Writing the Production Proposal

Overview

In this third lesson of Stories That Sound Alive, students organise their storytelling project by writing a clear production proposal. They work in groups to select roles, plan equipment and sound, and begin adapting their narrative for an audio or multimedia production.

Learning intentions

• WALT write a clear production proposal for a storytelling project.
• WALT organise group roles, resources and production steps.
• WALT adapt a narrative using performance and sound cues.
• WALT communicate honestly about the support our group needs.

Success criteria

• I can explain why our group chose its story and identify our audience.
• I can name group members, roles, equipment and software.
• I can list a workable sequence of production steps.
• I can add clear cues such as [THUNDER] or [MUSIC FADES] and honestly identify support we need.

Curriculum links

• Creating meaning through written language: planning, organising and crafting ideas for a specific purpose and audience.
• Speaking, listening and presenting: contributing to collaborative discussion and making purposeful performance choices.
• Reading and responding to texts: recognising narrative structure, character, setting and mood when adapting a story.
• Key competencies: managing self, participating and contributing, relating to others, and thinking.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 minutes – Hook and recall Open with the hook and lesson goals. Play or read a short dramatic line with a sound cue, such as “The door slowly creaked open [DOOR CREAK].” Ask: “How did the sound change the mood?” Briefly revisit the story each group selected in the previous lesson.

2. 5–13 minutes – I do: model a proposal Display the proposal headings and worked example and model a short proposal aloud. Think aloud while completing the headings: chosen story and reason, audience, group members and roles, equipment/software, SFX/music, and production steps. Point out that a strong proposal is specific, realistic and honest rather than pretending the group can do everything independently.

3. 13–21 minutes – We do: build a class example Jointly construct a proposal for a familiar short story. Invite suggestions, then improve vague ideas together: change “use sounds” to “add rain and thunder during the storm scene”. Discuss achievable roles, including narrator, sound technician, performer, editor and cover designer. Refer to the group role cards as roles are clarified, and record agreed examples on the board.

4. 21–25 minutes – Explain the group task Show group task instructions and success criteria. Place students in groups of four or five and distribute the production proposal planner. Explain that every student must contribute at least one idea, while one student may scribe for the group. Groups should first complete the proposal, then begin drafting or adapting their narrative with sound cues.

5. 25–39 minutes – You do: plan and begin drafting Groups complete their proposal and start their script or adaptation. Circulate and conference with groups: check that roles are named, equipment is available, steps are in a sensible order, and sound choices suit the audience, atmosphere or pacing. Prompt students to add cues such as [FOOTSTEPS], [WIND RISES] or [MUSIC FADES]. Ask groups to identify any help they genuinely need, such as support with editing, recording or unfamiliar software.

6. 39–45 minutes – Share, reflect and next steps Invite two groups to share one proposal decision and explain why it is useful. Groups complete the reflection section on the production proposal planner: one completed strength, one question and one next step for Lesson 4. Collect proposals for a quick check, affirming Excellence, Respect, Responsibility and Honesty.

Resources

• the Stories That Sound Alive teaching deck
• the production proposal planner
• the group role cards
• Whiteboard or shared display
• Pencils, coloured pens and highlighters
• Students’ selected stories or previous narrative drafts
• Available classroom recording equipment and approved audio software
• Headphones, if available

Assessment

• Confer with groups during planning, checking whether proposals explain the story choice, audience, roles, equipment, sound choices and production sequence.
• Collect the completed proposal planner and note whether students have made specific, achievable decisions and acknowledged support needs honestly.
• Listen to the closing responses and use the next step identified by each group to plan Lesson 4 support.

Differentiation

• Provide a partially completed the production proposal planner, a word bank of roles, equipment and sound effects, and a model proposal for students who need structure.
• Offer dyslexia-friendly options: read instructions aloud, use a clear sans-serif font and uncluttered layout, allow oral rehearsal, speech-to-text or a scribe, and accept brief notes before full sentences.
• Support the student with ASD through a predictable role, a visual sequence of tasks and a quiet working option. They may submit an audio proposal or visual plan instead of a written proposal, with an adult checking the same success criteria.
• Extend confident writers by requiring them to justify each major sound choice using audience, atmosphere or pacing, and to sequence recording and editing steps with estimated time.