Years ago, my students and I loved to read the "Choose Your Own Adventure" stories. Each student could have a completely different experience of the novel based on what choices they made as they read. I decided to recreate that experience with this little project in QTI2. It's called "Samuel's Journey." Unlike a plain webpage, QTI2 allows us to do fancier digital publications without any pain. I've chosen that environment to create my story based on what I recall of the "Choose Your Own Adventure" model.

Classroom Ideas
With the "Choose Your Own Adventure" model, all students begin with a common stem for the story. After a certain point, students have to make a choice for the character. The story branches from there. With a story model like this, everyone in the classroom can get involved in writing the story.

The Process
On the first day, draw out a map of the story. For each day after, add to the map, showing the new sections and the number of frames and how each section will be linked to the other. Inspiration would be a handy software program for this or just use a good old pencil and piece of paper. This map becomes important when the group effort has to be assembled into the final product. Otherwise certain paths may be out of sync with their initial storyline.

Day 1 - The teacher presents the stem and explains how the process will work. If we think about the parts of a story, we've set the stage by providing the initial setting and characters. We're also about to present the students with the first problem.
 
Day 2 - Action continues to rise in the story with the character having to make another choice. Students can work in small groups to draft what happens after the first two choices. The students can present their options to the class and the class can then work together to draft a single version for each choice. This material is then incorporated into the narrative. Remember that each section must end in a the character having to make a choice up until the point that it is time for the solution.

Day 3 - By Day 3, there are now 4 possible paths for our hero. Small groups can draft each version based on the common understanding of what has happened in the first two sections. Keeping each part secret can enhance the fun! By the end of the day, someone highly trustworthy will have incorporated the new sections into the narrative. It is at that this point that we have to prepare the students to think through how they will bridge from the current dilemma to a probable solution.

Day 4 - Before this story gets out of hand, you will want to bring closure to the process. A review of the paths now available in the story would be helpful so that the class can begin to discuss how each path will conclude. It is time to write the story section that will provide a solution or resolution for the adventure each story has taken.

Day 5 - The final pieces are to be incorporated into the masterpiece. Links and buttons are checked and the sections are verified against the map as an editorial group walks through the digital version and compares it to the class map. Produce your project as an Interactive Movie and post it to the web or burn it on cd to be shared with other classes and the school library. Don't forget to have a frame in the project where everyone gets credit for their effort.

My example - Samuel's Journey
I choose to do this story two ways. One project has only text. The second version has audio files for each frame to provide ways for students who struggle with reading to access the story. The audio included version is very large. If you have a slow connection, use the plain text version.

Text Only Version

Text with Audio - give this a minute for all the sound files to load - especially if your connection is slow!