Duration: 90 minutes.

Primary SPIRIT Skill(s) focus

• Valuing people and nature
• Curiosity, sense of wonder, and openness
• Empathy
• Flexibility
• Resilience

Brief description

Getting to Know the Tale – Text Exploration Lesson

Students imagine themselves as the heroes of a story and approach the tale through playful and multifaceted methods. They not only get to know the story but also engage with it actively and creatively using images, movement, and words.

The teacher prepares the story, which may be a traditional folktale or a modern story. The tale is introduced in an interactive, multisensory way (e.g., images, objects, sounds, movement-based scenes, arranging keywords, etc.).

The STEAM day is ideally based on a story that includes the following elements:

• a clear main character (preferably a child or young person with whom students can identify),
• a goal or challenge the protagonist wants to achieve,
• a journey with trials to overcome,
• the appearance of helpers (animals, people, magical beings, or in a modern tale: a robot, a friend, an invention),
• a conflict or obstacle that can be resolved,
• a resolution, transformation, and a moral at the end.

Additional selection criteria for the story:

• Should connect to local culture and be familiar to students.
• Should feature interesting, diverse characters or settings to inspire various tasks.
• Should not be too long or complex—easily broken down into parts.
• Should contain elements that lend themselves to movement, visualization, or creative expression.

Structure of the activity:

• Group formation (3–4 students per group), emotional tuning: singing (a song related to the chosen story), vocabulary building with unfamiliar story words (e.g., online activity via WordWall).
• Developing linguistic creativity using anagram cards to reveal the story’s title.
• Storytelling – the teacher reads the story aloud.
• Text comprehension – students recall the content using question cards. Each group rolls a die and answers the question corresponding to the number rolled. Correctly answered questions are collected by the group.

BREAK

• Vocabulary development – each group draws word or sentence cards related to the story. They keep the cards they can explain; otherwise, they return them. Only one group member at a time may collect a new card.
• Reinforcement and practice – online tasks completed in groups on tablets (e.g., quizzes, sequencing events, true/false, multiple choice via LearningApps or WordWall).
• Testing reading comprehension through drama – “Hot Seat” game: a volunteer sits in front of the class, acting as the story’s main character. Classmates ask them questions about the events.
• Feedback and self-assessment – students use body posture to express how well they understood the story (e.g., a dove for full understanding, a fish for partial clarity, and a fox hiding for confusion).
• Assigning homework – students are asked to watch a cartoon version of the chosen story at home.

How does this develop particular SPIRIT skills?

As students follow the journey of a storybook hero, they gradually enter an unfamiliar, imaginary world. This transition – during which they take on different roles, perspectives, and situations – both requires and develops mental flexibility. Interpreting the story, reflecting on the actions of various characters, and adapting to new questions all support the development of flexible thinking, especially when the narrative allows for multiple interpretations.

At this stage, resilience is primarily fostered through the learners’ engagement with the challenges faced by the protagonist. By identifying with the character, students can safely explore how to overcome difficulties, mistakes, or doubts. In group discussions, they come to realize that the hero also makes mistakes, recalibrates, and still reaches their goal – offering a powerful model for them to relate to.

Creative, dramatic engagement with the story activates students’ imagination and emotional involvement, helping them draw on inner resources. In this way, resilience is developed not only cognitively, but emotionally as well.

What do we want to achieve regarding SPIRIT skill development (student understanding and/or behaviour)?

The aim of the activity is to develop students’ flexibility and coping skills in the following areas:

• The student is able to accept and interpret the story character’s mistakes and failures, and based on these, identify their own coping strategies.
• They recognize that a difficult situation may have more than one possible response and are able to reflect on a character’s decision from at least two different perspectives.
• They can emotionally identify with the story characters and articulate how they would act in a similar situation.
• They are able to participate in shared story work with openness and cooperation, adapting to others’ thoughts and interpretations.
• They are capable of giving feedback on their own experiences, emotions, and insights, and expressing them reflectively.

Academic/Curriculum Objective connection

• Retelling the story using guiding questions.
• Explaining vocabulary, expressions, and word combinations.
• Acquiring and practicing knowledge through ICT tools.
• Developing communication skills through dramatic play.

Materials and tools needed for implementation

Teaching aids: printed version of the story, worksheet, projector, laptop.

Depending on class size and number of groups: tablets, vocabulary cards, question cards, dice, and other supporting materials.

Preparation notes

• The teacher selects the story in advance, which will serve as the central element of the STEAM-day. It is advisable to choose a story that is visually rich and offers multiple opportunities for interpretation and creative activities.
• In addition to knowing the story, it is recommended to prepare or print the related question cards, vocabulary explanation cards, and anagram game cards ahead of time.
• For the online tasks (WordWall, LearningApps, etc.), tablets or other digital devices and internet access may be required.
• To enhance the storytelling atmosphere, the teacher can prepare images, sounds, musical excerpts, or symbolic props and decorative elements.
• It is worth setting up a quiet, structured environment that supports sustained attention and emotional engagement. The teachers should also be prepared to activate the students’ imagination and prior experiences (e.g., have they ever seen a hot air balloon, visited a museum, or what “old painting” means to them).

Guided Questions

• What could you have done in the hero’s place when they faced a difficulty?
• Why didn’t the character give up when something didn’t work out the first time?
• How did the hero’s experiences along the way change their way of thinking?
• Was there a moment when they had to come up with a new solution? How did their thinking help them with that?
• What helped the hero move forward when it seemed like there was no way out?

Stage Debriefing Questions (Optional)

• What did you learn from the characters in the story? What qualities helped the hero overcome challenges?
• How did this lesson help you connect with your classmates?
• What difficulties did you face during the lesson? How did you overcome them?
• What went really well? Can you use the knowledge or experience you gained in other situations too?
• What was the biggest challenge for the story’s hero? How did they solve it?
• Was there a part where you think the hero showed flexible thinking?
• In what way does the hero remind you of yourself? Have you ever been in a similar situation?
• What did this story teach you about perseverance or trying again?

Tips and Tricks for dealing with stage challenges

• Challenges in engaging with the world of the story
• Engagement can be supported by consciously arranging the learning environment – lighting, space, and atmosphere should enhance the storytelling experience. Soft background music, visual aids or symbolic objects can stimulate the imagination and help students immerse themselves in the narrative.
• Difficulties in group work
• When forming groups, it’s helpful to consider students’ diverse strengths. Including a confident speaker, a cooperative peer, or a tech-savvy student in each group can foster collaboration. Positive feedback and clearly defined group roles also contribute to more effective teamwork.
• Struggles with a task
• If students get stuck, offering opportunities to try again or suggesting alternative ways of thinking can be useful. Encouraging phrases such as “Try a different approach” or “Look at it from another point of view” may help them move past the difficulty.
• Decreasing motivation or attention
• It’s important to spark curiosity early in the session — for example, by introducing exciting tasks to come or playing music from a film adaptation of the story. A variety of playful, visually appealing activities can help maintain focus. Creating cooperative competition, such as completing a task within a time limit, may also boost motivation.