"Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today." -Robert McKee

Deepening Comprehension Through Storytelling by Dr. Jane Gang

"Pursuing one's own goals despite derision from others is worthwhile." ~Santos

Looking at the activities that Dr. Gangi listed in her article, I can say that most of my teachers used one or more of these activities. However the most popular is always two truths and I lie. It's always a lot of fun specially in the older grades. Caution in the younger grades bullying may occur. Some students call each other liars so please use the activity carefully!

Personally, I love the idea of having students see themselves as the storytellers, therefore my favorite activity is folding a piece of paper like an accordion and writing one sentence. The next member of the group reads the first sentence, then writes another sentence connected to the first sentence that extends the story. The person then folds the paper so that the first sentence is not visible. The third person reads the second sentence, then writes a third sentence, fold the paper so the fourth person can only see the third sentence, and so on. The last person in the circle reads the entire story. I really enjoy this activity because it is a more creative mad libs! The students use their imagination and they have the ability to give the story their own twist. The students are the authors and they can have pride in what they have created as a whole. This can serve as an ice breaker as well because this activity definitely causes some laughs!

Qualities of a good reader:

• activate prior knowledge, making text to text, text to self, and text to world connections
• create sensory images
• synthesize
• determine importance
• make inferences
• ask questions
• make predictions
• self-correct
• summarize

Need some ideas to jump start the storytellers in your students? Try these activities! I guarantee you will see a difference immediately!

1. Have students see themselves as storytellers. Tell folklore and personal stories and have students share their own. Storytelling is not memorization it is internalization and visualization
2. Have students work with a partner and tell each other about a time they got in trouble. The have the students switch partners and retell the story they just heard. The student has to guess who's story it is and the original storyteller will point out any misconceptions.
3. Standing in a circle, the group repeats this chant: "As I went up the apple tree. All the apples fell on me. Apple puddling, apple pie. Did you ever tell a lie?" Then one by one, individuals tell brief stories which may be the truth or may be a lie. Group members vote-thumbs up if they think it is the truth, thumbs down if they think it is a lie. The teller affirms whether it is the truth or a lie. It goes around until everyone has a chance, chanting the refrain between individual tellings.
4. Two truths and a lie. The class guesses which two are the truth and which two are a lie. The truths generate interesting personal stories.
5. Collect coins that have dates your students could remember in their life. Children choose coins randomly and tell a story from that year. This can be done in partners or as a group
6. Tell stories based on interviews in which you take the point of view of someone who knows your partner well. Give partners time to interview each other first.
7. Tell a group story in which each sentence alternates with Fortunately and Unfortunately. Besides giving a rehearsal experience, this activity also teaches the writer's craft of see-saw patterns.
8. Fold a paper like an accordion. Write one sentence. The next member of the group reads the first sentence, then writes another sentence connected to the first sentence that extends the story. The person then folds the paper so that the first sentence is not visible. The third person reads the second sentence, then writes a third sentence, fold the paper so the fourth person can only see the third sentence, and so on. The last person in the circle reads the entire story.
9. Write random people, places, problems, and events on cards. One person begins the story with one random thing. The next person draws another card and must weave it into the story the first person began. A variation is to use vocabulary words.
10. Bring in sound makers: tambourine, drum. Every day objects can be included: keys, rubber bands. Each new sound introduced guides and changes the story.
11. Bring in different types of music. Allow the music to suggest the story.
12. Ellen O'Connor said, "Storytelling actively involves the child in the reconstruction of a story and helps develop comprehension, oral language, and a sense of story structure..."
13. Good storytelling means creating pictures or smells or feelings in people's minds.

    

    Looks like the President and First Lady have the right idea!