Learning, growth and fun are three words not often used in the same breath.This site aims to promote language growth through learning, all the while having fun.Hence the name PedaGrowFun. It consists of pedagogical materials designed to help in the development of language skills, and also contains the Christian and Corinne series of adventure stories of a young boy and his little sister,and their marvelous MAGIC TELEVISION. The adventure begins with the April 22, 2008 story.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

DODO 2 BLAST OFF!

Dodo 1 was posted on April 30,2009


Not long after, the three children found themselves safely and comfortably strapped into their chairs inside the MAGIC TELEVISION. Christian, at the control panel, looked over at his sister and cousin, and asked them if they were ready.

“ Yes! Yes! my captain” exclaimed Caleb, his face beaming with excitement.

“ Let’s go Christian. We’ve waited long enough,” added Corinne.

“ Well then, Allons-y-Alonzo,” murmured Christian, his forefinger already on the SS [SUPER SPEED] button.

Immediately, the children heard what they thought was thunder at the same time as they felt an enormous propulsion pushing them backwards into their chairs. VROOM! And the magnificent MAGIC TELEVISION hurled itself towards the moon.

“ Do not be afraid little ones. That is what leaving our planet for outer space is like,” said the TELEVISION in a very calm voice. “ Let me assure you, things will be back to normal in just a few seconds.”

And so it was that just a few minutes later the children cast a last look at the beautiful planet that they had just departed from and arrived on the other side of the moon, that mysterious side which humans could not see from the earth.

Christian, who had done a masterful job of piloting, slowed the TELEVISION down to a normal speed so they could take in the sights.

“ Caleb, would you like to help me pilot the TELEVISION now?” he asked his little cousin.

“ Caleb, his heart bursting with pride answered right away, “Yes Christian. Thank you.”

The children slowly headed east. They looked very attentively at this side of the moon and were surprised to see nothing but sand, rocks, arid mountains and valleys. Everything seemed dry and without life. There was neither the blue of sky and water nor the green of forest that could be seen almost everywhere on earth, and that most people took for granted…

“ Over there, Christian, over there!” cried Caleb, pointing his finger. “ There seems to be light, smoke.” Both started piloting the TELEVISION towards an enormous valley. Corinne stared, stupefied, not believing her eyes. Perhaps Pépére hadn’t lied… perhaps this wasn’t just another one of his stories… just perhaps… she kept telling herself.

The TELEVISION approached the valley at a crawl. Now the children could make out more signs of life - tall buildings, some in the form of mushrooms, some in the form of balloons and still others in the form of lozenges. And movement - they could see lots, but what they saw were not humans, nor were they rabbits. Then, what were they?

“ Let’s get closer Christian, but not too quickly,” implored Corinne, her voice trembling. “ Look - over there, almost in front of that big mushroom - there are lights signalling us. There seems to be a place to land. They want us to land.”

“ That is exactly right my children,” interrupted the TELEVISION. Now is the time to go see this strange place. You must not be afraid. I am always there, and as always, ready for any danger. No one has yet seen the smallest of my BIG powers…

DODO 3 WELCOME! TO BE CONTINUED… EARLY JULY 2009

Surprise! Surprise! There seems to be life on the dark side of the moon. Is it, however, such as we know it on earth? What other surprises are there lying in store for our three young adventurers?