Building Our Stories

Lesson Objectives

• Help students understand identity through storytelling and personal experiences.
• Encourage creativity and self-expression using a felt board.
• Develop listening, speaking, and comprehension skills (aligned with California Common Core ELA-Literacy standards).
• Foster a sense of community and respect for diverse experiences.

Curriculum Standards:

California Common Core Standards for English Language Arts

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.4: Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.6: Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3: Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.

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Materials Needed

• Felt board (large enough for the entire class to see).
• Pre-made felt pieces (e.g., small figures, animals, houses, trees, stars, speech bubbles).
• Black marker to label felt pieces with simple identity-related concepts (e.g., "family," "hobby," "favourite food," "dream").
• Index cards with prompts about personal experiences (e.g., "A time I felt proud," "Something I love to do").
• A big comfy chair for the storytelling area (teacher’s “storytelling spot”).
• A timer to help with transitions.
• A diverse picture book about identity (e.g., “The Name Jar” by Yangsook Choi).

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Timetable Breakdown

Introduction: Setting the Stage (10 minutes)

1. Warm-Up Song: Gather students on a carpet or in front of the felt board, and sing a cheerful "identity" song to activate engagement (e.g., "What Makes Me Unique?").
2. Discussion Starter: Begin with simple questions. Examples:
   • "What makes you unique and special?"
   • "What’s something you love to do that tells others about who you are?"
   • Use active facilitation to ensure every child gets a chance to participate.
3. Story Example: Read a short picture book about identity (The Name Jar is a strong option). Discuss how the main character's identity was shaped by their culture, name, and feelings.

Activity 1: Felt Board Introduction (15 minutes)

1. Introducing the Felt Board: Bring out the felt board and explain how it will be used.
   • “This board is a magical place where we will all tell our unique and wonderful stories using special felt pieces!”
2. Felt Creation Demo:
   • Teacher places three felt figures on the board (e.g., a child figure, a star for a favourite dream, and a house for family).
   • Say: “My name is Ms Smith. This is me when I was 6 years old (points to felt child figure). I loved to watch the stars with my grandpa (adds star), and we’d always sit outside my favourite treehouse at home! (adds felt house)"
   • Model expressing personal identity and experiences clearly and with enthusiasm.
3. Pass the felt friend around (a soft, small figure students can hold). Encourage each child to say, "I'm going to tell a story on the felt board!"

Activity 2: Individual Storytelling (25 minutes)

Break the class into three small groups, each supported by the teacher or helpers. Each student will:

1. Pick 3-4 felt pieces that represent their identity (e.g., a dog for their pet, a basket for hobbies, stars for dreams).
2. Place their felt pieces on the board, one at a time, and share their personal story with the group.
3. Use sentence starters if they need support:
   • “This is me. I love to…”
   • “This is my family. We like to…”
   • “One thing that makes me happy is…”
4. Teacher circulates to prompt deeper connections:
   • "How does this piece tell me something about you?"
   • “What’s a happy memory you have with your family or pet?”

Note: Limit each child’s storytelling to 2-3 minutes for time management. Use a timer as a friendly reminder when transitioning speakers.

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Wrap-Up: Bringing It Together (10 minutes)

1. Felt Story Highlights: Regroup as a whole class and ask a few student volunteers to showcase their felt board story and say something they learned about a classmate.

2. Class Story Celebration:

   • Narrate: "What a big, beautiful story we’ve created together about all the unique and special people in this room!”
   • Highlight how each individual identity makes the class stronger and more interesting.

3. Reflection: Ask students:

   • “What was your favourite part of today’s activity?”
   • “What is one thing you learned about somebody in the class today?”

Optional Extension:

• Ask students to illustrate their felt board story in their journals during another class period.

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Differentiation Strategies

• ELL Students: Provide pre-made felt symbols with labelled words in the child’s home language alongside English (e.g., "family/familia"). Point to visuals while encouraging responses with gestures or simple sentences.
• Advanced Learners: Challenge them to connect their identity story to a pretend future dream/activity (e.g., "When I grow up, I want to…").
• Shy Students: Let them work with a partner where the partner ‘helps’ tell their story on their behalf.

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Assessment Criteria

• Student participation and engagement during felt board storytelling.
• Ability to speak audibly, express thoughts, and connect felt items with personal identity.
• Demonstrates comprehension of key ideas (identity, personal experiences, storytelling).

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Teacher Notes

• This lesson celebrates diversity and self-expression while building a young learner’s ability to tell their story.
• Each student's story contributes to a larger, shared community narrative, fostering emotional connection and classroom belonging.