Using a "storyvine" is a practical strategy for combining lessons on language arts, science, and social studies into an artistic product, said Arlis Folkerts, an assessment consultant in Manitoba, Canada. Storyvines—visual representations of parts of a story—help students retell stories to their classmates, she said, and in particular the strategy helps some children who struggle with reading to successfully demonstrate their knowledge of literature.
Students create storyvines by starting with a base of braided twine or yarn about the length of their arm and then attaching visual representations of characters or actions from the story. Students can create the visual elements using pom-pom balls, google eyes, scraps of material, pieces of foam, yarn, or other craft materials. They attach their creations to the vine using low-temperature glue guns or twist ties. A loop at the top allows the teacher or student to hang the storyvine for display.
Arlis Folkerts
Once a student has completed his storyvine, he uses dramatic skills to retell a story to the class while pointing to the appropriate three-dimensional artifacts on the storyvine. For teachers who want to try this strategy, Folkerts recommended a book called The Story Vine, by Anne Pellowski.
Another storytelling variation is called "story gloves." Folkerts gives her students colorful knit gloves and asks the students to attach visual aids to the fingers of the gloves. A student can use one or two gloves to depict the story and then points to each finger as she retells the story.
The strategies connect oracy and literacy skills and give different kinds of learners a chance to shine, Folkerts explained.
In addition, storytelling is a great community building activity. Storytelling taps into the oral tradition of many cultures. In Manitoba, the Aborigine population is growing so fast that it could make up half of the province's population in five years, Folkerts said, and "they have a very strong oral tradition."