My monster adventure
Ages: 5-11
My monster adventure Storytelling is an important aspect of literacy development. Storyboarding helps to structure stories and develop writing skills – especially useful for those who find it difficult to organise and plan their writing. In this 45-60 minute lesson you’ll be exploring what makes a great story before helping the children create a monster adventure of their own using storyboards to develop ideas.
Aims and objectives
• To think about the elements of a good story and apply these when creating their own. • To use the storyboarding technique to record and develop ideas. • To storyboard an imaginary monster adventure.
Activity steps
Resources A flipchart/projector/IWB or big sheet of paper, coloured pens and pencils for writing, copies of the ‘Monster storyboard’ template (3 or 6 frames depending on age range), ‘Find your monster imagination’ resource.
Action
Time needed
Whole class 1. Share learning objective for the session: to create storyboards for their own monster adventure. A storyboard is a visual technique to tell a story; how it starts, what happens in the middle and how it ends. 2. Ask if they know the ingredients of a good story before using some ‘Find your monster imagination’ statements to get them all thinking 3. Ask the children to talk to the person next to them about what might happen next. 4. Ask pairs to share their answers with the group. Use prompt questions like: Where did you go? Did you meet someone new? 5. Work together to create a short story based on an adventure the children would want to go on with their imaginary monster friend. 6. What is going to happen? You’ll need a beginning, middle and end. 7. Where will the story be set? Pick a location. 8. Who is going to be in it? Describe your imaginary monster. Is the story about your adventure with your monster friend, or someone else’s?
15 minutes
Write the ideas down on a whiteboard, flipchart or large sheet of paper.
Action
Time needed
Independent activity 9. Explain that the children will develop their own ideas using a storyboard and that authors, illustrators and screenwriters often use these to help them create a story. Hand out the ‘Storyboard’ frames 10. Discuss the features and structure of a good storyboard, providing suitable prompts and vocabulary appropriate to the age and stage of your class. 11. Frames 1 and 2 should contain the beginning of the story. They should introduce the main character and set the scene. 12. Frames 3 and 4 allow them to tell us what happens in the middle. Do we meet the other character or go on an adventure? Is there a twist in the tale? 13. Frames 5 and 6 draw the story to an end. What happens to the characters? Do we finish on a cliff-hanger? 14. Use the storyboard templates to capture their ideas.
20-25 minutes
Reflection Ask the children to share their splendid stories with each other when they’ve finished. Ask them to share what they like about each other’s stories.
5-10 minutes
Extension ideas
• Now that your class has completed storyboards, they can have a go at writing what they’ve drawn into sentences and paragraphs. • If your class is feeling extra adventurous, why not have a go at acting out some of the stories? Split your class into small groups and select a storyboard for each group to act out. If time allows, you can host a show to watch each group perform. • Download our Wonderful woolly monsters activity so your class can create their own woollen monster friends to create a puppet/shadow show of their storyboards.
Charity partner We’re partnering with Barnardo’s this Christmas. As our advert celebrates the imagination of Joe and his imaginary friend Moz the Monster, we’ll be helping Barnardo’s help young carers across the UK to be children again. There are over 195,000 young carers in the UK. Their average age is just 12 years old, with children as young as five caring for their ill or disabled loved ones. Shouldering responsibilities far beyond their years, Barnardo’s supports young carers and their families with a range of practical and emotional support through projects across the country. Last year Barnardo’s worked with over 4,077 children and parents and with your support this quarter could reach even more. Help us, help young carers to be a child again through play, support, education and respite care.
Enter our prize draw Unleash your (little monster’s) monster imaginations Using the template in the Prize draw pack, encourage pupils aged 5-11 to get creative and visualise an imaginary monster companion. With the aid of pencils, paint, collage or digital tools, we want to see pupils imaginary monster friends, including a short sentence explaining why their monster is fun. Post your pupil’s entries to your nearest shop. Entries must be received by 11.59pm on Friday 1st December 2017 for your chance to win. For full prize draw details, download the Prize draw pack here. One entry will be selected at random from each shop to win. Prizes include: • A Moz The Monster toy for each shop’s winning pupil • A Microsoft Surface Pro 4 i5 for the pupil’s school. Good luck.
