LA 1.05Storytelling
The guide tells true or realistic stories without a book, and children learn to tell their own short stories in order.
Presentation
- 1
Gather a small group and wait for quiet.
- 2
Tell a short, true story from your own life (under two minutes) using a clear beginning, middle, and end.
- 3
Use time words as you tell it: "First I... Then I... At the end..."
- 4
Pause after the story and let the children respond freely.
- 5
Invite one child to tell a short story about something that happened to them.
- 6
Help the child with one prompt if needed: "What happened next?"
- 7
Thank the child and invite another to share on a later day.
Extensions, easiest to hardest
- Ordering three sequence picture cards and telling the story they show
- Telling a story using a set of small objects as props
- Children dictate a story for the adult to write down and read back
- Telling a made-up story to a small group
Control of error
The adult; sequence cards may have numbered backs for the child to check order.
Ready to move on when the child…
- Listens to a whole spoken story without interrupting
- Tells a personal story with at least three events in order
- Uses time words such as first, next, and last
Guide note
Stories told without a book help children picture the events for themselves. Choose realistic stories for children under six; they are still learning the difference between real and pretend.