Especially for First Grade:
Animal Tales
This collection of five 45-60 minute sessions uses interactive stories such as “Why Skunks are Stinky” as a springboard for students to create their own animal stories.
Why Do Dogs Sniff One Another?
Pourquoi Tales creatively (and often humorously) explain an animal is the way it is. Pre-K and Kindergarten will also love these stories, but what makes them especially suitable for First Grade classes is focus on creative writing.
Over the course of five sessions, students learn about the Pourquoi genre through:
Interactive storytelling
Theatre games
Acting out the stories
Creative Writing
Puppet Making
Visual Art
Song
Dance and choreography
Speaking Out Collective engages all learners positively. The first grade students and I enjoyed all the pourquoi stories which reinforced valuable life lessons. We loved to act out the plays and do the activities. We especially loved singing Mr. Matt's famous song "Why The Lizard Stretches His Neck" as he played his guitar. I highly recommend Speaking Out Collective!
Susan S, First Grade Teacher
Session 1
“Why Skunks are Stinky” and “Why Tortoises have Shells” inspire students to create an unfolding illustration to go along with their own animal story:
Why _______ have ________
Session 2
“Why Snakes Don’t Have Legs” and “Why Buzzards Don’t Have Feathers on their Head” are the inspiration for students to create their pocket puppets with detachable wings as well as their own animals story:
Why _____Don’t have Wings
Session 3
“Why Dogs Sniff One Another” and “Why Spiders Hide in Corners” lead to creating stick puppets and a backrop to turn their chairs into little puppet theatres. The titles of their puppet shows are:
Why ____(an animal) _____(does something)
Session 4
After hearing “Why the Lizard Stretches Its Neck,” students learn a song and create choreography to go with it. Students then create a 4-panel comic book based on what they’ve learned about animal tales:
Why _____(an animal) ___________________
Session 5
In the final session, after hearing “Why the Leopard Has Spots,” the class uses the story’s structure to collaboratively create a new story and act it out.
Why _____ have _____ (spots or stripes)
Teaching Artist Residencies
We’re available for residencies year round and happy to work with you to put together a package that works for your schedule. Common formats are:
Every day for a week
Once a week for five weeks
Custom schedule worked out between the school and the Teaching Artist
Each session features a standalone stories, so it’s also possible to do residencies with fewer than five visits.
Interested in finding out more about scheduling Animal Tales at your school or organization? Please fill out our Contact Form, and we’ll be in touch shortly.