• Before starting the exercise, draw out large-scale templates that include the categories shown.

• Can be drawn on a large sheet of paper, a poster board or the whiteboard.

• The number of templates you create depends on the size of the group. Four to six people can work on one template together.

• Break the players into groups of four to six and make sure there are markers and one template for each group.

• Tell the players to populate the template by writing and drawing on it together.

• OPTIONAL: Use Post it Notes instead of writing on the templates!

• Pretend that their production is completed!

• This game is about the wildest dream for the production group—that has already happened!

• When you set up this game as the facilitator, speak about their “successes” with enthusiasm and in the past tense!

• Encourage the players to use the past tense in their brainstorming and story creation.

• “Cover” tells the BIG story of their success.• “Headlines” convey the substance of the cover

story.• “Sidebars” reveal interesting facets of the cover

story.• “Quotes” can be from anyone as long as they’re

related to the story.• “Brainstorm” is for documenting initial ideas for

the cover story.• “Images” are for supporting the content with

illustrations.

• Ask the players to imagine the best-case scenario for their production!

• Start with five quiet minutes imagining their own stories before they work together to agree on one.

• Give the groups 30–45 minutes to generate this “story of the year” and represent it on their template.

• OPTIONAL: Round Robin the Process

• When completed, have the groups share their cover story with the rest of the class.

• This can be done many different ways. – Group Presentation– Round Robin – Poster Presentation

• The facilitator or some one assigned can note any common vision themes and areas of agreement.

• Remember to ask about what is not on the template like their observations, insights, and concerns about the production.

• Ask two players to role-play an interview based on the content from their “Cover Story” template, as though the magazine sent a reporter to interview an important character in the story.

• Give the students time to think about the exercise and what they have learned.

• Reflections can be guided by the teacher, or the students can free write their reflections.

• Cover Story requires 100% buy-in to the process! • Tell the students to be wary of any “reality checks.” • Do not let the groups go into analysis mode. This game

is not about logic, pragmatism, or parameters. • These common themes—however fantastical—are

telling, because commonalities reveal shared hopes and also plant seeds for real possibilities.

• I have the Cover Stories posted around the room for the semester to continue to remind the students of what they said and to continue generating ideas and inspiration.