Six Word Stories: speaking and writing task

 The most famous six word story is supposed to be Hemingway's :

For sale: baby shoes. Never worn. 

Aim: students decide what several "six word stories" mean and then they create their own "six word stories" . Procedure:  the teacher provides students with six word stories so that  they decide what they mean. After, students are challenged to create a "six word", or longer, story, (flash fiction piece).  You can use the six word stories in pictures to model what the students have to do. I have included them on the provided power point. Note that there are not correct answers for this activity.

You can download the Power Point by clicking HERE

Level: the level depends on the stories you choose. I propose some stories underneath. These are are suitable for  pre-intermediate or above levels.  The vocabulary  used in the the six word stories goes from easier to more difficult. I have copied and posted them on a Power Point presentation that you can download. Note that many stories refer to alcohol, divorce or death so be careful if you are showing this to sensitive students.

By typing "six word stories" in google you can access many other stories that may suit the level of your student.
You can download the Power Point by clicking HERE


 I propose these six line stories (apart from the ones in the pictures)

1. Tanline on his ring finger? Goodbye.
2. Disputes between nations. Sorrow among families.
3. Facebook has ruined my entire life. 
4. Her friends forgot their drunken promises
5. Drunk. Home late. Locked Door. Divorce.
6. Man cries holding his dog’s leash.
7. One candle, unattended. Only ashes remain.
8. 365 Apples. My annual insurance policy.
9. Single shy zombie seeks terminal necrophiliac.
10. Vehicle swerves. Alcohol flavored regret. Homicide.

Source  for these six word stories: http://www.sixwordstories.net/ . Tip: if you scroll down the six word stories page you can access six words tories grouped by subject: crime, love, loss, famous authors...
Check also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-Word_Memoirs and http://sixwordstoryeveryday.com/Best-of-2011,where you can see the six word stories in pictures, which  I have included in this post.
 


Thanks to John Lavery, at the September 2013 British Council workshop  in Barcelona for providing me with this idea.

You can download the Power Point by clicking HERE  

Please leave a comment if you have used or plan to use this activity. 

By María Zabala Peña