We have just finished reading Part I of The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, where a round robin is used by the crew in their mutiny attempt. With such a contract, no one is responsible and everyone is responsible for the captain's overthrow.

In this round robin activity, several students will work together, but individually, to create an interesting and entertaining story.

Below is a list of resource words for you to use in this creative writing assignment.

an umbrella a grandfather's clocka broomstickthree blind mice

autumn leavesa full moona looking glass (mirror)a footballa candle

a pair of muddy boots a long and winding road

1. Your first job is to begin a story appropriate for this time of year using at least two words from the above list. After about ten minutes of thinking and writing, you will be asked to move to the computer on your right.
2. Once there, you will read the story on the screen in front of you and continue that story line any way you wish using at least another two words from the above list.
3. After another ten minutes or so, you will move again to the computer on your right and continue the process, using two more words from the list.
4. At the next time signal, you will return to you home computer--the one where you started the story. Now you can read what was added in your absence and try to pull the whole thing together with a satisfying conclusion. You may not, however, change anything that has already been written. Be sure that there are at least eight of the resource words contained in "your" story.

This activity is mostly for fun--a single class period project which provides a pleasant break from the regular classroom routine. For me, it represents a first step in learning to use technology with a whole classroom of students. In the process, the students will learn how to develop a story line. They will also gain experience in spontaneous and logical thinking as they review and extend the "plot" before them. But my hope is that they will be enjoying themselves too much to notice this!

This project designed and implemented by Donna Merow, English teacher for Germantown Academy, for the students of the Middle School. Technical assistance and web design furnished by Carol Siwinski, Curricular Technology Specialist.