Storyboard That: Finish 'Welcome to Nowhere' Story

Q: What is the 'Welcome to Nowhere Finish the Story' activity?

The 'Welcome to Nowhere Finish the Story' activity engages students in imagining what happens to Omar, Musa, and Eman after the novel’s ending. Students create a spider map or storyboard to illustrate and describe the children’s possible futures, encouraging inference and creative thinking.

Q: Why is it important for students to imagine what happens after a story ends?

Imagining life beyond a story builds empathy, inference, and creative writing skills. It helps students connect more personally with characters and understand themes like change, resilience, and hope.

Q: What grade levels is the 'Welcome to Nowhere Finish the Story' activity best suited for?

This activity is designed for students in grades 6–8 , and can be completed individually or with a partner to foster collaboration and creative thinking.

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Lesson Plan Overview

Template and Class Instructions

Student Rubric

Lesson Plan Overview

Welcome to Nowhere ends with a cliffhanger. The family moves, once again, to the UK to get medical help for Nadia, but we don’t know what happens to them after that. Many questions are left unanswered, especially regarding the futures of Musa, Omar, and Eman as they get older. This activity allows students to use their imaginations to infer what the family may have faced, the challenges they had to overcome, and the things they may have accomplished.

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Template and Class Instructions

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)

The story ends when Omar and his family move to the UK. How do you think the lives of Omar, Musa, and Eman would change? Create a storyboard that depicting what their lives would look like after a few years.

Due Date:

Objective: Create a three cell spider map that depicts the future of the three oldest children, Musa, Eman, and Omar.

Student Instructions:

Click "Start Assignment".
Type in the children's names in the title boxes.
Create an image for each cell, depicting what you think the children’s lives may have become.
Write at least one sentence about the scene in the description box.

Spider Diagram Template with 3 Empty Boxes

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Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 6-8

Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)

Type of Assignment Individual or Partner

Type of Activity: Spider Maps

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Student Rubric

(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)

Summary in Four Parts

Create a storyboard that summarizes the story. The storyboard should have four cells - one for each part. Below each cell, type in 1-2 sentences that describes that part of the story.

	Proficient	Emerging	Beginning
Plot	Each of the four cells represents a different part of the story. The cells are in order from beginning to end. Sentences accurately summarize each part.	Two cells or fewer are out of order, or the storyboard is missing important information.	Important information is missing and/or three or more cells are out of order.
Images	Cells include images that help to tell the story and do not get in the way of understanding.	Some of the images help tell the story. Descriptions do not always match the images.	Images do not make sense with the story.
Spelling and Grammar	Spelling and grammar is mostly accurate. Mistakes do not get in the way of understanding.	Spelling is very inaccurate and hinders full understanding.	Text is difficult to understand.

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Lesson Plan Overview

Copy Activity

Template and Class Instructions

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)

Due Date:

Objective: Create a three cell spider map that depicts the future of the three oldest children, Musa, Eman, and Omar.

Student Instructions:

Click "Start Assignment".
Type in the children's names in the title boxes.
Create an image for each cell, depicting what you think the children’s lives may have become.
Write at least one sentence about the scene in the description box.

More options

Copy This Storyboard

Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 6-8

Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)

Type of Assignment Individual or Partner

Type of Activity: Spider Maps

Copy Activity

Student Rubric

(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)

Summary in Four Parts

Create a storyboard that summarizes the story. The storyboard should have four cells - one for each part. Below each cell, type in 1-2 sentences that describes that part of the story.

	Proficient	Emerging	Beginning
Plot	Each of the four cells represents a different part of the story. The cells are in order from beginning to end. Sentences accurately summarize each part.	Two cells or fewer are out of order, or the storyboard is missing important information.	Important information is missing and/or three or more cells are out of order.
Images	Cells include images that help to tell the story and do not get in the way of understanding.	Some of the images help tell the story. Descriptions do not always match the images.	Images do not make sense with the story.
Spelling and Grammar	Spelling and grammar is mostly accurate. Mistakes do not get in the way of understanding.	Spelling is very inaccurate and hinders full understanding.	Text is difficult to understand.

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How Tos about Welcome to Nowhere Finish the Story

Set clear expectations for creative story endings

Explain what you expect students to include in their endings, such as character growth, believable challenges, and realistic futures. Setting clear guidelines helps students focus their creativity and ensures their work aligns with your objectives.

Model brainstorming ideas for each character’s future

Demonstrate how to brainstorm possible outcomes for each character by thinking aloud and jotting ideas on the board. This gives students a starting point and builds their confidence in developing unique storylines.

Guide students to use evidence from the book

Encourage students to reference events, character traits, or challenges from the story to make their endings more authentic. Using textual evidence strengthens critical thinking and deepens their understanding.

Support students in creating storyboards with visuals and text

Remind students to include meaningful images and thoughtful sentences for each cell of their storyboard or spider map. Combining art and writing engages different learning styles and makes the activity more dynamic.

Facilitate peer sharing and constructive feedback

Organize short sharing sessions where students present their endings and receive feedback from peers. Peer feedback builds a collaborative classroom environment and helps students refine their ideas.

Frequently Asked Questions about Welcome to Nowhere Finish the Story

What is the 'Welcome to Nowhere Finish the Story' activity?

The 'Welcome to Nowhere Finish the Story' activity engages students in imagining what happens to Omar, Musa, and Eman after the novel’s ending. Students create a spider map or storyboard to illustrate and describe the children’s possible futures, encouraging inference and creative thinking.

How can students complete a 'Finish the Story' spider map for 'Welcome to Nowhere'?

Students complete the spider map by starting the assignment, labeling each cell with a child's name, creating an image for each, and writing a descriptive sentence about each imagined future. This helps students develop inference and visualization skills.

What are some tips for helping students infer the futures of characters in 'Welcome to Nowhere'?

Encourage students to use textual evidence, consider the characters’ past experiences, and think about realistic challenges and opportunities they might face. Brainstorming and class discussions can also support deeper inference.

Why is it important for students to imagine what happens after a story ends?

Imagining life beyond a story builds empathy, inference, and creative writing skills. It helps students connect more personally with characters and understand themes like change, resilience, and hope.

What grade levels is the 'Welcome to Nowhere Finish the Story' activity best suited for?

This activity is designed for students in grades 6–8, and can be completed individually or with a partner to foster collaboration and creative thinking.