Telling a Story

Read one story. Then ask the child to tell it back. The answer is the parts to listen for - a young child can get the who and the end; an older child gets the problem and the feeling too. Tap any item to open it full screen.

1. 1.Mia went to the park with Dad. She climbed to the top of the slide. Then she got scared and would not come down. Dad held out his arms and she slid right into them.Who: Mia and Dad. Where: the park. Problem: scared at the top of the slide. End: slid into Dad's arms.
2. 2.Ben's dog ran out the gate. Ben called and called. The dog was digging in the neighbor's garden. Ben brought him home with a treat.Who: Ben and his dog. Where: home and the neighbor's garden. Problem: the dog ran off. End: a treat brought him back.
3. 3.It was Lily's birthday. Grandma baked a cake, but the cat knocked it off the table. Everyone was sad. Then Grandma made cupcakes instead, and they were even better.Who: Lily, Grandma, the cat. When: Lily's birthday. Problem: the cat knocked the cake down. End: cupcakes instead.
4. 4.Sam lost his red mitten at school. His hand was freezing on the walk home. The next day his teacher had found it on the playground. Sam put both mittens on and did a happy dance.Who: Sam and his teacher. Where: school. Problem: a lost mitten. End: the teacher found it.
5. 5.The baby dropped her spoon on the floor. She cried. The dog picked it up and carried it away. Mom laughed and got a clean one.Who: the baby, the dog, Mom. Problem: the spoon fell. End: Mom got a clean spoon.
6. 6.Leo built a tall tower of blocks. His little sister bumped it and it fell down. Leo felt angry. Then his sister helped him build it even taller.Who: Leo and his sister. Problem: the tower fell. Feeling: angry. End: they built it taller together.
7. 7.Nora wanted to ride her bike without training wheels. She fell off twice. Dad ran beside her one more time. Then she rode all the way to the corner by herself.Who: Nora and Dad. Problem: falling off the bike. Try: kept trying with Dad beside her. End: rode by herself.
8. 8.We went camping by the lake. At night it started to rain and the tent leaked. We ran to the car and slept there. In the morning the sun came out and we swam.Who: our family. Where: the lake. Problem: the tent leaked. End: slept in the car, swam in the morning.

Read the story once. Then ask the parts one at a time - the story stays on screen - and finish by having the child tell the whole thing back. Tap any item to open it full screen.

On Saturday morning, Nora heard a small sound coming from under the porch. She knelt down and saw a gray kitten with one white paw, curled up against the cold. Nora ran inside for a towel and a bowl of milk. The kitten was too frightened to come out at first, so Nora sat very still and waited nearly an hour. By lunchtime the kitten was asleep in her lap, and her mother had already agreed they could keep it if nobody claimed it.

1. 1.Who was the story about?Nora and a gray kitten
2. 2.Where did it happen?Under the porch at Nora's house
3. 3.What was the problem?A frightened kitten was hiding under the porch
4. 4.How did Nora feel?Worried about the kitten, then patient
5. 5.What did she do about it?Brought a towel and milk and waited very still
6. 6.How did it end?The kitten fell asleep in her lap and they could keep it
7. 7.Now tell the whole story back in your own words.Beginning, middle and end, in order

Read the story once. Then ask the parts one at a time - the story stays on screen - and finish by having the child tell the whole thing back. Tap any item to open it full screen.

Marcus had two weeks to build his project, but he spent the first week deciding what to do. Finally he chose to test which paper towel soaked up the most water. He bought three brands, poured the same amount of water into three dishes, and timed how long each towel took. The cheapest brand did the best, which surprised everybody including Marcus. He came second at the fair, behind a girl who had grown crystals in a jar.

1. 1.Who was the story about?Marcus
2. 2.Where did it happen?At the school science fair
3. 3.What did Marcus want?To find out which paper towel soaked up the most water
4. 4.What was the problem along the way?He spent the first week deciding and nearly ran out of time
5. 5.How did it end?He placed second, and the cheapest brand did best
6. 6.Now tell the whole story back in your own words.Beginning, middle and end, in order

Read the story once. Then ask the parts one at a time - the story stays on screen - and finish by having the child tell the whole thing back. Tap any item to open it full screen.

The wind started in the afternoon and by dinner the power was out. Dad found the camping lantern in the garage and they ate cold sandwiches around the kitchen table. Jonah thought it was the best dinner he had ever had. His little sister did not agree and cried until Dad let her hold the lantern. The lights came back on just before bedtime, and the first thing everyone heard was the television, still on from hours before.

1. 1.Who was the story about?Jonah, his sister and Dad
2. 2.When did it happen?The night of a storm, when the power went out
3. 3.What was the problem?No power - a dark house and a cold dinner
4. 4.How did Jonah's sister feel?Upset - she did not like the dark
5. 5.What did Dad do about it?Found the lantern and let her hold it
6. 6.How did it end?The power came back and the television was still on
7. 7.Now tell the whole story back in your own words.Beginning, middle and end, in order

Read the story once. Then ask the parts one at a time - the story stays on screen - and finish by having the child tell the whole thing back. Tap any item to open it full screen.

