A PSLE continuous writing practice
Theme: Teamwork
Prompt Pictures: A timer/summit of mountain/a calendar with a date marked out as “deadline” (Use at least one of the three pictures)
The afternoon sun blazed down on the ground. A tense silence hung over a table nestled in the shade of the void deck, broken only by the rustle of construction paper. Maya, ruler in hand, carefully outlined a perfect coral shape. Across from her, Ethan doodled a fantastical fish with shimmering scales. Their coral reef project, a pair assignment, was due in two weeks, yet their collaboration was as disjointed as the scattered supplies.
"Sunlight filtering through these staghorns," Maya explained, pointing to her detailed design. "So lifelike!"
Ethan, however, scoffed. "Lifelike? Boring!" His eyes sparkled with excitement. "Imagine giant seahorses clinging to the coral!"
Maya's plan couldn't accommodate his whimsical creatures, creating a stalemate. Their project remained a disorganized mess throughout the rest of the day.
The next weekend, they gathered again for their unfinished project. Maya hunched over the table, fingers sore from cutting coral shapes. "Just a few more brain coral pieces," she muttered. Her frustration simmered when she spotted Ethan doodling clownfish on a napkin.
"Ethan, are you even contributing?" Maya blurted, her irritation boiling over.
Ethan looked up, startled. "Hey, I'm brainstorming!" he protested, gesturing to the napkin. "These clownfish will be the life of the party."
"Brainstorming? We need coral, not more clownfish varieties!" Maya countered, her voice laced with exasperation.
They continued bickering and the progress of their assignment stalled again.
As the deadline loomed, both Maya and Ethan were dejected, and fed up with each other. They approached Ms. Chen, asking if they could finish the project separately.
Ms. Chen chuckled, her smile crinkling the edges of her eyes. “Solo play is easier to manage,” she admitted, “but a truly captivating symphony requires a whole orchestra. Unfortunately, for this assignment, individual submission is not allowed.”
She tapped her fingers on the desk and continued, “You guys have to learn to work as a team. With joint efforts, I believe you can achieve much more than you think you could.”
Maya and Ethan exchanged a sheepish glance before falling into a thoughtful silence.
The next day, the two reunited with newfound determination. Ethan, understanding Maya's meticulousness, suggested using her coral shapes as a foundation for his creatures. Seeing the potential in his designs, Maya agreed to adapt her layout to his clownfish. Soon, a vivid coral reef model blended with whimsical creatures came into shape. Maya and Ethan high-fived, their initial frustrations forgotten.
By the end of the day, their coral reef model wasn't just complete – it was a vibrant, unique creation that reflected not only both their styles but also the teamwork and effort they put in together for it. Maybe, the next group project would not be quite so stressful.
