Creating Story Boxes
My students love our classroom Story Boxes, and so do I! Besides being simply fun, tons of learning occurs when the students play with hands-on story elements. I will briefly mention just a few and then show you how I built the story boxes I use in my classroom.
Academic Advantages
Oral Language Development: Working together or alone to retell a story allows a child to build the most important component of literacy development: oral language skills. It is though talking and listening that children build crucial vocabulary and sentence structure skills. Story-boxes award children a safe and comfortable environment in which they can practice the vocabulary and story structure of familiar tales to which they have previously listened.
Comprehension and Fluency: Learning to retell a story in a risk free setting allows students to organize, sequence, and describe events, which will foster developed reading comprehension. Using the visual of storybooks and the manipulatives of story elements, provide the fundamentals of important storytelling techniques and enhanced vocabulary. As students are able to manipulate the characters in a story, the meaning of that story is deepened; story elements come to life. The characters are now in their hands as they recreate the story.
Tactile Exploration: The story-boxes allow students to use additional senses as they are able to touch the elements of a story. This purposeful exploration builds visual acuity, thinking skills, and builds understanding of how the elements of a story relate.
How to Make a Story Box
First, select a familiar story that you have read to your students. A great place to begin is with traditional tales such as the three bears. Next, find the characters. I have gathered characters from McDonalds, purchased Beanie Babies, used wooden puzzle pieces, found items at dollar and discount stores, made my own by using clip art on heavy tag and laminating, commercially purchased from teacher stores such as Lakeshore, or found items on places such as Amazon Etsy, or Ebay. I have made items from socks, dowels, and wool yarn.
Gather a container. I have tried everything from ziplock bags to shoe boxes before settling on sterilite containers that stack easily.
Next, I label the container with a picture of the book, or clip art that matches the story and begin gathering objects. Following are some of my story box contents.
As you can see I have a variety of "what I can find" story telling props. For most I try to add contents that will allow students to play with aspects of the setting, such as the bridge, houses, etc.
Also available at Teachers Pay Teachers!
Product Description
Are you looking for some great writing activities, ready to print and go!
My students love these "Folk-Tale" based writing activities. Complete with "I Can- Task Cards."
Story Elements Anchor Chart
Story Elements Student Worksheet
Adjectives Anchor Chart
Adjectives Student Worksheet
The Hen: Can, Has, Is Anchor Chart
The Hen: Can, Has, Is Student Worksheet
Write About the Wolf (Adjectives/Can, Has, Is)
Label-It I Can Chart
Label-It Student Worksheets
Make a List I Can Chart
Make a List Student Worksheet
Little Red Word Wall
Write a Story I Can Chart
Write a Story Prompt Worksheet
Write The Room
Write the Room I Can Chart
Backwards Words Chart
Backwards Word Cards
Backwards Word Worksheets
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Also available at Teachers Pay Teachers!
Product Description
Are you looking for some great writing activities, ready to print and go!
My students love these "Folk-Tale" based writing activities. Complete with "I Can- Task Cards."
Contents Include:
Story Elements Anchor Chart
Story Elements Student Worksheet
Adjectives Anchor Chart
Adjectives Student Worksheet
The Troll: Can, Has, Is Anchor Chart
The Troll: Can, Has, Is Student Worksheet
Write About the Troll (Adjectives/Can, Has, Is)
Label-It I Can Chart
Label-It Student Worksheets
Make a List I Can Chart
Make a List Student Worksheet
The Billy Goat’s Word Wall
Write a Story I Can Chart
Write a Story Prompt Worksheet
Write The Room Words
Write the Room I Can Chart
Write The Room Alphabet
Write the Room Worksheets
Write the Room I Can Chart
QR Alphabet
QR I Can Chart
QR Worksheets
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• Back To School Theme Independent Writing Practice
• Billy Goats Gruff Writing and Literacy Center Activities
• Christmas Theme Independent Writing Practice
• Dinosaur Theme Independent Writing Practice
• Fall Themed Independent Writing Practice
• Fall Writing and Literacy Activities for Pre Kindergarten
• February Independent Writing Practice.
• Halloween Theme Independent Writing Practice
• Insect Writing and Literacy Center Activities
• Jack & The Beanstalk Independent Writing Practice
• Little Red Hen Writing and Literacy Center Activities
• Little Red Riding Hood Writing and Literacy Center Activities
• Ocean Themed Independent Writing Practice
• Pond Theme Independent Writing Practice
• Space Theme Independent Writing Practice
• Spider Bat Theme Independent Writing Practice
• Thanksgiving Theme Independent Writing Practice
• Three Little Pigs Writing and Literacy Center Activities
• Winter Theme Independent Writing Practice
• Zoo Theme Independent Writing Practice
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This thematic unit, Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes, is strategically linked to academic Core Standards. It is divided into areas of literature, music, art, literacy, math, worksheets, science, creative writing, word wall, and guided reading. The activities are clearly written, easy to use, and need limited amounts of preparation.
