Week+of+September+21,+2009

Week 1 (second week of school):

= ORAL STORY TELLING = //Sharing stories from the old school and introducing students to the idea of small moment stories...// //Boston Neighborhoods Curriculum connected...//

Learning Targets:
 * 1) I can tell a story using a loud and clear voice.
 * 2) I can be a respectful audience and give the storyteller feedback that I am listening.
 * 3) I can tell a seed story (a small moment story).

=__Day 1__= "In writing and in our Boston Neighborhoods curriculum we are going to be telling and listening to a lot of stories. This week we are going to remember and think about our old building on Walk Hill Street. Some of you didn't go to Young Achievers so you will be thinking about and sharing stories with us about your old school. We are going to learn how to tell stories and how to be a good audience. One thing that we have to remember when we tell stories though is to learn how to tell a small moment story. Some of you might have learned about 'watermelon' stories and 'seed' stories. We are going to be telling seed stories because seed stories are the kinds of stories that are interesting to tell, listen to, and write about."
 * Introduction:**

"The watermelon we are dealing with here is our old school. Inside this watermelon there are hundred and thousands of seeds. These seeds are the small stories that we all have."
 * Teacher Directed Instruction:**
 * Draw a visual and a chart to share your small story ideas
 * Take some small story ideas from the class
 * My examples: the first time I visited and saw a mouse, the time I went to the WBUR studios, when Mr. Masso told me he could help with the radio program, when I found out my uncle passed away while I was in school, etc. etc.
 * Popcorn ideas in a circle... "I remember the time..."

=__Day 2__=

__Teacher Directed Instruction__ Present students with the learning targets and lead them through the process of remembering stories.

Talk about what audience members do.

Break students into small groups and have them share their stories.

(Make charts with this information)

Story telling of our old school (Walk Hill St.)

Visualize the old building, think of your favorite place.

Teachers demonstrate and tell a story.

Students share stories in small groups (2 or 3 groups)

Talk about what good storytellers do: Talk about what a good audience does:
 * speak loud and clear so their audience can hear them
 * talk not too fast and not too slow
 * include details to help their audience make a picture in their mind.
 * All of the rules of being in the circle.
 * Gives feedback that they are listening: nodding, eye contact, verbal feedback ("uh-huh,")

Introduce structure of storytelling:
 * story teller presents story
 * At the end, storyteller says, "I'm ready for questions or comments."
 * Audience tells what they visualized and asks questions.

=Day 3 - Day 4=

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