Treasure Hunt Storyboard Activity to Practice Writing

Treasure hunt storyboard activity for ESL students to practice sequential writing based on a six-panel illustration that tells the story of a child discovering a treasure map and embarking on an adventure to find hidden treasure. Students will observe each panel, analyze the events, and write a structured narrative using sequencing words like first, next, then, after that, and finally.

Instructions for Students

Look at the six-panel storyboard carefully. This storyboard tells a short adventure about a child who finds a treasure map and goes on a journey to find the treasure.

Your Task

1. Observe each picture and think about what is happening in the story.
2. Be creative! Imagine what the child is thinking and feeling during the adventure.
3. Write a short story describing the events in order. Use words like:
   • First
   • Next
   • Then
   • After that
   • Finally
4. Use complete sentences to explain each step of the adventure.
5. Check your work for grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
6. Share your story with your teacher in the comment form below.

ESL Student’s Narrative and Storytelling

Once upon a time, a curious boy found an old treasure map. First, with excitement he gathered supplies for his adventure. Next, he followed the path marked on the map, wandering through dense woods.

Then, he arrived at a large oak tree that was clearly marked on the map. With determination, he began to search for it. After that he found a case hidden somewhere behind the tree and quickly opened the case filled with gleaming gold coins.

Finally, overwhelmed with joy, he decided to keep the treasure a secret and use it for future adventures.

Video of Treasure Hunt Storyboard Activity

Teacher’s Feedback and Assessment

Strengths:

• Clear Narrative Structure: The story follows a classic narrative arc with a clear beginning, rising action, climax, and resolution. The use of “first,” “next,” “then,” “after that,” and “finally” provides a logical sequence of events and demonstrates good understanding of temporal connectors.
• Appropriate Vocabulary: The student uses vocabulary suitable for the story and the visuals, such as “treasure map,” “dense woods,” “large oak tree,” “gleaming gold coins.” This shows a good grasp of descriptive words.
• Accurate Interpretation of Visuals: The narration aligns well with the storyboard. The student correctly identifies the key elements in each frame and translates them into corresponding events in the story.
• Good Comprehension of Story Elements: The student understands the concept of a treasure hunt and incorporates elements like a map, a hidden treasure, and a sense of adventure into their narrative.

Areas for Improvement:

• Sentence Complexity: While the sentences are grammatically correct, they are relatively simple. Using more complex sentence structures with varied clauses and conjunctions would improve the narration. For example, instead of “He found a case hidden somewhere behind the tree and quickly opened the case filled with gleaming gold coins,” you could write, “Hidden behind the tree, he found a case which he quickly opened to reveal gleaming gold coins.”
• Descriptive Detail: While the vocabulary is adequate, the descriptions could be richer and more vivid. For instance, instead of “dense woods,” you could describe the types of trees, the light filtering through the leaves, or the sounds of the forest. Instead of “overwhelmed with joy,” you could elaborate on how the boy expressed or felt his joy.
• Show, Don’t Tell: The narration relies heavily on telling rather than showing. For example, “With excitement he gathered supplies” could be replaced with a description of the boy’s actions and expressions as he gathers the supplies. Instead of “With determination, he began to search for it,” you could describe how the boy searched, what challenges he faced, etc.
• Figurative Language: The story could benefit from the use of figurative language (similes, metaphors, etc.) to make it more engaging. This is a more advanced skill, but introducing it could enhance the student’s creative writing abilities.

Overall, the student demonstrates a good understanding of basic storytelling principles and effectively translates the visual information into a coherent narrative. With focused instruction on sentence complexity, descriptive detail, and showing rather than telling, the student can further develop their writing skills and create more engaging and compelling stories.