ECE 358 Storytelling Activity

Name: Courtney Alexander

Title of Activity & #: Storytelling Activity #1
Creative Storytelling Technique (Morrow, 334-336): Face puppets and props
Group size: Whole group Approximate time: 20 minutes
Grade Level: 1st grade
TEKS:
ELA110.12-(b): (7A)
Students are expected to connect the meaning of a well-known
story or fable to personal experiences.
THE117.7-(b): (2C)
Students are expected to: dramatize limited-action stories.
Objectives: The child willexplain how their personal experiences connect to
the meaning of the story.
The child willact out their assigned character or sound effect during
the teacher narration of the story.
The child willshare what they would do in Maxs situation.
Vocabulary: Wild, gnash, mischief, forest, vines, tumble, private,
Gnash, tamed, rumpus, supper
Source (activities inspired by):
http://www.readingrockets.org/content/pdfs/literacybags/wildthings_09.pdf
Materials: (What will other teachers need to replicate this activity? How will
your store/display this activity in the classroom?)
Book: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.
White board, chart paper, or something else to write predictions on.
A table with a blue tablecloth on top of it, to serve as the stage for the
acting.
Face puppets of the Where the Wild Things Are characters- Made out of
construction paper, paper plates, and Popsicle sticks (glued to the paper
plate), and a stapler. (Optional: magnets or Velcro to make it where Maxs
crown can come on and off).
Boat prop- Made of construction paper taped to an old shoebox and a very
small dowel rod.
Forest prop- Made of an old hanger, brown butcher paper, scissors, green
construction paper, a Sharpie, and a stapler.

Anticipatory Set:
1) Activate background knowledge:
Think of a time when you were sad and wanted to be somewhere else.
How did you feel? Why were you sad? What did you do? Where did you
pretend to be instead? Call on a few volunteers to share their answers to
these questions.
2) Say:
In the story you are about to hear, a little boy, named Max, feels the
same way.
3) Picture walk through the book, Where the Wild Things Are by: Maurice
Sendak. Mention the author and illustrator, then ask the following questions
before the storytelling activity:
Why do you think Max is sad?
Where do you think he will pretend to be while hes sad?
Do you think he will become happy again? If so, what will make him
happy again?
4) Write students predictions down on chart paper or on the board.
Input or Modeling:
1) Introduce the characters in the story to students, by holding up the teachercreated face puppets (Max, his mother, several different Wild Things).
2) Introduce the different settings that the characters will encounter during the
story, through gesturing to the props (boat, vines, table for Maxs
bedroom).
3) Divide students up into groups of 2-4, depending on the class size. There
should be seven groups total.
4) Explain to each group what their part will be while the teacher narrates.
Group 1: Max
(Moves Max face puppets to the different settings and repeat after
the teacher when he says or does something in the story).
Group 2: Maxs Mother
(Moves mother face puppets in the house setting when she is in the
story and repeats after the teacher when she says her line).
Group 3: Wild Thing 1 (that looks like a bird)
(Moves face puppet around behind the forest setting when the
Wild Things are mentioned.)
Group 4: Wild Thing 2 (that looks like a bull)
(Moves face puppet around behind the forest setting when the
Wild Things are mentioned.)
Group 5: Wild Thing 3 (the one with the long hair)
(Moves face puppet around in the forest setting when the Wild
Things are mentioned.)
Group 6: Ocean Sound Effects
(Makes the sound of crashing waves and moves the boat while
Max is sailing across the ocean).
Group 7: Forest Sound Effects

(Holds up forest setting and makes the gnashing and roaring

sounds of the Wild Things).
Guided Practice:
1) Students will complete their assigned job during the narration of the story
(depending on their assigned role), paying particular attention to when their role
plays into the story. They should be on time to perform their part.
2) Students will show respect to other groups in class, by listening as they
perform their parts.
3) Students will respond to connection questions asked by the teacher before,
during, and after the story narration.
During Activity Questions:
1) In the story, Max pretends to be a wolf. How do you play pretend?
2) How would you feel sailing alone on a boat for as long as Max did?
3) What would you do if the Wild Things were roaring and gnashing at you?
4) Why do you think Max sent the Wild Things to bed without supper?
Check for Understanding:
1) The child willexplain how their personal experiences connect to the
meaning of the story: If the students participate in answering the connection
questions throughout the activity, then they will have mastered this objective. I
will informally assess this participation through anecdotal records.
2) The child willact out their assigned character or sound effect during
the teacher narration of the story: If students are on time with
playing their role in the story, then they have mastered this objective. I will use
informal observations to assess this objective, documenting anything during the
activity that sticks out to me.
3) The child willshare what they would do in Maxs situation: Each student
will have a turn either in a class discussion or exit slip as they are leaving to
share their thoughts about this. If they share their thoughts, they have completed
this objective.
After Activity Connection Questions:
1) If you were Max, would you leave the island? Why?
2) What do you think this story teaches us?
Present your activity to a small group of children. How did they respond?
Would you make any changes to your activity or plan?
When I first started out my activity, it was more from a teacher-centered
approach. It acting out the story myself, rather than involving the students in the
storytelling process. Which, I now know, was a mistake. Students are much more
engaged when they play a large role in the process. So, about half way through

my activity, I gave them the reigns to act out the story as I narrated it. Not only
were they completely into participating in the process, but they were also able to
answer all of my application questions about the story afterwards. After switching
around my method for presenting the story, the students had fun and learned a
lot in the process. Additional changes I would make to my activity would be to:
create more durable face puppets and props; make a bedroom prop for a setting
visual; have students act out their own ending to the story as an extension; and
possibly even use this activity as a story retelling activity instead.
Documentation: