Time Twist Stories

Overview

Students explore how time can change a person, place or problem, then plan and draft a short narrative designed to entertain. They will use a “time twist” prompt to create a clear character, setting, problem, action and resolution, with sensory detail, dialogue and time connectives.

Learning intentions

• WALT create an entertaining narrative based on the idea that time causes change.
• WALT structure a story with a character, setting, problem, plan, action and resolution.
• WALT develop characters through their actions, feelings and dialogue.
• WALT make deliberate language choices to affect and entertain our audience.

Success criteria

• I can show how time changes a character, setting or situation.
• I can organise my story into paragraphs with a beginning, middle and ending.
• I can use time connectives, sensory details and at least one line of dialogue.
• I can create a satisfying ending that follows naturally from the events.

Curriculum links

• Writing to entertain: creating narratives with characters, settings, problems, actions, resolutions and effective closure.
• Writing to entertain: organising ideas into paragraphs and developing plot through time connectives, sensory detail, dialogue and poetic language.
• Audience, purpose and language choice: making deliberate choices about what to include or leave out to affect readers.
• Writing processes — planning: setting and working towards a specific writing goal.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook: A changed world. Display the opening question from the Time Twist introduction deck: “You return to your street after 100 years. What is different—and what has stayed the same?” Read a short model opening aloud, such as: The old pōhutukawa still leaned over the footpath, but the houses now floated above the clouds. Students turn and talk about one change they can imagine in a familiar place.

2. 5–12 min · Notice the ingredients. Show the model story structure on the narrative ingredients slides. Briefly identify the character, setting, problem, plan, action and resolution. Model improving a plain sentence—The park changed—into a sensory sentence: By the time Mere returned, the playground creaked beneath a blanket of silver moss. Students suggest what the character might feel, notice or do next.

3. 12–17 min · Choose a time twist. Give pairs one card from the Creative Writing Tension Cards or allow students to choose a prompt. Students select one change caused by time, such as a race against time, a secret revealed years later or an unexpected twist. They orally rehearse: “At first…, but after time passed…, so…”

4. 17–25 min · Plan the plot. Distribute the Time Twist story planner and guide students through the boxes: character and goal, setting before and after the change, problem, plan, three key actions and resolution. Students set one personal writing goal, such as “I will show feelings through actions” or “I will use three strong sensory details.” Confer with students who need help choosing a manageable idea.

5. 25–39 min · Draft for an audience. Revisit the writing reminders on the drafting and language slides. Students independently draft a 3–5 paragraph story of approximately 250–350 words. Encourage a strong opening, time connectives such as years later, by sunset and eventually, sensory language, and one or two purposeful lines of dialogue. Pause at 32 minutes for students to reread and check whether the change caused by time is clear.

6. 39–45 min · Share and improve. Display the peer response prompts on the sharing and reflection slides. In pairs, students read one favourite paragraph aloud and receive one response: “The part that entertained me was…” and “I wanted to know more about…”. Students make one immediate improvement, then complete the final reflection on their worksheet: “Time changed ___ by ___; I made this choice because ___.”

Resources

• the Time Twist introduction deck
• the Time Twist story planner
• the Creative Writing Tension Cards
• Whiteboard and markers
• Exercise books or writing books
• Pencils, erasers and coloured highlighters
• Timer

Assessment

• During discussion, check whether students can explain what has changed and identify the narrative ingredients in the model.
• Review planners for a clear time-related change, logical sequence and planned resolution; use conferences to support students before drafting.
• Collect or photograph final drafts and use the success criteria to check paragraphing, time connectives, sensory detail, dialogue, character development and closure.

Differentiation

• Support writers with a choice of familiar settings, oral rehearsal, a story map, sentence starters such as “Before time changed…” and “When ___ returned…”, and a reduced target of three well-developed paragraphs.
• Provide a quiet writing space, chunked instructions and teacher or peer scribing for students with literacy or processing needs. Allow students to draw the before-and-after setting before writing.
• EAL learners may discuss ideas in their strongest language first, work with a supportive partner and use a word bank of feelings, sensory words and time connectives.
• Extend confident writers by adding a shift in time, using a recurring image or metaphor, or revealing the time-related change through clues rather than explaining it directly.