Introduction

Communication is a vital skill for students to develop, and storytelling plays a significant role in it. Students must learn to provide essential background information when sharing stories to avoid confusion and misunderstandings. Background Brief is an engaging game designed to help elementary students practice providing the necessary background details while narrating stories. By playing this game, students will become more proficient in sharing information about who, what, where, and when, as well as understanding the importance of these details in effective communication.

No-Prep Activity

Background Brief is a simple no-prep activity that educators can easily implement in their classrooms. It requires no additional materials or preparation, and it is perfect for engaging students in a fun and educational exercise. Here’s how to play:

1. Divide the students into small groups or pairs.
2. Ask one student to share a story with their partner or group. Encourage them to include all the necessary background information, such as who, what, where, and when.
3. After the story is told, the listeners should identify if any background information is missing.
4. If any information is missing, the student who shared the story should provide the missing details and retell the story with the complete background information.
5. Students should take turns sharing stories and identifying missing background information.

Discussion Questions

1. Why is it important to provide all the necessary background information when sharing a story?
2. How did it feel when you were listening to a story with missing background information? Were you confused or curious about the missing details?
3. What strategies can you use to ensure you include all the necessary background information when telling a story?
4. How can practicing providing background information in storytelling help improve overall communication skills?
5. Can you think of a situation in which not providing enough background information could lead to misunderstandings or misinterpretations?

Related Skills

Along with providing background information, there are other essential skills that students should develop to improve their storytelling and communication abilities. These skills include:

• Active listening: Paying close attention to the speaker and understanding the message being conveyed.
• Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others, which helps in connecting with their stories.
• Non-verbal communication: Using facial expressions, gestures, and body language to effectively convey a message or emotion.
• Vocabulary development: Expanding one’s vocabulary to express ideas more clearly and accurately.

Next Steps

Background Brief is just one of the many activities that can help students develop essential storytelling and communication skills. To explore more resources and activities, we encourage you to sign up for free samples of various skill-building materials at Everyday Speech. These resources can help educators create engaging and effective lessons that support students’ social-emotional learning and overall growth.