Sep 17, 2024

Once upon a time

Additional Info

  • Name: Once upon a time

  • OVERVIEW

  • Linguistic dimension

  • CEFR Level: B1
  • Linguistic dimension - Skill(s): Writing; Listening
  • Duration: 4 * 60 minutes
  • Target language: English

  • ICT dimension

  • ICT resources:

    (8 minutes. StoryBird tutorial in English).

    • Any StoryBird tutorial in L1:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg0fHgsPx4o

    • Online dictionaries, PC, projector and digital board.
    • Web browser.
    • Students’ computers/tablets/smartphones.
  • ICT competences: • Web browsers to search the Internet for specific information. • Word processing software. • Multimedia ICT tools. • PCs for educational purposes.

  • Detailed description of the task

  • Situation / theme(s): • Telling a story using a series of pictures as hints.
  • Product requirements or prerequisites: • Students must be acquainted with these writing requirements: o Layout, order, structure, hierarchy, connectors. o Selection and relevance of content. o Suitable vocabulary. o Correct grammar. • Students must get acquainted with StoryBird online software. • Teacher must prepare the following (example suitable for class of 24 students): o 4 kinds of violence: • Domestic. Sport. Racial. School (bullying). o 4 initial digital photos, one for every kind of violence, to be projected on the screen. o 8 sets of 4 pictures, as continuation for each story. • They must be in order. • The last picture of each story is missing. o 8 sets of final –paired- pictures. • One picture will suggest a “happy” ending and the other will not. o The total number of pictures for each group is 6: • one initial, four middle, two options for the ending. o A complete story written by the teacher –with its pictures- as an example.
  • I can...:
    • I can understand texts that consist of high frequency, everyday or job-related language.
    • I can understand the description of events, feelings and wishes in writing.
    • I can write simple connected texts on topics which are familiar or of personal interest, describing experiences and impressions.
    • I can produce clear, detailed texts on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topic, giving the advantages and disadvantages.
  • Product: Step-by-step written story on "Violence in our world" with illustrations.
  • Product requirements or prerequisites:
    • Students must be acquainted with these writing requirements:
      • Layout, order, structure, hierarchy, connectors.
      • Selection and relevance of content.
      • Suitable vocabulary.
      • Correct grammar.
    • Students must get acquainted with StoryBird online software.
    • Teacher must prepare the following

    (example suitable for class of 24 students):

    • 4 kinds of violence:
      • 4 initial digital photos, one for every kind of violence,

    to be projected on the screen.

    • 8 sets of 4 pictures, as continuation for each story.
      • They must be in order.
      • The last picture of each story is missing.
      • 8 sets of final –paired- pictures.
        • One picture will suggest a “happy” ending and the other will not.
        • The total number of pictures for each group is 6:
        • A complete story written by the teacher –with its pictures- as an example.
  • Process:

    Lesson # 1      Previous activities

    • Revision:
      • Students revise their knowledge of text structure, use of cohesive devices and application of logical order in paragraphs, learnt in previous lessons.
    • Class is divided in 8 groups of 3 students.
    • Watch the StoryBird tutorial listed above.
    • Teacher explains students the task requirements:
    • In each group, students write 3-page story including 6 images as hints.
    • For these 6 images, students must calculate half a page per picture.
    • The first sentence must begin with Once upon a time, …
    • The first picture will be the same for each group, which will lead way into topic: VIOLENCE IN OUR WORLD.
    • Students will work according to first illustration,

    without knowing what comes next.

    • Then, students are given the next series of 4 pictures, which differ from group to group.
    • Finally, each group will receive the two optional final images  and write the end of the story.
    • Teacher  will not explain this until the last moment:
      • The final page will have two images:

    A happy ending and an unhappy ending.

    • Each group will toss a coin to decide:
      • Heads: happy ending.  Tails: unhappy ending.

    Lesson # 2      1st writing session

    • Teacher shows first picture.
    • Students start working according to the first image,

    without knowing what is next.

    • Students are given  the next series of 4 pictures (printed or provided digitally).
    • Students work by writing story on a word-processing software, such as Word, and then copy it to the StoryBird app when it’s finished.

    Lesson # 3      2nd writing session

    • Continuation of work.
    • Each group receives their final optional images  so that they can write the ending of the story.
    • These written products are shared with the teacher and colleagues by publishing them in StoryBird app or by sending them by email to be marked later.

    Lesson # 4      Exposition and assessment

    • Students show stories by using digital board / PC, projector.
    • This can be done once a week over time, devoting 20 minutes of each class.
    • After reading all the stories, the  students and the teacher vote for the best one, by filling in following grid:

    Once upon a time

    Student’s  names:
    Items Points (up to 5)
    Size and layout requirements  
    Quality and interest of story  
    Suitability of  text according  to pictures  
    Grammar and vocabulary  
    Textual and communicative level  
    Mistakes (negative points)  
    TOTAL  

    Evaluation

    • Teacher will evaluate according to “Success factors” below.
    • Apart from standard mark, best three groups get 2, 1,5 or 1 extra points in next test.
  • Division of roles (optional): Group work.
  • Consolidating activities suggested or follow up plan:
    • A composition about a current issue is set as homework.
    • Tests to measure writing level.
    • Ask students to get involved in volunteer work.
  • Success factors or evaluation criteria:

    Students will get marks according to these criteria:

    • Linguistic competence: Students…
      • …have used vocabulary, grammar and textual devices correctly.
      • …have mastered a text structure.
      • …have learnt to order their ideas and express that order linguistically.
    • Digital competence: Students…
      • …use StoryBird and word-processors tools to present the target product.
      • … demonstrate their understanding that ICT areas are a tool for learning and working through their use in their daily work as students and class activities.
    • Social competence:
      • They work collaboratively.
    • Learning to learn competence:          Students…
      • …use their life experience to make something new out of it.
      • …consider mistakes as part of the learning process.
      • …demonstrate that they view classmates and the teacher as sources of knowledge by working collaboratively during the activity and by learning from each other.
  • Authors: • Antonio Cantero Ramírez. • María Carmen Caravaca Vargas. • Raúl Ruiz-Cecilia. If you wish to receive more information about the task or discuss its adaptation and implementation with its author, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Acknowledgements: Cantero Ramírez, Antonio. bPack. Granada, 2012.

  • Didactic added value of the task and other information

  • Practical hints for teachers:

    Thorough preparation of the activity is essential.
  • Additional methodological or didactic comments:
    • First and last page should be written by the best two students in each group.
    • Students are to be instructed to think before writing.
  • Reasons why this task is a model of best practices:
    • Task aims to develop linguistic, digital, social and learning to learn competences.
    • It facilitates writing task making it more fun.
    • Group work:
      • Encourages work for weaker students, giving them the opportunity to learn from their more advantaged colleagues.
  • Impact that it is expected to have on the teaching practices and attitudes:
    • Engage teachers in ICTs.
    • Encourage teachers to adopt TBLT and CEFR.
    • Let teachers know that group work, together with use of ICTs, is good way to prevent students from getting bored.
  • Reasons why this task travels well:
    • Writing is dealt with in any syllabus.
    • It can be easily changed to other CEFR levels.
    • Some people like reading. Those who don't may be attracted to the online product composed through StoryBird.
  • Rationale and/or theoretical underpinnings of the task: • TBLT using CEFR reference levels. • ICTs as tool for teaching/learning. • Key competences of language and computer literacy as the basis of modern teaching.
  • Preferencial target age group(s): High school students and university students
back to top

Tasks By Country