For three years the bus had been driven by Mr Okafor, who knew every child by name and kept a jar of stickers by his seat. When he retired in October, a new driver named Ms Patel took over. Nobody liked her at first because she would not let anyone stand up while the bus was moving. By December, though, she had learned all the names too, and there was a new jar by the seat with dinosaur stickers in it.

1. 1.Who was the story about?Ms. Patel, the new bus driver
2. 2.What was the problem at first?Nobody liked her because she made everyone sit down
3. 3.Why did she make that rule?To keep the children safe
4. 4.What changed?She learned everyone's names and brought a sticker jar
5. 5.How did it end?By December the children liked her
6. 6.Now tell the whole story back in your own words.Beginning, middle and end, in order

Read the story once. Then ask the parts one at a time - the story stays on screen - and finish by having the child tell the whole thing back. Tap any item to open it full screen.

Amira had wanted her own library card since she was five, but the rule was that you had to be able to write your whole name. She practiced on the back of receipts all summer. In August she walked to the library with her grandfather, wrote A-M-I-R-A B-E-G-U-M on the form, and the librarian slid a card across the counter. Amira checked out six books, which was the limit, and carried them home in both arms.

1. 1.Who was the story about?Amira and her grandfather
2. 2.What did Amira want?Her own library card
3. 3.What got in the way?She had to be able to write her whole name
4. 4.What did she do about it?Practiced on the back of receipts all summer
5. 5.How did it end?She wrote her name, got the card and took home six books
6. 6.Now tell the whole story back in your own words.Beginning, middle and end, in order

One prompt at a time. Give the child a moment; then, if they stall, ask for one part ("Where were you?"). The answer is what a complete telling includes. Tap any item to open it full screen.

1. 1.Tell me about a time you went somewhere fun.Who went, where it was, one thing that happened
2. 2.Tell me about a time you got a bump or a scrape.Where you were, what happened, who helped
3. 3.Tell me what you did this morning before you got here.Two or three things in order: first, then, last
4. 4.Tell me about a time you helped someone.Who you helped, what you did
5. 5.Tell me about a time you saw an animal.Where you were, what the animal did
6. 6.Tell me about your last birthday.Who was there, one thing you did, one thing you got
7. 7.Tell me about a time you made something.What you made, how you made it
8. 8.Tell me about a time it rained or snowed.Where you were, what you did
9. 9.Tell me about a time you were very silly.Who you were with, what you did
10. 10.Tell me about a time you went to the doctor or the dentist.Who took you, what happened there

These need a problem, a feeling and how it ended. If the child stops at the problem, ask "and then what did you do?" Tap any item to open it full screen.

1. 1.Tell me about a time something broke.What broke, how you felt, what happened next
2. 2.Tell me about a time you lost something.What you lost, where you looked, how it ended
3. 3.Tell me about a time you were scared.Where you were, what scared you, what made it better
4. 4.Tell me about a time you got in trouble.What you did, how you felt, how it ended
5. 5.Tell me about a time you could not do something at first.What it was, what you tried, whether you can do it now
6. 6.Tell me about a time you were sick.How you felt, who took care of you, when you got better
7. 7.Tell me about a time you had a fight with a friend or a brother or sister.What it was about, how you felt, how you fixed it
8. 8.Tell me about a time you got lost, or could not find your grown-up.Where you were, how you felt, how you found them
9. 9.Tell me about a time you wanted something and could not have it.What you wanted, why you could not, what happened
10. 10.Tell me about the best day you can remember.Who was there, where you were, what made it the best

A kick-off, and the child supplies the rest. Make it up together the first few times - you say a sentence, they say a sentence. Tap any item to open it full screen.

1. 1.A dog finds a key in the garden. What happens next?Who has the dog, what the key opens, how it ends
2. 2.A girl wakes up and her bedroom is full of balloons. Tell the story.Where they came from, what she does, how it ends
3. 3.A boy's kite gets stuck in a tree. Tell the story.How he feels, what he tries, how it ends
4. 4.A cat sneaks onto the school bus. Tell the story.Who finds it, what happens at school, how it gets home
5. 5.It is the first snow, and the sled is missing. Tell the story.Who is looking, where they look, how it ends
6. 6.A tiny dragon hatches in the kitchen. Tell the story.Who finds it, what the problem is, how it ends
7. 7.A robot comes to a birthday party. Tell the story.What it does, what goes wrong, how it ends
8. 8.Two frogs want the same lily pad. Tell the story.What they do, how they feel, how they work it out
9. 9.The ice cream truck breaks down on the hottest day. Tell the story.Who is waiting, what they try, how it ends
10. 10.Grandma's glasses have disappeared again. Tell the story.Where everyone looks, who finds them, how it ends

A title page, then a page for each thing that happens. Draw it, paint it, put stickers in, and type the words at the bottom. The story parts along the top light up as they get told. Print it when it has a beginning, a middle and an end.