📲Selfies and Taking Risks 📱
Objective:
Students will create a short digital story using StoryJumper about a character who takes a risk when taking a selfie.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Explain StoryJumper (5-7 minutes)
Before starting, give students a short explanation in Spanish about how to use StoryJumper:
¿Qué es StoryJumper?
Es una página web para crear libros digitales con imágenes y texto.¿Cómo se usa?
Ir a www.storyjumper.com
Hacer clic en "Empezar un libro".
Elegir un fondo y añadir personajes.
Escribir texto en cada página.
Guardar y compartir el libro.
EJEMPLO DE TRABAJO REALIZADO POR ALUMNOS: LINK
2. Introduce the Task (5 minutes)
Tell students:
"Today, you will create a short story about a person who takes a selfie in a dangerous situation. Use simple sentences and pictures to tell the story."Give an example:
"Ana takes a selfie near a cliff. She does not see the wind is strong. What happens next?"
3. Brainstorm Ideas (10 minutes)
Ask students to think of dangerous selfie situations (e.g., on a mountain, near an animal, in the middle of the road).
Write 3-4 ideas on the board.
4. Create the Story on StoryJumper (20 minutes)
Students log into StoryJumper and create their stories in 5-6 pages:
Introduce the character (Who is taking the selfie?)
Describe/choose the place (Where is the selfie taken?)
Show the risk (What is the danger?)
Describe the problem (What happens because of the selfie?)
The ending (What happens next? Is there a lesson?)
Example of simple sentences:
"Lucas was on a bridge. He took a selfie. The bridge was old."
"The bridge broke". Lucas fell into the river."
"Lucas learned to be careful with selfies."
5. Share and Discuss (10 minutes)
Students present their digital books in pairs or small groups.
Ask: "Is the character lucky or not?" / "What can we learn?"
Materials Needed:
✅ Computers or tablets
✅ Internet connection
✅ www.storyjumper.com
This task helps students practice past simple, sequencing, and storytelling, while using digital tools creatively. 😊
Reflection on the Selfies and Taking Risks Activity
1. How did you organize the groups?
I allowed students to work in pairs to encourage collaboration while ensuring that each student had an active role. Pairing weaker students with slightly stronger ones helped facilitate learning and confidence. I also considered students' comfort levels with technology, ensuring that each group had at least one person familiar with using digital tools.
2. What was the sequence of tasks that you followed to get to the final product?
The activity followed a structured sequence to guide students toward the final digital story:
Introduction and Explanation (5-7 minutes): I introduced the task, explaining how StoryJumper works in Spanish to ensure all students understood.
Task Introduction (5 minutes): I explained the assignment in English and provided a simple example of a dangerous selfie scenario.
Brainstorming (10 minutes): Students thought of risky selfie situations and shared ideas as a class. I wrote their ideas on the board to provide inspiration.
Story Creation on StoryJumper (20 minutes): Students worked on their digital books, structuring their stories with five key steps (character introduction, setting, risk, problem, resolution).
Sharing and Discussion (10 minutes): Students presented their stories to small groups or the whole class, reflecting on the dangers of reckless selfies.
3. What were the specific learning objectives for this activity? How did the use of the tool help the learners achieve these objectives?
The main learning objectives were:
Language Skills: Practicing past simple tense and sequencing events in a logical way.
Storytelling Skills: Developing a short, structured narrative with a beginning, middle, and end.
Digital Literacy: Using an online platform to create and present content.
Critical Thinking: Reflecting on the consequences of risky behavior when taking selfies.
Using StoryJumper helped learners achieve these objectives by providing a visual and interactive platform where they could illustrate their stories. For example, a student struggling with writing was able to add meaningful images that complemented their text, reinforcing their understanding of storytelling.
4. In what ways was creativity and the use of imagination encouraged in your students?
Students were encouraged to use their imagination by:
Choosing unique characters and dangerous settings (e.g., taking a selfie near a volcano, with a wild animal, on a rooftop).
Deciding on unexpected outcomes (e.g., the selfie leads to a funny accident, a close escape, or a lesson learned).
Selecting and arranging images creatively on StoryJumper to make their stories visually appealing.
Writing dialogue to make the story more engaging (e.g., "Wait! Be careful!").
5. What did your students enjoy most / least about this activity?
Most enjoyed:
✔️ The freedom to create their own stories and use digital tools instead of traditional writing exercises.
✔️ Adding funny or dramatic twists to their stories.
✔️ Working in pairs or groups, which made the activity feel less stressful.
Least enjoyed:
❌ Some students found it challenging to write in English without making mistakes.
❌ A few struggled with using StoryJumper at first, but they quickly adapted with peer support.
6. What would you change next time?
Provide a template or sentence starters to support lower-level students in writing their stories (e.g., “One day, ___ went to ___ to take a selfie. But suddenly…”).
Allow students to act out their stories before creating them, helping them visualize the sequence of events.
Give more time for peer feedback to help students refine their stories.
7. How were the finished projects shared with the rest of the class?
Students presented their stories in small groups and later uploaded their books to their blog portfolio, where everyone could view and comment on each other's work.
8. What opportunities were there for students to co-evaluate and discuss the learning experience with each other?
A peer review session allowed students to give positive feedback and suggest improvements, two stars and one wish, (e.g., “I like your ending, but you could add more details about the risk.”).
They reflected on the lesson learned in their stories and discussed how it applies to real life.
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