Tell Me A Story

FALL, 2007-2008

Kindergarteners begin their journey into prehistory immersed in stories. They experience stories that are written and oral as well as tales told through music and movement. The read-aloud The Secret History of Tom Trueheart comes to life when students are sent a letter inviting them to partake in a story mission. When a gold box arrives with a mystery object enclosed, students begin their quest to discover what the object is and who it once belonged to. They spend the expedition researching (through books, museum visits, and meetings with experts) the parts of prehistory that help them tell the story of the mystery object and its owner. Students document their findings in their research journals and participate in shared writing to record the information they find. Students' drawings and shared writing are compiled into a book which is presented to the "story bureau," a panel of local experts, on exhibition night. Students present the story through the various types of storytelling they have been exploring, such as words, pictures, music, and movement.