Drama Series: Flash-back & Flash-forward

Imagine skipping to the middle of a story and having to create a beginning and end based off of the information in the text; this strategy is appropriately named as students are asked to do just that. This activity assesses their comprehension skills, but also allows the students to direct the story to suit their own interpretations. This strategy should be a staple in every teacher’s toolbox as it gives the students enough structure to form a story, but also enough flexibility for them to showcase their creativity and imagination. In order to differentiate this strategy, you could have the students create tableaus or drawn depictions of a flash-back/flash-forward scene that would still assess their comprehension, exploration of characters, and consequences as a result of previous action. However, if they choose to create a tableau or picture, I would ask for a verbal explanation as well so that their answers can be full explained and/or supported. This strategy would be appropriate for a variety of age levels because of the differentiation and learning strategies available, and would suit numerous texts across subject areas.