Objective: To practice narrative tenses (Past Simple, Past Continuous), vocabulary related to daily life and history, and spontaneous speaking.

Setting the Scene 
Explain the scenario to the class:
"Today, we are going to travel back in time. We are not in a classroom; we are at the Castillo de la Duquesa, but in the past. Each of you will become a different person who lived or worked here long ago. You will meet each other and tell your stories."

Character Distribution and Preparation 
- Give each student one Character Card. (There is an additional card with a description of each character in case the teacher wishes to use it to make the activity easier.)
- Give students 5-7 minutes to read their card and prepare their story. They can write down keywords but not full sentences.
- Encourage them to think about:

• What is their name and job? 
• What do they do every day?
• What is a big problem or exciting event in their life?
• What do they see and hear at the castle or in the village?

The Storytelling "Marketplace"

This is the main interactive part.

• Ask students to stand up and walk around the room. This is the "marketplace" or "village square" of Sabinillas.
• When they meet another person, they should:
  
  • Greet each other. ("Hello, my name is...")
  • Explain who they are and tell their story.
  • Listen to the other person's story.
  • Ask at least one question. ("Why are you worried?" "What did you see?")
  • After 3-4 minutes, say goodbye and find a new person to talk to.

Group Feedback 
Ask a few students to share the most interesting story they heard from someone else: "Who did you meet?" "What was their story?" "What interesting thing did you learn?"

Characters

Omar: The Berber Pirate

Job: Pirate sailor
Your Story: Your ship is hiding near the coast. Tonight, you and your crew will try to attack the village near the castle to find food and treasures. You are secretly watching the castle walls to see how many soldiers are there. You are a little nervous but excited.
Language to use: ship, attack, soldiers, treasure, hide, night.

Lucius: The Roman Fisherman

Job: Fisherman
Your Story: You catch fish every day in your small boat. You sell most of your fish to the big fish salting factory inside the castle walls. Without your fish, they cannot make the famous garum sauce. You are proud of your work but tired because the work is very hard.
Language to use: catch fish, boat, sell, factory, garum, tired, hard work.

Carlos: The Spanish Soldier

Job: Soldier in the castle
Your Story: You stand on the castle walls every day, watching the sea. You are looking for pirate ships. It is often boring, but you must be ready to fight. Yesterday, you think you saw a ship far away, and you are worried.
Language to use: soldier, watch the sea, pirate ships, bored, fight, worried.

Elena: The Local Farmer

Job: Farmer
Your Story: You have a small farm with vegetables and olives near the castle. You sell your food to the people in the village and the soldiers in the castle. Last week, pirates stole two of your chickens! You are angry and want the soldiers to protect you better.
Language to use: farm, vegetables, olives, sell, pirates stole, angry, protect.

Caius: The Roman Garum Maker

Job: Garum factory owner
Your Story: You are rich and important. You own the fish salting factory. Your garum sauce is famous and you sell it to many countries. The smell is very bad, but you don't care because you have a big, beautiful house.
Language to use: factory owner, rich, famous garum, bad smell, beautiful house.

Dr. Jones: The Modern Archaeologist

Job: Archaeologist
Your Story: You are from the present day. You are digging near the castle and you have just found a beautiful Roman coin! You are very excited. You want to tell everyone about the amazing history of this place.
Language to use: archaeologist, dig, find, Roman coin, excited, history.

Isabella: The Innkeeper's Daughter

Job: Works at her family's inn
Your Story: You work at the "Three Sails" inn near the castle. You hear all the news and gossip from travelers, soldiers, and fishermen. Yesterday, you overheard two soldiers talking quietly about a suspicious ship. You are curious and a little scared.
Language to use: inn, guests, gossip, overhear, suspicious, scared, curious.

Rodrigo: The Duke's Messenger

Job: Official messenger for the Duke of Arcos
Your Story: You have just arrived on horseback from the Duke's palace with an important message for the castle's captain. The message says that pirate activity has increased and the soldiers must be extra vigilant. You are tired from your long journey.
Language to use: messenger, horseback, captain, vigilant, tired, proud.

Teacher's Notes

• Differentiation: For stronger students, encourage them to add more details. For weaker students, allow them to have their card with keywords in front of them.
• Language Focus: Encourage the use of Past Simple for events ("I saw...", "Pirates stole...") and Past Continuous for setting the scene ("I was working when I saw...").