My Halloween Story- Writing/Telling Guide

As SLPs we are often working on storytelling.  Whether it is for writing or speaking purposes, it is a skill that is extremely important for our students to learn and master.  But, it is one that can be extremely difficult.  Students with poor vocabulary, weak MLU, and those with pragmatic weaknesses will struggle in this area.

Storytelling impacts the following common core standards:
1.SL.6: Producing complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation.
2.SL.4: Tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences.
3.SL.4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
4.SL.4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.
5.SL.4: Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

Since there is a common core standard for grades 1-5 that require storytelling and retelling skills, I have created a fun guide to create a Halloween story.  I used clip art from Microsoft Office as well as from Scrappin Doodles.

What does this file include? 

• First students will select from pictures provided (or come up with their own) characters, setting, problem, and solution.
• Next they will write or use outline to express in complete sentences more details about their characters, setting, problem, and solution.  Cues to provide students: "What are their names?" "What adjectives can we use to describe?"  "Help me picture it in my mind using your words."
• Then students will use the outline provided to come up with their story.  Can they use their descriptions in their story?  Does their story have an appropriate sequence?  Can your students check their work and make sure they have included all necessary parts?
• Finally, students will have an opportunity to write their story and make an illustration to go with it!  They can share their work with their peers to practice verbalizing their stories.

I have done this activity with various groups in the past.  I could not believe the work that my students were able to produce!  My students were so proud of themselves as well!  This method has worked for me and I believe it can work for you! 

I have this activity for other holidays/themes and I look forward to sharing those as well!  I hope you love this activity and find it successful in your classrooms.  Don't be overwhelmed if this activity takes several sessions in order to complete.  I typically create a model of each phase to help my students (but I warn them that they CANNOT copy my story!). 

You can grab this activity at my TpT store!