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The Real Story

Aim of the Game: To pass on as many correct facts and figures to the next person, with the last recipient being able to tell the original story.

Learning Objectives:
• To listen carefully.
• To pass on information accurately.

Structure: Groups of ten (equal numbers of people in a group) and each member stands or sits at least 10 meters away from each other.

Time: 15-30 minutes

Materials: The Story

Methods:
• you can begin with the Patrol Leaders (when applicable) coming to you and asking them to listen to your short story
• once they have heard the story each person goes to the next in line and tells the second person the story that they have just heard
• this is then repeated down the line, each person telling the story to the next one, until it reaches the last member of the group
• the last members of the groups then take it in turns to tell the story.

A Sample Story - to be read to the first members only

Once upon a time there was a young boy, given the task of climbing to the highest peak in (insert your country). He was aged 15 going on 16 that summer. Being young he was very excited with this adventure. However, neither his mother nor his father wanted him to go, but his brothers and sisters encouraged him.

So he set out to prepare for his life of adventure. He took with him two sets of clothes, a pair of shoes, a toothbrush and a bar of soap. He also took with him lots of food and water.

He started to hike and trek for days. Days became weeks, weeks became months and months turned into years. I am not sure what time of day, what day of the month or even what month of the year or even what year he returned home; but when he did he was with lots of people; big people and small people. There were also people of all colours and cultures.

There were 34 of them in all, 21 were women and 12 men; well 13 since the young boy was now a man too as he was around 25 or 26 years old. He had been traveling for at least 10 years, all over the world, collecting friends from all of the countries that he visited.

Evaluation:
• What can you say about the activity?
• What happened to the story?
• What did you do to be able to stick to the original story?
• Why do you think that the story changed over time? (e.g. was shortened or revised)
• What factors caused the story to be changed?
• In our everyday lives, when do we need to listen and communicate things more carefully to be effective?

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© World Organization of the Scout Movement - 2008

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