We are becoming great story writers, using our creativity and imagination! In the classroom, we used materials such as mats, wooden tree stumps and fabric to build our setting. We used wooden pegs and gems to make characters and add details. You can create stories at home using your toys too!
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Story Workshop
Story workshop focuses on helping children hear their individual voice and provides a supportive, interactive, and challenging environment. In this environment students will develop their reading, writing, listening, speaking, critical thinking, and imaginative problem-solving capacities.
Story Workshop cultivates:
Confidence
- Gives children a voice
- Gives children choice
- Shows that there is no wrong way to tell a story
- Allows students to go at their own pace
Creativity
- Allows use of a variety of material
- Supports inspiration
- Allows students to see different perspectives and different solutions when their peers use the same materials/ problems in a variety of ways
- Gives students the time to explore, create, and try
Compassion
- Encourages collaboration
- Inspires students to want to learn others story
- Helps students problem solve and learn how to offer and receive a helping hand
Leadership
- Cultivates a desire to support others
- Empowers ownership of stories
- Allows students to take a risk and practice sharing and contributing to others
- Teaches students to be mindful and intentional
- Lets them know what they say has value
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How to do Story Workshop at home:
Story Workshop is your child building different stories with the materials you provide. These materials can be anything: Lego, building blocks, acorns, sticks, dolls, cars, stuffed animals, etc. Your child is encouraged to create a story, with characters, settings, beginning, middle, and end. Encourage your child to have the characters talk out loud.
Allow children time to build their setting before they start telling their story. A setting often significantly helps to shape their story. Your child has been building stories all year and is very good at it.
After your child has built a setting, they will create a story. Anything can happen in their story. They will want to share it with you after. Let them share it with you, without you asking to many questions. When they are finished their story you can ask them if there was a problem, and/or solution, where their setting was, etc. Remember to always be encouraging!! Tell your child your favourite part and ask them a question or tell them ideas you might have for next time.
This activity can take anywhere from 20 -60 mins, depending on how engaged your child is!
How to Story Write at home:
After your child has built a story, we have been encouraging children to start writing down their stories! Your child can draw and write out the different stories they have built, or just thought of that day. Some students are able to sound out words and sentences, some students write words and beginning letters. Any writing is amazing and encouraged. Encourage details in their picture. Story books are to be full of colourful pictures that children will be able to read to everyone in the house!