Illustrating Your Story

Overview

In this lesson (Lesson 11 of 15) students add one or more illustrations to their Wombat Tales stories. They use plot, character, and setting details to draw, then (as an extension) add simple captions to support storytelling.

Learning intentions

WALT: Use illustrations to enhance storytelling by showing important parts of the plot, including characters and setting.

Success criteria

• I can draw at least one illustration that matches a part of my story.
• I can include a character (the wombat or another character) in my picture.
• I can show a clear setting detail (place/time such as a burrow, bush, day/night).
• I can use colour and shapes neatly enough for others to understand.

Curriculum links

• Discuss plot, character and setting as features of stories (Literature).
• Explore how language and images create characters, settings and events (Literature).
• Create and re-read to edit short texts using grammatically correct simple sentences and sentence boundary punctuation (Literacy), including adding captions.
• Orally retell or adapt a familiar story using plot and characters through drawing (Literature).

Lesson structure ({total minutes})

1. 0–5 min · Hook and model. Teacher shows 2 sample pictures from a familiar Wombat Tales page (one “beginning”, one “problem/solution”), highlighting character + setting. Students do a quick think: “What part of the story does this picture show?”

2. 5–12 min · Explicit teaching (how to illustrate). Teacher demonstrates on a shared page:

• Step 1: Choose the story part to draw (beginning, problem, solution).
• Step 2: Draw the character first (wombat face/body, key features).
• Step 3: Add the setting (burrow/bush/pond; day/night; big tree).
• Step 4: Add one event detail (holding something, walking, digging). Students turn-and-talk using sentence starters: “My picture shows… because…”

3. 12–18 min · Plan your drawing (quick storyboard). Students open their story booklet to the page they will illustrate. Teacher provides a simple planning frame: “Character: ___ / Setting: ___ / Part of plot: beginning/problem/solution.” Students complete the frame with a partner, then circle one plan.

4. 18–32 min · Independent drawing time. Teacher circulates with a checklist: character present, setting detail present, story part matched. Students draw at least one illustration on the correct page using pencil first, then colour.

5. 32–38 min · Share and feedback (gallery walk). Students place illustrations on desks/wall. Teacher prompts feedback with “Warm and Next”:

• Warm: “I can see…”
• Next: “Add/change…” (e.g., setting detail, clearer character). Students share with a partner and receive one suggestion.

6. 38–45 min · Reflection and exit check. Teacher asks: “What part of your plot did you draw today?” Students point to their illustration and answer in one sentence using a stem: “I drew the ___ part because ___.”

Resources

• Wombat Tales story booklets (students’ drafted pages)
• A3/A4 illustration paper or pre-paged booklets for continuity
• Pencils, rubbers, coloured pencils/crayons
• Drawing support cards: “Character / Setting / Event detail” visual prompts
• Planning frame (Character, Setting, Plot part)
• Gallery display space (classroom wall/clipboards)
• Sentence starter strips for partner talk
• Dyslexia-friendly options: textured paper, high-contrast picture cards, audio option for story reread (teacher read-aloud)

Assessment

• Formative: teacher checklist during drawing (character, setting, plot part matched).
• Formative: gallery walk “Warm and Next” feedback—teacher listens for correct use of character/setting language.
• Exit check: one-sentence response identifying which story part was illustrated.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters (“My picture shows the beginning…”) and a smaller choice set for settings (burrow/bush/pond; day/night).
• Support: allow tracing over pencil sketches of character shapes before colouring, then students add original details.
• Extension (advanced learners): write a caption for the illustration using 1–2 simple sentences (e.g., “Wombat digs a tunnel. The friends feel excited.”). Encourage correct full stops.
• EAL/SEN: use visual word bank for character/setting/event words; allow oral caption to be recorded by teacher/partner, then copy with assistance.
• Dyslexia-friendly reading options: teacher audio reread of the story page before drawing; provide high-contrast, uncluttered picture prompts; offer textured art supplies (different grips/textures) to support engagement and reduce copying load.

Extension (optional)

• Add a second illustration showing the problem or resolution, plus a caption (1 sentence).