How I hook my students into the Adventure?
Sending a group of modern teenagers into a world that’s far removed in both time and space, like Ancient Greece, is not a small feat.
But making them imagine that they’re on a lazy vacation in Santorini? That’s a piece of cake.
Bragging Rights and Bubble Tea
Picture this:
It’s summer. The sun is shining. They’re lying on a beach in one of the most romantic places in the world, the gleaming island of the Aegen, Santorini.
So, what are teenagers doing? They’re on their phones…
And of course, now that they’re somewhere cool, the natural next step is to show off. After all, what’s the point of living your best life if your friends stuck in cram school don’t see it?
That’s exactly where my game begins:
A beach.
A group chat.
Some playful peer pressure to do something FUNNY.
This is the perfect moment for a small act of mischief.
It gives the students a sense of agency, they get to choose what to do, but it also sets them up for a satisfying consequence.
The Three Temptations
The game offers them three very “teenager” options:
- 🤳 Take an inappropriate selfie with a statue of a Greek god
- 🧗♀️ Climb the walls of an ancient ruin for a clout-heavy video
- 🧋 Casually toss a bubble tea cup into the beautiful blue sea
Individually, most students probably wouldn’t want to do any of these.
But in a group? In a game?
There’s always someone who suggests one. And then the discussion starts. Ideally, they negotiate. They collaborate. They decide together. And just like that, they’re hooked.
It’s a trap! Like the golden apple that led to the Trojan War, this moment is designed to nudge them into complicity, so that when the wrath of the gods strikes, it feels deserved.
Enter Poseidon
No matter which option they choose, Poseidon gets furious. He delivers a thundering curse that feels like a wake-up call.
The consequence is the same:
They’re thrown back in time, into a mythic Mediterranean world.
Their mission? Fight, riddle, and reason their way back to the comfortable world of Instagram posts and mum-and-dad-funded gelato.
What’s Next?
This post was all about setting the bait and establishing emotional stakes, getting the students onboard 😉
The next one will introduce the gameplay system; how I guide students through the adventure using slides, player choices, and speaking tasks.
If you’re still reading this, thank you. You’re either one of my real-life friends or you’re intrigued enough to see how mischief and mythology turn into structured ESL practice. Please comment below which mischief would you enrage the gods with?