April Story Books

I can't tell you how glad I am that I switched over to teaching early elementary school students. I love teaching the youngest students because of their enthusiasm for practically EVERYTHING and their unending well of INGENIOUS creativity. I learn a lot from these guys.

On certain days we begin class by writing in our story books.  I got this idea while working in an after school program at an elementary school in Oakland, CA. The students get the same papers with lines for writing at the bottom and a space to draw a picture at the top.

1. First, I draw a simple shape. 
2. Then the students add to the shape, creating an image.
3. Lastly, the students write a story about their picture. 

My hope is that students are having fun creating something of their own. They get to be authors and artists. I love reading what the students come up with. It is pure magic.

Here's some examples of stories from different students with the same cloud shape page. Keep in mind that these are six to nine year old children writing in their second language! I've rewrote their stories in the caption with spelling corrected, but I left the grammar as is.

Today is rain this morning. I go to school with my umbrella.
Tic Teok. The rain sound! Tic Teok Tic Teok.

The airplane is go to Korean. Suddenly, the airplane is put the different airplane
and the airplane is broken a people is die.

A man was walked on the street. Suddenly angel was coming.
She lie on the cloud. Angel was smiled.

I created a whole booklet for the students, intending for each page to be a different story. One student, Lucy, went above and beyond.  She created a whole story linking all the pictures from beginning to end. Complete with a main character, plot, climax, foreshadowing, a surprise twist, and a satisfying resolution: Here is Lucy's story.

The boy, Tom get out of the house. Because Tom wants to see the sun.
But the clouds are coming.

Then, clouds come here, it starts to rain. Tom became cry.
Because the sun disappear and the weather is rain.

But he had a good idea. It is Tom get on the little boat, then Tom had to rain travel!
He starts to get on the boat, the rain travel is start!

But it is just a dream.  The boat is a toy. He gets a different idea.
That's are Tom and Tom's family can go the earth travel.

Tom's family goes to New York. Because he wants to go to New York.
And he had a homework about New York. Anyway, he travel the New York.
And he do homework. Than he does to his house.

Now that many students are finished with this book, I've created a new one. This time I'm challenging the students with pictures and lines that are more abstract. I am already seeing some amazing things! I love teaching!