The first little wolf built his house of bricks
One way in which the youngest learners come into literacy at Salmonberry, is through the visceral power of the dramatic arts.
Here comes the big bad pig!
Students frequently hear engaging stories, fairy tales, and repetitive texts.
The 3 little wolves were so afraid!!
Then, they bring these narratives to life, by repeatedly acting out the stories.
The big bad pig took a sledge hammer to the wolves' house
Having an opportunity to both see three-dimensionally and even become the characters in these tales, deepens the literature experience dramatically.
The wolves got some new bricks from a friendly passing kangaroo
The children come to know the stories, not only as a passive audience, but as living actors and creators of story.
Eventually, the wolves decided to build a house of flowers
The house looked so beautiful and smelled so sweet
The pig was enchanted and transformed into a big good pig
And they all lived happily ever after, of course.
The power of this experience, of living the roles of such archetypal characters and plots, is one wonderful tool in connecting children with elements of literature.
Students also have a chance to write their own original stories. And often, these stories, written down in the children’s journals, with adult support, are then also acted out with peer actors. Having their own language appear both on the page as well as on the stage, is another vital and reinforcing exercise, which again reinforces the meaning, value and personal relevance of written text.
In the photos, here, students are acting out a favorite story: Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig
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