Lesson 3: Creating a Choose Your Own Adventure Story

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Download Lesson Handout 1 (49 kb)

Download Lesson Handout 2 (51 kb)

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Introduction
Providing Background - Teaching Points
Supports
Process

Introduction

Subject

Language arts as well as cross-discipline applications in history and social studies.

Grade

This activity can be adapted to Grades 4 through 8 by increasing the complexity of the required story. The number of endings is key to the potential complexity of the assignment - for younger grades it is suggested that endings be limited to two: one happy and one sad ending.

Relevant Curriculum Expectations

(Grades 4 -8) Develop and organize content, use of graphic organizer, point of view writing, establish distinctive voice.

Learning Objectives

To develop and effectively organize a narrative with the aid of graphic organizers (Language); to apply historical information to storytelling through research (History).

Activity

A collaborative creation of a 'choose your own adventure' story based on historical content.

Duration

Depending on the length and complexity of the narrative required, the activity could take anywhere between one class period to a week long project.

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Providing Background - Teaching Points

  1. Introduce the idea of the 'Choose Your Own Adventure' story. In these stories, the reader gets to make choices for one or more of the main characters. These decisions will influence the outcome(s) of the story. The Cobalt Adventure is a Choose Your Own Adventure based activity. For an overview on the history of Choose Your Own Adventures stories see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choose_Your_Own_Adventure (Accessed August 10, 2009).

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Supports

Materials Required - Students will need Worksheets 1 & 2. (see below)

Download Lesson Handout 1 (49 kb)

Download Lesson Handout 2 (51 kb)

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Process

First session:

  1. Students gather in small groups to brainstorm a topic based on the Cobalt Adventure. Possible issues would include a silver discovery, a mining accident, a fire or outbreak of disease or trying to sell a mining claim.
  2. Students will need to decide on a main character (use Lesson 2 -Worksheet 1) and the main problem that needs to be resolved. The entire group will draft an outline (see Lesson 3-Worksheet 2-1 or 2-2) for this main part of the story.
  3. Then the group will split into two smaller groups and each group will develop an ending. For older grades, individual students could each tackle an ending. Students should collaborate on the nature of their endings to ensure a balance of positive and negative endings.
  4. Students will then transfer the information to a graphic organizer.

Second Session:

  1. As a group, students can write the story. Depending on the skill level of the class, the story could include dialogue and description or simply a straightforward narrative.
  2. Students can share their stories with the rest of the class, paying attention to the variety of endings.

A class discussion as to the importance of decision-making and consequences could also occur at this juncture. Students can apply the lessons from their stories to their own experiences where a decision changed the outcome.

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