Name:
My monster adventure Age:
School:
Name:
My monster adventure Age:
School:
My monster adventure Storytelling is an important aspect of literacy development. Storyboarding helps to structure stories and develop writing skills – especially useful for those who find it difficult to organise and plan their writing. In this 45-60 minute lesson you’ll be exploring what makes a great story before helping the children create a monster adventure of their own using storyboards to develop ideas.
Aims and objectives
• To think about the elements of a good story and apply these when creating their own. • To use the storyboarding technique to record and develop ideas. • To storyboard an imaginary monster adventure.
Activity steps
Resources A flipchart/projector/IWB or big sheet of paper, coloured pens and pencils for writing, copies of the ‘Monster storyboard’ template (3 or 6 frames depending on age range), ‘Find your monster imagination’ resource.
Action
Time needed
Whole class 1. Share learning objective for the session: to create storyboards for their own monster adventure. A storyboard is a visual technique to tell a story; how it starts, what happens in the middle and how it ends. 2. Ask if they know the ingredients of a good story before using some ‘Find your monster imagination’ statements to get them all thinking 3. Ask the children to talk to the person next to them about what might happen next. 4. Ask pairs to share their answers with the group. Use prompt questions like: Where did you go? Did you meet someone new? 5. Work together to create a short story based on an adventure the children would want to go on with their imaginary monster friend. 6. What is going to happen? You’ll need a beginning, middle and end. 7. Where will the story be set? Pick a location. 8. Who is going to be in it? Describe your imaginary monster. Is the story about your adventure with your monster friend, or someone else’s?
15 minutes
Write the ideas down on a whiteboard, flipchart or large sheet of paper.
Action
Time needed
Independent activity 9. Explain that the children will develop their own ideas using a storyboard and that authors, illustrators and screenwriters often use these to help them create a story. Hand out the ‘Storyboard’ frames 10. Discuss the features and structure of a good storyboard, providing suitable prompts and vocabulary appropriate to the age and stage of your class. 11. Frames 1 and 2 should contain the beginning of the story. They should introduce the main character and set the scene. 12. Frames 3 and 4 allow them to tell us what happens in the middle. Do we meet the other character or go on an adventure? Is there a twist in the tale? 13. Frames 5 and 6 draw the story to an end. What happens to the characters? Do we finish on a cliff-hanger? 14. Use the storyboard templates to capture their ideas.
20-25 minutes
Reflection Ask the children to share their splendid stories with each other when they’ve finished. Ask them to share what they like about each other’s stories.
5-10 minutes
Extension ideas
• Now that your class has completed storyboards, they can have a go at writing what they’ve drawn into sentences and paragraphs. • If your class is feeling extra adventurous, why not have a go at acting out some of the stories? Split your class into small groups and select a storyboard for each group to act out. If time allows, you can host a show to watch each group perform. • Download our Wonderful woolly monsters activity so your class can create their own woollen monster friends to create a puppet/shadow show of their storyboards.
Charity partner We’re partnering with Barnardo’s this Christmas. As our advert celebrates the imagination of Joe and his imaginary friend Moz the Monster, we’ll be helping Barnardo’s help young carers across the UK to be children again. There are over 195,000 young carers in the UK. Their average age is just 12 years old, with children as young as five caring for their ill or disabled loved ones. Shouldering responsibilities far beyond their years, Barnardo’s supports young carers and their families with a range of practical and emotional support through projects across the country. Last year Barnardo’s worked with over 4,077 children and parents and with your support this quarter could reach even more. Help us, help young carers to be a child again through play, support, education and respite care.
Enter our prize draw Unleash your (little monster’s) monster imaginations Using the template in the Prize draw pack, encourage pupils aged 5-11 to get creative and visualise an imaginary monster companion. With the aid of pencils, paint, collage or digital tools, we want to see pupils imaginary monster friends, including a short sentence explaining why their monster is fun. Post your pupil’s entries to your nearest shop. Entries must be received by 11.59pm on Friday 1st December 2017 for your chance to win. For full prize draw details, download the Prize draw pack here. One entry will be selected at random from each shop to win. Prizes include: • A Moz The Monster toy for each shop’s winning pupil • A Microsoft Surface Pro 4 i5 for the pupil’s school. Good luck.
Name:
My monster adventure Age:
School:
Name:
My monster adventure Age:
School:
