Story Impressions

In a story impressions are used in English/Literature classes to help guide students into a story or novel and are used to arouse curiosity. Students are handed a handful of words and then must string them together and create a summary of a story. Because history is a study of the longest, most exciting, and most intricate story EVER, this is a helpful and interesting writing strategy. Students can be handed few words about an upcoming lesson or unit. They must then write a summary of what they think the lesson  or unit will be about. At the end of the lesson, students can change their original summaries to what the "real" story of history is all about.
Story impressions can be used as a vocabulary building exercise as well. If students are given words they may not know, a little research or explanation can help. Because they have then been exposed to the word, when they read or encounter it later in their studies, it will be more familiar and stand out, and the student will be more likely to remember. This strategy is adaptable to various learners needs-for example, pictures accompanying the words can be given for ELL students. More or less words can be given to help guide or challenge students.
Example: Mongolia, nomads, terror, empire, trade. (SSWH4)
There was once a group of nomads, people who did not live in permanent settlements, in Mongolia. They decided that they were going to move into a larger area, so they did. They used terror tactics to scare many people into giving up their land. Eventually, these nomads had a empire. There empire was not all bad because it allowed for open trade over a really large area.