Our English stories

Description of the activity:

Lesson 1: "Building a Collective Story"

Opening Activity (15 min): Introduction to the concept of storytelling and the importance of collaboration in creating stories. See TRACK 1 for activity organization.

Brainstorming Ideas (20 min): Divide the students into groups. Each group should brainstorm ideas for a fantasy story to write in English. Each group needs to identify the main character, setting, and initial problem of the story. Example: Main character: a young explorer; Setting: a city suspended in the clouds; Initial problem: the disappearance of magical objects. See TRACK 2 for activity organization.

Story Construction (25 min): Each group develops a short story based on the generated ideas, taking turns writing in English. Students should define a short plot, characters, and identify at least three key words important to the story to present to their classmates. For each chosen word, groups define the meaning and create a poster to present words and meanings. Students can use digital tools to search for content and images. The collected words will form a Story Vocabulary that will remain available to the class.

Lesson 2: "Story Dramatization"

Warm-Up Activity (10 min): Exercises to prepare students for dramatization, such as improvisation games. See TRACK 3 for activity organization.

Script and Roles (25 min): Divide the students into the groups formed in Lesson 1. Each group reads and presents their story. Groups discuss the various stories and choose one to represent. Encourage a collaborative atmosphere and exchange of opinions among students. It’s also possible to mix the various stories to highlight different creative talents that emerged. Once the story is chosen, groups agree on any script changes and choose the roles each group will interpret. For example, one group might take on the role of a character or the narrator.

Dramatization and Recording (25 min): Groups organize themselves and perform their part of the story, and the class records the performances. The created video can be used and made available to the class as an output of the activity.

Lesson 4: "Idea Exchange and Reflection"

Opening Activity (15 min): Discussion on the experience of collaboration, story creation, dramatization, and visual vocabulary.

Idea Exchange (25 min): Students participate in an idea exchange session among groups, discussing challenges and discoveries during the collaborative process.

Final Reflection (20 min): Each group reflects on their experiences, identifying the strengths of the collaboration and areas for improvement. See TRACK 4 for activity organization.

Expected Outputs: At the end of the activity, the following will be produced:

• A poster for each group with at least three key words representing the created story

• A video with the dramatization of one of the stories created by the working groups

Evaluation: Evaluation will be based on active participation, peer learning, creativity in collaborative activities, the quality of dramatization, and final reflection on collaboration.

Final Notes: The activity is designed to strengthen vocabulary and knowledge of new words in English. It can be used as a basis for similar activities in other languages. It also aims to integrate English learning with the competence "Collaboration," offering students an engaging experience that develops linguistic skills and collaboration abilities. The provided examples are suitable for middle school students, stimulating creativity and positive interaction among students.

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TRACK 1: LESSON 1 Explanation of Storytelling Begin with a clear and straightforward definition of what "storytelling" means. You can start by highlighting how storytelling is the art of sharing stories and how we share experiences, emotions, and life lessons with others through words, images, or even gestures. To facilitate understanding, you can use everyday examples by linking the concept of storytelling to daily situations students can recognize. Example: "Think about when you tell your friends what you did over the weekend or when you describe a movie you really liked. That is also storytelling." Cultural Importance: Emphasize how storytelling is a fundamental part of every culture worldwide, used to transmit history, values, traditions, and knowledge.

The Importance of Collaboration in Storytelling Collective Creation: Explain that while stories can be created individually, when people work together, they can combine their ideas, experiences, and creativity to create richer and more complex stories. Examples of Collaboration: Present examples of famous works created through collaboration. For instance, many movies and TV series are the result of teamwork among writers, directors, actors, and other professionals. Benefits of Diverse Perspectives: Discuss how different people bring different perspectives to a story. Each person in a team has unique life experiences and ideas. When these come together, the story is enriched with details and facets that one person alone might not consider.

Recommended Activity: To make the introduction interactive, you could include a brief ice-breaker game involving storytelling. Game "Story Relay": Students sit in a circle. You start by telling one sentence of a story, and then each student adds a sentence. This is not only fun but also demonstrates concretely how collaboration can build something that no one could have created alone.

Conclusion: Conclude the introduction by summarizing and emphasizing how, through teamwork and sharing diverse ideas, the quality and depth of created stories can be improved, thus enriching everyone's learning experience. This introduction should help students understand the value of storytelling and the collaborative approach, preparing them for the following activities where they will apply these concepts.

