to his surprise he realised she wasn’t coming back to feed him in the nest. Piper was reluctant, he sat down and opened his beak and waited. He opened his eyes and took a look back at his mum. Then for the third time that morning his mum called to him. This time he took his first step out of the nest, he fell into a dune causing a shower of sand to cover him. He stood up and shook himself like a wet dog. The hungry bundle of feathers hopped and ran, flapping his wings like an excited puppy wagging his tail. Continuing his journey, he scampered through the sand dunes towards the elegant waves. Jumping over abandoned shells. He sprinted and skidded across the beach. Tiring, raced unsteadily on his thin spindly legs. At last he met with the crowd of Sand Pipers in the muddy shallows. Mum guided him towards the flock. He jabbed his head through the sand to find some lunch. ‘Yes! Yum! lunch! ‘said Piper. But the other Sand Pipers were leaving and mum called him before he could eat. Piper noticed the other birds scurrying away. Piper looked confused and before he had time to consider what was happening, a colossal wall of water had come straight for him. Without time to run for cover, SPLASH, the tiny bird was drenched by the wave. It pushed him down into the squelchy sand.

Chunk 3

Thank you to Ollie (Year 6), Hannah Adam (Year 5), Malachi (Year 4), Bella (Year 3), Devlyn (Year 3), Arlo (Year 2), Ellie (Year 1)

A startled Piper retreated like a feathered soldier back to the safety of the reed-roofed nest. Piper sat scarred from the relentless sea, Nervously, Piper stared out to the sapphire light blue sea. With not a tourist in sight he really did wish he had food. A shell crab or an oyster anything! A new wave reached out as if to grab Piper with its frothy fingers. Piper promptly ducked. He was a nervous wreck, ducking down every time something moved. He continued to watch the big splashy waves and felt really frightened. His stomach started to rumble and it made him feel sad and scared because he knew he had to face his fears. His stomach groaned again. He called for his mum with a desperate chirp. Piper chirped as loudly as he could hoping to attract someone’s attention but he realised that if he was going to eat he would have to get food himself. So he stood up bravely but again a ferocious wave came charging towards him. He cautiously edged forward but was scared back by a crashing wave. Seconds later, he found the courage to peer above the sandy dune. He puffed his feathers, put back his wings and decided to face his fears.

Chunk 4

Thank you to Loula Year 6, Luca Year 5, Roxy Year 4, Ffion Year 3, Idris Year 2, Archie V Year 2, William Year 1.

The plucky Piper darted towards a clam he had spotted on the water’s edge. With a dash of inspiration and a big gulp of courage, Piper scampered towards the gleaming sea, clambering on a rocky boulder. Focusing on the plump creamy shell-fish, he picked up speed, heading for the magnificent trophy unaware of the gigantic wave. The huge body of water came crashing towards Piper, he ran along the beach and stopped. The waves came splashing like thunder. To Piper the waves reminded him of the arms of a monster trying to grab its prey, then pulling it back into the murky depths of the sea. Startled and terror stricken once more he turns and retreats for cover along with the other birds. Piper ran as fast as he could, tripping and slipping as he ran. He twists and escapes to take cover in a mattress of entwined seaweed. Only to watch the wave disintegrate into a small trickle of water which only touched the fish by a slither.

Chunk 5

Thank you Byron Year 6, Izzy Year 5, Kasper Year 4, Lily Year 4, Evie Year 1, Olive Year 1.

Piper watched from amongst the dried seaweed but then a hermit crab grabbed his attention by sprinkling sand all over his face. Out popped a little, round, orange, pointy sea crab. Slightly irritated but fascinated by the creature, that he had never seen before, he inquisitively followed and watched it going about his business of searching and consuming its lunch. Transfixed by the hermit crab. Piper ran after the crab and followed it down to the water’s edge. He watched curiously at what the crab was doing, it too seemed to be looking for food. Gazing at the crab eating made him feel hungry again.  Piper suddenly realised that this little crab could be his food. A colossal wave appeared in the distance. This time Piper was brave and instead of running away copied the crab by wriggling his grey fluffy tummy down into the wet sand and he burrowed himself down and braced himself for the event.

Chunk 6

We practised our handwriting by writing out this chunk as neatly as we could.

Piper continued to admire the crabs from a distance. Mindless of the encroaching tide, the sapphire blue waves abruptly imprisoned him. Submerged under the glistening sea, with rays of sunshine darting through the dancing waves, Piper gazed upon the cautious clams as they rose from their hiding places.  The ocean was alive with a harmony of bubbles gently rippling to the surface.  The waves gracefully withdrew to reveal a contented and invigorated chick.

Chunk 7

Thank you to Timmy Year 6, Sofia Year 6, Betty Year 4, Charlie Year 4, Ffion Year 3, Hettie Year 3, Sophia Year 2, Alexandra Year 1, Roman Year 1.

As the waves receded back, Piper ran along the golden sand and the foamy water, running through the waves and through the other birds seated around their nests. Skipping with happiness through the mother birds. Piper sat there with a glorious smile after discovering the secret to limitless breakfast. Piper was super proud of his discovery so he zoomed off to tell his mum. With a hop skip and a jump, the tiny chick charged like a bull to the fuming waves which he was scared of no longer. The beach was like a treasure chest full of delicious things to eat. With determination, Piper went Running and skipping along the beach with the smell of the salty-shining sea, he joyfully carried a sandy clam shell. He was bursting with pride, like a winner in a race, as he sprinted to show his mum what he had learnt. He shared his prize with his mum, she gave him a pat on the back. Running again towards the furious waves, Piper dived out of sight of his proud mother and came up again but with yet another fabulous prize of a giant shell for dinner.

Chunk 8

Thank you to Cypress Year 5, Roxy Year 4, Cerys Year 4, Phoebe Year 3, Noah Year 2, Matthew Year 2 and William Year 1.

As Piper gobbled and guzzled the delectable delicious bright coloured shells, which were tender and filled to the brim with the beautiful taste of the salty, scrumptious ocean, he scurried and scrambled between the other birds. Piper shot nimbly between discarded shells. There was no stopping him, Piper was raring to scout out some dinner for the starving birds. He hastily gathered eight shells from under the waves but only ate one, so that the other birds could have some. Grey and white birds came from mountains and beach coasts. It was like they were having a feast at a royal ball. He went back into the water to get another plump and tasty clam. The chewy gooey sea creature whizzed right to the bottom of his throat.

Chunk 9

Thank you to Annie Y6, Izzy Y5, Cerys Y4, Roxy Y4, George Y4, Oscar Y3, Bella Y3, Sophia H Year 2, Oakley H Year 2, Clara Y1. 

Piper joyfully danced and pranced, fluttering like a fairy, across the beach, skipping through the clear water. Piper was so happy with what he had learnt. The chick was as ecstatic as a child on Christmas Day. Piper was still spinning and bouncing in the sea as the sun was setting. He dashed up the beach once more, collecting more delicious food for his fellow scavengers. Exhausted as the sun finally set, with a long day behind him, the mother’s son snuggled up in his soft nest. Piper was dreaming of waves crashing against the sand. He was no longer afraid. Piper now realised that a candle loses nothing by lighting another candle and that all anyone has to do, to face their fears, is to be brave.

Here is the film that is inspiring our writing:

https://youtu.be/vPuRBiBCxyk