Introduction

StoryTales

Teacher Guide Introduction
Who is the material for?

The StoryTales Teacher Guide is for preschool teachers. It is designed to help
teachers develop children’s language and literacy skills, such as expressing thoughts,
ideas, and opinions, having conversations with others, and understanding narrative
structure and elements.

What is it for?

The StoryTales Teacher Guide provides fun and engaging opportunities for developing
early language and literacy. Children will explore the world of make believe as they
retell fictional stories, and exercise their imaginations by building and telling their own
stories. They will use StoryTales to plan or describe activities and learn about
sequencing of events and steps in a process.
Using the Teacher Guide, preschool teachers can facilitate exciting lessons in whichchildren learn to express themselves verbally and non-verbally. As children work
together to build scenes, they will explore common literary elements, such as
settings, characters, and events. The versatility of StoryTales allows children to tellstories in a variety of ways. For example, they may build separate scenes for different
parts of the story (i.e., beginning, middle, and end). Alternatively, they may role-play astory by changing the scene as they narrate it.

How are the learning objectives achieved?

Throughout the lessons, strategic questions will guide children through the processof applying language and literacy skills. Furthermore, the LEGO® DUPLO building
activities will reinforce the children’s creativity.
Refer to the table of contents for a brief description of lesson topics. Each lesson islabeled as beginner, intermediate, or advanced, based on the skills and knowledge
needed to complete the lesson. The Teacher Guide includes two Getting Started
Activities designed to introduce the children to the basic ways they will be using
StoryTales. Introducing these activities first will give the children a solid foundation forcompleting the other six lessons. Subsequent lessons may be selected according towhat is most relevant and appropriate for the children.
In order to create a connection between verbal narration and written record, write
down the stories the children build and narrate. Reread these stories to the class, andshare these stories with parents. Children will be motivated by seeing their stories
recorded in writing, and their stories will become more structured and coherent overtime.

Appendix with Images

The appendix contains two types of printable images: background card images andpictures of lesson-related models. The background card images give you theopportunity to print extras so that multiple children can use the same image. The
pictures of lesson-related models can be used to help the children connect to thelesson, and may also be used as building inspiration when children are constructing
their own stories. Each of the models shown can be built using StoryTales.

3BEGINNER
INTERMEDIATEADVANCED

Introduction
Customizing to Your Class Needs

The StoryTales lessons can be tailored to your needs and the needs of your class.
One StoryTales set can be used with up to six children at a time, working in pairs.
Children need a lot of practice before they become proficient at building with apartner, and this is a good way to promote collaboration. The activities can be done incenters or stations around the classroom, or in small groups.
Personalizing the scenarios and content to fit your classroom dynamics and physicalsetup will help the children connect to the stories. For example, consider replacing
the suggested stories with ones that are relevant to your class.
StoryTales and the Teacher Guide can be combined with any other LEGO® DUPLO setfor even more storytelling possibilities. Combining other LEGO DUPLO sets withStoryTales will also provide more building opportunities. Additionally, creating
costumes and play props with craft materials can enrich the children’s storytelling
experiences.
Expect differentiated learning outcomes based on each child’s existing knowledge,vocabulary, and experience. Children’s verbal responses, models, and role-playing
will vary. Support the children’s learning by adapting the discussion questions andmaking the stories relevant to them.

What is it?

• The StoryTales Teacher Guide consists of two Getting Started Activities and sixlessons• The activities and lessons require StoryTales (45005)

Lesson Structure

Each lesson is structured according to a natural learning flow called the LEGO®
Education 4C Approach, which promotes successful learning experiences. TheConnect, Construct, and Contemplate phases, which are the first three phases ofeach lesson, can be done in one session. The Continue phase is more challenging
and can be completed in a later session.

4Introduction
Connect

During the Connect phase, short stories and discussions will spark children’s curiosityand activate their existing knowledge while preparing them for a new learning
experience.

Construct

In this phase, the children will participate in a hands-on building activity. As theirhands create models of people, places, objects, and ideas, their minds will organizeand store new information related to these structures.

Contemplate

During the Contemplate phase, children are given the opportunity to reflect on what
they have done and to talk about and share insights they have gained during theConstruct phase of the lesson.

Continue

New challenges in this phase build upon the concepts children have learned
previously in the lesson. These extension activities enable children to apply their
newly acquired knowledge. The Continue phase does not have to be done as part ofthe same lesson. Children may not be ready to complete the Continue phase until
they have repeatedly practiced the skills learned in the first parts of the lesson.

Did you notice?

Learning Grid

Characters

Settings

The Princess and the Pea

The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Little Seed

My PetDifferent Ending

Vacation Stories

65

Children are able to understand fundamental narrative structure and elements.

Children are able to retell and reenact events from stories, songs, or rhymes.

StoryTales
Learning Grid

Children are able to describe things and events.

Learning Goals

Children are able to express their thoughts, ideas, and opinions to others.

The Language and Literacy guidelines from NAEYC and HeadStart have been used todevelop the StoryTales lessons. Please refer to the learning grid for an overview ofthese education guidelines. The learning goals listed at the end of each lesson canbe used to determine whether or not each child is developing the relevant earlylanguage and literacy skills. These bullet points target specific skills or pieces of
information that are practiced or presented during each lesson.