10/30 Uncovering our stories
This week, we will focus on uncovering our stories about how digital technologies (cell phones, computers, or others) shape our lives. This week's activities are adapted from the True Story Game.
Setup
Ask each high school group to sit at a different table. Then divide the college students amongst the tables. We will sit in these groups (4-6 students) with students from all classes mixed together. Ask everyone to introduce themselves--your name, where you are from, and what you hope to do after you finish your studies.
Put one copy of the handout on each table. The list of questions is visible, so that if anyone has trouble reading in English, a peer can help them understand the question.
Round 1
Read aloud the prompt: In Round 1, each person will have 60 seconds to describe a moment from your life. I will keep time, and will sound a chime when 60 seconds are up. Then I will tell you when it's time for the next person to start. Whoever is sitting closest to the windows at your table will go first, next will be the person to their left, until you get all around the table.
When it's your turn, read out your prompt or ask someone to read it. All the questions are about cell phones, but feel free to talk about a computer, or another digital technology instead. Then, starting with "I remember...," describe a moment from your life. Try to use as many details as you can remember--sights, sounds, smells, tastes, the people and things around you, how you were feeling.
A teacher will give an example.
Questions:
- What's your first memory of a cell phone?
- When has a cell phone has connected you to to someone you care about?
- When did you learn something about yourself through using a cell phone?
- When has a cell phone solved a problem in your life?
- When has a cell phone caused a problem in your life?
- When has a cell phone given you access to a place or to a community?
Round 2
Read aloud the prompt: In Round 2, each person will expand a memory into a story. Each person has two minutes. I will keep time again. Stop when you hear the chime, and don't start the next story until I tell you to, or everyone will get out of sync.
When it's your turn, someone will read out your prompt. This time, the prompts are about situations and feelings--you can interpret them however you want. Every story should involve a cell phone or other digital technology. If you don't care for that prompt, you can cross one off and take the next one instead. Cross off each prompt after it gets used.
Tell your story in three steps:
- First, set the scene. Tell us where you were, with lots of details, just like in Round 1. Who was there? What was going on?
- Then comes a turning point, when something changes. Explain what the turning point was, and what happened. Maybe you changed, or maybe something happened around you and you had to react to it.
- Finally, wrap it up.
A teacher will give an example.
Prompts:
- Shyness. Connection / I wanted to say something / Missed opportunity
- Unexpected success. Nobody thought you could do it
- Escape. Freedom / Into another world
- It's unfair! Too many rules / Out of touch
- Obsession. Can't stop. / Fascinated.
- Crossed a line. Never the same / Worth a try
- Loneliness. Is anybody out there? / Alone together
- Opened a door. A journey / Learning about myself
- Bliss. A perfect day / Dance the night away
- Stressed out. Can't keep up / Drama
- Finally. Waiting / need to know now / worth the wait
- Past life. Back again / That was the old me
- Accident. Not what I meant / Picking up the pieces
- You don't understand me. Making assumptions / We come from different worlds.
- Transformation Never the same / Who am I?
Round 3
Read aloud the prompt: Everybody will tell one more story today. In this round, you will have three minutes. We will use the same prompts as in Round 2, but in a different order so you get a different prompt. Once again, if you don't like your prompt, cross it off and take the next one instead.
Once again, there are three steps:
- Start by setting the scene. Tell us where you were, with lots of details.
- Then comes a turning point, when something changes. Explain what the turning point was, and what happened. Maybe you changed, or maybe something happened around you and you had to react to it.
- Here's what's new: as you wrap up your story, end with a self-reflection. Tell us what the story means to you now, what you learned about yourself, or about the way the world works. You might want to wrap up your story with, "This story is important to me because..."
A teacher will give an example.
Prompts:
- Shyness. Connection / I wanted to say something / Missed opportunity
- Unexpected success. Nobody thought you could do it
- Escape. Freedom / Into another world
- It's unfair! Too many rules / Out of touch
- Obsession. Can't stop. / Fascinated.
- Crossed a line. Never the same / Worth a try
- Loneliness. Is anybody out there? / Alone together
- Opened a door. A journey / Learning about myself
- Bliss. A perfect day / Dance the night away
- Stressed out. Can't keep up / Drama
- Finally. Waiting / need to know now / worth the wait
- Past life. Back again / That was the old me
- Accident. Not what I meant / Picking up the pieces
- You don't understand me. Making assumptions / We come from different worlds.
- Transformation Never the same / Who am I?