Storyboarding Our Artworks

Unit: Exploring Family Stories in Art

Lesson 3 of 4

Duration: 60 minutes Class size: 20 students Year level: Prep to Year 1

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Understand the concept of a storyboard as a visual planning tool for storytelling in art.
• Identify key components of a family story: characters, settings, and events.
• Develop simple storyboards to organise ideas for their artwork, incorporating sketches and sound effects.
• Begin to use sequencing to communicate a narrative visually.

Australian Curriculum Alignment: This lesson aligns with the Content Descriptions and Achievement Standards of the Australian Curriculum: The Arts—Media Arts for Foundation and Year 1 students. Specifically, students will engage with:

• ACAMAM063: Use materials, techniques, technologies and processes to explore visual conventions when making artworks.
• ACAMAM064: Develop ideas and imagination to plan and create artworks that communicate meaning.
• ACELT1577 (English): Use pictures and words to retell familiar stories.
• Development of sequencing and visual literacy skills as foundational communication practices in media arts.

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Materials Needed

• Pre-printed storyboard templates with 4-6 frames per page (large enough for young children to draw in)
• Pencils, coloured pencils, crayons
• Examples of simple storyboards (visual aid)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Sound effect cards or picture prompts (e.g., door creaking, footsteps, laughter)
• Large chart or poster showing characters, settings, and events with pictures
• Family story prompt cards (simple sentences or images to inspire their stories)

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Gather students in a circle and briefly review what a family story is—stories about people, places, and events that happen in families.
• Show a simple example of a storyboard and explain that storyboards help artists plan their artworks by drawing the main parts of the story in order.
• Emphasise the three main parts:
• Characters (who is in the story)
• Settings (where it happens)
• Events (what happens)
• Use a familiar story (e.g., a known children’s fairy tale or a simple family event) to demonstrate identifying these three parts on the whiteboard.

2. Demonstration and Guided Practice (15 minutes)

• Show the students the storyboard template and explain how they will use it to plan their own family stories.
• Model sketching a simple family story storyboard on the board or chart paper, clearly labelling characters, settings, and events in each frame.
• Introduce the idea of sound effects to add more life to their story (e.g., “What sounds might we hear when the door opens?”).
• Discuss how they can draw or write little notes about the sounds on their storyboard frames.
• Invite students to suggest sounds for the example storyboard and add these to the demonstration.

3. Independent or Small Group Storyboarding (25 minutes)

• Distribute storyboard templates and materials.
• Provide family story prompt cards for those who need extra support or inspiration.
• Circulate the room, supporting students to:
• Think about their chosen family story.
• Sketch main characters, settings, and key events in sequence.
• Add simple notes or drawings of sounds they want to include.
• Encourage students to talk about their ideas with peers or teachers as they draw to reinforce oral storytelling skills aligned with visual communication.

4. Sharing and Reflection (10 minutes)

• Invite several students to share their storyboards with the class, pointing out the characters, places, and sounds they included.
• Ask guiding questions such as:
• “Who is your story about?”
• “Where does your story happen?”
• “What important things happen in your story?”
• “What sounds make your story more exciting?”
• Encourage positive feedback and affirm their storytelling efforts.

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Assessment

• Observe students’ ability to sequence their storyboard frames logically representing a family story.
• Check for inclusion of characters, settings, and events in their sketches and notes.
• Listen to oral explanations during sharing to assess their understanding of story elements and sound effects.
• Use anecdotal notes to record who may need extra support or extension in future lessons.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Support: Provide additional visual prompts and one-on-one guidance for students who find it challenging to plan their story.
• Extension: Invite advanced students to use more detailed drawings, include more frames, or write simple words/sentences to accompany their sketches.

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Classroom Management Tips

• Use clear signals to transition between activities to maintain focus.
• Celebrate creative attempts to reduce anxiety about drawing skills at this early developmental stage.
• Keep materials easily accessible but limited to avoid distraction.

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Cross-Curricular Links

• English: Develop oral language skills by telling and retelling stories.
• Personal and Social Capability: Share personal family stories to build identity and connection with peers.
• ICT: (For follow-up lessons) Use simple digital tools to create digital storyboards or recordings of their stories.

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This lesson will empower young learners to visually organise their family stories thoughtfully, supporting key early literacy and creative arts skills through accessible, hands-on activities perfectly suited to their learning stage and aligned with Australian Curriculum requirements.