How to Use a Simple Story To Teach Many Things

Storytelling can be the foundation for active engaged learning to occur in your classroom or home. Obviously, it will improve language and communication skills, but there are many other basic skills that can be taught by using a simple story as a foundational lesson.

In this article, I'll show you how to take an old folk-tale, The Enormous Turnip, and use it in your homeschool or classroom setting. The stories simple plot is about how a very old man cannot pull an enormous turnip from the ground, so he enlists the aid of first his wife and then a long string of characters/animals to help him. It's an example of a repetitive tale, but one that is not boring, but gets funnier as it goes along. It will actively engage beginning readers but I've used it for much older children with the same results. With older students I change it up, but "inventing and letting them invent" a wider variety of characters to assist in the turnip pulling. e.g an alien from Mars, a rock star favorite, or a lemur from the rainforest and we set the story in the rainforest.

But back to our basic story. First step in using story to teach, is to gather the students in a circle around you. I insist upon the circle. It can be a circle around a table, but I prefer a circle around a chair with the teller in it. Come close to each other, it enhances the story, the eye contact essential for connection when telling a story and your connection to your listeners.

If you have a flannel board (a great and nifty thing to make), place the letters of the title of the story across the board to focus on the "written word". I then always begin my stories with a question. It immediately sets your listeners/students to thinking. Aha..thinking is good! I listen to their responses, after asking them to hold their hands up one at a time, so I can be sure not to miss their answer and to encourage them to listen to others so that others will listen to them when it's their turn. Aha...communication and listening...those are good!

The question I ask for this story is Have you ever eaten a turnip? If possible, I buy a turnip to bring to class and tell them that later we will "taste" the turnip. Tasting is good, it reinforces learning to adding another sense to the learning layers. The more senses we engage when teaching, the more effective the learning. Sight, sound, touch, smell, taste. I try to use all or as many as possible when teaching.

After carefully listening to the many answers you will get about turnips, gently encourage them to listen to a story about a giant turnip and then proceed to tell the story using a natural, expressive style. I know people are afraid to try telling a story and so they read it. But telling is the better alternative. This story is a good example for a beginning story to tell. It's simple and has a easy story skeleton upon which to "hang" the story.

When we use expressive communication skills of enunciation, phrasing, fluency, facial expressions, emphasis of voice, then our students/listeners will use the same expressions as they begin to retell the story, thus enhancing their own expressive communication. And in narrating the story using sentence structure, proper grammar, and story sequencing, your listners will follow the same pattern in their own stories, thus reinforcing those basic language arts skills in their own story making.

I proceed through the story, encouraging the students to hold their comments until the story is over, but encouraging them to join in as they recognize the repetitve phrases of the story. When we are finished, they will "know" this story.

The Enormous Turnip

Once upon a time old Grandfather found a turnip seed. He immediately went to his garden, dug a big hole and put the seed in. As he covered the seed with lots of dirt, he sang this song,
"Grow sweet, grow strong, grow big."

That turnip sure did grow big allright! It grew and grew and grew until it was ...enormous. When the turnip was as big as it could get, Grandfather decided to pull it up and make turnip soup. Yumm. Well, he leaned over and he grabbed that huge turnip top and he began to pull. He pulled...and pullled some more....and pulled some more.. but that turnip would not budge, not an inch. Hmmmph..

He called Grandmother to come and hlep. Well Grandmother grabbed ahold of Grandfather,, like this (I demonstrate) and she began to pull on Grandfather...and Grandfather pulled on the turnip. He pulled and pulled and pulled but..that turnip would not come out.

So Grandmother called their grandson to come and help. The grandson grabbed Grandmother around the legs and he pulled on Grandmother. Grandmother pulled on Grandfather and Grandfather pulled on that turnip. He pulled and he pulled and he pulled and still that turnip would not come out.

So grandson called for the dog to come and help....(same sequence of events as above)
So the dog called for the cat to come and h elp..(repeat pulling sequence)
So the cat called for mouse to come and help..(again repeat the pulling sequence, but now the kids are really getting into doing the Pulling part, perhaps acting out their own pulling and saying the words right along with you.)
But here's what happens now..

and Grandfather pulled and pulled and he pulled, and--kerplop--up came that turnip..finally!

And Grandfather turned to his helpers and wiping the sweat from his head..he calmly said.

"At last, turnip soup"

The end. This simple story can be varied in a zillion different ways. I know having done so with any number of groups of kids. But now the fun learning continues.

For pre-readers, I provide a set of flannel board characters for this story, made from printing out the various characters, an old man, an old woman, etc. For art project, I make copies of these character sets and let the kids color and cut out their own set to use. I glue them on to cardstock to make them more durable for repeated uses. There will be repeated uses! Or you can glue popsicle sticks on them and make stick puppets also.

