A Cloud of Trash - Audio Story Activity Page

This activity page is part of an effort to enrich students’ language learning experiences by leveraging the power of digital audio stories as a pedagogical tool. Click here to know more.

Introduction

A cloud of trash is hanging over Cheekoo’s head, making her the unhappiest girl in the world. Listen to this wonderful story to find out how Cheekoo gets rid of this horrible trash cloud.

Story source link: https://storyweaver.org.in/en/stories/11166-a-cloud-of-trash

Audio Story Link

Themes: Pollution, Socio-Emotional Learning, Learning from mistakes, health and hygiene, Vocabulary

Suitable for: Higher Primary, class 4, 5, 6, 7

Learning Objectives:

1. Students listen to and try to comprehend the audio story
2. Students are able to engage in a conversation about Cheeku’s actions and how to avoid making the same mistakes based on the story
3. Students are able to think creatively and express verbally / on paper
4. Students make connections to their own life and share their thoughts/experiences
5. Students feel confident to talk about what they didn’t like/ like about the story, how the story/ discussion made them feel

Classroom Activities

Some pointers to ensure all students are able to participate in the activities: 1. Let children sit wherever they want in the room. 2. Conduct the class in a quiet room with the door shut so that distractions are minimized. 3. Provide motivation through prompts and reminders on connections to children's life so that any hesitation they have to sharing their thoughts/ ideas/ opinions in front of the whole class can be minimized 4. Explain connections in multiple languages and encourage students to translate for their friends so that those who have different home languages are able to participate 5. Make students sit in smaller groups to discuss and have a conversation based on the story.

Here are some ways in which you can take this story to your classroom:

Pre-Listening Activities

Before diving into the audio story, engage your students with these/ similar activities designed to build their listening skills and focus.

1. Total Physical Response (TPR) Activity – Ask the students to enact out the different scenes and actions in the story as you narrate it - [Ask students to visualize it in their minds and express what they are feeling through their expressions and/or body language]
2. Show students a set of pictures related to the story – ask them what they can see? How do the pictures make them feel?
3. Introduce some basic vocabulary related to the story theme

Click here for more pre-listening activity suggestions

During-Listening Activities

As students listen to the audio story, keep them engaged with these interactive activities.

1. Pause and discuss: Pause the story at strategic points to ask questions after – what happens next, what do you think was the cause how would they feel if they were cheeku what do you think she should do?
2. Ask students to draw certain parts of the story

Click here for more during-listening activity suggestions

Post-Listening Activities

After students have listened to the audio story, reinforce their understanding and extend their learning with these activities.

1. Story Re-telling Divide the class into small groups and have each group retell the story in their own words. Provide prompts or story maps to help students organize their thoughts.
2. Story elements mindmap
3. Display the mindmap and ask students to provide responses for the different bubbles.
4. Challenge students to create alternate endings for the story.
5. encourage them to think about the reasons behind certain actions or behaviours of the characters in the story.

Click here for more post-listening activity suggestions

Note: Sometimes discussing feelings and emotions can trigger some negative thoughts among students. Make sure you are conscious of the discussions that are happening among students. More importantly, efforts should be made to help students learn how to express their emotions in a healthy way

Connecting to the textbook

Since the story is about nature and concept of pollution (and learning from one’s mistakes), we can connect it to the following lessons:

Class 7 English

• Avoid plastic
• Awareness
• Healthy Life

Class 6 Kannada

• ನದಿಯ

Class 6 Science

• Waste products management

Class 3 EVS

• Waste Segregation

Additional Resources

• Link to same audio story/activity page in Kannada
• Link to same audio story/activity page in Urdu