Junior Storytelling Unit
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Literacy through Story in the Junior Division: An Oral Language Development Unit for Remote Learning Written and Produced by: Dr. Cathy Miyata, Assistant Professor, Wilfrid Laurier University and Sarah Freeman, Research Assistant, Wilfrid Laurier University 2020 Acknowledgements: We would like to thank Karin Demone for her editing assistance And Amanda Williams-Yeagers for her graphic design expertise. Table of Contents Unit Overview 3 Video for Teachers: Storytelling with Dr. Cathy Miyata and Sarah Freeman 3 Notice of Intellectual Property 4 Module One: Personal Stories 5 Click here to access Module 1 PDF Module Two: Shaping Stories to Share 6 Click here to access Module 2 PDF Module Three: Performing RAP 7 Click here to access Module 3 PDF Module Four: Remembering a Story 8 Click here to access Module 4 PDF Module Five: Using Different Methods of Telling 9 Click here to access Module 5 PDF (Part 1) Click here to access Module 5 PDF (Part 2) 10 Module Six: Telling Scary Stories 11 Click here to access Module 6 PDF Module Seven: Using the Techniques of a Great Storyteller 12 Click here to access Module 7 PDF Module Eight: Exploring Stories of Heritage 13 Click here to access Module 8 PDF Module Nine: Polishing Your Performance 14 Click here to access Module 9 PDF Module Ten: How Did I Do? 15 Click here to access Module 10 PDF *Note to Educators: All appendices and additional resources required are embedded in the linked documents listed above. You must click (file..) “Download as PDF” in order to share documents with students. Please make a copy before use to avoid reconfiguration of materials. 2 Unit Overview Subjects: Language (oral and media), Drama Unit Highlights: This unit stresses the importance of telling one's own stories and stories from ones’ heritage, thus encouraging a culturally sustaining pedagogical approach to learning. Learning Goal: Students will explore the writing and telling of personal and traditional stories from various cultures, including their own heritage, and share these in written and performed formats. Unit Description: This unit includes 10 modules. Each module contains 1-3 original videos (highlighted in red) and 3-4 hands-on activities designed to take approximately 3-4 hours. Teachers can assign all the modules or pick and choose according to the needs and interests of their students. For example, Module Six, focuses on scary stories from around the world. Although junior students might really enjoy these stories, some parents may not, so this module could be removed. However, this module also includes lessons on censorship and telling responsibly with examples of funny scary stories that can be told to younger children. So please review any modules before removing. Many hyperlinks are embedded in the modules which connect to safe and interesting online resources representing a variety of cultures. A student self-assessment module is available at the conclusion of the unit which includes a certificate of completion. All of the activities align with expectations outlined in the Language and Drama Ontario curriculums. Sarah and I sincerely hope your students enjoy and even flourish using these activities, especially during these difficult times. Video for Teachers: Storytelling with Dr. Cathy Miyata and Sarah Freeman Description of Video: This introductory video entitled “Literacy for Junior Division” explains the purpose of this unit. 3 Notice of Intellectual Property The educational materials developed for this unit, including, but not limited to, the videos and activities are the intellectual property of Dr. Cathy Miyata. This unit was designed for teachers to use with their junior level students, particularly during this unprecedented era of physical distancing. These materials have been developed for student use only and they are not intended for wider dissemination and/or communication outside of this given this purpose. Posting or providing unauthorized dissemination of audio, video, or written content to third-party websites or for the purpose of personal gain is prohibited. These acts violate the designer’s intellectual property rights, and the Canadian Copyright Act. 4 Module 1: Personal Stories Video: Collecting Stories Activity One: Have You Ever? Prompts for Stories 1. Make a list of the people you could ● Have you ever been lost? interview for stories. For example, you ● Have you ever looked for someone who was lost? could interview people you live with, or ● Have you ever waited and waited for the greatest classmates or friends over the phone, or present ever and it wasn’t that present? Skype your grandparents or cousins. ● Have you ever been surprised by the best present Aim to interview three to five people. Video Description: (3:28 minutes) Dr. Cathy Miyata ever? demonstrates how to look for interesting and exciting stories from your own life. 2. Ask each person you interview to tell you ● Have you ever been really, really scared? two stories from their life. There are ● Have you ever laughed so hard you wet you wet some great questions that will get them Activity Three: Mine or Theirs? telling below. (To further explore your pants? interviewing, Storycorps has an ● Have you ever been really, really embarrassed? 1. Great comedians, actors, and storytellers tell interview app that poses interesting other people’s stories just like it happened to questions. Also, I recommend them. Think about the stories you have heard https://grandpals.ca/ to learn how to from your interviews. connect with older people for their Activity Two: stories). Collect your own stories 2. Pick one story you think you could tell to someone else, pretending the story is yours. For example, instead of saying, “When my 3. While they are telling, ask them details. 1. Think about the stories you heard friends and brother was six…” you would say, “When I was Where were you? What season was it? family tell you. Did those stories remind you of six…” and tell their story like it happened to Who was there? How did you feel? your own stories? Have you ever been really, you. It is trickier than you think. really scared? Have you ever laughed so hard you 4. Have a paper (or a notebook) with you wet your pants? 3. Also tell your listener a story that is really and pen. Jot down some notes about each yours and let them guess which story really story so you can remember it. Give each 2. Write down three stories of your own and give happened to you. Can you trick them? A great story a title. Put a star beside our them a title. storyteller can fool anyone! favourite two stories. Video: Shaping a Story Module 2: Shaping Stories to Share Activity One: Telling “Scar” Stories Activity Two: Using the Kite Model Descriptive Detail 1. Watch the video provided for this 1. Ask someone to tell their scar story, but module. One of my absolute favourite teach them the Kite Model first. Tell kinds of stories is scar stories. For them they must keep the scar a secret example, if I asked you, “Do you have a and tell you where and who was there scar?” I think you would point to it right first. Then they tell the action. away. Think about your scar story. How Activity Three: old were you? Where were you? Who was 2. As they tell, ask them to add in some Developing Funny Characters with you? details so you can see the picture of what 1. The people in each person’s story are the characters is happening in your imagination. Ask in their stories. We don’t think of our mom or our 2. Use the kite model to tell your scar them the season, describe who was there, cousin as a character, but they are. It can be a lot of story out loud. Don’t start the story by and what were they wearing. Ask them to fun to exaggerate the actions of a character in a pointing to the scar. Start the story by describe the exact moment they got hurt story. telling them where you were, who you in slow motion so you can see it. For were with, and then tell what happened. example, if they fell off their bike ask 2. Ask a person to tell their scar story and during the If you tell it this way, the listener is kept how they fell. Did they fly over the telling have them describe how the mom or dad or sister reacted to the accident. If the mom was upset, in suspense knowing something is going handlebars or fall to the side. Where did ask the person to imitate how upset. Did she scream? to happen to you, but they won’t know they land? What did they hear? What did Did the dad faint? Did the sister laugh? what. Try telling your scar story to they feel? What were they thinking? someone else, using the kite model. If 3. Retell the scar story and act out how each character you don’t have someone to tell, then reacted to the accident. You can even make up voices write it down for someone to read. Watch for each character. This is how a comedian develops a and listen for a reaction when you get to piece to perform in a show. Rehearse this story with the accident part! If they gasp, or moan all the exaggeration and then try telling it to other or say “EWWWWWWW” congratulate people. yourself. You told it well! 4. Share how people react to your storytelling with your teacher and classmates! Module 3: Performing Rap Activity One: Beat and Rhythm Activity Two: Close and Exact Rhyming 1.