TRACK 2: LESSON 1 Dividing students into groups for a brainstorming session is an excellent way to stimulate creativity and promote collaboration. Here are some examples that each group can use as a starting point to create their own fantasy story in English:

Example 1: Main character: A girl who can talk to animals. Setting: An enchanted forest where each tree has its own soul. Initial problem: The forest starts losing its color and life, and the girl must discover the cause.

Example 2: Main character: A teenage inventor passionate about mechanics. Setting: A futuristic metropolis where everything is automated. Initial problem: The city's machines suddenly start malfunctioning, and chaos ensues.

Example 3: Main character: A ghost pirate roaming the seas. Setting: An archipelago of mysterious islands that appear only at midnight. Initial problem: The pirate must recover a lost treasure to find redemption and move on to the afterlife.

Example 4: Main character: A princess who refuses to follow her kingdom's traditions. Setting: An ancient castle built on a volcano. Initial problem: The volcano awakens, and the princess must find a way to save her people without sacrificing her freedom.

Example 5: Main character: A boy who discovers he can travel through time with his mind. Setting: Various historical periods, from the Middle Ages to the modern era. Initial problem: During one of his trips, the boy gets trapped in the past and must find a way to return to the present.

These examples can serve as models for students, who, through discussion and collective brainstorming, can modify, expand, or combine different elements to create a unique story. The goal is to encourage creativity and the use of English vocabulary in a fun and imaginative context.

TRACK 3: LESSON 2 To prepare students for dramatization, improvisation games can be an excellent tool to unlock creativity, improve communication fluency, and build self-confidence. Here are some examples of improvisation exercises you can use as warm-up activities:

1. "Whisper Down the Lane" How to play: Students stand in a circle. One student starts by whispering a sentence into the ear of the person next to them. The sentence must be passed in secret from one student to another until it returns to the original sender. Objective: This game helps improve concentration and active listening, crucial elements in dramatization.

2. "Musical Statues" How to play: Play some music and let the students move freely around the classroom. When the music stops, everyone must freeze in a pose. The last one to freeze is out. Objective: This game helps relax and prepare for improvisation, promoting quick reactions to external stimuli.

3. "One Emotion at a Time" How to play: Students stand in a circle. Each student, in turn, must step into the circle and express a sentence with a different emotion (joy, sadness, anger, fear, etc.). The others must guess which emotion it is. Objective: This exercise helps students explore different emotional expressions and use them effectively in dramatization.

4. "Random Dialogues" How to play: Prepare strips of paper with random phrases written on them. Students form pairs, draw a strip of paper, and start an improvised scene that includes that phrase. Objective: This game stimulates creativity and the ability to quickly build a coherent narrative or dialogue, essential for dramatization.

5. "Secret Objectives" How to play: Each student receives a secret objective on a piece of paper (e.g., convincing others to sing, making someone laugh, etc.). During an improvised group interaction, each student must try to achieve their objective without explicitly revealing it. Objective: This exercise promotes subtlety and complexity in character interpretation, encouraging students to pursue hidden goals.

   Using these improvisation games as a warm-up can make students more open and responsive, two essential qualities for good dramatization.

   
   

TRACK 4: LESSON 4 Guide Questions for Leading Discussion during Opening Activities (15 min).

What was the most rewarding part of creating the story together? What challenges did you encounter while working as a group? How did you overcome disagreements or differences of opinion during the creation of the story? How did collaboration influence the final outcome of the story? What did you learn about teamwork through this experience?

Idea Exchange (25 min): Discussion of challenges and discoveries during the collaborative process Guiding Questions for Fostering Discussion:

What was the most difficult moment in the creative process and how did you handle it? What techniques or strategies did you find useful for maintaining group cohesion? What were some of the most enlightening or surprising moments during the creation of the story? How do you think your collaboration skills have changed because of this experience? What personal skills do you think you have developed through this project?

Final Reflection (20 min): Reflection on group experiences Guide for Final Reflection:

What are the three main points each group member contributed to the project? What aspects of group work would you like to improve or change for future projects? How could you apply the lessons learned from this experience to other areas of your school or personal life? What communication methods within the group worked best? If you could redo the project, what would you do differently?

Using these guiding questions, students can have a clear framework for discussing and critically reflecting on their collaborative experiences, thereby improving their analytical and understanding capabilities of collaborative processes. These discussions and reflections also help consolidate the skills learned and promote a greater awareness of group dynamics.