Table of Contents:
Shared Reading Activities
Mother Goose Rhymes: Saying or Singing Nursery Rhymes
Nursery Rhymes: Sequencing Nursery Rhymes
Hey Diddle Diddle Pocket Chart Activity
Literacy Activities
Mother Goose Mix-up: Building Working Memory
Humpty Dumpty Rhymes: Matching Rhymes
Blind Mice Chase: Identifying Letters
Mary Goes To School: Using Preposition Words
Mary's Letters: Tracing Letters A-Z
Little Lost Lambs: Hunting For Alphabet Letters
Math Activities
Little Bo Peep's Sheep: Counting Objects to Match Numbers
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Hey Diddle Diddle Numbers: Identifying Number Names
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Songs/Fingerplays
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Jack Be Nimble
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Little Bo Peep
Little Boy Blue
Jack and Jill
Little Miss Muffet
The Fly and The Bumblebee
Art Projects
Mary's Schoolhouse: Construction Project
Mary's School Portfolio Sample
Humpty Dumpty on a Wall
Writing
Hey Diddle Diddle Prewriting Practice
My Favorite Nursery Rhyme
Science
Insects & Spiders: Making Comparisons
Guided Reading Books
Mother Goose Land
Class Made Books
Mother Goose Rhymes
© Kathy Crane
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Strategically teach academic core standards and have a lot of fun as well, using this Fairy Tale thematic unit.
Fairy Tale Activities include:
Shared Reading Activities:
Retelling a Story: Sequencing a Familiar Story
Once Upon a Time: Identifying Story Elements
Literacy Lessons:
My Kingdom: Distinguishing Between Similarly Spelled Words.
Kiss a Frog: Sight Words
Race to the Rose: Decoding Words
Spinning Gold: Counting Syllables
Story Boxes: Retelling Familiar Stories
Digraph Pairs: Identifying Digraphs
Grandma’s House: Writing Simple Words
Math Lessons
Knight School: Making Sums of 10
Climb the Beanstalk: Identifying Missing Numbers
Cinderella’s Shoes: Adding Fluently
Follow the Yellow Brick Road: Comparing and Writing Numbers
Dance All Night: Telling Time
Rapunzel’s Tower: Comparing Measurements
Writing
Fairy Tale Word Wall
Writing Prompts: Fairy Tales, Dragons
Writing Center Activities:
How To, Label It, Make a List
Guided Reading Books
Jack & The Beanstalk
Science
Magic Bean Seeds
Art Projects
Draw a Castle
Castle Construction
Frog Prince Construct
King or Queen Construct
Songs/Fingerplays
Poof! I’m a Giant
Cinderella
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Bring guided reading to a new level by using "Partner Plays" also called "Reader's Theater." These books have simple, adorable scripts, that will increase student's ability to read with expression and fluency.
Contents:
Henny Penny
Jack and the Beanstalk
Little Red Hen
Little Red Riding Hood
The Three Little Pigs
The Three Billy Goats
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Fable and Folk Tale themed readers make learning to read fun and engaging! Kids LOVE these paper themed books that visit the three pigs, the three goats, Jack and the Beanstalk and The Little Red Hen!
Offering students a paper book that can be colored and taken home offers students authentic purpose for the guided reading instruction and opportunity to practice techniques at home. Plus your kiddos will love them!
Contents include:
The Little Pigs
The Little Goats
Jack and the Beanstalk
The Little Red Hen
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Folk Tales Thematic Unit is strategically linked to academic Core Standards. Add authentic learning to your curriculum by using this fun unit, starting Giants, Trolls & The Big Bad Wolf! It is divided into areas of literature, music, art, literacy, math, science, creative writing, word wall, and guided reading. The activities are clearly written, easy to use, and need limited amounts of preparation.
Table of Contents
Songs/Fingerplays
This Little Piggy
The Big Bad Wolf
Literacy Activities
Up the Beanstalk: Writing Simple Words
The Three Little Pigs: Decoding CVC Words
Shake Little Piggy: Reading & Writing Sight Words
Big Bad Bingo: Identifying and Matching Consonant Digraphs
Cross The Bridge: Relating Verbs & Adjectives to Opposites
Shared Reading Whole Group Activities:
Identifying Story Elements
Beginning, Middle, End: Story Structure
Math Activities
Measuring-- Tall or Short: Comparing Size By Length
Measuring Giants and Trolls: Comparing Size
Giants, Trolls & Wolves, Oh My! Writing Numerals
Going To Grandma's House: Counting Forward From Any Given Number 1-100
Art Projects
Cooperative Giant
Shape Giant
Billy Goat Hat
Puppets: Story Retelling
Science Projects
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Writing
Word Wall
If I Met a Giant!
Up the Beanstalk?
The Big Bad Wolf
Guided Reading Books
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The Three Bears Thematic Unit will thrill the students in your classroom or homeschool setting.
Who doesn't love The Three Bears! This thematic unit includes fun and engaging time-tested activities. Most are linked strategically to academic Core Standards.
Contents include:
Shared Reading Lessons
Three Brown Bears: Analyzing Directionality and Word Spelling
Story Element Cards: Analyzing Key Details
Literacy Activities:
A Bowl of Porridge: Naming Letters (Alternate: Decoding Words)
Rhyming Friends: Matching Rhymes
Goldie Comes to Visit: Blending Phonemes into Words
Bear School: Speaking Complete Sentences
Math Activities:
Bear Play: Decomposing Numbers less than 10
Porridge Yum Plus One: Adding one to create a sum that is one larger
Race in the Woods: Comparing Numbers
Sweet Baby Bear: Counting Forward
Three Bear Number Hunt: Writing Numerals to match quantity.
Goldilocks Goes to School: Identifying quantity using Ten-Frames and writing numerals
Art Projects
Three Bear Construct
Goldilocks
Three Bear Puppets
Writing
Three Bear Word Wall
I Can Label It
I Can Write a Story
Writing Prompts:
The Three Bears
Goldilocks
Social Studies
My Family: A Family Home-Connection Sheet
Guided Reading Books
The Three Bears (Two Levels)
Songs/Fingerplays
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