Lesson Plan (Grades 6-8): Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Rewrite - Transforming Classic Tales

Lesson Title: Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Rewrite

Grade Level: Grades 6–8

Subject Area: Language Arts & Creative Writing

Overview: Mystery, suspense, and choice combine in this multi-session unit where students convert a linear classic short story into a branching choose-your-own-adventure (CYOA). Working in teams of three to four, learners will:

1. Analyze a chosen story (“The Lottery,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” or equivalent), annotating moments of tension, conflict, and turning points.
2. Identify at least three pivotal decision points where the narrative could branch.
3. Map these decision points in a branching diagram, planning two distinct paths per choice.
4. Draft alternate scenes in prose, maintaining thematic consistency, character voice, and suspense.
5. Prototype their CYOA in paper or basic digital format (Twine or Google Slides).
6. Test & Revise through peer playtesting, ensuring coherence and engaging decision consequences.
7. Reflect on narrative structure, cause and effect, and the craft of suspense writing.

This project enhances critical reading, imaginative writing, spatial reasoning in story mapping, and collaboration, key skills for middle school ELA.

Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives: By the end of the unit, students will:

1. Deconstruct Narrative: Identify and describe key story elements—setting, conflict, climax, resolution—through annotation and discussion.
2. Extract Decision Points: Select at least three narrative junctures where divergent choices could create meaningful alternate paths.
3. Design Branching Structure: Accurately map a branching story diagram showing choices and corresponding outcomes.
4. Write Alternate Scenes: Compose coherent, suspenseful prose for each branch, preserving character voice and logical causality.
5. Collaborate & Iterate: Work effectively in teams to draft, peer-review, test, and revise path segments, demonstrating shared responsibility.
6. Reflect on Craft: Evaluate how branching choices affect narrative tension and reader engagement.

Standards Alignment

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.3 / RL.7.3 / RL.8.3: Describe how a plot unfolds and how particular actions of characters contribute to the sequence of events.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3 / W.7.3 / W.8.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.4 / W.7.4 / W.8.4: Produce clear and coherent writing appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.5 / W.7.5 / W.8.5: Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1 / SL.7.1 / SL.8.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions; build on others’ ideas and express their own clearly.
• SEL – Responsible Decision-Making: Analyze ethical and narrative consequences of story choices; plan strategically in writing.