INFORMATION

ESOL Student Level: High Beginner+
Description: Students co-author a very short story in three parts, a beginning, middle and end.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Set the Stage: (optional) use as a process-writing activity (based on a class experience), or pre-select a theme (e.g. mystery, false fable, soap opera, etc.).
   
   
2. Set up the authoring teams. Divide the class into groups of three. (See VARIATIONS below for inter-class exchanges.)
   
   
3. Everyone writes Part A (the "beginning" of the story), and gives it to another person in the group (either through email or on paper).
   
   
4. Everyone writes Part B (the "middle" of the story), and gives it to the third person in the group.
   
   
5. The last person writes Part C (the "end"), and the story is finished!
   
   
6. Illustrate individually or in groups (optional).
   
   
7. Hints:
   • Make sure each person's name gets on the story at each turn.
   • This works best if it's done in one day -- then copies are not "lost" and chains are not "broken".

• Find a class with whom you can share exchanges.
  Hint: IECC is a great way to find an email exchange class for free!
  
  
• Faster results can be achieved in an email exchange if the class that initiates the story (Part A writers) also finishes the story (Part C). Then the story is only "gone" (in the hands of the other class) for just one turn. Fewer stories are "lost" or remain unfinished this way.
  
  
• More exchanges are possible if you give 2 turns in the middle (i.e. 2 parts to the middle).