Now that children have had some experience constructing narratives of their own as well as collaborating on joint narratives, we decided to present a provocation for “story plays” – stories that can be acted out. We provided a storyboard template with six numbered blank squares, an array of luscious colored pencils, black fine line markers, two generous placemats, two stools, and the example of M’s book, Cheeser and Her Friends Go to the Park, all located near the dramatic play area.
The storyboard templates provided a visual example of the narrative progression and supported the children’s planning.
Here are some examples of the story plays children have been working on.
A play about a rollerskating party
The characters so far…A mom, a sister, a frog, a toad, a monster, and a sunburned duck!
Teachers scaffolded the story play work over many days, helping children make connections between their ideas for characters and narratives, and how they would bring them to life in our in the dramatic play area. Children began to think of themselves as playwriters, actors, scenery builders, ticket salespeople, and audience members. Here is a glimpse into what happened when the children decided to act out The Alive and Not Alive Story.
A planning session: the writers, actors, and scene builders
F builds the “curtain”
RG: R, are we gonna make the ground? The stage?
RWK: We need a backstage.
EP: Can I be a ladybug?
RWK: Yes, there are three ladybugs (in the play).
DS: In this story, I’m a ladybug.
RWK: In the middle you’re gonna die, but then you come back alive.
DS: Only the stage people can come back here.
RWK: Backstage is where we get our costumes on. And practice.
EP: Can I go in because I’m a ladybug?
RWK: Any ladybugs can come in (RWK has altered her original story to accommodate more actors who want to participate in the play).
DS: We open up the curtain when it’s time for the show. We need to cover everything so the audience can’t see. So it’s a surprise!
RWK: It has to be higher than this. (RWK rearranges curtain so no one can see backstage. )
The children have become experts at building structures for their scenery after all of their experience building forts!
RG: Do you know where we’re going to get the tickets? (RG builds the ticket booth)
“Get your tickets here!”
EA pretends to play a musical instrument, providing a prelude to the show.
The audience is seated and waiting patiently for the show to begin!
Teacher: Are we ready? The Alive and Not Alive Story…
RG: Wait! The scenery! We need a castle!
RWK: The show is starting soon for all boys and girls! Buy tickets here. By order of Jaquette.
RG: Wait! How do you write “EXIT”?
RG writes the EXIT sign by looking at the sign by our classroom door and tapes it up. RG is really thinking about all the parts of a theater.
Teacher: (Narrating as the children act) The Alive and Not Alive Story. Once upon a time there was a girl named Jaquette…, a mom named Lisa…, and three ladybugs. One day, the wicked witch cast a spell on the ladybugs…. Jaquette was so sad that the ladybugs died that she died, too…. Then Lisa gets a magic wand and makes them alive again…. She wins 1000 prizes!
As some of you may know, Vivian Gussin Paley is the original creator and advocate of Storytelling/Story Acting as a valuable teaching approach. She has written a number of short, interesting and readable books about her experiences which detail how she developed and refined this curriculum over the years and the benefits that she and her students derived. Here is an excerpt from, “Making Language Come Alive: Learning Literacy through Storytelling/Story Acting” by Judi Pack, M.A. Ed. that captures some of what we have noticed as we collaborate as a classroom on this work.
It has been said that human beings are born to tell and listen to stories… In my many years of visiting classrooms and as a classroom teacher, I have seen no activity that surpasses Storytelling/Story Acting for its powerful impact on children. The process brings the children together in ways that other activities cannot. The children communicate with each other by sharing their imaginative tales that incorporate fear, humor, high drama and, most importantly, the young child’s perception of the world. Children see their friends creating the characters before their eyes and that helps them to better understand their own thinking. They learn to be a good audience. They learn self-regulation through the acting process… At first glance, the stories may seem frivolous and the acting silly. But watch carefully. Listen intently. Read back those stories over time and remember the faces of the children while they were acting. There is nothing frivolous or silly about what is taking place… Language comes alive as they watch their friends act out stories. The whole process is both playful and serious at the same time.
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On this last week of the semester, we have to say a bittersweet farewell to so many children and families that we have gotten to know over the year, and in some cases, years! We wish you all the very best as you embark on your new adventures, and hope that you will keep in touch!