Story Telling exercise

In class next week we will practice characterization by telling a short (1-2 min) children's story. To prepare for this exercise you will need to do the following:
1. Choose a children's story that you are familiar with. This should be a story that you can tell extemporaneously without notes. If you need to familiarize your self with a fairy tail/ children's story/ or Aesop's fable, you are welcome to do so. (see below for ideas)
2. Develop a personality, character gesture, voice/accent, and stance for the key characters in this story.
3. Practice delivering this story using the examples and demonstrations we discussed in class. You can do this in front of your bedroom or bathroom mirror and/ or if you are feeling brave and courageous allow your family members to watch you!


Potential ideas for stories:
Goldi Locks and the 3 bears
Three Billy Goats Gruff
Cinderella
Three Little Pigs
The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Jack and the Bean Stalk

Things I do not want to see next week.

• Standing up and telling the story in monotone, bored, wish I didn't have to do this manner!

• Narrating the entire story without using characterization.

• failing to use voice changes, accents, character gestures, and body stances to make your characters come alive.

If you have questions or concerns in this regard please feel free to comment to this message.

Do we need to do an introduction for the story?

Rebekah, Good question, thanks for asking. Since we have limited time... no intro is needed.
Thanks
Mrs. Gray

Ok Great! Also, do we need to give you a script?

No, you will not use or turn in a script. You will be delivering this story without notes... Extemporaneously... Using characterization.

I have a Question:

Do we need to tell/act out the story that we picked (like telling the general story instead of memorizing the exact story word for word) or do we need to write a script and cut it down to 1min and make changes like we discussed in class?

Alex

You do not need to memorize the story word for word. You are telling it Extemporaneously, without a script but with Characterization.

I want you to use character voices, character gestures, focal points and have fun becoming the characters in your story.

For example if you are telling the story of Goldi Locks and the Three Bears. You can tell the story as a Narrator, but when you say "the papa bear said"... you need to become the Papa bear and say what the Papa bear said in character. The same goes for Goldi Locks, The Mama Bear and the Baby Bear.

You will not have time to tell the entire story so make sure I can see characterization in the first minute or so of your story.

This exercise is helping you understand how to develop a character and deliver an interpretation of a familiar story.

Memorization/ writing a script is not required. (If you find this helpful to practice you are welcome to develop one but this will not be collected nor do I want you to reference it when you stand before the class.)

I just got this since I was at the beach until 10:00 last night. What should I do.

Katie, This was the homework assignment that I gave last week at the end of class. I posted it so that you would have a written copy of what we discussed. There have been several clarification questions that people have asked and I've answered them on this posting. Let me know if you have additional questions.
Sue Gray

thanks I got one