Students will prove their knowledge of their stories’ basic plot by creating a plot point outline of their stories.
Materials Needed:
• Each student must have his or her storytelling packet • Whiteboard and pens • Overhead markers • 3 overhead sheets for each student doing overhead • The felt necessary for the students doing felt • Scissors • Glue (both hot glue and Elmer’s) • Scrap bag for those who may be making puppets to use
Hook:
Ask the students to tell you the story of The Tortoise and the Hare, using their prior knowledge of that story from the clip they watched in lesson 3. As they tell you the story, write up on the board the basic plot points as they are told.
Transition:
Tell the students that what you have written up on the board are called Plot Points. They are the main pieces of the story and what is most important to include in a telling.
Step 1 (Instruction/Discussion):
Ask the students to pull out their storytelling packets and open to the sixth page, which is where an example of a plot point sheet for the Little Red Hen can be found. Ask them how creating a plot point might be able to help them in learning their stories. They can turn to the first and second pages of their sheets to find some answers as well. How are plot points different than what is already written up on the board? Emphasize that plot points are not writing what will be said or all the tiny parts of each story–plot points are the important parts of the story that you must remember or else the story would not make sense. Writing these should help you with memorization of the story.
Assessment (assigned as homework):
Ask the students to write out a plot point for their stories. These plot points must be written in such a way that all of the elements necessary in the story are present. They will also be responsible to mark/notate places where they think they may use physicality, change a felt piece, or change their overheads. These will be due the next lesson day, and the completion of them will be worth 5 points. Ask the students to try and use their plot points to memorize as much as they can of their stories, as they will be asked to work on the telling of them for the next lesson.
Step 2 (Individual Practice):
The rest of the period should be a work time for the students to be able to create pieces necessary for their stories. If they are telling traditionally, ask them to work on their physicality and voice as they work. They may want to turn in plot points early and work on those as well. Throughout this work period, you will want to make sure that you go around the room and check in on students to keep them on task. Let them know that you are available as a resource if they wish to ask you for help or practice for you. It is better not to simply say “get to work” or something of the like if a student is off-task. Instead, approach the student and ask if you can help her do anything or if she is stuck. Asking guiding questions about his or her work will allow you to actually help the student, and most of the students will actually begin to work if you use this technique.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
You will want to give the students another day dedicated to working. This does not have a set lesson plan, and therefore is not included as such. Always remind them to rehearse their stories as homework.