I then encourage the students to retell the story to a partner. In doing so they are using word recognition skills and comprehension skills. For readers I provide a simple outline of the story from which they can "learn" the vocabulary, thus adding new words to their wordboxes. (another lesson on building beginning reading vocabulary linked here) Of course for non readers and readers alike, the idea of using the flannel board or puppets to retell the story involves sequencing skills, essential for reading and reading comprehension.

After everyone has had fun making their characters (art), telling the story (language arts, reading)-I then engage them in a science lesson about growing turnips. You could plant your own turnip seeds, comparing that big turnip with those little seeds! Turnips are very easy to grow outdoors and fun to watch. Of course, just about this time...we bring out the turnips to taste. Most kids will dislike the taste, but not all. I offer raw slices with a bit of salt and some cooked with potatoes to tone down the flavor. Add plenty of garlic and butter...(for you the teacher!)

Additional learning activities using this one simple story:

Word fun session: What words other than enormous could you use to describe the turnip. (synonyms like big, giant, etc or adjectives like purple and white, rough)

Gym activity: Acting out the pulling of the turnip in one long line, with everybody being different characters..and having a gigantic tug of war with "the turnip"..and of course everyone falling back together when the turnip goes kerplop..Provide a soft landing area!

What has happened in this learning activity that would not have happened in a traditional academic setting where the student simply read or attempted to read the story? By engaging all of their senses in the story, you have really connected the story to their learning processes. For preschoolers, beginning readers, and lower elementary students, you have encouraged them to use words to communicate and then by bringing in the words on the flannel board or in printed story..words to read, thus bridging that divide between the spoken word and the written word.

Once students "learn" that spoken words become written stories..they will want to learn to read, half the battle of teaching reading. I really recommend students having a basic set of stories that they have learned to tell, and to read. Let them tell their stories, over and over, as many times as they are interested in it. Other good stories for this type of activity are simple familiar ones, like The Three Bears, The Three Pigs, Three Billy Goats Gruff. But any good story can be adapted to fit this flannel graph method. Use your imagination and your favorite stories.

The library has entire sections of folk and fairy tales and story telling anthologies with lots of stories. Make them part of your homeschool or classroom lessons every day. You'll be amazed at how they beg..for storytime!

The Sage's Gift

This was one of the first stories I learned at a storytelling conference. It is an open source story, as so many traditional folk tales are, so you can tweak it to make it your own, but don't stray from what I call the basic "story skeleton" You can tweak it by coloring the descriptions or the dialogue with your branding, but keep the truth of the story.

I'm taking this story and placing it in a "storytelling frame" to show a basic formula for what really works when you begin to create your own stories or adapt those you've heard.

First, you start at something normal, something that is identifiable for your listeners.

Once upon a time, long ago in the city of Baghdad, (Once upon a time is very normal for all of us-it says to the listener..oh..this is a make believe tale, a fairy tale, a fable) there lived a caliph (king) who ruled over his subjects to the best of his abilities, and yet it kingdom did not flourish. His people were poor and down-trodden and without hope. And worst of all, the caliph had no heir to replace him when he died and he was very old indeed. (You set up a problem to be solved in your store, something goes wrong, we need a hero)

And then like a miracle, his wife conceived and a son was born. In jubilant celebration, the caliph ordered a great feast to be held and he invited all the notable and worthy people of his kingdom.

In the day of the feast all the guests arrived at the palace, bringing their gifts for the child. They had searched wide and far for the perfect gift to please their caliph and to honor the child. Each person passed before the throne and placed their gift at the caliph's feet and admired the newborn king. There were golden cups, beautiful weavings, the finest silks, and jewel studded toys. Each gift was finely crafted and more beautiful than the one before. Everyone had brought a gift--except the young sage Meheld Abi. When he approached the throne, he held nothing in his hand, nothing. (story builds tension and suspense, what will the caliph do?)

The caliph was sorely insulted and he demanded, "How dare you come before my child with no gift to honor him."

Calmly, the young sage approached the caliph and the child and spreading open his hands before him (add action with your movements) and said, "Sire, your many guests have indeed honored you with the finest of finery and jewels, the wealth of our poor land. But my gift is of immeasurable, invisible wealth. When the young king is old enough to hear and begin to understand, I will visit him each day. I will bring him the gift of a story every day of his young life. And I promise you, great Caliph, that when he is grown, he will be both wise and compassionate." (Aha..the hero comes in the form of the caliph to train up a new hero. The storyteller arrives to be the teacher.)

Meheld Abi fulfilled his promise. Each day he came to the palace and he told his stories to the young caliph to be. He told stories of wise men and of fools, of tricksters and pranksters, of rich and of poor, of faith and belief, of adventure and love. The boy grew hearing all the stories of his land and when he had grown to manhood, the old caliph died, and the young man took his place upon the throne.

And just as Meheled Abi has promised, the new caliph was both compassionate and wise--ruling with a wisdom that had never been seen before in any ruler. His kingdom grew rich and prosperous, his people were satisfied and wealthy, no hunger in the land and he was loved by all. His children were taught the same stories by Meheled Abi who became an old man and eventually passed on to the afterworld. But the stories he had shared lived on and were told by everyone in the land.

