Making a Story and Following Directions
Day Three:

Teacher: Ms. Janet Lynn Peck

Lesson Title:  Making a Story and Following Directions

Grade Level: Kindergarten

Time: 2 minutes for introduction
 10 minutes to divide into groups and get books
 20 minutes to observe books and share with the class
 18 minutes for Student Participation Activity
 10 minutes for closure activities
 TOTAL: 60 minutes

Grouping:  The entire lesson will be done in pairs

Objective of Lesson:  North Carolina Standard Course of Study
 Mathematics
  Competency Goal 1: The learner will recognize, model, and write numbers through 10.
1.06   Use ordinals first through fifth.
Competency Goal 2:  The learner will explore concepts of geometry and non-standard measurement.
2.04 Model and use directional and positional words.
English Language Arts
Competency Goal 2: The learner will develop and apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
  2.01 Demonstrate sense of story (e.g., beginning, middle, end, characters, details).
Information Skills
Competency Goal 1: The learner will EXPLORE sources and formats for reading, listening, and viewing purposes.
1.05 Demonstrate sense of story (e.g., beginning, middle, end, characters, details).

Arts Education: Theater Arts
Competency Goal 4: The learner will direct through planning and presenting informal and formal productions.
4.03 Listen and respond to directions and side coaching in dramatic activities.

Materials:
 Books with detailed pictures on the front cover (one for each pair)

Motivation:
 Inform the class that today will be a lot of work in pairs.  They will be looking at a cover and making up a story to fit the picture on the cover and then playing following the leader but with directions instead of following the motions.  Also let the class know that if everybody participates and is on task, we might even have time to play a short game.

Statement of Objectives:
 The student will review the parts of a story (beginning, middle, and end).  The students will also develop a story line of their own using the picture on a cover of the book.  The students will also have practice in giving directions and following them using directional cues and ordinals.

Procedure:
 Instruction:
  Dive the class into groups of two.  Once the students have chosen a partner, allow one person from each group to come to the front of the room and pick out a book for their group and return to their desks with the book.  Ask the students not to open the book and just look at the picture on the cover.  You will need a book as well for a model.  Give the students a few minutes to discuss with their partner what is happening on the cover.  Show the class your book and give the assignment.  The assignment is to make a story using the picture on the cover as the middle part.  Therefore the students need to come up with the beginning and end.  Do not allow the students to open the book.  This activity will allow them to be as creative as they want.  Make up a scenario with the book you have and tell the classes about it as a model so they can know where they are suppose to be going with this activity.  Allow the students to talk about the ideas for a few minutes.  Bring the class together again and have each pair stand, show their book, and briefly tell their story.  Encourage the students to use the ordinals and other concepts we have learned when talking about the stories.

 Student Participation:
  During this part of the lesson, student will have the opportunity to give and follow directions.  Still in the pairs, have one person be the talker and one be the mover.  The talker will give directions to t he mover.  For instance, he/she may ask his/her partner to stand up, sit down, touch his/her toes, turn in circle, walk forward, walk backward, turn to the left/right, etc.  You will need to pick a student out of the class and demonstrate this activity before you turn the children lose to work.  The mover is not allowed to speak; only the talker is.  After a few minutes have the students switch places so the mover is now the talker and vice versa.  After each student has had a turn, now do the activity again but nobody is allowed to talk.  The “talker” now must give directions through movement.  Then allow the students to switch roles.  Bring the class back together and ask them how they felt.  Let the children tell about their experiences and things they had to do.

 Closure:
  For closure, you may want to read a short story and review the parts of a story to wind the kinds energy down.  Also another activity or playing “Mother May I” or “Simon Says” will review with directions and ordinals.  Tell the students that tomorrow they will be making a book and having a scavenger hunt.