Writing Activity: Mystery Bags

This is a lesson plan for a group writing activity. It is a lesson for 60 minutes. The
level is intermediate for primary level students, grades 3-5. (12 in a class) The
lesson is to write a short story about where a Teddy Bear went on vacation and
what he did there.
Presentation:
Pre-teach: Have a discussion about vacations. Where did you go for the last
holiday break? How did you spend your time? What did you see and do there?
What was the weather like? What types of clothes did you wear? What was your
favorite part of the vacation?
Materials: N/A
Interaction: Teacher>Student, Student>Teacher&Student
Timing 10 min.
Objective: Listening and speaking (answering questions)
Introduce Teddy Bear to the students. Tell them that Teddy likes going on
vacations and to collect things from these places. Show them the three bags on
each table. Tell them these bags contain what Teddy has collected from each
vacation. Tell them they will be split into three groups of 4. As a group, their task
is to discuss where Teddy went on vacation and what he did there.
Practice: In groups of four, children discuss where Teddy has gone on vacation.
They predict where the objects came from and what they represent. They come
up with a story about Teddys holiday.
Materials: 3 cloth bags with different items in them:
First Bag: Sunglasses, a small sand shovel, a seashell, a Popsicle stick, swim
goggles.
Second Bag: A winter hat, a scarf, a mug, a packet of hot cocoa, a carrot, two
black buttons.
Third Bag: A map of Paris, a small statue of Eiffel tower, Tickets to metro, a small
picture of Mona Lisa
(These items can be easily changed to fit different topics like: Teddys first day at
school, Teddy visits the dentist, etc. Children will like it better if Teddy is always
the main character.)
Interaction: S>S
Timing: 20 min
Objective: Predicting how the objects in the bag make a story. Speaking and
listening skills. Brainstorming as a group.
Production: As a group, students write a short story about Teddys vacation. They
can illustrate the story and color the pictures.
Materials: Paper, pencils, colored pencils

Interaction: S>S
Timing: 30 min
Objective: Writing skills, organizing a story, discussion.
Extension for another 60 min class: Groups can present their stories to the class.
The stories can be put together and made into a book called Teddys Holidays.
Materials: Book-making materials, cardboard, string, hole puncher, markers
Interaction: S>S, S>T
Timing: 10-minute presentations per group, 30 minutes to make the book
Objective: Presentation and speaking skills, a class-made book to read and refer
to for future lessons. Reinforcement activity and independent reading practice.