Teacher guide · Creative Lab · Medium · about 30 min

📖 Write an Alternate Ending

Pupils practise creativity and confidence through "Write an Alternate Ending": Take a story stub and change how it lands.

Lesson guide

1. Hook · 5 min
Show the 📖 mission title and read the opening: "Read the story stub.". Take three quick guesses.
2. Model · 5 min
Think aloud through the first step together. Use Pixel the Fox's line as your prompt: "Nice! That's an idea nobody else had."
3. Do · 10 min
Pairs work through the 3 steps on screen or on the printed sheet. Circulate and ask "why?"
4. Discuss · 10 min
Use two or three of the discussion questions. Ask pairs to share different answers, not just correct ones.
5. Reflect · 5 min
Exit ticket: one sentence on how they used creativity today.

What was the hardest choice in "Write an Alternate Ending", and why?
Write a new ending — at least three sentences — explain your reasoning to a partner.
What kind of ending did you write — explain your reasoning to a partner.
Where could you use creativity outside school this week?
If you did this again, what would you change?

Support: Read prompts aloud, pair with a confident partner, and accept spoken or drawn answers for writing steps.

Stretch: Ask pupils to create their own extra step for a partner and explain the correct answer.

National Curriculum: English: composition — planning and drafting ideas (KS1/KS2)
National Curriculum: Design & Technology: generate, develop and communicate ideas
PSHE: Health & wellbeing: self-concept, strengths and interests

Pupil sheet

Name: ____________________ Date: __________

1. Read the story stub.
Clue — The setup: Maya finds a key in the school garden that fits no door she knows.
Clue — The middle: She follows a map drawn on the back of a library book.
Clue — The old ending: The key opens an empty box. Maya walks home disappointed.
2. Write a new ending — at least three sentences.
3. What kind of ending did you write?
☐ Happy
☐ Twist
☐ Funny
☐ Cliffhanger