Topic Tracker Worksheet

Instructions

• Choose one topic below and sit with a partner.
• Take turns talking about the topic.
• After each turn, record what was said and check if you stayed on topic and asked a question.

Topics (pick one):

1. Your favorite game or activity.
2. A fun thing you did last weekend.

Conversation Tracking

Turn 1

Speaker: ________________
What did they say?



Stayed on topic? ___ Yes ___ No
Did they ask a question? ___ Yes ___ No
If yes, write the question:

Turn 2

Speaker: ________________
What did they say?



Stayed on topic? ___ Yes ___ No
Did they ask a question? ___ Yes ___ No
If yes, write the question:

Turn 3

Speaker: ________________
What did they say?



Stayed on topic? ___ Yes ___ No
Did they ask a question? ___ Yes ___ No
If yes, write the question:

Turn 4

Speaker: ________________
What did they say?



Stayed on topic? ___ Yes ___ No
Did they ask a question? ___ Yes ___ No
If yes, write the question:

Reflection

1. What did you do well when talking and listening?

1. What could you do differently to make the conversation even better?

1. Write one new question you could ask to keep the conversation going:

Conversation Discussion

Discussion Guidelines

• Raise your hand and wait for your turn.
  - Listen carefully to your classmates before replying.
  - Stay on topic and ask questions to keep the chat going.
  - Use conversation tokens from the Conversation Token Set to show who’s speaking.

1. Warm-Up Prompt: Favorite Game Chat (5 minutes)

Teacher says: “Think about your absolute favorite game or activity.”

Questions for Pairs:

1. “What is your favorite game or activity?”
   
   
   
2. “Why do you like it so much?”
   
   
   
3. Follow-Up Challenge: Ask one relevant question based on your partner’s answer.
   • Example: “How often do you play it?” or “Who do you play with?”
   
   
   

Tips:

• Stay on the topic of their favorite game.
• Try to use at least one question phrase (who, what, when, where, why, how).

2. Staying on Topic & Asking Questions (7 minutes)

Teacher models a mini-dialogue on the board:

• Student A: “I love playing tag because it’s fast and fun.”
• Student B (off-topic): “My dog is really funny.”
• Student A redirects: “Let’s talk more about tag—do you prefer playing tag in the park or the yard?”

Pair Practice:

• One partner shares a short story about a fun game memory.
• The other partner listens and then asks two relevant follow-up questions.

Reflection:

• Did you stay on the game memory topic? ___ Yes ___ No
• Write one question you asked your partner:

3. Relating Ideas & Storytelling (8 minutes)

Goal: Connect personal experiences and build a short story together.

Group Circle Activity:

1. Teacher gives a story starter from a Question Quest Card, e.g., “One time at recess, I found a mysterious map…”
2. Going around the circle, each student adds one sentence to the story, staying on track with the map adventure.
3. After each sentence, the next student must ask a question about the story before adding their own line.

Example Flow:

• Student 1: “I found the map hidden under the slide.”
• Student 2: “Where did the map lead you next?”
• Student 2: “It led me to a secret clubhouse in the trees.”

Use tokens so everyone gets a turn.

4. Cool-Down Reflection (3 minutes)

Whole-Group Share:

1. “What was one thing you did really well today?”
   
   
   
2. “What is one thing you want to practice more next time?”
   
   
   
3. Teacher records responses on the whiteboard and praises improvements.

Reminder: Good conversations are like teamwork—everyone’s idea helps the story grow!

Question Quest Game

Game Instructions

1. Shuffle the deck of Question Quest Cards and place them face-down in the center.
2. Students sit in a circle holding their conversation tokens.
3. On their turn, a student draws the top card, reads the topic aloud, and asks a partner a question related to that topic.
4. The partner answers, then draws the next card, asks a new question, and passes play along.
5. Use a token each time you ask a question. First student to use three tokens wins (or set a different class goal).

Sample Quest Cards

1. Favorite Food
   • Ask: “What is your favorite food, and when do you usually eat it?”
2. Dream Vacation
   • Ask: “If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go, and why?”
3. Superpower Choice
   • Ask: “If you could have one superpower, which would you pick, and how would you use it?”
4. Mystery Pet
   • Ask: “If you could adopt any animal as a pet, what would it be, and what would you name it?”
5. Best Memory
   • Ask: “What is one of your happiest memories, and who was with you?”
6. Movie Adventure
   • Ask: “What’s your favorite movie, and what part do you like the most?”
7. Secret Talent
   • Ask: “Do you have a special talent or hobby? How did you learn it?”
8. Future Job
   • Ask: “What do you want to be when you grow up, and what interests you about that job?”
9. Holiday Fun
   • Ask: “What is your favorite holiday, and what do you do to celebrate?”
10. Strange Invention
    • Ask: “If you could invent something to make life easier, what would you create?”

