Story Box Story Box is initially an oral language activity that can, if desired, also be used as a written activity. The resource is divided up into seven sections, colour-coded for ease of use: 1. Who? 2. Where? 3. Where Next? 4. What Goes Wrong! 5. Who Helps? 6. Where Last? 7. Feelings Cards for each pack should be printed, cut out and laminated. Keep each bundle of cards separate. This exercise could be done as a class oral activity, a group activity or as an individual activity. It could also be helpful for the teacher to do a demonstration of how the story works. Two cards should be selected from the first group of cards (Who?), and one card from each of the other groups. The cards can be placed on the floor/table in order. This is the order that the story should be told. By following this order, you are giving pupils a story structure that they can also follow when they proceed to write a story on their own.
The class/pupil tries to link the elements of the story to put together an oral narrative. If an individual pupil is doing this exercise, it may be helpful initially to allow him/her to prepare the oral story overnight. As pupils become more proficient, they can make up the story on the spot.
1 2 3 4
5 6 7
WHO? boy girl cyclist
escaped prisoner old man orphan pilot
taxi driver shopkeeper priest nun
fox lion stray dog stray cat
farmer scientist clown budgie
parrot teacher dolphin banker
pensioner eagle robin Garda
accountant butcher fire fighter hairdresser
dancer gardener singer jogger
plumber painter builder judge
WHERE? cinema beach hotel
school shopping centre on holiday church
pub park airport secluded house
caravan park swimming pool theatre TV studio
hairdressers bank office car park
ship shipyard harbour kitchen
treehouse skating rink cafe restaurant
Paris Dublin Seomra Ranga 2011 www.seomraranga.com New York Washington
back garden London Africa river bank
WHERE NEXT? boat club Scout hall garden centre
bank college Post Office hospital
Cork Shannon Airport Dublin Zoo photographer s studio
street corner under a bridge bicycle shop sweet shop
clothes shop home bungalow circus
bowling alley tennis club GAA pitch gym
palace tent castle Dublin s Spire
mansion seaside caravan pet shop
beach florist bedroom surf club
WHAT GOES WRONG! wall collapses broken leg thunder storm
fire lightning storm flood
bully appears ghost appears broken car arm accident
keys are lost laptop breaks roof blows away pet dies
mother becomes ill father becomes ill friend tells a secret loses lottery ticket
electricity cut off water cut off blizzard car crash
loses their way trips and falls can t swim can t find way out
loses purse/wallet gets on wrong train gets on wrong bus gets on wrong plane
trips over dog spaceship lands tornado tsunami
trousers fall down loses their memory falls down a well is kidnapped
WHO HELPS? doctor nurse caretaker
fire service dentist physiotherapist Garda
teacher farmer army sergeant football coach
St. Bernard dog plumber beautician electrician
carpenter locksmith artist robin
dietician cleaner priest nun
mountain rescue ambulance garage repair service chiropodist
pilot manager park ranger principal
WHERE LAST? cottage coal mine sand dunes
Disneyland hospital riding centre garage
Belfast Liverpool Florida airport
hairdressing salon bed hotel swimming pool
fire lightning go-cart centre chocolate factory
All-Ireland final library cave attic
FEELINGS comfort joy relaxation
fire lightning frustration sadness
sympathy fury fatigue rage
exhaustion upset hurt tearful
relief excitement loneliness confusion
contentment rejection elation despair
anger sorrow happiness anxiety
puzzled fear exhilaration panic