Posted Monday, April 6, 2020
Today’s at-home activity is a classic improvisation game – Sentence-at-a-Time Story. This activity allows kids to a) practice their creativity and b) work on sequencing, word choice, and descriptive details.
Open the PDF linked below to see the directions for the activity – one set for caregivers/teachers and one set for kids who can read so they can do the activity independently
EXAMPLE STORY
By Cole, grade 3, Portland
I was sitting at home and looked out my window. I saw a house that looked really funny. It used to be funny at least. All of the sudden a moving truck parked by the house. Out stepped a big blue and green person with 8 legs. He had two feet on each leg. All of the sudden the house disappeared! In its place was a giant plan. On the top of the plant was a strange machine. Then I heard a noise. There were ghosts coming out of the machine. The ghosts were misty. The 8 legged man opened his mouth and the ghosts flew inside. They took over his body. Then he disappeared. Then a dragon flew out of the machine at the tops of the plants. Suddenly, I woke up. I looked out my bedroom window and saw a ghost. I didn’t know if it was a dream or not but I was scared.
Illustrations of the story below by Cole’s brothers.
Eli, Grade 1
Orry, Grade 1
DOWNLOAD THIS ACTIVITY AS A PRINTABLE .PDF
This activity is a modification of a well-known improv game – Word At A Time Story. You can see a longer description of the activity, called One-Word/Phrase Storytelling, in the link below from the Drama-Based Instruction website created by Drama for Schools at The University of Texas at Austin.
One-Word/Phrase Storytelling: https://dbp.theatredance.utexas.edu/content/not-0
Sarah Coleman, Portland Ovations Co-Director of Engagement l School Programs is a theatre educator, an arts integration specialist, and a former classroom teacher who has taught students in grades K – college as well as led professional development workshops for teachers around the country for over 15 years.
