Celebrate National Storytelling Week with this variety of story writing activities for KS1 and KS2. They will help to inspire a love of story creation and storytelling.
These activities allow pupils to experience writing as a fun and experimental creative process that gives them freedom to express their ideas and imagination.
KS1 activities
These oracy and writing activities are based on Joseph Coelho’s picture book Our Tower. They encourage pupils to discover the magic of storytelling by drawing inspiration from the world around them.
Use the activities to build a storytelling project for the week. Alternatively, use them during your literacy time or by dedicating time outside your regular timetable.
After reading the book, children will discuss and imagine magical worlds hidden in everyday objects, guided by sensory and descriptive prompts.
They will then venture outdoors with “magic stones” to search for their own “hidden doors” in the school grounds or nearby areas.
Students will use their senses and imaginations to describe the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings associated with their chosen magical door. This will help them build a rich vocabulary to support their storytelling.
Back in the classroom, they will bring their ideas to life through writing, culminating in individual short stories.
Attend a virtual workshop on 6th February 2025 with author Joseph Coelho. He will explore his book Our Tower and a range of interactive writing ideas to inspire storytelling.
KS2 activities
The KS2 resource focuses on author Tọlá Okogwu. Pupils will have the opportunity to explore and develop their creative writing skills. The project culminates in children writing their own short narrative piece.
The sequence begins with character creation. Pupils will explore traits and superpowers, using examples from Okogwu’s Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun for inspiration.
Activities include brainstorming unique traits, freewriting and planning characters using prompts and a character outline template.
In subsequent sessions, pupils will develop their story’s setting and plot, experimenting with narrative techniques like building tension and resolving conflicts.
They will explore how ordinary scenarios can highlight a character’s unique traits and superpowers, drawing from class discussions and modelled examples. The final stage focuses on writing, editing and sharing their stories.
Attend a virtual workshop on 3rd February 2025 with author Tọlá Okogwu where students can experience her character-building and story-crafting process.
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