Telling Stories

Summary

This lesson will ask students to create and imagine their own stories based on pictures they are given. Students and the teacher will use various websites and applications to create a story.

Materials

The teacher will need access to a computer and a Smartboard or other Interactive White Board. Students will need some sort of writing materials such as a journal or lined paper. The teacher will also need to plan ahead by printing out the pictures that go along with the Story Bird story for each group. (A screen shot may have to be used).

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to create and tell a story based on a given picture. They will be able to express this story through words and pictures of their own design.

Instructional Procedures

Period 1

1. The teacher will use the interactive whiteboard to show students an incomplete puzzle from Jigsaw Planet. The Halloween puzzle provided may be used.
2. Students will complete the puzzle as a whole group with students taking turns guessing where pieces will go. The teacher should encourage students to explain their thinking as to why they have made their decisions.
3. When the puzzle is complete the students will have a guided discussion about the picture. The teacher will encourage students to think of a story that could have happened to make that picture.
4. Students will return to their seats and use their journal paper to write/draw/label their own story about the picture. Original stories should be encouraged.

Period 2

1. The teacher will use the interactive whiteboard to show students the first page of a story created in Storybird. The story should have only pictures. The teacher will ask for ideas about what this story is going to be about.
2. The teacher will ask for ideas as to what is happening on each page and encourage logical sequence of events. As students give ideas, the teacher will record their words on the page using the Smartboard. For future reference, the teacher will screen shot each page with the students' words.

Period 3

1. The teacher will show the students the same story from the previous period. Students will then be broken into small groups and given the printed pictures from the story.
2. Students will write directly on the pictures (with teacher guidance) to create their own story.
3. Each group will share their stories with the class.

Period 4

1. To wrap up the lesson, the teacher will compile all of the words (or key words depending on length) from the previous days stories. The teacher will create a visually appealing word cloud.
2. The teacher will share the word cloud with the students as a visual reminder that stories can all be very different based on a picture. It would also be a great time to look and review sight words and good vocabulary that students are using in their writing.

Strategies for Diverse Learners

• Struggling students may work in small groups with guidance.
• A list of vocabulary words that will work with the story may be posted on the board for those students that need extra assistance.
• Fast finishers may create an additional story based on a picture found on the Internet by the teacher.

Assessment Plan

Students will individually write a story on journal or lined paper based on a picture from the teacher. The story should be unique and follow a logical sequence of events that relate to the picture.