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Storytelling: Making Up Your Own Story
 Many
cultures
have made up stories to explain the world around them. Some
of these stories also had a lesson about how to behave. The stories were
always fun to listen to.
Making up “how” stories about how the world got to be the way
it is. These are a bit like the stories the Native Americans told their
children a long, long time ago. Often this kind of story has animal characters.
Here are three ideas that our third graders came up with:
| Story Examples
How Tigers Got Their Stripes
Tiger was hungry so he jumped to the Artic. He stuffed himself with
penguins. The leader of the penguins said, ”If you eat me,
you will have black stripes.” The tiger ate him and Tiger
has black stripes.
By Maya
How Snakes Got Their Rattle Tails
The little snake was so mean his father threw him into the fire.
When he crawled out, his tail had stickers in it. Then when he talked
to people his tail rattled.
By Tom
Why Dinosaurs Are Extinct
 Dinosaurs
roamed the world, but when they were in the desert it was hot and
they didn’t like eating the saguaros. So they built a space
ship and flew to the sky. You can see them up in the stars today.
By Rio |
When you make up your own stories, you need:
1) Characters, who it is about
2) A setting, where it happens, and
3) The problem the character or characters need to solve.
The problem needs a beginning, a middle and an end.
The middle should have several things that happen to the characters so
the ending seems more exciting.
Here is how Shayman took his idea about lizard’s tongues and wrote
an outline (the bones) for his story. Then when he told the story he added
lots of detail, the meat on the bones!
Why Lizards Have Long Sticky
Tongues
1. Beginning: A long, long time ago when the world
was new, lizards didn’t have long tongues. They liked to eat
nice, fat bugs, but they couldn’t catch them. They were hungry!
2. Middle:
- They decided they could use long, sticky tongues
to catch bugs.
- They went to Coyote and asked for tongues.
He didn’t have any.
- They went to Snake and asked for tongues. He
said, “No!” They knew he was lying.
- That night they came back. Snake had hidden
lots of tongues. They each got one.
- Now they could wait for a nice bug, stick out
their tongue and catch it!
3. End: And that, boys and girls,
is how lizards got their long, sticky tongues. |
Shayman started his story, “A long, long time ago when the world
was new. . .” because that is how many of the old stories start.
He ended his story with, “And that, boys and girls is how. . .”
because that is how many, many of the stories end. He thought it was fun
to use those old phrases.
Later, we’ll show you how Shayman added all sorts of details to
make his story even more fun.
Use the following outline for your story, if it will help.
Print Story Outline
Story Outline
Title: Why _______________________________________
1. Beginning: A long, long time ago when the world was
new,
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
(Tell what the problem was.)
2. Middle:
- ____________________________________________
____________________________________________
- ____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
- ____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
(Tell how they made the change.)
- ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
(Tell what life was like after the change.)
4. End: And that boys and girls is why
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Remember, you are being a creator.
All ideas can be good ideas for a story. Just keep in mind that these
are stories that might be told to young kids. Ask yourself, “Is
this something I could tell to first graders?” Some ideas may be
very good, but just won’t work for this audience.
Have a good time making up your story. Next we’ll talk about your
telling your story.
  
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