Objective:

Students will recount a story or poem by creating paper and pencil drawings. By illustrating and explaining their drawings, students will practice organizing their thoughts and retelling key events in their own words.

Materials Needed:

• Paper, pencils, crayons, or markers

• Chart paper or a board for group brainstorming

Steps:

• Introduction:

  • Read a simple story or poem aloud to the class. 

  • After reading, ask students to think about the story’s main events. 

  • Explain that they will recount the story by drawing pictures that represent key moments and then explaining their drawings to the class.

• Group Activity:

  • Divide students into small groups. 

  • Each group will choose the main events they want to focus on, and every student will create a drawing representing one part of the story. 

• Building and Drawing:

  • As students draw, encourage them to think about how their pictures represent the story. 

  • Once the drawings are complete, students will take turns sharing their work with their group, explaining which part of the story their drawing shows.

• Testing and Refining:

  • After sharing, groups will review their drawings together to ensure they have covered all key parts of the story. 

  • They may add details or change drawings if needed to improve clarity or completeness. 

  • Students will discuss how digital tools could have helped them communicate their retelling. 

  • They discover that classmates’ choice of digital tools differs based on preferences.

• Presentation and Discussion:

  • Each group will present their series of drawings to the class, explaining how the pictures retell the story. 

  • Lead a discussion on the different ways groups expressed the same story through drawings, and how that could have been done with digital tools as well.

Equity and Access:

Provide printed images or drawing prompts for students who may need additional support. Allow for group work so students can collaborate and help each other with drawing and explaining.

Real-World Application:

Relate the lesson to how we use drawings and visuals in daily life, such as illustrating books, comics, or storyboards for movies. Highlight how visual representations help convey information in clear and creative ways and how this can be enhanced with digital tools.

CS Practice(s):

• Developing and Using Abstractions: Students simplify the story into key moments and represent them through drawings.

• Communicating About Computing: Students explain how their drawings represent key story elements and share their work with peers. They discuss what digital tools could have made this more effective.

Standard(s):

• CA CCSS for ELA-Literacy SL.2.5

• CA CS K-2.CS.1

Objective:

Students will use a digital device with audio recording and drawing tools to recount a story or poem. By creating audio recordings and digital drawings, students will explore how to express ideas, feelings, or thoughts through technology, integrating creative and computational skills.

Materials Needed:

• Tablets or computers with audio recording and drawing apps (e.g., Seesaw or Book Creator)

• Stylus for digital drawing, if available

Steps:

• Introduction:

  • Read a simple story or poem aloud to the class. 

  • Ask students to think about how they can retell this story in their own words. 

  • Explain that students will be using digital tools to record themselves recounting the story, along with creating digital drawings to illustrate their retelling.

• Group Activity:

  • In pairs, students will use tablets to record their voices as they retell the story in their own words. 

  • After recording, they will use the app’s digital drawing tool to create illustrations that match their retelling. 

  • For example, if they’re recounting a caterpillar eating fruit in a story, they might draw the fruit as they describe it.

• Creating and Recording:

  • Guide students through the process of using the app to record their voices and draw pictures. 

  • Encourage them to listen to their recordings and ensure they clearly express the story’s main events. 

  • Allow them to revise their audio or drawings as needed to improve clarity or add detail.

• Testing and Refining:

  • Once recordings and drawings are complete, students will review their work, ensuring the audio and illustrations match the story. 

  • They can re-record or adjust their drawings based on feedback from peers or the teacher.

• Presentation and Discussion:

  • Each group will share their audio recordings and digital drawings with the class. 

  • Lead a discussion on how different groups chose to express the story and how the use of technology helped them convey their ideas. 

  • They also discuss how classmates may have selected different tools based on preferences.

Equity and Access:

Provide pre-recorded audio examples or drawing templates for students who may need extra support. Encourage students to collaborate and offer peer support.

Real-World Application:

Discuss how audio and digital tools are used in everyday life to tell stories, such as in podcasts, audiobooks, or online tutorials. Emphasize how technology helps us share information in creative ways.

CS Practice(s):

• Creating Computational Artifacts: Students use digital tools to create audio recordings and illustrations that retell a story.

• Communicating About Computing: Students explain how they used technology to retell a story and express their ideas.

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students identify how to use recording and drawing tools to match their retelling with visuals.

Standard(s):

• CA CCSS for ELA-Literacy SL.2.5

• CA CS K-2.CS.1