And when it came time for the Caliph to join Meheled Abi and his father, his children and heirs gathered around his bed in love and mourning and they asked him what they could do for him. He asked that these words be inscribed upon his tomb for all to read: IF I AM WISE, IT IS BECAUSE OF THE SEED SOWN BY THE TALES.

(All good stories take our listeners on a journey from ignorance to truth. They live a common normal place and embark upon a journey with their teller, who shows them a new place, a new truth, a new thought, a new wisdom. In the words of the Sage's Gift, we hear echoes of great tales, of Solomon, of Hiawatha, of the Gift of the Magi to a newborn King. And at the end of all stories, we become wiser because of the seed sown by the tale.)

The Power of Story in Homeschooling

My favorite part of Sunday School and church as a child was always the powerful stories of the Bible, especially those in the Old Testament. I base my strong faith now on the beauty and magic, yes, MAGIC of those ancient words. Even as a progressive Christian thinker these days, who believes that most of those ancient stories are just that, stories, I still see and feel the power of them to tell truth to the listener.

It is no surprise that as a homeschool mother, heavily invested in story forms, would develop a learning curriculum for her child and friends that is essentially centered in story and it's power to teach everything under the sun. Because I believe that it can do just that very thing.

What stories have acquired a life force of their own, that transcends varying belief systems to still hold value as a learning tool for all children and adults? The list is truly endless. We will never run out of stories that speak to us, that inform and enlighten us.

Yesterday we (Americans and Irish) shared a story of living, the story that celebrates the life of an ancient teacher who transformed an entire culture. We can argue about the merit of his transformation as we see recent incidents of non-secular violence arise again in Ireland, or as we question the validity of religions to come in and "take over" a culture. Pros and cons everywhere in that tale. But we can't argue with the power of the stories of gaelic superstitions, leprachaun and fairy folk, adventures of St. Patrick's missionary travels, and the lilt and voice of Irish legend spilling across the globe to our shores from that emerald Isle.

What stories are you choosing to use in your homeschool and if you're not, why not? Perhaps you have decided that a proscribed list of stories (curriculum) is needed and you have abandoned the role of storyteller in your children's life. I challenge you to rethink the power of story and how you use it in your homeschool environment.

Some stories reach across millinium and generations and hold true to their core. Some stories, however, are yours to share. They tell your child about your experience, your parent's experience, their grandparents and great grandparents. They bring history home in a way that a prescribed curriculum can never do.

It is no wonder that in nearly every culture the storyteller also plays the role of teacher. That role has been granted them by the instinctive understanding that real learning takes place when both our minds and hearts are engaged in the process. We remember those things that affect us deeply and nothing can be more powerful than a true story.

Storytelling has the power to teach us all to feel deeply and think clearly. Oral stories pass on our family's values, our culture's traditions and social mores. Hearing such stories allows the listener to focus their attention, to gain critical skills in thinking and processing information.

I remember reading or hearing this thought. In an African village, a wise and venerable teacher/storyteller came into a village and the children gathered around with noise, much talking, laughing and delight in his presence. They knew that he had a story to tell them. He stood and looked around at them and said..You are not ready yet. I will return when you are ready to listen to my story. This process repeated several times over several days, until finally as the storyteller came into the village, the children quickly came to him and gathering quietly around, they sat upon the ground before him, silent and waiting. And he said. "Ahh..I see now that you are ready" and he proceeded to share his tales.

Your child might not know that he is ready, but in fact, if you take the time to sit and share a story, of your own or one from the vast library of cultural tales available to all of us, he will listen. And he/she will learn. There is another ancient myth called the Sage's Gift from Baghdad. I shall write of this story in my next post for you to share with your student or for your own enjoyment.

You too can be a sage. It isn't as hard as you might think. The stories are all around you, they are your unique gift to your child. Those stories about your first time swimming in the ocean, or grandpa's gift to grandma on their wedding day, or what happened the first day you brought your child home from the hospital as a newborn baby. Remember your stories, and tell them to your child. Turn off the television and sit cuddled together on the comfy couch of storytelling. Gather them in your arms and let the stories begin!

Your child will find the language of words. Words that will spark their imaginations, clarify their thinking, remember their history, and engage their hearts. An engaged student is one who is ready to listen, ready to learn, and eager to be active in those processes. Tell a story..today.

Stone Soup Drama and Readng Lesson

Stone Soup is one of my all time favorite Creative Dramatics stories. I've used it consistently for the past 15 years of teaching children's theatre. You can check out my drama lesson plan for Stone soup here.

This lesson can be used as a reading extension and can be adapted for beginning readers up through upper elementary. I've even used the Stone Soup drama lesson for high schoolers with great results. Something about the story speaks to our deepest desires for real community and how we achieve that. It's a simple tale, but aren't the simplest tales often the ones that endure with simple truth.

Theatre and drama allow us to "act" together the story of life in all its diversity.