Rodari's Fantastic Binomial with Scratch

Gianni Rodari, an Italian author and educator, is renowned for his creative approach to storytelling and education. One of his most famous techniques is the "Fantastic Binomial" which involves combining two seemingly unrelated words to spark imagination and creativity. This method encourages students to think outside the box and develop unique stories that connect the two words in unexpected ways. By using this technique, educators can inspire students to explore new ideas, collaborate effectively, and enhance their storytelling skills.

Here is how to combine the Fantastic Binomial and Scratch in a very simple way.

Step 1: Introduction to Fantastic Binomials

Gather the students in a circle and explain that you will demonstrate the Fantastic Binomial technique to create a story together. Choose two random words, such as "elephant" and "skateboard," and begin crafting a scenario that connects them. Start with a simple sentence, like "Once upon a time, there was an elephant who..." and encourage students to add to the story by asking open-ended questions and incorporating their ideas. This interactive session helps students understand how combining unrelated words can spark creativity and lead to fun, imaginative stories.

Involve as many students as possible in the storytelling process, emphasizing the collaborative nature of the exercise. Highlight how their combined ideas create an engaging narrative, demonstrating the power of the Fantastic Binomial technique.

Step 2: Sprite Pair Assignment

Let the students use Scratch's random sprite option to generate their binomials. Have each pair or group click on the "Choose a Sprite" button and select the "Surprise" option twice to get two random sprites. These two sprites will serve as their binomial words for creating their story. This random selection process adds an element of surprise and excitement to the exercise.

Step 3: Story Development

Guide the students through a brainstorming session where they think of a plot that connects their two sprites. Encourage them to be imaginative and think of different ways the characters could interact. Have them write a brief outline of their story to organize their thoughts.

In my example, the two sprites of the fantastic binomial are a llama and an easel. We can imagine a short dialogue like this:

Llama: "Hey, Easel. What do you hold?"

Easel: "Dreams. And you?"

Llama: "I love dreaming. Ever painted sunflowers?"

Easel: "Sunflowers? I can become whatever I hold."

Llama: "Really? So you can turn into sunflowers?"

Easel: "Yes, paint them, and I’ll show you."

Llama: "Ok! Let's make a field of Van Gogh's sunflowers."

[The llama moves gracefully, painting a field of sunflowers on the easel]

Easel: "Now watch as I become the sunflowers."

[The easel magically turns into sunflowers]

Llama: "Incredible! You truly hold dreams."

Easel: "Together, we create living masterpieces."

After imagining the story, students can start using Scratch. They can use the sprites they received or modify them using Scratch’s built-in graphics editor to fit their story. Additionally, they should select or create appropriate backgrounds using Scratch's backdrop options to set the scenes for their narrative.

Step 4: Programming the Story

With the characters and backgrounds ready, students can start programming their story. Begin by guiding them to set the scene. They should drag and drop a "When green flag clicked" block to start the script.

Next, students can animate their characters using "Motion" blocks. For example, they can drag "Move 10 steps" and "Turn 15 degrees" blocks to make their characters move. To add dialogue, students can use "Looks" blocks, such as "Say [your text] for [number] seconds" to make the sprites speak.

Encourage students to include sounds by integrating "Sound" blocks. They can record their own sounds or use Scratch’s library by dragging "Play sound [your sound]" blocks. To create interactive elements, students can use "Events" and "Control" blocks. For instance, "When this sprite clicked" can trigger different actions like changing scenes or starting new dialogue. To create continuous actions or repeated sequences, students can use "Forever" or "Repeat" blocks.

If you or your students are new to Scratch, you can watch tutorials like this one, which give simple and practical examples of how to start creating stories with Scratch.

You can try the example project below (and here you can check its Scratch scripts with "see inside").

Step 5: Collaborative Story Integration

After programming their individual stories, have each pair or group present their story to the class. This sharing session allows students to see the different ways their peers interpreted the binomials and provides an opportunity for feedback and discussion on how different stories could be combined into a larger narrative.

Encourage students to use Scratch’s "Remix" feature to add elements from other groups’ stories into their own. This collaborative aspect fosters a sense of community and shared creativity. Students can suggest improvements and additional scenes for each other’s stories, enhancing the overall storytelling experience.

Step 6: Reflection and Feedback

Conclude the exercise with a class discussion about what they learned from the activity. Ask students to reflect on the creative process, collaboration, and technical skills they developed. Encourage feedback on how the exercise could be improved or adapted for future projects. This reflection helps reinforce the learning objectives and allows students to appreciate their own and their peers' efforts.

Variation 1: Traditional Word Selection and Hand-Drawn Sprites

In this variation, students select two words from a bag to form their Fantastic Binomial, brainstorm a story, and create hand-drawn characters and backgrounds using traditional art materials. These drawings are then scanned or photographed and imported into Scratch, where students can animate their creations and build their digital story, blending tactile artistic expression with digital creativity.

Variation 2: Random Sprites and Random Backdrops

In this variation, students start by choosing two random sprites within Scratch to form their Fantastic Binomial. Additionally, they select a random backdrop in Scratch to serve as the setting for their story. The challenge is to create a narrative that integrates the two random sprites within the context of the chosen backdrop, such as outer space or a medieval castle. This approach encourages students to think creatively about how to incorporate their binomials into a specific setting, enhancing their problem-solving skills and digital storytelling abilities.