Storytime Adventure

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🚀 Lesson Overview

Lesson Title: Exploring Imaginative Texts: Storytime Adventure
Unit Name: Text Explorers: Engaging Learning
Year Level: Working at Foundation / Year 1 Level
Duration: 30 minutes
Class Context: Autism-specific setting with 7 students (Years 2–4), performing at a Prep/Year 1 level. Two students require high-support adjustments; five require moderate to mild differentiation.
Curriculum Area: English (Australian Curriculum – Foundation / Year 1)
Sub-strand: Literature and Context, Responding to Literature, Creating Literature
Learning Outcome: Recognise visual and verbal elements of imaginative texts, respond to key story elements, and create a simple text using prompts.

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🎯 Learning Intention

"We are learning to listen to an imaginative story and talk about the characters and setting. Then, we will create our own short story using pictures."

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✅ Success Criteria

Skill Level	Success Criteria
Emerging (High support)	I can look at the pictures and name a character or place in the story.
Developing (Moderate Support)	I can talk about the setting and say what happened first in the story.
Proficient (Mild Support)	I can name the characters and setting and retell the story using my own words.
Advanced Extension	I can make my own story using a character and setting picture prompt and tell what happens.

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📚 Relevant Curriculum Links (Australian Curriculum)

Foundation (English)

• ACELT1575 – Recognise that texts are created by authors who tell stories and share experiences that may be similar or different to students’ own experiences.
• ACELT1783 – Share feelings and thoughts about the events and characters in texts.
• ACELT1580 – Retell familiar literary texts through performance, use of illustrations and images.

Year 1 (English)

• ACELT1581 – Discuss characters and events in a range of literary texts and share personal responses to these texts, making connections with students’ own experiences.
• ACELT1582 – Compose short imaginative and informative texts demonstrating emerging use of appropriate text structure, sentence-level grammar, word choice, spelling, punctuation and appropriate multimodal elements.

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🛠️ Differentiation & Support Strategies

• Visual supports: Picture cues for characters, setting, and action.
• AAC Devices & Visual Choice Boards for non-verbal or limited-verbal students.
• Small group or 1:1 support for students needing extra guidance during "You Do".
• Movement breaks: Quick movement action (e.g., stretching like a story animal) used before transitions.
• Sensory-friendly materials: Felt story mats, soft props (e.g., plush versions of character animals).

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🗂️ Resources & Materials

• Big Book/Picture Book: "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" by Michael Rosen (or an alternative familiar imaginative text of your choosing)
• Visual story sequences (laminated cards: characters, setting, events)
• Picture prompt cards (differentiated: animals, places, action)
• Felt board OR soft story setting mat
• Whiteboard and markers (or visuals printed and placed using Velcro)
• Student clipboards with templates for drawing (optional)
• Coloured pencils or crayons

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👩‍🏫 Lesson Structure (30 minutes)

1. Introduction – “I Do” (5–7 minutes)

Objective: Introduce story elements — characters, setting, and plot through teacher modelling.

1. Grounded Welcome: Sit in a semi-circle on the floor with students.
2. Activate prior knowledge: Ask, "Have you ever been on an adventure? What animals live in the wild?"
3. Read We’re Going on a Bear Hunt aloud with dramatic tone, rhythm and sound effects.
4. Pause to model:
   • “This is the character – this is who the story is about.”
   • “The setting is where the story is happening. In this story, we go through different places!”
   • Identify sequencing: “First we went through the grass, then the river…”
5. Use felt props or picture cards to reinforce elements visually.

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2. Guided Practice – “We Do” (10–12 minutes)

Objective: Collaboratively explore and identify imaginative text features.

1. Show picture cards (character images, setting cards).
2. Guided Q&A:
   • "What do we see here?" (Support: use pointing, visuals, AAC device buttons)
   • “Where did they go next?” Allow each student to place a picture card in the correct story order on felt board or Velcro strip.
3. Use sentence starters:
   • "I think the bear is..."
   • "They are going to..."
4. Use gesture prompts or sign keywords: 'where', 'who', ‘next’.

High-engagement Strategy:
Have students act out the sequence: crawling under branches, tiptoeing through mud — multisensory story retelling.

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3. Independent Practice – “You Do” (8–10 minutes)

Objective: Students create their own imaginative story using prompts.

1. Provide 2-3 picture prompts per student (e.g., animal character + new setting like “desert” or “space”).
2. Students use their clipboards, whiteboards or story mats to draw or tell their story.
3. Scaffold with sentence frames for writing or oral output (teacher scribes as needed):
   • “Once there was a ______. He lived in a ______. One day, he ______.”
4. Students share their stories with a peer or teacher in a small-group share-circle.
5. Emergent writers can choose from “who/where/what” pictures and stick them on a pre-made frame to tell their story.

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🌀 Extension / Early Finisher Options

• Felt storytelling: Make up a new "hunt" using sequenced visuals.
• Sort picture cards into “Real” or “Make-Believe”.
• Partner retell with puppets or plush objects.

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🧠 Reflection & Review (2–3 minutes)

Wrap-up discussion:

• “What story did we hear today?”
• “Who was in the story?”
• “What place did you draw/talk about in your story?”

Quick thumbs up/down or pointing visuals:

• “Did you enjoy making your own story?” 👉 👍 👎
• Teacher records quick anecdotal notes for assessment.

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📝 Assessment & Observation Checklist

Name	Identified Character	Identified Setting	Sequenced Events	Created Own Story Element
Student 1	✅ / ❌	✅ / ❌	✅ / ❌	✅ / ❌
Student 2	✅ / ❌	✅ / ❌	✅ / ❌	✅ / ❌
...	...	...	...	...

Observation Notes: Use short-form notes on student behaviour, engagement, gestures, oral responses and level of support needed.

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🌱 Optional Follow-Up (for continued development)

• Build a class “Imaginative Storybook” where each student’s story (pictures with scribed text) gets compiled into a take-home booklet.
• Practise retelling a new imaginative story at the next circle time to build familiarity with structure and elements.
• Create a physical obstacle course mimicking the journey (literacy x gross motor integration).

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💡 Tips for Teachers Using AI for the First Time:

This lesson leverages storytelling, visual prompts, and hands-on tools to engage diverse learners—especially students with autism who thrive on routine, concrete visuals, and multisensory input. Every planning element has been crafted in alignment with the Australian Curriculum and differentiated across developmental abilities. AI allows time-saving yet detailed customisation—feel empowered to adapt prompts and visuals to suit your students' interests (e.g., swap the bear for a dinosaur or robot!).

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Prepared with innovation in mind — made to support every learner’s creative voice! ✨