Storytelling

A very dynamic and fun to perform with students is a storytelling activity.
Here you have a storytelling we do in class.

The tale we have chosen for the storytelling is “Elmer”, by David McKee. The story has been adapted to the level to which it is focused as it is shown below.

NARRATOR: There was once a herd of elephants (we show them a drawing of a herd of elephants). Some elephants were tall (we show them a picture of a tall elephant and make them repeat the word “tall”). Other elephants were short (we show them a picture of a short elephant and make them repeat the word “short”). Some other elephants were fat (we show them a picture of a fat elephant and make them repeat the word “fat”) and some others were thin (we show them a picture of a thin elephant and make them repeat the word “thin”. After that, we ask them to stand up and imitate our movements walking through the class as if they where tall, short, fat and thin elephants. Then, we ask them to sit down and continue with the narration).

All the elephants were different but all were happy (we show them a happy face and ask them to show us how happy they are) and all were grey. But Elmer was different.

ELMER: Hello! I am Elmer! And I am different. I am not elephant colour. I am not grey.

I am yellow (we ask the children who have the yellow colour to raise it and go to the whiteboard and stick it on the mural of Elmer) and orange, and red, and pink, and purple, and blue, and green, and black, and white (we repeat the same procedure for the rest of the colours).

But I am not happy. I am sad (we ask our students to show us show how sad they are).

I want to be grey, like the rest of the elephants. I don’t want all these colours.

NARRATOR: One morning, Elmer walked and walked and walked through the jungle. Elmer met other animals. Elmer met a lion (one of us is wearing a mask of a lion and imitates its sound). The lion was yellow and orange.

LION: Good morning, Elmer (We ask the children to say good morning to the lion).

NARRATOR: Then, Elmer met a snake (one of us is wearing a mask of a snake and imitates its sound). The snake was green and yellow.

SNAKE: Good morning, Elmer (We ask the children to say good morning to the snake).

NARRATOR: Then, Elmer met a parrot (one of us is wearing a mask of a parrot and imitates its sound). The parrot was red and blue.

PARROT: Good morning, Elmer (We ask the children to say good morning to the parrot).

NARRATOR: And Elmer walked and walked and walked…

ELMER: Look! This is a tree. It is a tall tree. It is a tall tree with grey fruits. There are lots of grey fruits. Let’s count with me: one, two, three, four, five... (Then Elmer takes some fruit and rubs it over his body and face). Fantastic! I am grey now! Where are my colours? I have no yellow, no orange, no red, no pink, no purple, no blue, no green, no black and I have no white (we ask some volunteers to remove all the colours from the mural of Elmer).

NARRATOR: On his way back through the jungle, Elmer met the lion, the snake and the parrot. (We use the animal masks again to act it).

LION: Good morning, elephant.

SNAKE: Good morning, elephant.

PARROT: Good morning, elephant.

NARRATOR: Then, Elmer was back with the other elephants. But the elephants didn’t recognise Elmer because he was grey (the elephants look at each other and ask: “Where is Elmer? Where is Elmer? Can you see Elmer? I can’t see Elmer”). The elephants were sad because they couldn’t see Elmer. But, suddenly, it started to rain (we use a cloud with drops of rain falling down and put it above Elmer). And the rain removed the grey colour from Elmer. And all his colours started to show again: yellow and orange, and red, and pink, and purple, and blue, and green, and black, and white (we stick the colours on Elmer again). Now all the elephants were happy to see Elmer. They celebrated a party (the elephants sing and dance and ask the children to join them and dance as well).

(Once the story is finished we explain the children the moral of the story. We all are different. Some are tall, some others are short, and others are fat or thin. Our eyes colour is different too. But you, and you, and you, have to be happy just the way you are and accept your differences because you are simply especial).

The materials used during the acting are:

•            Animals masks: lion, snake, parrot and Elmer
•       -   Elephants drawings: tall, short, fat and thin
•           Big mural of Elmer
•           A tree drawing with removable fruits
•          A rainy cloud drawing
•           Pieces of cardboard of different colours
•           Reusable adhesive