A VERY SPECIAL BOOK

https://www.storyjumper.com/book/read/157862741

Hello! In this link above you can read the book I have created with my 3rd course class.

I decided to create one book with the whole class because I wanted it to be a cooperative work. As the class is composed by 14 students, I organized them in pairs, taking into account their mixed abilities, so that each pair would create two pages of the book (one with text, and another one with the picture).

I have included this creation as one of the final products of the unit based on food vocabulary, which we are currently working on. So, before working with different oral and written activities to consolidate the vocabulary and structures, the pairs started creating their pages, in order. I have dedicated three sessions this week to create the story, keeping in mind that while a pair is working on the computer with me (creating their pages), the rest should be working too. For this reason, I had prepared some liveworksheets for them to still work on vocabulary and structures. 

The main aim of this activity was that my students were able to become to an agreement with their partner to create a part of a story, taking into consideration the whole plot of the story (according to what the rest of the class is writing too). Also, the aim was that my students would work on their writing skills and that they express their own ideas using their creativity and imagination. These two abilities were encouraged in terms of creating a story related to a food topic, and the creation of a beautiful design of the book too. 

My students really enjoyed this activity, but they had their preferences. In general terms, they preferred to work on the design of characters, choosing the scene and theme of the pages, looking for stickers, and so on. However, the written part was more difficult for them and they required more help from me, because sometimes they didn't know how to put some words together in a sentence. Nevertheless, the feelings about this activity were good, and the pupils felt very satisfied and happy when the whole book was finished. They even want to show it to the rest of the school, they are very proud of the work!

If something I would change for future occasions is that I would allow students to work on their own book. Maybe stating the topic of it, but giving them total freedom to create one book each pair or group, instead of creating one for the whole class. Still I think it was best this time to have one story for the whole class, as this was the first time of them working with this website, and I preferred to work closely with them with something common for all. 

After the book was finished and it was exposed in the class, the students commented on the different ideas the classmates have given: from aesthetic ones to written ones. We also commented about the whole experience of becoming writers, and we examined some books in the website to see the creations of children from all around the world. 

As I have commented before, my students really liked this experience and for sure I will use Storyjumper again with them!