Teacher Tip:

• Encourage students to build on their partner’s answer with a follow-up (“How did that make you feel?”).
• Remind them to stay on topic and use question words (who, what, when, where, why, how).
• Use the Conversation Token Set to keep track of speaking turns.

Conversation Token Set

Purpose

Conversation tokens are visual tools to help students manage turn-taking during discussions and activities. Each token represents one speaking turn.

Materials Needed

• Small tokens or chips (e.g., colored counters, poker chips, laminated cards)
• A pouch or container for tokens

Preparation

• Provide 3–5 tokens per student or per pair (depending on group size).
• Place extra tokens in a central container for easy access.

How to Use Tokens

1. At the start of a discussion or activity, each student holds their set of tokens.
2. To speak, a student places one token in the center or hands it to the teacher.
3. When finished speaking, the student retrieves their token, signifying the end of their turn.
4. If a student runs out of tokens, they must listen and wait until another round begins.
5. Tokens reset after each activity or when everyone has had equal turns.

Tips for Success

• Encourage students to use one token per comment or question to promote concise contributions.
• Use different token colors to track questions vs. comments (e.g., blue for comments, red for questions).
• Adapt the number of tokens based on student needs (fewer tokens for more structured practice).
   
   

Reflection

• After the activity, ask: “How did using tokens help with turn-taking?”
• Discuss strategies for sharing tokens fairly and listening when not speaking.

Story Starters Journal

Welcome to your Story Starters Journal! Choose one of the prompts below and write a detailed personal story. Focus on vivid details—what you saw, felt, heard—and your emotions. After writing, think of one question you could ask a friend about their entry.

1. A day I’ll never forget was when…

1. One challenge I overcame by…

1. My favorite memory with family or friends is…

1. If I could travel anywhere in the world, I would go to…

1. Something surprising that happened to me was…

Write one question you could ask a friend about their story:

Plot Twist Worksheet

Instructions

Use this worksheet to add an unexpected twist to your group’s story. Work with your group and your Collaborative Story Map to complete each section.

1. Current Story Summary

Briefly summarize your story so far. Write one or two sentences for each part.

Beginning:

Middle:

End (so far):

2. Brainstorm Plot Twists

List three surprising or exciting events that could happen next in the story.

3. Choose Your Twist

Which twist idea will you use? Write it below and explain why it’s exciting or surprising.

Chosen Twist:

Why this twist?

4. Impact on Your Story

Explain how your chosen twist changes each part of the story. Use a sentence or two for each.

Beginning (any changes?):

Middle (what new problem or event?):

End (how does the story resolve?):

5. Reflection Questions

1. How did adding this twist make your story more interesting?

1. What new questions or mysteries did your twist create?

1. If you could ask a character about the twist, what would you ask?

Collaborative Story Map

Group Name: ____________________ Date: ______________

Group Roles

• Navigator (keeps topic on track): ________________
• Scribe (writes ideas): ________________
• Questioner (asks for details): ________________
• Contributor (adds new elements): ________________

Story Title

Write a title that captures your story’s main idea:

1. Characters

Who are the people or creatures in your story?

2. Setting

Where and when does the story take place?

3. Beginning

What happens at the start? Introduce characters and setting.

4. Middle

What is the main event or challenge your characters face?

5. End

How does the story wrap up? Describe the resolution.

6. Plot Twist Idea

What surprising event will change your story?

7. Questions to Explore

What questions can the Questioner ask to add detail or deepen the story?

2. ____________________________________________



3. ____________________________________________

Tip for Scribe: Write legibly so everyone can see.
Tip for Navigator: Keep your group focused on each section before moving on.

Story Spinner Game

Purpose

The Story Spinner Game helps students practice building narratives by adding details about characters, settings, problems, and resolutions. It also encourages asking and answering questions to deepen the story.

Materials

• A spinner divided into four sections labeled:
  • Character
  • Setting
  • Problem
  • Resolution
• Collaborative Story Map
• Conversation tokens (optional for turn-tracking)
• Timer (optional)

Setup

1. Place the spinner in the center of the group circle.
2. Ensure every student can reach and spin the spinner.
3. Have the Collaborative Story Map visible for reference.

How to Play

1. A student spins the spinner and notes which element it lands on.
2. The spinner player shares one sentence that develops that element in the group’s ongoing story.
3. After the sentence, a different student asks one relevant follow-up question about that element.
4. The questioner then spins the spinner for the next turn.
5. Continue until each student has spun twice (or for a set time).

Tips for Success

• Encourage use of question words (who, what, when, where, why, how).
• Remind students to listen carefully before asking their question.
• Refer back to the Collaborative Story Map to keep story details consistent.

Reflection (post-game)

• Ask: “Which spin element was most fun to describe?”
• Ask: “What follow-up question helped the story grow?”
• Record answers on the whiteboard and praise collaborative storytelling.