Constance Barnette 1

Build our Story

Constance Barnette
Pre-K/ Language and Literacy

Common Core Standards:

Social Communication / Reading / Reading Comprehension: Demonstrate an understanding of the meaning of
stories and information in books. Use pictures to describe and predict stories and information in books.
Understand when words are used in unconventional ways during shared reading.
Lesson Summary:
The children will work together to create a story on the www.StoryBird.com website.
Estimated Duration:
I expect this lesson to take an average of 30 minutes daily. The project will be split up over the course of a
week, maybe longer depending on the content of the activity.
Commentary:
Our lesson will take place a the computer table. The children will begin our activity after we have story time.
We will gather around the computer and begin our group work. I expect a challenge in the behavior and
attention of the students. I will have an assistant to help with potential issues. The children will be hooked by
creating a story after they have just heard one. Creating on their own will be the fun part and the hook.

Instructional Procedures:
Day 1:
First 10 minutes: Introductory activity- Students will begin the day as usual and we will read a book about
creativity. The Dot Book by Peter Reynolds. The children will discuss with the teacher how to make something
from nothing. We will read the book first and introduce the idea of making one of our own.
Next 20 minutes: We will get out a dry erase board and come up with ideas for a character, a setting, and a
Title. As the lesson begins I will have the students raise their hands with ideas on each subject. We will write
down the ones that they come up with. After that the children will take a vote on each name. The majority of
the vote wins. So whichever the class picks as a group, will be the one we use.
Day 2:
First 10 minutes: We will start by taking our saved board to the computer and opening up the page for our
new book on www.Storybird.com. We will create a group board and begin looking at the art on the site to
inspire the children with the story.
Next 20 minutes: We will get out another dry erase board and come up with ideas for the story line. The
children will develop the plot and the story on the board as we did with the name. We will continue to do this

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every day as we add new sections to the book and new adventures. As before, I will have the students raise
their hands with ideas on each subject. We will write down the ones that they come up with. After that the
children will take a vote on each entry. The majority of the vote wins. So whichever the class picks as a group,
will be the one we use.
Day 3:
First 10 minutes: We will start opening up the page for our new book on www.Storybird.com. We will
continue from our saved position as before and we will talk about the story so far. We will continue our work
on the book as we have done so far with the creative process.
Next 20 minutes: Today we will begin to review our story and we will add only the story in words onto the
pages of the book. All the while we will discuss the content of the book and what letters we are using to
identify objects in the story.
Day 4:
First 10 minutes: On www.Storybird.com we will open our story book and review where we left off
yesterday.
Next 20 minutes: Today we will browse through all of the art content and begin a plan for the art we intend to
add. We will vote as once before where majority rules. We will finish our board of ideas on the dry erase board
so we may finish the book tomorrow.
Day 5:
First 10 minutes: We will start by opening up the page for our new book on www.Storybird.com. We will
begin adding the pages to correspond with the story from the art that we selected.
Next 20 minutes: After adding all of the art to the book, I will have each child come over to the computer to
add their name on the last page as an author page. Each child will find the letters on the keyboard to spell their
name and add it to the list, with help if needed. We will then publish the book I will send out fliers for each
child to take home to show their parents what they created. We will also offer to print the book out for any
child who wants to take one home.

Pre-Assessment:
We will have a conversation about what stories are and how stories are told and written. We will talk about
where books come from and discover what children know about books and learning.
Scoring Guidelines:
I will assess the observation and take a few notes on what the children have ideas about stories and
authors. I will take their thoughts seriously and include them in our plan. We will do a KWL chart

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about books and then come back to it later to discuss what we have learned.
Post-Assessment:
My students and I will fill out the remainder of the Know Wonder Learn (KWL) chart and fill out what they
have learned from the activity.
Scoring Guidelines:
There will be no grading on this activity. It is for learning purposes only, not grades in pre-K.
Differentiated Instructional Support
Instruction can be differentiated (changed or altered) to meet the needs of gifted or accelerated students by
making sure they are involved with the group, using assistance and prompting feedback. All of the class will
be involved to help any student create and learn.

Extension
For more information on the Ohio Early Learning Standards:
www.education.ohio.gov

Homework Options and Home Connections

For encouraged parent involvement we would ask the parents to check out our work online and read with their
children at home. Also ask them about the project to get additional feedback from the children.

Interdisciplinary Connections
The children can integrate creativity and social skills into the lesson by continuation of a project similar to our
book at the art table. Pages of paper and cut outs can be made into a collage or book if they get inspired.
Materials and Resources:

For teachers

Computer, A few dry erase boards and markers, Books for story time.

For students

Combined together the children will use the computer to create a story.

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Key Vocabulary
Author, Creator, Illustrator, Illustration, text, vocabulary, etc.
Additional Notes
This is a beginning lesson. If the children enjoy it, it can be done several times though out the year. Children
can also begin to navigate the site itself once they get familiar with it. Helping the teacher is fun, creating on
your own is better.