Sharing Living Stories

Overview

In this final 45-minute lesson, groups present or record their original narrative or legend, using sound effects, music and a vision board to make the story engaging. Students practise respectful listening, give constructive feedback, and reflect on how effectively they communicated their ideas.

Learning intentions

• WALT present, record and evaluate an entertaining narrative enhanced by sound.
• WALT use voice, sound effects and music purposefully for an audience.
• WALT give and respond to constructive feedback.
• WALT demonstrate Excellence, Respect, Responsibility and Honesty.

Success criteria

• I can tell or record a story that is understandable and engaging.
• I can use sound effects and music to enhance, rather than distract from, my story.
• I can explain my production choices and show that group roles were shared responsibly.
• I can listen respectfully, give useful feedback and identify one improvement.

Curriculum links

• Creating and presenting oral, written and visual texts for a purpose and audience.
• Selecting language, voice, sound and visual features to communicate ideas and engage an audience.
• Listening, responding and building on others’ ideas in collaborative discussion.
• Reflecting on the effectiveness of choices and using feedback to improve communication.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 minutes – Connect and prepare Open with the hook and learning intentions. Remind students that today they are both performers and an audience. Briefly revisit the success criteria and school values, then check that each group has its script, vision board and agreed presentation format.

2. 5–10 minutes – I do: model expectations Use the presentation expectations to model a short, deliberately unclear story recording followed by an improved version. Think aloud about recording etiquette: speak clearly, leave a pause before and after recording, keep sound levels balanced, and avoid unnecessary background noise. Model respectful audience behaviour and one specific feedback comment.

3. 10–15 minutes – We do: co-create feedback Introduce “Glow, Grow, Wonder” using the feedback prompts. As a class, discuss the model and co-create one example for each:

• Glow: something effective.
• Grow: one practical improvement.
• Wonder: a thoughtful question about a choice.

Emphasise Honesty with kindness: feedback should describe the work, not judge the person. Allocate or confirm group responsibilities using the group role cards.

4. 15–32 minutes – You do: perform or record Groups of four to six perform live, record an audio version, or present to a small audience. Each group displays its vision board and briefly explains one production choice, such as why a particular sound represents danger, place or mood. Use the performance running order and audience reminders to manage transitions. Audience members listen silently, note one Glow and one Grow, and use the agreed applause or appreciation signal. Offer an audio-only or supported option without reducing the expected quality of the storytelling.

5. 32–39 minutes – Feedback and group reflection After each presentation, allow approximately one minute for audience feedback and one minute for the group to respond. Groups complete the performance feedback and self-assessment sheet, rating themselves against the success criteria and recording one specific improvement. Support students to refer to evidence, such as “The footsteps made the chase feel…” rather than simply saying “It was good.”

6. 39–45 minutes – Plenary and next step Invite several students to share how sound shaped the audience’s response. Return to the reflection and exit prompt and ask: “Which sound choice most changed the mood, and why?” Students complete the final reflection on their worksheet, naming one value they demonstrated and one next step. Collect scripts, worksheets and recordings for assessment.

Resources

• the complete presentation and reflection slide deck
• the performance feedback and self-assessment sheet
• the group role cards
• Completed group scripts or storyboards
• Vision boards
• Recording devices or tablets with headphones
• Speakers, microphones and pre-recorded sound files, if available
• Timer and a quiet recording space
• Dyslexia-friendly copies of scripts with clear spacing and larger text

Assessment

• Observe presentations for clear storytelling, purposeful sound choices, evident roles and audience awareness.
• Review audience Glow, Grow and Wonder comments for respectful, specific listening and feedback.
• Use the self-assessment sheet to check students’ understanding of the success criteria, values and next improvement.

Differentiation

• Offer live performance, audio-only recording or a small-audience presentation. Students may use visual cue cards, a pre-recorded narration or a partner narrator.
• Provide dyslexia-friendly scripts, text-to-speech or audio playback, extra rehearsal time and permission to mark pauses, emphasis and sound cues in colour.
• For the student with ASD and students who rarely join whole-class activities, preview the running order, provide a predictable role such as sound operator or vision-board presenter, and allow reflection through drawing, selecting prompts or a supported conversation.
• Pair confident speakers with students needing support, keep roles flexible, and provide sentence starters such as “The sound effect helped the audience to…” and “Next time we could…”.

Extension

• Edit the recording for timing and sound balance, create a title and cover design, and write a brief evaluation explaining how sound shaped the audience’s response.