National Storytelling week is coming up soon! Here are some ideas you could do to celebrate in your classroom. Storytelling is a great way to engage your students and get them excited about learning.
Whether you tell a traditional story or make up your own, this is a week to let your imagination run wild!
Related: For more, check out our article on How To Use Reading Books In School here.
Go Out Into The Community
National Storytelling week is an excellent opportunity for teachers to engage their students in the stories of the wider community. By leaving the classroom and getting out into the local area, teachers can explore exciting new places and uncover amazing stories that will help to shape their children’s understanding of how others live.
From visits to historical sites like castles and battlefields to interviewing elderly community members with fascinating life experiences, teachers can use national storytelling week by going out into the community.
Involving students in this process and allowing them time for reflection is sure to be both educational and engaging – helping them develop an appreciation for the richness of our leisure outside of their everyday life.
Create A Writing Stimulus For Children
National Storytelling Week is an excellent opportunity to get creative with kids. Writing stimulus is a great activity to spur their imaginations and get them thinking out of the box. Through this exercise, instructors can introduce themes, help spark creative ideas, and tap into their storytelling abilities. There are many ways to create a writing stimulus for children:
- Using imagery.
- Having students write about one object from multiple perspectives.
- Using a character as the protagonist of different stories.
- Even turning a song into a narrative.
Whatever you choose, make sure it will engage your students’ interest and encourage them to increase their knowledge by exploring different angles of thought. With these methods, everyone involved can reap the rewards of National Storytelling Week excitingly!
Classroom Activities
As teachers, having engaging and creative activities for students is always a challenge when planning lessons.
During National Storytelling Week, why not bring your classroom to life by incorporating an interactive game into your storytelling lesson? Games can add fun and engagement to any story session, helping children retain information differently.
Whether you choose something practical like stick messages or something more active like traditional charades, these games will help students stretch their minds and appreciate the art of storytelling. Plus, they’re sure to remember this lesson even more certainly!
Use The School Resources
National Storytelling Week is the perfect time to get creative and encourage your students to develop their love of reading and writing! The available resources can be a great way to engage your students in storytelling. Why not use online resources or books in the classroom library, allowing each student to find an imaginative story?
Please encourage your students to create their accounts or bring familiar tales from home by connecting with parents before this particular week. Once reports are shared, have students act out their stories indoors or outdoors for everyone to enjoy. Not only will this make them feel empowered, but most importantly, it will help ignite a passion for storytelling.
Check Out Your School Library
National Storytelling Week is the perfect time to explore what your school library offers! Your students will be enthralled to find stories from around the world, ready to transport them into new and magical adventures. It is the perfect opportunity to remind them of the value of reading.
By checking out books from your school’s library, you open up new possibilities for students of all ages. Introduce stories that highlight cultures and traditions different from their own, help them understand valuable lessons about life and friendships, and inspire creativity in writing.
Let your student’s imaginations wander through foreign lands with tales of heroic journeys or through the pages of beloved classics – it all starts with a visit to the school library.
Celebrating national storytelling week in the classroom or your school community can be an enriching experience for teachers and students. However, it is essential to create a programme of events that encourages pupils to access their creativity and imagination in a safe and enjoyable educational environment.
This can be achieved by going out into the community, creating a writing stimulus for children, engaging with classroom games, using resources from libraries, museums and other institutions, and auditing your school’s culture to ensure everyone has a voice at this exciting time of year.
With such an array of possibilities and meaningful ways to provide excellent learning experiences for your students, National Storytelling Week need not be daunting but rather something to look forward to – taking every step from idea formulation to delivery with enthusiasm!
Here are five websites that offer advice about how to celebrate National Storytelling Week in school:
- The School Run – This website offers a variety of ideas for celebrating National Storytelling Week in schools, including book swaps, storytelling competitions, and creating story maps.
- Teach Primary – This article provides five ways to celebrate National Storytelling Week in the classroom, such as hosting a book fair or inviting a local storyteller to speak to students.
- BookTrust – BookTrust’s website provides resources and ideas for celebrating National Storytelling Week, including lesson plans and activity sheets.
- British Council – This website offers a range of activities and resources for celebrating National Storytelling Week in the classroom, such as creating storyboards and retelling traditional tales.
- TES – TES’ article suggests five great ways to celebrate National Storytelling Week in schools, including setting up reading corners and encouraging students to write their own stories.
These websites provide many resources and ideas for teachers looking to celebrate National Storytelling Week in their classrooms. From storytelling competitions to creating story maps, many fun and engaging activities can help promote literacy skills and foster a love of reading among students.
FAQ
Q: What is National Storytelling Week?
A: National Storytelling Week is an annual event in the UK aimed at promoting the art of oral storytelling and encouraging people of all ages to engage with stories.
Q: How can I celebrate National Storytelling Week in my school?
A: There are many ways to celebrate National Storytelling Week in your school, such as hosting storytelling competitions, inviting local storytellers to speak to students, creating story maps, setting up reading corners, and encouraging students to write their own stories.
Q: Why is it important to celebrate National Storytelling Week in schools?
A: Celebrating National Storytelling Week in schools can help promote literacy skills, foster a love of reading among students, and encourage creativity and imagination. Oral storytelling has been an essential part of human culture throughout history, and celebrating this tradition can help connect students with their cultural heritage.
Q: When does National Storytelling Week take place?
A: National Storytelling Week usually occurs during the first week of February.
