Story Pirates University: The Comedic Surprise
3 min3rd4th5thReading & Writing (ELA)Theatre
Summary
A short creative-writing lesson from Story Pirates University, the storytelling program run by the Story Pirates comedy troupe. This lesson is all about the comedic surprise — how to set up an expectation and then twist it for a laugh. A Story Pirates professor models the idea with kid-friendly humor, then hands it off for students to try in their own writing or acting.
Viewer safety
All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
Story Pirates turns kids' story ideas into comedy and adventure.
- What made the example in this lesson funny or exciting?
- How could you use this technique in a story of your own?
- Whose story from your class would you most want to see performed, and why?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: character, setting, plot, obstacle, surprise.
Try it: Watch the lesson, then use the technique to write — or act out — a short scene of your own. Share it with a partner and ask what they liked best.